Turbo Gladiator Beasts

UPDATE – October 21, 2018: I’ve made a few changes to the deck profile which have increased its speed, versatility and consistency, and the description has been updated to reflect this.

A turbo-oriented Gladiator Beast deck focused on summoning the Link monster Dragases as quickly as possible. This will allow you to safely battle and use his tag-out effect to swarm the field with other Gladiator Beasts, before using them as materials for additional extra deck summons; enabling you to control and win the game.

Engines

The deck features multiple ways to summon Dragases during your Main Phase 1, which is optimal for this archetype; below are three examples:

Rescue Rabbit/Rescue Cat = 1 card combo:

Normal Summon Rescue Rabbit/Rescue Cat -> Use the effect of Rescue Rabbit/Rescue Cat to Special Summon 2x Andal/Samnite from your Deck -> Send the 2x Andal/Samnite to the GY to Special Summon Dragases.

Unexpected Dai/Onslaught of the Fire Kings + Level 4 or lower Gladiator Beast = 2 card combo:

Use Unexpected Dai/Onslaught of the Fire Kings to Special Summon Andal/Laquari from your Deck -> Normal Summon a Level 4 or lower GB -> Send Andal/Laquari + Normal Summoned GB to the GY to Special Summon Dragases.

Unexpected Dai/Onslaught of the Fire Kings + Rescue Rabbit/Rescue Cat + Test Tiger = 3 card combo w/ the bonus of a Special Summoned Secutor:

Use Unexpected Dai/Onslaught of the Fire Kings to Special Summon Andal/Laquari from your Deck -> Special Summon Test Tiger from your hand -> Use Test Tiger's effect to shuffle Andal/Laquari back into your Deck to Special Summon Secutor from your Deck -> Normal Summon Rescue Rabbit/Rescue Cat -> Use the effect of Rescue Rabbit/Rescue Cat to Special Summon 2x Andal/Samnite from your Deck -> Send the 2x Andal/Samnite to the GY to Special Summon Dragases. *** This is the Deck’s strongest power play. Resolving both effects of Secutor and Dragases in one turn will result in you generating massive card advantage and opportunities; it’s arguably a win condition. ***

Tips

No matter the engine you use to summon Dragases, you always want to ensure that you can use his tag-out effect to Special Summon Augustus and Darius from your Deck, so that you can then trigger their effects to swarm the field with even more GBs. Better yet, if you have your second copy of Darius in your hand at this time, it will allow you to end up with 5 GBs on the field by the start of your Main Phase 2!

Dragases + Darius (in hand) = 5 Gladiator Beasts on field:

End of the Battle Phase -> Use Dragases' effect to Special Summon Augustus + Darius from your Deck -> Use Augustus’ effect (Chain Link 1) + Darius’ effect (Chain Link 2) -> Darius Special Summons a GB from your GY (e.g. the first GB used to make Dragases) -> Augustus Special Summons Darius from your hand -> Use Darius' effect to Special Summon a GB from your GY (e.g. the second GB used to make Dragases) -> Main Phase 2.

From here you can then perform the following combo:

Send both GBs to the GY (those that were Special Summoned by your copies of Darius), to Special Summon Dragases -> Shuffle Augustus + 2x Darius back into your Deck to Special Summon Andabata -> Use Andabata's effect to Special Summon Gyzarus -> Use Gyzarus' effect to destroy up to 2 cards on the field -> Return Andabata + Gyzarus back into your Extra Deck to Special Summon Tamer Editor.

At this point you have opened even more possibilities:

Option A:

Use Tamer Editor's effect to Special Summon Heraklinos (to lock down your opponent's Spells/Traps; this becomes even more oppressive if you also happen to have a set Solemn Strike).

Option B:

Use Tamer Editor's effect to Special Summon Nerokius -> Use both as Xyz materials to Special Summon Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon Titanic Galaxy, (to restrict your opponent’s Spells and to protect your weaker monster(s) from attacks).

Option C:

Use Tamer Editor's effect to Special Summon Gyzarus -> Use Gyzarus' effect to destroy up to 2 more cards on the field.

Caveats

- The deck is engineered to go second; having to go first will result in very limited actions.

- Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring is the bane of this deck, so make sure to put those Called By the Graves to good use!

- Try to maximize the usage of Gladiator Beast's Respite in combination with looping it back to your hand via the effect of Equeste. Doing so will allow you to sculpt your hand (e.g. shuffling unwanted copies of Andal back into your Deck to keep Rescue Rabbit/Unexpected Dai active), while drawing deeper into your Deck to get to your key cards faster.