Runick

Runick
"Runick Fountain"
Japanese	神碑（ルーン） 神碑 (base) ルーン (ruby) Rūn (romanized) Rune (translated)
Simplified Chinese	神碑 Shénbēi (pinyin) Divine Runestone (translated)
French	Runick
German	Runisch
Italian	Runick
Korean	루닉
Portuguese	Rúnika(o)
Spanish	Rúnico/a
Sets Darkwing Blast Duelist Nexus TCG Tactical Masters OTS Tournament Pack 22 OCG Deck Build Pack: Tactical Masters Duelist Nexus +1 Bonus Pack
Lists	Members Support

Challenge the mysteries of the world with "Runick"!

— The archetype's tagline in promotional material

"Runick", known as "Rune" (神碑（ルーン） Rūn) in Japanese, is an archetype introduced in Deck Build Pack: Tactical Masters/Tactical Masters.

Lore

Main article: The Valuable Book EX 3 card storylines § No. 05: Runick

Etymology

The Japanese name of the archetype uses the kanji characters 「神碑」 (Shinpi), literally meaning "Divine Runestone", which likely refers to "Runick Fountain"; however, it has the forced reading of 「ルーン」 (Rūn). 「神碑」 is also homophonous with the word 「神秘」 (Shinpi, "Mystery").

The English name of the archetype is likely a portmanteau of the words "rune" and "magick", the latter being an archaic spelling for the word "magic".

Design

The "Runick" monsters are based on Norse mythology and Germanic runes. They also feature elements from video games, primarily action RPGs.

The artworks of all "Runick" Spell Cards are drawn from a first-person perspective, usually with the hand of the POV character being visibly in frame. This is likely intended to mimic the appearance of a first-person RPG. Their artworks also each depict a different weapon/ability being used by the POV character, and have different settings.

The "Generaider" monsters, which are also based on Norse mythology and video games, are related to this archetype, as evidenced by "Loptr, Shadow of the Generaider Bosses" appearing in the artwork of "Runick Allure", and the same characters appearing in both "Generaider Boss Fight" and "Runick Dispelling".

Members

Spell Cards

The "Runick" Quick-Play Spell Cards are based on various spells and equipment that incorporate specific runes.

Most of the "Runick" Quick-Play Spells are related to "Generaider Boss" monsters, representing the player character's actions in their individual realms; the specific counterparts are identified in The Valuable Book EX 3 card storylines.

Runick	Rune	Meaning	Norse origin	Related "Generaider" Boss
Tip	ᛏ	The god Týr	Tyrfing	-
Flashing Fire	ᛋ	Sun	-	Frodi, Generaider Boss of Swords
Destruction	ᚺ	Hail	Járngreipr	Utgarda, Generaider Boss of Delusion
Dispelling	ᛗ	Man	Seiðr	Nidhogg, Generaider Boss of Ice
Freezing Curses	ᛇ	Yew tree	Ýdalir	Naglfar, Generaider Boss of Fire
Slumber	ᛒ	Birch	Bragi's Harp	(Jormungandr, Generaider Boss of Eternity)
Golden Droplet	ᚷ	Gift	Draupnir	Mardel, Generaider Boss of Light
Smiting Storm	ᚦ	The god Thor	Mjölnir	Hela, Generaider Boss of Doom

Runick	Norse origin	Related "Generaider" Boss
Fountain	Mímisbrunnr	(Harr, Generaider Boss of Storms)
Allure	Lævateinn	Loptr, Shadow of the Generaider Bosses Laevatein, Generaider Boss of Shadows

Fusion Monsters

Runick	Rune	Meaning	Norse origin
Hugin the Wings & Munin the Wings	ᚠ	Cattle, wealth	Huginn and Muninn
Geri the Fangs & Freki the Fangs			Geri and Freki
Sleipnir the Runick Mane	ᚹ	Joy, bliss	Sleipnir

Playing style

"Runick" is an archetype almost entirely made up of Spell Cards (especially Quick-Play Spells), with an exclusive focus on a Deck out victory condition. The archetype has no Main Deck monsters, only five Fusion Monsters, including two of them with non-zero ATK (one of which who cannot deal battle damage), and the effects of all its Quick-Play Spells cause the player to skip their next Battle Phase, forcing the archetype to entirely forgo combat to focus on Deck out.

All "Runick" Quick-Play Spells can be activated only once per turn, and each allows choosing between one of two effects: a unique effect that provides consistency/disruption/Deck milling and then banishes a varied number of cards from the top of the opponent's Deck, or a shared effect to Special Summon 1 "Runick" monster from the Extra Deck to the Extra Monster Zone. Activating either effect of a "Runick" Quick-Play Spell requires the player to skip their next Battle Phase.

The "Runick" Extra Deck monsters serve as the archetype's defensive strategy, providing additional resource searching or cycling, and some protection against battle or effects.

The key card to the archetype's resource loop is their Field Spell "Runick Fountain", which lets the player activate "Runick" Quick-Play Spells from the hand during the opponent's turn, and once per turn (during either player's turn) it can place up to 3 "Runick" Quick-Play Spells from the Graveyard to the bottom of the Deck and have the player draw that many cards.

Though "Runick Fountain" functions best when the archetype is played pure, the archetype's ability to easily Special Summon low-level Fusion Monsters also enables the Summoning of Synchro, Xyz, or Link Monsters requiring low-Level extenders if the archetype is hybridized with other engines.

Recommended cards

Recommended cards

Main Deck Monster Cards Effect Monsters Barrier Statue of the Heavens Cardcar D Cyber-Stein Kuribandit Magical Something Magicians' Souls Planet Pathfinder Royal Magical Library Summoner Monk Majesty's Fiend Vanity's Fiend Yamatako Orochi "Spright" monsters Spirit monsters Amano-Iwato Pendulum Monsters Performapal Five-Rainbow Magician Spell Cards Normal Spells Card Destruction Card of Demise Dark World Dealings Dragged Down into the Grave Hand Destruction Heat Wave Magical Stone Excavation Monster Gate One Day of Peace Pot of Duality Reasoning Terraforming Top Share Upstart Goblin Field Spells Runick Fountain Continuous Spells Runick Allure Soul Absorption Quick-Play Spells Runick Destruction Runick Dispelling Runick Flashing Fire Runick Freezing Curses Runick Golden Droplet Runick Smiting Storm Runick Tip Book of Eclipse Demise of the Land Inferno Tempest Mask Change II Scapegoat Trap Cards Normal Traps D.D. Dynamite Metaverse Present Card Trickstar Reincarnation Counter Traps Paradox Fusion Extra Deck Fusion Monsters Freki the Runick Fangs Geri the Runick Fangs Hugin the Runick Wings Munin the Runick Wings Sleipnir the Runick Mane Dinomorphia Rexterm Masked HERO Dark Law Naturia Exterio The Last Warrior from Another Planet Synchro Monsters Baronne de Fleur Herald of the Arc Light Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying Xyz Monsters Gigantic Spright Link Monsters Gravity Controller Salamangreat Almiraj

Weaknesses

• Since this archetype focuses mostly on Quick-Play Spell Cards, cards that counter them (or counter Spell Cards in general) can be extremely dangerous, such as "Anti-Spell Fragrance", "Eradicator Epidemic Virus", "Secret Village of the Spellcasters", and "Spell Canceller".
• The archetype critically depends on its Field Spell "Runick Fountain" to maintain its card advantage, making it a prime target for the opponent's removal effects.
• The archetype has almost no Monster Zone presence, and is almost entirely dependent on randomly-drawn "Runick" Quick-Play Spells to provide disruption and protection, making it quite fragile.
• Utilizing external engines, or even external cards in general, reduces the chances of the player drawing into additional "Runick" cards off of "Runick Fountain", slowing down the Deck's tempo significantly.
• The Deck's playstyle is countered by anti-Graveyard floodgates like "Macro Cosmos", which can prevent "Runick Fountain" from returning cards to draw cards. Or anti-Banishing effects, such as that of "Chaos Hunter".
• Decks with cards that activate their effects when banished, like the "Shiranui" monsters, could use this archetype's strategy of banishing the opponent's cards to their own advantage.