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"Gladiator Beast", known as "Gladial Beast" (剣闘獣 (グラディアルビースト) Guradiaru Bīsuto) in the OCG, is an archetype of cards released in Gladiator's Assault. This archetype consists of monsters with many different Attributes (primarily DARK and EARTH) and Types (primarily Beast, Beast-Warrior, and Winged-Beast). They are used by both the Battle Beast and Sanders in Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V.

Design

Appearance

The archetype resemble futuristic versions of the ancient Roman Colosseum slave-warriors.

Etymology

The archetype's name comes from "Gladiator", a man trained to fight with weapons against other men or wild animals in an arena.

Each monster is primarily named after types of gladiators that fought in the Roman Colosseum, while others are named after famous fighters from the Roman Empire.

Members

Gladiator Beast Origin Tag out effect
Reference Creature
Alexander Alexander the Great Flying lion Unaffected by Spell effects.
Andabata Andabatae Hadrosaurid Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck.
Andal Andabata Black bear N/A
Augustus Augustus Dragon Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your hand in Defense Position, but it is returned to the Deck at the End Phase.
Bestiari Bestiarii Bestiary Destroy 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field
Darius Darius the Great Horse Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Graveyard.
Dimacari Dimachaerus Cape buffalo Attack twice during the Battle Phase.
Equeste Equites Winged Centaur Add 1 "Gladiator Beast" card from your Graveyard to your hand.
Essedarii Essedarius Gorilla N/A
Gaiodiaz Gordias Tyrannosaurus Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Spartacus".
Gyzarus Gaius Julius Caesar Unknown bird Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Bestiari".
Heraklinos Heracles Chimera N/A
Hoplomus Hoplomachus Rhino DEF becomes 2400.
Lanista Lanista Eagle Gains the name of 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster banished from your Graveyard.
Laquari Laquearius Tiger ATK becomes 2100.
Murmillo Murmillo Carp Destroy 1 face-up monster on the field.
Nerokius Nero Bat Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck.
Noxius Noxii Leopard Send 1 Gladiator Beast Monster from the Deck to the GY.
Octavius Gaius Octavius Bald eagle Destroy 1 face-down Spell/Trap Card on the field.
Retiari Retiarius Crocodile Banish 1 card from your opponent's Graveyard.
Samnite Samnite Smilodon When it destroys an opponent's monster by battle, add 1 "Gladiator Beast" card from your Deck to your hand.
Secutor Secutor Lizard Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck after an attack involving it.
Spartacus Spartacus Dinosaur Add 1 "Gladiator Beast" Equip Spell Card from your Deck to your hand.
Tamer Editor Taming Moose N/A
Torax Thraex Blowfish Tag it out to draw 1 card.
Tygerius Tiberius White tiger Discard 1 "Gladiator Beast" card to add 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck to your hand.

Support

Card Reference
Colosseum - Cage of the Gladiator Beasts Colosseum
Gladiator Beast War Chariot Chariot
Gladiator Beast's Battle Archfiend Shield Scutum
Gladiator Beast's Battle Gladius Gladius
Gladiator Beast's Battle Halberd Halberd
Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica Manica
Pollice Verso Pollice verso
Trojan Gladiator Beast Trojan Horse
Virtus of Gladiator Beast Virtus

Playing style

With a few exceptions, all non-Fusion "Gladiator Beasts" have an effect to return to the Deck during the end of a Battle Phase when it battled, and then to Special Summon another "Gladiator Beast" monster to replace it (this is also known as 'tagging out'). The newly Special Summoned "Gladiator Beast" monsters usually gain another effect when Special Summoned in this way.

"Gladiator Beasts" also have five Fusion Monsters, three of which require a specific "Gladiator Beast" monster and either one or two other "Gladiator Beast" monsters as Fusion Material. However, "Polymerization" is not required to Fusion Summon these monsters. Instead, the correct "Gladiator Beast" Fusion Material Monsters are returned to the Main Deck to Special Summon the appropriate "Gladiator Beast" Fusion Monster. This process is otherwise known as Contact Fusion. Several of the "Gladiator Beast" Fusion Monsters are also able to 'tag out' to Special Summon 2 or more "Gladiator Beast" monsters from the Deck.

Nearly every card in the archetype is capable of being returned to the hand, field, or Deck from the Graveyard by utilizing the effects of "Gladiator Beast" monsters or their support cards. The "Gladiator Beast" Deck includes a mix of destruction, aggro, and toolbox cards and tactics. It is this versatility which landed this Deck as one of the top Decks in the Shonen Jump Circuit.

The September 2010 Forbidden List caused "Gladiators Beasts" to become more popular, especially with the banning of "Heavy Storm" and Limiting of "Royal Oppression", both of which were a threat to their strategy.

The April 2015 Forbidden List made the previously Limited "Gladiator Beast Bestiari" Unlimited, making the entire deck not as susceptible to having a "Bottomless Trap Hole" or other card that banishes monsters used on "Bestiari", which would render "Gladiator Beast Gyzarus" inaccessible for the remainder of the Duel.

Deck types

Tigerless Gladiator Beasts

After the March 2011 Forbidden List, many people created an alternate version of the "Gladiator Beast" Deck that did not revolve around "Elemental HERO Prisma" or "Test Tiger". It introduced multiple copies of "Gladiator Proving Ground" and "Gladiator Beast's Respite" to increase the speed and stability of the Deck, while "Gladiator Beast Equeste" allowed the recycling of these cards.


Prisma Gladiator Beasts

Also known "Prisma Glads", this Deck introduces "Elemental HERO Prisma" into the standard "Gladiator Beast" build. The effect of "Prisma" treats it as "Gladiator Beast Bestiari", allowing it to be used in the Summoning of "Gladiator Beast Gyzarus". After destroying two cards and attacking, you can return "Gyzarus" to the Extra Deck to Summon "Gladiator Beast Darius", allowing you to resurrect "Bestiari" from the Graveyard. You can then Summon "Gyzarus" once more, destroying more cards in the process, and putting "Bestiari" back in the Deck to be used again.

"Elemental HERO Stratos", "Reinforcement of the Army" and "E - Emergency Call" are all cards that add consistency to this build, allowing you to search your "Prismas" easily.

Another useful strategy in this Deck involves Special Summoning "Test Tiger" and Tributing it to send an "Prisma" that is being treated as "Gladiator Beast Bestiari" back to the Deck to Special Summon "Gladiator Beast Darius". "Darius" can then use its effect to Special Summon the "Bestiari" in the Graveyard, allowing you quick access to "Gyzarus". If you have another "Gladiator Beast" monster in your Graveyard, this can be followed up by tagging out with "Gyzarus" to Special Summon "Darius" and "Gladiator Beast Laquari", with the former resurrecting a third "Gladiator Beast". These 3 materials allow you to Summon "Gladiator Beast Heraklinos" efficiently.


Rescue Gladiator Beasts

Previous incarnations of this Deck used "Rescue Cat" to Summon monsters such as "Gladiator Beast Samnite" and "Test Tiger" to make big plays. With the banning of "Rescue Cat", however, the Deck became unusable. With the release of "Rescue Rabbit", the new version of the Deck uses "Gladiator Beast Andal" to allow for the quick Summon of "Gladiator Beast Essedarii" or "Gladiator Beast Heraklinos".


Weaknesses and counter-strategies

  • Effect canceling - Cards such as "Skill Drain", "Chivalry" or "Effect Veiler" can prevent your monsters from tagging out or negate the effects of the ones that are Summoned, leaving them defenseless against high ATK monsters. "Clear Wing Synchro Dragon" and "Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon" are also very effective, as they can negate the effects of the Gladiator Beasts upon summon or when they 'tag out', leaving them often helpless.
  • Attack negation/prevention - You can only 'tag out' a "Gladiator Beast" when it "attacks or is attacked", therefore, any Spell, Trap, or Monster Effect that lets you negate a monster attack would prevent the opponent from tagging out their "Gladiator Beasts".
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