Introduction
Gearfried is an archetype oriented around the boss monster Loading... (IPG). Gearfried can be, and sometimes is, played as a pure deck using support like Loading... and Loading... . However, the skill Salamandra & Phoenix freely provides the material for a special summon of IPG plus an equip spell to use for IPG's negation effect. Since this skill has no restrictions and only requires playing 10 fire-warrior monsters, Gearfried can be a versatile engine to provide a powerful additional boss monster on the cheap to many other decks.
My goal here is to provide an overview of many of the Gearfried variants that have been created so far. Hopefully this will inspire more experimentation and creative deck-building with this fun and accessible engine.
Pure Gearfried
Sample Pure Gearfried Decklist
KoG — Oct '23 — 안달쥬지
Pros of Pure Gearfried
- Fairly consistent in accessing IPG
- Lots of space for techs
- Tends not to brick
Cons of Pure Gearfried
- Backrow clog can be an issue
- Not as high of a ceiling as other Gearfried variants
Overview of Pure Gearfried
We may as well begin with the pure variant of Gearfried, since it contains many of the cards and strategies that also occur in the mixed variants. Loading... makes appearances in many Gearfried variants as a solid normal summon. It can equip Loading... from the deck, allowing an efficient Link 2 play, or even a synchro summon, as Squeaknight can become a tuner. The other potential equip target for Sublimation Knight is Loading... , which can be used as a cost for IPG's negate effect, and searches for any of your monsters in the end phase. Roland being a hand trap can also be quite useful. For example, if your opponent removes your equip spell with Loading... or Loading... to play around an IPG negate, Roland can equip from the hand to provide back-up material.
With respect to the extra deck (ED), Knightmare links, such as Loading... and Loading... are commonly used as generically good links that also can discard Roland to trigger its search effect. Loading... can revive IPG or Sublimation from the grave, triggering the effect of the latter. Loading... provides some extra battle-phase protection and sets up a Roland search by using it as material. Summoning Linkuriboh off of a Roland normal summon is generally a good back-up play when you lack a better normal summon (such as Sublimation or a second copy of IPG).
Backrow in pure Gearfried is mostly flexible, so use what you have and what best counters the meta. For limit 3 traps, Loading... is a good option since many of the links in the ED use generic material. Loading... is an interesting choice in the sample build above as a low-cost, recurring form of graveyard disruption.
Some other options to consider:
- Loading... : The skill allows you to summon this without tributing as well, so it's a potential normal summon option if a big beater would be more useful than a Link 2 or synchro play. The second effect, while powerful, would require normal summons over two turns and so is too slow to consistently access.
- Handtraps: One weakness of Gearfried as an engine is that it can clog up your backrow. One slot will taken up by the Loading... placed by the skill, and you will need to leave another slot open if you want to use IPG's battle effect. Since you can only place 1-2 backrow cards, you might want to use some handtraps rather than loading up on 10 spells/traps.
- Loading... : A useful handtrap that's also a fire-warrior, counting towards the skill requirement. This would likely be an auto-include if it didn't compete with limit 3 traps. But it still may be useful at 1 copy to replace a normal summon like Sublimation Knight.
- Synchros: As mentioned above, Loading... enables synchro plays as an alternative to link plays. One interesting option is using Sublimation + Squeaknight to make Loading... which provides a passive disruption that has some interesting synergy with IPG's negate effect. Another option is using IPG + Squeaknight to make Loading... . Although using IPG as synchro material is costly, Ruddy's graveyard banish could be worth it in some scenarios (e.g. against BLS).
- Loading... : Yet another normal summon option that acts as a discount Loading... .
Burning Abyss (BA) Gearfried
Overview of BA Gearfried
Burning Abyss (BA) Gearfried aims to provide Gearfried with a more consistent and less backrow-reliant turn 1 play through the BA engine and Loading... . Meanwhile, the Gearfried engine provides BA with additional plays to push through backrow disruption, which is something that BA can struggle with. An optimal hand for BA Gearfried is 3 BA names plus either IPG or Sublimation Knight, leading to a board of Beatrice + IPG or Loading... , with potential searches from Loading... and Loading... coming in the end phase. However, even a hand with only 2 BA names at least allows for a mill off of Loading... , plus some Gearfried plays. It is fair to say that the resource generation and grind game of BA Gearfried is second to none.
Some other points of synergy:
- Dante and Beatrice milling Roland provides consistent follow-up.
- Ferocious Flame Swordsman can revive Dante for a cheap Beatrice summon, or an IPG that was milled.
- IPG can remove big towers and non-targetable monsters, which are otherwise a weak point for BA.
- BA can make Beatrice without using a normal summon, allowing for strong high-roll hands.
Pros of BA Gearfried
- No need to worry about backrow clog
- Very strong follow-ups and grind game if you are able to survive until turn 3 or later
- Plays through monster negation (e.g. Loading... ) fairly easily
Cons of BA Gearfried
- Can brick on too many Gearfried cards
- Not very strong at playing through backrow (though still better than pure BA)
- No room for techs
Hazy Flame Gearfried
Sample Hazy Flame Gearfried Decklist
KoG — Sep '23 —
Overview of Hazy Flame Gearfried
Hazy Flame Gearfried also aims to put Beatrice on the board for defense and resource generation, and then toss Gearfried onto the board for good measure. By making Beatrice "naturally" with two lvl 6 monsters, Beatrice can be activated immediately to send Roland turn 1. In addition, using Hazy Flame monsters to make Beatrice can be harder to disrupt than using BA monsters, since the former cannot be targeted. These advantages are purchased at the cost of consistency, resource generation, and follow up. The high number of fire monsters allows for Loading... to be used as an additional removal threat that also synergizes with Roland.
Pros of Hazy Flame Gearfried
- Untargetable Hazy Flame monsters make it difficult to disrupt the summon of Beatrice, which can then be activated immediately
- Loading... can cheat out IPG from the hand or graveyard
- Loading... provides an additional win condition and can force disruption before IPG hits the field
Cons of Hazy Flame Gearfried
- Access to Beatrice can be highly inconsistent: you need Loading... plus a special summon to use as a tribute for guaranteed access. You can also make Beatrice using Loading... but you need to have another lvl 6 in hand or grave (plus a special summon for tribute fodder).
- Hazy Flame combos tend to use up most of the cards in your hand without regenerating many resources, so if your board gets dismantled you will often lack strong follow-up.
- Loading... or other garnets must not be drawn or else Beatrice will not have a target to send for disruption.
HERO Gearfried
Sample HERO Gearfried Decklist
Overview of HERO Gearfried
HERO Gearfried exploits the fact that Loading... counts towards the skill requirement to craft an extremely aggressive Gearfried variant. Roland's search effect can be consistently triggered by sending Roland as material for either Loading... with Loading... , or one of the Elemental HERO Neos fusions with Loading... . With optimal hands, you can achieve boards like double Loading... + Loading... + IPG on top of the draw effect of Loading... , a Roland search, and Neos Fusion in the graveyard as protection.
Pros of HERO Gearfried
- Very threatening turn 2 plays that can sack through multiple disruptions
- Consistent access to Roland search for protection with Loading... or IPG follow-up
- Quickly thins the deck and searches cards, giving solid access to techs
Cons of HERO Gearfried
- Ability to make Sunrise can be inconsistent
- Can brick if you are unable to access/resolve Polymerization
- Would rather not draw into Loading... and Loading...