Four weeks ago, Juan Morales took second place at YCS Orlando, making it all the way to the Finals with Tengu Synchro. Four weeks later, Reborn Tengu is everywhere with countless variants, many focusing on the interaction between Genex Ally Birdman and Reborn Tengu. By bouncing Tengu back to the hand, you can Special Summon Birdman plus another Tengu from your Deck, instantly fielding the necessary Synchro Materials for Black Rose Dragon or Scrap Archfiend. From there, Duelists add all manner of accompaniments to flesh out their Decks. Morales played Gravekeeper’s Spies, Gravekeeper’s Descendant, Debris Dragons, and Junk Synchrons. Other Duelists add things like Tour Guide of the Underworld for better access to Sangan, Lonefire Blossom and accompanying Plant-Types for more speedy Synchro Summoning; and Chaos Sorcerers for their powerful banishing effect and high ATK. The past few weeks have seen tons of experimentation, with the result being a vast array of different Tengu Synchro strategies.

But Wilson Tsang’s Deck this weekend may be one of the most original. Combining a minimal Birdman / Tengu engine with Lonefire Blossom and related Plant cards, he skipped entirely on Debris Dragon and a few other cards you might expect to see in your average Tengu Synchro Deck. The reason? He had to make room. Tsang has inserted an entire Genex Undine line into the Tengu Synchro framework, completed with Genex Controllers; Treeborn Frog; Swap Frog; and Fishborg Blaster, as well as Destiny Hero – Malicious, Tragoedia, and Chaos Sorcerer. The result is an incredible Deck capable of victories just like the 2-0 triumph we saw Tsang claim in his Round 6 Feature Match against Christoper Csikortos. Here’s what his Deck looks like:

Monsters:
3 Reborn Tengu
2 Treeborn Frog
1 Fishborg Blaster
1 Swap Frog
3 Genex Undine
2 Genex Controller
2 Destiny Hero – Malicious
1 Caius the Shadow Monarch
1 Genex Ally Birdman
1 Tragoedia
1 Chaos Sorcerer
2 Effect Veiler
1 Gorz the Emissary of Darkness
1 Glow-Up Bulb
1 Spore
2 Lonefire Blossom
1 Dandylion

Spells:
1 Book of Moon
1 Monster Reborn
1 Dark Hole
1 One for One
1 Foolish Burial
1 Giant Truade
2 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Monster Reborn
1 Allure of Darkness
2 Enemy Controller
3 Pot of Avarice

This Deck can make Black Rose Dragon with ease. It makes impressive double Synchro plays with Glow-Up Bulb, and it runs Spore for a brutal one-two Synchro punch.

But Tsang’s Deck makes Synchro Monsters in more ways than would be possible for other Duelists. For instance, he can Synchro Summon a Level 8 like Stardust Dragon or Scrap Dragon by Special Summoning Treeborn Frog, discarding Destiny Hero – Malicious to Special Summon Fishborg Blaster, then banishing Malicious to Special Summon another from his Deck. From there he’ll Tune Fishborg to Treeborn, which lets him Synchro Summon Formula Synchron and then draw a card. Then he’ll Tune Formula Synchron to Malicious for his Level 8. Similarly, he can make Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier with Reborn Tengu, Formula Synchron, and Genex Undine, turning an unassuming field into a devastating force.

Because he plays high-Level DARK monsters, plus Genex Tuners, Tsang’s free to run Locomotion R-Genex. The Locomotion is a Level 9 Synchro Monster with an awesome effect: when it’s Synchro Summoned, it steals an opposing face-up monster of your choice, bringing it to your side of the field so it can do your bidding. Tsang can Synchro Summon it by pairing Genex Ally Birdman or Genex Controller with Destiny Hero – Malicious, Caius, or a Level-adjusted Tragoedia.

But the best combo may be with Birdman and Chaos Sorcerer. When Tsang has both monsters in hand, he can banish a LIGHT monster and a DARK monster from his Graveyard to Special Summon Sorcerer. From there, he can banish an opposing monster; bounce Sorcerer back to his hand to Special Summon Genex Ally Birdman; and Special Summon Sorcerer again, removing another of his opponent’s monster. Then, by Tuning Birdman and the Sorcerer together, Tsang can Synchro Summon Locomotion R-Genex, stealing a third monster from the opponent. It’s a brutal 2-card combo that banishes 2 opposing monsters, steals another, and leaves Tsang with a 2500 ATK Locomotion.

Treeborn Frog makes it easier for this Deck to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron, and allows Tsang to bump up a Synchro Summon by a single Level to gain more options. It also combos with Tsang’s double Enemy Controller, and gives him a layer of defense against attackers. With Treeborn, Tengu, and Dandylion all throwing repeated blockers onto the field, Tsang can buy all the time he needs to put together big combos.

R-Genex Locomotion is an amazing card. Few Duelists are playing it, but it’s really easy to run in a number of existing Tengu Synchro builds. If you play Chaos Sorcerer or Caius the Shadow Monarch in your Birdman Deck, definitely give it a shot. Wilson Tsang has demonstrated how a little out of the box thinking – applied to a proven strategy – can go a long, long way in Championship competition.