Night of the Living Duel

These monstrous cards will leave your foes dead in their tracks!

By John Bae January 14, 2016

Zombies have been a fan favorite monster Type ever since Vampire Lord was first released all the way back in 2003! Since then, Zombie strategies have evolved with the times, eventually adding Synchro Monsters to their arsenal. Breakers of Shadow brings Zombies and Synchros back for another round courtesy of the new “Shiranui” monsters!

Ygo Duelodead 1

All of the Shiranui are FIRE Zombie-Type monsters with 0 DEF. As a result, they’re compatible with all the great Zombie-related cards you already have. Cards like Mezuki, Zombie Master, Uni-Zombie, Book of Life and Tristan, Knight of the Underworld all work with these monsters giving them a built-in base of cards to combo with. The strategy itself is based around using and re-using Shiranui Spectralsword, a Level 2 Tuner monster that can be used twice—once on the field and once in the Graveyard!

Ygo Duelodead 2

Combine Shiranui Spectralsword with the Level 4 Shiranui Smith, and you can Summon Shiranui Samuraisaga while adding a new “Shiranui” card from your Deck to your hand with Smith’s ability. Samuraisaga can return your banished cards to the Graveyard to switch weaker monsters into Defense Position, but the real combo here is with the card you get from Shiranui Smith. Choose Shiranui Style Swallow’s Slash and you’ll be able to Tribute Samuraisaga to destroy one of your opponent’s cards, banish a “Shiranui” monster from your Deck to activate its special ability and leave Samuraisaga and Spectralsword in the Graveyard where you can banish them both to Summon Shiranui Shogunsaga!

Shiranui Shogunsaga powers itself up on the turn it’s Summoned by banishing another Zombie from your Graveyard, triggering its ability if it’s another Shiranui. Samuraisaga will weaken one of your opponent’s monsters as well with its own ability after it’s banished, leaving one of your opponent’s monsters weaker and your Shogunsaga even stronger. Shogunsaga’s ATK boost only lasts until the end of the turn, but if your opponent destroys it you can return your banished Spectralsword to the Graveyard where you can use it again to start a new string of Special Summons!

The new “Shiranui” monsters take advantage of all the natural strengths of Zombie monsters while adding their own distinct spin on the strategy! You can try them out yourself when Breakers of Shadow  launches on January 15th!