Future Visions: Shadow Paladin Witches

"The Dark" Legend Deck: Ren Suzugamori 

and its effect on Shadow Paladin Witches

Now, in the English format,Shadow Witches are doing well, but they're obscure.  They aren't played as much anymore, with a small, cult (aha) following. The deck is still rather good, however, in spite of new disadvantages that plague the build.

I'll cover these disadvantages first, then we can discuss exactly which cards in the new deck advance the Witch agenda. Firstly, Witches need more support.We're due some support soon, and Adora, the Promo Witch, is due a release in English. This support is needed because there's very little variation in modern Witch builds- 4 Fianna, 4 Rias, etc, etc. A dedicated Stride would also be incredibly helpful. All the strides we have for Shadows- currently work, but feel a little clunky- with some exception, more on that later.

A mechanic which also plagues us is the advent of more and more useful triggers- depriving them of the checks, and pseudo-retiring units is still fun, and advantageous, but the amount of triggers that can then be used, make the calling mechanic advantageous for the opponent. We've always known that Witches can be a double-edged sword, but it's never been sharper, and it'll only get sharper and sharper.

So, let's see what the Legend Deck gives us to play with.

Firstly, we'll start with Young Skull Witch, Nemain.

[CONT]: Sentinel (You may only have up to four cards with "[CONT]: Sentinel" in a deck)[AUTO]:[Choose a card from your hand, and discard it] When this unit is placed on (GC) from hand, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose one of your vanguards that is being attacked, and that unit cannot be hit until end of that battle. Then, if you have a card named "Young Skull Witch, Nemain" in your drop zone, draw a card, choose a card from your hand, and discard it.

Firstly, Young Skull Witch, Nemain, gives us the Witch name. This is useful for one; continuing the theme, and allowing us to rid ourselves of the outdated quintet, and the off-theme Mac Lirs. It's also useful tech-wise for the purpose of Witch of Attraction, Adora, whom requires a "Witch" counter blast.

Effect wise, she's interesting- rather than the unflip of the most recent Perfect Guards, she'll give you a card, and then make you discard. This can make Legion even easier to achieve later in the game in Witches (around the stage where you need to be boosting with Arianrhod rather than tapping her to ditch cards) by adding three cards to drop zone and giving you a card. The effect also leads to interesting situations, possibly drawing you a new Perfect Guard when you need it most, or allowing you to dig even deeper into your deck for the cards you need, alongside drawing units such as Fianna.

In short, she's good, despite some controversial opinion. Worst case scenario, you just discard the card you draw, if it's not what you need, and in a Legion Deck that ISN'T Oracles/Genesis, the claims of decking out are unwarranted- you're doing it wrong if you deck out simply from adding this card.

[AUTO](RC) Generation Break 1 (This ability is active if you have one or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):[Counter Blast (1)] When this unit attacks a vanguard, if this unit is boosted, you may pay the cost. If you do, search your deck for up to one grade 1 card, call it to (RC), and shuffle your deck.

Macha is an interesting choice. Without Adora, there's most likely some space in your deck taken up by Comet Witch, Serva. At 10k, she's a useful ride and a nice beater for when Rias is doing her thing, but with a little imagination, Macha can function like a tool box, getting you exactly what you need for each situation, and setting you up for the big boss.

As the call is guaranteed for only 1 counterblast (easily unflipped by one of the 4 Witch of Goats you should be running)- Macha will call a G1 to your field from the deck, and with the sometimes sparse fields Witches can suffer with, this is a big help.  And the Toolbox effect is also incredibly handy. Everything set up for a Dana play, but no Dana in hand? Use Macha. Ready for a beatdown, but the hand is all triggers and defence? Use Macha, calling Scatchach. Want to set up grave for Legion next turn? It's unlikely you'll need to, but you can use Macha, and call Arianrhod.

In short, she can fetch you whatever you need fetching. She will also most likely call attention to herself on the field, making your opponent target her, which is not so much a problem in Witches as the deck doesn't rely on her at all, simply using her effect to gain advantage. And if she lives, and you're conserving CB for the bosses- she makes excellent fodder for the next card we're going to use, or can be easily intercepted, to be replaced with a Femme or Deirdre the turn after.

 Stride (Released when both players' vanguards are grade 3 or greater!)-Stride Step-[Choose one or more cards with the sum of their grades being 3 or greater from your hand, and discard them] Stride this card on your (VC) from face down.[ACT](VC)[1/Turn]:[Counter Blast (1) & Choose a face down card named "Dark Dragon, Phantom Blaster "Diablo"" from your G zone, and turn it face up] If the number of face up cards in your G zone is two or more, until end of turn, this unit gets [Power]+10000/[Critical]+1 and "[AUTO](VC):[Choose three of your rear-guards, and retire them] When this unit attacks a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, your opponent may choose two of his or her rear-guards, and retires them. If he or she does not retire two rear-guards, until end of that battle, your opponent cannot call cards from hand to (GC).".

Dark Dragon, Phantom Blaster Diablo is an incredibly powerful card. There are accusations flying that its unbalanced, too overpowered. I'm not going to get into that, but I am going to discuss a topic that I've not seen many discuss: how it can work for Witches.

Firstly, Witches find it harder to pay this cost than other Shadow Paladin builds, but they can manage. Lir, for one, eases this- either you pull her effect off, calling two Witch of Goats, getting the unflip, and then dumping those units for Diablo, or if Lir failed, send her. Macha eases the cost, even during the turn you stride Diablo, helping not to throw yourself off kilter. So, it's payable.

The effect will make the opponent retire at least 2 of their units, or make them suffer the onslaught. This works out as a win/win, even in witches. Diablo in Witches functions more as a problem solver as an out-and-out finisher, as for a finisher, look no further than Rias (potential for a pseudo +25k boost to each column for only 1 retire). The problems Diablo solves are thus- the opponent is savvy enough to know that leaving the Grade 0's is going to end badly for them, so they minus themselves more by calling more units over them, stopping your extra draw and finishing effects.

This is a dangerous move for them, but it does disadvantage us- no draws from Fianna, and no finisher with Rias. What do we do? Stride Diablo. The worst possible time for them to face Diablo is when they're low on resources. This is especially true of any Stride, but with Diablo, it can really harm them. If they want to guard, they're losing those shiny new calls to pay for the right to do so, and then when they guard, they're dealing with at least a 36K double crit unit with Triple Drive. Then they're losing cards from their small hand (Perfect Guards, mainly).

Or- if they decide to keep their rear guards (or if they don't have 2 rearguards) you're hitting them for at least 2 damage, straight up. Easy. In short, Diablo can disadvantage the opponent further, can strike for game, and can add more control to the Witch deck. Just play with the timing.