Sugar, Spice, & Everything Nice:

 Genesis Witches

A decklist and theory guide

*J-Pop Intensifies* 

Grade 0 - 17

Fetter of Leather, Leyding x1

Witch's Familiar, Shiroma (Crit) x4

Lemon Witch, Limonccino (Crit) x4

Dreaming Dragon (Stand) x4

Witch of Big Pots, Laurier (Heal) x4

Grade 1 - 14

Witch of Quill Pen, Onion x4

Witch of Melons, Thyme x4

Witch of Strawberries, Framboise x4

Mythic Beast, Skoll x2

Grade 2 - 11

Black Snake Witch, Chicory x3

Witch of Golden Eagles, Jasmine x4

Witch of White Rabbits, Cardamom x4

Grade 3 - 8

Witch of Eagles, Fennel

White Snake Witch, Mint x4

Grade 4 - 8

Rain Element, Madew x1

Great Angel, Doombrace x3

Witch Queen of Holy Water, Clove x4

Grade 0 Overview

Fairly standard spread, crits help us to end games faster, and with the restacking capabilities of our Legion Vanguard, makes our drive checks likely to show something nasty. 

You might not find me so cute when you see me as often as you're likely to see me.

Shiroma works well, allowing us to selectively soulcharge something from top three- Cardomom/Onion/Camomile/Melissa all excellent choices - then drop the other two to drop, letting us legion faster with no need for any of THOSE turns where we over extend simply to kick our deck off. In tandem with Thyme, who has a largely similar effect, the deck thinning allows us to reach our dangerous state of "I'm all crits and PGs, baby."

Dreaming Dragon is a recent addition for me, it's currently in testing. Stands wouldn't usually work- but with Black Snake Witch being an inherently good target, and with Clove making all witches extra powerful, you can really stand to extend those pressure turns. It is Dreaming Dragon's effect you'll want, however. 

Decking out in Genesis is a very real threat, and a misplay or fighting a stalling deck can spell disaster. Dreaming will remedy this- he'll stop your deck from being the wonderland of crits it should be, but he'll also keep you in the game. So far, he's testing well, doing excellently against decks that can and will stall you out until you have nothing left.

Leyding, our starter, offers a rearguard to field, and then we can re-legion him back for recycled use. Testing will show if Prayer Angel is required for Clove plays, but out of the two, I prefer Leyding.

Grade 1 Summary

Onion is Melissa with clogs on. +2k on call if Witch Vanguard, a la Cardomom. She's a grey wollen jumper of sorts- practical, but fairly vanilla- worth running, naturally, as she's the literal upgrade to poor Melissa, and her +2k makes her a 21k column naturally on call with a Black Snake Witch or with an active Jasmine. Her "9k for a turn" also means she could be called front row if RG are reaaaally tight. Just something to think about.

I don't think Thyme herself even knows what is going on here. Very Melon indeed.

Thyme works like Shiroma, although she doesn't restack herself and replace herself with a card. She functions similarly- stack that soul, deck thin like crazy, so you can make the deck a manipulated pile of crits.

Stride fodder is fairly standard- you'll use Mint often too- Fennel is golddust and must be rode often to loop the deck, but having more opportunity to go into Clove is a good idea.

Grade 2 Summary

Jasmine can be 12k if you want, and she can give +3 soul for 1CB if you're super desperate. She's handy. Black Snake Witch is Mint's legion mate, and her 12k attacking status makes her good for rushing, not much else to say here, besides her easy 19k/21k with your G1s makes her real nice for RG sniping.

Finding it hard to be funny about this card. Think she's got rabies THERE I DID IT

Cardie is your friend. When you soulblast, she'll make herself appear for a counterblast.The population is super handy for our propensity for beating on down, and being 11k for a turn doesn't hurt. She's also handy because if your opponent is targeting your front row rearguards (and they should, because Genesis Witch will beat them down if they don't start to get rid of the powerhouses) she'll replace those with a wiggle of her bunny ears.

There's also the opportunity of getting off extra attacks- Mint, Fennel and Clove activate on/after their attack, so if you really need to push, and don't mind calling over your other rearguards- get yourself an extra lane- Onion and Cardamon are 20k altogether before triggers. Not to be sneezed at.

Grade 3 Summary

Fairly standard line-up. Fennel is the ideal ride, and should be looped endlessly to get that crazy deck you crave. Mint is less optimal now with the arrival of Clove, but if you cannot stride for whatever reason, and you've had to ride Mint- she still keeps up the pressure if you have to use her effect, and she can get you those extra soul charges if you need them.

Fennel Forever. You'll see her over and over again.

Grade 4 Summary

Doom Brace is fun, for starters- if you can't afford the 6 soul cost of Clove, are not using an active Fennel, and want to keep up the tempo while digging for that next Fennel ride, Doom Brace is your guy. His effect can work out as effectively costless, and he can even work as an interesting first stride, to call a few Cardamon and Onion from soul if you've accrued a few and your hand is less than stellar. In short, he's consistent and good.

Madew is a tech option I'm trying, as an emergency precaution. Want to ride Fennel again? Are all your Fennels either in drop, soul or damage? Is at least one in drop? Stride Madew over your current Jasmine Legion Mate, get that Fennel back, and carry on looping- and dig for one extra trigger check, too. Might as well get some crits going on, too. So far, I've not needed Madew, but with the options for our Extra Deck so limited (although still explosive) she can make a cameo appearance quite easily.

Clove hitting the town after getting her highlights done.

Clove, our new ace, is  powerhouse. For 6 soul, she hands out 5k boosts like candy and throws a crit at the opponent, attacking for 31 unboosted. And 43 boosted. 45 if it's a recently called Onion. Her pressure is amazing, and highly affordable. I'm going to test her at 4,but I'm sure that I'm being a little over-eager there. It's unlikely that I'll be able to stride her 4 times in one game, even with Dreaming Dragon replenishing my deck.

- - - 

In short, the Genesis Witch deck may not have been heralded as loudly as Mimi and Sinclair, but they are far from bad- they're a highly consistent, hard hitting crit advantage machine, hiding under the guise of beautifully adorable witches. 

They're going to be fun.

mawile  x

101 Things to do with Masked Magician, Harry

A Pale Moon article in-progress- Edition No. 1

[AUTO](VC) Generation Break 2 (This ability is active if you have two or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):When this unit attacks a vanguard, choose up to one card from your soul, call it to (RC), that unit and this unit get [Power]+3000 until end of turn.Magia-[AUTO](VC):[Counter Blast (1)] During your turn, when your G unit Stride, you may pay the cost. If you do, Soul Charge (1), choose up to one card from your soul, call it to (RC), that unit gets [Power]+5000 until end of turn, and at the end of that turn, put the unit called with this effect into your soul.

Now that we're familiar with Harry's nice art and straightforward skill, we can start. The point of this article- and the further articles to come once we've seen more support- will be to discuss all of the most potent combos that Harry can instigate- because, despite the fact that Harry himself does not generate +1 advantage with his on-stride, he does instead offer immediate population, and at GB2, allows you to +1 for free.

Combo 1: Simple Call

Call ANY 9k G2 or 7k G1, into a column with the other. At his most basic, Harry can give you a SC1 and a 21k column, and this is assuming that you've called something which cannot use it's effect- calling something like Daydream Tone, Arnie or Midnight Bunny will up the pressure, allowing that 21k on-hit to either give you what you want, or cost a lot to guard.

On hit Countercharge 2? Sure, I'll just pay 15k guard from hand to stop THAT.

Combo 2: Purple Trapesist Redux

At GB2, On attack, Harry will call a RG permanently from soul, and give it and himself +3k. With this skill, you can populate and add a little pressure power for free, and it's a cute +1. With Purple Trapesist in soul (or GB1 Equivalent, depending on support given), this on attack call can guarantee a fourth attack (yeah, we do it too, Aqua Force) and potentially a nice one at that, making Purple Trapesist hit 9k, and if you run a 12k attacker, that's a 21k column, or if you're running a standard 9k, that's a respectable 18k extra attack- enough for late game pressure units like Arny, to guarantee you even MORE population.

Combo 3: Card Juggler

Using Happiness Collector as a starter is an interesting choice. It remains to be seen how much we'll need the current stand-out Forerunners, Starting Presenter and Girl Who Crossed the Gap, but with this combo at least, Happiness Collector pays her rent and then hints at offering you more in the future.

Thanks for the tickets! Wait, why does she keep coming back-

[AUTO]:Forerunner (When a unit of the same clan rides this unit, you may call this unit to (RC))[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):[Put this unit into your soul] When your other unit is placed on (RC) from your soul, you may pay the cost. If you do, draw a card, and Soul Charge (1).

So, this combo is a little less straight forward as the others so far, but it's still easy to pull off, and hints at ways that Pale Moon can grab hand advantage.

So, ride/get Egg Juggler to soul. On stride, call Egg Juggler, SC1 for Harry, SB1 for Egg, Send Happiness Collector to soul, SC1, and draw 2 cards, one for Egg, and one for Happiness.

Follow that? Good. The result of such, is a net +1 Soul Charge (since these soulcharges are random, chances are you'll be fine soulblasting for Egg Juggler), 2 cards drawn to hand, and an 11k Egg Juggler (can hit a vanguard by herself if she's alone, or makes a workable column if not), who will return to soul at the end of the turn to be comboed with later. And all this cost 1CB. Bear in mind, this is all before even taking into account what your Stride can do.

Summary

Combos like these are to be expected from the new Pale Moon support, and adding cards like Betty to the equation only serve to push a little harder. We're waiting on Magia support, as at the time of writing  Betty can only call copies of Harry himself from soul, but we know that currently, she can at least push for a 4th attack for CB1. Despite not knowing the vast majority of the support we're due to get, we'd best hope for a way to filter soul, and get the cards we WANT in there.

mawile x

A Deck List:"Poof, and the Rearguard is Gone!"

Shadow Paladin Witches, Build 1.04

Outlaws, enemies of the state of the United Sanctuary, come together, to practice and experiment with powers other Magi fear to even speak about. It's time to join the Coven.

Hi there! Now, I'll preface this by saying that the build is still highly experimental, so far I've had good results with it, but it still needs a little time to cook. Either way, I'm get straight into the build, and pick out certain cards for extra detail/anecdotes.

Grade 0: 18

Promising Knight, David x2

Witch of Black Cats, Milcra [HEAL] x4

Lizard Witch, Eine [DRAW] x3

Howl Owl [DRAW, Go to Soul, +3k] x2

Witch of Black Doves, Goewin [CRIT] x4

Black Crow Witch, Eine [CRIT] x3

4 Heal / 5 Draw / 7 Crit

Grade 1: 13

Little Skull Witch, Nemain [PG] x4

Witch of Precious Stones, Dana x4

Witch of Nostrum, Arianrhod x2

Cherishing Knight, Branwen x2

Witch's Familiar, Kuroma x1

Grade 2: 10

Witch of Secret Books, Adra x2

Inspection Witch, Deirdre x4

Witch of Reality, Femme x4

Grade 3: 9

Mesmerizing Witch, Fianna x4

Cultus Witch, Rias x3

Sharp Fang Witch, Fodla x2

Grade 4: 8

Dark Knight, Grim Recruiter x2

Dark Dragon, Phantom Blaster "Diablo" x4

Supremacy Black Dragon, Aurageyser Dragon x2

"Hey guys! So, how can I help? Why- Why're you all looking at me like that-ARGH"

Grade Zeros - Summary

David is your main fodder for Diablo/Aurageyser. He makes it so that we can abuse the stride effects too, and so that we can plus/make back our deposit when we have to retire. I run two as Sharp Fang Witch, Fodla, makes him searchable, and because this way I have the option to REALLY cut loose on the strides- gives an alternative if the Hexing Game isn't working out. 

He's definitely replaced poor Lir, who was good, but required too many variables and had the capacity to be dead space.

As for triggers, I'm still toying with the number of Draw, and which Draws to run- the Witch draw is retire fodder for units like Rias and Kuroma, while Howl Owl fuels the soul for desperate Deirdre/Dana plays.

Goewin at max, ALWAYS. There's no reason not to, in my opinion, she makes it easier to try the deck without Securna. She's also searchable by Sharp Fang Witch, Fodla, which can make a CB1 = -10k to the opponent's Vanguard, with no loss in trigger count.

I don't miss the stand. While the Stand WAS a nice card, stands were only really dangerous on the Rias turn, and this witch deck doesn't focus quite so much on that anymore. The countercharge is nice, but the card was a case of "once called, you've lost a 10k shield". The soulcharge can be achieved by Howl Owl/ Re-Legion / Adra.

Literally powered by the PUREST of evils.

Grade Ones - Summaroo

Little Nemain and Dana are fairly staple at 4 each, not much to say there. The Countercharging PGG may also be a nice idea, but you won't be short of things to do if you choose Nemain instead. Dana is Grade 1 spot removal that punishes your opponent for guarding with a G0. Always monitor the drop zone, though, as they get to choose. The mindgame is always strong, though, you'll notice they'll be paying a LOT of attention, since you threaten near constant soft retires.

The last 5 are tech choices- Arianrhod for early game card-cycling, Branwen for Stride-Fodder, and Kuroma for draw. As it stands, Arianrhod is on thin ice, as I barely use her effect, while Kuroma and Branwen offer a little more utility.

Also, consider the fact that our Dark Knight, Grim Recruiter stride can toolbox your G1's AND your G0's - draw with Kuroma, spot remove with Dana, call a David as fodder for later, or even a Goewin if you want to play some kind of crazy mindgame- watch how fast they rid themselves of the G0's you gave them then.

Bat-print Bloomers, Agent Provocateur, $49.99

Grade Two - Samurai

Not much to mention in this section, 12k Attacker Femme is staple at 3/4, and Grade 2 "Dana" clone Deirdre is staple at 4. Femme gets extra points for being sackable with Fianna to draw 2, but in most scenarios, unless you have no Branwens in hand/don't care to Stride next turn, Sacking Fianna is the better option, if only to have Femme's intercept. 12k is also supremely handy when attacking weakened vanguards, shockingly enough. Deirdre needs no explanation, she may not be vaguely searchable like Dana is, but she's no weaker. 8 on-call spot removers are still 8 on-call spot removers. Not to be sniffed at.

Now, Adra, we can pull up a few seats, pour some tea and really have a chat about. Yes, we need Adora, but she's not out in English, so let's just not talk about her. Adra, however, offers us something we desperately need- on hit countercharging. She works well with the synergy of the deck in several ways- first, she reaches 11k, so, along with Femme, becomes a strong rearguard that can handle being boosted by something far weaker, like Kuroma or Securna, and STILL hit the standard 16k, making those backrow cards with low power still viable.

Secondly, her effect means there's a window of time in which she's active, but it creates so many variables and sets off so many mindgames that I love her for it. Firstly, she's active when the opponent controls 2 or more G0, which essentially means you've either used Fianna or some combination of Dana/Deirdre, so that's PRECISELY the time when you're going to want to mitigate those resources, so you can do it allllll again. 

However, your opponent will not want this, meaning they will pay the minimum 10k guard (if Adra is boosted) to block her, which is great, since that 10k could be a G0, and that's more toys for Dana and Deirdre to play with. On the next turn, they'll feel pressure to get rid of those Grade 0's you've given them- they already do, but knowing that those Grade 0's do the following things:

1. Make terrible columns

2. Run the risk of severe punishment from Goewin, Rias or Securna

3. Allow the Witch Player to draw extra cards to hand using Fianna and Kuroma

4. Keep Adra active as an 11k attacker with the on-hit effect of keeping Fianna, Aurageyser and Diablo live

Meaning they'll most likely target Adra (which is nice, keeps pressure off your vanguard for a while, you can use your judgement to decide whether or not it's worth losing Adra right now) and they may well call over their G0's, which is a great outcome, as it's a straight up minus and feeds Dana/Deirdre. Also makes subsequent Diablo turns super punishing.

So, yeah, Adra fits in. When Adora is released, we'll have fun working out ratios then, but for now, the deck is fine. Comet Witch, Serva also makes a nice Ride if your locals has a lot of rush decks.

Instant Dragon Food, just add a Counterblast

Grade Three: Summer-Eye

Fianna at 4 is crazy important- you ideally want to ride her first. Rias makes a nice backup finisher/softener for OTHER finishers, but CB2 to hex one unit is very expensive, only use it if you know it will spell "GG". Fodla is the unit that has a lot more utility- in my old build she would call the Stand Trigger, and then I'd unflip a total of 1 damage, soulcharge 2, and Diablo would eat them all. Cute, but not wonderful.

Now, though, with the new support, she can be CB1 = -10k to the vanguard. Or CB1 = -5k to the Vanguard, and call a David to retire for Aurageyser/Diablo. She really does feed those dragons quite handily, and she's also the Goewin whisperer. I like her at 2 but I'm beginning to wonder about trying her at 1, and making Adra a 3 copy situation. Testing will show me what works best, but for now, Fodla is handy. Just never ride her.

Grade Four: Some Mary

Fairly standard spread, Aurageyser for draw, and turning that starter David into 5 cards in hand, including drive check, which should definitely hit a few combo pieces. Diablo may work in a 2-of capacity, but in Witches he punishes the opponent for over exerting, and his very existence threatens any player who knows about Shadow Paladin to play at least 2 rearguards, which handily stamps on the mentality of "you can't hex me if I don't call Rearguards" which always ends so well, right?

Dark Knight, Grim Recruiter works as an on-hit tutoring stride, but generally he will be situational, if you don't have the field presence/cards in drop to Legion yet, but have a surplus of stride fodder.

So, that's my current Witch Build, and it's very fun to play, but far from complete. Hope this helped you with your own build in some way, or maybe I've convinced you to join us?

mawile   x

The Cray Chronicle; Battle Reports from the Perspective of the Units - Issue 1

Serenade of the Steadfast Sniper

A story from the front-lines of Cray

Flickering pits of flame dotted the charred and smoking battlefield. Trenches dug into the earth by streams of wrathful flame. Palm trees lay fallen and smoldering, slowly crumbling into charcoal as they burned. The white sands of the beach smeared with swathes of grey ash. While the sea still churned restlessly against the shore, it could do nothing to restore the tranquility that had existed here merely an hour ago. Prior to the arrival of Dragon Empire’s advance guard, which today was the duty overseen by the ace aerial assault division Kagero.

Having survived death itself, reborn anew, and taking the very power that revived him for his own; the warrior famed far and wide as Dragonic Overlord soared through the skies with the regal majesty of a king as he surveyed the battlefield below. He could feel the presence of a spirit within him. Yes, one of those beings from the world parallel to Cray was inhabiting his body, guiding his actions and lending him strength from beyond time and space. It was one he was familiar with. A spirit whose soul resonated with his own - eternally burning with the drive to get stronger. In his endless quest for might, always pursuing greater heights of power, Dragonic Overlord, now dubbing himself “The X” as a dare for others to challenge their prowess against his own, had come here with the intent of reclaiming these shores. They were connected to the landmass of Dragon Empire, and rightfully belonged to their territory.

Yet they bordered upon the ocean. They could never be truly considered safe.

Such arrogance! He seethed with fury, balefully glaring down upon the assembled ranks of the enemy below. Aqua Force… a clan from the ancient past, who should have kept to their place in myth and legend, were the threat to his nation today. Each day brought with it a new battle. But it was not an existence begrudged by any of Cray’s inhabitants. To fight and war among themselves was so ingrained in the pages of their history it had almost become their culture. It seemed that Aqua Force believed that they owned the oceans of Cray itself however. From the verdant mangroves infringing the continent of Zoo to the abyssal underwater trenches of the Dark Zone they extended their reach. Grasping, clinging, desperately seeking to secure their place in a world that had grown and changed without them in the many years following their sudden disappearance. Pathetic. Dragonic Overlord spurned their struggle for relevance. It was not that he felt anger towards them for being enemies alone. No, it was their moral insistence that they were fighting for some absurd notion of justice that made him take particular enjoyment in seeing their waterlogged ranks fizzle and evaporate. Cray had been better off without them and their half-baked righteousness.

Once he was done routing their forces from the shoreline, he was resolved that he would take the fight back to them. Maybe it would take the massacre of an armada to make them understand that Dragon Empire had outgrown them. But somehow he doubted it. It might take a return visit to near-extinction to teach Aqua Force the lesson of humility they lacked. Either way, so be it. He was not alone in this fight. To his left, a sentient echo of his former self loomed like a shadow. A disturbance made possible by the anomalies in time and space plaguing the region. Together they were Legion, and he could not have imagined it any other way. What better ally could he hope to match him than a reflection of himself?

Flanking him on his right were his comrades, Twilight Arrow to the front and Mahmit on the back row. There were no others. Losses had been heavy, many of them being required to sacrifice themselves guarding against the relentless assault of the invading Aqua Force. But for every casualty in Dragonic Overlord’s ranks he had snuffed out the lives of two hardened sailors to even the score. Tattered white uniforms and weapons littered the ground as makeshift grave markers to the number who had fallen to his furious retribution.

He counted over the number remaining who opposed them. Sensing that victory was near. There were only three of them in attendance; two sailors riding kelpies, and a single siren. Blinking, he turned his gaze towards her, finding her inclusion in the naval formation somewhat puzzling. She was sitting on the front row in plain reach. Too weak to do anything alone, yet brazenly exposing herself to danger while keeping a look upon her face of tranquil resolution. Staring right up at him and silently judging him for the devastation he had caused her clan. For a moment, he considered making her his victim for showing such defiance… but with their formation so weak, it seemed like there was a stronger chance of defeating them now if he pressed the assault against their Vanguard. The senior kelpie rider wielding a glowing green sword of pyroxene light. His name was Thavas, and he could sense that he too was being possessed by an otherworldly spirit, just like he was. No matter. That connection would be broken with this final barrage.

Gesturing for Twilight Arrow to commence their retaliation while the denizens of the sea rested from their last wave of attacks, he received a sharp nod in reply from the archer, who spread his wings as the dragon knight behind him lent him power. Conjuring a bow made of flickering orange fire; his ally took aim at the enemy Vanguard with a blazing bronze arrowhead. Pulling it back against a bowstring of heated compressed air and then letting it explode to send the projectile flying. It grazed the side of Thavas, wounding him, but continued on keeping momentum until it buried itself in the chest of the childlike kelpie rider behind. There was a scream as the sailor’s body, which was made up of 99% water, bubbled and boiled violently before finally evaporating and leaving behind just a few scraps of uniform. Yet another death in the enemy ranks for Twilight Arrow to mark on his scoreboard later.

Descending from above, plunging towards the ground below, the shadow of himself mirroring his movements as it followed by his side, he raised his brilliant flaming sword up high. Bringing it in for a decapitating stroke that would end the confrontation decidedly! Perhaps he’d take the Vanguard’s blade and give it to his past self as a souvenir...

Blinding emerald light barred his path, and Dragonic Overlord felt his sword’s force deflected as his slash rebounded, breath hissing through his teeth as he snarled in rage. So the enemy had been keeping some units in reserve after all. They were streaming onto the battlefield now, and the great dragon was forced to pull back towards his own forces to avoid being surrounded. The shallows behind the shoreline must have been where they were hiding. Once their Vanguard had been defeated he’d make sure to scour every mile of the coast for the stragglers that might remain. It would send a message to the next aquaroid who thought himself brave enough to come within a mile of their sands.

Scowling, he watched them replenish their rearguard lines. Assault, sniper, kelpie rider. How many of each had he already killed today? It mattered not, he would dispose of these just the same once he was done defending against their onslaught. Thavas looked weakened. Pushed to the very limits of his endurance, unlikely to last much longer. Certainly it seemed unlikely he would possess the strength to muster a powerful attack… and yet, his expression was not one of fear. Raising his arms into the air, the aquaroid implored an unseen force for aid. An action which made the Kagero commander grip his sword tightly in trepidation. He still had the resources left to do THAT? In the cloudless skies above the battlefield tinged pink and orange by the distant sunset, a vast gate manifested as a series of interlocking rings aglow with shining turquoise light.

It hadn’t been the first time he’d seen this during the fight.

Thavas’ form shimmered and merged with the light above. Reshaping and reforming as his space in existence merged with and was replaced by a force summoned from the distant future. It was the unique phenomenon that the Gear Chronicle who had recently emerged dubbed Stride. In the last several weeks it had become increasingly widespread. It was a mighty power, and it made Dragonic Overlord briefly consider that if the occurrence tapped into the future, perhaps there might be a version of himself that existed in that distant time. A sneak preview of the greater power he would continue to accumulate over centuries of conflict. The thought stoked the fires of his drive to succeed even further, and he braced himself against whatever was about to emerge.

Standing tall, a slender sailor with the bearing of a noble stood where Thavas once had. Taking a moment to orientate himself with the battlefield and ascertain the situation. He had just been plucked right out of another timeline after all. Looking up directly at Dragonic Overlord, he felt the Stride’s presence as a vast swell of mana before him. His mere arrival seeming to rally the other units assembled there. This was it… what Aqua Force might become in the future, if they were able to recover from the setback that had robbed them of their old legacy. He was the embodiment of everything they one day hoped to become. It was only natural that his mere existence should inspire the others to believe that their fight had some meaning beyond clinging to survival. However misguided that might prove be.

The sniper took aim first, steadying his rifle, aiming up at the easy target presented by the dragon as he drifted through the sky with nowhere to take cover. His piercing green beam of light was blocked as a long-bodied dragon clutching a healing orb flew to intercept the path of the shot. A successful guard. One attack down… but this was Aqua Force after all, and the second was soon incoming. The Assault unit approached and swiped at him with one of the two blades he held, but the attack was too weak. A feint and nothing more… intended to build momentum for the next strike, which came swinging with a backhanded blade empowered by a boost from the kelpie rider down on the ground below. He blocked it effortlessly too. These were just the small fry. He had no time to waste on them. Not when the ripe challenge of a much stronger foe existed for him to clash swords with.

Rising to the challenge was the sailor summoned by the Stride, leaping into the air in time to land with his feet resting on the crest of a colossal wave that was sweeping in over the battlefield. Smothering the fires and washing away the signs of the conflict that had taken place. The wall of water rose constantly in height as it swept over the ground, foamy white bubbles and roaring currents dragging behind flotsam and the remains of the fallen in the wake of the tide. The level of power impressed the dragon warrior, who made no effort to attempt to avoid it as it careened towards him. This was a more worthy opponent befitting his status. But all the same, it would not be enough to overcome him. Summoning forth another orb-bearing dragon, he wished upon it to protect him, and an impenetrable shield formed around his body. Like the proverbial Red Sea the waters parted as they reached him, unable to breach the dragon’s barrier. When the swell receded back down to the ground, the dragon who had protected him vanished.

But it wasn’t over, it seemed. With the field of battle now submerged by water, the Aqua Force were well camouflaged, and he had to strain his eyes to make out their new position. Sound carried clearly over large bodies of water. And he could definitely hear something…

It sounded just like singing.

Two units had risen back onto their feet. The commotion was coming from their direction. They were glowing with the same light as the Stride, which explained enough. This had to be his doing somehow. The sniper stood boldly looking in his direction, but it was the unit behind that who drew the great dragon’s attention.

The mermaid from earlier met his gaze, firm and unwavering, her eyes simultaneously as calm and cold as the oceans themselves. He’d had the chance to kill her before. An opportunity had existed to attack her instead of the Vanguard, but he had squandered it unknowingly. Now she was raising her trident, the weapon radiating power as it acted as a conductor for the soprano of her voice, the pure and sorrowful sound forming a bubble of swirling air currents around her and the sniper as they stood together in arms. Empowering the sailor’s weapon, which was already imbued with the power gifted to them by their future descendants - the Aqua Force who would come after them and inherit the new legacy they were creating. Directed by her requiem the sniper’s hand would remain steady, his keen eyes locking unblinkingly upon their target. This attack would not be blocked. For the sake of everything yet to come for their clan, it would not miss. Realizing the danger presented, Dragonic Overlord threw up his arms to defend, but by the time he started to move, it was already decided.

The sniper’s bullet pierced his chest. The siren’s song stilled his heart.

Then everything was silence.

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.

One Card Review:

Maiden of Lost Memory

Neo Nectar, Grade 2

[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 (2)] When this unit's attack hits a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, for each unit you have with the same card name as this unit, draw a card, choose a card from your damage zone, and turn it face up.

Maiden of Lost Memory is an interesting unit. Taking it at face value, it's a mid-game card, that offers you not very much in the early game, where she will function as an 8k Vanilla Grade 2, which is just plain bad. Very few 8k Grade 2s get away with it, examples being Silent Tom, etc.

However, what changes this is it's effect. Copying her (easily done in the Maiden Stride deck where she is most welcome) means that she becomes a fairly scary pressure unit. On hit draw 2 (factoring in the Unflip)? And she has TWO chances to do this each turn? You could draw more cards, and unflip more, by playing more copies- but this is getting into unnecessary "win-moar" territory.

Back to the cons- how's she going to hit a vanguard with 8k? Even with Sour Slicer boosting her (and Sour Slicer SHOULD be boosting, or something is wrong) She's going to be 15k at least, or 18k with the field done right. She's best played when Ahsha reaches GB2. Then, the resulting 10k to the column will make her a much scarier 27-28k beater capable of drawing some serious cardage. Just leave the counterblasts open. So, to summarize:

Pros

1. Easily cloned like any other unit, making her "cost" easily paid
2. The drawing effect is essentially free if you're doing it right
3. The pressure and the possible defense gain is really handy for late game Maidens

Cons

1. She's an 8k Vanilla for most of the early game, bad ride, bad call, dead in hand almost
2. Once again, when the effect is active, 8k will require the best boosters (and Ahsha) to hit
3. Takes deck space away from more "reliable" cards- Watermelon Barrage/Maiden of Gladiolus

Overall Score:

3.85/5

Scary if done right, and horrifying if done wrong. A fun card none the less. Also, I've no idea what the hell it is she's holding.