Master Duel Updated P.U.N.K. Guide
Introduction to P.U.N.K.
This is an update to the ‘In-depth P.U.N.K. Guide' created by Reijus last year. Since he covered almost everything that one would need to know about the lore and inspiration behind the P.U.N.K. Archetype, this guide will only focus on the key information needed to play the most recent version of the Deck and its variants.
- Meet the cast
- Core Playstyles
- P.U.N.K. variants
- Credits
Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the grand stage of Pont City. As the curtain rises, allow me to introduce our star-studded cast, each masters of a distinct art form!
- Noh-P.U.N.K., the embodiment of silent power, graces the stage with timeless elegance.
- Gagaku-P.U.N.K., a symphony of wild & vibrant sounds that will have you jamming out in no time.
- Joruri-P.U.N.K., the master storyteller, captivates the soul with tales that linger.
- Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K., the living canvas, paints creatures of breathtaking beauty with each stroke.
These artists converge, each bringing forth the essence of their craft, promising a spectacle that transcends time and tradition.
Keeping up with the Nohs
"Ze Amin" attracts the youth by combining their song-and-dance performance with holographic displays that change depending on emotions. It is rumored to be a multi-person group because of the sudden changes in the middle of those dances.
Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin
The star of the show and common imperm victim.
By paying 600 LP, you can use Loading... 's effect to add any P.U.N.K. Monster from your Deck to Hand except another copy of himself. Your main targets are going to be Noh P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune, Ukiyoe P.U.N.K. Sharakusai & sometimes Noh P.U.N.K. Deer Note.
Noh-P.U.N.K. Tip: Ze Amin’s second effect is very useful for chain blocking your Deer Note’s revival effect and giving Sharakusai an attack boost to survive the opponent’s turn.
Introducing the other Noh-P.U.N.K. actors, that share a striking resemblance to our star, Ze Amin!
Noh-P.U.N.K. Deer Note
The Archetype's key extender, Loading... facilitates the Summoning of Synchro Level 8 Monsters in a P.U.N.K. Deck.
Deer Note has two effects, but only one aligns with the essence of pure P.U.N.K. By revealing itself and another P.U.N.K. Monster in Hand, you can Summon one to your field while sending the other to the GY.
The second effect allows Deer Note to revive any P.U.N.K. Monster from the GY when it is sent to the GY (except another Level 5).
Noh-P.U.N.K. Ogre Dance
The ROTA of the Archetype. by sending itself to the GY Loading... will exit the stage and allow for another P.U.N.K. Monster (that isn’t another Level 8) to take the spotlight. Your primary target is, of course, Ze Amin.
The ATK boost effect rarely comes up but can be a useful way to go for game.
Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune
Another way of getting to your smaller P.U.N.K. Monsters. by sending itself to the GY and sending (not discarding) another card from your Hand to GY, Loading... allows you to Summon another P.U.N.K. Monster that isn’t a Level 8.
Your primary targets are Ze Amin & Deer Note but the others can come up depending on the game state.
Ukiyoe ~ Sharakusai’s 3D paintings
Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Sharakusai
Now, meet the boss of the P.U.N.K. Archetype and a Ukiyoe art master — Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Sharakusai! Prepare to be captivated by his magnificent 3D paintings, The Rising Carp & Amazing Dragon!
What makes Loading... the second best main Deck card behind Ze Amin is his two effects. The first allows him to Fusion Summon into a P.U.N.K. Monster using 2 P.U.N.K. Monsters from the Hand or field and the second Synchro Summons a P.U.N.K. Synchro Monster during the opponent’s turn!
P.U.N.K. Tip: Sharakusai’s effect can be used in any phase of the opponent’s turn. So, you can wait until the Battle Phase or End Phase to quick Synchro into the Amazing Dragon!
Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Rising Carp
Rising Carp, a Fusion that requires 2 P.U.N.K. Monsters to Summon. This makes Sharakusai not just a centerpiece, but a dynamic Starter and Extender for the Deck. By tributing itself, Loading... can Special Summon up to 2 P.U.N.K. Monsters with different names from the Hand and/or Deck, except another Level 8. You will almost always Summon Deer Note and another Level 3 P.U.N.K. in order to go into a Level 8 Synchro. Also note that you can only use this effect if Rising Carp is properly Fusion Summoned, meaning you can’t bring it back with Loading... or Amazing Dragon in order to reuse the effect.
It also has the GY Effect when used as Synchro Material, wherein it can make a P.U.N.K. Monster attack twice for the Battle Phase that turn. This is super relevant in some games, as Amazing Dragon can revive Rising Carp and have it be used to Summon Loading... or another Amazing Dragon, and OTK by having a P.U.N.K. Synchro Attack Twice.
Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Amazing Dragon
It's a Wyrm! It's a Dragon! It's... a Sea Serpent? Ehh, dragon is cooler. Folks, please give a round of applause to Sharakusai's most biggest and ambitious project of all time, lo and behold Sharakusai's Amazing Dragon!
Enter Loading... , one of the Deck’s primary Level 11 Synchros, boasting two very relevant effects. The first effect activates on its Synchro Summon, where you can target cards your opponent controls up to the number of Level 3 Psychic Monsters with different names on your Field or in your GY, and return them all to the Hand. With the standard P.U.N.K. Combo, this will always get you at least 4 Bounces, which can be further increased by cards like Loading... . This is Sharakusai’s other form of utility, offering a potent disruption when Summoned on your opponent’s Turn, instantly turning the tide against Backrow Decks and stifling opponents' combo plays.…assuming they have no extension.
The second effect is quite strong as well, being able to just Revive any P.U.N.K. Monster from your GY except for itself. This is a very good follow-up tool, being able to bring back a Ze Amin/Dragon Drive for more combos, or Rising Carp for an OTK Play.
Note that you can only use 1 of Amazing Dragon’s effects per turn. Meaning if you use the Bounce, you can’t use the Revive that turn, and vice-versa.
Joruri ~ Madame Spider's Enchanting Stories
"Spider" created dolls and puppets that sometimes seem even more expressive than humans by incorporating state-of-the-art robot technology into the automaton secrets Handed down her family line. Her skills have become famous even far outside the world of art.
Joruri-P.U.N.K. Madame Spider
Played for two reasons. Firstly, she excels at searching our archetypal Traps, and secondly, she unlocks the full potential of the Field Spell by enabling us to draw a card twice per turn.
The Deck's Trap Cards, facilitated by Madame Spider, offer valuable utility. Loading... turns Madame Spider into a Monster Negate, while Loading... transforms her into a means to interrupt and destroy an opponent’s card on the field.
Choosing between the Trap Cards largely depends on the prevalent Decks you face. Gabu shines against Monster-heavy Decks, providing effective negation, while Nashiwari proves invaluable against opponents reliant on backrow strategies.
Though her second effect is rarely invoked, Madame Spider has the capability to halve the ATK points of an opponent’s Monster when a P.U.N.K. Trap is activated, adding an additional layer of disruption to her versatile toolkit.
Joruri-P.U.N.K. Dangerous Gabu
Loading... serves as a searchable Loading... but without the column negation aspect. It also has an additional LP Gain effect if you control a P.U.N.K. Monster, though this is often inconsequential in most scenarios.
The more generic of the two since it doesn’t require a P.U.N.K. Monster on field to Negate a card.
Joruri-P.U.N.K. Nashiwari Surprise
Loading... , a normal Trap Card that can destroy any set card on the field, or any card on the field if you control a P.U.N.K. Monster. A searchable interruption tool that can perfectly mess with an opponent’s plays in a lot of different situations.
Its true potential comes to the forefront in P.U.N.K.-centric builds, where securing at least one archetypal Monster on the end board ensures the card's full impact.
Gagaku! ~ Wa Gon's Wild Musical Arrangements
Gagaku-P.U.N.K. Wa Gon
"Wa Gon" revived the scenic capital's music by creating electronic arrangements of tunes that are typically played with traditional instruments. His heavily-evolved beats have been criticized by people from all walks of life…
By paying a small admission fee of 600 LP, Loading... will search for any P.U.N.K. Spell in your Deck, usually the Field Spell, P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session. This positions Wa Gon as a vital extender in builds that emphasize a more robust P.U.N.K. engine, enabling the Field Spell to draw into additional extenders or interruptions.
Wa Gon also has a secret second effect that only resolves against opponents that don’t read. If your opponent targets any P.U.N.K. Monster on the field with an effect or attack, Wa Gon can draw a card.
The Gagaku Spells, Crash Beat & Wild Picking are not worth playing so they will not be mentioned in this guide.
JAM Sessions ~ Pushing creativity through collaboration
P.U.N.K. JAM Dragon Drive
The Nohs collaborate seamlessly with Ukiyoe, crafting a mesmerizing performance that seamlessly blends hypnotic dance moves with captivating 3D drawings!
By paying 600 LP on its Synchro Summon, Loading... can add any Level 3 Psychic Monster from your Deck to your Hand.
In the standard P.U.N.K. combo, this frequently involves fetching Madame Spider to search the Traps. In scenarios where you already have the Trap, or possess advanced knowledge of the matchup, opting for Loading... provides additional disruptive potential.
Equally noteworthy is the GY effect, allowing P.U.N.K. JAM Dragon Drive to revive itself when your opponent responds to any of your P.U.N.K. Cards.
P.U.N.K. Tip: Dragon Drive’s first effect also triggers when it’s Special Summoned by a P.U.N.K. Card, which means not only does this revive, it also adds a Level 3 Psychic Monster to your Hand, AND triggers Extreme Session.
P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session
I activate Pot of Greed! It allows me to draw 2 cards from my Deck!
Loading... is a powerful Field Spell that works as both extension, and draw power. The first effect lets you banish a P.U.N.K. Card from your GY in order to Special Summon 1 P.U.N.K. Monster from the Hand.
The second effect is just as insane. On a hard…twice per turn, you’re able to Draw 1 Card if your Psychic Monster on field pays LP in order to activate an effect. If you’re able to pull off your regular combos, this is basically Loading... for the Deck, which lets you dig your Deck for more power cards like Hand Traps or follow-up.
Keep in mind that this draw effect also activates on your opponent’s turn, which makes it pair really well with Sharakusai’s Quick Effect, and Dragon Drive’s revival effect.
Not P.U.N.K. cards but they might as well be
Emergency Teleport
Loading... Summons any Level 3 or Lower Psychic Monster from the Hand or Deck. This essentially acts as extra copies of any of your needed P.U.N.K. tuner. This card does not have a hard once per turn on its effect.
P.U.N.K. Tip: If you have a spare E-tele after finishing your P.U.N.K. combo you can hold it until the opponent’s turn to Summon Ghost Ogre for interruption or Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Sharakusai to quick Synchro.
Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit
Loading... is considered to be one of the more Meta-Reliant Hand Traps. She can discard herself in response to an opponent’s card effect on Field in order to destroy that said card.
This is usually played as a 1-of in most P.U.N.K. builds since it is searchable off P.U.N.K. JAM Dragon Drive.
Psychic End Punisher
A homage to the OG Psychics and a honorary P.U.N.K. Monster, acting as our second Level 11 Synchro Monster and Towers.
P.E.P. aligns seamlessly with P.U.N.K., thriving in a Deck that effortlessly makes Synchro Level 11s and often maintains a 3k LP deficit post-full combo, consistently meeting the conditions for its immunity.
Notably, P.E.P. boasts two situational effects. The first involves a targeted banishment on both fields, activated by paying 1000 LP—a cost that conveniently triggers Extreme Session. The second effect offers a permanent ATK boost at the start of the Battle Phase, based on the difference between your and your opponent's LP.
Psychic Wheeleder & Tracker
Just like Ghost Ogre, Loading... and Loading... are both searchable by Dragon Drive’s effect. Tracker is better than Wheeleder in the Deck due to it being a Non-Tuner to make a Level 6 Synchro like Barkion. Either will do if you just want a way to make an easy Rank 3 Xyz like Gossip Shadow or Captain Carrie.
Pure P.U.N.K.
If white bread was a Deck, it’d be pure P.U.N.K.
This is the standard build that uses the Field Spell, P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session, to draw into your extenders & interruptions up to TWICE per turn when your Psychic Monster pays LP to use their effects. In addition to the card advantage that the Field Spell provides, Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Sharakusai can quick Synchro into the Amazing Dragon to return, at MINIMUM, 3 cards to your opponent’s Hand or extra Deck.
Pure P.U.N.K. Pros & Cons
Pros
- Pure P.U.N.K. has the most room for tech cards such as Hand Traps and/or board breakers.
- Has the most draw power of all variants.
- Doesn’t rely on milling to build an end board like some variants.
Cons
- Weakest end board of all variants since Sharakusai is easy to bait or defeat in battle.
- Very telegraphed combos.
- Has a difficult time going second.
Pure P.U.N.K. Core & Deck List
Core
Deck List
Pure P.U.N.K. Combos
P.U.N.K. Gold Pride
Written by
Welp, it took a long time for it to come out, but finally, after so long, may I happily introduce you to the Gold Pride cards! What is Gold Pride, you might ask? Well Gold Pride is an Archetype of four racers, Captain Carrie, Leon, Nytro Head, and Roller Baller, competing against each other to see who is the fastest racer. These racers can Special Summon themselves to your field if you have lower Life Points than your opponent and can activate their unique effects when Summoned.
But there is a twist to these characters: these four racers can tap into their Extra Deck forms, becoming even more fierce and deadly. For example, Leon can transform his robot horse into a more mighty robot horse, with jets and blasters, allowing him to gain strength and destroy a Monster his opponent controls, or how Roller Baller can quickly use his psychic powers to non-target equip debris from his opponents Monster zones, with chances his opponents cannot respond to such powerful effect. Unfortunately, if Star Leon or Pin Baller used their effects that same turn, their powers go on cooldown and return themselves to the Extra Deck, where Leon and Roller Baller will have to wait until they can go into their Extra Deck forms again.
But what does this Gold Pride Archetype do for the P.U.N.K. Deck? I'm glad you asked! Gold Pride has two functions: to extend and/or to recover.
To extend:
Assuming your opponent did not interrupt your plays, Gold Pride helps extend your board by adding additional interruptions such as Synchro Summoning into ANY Synchro Monster (can only use Gold Pride Monsters) and Fusion Summoning into Pin Baller, which can non-target equip any Monster your opponent controls, up to the number of Fusion materials used for Pin Ballers' Summon.
Additionally, if you already drew into the Gold Pride cards you needed, you can search for Nytro Head, which can Special Summon a token during your opponent's Standby Phase. This token is significant, as it turns off almost all Kashtira Monsters' ability to Special Summon themselves if they control no Monsters and turns off cards like Lightning Storm and Evenly Matched. Furthermore, this token can destroy any Monsters and Spells/Traps adjacent to the token, forcing your opponent to play around it.
AND on top of all that, if you activated Better Luck Next Time! and an Extra Deck Gold Pride Monster's effect, you can get a THIRD draw on your turn, as well as drawing 1 card every turn assuming you activated an Extra Deck Gold Pride Monster's effect every turn.
To recover:
P.U.N.K., unfortunately, is a Deck where one Hand can either die to a single Ash Blossom or play through and maybe break an entire board of interruptions; but thanks to Gold Pride, P.U.N.K. now has more consistency to play through a Hand Trap or two and break boards more easily. If your Ze Amin gets Negated by Ash, you can Special Summon your Gold Pride Monsters for free and go into the Gold Pride side of the combo. And with Chariot Carrie being a generic Rank 3, getting to your Gold Pride cards has never been so easy until now, as you can search for a Monster through Better Luck Next Time! or revive a Gold Pride Monster through That Came Out of Nowhere! Additionally, with Roller Baller being able to quick-fuse into Pin Baller during either turn, Roller Baller can help play around targeted effects like Imperm to have your Gold Pride card effects resolve successfully. Furthermore, the fact that Pin Baller non-target equips Monsters AND cannot be Negated (in most situations) is INSANE for P.U.N.K., as P.U.N.K. has needed a non-target interruption for a long time.
Now, without further ado, let me introduce you to the racers!
Meet your racers!
Gold Pride - Captain Carrie:
The first contestant on the track is our favorite swashbuckling captain, Loading... ! Captain Carrie is well known for her ability to persevere and succeed through any situation that may come on the track. When Summoned, she can search the Deck for any Gold Pride Trap Card, giving you access to one of Gold Pride's interruptions, Start Your Engines!. Captain Carrie also has a secret ace up her sleeve. If sent to the GY, Captain Carrie can target an Extra Deck Gold Pride on the field, banish up to 3 Gold Pride cards from the GY, and that Gold Pride Monster gains 500 attack for each banished Gold Pride card. Doing this can help you beat over big Monsters and/or set you up to OTK.
Gold Pride - Chariot Carrie:
And would you look at that, ladies and gentlemen, Carrie and her pirate gang have banded together to plow and strike through the race! In this form, Loading... can add any Gold Pride Spell card from the Deck to the Hand. This is an incredible card because now, with Chariot Carrie, we can access Better Luck Next Time! to get our Gold Pride plays started, or That Came Out of Nowhere! to have an extra Monster reborn in case Leon's revival effect was not enough.
And on top of that, if our Life Points are lower than our opponents, Chariot Carrie can send any Gold Pride Monster from the Deck to the GY. This effect is lovely as it can send a roller baller to the GY, so it can be Summoned by Leon so you can Fusion Summon into Pin Baller when needed. Unfortunately, during the End Phase, if the effect mentioned above was used during that turn, Chariot Carrie returns itself to the Extra Deck and Special Summons a Captain Carrie from the Deck or GY.
Gold Pride - Leon:
Our next contestant is the star of the show (get it ;D) and the ladies' favorite, Leon! With his sharp western looks and stunning robotic horse, Leon has always been able to swiftly take the track by surprise and steal a victory (and our hearts too). When Summoned, Loading... can revive any non-warrior Gold Pride Monster from the GY, but you can only Special Summon Gold Pride Monsters from the Extra Deck after the effect resolves, so be careful when doing your combo. Like Captain Carrie, Leon also has a second ability. During the opponent's Main Phase, Leon can quick-Synchro into ANY Synchro Monster, but only gold pride Monsters can be a part of this Synchro Summon.
Gold Pride - Star Leon:
Gold Pride - Star Leon (0-1x):
Our true star of the show has appeared, and he's looking even flashier than ever, introducing Star Leon!
Loading... is a generic Level 6 who can Quick-Effect during the Main Phase, target an opponent's Monster, and gain ATK equal to its original ATK. Then, if your Life Points are lower than your opponents, Star Leon can destroy your Monster.
Unfortunately, this doesn't make Star Leon an excellent Monster to Synchro into. Compared to cards like Amazing Dragon or Pin Baller, a simple Monster-destroy isn't good enough, let alone a Monster-destroy that targets a Monster. Furthermore, the effect to pop an opponent's Monster is not any ordinary removal. To destroy a Monster on the field, Star Leon must gain attack first, so if he targets something with 0 Attack (Scarecrow, any Mikanko Monster, Loci, Swordsoul Token, etc.), then he can't destroy the Monster. On top of that, if something were to chain to Star Leon's effect and remove Star Leon from the Field, the effect to pop won't resolve because Star Leon could not gain the Attack on resolution.
And, of course, if this effect was used in the End Phase, Star Leon would return to the Extra Deck and Summon a Leon from the Deck or GY.
Gold Pride - Nytro Head:
For our 3rd contestant… wait… woah.. Wait a minute… does this guy HAVE A CANNON!??!? Uhh well, uhh, for our 3rd contestant, meet Nytro Head! I did not know allowing such a big weapon onto the track would be possible, but who cares?
WhenLoading... is Summoned, he can shoot a token onto the opponent's field. This token is excellent because it can turn off the ability for most Kashtira Monsters to Special Summon themselves (and turns off most Sky Striker Spell Cards) and major cards like Lightning Storm and Evenly Matched.
Furthermore, if the presence of the token doesn't affect the opponent, then Nytro Head can utilize it as a mine. When an opponent is near the mine, Nytro Head can trigger his effect during the Main Phase to destroy any cards adjacent to the token. This effect can be beneficial if the opponent is on a Deck that isn't affected by having a token and can force your opponents to play around the token so their cards won't get destroyed.
Gold Pride - Nytro Blaster:
Woah, this guy is full of surprises! He literally just shot himself out of his vehicles' cannon!! But what isn't much of a surprise is that this card sucks!
The reason why we don't play this card is because compared to other link-2's, this card does not provide the same Level of benefits other link-2's give. With his effect to destroy an all cards adjacent to it is nice, but Nytro Head pretty much does the same thing, and Loading... can only be Summoned with Gold Pride Monsters of different Levels, so you can't use Chariot Carrie as material. Furthermore, the effect to destroy isn’t even a quick effect, so you can only use it on your turn, limiting its use. And as you might have guessed, during the End Phase if Nytro Blaster had used its effect this turn, it can return itself into the Extra Deck and Special Summon a Nytro Head from the Deck or GY.
Gold Pride - Roller Baller:
Last but not least, the most infamous, malevolent racer has arrived. Sources say he went on an extended hiatus to learn the power of psychics; others say he went to another dimension and returned with many psychic-wielding items. But we'll never know, so let's introduce Gold Pride - Roller Baller!
When Loading... is Summoned, he has the unique effect of Fusion Summon into Pin Baller by using him and any other Gold Pride Monsters in the Hand or field. And uhh, that's all Roller Baller does, but let's see what Pin Baller does!
Gold Pride - Pin Baller:
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the most incredible apexes of archetypal boss Monsters in the history of Yu-Gi-Oh! When ready, Roller Baller can use his ability to suck up all debris and whatnot from the track, transforming his ball into a chaotic, destructive force.
If Loading... was Fusion Summoned, it can equip its opponent's Monster up to the number of Materials used for its Fusion Summon. Additionally, if your Life Points are lower than your opponents, then this effect to equip cannot be Negated.
I cannot stress how much P.U.N.K. has needed an interruption like this. To have the effect of non-targeting equip any Monster on the opponent's field is CRAZY, as it bypasses most protection AND doesn't trigger any effects when the Monster has left its position. More specifically, if Pin Baller were to equip a Mirrorjade and/or a Sky Striker Link Monster, then Mirrorjade's effect to destroy all my Monsters and Sky Striker Ace-Raye would not trigger.
Additionally, if you were to equip a Tearlaments' Monster, then during the End Phase when Pin Baller returns itself to the Extra Deck, the Tearlaments' Monster won't trigger if sent to the GY because the effect to return itself to the Extra Deck wasn't an activated effect.
On top of all that, what makes Pin Baller all the more frightening is if your Life Points are lower than your opponents, then your opponent cannot Negate the effect to equip with an imperm or a Baronne. The fact that you can't be able to Negate the effect is insane, as the only thing your opponent can do is watch as their Monsters get equipped by Pin Baller, as there are very few things that can stop Pin Baller from equipping.
With that concluded, I can say with a heavy heart that during the End Phase, if Pin Baller uses its effect this turn, it will return itself to the Extra Deck and Summon a Roller Baller from the Deck or GY.
And now that we've covered our fantastic racers and their unique forms, let's take a look at the Spells and Traps!
The intergalactic Grand Prix!
Gold Pride - Start Your Engines!:
Alright, ladies and gentlemen, the race is about to begin! Your favorite racers are all lined up, engines revving, exhaust blowing, and the smell of victory looms over the track. Without further ado, racers, on your marks.. get set… GO!!!!!!
Suppose your opponent has normal or Special Summoned a Monster(s); you can target one of those Monsters, reveal 3 Gold Pride Monsters in your Deck, your opponent randomly chooses one for you to Special Summon, and destroy the targeted Monster.
While it may seem niche to have a Trap that only triggers on the Summon of a Monster, Loading... is an essential card for the combo as you can reveal your 3 Leon, Summon it, and revive Roller Baller, granting you access to Pin Baller. What also makes this Trap niche is that since you're Summoning from the Deck, this card can be Negated with Ash Blossom, so be careful when activating SYE.
GP Tip: Monsters like Fallen of Albaz, The Bystial Lubellion, Riumheart, Empen, Jasmine, Scarecrow, Ariseheart, and the Swordsoul tokens are but a small group of good Monsters to destroy with the effect of SYE.
Gold Pride - It's Neck and Neck!:
Oooooo ladies and gentlemen, this is a close one! Leon, Captain Carrie, and Nytro Head are all duking it out, trying to throw each other off in hopes of getting the upper Hand!! Who's gonna come out unscathed? No one knows, as this is a race of a century!!!
At any point in the duel (starting the next turn), this card can target any Gold Pride you control or any Gold Pride card in the GY, except itself, and return it to the Hand. This effect can help bring any Gold Pride card back to your Hand to help dodge targeted interruptions or bring any Gold Pride card back to your Hand.
On top of the previous effect, if your opponent controls a Monster with a higher ATK than your LP, you can banish this card and one Gold Pride Monster to Special Summon a Gold Pride Monster from the Extra Deck that mentions the banished Monster. In short, Loading... is not suitable for P.U.N.K. Adding any card back to the Hand is unnecessary for the Gold Pride P.U.N.K. strategy, as the Deck's goal is to settle the duel as quickly as possible. Additionally, since there will most likely be a chance you already Summoned and used your Gold Pride Extra Deck Monsters' effects, there is barely any need to bring them out again.
Gold Pride - That Came Out of Nowhere!:
Woah, how in the world did Roller Baller's ball get so big!?? I swear, the last time I looked, his ball was a lot smaller, but it's huge now!!
Loading... is Gold Pride's Loading... , which is very Handy if Leon gets Negated. You can also use this card to Special Summon a Gold Pride Monster from your Hand, but in most cases, you'll have lower Life Points than your opponent, so you'll already be able to Special Summon your Monsters for free.
Unfortunately, the drawback for TCON is that your opponent can Special Summon a Monster from their Hand or GY to their Field, but its effects will be Negated. While negating their Monsters' effects is nice, giving your opponent a free body can benefit them or hinder you from winning in some situations.
Gold Pride - Pedal to the Metal!:
Ok, me personally, if I were you Leon, I'd get going because I DON'T THINK ROLLER BALLER PLANS ON STOPPING ANY TIME SOON!!!!
For P.U.N.K., Loading... sucks; while it does give a small bonus ATK and destruction immunity to a Gold Pride Monster, it Negates the Gold Pride Monster's effects and is not worth using.
Plus, during the End Phase, if a Gold Pride Monster was destroyed by battle or card effect this turn, PTTM can set itself back onto the Field.
All in all, there are a lot better cards that you can use than PTTM, such as tech cards and staples like Loading... or Loading... , and I do not recommend using PTTM at all.
Gold Pride - Better Luck Next Time!:
Boo-hoo sucks to be you HAHAHAHA!!! Maybe if you had that Ash Blossom, you could've Negated the effect of adding any Gold Pride Monster from the Deck to my Hand, but oh well!
Anyways… Loading... , combined with Chariot Carrie, is a godsend for the Deck. BLNT, when activated, can add any Gold Pride Monster from the Deck to your Hand, and then you lose Life Points based on the Monster's Attack. This card works similarly to TCGW (The Crowd Goes Wild!), but BLNT is way better because you do not need to have a Gold Pride Monster in Hand to search. Furthermore, what makes BLNT way better is that you can draw a card during the End Phase if a Gold Pride Extra Deck Monster returns to the Extra Deck (must be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck first!!). This is pretty crazy because you can now draw 3 cards in ONE turn, boosting your chances of drawing into a tech card or staple like Maxx "C" or an Ash Blossom. Plus, with BLNT being a continuous Spell Card, you can keep drawing one card if you use a Gold Pride Extra Deck Monster effect each turn.
Gold Pride - The Crowd Goes Wild!:
Woah, woah, woah, are my eyes deceiving me or what! !??? Ladies and gentleman, leon is blasting past Nytro Head and has taken first place! !! Everyone, raise your Hands up for the one, the only, Leon!!!!!!
Similar to BLNT, Loading... has the effect of revealing a Gold Pride Monster in the Hand and then adding a Gold Pride Monster with a different name than the revealed Monster to the Hand. Immediately after, you can apply the effect to Special Summon any Gold Pride Monster from the Hand and lose Life Points equal to their original ATK. However, we primarily do not run this card because BLNT does the same thing TCGW does, except BLNT has the added effect of drawing you a card every turn. Furthermore, in a similar situation with PTTM, you could use other cards, as the combination of P.U.N.K. and Gold Pride is tight.
P.U.N.K. Gold Pride Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Higher chance to play through interruption.
- P.U.N.K. tuners can turn on Gold Pride Monsters' abilities to Special Summon themselves.
- Combo is easy to learn.
- High draw power.
- Powerful boss Monsters.
Cons:
- Combo is very linear, thus opponents can learn where to best interrupt.
- The Deck dies to Droll & Lock Bird.
- The Deck bricks sometimes.
- Maxx "C" really hurts the Gold Pride engine.
P.U.N.K. Gold Pride Core & Deck List
Core
Additional Options
Deck List
P.U.N.K. Gold Pride Combos
Bystial P.U.N.K.
A lot weaker now that Loading... is banned. However, you can still play the Deck as a variant of pure with the Level 6 dragons as extenders. We may have moved past the days of tear 0 but the Bystials still serve as powerful extenders and defensive utility, especially when lights & darks are still so common.
Bystial P.U.N.K. Pros & Cons
Pros
- Bystials are strong extenders that can interrupt the opponent while building your board.
- Powerful resource loop thanks to Branded Regained & Bystial Magnamut.
- Great defensive utility if your opponent manages to break your board.
Cons
- Needs light and dark Monsters in the GY to be fully functional.
- End board is significantly weaker now that Chaos Ruler is banned.
- Can be vulnerable to your opponent’s own Bystials.
Bystial P.U.N.K. Core & Deck List
Core
Additional Options
Deck List
Kashtira P.U.N.K.
Probably the most ironic Deck List every made in P.U.N.K.'s history, is Kashtira P.U.N.K.! Why is it ironic you may ask, well despite the Kashtira Monster's being free Level 7 bodies, P.U.N.K. and Kashtira have no synergy with each other. While yes a P.U.N.K. tuner + any Level 7 Kashtira Monster is an easy Baronne, drawing into your Kashtira Monsters with Extreme Session, assuming you already have Monsters on your board, will be a waste of a draw as that draw could've been a staple like Maxx "C", Ash, or Imperm.
With Kashtira getting hit on the ban list, the changes to the Deck are…very minor to be honest. We've always been running 1 birth, and you can simply replace the one Fenrir with Pressured Planet. Although, please be aware that P.U.N.K. has no type of Spell/Trap recursion, so activating Pressured Planet when you already activated Extreme Session means you'll lose Extreme Session forever.
But on the other Hand, with so many win more's, Kash P.U.N.K. opens up a lot of possible ways to play the Deck. For example, you can run Shangri-Ira, Riseheart, and Big Bang for more Kashtira plays, but the Deck wouldn't be as consistent and good as a standard Kash P.U.N.K. list, but it's definitely a possible way to play the Deck!
In summary, Kashtira P.U.N.K. is a fun P.U.N.K. variant to play, as you can simply blink and you'd have a Monster such as Baronne on your field, and it certainly is an interesting way to play P.U.N.K.!
Kashitra P.U.N.K. Pros & Cons
Pros
- The Deck can easily make generic lvl 10 Synchros.
- Birth provides good advantage for your Kashtira engine.
- Fenrir and Unicorn themselves are powerful Monsters by themselves.
Cons
- Using the Kash engine can trigger droll, losing your chance to start your P.U.N.K. combos.
- Drawing into your Kash Engine with Extreme Session is practically a brick; a waste of a draw.
- Drawing into Pressured Planet while Extreme is already activated on the field is technically a harder brick.
Kashitra P.U.N.K. Core & Deck List
Core
Deck List
Other P.U.N.K. Variants
P.U.N.K. Therion
Written by &
The Therion Archetype revolves around Special Summoning Therion Monsters of various Types from the Hand by equipping them with Monsters from the GY, and having Therion Monsters gain other members' individual effects by equipping them to themselves. With that said, each member of the Archetype has 2 Activatable Effects and 1 Lingering/Continuous type of effect.
The First effect lets them Special Summon themselves from the Hand by targeting and equipping a Therion Monster, OR a Monster with the same TYPE as the Monster you want to Summon. In example, Loading... is a Machine-Type. To Summon him, you need to target either a Therion Monster or any Machine Monster in your GY.
The Second effect is pretty much the average on-field effect. Ranging from negation, interaction, or search power. To activate these effects, you have to pay a cost, which can either be sending a Therion to the GY, discarding a card, or bouncing your own cards. In example, Regulus has to send a Therion Monster from the Field or Hand in order to Negate an effect.
The Lingering/Continuous type effect is an effect that only works if they’re being used as a Spell/Trap. In which, the equipped Monster gains 700 ATK, and also the ability to activate the 2nd effect of the Monster as if it was their own. In example, a Therion Monster equipped with Regulus has the ability to use his second effect, essentially giving the Therion Monster a third effect.
The latest version of P.U.N.K. Therion (unwillingly) abandons the mill.dek strategy in favour of a consistent combo line facilitated by two new Monsters, Loading... & Loading... . You might be wondering how the combo has changed? Well, let me break it down for you.
You start off by doing your standard mill P.U.N.K. combo but Instead of making Chaos Ruler, the Chaotic Magical Dragonn, you instead make Diabolantis. Diabolantis will then activate its effect to send Therion "Lily" Borea from Deck to GY and then overlay your other Level 8 Monster into Sargas. Sargas allows us to search for ANY Therion or Springan card, usually a Therion Monster or Discolosseum. The one you choose will depend on your Hand or current game state.
P.U.N.K. Therion Pros & Cons
Pros
- You have excellent backup plan into Loading... , with being able to pass on Regulus + Loading... + Sharakusai and deep draws in 1 Summon.
- Your end boards are really really good and will often end the game turn 2 but you also have amazing follow-up and grind game.
- Very early Omni-Negate to protect your setup.
- Does really well into removal focused end boards then pure.
- End boards are often naturally immune to blowouts like Super Poly and some are resistant to Loading... too.
Cons
- Less space for non-engine cards without exceeding 40 cards.
- While it doesn't brick often, when it does, the bricks in this Deck are unsalvageable.
P.U.N.K. Therion Core & Deck List
Core
Aditional Options
Deck List
P.U.N.K. Virtual World
Written by
Despite the “P.U.N.K.” title appearing first in the Deck’s name, let’s get one thing straight: This isn’t a P.U.N.K. Deck. Instead, it’s a Virtual World Deck with extra steps.
Virtual World is infamously bricky because it requires specific two-card combos to get anything done, all of which can be Negated by Ash Blossom. The five-card P.U.N.K. engine addresses these weaknesses by adding Virtual World’s most powerful starter Loading... to your Hand while Summoning a Rank 8 Xyz or Level 11 Synchro to the field, all from one card. If you’ve already got Virtual World cards in Hand, the P.U.N.K. engine can bait your opponent’s Ash!
The secret sauce here is Loading... . If you open either Emergency Teleport or Ze Amin, you’ll add Foxy Tune to Hand, Summon Deer Note with it, Synchro for Dragon Drive, add Lulu to your Hand with Dragon Drive’s effect, then reSummon Foxy Tune or Ze Amin with Deer Note’s effect. Now you can Summon an Extra Deck boss Monster while also getting Virtual World’s most powerful starter into your Hand. The result is a noticeable increase in both the power of your average end board and the likelihood that you do make a worthwhile end board.
A note about Deck building: the P.U.N.K. engine’s strength in Virtual World arises from the fact that it only requires five cards, meaning you can fit the entire Virtual World engine and still have room for at least 9 Hand Traps. You therefore aren’t wholly reliant on going first to accumulate wins when ladder climbing and don’t have to compromise any Virtual World consistency. If the P.U.N.K. engine needed to be any larger, you would have to cut either Hand Traps or Virtual World cards, defeating the purpose of playing the P.U.N.K. engine in the first place. You might be asking: If the P.U.N.K. engine makes Virtual World that much better, why isn’t it more popular? The unfortunate reality is that the meta has been and remains stacked heavily against Virtual World. You have little chance of board breaking. Kashtira Ariseheart prevents any Virtual World combo plays, Expurrely Noir prevents Virtual World from resolving its combos, and Vanquish Soul’s searchable backrow will destroy or flip face down all your Monsters before you can Summon anything from the Extra Deck.
Sadly, the P.U.N.K. engine plays only force one more interaction from your opponent – not enough to reliably overcome these meta Decks. Also, the P.U.N.K. engine sometimes competes with your Virtual World starters for your Normal Summon. Sometimes, you’ll open with a copy of Ze Amin and Virtual World Monsters, with no Spells… forcing you to Normal Summon the Virtual World Monster instead. Then your Virtual World plays get Negated by Ash anyways. Oof. If we could run a third copy of Emergency Teleport to avoid such awkward interactions, we would. That bit of clunkiness aside, any Virtual World player who wants to grind ladder should be considering P.U.N.K. as one of three proven side engines in their Deck. P.U.N.K. Virtual World has seen competitive success in both OCG and TCG formats.
P.U.N.K. Virtual World Pros & Cons
Pros
- Significantly improves the consistency of your Virtual World plays, thanks to the P.U.N.K. engine adding Lulu to your Hand if it goes off.
- Opening with the P.U.N.K. engine also significantly improves the end boards set up by the Virtual World engine.
- You have room to play a minimum of 9 Hand Traps, meaning you aren’t completely reliant on having to go first to eke out wins on ladder. You can cut a copy of Ze Amin and/or Loading... to play up to 11 Hand Traps.
Cons
- You’re not really playing P.U.N.K. anymore. You have access to the P.U.N.K. engine in only 63% of your opening Hands when going first.
- Virtual World has a difficult matchup when going second against most of the meta as of this writing. The P.U.N.K. engine does little to fix those matchups.
- Some anti-synergy due to competing with the Virtual World engine for your Normal Summon.
P.U.N.K. Virtual World Deck List
P.U.N.K. Zombies
Written by
Just like actual Zombies, P.U.N.K. Zombies won't die that easily. We may have lost Chaos Ruler (RIP) but the Deck is still playable thanks to an underrated support card released last year called Ghost Fusion!
P.U.N.K. Zombies Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very consistent endboard if your P.U.N.K cards resolve.
- Easy access to Zombie World which shuts down Decks that rely on Monster types (Tri-Brigade) or tribute Summons (like Floowandereeze).
- Not reliant on Chaos Ruler, the Chaotic Magical Dragon to get Zombies in the GY.
Cons
- Doesn't play enough Zombie Monsters which is a dealbreaker for some players.
- Relies heavily on your P.U.N.K. cards to do anything resembling a combo.
- Not enough room for non-engine without exceeding 40 cards.
P.U.N.K. Zombies Combo
The main combo line for the Ghost Fusion build goes as follows:
- P.U.N.K. combo into Loading... , CL1 Drive CL2 Deer, SS Amin/Madame/Sharakusai back then search Loading...
- Synchro Summon Loading... using Tracker & a Level 3 P.U.N.K.
- Immortal Dragon mills Loading... to add Ghost Fusion
- Ghost Fusion into Loading... using Immortal Dragon on field and banishing Changshi from the Deck
- Changshi SS itself by banishing the Sleeper you sent then mill Loading... with Loading...
- SS Plaguespreader from GY then Synchro into Baronne de Fleur with the Dragon Drive
- Overlay into Loading... using Changshi & Immortal Dragon
- Beatrice mills Loading... sending Garura for draw +1 (sending Banshee shuffles the Deck before you draw so Plaguespreader return to top can be shuffled)
- Banshee banishes itself to activate Loading... from Deck
- Next Standby Phase Beatrice mill Loading... and you have ZW + Baronne + Balerdroch + Beatrice + Loading... set (if you use Carp P.U.N.K. line).
There's many more combo lines you can make depending on your opening Hand and what techs you add to the Deck as well.
P.U.N.K. Zombies Core & Deck List
Core
Additional Options
Deck List
Credits:
First and foremost, we would like to thank the following people for their help to make this guide:
We'd also like to thank Tune World and
for letting us use their respective combo guides and replays in the guide.Lastly, we'd like to thank the following people for letting us use their Deck List:
- (VW P.U.N.K.)
- (Zombie P.UN.K.)