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There are some weird, wild, creepy, and funky Yugioh! archetypes out there! From freaky Fiends to zany Zombies, there is no shortage of odd and scary monsters to choose from. But, perhaps the creepiest Yugioh! archetype of all time is Gimmick Puppet. These menacing Machines boast eerie monsters that resemble haunted dolls, disfigured mannequins, and soulless abominations from the darkest nightmares. But not all of their monsters are abject. Take a look at one of their most iconic monsters for example: Number 88: Gimmick Puppet of Leo. Though this Rank 8 Xyz monster may not have the same terrifying presence as its other Puppets, this card is still terrifying in its own right!
Number 88
Gimmick Puppet of Leo is a Number Monster used by Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL character Quattro. Released in August of 2012 (OCG), this card is now almost a relic! Even so, this fearsome Rank 8 monster boasts an impressive 3200 ATK and 2300 DEF. Leo requires 3 Level 8 monsters to Xyz Summon it, which is not difficult for Gimmick Puppets to do. Look at cards like Gimmick Puppet Magnet Doll, Gimmick Puppet Dreary Doll, Gimmick Puppet Bisque Doll, or Gimmick Puppet Egg Head. But, once Leo is on the Field, what can he do?
Well, Leo is not just a beat-stick. Number 88 comes with its own special victory condition! Number 88’s effect is, “Once per turn, if you have no cards in your Spell & Trap Card Zone: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card, and if you do, place 1 Destiny Counter on this card. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase the turn you activate this effect. When 3 Destiny Counters are on this card, you win the Duel.” Sounds easy, right? Well, there is one huge drawback to Leo: No protection. Leo is much too vulnerable, especially in modern gameplay. But, there is good news! Leo got an upgrade!
Number C88
Leo’s main weakness is its lack of protection. It might be difficult to beat over its 3200 ATK, but Leo can easily be destroyed by card effects, bounced back to the Extra Deck, banished, or even simply flipped face-down to wipe out its counters. A simple Book of Moon, Lightning Storm, Forbidden Droplet, or Nibiru, and Leo is toast. But, Leo got an upgrade in Number C88: Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo. Disaster Leo has a win condition that does not rely on counters, and it has its own protection! Neither player can target Disaster Leo with card effects. Could be better, but it is still an improvement.
While Gimmick Puppet is definitely an iconic deck with potential, it is not played in modern Yugioh! as much as it once was. Even so, this deck is worth giving a try! Register for a free account at Dueling Nexus and give Gimmick Puppet of Leo a try in your next build!