[{"_id":"67b53524b8113ec11e3d1f5a","author":{"_id":"629c64bdb529048b34c4cbd4","roles":[],"username":"cnydo"},"created":"2025-02-19T01:32:50.814Z","url":"/master-i/february-2025/sky-striker/cnydo/2P9yW/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master I","shortName":"Master I","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-1.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":true,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":300,"urPrice":990,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":6,"parsedNotes":"

2 Raye is copium but I need to fit some more boardbreakes so it's whatever. We are sacrificing consistency for more firepower. I still recommend to play 3 raye like the standard
Ultimate Slayer is pog this meta. The downside if obv the extra deck slots. But the game usually should end before you run out of everything in your extra deck. 2 hayate + 2 shizuku + 3 kagari should be the minimum QoL for comfy rotation. But 1 hayate can work just fine. Bucep + garura is just for more coverage but you can cut it to minimize the extra deck slots requirement
The list should change constantly according to what you see in the ladder. Each board breaker hada different coverage u need to develop ur intuition about the meta. For example, DRNM is not good against deck that doesn't tunnel their resources to build a board full of monsters. There are a lot of choices:\n
- Cosmic cyclone
- Dark hole
- Upstart
- Droplet
- Evenly
- Gravekeeper's inscription
- Super Polymerization
\n
Super poly is also great if you only against white forest. You just need to fuse ilia + baronne in to saint azamina. WF Aza will keep baronne under spright elf and Super poly can still deal with it
You kinda give up tenpai matchup with this build. If you wanna counter tenpai then you need to play handtraps or traps like dbarrier
do not be afraid of bystials or droll. I once got bystialed like 6 time against a bystials fs deh and still won.

\n","parsedReplays":"

i don't save much replays because most opponents just misplayed or my hand was just too good.\n516-763-148

\n"},{"_id":"67b0b4d1164bc11e175a6033","author":{"_id":"6719fe203108150413bc6314","roles":[],"username":"andthenishowedhermypanini"},"created":"2025-02-15T15:36:41.019Z","url":"/master-i/february-2025/bystial/andthenishowedhermypanini/ffTqH/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master I","shortName":"Master I","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-1.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":true,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[{"_id":"64838db1c44c13d6edb50220","name":"Bystial"}],"srPrice":630,"urPrice":570,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":6,"parsedNotes":"

Sky Striker x Bystial Control

Another succesful season of laddering with Striker!

After making it to M1 several times with pure Striker, I decided I would try something a little interesting this time around! (Btw this deck chooses to go first if possible!!)

Originally built as a joke after watching Josh Schmidt play Bystial Control on stream, I realized that this deck actually has real game!!

You just GRIND hard against every deck, and when the meta is 70% Fiendsmith/Azamina/WF, you make their combo lines ****. This deck had an absurd win rate against the Azamina/FS slop.

More than anything, unlike other hybrid Striker decks (looking at you Tenpai/Striker decks), this maintains the traditional feeling of Striker where you just get into a control game and shut the opponent down over the course of time rather than a quick blowout

Card Explanations:

5 Striker monsters: Admittedly it's a lot but I don't want the deck to lose it's identity as primarily a Striker deck, and because it takes longer than normal to get 3 spells in GY, you don't want to search Raye with Engage if you don't have to. 3 Raye allows you to banish her for Allure or a Bystial if you have no other options

Multirole/Area Zero: Help greatly for clearing the Main Monster Zone of Bystials you don't need

Allure/Chaos Space: They play very nicely with Regained/Bystials, get spells in the GY, and filter monster heavy hands

Mana Dragon Zirnitron: I'm cooking. If your opponent removes one of your spells, you either immediately recover it or get to set Engage from gy/banish. lvl 6 for Lars and Dark for Allure

Phantazmay: Searchable w/ Magna if you know you're playing a Link Deck

Branded Regained/Branded Beast: The MVPs and only reason this mix work. Crazy grind game, particularly beast clears your Main Monster Zone on the opponent's turn to allow you to use your Widow Anchors again

Magna/Druis/Lubellion: Auto includes (I don't own a 3rd Lubellion)

Saronir: Can send an extra regained for +1 spell, also Chain blocks your Link 2

Baldrake: If you open this + 1 more Bystial, most decks can't cleanly handle 2 banishes + an interuption on their turn 1

Dimensional Barrier: Turn 1 Thrust target

Extra Deck: Every single card came up a lot, especially the link 2's. If I had more UR dust I would replace the link 3 and Lars with more Camellia/SP/Azalea. I tried seals but in practice I always turned 2 bodies into something else

\n","parsedReplays":"

Here are my M1 replays from last season! \nhttps://youtu.be/PS119UT7kEs?si=lyC6rP205-rNTVsd

Stay tuned, I will upload my matches from this season including both Runick x Sky Striker and this Bystial x Sky Striker build!

\n"},{"_id":"67af628d4430c9bfd27b9fa7","author":{"_id":"67ad3d4465fefc47c8493f77","roles":[],"username":"Fillis"},"created":"2025-02-14T15:34:25.301Z","url":"/master-i/february-2025/sky-striker/fillis/xwg_-/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master I","shortName":"Master I","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-1.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":true,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[{"_id":"65c33cf3b033da2b45a2676d","name":"Sinful Spoils"},{"_id":"67084bf73a19028aaab01e5d","name":"Ken + Gen"},{"_id":"67a510971da77c5b005626da","name":"Azamina"}],"srPrice":450,"urPrice":870,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":6,"parsedNotes":"

Azamina Sky Striker is a Sky Striker deck that utilizes the Azamina theme, released in Master Duel in February, as a mercenary engine.

This deck was first tested offline and has even achieved tournament results. Compared to traditional Sky Striker builds, it significantly increases the monster ratio to strengthen its turn-one plays.

It follows a similar concept to the Adventurer Sky Striker deck, which I and other players have previously experimented with. The main goal is to accumulate three spell stacks on turn one to activate Engage for card advantage. Through this process, the deck generates interruptions, allowing for a more diverse range of disruptions rather than relying solely on Widow Anchor, as traditional Sky Striker builds do.

With the release of Camellia, accessing the Sky Striker engine has become much easier. This has allowed for an increase in the number of hand traps that were previously difficult to include. Additionally, the traditional starters (Raye, Roze, and Linkage) have been drastically reduced to mitigate the issue of drawing multiple starters, which weakened the deck’s consistency.

Despite these changes, the deck maintains the core strength of Sky Strikers—its backrow-focused control and mid-to-late-game endurance. By securing three spell stacks early, the deck replaces generic spell and trap cards, such as Upstart Goblin, with hand traps, improving its ability to handle going second more effectively.

\n","parsedReplays":"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc2dwGtGR38

Any replay from 611-074-530

\n"},{"_id":"67ab5e32db9144504aa7a50d","author":{"_id":"65f1263c28ae2d5acfb99393","roles":[],"username":"Smol"},"created":"2025-02-11T14:25:55.318Z","url":"/master-i/february-2025/sky-striker/smol/40OE2/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master I","shortName":"Master I","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-1.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":true,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":480,"urPrice":840,"linkedArticle":null,"replays":"","hasNotes":true,"relevance":6,"parsedNotes":"

Was planning to take it easy this month but thanks to raye bundle (and my lack of gems), I have no choice but to climb early.

Its a Sky Striker deck thats more focused on handtraps than board breakers. Contrary to popular beliefs, i prefer to stop both opponent's board & recursion from getting too big to the point where they can survive 5 power spells.

Crow & bystials are gy hate tech towards fiendsmith & snake eyes. Banishing their engraver & rcielago is usually enough to make them rethink their combo. Its also pretty good against yubel & tear.

\n"},{"_id":"67aa2442b1842eae5eb00b19","author":{"_id":"6215cae8981426dbc62eef89","roles":[],"username":"Glad"},"created":"2025-02-10T16:07:08.750Z","url":"/master-i/february-2025/sky-striker/glad/RNWkj/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master I","shortName":"Master I","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-1.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":true,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":330,"urPrice":810,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":6,"parsedNotes":"

To celebrate the anniversary and Sky Striker alts, I thought it'd be fun to climb with them. I think with the current meta blind second Striker is pretty strong. I go with zero handtraps, since decks are too good that a couple of them aren't really enough and personally I'd rather just deal with the endboard they were going to make anyway.

Soul release: I put it in mainly for stopping Snake-Eye and Fiendsmith recursion but I found it's pretty good in general since most decks use the GY in some way.
Sky Striker Ace Raye: Only 2 Raye cause I kept drawing 2 of her. I just replaced her with another drones, so I'd at least have the same number of starters, but an extra spell instead.
Sky Striker Air Space - Area Zero: I had the field spell since I wanted to try it out and it ended up turning out to be an okay card. In an earlier build I tried using it alongside Hercules Base, but I opted for evenly instead.
EXTRA DECK: I had Zeus for the Kash decks that started popping up during my climb, but Ty-phon is probably the better choice in general.
I haven't crafted any Upstart Goblins, but you could replace Area Zero, and the extra drones for them.

\n","parsedReplays":"

I have some games on: 964-788-569

\n"},{"_id":"67b90fa3215b68bf0173fad5","author":{"_id":"662606093826b01e112e15a2","roles":[],"username":"Ōusagi"},"created":"2025-02-21T23:41:39.454Z","url":"/master-v/february-2025/sky-striker/ōusagi/sZu0h/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master V","shortName":"Master V","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-5.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":false,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":420,"urPrice":720,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":5,"parsedNotes":"

I played blind second Sky striker from diamond 2 to masters 1 and it carried my a$$ even tho I am new to the deck.

The MVPs were evenly and soul release, they help simplfy the grindgame and get rid of the opponent resources

The ratios here aren't as much as i'd like so feel free to adjust as you see fit

and the reason neither azalea nor camellia are here is because I can't afford them right now.

\n","parsedReplays":"

not a lot of replays but here's some anyway

109-891-088

\n"},{"_id":"67b7c42af022dad786af60c2","author":{"_id":"66e68e006f1ba03f151a4c80","roles":[],"username":"shr"},"created":"2025-02-21T00:09:04.421Z","url":"/master-v/february-2025/sky-striker/shr/Mb5dn/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master V","shortName":"Master V","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-5.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":false,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":390,"urPrice":840,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":5,"parsedNotes":"

Droll & Lock Bird

best handtrap in the format where almost every deck on ladder runs a fiendsmith engine

Soul Release

necessary evil against fiendsmith decks. plays really well into the tearlaments matchup too (they all run fiendsmith engine now anyway)

3 tends to brick your starting hand especially if you draw 2 or more, so I run 2

Boardbreakers

in my opinion, striker can still manage to play around droll effectively if your first draw is impactful enough (thrust/engage draw 2). at worst kagari is still able to return something else other than engage

in a meta where almost every deck runs droll, I feel that deck thinners (e.g. upstart goblin, into the void) can effectively cripple your turn if you don't have a response to it. I run more boardbreakers to compensate for this

Forbidden Droplet

droplet is really strong in this deck since fiendsmith omni negate is non targettable. sets up for a lot of good plays too

Cosmic Cyclone

greatly helps against bad matchups such as sefk / centur-ion / voiceless

but since these matchups aren't as frequent now, this is the most replaceable card of the deck

Dimension Barrier

tenpai counter. this card will always be useful in the grindgame against almost any matchup after turn 2

Extra Deck

standard list, everything came up useful at least once.

dharc is especially good since he can summon the azamina omni negate (which clears itself from the main monster zone too)

however, accesscode rarely comes up as compared to last season since widow anchor is usually negate bait against the 2 omni negates that every fiendsmith azamina deck vomits out

\n","parsedReplays":"

https://youtu.be/XBthrFyI0Bw

\n"},{"_id":"67b4b0e021d820e03dc51b24","author":{"_id":"67a6113c65fefc47c80f9501","roles":[],"username":"Hiếu CT"},"created":"2025-02-18T16:09:57.940Z","url":"/master-v/february-2025/sky-striker/hiếu-ct/fzbAD/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master V","shortName":"Master V","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-5.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":false,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":360,"urPrice":900,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":5,"parsedNotes":"

Only go second\nBystial and kaiju for counter fiendsmith

\n","parsedReplays":"

366-012-497

\n"},{"_id":"67b41c03699cd672692e0865","author":{"_id":"62197939e3fe04e810b0c70d","roles":[],"username":"eliya"},"created":"2025-02-18T05:34:50.258Z","url":"/master-v/february-2025/sky-striker/eliya/l3saJ/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master V","shortName":"Master V","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-5.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":false,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":300,"urPrice":960,"linkedArticle":null,"replays":"","hasNotes":true,"relevance":5,"parsedNotes":"

yay, first ever master rank ♡⸜(˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝

Evenly best card, deck very fun

ty other ss players for gameplay & decklist reference

\n"},{"_id":"67b0b3c4cf0d22587246b3c2","author":{"_id":"6781e51e1422880ddebc8e1a","roles":[],"username":"ACP"},"created":"2025-02-15T15:32:55.289Z","url":"/master-v/february-2025/sky-striker/acp/TfDl-/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master V","shortName":"Master V","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-5.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":false,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":390,"urPrice":930,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":5,"parsedNotes":"

The basic plan is: Blind second, activate Evenly Matched, hope that's good enough to win you the game.

\n","parsedReplays":"

All of the games from my climb to Master 5 are in this video: https://youtu.be/rvG3ebLVDu8

\n"},{"_id":"67afe13ea8c8c5e292041ec6","author":{"_id":"65e313a028ae2d5acfe48059","roles":[],"username":"tam"},"created":"2025-02-15T00:34:11.007Z","url":"/master-v/february-2025/sky-striker/tam/JXFUu/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master V","shortName":"Master V","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-5.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":false,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[{"_id":"65c33cf3b033da2b45a2676d","name":"Sinful Spoils"},{"_id":"67a510971da77c5b005626da","name":"Azamina"}],"srPrice":330,"urPrice":1140,"linkedArticle":null,"hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":true,"relevance":5,"parsedNotes":"

First time ever reaching Master 5! This deck is very fun, lots of duels are won in the grind game, which this deck excels at.

The Azamina engine puts 2~3 spells in the GY, bridges into Camellia, and gives you an omninegate which you can resummon every turn (barring interruptions). It can make Accesscode + 1 optional Charmer reborn on its own, without using your Normal summon. (Selene is always live since Diabellstar is a Spellcaster.) It plays great into Maxx C since you can pass on Silvia + whatever handtraps or backrow you opened.

If you didn't draw into any Azamina cards just do the regular Shizuku shuffle, you likely opened handtraps so you'll do fine.

The spice which takes this deck to the next level IMO:

Deck thinning package (3x Chicken Game, 3x Upstart) - You really, really want to see one or more Azamina card. You also really would rather draw Engage than have to dump it. In Azamina Striker without a deck thinning package you often don't play the game. Also, Chicken Game is basically Pot of Greed most games because it's your only free send for Diabellstar. Heavy deck thinning also means you win the Maxx C minigame more often since you see Maxx C (and its counters, when they don't shotgun it) more often. No desires - not enough Engage targets and the Azamina combo has two one-ofs.

3x Talent - I don't like 3x Talent in regular Striker because you really feel the dead weight when it's not live, but in this deck Talent being dead actually means you likely win the game. 3 Talent + 2 Called By + Crossout makes this deck incredibly resilient to handtraps, plus the deck thinning package increasing chances to see more engine pieces. It also wins games on its own going second.

Reduced Striker package - had to aggressively make space for the deck thinning package, Talent, and 16 monsters to tribute off of Deception, but it was worth it. 1 or 2 Raye is more than enough. Shark Cannon and Afterburners are nice toolbox cards but meh draws. Linkage is useless in this variant. You don't need more than one Shizuku (not enough targets). S:P is a great alternative endboard piece - gives you one banish and can clear your MMZ to resolve the Widow Anchor steal twice in one turn.

\n","parsedReplays":"

948-0880-087

Expect lots of silly misplays, I'm not that good.

\n"},{"_id":"679aae5ffe1447bdd6fb174e","author":{"_id":"629c64bdb529048b34c4cbd4","roles":[],"username":"cnydo"},"created":"2025-01-29T22:40:13.996Z","url":"/master-i/january-2025/sky-striker/cnydo/Wo_Ch/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master I","shortName":"Master I","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-1.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":true,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":300,"urPrice":1020,"linkedArticle":null,"replays":"","hasNotes":true,"hasReplays":false,"illegal":true,"relevance":4,"parsedNotes":"

basically just mulcharmies carry

I wish they increase extra deck size to 30 lol

\n"},{"_id":"6793d16b11b86ef16c259f95","author":{"_id":"62562ba78c0283dc78fbe258","roles":[],"username":"kn"},"created":"2025-01-24T17:43:50.457Z","url":"/master-i/january-2025/sky-striker/kn/BmIgl/","deckType":{"name":"Sky Striker"},"rankedType":{"name":"Master I","shortName":"Master I","icon":"/mdm_img/content/logos/master-1.webp","statsWeight":10,"event":true,"activeEvent":true,"includeInStats":true},"engines":[],"srPrice":450,"urPrice":960,"linkedArticle":null,"notes":"","replays":"","relevance":4}]

Jade Knight