Going to jail, Crashbug style.

Okay, this is a guide to one of my favorite new archtypes, the jailbirds known as Crashbugs. Crashbugs are interesting cause they can swarm the field in a somewhat situational way, but can also take over the field in a great way. In this article, I will discuss what the Crashbugs are, pros and cons of Crashbugs, a pure Crashbug deck, its tech choices, and as this article gets bigger and I get more time to work on them, ways to splash them into other decks.

Pros:
First lets start with their typing: Fiend. Fiends are one of the most supported types in the game. Being fiends, they have access to support from cards like Tour Guide from the Underworld, Gate of the Dark World, Fabled Valkyrus, amongst many others.

Next we have the attribute: Dark. Dark is, by far, the most supported attribute in the game today. The only thing that Dark attribute is missing is their own Honest. Being dark means they have access to support from great cards like Allure of Darkness, Armageddon Knight,Dark Armed Dragon, and much much more. In fact, it can also be used as half the food needed for the chaos monsters of next format, such as Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning and Chaos Sorcerer.

Another, though a con at the same time, is their low attack points. With this, they can be searched out by Mystic Tomato and Sangan. In fact, if memory serves me correctly, Crashbugs are the only archtype where their big boss monster is level 4, gets around Bottomless Trap Hole, and can be searched by Sangan, and in traditional can be used as Crush Card Virus material.

They also, like most of the game these days, need to be in the graveyard for a reason, such as to summon Super Crashbug. This is a huge plus because of all the dark cards that send to the graveyard, such as Dark Grepher, Armageddon Knight, and spells like Foolish Burial. This also allows a Chaos variant using Lightsworns and Super Crashbug, though that might not be the best idea

Crashbugs, because of their hefty removal to summon Super Crashbug, have pretty good graveyard control. Therefore you can easily drop Dark Armed Dragon in this deck, among other cards.

Crashbugs X, Y, and Z are all level 3 so they can be searched and used as XYZ material with Tour Guide from the Underworld and all get around Gravity Bind.

CONS
Super Crashbug is completely wrecked by cards like Skill Drain, and anything else that might negate effects such as Forbidden Chalice, Necrovalley, along with anything that stops graveyard removal such as Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer, since they stop Super Crashbug from coming out, Power Filter, and cards that stop or destroy low atk monsters from/being special summoned, like King Tiger Wanghu whom would destroy almost every monster in a dedicated Super Crashbug build upon their summon.

Their low stats make them easily destroyed by battle, though we can get around that with proper build

This is the pure Super Crashbug deck I play at this time, but I am always improving it with new cards and trying new things. If you look in my library and find my deck, its not up to date cause I am testing some different cards in here.

Monsters: 18
1| Dark Armed Dragon
3| Crashbug X
3| Crashbug Y
3| Crashbug Z
3| Tour Guide to the Underworld
2| Mystic Tomato
2| Super Crashbug
1| Sangan

Spells: 15
3| Messenger of Peace
2| Double Summon
2| Mystical Space Typhoon
1| Allure of Darkness
1| Book of Moon
1| Burial from a Different Dimension
1| Dark Hole
1| Foolish Burial
1| Giant Trunade
1| Monster Reborn
1| Veil of Darkness

Traps: 8
2| Bottomless Trap Hole
2| Solemn Warning
1| Mirror Force
1| Seven Tools of the Bandit
1| Solemn Judgment
1| Torrential Tribute

Extra:
(3)
3| Leviair the Sea Dragon
3| Number 17: Leviathon Dragon
3| Number 34: Terror-Byte
2| Numebr 20: Gig-Anto Brilli-Ant
1| Grenosaurus
(4)
2| Kachi Kochi Dragon
1| Number 16: Ruler of Color, Shock Ruler

I will go into details of the tech choices and whatnot in this build, along with a few more in the next section:

First off, what does TheVoid consider tech? Tech is anything not splashed into every deck and that isnt an Archtype card. Therefore, in this deck Dark Armed Dragon is tech, since its not played in EVERY deck, but Mirror Force is not.

Monsters:

Foolish Burial for your Crashbugs, and a dark monster with 1400 attack. Whats not to love?


This will be the big bad boy in any Chaos builds. Since Crashbugs are all dark, you only need a few splashable lights such as described below, and this can replace your Super Crashbugs.


With Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning around, this will probably be played as well in Chaos builds as well. This is like baby BLS. It looks up at BLS and hopes that one day it can be as broken as BLS is.


My FAVORITE card of all time, Dark Armed Dragon, makes a great spot in Crashbug decks everywhere. Whether it is a dedicated Super Crashbug build, a chaos variant, or anything else, Dark Armed Dragon should fit nicely into the deck. A 2800 beatstick which can nuke the field for the most part is a great choice to have in any deck with Darks, and since Crashbugs are pretty weak by nature, its a welcome edition.


A reusable version of Armageddon Knight, but it has a cost.


This card was brought to my attention by Gorz while I was writing this article and I am going to play it. Not hindered by Super Crashbug, amazing stats, fills the graveyard, and easy to get out. Amazing.


With all the broken cards like JD, DAD, BLS coming around, drop this, laugh at their Black Luster Soldier, and then summon your own. Be all "Sup bra?"


One of the most splashable anti-meta meta cards, Gorz, is welcome into this deck with Heavy Storm and 3 MST next format. Crashbugs depend on their backrow to slow their opponent down until they can get out their boss monsters. If things start going badly, drop the Gorz like a man. And best part about him, he has high defense so under Super Crashbug he is still a strong beatstick, and the token doesnt lose anything to the Super Crashbug.


Lyla will be amazing next format. Hit their Ultimate Offering, and with Heavy Storm back, there wont be so much backrow so you can easily keep control with this and your Mystical Space Typhoon, plus fill your graveyard


Mystic Tomato can search out all the Crashbugs and Sangan, making it very valuable in this deck. In fact, in my Super Crashbug build, Mystic Tomato can search every monsters but Dark Armed Dragon.


This can be tribute summoned and then gives you a free XYZ. However the cost is heavy and then you are stuck with a 0 atk monster on your field in attack mode for a turn.


Ryko is so splashable its almost a staple. Its mill is so welcome here since it will either help the Black Luster Soldier since it will probably get the dark you need, or it will help fill your graveyard with Crashbugs.


Staple card that I am only listing because of Tour Guide from the Underworld.


This card is pretty nice, not gonna lie. Use it to summon a Crashbug then summon a Crashbug for its effect. Only problem is that this eats your hand advantage quickly. This is almost like another Double Summon or something similar.


This card will be in most of the chaos Crashbug builds, being light supports Chaos Sorcerer and Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning. Also Crashbugs dont really search and add, aside from maybe the Pot of Duality, which I wont even list here as a tech option.


Tour Guide is so great in this deck. Since it can search out any level 3 or lower fiend, it can make instant Rank 3 XYZ with a Crashbug, and since TCG says Crashbugs are still on the field, you can get their summons according to Pharoah Atem, at least until an official ruling is announced. Also has the classic Tourgan combo, search Sangan, XYZ for something, detach Sangan, get search.

Spells:

Basic draw card, shouldn't need explanation.


Recycles your Stygian Street Patrol, Crashbugs for Super Crashbug, Dark Armed Dragon's ammo, this card is quite nicely fit in here.


Mill 3 card, get your Ryko or Lyla you teched in, amazing.


Got a Crashbug Z in hand? Cant do anything with it? Its too weak to set, so summon it. Then... CREATURE SWAAAAAAAAPPPPP. Give your opponent a 0 atk monster in attack mode, the take their monster and run over it. Fun times for all... but the opponent.


This is better than Crashbug Road because you get to normal summon another Crashbug and therefore get the effect off. Therefore there is no reason to play the other card.


Send a Crashbug to the grave, allows you to summon Super Crashbug easier.

Face-up Fiend-Type monsters gain 300 ATK and DEF. Once per turn: You can banish 1 Fiend-Type monster from your Graveyard; discard 1 Fiend-Type monster, then draw 1 card.

A nice draw power for this deck and with Burial from a Different Dimension this is almost cost-less.


Defends your Crashbugs while you build up, then you can get read of it when you desire. Stops your opponents synchros and more importantly, their XYZs which Gravity Bind can't stop.

Target 1 monster you control; banish 1 monster in your Graveyard with the same Level as that monster. Then, draw 1 card and reveal it. If it is a monster with the same Level as the targeted monster, Special Summon it.

Another interesting card, and another draw power. All the Crashbugs except Super Crashbug are level 3, so this fits in nicely. You can get a bunch of level 3s in your graveyard to use this, then use it and draw. Plus the Rank 3 XYZ, Leviair the Sea Dragon, can bring the monsters back, as can your Burial from a Different Dimension.


While this will hinder your monster choice, this could be an okay card to play since all the Crashbugs, Sangan, and Tour Guide from the Underworld are all fiends.


This sounds pretty good at first glance, but Im still testing it myself. Draw a Crashbug, send it to the graveyard, draw again. Sounds good in Super Crashbug builds but it is still being tested.

Traps:

This can kill anything that can get over the Crashbug defenses and therefore is just nice to play as well as your Solemn Warnings.


Since this deck can get wrecked by so many traps when it goes for massive damage, this along with Trap Stun are great tech choices. Chain this to Solemn Judgment like everyone does and watch your opponent cry.


Crashbugs can OTK pretty nicely with Super Crashbug and your Number 34: Terror-Byte, you can OTK pretty well so Trap Stun is nice in here. Stop your opponent from Mirror Forcing or game 2 Chain Disappearance on your Super Crashbug like Kreft did to me in the August Tournament -.-

XYZ:

With its 2900 defense, this is a great card with Super Crashbug. Makes a nice beater or a nice defender if needed.

Unfortunately for Traps and XYZs, most are staples/generic so I am not really putting too much into those two sections.

Reserved. Still finishing the first post, accidently his send instead of preview xD

Will finish tomorrow, after 3 hours of working on this Im too tired to finish it xD. Will be done first thing in the morning.

The change to Super Crashbug makes me sadface.

I liked the idea of being able to summon him with Mystic Tomato.

It never could be... Even the OCG text said it can only be summoned by its effect, similar to Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning or Chaos Sorcerer.

TheVoid wrote:It never could be... Even the OCG text said it can only be summoned by its effect, similar to Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning or Chaos Sorcerer.

I blame only having fanslations to look at.

Either way, it would be fun drop him off of Tomato.

They removed the fuse?

Aww....

Anyho, looking forward to these Bugmen.

I miss the fuse too T_T.

Im gonna narrate a duel then try to have this finished some time in the next 2 hours.

Yay! I was wondering if I was building Bugmen correctly, and I was. Also, no mention of Sangan in the Tour Guide thing?

If you dont know the Sangan Tour Guide combo... you shouldnt be playing Tour Guide. xD Ill add it though.

TheVoid wrote:If you dont know the Sangan Tour Guide combo... you shouldnt be playing Tour Guide. xD Ill add it though.

Not to sound elitist, but this is damn true.

Tsunayoshi wrote:

TheVoid wrote:If you dont know the Sangan Tour Guide combo... you shouldnt be playing Tour Guide. xD Ill add it though.

Not to sound elitist, but this is damn true.

But, I love you because you are elitist...
Anyway, no love for Creature Swap or Monster Slot? Creature Swap trades zero attack monsters for your opponent's monster, and Monster Slot allows your to abuse Tour Guide/Sangan/Leviar combos.

Im just now starting the Spell tech, thats only what I could do last night. Im gonna finish the spells and do the traps now. Hoping to have them done in the next hour, maybe hour and a half.

This is a really well made and thought out guide. Good job, Void. ^^

Thanks Saii. Just finished it for now, but I am trying more things all the time in this deck and will use the second post to add anything such as variations that seem to work and whatnot, like the Zombie Crashbugs Im trying.

This was really helpful ^_^ i am hoping to make a crashbug deck as well seems like an interesting deck type...

^Glad to help

Bugmen just became a LOT easier to build in real life. Tour Guide's misfortune is good.

a little late to the book club but great article keep up the good work

Thanks Red Chaos. I have been too lazy but when I get less lazy I will edit the Tour Guide description since it is now inaccurate.

thanks a lot

Void, update this thread!

Made a twilight edition of this, could do with some advice.

Looking forward to it.

I seem to be enjoying Crashbugs more than I should be, probably because of my love of Twilight decks. I mean look...



That was R2 or R3 don't remember.