This is one of the most flexible decks I've met in today's meta. Usually, drawing from a deck that has over 30 cards is not a very good thing, but this deck turns that disadvantage into a very overpowering advantage. The Gladiator Beasts are a very effective toolbox deck, combined with aggro and control tactics, therefore annihilating everything in the instant they are given the chance.

Gladiator Beast Monsters:

Spoiler:

Gladiator Beast Alexander 2400/600 This card cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of "Gladiator Beast Dimacari". When this card is Special Summoned, it is unaffected by the effects of Spell Cards. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the Deck to Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Alexander". A pretty good card in itself, when Special Summoned, it's immune to spells, making it an alright addition, even though I personally would not run it, since Gladiator Beasts rely on control, and the amount of cards you can use to protect your GB's is so big that Alexander really doesn't become that much of a threat as it used to. Gladiator Beast Andal 1900/1500 The only Normal Monster GB. This card would be alright with Darius, but I found out that using Bestiari or Laquari with Darius is way better than using Andal, that's why I usually don't run him either. Gladiator Beast Bestiari 1500/1600 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the Deck to Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Bestiari". This is the only Limited GB monster. And boy, does he have a reason to be. Upon special summoning, this card wrecks an S/T card on the field. It can be your own card, or your opponent's. Not to mention that by special summoning him with Darius's effect you get an instant Gyzarus to destroy 2 cards on the field. The only weakness this card has is the fact that it's effect is mandatory(you have to destroy something, even your own if you can). Gladiator Beast Darius 1700/300 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, you can select 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it. That monster's effect(s) is negated, and it is returned to your Deck when this card is removed from the field. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the Deck to Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Darius". This is a must in any GB deck. Gladiator Beasts require field presence. This card proves it all. When removed from the field, the card it summoned returns to the deck, where it can be reused in case you need it. When summoned via Test Tiger, this card is a beast, it can summon Bestiari for an instant Gyzarus, destroy 2 cards, attack, then contact out Gyzarus for 2 GB's for even more control on the field. Gladiator Beast Dimacari 1600/1200 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, it can attack twice during the same Battle Phase. If this card battles, by returning it from the field to the Deck at the end of the Battle Phase, Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Dimacari". This card is alright in itself. It attacks twice, and with "Wild Nature's Release", it can really wreck havoc on the field. Not to mention it won't be destroyed via that effect, since it returns to the deck before the End Phase. It should be included in a GB deck, but don't feel bad if you don't get it. Not a vital part IMO. Gladiator Beast Equeste 1600/1200 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, add 1 "Gladiator Beast" card from your Graveyard to your hand. At the end of the Battle Phase, If this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the Deck to Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Equeste". This card shows in itself, along with Darius, that GB's don't love the grave, but they adore the deck. Any CARD(not monster) with "Gladiator Beast" in it's name can be recovered, showing just how much this deck relies on recycling and reusing a lot of effects. A must in a GB deck. Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz 2600/1500 "Gladiator Beast Spartacus" + 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster This card can only be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck by returning the above Fusion Material Monsters from the field to the Deck. (You do not use "Polymerization".) When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the DEF of the destroyed monster. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the Extra Deck to Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Spartacus". Pretty useful card I think, useful to punish the opponent if he tries to hide behind a Big Shield Gardna or even a Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, not to mention it has the contact out effect that is very useful for control. As any GB fusion, run it in 3's, you don't know for sure what you will run into. Gladiator Beast Gyzarus 2400/1500 "Gladiator Beast Bestiari" + 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster This card can only be Special Summoned from your Extra Deck by returning the above cards you control to the Deck. (You do not use "Polymerization".) When this card is Special Summoned, you can destroy up to 2 cards on the field. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return this card to the Extra Deck to Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Bestiari". NEVER EVER run this card in less than 3's. Not once did it happen to me to use a Gyzarus and a Bestiari to bring out another Gyzarus to bring even more destruction in exchange for less attacking power. It's awesome in the control theme and it fits so good to crash an opponent's party with an SS'ed Bestiari, then a contact fused Gyzarus for even more havoc and attack him with a massive 2400 blow to the LP. Gladiator Beast Heraklinos 3000/2800 "Gladiator Beast Laquari" + 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters This card can only be Special Summoned from your Extra Deck by returning the above cards you control to the Deck. (You do not use "Polymerization".) When this card is Special Summoned, you can destroy up to 2 cards on the field. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return this card to the Extra Deck to Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Bestiari". The strongest GB around. This card, yet again, proves the control ability of the GB deck. The card advantage a GB user can keep, it shows up here. Try and hit this big daddy with anything after you couldn't negate his summoning, it's gonna be hard, I can guaran-damn-tee that you will have a nightmare on your hands. The big problem he has, no contact out which means no backup plan if he gets attacked. But when he reaches the field, it should be pretty much game already. Gladiator Beast Hoplomus 700/2100 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, the original DEF of this card becomes 2400. If this card battles, by returning it from the field to the Deck at the end of the Battle Phase, Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Hoplomus". The ideal GB to start with in the hand. Set him, and your opponent is fit for a BIG surprise(not even Wulf can get past this big bad boy). Even more, you get a new GB from your deck almost granted Gladiator Beast Laquari 1800/400 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, the original ATK of this card becomes 2100. If this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it from the field to the Deck at the end of the Battle Phase to Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Laquari". Surprisingly, this guy isn't that much of a necessity that you think. I only summon him to finish the game or to summon Heraklinos to finish off a downed opponent in making him spend a lot of resources to get to me. Gladiator Beast Murmillo 800/400 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, destroy 1 face-up monster on the field. If this card battles, by returning it from the field to the Deck at the end of the Battle Phase, you can Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Murmillo". The only 2 problems this card has is the low ATK/DEF stats and the fact that Book of Moon can kill his effect. Otherwise, I see no reason to run him in one, maybe two, but not three, he can be more of a dead draw than you wish. Gladiator Beast Octavius 2500/1200 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" Monster, destroy 1 face-down Spell or Trap Card. At the end of your Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, return this card to the Deck unless you discard 1 card. The good: Big ATK and kills most S/T cards, almost a replacement for Bestiari. Note:almost. Why? Because afterward this card is total crap. Sure, you have a 2500 beatstick, but he doesn't return to the deck with a useful purpose. To stop that from happening, you must discard a card that you may use for Heraklinos, which makes this card in my opinion a bad choice to run multiple copies of in a GB deck. Gladiator Beast Retiari 1200/800 When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, you can remove from play 1 card from your opponent's Graveyard. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return this card to your Deck to Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck except "Gladiator Beast Retiari". The D.D Crow of GB decks. A must to run at least in the side deck to kill those DAD and LS based decks, stopping the 4th LS and killing the 3rd dark. Other than that, it can become a decent beatstick, even though it isn't impressive, but not once did it happen to me to attack with him, then tag-out. Gladiator Beast Samnite 1600/1200 If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, when this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you can add 1 "Gladiator Beast" card from your Deck to your hand. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the Deck to Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Samnite". Great card. Rescue Cat compatible, Wild-Nature's Release works with it, not to mention it takes whatever you need from the deck when he destroys something, not to mention he can do that easily with the 1600 ATK he has. Two of him are a must. Gladiator Beast Secutor 400/300 If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, at the end of any Battle Phase, if this card attacks or was attacked, Special Summon 2 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Secutor". A very very very.............very useful GB swarming engine. Useless in hand, GODLIKE when summoned via a GB deck. Summon him via a GB effect, then use Defensive Tactics or Waboky to really make him a big threat. Gladiator Beast Spartacus 2200/1600 This card cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of "Gladiator Beast Hoplomus". When this card is Special Summoned, add 1 "Gladiator Beast" Equip Spell Card from your Deck to your hand. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the Deck to Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Gladiator Beast Spartacus". The summoning requirement is a very easy to fulfill one, Hoplomus can stand the ground by himself. And if you have GB equip cards in the deck, this guy searches them easily. But the most stuff comes out of him when contact fusing into Gaiodiaz. Even so, I don't personally run him, personal preference though. Gladiator Beast Torax 1400/400 If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster, at the end of any Battle Phase that this card attacked, or was attacked, you can return it to the Deck to draw 1 card. This card is pretty useless in my opinion. Probably the only GB monster I will never run. Unless Special Summoned by a GB, he really is just a 1400 vanilla. And even then, sending a monster to the deck to draw a card is pretty useless in my opinion.

That's it for the GB monsters. Now here comes the support:

Spoiler:

Test Ape 700/300 When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck. Good card, I don't use it, but it surely can be of good use to an experienced GB user. Puts a lot of field presence and helps with the tagging going on in GB decks. Test Tiger 600/300 If you control a "Gladiator Beast" monster, you can Special Summon this card. You can Tribute this card to return 1 "Gladiator Beast" you control to the Deck, and then Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" from your Deck. The Special Summoned monster is treated as if it was Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast". This card may as well have made the GB deck a feared one. No GB deck runs less than 3. No sane person runs less than 3. This card is almost the key card of a GB deck. Run it in 3. I can't stress this enough. RUN TEST TIGER IN 3'S! Colosseum - Cage of the Gladiator Beasts English: Place 1 Counter on this card each time a monster is Special Summoned from either player's Deck. All "Gladiator Beast" monsters gain 100 ATK and DEF for each of these counters on this card. If this card would be destroyed by a card effect, you can discard 1 "Colosseum - Cage of the Gladiator Beasts" to prevent this card from being destroyed. Does this card fit the aggressive, fast paced theme of the Gladiator Beasts? In my opinion,.......no. Field Spell cards generally tend being dead draws, unless they provide important side effects, like A Legendary Ocean or Geartown, or even Ancient City Rainbow Ruins. This card provides attack power and.....a protective effect. It's a very similar card to Realm of Light. Both of them should not be run in competitive decks. Defensive Tactics Activate only if you control a "Gladiator Beast" monster. Monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle this turn, and any Battle Damage you take is reduced to 0. Put this card on the bottom of your Deck. Without this card, the Gladiator Beast deck might have just as well been dead. This card stops the opponent from doing damage for one turn, but more importantly, it returns to the deck, meaning it gets recycled. And with the shuffling you get from the activation of various effects of the monsters in this deck, that card won't stay on the bottom at all. Disarm Return 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your hand to the Deck and negate the activation and effect of a Spell Card and destroy it. & Parry Return 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your hand to the Deck and negate the activation and effect of a Trap Card and destroy it. Why did I decide to talk about both at the same time? Simple:the effect is nearly a clone. Return a Gladiator from your hand to the deck to negate a Spell or a Trap. Can be useful at times, however, with all the possibilities this deck has, it will usually either take over the opponent so badly that he won't be able to come back, either it will fall so far behind that these cards would be dead draws. Either way, bad for the space in your deck. Double Tag Team Activate only when you successfully Special Summon a "Gladiator Beast" monster. Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Gladiator Beast" monster from your hand or Deck. A great card that aids even more to the swarming in this deck. Have a special summoned Secutor be ATKed and survive the battle phase, then use his effect, then use this card's effect for a minimum of 4 monsters on your side of the field at the end of the opponent's Battle Phase. Crazy. I know. Run it at least in 1, even though it wouldn't be dead at 2. Gladiator Beast War Chariot Activate only if you control a "Gladiator Beast" monster. Negate the activation of an Effect Monster's effect, and destroy it. Take that, LS, DAD, Zombies and so on. About time the score was evened. This deck keeps the field presence all the time. Well, let's benefit from it, shall we? Let the opponent enjoy the short moment of glory, as he activates Brionac's effect to send the last couple of cards out of his way, as he tries to kill a card with DAD or to blow the field with Judgment Dragon. Then, bring it home along with the pride that you took down the strongest monsters in YGO with one single card. Gladiator Beast's Battle Archfiend Shield Equip only to a "Gladiator Beast" monster. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, this card is destroyed instead. When the equipped monster is returned from your side of the field to the Deck, and this card is sent to the Graveyard, return this card to your hand. Interesting card. It keeps the opponent in check if you both ended up top decking and he can't do anything but attack. Notice, even if the opponent tries effects, Shield self-destructs instead of the monster it was equipped with. And as for the final effect, without it, it shouldn't have been in the GB archetype at all. At least that gives playability to the card. Gladiator Beast's Battle Gladius Equip only to a "Gladiator Beast" monster. It gains 300 ATK. When the equipped monster is returned from your side of the field to the Deck and this card is sent to the Graveyard, return this card to your hand. It's a Meh! card. Is it worth taking up space in your deck just for the extra 300 ATK? I don't think so. Doesn't improve speed, doesn't do nothing. Gladiator Beast's Battle Halberd Equip only to a "Gladiator Beast" monster. When it attacks, destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card at the end of the Damage Step. When the equipped monster is returned from your side of the field to the Deck and this card is sent to the Graveyard, return this card to your hand. OK, so we have a Bestiari look-alike in the deck? Not bad. Not in the mood of letting Bestiari to a Bottomless? Just equip a GB with this and make sure the battle ends with this card on the field. She'll take care of the rest. Worth giving a shot in a deck and can be a nice set back for your opponent. Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica Equip only to a "Gladiator Beast" monster. It cannot be destroyed by battle (Damage calculation is applied normally). When the equipped monster is returned from your side of the field to the Deck and this card is sent to the Graveyard, return this card to your hand. This is a card that has written on it "Gladiator Beast Equip Card of the Century". It stops anything from killing your monster, except effects. And with the protection provided by War Chariot and by various negation cards in the deck, this card should stall and swarm like crazy with a Secutor as the equipped monster. Worth running, though maybe you can find a faster way to swarm. But if you're out of ideas, give this bad boy a shot. Gladiator Beast's Respite Return 2 "Gladiator Beast" cards from your hand to the Deck, then draw 3 cards. What is an archetype without a draw engine? Half an archetype. Zombies on their own, without Allure of Darkness can't keep up the pace of modern day meta. Exactly the same thing applies to GB's and this card. Dump any unnecessary cards like a Secutor in the deck, shuffle and draw again. Gladiator Lash Activate only when you Special Summon a "Gladiator Beast" monster. Your opponent discards 1 card of their choice. GB's get advantage on field presence, it's just normal they had advantage on hand presence, isn't it? Well, this card does exactly that. Basically, you choose at the end of what Battle Phase you want to trash one card in the opponent's hand. Run it in 1, maybe 2. Gladiator Proving Ground Add 1 Level 4 or lower "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck to your hand. Searcher, another key element of an archetype. GB's may have a searcher in the person of Test Ape and Test Tiger as monsters, but a Spell Card as a searcher never crashed an archetype. Not to mention it keeps hand advantage, just like the ROTA-Stratos combo that lets you summon an 1800 ATK beatstick without essentially losing any card advantage. Gladiator's Return Return 3 "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your Graveyard to your Deck, then draw 1 card. This card's effect should be a late duel one. I rarely found myself in that situation, since more often than not my GB's were tagging like crazy. But this card helps recovering if the tagging is disrupted. Sure, not as good as Pot Of Avarice, but easier to activate in this deck. Indomitable Gladiator Beast Target face-up "Gladiator Beast" monster you control gains 500 ATK until the End Phase. While this card is in your Graveyard, you can return 2 "Gladiator Beast" cards from your Graveyard to the Deck to return this card to your hand. This card is the reason Return becomes a little useless. You don't just draw a card. You get a card that increases a GB's ATK by 500. Also, being a Quick Spell, it's a nice surprise for the opponent. Not to mention the permanent recycling of the GB's. Trojan Gladiator Beast Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" from your hand to your opponent's side of the field. Then, draw 1 card. The last and, allow me to say, the WORST GB support card. Not even one GB monster has an effect activating in circumstances that you would like to happen after activating this card. Not to mention in a mirror match, by activating this card you basically lost the duel, giving the opponent the much needed field presence. And by losing the tempo in the first duel, let me tell ya, losing the first duel almost every time=losing the match, because you're getting stressed and pressure makes you take wrong decisions.

That's about it. Oh, and as a side note, here are some viable GB support cards that aren't in the archetype:

Spoiler:

Waboku You take no Battle Damage this turn. Your monsters cannot be destroyed by battle this turn. Having 3 of these and 3 Defensive Tactics=6 turns of smooth cruising. This card has an edge tho. It stops OTK's better than Tactics, since this one doesn't need a GB on the field to work the magic. We need to exploit this as much as we can now, before Konami puts this perhaps final meta support card that significantly helps a deck outside of lightsworns onto the limited list. It's always fun seeing the opponent stopping into a Secutor that brings out a Heraklinos. My Body as a Shield Activate only by paying 1500 Life Points when your opponent activates a card with the effect that would destroy 1 or more monster(s) on the field. Negate the activation of that card and destroy it. Heraklinos+This=Scoop. This is a lock that can be escaped after exhausting a lot of resources, often vital ones. Heraklinos stops spells and traps, MBAAS stops monster effects. The perfect team in the perfect strategic deck. Cold Wave This card can only be activated at the start of your Main Phase 1. Until your next turn, you and your opponent cannot play or Set any Spell or Trap Cards. Ready to do the OTK? Good. Play this. Then start building the strategy. This card makes OTK's happen more frequently than Heavy Storm does. This deck can get on the offensive easily only by monster effects. So don't be shy on maining this card. Wild Nature's Release Increase the ATK of 1 face-up Beast-Type or Beast-Warrior-Type monster on the field by an amount equal to its DEF. Destroy the monster during the End Phase of the turn that this card is activated. Crazy. Period. Get your monster to have over 2k ATK is just epic. Not to mention Dimacari can hit even harder, having 2800 ATK and attacking twice in a turn. Then, he returns to the safety of the deck, and the 2nd effect of this card goes out cold, since the monster is long gone. An epically cheap, yet effective way to cut through monsters. Ancient Forest When you activate this card, change any Defense Position monster(s) to face-up Attack Position. Flip Effects are not activated at this time. If a monster attacks, destroy it at the end of that turn's Battle Phase. I know I said Field Spell=Bad, but this one really hits it on the spot. You are basically unaffected by this card, since you can attack and return your monster without the effect of the destruction, while the monsters your opponent attacks with will be destroyed at the end of the battle phase. This is because Ancient Forest's effect is Chain Link One, while the GB's effect is chain link two. (Ancient Forest's effect is mandatory, while the GB's effect is optional.) And how can you resist watching the opponent frustrated trying to choose between field presence as a positive for him or as a negative for you. Rescue Cat 300/100 You can send this face-up card to the Graveyard to Special Summon 2 Level 3 or lower Beast-Type monsters from your Deck. Those monsters are destroyed during the End Phase. Kitty=any GB. True. Summon Cat, use the effect for a Samnite and a Test Tiger, then the combos start there. Use Tiger on a Secutor to bring out Bestiari, then contact to Gyzarus etc. Not to mention it can bring synchros too in this deck with the help of the Airbellums. Elemental Hero Prisma 1700/1000 Once per turn, you can reveal 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck and send 1 Fusion Material Monster listed on that card from your Deck to the Graveyard. Until the End Phase this card's name is treated as the sent monster's name. What can be cooler than using this to send Bestiari to grave to copy him, then Summon Test Tiger, get a Darius, get Bestiari back, then contact to Gyzarus? Nothing. The face of your opponent is priceless when from an used to be washed up fusion support card you get out possibly the gg card.

This is my article about Gladiator Beasts, the former #2 ranked deck, that now has fallen behind those cheap LS and Zombies. Can't wait for the banlist to hit these decks, so that the mighty Gladiators might rise to battle it all out once again on the grandest stage of them all: The Shonen Jump Top 16.

~~~Supreme_King~~~