Archetype discussion #1 - Evilswarm

Hi readers. Welcome to my first archetype discussion. Today I will be talking about Evilswarm or as they are known in Japan, the Verz. In this segment I will discuss the archetypes history, their relevance in the current competitive meta-game, discuss their individual cards and post a deck list or two.

Evilswarm are an archetype of dark monsters that are best recognised by their attack and defence both ending with 50 (excluding Kerykeion). Each of the Evilswarm's are corrupted versions of other monsters, for example, Evilswarm Mandragora is a corrupted Naturia Cosmobeet. The full list can be seen here: http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Lswarm. The monsters are mostly level/rank 4 and the deck's main focus is getting out and protecting their many different xyz's.

The Evilswarm archetype has recently been released in the TCG in Hidden Arsenal 7, Knight of Stars. 

The deck has become extremely popular in Japan due to its relative effectiveness versus the powerful Elemental dragons and Spellbook/prophecy archetypes. The ability for the deck to play Macro cosmos and the eradicator/deck devastation virus cards gives it a great boost in our current meta. Resolving an eradicator epidemic virus can often seal the game versus decks such as Hero's and Prophecy.

The deck's main advantage however, is its 'trump' card, Evilswarm Ophion. This xyz can be extremely hard to deal with because of its ability to search out an infestation pandemic virus, protecting itself and all other face-up Evilswarms from spells and traps for the turn. Also, while this card has xyz material, level 5 or higher monsters cant be special summoned. Meaning no Gorz, Tragoedia, Master Hyperion, Elemental hero the shining, High priestess of prophecy and the list goes on.  Leaving you with only a few ways of dealing with the powerful Ophion. Your best bet against the card is removal like snowman eater (searchable with Abysspike) or cards such as Inzektor hornet. However, a good Evilswarm duelist would have planned for these cards and would have counters such as forbidden dress and safe-zone to add further protection to Ophion. Safe zone is a great way to protect Ophion, because when your opponent finds the mystical space typhoon/heavy storm to remove it, the Evilswarm player can just activated their searched Infestation pandemic and protect Ophion from safe zones destruction effect.

The other Evilswarm xyz's are great but Ophion is the Evilswarm you will be seeing the most of. The Evilswarm deck is focused on getting out the two required level 4 Evilswarm monsters and you will rarely go a game without seeing Ophion. 

Evilswarm Bahamut is the Evilswarm version of Big eye, with its effect to steal opponents monsters. Evilswarm Ouroboros is the Evilswarm version of Trishula, dragon of the ice barrier, with its very similar effects. 

The most effective and commonly used Evilswarm monsters are as follows (not in any particular order): 

• Evilswarm Mandragora - Its cyber dragon like effect helps with quick access to having multiple level 4's on the field at a given time. Usually play 2-3 copies. 
• Evilswarm Heliotrope - A big 1950 atk beat-stick that can be brought out by Rescue Rabbit for an instant Ophion. Also gets over troublesome 1900 atk monsters. Run 3 with Rescue Rabbit.
• Evilswarm Thunderbird - Evilswarm's own wind-up rabbit. Be careful though, unlike rescue rabbit, its effect can only be activated in response to another effect. Run 3.
• Evilswarm Kerykeion - Although not currently out in the TCG, Kerykeion is a one card xyz and a huge boost to Evilswarms. Run 3 when its released. 
• Evilswarm Castor - A great card that is searchable with reinforcement of the army. Its effect cannot be negated with effect veiler either since it provides a condition to the field when summoned. Run 3.

Below is the current Evilswarm deck I play online and if I were to make the deck in real life, this is the version I would play, (Post Kerykeion):

Monsters: 19

3 Evilswarm Heliotrope

3 Evilswarm Thunderbird

3 Evilswarm Kerykeion

3 Evilswarm Castor

2 Evilswarm Mandragora

2 Rescue rabbit

2 Effect veiler

1 Dark armed dragon

Spells: 11

3 Forbidden dress

2 Infestation pandemic

2 Mystical space typhoon

1 Allure of darkness

1 Monster reborn

1 Dark hole

1 Heavy storm

1 Reinforcement of the army

 

Traps : 10

2 Safe zone

2 Compulsory evacuation device

2 Bottomless trap hole

1 Infestation infection

1 Solemn warning

1 Solemn judgement

So that's my take on Evilswarm. I hope you enjoyed the article and learnt a bit more about this fascinating new Archetype. 

Until next time! 

~Matt