Blaukluger – The Champions of the Cosmos

By MachinaBlau and Cipher with Winning Image 

The blue warriors of Nova Grapple have returned at last. The style of Blau has evolved in Standard creating a tag team duo with a search engine that has never been seen in Standard Nova Grapplers up till its release in VBT11 Storm of the Blue Calvary.

HISTORY

• 

The Blau series were first released in BT04 with Stern Blaukluger leading the charge introducing as the clan’s ride chain. Over time the archetype grew in popularity with the release of Extra Booster 08 : Champion of the Cosmos which introduced enough cards to push them into its own full archetype with Galaxy Blaukluger at the center of it along with Mond Blaukluger creating a full field re-stand with up to 8 attacks for the combo.

• 

The archetype would continue to get support throughout the G era as Strides were added to the Limit Break deck of the clan focusing on battle phase superior rides with their G-Units to allow for a easier and stronger field re-stand combo now with up to 9 attacks.

• 

PLAYSTYLE

The deck plays as an aggressive combo based deck that aims to close games with its number of attacks and advantage as fast as possible once it hits Grade 3. The earlier stages of the game are dedicated to securing its combo with having a “ride chain” effect from Blaupanzer and Blaukluger to search out for the key pieces during the game to secure its 3 card combo of having a Blaukluger in the soul for +10000 power to all Grade 3 Blau units, Stern Blaukluger for the first ride, then superior riding a rear-guard Galaxy Blaukluger for to complete the combo. Additionally when Galaxy Blaukluger attacks as the Vanguard, a Stern in soul is superior called back out on to the field. 

As a result of this combo, the tag team of Galaxy and Stern will swiftly move in for the kill with continuous attacks from the vanguard and rearguard. The combo turn gives you 2 vanguard attacks as well as 3 drive checks to pull even more power to field. In the process, the combo generates an Accel Markers for each ride creating an expanding field, which makes it stronger as the game goes.

A returning non-Blau unit, Morgenrot allows to bounce any Blau unit preferably Stern to repeat the process all over again the next turn. Blaupanzer can also add more Grade 3 Blau units when called to rear-guard at the cost of trigger to find the missing piece for the tag team.

THE DYNAMIC DUO

Stern Blaukluger

• 

Part of the tag team, Stern acts as your ideal ride target for the deck to get things going from the start with its 2 skills. The first which it shares with Galaxy gives all your G3 Blau units 10000 during your turn if G2 Blaukluger is in soul. At the end of the battle  for a cost of discarding 2 cards 2 from your hand. it is able to bind a Galaxy Blaukluger anywhere on the rg and ride it as stand , giving you another Imaginary GIft and vanguard attack, albeit a drive -1.  As this skill does not have a Counter-Blast or Soul-Blast attached to it , and thus can not be denied once a Galaxy Blaukluger is on a rearguard. This allows the resources to be allocated for the rest of the deck , keeping the deck as a whole rather flexible.

Galaxy Blaukluger 

• 

The “finisher” of the duo which further extends on the multiple attacks of the deck, when it attacks it is able to call a “Stern Blaukluger” from the soul to any rearguard circle for a CB1. it is good to note that you can call Stern to the newly generated Accel Marker as well. 

When combined with Stern’s ability to superior ride Galaxy, this creates a chain of 4 attacks at minimum for an overall cost of CB1 and Discard 2, all of which hits for good numbers as both of them as both Grade 3s are able to gain 10000 so as long Blaukluger is in the soul. When paired with the multiple attack potential and other beaters in the clan. This creates a fast hitting combination attack that is very hard to play around. 

Galaxy (RG) -> Stern (VG) to Superior Ride -> Galaxy (VG) to superior call -> Stern (RG) 

It also has a last skill where it will call itself out if ridden by a Blau unit. Ideally this is meant to work with Stern as this will set up for Stern superior ride combo again.

Blaukluger

• 

Just as important as the Grade 3s themselves, Blaukluger acts as the source of power that the Grade 3s  work on and is a card you will want to see as early and soon as possible. As a card you want in soul at all times , It is your primary G2 ride target with the on ride ability to search the top 7 cards of the deck for any Blau unit for a Counter-Blast 1, helping you to search out for any piece you may need to guarantee Galaxy and Stern on your first ride. 

It works well as a decent rearguard as well with the end of its battle skill to add itself to soul to draw 1 when you have a Blau Vanguard. The skill is useful to meet the Blau Grade 3s’ skill when you draw into it a little later when you desperately need it

The Engine Starter

Blaupanzer & Blaujunger

• 

The G1 of the Blau deck and has a skill very similar to “ride chains” of the past. When ridden on Blaujunger , it is able to search the top 5 cards of the deck for any Blau unit much like Blakluger for no cost at all.

As a rearguard its skill is crucial for the whole archetypes consistency. When placed on rear-guard by discarding a trigger unit, Blaupanzer is able to search the entire deck for any G3 Blau unit , adding more consistency to the strategy.

• 

Deck Building

Due to the otherwise self contained nature of the Blau combo and number of cards needed for its plays. There aren’t many ways to extend their plays as compared to other builds within the clan outside of what is set. This does prove to be advantageous at times as well as this allows the Blaukluger deck to be very flexible as it can adapt many powerful staples in the clans without much fuss

Restanders

Being part of Nova Grappler gives Blau access to the ability to restand their rearguards for additional attacks. The most consistent way amongst the clan are the newer Cool Hank and Kick Kick Typhoon.  This units can be used to restand Blaukluger units on the rearguard that gain the passive +10000 from the VG and possible drive triggers from the 3 checks that the deck gets during its power turns.

Cool Hank 

• 

When this unit attacks, you may discard 1 card, if you do restand 1. Compared to Kick Kick, Typhoon is really easy to use and works at most stages of the game. It also doubles as a secondary ride target at worst as it has a on hit effect on the VG to draw you a card.

Kick Kick Typhoon

• 

When this unit is placed on an additional Rear-Guard Circle (Accel Circle), this unit gives +5000 to any unit on the field.

When this unit attacks and the front row is fully occupied, you can Counter-Blast 1 to re-stand 1. While it still works fine for the Blau deck, you do have to plan on how you set up your field if you plan to use Kick Kick after the Superior Ride Combo as it will generate a new Accel Circle.

Beatsticks

Ideally you will want your front row to be filled with Blaukluger G3 units to make use of the passive power given by the vanguard. Having more options to fill up the Accel Circles with strong units  to create a solid offense that can form magic numbers especially  

This is especially relevant  in match ups where your front row rearguards are prone to removal or in situations where you need to hit through damage triggers. 

Ultra Beast Deity, Illuminal Dragon

• 

While not a Blau unit, it still remains as Nova Grappler’s strongest standalone attacker, as it gains 15000 power when any of your attacks hits. When used in Blau and its ability to generate multiple circles this adds more opportunities for this to trigger. 

Brutal Jack

• 

A consistent 19000 power at the risk of not being able to stand it during your stand phase.

Stylish Hustler

A strong attacker that scales the more damage you have gaining +3000 per damage. To use it effectively, you will need an average of 3 damage. It also has a secondary effect which can help protect your field from removal which can make a strong contender if you expect a retire heavy metagame. 

• 

Vernal Cracker

An attacker that boosts based on the number of other rear-guards +3000

Utility

Of course, while it is nice to diversify your options, its also nice to have more ways to increase the consistency of the Blau combo outside of its 3 card combo.  

Morgenrot

• 

 A Blau specific support card that is able to return a 

G3 Blau unit from RG to the hand by retiring itself. Mainly its a way to add Stern Back into the hand to play the combo the following turn. 

Extreme Battler, Arashid 

• 

With the decks reliant on its Grade 3s to push for Arashid can check top 5 for a grade 3 and add to hand, then if added, discard 1.

Halo of Bonds, Solidar Bangle

• 

This order card by putting 1 card into hand into soul allows you to look at top 3 to add one to hand. You may also put Blaukluger into soul setting up for the rest of the match.

Brute the Beast

 By paying the cost of Counter-Blast 2, this card can superior call any G3 from deck which guarantees having the missing piece you need on the field for the deck. While not really cost effective , sometimes its the only way to get out the pieces in time. 

Triggers

With Blau’s rather free attack pattern either trigger works well to their own extent. Criticals help to pressure the opponent earlier and can be deadly when stacked onto a rearguard while you have restanders. 

Fronts on the other hand works by playing on the  primary strengths of the Blaukluger deck as it generates more Accel Markers compared to anything else in the clan. This means your front triggers grow in strength the longer the game goes. Playing Fronts, also gives you more options of running the front trigger support cards that started in V BT07 Infinideity Cradle with the introduction of God Hand Dragon.

Notable Front Support

• Grit Bengal – When placed, put 1 Front Trigger to the top of the deck
• Star-Fighter, Silver-Fist – Adds +5000 to Front Triggers
• Fusing Striker – Adds +5000 to Front Triggers
• Qigong Fighting Hermit, Master Torga – Adds +5000 to Front Triggers, searchable from Extreme Battler, Arashid, and can restand by discard 1 when a Front Trigger is revealed.
• Powered Trooper, Singh – Discard 1 to perform a drive check on rear-guard

DECK BUILDS

• 

• 

One of our Collaborators, WinningImage, has a couple of deck profile videos with using the order card to improve consistency. 

STRATEGY

Hard Mulligan-ing ( Redrawing)

Without Blaukluger in play the Grade 3 units will not give the passive 10000 to the front row , making the overall combo attacks significantly weaker. With that in mind hard mulliganing for Blaukluger is a very valid strategy to ensure that you will be able to have the card in play by your turn 3. This means even sending make Grade 2s and Grade 3s that are not Blaukluger just to raise the chances of drawing into it as you will have more turns to search into them.

It is important to map out your attacks to make full use of the cards to get the most out of your turns. This includes forming “magic numbers”, attacking in specific sequences. As a rule of thumb, we want to attack with lower powered attacks first then follow up with stronger ones to mitigate the threat of a defensive trigger. During Vanguard attacks always ask yourself what unit should I leave standing to apply triggers effect to? This is especially relevant for Blauklugers as your Grade 3s units will switch places throughout the turn. 

Always remember to plan out your unit placements with purpose to get the full use out of your turns

• 

Example Why is Galaxy at the backrow ?

At first glance yes this is indeed an odd placement.

In this example we could play the Galaxy Blaukluger that we want to ride in the backrow instead to ensure that our front rows will be full to meet the requirements for Kick Kick Typhoon to get that extra attack in. Sometimes going for that extra attack can determine whether you win or lose a game. 

Forming Ideal Numbers

• 

In the following example using the Critical Build Style, we assuming our opponent has a 12000 Power Vanguard in this base line up , all the attacks other than Blaukluger ( on Accel), are able to form 22000 lines to hit beyond a damage trigger which guarantees extra damage in and to force out the lowest number of attacks during the turn.

 So in this case we could go. 

1. Blaukluger on Accel – 14000 [ May enter the soul for a draw]
2. Galaxy Blaukluger on RG – 22000
3. Stern Blaukluger on VG – 22000
4. [ Triggers to be placed on Cool Hank ]
5. Superior Ride into Galaxy
6. Galaxy Blaukluger on VG ( calls Stern to an Accel) – 2200
7. [ Any trigger effects can be put on Stern ]
8. Stern Blaukluger on Accel – 27000
9. Cool Hank with Arashid – 8000+5000+9000 = 22000
10. [ Restand Stern on Accel]
11. Stern Blaukluger on Accel 27000

ACCEL

Accel 1 has the advantage of always giving +10000, which would help fighting against Damage Triggers.

Accel 2 is +5000 which makes it weaker than Accel 1, but compensates with a Draw on obtaining it. This evens out the cost when using Stern Blaukluger’s effect since the new Vanguard can only perform 1 drive check. 

Overall Accel 2 is still used more often to make up for the lower card advantage that Nova Grappler naturally has. However if you are confident that you are able to end the game on that turn Accel 1 could be a viable choice especially when going first. 

SUMMARY

Pros:

• Has the ability to search out your pieces in the early stage of the game

• Its stronger plays is independent of many external factors ( Opponents Grade, many face up damage)

• Hits for decent numbers from the Grade 3 Blau without needing Grade 1s for boosting

• Flexible in build configurations

• Multi-attack with Swarming capabilities

Cons:

• Very reliant on having Blaukluger in the soul, without it the field strength decreases.

• No solid finisher as either style does not guarantee solid Victory that can be guarded easily

• Numbers do not hit 13000 base vanguards while going against Force Clans

A fan favorite returning to the new ring, Blau has made a comeback as an combo based aggressive deck with aspects of multi-attack, vanguard re-standing, and swarming. It has multiple ways setting up its own plays with the search effects making it rather consistent and the Vanguard ability combo to generate multiple Accel circles giving the swarm potential, which is rather rare even among the decks in the clan.

With a solid base structure, there are various ways to create your own version of the deck with the many offerings from the Nova Grapplers. Emphasizing on simple yet consistently explosive combo play makes it a good choice for players are looking for something fresh or reminiscent of the Blau playstyle from previous iterations.

So do you have what it takes to pilot the Blau series, the Champions of the Cosmos?