Deck Profile – Rodrigo Togores’ Blackwing Vayu Deck
“Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor” has spawned a vast number of Decks since its release in Ancient Prophecy, but today is the first time Vayu is really being put to the test in a huge tournament.
Vayu is a Tuner monster that can be used along with other Blackwings in the Graveyard to Special Summon a Synchro Monster from the Extra Deck. Unlike other Tuners, Vayu can’t be used as a Tuner while it’s on the field, unless its effect on the field is negated (if its effect is negated, that makes it a ‘vanilla’ Tuner monster and you can now use it like any other Tuner).
A lot of different builds are being played here today using Vayu. Here’s what Spain’s National Champion Rodrigo Togores is running in his Vayu Deck.
Monsters:
1 Dark Armed Dragon
3 Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn
3 Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame
3 Blackwing – Bora the Spear
3 Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow
1 Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind
2 Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North
2 Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor
2 Dark Grepher
1 Plaguespreader Zombie
Spell Cards:
2 Allure of Darkness
1 Brain Control
1 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Heavy Storm
1 Giant Trunade
3 Book of Moon
3 Black Whirlwind
Trap Cards:
1 Mirror Force
1 Torrential Tribute
1 Call of the Haunted
2 Bottomless Trap Hole
2 Icarus Attack
2 Royal Oppression
Togores is playing mostly Blackwing monsters with 2 copies of “Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor.” He runs a 3 copies of “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame,” plus 3 of “Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow” to back Shura up and take advantage of Shura’s effect.
If Togores can destroy a monster in battle with Shura, he can Special Summon Vayu from his Deck and negate Vayu’s effect while on the field. That lets Togores treat Vayu as a regular Tuner while it’s on the field, and he can Tune it to anything he likes. Being able to attack and destroy a monster with Shura, then nabbing a free Vayu, can be crushing to the opponent. Even after using Vayu for a Synchro Summon, Vayu’s effect re-activates after it leaves the field, so Vayu can then be used from the Graveyard to Special Summon an additional Synchro Monster. This entire combo lets Vayu be used twice!
When you activate Vayu’s effect in the Graveyard, Vayu is not removed from your Graveyard as a cost (compared to say, “Necro Gardna,” which you must remove at the point of activation). Vayu doesn’t get removed from play until its effect resolves, so if the effect is negated, Vayu remains in the Graveyard where you can try again.
That’s good news for anyone who’s a fan of “Royal Oppression,” because while your opponent can Chain “Royal Oppression’s” effect to Vayu’s activation and stop the Special Summon, Vayu is still in the Graveyard. You can keep activating Vayu’s effect as many times as you want, but your opponent is eventually going to run out of Life Points to pay for Oppression’s effect. Togores plays two copies of “Royal Oppression,” knowing it lets him trump popular Decks like Lightsworn and Gladiator Beasts, but not affecting his ability to get out powerful Blackwing Synchro Monsters using Vayu from the Graveyard.
Togores decided not to play a card that many other Vayu Duelists are running in this tournament: “Burial From a Different Dimension.” Instead he’s loaded up on “Black Whirlwinds” and “Book of Moons”. “Burial is very difficult to play” explained Togores, “because it isn’t any good in your opening hand. It’s a dead card too often.” Not playing Burial frees up a lot of space, and the decision to play other cards over Burial could be a big factor contributing towards Togores’ performance. He’s currently undefeated as we head into Round 5.
We’re going to see Togores’ Deck in action any minute now, as we get ready for our Round 5 feature match! Check it out, and see how it goes.
