Duelist Nexus keeps pushing different strategies (back) into the metagame. One of them is Altergeist, a deck that was somewhat popular for a time—and probably a little hated at the time too. Now the strategy received a big update to its lineup and play style. Let's explore the changes!
Altered Altergeist
Altergeist's new support transforms the deck from a strategy that heavily relies on trap cards to a play style that is more reminiscent of a combo build. At the same time, it retains control elements and still focuses on Altergeist link monsters as well as traps for interruptions. The deck is best when it goes first and sets up its own board but can also break boards going second as it tends to run main.
Let's start off with . Whenever it is added to your hand—which is the easiest thing in the world if you, for instance, open an —, you can special summon it. On summon, whether normal or special, you can target any Altergeist monster in the graveyard and special summon it in defense position with its effects are negated for the rest of turn. You can use it to link climb into or .
Next up, we have , which is usually played as a single copy. Just like Meluseek, it's a level one spellcaster who can attack directly. When it inflicts damage to your opponent, you may draw a card. If Peritrator is sent to the graveyard from the field, its second effect allows you to send any Altergeist card from hand, deck, or face up from your field to the graveyard. You can use it to dump your Altergeist traps or send an to the graveyard in order to add it to your hand later on.
Then, we have the new Altergeist boss monster, . It is a link four monster with 3,000 attack. As soon as it is link summoned, you can set any Altergeist trap directly from your deck, bypassing popular hand traps like and . Its other effect can only be activated once per copy while it is face up on the field. During either player's turn, you may send any card you control to the graveyard in order to target any effect monster your opponent controls, and take control of it. That monster's effects can still be activated, it can attack, and it remains on the field until it is removed. Oh, and as a bonus, it is treated as an Altergeist monster.
Lastly, we have a new trap card, , which lets you revive any Altergeist link monster from the graveyard. It also has a graveyard effect that allows you to get an extra normal summon by banishing it. Both effects cannot be used during the same turn, though. I personally consider it a one-off card. It might be useful in case you can send it to the graveyard and have an in hand, allowing you to extend some more even after getting hit by a , or it could fuel your Hexstia by giving it an extra negate during your opponent's turn.
may seem like somewhat of a random card, but there is method to the madness. Altergeist now summons a lot, and has always been able to summon monsters during the opponent's turn, which fuels Deceode Talker's negate effect. Why settle for when you can put up more negates? It doesn't come up a lot, but when it does, it will certainly be helpful.
As for , it is no longer a card you need multiple copies of in your deck. There are more important cards to summon and search, but one copy is all you need. You usually end up summoning it with 's effect to bounce back said Multifaker to your hand and reuse it. You can easily recur Silquitous in many ways, such as with , so one copy will suffice.
Speaking of Primebanshee, the card is now very much playable. Previously, the deck was very slow and it was difficult to commit to a Primebanshee on the field. However, the deck now likes to summon a lot, making it easy for you to summon Primebanshee and trigger Hexstia's effect to add any Altergeist card to your hand. Primebanshee can also summon Multifaker from the deck. Also, when sent to the graveyard, it can add any Altergeist card back to your hand from there. In my opinion, Primebanshee has suddenly become one of the stars of the deck.
Overall, the deck is much more explosive now and can put up some scary boards. Somehow though, it is still a trap deck. It is outclassed by Labrynth but can hold its own against most decks and has topped regionals already. So, beware of the Altergeist!
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, not of Cardmarket.
