Heya, it's been a while since I've posted a decklist, but I've been cooking up this Gishki Hand Loop deck for a hot minute and I think I've finally nailed it. As you would expect, this heavily abuses Crystron Halqifibrax + Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon combos and can pretty reliably rip 3-5 cards out of the opponent's hand, even with negates at play. I think this deck is at least a rogue-tier strategy.
The main thing that makes this deck tick is Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince, as it sends Atlantean Dragoons for cost and thus isn't the type of thing someone wants to hand trap. You can get so much mileage off of that thing, it's insane. If you bring it out with Deep Sea Diva or One for One you're getting a full combo almost every time.
Your general opening will be Diva -> Neptabyss, then climbing into Halq (bringing out Deskbot 001) and Auroradon, then using 001 + the tokens to bring out a Herald of the Arc Light. You can then destroy the remaining 2 tokens for Coltwing to bring out 2 more and revive 001, use that for a second Herald, then use both Heralds to go into Dugares. Detaching 2 Heralds and getting the draws with Dugares is a very big plus and you can often get significant mileage from it. You can alternatively run something like Nyarla or Daigusto Emeral with this, but I've found Dugares to be the most consistently good one.
Unlike quite a few Gishki builds I've seen, I think Deskbot 003 is detrimental to the deck. It's incredibly easy to hand trap and doesn't synergize with the deck's goals outside of going into Halq combos. It's a good engine card at a glance but it requires the opponent to just let you proc it and we all know that's not going to happen, and that can be the end of the turn right there. By cutting it out you're increasing the consistency by dedicating your normal summon to Diva or Neptabyss, both of which you're near-guaranteed to see thanks to all the search/draw options (Dragoons + Minstrel, Deep Sea Dria, One for One, Dugares draws, Talents draws). I also like not having to use two 001s, which the 003 combo really likes, which decreases consistency further...it's just a mess. If you want to run it though, cut out the Talents and Upstart and you can see what I mean in practice.
Anyway, onto the card reviews themselves.
Monsters (24):
- 1x Lapis Dragon
- Great card to search off Dragoons to use as a combo piece. I like to do this with Minstrel + Dragoons since it's often a free Halq combo, but you can do it off the Neptabyss route if you really want to. If you get it in your opening hand it kinda sucks though.
- 3x Atlantean Dragoons
- Broken. If you drop this with Neptabyss or Minstrel you're able to get virtually anything you want in the deck: Gishki Shadow/Vision for a ritual search, Minstrel, Diva, all of these are ways to get balls-deep into that hand loop. You're free to run 2 if you're afraid of bricking, but you're often selling yourself short and losing out on a few routes.
- 1x Mecha Phantom Beast Coltwing
- Summon it with Auroradon to go + one million, you get the idea. The destruction effect is nice if you're going second too, I guess, but you're playing it for the opening combo. It's a really fun card!
- 3x Gishki Shadow
- This is your Aquamirror searcher, and sometimes a way to guarantee the final hand rip if you're short of cards. Also, this can trigger Deep Sea Aria after use, which is super helpful. If you're in a really tight spot for whatever reason, you can also use it as a Dugares material. Don't actually do that, though.
- 3x Deep Sea Minstrel
- I was running this at 1 until I started field testing this deck and man oh man is this card stupid. It's a perfect way to trigger the Dragoons in your hand while collecting data and helping secure your hand loop for the turn. It's just flat out insane and not maxing out will really hurt you in the long run. She also triggers Deep Sea Aria after use which is nice. I never find myself using her second effect though, it just kinda sucks?
- 3x Gishki Vision
- Gishki Shadow but it can be summoned with Deep Sea Diva for a Herald summon. Nifty little tech if you get Neptabyss out without her help.
- 3x Deep Sea Diva
- Using this to get out Neptabyss is your full Halqifibrax combo, and as such, you should never run less than 3. The heart and soul of this deck's combo starting antics.
- Here is a good one card + junk opening from Diva you can use to start your combo routes;
- NS Diva -> SS Neptabyss -> Neptabyss eff, pitch Dragoons -> Add Dragoons, GY Dragoons eff, search Deep Sea Minstrel -> Use Deep Sea Minstrel's effect to pitch Dragoons and rip out a card, proc Dragoons to search Gishki Vision -> Link Neptabyss and Diva for Halq -> SS Deskbot 001 -> Climb into Auroradon, summon 3 tokens, trigger 001 in GY -> Synchro 001 + token for Herald -> Auroradon 2nd eff, destroy 2 tokens, summon Coltwing -> Coltwing eff, summon 2 tokens, trigger GY 001 -> Synchro 001 + token for Herald -> Xyz both Heralds for Dugares -> Dugares 1st eff, draw 2 discard 1, detach both Heralds, discard junk -> trigger both Heralds, search Gustkraken + Aquamirror -> pitch Vision from earlier for another Gustkraken -> Summon your first.
- From here, continue your plays utilizing your Dugares draws and other parts of your starting hand.
- You have the option of stopping at Halq to go into Desert Locusts on the opponent's turn if you have enough to go into a 4-card hand loop. This can be further extended into going into Baroness de Fleur, Borreload Savage Dragon, or PSY-Framelord Omega depending on the materials you have on your board. Absolutely experiment with this, it's a very good route. The first sign you should try this route is if you have a One for One in hand since Neptabyss is largely what enables the route.
- 3x Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince
- Ballbustingly good card, pitching Atlantean Dragoons for cost to trigger its effect while searching you another. This is a one-card way to trigger Minstrel while activating the Dragoons you searched, which leads to a +1 in card advantage overall. This doesn't interrupt your combo plays at all and you should never skip out on it. If you don't have Diva, normal summon this and you won't be too impeded.
- 1x Deskbot 001
- For Halq and nothing else. Pray you don't draw it.
- 3x Evigishki Gustkraken
- Literally a safer Topologic Gumblar Dragon.
Spells (16):
- 1x One for One
- Summons Neptabyss from the deck for what's basically free, giving you a possible route of fetching Deep Sea Diva w/Aria to go into more lengthy combos. You can also summon Deskbot 001 if you're on shrooms or something I guess.
- Including Beautunaful Princess + Gishki Abyss can make this a free search but it kinda sucks honestly, I wouldn't go for it these days but the option is there.
- 3x Three Tactical Talents
- Great contingency plan against hand traps since they're absolutely going to negate your stuff. This'll normally be Diva. Collect your Draw 2 if you want to continue popping off, but the hand rip is also an acceptable option if you think the negate is going to stop the full combo. Look at what backup combo pieces you have before making the decision.
- 1x Extra-Foolish Burial
- I'd run more but drawing 2+ of these ******* sucks, man. This is a hand loop deck so you really want to max out on the non-HOPT cards unless they're absolutely necessary, which this isn't. Anyway, pitch Herald and call it a day.
- If you're going to run 3, cut Photomirror and Upstart Goblin.
- 1x Upstart Goblin
- 3x Deep Sea Aria
- Effortless to proc since you're burying those Gishki Shadows and Visions like your life depends on it. You can also banish one of the Dragoons. This searches you more Gishki Shadows and Visions to continue the hand loop, which is insanely useful.
- 3x Preparation of Rites
- With this, you can make an excuse to cut a Vision, since this'll be grabbing you Gustkraken while getting an Aquamirror back. This is basically Pot of Greed and it's not even OPT for some reason. God, why is that a thing?
- 1x Gishki Photomirror
- There'll be times where you're a material short when trying to release the Kraken, which this remedies. Plus, if you have a Preparation of Rites in hand after using this, that becomes a "one-card" Gustkraken without having to tribute the one you previously summoned. Thus, that gives you a Rank 6. I don't see many people running this, so maybe I'm using this for the wrong reasons. Very cuttable, I just like the flexibility.
- 3x Gishki Aquamirror
- The main spell you're using to loop Gustkraken, don't think I need to explain that.
Extra (15):
- 1x Baroness de Fleur (or Geomathmech Final Sigma)
- You can bring this out with Diva + 2 L4s, Desert Locusts + 1 L4 or something, which is a free negate on the board for your torn-up opponent to get through. This often secures the win unless they got something real special. If using Geomathmech you can get that more easily with Desert Locusts + Gustkraken.
- 1x Borreload Savage Dragon
- Good card to use after a Halq combo; again, this normally secures a win because of the negate.
- 1x PSY-Framelord Omega
- Another way to secure a hand loop at the end of a turn, can be summoned with Desert Locusts + an L2 as well, which few decks can pull off. If you're not able to hand loop for more than 3, try going for a Locusts + L2 play with this!
- 3x Herald of the Arc Light
- Your searchers and a funny negate + pseudo-vanitys if you can keep one on deck. Never run less than 3.
- 1x Constellar Ptolemy M7
- Straight from the 2013 build baby, this card still has it. Use this to get your Shadow back from the grave after proccing Aquamirror to continue the Gustkraken loop.
- 1x Virtual World Phoenix - Fanfan
- You can also run Photon Strike Bounzer, but this deck is very weak going second and this has helped a lot in that regard. Detaches two Gustkrakens to banish a card from their hand and GY, which you can use to proc an otherwise dead Aquamirror too. Generally a really nice card.
- 1x Number 60: Dugares the Timeless
- You're generally only using Dugares for his draw effect, but the SS from GY can be handy if you're willing to forsake a follow-up. Anyway, the draw effect is largely what keeps him here, so if you want to use Dweller or Nyarla then by all means do so. Nyarla is particularly nice alongside the Heralds since you're possibly getting 3 searches off it.
- 1x Accesscode Talker
- 1x Knightmare Unicorn
- Use this when going second to make life easier, and then climb into Accesscode Talker to swing for game. No other reason for using it, but it's a very good reason regardless!
- 1x Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon
- Bonk but for going first.
- 2x Crystron Halqifibrax
- Running 2 to give this deck a better follow-up post-hand loop, but you can drop the second if you have any better ideas. This card should be banned sometimes though ahahaha
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