My Gishki Decklist (Looking for suggestions and ideas!)

Last Edited: 28/11/18 16:52 GMT (took suggestions from a friend, also fixed some ratios, removed Gishki Marker (finally)

So I've been wanting to play this deck for a very long time, finally got round to trying it out and testing what works and what doesn't. I managed to make something I think is decent, but I really don't know. After all the 10 Gishki Players left on earth are hiding their secrets!

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Oh, and I'm gonna give lengthy explanations for each card because...uhhh...I'm totally not pushing an agenda to overthrow the meta and establish a secret society of Gishki Mains and bring Gustkraken and Mind Augus back to 3...

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So here's my current decklist, which has worked out for me so far;

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Effect Monsters (19);

2x Impcantation Talismandra + Candoll (4 Cards Total)

I run 2 of Talismandra and Candoll since more than 1 of each in the hand is a dead draw off the bat. Once Chaslime (The Ritual Impcantation) comes up I may change my mind though. Searching the Monsters and Aquamirror is immensely helpful and has got me out of a number of what would previously be tough spots.

3x Gishki Beast

Enables some really nice boards, either through Link plays or going into Utopia The Lightning, Tornado Dragon or Castel. Summoning Gishki Abyss or Marker can also enables even more plays. It can be a nasty brick on Turn 1 if I can't get anything in the grave immediately though.

3x Gishki Shadow + Vision (6 Cards Total)

There is no way in hell a Gishki Deck would be complete without 3 of each of these. Can serve as all the materials for a Ritual Summon of a Water Monster AND searchers for Aquamirror (Shadow) and the Gishki Rituals (Vision)? Well sign me up! Shadow in particular can be fetched from the grave by Beast after a search to either go into a Rank 4 or serve as Ritual Fodder as well. Vision? Well, there's a couple Rank 2 Monsters that could be used, but I wish he was Aqua to enable better access to Toadally Awesome. Regardless, there's still a few options...like Sky Cavalry Centaurea for even more bouncing!

3x Gishki Abyss

If you're not running this at 3, you're simply not running Gishki: you're running some off-brand knock off of Gishki. This card can get you out of almost any tough spot if you know what you're doing. Searching Shadow/Vision to get your hand set up for loops is great, hell you could go for Beast if you're already set up.

2x Beautunaful Princess.

This allows for extra ways to bring out Gishki Abyss, which is always nice. Like, it literally just says "Hey man, give yourself a search. You totally earned it.".

1x Deep Sea Diva

While it's not a conventional choice, it does let me bring out Vision for extra Ritual Fodder, a potential summon into the sole Synchro in my Extra Deck, or if I'm really reaching, to go into Sky Cavalry Centaurea. It is also VERY useful when Link Summoning cards like Borreload Dragon, since it fills up the board a bit.

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Ritual Monsters (7);

3x Gishki Zielgigas

It's Gishki, you're running Zielgigas. I initially ran it at 2 since I found it to be a bit daunting, but quickly converted to the Zielgigas Loop Master Race. Gaining ridiculous hand advantage in tandem with Aquamirror and the searchers for it, you really can't go wrong with spamming the hell out of it. Plus, it's an easy OTK if you have 2 of these and go into Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Gustav Max for the burn. Very good card, no reason to run any less than 3.

2x Evigiski Soul Ogre

This is usually my alternative to Zielgigas, or if I intend to set up the grave for Gishki Beast (or Aquamirror) plays. It's also a much more consistent way to bounce things compared to Zielgigas (although that draw is still spicy). I also just like the art and needed more faces for Talismandra.

1x Evigishki Mind Augus

I like the idea of screwing with Blue-Eyes Players who think they can set up a grave against Gishkis, really. If Gustkraken ever goes back to 2 or even 3, I would relegate this to the Side Deck as a "I hate Graves" card. It's really cool and can also help keep me from decking out in lengthy duels. I also appreciate recycling my other spells, or Vision/Shadow. If I face Madolches however, I simply cry, scoop, and walk out the venue (ok I don't I just use it as Ritual Fodder or Pot of Avarice's stupid cousin).

1x Evigishki Gustkraken

I like to think of this as a safer Topalogic Gumblar Dragon, although both have their strengths and weaknesses depending on the matchup. I feel that this should be run in every deck since it can also pick up those excess Talismandras (like Mind Augus) so you can do some Extra Deck Plays. I really think this should be brought back to 2 if Gumblar is at 3, to be honest, but...this isn't a banlist discussion!

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Spells (13);

1x One for One

This card is pretty fun to use, sets up the grave for Beast or Aquamirror while bringing out Beautunaful Princess. Simply a great card.

2x Moray of Greed

3 is inconsistent, but any card that says "Draw 3 cards" warrants a place in a deck. This can help get rid of some bricks that would otherwise prove problematic, and in an ideal world replace them with better cards. Or, with my luck, something completely unplayable!

1x Foolish Burial

A nice play extender that can be really nice on Turn 1 if I open with Beast, or at any time when they're both in the hand really. That's a Mistar Boy right there! It can also dump a Ritual should I be strapped for Aquamirrors (ever had your Ritual Spell Solemn'd? It's not fun, pal.), so it's also quite flexible should I be balls deep in the game and draw into it. Never a bad time to use it.

2x Surface

I really hate running this at 3 since I can sometimes open up with this and nothing to put in the grave. However, it is a very fair play extender since Gishki Abyss isn't once per turn. It's also a decent way to get Vision out the grave if I'm REALLY reaching for ways to Ritual Summon. Deep Sea Diva can come back after being used as a Synchro/Link Material as well, should it be necessary.

3x Salvage

This card is absolutely ridiculous in Gishki. Reusing Shadow and Vision is amazing enough, letting you bring back Beast and Abyss though? Recycling Deep Sea Diva for improved Link and Synchro Plays? It's just great in general. However, it can raise the chances for some really nasty hands, such as opening with 2 Salvage and a bunch of rituals. I wouldn't say it's likely that would ever happen though (watch it happen next time I play).

3x Gishki Aquamirror

For an archetype-exclusive Ritual Spell from before Konami brought them back from the trash, this is just incredible. If you Ritual Summon using another Ritual Monster, you can summon for what is effectively no cost. This enables some pretty nasty loops (remember GishKill FTK?), and even with Gishki not being at full power they are still ridiculous. Constantly summoning Zielgigas is a great way to spark off a draw engine for even more ritual summoning with the right hand. If you don't run this at 3, you're just asking to lose. Simple as that.

2x Called by the Grave

The fact this was hit to 2 still has me miffed. This deck is absolutely destroyed by Droll & Lock Bird (it stops Vision and Shadow), and this card is what keeps that from happening too often. In the current meta, the card is used in so many decks because a certain soldier is making everyone paranoid (and for good reason, god damn). Anyway, this can also make some Danger players flip tables, and that's always funny. If someone ever pops Cannon Soldier into the grave going second, I am definitely just going to Call it and watch them scoop.

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Extra Deck (15);

1x Herald of the Arc Light

Works super well with Deep Sea Diva summoning Gishki Vision. I am SO lucky this was Lv4. It searches my Rituals, it adds a negate onto the board, it does so many things it is actually ridiculous. Nothing wrong with this card, plus it can be reused along with Deep Sea Diva through Mind Augus. It can even set up FOR Mind Augus thanks to that effect. Once this is out, a whole new plane of plays are unlocked.

1x White Aura Dolphin (Until Liebe is released)

Using it over Coral Dragon since I will literally never use it to its full extent. This card also has some recursion and the attack debuff can soften up those 4k beaters. Using it until Liebe comes out.

1x Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Gustav Max -> Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Juggernaut Liebe (Latter is OCG, 2 Cards Total)

I'm going to run this with Liebe once it comes out, since that card is looking n i c e. This helps with the Zielgigas OTK strategy, as well as just finishing off a limping player. Nothing really bad about it, just an all around nice XYZ.

1x Number 39: Utopia -> Number S39: Utopia Prime -> Number S39: Utopia The Lightning (3 Cards Total)

It's always nice to just go into The Lightning and take out some random 4k beatstick. Giving it 4 materials through Prime is also a great asset, so it's worth taking up an extra spot.

1x Bahamut Shark + Toadally Awesome (2 Cards Total)

This helps out with adding negates onto a board, and is quite accessible thanks to Beast being so good. It does often require using my Rituals to make a Mistar Boy, though. Mind Augus and Gustkraken help here, as they've pretty much worn out their usefulness after they've been summoned.

1x Tornado Dragon

From the Main Deck you've probably noticed I'm strapped for S/T Removal. That's why Tornado Dragon exists! Very useful, and it also got me out of a really silly Trap Monster strategy once (Imperial Custom makes them indestructible by any means, it's really silly). Good alternative if someone decides to Ghost Reaper ol' The Lightning away as well.

1x Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer

Helps set up the grave for some Beast plays indirectly, but the main purpose is for when I don't have a Ritual out or no discard fodder for Soul Ogre. Generally a great asset to the deck that has got me out of some tough spots.

1x Sky Cavalry Centaurea

Another use for Deep Sea Diva, allows for more creative forms of bouncing if I don't have anything else. It can get a little nasty when I'm using Zielgigas too much though. Most likely candidate for removal, although that would likely mean cutting Diva altogether, and I'm a bit hesitant.

1x Borreload Dragon

Another use for Deep Sea Diva since it opens up some swarming opportunities. Taking cards for use as Ritual Fodder is also very helpful, and the attack reduction has helped soften up some cards to beat over as well. Overall just a really useful card in the deck.

1x Knightmare Phoenix

Another form of removal, which can be done through Deep Sea Diva as well. Beast, once again, helps here since it's a Link-2.

1x Knightmare Cerberus

I don't really have any ways to destroy monsters other than by battle, so this card helps out a lot. Generally a very useful card that can be brought out in the same way as Phoenix.

1x Mistar Boy

Very useful card with the Atk gain, as well as additional floating. It's mainly here to enable the Toadally Awesome board, though.

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Side Deck (15);

2x Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring

It's Ash Blossom. You run it. She stops like 100000 different cards while she just grins with that gigantic forehead of her's. It also makes that overly political guy in the corner who hates people with money scream and leave the venue, which is always helpful for everyone.

2x Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries

It gets rid of Firewall Dragon before it can yeet me out of existence, which is always nice. It also makes people who play Burning Abyss or Lightsworns look really sad for some reason. Is there a reason why?

1x Gishki Vanity

An odd choice at a glance, but I really...really don't like Traptrix or the Solemn Brigade. Even a turn where I can get all my summons off without concern is nice. It does still leave me open for other interruption, but if you're running Traptrix you tend to just forget about that sort of thing.

1x Metaion, the Timelord

Using em primarily because it works towards the deck's objective while also being good fodder for Zielgigas. Having the strongest form of removal in the game, it can help against a lot of different decks. Nothing really wrong with it really.

1x Raigeki

Initially in the Main Deck, but it's better in the Side Deck for when I know if the opponent is using a deck that is affected by board wipes. Ever accidentally used it against Krawlers or Shaddolls thinking they're something like Empty Jar or Subterrors? It's not fun.

2x Twin Twisters

Just in case that S/T Removal in the Extra Deck and endless Ritual Monsters that spin cards to the deck wasn't enough. It also sends Gishkis to the grave, and we all love that.

3x Red Reboot

Altergeists get o u t! Oh, you too, Paleos. I could easily run Royal Decree for good measure but then they summon Phoenix and make me scoop.

1x Solemn Strike

Could easily replace at least one of these and 2 copies Twin Twisters with Evenly Matched, but it seems a little risky.

1x Solemn Warning

Just in case people get a bit too comfy with their playmakers.

1x Solemn Judgment

Sometimes it's fun to flip this, look the opponent dead in the eye, and say "No.". Instills fear, asserts dominance, and thus ensures the player will shamefully leave the venue. Then the player will tell his friends that they lost to Gishki, and that they're quitting Yu-Gi-Oh forever. Always a fun outcome.

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And so, there's my decklist. I feel it's alright, although there are clearly ways to improve it.

Current ideas are as follows;

• Add better Synchros in exchange for...something...Extra Deck space is pretty tight so I don't know what I'd do.
• Consider adding Evenly Matched and/or Infinite Impermanence since I don't always have that much on the field. One would have to be main deck'd.
• Find better ways to field swarm to make it easier to get a Link + Bahamut Shark up quicker. There's few ways for me to do it Turn 1 without sacrificing way too many Rituals. Frog Engine is something to consider but it could make the deck a bit cloggy. Can't afford to remove the Impcantations or risk losing a lot of consistency.

I feel the number of Rituals is perfectly fine, and I can get to the Ritual Spells pretty consistently. There doesn't seem to be many problems, and making it more competitive doesn't seem to be that difficult. I just don't really have the deckbuilding skills or ideas at the moment to take it to that next level, really.

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So what do you think? How could the deck be improved to make it more competitive?

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Before you say "The deck can't be competitive, it's not viable!": No, I don't actually think Gishki will be meta, I just really like the archetype and the art and want to have a bit of fun for a change. I've never been hot on Ritual-based archetypes, and experiencing an old meta deck in a setting like this is something I have yet to experiment with.

Inb4 a Gishki Link gets released and makes GishKill relevant again.

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