Darkhero

I'll be honest. I didn't think that Bushiroad could pull off more stylistic archetypes without resorting to using new Keyword Mechanics (like Crossnize). Between all the worlds and archetypes already released, it seemed that every kind of playstyle was covered already. That's what I honestly thought.

So I never saw Darkhero coming.

Similar to Skull Warriors and Purgatory Knights, Darkheroes have a very sacky playstyle, involving destroying your own monsters for better stats and/or effects. However, Darkhero doesn't just stop at destruction: you have a lot of bounce and other disappearing effects on your monsters too. To the extent that Darkhero does everything it possibly can to make sure your field is completely empty by the end of the turn. It's pretty cool.

While they have some semblance of resurrect effects, the main deal of Darkhero is draw much drop much. A lot of your engine is free cards, but a lot of your free cards require you to eventually sack more as well. It's very easy come easy go style of play that relies on hit-and-run, damage push, and very tactical choices to make sure you don't die before your opponent does. Altogether, it's a very cohesive and thematic package that really puts the fun in Buddyfunght.

I'll be back

The main boss of Darkhero is Shadow Hero, Arnold. Arnold is a cool guy, wears a fedora and carries a revolver. His call cost is pretty heavy, 1 gauge and discard a Darkhero. When he enters the field, he can pop a monster with Dumb Strike, so I guess you get 7000/2/4000 for 1 gauge, which is fine). However, at the end of the battle of this card, it returns to the hand. Now this doesn't save him from being destroyed, but it does allow him to attack and duck back to avoid being destroyed on your opponent's turn. Of course, playing him again forces you to discard another Darkhero but also allows you to pop another monster. So you start seeing how the ebb and flow of this deck works out.

Dark Fist Master

Another card that returns to hand is Darkness Fist, Gwen. Gwen is a bit harder to return, since you have to deal damage to your opponent (so he can be blocked by negates, unlike Arnold). However, if you have another Darkhero on the field, Gwen gets unnamed Shadow Dive. Which is pretty awesome. Between Gwen and Arnold, you have 8 bounces already which almost guarantees 4 attacks every turn with a weapon. Though it's almost always better to call Arnold to center to guarantee that extra attack.

Sneaky sneak

You think that discarding a card every turn for Arnold's Dumb Strike is expensive, but Darkhero has some crazy advantage spells. Evil Aesthetics nabs you 2 same-Size monsters from your drop zone for only 1 gauge and 1 life. You can also use it to grab any Darkhero item you're missing. Like Sneak Judgement, a 4000/2 weapon for 2 gauge. Expensive, yes, but highly worth it. Gets unnamed Shadow Dive if you have another Darkhero (not just monster), and once a turn gives you a free draw when a card leaves your side of the field during your attack phase. You can recoup most of Arnold's costs to the point where you can basically use him every turn without minusing.

This is your last judgement

More sacking cards. Violet Valor, Lord Crow gives you a gauge on entry, and then destroys himself at the end of his battle if you have another Darkhero. Corrupted One, Erational is a 10000/2/6000 Size 2 that also kills himself. "Sacrifice", Iron Moon Slash turns any Darkhero in your hand into Trans-flame for a turn. Then he kills himself after battle, though he has pretty good stats as well (6000/2/3000). The Scar is 3-crit Size 1 for free - or well, he kills himself too. Judgement, Hollow Strydarm can snipe a gauge on-hit, which is so great for lockdown control (but he kills himself). And finally, Thief Cat is a 3-crit Size 0 for 1 gauge. Doesn't kill itself, but returns to the bottom of your deck.

So you see, good effects and damage and push, but needs a lot of card replenishment to keep up.

Hundred Demon because...
there's hundreds of them?

The only monster card that helps is Combatant, Nebatt. He calls himself from the drop zone when a Size 2 or higher Darkhero enters your field (mostly Arnold). This only happens once, but its very important for calling into the center if you need to have a blocker. He combos perfectly with I'm Finished With You, which is just Oswira Gard for Darkhero. Dodges Penetrate, gets gauge and cycles. Whee.

First Darkhero Hideout is a Set card that...doesn't have Darkhero trait? What. Anyways, once a turn you can draw a card when a Darkhero monster enters the field. So a wash if you call once, and every turn after its a +1, just like Sneak Judgement.

But He is of the Lowest Rank trades a destroyed Size 1 or less Darkhero for any other Darkhero monster or item in your deck. Not a plus, but a good 1-for-1 when your Nebatt dies.

If it ends here, why is it called infinity?

All that self-kill and bounce-back effects for an empty field - is there anything that it's good for? Well, for one thing, it forces your opponent to keep slamming into your face instead of clearing field - so if your opponent isn't as aggressive as you, they lose out. And don't forget that you can always use stuff like Damage Control to keep damage in check so you hit relevant Life Breaks to draw more and fight back. But there's also an Impact that's really good for this deck: Infinity Death Crest. 2 gauge for 4 damage that can't be reduced is silly, but the requirements are sillier: your opponent at 4 life or less, you have no monsters and a Darkhero item. That's your entire game plan, so fulfilling the requirements is no harder than just playing your deck.

Buster Bone Armor is the only Darkhero thus far that doesn't go away. He has 8000/2 Penetrate and costs 1 gauge on-attack - but of course, if you have no gauge he's free.

Be Glad That You Can be of Use to Me is 2 gauge for a mill. If you hit a Darkhero (very likely), you can destroy an item and gain 2 life, which is a great +1 and anti-item. But if you miss...well, the spell goes back to your hand so you just paid 2 gauge for nothing. Not the worst case scenario, actually, and your best sideboard option against item-based decks.

Trick or treat!

Schwarz SD turns any Darkhero card in your hand into 2 gauge. He's also 2-crit and returns to your hand so he's just like a bucket of utility and goodstuffs. Plus you have to remember that all the Darkhero synergies with discarding cards and stuff.

So another reason you want your field to be cleared of monsters is so you can use Stop Right There! and rest an attacking monster. Any attacking monster. So you can stretch the utility of this card super far, stopping Burn Nova from murdering your face feels pretty good.

Thanks to Variable Cord ditching everybody, Mukuro gets to be the Ninth Omni Lord. He's a 5000/2/5000 weapon available to all flags.

It's a nightmare

Bushi why.

You can Transform into him for a measly 1 gauge, so already he's insane. And then, if you're board wiped and backed against a wall (or if you play Darkheros and it's just a normal turn), you can activate his ability to restand and gain a crit.

I actually can't think of a reason to NOT run this card.

Noble of Darkness, Kilnight is probably the most enabling card Darkheros have. He can be called for an extra ping and returned to hand with a Darkhero item, and then he can be ditched to +1 gauge or make your opponent lose 1 gauge. A very powerful card that makes the difference when it counts.

- updated to H-BT04, CP01, H-EB04, H-TD02, H-PP01 -

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