Spikes & Baron D.M.Comet

Card Article 10: Tweaking around the Undeads

As I promise, I would write an article on polishing the Undead structure.

As the Vampire week going to close really soon (it's fast...), let's just go back a little bit on the structure deck. Yes...the old one, right??

Let's get on topic now, first of all, I would put the card list reference (out of order in some way) in each of the sections that I would talk about.

But first, let's see some combos involve in this deck??
1. High Level Undeads + Genesis + Genesis's effect/Book of Life = Heavy Reborning
2. Turtle + Book of Life --> Heavy Summoning
3. Special Summon + Reward of Rebirth
4. FEM + High Level to discard for Genesis

As you see, this deck could REALLY be around [Vampire - Genesis]. But as I said in the card review, Vampire Genesis is not even that good of a card. However, for the sake of changing the deck...I would KEEP it, and really, EXPAND on it.

Let's look at how to change the deck up, now. I would do this separating sections by sections.

For the ratio for this deck, it is VERY BAD. It have a 7-10-16-7 (17-23) ratio, or, a very imbalance between the Tributes and the Non-Tributes monsters. (You will see later) The usual ratio, you may ask?? It is about a 4-13 or 5-12 for an Undead deck (since really, for the ease of Undead to be special summon, a little bit more High Tribute have no problem).

Tribute
------------------------------
Monster (Trib) - 7
Vampire - Genesis x1
Vampire Lord x1
Sand Spector x1
Dragon Bone Orge x2
Despair from Darkness x2
------------------------------
First of all, since I said I want to stay with Vampire Genesis, that state. However, we see a Spirit Undead monster that CANNOT be special summon, so, that is one big OUT.
-1 Sand Specter

We then look down, and see 2x Despair + 2x Dragon Bone Orge, Despair is a GREAT comboing card with Genesis, but, 2 is overkill. DBO is 6 star, and it is special summonable by Turtle, so...
-2 Despair

What to add??
Well...since I want to keep down the cost of this deck, so, I would not choose [Curse of Vampire], since it is kind of expensive to get one.

With the ratio down to 4, since there're not much other good high level Undead monster, I would just leave it like this:
------------------------------
Monster (Trib) - 4
Vampire - Genesis x1
Vampire Lord x1
Dragon Bone Orge x2
------------------------------

Non-Tribute:
------------------------------
Monster (NT) - 10
Master Kyonsee x1
Pyramid Turtle x3
Soul-Banishing Spirit x1
Spirit Draining Tower x1
Vampire Lady x1
Double Coston x1
Revived Mummy x2
------------------------------
As I said earlier, we need MORE Lower levels Undead monsters in order to balance the deck.

First of all, I would start to throw stuff out...
And...the first victim is ALWAYS a Yellow monster (non-effect monster), they serve no purpose what so ever, and the attack strength is not even that good...
-1 Master Kyonsee

Then, we also see some monster that have no use at all without any more 2 tributes: Double Coston. It would get out of this deck also.
-1 Double Coston

Now, it's time to tweat up the number of non-tribute monster.
First, as always, we want some staple monsters, so...
+1 Magic Warrior - Breaker (303/EE1)
+1 Initiate Troops (SC/DL5/SJ2/BE2)

Then, we want to expand on the what's call "Undead"...yes, this card, right??
+1 Soul Banishing Spirit (301/EE1)

Also, with Genesis and millions of special summon, we can also do:
+1 Spirit Inhaling Tower (308/EE2)

Also, we want some Vampire taste, right??
+1 Vampire Lady (308/EE2)

So, that's not enough, we NEED some kind of beatstick, so...
+2 Fear from Darkness (304/EE1) OR Royal Bodyguard (PH/DL5/BE2)

So, in final words, the deck is power up by more low tribute, yet (somehow) useful Undead monsters. As always, you may do this differently, but, I'm choosing all cards that are Commons. This Undead monsters provide enough stick to boost up the High Tribute Undead, which have GREAT power.

In conclusion, let's look at the list:
------------------------------
Monster (NT) - 13
Fear from Darkness/Royal Bodyguard x2
Pyramid Turtle x3
Soul-Banishing Spirit x2
Spirit Draining Tower x2
Vampire Lady x2
Revived Mummy x2
------------------------------

Magic:
Well, finally the most important part in the deck: Magic cards. With the right choices of Magic cards, a deck could be more powerful.

So, let's look at how to dump and add the cards.
------------------------------
Magic - 16
Theft x1
Cyclone x1
Hurricane x1
Apostle of Obliteration x1
Jar of Greed x1
Reward of Rebirth x1
Tempest x1
Book of Life - Forbidden Magic - x2
Cry of Mummy x3
Reload x2
Forced Transfer x2
------------------------------
First of all, let's look at the current "staple" Magic list: (not really have to be EXACT...)
1. Jar of Greed
2. Cyclone
3. Change of Heart (lack)
4. Theft
5. Early Burial (lack)
6. Tempest

As you see, we lack 2 of the staples, so...first of EVERYTHING:
+1 Early Burial (CA/YU/KA/SJ2/DL1/BE1/SD1/SD3)
+1 Change of Heart (RB/DL2/YU/PE)

Then, let's dump out some trash cards.
With the combo on reborning, there's one [Reward of Rebirth] in this deck. One, however, cannot affect the game much at all. Even with all the special summoning involve in this deck, we see a very situational card here.
-1 Reward of Rebirth

Looking down the list, we see 3x Cry of Mummy.

3x?? [Cry of Mummy] is a CONTINUOUS MAGIC, and with the lack of M/T removal in the game right now, it's better not to top deck this card so much since it's use is very limit.
-2 Cry of Mummy

At last, we see 2x Reload. Reload, however, is not that useful of a card. With you want to swamp the field, not your hand, and pretty much you would use your hand up quickly. And as I lower the chance of this deck having bad top decking, this card really is not need.
-2 Reload

After down 3 cards, let's add back some...
Undead is all about Special Summoning, and...2x Book of Life certainly is not enough. You may say 3x Book of Life would top deck, but, in late game swamping, that is definitly needed.
+1 Book of Life - Forbidden Curse - (PH/DL5/BE2)

Now, what if your opponent have a monster that you WANT to kill??
Easy...
+1 Earth Crush (307/EE2)/Lightning Vortex (FET)

To further the removal, with the combo [Book of Moon] + [Apostle]
+1 Book of Moon (PH/DL5/BE2)

At last, what's the best way to get special summoning from your grave?? Dump the cards, right??
+1 Distressful Choice (MR/DL1/BE1)

In conclusion, Magic cards are added to either they're just "staples" (or just...great cards that MAJORITY of the decks could use), or they would support what you're doing. Let's look at the final list for the Magics:
------------------------------
Magic - 16
Theft x1
Cyclone x1
Hurricane x1
Apostle of Obliteration x1
Jar of Greed x1
Distressful Choice x1
Tempest x1
Book of Life - Forbidden Magic - x3
Cry of Mummy x1
Earth Crush/Lightning Vortex x1
Forced Transfer x2
Change of Heart x1
Early Burial x1
Book of Moon x1
------------------------------

Trap
-------------------------------
Trap - 7
Sand Torando x1
Tidal Wave x1
Magic Jammer x1
Careless Avarice x1
Forced Ejection Machine x3
-------------------------------
Now, for the last part, the Traps.

First, let's look at the staple list for Traps (I call it "Staple 3")
1. Destruction Ring
2. Cry of the Living Dead
3. Tidal Wave

This deck lacks two of them, so...
+1 D-Ring (KA/SK2)
+1 Living Dead (CA/JY/DL1/BE1)

Now, once added card, I need to take some out, right??
First victim is...Careless Avarice. You NEED draw power in this deck, but not a card where you can use in any deck. Careless is when you want to just KILL opponent and know the cards you want is coming. We don't have this kind of situation in this type of deck...
-1 Careless Avarice

Then, we look down and see [Magic Jammer].

If you don't know me, I always say this kind of counter Traps are bad cards....

WHY? It have too limit of a use, limiting only to Magic cards??
Bye...
-1 Magic Jammer

We look down the list more and see 3x Forced Ejection Machine.

Again, Konami get crazy and try to fill up the spaces. I cannot think of much of combos with Forced Ejection Machine. Bouncing a big monster you have to hand so you can discard it for Genesis?? Bouncing opponent's card so they waste a summon??

Maybe...but 3x and definitely too much...
-1 Forced Ejection Machine

As I said, what would be a better counting card??
Of course, the old powerful [God's Declaration].
+1 God's Declaration (BE1)

Now, let's look at the Trap lineup:
-------------------------------
Sand Tornado x1
Tidal Wave x1
Cry of the Living Dead x1
Destruction Ring x1
Forced Ejection Machine x2
God's Declaration x1
-------------------------------

Of course, the deck is finish. However, you can always do something. Like the Trap lineup may change if you HATE bouncing and like killing more, like
-1 FEM to add a Thunder Break (301/BE1) or Earth Crush

If you just want drawing, you can always put:
1. [Mirage of Nightmare] (PH/DL5/BE2) + [Emergency Ration] (SC/DL5/BE2)
2. 3x [Goblin Managment Expert] (FET) (not recommand since there're just not enough spaces)

And last but not least, some cards you WANT to add into this deck if you can find them (ALL of the following are either Promos or from PP/LE packs):
1. Sixth Sense (VB6)
2. Curse of Vampire (LE7)
3. Dead Spirit - Zoma (MG1)

Last comment: Undead deck is not even close to easy to use. A player must try and test out the deck a lot in order to grib the deck. Also, my changes are just a sample of how to improve a deck, it does NOT necessary mean telling you to swap out those cards and add in those cards. My changes may NOT always work, and sometimes it comes down to my own preference on building a deck. You can copy this deck all you want, I don't care, but most likely, you would not learn anything from it since you didn't test it out to change the cards yourself. The point of this article is just to show you all some of the best way to tune up the deck so it would be better, and you guys can say it is as a "guide" on improving the deck.

- Baron (Still unaffect by Vampire), 1/21/05