Soul control build

[Rizzo]

A couple questions on the Soul Control decks that are getting popular right now.

First, which do you think is the best monarch to run? There are four contenders right now, each with their own pros and cons.

Zaborg kills one monster which is a huge help against the ever popular chaos deck. However, Soul Exchange will do that anyway. His big weakness is that his effect is manditory. If your opponent only has one monster out, Zaborg will be forced to kill himself.

Mobius lets you kill two s/t cards. Hit a face down and you rid the unknown. Hit Premature Burial and you off the monster. He's unique in that you can destroy two cards with his effect; the other monarchs only let you get one. However, if they are both chainable traps/quickplays, you wasted Mobius effect.

Thestalos seems the most popular. Bring him out, force a discard, possible burn damage. Hand control is always a good option, right? However, there's always the chance that you will hit something that doesn't help you like discarding Sinister Serpent or Night Assailant. Also, unlike other monarchs, his effect does not get rid of cards already on the field.

Granmarg can target any facedown card, spell, trap or monster. Gets bonus points for versatility and you could easily combo with Swords of Concealing Darkness or Book of Moon. However, as much as chainability is an issue with Mobius, it's even more of a Granmarg issue. Mobius can still kill that Gravity Bind or Call of the Haunted. With Granmarg, all you have to do is chain by activating it and his effect won't work. I guess it can screw up the timing, but I'd rather kill a card than mess with timing.

Also, what are other good cards to put in a soul control deck? The monarchs are all tribute monsters and filling a deck up with just those is a recipie for disaster. Am I alone in thinking other tribute-cost cards could help like Cannon Soldier or Enemy Controler?

[Mystic Gohan]

Thestalos, cause it's soul control, so you would need to control them.

[Rizzo]

Thestalos, cause it's soul control, so you would need to control them.

Okay, new rule!

Next time somebody tells me that hand disruption is the only form of control, a kitten dies!

Have you ever heard of field control? Actually, card for card, Mobius usually gives you more of an advantage. You use two cards, Mobius and Soul Exchange. They loose three: their monster and two s/t cards. So there!

[Dark Necrophia]

Mobius and Thestalos are the best for this build.

Both of those two are good for this build, the choice is up to you...

If you don't want to copy Evan, use Mobius.

[Emnm]

Mobius and Thestalos are the best for this build.

Both of those two are good for this build, the choice is up to you...

If you don't want to copy Evan, use Mobius.
Yeah these Monarchs are good for a soul deck. They provide hand disruption, field control, and such. Try it. Mobius and Thestalos are good cards that work well with a soul deck.

[Mac_the_Great]

You have to also take into account that you don't actually 'lose' the Monarch... It gets summoned for 'free'.

So Thestalos is still effectively a 2-for-1, and Mobius, if the S/Ts are non-chainable, is 3-for-1!!

[Taekmkm]

Well you can always use DMOC for Soul Exchange too.

[Rizzo]

Well you can always use DMOC for Soul Exchange too.

As much as he'd be a solid choice, I'm looking for non-tribute monsters for the deck. I'm afraid that monarchs may take up all the tribute spots.

[cyber ape]

Ever though of, you know, not using Monarchs period?

*sigh, the unoriginality these days*

Meh, Grandmarg is the best because he covers most situations, and when ran with Testaors, you've got basically total control.

Zaborg, just, no.

Mobius....meh, if you want.

Try a Soul Control without Monarchs, you might be lucky enough to get a cookie from me :P

[Rizzo]

Try a Soul Control without Monarchs, you might be lucky enough to get a cookie from me :P

I guess that could be possible. Instead of control being taking cards away, control would probably have to be field manipulation with cards like Spell Canceler or Jinzo.

Still looking for non-tribute monsters to use, though. Other than Cannon Soldier. Maybe Hysteric Fairy? Tribure her and one of their monsters and I gain lp. Just a thought.

[kenshinEtErNaL]

All of them are good for the deck. All of them have their pros and cons, but I suppose Hand control would be the most helpful in the most situations.

[Rizzo]

BTW- Would Soul Exchange/Metamorphasis work? Tribute their Jinzo to get a Ryu Senshi?

[kenshinEtErNaL]

Yes it would. It was recently ruled that you can I think.

[Yata-Garasu 1]

BTW- Would Soul Exchange/Metamorphasis work? Tribute their Jinzo to get a Ryu Senshi?

If the card says "offer as a tribute" then yes.

[Rizzo]

Then Morph and a well-stocked fusion deck could also be best friend to a Soul Control deck. It's an even one-for-one trade. You loose Soul Exchange and they loose the monster. You don't loose a monster from hand, just from the fusion deck. I may have to look for some Gattling Dragons to use with this.

[kenshinEtErNaL]

Even if you don't have Soul, you could always just Morph a Monarch :D

[Rizzo]

Even if you don't have Soul, you could always just Morph a Monarch :D

Which is also a good point to the Monarchs.

Also, I might be forced to get some Level 3 and 4 fusions to use against their Level 3 and 4 monsters. Situational, yes, but you can stick anything you want in a fusion deck.

[BlackChaosDemon]

Hmm..well, I recently tried out one of these Soul Controls using Spell Canceller/Jinzo/HaDes and some morph mechanics and it turned out well. The only bad thing was, you'd get some pretty nasty topdecks...LVs, Meta, etc. But, I'm trying to work out the kinks in it, once I re-finish it I'll post it as an example if you wise me to.

[dotdotdot]

soul exchange, summoner of illusions =D

share the pain
hand of nephtys

[Kyo Aizawa]

No one has mentioned Blowback. I think he's really good in this type of deck. I'd first go with Thestalos, then Blowback/Mobius.

[Milkyway13]

As the others said, Mobius, Thestalos, and Blowback work really well.

[Bibbo]

My biggest Question about Soul Exchange is why use it over something like S.natch Steal?

[Sand-Trap]

One of my earlier versions of Soul Control used 1-2 Cannon Soldier. Although it was great to use SE + CS, and although CS won me games sometimes, if you cannot support the weak monster, it will become useless and just die a turn or two later.

[Garos, the Doom Sage]

Sounds like an interesting deck indeed. I can see it's uses. Especially with the Monarchs. Jinzo, while horribly generic, works in the deck well. Unfortunately, it looks like another deck that costs a lot of money to build, something I do not have.

[Yata-Garasu 1]

My biggest Question about Soul Exchange is why use it over something like S.natch Steal?


Because:

Snatch Steal
-Restricted to 1
-Opponent Gains 1000 per turn
-Monster can be taken back
-Can be destroyed while on field

+Gain a monster
+Can be used for more than just tributing
+Opponent Loses Control of monster

Soul Exchange
-Skip Battle Phase

+you gain a monster (for tribute)
+Can be used for more than just tributing
+As many as you want in your deck (limit = 3)
+Opponent Loses monster

[Rizzo]

My biggest Question about Soul Exchange is why use it over something like S.natch Steal?

Snatch Steal is limited to one. It also gets pwned by Dust Tornado or a set MST. With Change of Heart gone, this is a kind of replacement for one of its most popular uses, the Change/Tribute.

[Lil' Yugi]

Cannon Soldier+Ojama Trio+Soul Exchange mabey I don kno all the good Soul comtrol combos have already been taken.

Unless Soul Exchange+Enemy Controler has been said already.

[Sleepyhead`_]

yea in a soul control use to good Lv. 5 - 6 monsters like Mobius or even run one of every monarch :D well any way Soul Exchange can sometimes be bad because when your opponent doesnt have a monster on the field it sucks thats what happend to me yesterday :(

[Yata-Garasu 1]

Cannon Soldier+Ojama Trio+Soul Exchange mabey I don kno all the good Soul comtrol combos have already been taken.

Unless Soul Exchange+Enemy Controler has been said already.

Illegal, Ojamas can't be used as Tributes.

[Kyo Aizawa]

Illegal, Ojamas can't be used as Tributes.
Not Tribute Summons, they can be used for Cannon Soldier.

The biggest problem with Soul Exchange is that it's not horribly versatile, which is what Snatch Steal has over it. It's not a replacement for Snatch, it's more like a semi-Change of Heart that can be used in mulitples.