Tenpai Dragons (Pre-INFO)

This is my own build of Tenpai Dragons using only cards from Legacy of Destruction and earlier - yes, Genroku is super busted, but this is a list for people that are trying to build the deck right here, right now. The full engine itself is shockingly small, and it really makes it easy to just kinda jam into any deck that doesn't require a large Extra Deck investment. However, it really feels that the best way to run the Tenpai Dragons is as a pure strategy, with 26 slots for non-engine. I prefer a fairly defensive non-engine myself, so I've elected to mix a few breakers - which are gonna be a bit stronger thanks to the recent bannings of Baronne and Savage - with a Crossout package that aims to insulate against a couple of targeted options.

The obvious goal of the deck is to just overwhelm your opponent while going second. Breakers and heavy interruption like Shifter, Nib, and Droplet are meant to force them into a suboptimal endboard while you use your multitude of 1-card combos to go absolutely ham during the Battle Phase. During the Battle Phase, you can Accel Synchro into your stronger and stronger dragons, ultimately culminating in a Trident Dragion that accounts for 18,000 damage by itself, in addition to the few thousand points of chip damage you have the potential to use during the process of your climbs.

Basic Tenpai Combo - 1 card combo, survives Droll, cannot be Nibiru'd

1. Normal Summon Tenpai Dragon Paidra
   • On Summon: Activate Paidra to search
   • Resolve: Set Sangen Summoning in Field Zone
2. Activate your Set Sangen Summoning
3. Use Summoning effect to search
   • Resolve: Add Tenpai Dragon Chundra, discard any non-necessary card
4. Activate Chundra in hand
   • Resolve: Special Summon Chundra
5. Move from Main Phase to Battle Phase
6. Declare Attack with Chundra
   • At start of Damage Step: Activate Chundra effect to Special Summon from Deck
   • Resolve: Special Summon Tenpai Dragon Fadra
7. Declare Attack with Fadra
8. Declare Attack with Paidra
9. Activate Fadra Quick Effect to Synchro Summon
   • Resolve: Synchro Summon Sangenpai Bident Dragion using Chundra and Fadra
   • On Resolution: Activate Bident effect, targeting Fadra in GY
     • Resolve: Special Summon Fadra
     • On Resolution: Activate Fadra, target Chundra in GY
       • Resolve: Special Summon Chundra
10. Activate Paidra Quick Effect to Synchro Summon
    • Resolve: Synchro Summon Sangenpai Transcendent Dragion using Bident and Paidra
    • On Resolution: Activate Transcendent Dragion
      • Resolve: Change all Opponent's monsters to Attack Position
11. Activate Bident Quick Effect in GY
    • Resolve: Special Summon Bident from GY, (optional) Destroy 1 Spell/Trap the opponent controls
12. Activate Fadra Quick Effect to Synchro Summon
    • Resolve: Synchro Summon Trident Dragion using Bident and Fadra
    • On Resolution: Activate Trident effect, targeting Sangen Summoning and any 1 other card you control, except Trident
      • Resolve: Destroy targeted cards
      • On Resolution: Activate Summoning in GY, targeting Trident
        • Resolve: Double Trident Dragion's Attack points
13. Declare attacks with Trident Dragion until Opponent's LP reach 0

As simple and linear as this combo is, there are some nuances that may affect how you play it. For example, if you open with Sangen Kaimen but no Sangen Summoning or Paidra, you may elect to use that during the Draw Phase in order to search Paidra to still avoid Droll. If you open both Paidra and the Field Spell, you can search for Kaimen and potentially open up the extended line, which can allow you to summon an interaction before entering the Battle Phase.

There are also a few lines which, while usable, do die to Droll. For example, opening only Summoning (and, by extension, only Terraforming) does get you Paidra, although using Droll immediately on that does stop the combo short. Similarly, if your Paidra gets hit with Ash Blossom and you don't already have Kaimen or Chundra in hand, your turn may be stopped there, provided you didn't draw into a Crossout or your Called By.

A quick explanation on the various non-engine run in this build:

• Nibiru, the Primal Being is run at 3 for its heavy break potential against decks that can't come up with a way to get Apollousa on the board on their fifth summon. It's weaker against decks like Voiceless Voice that do have in-engine ways to get an omni live within five moves, although the surge of Thunder Dragon builds after the banlist along with a plethora of Rogue-tier decks will be forced to panic if this is dropped on them at an inopportune time.
• Dimension Shifter is an odd choice for a 3-of, as while you do rely somewhat on the GY, you aren't as overtly reliant on it when compared to other decks like Branded Despia and Voiceless Voice. It does make it harder to perform the Trident OTK, but against decks that absolutely need the GY, they might not be able to build a board that can even resist a lesser combo.
• Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, Droll & Lock Bird, and Effect Veiler are all at 1 as targets for your 3-of Crossout Designator. These cards do have the potential to hurt you if left unchecked, so an extra three shots at stopping them in their tracks is appreciated. They also aren't dead cards if drawn in your opening hand, making them, at the very least, usable to stop your opponent's plays during their turn. The same is true for the Ash Blossoms and Infinite Impermenances, although those are run at 2 and 3, respectively, for their higher impact if drawn into overall.
• Harpie's Feather Duster can be drawn off of Pot of Prosperity, making the fact that its only being run at 1 less of an issue. It also gives you a way to deal with backrow-heavy decks when going second. An overall solid way to equalize boards and make it easier to play.
• Forbidden Droplet is probably the card I'm least certain about. It is a solid breaker, and the number of 1-card starters you run make it easy to have upwards of 3 cards to pitch in order to neutralize certain troublesome monsters. However, it may almost be more effective to run pure breakers in later games in a match that don't force you to lose card advantage.

Next up is the Extra Deck - a lot of fun things here.

• Black Rose Dragon and Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon are ultimately here for the same reason: an extra interaction before you enter your battle phase. If you open with enough starters, you might have enough juice to go into one of these two Level 7 Synchros and perform an extra play that just helps your board go through. Using Black Rose can clear out pesky backrow and monsters that might impact you during your Battle Phase, while summoning Meteorburst can deal with handtraps your opponent was saving for your Battle Phase. Just make sure you have a way to go into full combo during Battle Phase - the easiest way to do this is by using Sangen Kaimen during your Battle Phase to summon Fadra, then using Fadra to revive Chundra, then using Chundra's Damage Step ability to summon a Paidra, then continuing through your basic Tenpai combo from there.
• Clear Wing Synchro Dragon and Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres are both tools for when you're forced to go first. Seals can simultaneously bounce and get you a couple of your Tenpai Dragons on the field for follow-up on the following turn. Meanwhile, Clear Wing represents two monster negates, although you may only see one of them at a time. Both have their uses when forced to go first.
• S:P Little Knight is S:P Little Knight.
• Timelord Progenitor Vorpgate is an alternate tool that allows you to get around strategies like Yubel. By performing an alternate Tenpai BP line where you summon it before Bident's Dragon-lock takes effect, you have a way to clear destruction-immune bodies while still being able to go into Trident plays - even the Attack-halving that Vorpgate mandates isn't the biggest hurdle to get over, as long as you can get Trident to maximum power.
• Vagnawa the Moon-Eating Dragon is a card to help you just get a little bit more advantage in time situations. If you're forced to go first in Game 3 and you don't have too much time left, Synchro Summoning Vagnawa will burn your opponent for 1200, which they might not be able to clear out during their short time remaining.
• We are also running a small Fire Link package using Hiita the Fire Charmer - Ablaze, Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames, Amphibious Swarmship Amblowhale, and Salamangreat Raging Phoenix. If you are hit with something like Dimensional Barrier, this is an option that allows you to at least build a bit of a board without the use of Synchros.

Finally, a quick glance at the Side Deck.

• Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju is for situations where your opponent really just has something too big to deal with, like Towers Noir in Purrely or an omni that you just have to clear before you can safely go into your moves.
• Bystial Magnamhut is just another handtrap option against decks running Chaos attributes that just so happens to guarantee you get a starter for your next turn. It might be a 1-of, but with Prosperity it does become easier to grab.
• Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion is simultaneously a Crossout target (since if used by the opponent, she can stop your Bident or Fadra plays) and couple of copies of an unexpected interaction that can stop your opponent from performing necessary extension for their plays.
• Lightning Storm and Cosmic Cyclone are more backrow hate with different niches - Cosmic can be sided in when you're expecting your opponent to force you to go first and you know they have a crucial piece of backrow, while Lightning Storm helps support your primary going-second gameplan and gives you an option that flexes between backrow hate and pure monster destruction.
• Heat Wave is an incredibly silly, incredibly stupid card that should only be run if you know your opponent is gonna make you go first. You are required to draw into it, as it has to be activated at the start of Main Phase 1 and thus cannot be searched by Pot of Prosperity. However, if it does resolve, you basically guarantee a game win against any deck that requires summons on their turn (see: anything except Stun).
• Anti-Spell Fragrance is a 1-of for going first that you can draw off of Prosperity and has a similar niche to the aforementioned Heat Wave. God help your opponent if you draw into both Heat Wave and Anti-Spell going first.

Probably the strongest going second deck out there. This is a very simple deck to figure out, although it does have enough options so that the skill ceiling isn't completely flush against the floor. It's also incredibly flexible - the number of non-engine spots really allow you to customize it to your own taste, and the build I've listed here is just my personal preference. Just find a friend you can borrow a Trident Dragion from and you'll be taking game after game from everyone at your locals, because remember: Life Points do not matter until something can drop 9,000 damage on you even while you're insulated by Pot of Prosperity.