"Superheavy Samurai" (
Etymology[]
So far, the Japanese names of the "Superheavy Samurai" monsters in the archetype tend to follow a similar pattern of those of the "Karakuri", in that they have a "numbered code" after the main name and then a second name in quotation marks; for example, "Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa"". These codes are a form of wordplay that are largely untranslatable, thus have been removed from localizations in the TCG.
Members[]
Superheavy Samurai | Pun on... | |
---|---|---|
English | OCG | |
Battleball | Tama-C | 魂 (tamashī, "soul") |
Beast Kyubi | Demon Beast Kyu-B | 九尾 (kyūbi, "nine tails") |
Big Benkei / Monk Big Benkei | Big Ben-K | 弁慶 (benkei) |
Big Waraji | Big Wara-G | 草鞋 (waraji, "straw shoes") |
Blowtorch | Taima-2 | 松明 (taimatsu, "torch") |
Blue Brawler | Waka-O2 | 若鬼 (wakaoni, or 鬼若 oniwaka, Benkei's nickname) |
Brave Masurawo | Celestial God Masura-O | 益荒雄 (masurao, former sumo wrestler Masurao Hiroo) |
Commander Shanawo | General Shana-O | 遮那王 (shanaō, honorary title of Yoshitsune) |
Drum | Tsuzu-3 | 鼓 (tsudzumi, "drum") |
Fist | Kobu-C | 拳 (kobushi, "fist") |
Flutist | Kagebo-C | 影法師 (kagebōshi, "silhouette") |
General Coral | General San-5 | 珊瑚 (sango, "coral") |
General Jade | General Hisu-E | 翡翠 (hisui, "jade") |
Gigagloves | Glo-V | グローブ (gurōbu, "glove") |
Helper | Otasu-K | お助け (otasuke, "help") |
Kabuto | Kabu-10 | 兜 (kabuto, "helmet") |
Magnet | Jisha-Q | 磁石 (jishaku, "magnet") |
Motorbike | Bi-Q | バイク (baiku, "bike") |
Ninja Sarutobi | Ninja Saruto-B | 猿飛 (sarutobi) |
Ogre Shutendoji | God Oni Shutendo-G | 酒呑童子 (shutendōji) |
Prepped Defense | Kokorogama-A | 心構え (kokorogamae, "readiness") |
Prodigy Wakaushi | Waka-U4 | 若牛 (wakaushi, or 牛若 ushiwaka, former name of Yoshitsune) |
Scales | TenB-N | 天秤 (tenbin, "scales") |
Scarecrow | Kaka-C | かかし (kakashi, "scarecrow") |
Security | Dou-CN | 同心 (dōshin, "patrol officer") |
Stealth Ninja | Ninja Shinobi-AC | 忍び足 (shinobi-ashi, "stealth walk") |
Stealthy | On-32 | 隠密 (onmitsu, "covert") |
Steam Train King | Steam Oni Tetsudo-O | 鉄道 (tetsudō, "railway") |
Swordmaster Musashi | Swordmaster Musa-C | 武蔵 (musashi) |
Swordsman | Sword-999 | 999 swords (from the legend of Benkei) |
Thief | Nusu-10 | 盗っ人 (nusutto, "thief") |
Transporter | Hikya-Q | 飛脚 (hikyaku, "courier") |
Trumpeter | Horaga-E | 法螺貝 (horagai, "conch") |
Wagon | Dai-8 | 大八車 (daihachi guruma, Japanese two-wheeled wagon) |
Warlord Susanowo | Koujin Susano-O | スサノオ (susanoo) |
Playing style[]
The strategy of this Deck focus on building a strong defensive frontline by Synchro Summoning their ace monsters, that are capable of attacking while in Defense Position, in which case their DEF is applied for Damage Calculation. This ability can also be extended to all other "Superheavy Samurai" monsters by the effect of "Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei". This odd feature makes them immune to cards like "Level Limit - Area B", "Mirror Force", "Number 101: Silent Honor ARK", "White Aura Whale", "Eisbahn", and "Black Garden" (this last card in particular can backfire tremendously, as the "Rose Tokens" will be exposed to the massive damage caused by the high DEF of the "Superheavy Samurai" monsters). However, they can potentially be vulnerable to cards like "Dark Mirror Force", "Double Trap Hole" etc.
Regarding their organization within the archetype, there are three basic subsets of monsters:
- The first one have defensive effects that change their battle position upon being Summoned. Examples include "Blue Brawler", "Swordsman", "Magnet" and "Big Benkei";
- The second one, the sub-archetype "Superheavy Samurai Soul", act like Equip Cards, giving additional protection to the equipped monster or increasing its offensiveness. Some of them also have Quick Effects and act like hand Traps, by either preventing one of its partners from being destroyed during that turn or by doubling the DEF of a battling "Superheavy Samurai". They are supported by "Superheavy Samurai Wagon";
- A third subset has the most distinctive signature effect of the archetype: the requirement of a Graveyard empty of Spell/Trap cards in order for them to be Summoned, activate or apply their effects.
This peculiar feature paves the way to an all-Monster Card Deck. Despite this restriction, they have means of protecting themselves against many sorts of adversities: "Soulshield Wall" can send itself to the Graveyard in order to negate an attack directed to the then-equipped monster, but makes its DEF 0; "Flutist" can banish itself from the Graveyard in order to negate and destroy a card whose effect targeted a "Superheavy Samurai", etc.
There are also two "Superheavy Samurai" Pendulum Monsters, namely "General Jade" and "General Coral". With Pendulum Effects that either manipulate the Level of a "Superheavy Samurai", in order to set up a Synchro/Xyz Summon, or that allows one of them to attack again, after destroying a monster by battle. Their Monster Effects either reaffirm the defensive-offensive tatics of the Archetype or provide access to resources by trading Tributes for draws.
The bosses of the archetype are its Synchro Monsters, that can all attack while in Defense Position and have a wide variety of effects, ranging from the retrieval of a Machine monster to the theft of Spell/Trap cards from the opponent's Graveyard. The main Tuners are "Superheavy Samurai Battleball" and "Trumpeter". "Trumpeter" can Special Summon itself, facilitating the Synchro Summons, while the effect of "Battleball" allows its controller to use an opposing monster as Synchro Material; as this effect is powerful on its own, it may be convenient to add "Kaiju" monsters to a "Superheavy Samurai" Deck, in order to ensure that effect can be effectively used against Decks that are entirely comprised of Pendulum, Xyz or Link monsters.
Recommended cards[]
- Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei
- Superheavy Samurai Big Waraji
- Superheavy Samurai Blowtorch
- Superheavy Samurai Flutist
- Superheavy Samurai Gigagloves
- Superheavy Samurai Helper
- Superheavy Samurai Magnet
- Superheavy Samurai Prepped Defense
- Superheavy Samurai Scales
- Superheavy Samurai Security
- Superheavy Samurai Soulbang Cannon
- Superheavy Samurai Soulbeads
- Superheavy Samurai Soulbuster Gauntlet
- Superheavy Samurai Soulclaw
- Superheavy Samurai Soulfire Suit
- Superheavy Samurai Soulgaia Booster
- Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns
- Superheavy Samurai Soulpeacemaker
- Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer
- Superheavy Samurai Soulshield Wall
- Superheavy Samurai Stealthy
- Superheavy Samurai Thief
- Superheavy Samurai Transporter
- Superheavy Samurai Wagon
- Gallis the Star Beast
- Giant Rat
- Kaiju monsters
- Rescue Ferret
- Superheavy Samurai Beast Kyubi
- Superheavy Samurai Brave Masurawo
- Superheavy Samurai Commander Shanawo
- Superheavy Samurai Ninja Sarutobi
- Superheavy Samurai Ogre Shutendoji
- Superheavy Samurai Stealth Ninja
- Superheavy Samurai Steam Train King
- Superheavy Samurai Swordmaster Musashi
- Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susanowo
- Samurai Destroyer
Weaknesses[]
- Because the Deck is entirely reliant on Monster cards only, negating Special Summons and Monster Effects can completely shut down the deck. In particular, "Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon" will likely leave the "Superheavy Samurai" player with no out, and may be a one-card win.
- "Skill Drain" and "Vanity's Emptiness" can also fill this role.
- "Mystic Mine" will shut this deck down completely.
- The Pendulum Effect of "Performapal Five-Rainbow Magician" can completely shut down a dedicated "Superheavy Samurai" Deck, if it doesn't run any Spell/Trap Cards; in such scenario, with no set cards on the Spell/Trap Card Zones, "Superheavy Samurai" monsters on the field will be unable from activating their effects and attacking.
- Since the archetype focuses on defense, cards like "Dark Mirror Force", "Ehren, Lightsworn Monk", "Red Dragon Archfiend", "Chaos King Archfiend", and "Number 21: Frozen Lady Justice", that have effects to deal with Defense Position monsters work well.
- "Battle Mania" and "Enemy Controller" can also be effective, as they force the monsters into Attack Position, allowing them to be destroyed more easily.
- "Blind Spot Strike" or "Micro Ray" is also a very good card in order to overpower the high DEF of all "Superheavy Samurai" monsters.
- "Neo-Spacian Glow Moss" can prevent the deck from attacking, as it effect ends the Battle Phase when the opponent draws a Monster with it and the "Superheavy Samurai" deck will often be mostly (or entirely) made of Monster cards.
- This archetype can have a hard time dealing with "First of the Dragons", since monster effects don't affect it and Effect Monsters cannot destroy it by battle. This monster alone can easily slow down this Deck. However, it can be destroyed by using your opponent's Spell/Trap cards with "Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susanowo", or by using "Breakthrough Skill" to negate its effects.
- The archetype itself is rather restrictive in terms of adding cards outside it to the Deck. In addition, some of their cards limit the player to only summoning other "Superheavy Samurai" monsters for the rest of the turn, including the primary Tuner "Trumpeter". As a result, it can sometimes be difficult to summon non-"Superheavy Samurai" Extra Deck monsters.
Rulings[]
- If a "Superheavy Samurai" monster declares an attack, in either position, and "Enemy Controller" is chained to it, the attack continues as normal but the number used for damage calculation is based on the position of the monster after "Enemy Controller" resolves. [1]
Trivia[]
- All members of this archetype are EARTH monsters, except for the following:
- ↑ "Superheavy Samurai Shutendoji ruling". June 29, 2021. https://www.db.yugioh-card.com/yugiohdb/faq_search.action?ope=5&fid=14250&keyword=&tag=-1&request_locale=ja. Retrieved June 29, 2021.