Plant Gem-Knight FTK Deck Link Format February 2018

Released on 2010 in Japan, Gem-Knight known as a Fusion Beatdown archetype. Released in TCG one year later, this archetype steal fusion-lovers heart. New support was released when ARC-V anime series aired in Japan, made this deck even nastier. Their own Fusion Spell, Gem-Knight Fusion, has ability to recover itself by just banishing one Gem-Knight monster from graveyard, letting us do so much Fusion in one turn. Beside Beatdown capabilities, this archetype also has Burn capabilities with fusion monster Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli. Although we can summon her only once per turn, but the other boss monster, Gem-Knight Master Diamond, has ability to copy other fusion monster effect on graveyard. This combo become so popular since Block Dragon released in 2016. But with the new Master Rule, the combo become not that powerful, because we need space for our Fusion monster. And then, like a dream comes true, Konami release a "broken" Link monster for Gem-Knight, Gem-Knight Phantom Quartz. Not only giving space for Fusion monster, this monster also will give us a free Gem-Knight fusion spell, which is needed for a FTK. Here we go : Plant Gem-Knight FTK Deck Link Format.

About Gem-Knight Archetype

Gem-Knight is an archetype of Earth monster whereas their Type varies between Pyro, Thunder, Aqua, Rock (many of them), and one Fairy. Gem-Knight is like to be synthesis of Johan Anderson's Crystal Beast (Johan is Japanese name version of Jesse Anderson) and Yuki Judai's Elemental HERO (Yuki Judai is Japanese name version of Jaden Yuki). Like Elemental HERO, we can do fusion summon from almost anywhere. Many Gem-Knight support letting us using material from hand, field, graveyard, banished, or even deck. Gem-knight also has many normal monster.

Beside Gem-Knight Fusion, Brilliant Fusion is another cards that usually used even for non Gem-Knight deck. Because this card letting us to fusion summon while milling important monster from deck. Usually used for summoning the only fairy monster, Gem-Knight Seraphinite, by milling Gem-Knight with Light monster like Performage Trick Clown or Wulf, Lightsworn Beast. Since ARC-V, this archetype also get new support, Crystal Rose, and can be good target for summoning Seraphinite with Brilliant Fusion. But the "Fusion Hell" isn't end with that, the new Link Monster, Gem-Knight Phantom Quartz, will give us free Gem-Knight fusion spell. Plus we can fusion summon by returning material from graveyard or banished to deck. SO, with just this monster, we can do fusion at least twice.

Plant Gem-Knight FTK Play-style

Since Dandylion get forbidden in February 2018, this deck become more Gem-Knight than Plant. But the Predaplant Combo will let us get free Fusion Spell, and the monsters can be used for Link material, or just counted for Lapis Lazuli's burn. The strategy is simple : Fusion Spam! Make your field full of special summoned monsters and burn with Lapis Lazuli featuring Master Diamond. Doing fusion isn't a big problem, because we have so many ways to fusion. And also the big boss monster, Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond, will let us send 1 Gem-Knight monster from graveyard to special summon a Gem-Knight Fusion monster from Extra deck, of course we'll choose Master Diamond for burn. You can see my video about Gem-Knight FTK here.

Download Deck : https://goo.gl/BbZdt5

Plant Gem-Knight FTK Link Format Deck Profile

Main Deck

Monster [29]

3 Gem-Knight Tourmaline
3 Gem-Knight Lapis
3 Block Dragon
3 Gem-Armadillo
3 Rescue Rabbit
3 Gem-Knight Obsidian
3 Predaplant Ophyrs Scorpio
1 Predaplant Darlintonia Cobra
3 Lonefire Blossom
1 Crystal Rose
3 Gem-Knight Lazuli

Spell [11]

2 Unexpected Dai
3 Gem-Knight Fusion
1 Soul Charge
1 Foolish Burial
1 Monster Reborn
3 Brilliant Fusion

Extra Deck

Fusion Monster [9]

1 Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond
2 Gem-Knight Master Diamond
2 Gem-Knight Zirconia
1 Gem-Knight Prismaura
2 Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli
1 Gem-Knight Seraphinite

XYZ Monster [1]

1 True King of All Calamities

Link Monster [5]

1 Saryuja Skull Dread
1 Decode Talker
2 Gem-Knight Phantom Quartz
1 Proxy Dragon

Plant Gem-Knight FTK Deck Tips and Combos

Combo #1

Cards needed : Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio, Block Dragon, and any Gem-Knight monster in hand

1. Normal summon Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio, activate its effect to send Block Dragon to graveyard then special summon Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra from deck
2. Use Darlingtonia Cobra to add Brilliant Fusion from deck to your hand
3. Activate Brilliant Fusion, then fusion summon Gem-Knight Seraphinite by sending Crystal Rose and any Gem-Knight from deck to graveyard
4. Normal summon a Gem-Knight monster, use it and Seraphinite to link summon Gem-Knight Phantom Quartz, then add Gem-Knight Fusion to your hand
5. Banish Seraphinite then special summon Cyrstal Rose from graveyard
6. Use Cyrstal Rose's effect to send Gem-Knight Lapis from deck to graveyard, and copy her name
7. Banish three Gem-Knight monster from graveyard then special summon Block Dragon
8. Use Quartz's effect, pay 1000 LP to return three banished Gem-Knight to deck then fusion summon Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond
9. Use Quarzt, Block Dragon, and Ophrys Scorpio to link summon Saryuja Skull Dread
10. This will trigger Block Dragon's effect, add Lapis, Lazuli, and Gem-Armadillo from deck to your hand
11. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion to fusion summon Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli, using Lapis and Lazuli as material
12. This will trigger Lazuli's effect, return Lapis to your hand
13. Use Lapis Lazuli's effect, send another Lapis Lazuli from extra deck to graveyard, then give 2500 burn damage
14. Banish Lazuli then add Gem-Knight Fusion from graveyard to your hand
15. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion to fusion summon Gem-Knight Master Diamond, using Lapis Lazuli, Lapis and Cyrstal Rose as material
16. Use Skull Dread's effect to special summon Gem-Armadillo from your hand
17. Use Master Diamond's effect, banish Lapis Lazuli from graveyard to copy her effect
18. Use copied Lapis Lazuli effect, send Lazuli from deck to graveyard, then give 2500 burn damage
19. This will trigger Lazuli's effect, return Lapis to your hand
20. Banish Lazuli then add Gem-Knight Fusion from graveyard to your hand
21. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion to fusion summon Gem-Knight Zirconia, using Lapis and Gem-Armadillo as material
22. Use Lady Brilliant's effect, tribute Zirconia to special summon another Master Diamond
23. Banish three Rock monsters from graveyard, except Lapis Lazuli, then special summon Block Dragon
24. Use second Master Diamond's effect, banish another Lapis Lazuli from graveyard to copy her effect
25. Use copied Lapis Lazuli effect, send any Gem-Knight monster from deck to graveyard, then give 3000 burn damage
26. (optional) If you somehow didn't win the duel, you can overlay both Master Diamond to XYZ summon True King of All Calamities.

Combo #2

Cards needed : Gem-Armadillo, Block Dragon, Unexpected Dai

1. Activate Unexpected Dai, special summon any Gem-Knight monster from deck
2. Normal summon Gem-Armadillo then add Gem-Knight Lapis from deck to your hand
3. Use both of your monster to link summon Gem-Knight Phantom Quartz, then add Gem-Knight Fusion to your hand
4. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion to fusion summon Gem-Knight Zirconia, using Lapis and Block Dragon as material
5. Banish three Rock monsters from graveyard, then special summon Block Dragon
6. Use Quartz's effect, pay 1000 LP to return banished Lapis and one other Gem-Knight monster to deck then fusion summon Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli
7. Use Quartz, Block Dragon, and Zirconia to link summon Saryuja Skull Dread
8. This will trigger Block Dragon's effect, add Obsidian, Lapis, and Crystal Rose from deck to your hand
9. Banish Quartz then add Gem-Knight Fusion from graveyard to your hand
10. Use Skull Dread effect to special summon Crystal Rose from your hand
11. Use Crystal Rose's effect to send Lapis from deck to graveyard, and copy her name
12. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion to fusion summon Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond, using Lapis, Obsidian, and Crystal Rose as material
13. This will trigger Obsidian's effect, special summon Lapis from graveyard
14. Use Lady Brilliant's effect, send Lapis to special summon Gem-Knight Master Diamond
15. Banish Zirconia then special summon Crystal Rose from graveyard
16. Use Crystal Rose's effect to send Lazuli from deck to graveyard, and copy her name
17. This will trigger Lazuli's effect, return Lapis to your hand
18. Banish three Gem-Knight monsters from graveyard, then special summon Block Dragon
19. Use Lapis Lazuli's effect, send another Lapis Lazuli from extra deck to graveyard, then give 3000 burn damage
20. Use Master Diamond's effect, banish Lapis Lazuli from graveyard to copy her effect
21. Use copied Lapis Lazuli effect, send any Gem-Knight monster from deck to graveyard, then give another 3000 burn damage
22. Banish a Gem-Knight monster then add Gem-Knight Fusion from graveyard to your hand
23. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion fusion to fusion summon another Master Diamond, using Lapis, Lapis Lazuli and Crystal Rose as material
24. Use second Master Diamond's effect, banish another Lapis Lazuli from graveyard to copy her effect
25. Use copied Lapis Lazuli effect, send any Gem-Knight monster from deck to graveyard, then give 3000 burn damage

Combo #3

Cards needed : Gem-Knight Obsidian, Brilliant Fusion, any Gem-Knight monster in hand

1. Activate Brilliant Fusion, then fusion summon Gem-Knight Zirconia by sending Block Dragon and one Gem-Knight Lapis from deck to graveyard
2. Normal summon Gem-Knight monster
3. Use both of your monster to link summon Gem-Knight Phantom Quartz, then add Gem-Knight Fusion to your hand
4. Banish three Rock monsters from graveyard, then special summon Block Dragon
5. Use Quartz's effect, pay 1000 LP to return three banished Gem-Knight to deck then fusion summon Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond
6. Use Quartz and Block Dragon to link summon Decode Talker
7. This will trigger Block Dragon's effect, add Obsidian, Lapis, and Crystal Rose from deck to your hand
8. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion to fusion summon Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli, using Lapis and Gem-Knight Obsidian as material
9. This will trigger Obsidian's effect, special summon Lapis from graveyard
10. Use Lapis Lazuli's effect, send another Lapis Lazuli from extra deck to graveyard, then give 2000 burn damage
11. Banish Quartz then add gem-knight fusion from graveyard to your hand
12. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion to fusion summon Zirconia, using Lapis Lazuli and Crystal Rose as material
13. Banish Obsidian then add Gem-Knight Fusion from graveyard to your hand
14. Activate Gem-Knight Fusion to fusion summon Gem-Knight Master Diamond, using Lapis, Obsidian, and Zirconia as material
15. This will trigger Obsidian's effect, special summon Lapis from graveyard
16. Banish Zirconia then special summon Crystal Rose from graveyard
17. Use Crystal Rose's effect to send any Gem-Knight monster from deck to graveyard
18. Banish three Gem-Knight monsters from graveyard, except Lapis Lazuli, then special summon Block Dragon
19. Use Lady Brilliant's effect, send Crystal Rose to graveyard then special summon another Master Diamond
20. and just like two previous combos, use both Master Diamond to copy Lapis Lazuli effect and burn for total 6000 damage

Tips #1

Only the second Block Dragon's effect that you can activate once per turn, the effect that let you add up to three rock monsters. The special summon effect can be activated more than once if Block Dragon leaves the field and then come back. The second Block Dragon's effect will triggered if it sent to graveyard, which means you can get this effect even if you use Block Dragon as a material for link summon or fusion summon from field

Tips #2

Similar to block dragon, the only Crystal Rose's effect that you can use once per turn is just the special summon one. You can use the other effect more than once, if Crystal Rose leaves the field then comes back (like in Combo#2)

Tips #3

Just like in combo #1, if you somehow haven't win yet with Combo #2 or Combo #3, you can use both Gem-Knight Master Diamond to go for True King of All Calamities

Tips #4

Never banish Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli except for Gem-Knight Master Diamond's effect. If somehow your Lapis Lazuli was banished, or stuck on the field, or returned to Extra Deck by opponent's card effect. You can still change strategy to Fusion Beatdown. You still has high attack fusion monster Master Diamond and Lady Brilliant

Tips #5

Beside Block Dragon, do remember these cards : Gem-Knight Fusion, Gem-Knight Lapis, Gem-Knight Obsidian, Crystal Rose. These four cards are necessary for easy win, so if you have any peace of these, you can search for other card through Block Dragon or Quartz effect

Tips #6

You can add up to 3 Rock monsters that have total level of 8, if Block Dragon is sent from field to graveyard. To form a FTK combo, these are 3 best cards set option that you can add from deck :

• Gem-Knight Lazuli, Gem-Knight Obsidian, Gem-Armadillo
• Gem-Knight Lazuli, Gem-Knight Lapis, Gem-Armadillo
• Gem-Knight Lapis, Gem-Knight Osidian, Crystal Rose

Plant Gem-Knight FTK Key Cards

Key Card #1 Gem-Knight Lapis

This is the second time I put normal monster as one of three Key Cards (after Igknight), but don't underestimate this monster. Although Gem-Knight Lapis has no effect and low ATK, she is the key to summon the most important fusion monster of the deck. Easy to access from deck with Block Dragon or Crystal Rose effect, also easy to recover from graveyard with Obsidian or Lazuli effect

Key Card #2 Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli

Having many high attack fusion doesn't mean this deck use a brute force (but you can if you want it), because the main goal of this deck is to burn your opponent LP. And this card is the key of everything. Although you can special summon this monster once, but you can copy the effect with Gem-Knight Master Diamond. So make sure bring minimum two copies of Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli in your extra deck

Key Card #3 Block Dragon

This deck need so many fusion summon, but more fusion means you need more material. Luckily, Block Dragon card will just give you that by sending this card from field to graveyard, even for a link or fusion material. This card will give you free three cards at your choice for more fusion material. Of course with a small restriction.

Plant Gem-Knight FTK Weakness

Ash Blossom and Ghost Ogre is a big problem for this deck, to counter Ash Blossom you can add PSY-Framegear Gamma alongside PSY-Frame Driver. Like other burn decks, cards that reverse effect damage like Prime Material Dragon or D/D/D Oracle King D'Arc will your Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli useless. Luckily, you have two big monster Master Diamond and Lady Brilliant.

Since this deck is heavily focused on fusion summon, be aware of Anti-Fusion cards, the most famous one is Dimensional Barrier. But since Link era, we'll rarely found this card on someone's deck. But be aware of Anti-Special summon or Anti-Extra Deck like Monarch. So getting your turn first is a very good idea.

Another Card Recommendation

Gem-Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli will also count your opponent's special summoned monsters for burn, so Black Garden is a very good card for this deck. Since you'll summoned many monsters in one turn, Black Garden will make you opponent's field full with special summoned token. You won't care about halved attack effect or giving token, because that duel will end in that turn. With Black Garden and Brilliant Fusion only you can win the duel. Be sure to add some Terraforming too.

If you don't like Gem-Armadillo that added to your hand due to Block Dragon's effect, you can add Gem-Knight Alexandrite or Gem-Knight Emerald, since they are a Rock monster. You don't to replace all of your Gem-Armadillo or Tourmaline for Alexandrite. You can ditch 1 Gem-Armadillo and 1 Tourmaline for 2 Alexandrite (or Emerald), so you can still do Gem-Armadillo combo. You also still have more target for Rescue Rabbit.

Not released yet in TCG, but if you play in Automatic Duel System like YGOPro, you can add Summon Sorceress as aditional Link Monster. With this monster you can get free Gem-Knight. The motto of this deck is "More fusion material means higher chance to do fusion means easier win". So adding Summon Sorceress will made FTK easier. You can replace Decode Talker or an extra Quartz for this monster

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