Well, with FOTB released. One of the most popular archetype that people look at are the Gem Beasts, used by new character Johan Anderson in GX. Despite the fact that lots of GX decks are purely bad, though, Johan's decks idea actually improved when the real cards are released.
As usual with my analysis, I'll give an analysis on main monster, then support, then some other card / strategy that help the deck to run. With all said, let's start with the 7 Gem Beasts themselves, "colored" after the Rainbow (There IS a reason why Rainbow Dragon is the "Winning condition" for Johan's deck, even though what it does is pretty much unknown)
First, if you watch the anime, you should have know that all Gem Beasts share 1 mechanic, and that's it can stay on the field as a Continuous Magic card after it's destroy while on the field. Other than that, I'll look into the monster's secondary effects.
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Gem Beast - Ruby Carbuncle
Light/Angel/3/300/300
When this card is successfully special summoned, you can special summon as many [Gem Beast] monsters as you can from your Magic/Trap card zone. When this card is destroy while in monster card zone, instead of sending it to Graveyard you can put this card face-up as a Continuous Magic card into your Magic/Trap card zone.
Ahh, the first in the line, fittingly, it's "Red" in color (Ruby IS Red...). First, this card, for whatever reason, is an Angel. (Gem Beast are suppose to be BEAST after all...) Also, this card is by far the weakest Gem Beasts.
Now, its effect can help you special summon all [Gem Beasts] in S/T zone for a one-hit wonder. Is this good?? It's EXTREMELY helpful to be use in the "winning turn", but otherwise, just keep this card somewhere until you can pull it off.
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Gem Beast - Amethyst Cat
Earth/Beast/3/1200/400
This card can attack opponent directly. If so, the battle damages done by this card to opponent is halved. When this card is destroy while in monster card zone, instead of sending it to Graveyard you can put this card face-up as a Continuous Magic card into your Magic/Trap card zone.
Now we're at 2nd Gem Beasts. This time, a Cat that can jump over Judai's Heroes and scratch all over Judai's face. This card is basically a direct attacker if you're really THAT desperate (I mean, you only get to hit for 600 normally, and even if you run something like [Animal's Stampede], the attack strength is still not high.
But is this card no-use?? There's always [Rescue Cat] + 2x [Amethyst Cat] for quick fuel for support. But otherwise, the card is pretty meh.
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Gem Beast - Emerald Turtle
Water/Aqua/3/600/2000
You can put a monster on your field that had attacked this turn to defense mode. This effect can only be activated once per turn. When this card is destroy while in monster card zone, instead of sending it to Graveyard you can put this card face-up as a Continuous Magic card into your Magic/Trap card zone.
What's a series without a big defender. With Judai having Clayman, Johan have a Turtle. Too bad its effect is pretty meh, I mean, what's the point of turning an opponent's monster to defense mode AFTER it already break apart Gems. 2000 DEF doesn't really cut it either - 1 CyDra and this card is done.
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Gem Beast - Topaz Tiger
Earth/Beast/4/1600/1000
When this card attacks opponent's monster, increase this card attack strength by 400 during damage step. When this card is destroy while in monster card zone, instead of sending it to Graveyard you can put this card face-up as a Continuous Magic card into your Magic/Trap card zone.
If there's a defensive card, there MUST be an offensive card, right?? Here it is. Topaz Tiger, being the main attacker for the Gem Beasts (Its attack strength is not the greatest, but its effect make it so). This card basically help you to run over pretty much most 4-star (At least stalemate). Although this card can't run over CyDra, but hey, it's Cyber Dragon, and it's almost unfair to compare any cards to it.
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Gem Beast - Amber Mammoth
Earth/Beast/4/1700/1600
When a face-up [Gem Beast] monster on your field is target of attack, you can change the target of attack to this card instead. When this card is destroy while in monster card zone, instead of sending it to Graveyard you can put this card face-up as a Continuous Magic card into your Magic/Trap card zone.
Now, a big Mammoth, trying to get in the way of everything. And that's exactly what it does - Step in for other weakling trying to fight off crazy Warriors / Machines. Too bad, this card itself ain't that strong. With 1700 attack, it can't even beat out half of the old 4-star.
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Gem Beast - Cobalt Eagle
Wind/Bird/4/1400/800
You can return a face-up [Gem Beast] monster from your field to the top of your deck. This effect can only be activated once per turn. When this card is destroy while in monster card zone, instead of sending it to Graveyard you can put this card face-up as a Continuous Magic card into your Magic/Trap card zone.
Now, the 6th Gem Beast is an Eagle. I won't bother much with this effect, though, it doesn't help you at all (Returning a Gem Beast to top of deck so that you can get it back next turn?? It doesn't sell on me). It DOES show what Wind is capable of, though - Returning stuff to decks.
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Gem Beast - Sapphire Pegasus
Wind/Beast/4/1800/1200
When this card is successfully Summoned, Reversed Summoned, or Special Summoned, you can place a [Gem Beast] monster from your hand, deck, or Graveyard as a Continuous Magic card face-up to your Magic/Trap card zone. When this card is destroy while in monster card zone, instead of sending it to Graveyard you can put this card face-up as a Continuous Magic card into your Magic/Trap card zone.
Now, we finally reach the last Gem Beast. Reading all the above 6 Gem Beasts, nothing really sell out, right?? Well, this card makes a Gem Beast deck for mediocre to one of the best Theme deck ever. How?? First, Tutor is always a VERY good thing, no matter where the card will end up (The best is putting the card to your hand, obviously, but we all know that it get "broken" quickly). This card help you to tutor out a [Gem Beast] to your S/T zone. Normally, that wouldn't help much. But with Gem Beasts support / mechanic revolved around the idea of "Destroy -> S/T -> Reuse", this card skip the destruction part and basically create fast S/T "food" / requirement for all the support card. Not to mention, the stats of this card ain't that bad. 1800 may not beat anything, but hey, if Airman can dominate a format with 1800 attack, why can't a 1800 monster be good??
Now, after an overview of the Gem Beasts, we'll look into its support (I'm only putting down cards that specifically refer to Gem Beast here)
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Guidance of Gem
Magic - Normal
When there are 2 or more [Gem Beast] cards in your Magic/Trap card zone, special summon a [Gem Beast] monster from your deck.
The tutor of the deck. With Sapphire Pegasus only getting cards to S/T zone, this card gets the monster onto the field. Its requirement of "2 or more" Gem Beast is easily fulfill anyway (I mean, Sapphire Pegasus, get 1 to S/T, then opponent destroy your Sapphire Pegasus), and with this card extremely versatile search power (Ruby Carbuncle for field presence, Topaz Tiger for beatdown, Sapphire Pegasus for more setup, etc.)
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Rare Value
Magic - Normal
Can only be activated when there are 2 or more [Gem Beast] cards in your Magic/Trap card zone. Opponent choose and send a [Gem Beast] monster from your Magic/Trap card zone to Graveyard, then draw 2 cards from your deck.
Gem Beast's exclusive [Pot of Greed]. The requirement is the same as Guidance. The main problem with this card, though, is that it is not the best thing to just send your Gem Beast to Graveyard anytime (In a Gem Beast Deck, Gem Beast in S/T zone is also an important resource since LOTS of the card depends on it). Otherwise, though, it's not that hard to get the cards back to S/T zone either (Pegasus and Blessing of Gem), so, a nice card, but over usage can mean disadvantage.
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Blessing of Gem
Magic - Normal
Choose up to 2 [Gem Beast] monsters from your Graveyard, and put them face-up into your Magic/Trap card zone as a Continuous Magic card.
While this card doesn't seems that excellent or anything (I mean, just putting some Gem Beast back to S/T zone?? Not quite useful). Don't under look the effect, though. This card help you recover from something like a [Heavy Storm] or [Magic Effect Arrow]. True, this card is no help against [Hurricane], but then, who use that card anyway??
Otherwise, this card "salvage" things as a resource, and salvage is always a good thing if you can use them.
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Abundance of Gem
Magic - Normal
Send 4 [Gem Beast] cards from your Magic/Trap card zone to your Graveyard to activate. Send all cards on the field to Graveyard. Also special as many [Gem Beast] monsters in your Graveyard as you can equal to number of cards on opponent's field send to Graveyard by that effect.
I would say that this card is under look by many when Gem Beast is first released. True, it SEEMS situational to have 4 Gem Beast in S/T zone. But after extensive testing - It's not that hard to get Gem Beast, LOTS of them, into S/T Zone as one have to remember Gem Beast goes there when they're destroy. And since 3 in S/T zone + Rainbow Ruin = can avoid things like Heavy Storm (You can recover easily if you've 2 or less cards in S/T zone anyway), so now come a BIG reset.
Oh wait, reset?? While opponent field is left empty, we get our Gem Beasts back from Graveyard. Other than facing RFG deck (It's beatable), all your Gem Beasts you send to Graveyard to activate this card can be special summon ALONG with possibly more. True, sometimes you get less cards b/c opponent literally have nothing on the field. But with you getting at least 3 Gem Beasts back at average, you can restart VERY quick.
Oh yeah, there's always Sapphire Pegasus + Ruby Carbuncle for further Gem swarming.
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Contract of Gem
Magic - Normal
Choose and special Summon a [Gem Beast] monster from your Magic/Trap card zone.
A very basic "reborn" card. Although it's from S/T zone, but with [Sapphire Pegasus], you can simply pull off a Sapphire Pegasus -> Some Gem Beast -> This card -> 2 monsters on the field, for nothing.
Otherwise, this card is also very good when it comes to comboing with [Ruby Carbuncle].
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Rainbow Ruin
Magic - Field
This card gains the following effect(s) according to number of [Gem Beast] monsters in your Magic/Trap card zone.
- 1 or more: This card cannot be destroy by effect of card
- 2 or more: Once per turn you can halved the battle damages done to a player
- 3 or more: You can send a [Gem Beast] monster from your field to Graveyard, negate the activation of a Magic or Trap card and destroy it.
- 4 or more: Once per turn at your Main Phase you can draw a card from your deck.
- 5: Once per turn during your Main Phase you can special summon a [Gem Beast] card from your Magic/Trap card zone.
As with the case of almost all archetype / theme deck, it MUST have a field card. Here it is.
Now, I would say that this card is one of the best when it comes to supporting the archetype (Necrovalley and Atlantis are both good, coincidence that both theme deck are quite good?? I think not). Now, a short analysis of this card's effect.
First, this card use Gem Beast in S/T zone as its "count". I've repeated numerous time that Gem Beast deck USE the S/T Zone as a resource, and obviously, this card is no exception.
Otherwise:
1st effect: Actually good. The problem with many theme deck is once its field card is gone, it get quite hard to go further. This time, this card can't be destroy. Although there's always bounce (i.e. New favorite Wind Emperor), but indestructible is an annoying thing, just ask any M:tG player why Darksteel Colossus is annoying once it hits the field.
2nd effect: Decent. Half damage once per turn may not be the most useful effect, but it save your ass once in awhile.
3rd effect: Good. Heavy Storm?? I think not. Magic Effect Arrow?? No also. Game winning Theft / D-Ring?? No. Although this effect doesn't shut down monster effect, but hey, don't expect too much.
4th effect: Drawing is always good, especially in a meta where the top 2 draw cards are banned.
5th effect: The [Contract of Gem] effect. This effect, though, prevent you from getting your self lock-out once you have 5 cards in S/T zone.
Otherwise, overall, people that say this card isn't require is purely idiot - this card is one of the integral part of the deck.
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Last Resort
Trap - Normal
Can be activate when opponent's monster declare attack. Choose a [Rainbow Ruin] in your deck and activate. If so, if opponent had activated a Field Magic, opponent can draw a card.
The (finally) first trash support. Need opponent to actually declare attack, and is a Trap?? Rainbow Ruin is a field, Terraforming is a Normal Magic (Spell) that search field cards. I just don't see any reason why one would use this card over Terraforming consider how this card also take up a valuable space in S/T zone.
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Prayer of Gem
Trap - Normal
Send a [Gem Beast] card from your Magic/Trap card zone to Graveyard to activate. Destroy a card on opponent's field.
Seems decent at first, but being a Trap card just hurt - and require one to send a [Gem Beast] from S/T zone to Graveyard isn't exactly the best. One way, you try to set up LOTS of Gem Beast so that you can fully utilized cards like Rainbow Ruin, on another hand, this card takes up valuable space + require you to spend a valuable resource. Although destroy an opponent's card is VERY good effect, but, unless you have cards that you just can't get rid of, this card simply waste too much time + resource.
Not to mention, if you want destruction, just use [Abundance of Gem]. 99% more effective.
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Gem Flash Energy
Trap - Continuous
During each of your Standby Phase deal damage to opponent equal to number of face-up Continuous Magic card on the field * 300.
Although this card doesn't specify "Gem Beast", but with its name being "Gem" Flash Energy and its arts is full of Gem, I consider this card a main support card. Its effect is okay. But being a Continuous Trap waste you a BIG space. I mean, with this card, you can't even use [Abundance of Gem] (Require 4 Gem Beast in S/T Zone + a space for itself). True, it deals damage during each Standby Phase, and 1200 damage per turn (Given 4 Continuous Magic, any of them) is not fun. But, just waste of space in a Gem Beast deck.
That's all for this part of the article. The next article would talk about the strategy and other supports.
