A new mecha archetype has hit the Yugioh world by storm, and they are none other than Centur-Ions! This is the second Centur-Ion variant that I've made a guide and video for. Be sure to check out my previous Centur-Ion variant, Centur-Ion Control!
These machine pilots turbo excel in turboing out level 12 Synchros like no tomorrow, leading to the summon of their primary mechanical win condition - Legatia, draw 1, destroy 1, and end-phase resource generator. However, an ugly face has shown itself once again with the second coming of a "Calamity Lock" in the form of Crimson Dragon -> Hot Red Dragon Archfiend King Calamity.
Adding the Horus engine with a resonator package enhance Centur-Ion's midrange style gameplay with robust strategies and protection. For example, Baronne can be made with a Horus monster and Vision Resonator without using up your normal summon. The Horus engine can also bait negation and break boards while providing level 8 bodies for Primera to synchro summon with. Both Resonators and Horus cards can be sent to GY for Stand Up! Centur-Ion's effect while gaining you extra resources!
The compact nature of Centur-Ion, Horus and Resonator cards mean that this deck can still pack a ton of staples - 13 in fact! Centur-Ion Horus may be currently the most effective way to play with these mecha pilots!
Want to see the deck in action? Scroll to the very bottom for the Youtube video!
ARCHETYPES AND DECKBUILDING
The CENTURION deck core is compact because of it's amazing consistency and 1-card starters being only a mere 15 cards. The only Centur-Ion cards that aren't a 1 card starter is Emet VI and Phalanx. Terraforming searches Stand-Up Centur-Ion which by extension is another starter. This brings the deck's total to 13 one-card starters, meaning that having them in your opening hand is extremely likely.
The HORUS engine is minimal, composed of only 7 cards. 3 Imsety is included to maximize chances of finding King's Sarcophagus. If the horus garnets (Duamutuf and Hapi) are ever drawn, they can be sent to GY for Stand Up!'s cost.
A tiny RESONATOR package of 3 Vision Resonator and Crimson Gaia is used to grant access to constant level 10 synchros. Horus provide level 8 monsters. Centur-Ion can also summon a level 8 with Emeth VI.
STAPLES compose the rest of this deck. There is ample space in the deck because of the compact size of the various engines, allowing for 13 flex spots. 3 Kashtira Fenrir are included since it is ridiculously strong and it searches for itself for free, and that can be a potential payment for Stand Up! Centur-Ion. Triple Tactics Thrust and it's targets are included. Since Forbidden Droplet is the best board breaker of the format and many cards in this deck like being in the GY (Horus monsters and Vision Resonator) it is maindecked.
You may have almost noticed no handtraps are maindecked with this build of Centur-Ion. This is because handtraps are best in decks that have a solid and robust gameplan (which Centur-Ion currently doesn't have) so that handtrap interruption can support the strategy. Due to the sheer variety of this format, handtraps are added in games 2/3 if they are relevant to the match-up.
COMBOS AND GAMEPLAN
Centur-Ion's current main combo is linear, and all cards do the same thing and lead to the same outcome. This means that this deck is extremely predictable, very simple and easy to learn. As said before, most Centur-Ion cards are one card starters, and if your first starter gets interrupted/negated, the other starters in your hand can also act as extenders to continue on your combo. For example, if Primera got impermed/veiler'd, you can summon Primera and continue comboing to get your level 12 synchro boss monster, Legatia.
Since the gameplan hinges the success of the Centur-Ion combo, the pilot must do whatever they can to simplify the opponent's gamestate and bait interruption. Baronne (Horus + Vision Resonator) can be summoned before attempting anything else to insulate your combo lines. Photon Lord can also be made with 2 level 8s (usually 2 Horus monsters) to negate monster effects.
Here is Centur-Ion 1-card combo:
Primera = Legatia (Pop monster, draw 1 and resource generator) + Calamity Lock (Or Omni-negate with Blazar Dragon) + follow-up
- Normal summon Primera to search Stand-Up!
- Activate Stand-Up! Use Stand-Up's effect to send 1 card from hand to GY to place Trudea on the backrow as a continuous trap.
- Special summon Trudea from the backrow.
- Activate Trudea's effect to place itself on the backrow and Emeth VI from deck on the backrow.
- Special summon Emeth VI from the backrow.
- Synchro summon Legatia using Primera + Emeth VI.
- Activate Legatia's on-summon effect to pop a monster with highest ATK your opponent controls (if applicable) and draw 1 card.
- During the End Phase, activate Legatia's effect to place Primera on the backrow as a continuous trap.
- During the opponent's Main Phase, special summon Primera (CL1) and Trudea as a level 8 (CL2) from the backrow.
- CL1 Primera to search a Centur-Ion card (usually Bonds since it's excellent follow-up), and CL2 Stand-Up to synchro summon using Primera + Trudea for Crimson Dragon.
- Activate Crimson Dragon targeting Legatia to synchro summon King Calamity from Extra Deck. (If your opponent interrupts Crimson Dragon so that King Calamity loses it's timing window to resolve it's on-summon effect, summon Blazar Dragon instead).
With one singular card, you've locked your opponent out of the game, and you have ample follow-up for next turn's OTK! (So unfair, I can feel a King Calamities ban on the horizon).
With the Horus and Resonator cards, Baronne can be made before attempting anything else to insulate your combo lines. Horus and Kashtira Fenrir are also potent board breakers and interruption bait so that your essential Centur-Ion combo is achievable after you simplify your opponent's gamestate.
In addition to the King Calamity Lock, the win condition of Centur-Ion is to outgrind your opponent with immense resource generation with Legatia's +1 draw and end phase recursion of Centur-Ion monster cards. If you've slowed down your opponent enough with your trap cards, floodgates and Mr. Calamity, you should be able to out-resource your opponent and win!
GENERAL TIPS
If you feel like your opponent has Droll in hand, always try to search important cards first, like King's Sarcophagus or Stand-Up! This deck generally only has to search once, and it's home free to continue comboing.
If your opponent interrupts Crimson Dragon so that King Calamity loses it's timing window to resolve it's on-summon effect, summon Blazar Dragon instead. King Calamity is a "when" effect, so it's summon has to be the last thing in a chain - meaning Crimson Dragon's effect to summon Calamity should be the ONLY thing happening for Calamity's "when" effect to resolve successfully.
If your opponent is targeting your Centur-Ion monster, you can "dodge" their targeting effect if Emeth VI is in your hand or GY! Simply chain Emeth VI's effect to place your monster in the backrow!
If your opponent targets your continuous trap card Centur-Ion monster on the backrow during the main phase, you can "dodge" their targeting effect by simply chaining their quick effect summon!
Centur-Ion Phalanx can banish your continuous trap card monsters in the backrow to summon them next stand-by phase. That's because monsters treated as continuous traps in the backrow are still counted as "monsters" and Phalanx reads "target 1 face-up monster card on the field."
Break your opponent's board during the battle phase with Horus cards (King's Sarcophagus' damage step removal is pretty damn strong) and Kashtira Fenrir so that you can combo easier during Main Phase 2!
- Want to see the deck in action? Scroll to the very bottom for the Youtube video!
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Centur-Ion Horus feels like a much more "midrange" version of the strategy compared to the "stun-like" playstyle of my previous build, Centur-Ion Control. The ability to play first or second and crack boards with ease makes this deck very comfortable and fun to play! Baronne protecting your Calamity Lock/Crimson Dragon is also a big game changer, and the deck doesn't feel as brittle as before.
The first wave of support for Centur-Ion is features a surprisingly consistent and robust strategy. Its no glass cannon either, it can take a couple interruptions and given the correct extender, keep on comboing to reach the deck's archetypal boss monster Legatia! Playing this deck, I discovered that Centur-Ion is much more than the infamous "King Calamity Turbo!" I'm excited for the further support in store for these mecha ladies - surely it'll be good enough to pierce the heavens!
GLHF Duelists!
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