Phantom Beast (Chimera) Deck #450281 — Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG

Phantom Beast (Chimera) - Illegal Build — Deck Power Evaluation

Final Contextual Deck Power: 56/100 (±8 · Confidence: Low)

• Primary strategy: Combo
• Secondary strategies: Control, Midrange
• Format: tcg

Legality

Main 55 / Extra 15 / Side 0 — status under the rules at evaluation time: Illegal. 2 violation(s).

Identity & game plan

• Win condition: Fusion-summoned boss monsters (2400–3300 ATK) with layered interaction (1–2 negates, float effects, recursion) enabling attrition-based grind and field-control closure; Hand-trap disruption (Evenly Matched, Nibiru, Ash Blossom) forcing opponent misplays; recovery via GY recursion (Sinful Spoils, Bystials, Chimera float) and searcher tutors
• Turn 1 (going first): Normal Summon starter (Gazelle, Mirror Swordknight, or Cornfield Coatl → search Chimera Fusion or Level 5 Fiend), Special Summon Fusion monster (2400–2700 ATK range), set 1–2 hand traps for disruption, pass turn with board presence and float protection
• Turn 2 (going second): Resolve hand traps on opponent's turn (Evenly Matched to field-wipe, Nibiru on summon chains, Ash to block key searches); activate Super Polymerization or Lightning Storm if opportunity arises; attempt Fusion summon to generate board presence and continue pressure
• Recovery: Retrieve banished/GY searchers via Sinful Spoils recursion (WANTED recurs from GY), Bystial Special Summons (if GY LIGHT/DARK seeded), and Chimera name float effects in GY; rebuild with remaining hand or tutored pieces
• After siding: Unavailable — side deck contains 0 cards; no post-side strategy tuning or meta-tech inclusion possible; deck cannot adapt across Games 2–3

Why it scores here

This Phantom Beast Chimera deck is structurally designed to open a Fusion-summoned boss (typically 2400–2700 ATK range) with moderate interaction (1–2 negates, recursion float) via consistent starters (Gazelle, Mirror Swordknight, 3 copies each) and 19 searcher-text cards. Median output is modest—single Fusion summon plus value—due to 55-card bloat and conditional secondary engines (Bystials require GY seed, Sinful Spoils require recursion setup). Going-first resilience is reasonable (multiple starter routes, GY-based recovery), but going-second is hampered by an empty side deck and lack of dedicated board-breaker lines. **The score is capped at 56 (theoretical-only) due to legality violations: 3× Droll & Lock Bird over Semi-Limited limit 2, and 2× Crossout Designator over Limited limit 1. This deck cannot legally compete in sanctioned format.** Archetype popularity and card-score averaging did not contribute to the deck score; power derives solely from system analysis (consistency, engine cohesion, combo conversion, interaction, resilience, recovery, cost).

Dimension scores

How the score was computed

Strategy profile: Weighted 80% Combo + 20% Control (primary strategy is Fusion combo with secondary control layer). Structural ≈ 69, Going First ≈ 66, Going Second ≈ 57, Meta = provisional, Tournament Reliability ≈ 56. Modifiers: Illegality penalty (-10); Empty side deck (-3). Final formula: Theoretical-only (Illegal deck). Base formula: 0.80·Structural + 0.20·TournamentReliability = 0.80·69 + 0.20·56 = 55.2 + 11.2 = 66.4. Adjusted by illegality modifier (−10) → final 56. Meta Power remains null/Provisional (no dated metagame sample). Score reflects structural power IF violations were corrected; actual competitive viability is 0 until banlist compliance is restored.

Probability & combo summary

• Opening a starter: P(≥1) ≈ 0.85 · key two-card combo ≈ — · full-brick estimate ≈ 0.08 (all Inferred)
• Combo output: best PowerIndex —, median —, board-per-starter —
• Turn order: 0 going-first lines vs 0 going-second lines

Strengths

• Consistent starter package: 6 distinct full/conditional starters (Gazelle, Mirror Swordknight, Big-Winged Berfomet, Cornfield Coatl at 2–3 copies each) enable reliable T1 engine activation
• Robust hand-trap density: 17 hand-trap role-tagged cards (26% of main deck) provide excellent going-second disruption and format-agnostic interaction; Evenly Matched (3×), Nibiru (2×), Ash Blossom (2×) cover diverse scenarios
• Solid Extra-Deck Fusion coverage: 11 Fusion monsters with diverse effects (removal, recursion float, draw, negation) enable tactical board construction to match threat assessment
• Multiple recursion engines: Sinful Spoils (WANTED and Deception provide GY-to-hand loops), Bystials (conditional Special Summons if GY-seeded), and Chimera name float effects sustain resource economy across turns
• Flexible removal suite: Super Polymerization (2×) and Lightning Storm (2×) offer removal independent of player field state, enabling board-breaking and field reset without setup cost
• Modular searcher ecosystem: Gazelle, Mirror Swordknight, Cornfield Coatl, Big-Winged Berfomet all tutor for missing engine pieces or Fusion enablers, enabling recovery from early disruption

Weaknesses

• Main deck bloat: 55 cards significantly above optimal 40–45 sweetspot; dilutes draw quality, increases brick rate, and reduces consistency of opening-hand quality vs. competitors
• Modest median combo output: Typical turn yields single Fusion + searcher value rather than multi-summon explosive boards; lacks sustained resource generation and multi-line setup for layered defense
• Fusion-archetype material dependency: Most fusions require hand materials, not field summons; constrains ability to combo through early opponent disruption and limits going-second board-building without special effects (tributes, discards, GY effects)
• Weak offensive closing plan: 2100–3100 ATK board range with no piercing, burn, or direct-damage text; wins via attrition + field control over multiple turns; vulnerable to faster meta decks or OTK strategies
• **EMPTY SIDE DECK**: 0 side-deck cards (15 slots unused); no post-side tuning, meta-tech, or matchup adaptation; best-of-3 performance severely compromised; disqualifies deck from competitive play even if banlist violations were fixed
• **ILLEGAL**: 3× Droll & Lock Bird over Semi-Limited 2 and 2× Crossout Designator over Limited 1 violate TCG banlist; deck cannot be played in sanctioned events. This is the primary barrier to viability.

Critical choke points

• First-turn startup fragility: If primary starter (Gazelle or Mirror Swordknight) is negated, removed, or hand-trapped, secondary routes (Big-Winged Berfomet, Cornfield Coatl) have higher activation requirements or weaker immediate payoff, forcing fallback on suboptimal lines
• Chimera Fusion as single point of failure: Chimera Fusion is the primary enabler; if negated, banished, or removed before activation, player must rely on Polymerization (2×) or Super Polymerization (2×), both requiring hand material and reducing combo consistency
• Going-second material scarcity: Opponent board presence limits available hand material for Fusion Summon without additional discard/tribute effects; restricts going-second board-building to low-material fusions or requires pre-setup GY recursion
• Bystial activation gatekeep: Bystial Special Summon effects (Magnamhut, Baldrake) require LIGHT or DARK monster already in GY; early turns without GY seeding leave Bystials as dead cards in hand, diluting consistency
• Board-reset unavailability: Lightning Storm requires empty player field (unachievable vs. opponent-established board), and Evenly Matched only triggers during opponent Battle Phase end. No proactive field-wipe or reset mechanism for mid-combo disruption.
• **BANLIST VIOLATIONS**: 3× Droll & Lock Bird (legal 2) and 2× Crossout Designator (legal 1) render deck immediately disqualified from play. All other strategic choke points are moot until legality is restored.

Recommended changes

Evidence & confidence

• Verified: Legality status: ILLEGAL (verified against official TCG banlist; Droll & Lock Bird 3 vs. 2, Crossout Designator 2 vs. 1); Main deck 55 cards, Extra deck 15 cards, Side 0 cards (verified via card count in evidence.json); Droll & Lock Bird: 3 copies, Semi-Limited (legal 2) — over limit (verified via banlist status field); Crossout Designator: 2 copies, Limited (legal 1) — over limit (verified via banlist status field); Card text excerpts for all 44 distinct main + extra deck cards resolved (verified via YGOVN database)
• Observed: Chimera Fusion (3×) functions as primary Fusion enabler; text confirms 'during Main Phase, Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster using Beast/Fiend material' (observed from card database); Gazelle and Mirror Swordknight (3× each) serve as most accessible starters; both trigger on Normal/Special Summon with opt search effects (observed from card list + text frequency); 17 hand-trap role-hint cards identified across deck (Evenly Matched 3, Artifact Lancea 3, Droll & Lock Bird 3, Infinite Impermanence 2, Ash Blossom 2, Nibiru 2, Effect Veiler 2); role hints confirm 'is_hand_trap' flag (observed); 11 Fusion monsters in Extra Deck with ATK range 1500–3300 and diverse float/removal/recursion effects (observed from Extra Deck card data); Sinful Spoils engine (WANTED: Seeker, Deception) provides recursion loop; text confirms 'banish this card from GY, then place 1 Sinful Spoils from GY on bottom of Deck, draw 1 card' (observed from card text)
• Inferred: D1 Consistency 65: Composite P(≥1 starter) ≈ 0.85 from Gazelle 3× (0.25) + Mirror 3× (0.25) + conditional starters 2–4 + searcher backup 19× (0.89). Offset by 55-card bloat and material activation requirements (hypergeometric + card text reasoning); D2 Brick Management 58: 55-card deck dilutes opening-hand quality vs. 40–45 optimal. Conditional activation (Bystials need GY, Sinful Spoils need recursion, Azamina need tributes) increases risk of non-functional hands. Copy histogram 2–3 on key cards is positive, but 1-ofs and flex slots introduce brick vectors (composition analysis); D3 Combo Ceiling 68: Text-only inference — no combo data supplied. Typical ceiling = Gazelle or Mirror Normal → search Chimera Fusion → Special Summon 2400–2700 ATK Fusion with recursion float + searcher value. Guardian Chimera (3300 ATK, draw + destroy) is true ceiling but requires 3+ materials (rare) (card text pathway inference); D4 Combo Floor 55: Median output inferred as single Fusion + searcher value; bloat and conditional secondary engines reduce probability of multi-summon or explosive turns. Most frequent realistic outcome is 1 Fusion (2100–2400 ATK) + 1–2 searcher refunds (card text + statistical inference); D5 Resilience 62: Route enumeration from card list = Gazelle, Mirror, Big-Winged Berfomet, Cornfield Coatl as 2–4 independent starters. GY recursion routes (Sinful Spoils, Bystial Special Summons) add secondary recovery if seeded. Loss of first route without backup forces reliance on float; moderate but not high resilience (card text enumeration); D6 Resource Economy 66: Searcher float on 4 distinct starters (Gazelle, Mirror, Cornfield, Big-Winged) generates hand advantage per turn. Chimera name recursion in GY, Magnum draw engine (if Polymerization banished), Sinful Spoils banish→hand loop = positive grind economy. Limited raw draw, but steady recursion sustains value (card text analysis); D7 Interaction Quality 70: Typical board = 1 Fusion (Berfomet, Chimera variants) at 2400–2700 ATK with 1–2 interaction slots (negation float, recursion, removal float); Guardian Chimera adds draw + mass destruction (hard to achieve). Interaction density is moderate and board-state-dependent (card text semantic read + board composition inference); D8 Going-Second 64: Super Polymerization 2× and Lightning Storm 2× provide instant removal; Evenly Matched 3× is mass disruption; Nibiru 2× taxes summon chains. No dedicated board-breaker monsters or going-second OTK vector present. Removal and hand-trap coverage is decent but not specialized for going-second OTK (card text + tactical role assessment); D9 Closing Power 58: Realistic ATK outputs: Berfomet 2400, Chimera King 2100, Guardian Chimera 3300 (hard to summon). No piercing, burn, or direct-damage text. Wins via attrition + interaction stalling, not OTK. Closing power is moderate and dependent on field presence maintenance across turns (card text ATK read); D10 Main Efficiency 62: 55-card deck is significantly above 40–45 optimal; 29 distinct cards enable high flexibility but reduce tightness; copy distribution 2–3 (good redundancy); flex/optional slots (Mudrakov, Predaplant, 1-ofs) present. Compactness penalty is substantial (deck composition analysis); D11 Extra Efficiency 71: 11 Fusion monsters (Chimera variants, Azamina variants, Guardian, Magnum, Garura, Dragostapelia) are mostly playable. 1 Synchro (Chaos Angel, garnet, requires 9 stars + Tuner). 1 XYZ (Evolzar Lars, garnet, no Level 6 route). 2 Links (flex/optional). ~10 productive slots out of 15; good Fusion coverage with 2–3 mild garnets (Extra Deck card analysis); D12 Side Adaptability 20: Side deck contains 0 cards; zero flexibility, zero post-side strategy tuning. Best-of-3 performance is impossible; deck cannot adapt across Games 2–3. Adaptability score is hard-capped at minimum due to complete absence (verified Side Deck size = 0); D13 Format Fit 55: No tournament context or archetype meta-share (tournament data.available = false, usage statistics.available = false). Chimera is mid-tier/niche archetype in current meta. Hand-trap suite and Super Polymerization are format-agnostic. Provisional assessment assumes mid-range positioning without dated meta sample (absence of meta data); D14 Pilotability 64: Gazelle/Mirror → Chimera Fusion → Fusion Summon combo exhibits 2–3 decision points (material choice, Fusion selection, float timing). Hand-trap activation and Fusion choice add skill. No ultra-long chains. Error tolerance is moderate — secondary hand traps cover early mistakes, but first-line loss without backup strains recovery (card text + combo step enumeration)
• Provisional: Meta Power: null (no dated metagame sample provided; cannot compute format-specific win-rate projection, top-deck coverage, common-interaction resilience, or meta positioning); Matchup win rates: speculative (estimated 45–60% vs. various archetypes, but unsupported by tournament data; format-neutral assessment only); Format speed fit: assumed standard TCG 2024–2025 pacing (no explicit format date provided in deck data)
• Data gaps: **CRITICAL: Legality violations** — Deck is Illegal; cannot compete. Evaluation is theoretical-only for structural analysis. Actual competitive viability is 0 until Droll & Lock Bird (reduce 3→2) and Crossout Designator (reduce 2→1) are corrected. No combos supplied (combo data.total combos = 0): combo floor, median, ceiling, and board per starter are text-only inferences from card descriptions, not observed board data. Confidence in D3, D4, D5, D6, D7 is reduced due to lack of empirical combo statistics. No archetype usage statistics (usage statistics.available = false): cannot compare deck's card inclusion % vs. meta-standard Chimera lists; archetype purity assessment is structural only, not calibrated to known meta inclusions. No tournament context (tournament data.available = false): no archetype meta-share %, no per-pilot match record, no dated metagame sample. Meta Power remains null/Provisional; format fit is speculative. No win-rate telemetry in YGOVN: going-first/going-second win %, matchup-specific results, brick/starter/OTK rates are unavailable; all consistency and matchup claims are Inferred or Provisional. Empty side deck (0 cards): prevents best-of-3 scenario analysis and post-side plan evaluation. Tournament Reliability and post-side adaptation (D12) are artificially suppressed; actual competitive performance in matches is unknown. No combo examples or recorded board states: prevents board-per-starter, interaction-density-avg, and resource-signature analysis; D3–D7 rely on card-text inference rather than observed play data.