Combating the Format: Mermail

[Stardog]

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Mermail

Level 3 Mermail monsters all share a similar effect when they get sent to the Graveyard - they Special Summon another Mermail, letting them swarm the field. The Level 4 Mermail monsters can activate their effects when they are Normal or Special Summoned by discarding a WATER monster from your hand, which will trigger the effect of the previous monster's effect, and the Level 4 monsters help to either search the Deck or Graveyard for a Level 3 WATER monster. The higher-Level Mermails can Special Summon themselves with relative-ease by sending other Mermails to the Graveyard, which will also trigger their effects. The "boss" monster of the archetype, Mermail Abyssgaios, is a powerful control card, with 2 effects that forces your opponent into a corner, either by preventing their most powerful monsters from attacking and/or by negating their weaker monsters' effects. Mermails also go hand-in-hand with the Atlantean archetype since their effects are activated when sent to the graveyard to activate a WATER monsters effect. By discarding Atlantean Heavy Infantry, Atlantean Marksman or Atlantean Dragoons, to activate the Mermails effects you can destroy a card on the field (Heavy Infantry and Marksman) or search your Deck for any Sea Serpent-Type monster (Dragoons), such as Abyssmegalo, while also gaining the Mermail's effects.

Weaknesses:

Macro Cosmos/D-Fissure/Masked HERO Dark Law: Without access to the graveyard, Mermails will be rendered hopeless. They need the graveyard to send level 3 Mermail and Atlantean cards to the graveyard and gain their effects. It also stops them from summoning their larger Mermail monsters such as Mermail Abyss Megalo and Mermail Abyssteus from their hand via their effects. As an added bonus, it also stops Mermail Abysslinde from triggering her effect. If you can sit on a Masked HERO Dark Law early on in the game, you're almost guaranteed the game. This card along with Vanity's Fiend are probably your best options against Mermails.

Mistake/Deck Lockdown: Both of these cards are basically the same card with the difference being that Mistake is a continuous trap card that can be chained to a search card and force their effects to fizzle. While Deck Lockdown is a continuous spell card that destroys itself after 3 turns. It stops the searching from Mermail Abyssmegalo, Mermail Abyssteus and Atlantean Dragoons.

Thunder King Rai-Oh: Mistake in the form of a monster. It can be very annoying for the Mermail player to destroy with it's oddly high attack and will have to force the Mermail opponent to bring out Mermail Abyssmegalo or Mermail Abyssleed just to run over Thunder King Rai-Oh. Fun Fact: This is Lint's favorite card.

Debunk: Super good card against Mermails since it stop the effects that would activate in the graveyard and in the hand.

Mind Crush: When Mermail Abyssmegalo and Mermail Abyssteus activate their effect in the hand, they will still be considered in the hand. And at the point you can chain Mind Crush and the Mermail monster will be sent to the grave and will not be special summoned. Although the monster sent from the Mermail Abyssteus or Mermail Abyssmegalo will still trigger in the graveyard.

King Tiger Wanghu: It can disrupt the weaker Mermail/Atlantean monster that would be summoned. This card automatically destroys any monster that is Normal Summoned or Special Summoned that has less than 1400 ATK. Although it can destroy your own monsters that are less than 1400 ATK as well so you might want to take a more tactical approach when using this card.

Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness: You can severely punish a Mermail deck if you time Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness well. One of the main problems against Mermails is that sometimes they might want to overextend, and if you have a blank field a well-timed Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness will stop them in their tracks.

Majesty's Fiend: I've mentioned this card several times before, and for good reason. Majesty's Fiend seems to work even much better against Mermails than against most decks. Most of a Mermail's outs are their monster effects and if that is cut off, it's almost over for the Mermail player. Mermails don't tend to run much backrow to begin with, their only out at this point is Mermail Abyssleed, and since monster effects can't be activate, they're going to bring Mermail Abyssleed via Abyss-Sphere and run over Majesty's Fiend. And many variants of Mermails don't even run Mermail Abyssleed. Bring this out early on in the game and you're almost guaranteed the victory.

Stygian Dirge: It can screw up Mermails going into Rank 4 or Rank 7 monsters. Pretty much the extent of this cards use.

Vanity's Fiend/Vanity's Emptiness: This card is just as potent Majesty's Fiend, in fact it's probably even more potent than Majesty's Fiend. Without being able to special summon, Mermails cannot activate Mermail Abyssmegalo or Mermail Abyssteus. And Mermail Abysslinde will not trigger in the grave. This time, your opponent won't be able to activate Abyss-Sphere at all and can't run over this card with Mermail Abyssleed. If paired with a Jinzo or Denko Sekka to stop your opponent from activating backrow, you're very guaranteed the victory.
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Hope this helps combat against Mermails and helps you guys strategize about what to throw in the side deck. If you want to see me cover another deck, don't be hesitant to leave a reply.

[(Frost) Ying Yang]

So much knowledge! Now i know how to beat mermails a little. >: )

[Arc V Yuto]

Depending if you get those cards first or not your life could be hell in that match up mermail is a deck that is super fast and otk's out of no where so im guessing if you forced them to play the grind game by either locking them out or other means well you might be able to stall

[(Frost) Ying Yang]

Depending if you get those cards first or not your life could be hell in that match up mermail is a deck that is super fast and otk's out of no where so im guessing if you forced them to play the grind game by either locking them out or other means well you might be able to stall

O ok thx Tor.

[α27theDemonKnight]

I've never face nor used Mermails before so i don't know the true terror of facing them yet. After reading this I'm thinking they are going to be a hella lotta fun to run. Actually thinking of making a Mermail deck in the near future.
The Weakness lists seem to be fortunately almost consistent for most of the nastiest decks out there. lol

[Kira Yoshikage]

I'd like to see you cover Zefras for the OCG spectrum. They will soon be TCG anywho, and they are INSANE!

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