The Superheavy Samurai are an elite squadron of brick-wall attack-stoppers that lay on the hurt, even when they’re in Defense Position! Can a good defense really be the best offense? It’s possible! Here’s how…

Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei’s a Level 8 Machine-Type with 1000 ATK and 3500 DEF. You can shift its Battle Position whenever it’s Normal or Special Summoned, so it’s easy to bring it out in defense mode. That’s clutch, because not only is that 3500 DEF virtually impossible to get over in battle, but Big Benkei lets all your “Superheavy Samurai” monsters attack from Defense Position. When they do, you use their DEF for damage calculation instead of their ATK – that makes Big Benkei a 3500 ATK attacker, and that’s what Superheavy Samurai are all about.

Big Benkei’s joined by two cohorts: Superheavy Samurai Blue Brawler’s a 0 ATK 2000 DEF Machine that can’t be destroyed by battle, uniting with Big Benkei to dish out as much as 5500 damage a turn. Superheavy Samurai Swordsman has 1000 ATK and 1800 DEF, and its effect reduces the ATK and DEF of a monster that battles any of your Superheavy Samurai to 0.

Both monsters have Benkei’s effect that lets you change their Battle Positions when they’re Normal or Special Summoned, and if you pair them together you can use Blue Brawler’s immunity to battle to send it after opposing monsters, reduce their ATK and DEF, and then bat cleanup with the rest of your Superheavy Samurai.

So how do you Summon the Level 8 Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei in the first place? You could Tribtue Summon it by giving up two monsters, but a Superheavy Samurai Duelist has better options. Since Big Benkei only has 1000 ATK you can Special Summon it straight from your Deck with Giant Rat! It’s fast, easy, and costs no Tribute.

All the Superheavy Samurai are EARTH monsters, and so are cards like Giant Rat, Machina Gearframe, and Machina Fortress – cards you’ll probably want to play with the Superheavy Samurai anyway. That makes it easy to banish EARTH monsters for Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders’ revival ability, bringing Big Benkei back from the Graveyard. If you can Special Summon one Big Benkei you can Special Summon the rest, too: Inferno Reckless Summon can unleash all three Benkei at once, plucking two more from your hand, Deck, and Graveyard to get them all into action.

Because the Superheavy Samurai rule the field in Defense Position, several cards can give you a unique advantage. Stumbling is a great way to stop your opponent’s attacks, changing any monster that’s Normal Summoned, Special Summoned, or Flip Summoned to Defense Position. That’s a problem for your opponent, but it’s not a problem for the Superheavy Samurai – they’ll just keep attacking anyways.

Black Garden halves the ATK of any monster Normal or Special Summoned, but it doesn’t touch their DEF. So while your opponent’s monsters will be fighting at half strength, Big Benkei will still swing for 3500. Shooting Star Bow – Ceal’s kind of the same: equipping it lets your monster make direct attacks, but the equipped monster loses 1000 ATK while it wields the Bow. Again, that won’t matter because Big Benkei lets your Superheavy Samurai attack with their Defense Points, instead of their Attack Points. Opponents will have a tough time beating you if Benkei’s blocking their attacks with 3500 DEF, and making direct shots for 3500 damage every turn.

The Superheavy Samurai are cool because they’re so different from other Deck themes, and they make so many old fan-favorites into practically all-new cards. By turning DEF boosts into extra attack power they really change things up, so give them a look and get ready for even more Superheavy Samurai when The New Challengers debut in November!