Deck Profile: B. Darnell Alexander’s Karakuri Machina Plants (KMP)

Thomas Luebke made waves at YCS Charlotte by taking Karakuri Machina Plants to a Top 16 finish! Luebke showed off his Deck’s resilient but unpredictable nature, and thousands of Duelists across the globe sat up and took notice. B. Darnell Alexander was 1 of them, and he’s competing here today with his own version of the Deck known as “KMP”. Alexander is an innovator, and he’s created a Karakuri Deck that has more moves than its predecessors. Here’s what it looks like…

B. Darnell Alexander’s Karakuri Machina Plants (KMP) – 40 Cards

Monsters: 21

2 Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi”

2 Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 “Nisamu”

2 Karakuri Ninja mdl 919 “Kuick”

2 Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan”

2 Machina Fortress

3 Machina Gearframe

1 Quillbolt Hedgehog

2 Effect Veiler

2 Lonefire Blossom

1 Dandylion

1 Spore

1 Glow-Up Bulb

Spells: 11

2 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Pot of Avarice

1 Pot of Duality

1 Monster Reborn

1 Dark Hole

1 Book of Moon

1 Limiter Removal

1 Foolish Burial

1 One for One

1 Giant Trunade

Traps: 7

2 Solemn Warning

1 Solemn Judgment

1 Mirror Force

2 Trap Stun

1 Royal Oppression

“Unlike everyone else running this, I don’t focus on the quick win,” said Alexander. We’ve seen Karakuri Duelists in the past play Instant Fusion in order to Special Summon Cyber Saurus. This easy access to a Level 5 Machine-Type Synchro Material allowed them to quickly Synchro Summon Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei” and Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido”. But Alexander doesn’t play this combo. “Instant Fusion was a waste of space, and Cyber Saurus takes up vital room in the Extra Deck.” Alexander doesn’t run Machine Duplication either. He says that while Duplication can create explosive wins, it’s a “win more” that can either be explosive, or inconsistent.

Instead, Alexander’s strategy is to play to a slightly slower build, protecting himself with Stardust Dragon and Naturia Beast. “I can make Beast or Stardust on turn 1.”

Dragunities can easily make first-turn Stardust Dragons, and Samurais drop those Duel-shattering turn 1 Shi Ens. So Alexander has built a Deck that can put out equal opening turns. Right now, the Decks with the best openings set up a field that restricts the opponent’s moves. The typical Karakuri Decks we’ve seen generally hold back on their first turn, or kick out openings with multiple copies of Burei or Bureido. They make a bunch of great Synchro Summons and often draw extra cards, but they don’t do much to limit the opponent’s efforts to level the playing field next turn. Alexander’s keyed his Deck to be more disruptive.

For instance, one of the more unique cards he’s playing is Quillbolt Hedgehog. If Alexander starts a Duel with Machina Fortress, Lonefire Blossom, and Quillbolt, he can do an impressive opening other Karakuri Duelists aren’t quite capable of:

-Discard Quillbolt Hedgehog (Level 2) to Special Summon Machina Fortress (Level 7)

-Summon Lonefire Blossom, and Tribute it for its effect to Special Summon another Lonefire from the Deck

-Tribute that Lonefire to Special Summon Spore (Level 1)

-Tune Spore to Fortress, Synchro Summoning Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido”

-Use Bureido’s effect to Special Summon Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 “Nisamu” (Level 4) from the Deck

-Remove Lonefire from the Graveyard to Special Summon Spore (Level 4)

-Tune Spore to Nisamu for another Bureido

-Use that Bureido to Special Summon Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi” (Level 3) from the Deck. Use its effect to change its Battle Position. This triggers the effects of both Bureidos, letting Alexander draw 2 cards

For most Karakuri Duelists, this would be the end of the combo. They gave up 3 cards to get 2 Bureidos, a Nishipachi, and 2 draws. Certainly nothing to sneeze at! But for Alexander, it’s just the beginning. Since Nishipachi is a Tuner, he can Special Summon Quillbolt Hedgehog from his Graveyard. Since both Quillbolt and Nishipachi are EARTH monsters, he can then Tune them together to Synchro Summon Naturia Beast. He’ll close his first turn with a hand of 5 cards, plus 3 Synchro Monsters, and his opponent won’t be able to use Spell Cards. If he really needs it, he can even skip Nishipachi in favor of Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan”. As a Level 4 Tuner, Watchdog gives Alexander access to Naturia Barkion instead of Naturia Beast.

This kind of focus on control and disruption is what makes Alexander’s KMP Deck a bit different from ones we’ve seen in the past. “Once Naturia Landoise [from Hidden Arsenal 4] and Karakuri Komachi mdl 224 “Ninishi” [from Extreme Victory] are available, the Deck will rival Six Samu

Deck Profile: B. Darnell Alexander’s Karakuri Machina Plants (KMP)

Thomas Luebke made waves at YCS Charlotte by taking Karakuri Machina Plants to a Top 16 finish! Luebke showed off his Deck’s resilient but unpredictable nature, and thousands of Duelists across the globe sat up and took notice. B. Darnell Alexander was 1 of them, and he’s competing here today with his own version of the Deck known as “KMP”. Alexander is an innovator, and he’s created a Karakuri Deck that has more moves than its predecessors. Here’s what it looks like…

B. Darnell Alexander’s Karakuri Machina Plants (KMP) – 40 Cards

Monsters: 21

2 Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi”

2 Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 “Nisamu”

2 Karakuri Ninja mdl 919 “Kuick”

2 Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan”

2 Machina Fortress

3 Machina Gearframe

1 Quillbolt Hedgehog

2 Effect Veiler

2 Lonefire Blossom

1 Dandylion

1 Spore

1 Glow-Up Bulb

Spells: 11

2 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Pot of Avarice

1 Pot of Duality

1 Monster Reborn

1 Dark Hole

1 Book of Moon

1 Limiter Removal

1 Foolish Burial

1 One for One

1 Giant Trunade

Traps: 7

2 Solemn Warning

1 Solemn Judgment

1 Mirror Force

2 Trap Stun

1 Royal Oppression

“Unlike everyone else running this, I don’t focus on the quick win,” said Alexander. We’ve seen Karakuri Duelists in the past play Instant Fusion in order to Special Summon Cyber Saurus. This easy access to a Level 5 Machine-Type Synchro Material allowed them to quickly Synchro Summon Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei” and Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido”. But Alexander doesn’t play this combo. “Instant Fusion was a waste of space, and Cyber Saurus takes up vital room in the Extra Deck.” Alexander doesn’t run Machine Duplication either. He says that while Duplication can create explosive wins, it’s a “win more” that can either be explosive, or inconsistent.

Instead, Alexander’s strategy is to play to a slightly slower build, protecting himself with Stardust Dragon and Naturia Beast. “I can make Beast or Stardust on turn 1.”

Dragunities can easily make first-turn Stardust Dragons, and Samurais drop those Duel-shattering turn 1 Shi Ens. So Alexander has built a Deck that can put out equal opening turns. Right now, the Decks with the best openings set up a field that restricts the opponent’s moves. The typical Karakuri Decks we’ve seen generally hold back on their first turn, or kick out openings with multiple copies of Burei or Bureido. They make a bunch of great Synchro Summons and often draw extra cards, but they don’t do much to limit the opponent’s efforts to level the playing field next turn. Alexander’s keyed his Deck to be more disruptive.

For instance, one of the more unique cards he’s playing is Quillbolt Hedgehog. If Alexander starts a Duel with Machina Fortress, Lonefire Blossom, and Quillbolt, he can do an impressive opening other Karakuri Duelists aren’t quite capable of:

-Discard Quillbolt Hedgehog (Level 2) to Special Summon Machina Fortress (Level 7)

-Summon Lonefire Blossom, and Tribute it for its effect to Special Summon another Lonefire from the Deck

-Tribute that Lonefire to Special Summon Spore (Level 1)

-Tune Spore to Fortress, Synchro Summoning Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido”

-Use Bureido’s effect to Special Summon Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 “Nisamu” (Level 4) from the Deck

-Remove Lonefire from the Graveyard to Special Summon Spore (Level 4)

-Tune Spore to Nisamu for another Bureido

-Use that Bureido to Special Summon Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi” (Level 3) from the Deck. Use its effect to change its Battle Position. This triggers the effects of both Bureidos, letting Alexander draw 2 cards

For most Karakuri Duelists, this would be the end of the combo. They gave up 3 cards to get 2 Bureidos, a Nishipachi, and 2 draws. Certainly nothing to sneeze at! But for Alexander, it’s just the beginning. Since Nishipachi is a Tuner, he can Special Summon Quillbolt Hedgehog from his Graveyard. Since both Quillbolt and Nishipachi are EARTH monsters, he can then Tune them together to Synchro Summon Naturia Beast. He’ll close his first turn with a hand of 5 cards, plus 3 Synchro Monsters, and his opponent won’t be able to use Spell Cards. If he really needs it, he can even skip Nishipachi in favor of Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan”. As a Level 4 Tuner, Watchdog gives Alexander access to Naturia Barkion instead of Naturia Beast.

This kind of focus on control and disruption is what makes Alexander’s KMP Deck a bit different from ones we’ve seen in the past. “Once Naturia Landoise [from Hidden Arsenal 4] and Karakuri Komachi mdl 224 “Ninishi” [from Extreme Victory] are available, the Deck will rival Six Samurai in speed and control.” But even without those cards, Alexander’s Deck seems like a formidable contender. It packs so many Special Summon tricks that it can play around opposing monster removal, and the range of options it offers means that it can out-maneuver around an opponent’s field to find a weakness and exploit it.

Thomas Luebke brought the KMP strategy into the spotlight at YCS Charlotte, but the concept is going to be continually refined as the weeks pass. Alexander’s version is an important step in the evolutionary ladder of this archetype, and should serve him well in today’s Day 1 field. Karakuris may finally be ready to capture a Championship win.

-Jason Grabher-Meyer

rai in speed and control.” But even without those cards, Alexander’s Deck seems like a formidable contender. It packs so many Special Summon tricks that it can play around opposing monster removal, and the range of options it offers means that it can out-maneuver around an opponent’s field to find a weakness and exploit it.

Thomas Luebke brought the KMP strategy into the spotlight at YCS Charlotte, but the concept is going to be continually refined as the weeks pass. Alexander’s version is an important step in the evolutionary ladder of this archetype, and should serve him well in today’s Day 1 field. Karakuris may finally be ready to capture a Championship win.

-Jason Grabher-Meyer