Forum:Deck Guide/Reactors

by Gadjiltron

Intro
5D's brought us Greiger, a recurring side character known for his love for his home village and his extremely large Duel Runner. His first appearance showed off his Reactors archetype as he proceeded to curb-stomp Leo.

However, despite showing promise when they turned up in CRMS, the Reactors remain largely underlooked due to their fragility and difficulty in summoning their key cards. Even their ace monster is given a Summon bonus in the games as recognition for the difficulty in summoning it.

Mechanics
The Reactors, as their names indicate, are a bunch of monsters which react to the opponent's moves. Each of the Reactors are capable of inflicting burn damage to the opponent under different conditions, from summoning to activating Spells and Traps. However, while they react to Spell and Trap activation, the big flaw lies in that they do not negate the effects of the card they just reacted to, making such effects best against Continuous Spells and Traps, which are cards that are not played in large numbers.

Analysis

 * Speed: Reactors are about field control, and it always takes time for them to set up their pressure strategy. It's a pity that this strategy is often very easily broken.
 * Power: With frail ATK in all three of their base monsters, a Reactor Deck is better off trying a stall strategy than a beatdown one. However, once their boss monster arrives, this can change.
 * Consistency: The means available to bring out the bigger monsters of the archetype are still quite unreliable.
 * Risk: Yes, the boss monster is likely to go down fast. But the archetype has a way to bring it back to wreak more havoc.
 * Meta Ranking: What ranking?

The Basics
So, let's look at the framework of the archetype.


 * Summon Reactor AI - This is what the archetype would want to get out first. AI is the strongest of the base Reactors at 2000 ATK, but since it stands at LV5 it quickly becomes something you don't want in your opening hand. It also holds the requirement used to make the Reactors' ace monster. AI reacts to the first time the opponent Summons a monster through burning 800 off the opponent, and if AI is still on the field in the same turn it can negate one attack during that turn's Battle Phase.
 * Trap Reactor RR - At stats of 800/1800, you'd find yourself Setting RR. However since it's face-down because of that you won't be doing a lot of reacting with it. RR reacts to Trap activations, destroying them and burning 800. As you can see, there's no negation, which downplays its usefulness by a fair bit. At least it's good as a wall.
 * Spell Reactor AID - With 1200/800 it's the weakest of all the Reactors, and the only time you'd find yourself bringing it out is when you're all set to make the ace monster. AID reacts to Spell activations, destroying them and burning 800. As you can see, there's no negation, which downplays its usefulness by a fair bit.
 * Giant Bomber Airraid - The ace monster for the Deck. Fortunately, AI can summon Airraid from anywhere, be it your hand, Deck or Graveyard. Unfortunately, you'll need all three of the Reactors out on the field, which is difficult to accomplish itself. However, summoning Airraid is worth the trouble since it does quite a few things. First, once per turn, you can send a card from your hand to the Graveyard to destroy a card on the field. Next, once during each of the opponent's turn, you can either destroy a newly Summoned monster or newly Set card and inflict 800 damage. With mighty stats of 3000/2500, it will be enough to put the opponent in a tough spot.
 * Dark Flat Top - A late addition to the archetype. Dark Flat Top requires a DARK Tuner and Machine non-Tuners, which makes it right at home with this archetype. At 0/3000, it's not going to do a lot of attacking, but it can summon Airraid or a Reactor from the Graveyard regardless of summon restrictions. Just one use of its effect would put the opponent in a tough spot, especially if they used extra effort to remove Airraid.
 * Fake Explosion Penta - For one single attack, it prevents the attack target from being destroyed in battle, while bringing out AI from your hand or Graveyard. You'd find yourself trying to use this to bring out AI without going through the trouble of Tribute Summoning it.

Supporting Cards
As we can see, the archetype alone is not enough to make a good Deck. As such, supporting cards will be necessary.


 * Genex Ally Crusher - With stats of 1000/2000, you'll either have to defend Crusher for a bit or hope the opponent attacks into this Set card. Whenever you Normal Summon a monster with the same Attribute as Crusher, you get to destroy one card. Crusher's a DARK Machine, just like the Reactors, which goes right with the archetype's lockdown strategy while adding a means of removal.
 * Genex Ally Duradark - At stats of 1800/200, it makes for a good beatstick to make up for what the Reactors are lacking. Duradark can even skip attacking for the turn to destroy an Attack Position DARK monster your opponent controls, which is something that is very likely to happen, considering the abundance of DARK monsters.
 * Genex Ally Powercell - With 1700 ATK it's also a decent beatstick, and it grants 500 ATK to all your monsters that share an Attribute with it. This will make your Reactors slightly better at attacking, with AID becoming more useful at 1700 ATK.
 * Black Salvo - On Summon, it can revive a LV4 DARK Machine while negating its effect. With the above Genex Ally monsters and Trap Reactor RR, Black Salvo has quite a number of targets to use. This card was intentionally used as instant LV7 Synchro to make Dark Dive Bomber, but with that banned, there's another thing to use...
 * Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei" - It requires a Tuner and Machine-Type non-Tuners, something which Black Salvo can easily accomplish. Burei provides some muscle to the Deck with 2600 ATK, and the position-switch ability can be used to either put your opponent's monsters in vulnerable positions, or allow your walls to be in face-up Defense Position the turn you Summon them.
 * Armageddon Knight - Use him to send a DARK monster to the Graveyard. Chances are that will be Summon Reactor AI, or a DARK Machine for revival with Salvo.
 * Scrap-Iron Scarecrow - It negates attacks once per turn. This can be used to defend your Reactors until you're all set for Airraid. AI can also add an additional layer of attack negations each turn.

Example Deck


Other Tips
Other cards can be used to help support the Reactors too.
 * Mystic Tomato - It can be used to quickly search out the weaker Reactors. Just make sure that your opponent doesn't get a chance to attack them soon.
 * Phantom of Chaos - If you have any dead/dumped/discarded Reactors and you need them quick, summon Phantom of Chaos to duplicate their names to summon Airraid.
 * Sangan - It'll only dig up the weaker Reactors, but you can also use it to get Black Salvo if you're all set for a quick Synchro Summon.
 * The Dark Creator - Your Reactors would easily die in battle, so The Dark Creator can easily bring them back late in the game.
 * Messenger of Peace - Cheap stall that can help you hold off your opponent's attackers while you set up. If you do need to attack, you can just skip on paying the cost.
 * Dark Illusion - As the Reactors are all DARK, this is easy protection from any targeting effects.
 * Waboku and Threatening Roar - Chainable Traps that can help defend your Reactors.