Preparing for September - Agents

NOTE: This is only applicable to all our OCG readers.  See other posts for the TCG list.

Every year, as September approaches, Yu-Gi-Oh! players across the globe sit on the edge of their seats waiting to see the new ban list.  Now is no exception with the end of the Dragon Ruler/Prophecy format looming, players everywhere are excited to play something else.  We already have the ban list for the OCG, and so it is now time to begin preparing for September.  It is my duty to help you do so, and so today I will present you with an Agent deck.  Though the ban list does not actually help Agents outside of Trishula and a Duality, it does hurt other decks which is an indirect buff.

Monsters [21]

3 Master Hyperion

3 The Agent of Creation - Venus

2 The Agent of Mystery - Earth

1 The Agent of Miracle - Jupiter

3 Mystical Shine Balls

3 Herald of Orange Light

3 Maxx "C"

2 Thunder King Rai-Oh

2 Gorz the Emissary of Darkness

1 Archlord Kristya

1 Honest

Spells [8]

3 Pot of Duality

2 Forbidden Lance

1 Heavy Storm

1 Monster Reborn

1 Dark Hole

Traps [8]

3 Vanity's Emptiness

3 Call of the Haunted

1 Solemn Judgment

1 Solemn Warning

Extra Deck [15]

1 Ally of Justice Catastor

1 Ancient Sacred Wyvern

1 Angel of Zera

1 Armades, Keeper of Boundaries

1 Armory Arm

1 Black Rose Dragon

1 Crimson Blader

1 Scrap Dragon

1 Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier

1 Daigusto Phoenix

1 Gachi Gachi Gantetsu

1 Herald of Pure Light

1 Leviair the Sea Dragon

1 Number 17: Leviathan Dragon

1 Number 96: Dark Mist

This Agent deck list is fairly average.  Looking at the core Agent engine, there is one card out of the ordinary and that is The Agent of Miracles - Jupiter.  I first started to add Jupiter to Agents when Earth was limited to 1.  I did so to justify Master Hyperion at 3.  It still serves the same purpose, but now it is also extremely effective against Evilswarms because it is a level 4 that can get a 2600 ATK body.  That lets it run over Evilswarm Ophion which cripples this deck to the extreme.

A large fraction of decks these days play the classic 3 Maxx "C", 3 Effect Veiler hand trap line up.  Agents are able to improve on this by replacing the Effect Veilers with Herald of Orange Light. Orange Light is much more effective than Veiler for two reasons: it negates Monster effects activating anywhere and it destroys.  It is also a Level 2 tuner allowing for plays with Shine Balls and Earth into Rank 2s, or Synchro Summons with cards like Venus into Trishula.

This hand trap line-up is further supplemented by the addition of two Gorz cards.  Gorz is an incredible card in a deck that plays only 8 traps.  Since this decks protection is largely in the form of the 3 Maxx "C"s and 3 Heralds, the field will be empty of back row making Gorz live.  In some Chaos Agent builds Gorz also works well to set up for Chaos Sorcerer or Black Luster Soldier, but even in this deck he is very strong.

A new card for Agents that may breath some life into them is Angel of Zera, the latest card in the Zera progression.  As is clear in the image, Zera is a new Synchro monster.  His effect that gives him extra ATK isn't exactly the most important part of him.  The real power comes from his revival  when he is Banished.  When combined with Hyperion you can destroy your opponents cards and revive your own massive beatstick.  He is also helpful if you know your opponent has a Bottomless Trap Hole.

The final card that makes Agents worth taking a look at is the Herald of Pure Light. Pure Light is an exciting new card that can be formed with the Shine Balls, or Earth or Orange Light.  It let's you return dead Shine Balls to your dead while returning Herald of Orange Light or Honest to your hand.  The low stats are perhaps a turn off, but it is still a useful option to have.

Not pictured, or included in the deck is Transmodify.  Transmodify is an incredibly strong card in this deck.  It allows a player to turn a dead Shine Ball or a used Earth into a Venus, or a Venus into a Jupiter.  However, I chose not to include the card into the deck because I believe it's benefits are not as useful as what it can be replaced with.  Still it is certainly a card for you to consider in testing.

Thanks for taking the time to read about Agents for the next format.  Me and Dog King will be certain to keep you up to date on ban list discussions should we find anything out.  Until next time, this is Welche saying goodbye.