Notes & Combos

WARNING: THIS GUIDE MAKES USE OF COMPETITIVE JARGON THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE ELABORATION AND IT'S ALSO (relatively) VERY LONG. I WILL NOT TAKE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ORGANS BLEEDING BEFORE, WHILE AND AFTER READING

Welcome to the current elaboration of my Master/Duelist Cup-climbing deck, and my utmost display of insanity (so far).

Kashtira was a mistake bound to happen, by sheer application of Murphy's Law to its absolute logical extreme, drowning both the players and the lore characters into a vast, vermilion ocean of unbridled rage, despair, and bricks. Lots of bricks. (As for Tears, they died in on the lore. Thought you ought to know)

Kashtira, original (read: real) OCG name Kshatrira is a combination of Kshatriya, a noble Hindu rank of warriors blessed with the powers of the deities, and Ira, the Ancient Latin word for "rage". You know Shiva? The guy who, or rubbed off the wrong way, could incinerate all that exists with a very literal nuke of pure anger? Well, that's more or less what you'll do with this deck, except that you're not a God or a God-blessed being bhe rather a madman who screeches against the ladder system for not granting you the right draws, or maybe even fate itself, for binding you to this, well, "deck" is the closest word we got that came closer to describe... whatever this is.

But yeah, you read that well: this deck is the embodiment of seething and coping itself, more or less what you and Riseheart do all the time when playing it: coping and seething so hard nobody can say a thing to contest such feelings: a state of pure free-for-all spite, hatred and contempting pity towards everything, from your normal life to the Yu-Gi-Oh life (or whatever is left of it, anyway. Not sure if there'll be any friendships left after zonelocking each and every single one of them to oblivion or throwing a tantrum because you couldn't... the sky is the limit, innit?).

Kashtira's majestic gameplay consists of the following:

• Level 7 Attribute-split (think of True Draco, *yes the degeneracy included) Monsters able (read: forced) to Special Summon themselves only when YOUR board is empty (it took them several years but in the end they really did make a less asinine version of Cyber Dragons. Vishnu bless)
• The Original 3 (Fenrir, Unicorn, Ogre) punishing the opponent's monster effect activations with a banish-related effect... after it resolved (so if the banisher leaves the field before or as a result of that, it's made null, as it's not on chain, like Harpie Lady Cyber Slash). Or by attacking with them (good luck turn 1)
• Wave 2, including the 3 main deck Extenders (Tearlaments Kashtira, Scareclaw Kashtira and Riseheart) and Kashtiratheosis (a more scuffed Kash E-Tele) as a extender viability-patch package
• Shangri-Ira attempting to lock zones, with an effect that relies on everything else to work
• Arise-Heart being a Macro Cosmos on legs + Drident and being the poster boy of overcompensation, even more so than Kashtiratheosis, who regenerates materials the same way Deus Machinex does: once per chain.
• The whole archetype being a shameless recycle of an "old" card that got banned because it worked way too well: [DATA EXPUNGED]
• Being immensely bricky even in spite of Wave 2 doing everything in its power to compensate the native issues (could it be it's because [DATA EXPUNGED] got banned? HMMMM) TL;DR: it's Cyber Dragon + Monarchs and a walking Macro Cosmos. Yaaay.

Now, let's not kid ourselves: Kashtira doesn't require excessive skill (that's why I play it), only a (VERY) good build and luck. Good thing we got everything covered here. And by covered, I mean a 47(37+10)-cards Small World core. Yes, that's right, it takes those many cards to play this deck, because you'd do EVERYTHING than having to activate your Deck's cards the normal way, including techs. Especially techs.

After hours and days of tribulation, I finally decided to accept the exhilarating tragedy that is Small World and incorporate it onto the build because, with the recent banlist and the loss of [DATA EXPUNGED], the deck lacks starters, and bricks... even further beyond...! AAAAA-

Small World specifically works as follows: You cycle twice through 3 cards: Starter, Bridge and Target, in this specific order The Starter is on the hand, while the Bridge and the Target are in the Deck. No exceptions or bypasses. You start by revealing the Starter, then you cycle to the Bridge, by banishing the Starter, then you cycle to the Target by banishing the Bridge and adding said Target to the hand at the end. In order to perform the cycle, each following card must share ONLY AND EXCLUSIVELY ONE of 5 "Stats" with the previous one. The 5 Stats are each of the 6 Attributes, 12 Levels, 25 Types, and every value of both ATK and DEF (including "?") Each cycled card gets banished face-down, with all the related issues, including the very Started from the hand, and the whole passage ends with the adding of the Target and with the Deck being shuffled.

Therefore, when things stand like that, that fundamentally means the bridge or the target has to be either level 7, FIRE/WIND/WATER/EARTH (depending on the Kash monster's attribute) (basically anything not being Chaos-affiliated or DIVINE), Psychic, or share only one between ATK and DEF with Unicorn, Fenrir or Riseheart. Which also means that we can use very valuable cards such as Pankratops, Kurikara, Planet Pathfinder, or even Psi-Beast, as, like I said, Kashtira are multi attribute (just lacking LIGHT/DARK, for, presumably, balance reasons).

Lines are as follow:

Unicorn -> Queen -> Kuri/Blosm/RH/Shifter/TK Unicorn -> Radian -> Shifer/Pank/Fen/SK/TK Unicorn -> Pank -> Path/Radian/Ogre/TK Unicorn -> RH -> Blosm/Pathfinder/Queen

RH -> Queen -> Kuri/Blosm/Shifter/Unicorn/TK RH -> Path -> Pank/Fen/Ogre/SK RH -> Blosm -> Kuri/Queen/SK RH -> Unicorn -> Queen/Radian/Pank

TK -> Queen -> Kuri/Blosm/RH/Shift/Uni TK -> Radian -> Shift/Pank/Fen/Uni/SK TK -> Pank -> Path/Rad/Ogre/Uni

Pank -> Rad -> Shift/Fen/Uni/SK/TK Pank -> Path -> RH/Fen/Ogre/SK Pank -> Uni -> RH/Queen/Rad Pank -> TK -> Queen/Rad Pank -> Ogre -> Path

SK -> Rad -> Shift/Pank/Fen/Uni/TK SK -> Path -> RH/Pank/Fen/Ogre SK -> Blosm -> Kuri/RH/Queen

Blosm -> Queen -> Kuri/RH/Shift/Uni/TK Blosm -> RH -> Path/Queen/Uni Blosm -> SH -> Path/Rad Blosm -> Kuri -> Queen

Queen -> Blosm -> Kuri/RH/SK Queen -> RH -> Blosm/Path/Uni Queen -> Uni -> RH/Rad/Pank Queen -> TK -> Rad/Pank Queen -> Kuri -> Ash Queen -> Shift -> Rad

Shift -> Queen -> Kuri/Blosm/RH/Uni/TK Shift -> Rad -> Pank/Fen/Uni/SK/TK

Rad -> Pank -> Path/Ogre/Uni/TK Rad -> Uni -> RH/Queen/Pank Rad -> SK -> Blosm/Path Rad -> TK -> Queen/Pank Rad -> Shift -> Queen Rad -> Fen -> Path

Ogre -> Path -> RH/Pank/Fen/SK Ogre -> Pank -> Path/Rad/Uni/TK

Kuri -> Queen -> BLosm/RH/Shift/Uni/TK Kuri -> Blosm -> RH/Queen/SK

Path -> Pank -> Rad/Ogre/Uni/TK Path -> RH -> Blosm/Queen/Uni Path -> SK -> Blosm/Rad Path -> Fen -> Rad Path -> Ogre -> Pank

Fen -> Rad -> Shift/Pank/Uni/SK/TK Fen -> Path -> RH/Pank/Ogre/SK

Make sure to memorize them all muffle laugh

As for the actual strategy, several considerations need to be made. First and foremost, when it comes to "skill gate" decks like Kashtira, it's very important to keep in mind that the easier a deck is to learn and play since your first game with it, (unless actual talent is in place(, the harder it will get to win with it as the number of games increase. And the opposite is also true. Decks like D/D/D, Sky Strikers, SPYRAL and Dragonlink have the advantage of inducing misplays onto the opponent due to being as hard to play with them as it is to know when to disrupt. Decks like Kashtira, Timelord or Stun don't get this privilege because they're as immediate as they can get. And if everyone knows what you're doing as you do while playing them, that makes the deck weaker because they will know how to counter, in the words of The Simpsons, your "poor predictable rock". However, this also creates the paradox of the deck being significantly harder to play with in the higher ladder as opposed to the above 4 "big brains", since you're dealing with a significantly more limited arsenal. After all, if all you can do is the usual "Five Moves of Doom", you'll have to get creative to make the opponent move out of their comfort zone and not find yourself raging at the resulting deck's ineffectiveness. And besides, the constant "bridge nuking" resulting from the bans have made the old lines significantly harder to replicate, for the worst reasons imaginable, notably relying on Riseheart to make Shangri work as a result of The Unnamed One getting banned.

Thus is the second fundamental coming in: practicality over made-up ethics. In the words of the great tactician Sun Tzu, in his Art of War:

In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed To win with Kashtira, you need to put psychological pressure on the opponent. While being a decent person is what everyone must strive to, you will be a betrayer while Dueling. To get gems and spare sanity.

Whether to concentrate or to divide your troops, must be decided by circumstances. There are various rules for deciding whether troops should be spread out or brought together, for example in the need to defend a wide front. Yet in the end, each decision has many complicating factors and must be carefully considered.

In other words, always think ahead of what you could be able to do if the opponent disrupted that kind of line, and what they could use, by also observing the delays between your in-game actions. Especially when it comes to Nibiru and what gets drawn off Maxx C, which you need to consider, or not (at your own risk)

Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest.When you need to move fast, move fast.

The timer won't be stopping for you and taking too much will hurt your mental, which will crash your performance

In raiding and plundering be like fire, is immovability like a mountain.

Aim for extended midrange situations, by setting up as many comebacks as possible through the Original 3, but always be prepared to break board and force the OTK if the situation arises

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. Keep plans secret and on a need-to-know basis.

Never let your opponent understand what you're doing. Don't want to reveal they can out everything you have just by clicking on Expurrely Noir, right? Right.

Ponder and deliberate before you make a move. While speed is important, there is also 'more haste, less speed'.

While speed is certainly key, it's suggested to have some level of paranoia about the ways they can stop you with what they already have on board, just not enough to paralyze you from acting. Good tactics demand for precise gameplay, in every phase

He (read: the Duelist) will conquer who has learnt the artifice of deviation. Such is the art of maneuvering.

Conquer your opponent with your mind, by subjecting them to continous mix-ups thanks to clever use of staples, handtraps and the Original 3. While it's undeniable that, given the chance, luck will run you over, like a truck, even in spite of the greatest display of skill allowed by the game (accept that you're going to sack every single win. With skill, style and seething rage. But mostly luck), that's no excuse for not trying to grind or blaming luck for your mistakes (albeit ofc the line is clearly not so visible as you'd think, and toxic people will call out on skill issue regarldess of legitimate context). If you're still in, you fight, each duel. And besides, you can rant on forums, just like I do everyday. It won't improve your chances of victory anyway. But if you do get lucky, make sure to exploit what you're given by the random number god, and never play assuming your opponent won't punish you, because they will.

As for the combo lines, why yes, I did say several times that the gameplay is barebone, thus implying it should take 0 time to get them all, but, you see, when the deck's shared (or at least, the first three main deck monsters) trample each other by requiring a monster-free board by their own effect, which they occupy THEMSELVES as a result to said SS effect, also considering the wondrous world of Wave 2 extenders the deck got...maybe a few headliners won't hurt...if only to read less posts on social medias complaining how Kashtira is "less strong than I expected" ugh

(IMPORTANT REMINDER: Summon in Defense Position as many monsters as possible on Turn 1, that can afford it, to avoid Lightning Storm)

Lines are sorted by starter importance: (Scuffed zonelock setup) Unicorn -> Search Theosis -> SS Fenrir -> Activate Fenrir to search Riseheart -> SS Riseheart -> Xyz into Shangri-Ira in any main monster zone by using Unicorn and Fenrir -> activate Riseheart by banishing one of the following in-descending-order-of-priority cards (Big Bang > Birth > Theosis > Ogre > TK > SK > KPrep) -> Activate Shangri-Ira to lock the zone you think most probable, based on matchup -> Xyz Arise-Heart over Riseheart -> continue your turn

Fenrir -> Search Riseheart -> Summon Riseheart -> SS Wave 2 Extender to perform the zonelock line/Shangri-Ira pass the best way

Ogre -> Search Preparations -> Pray Vishnu if you can't extend past that

(Your board is at the risk of getting stopped by a single Book of Moon or that risk became reality) -> search then summon TearKash/ScarKash

Shangri-Ira summon priorities: Fen > Uni > Ogre > SK > TK > DON'T SUMMON RH WITH SHANG

The combo lines part ends here. Really. Hope you enjoyed wheeze

I would really want to elaborate on what each Small World works with what, but we can all agree I have written a lot, and your organs are probably all bleeding at once by now, so I think I'll spare you and instead tell you to save the ydk file of this list then paste it on https : // small-world yugioh-api com/optimizer And a whole world of searching will unravel maniacal smile. (Besides, if you want more detailed infos about each card, check the explanation below)

• A card that was disappointing at first but later found out to be unfathomable levels of broken, as well as the wrecker of the mirror match (unless there is no GY to take advantage of), Kurikara is a marvelous broken degenerate card, and while solid already as a Small World's 1-of (or, simply put, I only have 1 and need to save on UR), definitely something that should be played at 2 (3 is too much consistency-wise), because of how hard she cheats the "outing your opponent" part, rivalling Dark Ruler No More in that aspect.

• Blosm needs no explanation: she stops Maxx C, searchers, entire combos, and, unlike Maxx C (which I don't play because you can't use it under Shift/AH), can be used under "Macro Cosmos", as it 'discards'. Being a Tuner, she can be used for baronne, assuming you're not locked.

• Path only searches Wraithsoth... but given how hard this deck bricks already, it's a necessary evil, even if it takes a Normal Summon, thus conflicting with Queen. Also, should they negate it, you can still tribute it to get the field emptied, therefore extending with the Original 3. I play it at 2 because of Small World and because the chances of Wraith being banished by Desires and it being a soft brick in general, are quite high, even in its utility.

• Riseheart can at times prove to be a disappointing (Wave 2 Monster) extender given that the effect ONLY works during the SAME turn it's been summoned. But, you see, this deck isn't really known for extenders cough, so the Kashtira players resign to the fate of having to play him and orders a full playset. Technically playable at 2, but, well, there isn't much to work with, since Wraith got put to 1, so, you might as well.. If there is a Set card on their S/T zone, make sure to summon Riseheart BEFORE Shangri, unless Nibiru threat. You know, before they kill your whole turn with a single Book of Moon. Oh yes, that's a thing. Believe me.

• Our slaying Queen is a surprisingly good Kaiju-like with Small World-useful stats, as well as being a cheap R alternative to (the admittedly better in every aspect) Dogoran, which happens to work well in a deck that Special Summons more than Normal...assuming you don't brick more than average...yeah

• Shift is broken, since it fuels AH and in general ruins everyone but banish-based decks. And also, for the greatest irony, gets stopped by other Macro Cosmos effects (such as our AH). Make sure to use this during your turn if possible, because of Called, or at least their Draw/Standby, because of Talent (won't avoid Thrust)

• A Kaiju card that happens to have very useful stats for Small World, Rad is your main board disruptor, played at 1 for consistency, to out whatever you need to out, and, being a level 7, it can also be Normal Summoned via Birth to make R7 without tributes, during emergencies

• For someone who should have been killed by Fen, Pank is sure more relevant than what people gave him credit for, as, unlike the Original 3, it can be summoned even with monsters on your side, with a comfy tribute effect ON COST (avoiding Imperm), and a nuke effect to go with its excellent 2600 ATK. Like Radian, it's a level 7 for the purpose of Birth, but, being a level 7 on YOUR field, it can contribute to R7

• You may think Fenrir is the strongest main deck card. But unless you're talking about anything not Kashtira, you're wrong: it's really Unicorn who does most of the heavylifting, combo-wise, here, while Fenrir also has the issues of banishing exclusively what remains face-up AFTER (and btw, this applies to ALL of the Original 3: if the Original gets removed or set before the monster effect has resolved, it won't work) the monster activation, meaning that it's the least efficient of the 3 to force Shang. Nevertheless, it adds RH, or any Kash monster really, removes your Kaijus, and, really, makes for great field presence by himself (especially when you have to pass on him under Maxx C), also thanks to its perfectly rounded stats for both the offensive and the defensive.

• The weakest Kashtira of the Original 3, but one we need, Ogre also allows Maxx C-minimizing plays thanks to Preparations, and is a good target for Shang's SS, mostly, because unlike Fenrir, doesn't need a face-up card for its effects, as it will force it anyway. This unfortunately comes at the cost of not being able to extend lines and having a horrible 1000 DEF, but, considering how Preparation really compensates lack of field presence and grind game after You-Know-Who's ban...yeah, gotta use him and Prep (also for the purpose of lightening your deck). Sorry, pal.

• Unicorn is the best of the Original 3, simply because it makes Theosis a 1 card combo, as well as being able to banish important Extra Deck cards and generally contributing to the grind game and Shang's lock, with a fantastic 2500 ATK to boot, and a not too shabby 2100 in DEF. Always open with him whenever possible unless the situations calls for different plans. Knowledge about what to banish first with his effect will be inevitably needed, but it's unfortunately one of the things this guide cannot explain here, due to lack of context and characters cap being a thing: for that you'll have to resort to external sources and good ol' trial and error. As if this deck wasn't pain enough already.

• One of the Wave 2 (Monster) Extenders, SK is the one Lightning Storm-proof (but not Tri-Heart-proof. Heh.) extender which requires you to banish a Kash card from hand or GY (activating their effects or contributing to Theosis/Birth/AH setups) with a devastating 2600 DEF and Superheavy Samurai-style attacking, with with a comfy negate that applies to every attacking Kashtira you control, not just yourself. Said negate being notably Continuous... thus, even though the resolution of said effect is specific to the Battle Phase, it will pierce the protection of specific monsters that are unaffected only by activated effects, like Goddess and Psychic End Punisher. Nor will be Bagooska, as SK is already in defense and said effect isn't Activated but Continuous. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. I play it at 2 because, after the nerfs, there aren't enough names, and TK is already the 3rd.

• Ah, sweet sweet Kitkallos... I know what you're thinking. "NOBODY USES THIS", but consider this: TK ISN'T SK, as the names are different, thus, if the name is different, that means you can follow up with this if SK is disrupted. Even then, TK can prove itself to be useful with its mill should you be lacking GY cards to feed Birth's effect to. Sure, even under AH, her effect won't trigger Shang, as it's face-up, but contributing to the constant resource disruption and feeding AH after the nerfs is incredibly useful. Worst things come, you can banish your own cards to activate Theosis or feed Prep. Additionally, TK's mill can also be chainlocked by the Theosis' effect that has been banished to summon her in the first place, preventing Blosm from ruining your plan. Nice, innit?

• ROTA adds Riseheart. That's all it does. And it's all you need, frankly. Yeah, it has come to this.

• Small World is our wonder card, it does everything, granted you can activate it by offering a monster from your hand. It's broken on Kashtira, only on Kashtira, and a dubious card everywhere else, except, maybe, Floowandereeze... ...Small World can even add Ash, thanks to Volcanic Queen. Ah man...

• Pot of Desires, now with 60% more chance (symbolical value) of sending Wraithsoth to the Shadow Realm! But don't worry: what you banish can potentially be regenerated by AH's material acquisition, so it's nice. I would have preferred not to play it, myself, but draw is draw, and I need as many cards as possibly to win. I suggest you do the same.

• I don't need to explain Talent. Talent should be banned. But it isn't. Play it. PLAY IT NOW!

• Prosp after the ban got significantly nerfed, as you can't run 3 and the Goliath thingy (to be acquired by RH, thus enabling its protection. Just read Infinitrack Goliath's text, really) is significantly harder to pull, but it's consistency... even if it collides with Desires. Draw is draw, even if it's technically not draw but "excavation". These terms...

• Small World is the best card in the deck. Don't question it. Play it. Thank you.

• Theosis is our "E-Tele", scuffed, locks to Xyz, collides with some cards I could mention (spoiler: it's the non-Xyz, notably Baronne and Donner), and our "starter" enabled by Uni, summoning Fenrir, extending lines to oblivion, and acting as a creative form of recycling with its on-banish effect, notably with the 3 Wave-2-Extenders and AH. Simple, efficient, extremely stupid and shortsighted: if it weren't for this, Kashtira would still be relying on The Unnamed and Birth's Tribute-less Summon. Instead they broke it

• See, the issue started when Wraith was limited to 1. At which point chaos ensued on medias and Master Duel. Especially on the deckbuilding. MY deckbuilding screams

• Take your time to read all of the cards, one by one, then think of the many things you could be doing with a reviver from banish pile OR the GY... And that's not everything: it even murders the GY after an opponent's Spell has resolved. And the Tribute-less summon of ANY level 7. AND the many things you can do with RH and AH. Already a necessity before Wave 2, this card EXPLODED when said wave arrived. As well as my fate in humanity. But that's ok. We've got a full deck to seethe with now.

• Called stops handtraps, any monster, entire combos, denies effects for two turns straight, makes your opponent misplay if they forget... and banishes. AND ARISE HEART LIKED THAT LAST PART. maniac smile

• Big Bang is usually used for RH, sometimes for the Wave 2 Extenders, and rarely for the scuffed Evenly-like effect, but, I mean... it's there. Ah, and you can always activate Big Bang to only cripple yourself when you have a board and your opponent doesn't, something the game won't shut up about it. Ain't that fun? Use with caution, take a deep breath, READ it AND the field BEFORE using it. Thank you.

• Prep was derided for a long time for being slow (some people still believe that). Then the nerfs arrived and they had to reconsider. Prep offers many things: extenders, grind games, comeback (sadly, it can NOT use the GY, unlike Birth), deck-lightening, Maxx C's mixups, and a comfy handrip (+ Shang/AH's trigger) for when your opponent uses a trap, all of which can be searched by Ogre, at the cost of less combo potential. It has to be seen to be believed, I will NOT be taken responsibility for your mismanagement of this card. Technically not core, originally, but it might as well be. I'll let you decide about that. Moving on.

• Assuming RH and Theosis don't stop you, you can summon Baronne and give a sense to NS Ash, which comes up more often than you think, whether going first or second (the possibilities are limitless). With a nice revival effect (which collides with Macro Cosmos-likes, alas) a pop and a 1-time omninegate, Baronne is unironically better than 80% of the stuff you could be putting on the Extra. And that's about it.

• Playable at either 1 or 2, up to preference and probability to get reverse-milled/banished, Big Eye steals monsters to be used for Zeus, mirror match monsters for your summon (and btw, AH doesn't care about whose players activated Shang, so you can use theirs. Yay.), generic stuff to tribute summon, or even to swing for game as Big Eye will only incapacitate itself after yoinking (thus you can overlay Zeus into it even if not attacking, ofc, with Big Eye itself. Really.). Truly an essential R7, or, should I say, a broken one in a pool of broken-or-bad (and nothing in between) pool.

• Dracossack acts as a popper for Arise-Heart, as well as a great staller for all sort of situations, and a situational tribute fodder-provider. While I don't like it as much as REFlare, itìs fantastic for going second or emergency plays. And it also looks AWESOME to summon with that animation. Ah man, big planes. Always great.

• REFlare, whenever you're not falling back on the Original 3 to follow-up on Shang, should always be your follow-up whenever you can summon it going first (although remember the compenation talk below, on the Shang section), as well as an excellent Dinomorphia counter. Truly a broken card held back by belonging to an exclusive (or bad, if talking about Mecha Phantom Beasts, at the moment of writing) pool of monsters. Why did level 7 have to be so degenerate. Idk

• Truth be told, Dark Armed Longname isn't even that good of a Xyz. But it has that non-OPT destruction (with stupid penalties), and makes for ok stuff to banish with Prosperity. That's all there is to it. You could even use the 2 Fossil Fusions, but they're not summonable unlike this one. So, really, what can you do. At worst, it can act as a beastick for Zeus

• Harmonizing Gradielle was clearly made for Dragon Rulers. And Kashtira happen to be based aroud the Xyz meant for them including the very Xyz that inspired their effect, [REDACTED]. So it's no surprise that HG works so well with them, even if the Attribute thing is clunky, although it works best in bo1 scenarios, where wonky matchups are a thing. That being said, if it weren't clear, HG is really meant to survive to become part of Zeus, thanks to her double protection from the Attributes that were used as her material, which she can also steal, to act as AH lite on that aspect. Truly underrated and deserves a chance. Now c'mon, waifu her. I know you want to do it. BE HONEST, FOR ONCE. Not me tho. I have other interests

• Your portable Death-Star. Shang exists to stand there and slowly cook the opponent is an ocean of torment. For the zonelock order, when unsure because you can't tell the matchup (be prepare for anything), focus on the S/T first. And while doing that, the foremost left and right zones first, just to kill any chance of using Pendulum cards, ranging from Endymion to Five-Rainbow stun: spells and traps (mostly Spells, but Evenly also exists, while Imperm just needs 1 free zone to matter) are the main way to come back to the game, outside of Kaijus, which you can't prevent. And it stops several matchups you don't want to face (so, a Rescue-ACE Turbulence and Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle walk into a bar...). Also, Shangri-Ira memorizes each card you have banished, thus it will ask you, in the same prompt, if you want to activate the zone lock effect for each time it has memorized. To which you reply YES. Make sure you don't "occupy" a zone that has already been selected by another instance of the same effect. Wouldn't want to throw away that advantage. Make sure it has at least one material for protection, unless the situation SPECIFICALLY calls for the riskier play, especially when Big Bang is involved. As for gameplay strats, always think ahead on how to "compensate" for the Original 3 you're using as Xyz materials, especially should they use Imperm or Ash on Shangri-Ira's Standby Phase Summon. Please don't summon 2 Shang: it leads nowhere as, unless meme build, you won't replicate what you could do when [REDACTED] was around. And, news alert, you don't have to zonelock everything: 2 is fine and 3 is plenty. Really.

• Arise-Heart...he IS a card, isn't he. Jesus if he is. A breathing, raging, annihilating, walking disgrace, since his first arrival on the Wave 2, AH really makes himself known for being Macro Cosmos on legs, a massive amalgamation of several broken effects, and enough of his own to shut down whole matchups simply because, YES, when he's around, everything that would go to the GY becomes banished, thus disabling Maxx C (also your Shift, would you look at that?) and making what you use immune from Called. YES, REALLY. While technically AH's (QUICKIE!) face-down (activates Shang, yes) is a soft OPT, thus you could technically stack multiple, (but that's just flexing), you just can't think of a situation where you haven't already won by the time you have done that. But the main problem, in general is that, btw, his banish-material effect is mandatory, for each copy you have on the field, which they all activate even WITH HIS OWN DETACHMENTS. Ah, man, what a card. Which, well, becomes a problem when the timer is as strict as it is right now. I know, I know, Konami should really do something about it, but, since it currently is what it is, let's not dig our graves, so to speak, don't you agree? The notable part about Arise-Heart, however, is that he fundamentally "regens" what he attaches as material, as it becomes face-up, thus, once it gets detached, usually getting banished, but it will go to the GY if the last AH around (usually yours) leaves the field, you can use your Kashtira effects with it, therefore reversing (partially: your staples are dead) Desires and Prosperity. And, since Infinitrack Goliath grants protections to Machines using it as materials, and, oh my God, AH is a material, YES, it will get its protection off Prosperity. Anyway, it's ONLY, either, 1 OR 3 materials for his summon, never 2: so, if the game asks you if you want to use more materials, they're asking if you want to summon 3 monsters instead. Thanks Master Duel... never change. Siiiiigh. Please don't use it for Zeus unless it's REALLY needed.

• I already explained Goliath

• Donner is a slightly improved Azalea. Didn't use it as much, but it's always an extra piece of removal to free the field from the Nibiru token, and, in general for rare stun or going second situations.

The guide is over. You're free now. And remember our motto: "Let the world know our seething".