Genex Ally Birdman
I'm sure several of you have already noted this card. Basically, Level 3 Tuner with an effect that bounces your own monster back to your hand to summon it. It's not really that great, you may think.
If you do, two words: Six Samurai. You can use this card on Kizan/Grandmaster with pretty much no negative consequences; furthermore, if you've got Gateway/United/other Bushido-Counte-generators, Birdman gets you a few more of those. Plus, he's a Tuner, so you can go into Level Sixes (Mizuho/Shinai/Kageki - Level Nine if you've got two of them), Level Sevens (Kizan/LSS - Enishi) or Level Eights (Grandmaster). He can't go for Shi En, certainly, but he's a Bushido Counter assistant and generally good card.
Of course, he works with other stuff just as well - anything that's good at swarming and would like a Tuner can use it. He's good in, for example, Chaos decks - he restocks your Breaker, and can be tuned with Chaos Sorcerer for Locomotion R-Genex.
Genex Ally Duradark
This is a surprisingly underrated card, which may be past it's prime. Level 4 DARK Machine, 1800/1200. Once per turn, it can forfeit it's attacking rights to destroy a monster with the same attribute as it, provided it's on the opponent's side of the field and in attack position. Instant +1.
First point of interest. DARK Machine, and thus Black Salvo bait. Second, at 1800, it can contend with Shura, should Blackwings remain viable. But it doesn't need to contend with Shura; for no cost, it can just destroy it. And it can do the same to Dark Armed Dragon, Chaos Sorcerer and Malefics, should they see use. Basically, it punches out a lot of DARK beatsticks with it's effect.
Now, to me, the most obvious use is against Blackwings... but they took a hit in the banlist, so nobody loves them any more. Sirocco, Shura, Armour Master... basically, everything in the deck is vulnerable to it, with the possible exception of a Spirit Reaper/Greenkappa. Dark Armed Dragon can be easily taken down; but he can be used in the SalvoDAD decks as well!
I mainly considered it in the context of Black Salvo. Thanks to Salvo, it can simply destroy a DARK monster and then be tuned into a Level 7 Synchro. For me, this'll tend to be a Karakuri. The monster removal is a handy bonus, wouldn't you say?
Nevertheless, the main use of Duradark is a handy little stab at DARK monsters, while working in synergy with them. With Chaos Sorcerer breezing in, this guy'll be a good way to take them out if you can't overpower them.
Meklord Emperor Grannel
This does, I admit, stretch the definition of "tech" a little; Grannel's strong enough to be the base of a deck. There's been Scrap Grannel decks in the OCG for some time; as the Scraps routinely destroy each other, getting a Grannel or two on the field is no trouble.
Anyway. Level 1 Machina, zero attack and zero defence. It can only be summoned from the hand when your face-up monster is destroyed by a card effect. It gains attack/defence equal to half of your life-points. Once per turn, it can equip an opponent's Synchro monster to itself as an Equip card and gains it's attack. Once per turn, it can put an equipped Synchro onto the field onto your field in defence position.
But he can work fine as a common-or-garden tech. Play a monster, activate Torrential Tribute. Or, better still, let your opponent do the same. Whether by Mirror Force, Torrential, Bottomless, it's all the same to Grannel. It can then steal your opponent's Synchros and put them on your field - thanks for that Brionac/Goyo/Stardust!
While it depends on the deck in question, Grannel could be worth using in a lot of decks, even as a simple tech choice. The main issue is, of course, his attack score. Basically, Warning/Judgement saps his attack strength by a lot, meaning you'll have to play quite conservatively, or try to go into him early in the game - a double-edged sword indeed.
Meklord Emperor Wisel
Let's try this again. Wisel is much like Grannel: it can only be summoned when a card effect destroys a face-up monster, and it can "absorb" Synchros. The difference is that Wisel cannot "dispense" them like Grannel can; when Wisel's in play, only it can attack and once per turn, it can negate a Spell. It's also got a fixed attack of 2500.
First point: no playing conservatively. You can use those two Solemn Warnings, both Seven Tools and your Solemn Judgement, putting you on a princely 1000LP (unless you used Judgement first, then it's -2000. Which is a sign that you're doing it wrong)... and Wisel still has 2500ATK. Secondly, that tantalising effect to negate spells is great; negate Dark Hole and Monster Reborn away, and force your opponent to waste spells trying to make you use that negation at the wrong time. At the very least, they're dropping a spell to bluff you; all the better if it's something like Dark Hole, which has a hefty opportunity cost strapped on to it, thanks to the Limit. If they have to drop their only Book of Moon/Dark Hole to stop one monster... you're doing well.
The issue of only being able to attack with it are it's biggest problem; it makes big pushes quite difficult, outside of Scraps, where they simply call on Scrap Dragon to destroy Wisel for you. While it's got a potent effect, not all decks can readily get it off the field; and not all can summon it consistently in the first place.
First point: no playing conservatively. You can use those two Solemn Warnings, both Seven Tools and your Solemn Judgement, putting you on a princely 1000LP (unless you used Judgement first, then it's -2000. Which is a sign that you're doing it wrong)... and Wisel still has 2500ATK. Secondly, that tantalising effect to negate spells is great; negate Dark Hole and Monster Reborn away, and force your opponent to waste spells trying to make you use that negation at the wrong time. At the very least, they're dropping a spell to bluff you; all the better if it's something like Dark Hole, which has a hefty opportunity cost strapped on to it, thanks to the Limit. If they have to drop their only Book of Moon/Dark Hole to stop one monster... you're doing well.
The issue of only being able to attack with it are it's biggest problem; it makes big pushes quite difficult, outside of Scraps, where they simply call on Scrap Dragon to destroy Wisel for you. While it's got a potent effect, not all decks can readily get it off the field; and not all can summon it consistently in the first place.
Card Trooper
That's right, it's this guy. Going up to two per deck, let's do what we can while we have it.
For the uneducated: EARTH Machine, 400/400. You can send up to three cards from your deck to the grave to increase Card Trooper's attack by five hundred per card until the End Phase and upon destruction, you draw a card.
The benefits here should be obvious. It thins the deck by four simply by having it on the field for one turn. 1900ATK (it's total after it mills three cards) is plentiful for destroying many common threats. While it's a sitting deck on your opponent's turn, with only 400ATK, the destruction of Card Trooper lets you draw an additional card, so even it's destruction gives you advantage.
Depending on the deck, the milling could be either positive or negative. Decks which use Debris Dragon can resurrect Card Trooper, thin the deck, and then explode the field - it would help to get that one Dandylion into the graveyard, where Debris Dragon can abuse it more.
The benefits here should be obvious. It thins the deck by four simply by having it on the field for one turn. 1900ATK (it's total after it mills three cards) is plentiful for destroying many common threats. While it's a sitting deck on your opponent's turn, with only 400ATK, the destruction of Card Trooper lets you draw an additional card, so even it's destruction gives you advantage.
Depending on the deck, the milling could be either positive or negative. Decks which use Debris Dragon can resurrect Card Trooper, thin the deck, and then explode the field - it would help to get that one Dandylion into the graveyard, where Debris Dragon can abuse it more.
Cyber Dragon and Chimeratech Fortress Dragon
There's so little difference between them, that I may as well lump them together. These two cards should be a regular sight to Machine duelists; and to non-Machine duelists also. I won't go on for ages about these, as readers should be quite familiar with them.
These two cards are the most handy anti-Machine cards you could ask for. Not only do you wipe the field of a Machine-player, you get a beatstick who's strength rises with the card advantage it gives. If it's a +1, 2000. A +2, 3000. Cyber Dragon by itself is no slouch, being able to pummel a lot of common cards away with it's effect... but that runs the risk of your opponent making their own Chimeratech off it.
In short, Chimeratech is a fantastic anti-Machine card, and almost certainly the reason why most Machine decks these days tend to gravitate towards OTK standards - Chimeratech is just too much of a threat to allow it to go unimpeded.
These two cards are the most handy anti-Machine cards you could ask for. Not only do you wipe the field of a Machine-player, you get a beatstick who's strength rises with the card advantage it gives. If it's a +1, 2000. A +2, 3000. Cyber Dragon by itself is no slouch, being able to pummel a lot of common cards away with it's effect... but that runs the risk of your opponent making their own Chimeratech off it.
In short, Chimeratech is a fantastic anti-Machine card, and almost certainly the reason why most Machine decks these days tend to gravitate towards OTK standards - Chimeratech is just too much of a threat to allow it to go unimpeded.
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