Mermail-Atlanteans
Since the release of Abyss Rising in the TCG and even before on DN Mermails have swept through the tiers and placed themselves somewhere at the top. But what makes them so good? How to beat them? This article is an in-depth explanation of the Mermail-Atlantean-Deck, its strength and weaknesses.
Main strategy:
Most of the Level 4 and higher Mermails function by discarding WATER monsters to activate their effects, for example adding a Level 3 or lower WATER monster from your deck (Abysspike) to your hand or special summon a 2400-ATK-beater (Abyssmegalo). This discarding effect is what makes them so dangerous! Soon players started using Atlanteans together with Mermails since their effect activate when sent to the graveyard as a cost for a WATER monster’s effect. Their effects include destroying face-up (Infantry) and face-down (Marksman) cards and adding Sea-Serpent-Type monsters from your deck to your hand (Dragoons). Now onto the cards:
Mermails:
Mermail Abyssmegalo he can be searched by Abysslinde or Dragoons and is easily special summoned by discarding 2 WATER monsters. He can also make OTKs with his ability to tribute 1 WATER (triggers the Atlanteans as well!) to attack twice. In addition to that he searches for an “Abyss-” Spell or Trap. He’s the boss of the deck since he is so easy to summon and mostly brings destruction with him.
Mermail Abysslinde is the searcher of the deck, she can special summon every Mermail from the deck when she is destroyed. Not only by battle! Also this card is very handy with Abyss-sphere, since it will get its effect after it is destroyed by Sphere to get you either Abysspike or in most cases Abyssmegalo, since this card has no level restriction either!
Mermail Abysspike is another searcher and he discard WATER monsters to activate this effect, so he can destroy and search at the same time or set do a double search with Dragoons.
Atlanteans:
Atlantean Marksman can provide for OTKs as well, since he can special summon an Atlantean from your deck (except himself) whenever he inflicts battle damage. Also, if you send him to the graveyard to activate a WATER monster’s effect he willdestroy 1 face-down card on the field.
Atlantean Heavy Infantry can normal summon another Sea-Serpent from your hand, allowing you to make Level 7 or 8 Synchros with Deep Sea Diva (Diva Infantry Level 3 or 4 Atlantean in hand). His second effect is similar to the one of Marksman except he destroys face-up cards.
Atlantean Dragoons is the searcher for Sea-Serpents: his effect also triggers when sent to the graveyard to activate a WATER monsters ability and then he adds a Sea-Serpent from your deck to your hand. This card can also search for high level cards like Abyssmegalo or Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord. Or add Deep Sea Diva to your hand to open up another good play with her.
Others:
Deep Sea Diva is another one of the many searchers of the deck and basically your WATER Tour Guide: She special summons a Level 3 or lower Sea-Serpent from your deck when normal summoned. For example she can grab Marksman to further swarm the field or pick Infantry to make a Rank 2 Xyz or go for a higher level Synchro because she is also a Tuner.
Genex Undine is a fantastic card for the deck. When normal summoned she sends a WATER monster from the deck to the grave to add a Genex Controller to your hand which is a normal level 3 Tuner. Note that sending a WATER monster is a cost, so Atlanteans will get their effects, and even if Undine's effect is negated the cost will still be payed and you will still get the Atlantean's effect. So Undine will be a 2, she adds a Controller to your hand and destroys a card (Marksman/Infantry) or adds a Sea-Serpent to your hand (Dragoons).
Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord is the new WATER Dark Armed Dragon. He can be special summoned by having exactly 5 WATERs in the graveyard and then he discards 2 random cards from your opponent’s hand. Though if he's destroyed you cannot conduct your next battle phase.
Salvage is a very good addition to this deck it retrieves almost all of your monsters: Diva, Infantry, Marksman, Undine and Abysslinde. From there on it can the deck can swarm again.
Spiritual Water Art - Aoi is awesome to run in Mermails since they are all WATER monsters and it can make good use of left-over Divas or Infantries. It also allows you to know what your opponent plays early game and get rid of problem cards.
Extra Deck:
The high amount of WATER monsters allows this deck to run Dewloren, Tiger of the Ice Barrier and Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier in the Extra Deck, two very powerful Synchro monsters. The deck can also easily Synchro from Level 4 to 8 or Xyz Rank 2 to 4 opening up a variety of possibilities for the Extra Deck.
Side Deck
Mermails side MST and Royal Decree to negate Macro Cosmos, Dimenisonal Fissure and similar cards. They also can side into Airorca a Level 3 Sea-Serpent that can destroy face-up cards by banishing himself and a Fish, Aqua or Sea-Serpent from the hand. He returns during your next Standby Phase. They can also run Mind Crush due to Aoi.
Weaknesses:
As you may have noticed Mermails search a lot and their effects rely heavily on the graveyard. So, really good cards to side against them are Thunder King Rai-Oh, Macro Cosmos or Soul Drain. Though be aware that most Mermail Decks side Royal Decrees and max out on MSTs so you need to protect your Macros. Another good card to use is Mind Crush: Like Wind-Up Shark Abyssmegalo needs to reveal itself before special summoning itself, so you can chain Mind Crush and call Mermail Abyssmegalo to prevent him from special summoning. Or discard a card they searched for earlier, which you know they have in their hand. If your deck cannot handle Macro Cosmos or Soul Drain itself you can use Maxx “C” and D.D. Crow although the traps are better. Keep in mind that the Atlanteans are sent as a cost, so even if you negate the effect they will still get the effect of the Atlantean.
Since the release of Abyss Rising in the TCG and even before on DN Mermails have swept through the tiers and placed themselves somewhere at the top. But what makes them so good? How to beat them? This article is an in-depth explanation of the Mermail-Atlantean-Deck, its strength and weaknesses.
Main strategy:
Most of the Level 4 and higher Mermails function by discarding WATER monsters to activate their effects, for example adding a Level 3 or lower WATER monster from your deck (Abysspike) to your hand or special summon a 2400-ATK-beater (Abyssmegalo). This discarding effect is what makes them so dangerous! Soon players started using Atlanteans together with Mermails since their effect activate when sent to the graveyard as a cost for a WATER monster’s effect. Their effects include destroying face-up (Infantry) and face-down (Marksman) cards and adding Sea-Serpent-Type monsters from your deck to your hand (Dragoons). Now onto the cards:
Mermails:
Mermail Abyssmegalo he can be searched by Abysslinde or Dragoons and is easily special summoned by discarding 2 WATER monsters. He can also make OTKs with his ability to tribute 1 WATER (triggers the Atlanteans as well!) to attack twice. In addition to that he searches for an “Abyss-” Spell or Trap. He’s the boss of the deck since he is so easy to summon and mostly brings destruction with him.
Spoiler :
Mermail Abysslinde is the searcher of the deck, she can special summon every Mermail from the deck when she is destroyed. Not only by battle! Also this card is very handy with Abyss-sphere, since it will get its effect after it is destroyed by Sphere to get you either Abysspike or in most cases Abyssmegalo, since this card has no level restriction either!
Spoiler :
Mermail Abysspike is another searcher and he discard WATER monsters to activate this effect, so he can destroy and search at the same time or set do a double search with Dragoons.
Spoiler :
Atlanteans:
Atlantean Marksman can provide for OTKs as well, since he can special summon an Atlantean from your deck (except himself) whenever he inflicts battle damage. Also, if you send him to the graveyard to activate a WATER monster’s effect he willdestroy 1 face-down card on the field.
Spoiler :
Atlantean Heavy Infantry can normal summon another Sea-Serpent from your hand, allowing you to make Level 7 or 8 Synchros with Deep Sea Diva (Diva Infantry Level 3 or 4 Atlantean in hand). His second effect is similar to the one of Marksman except he destroys face-up cards.
Spoiler :
Atlantean Dragoons is the searcher for Sea-Serpents: his effect also triggers when sent to the graveyard to activate a WATER monsters ability and then he adds a Sea-Serpent from your deck to your hand. This card can also search for high level cards like Abyssmegalo or Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord. Or add Deep Sea Diva to your hand to open up another good play with her.
Spoiler :
Others:
Deep Sea Diva is another one of the many searchers of the deck and basically your WATER Tour Guide: She special summons a Level 3 or lower Sea-Serpent from your deck when normal summoned. For example she can grab Marksman to further swarm the field or pick Infantry to make a Rank 2 Xyz or go for a higher level Synchro because she is also a Tuner.
Spoiler :
Genex Undine is a fantastic card for the deck. When normal summoned she sends a WATER monster from the deck to the grave to add a Genex Controller to your hand which is a normal level 3 Tuner. Note that sending a WATER monster is a cost, so Atlanteans will get their effects, and even if Undine's effect is negated the cost will still be payed and you will still get the Atlantean's effect. So Undine will be a 2, she adds a Controller to your hand and destroys a card (Marksman/Infantry) or adds a Sea-Serpent to your hand (Dragoons).
Spoiler :
Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord is the new WATER Dark Armed Dragon. He can be special summoned by having exactly 5 WATERs in the graveyard and then he discards 2 random cards from your opponent’s hand. Though if he's destroyed you cannot conduct your next battle phase.
Spoiler :
Salvage is a very good addition to this deck it retrieves almost all of your monsters: Diva, Infantry, Marksman, Undine and Abysslinde. From there on it can the deck can swarm again.
Spoiler :
Spiritual Water Art - Aoi is awesome to run in Mermails since they are all WATER monsters and it can make good use of left-over Divas or Infantries. It also allows you to know what your opponent plays early game and get rid of problem cards.
Spoiler :
Extra Deck:
The high amount of WATER monsters allows this deck to run Dewloren, Tiger of the Ice Barrier and Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier in the Extra Deck, two very powerful Synchro monsters. The deck can also easily Synchro from Level 4 to 8 or Xyz Rank 2 to 4 opening up a variety of possibilities for the Extra Deck.
Side Deck
Mermails side MST and Royal Decree to negate Macro Cosmos, Dimenisonal Fissure and similar cards. They also can side into Airorca a Level 3 Sea-Serpent that can destroy face-up cards by banishing himself and a Fish, Aqua or Sea-Serpent from the hand. He returns during your next Standby Phase. They can also run Mind Crush due to Aoi.
Weaknesses:
As you may have noticed Mermails search a lot and their effects rely heavily on the graveyard. So, really good cards to side against them are Thunder King Rai-Oh, Macro Cosmos or Soul Drain. Though be aware that most Mermail Decks side Royal Decrees and max out on MSTs so you need to protect your Macros. Another good card to use is Mind Crush: Like Wind-Up Shark Abyssmegalo needs to reveal itself before special summoning itself, so you can chain Mind Crush and call Mermail Abyssmegalo to prevent him from special summoning. Or discard a card they searched for earlier, which you know they have in their hand. If your deck cannot handle Macro Cosmos or Soul Drain itself you can use Maxx “C” and D.D. Crow although the traps are better. Keep in mind that the Atlanteans are sent as a cost, so even if you negate the effect they will still get the effect of the Atlantean.