Goat Format Championship 13 Deck Tech: Fiend Aggro

Eighty-three players participated in yesterday's Goat Format Championship 13 tournament, a great turnout! There were a plethora of deck types that found their way into the event, with players choosing strategies based on perceived strength, fun factor, or even nostalgia! NovaEthos, AKA "igloodude", had individuality in mind when he submitted his Fiend Aggro list and went into round one with victory on his mind! 

Deck List

Overview

Fiend Aggro decks put pressure on with a combination of Fiend monsters, each with their own strength that they add to the deck. The end goal, however, is almost always summoning the powerful monster Dark Necrofear and riding it to victory.

Fiends which easily fill the graveyard, like Giant Germ and Kuriboh, are common ways to fuel Necrofear's cost. Archfiend Soldier, Giant Orc, and Slate Warrior are popular beaters, hitting over many of the most frequently played four-star monsters in the format. Meanwhile, Newdoria, Night Assailant, and others will be used to disrupt the enemy's game plan long enough for Necrofear to make an appearance. 

Player Insight

Discussing why they decided on this classic-but-rare deck, Nova stressed the importance of being unique and standing against the crowd, as well as playing to have fun! Of course, winning is always fun, so we got some great insight on design choices and play style, too! 
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​I've always liked running things a little differently. It's more fun for me at the end of the day, and if I get good results, that's even better. Also, Kuriboh is one of all-time my favorite cards, so I wanted to build a deck that really made it shine.

I wanted to make sure not to clog my hand with too many high-level monsters, so I only run two Necrofear and one Black Luster Soldier (BLS). This is a blessing and a curse, as the deck flows really well when I draw into them mid-game, but not so much if I draw into more than one copy or I keep drawing weak monsters. I've also seen this deck run with Skill Drain, which I have in the side, because Newdoria/Sangan/Germ/Necrofear all activate in the Grave. I decided not to include it in the main deck, though. 

There are a lot of small mechanics I like in it. Most important is the ability to use Dimension Fusion to Special Summon any monsters you've banished with BLS or Necrofear. That can create a good advantage for you if your opponent doesn't have anything banished, because you can recycle the removal/search effects of some of the weaker monsters in the deck (especially Newdoria) then use them again as banish material. 

I also really like using Creature Swap to give my opponent Giant Germ/Sangan/Newdoria. I feel particularly nefarious when they've got a really good board developed.

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​Playing an unconventional deck like Fiend Aggro means there's bound to be some stories to tell by the end of the day. Nova's had to do with Threban Nightmare, a rare sight even in fiend decks. 
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I run one copy of Theban Nightmare because it's a LIGHT Fiend, and also it has a really niche/fun effect. While I've never top-decked into it when I need it the most, I would have won a duel if I didn't have a copy of Snatch Steal on my side of the field, because it would've gotten 1500 more ATK (enough to win the game). Unfortunately that wasn't the case and my opponent won next turn :D ​

It's always hard to experience those "almost got 'em" moments. This is especially true when the scenario involves unique cards or strategies. All you can do, though, is brush yourself off, pick yourself up, and say, "maybe next time".