Magnet Warriors Guide Published on June 21, 2019 by Aankara Updated on August 16, 2019 More Sample Decks, Matchups and Skills Updated!

Introduction

The Guardians of Rock mini box brought a lot of new support to the archetype with powerful boss monster like and also great searchers/deck-thinners such as .

Magnet Warriors is a really interesting archetype for two main reasons:

It allows a lot of various lines of plays making duels way more interesting that identical boring loops (hello Red-Eyes)

While not being super cheap it is still way less expensive than most of the other meta decks such as Six Samurais or Blue-Eyes

Author

Hello, I am Aankara, a 23-year-old French guy who loves Yu-Gi-Oh since… Well as far as I can remember. While patiently waiting for XYZ to come to Duel Links, resurrecting my favorite archetype, Madolches, I decided to make a guide on Magnet Warriors!

Hope you will enjoy!

Overview

This archetype mostly relies on fueling your graveyard with Magnet monsters for your first one/two turns to then summon your win conditions, and boss monsters, , or .

The key thing is to float your monsters well enough to fuel your graveyard and thin your deck without letting your opponent kill you too fast.

Your boss monsters will be your win condition 90% of the time so you need to be really cautious when summoning them. Do not do summon them as soon as you can, try to use your opponent resources first.

This archetype is based around banishing card, which makes it weak to and . Moreover, banishing a card often means you will not be able to use it anymore, so be really careful in managing your resources.

Last but not least, this deck is EXTREMELY consistent which allows you to play a bit more than 20 cards to add some tech cards or the 30-card version of course… Well if that does not trigger your OCD like it does for me…

Skill Choice

Magnets have no mandatory skill you need to use. The choice depends a lot on your playstyle, your decklist and the meta.

For the 30-card version, I recommend as you have a lot of cards that you can easily search from your deck, so it does not matter if you send them back to your deck. Also cards like are not needed in your hand after you used one copy. and are also usually better in the deck respectively to activate your level 3 Magnets’ and ’s effects. If you face backrow-heavy decks you can also go for with

For the 20-card version is the main option but can be a good choice too.

Core Cards

Here are the core cards for any Magnet decklist.

Delta The Magnet Warrior (3x): Allows you to thin your deck a lot while sending the key monsters you need to summon your boss monster/get back with , or . Also applies pressure to your opponent as Delta being destroyed can often mean a being special summoned to the field or simply become resources for Alpha The Electromagnet Warrior (3x): Searches when normal or special summoned and then on your opponent turn. Amazing deck thinning.

Beta The Electromagnet Warrior (1x): I wish we had more copies of this card. Probably the best card of your deck. Fuels up your hand while thinning your deck like crazy. Delta sending Beta to the grave into is the play of this deck. Gamma The Electromagnet Warrior (2-3x): Works well as both a starter and an extender. Though starting with him as the only monster in your hand is not good and will ask you to stall longer before pushing for game.

Berserkion the Electromagna Warrior (1-2x): The boss monster you need to play at least 1 copy of. If you are able to fuel your graveyard enough and his summoning is not disrupt, this card just wins on its own.

Other Potential Cards

I have ordered the cards by relevance, effectiveness, and how often I have seen them in decklists from other people. Starting with those good in the 30-card versions.

That Grass Looks Greener (3x): Essential for the 30-card version of the deck. Having it turn 1 or 2 makes your deck pop off like crazy thanks to the crazy amount of resources you get from your graveyard. Magnet Conversion (3x): Godlike card with . It allows you to protect yourself by floating your banished monsters. In combo with you can easily add to your hand the level 3 Magnet Warrior you need. Really great extender and/or recovery card especially in combo with and . Can give you an easy second Berserkion summon.

Block Dragon (1-2x): In the 30-card version you are going to fuel your graveyard with monsters pretty fast allowing multiple summons of Block Dragon. Also, his effect when being send to the graveyard will allow you to fuel back your hand for a potential recovery play. In many match-ups this card will be key to stall with its 3000k Def and its Powerful Rebirth (2-3x): Awesome combo with any of the level 3 effect Magnet Monster after you sent them to the grave with Delta effect or with their own. It works both as an extender and as a protection to delay your opponent. Also really nice with .

World Legacy Clash (1-3x): A toolbox card, that can allow your monsters to get over bigger ones controlled by your opponent. It also protect one of your Magnet from destruction while preventing an attack and potentially decreasing another one close to 0 damage. Doki Doki (1-3x): Great extender. But it does not work with all your Magnets, it uses your normal summon and it leaves you with a 500 Atk monster in attack position. Also having it in your deck allows to search for him and two level 3 Magnets.

Cosmic Cyclone (2-3x): Really good card in a 30-card decklist. Getting rid of backrow is really important before going into Berserkion. Valkyrion the Magna Warrior (0-1x): With only one available, the choice is tough between three Berserkion and two Berserkion one Valkyrion. Compared to Berserkion, Valkyrion is only a bigger, with no useful effects, beatstick. But it also has big advantages such as: does not need an incredible amount of resources to be effective, can be summoned easily from the deck, prevents a lot lethal by simply being special summoned on the field… I still prefer not to run this card but its surprise factor is something to consider as people do not play around it anymore. You can also have one Valkyrion in your side deck for matchups where he is super relevant, such as Blue Eyes.

Triamid Pulse (1-3x): Only to be used in a 30-card version. Devastating power after using Grass. You can use it to either destroy your opponent resources or special summon a Magnet Warrior to activate its effect(s). It also allows you to bring back Berserkion from grave (if you summoned him properly first). Enemy Controller (1-2x): Note sure I need to detail this card. Simply one of the best staples in the game. Econ-take plays sending a Magnet to the graveyard will also allow you to start some of your combos, or extend them.

Plaguespreader Zombie (1-2x): Actually really good in a 30-card decklist. You can easily summon level 5 and 6 synchro monsters. Or even level 9 synchros such as , to clear part of your opponent threats before going into Berserkion. You can even use to get access to more synchros like . Snipe Hunter (1-2x): Amazing card for the Magnet deck. First it works really well with the Magnet monsters since sending them to the graveyard is usually harmless (you can banish them from there to summon Berserkion) and you can summon them back with anyway. It will also trigger ’s effect, if you have the needed resources in grave that is. It also fits perfectly with that I will cover later in this section. Last but not least, a Snipe Hunter will often force a spell/trap response from your opponent (if he has any) when he is summoned, allowing to freely summon Berserkion after.

Gaia Plate the Earth Giant (1x): Another potential boss monster for the deck. It can be better than Valkyrion in some situations/matchups (such as Subterrors) but it is not searchable. Treacherous Trap Hole (1-2x): Again one of the best staples in the game. You can also target of your level 3 effect Magnet monster with it and then tribute it thanks to its own effect, avoiding a -1 in card advantage.

Drowning Mirror Force (1-3x): Magnet players want to delay their opponent until they have their full combo ready. This card does exactly that Hey, Trunade! (1-2x): If you do not play the & version of the deck this card can give you quick OTKs but you won’t be able to play nor and that hurts…

Storm (2-3x): This card beats Red-Eyes decks on its own in combo with and . Usually an easy side-out versus decks not relying on much backrow. Share the Pain (1-2x): Works well with your level 3-4 Magnets. And like it does not target nor destroys.

Beta The Magnet Warrior (1x): Works with (covered later) and allows more fuel for your boss monsters. Also nice if you play multiple copies of . Downbeat (1-3x): Really good extender to speed up your combos. But you usually don’t want to draw into it past your first turn and it only works with your level 4 Magnets.

Magnet Reverse (1x): Obvious amazing recovery card, summoning back your boss monster. Can be a brick if you have it too early. Works really well with . Double Magical Arm Bind (1-2x): Amazing tech card versus Koa’ki Neos, Blue-Eyes, in the mirror… And it is clearly not expected by most of your opponents.

Burial from a Different Dimension (1x): Great extender to refuel your graveyard for Berserkion. Sphere Kuriboh (1-2x): The best hand-trap in the game. So why not?

Offerings to the Doomed (1-2x): With a decent starting hand, skipping a draw phase is not an issue at all, while disrupting your opponent combos. Creature Seizure (2-3x): Awesome card in combo with . Do not play it without the skill obviously. This card does not target so plays around Red-Eyes Slash.

Block Golem (2-3x): A nice follow-up after . But it conflicts with some tech cards and they are usually better choices. Ties of the Brethren (1-2x): This card could be used in a 20-card version to up the consistency and pop-off potential of the deck. But Magnets are consistent enough on their owns and the 2 000 LP you have to pay make this card not worth it. Nonetheless, it is a really good card in a 30-card version, if you do not open with Grass. You will simply fuel less your graveyard (and again, pay 2 000 LP). It is a good option if you play a version of the deck.

Tips & Combos

First I am gonna cover some of the main combos of the deck. To make it easier to read I will refer to each monster by its nickname only. Keep in mind that these are just common combos that you WILL HAVE TO ADAPT TO YOUR HAND AND BOARD:

Normal summon Beta, search Alpha or Gamma. Next turn, tribute Beta for Delta and send Alpha or Gamma to the grave. Berserkion is live next turn.

Normal summon Delta, send Beta to the grave.

Normal summon Alpha, search Berserkion. Next turn, tribute Alpha for Delta and send Beta/Gamma to the grave. Berserkion is live next turn.

Normal summon Gamma, special summon Alpha/Beta/Delta. Then one of the 3 lines of plays above.

If you open :

Check if you milled any Conversion with any level 3 Magnet. They are key cards in your combos.

Also check if you can summon . Do not hesitate to just summon it in defense. If you have a in the deck it will allow you a crazy search next turn if destroyed.

After that go for one of the combos on the above list if you can. Do not forget to adapt to what you have in grave.

If you open & :

Send Alpha/Beta/Gamma (preferably Beta) to grave and get it back on your opponent turn with Conversion

If not Delta but another Magnet do the same thing simply by tributing your level 3 on your opponent turn (do not hesitate to get back multiple Magnets at once like Gamma + Alpha for instance)

can allow you to summon back Berserkion and you can even do some sort of infinite loop since when Berserkion dies he will summon back the banished Magnets.

Speaking of which be careful to summon Berserkion with no other monsters on the field, if you are afraid it will get destroyed or if you want to crash into another monster (like an ), to get his 2nd effect. You can also use or even to empty your field at the last moment.

is an extender for any of the opening combos listed above.

You want to mill your deck fast to fuel your graveyard but also get to your techs.

Always use in the End Phase so that it’s 2nd effect is live on the next turn!

effects can each only be used once a turn. Nonetheless if you really need to draw a tech or if you need an extra monster in grave do not hesitate to special summon two Delta from your deck (for instance by tributing a Beta and a Gamma on the field).

Keep in mind that level 3 Magnet Warriors’ first effect is once per turn BUT the tributing one has no restriction.

Keep in mind that to summon with Delta effect you will need often need to banish Beta which will prevent you from summoning Berserkion (if you don’t have a way of getting Beta back of course). So think a lot before committing to such play and try to not banish Beta at all cost.

You can float your monsters pretty easily to delay your opponents so do not be afraid to wait a few turns with Berserkion in hand. Do not rush his summon, especially if you only play one copy.

Going and then Berserkion is a nice to protect your main win condition.

Also if you play with , going (unlikely) or (way more likely) is a good way to force your opponent backrow/effects before going for Berserkion.

is of course great to summon from grave when milled by but you can also econ take with him then summon him back from grave to synchro with the monster you just took.

Playstyles

30-card version

Magnets are known to be extremely consistent AND to require monsters in the graveyard, which makes a really good option.

Having your Grass in your starting hand will give you an insane amount of resources to work with and overwhelm your opponent. Moreover, the amount of combos you can make is increased by a ton.

The biggest advantage of this version is the amount of options it gives you.

Most of the time you will use but you can also go for with the 5 spells usually being , , , and .

Also with the newest addition of in Duel Links you can now run synchro monsters in Magnets. Best way to play the deck so far is with on Luna (because she is the best character of course) as it allows you to put to level 5 for an easy into OTK (Block Dragon effect will activate allowing you to search resources which are usually enough to push for 4000 damage). Obviously you run other synchro monster for potential different situations, such as that is pretty cool to clear backrow before going for lethal with Berserkion.

Small list of potential synchro monsters to use ordered by level and usefulness:

level 4:

level 5: , ,

level 6: , ,

level 7: ,

level 8: , ,

level 9: ;

Migueljoker’s 30-Card Magnets Aankara’s 30-Card Synchro Magnets

Straight to the Grave version

This version was designed to have an easier matchup versus Triamid and Subterrors thanks to that allows you to clean your opponent backrow before going for your Berserkion summon. works will in combo with the fieldspell given by the skill as well as with and .

Sadly is useless versus a lot of Meta decks that play few backrow. But this might change in the future as Desperado decks are running more and more backrow cards.

Asta, Top 32 MCS XX Side Deck: Jano, 1st Place Battle Phase #3 Aankara, Top 2 Duel Links Taiwan Weekly #61

Sealed Tombs version

Mint played this deck in MCS XX with really good results (top 8) but it has been the only time I have seen Sealed Tombs Magnet in a tournament. You need to be really careful when using as it also impacts your plays. That is also why Mint sided when Sealed Tombs was not needed.

Also important to note the maindecked that do really well versus Subterrors!

Mint, Top 8 MCS XX

Side Deck:

Matchups

Here are some advice on how to play versus the different current meta decks.

Master of Destiny Desperado

The matchup is actually pretty good as is horrible to deal with for . Usually the plan is to not go aggressive at all and just fuel your graveyard enough for Berserkion to pop everything in Main Phase, including Desperados summoned from hand. will get Desperado out early and this is where having or at least in grave will be key.

Potential side cards:

Cyberdark

You are on a timer versus this deck so you need to Berserkion early. Keep your for the equip of . Keep in mind the in grave. Pay attention not to clog your field as your opponent can just ignore your monsters and attack directly. This deck usually does not run much backrow so econ take plays will win you a lot of games. is also amazing versus this deck.

Potential side cards:

Metaphys

Do not special summon, except if necessary or if you have enough back-up to defend yourself such as in grave, as will just banish everything. Same goes with your set spells and traps. If you are afraid of a just activate your sets before he his summoned, especially . is also pretty annoying and usually will be your main target for . is pretty useless as protection so only use it to push for lethal in combo with a Berserkion.

Potential side cards:

Vendread

Will be improved when a more clear “bestway” to play the deck emerges. All I can say for sure is that it is a really bad match-up, especially the version as it turns off Berserkion. If they setup a good board your win condition will usually shift to Econ take plays or . If you open and mill well an early Berserkion (like turn 3 or 4) should be game for you but pay attention to ’s protection and to ’ effects. Playing No Mortal Can Resist can also be a decent option to take a lot of resources from them.

Subterror

Backrow hate is again going to be pretty useful in this matchup. But Subterror can push for lethal pretty fast while disrupting your combos. will give you a clear advantage in this usually not favorable matchup. Pay attention to banish effect. Also is good versus this deck as it counters stat-boosting effect.

You will have to get rid of before going for Berserkion or simply get Berserkion before they get Final Battle. Another option is to be setup a double Berserkion in one turn, for instance with 2 Berserkion in hand and a to bring back the banished Beta.

Potential side cards:

Blue-Eyes

Do no attack in facedown monsters except if really necessary. If you survive long enough to have you Berserkion combo you will usually win. Also can solo win this matchup thanks to its 3500 Atk. Float your monsters as much as you can but pay attention to or to quick 3 monsters board with . in the grave is nice but be aware of {!Sealed Tomb}!

Potential side cards:

Six Samurais

The negation from is not that problematic. Be sure to play around any potential and remember that Shi En can protect himself multiple times with other Six Samurai monsters (and in the graveyard). Also needs to be dealt with before going for any of your boss monsters. I would put Six Samurais ahead in the matchup.

is a nice way to dodge an Enishi effect. Otherwise, you can try to setup for double Berserkion in one turn (you will only need one Berserkion since it will be bounced back to your hand but you will need in grave to bring back Beta. Always summon Berserkion in defense if you are afraid of a . This way if your Berserkion is alone on the field he will bring back the 3 level 3 Magnets when destroyed after being hit by Clash.

Potential side cards:

Ancient Gears

Ancient Gears monsters will negate most of your monsters’ effects so be sure to activate the quick-effects before they attack. The matchup is pretty even most of the time though Valkyrion is often a dead card. Be careful if you use as you could allow your opponent to bring more Ancient Gears monsters on the field. Flood back your field with and try to prevent them from normal summoning as the piercing damage is really strong versus Magnets.

If you get rid of , a defense will be really hard to get rid of for your opponent.

Potential side cards:

Spellbooks

Really tough matchup since your monster can easily get banish, making all their effects useless. Your best chance is as it will allow you to summon 2 monsters on the field to then outpace Spellbook. But it is still a really bad matchup and you should tech heavily against it, like or .

But Spellbook is usually pretty slow so you can setup a double Berserkion to play around .

Potential side cards:

Magnets

The mirror is pretty 50/50 (lol see what I did there). It will mostly revolve around who gets Berserkion out first but do not rush it as your opponent can easily float through Berserkion’s destruction effect multiple times. If you go Berserkion first WITHOUT having lethal you will most likely lose. is godlike in the mirror as Berserkion cannot destroy it nor attack over it. Always know how many Magnets your opponent has in the graveyard and even more important try to count how many more he will add this/next turn.

Potential side cards:

Triamids

You need to be faster than them. Pretty even matchup. It is hard for you to push through but also stall them for quite some time by preventing or from destroying your monsters. delays them a lot aswell. is again a great card as your opponent won’t be able to float the field spell through it. Keep in mind that prevents Triamid monsters to be destroyed by card effects so you will need to destroy it first but your opponent can swap the card pretty easily.

Potential side cards:

Conclusion

I hope this guide was useful to you guys! I will update it with any new information I find. My last advice would be to not get discouraged by this deck. It is way less straightforward than other meta decks and mastering it is even harder. But it being difficult to play because you have tons of options also makes it amazingly funny to play.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dkayed and Gia Joestar for creating the competitive discord without witch a lot of players would have already be long gone. Thanks a lot to all the people I talked with in the #magnets channel on Duel Links Meta’s discord. Special thank to TempestFire, Migueljoker and [SEM] NaW for the added content they provided me.