Sky Striker
Startup! Transform! Mow down!
— The theme's tagline in promotional material.
"Sky Striker", known as "Flash Sword" (
Contents
Lore[edit]
- Sword Maneuvers, sally forth!! ERADICATE 'EM!!
In order to fight against a powerful enemy nation, a new type of weapon, "Sky Striker Mecha", was developed using advanced military tech. The sword "Sky Striker", the ignition device for these weapons, was entrusted to the girl "Raye". To protect the people of her homeland, she flies solo into the heart of the enemy forces!!
- "Raye", the girl trained to defeat a powerful nation!!
By activating the power of Sky Striker, she can open special gates, and from there launch an assault with the "Sky Striker Mecha".
- Meet any and all battle conditions! Sky Striker Mode Change!!
"Raye" opens the gates with Sky Striker at maximum output, changing into a decisive battle mode to fit the situation. She mows down her enemies with overwhelming firepower!!
- Sword Defense Mode (Sky Striker Ace - Shizuku)
A defense-based mode. It can generate barriers to prevent all attacks.
- Flash Eradication Mode (Sky Striker Ace - Kagari)
An enemy force eradication mode. It is said that none who look upon her in this form return alive.
- Finishing Sky Striker Maneuver Activate!!
Each of her modes has an ultimate attack, a "Sky Striker Maneuver", unleashed without regard for her own safety. [1]
Etymology[edit]
The Japanese name of the "Sky Striker" archetype, Sentō (
The Japanese name of the "Sky Striker Ace" sub-archetype adds the kanji ki (
The Japanese name of the "Sky Striker Mecha" Spell Cards, Sentōki (
Design[edit]
As suggested by its Japanese name, the "Sky Striker" archetype is based around fighter aircraft.
"Sky Striker Ace - Raye" is named after the Mitsubishi A6M Reisen (
The rapid deployment system of the "Sky Striker Mecha Modules - Multirole" is based on the concept of a multirole combat aircraft. The versatile ability to access any "Sky Striker Ace" mode and "Sky Striker Mecha" equipment in response to the situation allows "Raye" to fulfill a wide range of combat roles.
"Sky Striker Ace - Roze", who serves the enemy Spectra Union, is also named after a name for the Mitsubishi A6M. Instead of Reisen, her namesake is "Zero", a name commonly used by Allied forces to refer to the A6M. It may also refer to Zerosen, an alternative reading of Reisen. "Roze" serving an enemy nation is possibly inspired by the Akutan Zero, an intact A6M that was seized by the United States during the war.
In contrast to the Japanese-style names of the other "Sky Striker Ace" modes, "Sky Striker Ace - Zeke" is named after "Zeke", the official Allied reporting name of the Mitsubishi A6M. "Surgical Striker - H.A.M.P." (another weapon belonging to Spectra) is named after "Hamp", the Allied reporting name of the Mitsubishi A6M3-32. This implies that the naming scheme of Spectra reflects the Allied powers of World War II, while the naming scheme of Karma, the homeland of "Raye", reflects the Axis powers (specifically Japan). Ironically, the "Sky Striker Mecha" devices that support "Raye" are instead named after various American aircraft.
Members[edit]
The Level 4 Warriors "Raye" and "Roze" are the heart of the Deck, as all other "Sky Striker Ace" monsters are Machine Link Monsters depicted as their armored combat modes. The majority of "Sky Striker" cards are designated with codes visible in their artworks. The codes for the combat modes are divided between an X-series for "Raye" and a Z-series for "Roze".
| Code | Sky Striker | Attribute | Associated Spell | Combat role | Name origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 000 | Ace - Raye | DARK 
|
Mobilize - Engage! | Ace pilot | Mitsubishi A6M Reisen |
| 000 | Ace - Roze | LIGHT 
|
Red Arrows | Rival pilot | Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" / Akutan Zero |
| X-002 | Ace - Shizuku | WATER 
|
Manuever - Jamming Waves! | Base defense mode | Shizuku ( |
| X-003 | Ace - Kagari | FIRE 
|
Maneuver - Afterburners! | Special operations mode | Kagari ( |
| X-004 | Ace - Hayate | WIND 
|
Maneuver - Vector Blast | Long-range interception mode | Hayate ( |
| X-005 | Ace - Kaina | EARTH 
|
Maneuver - Scissors Cross | Close-quarters combat mode | Kaina ( |
| Z-000 | Ace - Zeke | DARK
|
- | Armoured mode | "Zeke", the Allied reporting name of the Mitsubishi A6M |
| - | Surgical Striker - H.A.M.P. | DARK
|
- | TBD | "Hamp", the Allied reporting name of the Mitsubishi A6M3-32 |
| - | Ace - Azalea | DARK
|
- | TBD | Azalea |
| - | Ace - Camellia | DARK
|
- | TBD | Camellia |
The "Sky Striker Maneuver" Spells are various special attacks performed by "Raye" with her different combat modes, while the "Sky Striker Mecha" Spells depict various armaments and support equipment that assist "Raye" on the battlefield while she uses her basic suit.
| Code | Sky Striker | Combat role | Name origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-015 | Mecha - Eagle Booster | Support boosters | McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle |
| S-018 | Mecha - Hornet Drones | Support drones | McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet |
| S-020 | Mecha - Shark Cannon | Support weapon | Northrop F-20 Tigershark |
| S-061 | Mecha - Widow Anchor | Support ECM device | Northrop P-61 Black Widow |
| S-130 | Mecharmory - Hercules Base | Mobile command center | Lockheed C-130 Hercules |
| - | Mecha Modules - Multirole | Weapons deployment system | Multirole combat aircraft |
| AREA-0 | Airspace - Area Zero | Area of operations | - |
Playing style[edit]
The "Sky Striker" strategy is an exclusively control focused playstyle where the goal is to generate more card advantage than the opponent and prevent them from making plays through disruption. The general playstyle of "Sky Striker" involves using "Sky Striker" Spell Cards to generate card advantage and disrupt the opponent, using "Sky Striker Ace" Link Monsters to gain access to "Sky Striker" Spell Cards, and winning the game by out-grinding the opponent's resources. The "Sky Striker" Spell Cards all share the activation requirement that there must be no monsters in the Main Monster Zone to activate them, except "Sky Striker Mecha Modules - Multirole" and "Sky Striker Airspace - Area Zero". In addition, each "Sky Striker" Spell Card has an extra advantageous effect when there are 3 or more Spell Cards in the GY (except for "Linkage!", which instead requires the player to have both LIGHT and DARK "Sky Striker Aces" on the field and/or in the GY). As such, a "Sky Striker" player must find a way to put 3 Spell Cards in the GY as quickly as possible, in order to maximize their card advantage.
| Spell | Type | Effect | Extra Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maneuver - Afterburners | Normal | Destroys 1 face-up monster | Destroys 1 Spell/Trap |
| Maneuver - Jamming Waves | Destroys 1 Set Spell/Trap | Destroys 1 monster | |
| Maneuver - Scissors Cross | Adds 1 Level 4 "Sky Striker Ace" from GY to hand | Special Summons that monster | |
| Maneuver - Vector Blast | Sends the top 2 cards of both Decks to GY | Shuffles into Deck all opponent's monsters in the Extra Monster Zone | |
| Mecha - Eagle Booster | Quick-Play | Makes 1 face-up monster unaffected by other cards' effects for the turn | That monster cannot be destroyed by battle for the turn |
| Mecha - Hornet Drones | Special Summons 1 Token | The Token's ATK/DEF become 1500 | |
| Mecha - Shark Cannon | Banishes 1 monster from opponent's GY | Special Summons that monster to the player's field | |
| Mecha - Widow Anchor | Negates 1 face-up Effect Monster's effects for the turn | Takes control of that monster for the turn | |
| Mobilize - Engage | Normal | Adds 1 "Sky Striker" card from Deck to hand | Draws 1 card |
| Mobilize - Linkage | Quick-Play | Sends 1 other card the player controls to GY to Special Summon 1 "Sky Striker Ace" from Extra Deck to Extra Monster Zone | That monster gains 1000 ATK |
The two key "Sky Striker" Spell Cards that enable their grind strategy are "Sky Striker Mobilize - Engage!" and "Sky Striker Mecha Modules - Multirole". "Engage!" can search out a "Sky Striker" card when activated, and provide an additional card draw afterwards if there are 3 or more Spell Cards in the GY, giving an immediate +1 in card advantage when activated. "Multirole" meanwhile can re-Set used "Sky Striker" Spell Cards in the GY during the End Phase, providing a massive boost in card advantage for disruptions.
Three "Sky Striker Ace" Link Monsters, "Kagari", "Shizuku", and "Hayate", are the primary ways in which a "Sky Striker" player gains access to their Spell Cards: "Kagari" can add one from the GY to the hand when Summoned, "Shizuku" can add one from the Deck to the hand during the End Phase of the turn it was Summoned, and "Hayate" can send one from the Deck to the GY after it battles. "Kagari", "Shizuku", and "Hayate" (along with "Kaina") are all Link 1 Monsters that require a different "Sky Striker Ace" monster as Link Material, meaning that 1 "Sky Striker Ace" monster can provide access to all of them and cycle through them to use all of their effects.
To push for an OTK, the archetype typically uses one of the "Charmer" Link-2 monsters (usually "Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy" as "Raye" and the Token Summoned by "Hornet Drones" are DARK) to enable the Link Summon of "Selene, Queen of the Master Magicians", which can revive a Spellcaster monster (usually "Effect Veiler) to Link Summon "Accesscode Talker" with 5300 ATK, who can destroy multiple cards thanks to the multi-Attribute Link Monsters provided by the archetype.
Recommended cards[edit]
Recommended cards
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Weakness[edit]
- "Sky Striker" Decks focus heavily on Spell Cards, allowing cards like "Imperial Order", "Secret Village of the Spellcasters" and "Anti-Spell Fragrance" to slow down the Deck. "Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell" and "Spell Vanishing" can be particularly effective if used against "Sky Striker Mobilize - Engage!" or "Sky Striker Mecha - Hornet Drones".
- Due to their fairly low ATK, the individual "Sky Striker Ace" monsters are easily defeated if their Spell support can be countered.
- Due to their reliance on Spell Cards to defeat stronger monsters, certain monsters with card effect immunity or targeting protection, such as "Super Quantal Mech King Great Magnus" or "Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax" can prove troublesome for a "Sky Striker" monsters to beat over by battle.
- Anti-searching effects can be potent, though the effects of "Sky Striker Ace - Kagari" and "Hayate" can get around this.
- Summoning Tribute-monsters such as "Santa Claws" or "Kaiju" monsters to a "Sky Striker" player's field can also be considered for two reasons. First, this prevents the "Sky Striker" Spell Cards that can disrupt the opponent during their turn from being activated since they are required to control no monsters in the Main Monster Zones (since "Santa Claws" or "Kaiju" monsters can only be Summoned to said Zones) until that Tribute monster is gone. Second, if the "Sky Striker Ace" Link Monsters are Tributed for Summoning those Tribute-monsters, it bypasses the effect of "Sky Striker Ace - Raye" that Special Summons itself from the GY, since the Link Monsters are not considered to have left the field by an opponent's card effect this way.
