The Shining Zero

So I've been the last few days, what with schoolwork and a near-death experience and all. But of course, even with all this craziness I haven't failed to pre-order my copies of Elemental Hero The Shining. I've run the new deck through several simulations and let me you: the deck is AMAZING!

Elemental Hero The Shining
(Warrior-Type/LIGHT/Level 8/ATK 2600/DEF 2100)
1 "Elemental Hero" monster + 1 LIGHT monster

This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon. This card gains 300 ATK for each of your removed from play "Elemental Hero" monsters. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, you can select up to 2 of your removed from play "Elemental Hero" monsters, and add them to your hand.

In the past I've always had to wait to set-up my graveyard unless I happened to open up with Prisma or E-Call in hand. But back then my main go-to hero was Absolute Zero and later Gaia. Now any combination of the Elemental Heroes that I run will fuse, making the deck play much smoother. I had to scrap the General Raihos from the previous build, however, after noticing a flaw in its effect. Apparently it can only negate effects that resolve on the Field, making it much less playable than I had initially believed. Thus I'm currently running a Hero Beat/Light Gemini Variant, shown below:

THE SHINING ZERO (MARCH 2011)

MONSTERS (18)

1 Gorz the Emissary of Darkness

3 Elemental Hero Neos Alius

2 Crusader of Endymion

1 Elemental Hero Stratos

2 Elemental Hero Prisma

2 D.D. Warrior Lady

1 Elemental Hero Wildheart

2 Elemental Hero Ocean

1 Honest

1 Glow-Up Bulb

2 Snowman Eater

SPELLS  (19)

3 Miracle Fusion

3 Gemini Spark

2 Pot of Duality [PROXIED]

2 Forbidden Lance [PROXIED]

2 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Reinforcement of the Army

1 Super Polymerization

1 E – Emergency Call

1 Monster Reborn

1 Book of Moon

1 Future Fusion

1 Dark Hole

TRAPS (3)

1 Mirror Force

1 Torrential Tribute

1 Call of the Haunted

I've been using the deck for about two weeks now and I really like it. It's very consistent. I've run many Hero variants in the past and this one has got to be my favorite. The only real issue I've faced in my trials is running into Eradicator Epidemic Virus which obliterates my hand if I have mostly Spells, which tends to happen, a lot. I can still survive the three turns but it makes games much more challenging. Fortunately Malefics are not consistent enough as is, so for now I haven't had too much trouble winning the match-up.

I was thinking about replacing the Glow-Up Bulb with a Neo-Spacian Grand Mole but losing the ability to summon Black Rose Dragon might definitely hurt. I've won quite a few game thanks to Black Rose's second effect and a powered up Shining on the Field.

Remember players, the game ends with you.

Doomsday Machine

Unlike his brethren, Malefic Cyber End Dragon just screams for abuse, in fact it's borderline ban-worthy. Like Malefic Stardust Dragon it requires no additional Main Deck support save for Field Spells and carries enough bulk to hold its own in a game. It's compatible with Allure of Darkness or Machina Fortress in a pinch, can OTK with Limiter Removal, serve as Tribute fodder for two Virus cards, and is immune to the likes of the Allies of Justice, notably Catastor. Expect to see Gravekeeper's and Geartown variants teching some of these bad boys once the Movie Pack is released. 

And the art is sexy as hell. ^__^

Malefic Cyber End Dragon (Machine-Type/DARK/Level 10/ATK 4000/DEF 2800)

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by removing from play 1 "Cyber End Dragon" from your Extra Deck. There can only be 1 face-up "Malefic" monster on the field. Other monsters you control cannot declare an attack. If there is no face-up Field Spell Card on the field, destroy this card.

Remember players, the game ends with you.