An Introduction To Elemental HEROs
The Beginning Of Elemental HEROs
If you've seen the Yu-Gi-Oh GX anime then you better know Jaden and Elemental HEROs. Jaden is the main character in the anime and is one of the best anime duelist we've seen. In the original anime with Yugi, archtypes were rarely seen if even there. But Elemental HEROs are the first archtype we are introduced to. The first duel is the test duel between Dr. Crowler who uses Ancient Gears, another archtype that is new. Throughout the duel we learn that Elemental HEROs are fusion based and pack quite a punch. Jaden wins by having the field spell Skyscraper and summoning Elemental Hero Flame Wingman with 2100 ATK points. Dr. Crowler has an Ancient Gear Golem with 3000 ATK points. But behold, the field spell boosts Flame Wingmans attack to 3100, destroys Crowler's Golem and using its effect, Crowler takes 3000 more points of damage, ending in a loss for Crowler. Throughout the anime, we meet additions to the Elemental HERO archtype. For example, in season 2 of GX, we see the creation of Elemental HERO Neos and the Neo-Spacians living in Neo-space. We also see Destiny HEROs used by Aster Phoenix, Jadens rival and soon to be good friend. In season 3 we see the creation of Evil HEROs and the almighty Super Polymerization. Though the Elemental HEROs archtype may be old, it is still a classic and fun archtype to use. Even though nowadays it's all about the effect HEROs like Neos Alius, Stratos and others, the classic Burstinatrax, Avian, Clayman and Sparkman will always be in our hearts as classics.
The Popular Styles of Elemental HEROs in the Format
#1 Rabbit HEROs
Rabbit HEROs combines normal HEROs with Rescue Rabbit, a very powerful card. when banished, you can summon 2 normal monsters with the same name from your deck to the field. It makes for easy, quick Xyz summoning for Heroic Champion - Exalibur or Blade Armor Ninja. The deck doesn't focus much on traps, mainly the monsters and spells like gemini spark to combine with Neos Alius. Typical traps run in Rabbit HEROs are Mirror Force, Solemn Warning and Judgment and other hate traps. Most people will run Tour Guide and Sangan so when Sangan is destroyed, you can add Rabbit to your hand.
#2 Bubble Beat
Bubble Beat is an OTK style deck using Bubbleman to Xyz Summon with other HEROs. The main card in the deck is Elemental HERO Bubbleman and when it is the only card in your hand, you can Special Summon it to the field. So players will set all their Spells and/or Traps, Normal Summon a HERO monster then Special Summon Bubbleman to Xyz. Very simple deck that actually doesn't run many monsters. It focuses mainly on spells like Reinforcement of the Army, A Hero Lives, E - Emergency Call etc... The trap usage in the deck are hate traps again like Mirror Force, Compulsory Evacuation Device, typically 12 cards are used in the deck. But the main purpose of the deck is to Xyz Summon quickly with Bubbleman and OTK the opponent as fast as possible.
#3 Classic HERO Beatdown
Even though it's classic, it's still a very close top tier deck of the format. Elemental HEROs were meant for Fusion Summoning more powerful HEROs through the weaker ones. (We know this because there is over a million Fusion Elemental HERO Monsters). The idea of a Beatdown or Beatstick deck is to Summon powerful Fusion Monsters that the opponent can't destroy by battle easily. In Beatstick decks, the trap usage is very minimal about 4-7. The deck is mainly focused on having a ton of Fusion Spells like Super Polymerization, Miracle Fusion, Fusion Gate and having a bunch of Elemental HERO monsters. The great thing about this deck is that it is very consistant when built properly. You will have a good hand 90% of the time. Another great thing about this deck is Super Polymerization and Omni HEROs. Super Polymerization allows Fusion Materials to be on either side of the field. And I'll explain Omni HEROs later in the article.
Omni HEROs
Omni HEROs are a new kind of Fusion Monsters in the Elemental HERO archtype. Instead of having 2 specific Fusion Materials, for example Elemental HERO Sparkman and Clayman fuse together to make Elemental HERO Thunder Giant, Omni HEROs are summoned by 1 HERO monster and an Atrribute depending on the Omni HERO.
Elemental HERO The Shining
2600ATK/2100DEF 8 Stars, Light Attribute, Warrior/Fusion/Effect (1 "Elemental HERO" monster + 1 LIGHT monster)
Effect :
Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card gains 300 ATK for each of your banished "Elemental HERO" monsters. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: You can target up to 2 of your banished "Elemental HERO" monsters; add those targets to your hand.
A favorite amongst Elemental HERO users. Combine it with Miracle Fusion and you have a 3200ATK Beatstick. Banish Stratos so when Shining is destroyed, you get Stratos right back.
Elemental HERO Escuridao
2500ATK/2000DEF 8 Stars, Dark Attribute, Warrior/Fusion/Effect (1 "Elemental HERO" monster + 1 DARK monster)
Effect :
Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card gains 100 ATK for each "Elemental HERO" monster in your Graveyard.
Pump your grave full of Elemental HEROs and Escuridao becomes an incredibly powerful monster.
Elemental HERO Absolute Zero
2500ATK/2000DEF 8 Stars, Water Attribute, Warrior/Fusion/Effect (1 "HERO" monster + 1 WATER monster)
Effect :
Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card gains 500 ATK for each face-up WATER monster on the field, except "Elemental HERO Absolute Zero". When this card leaves the field: Destroy all monsters your opponent controls.
Great monster to clear the field. Combine it with Mask Change and when it leaves the field, Zero destroys all of the opponents monsters. Then summon Masked HERO Acid and destroy the opponents Spells and Traps.
Elemental HERO Great Tornado
2800ATK/2200DEF 8 Stars, Wind Attribute, Warrior/Fusion/Effect (1 "Elemental HERO" monster + 1 WIND monster)
Effect :
Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When this card is Fusion Summoned: Halve the ATK and DEF of all face-up monsters your opponent controls. This effect is cool because it lingers on to the monster until it is destroyed.
A good beatstick to summon if you have no other choice. It can also be used to destroy powerful monsters your opponent controls because of Tornado's effect.
Elemental HERO Gaia
2600ATK/2200DEF 6 Stars, Earth Attribute, Warrior/Fusion/Effect (1 "Elemental HERO" monster + 1 EARTH Monster)
Effect :
This monster cannot be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon. When this card is Fusion Summoned, select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. Until the end of this turn, that monster's ATK is halved and this card gains the same amount of ATK.
An interesting Omni HERO because it's the only one that isn't 8 stars. But it's basically like Great Tornado instead of all monsters it's 1 monster and Gaia gains ATK to the halve amount. So if the opponent has a powerful monster, Summon Gaia and the problem is solved.
Elemental HERO Nova Master
2600ATK/2100DEF 8 Stars, Fire Attribute, Warrior/Fusion/Effect (1 "Elemental HERO" monster + 1 FIRE monster)
Effect :
Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned in other ways. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: Draw 1 card.
Not used very often but if your opponent is a fire user, then Nova Master is perfect. Also if you are low on cards in your hand, summon Nova Master and draw some cards.
Key Cards In Elemental HEROs
1.
Elemental HERO Stratos
1800ATK/300DEF 4 stars, Wind Attribute, Warrior/Effect
Stratos is a main card in Elemental HEROs because it has a decent amount of ATK points (1800) and it's a free search for another Elemental HERO. So if you're using Bubblebeat and your entire hand is spells/traps and Stratos, search for Bubbleman and get a free Rank 4 Xyz monster on the first turn.
2.
+ 
Elemental HERO Alius + Gemini Spark
Neos Alius is a 1900ATK Beatstick. It's a good search if you need a monster when using Stratos's effect. Neos Alius is also a Gemini Monster so it can be used with Gemini Spark to tribute Neos Alius, destroy a card on the field, then draw a card. Neos Alius can also be used for summoning Shining. So you use Gemini Spark to get Neos Alius in the grave, then use Miracle Fusion, using Stratos and Neos Alius and summon Elemental HERO The Shining with 3200 ATK points.
3.
Super Polymerization
Super Polymerization is considered the best Fusion Spell card in the game of Yu-Gi-Oh. You discard 1 card and it can use fusion materials on either side of the field. This card is perfect for Omni HEROs because no matter what Attribute monsters you're dueling, you can always manage to fuse them together provided you have an Elemental HERO on your field. It's also a Quick Play Spell so it can be used on either players turn.
4.
Miracle Fusion
Miracle Fusion is a card best used with Elemental HERO The Shining. You can use Fusion Materials either on your field or in your graveyard. It banishes them and you can Fusion Summon a monster, and since Elemental HERO The Shining gains 300 ATK for each banished Elemental HERO, it's basically a free power boost.
Main Weakness To Elemental HEROs
Gravekeepers: Gravekeepers are treacherous to Elemental HERO's. The main reason is Necrovalley. Now, Necrovalley negates any effects that happen in the graveyard or affect the graveyard. So this already destroys Miracle Fusion, Monster Reborn and anything else in the graveyard. Also, many Gravekeeper users will use cards like Skill Drain or Malefics. Skill Drain negates effects of monsters on the field and Malefics are huge beatstick monsters incredibly easy to summon. So if you're an Elemental HEROs and you see a Gravekeeper user, walk the other way because it will be a very painful duel for you.
Some Elemental HERO Tips
1. When running almost any Elemental HERO deck, I would say always run 3 Miracle Fusions, 3 Neos Alius, 1 Stratos, 2-3 Super Polys and 1-2 E - Emergency Calls.
2. A cool move you can do in the beginning is to Normal Summon Stratos, search for Elemental HERO Captain Gold, discard Gold to add Skyscraper, then use Miracle Fusion and Fusion Summon Elemental HERO The Shining. So on your first move, you have a 3200 ATK Beatstick and a field spell.
3. In your Extra deck, I wouldn't run any other Fusion HEROs except the Omni HEROs but you can Experiment with other Fusion HEROs. I find it much easier to run the Omni HEROs because they are very powerful and much easier to Fusion Summon.
4. If you are running Rabbit HEROs, in your main deck I would run only the level 4 Normal HERO monsters which are Elemental HERO Sparkman and Clayman. You can Experiment with the level 3 Normal HERO monsters but side them at best because with the level 4 monsters you can Xyz Summon Heroic Champion - Excalibur and Blade Armor Ninja.
So In conclusion Elemental HEROs have been a classic archtype the minute they were released. They are still used and considered one of the best decks of the format. So if you always wanted to bring justice to Yu-Gi-Oh, then Elemental HEROs are perfect for you.
