Koa'ki Meiru

Koa'ki Meiru, sometimes romanized as Core Chimail (a combination of the words "Core", "Chimera", and "Mail", a synonym for armor) are a series of monsters from Raging Battle, Ancient Prophecy and Stardust Overdrive.

Most effects of these cards are targeted to send "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru "or revealing a card in your hand (Except for "Koa'ki Meiru Valafar" who doesn't give a revealing option, and Koa'ki Meiru Maximus, which allows the discard of a Koa'ki Meiru Monster as an alternative cost). Also, if the controller doesn't send or reveal any card from the above, that Koa'ki Meiru is destroyed.

All of the "Koa'ki Meiru" have the same mark on some part of their body or on a weapon they have. Also, many Koa'ki Meiru and related cards' artwork uses yellow, orange, and red, except Koa'ki Meiru Ghoulungulate.

Playing Style
The main strategy of the "Koa'ki Meiru" is Anti-Meta - A Deck build which oppose the popular Decks that are played. For example, "Koa'ki Meiru Drago's" effect was designed especially to oppose Lightsworn, Dark Armed Return, and Blackwing Decks for their Swarming capabilities. In addition, several low-level Koa'ki Meiru monsters have ATKs that are considered extraordinarily high for a monster of it's level (there are 7 monsters with 1900 ATK and 3 monsters with 2000 or more ATK, all at level 4), as well as having a beneficial effect (if not counting the revealing part), thus they can play semi-beatdown as well. Speeder has 2200 DEF and Hydro Barrier has 1900 DEF, also very high, considering they're both Level three.

A good card to have multiple copies of in this deck is DNA Transplant. Since many "Koa'ki Meiru" monsters only effect LIGHT and DARK monsters, use DNA Transplant to turn all monsters on the field into LIGHT or DARK monsters. But be careful because it might block of your own effects (you can still even use this card against LIGHT decks, changing all monsters to DARK so that they cannot use Honest against you). It's better to combine this card with Koa'ki Meiru Bergzak] so you can automatically destroy monsters in battle.

In order to play with a Koa'ki Meiru deck, you'll need to use multiple copies of the Koa'ki Meirus you use. It is also suggested you use Koa'ki Meiru Boulder and some other ways to send your Iron Cores to the Graveyard (using cards like Iron Core Immediate Disposal, Magical Hats or even milling cards like some Lightsworns) in order to to use some of the Koa'ki Meiru support cards. It is also suggested that you do NOT use different Level 7+ Koa'ki Meirus (using Koa'ki Meiru Ghoulungulate is easier due to Pyramid Turtle, though), and include Koa'ki Meiru Tornado or Hydro Barrier since they require no maintenance.

Koa'ki Meirus can also be used as beatdown, with the main attackers being Koa'ki Meiru Bergzak and Koa'ki Meiru Powerhand. Also, with the new addition of Koa'ki Meiru Urknight from Absolute Powerforce, the Koa'ki Meiru have gained a much-needed swarming power. For a deck with beatdown as goal, Koa'ki Meiru Bergzak, Koa'ki Meiru Urknight, Koa'ki Meiru Rooklord and Koa'ki Meiru Ghoulungulate are recommended. These are easily summoned, and have massive destructive power (except for Ghoulungulate, who instead can protect your monsters from other destructive effects.) Lastly, if you play Koa'ki Meiru Ghoulungulate, you also should play Return from the Different Dimension, as game-ending beatkill, as all Koa'ki Meirus can be special summoned.

Weaknesses
Because Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru may often be in the graveyard, it is vulnerable to cards that can remove it from play, such as Gladiator Beast Retiari, and Macro Cosmos. Also, having multiple Koa'ki Meiru monsters on the field at once can be extremely dangerous, as each one would require you to reveal or discard a card from your hand at the End Phase; leaving hand and field advantage very hard to maintain, unless multiple copies are used (for example, 3 Koa'ki Meiru Powerhands only require 1 Normal Trap Card revealed). Another weakness this deck seems to have is Mind Crush, D.D. Designator, etc. Because of the constant hand revealing, your hand is vulnerable to cards that get rid of cards in your hand. Des Koala is an extreme weakness to this archetype because of all the cards you place in your hand.

Furthermore, the fact that using all of them in one deck can lead to a lot of inconsistency, as well as their over-reliance on a card that provides no meaningful advantage whatsoever, Koa'ki Meiru's are best used as splashable tech, such as Drago in a Dragon Deck and Doom in a Fiend Deck (although their effects may end up working against the controller if other monsters they control are LIGHT or DARK attribute).

Amazingly, one way to beat the Koa'ki Meiru format is to have the opponent permanently reveal their hand to you on their turns in order to make them either discard an Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru or destroy the card, since they cannot "reveal" the card to you. Such cards include Respect Play and Ceremonial Bell. Remove from play Decks can remove "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" and so you have to rely on your revealing effect. It is best to have Imperial Iron Wall or Necrovalley in your Side Deck. The most dangerous are hand destruction decks. If your hand becomes 0 too quickly, you have limited options. You can draw normally, hopefully getting a Koa'ki Meiru monster, but it gets destroyed, because you cannot add "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" to your hand. Also, most other Koa'ki Meiru Spells and Traps need "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" in your hand. Side Decking "Morphing Jar" and other draw cards can help.

Playing Style
This Deck revolves around Anti-Meta. Obviously, the most important card needed in the deck is "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru", so having three in your Deck would be very helpful. Most of the monsters are used against Effect Monsters, mostly DARK and LIGHT monsters, since they are the commonly used Decks (Dark Armed Dragon decks, Lightsworns, etc...). It is best to also have three of "Koa'ki Meiru Boulder", "Koa'ki Meiru Crusader", and "Koa'ki Meiru Speeder" in your Deck. "Koa'ki Meiru Boulder" can search for "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" or a needed Koa'ki Meiru monster. "Koa'ki Meiru Crusader" can add "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" from your Graveyard, so you do not have to add it to your hand during the Draw Phase. "Koa'ki Meiru Speeder" has a high Defense and if you draw "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" you can draw another card. "Koa'ki Meiru Hydro Barrier" and "Koa'ki Meiru Tornado" work well with him.

While they are very strong against the current common Decks, their weakness are Removed from play decks and Hand destruction decks. Remove from play decks can remove "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" and so you have to rely on your revealing effect. It is best to have Imperial Iron Wall in your Side Deck. The most dangerous are Hand destruction decks. If your hand becomes 0 too quickly, you have limited options. You can draw normally, hopefully getting a Koa'ki Meiru monster, but it gets destroyed, because you cannot add "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" to your hand. Also, most other Koa'ki Meiru Spells and Traps need "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" in your hand. Side Decking "Morphing Jar" and other draw cards can help.

Though Necrovalley and the Gravekeepers may hinder a Koa'ki Meiru's playing style and vice versa they can actually help one another especially if you have Gravekeeper's Chief, which takes care of the out of play problem.

It would be wise for a serious Koa'ki Meiru Duelist who uses the cards Koa'ki Meiru Maximus, Koa'ki Meiru Rooklord and Koa'ki Meiru Ghoulungulate to have 2 copies of Necroface in their deck, as these monsters remove cards from play, it would be good to get them shuffled back into your deck through Necroface's effect.

Also a player might want to include Evil Hero Dark Gaia and Dark Fusion since there is a fairly powerful amount of Fiend and Rock type Koa'ki Meiru monsters such as Koa'ki Meiru Valafar and Koa'ki Meiru Guardian which would make for a 4900 ATK monster.

Monster Cards

 * Neo-Spacian Grand Mole
 * Summoner Monk
 * Sangan
 * King Tiger Wanghu
 * Koa'ki Meiru Boulder
 * Chiron the Mage
 * Necroface
 * D.D.M. - Different Dimension Master

Spell Cards

 * Shrink
 * Burden of the Mighty
 * The Dark Door
 * Iron Core Immediate Disposal

Trap Cards

 * Torrential Tribute
 * Scrap-Iron Scarecrow
 * Magical Hats

Side Deck

 * Imperial Iron Wall
 * Dust Tornado
 * Nobleman of Crossout
 * Morphing Jar