There are too many cards and combinations, and not enough time to test them all. However, I explored some deck concepts that may inspire you.
Super Quantum Engine
A new archetype already making waves from Winged Raiders.
Are Pendulum Monsters even worth it?
Pendulum monsters are weird. They’re not like synchro or xyz monsters. Those use pre-existing cards, support pre-existing gameplay by accelerating it. Xyz monsters are my favorite game mechanic in any card game I’ve ever played. The ability to add them to any deck, their super simple summoning conditions, and the options you can gain by including multiple Xyz monsters of the same level is remarkable.
Deck Profile: Artifact Monarchs
I just can’t resist running Artifacts in any deck it’s functional in!
Fun Buster Blader deck profile
It wasn’t easy, but after a week of testing different Buster Blader builds, I’ve fallen on one that’s awesome.
Designing to solve issues
Going into this build, I asked myself questions for what I needed to get done. I wanted to solve some of the frustration both Kyle’s build and my archetype test build found with this support.
I set out to solve:
- How to summon Buster Blader and Buster Blader the Destruction Swordsman
- How to search for Buster Whelp
- How to summon Buster Dragon with generic material
- How to set up Buster Dragon and Buster Blader the Dragon Destroyer on turn 1 consistently
- What to do when none of that works
So yeah, lots of stuff. The outcome was fun, here’s the deck.
Buster Blader and Pendulum Monsters
Monsters (25)
3 Buster Blader
3 Buster Blader the Destruction Swordmaster
2 Dragonpit Magician
2 Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon
1 Oafdragon Magician
1 Performapal Monkeyboard
2 Stargazer Magician
1 Performapal Skullcrobat Joker
1 Timegazer Magician
1 Nobledragon Magician
3 Buster Whelp of the Destruction Swordsmaster
2 Destruction Sword – Dragon Buster Blade
1 Jet Synchron
1 Tuning Magician
1 Performapal Trump Witch
Spells (15)
1 Allure of Darkness
2 Sacred Sword of the Seven Stars
2 Where Arf Thou?
3 Pendulum Call
2 Terraforming
1 Foolish Burial
2 Destruction Swordmaster Fusion
1 Starlight Junktion
1 Sky Iris
Traps (0)
Extra Deck (15)
1 Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon
2 Buster Blader the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman
1 Beelze King of Diabolic Dragons
1 Scrap Dragon
1 Stardust Dragon
2 Buster Dragon
1 Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon
1 Blackrose Dragon
1 Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon
1 Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon
1 Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon
1 Number 11: Big Eye
1 Ebon Illusion Magician
Here’s a video
How to summon Buster Blader and Buster Blader, the Destruction Swordsmaster
Buster Blader, the Destruction Swordmaster
The Destruction Swordmaster needs to be on the field or in the graveyard for it to matter, so the deck has to have a way to discard it or summon it from the hand.
The Magician pendulum monsters, with Pendulum Call and Sacred Sword of the Seven Stars work to summon the Buster Blader’s if you have them, or get rid of them. 3 and 3 of each swordsman ensures that you can banish or discard them anytime they’re making a hand weak, and at the same time not worry that you’ll never see one again.
How to search for Buster Whelp
Buster Whelp of the Destruction Swordsman
I didn’t really work this one out. Since I always want to normal summon it, I figured including one for one would conflict with that desire, so it’s not included.
I decided to go with Where Arf Thou? for search power, and Allure of Darkness and Sacred Sword for draw power. I also bet on there being enough deck thinning to increase the chance of drawing Whelp. In my other build and Kyle’s, we were using A Hero Lives to summon Prisma to make it a Buster Blader. I figure taking 2000 LP of damage isn’t that bad of bad deal.
Where Arf Thou? works with Tuning Magician, Jet Synchron, and Dragon Buster. These level one tuners can all special summon themselves to the field under various conditions.
Thinking about it now, I’m not entirely sure I need Buster Whelp. Well, I can at least entertain the idea of not running it. There might be some way I can work in a Junk Synchron and a Synchro Fusionist to search for the fusion spell. Or I could use King of the Swamp and Polymerization if I want to give up on snatching opponent’s monsters with the Buster fusion spell.
How to summon Buster Dragon with generic material
Buster Dragon
This deck has a bunch of level seven monsters. It has a bunch of level one tuners and an open normal summon. Having so many Buster Bladers you can open with one, draw into one, search for one, or get rid of one in the expectation that another one is around the corner.
Buster Dragon is really easy to summon, but also very pointless if you don’t have a Buster Blader. Even then, ending with 2 Pendulum Scales, a Buster Blader, and a Buster Dragon is very unsafe. Logically, the play should end with a Beelze or something. But if Buster Blader and Buster Dragon are on the field for more than a turn, the deck can start to feel like it has an over abundance of fun options.
How to set up Buster Dragon and Buster Blader the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman
Buster Blader, the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman
Opening a Buster Whelp or the fusion spell usually means you can set up the combo just because of the insane number of Buster Bladers you can draw into or open with. A lot of plays end with a fusion spell set face-down, a Buster Blader and Buster Dragon.
I thought I could build this deck and then explain how it works, but it gets relatively complex when you open with a hand that requires decision making.
Inconsistencies
Field Spells
I’m running a Sky Iris because it can destroy the Perfomapal pendulum monsters that get stuck in the pendulum zones. It also searches Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon in case it needs to be used as fusion or synchro material.
Synchronized junction is in here for when I have Terraforming and don’t need Sky Iris. There aren’t many times this happens, but this can tribute Nobledragon Magician and summon Jet Synchron. Since the Magician is searchable by Pendulum Call.
Performapal Monsters
I feel like they do more harm than good. Performapal Skullcrobat Joker can’t be used to summon Buster Blader. It also takes up the normal summon. It’s great at fixing hands and setting up some of the deck’s combos, but it’s not a part of any of those combos.
Perfomapal Monkey Board is less useful because everytime I have it, I forget it becomes a 4 scale when it’s paired with a non-Performapal scale. It’s only purpose is to get Joker, and I already think that’s not entirely worth it. But, this is what you get when you build a deck with low pendulum knowledge and with an archetype that’s difficult haha.
Performapal Trump Witch should be Performapal Trump Magician. It would make like so much easier. It’s here as a secondary target for Mokey Board and it helps the fusion combo along in case you can’t get to the fusion spell.
Now I’m done
I can safely say I’ve had my fun with the new Buster Blader support. Fun note, I’d never played with any of the magician pendulum monsters before. My introduction to the pendulum mechanic was through Dinomists. Dinomists are fairly restrictive, but these magicians are quite useful and provide a lot of flexibility. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Perhaps I’ll write an article on it!
If you’ve tested or are running the new BB support, what did you do differently? What have you found amazing/annoying? I’d love to hear about your experiences down in the comments, or you can reach out to me on twitter @mattcarterwa.
Deck Profile: Buster Blader
None other than a Buster Blader deck. Don’t get your hopes up.
Fun Deck: Budget Kozmo
I was bored, and I wanted to make Kozmos, but that’s expensive. So, I made this.
Deck Building Discussion vs. Kozmo
Join on my adventure to find a suitable trap line-up for the current meta that beats Kozmos.
Dinomists and Deskbot 001?
I’m considering what to do about regionals. I’ve been playing Dinomists for a few weeks now and really like the straightforward nature of the deck. It’s power comes from two abilities: one that negates an effect that would target Dinomist monsters and one that negates an effect that would destroy Dinomist monsters.
Dinomists only use two core game mechanics: attacking and pendulum summoning. So in order to cover their vulnerabilities, you have to look outside the archetype for support. And since I don’t have Cyber Dragon Infinity, here are some of the other things I’m considering:
Deskbot 001
Deskbot 001
Deskbot 001 gives Dinomists access to synchro summoning. This card comes out of the graveyard with almost every pendulum summon. The extra 500 attack and defense it gets for each machine-type monster can make it a pretty big beatstick.
There are 3 synchro monsters of note that Deskbot gives you access to:
Metaphys Horus
Metaphys Horus
Metaphys Horus has a tidal wave of effects. Syncroing with a Level 5 Dinomist monster allows you to negate the effect of a face-up card (monster, spell, or trap) and you gain control of an opponent’s monster. It’s disruptive, something Dinomists could use.
The only issue is that it has relatively low attack, and won’t be covered by Mist Armor or the field spell, Dynomic Powerload.
Ally of Justice Catastor
Ally of Justice Catastor
Deskbot 001 and any Level 4 monster gives you destruction for monsters that can’t be destroyed by battle. Since Dinomists are attacking focused, this helps to expand their battle phase options.
Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
A little excessive, but it’s powerful, so whatever. Deskbot 001 and 2 – Level 4 Dinomist monsters make Trishula. It’s disruptive and has OK attack.
Dinomists have a crowded Pendulum Summon
All of these options occur after a pendulum summon. That way, you get Deskbot 001 for free. But I don’t like the idea of having all of these decisions to make. They all crowd the pendulum summon, making its success that much more vital.
Fortunately, Dinomists have a really solid defense if they choose to sit around and wait. Mist Armor and the field spell protect them, and as they gain more field presence, they become pretty scary.
Are you running a Dinomist deck? What have you done differently to deal with problem cards? I want to know what you’ve done to make the deck your own, so leave a comment. Or, you can also reach out to me on twitter @mattcarterwa .
Budget Splashable Pendulum Engine
Courtesy of Breakers of Shadows.