Forum:Deck Guide/Phantom Beast

Phantom Beast Guide

By BobaFett2

"Phantom Beasts" were introduced in Absolute Powerforce. However, "Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts", which is technically a "Phantom Beast", was first released in "Metal Raiders". The archetype is generally weak-it has 1 Normal Monster, 4 Effect Monsters, 1 Fusion Monster, and 1 Trap Card. The Trap Card, "Horn of the Phantom Beast", has been making its way into some decks in the summer of 2011 but other than that "Phantom Beast" cards have seen little play. This is because of two things: Beast Warrior-Type monsters have very little support (the best of which is "Horn of the Phantom Beast") and because "Phantom Beast" monsters have little support as well.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Phantom Beasts have an amazing support card: "Horn of the Phantom Beast" has been used in almost every deck with at least 8 targets.

Cons

Phantom Beasts lack synergy: The cards barely support each other.

Phantom Beasts have little support: As Beast Warrior-Type monsters, there are few cards that actually support them.

Main Cards

Monsters

• Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts: "Gazelle" is included in a lot of Starter Decks. It's not a very good card, but it allows you to use "Rescue Rabbit" in a "Phantom Beast" deck.
• Phantom Beast Cross-Wing: "Cross-Wing" is not a great card alone but it does power up "Gazelle" and other "Phantom Beast" monsters. The effects of "Cross-Wing" stack so you should use three in a pure "Phantom Beast" deck.
• Phantom Beast Rock-Lizard: Due to it being a one or two tribute monster, "Rock Lizard" is not really worth using-its effect deals minimal damage and it won't last long enough to be really useful.
• Phantom Beast Thunder-Pegasus: "Thunder Pegasus" is weak. It's effect is basically that of "Heart of Clear Water" but it applies to a "Phantom Beast". It can be used from your "Graveyard", which can be combined with "Dark World Dealings", but "Necro Gardna" is better.
• Phantom Beast Wild-Horn: "Wild Horn" is the best "Phantom Beast" monster. It has a decent 1700 ATK and Piercing.

Fusion Monsters:

• Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast: "Chimera" is a Fusion Monster that requires you to use "Berfomet". It really doesn't add anything to a "Phantom Beast" deck.

Traps

• Horn of the Phantom Beast: "Horn of the Phantom Beast" is great-it's an Equip Trap Card. Because the equipped monster gains 800 ATK, it can be used during the Damage Step. In addition to that, you get to draw a card, allowing you to gain advantage.

Other Cards

Monsters

• Elephun: If you use "XX-Saber Boggart Knight" you can use this to Synchro Summon "Hyunlei".
• Guldfaxe of the Nordic Beasts: "Guldfaxe" is a Level 4 Tuner that can Special Summon itself. It is also a Beast-Type monster.
• Koa'ki Meiru Crusader: See "Urnight". It also can return "Urnight" or "Crusader" to your hand when it destroys one of your opponent's monsters as a result of battle.
• Koa'ki Meiru Urnight: "Urnight" can be kept on the field by revealing a Beast Warrior-Type monster in your hand and it's a powerful beatstick.
• Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter: "Ryko" is a very commonly-used card that destroys a card and sends the top three cards of your Deck to your Graveyard.
• Super-Nimble Mega Hamster: Special Summon "Ryko" from your Deck Face-down.
• X-Saber Airbellum: "X-Saber Airbellum" is great-it's a target for "Horn of the Phantom Beast", it has high ATK for a Level 3 monster, it's a Tuner monster, and it can be used to make "X-Saber" Synchro Monsters.
• XX-Saber Boggart Knight: "XX-Saber Boggart Knight" is a powerful beatstick and a Beast Warrior-Type monster. It can also Special Summon "Airbellum" from your hand for a Synchro Summon.

Synchro Monsters:

• Naturia Barkion: You can tune "Elephun" and another monster to make "Naturia Barkion".
• X-Saber Souza: "Souza" is the Level 7 "X-Saber" Synchro Monster. You can Synchro Summon it with "Boggart Knight" and another monster.
• XX-Saber Hyunlei: "Hyunlei" gains a lot of advantage by destroying your opponent's Spell and Trap cards. You can Synchro Summon it using "Boggart Knight" and Level 2 Tuner monster.

to your Graveyard. In addition to that, it can send "Cross-Wing" to your Graveyard. It's also a Beast-Type monster.

Spells

• Closed Forest: "Closed Forest" is great for getting rid of Field Spell Cards and keeping your opponent from playing them. It doesn't support "Phantom Beast" monsters other than "Gazelle" but it also powers up cards used with "Phantom Beast" monsters.
• Solidarity: In Beast Control and Beast Warrior Beatdown "Solidarity" gives the monsters 800 ATK.
• Spiritual Forest: "Spiritual Forest" prevents a Beast-Type, Beast Warrior-Type, or Plant-Type monster from being destroyed by battle once per turn. Since it's a Continuous Spell Card, it will continually protect your monsters.

Variants

Dedicated Phantom Beast

Dedicated "Phantom Beast" decks are not usually very powerful. They have a little bit of draw and search power as well as beatdown capacity. They make use of a few non-"Phantom Beast" monsters (because otherwise they wouldn't have enough good monsters). They focus on powering up "Wild-Horn" and protecting him.

Phantom Koa'ki Meiru

Phantom Koa'ki Meiru is a beatdown deck. It uses the Beast Warrior-Type "Koa'ki Meiru" monsters and "Wild-Horn" for a beatdown strategy.

Phantom Sabers

Phantom Saber decks use a combination of Beatdown and Synchro deck strategies. They use both Beast-Type and Beast Warrior-Type monsters.

Phantom Beast Control

Phantom Beast Control uses "Airbellum", "Horn of the Phantom Beast", "Ryko", and "Super-Nimble Mega Hamster" to control the field and both player's hands. "Airbellum's" effect, in particular, when combined with "Horn of the Phantom Beast" can create a massive gap between the hand sizes of both players.