Check out the next creative deck tournament, featuring all types of brand new strategies, and please provide feedback on my content!
The Creative Deck Strategy Showdown – V!
Welcome to a digital display of creative decks dueling it out! 32 strategies will enter a knockout bracket, but only one will come out victorious. This event was hosted on my YouTube channel for the site, so please subscribe to not miss future events. This post marks the end of the event and serves as a hub article to visit all 10 videos made to cover the tournament. Lastly, I ask that you leave feedback on CDSS5 in the link provided in the Feedback Warrior section near the end of this article (or here). If you missed out on CDSS1, CDSS2, CDSS3, or CDSS4 – be sure to check those out too!
Who is participating in CDSS5?
32 different strategies, pulled from past articles as far as my early articles in 2013, recent strategies as close as those posted 2 weeks ago, cancelled articles from over the years, and themes that had yet to be showcased by me in a profile appear here! From hybrid variants to pure approaches, this list covers a wide swath of favorites from my past builds, and a couple returns of popular themes! All builds from past articles have been updated for the current TCG format and existing cross-region cardpool, so many of the older strategies may have gotten a significant upgrade! For a rundown of the participants and their custom promo art, open the spoiler below!
Pod A Matches
#1: Rank-Up Raiding Knights
Inspired by: CDP: Rank-Up Phantom Knight RaidRaptor
Rank-Up Raiding Knights takes Xyz Summoning to its max, combining multiple DARK archetypes alongside a Pendulum engine!
#2: Exceeding Constellar
Inspired by: CDP: Exceeding Constellar, ft. Constellar Caduceus
Exceeding Constellar seeks to vanquish Darkness through its Xyz Summons!
#3: Toonapalooza
Inspired as an upgrade to: CDP: Toon Magical Gaia Champion
Toonapalooza embraces the crazy, relying on comical effects to attack directly and aggressively dominate the duel.
#4: A Dream Mirror’s Reflection
Inspired as an upgrade to: CDP: Chaotic Dream Mirror ft. Chaos Daedalus
A Dream Mirror’s Reflection closes out the group with this LIGHT/DARK archetype sealed by its dual field spells, powered up with new support from BLVO!
Pod B Matches
#5: Destiny’s Necro Spirit
Inspired by a cancelled CDP.
Destiny’s Necro Spirit makes full use of the Dark Spirit and Necrofear support from the recent Duelist Pack, stalling the game with fiends until Destiny Board is assembled!
#6: Wight Frights
Inspired by: CDP: Phantom Wight Nights ft. Wight Baking
Wight Frights serves only one master, the King of the Skull Servants, as it empowers its monarch with Zombific combos!
#7: Malleable Metalfoes
Inspired by: CDP: Malleable Metalfoes, ft. BLVO Support
Malleable Metalfoes brings the duel to the road, hitting the opponent hard with a blazing fury of Fusions and Pendulums riding in tandem!
#8: F.A. – Hot Pursuit
Inspired by: CDP: F.A. – The Need for Speed and CDP: F.A. – Hot Pursuit
F.A. – Hot Pursuit closes out the group as the returning champion back from CDSS1 featuring WIND/Machines and ridiculous levels, hoping to speed its way to a second title!
Pod C Matches
#9: Dyson Sphere Spriggun Ammunition
Requested Dyson Sphere CDP.
Dyson Sphere Spriggun Ammunition – Rank-Up-Magics help out this Machine deck as it empowers Dyson Sphere with a bit of Armed help, with some Utopia support!
#10: Excavating Fossil Nemeses
Inspired by: CDP: Excavating Fossil Nemeses and CDS: Fossil Nemeses’ Code
Excavating Fossil Nemeses – This Rock strategy returns with the help of the Adamancipators: Will it achieve top 4 like the last time it entered the CDSS?
#11: Noble Laval Nemeses
Inspired by: CDP: Laval’s Infernoble Knight and CDS: DT Mega Article 3
Noble Laval Nemeses – With the newest Laval support cards and the loss of Linkross, this build had to be significantly changed from its original CDP debut, but with a new engine and supporting cards, will it have enough power to fight on in the competition?
#12: Enlighened Zefrath
Inspired by: Cancelled Zefra Mega Article and Previous Zefra CDSS Participants.
Enlightened Zefrath – The Zefra attain their purest form in CDSS5, except this build also includes a couple other archetypes as well for some sick pendulum combos.
Pod D Matches
#13: Solace of the Security Force
Inspired by: CDP: Solace of the Security Force, ft. BLVO Support
Solace of the Security Force makes full use of columns, adversely affecting the opponent’s monsters in a controlled style.
#14: Vampires of the World
Inspired by Requested Vampire CDP.
Vampires of the World features a suite of Vampire Zombie monsters, hitting the CDSS stage with some Zombie World help!
#15: MetaMyu Metamorphosis
Inspired by: CDP: Myutant Metaphys Metamorphosis
MetaMyu Metamorphosis combines the TCG premiere fusion theme with the premiere banishing theme!
#16: Slifer, the Fortune Draw Dragon
Inspired by Requested DIVINE CDP and CDS: Fortune’s Future
Slifer, the Fortune Draw Dragon wields the absurd draw power of the Fortune Ladies to accelerate a Slifer with insane ATK power… and the Divine support to get him summoned!
Pod E Matches
#17: A Familiar Fairy Tail of Elemental Grace
Inspired by: CDP: A Familiar Fairy Tail – Possessed and CDP: Mighty Master Charmers of the Spiritual Arts
A Familiar Fairy Tail of Elemental Grace features the Magistus, the Possessed Support cards, and a suite of Familiars, representing all attributes!
#18: TrapTrix TrapHole
Inspired by: CDP: Mesmerizing TrapTrix Trap Hole ft. LIOV Support
TrapTrix TrapHole unleashes the power of insects and plants and an absurd amount of disruptive trap holes.
#19: Cologne’s Box of Gem Knights
Inspired by: Request for Cologne CDP and Gem-Knight CDP.
Cologne’s Box of Gem Knights employs a Box of Friends to summon two Gem Knights, then make even more Xyz monsters with Grandpa Demetto!
#20: Chosen of the Ice Barrier
Inspired by: CDP: Vanilla Ice Barrier
Chosen of the Ice Barrier rounds out the Pod, locking out the opponent’s with the chilly gaze of their Absolute Zero boss monster!
Pod F Matches
#21: Witchcrafting Raiders
Inspired by: CDP: Witchcraft Raider and Previous Generaider CDSS Participants
Witchcrafting Raiders invokes the hidden power of the nomadic Spellcaster archetype, supported with the Generaider Boss monsters!
#22: Armed Hieratic of Thunder
Inspired by: CDP: Armed Hieratic Seal of Thunder
Armed Hieratic of Thunder features the Armed Dragon Thunder series, including them alongside the Hieratic tribute-savvy Dragons!
#23: Digital Bug Overlay Splicer
Inspired by: CDP: Digital Bug Datascape and Pure Digital Bug Request
Digital Bug Overlay Splicer serves as the return of the Digital Bug archetype to the CDSS tournament, dropping the Virtual World monsters in lieu of a purer build!
#24: Blossoming Sunavalon
Inspired by: Potential Future CDP
Blossoming Sunavalon grows in last for the Pod, link summoning tree after tree in an endless chain of photosynthesis-fueled blooms!
Pod G Matches
#25: Ancient Warriors – Saga of the Dishonored
Inspired by: CDP: Ancient Warriors with Dishonor and Previous Ancient Warriors CDSS Participants
Ancient Warriors – Saga of the Dishonored features the return of the beast-warrior theme yet again to the CDSS!
#26: A Tribute for the Nekroz
Inspired by: Potential Future CDP
A Tribute for the Nekroz enchants their non-Ritual monsters, tributing and banishing them for additional effects or resources!
#27: PSY-Frame Synchronized
Inspired by: CDP: PSY-Framelord Synchronized and Previous PSY-Frame CDSS Participants
PSY-Frame Synchronized focuses on the Synchro powers of this disruptive Psychic archetype.
#28: MachinARC Rebellion
Inspired by: CDP: Corrupted MachinArc Rebellion and Previous Machina CDSS Participants
MachinARC Rebellion builds upon the base of corrupted machines to strengthen their main deck bosses!
Pod H Matches
#29: Heraldic Time Thief
Inspired by: CDP: Heraldic Beast Time Thief
Heraldic Time Thief focuses on combining any two Level 4 monsters to make an Xyz summon to then convert that one summon into a disruptive field of black cards.
#30: Vendread Nights
Inspired by: Requested CDP
Vendread Nights employs Rituals with Zombie monsters, empowering their rituals with additional effects should you use one of the Vendreads as material!
#31: Darklord’s Descent
Inspired by: CDP: Darklord’s Descent, ft. Angel O1
Darklord’s Descent lets the ancient DARK Fairy theme rise once more with the help of some LIGHT fairies and new Fusion-based support.
#32: Steaming Volcanic Paleozoic
Inspired by: CDP: Fire Meets Water – Volcanic Paleozoic and CDP: Paleozoic Starfish
Steaming Volcanic Paleozoic requires traps. Lots and lots of traps. Oh and burn damage, a bit of Xyz summoning, and insane recycling.
Links and Event Details:
How do I watch?
As CDSS5 was entirely contained within YouTube videos, I’ve embedded the playlist for the entire event below. I’ve also provided direct links to each of the individual videos from the event broken down by week in their own individual spoilers to avoid spoiling winners! Note that all videos in CDSS5 have chapters for you to more easily navigate between the matches and catch the ones you are interested in, plus all decklists are shown at the end of a video in which they are eliminated.
The Pods:
Pod A Matches
Pod B Matches
Pod C Matches
Pod D Matches
Pod E Matches
Pod F Matches
Pod G Matches
Pod H Matches
Top 8:
Top 4 and Finale:
Winner’s Decklist:
I had originally designed for a standalone profile to showcase the winner of CDSS5 and use that as the decklist reveal; however, real life threw a wrench in my path of 2 80 hour work weeks. So in its place, I’ve included the decklist here for you all:
Vampires of the World
Monsters: 25
| Draculea Vampire
| Doomking Balerdroch
| Vampire Vamp
| Jack-O-Bolan
||| Vampire Scarlet Scourge
| Vampire Grace
||| Shadow Vampire
|| Vampire Fraulein
| Gozuki
|| Mezuki
| Vampire Sorcerer
||| Vampire Familiar
||| Vampire Retainer
|| Glow-Up BloomSpells: 10
| One for One
| Z0mbie Necronize
||| Vampire’s Desire
| Foolish Burial
|| Vampire’s Domain
|| Zombie WorldTraps: 5
||| Vampire’s Awakening
|| Vampire DominationExtra:
| Number 39: Utopia Beyond
| Dhampir Vampire Sheridan
| Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal
| Crimson Knight Vampire Bram
| Number 5: Doom Chimera Dragon
| Yuki-Onna, the Absolute Zero Mayakashi
| Knightmare Unicorn
| Knightmare Phoenix
|| Vampire Sucker
| Knightmare Cerberus
| Avendread Savior
| Barricadeborg Blocker
| Union Carrier
| Linkuriboh
Acknowledgements:
As a closing note, thanks again to everyone who has read and engaged with my content since I began posting here in 2013. Each of the CDSS events seemed be well-received, and thus I don’t have any intention on stopping them as of now, so I’d also like to thank all of the individual contributors who have requested strategies over the years, as many of those requests are represented in these events. I couldn’t do it alone, and your input is extremely valuable in crafting what I write about next!
Please let me know how you liked CDSS5:
If you’re reading this far and you’ve engaged with parts of the CDSS5 at any point, please also take the time to answer this short questionnaire so I can get some direct feedback. I want to hear from you whether or not you want to see something like this again, and if so, what you would like in the future. The form can be accessed here: https://forms.gle/d4Ecmq79Up5fuPFt5
Thanks for reading/watching, and I hope you enjoyed each of the iterations of the CDSS and my attempt to provide diverse types of content! Be sure to leave feedback through the above form, commenting on any of these videos on my YouTube Channel, or by reaching out on Discord! Otherwise, I’ll catch you next week when I *hopefully* get back to regularly posting new CDPs!
