Karakuri

"Karakuri" (カラクリ Karakuri, "Mechanical" in Japanese) is an archetype of EARTH Machine-Type monsters that made their official debut in the booster pack Starstrike Blast.

Appearance
The "Karakuri" monsters resemble mechanized puppets or automata from Japan from the 17th century to 19th century. The word "karakuri" means a "mechanical device to tease, trick, or take a person by surprise". Like Wind-Up toys, they could only move in a predetermined pattern - this is reflected by the cards' effects, as they do not have a choice about whether they attack or defend. Most of them have names that are made up of Japanese numerals, often the Japanese daiji 「大字」 or Formal numbers are used. The first 2 numbers in their names when multiplied together get the last number, except for "Karakuri Barrel mdl 96 "Shinkuro"". The readings of some of the "Karakuris'" names also have English meanings relating to their role (Ninja, Muso, etc). For example, "Karakuri Ninja mdl 919 "Kuick"" can be pronounced as 'quick'. "Karakuri Barrel mdl 96 "Shinkuro"" can be pronounced as 'Synchro' and "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"" can be pronounced as 'Hyper'.

Gameplay
Most "Karakuri" monsters, with the exception of the Synchro monsters, must attack if able and when attacked, change to Defense Position (The "Karakuri" released in Storm of Ragnarok simply change position). The "Karakuri" monsters do not always have high ATK or DEF, but have a very unique strategy based on changing the battle positions of monsters. Many "Karakuri" support cards are triggered when attacked, destroyed or shifted to Defense Position, and they generally play defensively, countering the opponent's moves. Other cards have the ability to change positions of cards on the field, draw cards, destroy cards, or search for other "Karakuri" monsters.

Due to most "Karakuri" going to Defense Position when attacked, piercing effects work well against them.

"Karakuri" can be used with Machine-Type support cards like "Machina Fortress", as well as cards like "Machine Assembly Line" to increase the ATK of "Karakuri" monsters. Their DEF can be boosted by "Stronghold Guardian" or "Golden Gearbox". Their "attack if possible" effects can also be negated by cards like "Omega Goggles" and "Ekibyo Drakmord". Another profitable strategy is to use "De-Synchro" on any of the archetype's Synchro Monsters to gain more field presence.

"Giant Rat", "Gozen Match", "Rivalry of Warlords", "Prevention Star" and "Machina Armored Unit" can also be useful.

Because all "Karakuri" monsters are EARTH monsters they can be used to make "Naturia" Synchro Monsters.

Weaknesses
"Karakuri" rely on massive amounts of Special Summons in one turn, making them vulnerable to any card that can stop that chain of summons. As a machine deck, it is vulnerable to the most common counter to machines using Cyber Dragon to summon Chimeratech Fortress Dragon your machines, as such avoid leaving a Cyber Dragon on the field with your machines. "Chain Disappearance" totally destroys the "Karakuri" strategy, stopping "Komachi" or "Nishipachi" before the chain of Synchro Summons starts. In addition to that, "Karakuri" decks also have trouble with "Colossal Fighter" and monsters with ATK and DEF that are both higher than 2700. This deck usually rely on your chance of drawing either "Karakuri Komachi mdl 224 "Ninishi" or "Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi". The best way to increase this is to activate "Machine Duplication" on either of the "Karakuri" monsters. Decks that attempt to summon multiple "Bureido" also have trouble with "Colossal Fighter" because it can get rid of all "Bureido" along with another "Karakuri" monster. "Summon Limit" prevents them from regaining advantage after a Synchro Summon or executing a long chain of Synchro Summons. System Down can banish all Machine-type monsters on the field and in the Graveyard. Dark Highlander completely shuts down any Synchro Summon attempt, and Deck Devastation Virus will destroy nearly every monster.

Machine Duplication Karakuri OTK
Example:
 * Special Summon "Cyber Dragon".
 * Normal Summon "Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi"".
 * Use "Machine Duplication" with "Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi"". You will have 3 "Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi"" face-up on your side of the field.
 * Tune "Cyber Dragon" and the 1st "Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi"" to get "Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido"".
 * Activate "Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido"'s" effect to Special Summon "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"" from your deck.
 * Tune "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"" and the 2nd "Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi"" to get the 1st "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"".
 * Activate "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"'s" effect to Special Summon the 2nd "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"" from your deck.
 * Tune the 2nd "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"" and the 3rd "Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi"" to get the 2nd "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"".
 * Activate "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"'s" effect to Special Summon the 3rd "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"" from your deck.
 * You will have 1 "Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido"", 2 "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"" and 1 "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"" for your OTK (2800+2600+2600+2100=10100).

This OTK also works well with "Black Salvo" which summons "Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive" (to draw more cards for this OTK). Then do the same and at the end you will control 3 "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"" and 1 "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"" (since you can change the battle position with your "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"" it will probably be an OTK.

This OTK also works with "Karakuri Komachi mdl 224 "Ninishi"" since it's a Level 3 Machine-Type Tuner monster with 0 attack. It also allows you one more Normal Summon. If you use that Normal Summon to summon another "Karakuri" Tuner you could have 3 "Burei", 1 "Bureido", and one other "Karakuri" monster.

Due to the newest addition to the "Karakuri" monsters, the Level 5 "Karakuri Ninja mdl 7749 "Nanashick", when you Synchro Summon "Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido"" you can Special Summon "Nanashick" and use it to Synchro Summon another "Bureido". You could continue to Special Summon "Nanashick" and Synchro Summon one more "Bureido". With that you can Special Summon "Haipa" and have a good chance of an OTK as well as the ability to draw three cards if "Haipa's" attack is not stopped.

Karakuri Machina Plants (KMP)
Karakuri Machina Plants focus on "Karakuri" monsters with "Machina Gearframe" and "Machina Fortress" added in for "Karakuri" Synchro Monsters ("Gearframe" + "Saizan") and the Plant Synchro engine to turn a "Machina Fortress" or a "Burei" into a "Bureido". The Deck is very powerful and is the strongest and was the most consistent "Karakuri" Deck (until Extreme Victory came out). It was first pioneered at a YCS and from there grew to be very popular as a Deck-type. This Deck's main Synchro Monster is "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"" as it has decent ATK, is extremely easy to Synchro Summon and has a great effect. "Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido"" can also be Synchro Summoned by tuning "Machina Fortress" with "Glow-Up Bulb", "Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 "Saizan"" with "Machina Gearframe", and "Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"" with "Glow-Up Bulb".

Trivia

 * The "Karakuri" debut in Starstrike Blast seems to be equivalent to the "Scrap" debut in Duelist Revolution. Their Synchro Monsters have been released in Ultra and Ultimate Rare ("Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei"" and "Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido""), one of their monsters and support cards is a Super Rare ("Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 "Sazank"" and "Karakuri Klock"), and the rest are Common and Rare.


 * The "mdl" in their English names is an abbreviation of "Model", i.e. "Karakuri Merchant Model #177 "Inashichi"" is "Karakuri Merchant mdl 177 "Inashichi"". The first two model numbers of all "Karakuri" effect monsters, except for "Karakuri Barrel MDL 96", make the third and fourth when multiplied together.


 * The cloth flaps attached to most of the "Karakuri" are called Shide.