Post by Abstract™ on Aug 4, 2005 23:26:13 GMT -5
Constructing the Zombie Deck
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Purpose of a Zombie Deck:
The purpose of the typical Zombie deck is to defeat your opponent while special summoning many powerful zombies, instead of tributing.
Strengths:
Zombies own the powerful searcher in the game, Pyramid Turtle. It can bring out almost any zombie. Zombies also have their own monster reborn, and the ability to special summon a whole lot of powerful tribtes. Zombies are also natural counters to Chaos.
Weaknesses:
Zombies Decks usually feature a large amount of tribute monsters, so the key to destroying a zombie deck, is stopping the effect of Pyramid Turtle, and removing all Graveyard revival cards. Zombie decks posses few weaknesses.
Constructing a Zombie Deck Part 1: Good Zombie Monsters:
These are zombies you ought to consider in a Zombie Deck:
Vampire Lord
Set: Dark Crisis [DCR-000], Rise of Destiny VARIANT [RDS-ENSE4], Dark Beginnings 2 [DB2-EN116]
Level: 5 *****
Attribute: DARK
[Zombie/Effect]
Each time this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, decare 1 card type (Monster, Spell or Trap). Your opponent selects 1 card of that type of his/her Deck and sends it to the Graveyard. Also, when this card is destroyed and sent to your Graveyard by your opponent's card effect. It is Special Summoned to the field during your next Standby Phase.
ATK/2000 DEF/1500
Rarity: Secret Rare, Ultra Rare, Ultra Rare VARIANT
This card is the heart of a Zombie Deck. Vampire Lord is arguably the best themed-tribute monster there is. Revival, Deck Out, all in one. This card can't be destroyed by any card effect, ant 2000 ATK is fairly good, but not for a tribute monster. But, in a Zombie Deck, you'll rarely be tribute summoning this beast. It's searchable by Pyramid Turtle. It's also DARK, which is great chaos food. And Zombies have tons of support. Vampire Lord is feared. In a Zombie Deck, he causes nightmares...
Ryu Kokki
Set: Invsion of Chaos [IOC-090]
Level: 6 ******
Attribute: DARK
[Zombie/Effect]
If a monster that battles with this monster is a Warrior or Spellcaster-Type monster, destroy that monster at the end of the Damage Step.
ATK/2400 DEF/2000
Rarity: Common
One thing that makes zombies so great, is that they can bring out a 2400 ATK powerhouse throught a searcher. Ryu Kokki, with a 2000 DEF, is the strongest DEF you can get out of Pyramid Turtle. Ryu Kokki is the counter to Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the End, and Warrior and Spellcaster decks. But even on his own, his a 2400 ATK beatstick that rarely gets tribute summoned in a zombie deck.
Dark Dust Spirit
Set: Pharaonic Guardian [PGD-017], Dark Beginnings 2 [DB2-EN217]
Level: 6 ******
Attribute: DARK
[Zombie/Spirit]
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card returns to the owner's hand during the End phase of the turn that this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned or flipped face-up. If this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned or flipped face-up, destroy all face-up monsters except this monster on the field.
ATK/2200 DEF/1800
Rarity: Common
The first, and only Spirit Zombie, Dark Dust Spirit has been overlooked in most Zombie Decks, and mainly because Zombies like swarming, and this'll ruin it. But, this is actually a very good Zombie. This'll save you when in a tight spot, and can be re-used since it's a spirit. But unfortunately, spirits can't be special summoned, and Dark Dust Spirit's a tribute monster. But luckily, this'll be the only card you'll tribute summon, unless you're running Jinzo. And it leaves your opponent wide open for a 2200 direct attack. So, it's a pretty good card.
Pyramid Turtle
Set: Pharaonic Guardian [PGD-026], Dark Beginnings 2 [DB2-EN225]
Level: 4 ****
Attribute: EARTH
[Zombie/Effect]
When this card is sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle, you may select 1 Zombie-Type monster with a DEF of 2000 or less from your Deck and Special Summon it to the field in face-up Attack of Defense Position (no Tribute is required for monsters of Level 5 or more). The Deck is then shuffled.
ATK/1200 DEF/1400
Rarity: Rare
Pyramid Turtle is the ultimate searcher for Zombies. it can search out almost any zombie in the game, a Spirit Reaper for defense, Ryu Kokki for offense, or bring out the mighty Vampire Lord!
Spirit Reaper:
Set: Pharaonic Guardian [PGD-076], Dark Revalation 1 [DR1-EN024]
Level: 3 ***
Attribute: DARK
[Zombie/Effect]
This monster is not destroyed as a result of battle at any time, although damage calculation is applied normally. When this card is specifically designated as a target of the effect of a Magic, Trap, or Effect Monster Card, this card is immediately destroyed. When this card attacks your opponent's Life Points directly, 1 card is randomly selected from your opponent's hand and discarded to the Graveyard.
ATK/300 DEF/200
Rarity: Rare
Spirit Reaper is a Zombie that also appears in a lot of non-Zombie decks. It's a very good stall, and only effects can destroy it. This is the backbone of any Zombie Deck.
Castle of Dark Illusions [MRD-073]
Berserk Dragon/A Deal With Dark Ruler [DCR-019]
Despair from the Dark [DCR-023]
Fear From the Dark [DCR-025]
Patrician of Darkness [LOD-058]
These 5 Zombies are fairly good cards, but shouldn't always be included.
Castle of Dark Illusions is a card to include if you want to power up your zombies. Combining this with Swords of Revealing Light, it Vampire Lord can become, one very broken card. Berserk Dragon, while extremely powerful, is difficult to summon, for it can only be summoned by A Deal with Dark Ruler, which can only be activated when one of your LV8 monsters is sent to the Graveyard, which some people don't even have. Despair and Fear From the Dark are great counters to Control, especially Despair. Fear should rarely be main-decked, but Despair can sometimes. And Patrician of Darkness is only good if you want ot add a little extra control.
____________________________________________
Purpose of a Zombie Deck:
The purpose of the typical Zombie deck is to defeat your opponent while special summoning many powerful zombies, instead of tributing.
Strengths:
Zombies own the powerful searcher in the game, Pyramid Turtle. It can bring out almost any zombie. Zombies also have their own monster reborn, and the ability to special summon a whole lot of powerful tribtes. Zombies are also natural counters to Chaos.
Weaknesses:
Zombies Decks usually feature a large amount of tribute monsters, so the key to destroying a zombie deck, is stopping the effect of Pyramid Turtle, and removing all Graveyard revival cards. Zombie decks posses few weaknesses.
Constructing a Zombie Deck Part 1: Good Zombie Monsters:
These are zombies you ought to consider in a Zombie Deck:
Vampire Lord
Set: Dark Crisis [DCR-000], Rise of Destiny VARIANT [RDS-ENSE4], Dark Beginnings 2 [DB2-EN116]
Level: 5 *****
Attribute: DARK
[Zombie/Effect]
Each time this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, decare 1 card type (Monster, Spell or Trap). Your opponent selects 1 card of that type of his/her Deck and sends it to the Graveyard. Also, when this card is destroyed and sent to your Graveyard by your opponent's card effect. It is Special Summoned to the field during your next Standby Phase.
ATK/2000 DEF/1500
Rarity: Secret Rare, Ultra Rare, Ultra Rare VARIANT
This card is the heart of a Zombie Deck. Vampire Lord is arguably the best themed-tribute monster there is. Revival, Deck Out, all in one. This card can't be destroyed by any card effect, ant 2000 ATK is fairly good, but not for a tribute monster. But, in a Zombie Deck, you'll rarely be tribute summoning this beast. It's searchable by Pyramid Turtle. It's also DARK, which is great chaos food. And Zombies have tons of support. Vampire Lord is feared. In a Zombie Deck, he causes nightmares...
Ryu Kokki
Set: Invsion of Chaos [IOC-090]
Level: 6 ******
Attribute: DARK
[Zombie/Effect]
If a monster that battles with this monster is a Warrior or Spellcaster-Type monster, destroy that monster at the end of the Damage Step.
ATK/2400 DEF/2000
Rarity: Common
One thing that makes zombies so great, is that they can bring out a 2400 ATK powerhouse throught a searcher. Ryu Kokki, with a 2000 DEF, is the strongest DEF you can get out of Pyramid Turtle. Ryu Kokki is the counter to Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the End, and Warrior and Spellcaster decks. But even on his own, his a 2400 ATK beatstick that rarely gets tribute summoned in a zombie deck.
Dark Dust Spirit
Set: Pharaonic Guardian [PGD-017], Dark Beginnings 2 [DB2-EN217]
Level: 6 ******
Attribute: DARK
[Zombie/Spirit]
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card returns to the owner's hand during the End phase of the turn that this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned or flipped face-up. If this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned or flipped face-up, destroy all face-up monsters except this monster on the field.
ATK/2200 DEF/1800
Rarity: Common
The first, and only Spirit Zombie, Dark Dust Spirit has been overlooked in most Zombie Decks, and mainly because Zombies like swarming, and this'll ruin it. But, this is actually a very good Zombie. This'll save you when in a tight spot, and can be re-used since it's a spirit. But unfortunately, spirits can't be special summoned, and Dark Dust Spirit's a tribute monster. But luckily, this'll be the only card you'll tribute summon, unless you're running Jinzo. And it leaves your opponent wide open for a 2200 direct attack. So, it's a pretty good card.
Pyramid Turtle
Set: Pharaonic Guardian [PGD-026], Dark Beginnings 2 [DB2-EN225]
Level: 4 ****
Attribute: EARTH
[Zombie/Effect]
When this card is sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle, you may select 1 Zombie-Type monster with a DEF of 2000 or less from your Deck and Special Summon it to the field in face-up Attack of Defense Position (no Tribute is required for monsters of Level 5 or more). The Deck is then shuffled.
ATK/1200 DEF/1400
Rarity: Rare
Pyramid Turtle is the ultimate searcher for Zombies. it can search out almost any zombie in the game, a Spirit Reaper for defense, Ryu Kokki for offense, or bring out the mighty Vampire Lord!
Spirit Reaper:
Set: Pharaonic Guardian [PGD-076], Dark Revalation 1 [DR1-EN024]
Level: 3 ***
Attribute: DARK
[Zombie/Effect]
This monster is not destroyed as a result of battle at any time, although damage calculation is applied normally. When this card is specifically designated as a target of the effect of a Magic, Trap, or Effect Monster Card, this card is immediately destroyed. When this card attacks your opponent's Life Points directly, 1 card is randomly selected from your opponent's hand and discarded to the Graveyard.
ATK/300 DEF/200
Rarity: Rare
Spirit Reaper is a Zombie that also appears in a lot of non-Zombie decks. It's a very good stall, and only effects can destroy it. This is the backbone of any Zombie Deck.
Castle of Dark Illusions [MRD-073]
Berserk Dragon/A Deal With Dark Ruler [DCR-019]
Despair from the Dark [DCR-023]
Fear From the Dark [DCR-025]
Patrician of Darkness [LOD-058]
These 5 Zombies are fairly good cards, but shouldn't always be included.
Castle of Dark Illusions is a card to include if you want to power up your zombies. Combining this with Swords of Revealing Light, it Vampire Lord can become, one very broken card. Berserk Dragon, while extremely powerful, is difficult to summon, for it can only be summoned by A Deal with Dark Ruler, which can only be activated when one of your LV8 monsters is sent to the Graveyard, which some people don't even have. Despair and Fear From the Dark are great counters to Control, especially Despair. Fear should rarely be main-decked, but Despair can sometimes. And Patrician of Darkness is only good if you want ot add a little extra control.