Introduction to Cybernetic Successor - Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel Structure Deck

The remaining Cyberdarks have arrived in Master Duel! Their newly featured cards in the Cybernetic Successor Structure Deck breathe new life into an old 2006 GX-era archetype. In this intro we will go into what they are, the playstyle of these Dragon-Corpse-Wielding-Machines, and talk about how they can be used in the upcoming Fusion Festival. If you are already hooked on them, we also have a finishing section on possible improvements for the ranked ladder.   

Cyber This, Cyber That: What are They?

"Cyberdark" is an archetype adjacent to "Cyber Dragon". Overarchingly, both are a part of the "Cyber" archetype, though that's a rather loose term on its own. The two archetypes share the Spell card Cybernetic Horizon, which attempts to bridge the gap between Cyberdark and Cyber Dragon. Another proof of their kinship is Cyberdark End Dragon. A combination of Cyber End Dragon and Cyberdarkness Dragon, each archetype's leading Fusions fused once more. How original!

Over the years, Cyberdarks have been the ones receiving the short end of the stick. This is why, in deckbuilding terms, it's usually Cyberdarks using Cyber Dragons for an added boost, not the other way around. In order to stay simple, we'll first discuss the merits and strategies coming from the 3x Structure Deck on its own, which is available for 1,500 Gems (500 Gems for a single copy of the deck).

You can find the standard list of the structure deck below, followed by a list comprised of cards from buying the deck 3 times over:

Playstyle & Goal

Cyberdark began as an outdated equipment-based archetype. Machines feeding off Dragons and smashing very hard with increased ATK power. Nowadays, thanks to a touch-up, they received the tools to step-by-step cycle through every noteworthy part of the Deck. Using this laid out path, these edgy metal bones are capable of semi-consistently ending on their Fusion Monster, Cyberdark End Dragon, who clocks in at 5,000 ATK and is unaffected by the activated effects of the opponent.

This puts the Deck at a dilemma. Big attack only make big damage when going second, but the combo is too vulnerable to risk waiting for more interruptions. Most times, passing on just an unaffected Monster going first will be how the duel starts. Depending on the meta, that threat can still easily be dealt with by the other duelist. Accesscode Talker can climb up to 5,300 ATK. Other Decks pack Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon, or a bunch of Kaijus. 

There is a way to help with at least the first two, but more on that at the "Improvements" section at the bottom. At least there's solace knowing that these Extra Deck antagonists won't be around for the Fusion Festival. Even Super Polymerization can't touch the Mecha-Monstrosity! 

Search Power

How many searchers does your preferred Deck have? Two? Maybe three? Well, how about six? Six is the amount Cyberdark can reasonably have access to. That's 18 slots filled to help with consistency, but the Deck needs it. It is not just a matter of finding the right cards in the opening hand, it's about filling up the GY in the process. Think of how Fraktall gets the ball rolling for Tri-Brigade, just in a far more convoluted process.

Here's the overview:

• Cyberdark Cannon - Discards itself to add a Machine-Type Cyberdark to hand.
• Cyberdark Claw - Same as Cannon, but for Cyberdark Spells
• Cyberdark Realm - Adds any Cyberdark Monster.
• Cyber Dragon Core - On Normal Summon searches any Cyber Spell/Trap, thus including Cyberdark
• Cyber Emergency - Another way to get to Cyber Dragon Core
• Cybernetic Horizon - Searches any Cyber Machine/Dragon-Type Monster at the cost of another discard. For that turn, only Machines can be Summoned from the Extra Deck. In addition, this Spell is always treated as "Cyberdark". That means Cyberdark Claw can also search this.

It's important to note that all of these are once per turn.

Combo: Summoning The Dragon to End All End Dragons

The key to Summoning Cyberdark End Dragon lies in Cybernetic Horizon. We need to send Cyber End Dragon to the GY as part of its effect, which then allows Cyberdarkness Dragon to equip it. This fulfills Dark End's alternative Summoning Condition. Luckily, this can be done with a variety of hands. We will go through one detailing the bare minimum, and one more ideal scenario.

Bare Essential Starting Hand

Cyberdark Claw // Any Spell/Trap to discard // Any "Cyber" Monster to discard // Any Cyberdark Monster to Fuse

• Activate Cyberdark Claw to add Cybernetic Horizon.
• Activate Cybernetic Horizon by dumping any 2 "Cyber" Monsters from Deck and Hand to GY, including one Cyberdark. Search Cyber Dragon Core and send Cyber End Dragon to the GY at resolution.
• Normal Summon Cyber Dragon Core, enabling you to add Cyberdark Realm to hand.
• When activating Realm, Cyberdark Cannon will be the next Monster to search.
• Now activate Cannon to replace it with Cyberdark Chimera, which lets you Fusion Summon by banishing materials from the GY.
• Thanks to Cyberdark Realm we have a second Normal Summon for Cyberdark Chimera.
• Chimera now uses its effect to discard the Spell/Trap we started out with, which gets us to Power Bond (Power Bond must be in the Deck for this to work).
• A total of 3 Cyberdark Monsters are now in the GY, Chimera is one on the field, and one was in the starting hand. This means Power Bond can use all 5 to bring out Cyberdarkness Dragon.
• The effect on Summon will let us equip Cyber End Dragon to it and voilà, the unaffected by activated effects 5,000 ATK Monster hits the field.

Got that memorized? If not, good thing this is written out. So feel free to look it up during a turn, if need be. The opponent surely won't mind the 20 seconds extra. One thing to Keep in mind is that, by nature of the Deck, the first five steps can pretty much be done in an interchangeable order with different targets. To build on this, we will go through the parts that significantly changed for the ideal combo path, showing a different route.

"Ideal" Starting Hand

Cyber Emergency // Cyberdark Cannon // Any Spell/Trap to discard

• Emergency adds Core.
• Core adds Realm.
• Realm adds Claw.
• Claw adds Horizon.
• Cannon adds Chimera.
• Horizon is used by discarding Chimera from hand and Core from the Deck.
• Another Chimera will be added, and Cyber End Dragon hits the GY.
• Chimera triggers in the GY, allowing a fourth Cyberdark Monster to be sent from the Deck to the GY.

From there onward it's the same routine as above. In this variation, four Cyberdarks are in the GY, since Chimera was added twice, allowing its effect to send another. When you start out with more combo pieces than needed, consider if you can afford to search Cyberdark Invasion for added disruption.

One last idea to close the combo section out on: It's not always correct to go all in. A potential plan B could involve passing just with Cyberdarkness Dragon. The possibility to negate any effect up to the amount of equipments it has, is worth looking into. Even for something as simple as an activated Maxx "C", ending on a single negate might prove more detrimental than granting the opponent another draw.

Improvements

For starters, the Deck could easily lean further into the Cyber Dragon portion. A Machine Duplication targeting Core can assure your Dark End Dragon won't be alone on the field. It can either extend into Cyber Dragon Infinity or Cyber Dragon Sieger by Summoning 2 Cyber Dragon from the Deck. For a lighter application (get it, they are LIGHT) Cyber Dragon Herz makes it so the second mill from Horizon also comes with an upside.

In case of an OTK oriented take on the Deck, Attachment Cybern is a valuable one-off, giving Cyberdark End Dragon the possibility to attack twice the turn it's Summoned. On top of that, Forbidden Droplet and Evenly Matched go a long way in terms of going second staples to add.

Then there's the more generalized additions. If you truly started out with just the Structure Deck and nothing else, it goes without saying that the format's staples like Called by the Grave and Maxx "C" are good additions. Predaplant Verte Anaconda is another way of gaining additional momentum. It can't use Power Bond, but Overload Fusion can be used to create Chimeratech Rampage Dragon.

Weaponized Curiosities

One odd choice that has a surprising amount of synergy is Eldlich the Golden Lord. We didn't go into the effects concerning equipments at all, since they rarely come up. But in the case that Cyberdark Cannon is equiped to a Monster, an attack allows Eldlich to be sent to the GY. The Lich then sends the Cannon to Summon itself, resulting in a 3,500 ATK Monster and a free draw on top. In the same vein, Elder Entity N'tss is a valid addition for Cyberdark Claw's secondary effect.

Remember that thing about Extra Deck Monsters invalidating all this Deck works up to? All you need to do is go back to basics and actually start equipping Dragons! By that, we're talking about Dragon Buster Destruction Sword. Paired with Union Carrier and/or Foolish Burial the whelp stops any Summon from the Extra Deck when equipped. That's quite the obstacle most decks won't come prepared for.

This strategy comes even in ban-list-proof™ form. If Union Carrier gets axed, Cyberdarks can rely on Protector Whelp of the Destruction Swordsman to still give easy access to lil' Buster. Their ability to equip on their own comes to shine in that regard. Even if a tiny Cyberdark Keel packs the Whelp, some decks just fold to such a strict floodgate.

What to Cut?

In case you are unsure how to move on from the starting list, we'd recommend concentrating only on the main parts mentioned in the combo section. Peripheral inclusions such as Cyber Repair Plant, Cyberdark Invasion, and Cybernetic Overflow can be cut if need be. Additionally, Power Bond, Attachment Cybern, and Cyber Dragon could all be trimmed down by one or two copies each.

You might even find that the three base pieces of Keel, Edge, and Horn aren't too vital. It's best to experience the deck in action for a while and make a judgment based on your own liking. Just remember to make adjustments as you go along, a Deck that stays the same for too long is sure to fail at some point.

Are you bringing the new Structure Deck to the Fusion Event? Any plans on climbing all the way to Diamond with them? Let us know in the comments below!