The last time this deck was updated was right before the SJC where Soul Control became big (7/30/2005). I was using Soul Exchange. You know what, I think that I'm going to make a rash claim and say that I pioneered this decktype, dammit.
I kid. But it was interesting to read my old explination. I said that it would be an interesting theme to play casually. Who would have guessed that within weeks it would be one of the top strategies in the metagame?
Since August, this decktype has evolved a LOT. It used to be based solely on using Soul Exchange to tribute an opponent's monster for your Monarch. -1 opponent's monster (Soul Exchange), -1 or 2 on your opponent depending upon which Monarch you summoned. Very simple, and very very gamebreaking. In all honesty, I think that Soul Control pioneered the way for this metagame - instead of straight up Aggro, people were trying to find more ways to get easy +1 advantages, allowing things like FFC and MPT to evolve.
Anyway, nowadays, there's less of a focus on Soul Exchange...to the point that it is no longer used. Snatch Steal and Brain Control are the main cards used to take opponent's monsters to sacrifice, and cards like Spirit Reaper and Cyber Dragon are your own tribute fodder.
I have some interesting tech choices in here. Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, is really anti-Reaper. This format is VERY Reaper based, and Goldd is GREAT field advantage when Reaper hits it. A lone copy may not do much, but the times it does work will leave your opponent hurting.
Sand Moth has replaced Gravekeeper's Spy as the tribute wall. With Nobleman of Crossout to two, Spy becomes VERY prone to it, and you would then be down two cards to tribute. Sand Moth has the same defense stats, but isn't as devastated by Nobleman as Spy is - you only lose that lone copy of Sand Moth, as opposed to both Spies. Sand Moth also LOVES Mystic Swordsman LV2, Exiled Force, or Goldd - when detsroyed by any of their effects, it is re-summoned to the field with 2000 attack. Not only is it a great beatstick, but it can also be used as tribute fodder. If it gets attacked, then its effect is rendered useless (much like Spy after being flipped), so therefore it can also be used for tributing. Sand Moth is just a great card overall.
What really makes this decktype is Treeborn Frog. If Treeborn Frog is in the Graveyard during your Standby Phase and you have no magic or trap cards on the field, you can summon it at no cost. This basically becomes free tribute fodder whenever you have no m/t cards on the field. GREAT for decks like Soul Control, where you rely on sacrificing monsters. Though it's restricted, you really only need one to get things rolling.
Monsters - 20 (7 Tribute, 13 Non-Sacrifice)
Magic/Spells - 13
Traps - 7
This deck was last updated on 3/24/06.
