Gladiator Beast Support (2/2)

[Raiden Reborn]

Hello Reader, this thread will be used to explain and discuss my latest custom support cards, for the well-loved Gladiator Beast (GB) archetype. You can read about my previous GB custom support cards by clinking on the links below:

2023 custom support cards
2021 custom support cards

Yu-Gi-Oh! has become incredibly fast-paced and multifaceted, therefore, the goal of my latest custom support cards is to further strengthen GBs to make them competitively viable, while also challenging myself by breaking some new ground for GBs compared to my previous contributions.

This is my continuation of building upon the solid foundation Konami laid, in the wave of support GBs received in the Core Booster called “Chaos Impact” in 2019, which at the time of writing, is the most recent wave of support GBs have received.

Gladiator Beast Praetorius
FIRE | Rank 8 | Dragon / Xyz / Effect | ATK/3000 DEF/2400

3 Level 8 "Gladiator Beast" monsters
Once per turn, you can also Xyz Summon "Gladiator Beast Praetorius" by using "Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor" you control as material. Your opponent cannot activate cards or effects during the Battle Phase. You can only use each of the following effects of "Gladiator Beast Praetorius" once per turn. You can detach 1 material from this card; Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your hand, GY, or banishment. (Quick Effect): You can target 1 other "Gladiator Beast" monster you control; attach it to this card as material, and if you do, shuffle 1 card on the field into the Deck.

Explanation of Gladiator Beast Praetorius:

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Praetorius is the archetype’s first Xyz and Dragon type monster. The addition of a Xyz GB to the Extra Deck improves GBs’ adaptability, for example, when forced to play under Dimensional Barrier with Fusion declared. The addition of Dragon to the pool of GB monster types improves the playability of Gladiator Beast’s Comeback and Gladiator Rejection.

I took inspiration from Xyz monsters such as Cyber Dragon Infinity and Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star when designing Praetorius’ Xyz Summoning condition. I designed Praetorius not to be generic but to be used within GB decks, and this shines in its ability to be Xyz Summoned with a single material but with a Hard-Once-Per-Turn (HOPT) restriction if summoned this way for fairness.

Praetorius can be easily Xyz Summoned by using Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor as material, and this enhances its Ignition Effect which by detaching one material as cost, allows you to Special Summon a GB from your hand, GY or banishment. If you have another GB in at least the GY at the time of activating this effect, then you can Special Summon the detached Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor to reuse its powerful Soft-Once-Per-Turn effect to Special Summon a Fusion GB from your Extra Deck. Praetorius’ Ignition Effect allows you to revive your face-up banished GB, which is a first for the archetype in addition, the GB revived from your GY will not have its effects negated unlike Gladiator Beast Darius, also, the GB Special Summoned from your hand is not restricted to be in Defense Position unlike Gladiator Beast Augustus. In summary, Praetorius’ Ignition Effect greatly improves GBs’ explosiveness, adaptability and recoverability, and I gave it a HOPT restriction to balance its power and potential.

Praetorius’ Quick Effect allows you to attach another GB you control to it as material, to then non-target shuffle one card on the field into the Deck. I designed Praetorius to maintain field presence by not featuring the standard battle and tag-out GB effect, therefore, the first part of its Quick Effect helps to replenish its number of materials required to activate its Ignition Effect. Furthermore, the second part of its Quick Effect can be used in a variety of situations, for example, offensively against an opponent’s problematic monster, and defensively such as to protect one of your cards from being banished face-down. In summary, Praetorius’ Quick Effect greatly improves GBs’ versatility and provides another form of useful interaction with the opponent, as a result, it has a HOPT restriction to balance its power and potential.

Last but not least, Praetorius’ Continuous Effect prevents your opponent from activating cards or effects during the Battle Phase. This effect circumvents the drawbacks of the Continuous Effects belonging to Gladiator Rejection and Elysium - Kingdom of the Gladiator Beasts, while being an evolution of the similar Continuous Effects belonging to Gladiator Beast Nerokius and Gladiator Beast Dragases. Furthermore, it guarantees your other GBs can always battle and tag-out without fear of repercussion from your opponent, e.g. Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, and you’re safeguarded from “blow out” cards like Evenly Matched. In summary, I view Praetorius’ Continuous Effect as the personification of everything to make the Battle Phase relevant again, while staying true to the heart and soul of the GB archetype.

Praetorius would set the bar high as the first GB Xyz monster, while bringing a remarkable evolution to the archetype as a whole and guaranteeing its inclusion in the Extra Deck.

Please watch the video near the end of this post for combo demonstrations and duels, featuring Gladiator Beast Praetorius.

Picture of Gladiator Beast Praetorius:

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Trivia of Gladiator Beast Praetorius:

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Praetorius is named after the Praetorian Guard, who were an elite unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors.

Credit for Gladiator Beast Praetorius’ art:

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“Dragonkin Champion” by saralgam1980

Gladiator Beast Legatus
WIND | Level 8 | Reptile / Effect | ATK/2400 DEF/600

You can shuffle 1 other "Gladiator" card from your hand into the Deck; Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster: You can Special Summon 1 Level 5 or higher "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck in Defense Position, except "Gladiator Beast Legatus". You can only use this effect of "Gladiator Beast Legatus" once per turn. A "Gladiator Beast" Xyz Monster that has this card as material gains this effect.
●  Cannot be destroyed by card effects.

Explanation of Gladiator Beast Legatus:

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Legatus is the second Reptile type monster for the archetype which improves the playability of Gladiator Beast’s Comeback and Gladiator Rejection. Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor is the Fusion playmaker for GBs, and it requires two level 5 or higher GBs to be summoned, therefore, Legatus being Level 8 enlarges the pool of worthwhile GBs that fall into this category.

Firstly, Legatus’ Ignition Effect is designed to improve the archetype’s consistency. A common annoyance when piloting a GB deck is being in a situation where you have a certain GB card(s) in your hand which you don’t want and would rather it be in your Deck instead. Therefore, this effect of Legatus helps to further mitigate this problem by shuffling the unwanted GB card back into the Deck where it belongs. Moreover, Legatus can shuffle back any card with “Gladiator” in its name such as Gladiator Naumachia which increases the pool of available cards and boost its consistency.

Secondly, Legatus’ Ignition Effect is designed to widen and improve the archetype’s starter and extender plays. This is because Legatus can Special Summon itself via this effect and this results in it being Special Summoned by the effect of a GB monster, which then activates its Trigger Effect to Special Summon a different Level 5 or higher GB from your deck in Defense Position. Therefore, and for example, Legatus + any ‘Gladiator’ card is a 2-card combo into Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor which can snowball into a myriad of plays.

Legatus’ Ignition Effect has no restriction because I felt it’s inherently balanced due to its cost to activate, and because Legatus Special Summons itself in Defense Position. However, Legatus’ Trigger Effect is powerful and has many applications, as a result, it has a HOPT restriction to balance it.

Last but not least, Legatus’ Continuous Effect grants destruction immunity to the GB Xyz monster that has it as material, and this provides an additional layer of robustness to that GB Xyz monster. Like Praetorius, I designed Legatus without the standard battle and tag-out GB effect, because I wanted it to excel as a quick form of field presence as a starter or extender, and as an enhancer for Xyz GBs. Finally, I wanted to break the mould and set a new standard for GBs that don’t have the inherent ability to battle and tag-out, because most of the ones that fall into this category are completely unplayable (e.g. Gladiator Beast Octavius, Gladiator Beast Tygerius, and Gladiator Beast Torax).

I consider Legatus a successor to Gladiator Beast Secutor, and it would be an excellent addition to the GB arsenal while being a definitive staple in the Main Deck lineup.

Please watch the video near the end of this post for combo demonstrations and duels, featuring Gladiator Beast Legatus.

Picture of Gladiator Beast Legatus:

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Trivia of Gladiator Beast Legatus:

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A Legatus was a high-ranking Roman military officer in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern high-ranking general officer. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalised under emperor Augustus as the officer in command of a legion.

Credit for Gladiator Beast Legatus’ art:

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“Sliith Berserker” by Manthos Lappas

Video showcase that features all the above cards:

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Thank you for your time.