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The dynamic meta ofYu-Gi-Oh!sees a revolutionary shift with the release of the Age of Overlord booster set, which introduces a range of powerful new cards and game-changing strategies. A standout in this set is the Diabellstar engine, anchored by the Level 7 DARK Spellcaster, Diabellstar the Black Witch, which has powered up many decks both meta and rogue alike.
Our guide delves deep into the Diabellstar engine’s mechanics and applications. We’ll explore its key cards, dissect advanced strategies, and equip you with the insights necessary to integrate this fantastic new engine into your deck.
Key Cards Of The Diabellstar Engine
The Diabellstar engine in Yu-Gi-Oh! revolves around a few key cards that work in tandem to provide strategic advantages; includingfetching out combo pieces from your deck,setting up your graveyard, and helping youbuild a board with powerful Extra Deck monsters.
Explanation
Diabellstar the Black Witch
The namesake of the Diabellstar engine. Its effect toeasily Special Summon itself coupled with setting a Sinful Spoils Spell directly from the deckis what enables the entire engine to work. Recommended torun two or three copiesfor consistency, but some decks can get away with just one.
WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils
This Quick-Play Spell is what you’ll use tosearch out Diabellstar the Black Witch.It can give you afree draw by recycling other Sinful Spoils from the graveyard or banished cardsback to the deck. Recommended torun three copiesfor consistency.
Original Sinful Spoils - Snake-Eye
This Spell is themain reason you’re playing the Diabellstar engine,letting youSpecial Summon a Level 1 FIRE monster from the hand or deck.It’s the priority target for Diabellstar’s “search to set” effect. Generally,one copy is sufficient due to its searchability.
Because this enginecomprises just five to seven cards,it is easilysplashable in any decks that incorporate Level 1 FIRE monsters in their strategies,such as Rescue-ACE and Infernoble Knights.
How Diabellstar Works
The Diabellstar engine revolves aroundutilizing both Diabellstar the Black Witch and Original Sinful Spoilsto bring out anyLevel 1 FIRE monsterfrom your hand or deck,setting the stage for expansive and impactful combos.
Though the final board each deck achieves with the engine may vary, theinitial sequence of play remains largely the same.
After step three, you’ll be able toactivate the effect of WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoilsin your graveyard to return Original Sinful Spoils - Snake-Eye to the bottom of your deck, todraw a card.
When using Original Sinful Spoils,any face-up card can be used to pay its cost,potentially freeing Diabellstar to act as a 2500 ATK beater or asLevel 7 material for a range of powerful Synchro and XYZ monsters.
Decks That Can Use Diabellstar
At its core, the Diabellstar engine is setting your board up witha Level 1 FIRE monster of your choosing and a free draw,all without using up your normal summon. That’s not bad at all — butdepending on the deck you’re playingand theFIRE type you bring out,the value of this engine can rise from that of a diamond to a shooting Diabellstar.
The engine also provides several opportunities for you tosend cards from your hand or field to the graveyard,whicha surprising number of decks can benefit from.
Mikanko
How To Play Rescue-ACE Diabellstar
Rescue-ACE is an archetype that employs a strategy focusing oncontrolling the opponent with Spell and Trap cards.
They are thepremier user of Diabellstar,seeing several defining performances in the competitive scene post-Age of Overlord. This is largely thanks to the Diabellstar engine, as itsignificantly increases the consistency in fetching Rescue-ACE Hydrant,a cornerstone of the deck’s strategy.
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Begin with the standard Diabellstar combo.
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Special Summon Rescue-ACE Hydrantwith Original Sinful Spoils - Snake-Eye.Activate Rescue-ACE Hydrant’s effect toadd a Rescue-ACE Air Lifter from your deckto your hand.
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Normal Summon Rescue-ACE Air Lifter, and then use its effect,which will allow you to add a Rescue-ACE Spell from your deck to your hand. You’ll want toadd EMERGENCY!(which is always treated as a Rescue-ACE card).
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Finally,activate EMERGENCY! to Special Summon Rescue-ACE Turbulencefrom your deck, which will then allow you toset four different Rescue-ACE Quick-Play Spells and Normal Traps from your deck.
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You now havethree Rescue-ACE monstersandfour important Rescue-ACE Spells and Trapson the field. From here you can proceed with the rest of your plays.
How To Play Infernoble Knight Diabellstar
Infernoble Knight is a subseries of the Noble Knight archetype, characterized by theirfocus on Synchro Summoning and utilizing Equip Cards.
Diabellstargreatly increases the consistency and ceilingof this deck. With the engine, Infernoble can get their main combo running whilstpreserving their Normal Summon for additional extenders,and the result is adeeper depth of strategiesthat they otherwise wouldn’t be able to access at the same level of consistency.
Perform step one of the standard Diabellstar combo.
Send Infernoble Knight Ogier to the graveyardfor the cost of Diabellstar the Black Witch. Thencontinue with the standard Diabellstar combo.
Special Summon Infernoble Knight Ricciardettowith Original Sinful Spoils - Snake-Eye.
Activate Infernoble Knight Ricciardetto toSpecial Summon Infernoble Knight Ogier from the graveyard.
Upon the summon of Infernoble Knight Ogier, use its effect tosend one Noble Arms card or FIRE Warrior monster from the deck to the graveyard.
You now have two Infernoble Knights on board, a set-up graveyard, anda still-available normal summon for cards like Neo Space Connector.From here you’re able to proceed with the rest of your plays.
How To Play T.G. Diabellstar
T.G. is an archetype centered aroundextensive combos and high-level Synchro Monsters,specifically making use of the popularly dubbed“Accel Synchro Summon”mechanic.
The Diabellstar engine improves upon the consistency of the T.G. deck, providing a veryeffective one-card combo line to summon their trademark Level 10 and 12 Synchro Monsters.This synergy is made possible thanks to thenew Level 1 FIRE type T.G. Rocket Salamanderthat was also released in Age of Overlord.
Special Summon T.G. Rocket Salamanderwith Original Sinful Spoils - Snake-Eye.
Special Summon T.G Gear Zombiefrom your hand by lowering the ATK of your T.G. Rocket Salamander.
Tribute T.G. Rocket Salamander with its own effect, toSpecial Summon T.G. Screw Serpent from the deck.When summoned,T.G. Screw Serpent is able to Special Summon T.G. Rocket Salamanderback from the graveyard.
Synchro Summon T.G. Mighty Strikerby using T.G. Rocket Salamander and T.G. Gear Zombie. Use T.G. Mighty Striker’s effect toadd T.G. All Clear from your deck to your hand.
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With T.G. Over Dragonar, you canSpecial SummonT.G. Tank Grub, T.G. Screw Serpent, T.G. Mighty Striker, and T.G. Rocket Salamander from your graveyard.Additionally,Special Summon a Level 1 T.G. Tokenwith the effect of T.G. Tank Grub.
You now have afull field of monsters to use for combos, one additional normal summon thanks to T.G. All Clear, along with T.G. Close in your graveyard,which is a powerful negation Counter Trap that can set itself back to the field upon meeting a certain condition. From here you may proceed with the rest of your plays.
How To Play Synchron Diabellstar
Synchrons are similar to T.G. in that it is also an archetype centered aroundlong extensive combos and high-level Synchro Monsters.Like the other decks mentioned, Synchron has a pivotal piece that the Diabellstar engine can fetch;specifically Jet Synchron, a Tuner that can recur itself or add key cards to hand.
Secondly, Synchron has cards that can be used to pay the cost of Original Sinful Spoils - Snake-Eye. This gives you the freedom todecide whether you want Diabellstar to stay on the field as a Level 7that can be tuned with Jet Synchron or other Tunersfor a number of Synchro options.
Activate On Your Mark, Get Set, DUEL!to add any Synchron Tuner to your hand. Make sure you stillhave at least one copy of whichever you addedremaining in your deck. Thencontinue with the standard Diabellstar combo.
Activate the effect of Junk Converterin your hand by discarding itself and the Synchron Tuner you added to your hand earlier, toadd one Junk Synchron from your deck to your hand.
Normal Summon Junk Synchron from your hand,and use its effect toSpecial Summon the discarded Level 2 Junk Converter.ThenSynchro Summon Junk Speederusing Junk Synchron and Junk Converter.
You now have afull field of monsters to use for combos, a set-up graveyard, and a powerful “Stardust Dragon” Spell or Trap in hand.From here you can proceed with the rest of your plays.
