With the eventual release of Branded Fusion and Ghost Fusion in the TCG, we seem to be getting a lot more spells that fuse directly from the deck! This trend can be seen as both good and bad when it comes to the health of the game. However, no matter which way you see it there's no denying that they're here to stay.
Today we'll be taking a look at all the Deck Fusing cards we know so far and see what makes them tick. A lot of these have interesting stories to tell, so let's dive right in! This will be divided into three parts, as the era difference is quite big!
Special thanks to Clyton from r/yugioh's Discord Server for collaborating with this article!
Ahead of their Time
Future Fusion is the first up in our list and boy was it a doozy and a half! Massive emphasis on was, as it suffered a crippling errata that took it out of relevance. Despite this, we have a lot to thank the spell for as it pioneered a lot of the traits most big-time Deck Fusing cards have now.
Being able to directly send materials from the Deck is an extreme luxury that some of the best Fusion cards enjoy in the modern age. Not having to use any cards from the hand or field is also notable, as it means you aren't wasting resources or going minus to get your plays started.
Not only that, Future Fusion used to represent an extreme threat the opponent had to deal with. This goes hand in hand with the immediate GY setup, making it a card that must be respected. Historically, the card has made its mark in the early years by getting limited only two months after its release! Chimeratech Overdragon is the reason for this, as you would end the game with it paired with Overload Fusion. The latter would banish all the machines you dumped for an OTK.
Despite this limitation, the deck persisted and took home the glory in February 2007's SJC Orlando, winning the event! A funky variant with Ancient Gears making use of Ancient Gear Drill was showcased. Paul Lyn used the card to set any of the two needed combo pieces to go in for the kill. Having to wait a turn wasn't too tall a task back in the day, so it paid off quite well.
The deck lasted up until 2008 before fading out of the spotlight. Still, this is only the beginning of Future Fusion's journey.
Unsung HEROs and Dragons
Jumping a few years later, Future Fusion made a small splash in the competitive scene with some appearances in decks such as Diva HERO and Bubble Beat. Absolute Zero and Miracle Fusion were absolute powerhouses, but their representation wasn't as big all things considered. The interesting thing to note was they weren't dumping for any WATER synergy, but to get Malicious in the GY! More on that in part 2.
Disaster Dragon had some small success with the spell, but it never really took off that much. Still, people realized that Foolish Burial for 5 dragons was an obscene effect, and something was bound to break it eventually. Enter Chaos Dragons months later!
Lightpulsar Dragon and Eclipse Wyvern were the main culprits at the time, both powerful monsters in their own right. The former teamed up with Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon for a horrifying loop, while the latter was the main catalyst for powerful access to boss monsters such as Judgment Dragon and Dark Armed Dragon, respectively. Lastly, the free mill 5 meant you've plenty of fodder for your Chaos monsters to take over the duel!
As a result, Future Fusion would meet its end at the hands of the September 2012 Forbidden and Limited List, a well-deserved ban all things considered.
Call of the Void
Future Fusion stayed on the banlist for 5 years, before getting an errata and being re-released in Duelist Saga. The nerf was massive, making it so the send was delayed after your first Standby Phase. This neutered the card and doomed it to fade into obscurity. However, this did not deter dedicated Infernoid players who still gave the card one final outing in 2017!
As you can see with Tierra, there's no upper limit to how many Infernoids you would be able to send with this effect. It milled two of their strongest monsters, Onuncu and Devyaty! This coupled alongside the fusion's effects, made Future Fusion an instant win button should it ever resolve.
Anderson Tsang understood the immense strain and pressure that this spell had towards the opponent and played it as such. His intention was never to resolve it, but instead to force the opponent to respond to it or else. Future Fusion was one of the factors that resulted in his impressive 1st place finish at YCS Denver! Quinton Brown was no slouch either, racking a nice top 8 finish at the same event. Other lists also showed good regional-level results with the card.
And that ends the run of this Deck Fusing card, having quite a fruitful career in its lifespan. It left a great legacy that many duelists will remember as the years pass. One could say Future Fusion walked so that the others could run.
One Hit Wonder
Chain Material is the last of the potential Deck Fusers at the tail end of GX, released as a short print in Phantom Darkness. The card was pretty dormant, remaining as a slow and terrible meme that never really had a good payoff. It is worth noting that the card itself doesn't fuse from the deck, but rather allows the ability to do so.
One pioneer was able to pull off an impressive appearance on the highest stage with it though. A top 16 finish at YCS Texas is nothing to scoff at. Rob Boyajian pulled up with a unique deck concept and managed to place at a large event with 1365 duelists total. Enter Electrum Cannon OTK!
You may then ask, what in the world is Electrum? Electrumite? Are you referring to the banned Link monster? Not quite, as the card in question is none other than Elemental HERO Electrum!
Infinite Burn
Since Chain Material is in play, you're freely able to summon Electrum by banishing materials from your Deck. Its effect then shuffles back all banished materials. Bring out the second Electrum and go into Gustav Max. Max burns for 2000, and you fuse it away for either Gaia or the Shining. The third Electrum will then recycle everything back and secure the loop.
The deck played akin to regular Gate HERO in this regard, but had an immediate win-button should Chain Material ever be in its grasp. Since the deck can go infinite, it also doesn't lose to Maxx "C" as you would simply deck them out.
This would be Chain Material's first and only sighting in competitive play, but it sure made its debut a worthwhile one.
Conclusion
And that wraps up Part 1 for the History of Deck Fusing cards. Join us next time as we take a look at two heavy hitters in Shaddoll Fusion and Brilliant Fusion! Feel free to let us know what you think about Deck Fusing cards in general!
