by Phantom Knights is a popular archetype and my personal favorite. They use Xyz as their main summoning mechanic and complement perfectly with Links too. Despite its popularity with some of the archetype’s cards, not everyone is familiar with the entirety of them. Despite not being strong enough for meta play, there is lots of potential for some fun/casual games.
Main [40]
[16]
[5]
[19]
Extra [15]
[3]
[12]
traps
Phantom Knights have a wide arsenal of Trap cards at their disposal. Some of them you may know, like Phantom Knights Fog Blade, since it has seen a lot of play in other decks. While it’s a very good card, the other ones provide amazing support to the strategy. Many of these traps can become monsters on your field, helping to extend your Xyz and Link plays. The Phantom Knights of Lost Vambrace summons itself as a level 2 and turns one of your opponent’s monsters into a level 2 as well. Perfect for interrupting your opponents in their Synchro and Xyz plays. Additionally, it protects your Phantom Knights monsters from battle destruction the turn it’s activated.
The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring also summons itself as a level 2 by negating an opponent’s attack. Its other effect is to send itself and another Phantom Knight card you control to the grave to draw 2 cards. Protects, sets up graveyard and draw power, pretty handy right? The Phantom Knights of Mist Claws allows you to recover your banished monsters and protects you from direct attacks by summoning itself and another Phantom Knight in grave!
As you can see, Phantom Knight traps have a variety of effects that can help you in different situations. I’m only mentioning some of them here so make sure you check out the rest for more amazing effects.
spells
The archetype only has 3 spells: Phantom Knights Spear, The Phantom Knights Rank-Up-Magic Launch and Phantom Knights Rank-Up-Magic Force. The rank up ones are definitely the most useful since they allow you access the deck’s rank 5s with ease. However, the Spear gives your Dark monsters protection from destruction, which happens to be all monsters in this archetype.
Since the spell count is so low, Phantom Knights can take advantage of cards like Anti-Spell Fragrance and play with ease.
monsters
Most monsters are level 3, but there are a couple level 4. All Phantom Knights have graveyard effects that allow you to extend or search the cards you need. The most noticeable is The Phantom Knights of Torn Scales, it is a starter and extender. It allows you to set up the graveyard by discarding a card and sending a Phantom Knight card from the deck. In grave, when a Phantom Knight card is banished you can special summon him.
Extra deck
Their main go to is rank 3 monsters, like The Phantom Knights of Break Sword, that uses its effect to clear boards and help you rank up into rank 4s. Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon is not a Phantom Knight, but it is used in the deck in the anime by Yuto and some of the other cards do mention it, so it belongs here.
Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon can become a One-hit K.O. easily when the field is full of powerful monsters. Upon using its effect it gains the attack of all monster on field and if it has an Xyz material attached after activation, it negates their effects too. It can come very handy in tight spots and going for game.
For Links, they only have The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche, and it gives the deck a tremendous boost. Sending a monster and setting a trap is a very powerful play for this deck. Additionally, whenever a Dark Xyz is summoned to where it points, it can destroy a card on the field.
The cannot be a %100 pure since it doesn’t have many cards within the archetype to assist in the Extra Deck. Cherubini Ebon Angel of the Burning Abyss is always a solid option for this deck since it sends a level 3 (pretty much any Phantom Knight) for cost to the graveyard. Any Dark rank 4 can be a good addition to the deck, as well link 2 like Dharc the Dark Charmer Gloomy.
conclusion
It is a very fun deck to play and can bring many surprises to those not prepared. It’s very versatile and handy and can out pretty much anything. However, it does require the graveyard A LOT, so things get complicated without it. Hopefully Konami will bring more support in the future to enhance the deck. A Link 2 would be very handy and more Xyz too. Maybe an easier way to summon poor The Phantom Knights of Cursed Javelin.