Katana World finally is in a main set of the Ace season. It's personally kind of odd for more Katana World to come out right after Miracle Fighters but it's fine.
I'm surprised they're releasing two more different Katana World archetypes this set. The two new ones are Ninjas (but it's with Gargantua Dragon) and Bladedancers. This currently makes three new archetypes this season. For the last several seasons, they've only been releasing one new Katana World Archetype a season and just sprinkling support for it through the season.
I'm not surprised that Gargantua Dragon is taking on the Ninja mantle but I am surprised that it's the first non-Dragon World Gargantua Dragon deck. This confirms in my mind that Bushiroad really won't let Ninjas die.
At this point, we have been informed that Gargantua Dragon is going to be in Magic World as well. What is odd though is that Garga won't be any specific attribute in Magic world that already exists.
My theory on why they're having Garga be Ninjas in Katana World but no old archetype in Magic World is because Ninjas are a special archetype to Bushiroad. Ninjas have always have the counter spells and impacts to stop virtually any play style. To keep the game balanced to some degree against the main decks, they need this threat of counter play in the game and ninjas fit this spot.
It is refreshing that the new ninjas aren't based around Tsukikage and Byakuya. Don't get me wrong. I love the ninja brothers but all the support focused around them which got kind of predictable and narrowed what cards were considered viable. Did it directly work with Tsukikage and Byakuya whether by card name or play style directly? No? Cool. The card wasn't used.
This also comes with the added benefit of already having some solid pre-existing support for Ninjas that isn't going to break anything in a Garga Ninja deck. Some notable examples are Searchlight, Shinobi Scrolls, Secret Scrolls, Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind, Apex of Flashstep, Tsukikage, etc. The list could go on for a while but that's a solid start. The deck is very discard heavy but there are cards, both old and new, to help mitigate the hand loss.
Bladedancer's play style is interesting. It revolves around having a weapon equipped that will never attack because all the good card effects will require that the weapon be standing. This requirement is for their impact which is the ace card in the deck but we'll get to that. Other than the weapon, it only plays size 1's and 2's.
Without further ado, let's start with Gargantua Ninjas.
Gargantua Ninjas
Items:
Deity Dragon Blade, Garkunai
Currently, the only weapon meant specifically for Garga Ninjas. This card costs a gauge and a life to equip but it's effects are worth it. As far as I can remember, it's actually the first weapon with the Ninja attribute. This means it can be tutored with Miracle Fighters but I don't think that will be a thing.
The card has two effects. If there's a Dragod, (a.k.a Gargantua Dragon or one of his forms) all monsters on your field get 3,000 power and 1 critical.
It's counter skill lets the player discard a Ninja Arts from their hand during an attack and if you do, the attack is nullified. This allows the deck to play a variety of ninja arts without having to worry about how many shields the deck should run. couple this with Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind and you could shield multiple attacks using little to no cards in hand. Keep in the mind you can only nullify attacks that are attacking the player specifically. This can't protect the side monsters.
Speaking of Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind, you will absolutely need to run the card to make the most out of the deck most likely as a 4 of. There is also going to be Ninja Arts, Hiding in Fallen Leaves but that will come out in a later set in the Impact! Triple Punisher decks.
Size 1:
Nincat
First up in the line of monsters is the adorable Nincat. Just like with Dragon World Dragon Deity Tribes, he's one of the basic advantage cards for the deck. He's free to call with 2000/2/1000 stats.
His skill is when he enters the field, if there's another Deity Dragon Tribe on the field, the player discards a card from hand to gain a gauge, life and draw a card. It helps mitigate the cost of the weapon without losing any advantage.
Since this ability isn't once per turn, it's safe to say you could run 3-4 in a deck without a problem.
Nindog
Moving onto the second of the trio, Nindog is a good thinning card for the deck. He's free to call with 6000/1/1000 stats. When he enters the field, you grab any Nindogs from the deck and put any amount to the hand and the rest to gauge.
This leaves flexibility in allocating resources where necessary. More often than not, you'll probably put most if not all of the Nindogs to hand. Because of this easy thinning of the deck, the deck will probably run 4 of this card.
Ninbird
Last and absolutely least of the main Garga trio is Ninbird. He's free to call as well with about average stats being at 3000/2/1000.
Unfortunately his skill is lacking. After he battles, the player puts Ninbird to the drop zone, then, the player gains a gauge and deals 1 damage to the opponent. This is a pretty plain and non-impactful effect which causes most players to not even run him.
Deity Dragon Ninja, Yasiromaru
Last of the size 1's is Yasiro Maru. It's another free to call monster. It has 3 abilities. First, if the player has an item equipped, Yasiro Maru gains 2 critical. Second, when the card is destroyed, the player gains 2 life and lastly, it has move.
There's a couple problems with the card. The first skill can be inconsistent since the weapon doesn't have a staple tutor. the second skill is slow and is easily telegraphed. Meaning the opponent can work around the 2 life gain and move just tries to make the second skill occur more frequently. Overall a lack luster card that doesn't do anything.
Size 2:
Gargantua Wind Demon Dragon
Moving onto the first new form of Katana World Gargantua Dragon. Gargantua Wind Demon Dragon has 6000/2/6000 stats. His call cost is to put a card from the drop zone into its soul and pay 1 gauge. Keep in mind that if it's called via G-EVO, you ignore this call cost.
He has double attack and soulguard which are pretty standard for Garga. His special ability, "Replicate", allows the top card of the deck to be put on the field face down as a kind of token. The tokens have the Dragod attribute. They're a size 0 with 6000/2/6000 stats. If there's a card with G-EVO in his soul, you can call 2 of these face down tokens instead.
Keep in mind that the call cost allows a card from drop to be put into this Garga's soul. If there is a base form of Garga with G-EVO in the drop, it's easy to fulfill the second part of "Replicate".
This is the main Garga that will be played in the decks since the tokens are free to call have a lot of flexibility. They can be used during the player's turn to be called to the center and opposite side of Garga after the other side monster and the Kunai attack. Then, during the opponent's turn, call them to the center and replace the first token. This makes an attack wiff (and possibly stop penetrate damage).
Gargantua Koga Dragon
Gargantua Koga Dragon has the same call cost as Wind Demon Garga. Keep that in mind with his special ability. This Garga can help get over big center walls since he has Shadow Dive. His other "standard" skills are move double attack and soulguard.
His more special ability is the following; If his soul has G-EVO, he can destroy a monster on the opponent's field. If the monster is successfully destroyed, the player gets to draw a card and deal 2 damage to the opponent. Since this isn't once per turn, it will activate both times he attacks.
While this skill is solid, there is a lot of monsters that can't be destroyed by card effects so it has limited uses. Especially since some archetypes have weapons and items protect the monsters on the field so Koga Dragon can't theoretically pop the set spell that protects the monsters then the monsters.
Another problem with the skill is the 2 damage is dependent upon the monsters successfully being destroyed. It would've been better if it was just "destroy a monster and deal 2 damage" but this keeps the card balanced and stops it from getting out of control which is fine.
Spells:
Deity Dragon Ninja Arts, Cy-clones Sword Dance
While we're moving on to the spells section of Garga Ninjas, and subsequently, Ninja Arts, I want to preface this section by reminding you, the readers, that with the Garkunai, none of these cards will be dead in the hand since they can be used to shield attacks.
Moving onto the first new Ninja Art spells, we have one heck of a free to cast spell. This spell allows the player to re-stand a Dragod and stand any other cards with the same attack power as the chosen Dragod.
This is a powerful but niche card. Just because I say this is a niche card card doesn't mean it won't come up frequently. Based on the art, it should be self-evident the point of this card. The card is suppose to let Wind Demon Gara restand with his size 0 token clones to re-stand and keep attacking. Of course it would work with Nindog on the side with Garga as well but that's not as impactful as with the tokens.
Art of Truancy
Next is one of the meat and potato spells for Garga Ninjas. Art of Truancy is a set spell. It protects all Deity Dragon Tribe monsters from destruction effects which is always welcomed.
Its second effect is just like Electron Ninja, Shiden's "Cyber Analysis" ability. Once per turn, you may pay 1 gauge and discard a card to draw two cards. Of course to make sure this doesn't get out of hand, there can only be one "Art of Truancy" set on the field.
It's a real solid advantage card. Especially since Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind make this literally free advantage.
Art of Speedrun
Here comes Ninja doggo to the rescue! Art of Speedrun is a nice, versatile card. You may pay 1 gauge to nullify an attack and if there's a Dragod on the field, destroy a CARD on the field. Helps get rid of pesky set spells or strong items that can be destroyed.
If there's no viable option to destroy and/or you can't spend the gauge for the card, just discard it with Garkunai equipped to just nullify the attack. I'm sure Nindog would understand.
Art of Getting Fish
Last of the new Ninja Art spells is Art of Getting Fish. I personally love these innocent Ninja Art names. They're pretty cute and funny.
The first skill is when the card is dropped by card effects, the player gains two gauge. This is an okay effect. It's not as good as Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind but it's a nice backup.
The second effect is better. The player can put up to two Deity Dragon Tribe monster or item from their drop to their hand. If the player picks up two cards, they must discard one card. This is to keep the deck from gaining a free +1 in advantage... but wait! There's more! It can become a free +1 and a gauge if the card you discard is Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind since you can then gauge and draw. Nothing says the card discarded had to be one of the two cards the player picked up.
I hope you are all seeing how pivotal of a card Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind is in this deck at this point.
Impacts:
Deity Gargnatua Punisher!!
Last for Garga Ninjas is the impact and it's actually a solid impact. It's also named exactly the same as the Dragon World version so, if in the future, Bushiroad makes a flag that allows all Deity Dragon Tribes to be played under one flag, up to four between the Dragon and Katana World impacts could be in a deck. This is because they both share the exact same name.
The card is pretty par for the course for a finishing impact. The opponent must be at 5 life or less, have a Dragod monster on the field and the total power of all cards on the field must be 12,000 or more. The player pays 2 gauge and deal 5 damage that can't be nullified or reduced. Besides the 12,000 or more power for its cast cost, it's nothing crazy.
Game finishing impacts have always been a weird card that some decks do want to run usually for first turn kills (FTK) and some decks don't care about. It's hard to say if this will be run. Life gain is pretty rampant in some decks where this could be a dead card. I'm going to probably not run it especially since Vanity Cells come out in this set.
Bladedancer
Items:
Excelblade Godslash, KANESADA
What better place to start than with the go-to sword in Bladedancers. A long with the Bladedancer attribute, both swords have the Excelblade attribute as well.
Excelblade, Godslash, KANESADA cost 1 life to equip. It has 10,000/1/6000 stats. One interesting note is that this card is actually the first item in Katana World that has defense.
The weapon's first ability that is "technically" bad but it's not a big deal. When this weapon is on the field, the player can't call monsters to the center. The second ability helps to keep the weapon consistently on the field. The weapon can't be destroyed or bounced back to hand and all bladedancers (even the monsters) cannot be rested by your opponent.
The second ability helps guarantee that unless the monsters get destroyed, they will be able to attack. The main point of this second ability is so the Bladedancer's weapons don't get countered easily by cards like Barbed Wire. I don't mean that the opponent will want to rest KANESADA because it's a powerful attacking weapon.
On the contrary, the deck doesn't even want to attack with the item. The deck focuses around using the powerful impact that can only be casted if the weapon is standing.
The card also has counterattack and with 10,000 power, it can counterattack almost every card. The problem is the very prevalent "can't be destroyed by effects" effect that saves monsters from counterattack. Before there's controversy, I'm going to lay it out here. Counterattack is effect destruction.
Excelblade, Beastcut
Ah the... "special" Excelblade weapon. It costs 1 gauge to play with 5000/1 stats. Just like KANESADA, monsters can't be called to the center once it's equipped and it can't be rested by your opponent's card effects.
It does give all Bladedancer monsters +5000 power and 1 critical but that won't really matter.
The problem with this weapon is no defense and no protection from card destruction unlike KANESADA. Sure the stat boost is nice but the Bladedancer monsters have good enough stats that they can hit almost anything.
I may throw it in sideboard if the opponent really likes high defense monsters or items (i.e. Prism Dragons or Electrodieties) but that won't be every match.
This would be a backup weapon but between running four copies of KANESADA and Silver Orchid Swordsman, SUZU, the player should be able to get to the weapon somewhat easily. That's basically 8 copies in the deck. That isn't consistent enough for me to say you'll get the weapon every game but at least SUZU helps. It's unfortunate that the back up plan to get the needed formation is so bad.
Impact:
Pinnacle of Iai, "Godspeed"
I know this is a little out of order since I tend to leave impacts for last but there's a reason for this. The Bladedancer deck revolves around this impact.
The impact can only be casted if the player is being attacked and the player's equipped weapon is standing. The player pays 1 gauge and 1 life which is a little expensive but it's worth it.
The impact, at counter speed, nullifies the attack. Then for the turn, nullify the abilities of all the attacking cards and destroy them. If any of them are destroyed, you deal 3 damage to the opponent. Sure this card can be worked around but it is a powerful effect nonetheless.
Most people are running Demon Way, Sakurafubuki or ...Or So the Dream I had Went in their respective world decks. This gets around that counter play since impacts aren't spells and this is more powerful than most, if not all, attack nullify spells.
This impact is a main reason why the weapon the player equips won't be attacking.
Size 1:
Silver Orchid Swordsman, SUZU
We have arrived to SUZU as the first size 1 Bladedancer. She's the tutor for the deck. She has pretty standard size 1 stats at 2000/2/1000. She costs 1 gauge to call. When she enters the field, you can search for an Excelblade from the deck. The impact is an Excelblade as well so it's tutorable.
Sure it'll be an obvious give-a-way to the opponent that you're grabbing the impact and showing it to the opponent but now they'll have to maneuver their battle phase around the player potentially casting it.
SUZU's other ability givers her penetrate and double attack if the player has an Excelblade eqiupped which should be very easy to accomplish considering you can tutor for it with the very card that gets the penetrate and double attack.
Heavyblade Swordsman, NAMARI
NAMARI is an intersting card and I like it. It's free to call with 5000/1/1000 stats. At counter speed you may call the card to the field from the player's hand and redirect the attack. If it gets destroyed on the opponent's turn (which it will 99% of the time) you can grab an Excelblade from the drop.
Who thought you could only cast the impact up to four times in a match? Just cast the impact, call this guy on the opponent's next attack, let him die and retrieve your impact to make your opponent hate you. They then have to work around the impact yet again.
Magnetic Swordsman, NEO
NEO is the man. Sure he has midiocre stats at 4000/1/1000 but he's one of the core advantage cards for the deck. He costs 1 gauge and top of the deck into his soul. When he attacks, if you have an Excelblade equipped, gain a gauge and draw. Since he has double attack, this occurs each attack. This gives the player the gauge needed to cast the impact on the opponent's turn. The advantage is even more unreal if you play one on the left and right.
Rainbow Swordsman, TITAN
TITAN is a drop zone retrieval card. His stats are pointless. The main point of this card is to rest him and pay 1 gauge to grab the two main Bladedancer monsters you want to actually call back during the turn to your hand.
Size 2:
Steelframe Swordsman, KUROGANE
Kurogane is the main size 2 you'll want to call to the field. His stats are 6000/2/1000. His call cost is 1 gauge and top of deck into his soul. He has double attack and soulguard.
His ability is at the start of each player's attack phase, if your Excelblade is standing, destroy a CARD on the field and if you do, you gain 2 life and deal 2 damage to the opponent. Considering many times at least one card on your opponent's field is vulnerable to destruction, this effect should go off somehwhat frequently. Some decks protect themselves pretty well against card destruction so it can be hit or miss.
The threat of freely destroying cards will make the opponent want to get rid of KUROGANE though so he does at least boast the field presence and the soulguard helps keep him on the field
Alloy Instructor, SHAKUDO
Alloy Instructor SHAKUDO is the only other size 2 Bladedancer. His call cost is-... wait. Is that triple attack? Sheeeet. I'm ready to start swinging with him. Anyways, his call cost is 2 gauge and the top card of the deck into his soul. If the Excelblade weapon is standing, all Bladedancers get +3000 power, +1 critical and penetrate.
He's clearly the more aggressive of the two size 2 Bladedancers. With a weapon standing, he boasts 10,000/3/4,000 stats which is nothing to sneeze at. Definitely a solid backup option if you can't get KUROGANE on the field or if all the cards on the opponent's field can't be destroyed by card effects.
Spells:
Forging - From Fire -
Forging - From Fire - is the Bladedancers draw spell. You draw a card for having a Bladedancer on the field then, if there's an Excelblade (the weapon) on the field, draw again and it can only be casted once per turn. It's just like Pot of Greed from Yu-gi-oh... too bad I can't remember what that card does.
Anyways, solid advantage card. Run 3-4 of it in the deck. You won't be sorry.
Fusion Style, Steadfast Sequence the First
Not a lot of spells in the set for Bladedancers but that's fine. The two there are are real solid. Fusion Style can only be casted during the opponent's turn and if your Excelblade item is standing. The player gains two gauge, 2 life and the next time the player would take damage, reduce it to 0.
Obviously this should be casted during an attack. The damage reduction to 0 is better than a nullify because reducing damage to 0 means the attack finished and allows counterattack to activate with the KANESADA item. If it was nullify, counterattack wouldn't go off. The two gauge and 2 life gain also sets the player up for the impact as well.
Electrodeities
Size 3:
Radiant Electrodeity, Ameno-Wakahiko
On to the one and only Electrodeity in the set. The buddy stealing Radiant Electrodeity, Ameno-Wakahiko is a new Electrodeity that can be possessed into. He costs 2 gauge but if you possess into him, you don't pay the call cost.
His first, static skill is if he has an Electrodeity soul, he cannot leave the field by the opponent's card effects. This is mainly meant to combat again Vanisty Husk Destroyer's "put cards to drop" effect. This will not stop Topfist Vainglory, Brawlzeus from sending the size 3's and/or Kagura bell to the drop though. Brawlzeus puts a card to drop from his call cost. Call cost does not count as a card effect.
What else is nice about Ameno-Wakahiko's first skill is the player will know in advance if they want to possess into Amaterasu during the opponent's turn or not because the opponent would go into Lost World before the player has to possess. If they go into Lost World, protect yourself by going into Ameno-Wakahiko. If they don't go into Lost World, Amaterasu is probably the better size 3.
Ameno-Wakahiko's counter skill allows the player to pay 1 gauge. If they do, the player draws a card and reduces the stats of one card on the opponent's field gets -3000/-1/-3000 stats. What I find baffling is this stat reduction doesn't synergize too well with Ameno-Wakahiko's first anti-Lost World effect. Most Lost World monsters have enough power and critical to not care about this stat reduction.
One thing to note about him as well is he has no real offensive pressure. Sure, the player could reduce the stats of a card during the their turn but with no double attack or higher, he doesn't provide any offensive pressure during the attack phase.
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To conclude the post, both Garga Ninjas and Bladedancers are solid decks but I don't see them winning any regionals. Based on other decks with similar play styles, they're a tier 2 deck.
Garga Ninjas have the potential to be better in the future with the support we know they're getting but at the moment, not too much. Sure, it's a new play style and I'm totally open with Ninjas being open center instead of closed center now but that a lone doesn't make it any better or worse that the Ninja Brothers build.
The main problem I see with Bladedancers is the consistency to get their blade. Between KANESADA and SUZU, that's 8 cards in the deck but out of a minimum of 50 cards, that's still only 16% of the deck. Sure the player has the initial 6 cards, the draw and charge and draw but that's still low compared to Electrodeities that have Electrodeity Festival and Miracle Fighters to help get the cards the player needs. This consistency, a long with amazing stats, is what makes Electrodeities such a strong deck right now.
Let me know what you guys think about the new decks. Are you hyped for them? Disappointed in them? Think they're better or worse than what I say? I'd like to know.
EDIT: I was requested to make a sample deck list for each of the new decks. I haven't play tested these deck lists personally but this should be a good starting point and based on how the deck feels for you, you should be able to adjust a few cards here or there to better fit your play style or your local meta.
Gargantua Ninjas:
Buddy: Nincat
Size 1:
4x Nincat
4x Nindog
3x Clean-Up Ninja, Kunoichi Saori
3x Apex of Flashstep, Tsukikage
Size 2:
4x Gargantua Dragon
4x Gargantua Wind Demon Dragon
3x Gargantua Koga Dragon
Items:
4x Deity Dragon Blade, Garkunai
Spells:
4x Art of Truancy
4x Art of Speedrun
4x Searchlight
4x Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind
3x Art of Getting Fish
2x Deity Dragon Ninja Arts, Cy-clones Sword Dance
Bladedancer:
Buddy: Silver Orchid Swordsman, SUZU
Size 1:
4x Silver Orchid Swordsman, SUZU
2x Heavyblade Swordsman, NAMARI
4x Magnetic Swordsman, NEO
2x Rainbow Swordsman, TITAN
Size 2:
3x Guardian Electrobeast, Goryou
4x Steelframe Swordsman, KRUOGANE
4x Alloy Instructor, SHAKUDO
Items:
4x Excelblade, Godslash, KANESADA
Spells:
4x Forging - From Fire -
4x Fusion Style, Steadfast, Sequence the First
2x Miracle Fighters
4x Clear Serenity
3x Banquet of the Unrighteous
2x Demon Way, Sakurafubuki
Impact:
4x Pinnacle of Iai, "Godspeed"
