In defense of structure decks.

A note from the tourney: one of the regulars saw me playing Machina Gadgets and shook his head. He apologized, but he said he couldn't imagine playing a modified structure deck in a competitive tourney.

If you feel that way, I can understand to a degree. Just don't let me hear you crying next month when people who don't agree with your sentiments start fucking shit up with Agent Angel.

The Lost Sanctuary deck gives Angel decks a variant of Dark Armed Dragon, a level two tuner that acts like Machina Gearframe, and an Allure of Darkness variant. Add to that the common versions of formerly secret rares like Marshmallon, Tethys, Valhalla, and (last but not least!) Archlord Kristya that will be floating around, and we have a playable deck that becomes very capable of tourney play with a few additions.

Konami has done this quite a bit recently, making structure decks that are playable in tournaments with a little variation, and I approve because it can get more people involved in tourney play. The players who can't afford a Six Sam or X-Saber deck can buy three copies of the deck and wind up with a deck that they'll feel more confident in playing in a tourney. More players, bigger prize pool, and more of a chance to learn and grow.

In a more greedy vein, it also gives me more options of decks to play, because I don't like playing the same deck week in and week out. So yeah, I'll be in line once again to get my copies of Lost Sanctuary when it drops June 15, and I advise you to do the same.

Testing Machina Gadget

We played a box tourney at my local shop yesterday, with 14 players. For the last few days, I'd been kicking around about five decks to play and finally decided to tweak Machina Gadget. The main reason I decided to play that deck is because I wanted to play a consistent deck that didn't get annihilated by side deck hate. Even though I don't have Pots of Duality (thanks again, Konami!), I had some pretty decent success with the deck.

3 Machina Gearframe
2 Machina Fortress
2 Red Gadget
2 Green Gadget
2 Yellow Gadget
3 Cyber Dragon
2 Genex Neutron
2 Genex Ally Birdman
1 Genex Ally Duradark
1 Glow Up Bulb

3 Smashing Ground
1 Limiter Removal
1 Dark Hole
1 Monster Reborn
2 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Book of Moon

2 Solemn Warning
1 Solemn Judgment
1 Mirror Force
1 Torrential Tribute
2 Bottomless Trap Hole
2 Dimension Prison
2 Dark Bribe

Extra Deck:
1 Naturia Beast
1 AoJ Catastor
1 Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Boundary
2 Black Rose Dragon
1 Genex Ally Triforce
1 Scrap Archfiend
2 Stardust Dragon
1 Scrap Dragon
1 Thought Ruler Archfiend
1 Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Boundary
1 AoJ Field Marshall
2 Chimeratech Fortress Dragon

Lots of cards in this deck replace themselves which should help keep you nipping at your opponent's heels.

Genex Neutron is an 1800 ATK beatstick that has the benefit of adding a Birdman to your hand if it survives until your end phase.

I played three CyDrag because there's a handful of Karakuri and Machina players at my local, so I wanted to run two Fortress Dragon. CyDrag also is a free 2100 ATK beatstick that makes an easy level eight synchro monster with Birdman.

Glow Up Bulb is in the deck to make level five and six synchros, but I honestly never used it once all tourney.

I went 3-1 on the day, only losing to Kinky Chaos, a Chaos deck that uses Kinka-byo and Effect Veiler to abuse Formula Synchon. I got him back in the top eight, though. I also beat Frog Monarch and Six Sams (thank you, Machina Fortress equipped with Machina Gearframe!).

I wound up making top four and splitting the prize for 11 packs. I opened a Shien's Dojo and two Debunks, so that was worth the entry fee.

So yeah. Machina Gadget is still pretty good.