Tailwind of Gusto

Tailwind of Gusto — Power Evaluation

Final Score: 53 ± 6 · Confidence: Medium

• Intrinsic: 52.4 · Deck: 54.2 · Meta: provisional
• Primary role: Combo enabler · Secondary: Extender, Searcher/Tutor

Why it scores here

Tailwind of Gusto converts an already-established Gusto monster into a Deck-summoned Gusto body (different Type) or a Level 1 Tuner, and its GY effect turns a WIND discard into a Gusto Spell/Trap search — which is why 188 recorded decks run it at 2.52 copies on average. It lands in the low-to-mid 50s because the whole payoff is archetype-bound and requires a Gusto monster to equip first: it is an extender, not a starter (starter role is 0% in the combo sample and the one recorded combo carries starterCount 0). Its only opponent-facing effect is destruction immunity on the equipped monster, so it earns very little for disruption, and the single recorded combo shows low board (12) and disruption (8) sub-scores. ATK/DEF are 0 and played no part in this score.

Axis scores

Calculation

Weight profile: 0.7 Starter/Combo enabler + 0.3 Extender. Intrinsic ≈ 52.4, Deck ≈ 54.2, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck

Strengths

• Special Summons from Deck — either a different-Type Gusto monster (Level 4 or lower equip target) or a Level 1 Tuner (Level 5+ equip target) — giving material without using the normal summon.
• Grants the equipped Gusto monster immunity to destruction by the opponent's card effects.
• GY effect recurs a Gusto Spell/Trap to hand for the cost of banishing itself and discarding a WIND monster.
• Highly consistent in its home archetype: 188 recorded decks, 2.52 copies average, with 108 lists at the maximum 3 copies.

Weaknesses

• Requires a Gusto monster already on the field to equip; dead in hand without that body, so it is an extender rather than a starter.
• Provides no negation or removal on its own; the only defensive clause is destruction immunity for the equipped monster.
• Archetype-locked ('Equip only to a Gusto monster'), so it is not splashable outside Gusto.
• Both effects are once per turn, and the GY search additionally costs a WIND discard.

Counters / choke points

• Spell/Trap removal (Cosmic Cyclone, Mystical Space Typhoon, Harpie's Feather Duster) before the equip resolves.
• Monster removal on the equipped Gusto, which strips the equip target and disables the Level/Rank-based Special Summon clause.
• Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring negating the Deck search or Deck Special Summon.
• Called by the Grave / D.D. Crow answering the GY banish-and-search effect.

Best use

Combo enabler / extender that turns an established Gusto body into an extra Deck-summoned body and a recurring Gusto Spell/Trap search. Decks: Gusto. Suggested copies: 2.

Evidence & gaps

• Verified: Text: 'Equip only to a "Gusto" monster'; the equipped monster cannot be destroyed by the opponent's card effects.; Text: once per turn, banish this card from the GY and discard 1 WIND monster to add 1 Gusto Spell/Trap from Deck to hand.; Text: Level/Rank 4 or lower equip target Special Summons 1 Gusto monster from Deck with a different Type; Level/Rank 5 or higher Special Summons 1 Level 1 Tuner from Deck.; Legal in TCG, OCG and Master Duel; no banlist token supplied (assumed unlimited at 3).
• Observed: 188 recorded decks main-deck the card at 2.52 copies on average (108 lists run 3, 70 run 2, 10 run 1).; Co-deck rates are dominated by Gusto pieces: Gusto Vedir 73.4%, Pilica 72.9%, Daigusto Sphreez 72.9%, Gusto Griffin 66.5%, Gusto Egul 66%.; Only 1 combo record exists for the card, at average power index when present 100, but with low board (12) and disruption (8) sub-scores and starterCount 0.; usage statistics lists only one row (Battlin' Boxer, 60% inclusion, 2 copies).
• Inferred: Because the equip and the Level/Rank clause both require a Gusto monster already on the field, the card functions as an extender rather than a starter.; Discarding a WIND monster keeps the GY effect card-neutral at worst, and it functions as archetype Spell/Trap recursion.; The Deck Special Summons (extra Gusto body or Level 1 Tuner) are what enable the observed Synchro partners (Crystal Wing, Clear Wing, Daigusto Sphreez).
• Data gaps: no banlist token — assumed 3 copies (unlimited) combo data is essentially empty: 1 appearance, 0% as starter/searched/material/payoff, and an empty combo role, so practical line data is unverified no explicit searcher route for Tailwind of Gusto itself is documented in the evidence usage statistics coverage is a single, plausibly mislabelled archetype row no dated metagame sample — meta power is null and provisional