Introduction to Gimmick Puppet
Introduction
Gimmick Puppets are a series of primarily DARK Machine monsters whose primary objective is to summon their Rank 8s and 9s in order to destroy monsters on the opponent's board and deal large amounts of burn damage. This guide will cover most of what you need to know about these dolls and maybe inspire you to give them a try.
Core - Essential Pieces
Cards you 100% must include.
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Your best starter and Normal Summon, Soldiers allows you to send any Gimmick Puppet from deck to GY as long as it's level is different from Soldiers', then copy the level of the sent monster. Your primary target for this- if you don't already have it, is Loading... . This effect cannot be negated by Loading... , as the effect that sends a Gimmick Puppet card to GY is for cost, making Loading... and Loading... also extremely useless against the card. In addition, its GY effect is essential to properly utilizing your level 4s.
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A vital extender for the deck in addition to being one of the two monster "Protection" GY effects. This will often be what you search using Loading... , being your second Normal Summon to revive a Gimmick Puppet from the GY. Its GY effect also makes every single Gimmick Puppet effect spell speed 4, protecting your plays significantly against handtraps, negates, and much else. You do not wanna play less than 2, as you need at least 1 for combos and an extra for its protection effect.
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Foolish Burial on legs, but slightly worse then Loading... . However, it has the small advantage of being able to send level 4 Gimmick Puppets, letting you send Loading... or Loading... , which can be important in combo lines. I wouldn't play more than 1, but you have the option to play more if you want extra consistency.
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Easily the best extender the deck has, allowing you to summon 2 bodies without a Normal Summon. It also has the same effect as Loading... , where it can add itself to hand when sent from anywhere except the hand. You can play as many or as little as you want, but you need at least 1.
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A necessary extender that will help you continue your plays through disruption, you will often summon this with Loading... going second. While not necessarily needed, its value cannot be understated.
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As the Exosister Martha of the deck, this card is vital to making plays. Being able to Special any other Gimmick Puppet from the deck often means the card lets you get tons of material for completely free. It also recycles itself from the GY if it's sent from anywhere except the hand, this makes even cards like Foolish Burial or Condolence Puppet able to start plays by themselves. A major downside to the card being so good is that it's a very vulnerable choke point, often ending your turn if you cannot resolve it.
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While not a terrible extender, Bisque is primarily used for it's GY protection; being able to protect all your Gimmick Puppets from being targeted, counting cards like Loading... and Loading... . While often played at just 1, you can consider using 2 to prevent it from becoming a garnet.
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The deck's primary extender and the biggest main deck Puppet in terms of stats. Cattle Scream will often be your summon off Loading... . While it's effect it gives to Xyz won't come up every game, it can be used to great effect going second, or to revive opponent's handtraps to turn on Triple Tactics Thrust.
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I mean... just read the card, it's a custom. Despite the hits to the deck in the TCG and OCG, Mansion is still a 1 card FTK, meaning people will often play as many copies of it as possible using other packages (more about those later). While some often compare it to Loading...
, it has a noticeable distinction that it only protects against monster effects, leaving you still unprotected against spell/trap board breakers and handtraps.
Note: Terraforming is banned in Master Duel
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The in-archetype Foolish Burial, this card allows you to send Gimmick Puppet Rouge Doll to start your plays, extenders like Gimmick Puppet Dreary Doll, or your protection effects in Gimmick Puppet Terror Baby and Gimmick Puppet Bisque Doll. But if you're going second, then it becomes one of the strongest cards in your arsenal. Being able to potentially send up to 7 Gimmick Puppets of your choosing to the GY, depending on the amount of Extra Deck summoned monsters your opponent controls. This means you can send your starters, extenders, and protectors at the same time. Its GY effect, while niche, is a nice utility.
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The best in-archetype trap, being able to snatch steal monsters your opponent controls up to the number of Gimmick Puppet Xyz you control. Letting you steal essential combo pieces from your opponent, potentially ending their turn by itself. Loading... searches this for completely free, meaning there is no cost to play it. Its GY effect is also extremely helpful, and when paired with methods to get it in the GY on turn 1 lets you occasionally kill your opponent in their own Draw Phase via burn damage.
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The only Rank-Up-Magic that is mandatory to play, it's recycle effect is what enables the majority of your FTK lines. Only play 2 if you decided to not run another Rank-Up-Magic.
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Under the assumption we get Loading...
in Master Duel, Gigantes is a great tool for board breaking, letting you deal with monsters that are protected from destruction. Otherwise, it's most important role is to be a rank 4 that Loading...
can reveal.
Note for TCG players: Without Fiendish Knight, your gonna summon this card almost never, just keep that in mind!
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The most important Xyz in the deck, this card lets you search your Rank-Up-Magic spells while also recycling them from the GY, grants an additional Normal Summon of any Machine, and revives itself from the GY to either field. This is also a major chokepoint of the deck, and similar to Loading... , will often end your turn if disrupted.
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This card has a toolbox of effects, and is your most crucial piece when making an endboard. On summon it searches a Puppet trap (often Loading... ) and has the ability to destroy a monster when it's Special Summoned to your opponent's board and deal burn. In addition, detaching a material lets you Special Summon a monster to the opponent's board from either GY, making it an important piece for FTK lines.
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A great card for both FTK and OTK lines. Whether you play 1 or 2 depends on the format, if Loading... and/or Loading... are limited, and personal preference.
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Extremely similar in utility to Loading... , except it can pop backrow as well as deal burn damage more consistently. Similar to it, whether you play 1 or 2 also depends on if Loading... and Loading... are limited.
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Its effect is bad, but you need it for Loading... . At least it's a big body.
Note: Gimmick Puppet of Strings is limited in both the TCG and OCG
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A Loading... on legs, you will often need to resolve this card at least once to perform most FTK lines. Unlike Loading... or Loading... , it has the ability to destroy monsters on your side of the field while also dealing burn. Also note it's summon effect is mandatory, more on that later. :)
Note: Gimmick Puppet of Dark Strings is limited in the TCG