Beginner's Guide to Chimera Branded (November 2023)

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Deck Primer

Branded Chimera is arguably the strongest fusion deck currently available in TCG Yugioh right now. Branded isn't a one trick pony anymore that HAS to resolve Branded Fusion - it can do that and much more with the Chimera cards! With the support from AGOV, Branded Chimera boards can end on Mirrorjade's banish, set quick-fusion spells, fiend/beast floodgates, a packed GY full of follow-up, and 3-5+ cards in hand! The deck also is chock full of one-card combos meaning both Branded and Chimera packages are compact, allowing the duelist to fit in a plethora of staples in their deck.

This guide partly takes inspiration from TCGPlayer's article entitled "New Combos And Tech Cards For Chimera Fusion." Be sure to check out their article as well!

Want to see the deck in action? Scroll to the very bottom for the Youtube video!

ARCHETYPES AND DECKBUILDING

As the name implies, Branded Chimera is composed of the two archetypes. Within two compact fusion engines lies a plethora of powerful plays that are highly searchable 1 card combos!

CHIMERA is an incredible advantage deck core capable of overwhelming your opponent with so much resources, interactions and draw power - all in one fusion strategy! For example, one Mirror Swordknight is a whopping +7 in card advantage! CHIMERA creates is a simple and solid gameplan in itself with it's boss monsters - Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts and Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts. While they are on the field, their names are "Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast." In the GY, Mirror Swordknight and Cornfield Coatl (sent to the GY as part of the combo) offer some targeting protection (Coatl) and monster effect negation (Swordknight). Berfomet and Gazelle nab resources from deck when summoned and used as fusion material. The deck's fusion card, Chimera Fusion, recurs itself from the GY if Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast is on the field or GY (which is always the case). Everything in this archetype grabs resources and recurs itself in this deck so you can keep fusion summoning and interrupting your opponent!

BRANDED in this strategy isn't the main focus - it is merely a support engine designed to increase the consistency of and power of Chimera. Branded Fusion is primarily used to fuse into Rindbrumm using Albaz and Gazelle the King of Mythical Claws, netting you an Illusion monster from deck. This starts your Chimera combo! A mini Despia engine is included with 2 Branded Opening and 1 Aluber for a total of 5 ways to access Branded Fusion without using your normal summon.

Since both archetypes are so compact, this deck is chock full of STAPLES! These staples can be exchanged for other cards as needed in games 2/3. 42 cards are used in this deck since the starters for both decks are highly searchable and are 1-card combos. Card count being slightly above 40 also reduces the chance for the duelist to hard draw garnets like Albaz and End of Anubis.

COMBOS AND GAMEPLAN

Previously, Branded Chimera had the usual strategy of deploying multiple fusion boss monsters backed by a robust gameplan and grindgame. With AGOV support, in particular "Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts'," foolish burial effect for any fiend, beast or illusion, the deck has more options and additional win conditions! For example, with Berfomet's "search" of infamous fiend floodgates like "End of Anubis" and "Chaos Hunter" by sending them to the GY and with Sanctifire/Chimera King's monster reborn effect - you can immediately lock your opponent out of the game! As a result, the infamous "Puppet Lock" style play that Branded infamously does has become more accessible, consistent and safe with Branded Chimera's new cards.

With that being said, here are Branded Chimera's main combos:

You may notice in the side deck there are various fiend and fiend floodgates. End of Anubis shuts down Unchained and Tearlaments. King Tiger Wanghu destroys decks with low ATK monsters such as Floowandereeze and Spright. Chaos Hunter stops Dragonlink and Runick! Now with a singular Mirror Swordknight, these floodgates are easily searchable and summonable!

Mirror Swordknight = Floodgate of choice (Lets use End of Anubis for this example) + a lot of resources/follow-up + Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts + 1 hand-rip + monster negate (Swordknight in GY) + targeting protection (Cornfield Coatl in GY).

Normal summon Mirror Swordknight.
Activate Mirror Swordknight's effect to summon Big-Winged Berfomet from deck.
On summon, Big-Winged Berfomet searches for Chimera Fusion and Gazelle the King of Mythical Claws.
Activate Chimera Fusion to fusion summon Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts using Big-Winged Berfomet + Gazelle the King of Mythical Claws.
CL1 Big-Winged Berfomet to summon from GY Mirror Swordknight, CL2 Gazelle the King of Mythical Claws to search from deck any Illusion monster, CL3 Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts to send a random card from opponent's hand to the GY in the End Phase.
Activate Chimera Fusion in the GY to add it to your hand.
Activate Chimera Fusion to fusion summon Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts by fusing Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts + any Beast, Fiend or Illusion.
On summon, Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts sends to GY your target of choice (for this example let's use End of Anubis).
During your end phase, resolve Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts' effect to send 1 random card for your opponent's hand to the GY.
During your opponent's draw phase (or whenever you feel like it's best), activate Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts' effect to summon End of Anubis from the GY.

Congrats! With a singular card you've locked your opponent out from playing the game!

The next combo involves Branded Fusion and with siding in a lingering floodgate, D/D Orthros. (This strategy can be maindecked, but this is better going 1st IMO).

Mirror Swordknight + Branded Fusion = fiend-lock for your opponent (D/D Orthros) + a lot of resources/follow-up + Albion the Sanctifire Dragon + Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts + 1 hand-rip + monster negate (Swordknight in GY) + targeting protection (Cornfield Coatl in GY).

Normal summon Mirror Swordknight.
Activate Mirror Swordknight's effect to summon Big-Winged Berfomet from deck.
On summon, Big-Winged Berfomet searches for Chimera Fusion and Gazelle the King of Mythical Claws.
Activate Chimera Fusion to fusion summon Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts using Big-Winged Berfomet + Gazelle the King of Mythical Claws.
CL1 Big-Winged Berfomet to summon from GY Mirror Swordknight, CL2 Gazelle the King of Mythical Claws to search from deck any Illusion monster, CL3 Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts to send a random card from opponent's hand to the GY in the End Phase.
Activate Chimera Fusion in the GY to add it to your hand.
Activate Chimera Fusion to fusion summon Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts by fusing Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts + any Beast, Fiend or Illusion.
On summon, Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts sends to GY D/D Orthros (Or whatever target you'll summon with Sanctifire).
Activate Branded Fusion to fusion summon Albion The Sanctifire Dragon by sending Albaz + Light Spellcaster (usually Effect Veiler but it can also be Cartesia) from deck to GY.
During your end phase, resolve Chimera the King of Phantom Beasts' effect to send 1 random card for your opponent's hand to the GY.
During your opponent's draw phase, activate Sanctifire's effect to summon Big-Winged Berfomet to your field and D/D Orthros to your opponent's field.
CL1 (mandatory effect) D/D Orthros to lock your opponent out of special summoning anything except fiends, CL2 Big-Winged Berfomet to search for level 4 beast + Chimera Fusion to hand.

This combo is particularly nasty since it is well protected and hard to interrupt with handtraps. Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts makes fiend and beast floodgates very searchable, while Branded Fusion allows the deck to summon from GY a lingering floodgate to your opponent's field while summoning a resource generator to yours. Your opponent can't play while you amass resources for OTK next turn!

The Chimera engine can search out Branded Fusion to start your Branded strategy!

Mirror Swordknight = Search for Branded Fusion.

Normal summon Mirror Swordknight.
Activate Mirror Swordknight's effect to summon Big-Winged Berfomet from deck.
On summon, Big-Winged Berfomet searches for Chimera Fusion and Springans Kitt from deck.
Normal summon Springans Kitt.
Springans Kitt searches for Branded Fusion from deck.

The Branded Engine can search for Mirror SwordKnight to initiate your Chimera strategy!

Branded Fusion = Search for Mirror Swordknight.

Activate Branded Fusion, summoning Rindbrumm using Albaz + Gazelle the King of Mythical Claws.
Gazelle the King of Mythical Claw's effect activates when used as fusion material to search for any illusion monster. Add Cornfield Coatl from deck.
Discard Cornfield Coatl to add Mirror Swordknight from deck.

GENERAL TIPS

Branded Fusion makes greats Ash bait! For once, it's okay for Branded Fusion to get ash'd since your main strategy is with your Chimera cards!
Dimensional Barrier absolutely demolishes this deck. Oftentimes, the only counter to a blow-out like this is Triple Tactics Thrust so you can set a card to skip your opponent's turn in retaliation.
Droll and Lockbird usually stops this strategy since it needs multiple searches per turn. Crossouts and Called by the Grave can be sided in games 2/3 to counteract this threat! Otherwise, using Branded Fusion to summon Mirrorjade may be the best option.
When you assume your opponent will force you to play second, side out all your "floodgate" cards and enablers from your deck for more boardbreakers and staples.
This deck can comfortably play the powerful infamous floodgate "There Can Be Only One." When going first vs. a deck susceptible to it, side them in!
Other floodgate targets for you to summon with Chimera Branded are: Barrier Statue of the Abyss (Dark Attribute lock), Chaos Hunter (Anti-Banish floodgate), and Koa'ki Meiru Doom (Anti-Light/Dark effects). If you're playing for time, you can summon Red Resonator to gain lifepoints.
A gimmicky (since it isn't searchable) but powerful combo is available with Fusion Armament. Activate Armament revealing Naturia Exterio to special summon Naturia Beast (although its negated) from the Extra Deck. Go through your Chimera combo sending Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the GY to banish Naturia Beast until the End Phase. When it comes back during your End Phase, it won't be negated anymore!
If you have Crossout Designator and you're summoning Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts, you can easily summon any Fiend or Beast floodgate from deck. Activate Crossout, banishing your Fiend/Beast floodgate of choice. Go through Chimera combo and eventually send Berfomet the Mythical King of Phantom Beasts to the GY. During your opponent's turn, banish Berfomet to summon your floodgate from the banished pile!

Want to see the deck in action? Scroll to the very bottom for the Youtube video!

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Ever since Branded came out about two and a half years ago, I've stayed with my beloved Branded cards and piloted nearly every incarnation of the deck. I believe the next evolution of Branded is with Chimera, an arguably even stronger fusion strategy! When mixed together, both archetypes make up for each other's weaknesses and boost each other to competitive power levels! The strategy's ability to play through interruption, amass resources, set-up powerful boards and insta-win games with searchable floodgates is incredible. it is safe to say that Branded Chimera is a meta competitior that is dangerously competent at top tier levels!

Chimera's old-school retrains of Yugi's cards from DM also appeal to my "Yugi-Boomer" heart, so any deck it mixes well with is automatically extremely cool in my books. As an avid fan of Yugi's cards, I can only hope Chimera gets additional support in the future, whether direct or indirect.

GLHF Duelists!