"The original Tribal archetype of the FFTCG continues to enjoy the substantial boosts it got from Opus XII, combining them with new Category: Final Fantasy Tactics support to make it even more consistent. Powerful Princess cards like Ovelia and Sara have entered the battlefield to lend their aid to their brave Knights, making their decks into value generating machines. They may be lacking in the raw destructive power and board wiping abilities of other job-based decks, but ample protection and versatile removal will have Knights players raising their swords and shields in victory far easier than before."
So first I would like to acknowledge before anybody else brings it up that yes, the character I chose for this image is technically a Paladin, so it's not part of the Knight archetype. But in Japanese, Paladins from Final Fantasy XI and XIV are called Knights, which is most likely the reason why Knight support cards like Beatrix and Gawain specify job Knight, instead of job or card name Knight - if they did, then Japanese Knight decks would have access to more cards. I just thought that was an interesting tidbit for all of my fellow pedantic nerds in the audience.
There's also another major controversy about Knights that I would like to take the time to address here today, and I want you guys to brace yourself because this one is a real doozy.
...
So several people pointed out for my Opus XIII Bingo card that I didn't put a stamp on the "Job: Knight Support" space, my logic being that none of the cards released this set had text that supported the Knight archetype as a whole. But what I failed to take into account was just how much legwork the addition of some really strong new Knights would do to improve the deck overall, even if they didn't "buff" the job like Beatrix does. So you're hearing it here first folks. I was wrong. Yes, I'm incredibly ashamed.
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| The stamp is black to commemorate this dark day. |
My humiliating folly aside, it's kind of difficult to talk about the new Opus XIII Knights though without acknowledging that one of their biggest boosts this set actually came from a completely different archetype - Princesses. Princesses have always provided support for Knights going all the way back to the original Ovelia from Opus I. There have been a few attempts at synergy between the two jobs over the years, from the clunky Garland Legend in Opus VI to the Jegran from Opus XII, showing the relationship between Princesses and their Knightly... uh, oppressors? But Princesses finally get a stalwart protector not intent on kidnapping them with the new Agrias.
Agrias requires a very specific board state to get the most out of her, specifically having Beatrix to reduce her cost by 2 and Ovelia to trigger her first two effects, plus being at Damage 5 if you want to get all three. But considering that both of those cards are things you'd want to get out as quickly as possible in a Knight deck, it's really not hard to get massive value off Agrias.
Getting a 9000 power Forward that nets you a draw, a search, and a 7k power reduction for only 3CP is already pretty scary, but this also makes Agrias one of the best targets for Aegis, since you'll get all her entry effects and you'll get to draw an extra card from Ovelia when she's temporarily sent to the Break Zone!
The new Ramza can be quite the beast in Knights as well, but he faces some pretty stiff competition from the old Opus X Ramza, with both cards requiring a deck heavily invested in Final Fantasy Tactics. Having 5 Category FFT Characters to get Multi-Element Ramza's cost reduction may seem like a tall order, but FFT thankfully has a solid lineup of Backups in Water and Lightning like Duke Goltana, Ovelia, and Simon.
He can do all of this for only 2 CP combining his own cost reduction with Beatrix's, and comes in with a larger 9000 Power body, but Opus X Ramza's ability to recover Ovelias or other key cards from the Break Zone or cheat out any FFT Character is tough to overlook. Really the choice between the two depends on which you want more: the ability to disrupt your opponent's board state or the ability to extend your own plays. Using the latter Ramza also helps the deck stabilize considerably at Damage 5 - especially if you choose to play Agrias from your hand for free - so he's personally my card of choice for the FFT Knight decks. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from running both, since you can always just bust out more Chirijiraden specials for 7k across the board.
Oh and hey, speaking of Knights who like to kidnap Princesses, we have a new Multi-Element Delita too. If finding a way to include Fire in the usual Water/Lightning Knight builds seemed like a challenge, then adding Earth and Ice into the mix would appear to be an odd choice. However, hybrid Earth/Water Sophie decks running a smaller Knight shell have been popping up lately, and with Tyro/Shantotto to color fix or Fenrir to play him out for free, he's a great way to recover the deck's valuable 2-cost cards like Sophie, Sarah, Krile, and Nichol.
Another Ice Knight, Charlotte is also probably best utilized in decks with an Earth core for color fixing rather than in a dedicated Knight deck. Her lightning rod effect and damage reduction are quite nice alongside cards like White Tiger L'cie Nimbus. She's a fantastic card, and I personally like to use her in a Water/Ice lockdown deck, but this Knight will probably be better off going solo than joining up with her fellow shield bearers.
Combo Ideas
Rain became one of my favorite cards back in Opus VIII, and he still holds up quite nicely in modern Knight decks. Knights are still largely dependent on Beatrix's cost reduction to get the most out of the deck, but combining his boardwide power boost every time he attacks with hers every time a Knight enters the field can quickly make your attack phases become overwhelming. Both of Rain's S-Abilities are quite powerful, so getting him out onto the field for only 1 CP can quickly turn the tide of battle in your favor if you have another copy of him in your hand.
Considering that the primary Knight colors are Water and Lightning, it's not very difficult to get Opus XII Thancred's abilities firing off effectively. You can use the new Materia to quickly search and play The Oracle Of Light so you can eventually cheat him out from the Break Zone. She's a prime target to choose when you cast Famfrit (3-123R) so she'll hit the Break Zone faster, plus you'll also get an extra draw from Materia's effect when she does. If you choose to run the this combo, then it might actually be a good idea to consider running the new Opus XIII Ramza, since he counts as both a Water and a Lightning card for Thancred's entry-effect.
Considering that cards like Ovelia, Ramza, and Rain all have powerful S-Abilities, it might not be a bad idea to run a copy or two of Opus XII Relm in your Knight decks. You're going to want to pop off as many of those Aegis's as possible after all, and the EX burst on Relm is just the icing on the cake. Favorite Deck Build
"Knights, my boi" by Shifty - The dreams of tri-color Knight players are starting to come true, despite the curious decision not to print more Fire Knights for Gawain to target in this set. You could always run the aforementioned Garland Legend of course. C'mon, you know you've been waiting since Opus VI to bust him out. He'll only cost threeeee...
"Monks have finally upgraded to Black Belt status in Opus XIII, becoming one of the deadliest tribal decks the FFTCG has seen yet. Taking full advantage of Monk's solid line of low-cost utility Backups and ability to tutor cards both from the hand and Break Zone has helped the deck claw its way to the top - thanks in no small part to the addition of Sophie, whose overwhelming ability to deal damage has been taking the top spot at several major tournaments. Since she needs to be surrounded by her fellow Martial Artists to reach peak enlightenment, Yang and Ursula have jumped back onto the scene to lend their support, with an efficient new Monk Forward helping to build up a large board of furious fighters for very little cost. The Monk deck is packed to the brim with raw strength and combat tricks, but be cautious for cards that can instantly break Forwards regardless of their power, or your opponent just might get an opportunity to sweep the leg."
Well I think "Monks are now top tier" was the last thing anybody was expecting from Opus XIII, but here we are. I have to admit, as somebody who has been playing Monks ever since they pulled a full art Ursula in Opus XI, I was absolutely thrilled to see that they had won the Zanarkand Open, but also slightly annoyed at the thought that now everybody was going to think I was just a filthy net-decker who jumped on the Monk bandwagon. Gosh, the life of an uppity card game contrarian sure is hard!
In any case, it's kind of incredible how the new Monk cards introduced in Opus XIII have been tailored to make the key cards from older sets reach their full potential. Yang into Ursula into a 2 cost Monk Backup was always an incredibly good combo, but now Yang into Ursula into Sophie is just downright insane. Having better Forward targets for Ursula's ability makes using removal on Monks feel like a waste, since it quickly becomes a game of, "Oh, you were going to destroy my Monk? Well not before I destroy my Monk and use it for my own nefarious gain, sucker."
The deck is stuffed with so many easily replaced resources that double as responsive removal that it becomes incredibly difficult for a lot of decks to keep up. Being able to use any Monk card as a bomb with Ursula is great, but you also have access to things like the Opus XII Monk Standard Unit Backup, the new Sarah (Mobius), and old reliable Hecatoncheir (4-093R) that take advantage of the fact that your Forwards are more than likely going to be bigger than your opponent's. Boosting power was always more of a way to get over your opponent's Forwards, but now its a freaking win condition with Sophie.
It's funny to think that an archetype that just needed a little bit more love last set rocketed to the top of the pack with the addition of only 3 new job specific cards, but the pieces were already there - they just needed a little extra punch.
It's hard to know what exactly to say about Sophie because so much has already been said about her: she'd be a damn good card even if she wasn't a Monk (and now finding a way to include Sophie into any deck that can run her is the default for Opus XIII, which should show just how powerful she is). But as I mentioned before, her being a 2CP Monk is extra incredible when used alongside Ursula's ability to recur her from the Break Zone, and even if your opponent manages to get her below 10K power, you can always respond by popping your Monk (2-089C) to get her back over that threshold.
Seriously though, this card does everything. The damage and extra draw power undeniably make her into a massive threat, but so does the fact that she becomes so difficult for your opponent to manage in general thanks to her boosted power. You can push for more damage by attacking with her (and she'll most likely have Brave with Yang), and she makes one of the best targets for your "fight" mechanics to thin out your opponent's board. I never thought I would find a Monk I liked better than Sabin, but I think we have a contender here.
Sophie is what pushes the Monk deck over the edge in terms of a powerful new win condition, but the new Yang is what greases the wheels to help the deck set up and keep her going strong. Now Yang has the option of playing any Monk you want from your hand for the measly benchmark of being at 1 damage. Most of the time you're still going to be playing Ursula with Yang, but playing Maat for free and getting to search for any Monk is also a great choice too. And speaking of Maat, combining his ability to make Monks unable to be dulled by your opponent's effects with Yang's power boost and Brave to all Monks simultaneously makes the deck significantly more aggressive while still having a strong defense to protect yourself with. This means the only way to get around your Monk Forwards is either making them unable to block, or by outright breaking them, and Ursula can always respond by firing them right back in your opponent's increasingly enraged face.
Most Standard Unit Forwards have a tendency to not be very good unless they're part of a tribal archetype, and even then a majority aren't good enough to be worth including a spot in your deck for. Most, if not all of the previous Monk Forwards tended to be included just because you had no better options, but the new Monk from Opus XIII is often the only one you'll need for modern builds.
Because there are so many Monk Backups and you can easily play 3 Monks at once with the Yang/Ursula combo, getting this guy down to only 1CP is incredibly easy. The new Monk provides a super cheap way to get your Sophie yet another 2k boost, and you can play multiples of it, giving Monk some serious swarming capabilities. I wish more Standard Unit Forwards were designed like this honestly, because this one is absolutely essential.
Combo Ideas
Because Sophie is such a priority for Monks, the Mobius package from Opus XIII is a great idea to include in your Monk decks. Every one of these cards can give Sophie a 4k power boost by themselves, and all of them give the deck some unique utility options.
Including Sarah is a no-brainer since she can give Earth decks some much needed draw power or some potent removal. Graff is sexy able to buff your entire board by 2k every attack phase. He's particularly nice for getting your Ursula up to respectable attack values, and since her ability to fire off Monks for damage is based on her own power, it makes it much more efficient. Stitch in Time is just a really versatile S-ability that can be used defensively or offensively, or give your Sophie an emergency power boost if you find your board state reduced. Plus he also gives you an extra draw. Now that's sexy!
Wol is a card I see being run less than the other two, but I've actually really been enjoying him in my Monk builds, and since you're using Tyro/Shantotto/Fenrir to color fix, he's easy to splash in. With him and the other Mobius characters on the field, it quickly becomes a game of, "okay, everybody is at WHAT power now?" Plus he can help recover your Sophies and Sarah's from the Break Zone, or grab Graffs to fire off another Stitch in Time.
Since Monks are now splashing Water, using Relm to get the deck some Monster Utility is also an option. I know a guy whose going to get really annoyed by this combo (Hi Karan!) but I actually really like using Abyss Worm in Monk decks. At Damage 3, this combo will give Sophie a 7k power boost in one turn, and can make getting rid of Sophie even more frustrating thanks to Unsaganashi's protection.
Sadly Dark Knight Tribal isn't a thing yet, but Cecil actually makes for a great inclusion in Monk builds. Able to help advance your damage state to where you need it to and get some effective removal in the process, this card can be a good option to consider. Plus if you play him to get to Damage 3, he'll more than likely stick around as yet another big Brave body that helps power up Sophie.
Favorite Deck Build
Monks Arise Again by Dragodishiv - The deck that launched a thousand ships and saw Ursula rocket up in price, you can't get much more of a pure Monk build than this. A great overall core to base your decks off of if you want to experiment the archetype.
"Class is back in session for the Cadets of Type-0, and this time they're coming out swinging. Maintaining a big board of these scrappy students has always been a priority for the deck, but it would appear the new additions have been hitting the books because they've learned how to count the total number of Cadet Characters on the field for their effects rather than just Forwards. And speaking of Forwards, the latest crop of freshmen from Opus XIII are all massive improvements of some of the older Cadets whose grades weren't up to snuff anymore, with a newfound focus on efficiency and combo extension. The 3-element tribe still struggles with a lack of archetype specific color-correction, and there's nary a new Backup for them in sight this set, but the improvements to Cadets put them in a much better position to make it to the top of their class."
Boy howdy there are a lot of people out there who want Cadets to be competitive. I don't really know a whole lot of dyed-in-the-wool Type-0 fans, (though I'm a hardcore XI fan, so glass houses I guess) but I know quite a few people who got into them because of their starter deck that released all the way back in Opus III. Being a tri-color deck already makes the archetype rather strange, but there's something undeniably unique about this class of students coming together to form a tribe.
Unfortunately that uniqueness was largely what held them back from being truly competitive in earlier sets. Most of the original Class Zero Cadets had effects that were largely unrelated to each other, with almost all of them having their true power locked behind S-Abilities. I don't want to undersell them and have people who have been playing them since Opus III calling for my head on a platter: They had the potential to be a powerful deck with some strong combos, they just didn't have a whole lot of built-in consistency.
As I mentioned earlier, one of the biggest hurdles besides the lack of color fixing that Cadets face is being a number-dependent deck with an extremely limited supply of Backups available to them. Other tribal decks like Samurai and Dragoons don't actually have that many themselves, but unlike Cadets they do have access to Standard Unit Backups you can play multiples of at once. I'd argue that the card designers had been pretty good at making category specific support, but they didn't really hit their stride for job-based archetypes until around Opus XI. Because of this, a lot of the choices made for Cadets in Opus IX were incredibly frustrating.
Cadets got access to a quite a few new cards back then, but only King and the Ace Legend were really sufficient upgrades, with the rest just kind of being worse alternatives to essential cards for the deck. The original Seven is still one of the best Cadets in the game, so you weren't going to lose out on her ability negation or power to make your Class Zero Forwards unblockable just to run a mediocre Backup instead. There were two new versions of Rem, but neither of them were good enough to replace the original's ability to recover cards from the Break Zone. Opus IX Deuce's ability to pump all of your Cadets by 2k for only 1 CP would totally have been great if not for the fact that she was a Forward version of a Backup you absolutely needed to run. They even printed a Backup Ace that would have been completely essential in any other Tribal deck - that is if they didn't print a key Legend of him in the exact same set!
But thankfully the new cards from Opus XIII are almost all improvements to some of the more outdated Cadets, and give the deck some much needed speed. Many of the Cadets this round are efficient combo extenders that will let you flood the board with Forwards for zero CP, allowing for some interesting long-chain plays in the mid to late game. Because knowing how and when to use your combos is so crucial, Cadets require a high degree of planning and strategy to get the most out of them. Let's take a look into some of the potential uses of the newest members of Class-Zero.
Cadets get a spicy new Multi-Element Forward in Nine this set, who for some reason I keep getting mixed up with Jack, since they're both blonde anime himbos. Being able to use your own Forwards as a secondary "resource" to pay for Nine is a pretty neat mechanic that we haven't seen used too much, but it's starting to pop up a bit more recently. I think a lot of players tend to be a bit squeamish about this, with the mindset that dulling your own Forwards is what your opponent should be trying to do, not you. But keeping your Backups free and cards in your hand will help keep your options open for potential responses with Summons or playing more Cadets.
Unlike the Opus IX Ace Legend, Nine counts all Cadet Characters instead of just Forwards, and his effect triggers on entry as well as attack, which means every swing has the potential to reduce a Forward to zero and still demand a block. The biggest issue with Nine is that he requires an already established board to play him for free. Also with no new Lightning Forward Cadets added this set, the pool of cards you have is somewhat limited, with Sice being arguably the best option. When used at the right time though, he has the potential to be one of the most devastating cards in the deck.
Of all the new Cadets released this set, Cater is really the only one who really finds herself in true competition with her previous version, which is a shame because the new one is such a genuinely good card. Not only does she have the potential to net you more CP than the card cost to play in the first place, you also have the option to combo her ping damage with other Cadets effects or take out a small but valuable threat like Krile. But as stated earlier, the deck is so hungry for Backups to boost their numbers that it's hard to justify not running the original, even though she's thoroughly drenched in the stank of old Cadets.
That being said I'm going to play devils advocate for using the Forward over the Backup here. Yes, taking out the old Cater leaves the deck with only Deuce and Rem for Cadet Backups, and the new one being a Forward makes your numbers harder to maintain for long. But what I really like about the new Cater is that she does a lot to make single turns for Cadets even more devastating, being a key piece to flood the board. She's a great combo extender, can be pitched for either Fire or Wind in a deck that desperately needs more ways to color fix, and is also an ideal target to dull for Nine's effect. I can only hope we see more new Cadet Backups (Trey?? C'mon he has a bow! If that doesn't scream "Backup potential" I don't know what does) sooner rather than later.
Taking the storm mechanic from Opus XII is something I hope we see more of for Cadets in the future, since they really do want to prioritize getting as many bodies onto the field as possible. Eight also counts himself as the second card cast to get Haste, so playing him after the aforementioned Cater Forward is such a stupidly efficient play. Fast and free on a decently sized body, it's easy to see why Cadet players would go crazy for Eight.
Cinque is the only new Cadet that doesn't really help you extend your plays, and is most likely the card you'd want to end your combos on since she requires so much investment to get the most out of her. But she's efficient in the sense that most of the time, she'll be clocking in at 9/10k power (assuming you have the Class-0 Moogle out) for only 2CP.
Getting to 7 Cadet characters would be considerably easier if not for the lack of Backups continuing to rear its ugly head, so if you really want to prioritize getting her second effect, running the Backup Cater might be the better option for you. If you can, you'll be getting such a huge advantage every time you attack with her that you will most likely be in a position to win. It's tough, but would it really be Cadets without an element of high-rolling?
Combo Ideas
Because whoever has been designing Cadet cards for the past 10 or so sets decided to make color fixing for a tri-color deck as difficult as possible, you're going to want to be running Cosmos (or Chaos, depending on how edgy you're feeling) to help get things running as smoothly as possible. Golbez works within two of the primary Cadet elements to search out any 2CP card in the deck, so I highly recommend popping a few copies of him in your deck to get her onto the field faster. He can also grab you another copy of Seven for more Snakebite Specials, giving you a way to shut down Shantotto and other cards that can disrupt your board.
If you choose to run the Forward Cater over the Backup, then you might find yourself short on ways to generate Fire CP. Opus V Caetuna sadly doesn't count as a Cadet, but her ability to search out a Type-0 Summon does let you play her as a soft 2CP Backup. Being able to grab a Bahamut Zero from the deck can quickly win the game for you since it's such a disgustingly powerful Summon. Verboten Eidolon is a huge risk since you have to clear out your back row, so only use it if you're absolutely certain you'll win the game through it.
Okay, so Jack by himself is not really a combo. In fact, he's genuinely quite awful, being a remnant of old 1CP Forward design where the downside to using them was so huge, they were barely worth playing - and this was an H Rarity! Like was Jack the worst Cadet in the game or something? Somebody whose played Type-0 please let me know.
But despite this I still kind of recommend playing at least one copy of him? He does serve utility in that he's more or less an anthem that boosts a majority of your Cadet's effects for only 1CP, with Opus IX Legend Ace, 2CP Queen and the Deuce Backup all requiring Forwards rather than Characters. You could play him for 1 CP, follow up with the Forward Cater and reactivate all 3 Backups, then dull Jack and Cater to play Nine, netting you three bodies on the field for free.
Favorite Deck Build
Class Zero Cadets Deck Tech - A very nice breakdown of the Cadet deck by fellow FFTCG content creator Travis Pfeifer (Pronounced Puh-Fie-Fer). The deck is great, and we also talk about how much we both hate the Wind element, which is how you know he's a real stand-up guy.
"The Manikin threat was thought to have been defeated long ago, but a brand new wave of these menacing mimicries have emerged from the Void, more powerful than ever before. Though they first appear as no more than pale imitations of the heroes they're based on, these new Manikins use their strength in numbers to overwhelm their opponents, more efficient and deadly than ever. A new pair of Backups make the problem of running a six-color Manikin deck a thing of the past, while simultaneously giving their old master Exdeath new life in the current meta. Being "disposable" units unfortunately means they have to rely on other cards for protection, and don't have too many tricks up their sleeves besides pure swarm tactics. But underestimating these pernicious puppets would be a grave mistake, since the deck's simple learning curve makes it easy for players of all skill levels to bury their foes beneath a flood of Manikins."
I get the feeling that somebody really has a grudge against Cadets, because all of the solutions to the problems that tribal deck had seem to have been given to Manikins instead. To be fair, after being absent from the game for the past ten sets, Manikins were going to need a drastic overhaul to make them any sort of competitive. But wow, does this show how just a few cards can completely transform an outdated archetype into a pretty threatening deck.
Much like Cadets, Manikins are now a deck that revolves around maintaining a large number of them for their various effects. But while Cadets have effects that get pumped up in power when more of them are on the field, most of the new Manikins need to hit a particular number as a base requirement to get any effect at all. Because Manikins are all cards that you can play multiples of at once, it's actually incredibly easy to hit those numbers though, especially with the new Backups that were printed this set counting towards that number as well. This makes them an incredibly straightforward deck: play as many Manikins as possible, overwhelming your opponent with cheap, spammable cards, then drop a massive Exdeath onto the field at a reduced cost.
Of course, that simplicity does mean that unlike Cadets, Manikins are not particularly versatile when it comes to the plays they can make. The deck really doesn't have too many combos or techs you can surprise your opponent with, focusing more on aggro with some light removal. Outside of Exdeath, there aren't even too many ways to play them onto the field for free, so the "swarm" element the deck has is mostly because it's cheap to play a lot of them. Having to run six differently colored Forwards would make you think that Manikins would be a nightmare in the consistency department, even with Lady of Antiquity able to color fix for them. But thankfully, Manikins have a strong Earth/Lightning Backup core that helps streamline the deck and give them some decently strong recovery options.
Unlike their older counterparts, these new cards just seem to focus on being good members of a tribal deck, rather than watered down versions of old Opus I cards. With the exception of Phantasmal Harlequin for a Backup, you really don't have to run any of the older Manikins at all, though if you really want to run three copies of Arborous Simulacrum then knock yourself out. But seriously, just running three copies of all the new Manikins and Exdeath and putting them together with your choice of Earth and Lightning cards is usually all you need to have the deck running smoothly. Here's a closer look into how these new additions helped Manikins make an unexpected comeback in Opus XIII.
It's really hard to understate just how much Cadets wish they had a Backup like this, since she does a majority of the legwork for the deck. Only costing 2CP and making your Manikins able to be played with any color would have been more than enough already. But the fact that she makes your Exdeath cheaper and can be played in multiples makes her absolutely crucial for the deck. Plus since the new cards count all Job: Manikins for their effects, all you need to do is set up your Backups and the new Forwards will be ready to go even if your board gets wiped.
Lady of antiquity really is the most important card in the deck in my opinion. If you don't open your hand with her, then you'd better be sure you at least use the next card on this list to get her.
The other Backup for Manikins in this set (as well as my community spoiler for Opus XIII that made me seriously invested in building a Manikin deck), there's never really a bad time to play Delusory Warlock. Seriously, if you don't draw Lady of Antiquity but do have Warlock, then play him turn one to get her ASAP. Plus the fact that he's also a card you can play multiples of means that you're not locking yourself out of options later in the game, so there's really no wrong time to play him. Your only real restriction is he can't search out himself, or Fleeting Flash I guess.
The fact that he's a searcher who shares the same bottom text with Lady means that it's really not hard to get your Exdeath down to costing only 3 or 2 CP, netting you some huge value since he'll be absolutely massive and he'll play another Manikin from your hand for free. Just a really well designed card all around.
I would have thought that Delusory Knight would have had some sort of protection ability, since there aren't any Cecils in the game that let you search for anything. But it's also a good example of how far Manikin design has come to just make the deck better, rather then making them bad versions of the heroes they're based off of for lore sake. A nice substantial 8k body on a soft 2CP card, this card is incredibly efficient, if not slightly harder to play without Lady on the field than Warlock. Still, playing Warlock to search for a Knight that can search for another Warlock, or literally any other piece of the deck you need at the moment is a solid play.
I know what you guys are thinking though, and I feel the same way: I'm super devastated this card can't search for Ephemeral Vision too.
At first, it appears that getting the most out of Imaginary Solider would be a tall order, since you need at least 5 other Manikins on the field to make his power or entry ping damage substantial enough to matter, but this card shows just how efficient the new Manikin deck really is. It's actually incredibly easy to stuff your back row with Manikin Backups, and weirdly enough he doesn't exclude himself in his count, so this guy can actually wind up doing 7-8k damage and getting massive for relatively little effort. Great for building up a wall of big blockers or putting pressure on your opponent.
Paying 4CP for a 5k power Forward doesn't seem great, but considering she's a one-sided Famfrit that gets around targeting, it's a pretty nice piece of removal for the deck. She's personally my favorite card to play for free with Exdeath since she's the highest costing Manikin that can be played with his effect that doesn't also search for a card, though the final new Manikin on this list gives her some serious run for her money.
I'd argue that Counterfeit Youth just might be the most powerful Forward in Manikin decks now because every line of text on him is pretty incredible. Just like Soldier and Wraith, he also counts himself for his effect which makes it easy to start spamming these guys as early as turn 2 depending on how hard you push your board state. Playing an 8k haste Forward that can be played in multiples is just downright gross, but the fact that he also can't be blocked by Forwards that cost 4CP or more means that smartly planning out your removal and attack phases can lead to a quick victory.
With Exdeath on the field he's 9k, so he's also a really good choice to play from your hand with his effect, and all around a really nice upgrade to the old Fleeting Flash from Opus II.
He's big! He's mean! He'll turn your tongue green! He's EXDEAAAAATH! Hey wait a second, this isn't a new card! Though since Opus II is now out of print, it was a smart move to add him back into this set. More of this in the future instead of reprinting old Summons or 1CP Evokers please.
In any case it's pretty spectacular that they managed to make this card relevant eleven sets later and still feel like he's a key piece of the Manikin deck. Just gets stupidly efficient with the new Backups, and leaves you with a big thunder-thighed blocker after your Manikins have rushed your opponent. The only real issue with him is that he's not a Manikin himself, so getting him in your hand when you need him could be more difficult if you don't run something like Gabranth (9-063L) or Aldo to search him out.
Combo Ideas
Being in Earth and Lightning means running the XV/Kingsglaive package fits along nicely with Manikins, and can offer some good utility that the deck would otherwise lack. Nyx goes along great with fast cards like Counterfeit Youth, with Crowe and Luche giving you more openings to take the win with a large board of Manikin Forwards. You can play more aggressively with Regis even if you would trade Forwards on a block - even attacking with Wraith could prove useful, since your opponent with either get bluffed into taking a point of damage or block her, losing a Forward once she's replayed with Regis.
Noctis might have a harder time party attacking with such a colorful board of Forwards and few Earth/Lightning Manikins to pair up with for a party attack, but Nyx or Libertus are good alternatives. Plus he can always fetch back more copies of his dad to protect your board with Royal Sigil.
Considering what a quick and aggressive deck Manikins are, running Behemoth K can put your opponent in an instantaneous loss as soon as they hit Damage 5. Obviously you would also have to be at Damage 5 in order to give him Haste and the extra damage on a block, but even using him earlier is a good way to get in some additional damage while clearing the way for your Knights and Soldiers.
There are plenty of colors flying around in Manikin decks, and since you're running cards like Tyro, Kimahri (1-103C), and Shantotto (1-107L) in your deck, you can use cards like Jake and Cactuar for single target removal. Even with three different elements, Cactuar can still do 12k damage to something, which should (hopefully) be enough to even take out a pumped up Sophie.
I'm also not at all biased because Cactuar was my very first community spoiler and I've been waiting since Opus VI for a deck that can use it. You guys know I have way more integrity that that...
Favorite Deck Build
Ol'Fashion Manekins by Stiros - This build is pretty interesting because it runs a few of the older Manikins that still hold up pretty well today, like Capricious Reaper, Fleeting Flash, and Imaginary Brawler. Sadly I've yet to see a good deck that runs Ephemeral Phantom for some reason...
