Cardfight!! Vanguard’s V-Premium format is finally taking off. The format is becoming diverse nearly a year after the V-Premium format started. One of the first diverse clans is Oracle Think Tank. There are three main decks for Oracle Think Tank. They are Imperial Daughter, Magus, and Witches. My Oracle Think Tank deck features Imperial Daughter and the new Magus units.
Imperial Magus’s strategy is to outlast my opponent by creating a large hand, gathering Protect markers, and manipulating my deck to stack triggers. My vanguards’ skills increase the number of cards in my hand. Then, my units manipulate the deck to stack triggers on top of the deck. Triggers also have the strongest shields in the game, and they boost my defense. My large hand helps defend against Accel clans’ wave of attacks and Force clans’ strong columns.
Deck List
Grade 0 =17
- Lozenge Magus (Starter) x1
- Oracle Guardian, Nike (Critical Trigger) x4
- Psychic Bird (Critical Trigger) x4
- Sphere Magus (Heal Trigger) x4
- Weather Forecaster Miss Mist (Draw Trigger/Sentinel) x4
Grade 1 =13
- Cuore Magus x4
- Farfalle Magus x4
- Goddess of Tide of Times, Mizunohame x1
- Oracle Guardian Gemini x4
Grade 2 = 12
- Promise Daughter x4
- Rectangle Magus x4
- Silent Tom x2
- Yellow Witch, MeMe x2
Grade 3= 8
My Vanguards
CEO Amaterasu is the deck’s most valuable vanguard. Her first skill of drawing a card makes her a valuable vanguard. She also received a major upgrade from V Trial Deck 05: Misaki Tokura. CEO Amaterasu has synergy with all of my rear-guards. Almost every rear-guard will trigger CEO Amaterasu’s second skill.
Furthermore, CEO Amaterasu and Hexagonal Magus draw cards and manipulate my deck to stack triggers on top of the deck. My opponent never truly knows the card on top of the deck. I could place a heal trigger on top of the deck to heal damage. I could also place a draw trigger to draw an additional card. However, I prefer riding CEO Amaterasu as my vanguard because her skill can be used every turn.
Finally, Imperial Daughter seals the deal for my victory. Her first skills intensifies the pressure on my opponent. Her power raises to 27,000 and she has two criticals. Furthermore, her second skill gives 6,000 power to any unit. I always give this power to my rear-guards.
Offense
Hexagonal Magus, Promise Daughter, and Rectangle Magus are my best offensive rear-guards. Their skills are linked to my vanguards. They gain the most benefits from stacking triggers on the deck. The Hexagonal Magus and Rectangle Magus units gain power when triggers are revealed during a drive check. In addition, they pressure my opponent when they gain effects from critical triggers.
Promise Daughter is still a good card for the current format. She is my second best offensive rear-guard. Her skill gives her 6,000 power when I have at least four cards in my hand. Promise Daughter also cannot be retired by effects. However, she is not as valuable as she was at the beginning of the standard format. Deletors can Banish Delete her, Gear Chronicle can return her to my deck, and Narukami can bind her.
Managing Resources
Several cards in this deck require Counter Blasts, and I need them on hand to consistently play my skills. I am playing four copies of Oracle Guardian Gemini to relieve the skills’ costs. He counter charges to replenish my resources. In addition, he also goes into the soul as a soul charge. It is critical that I play him during the mid game and late game to ensure I have resources for my best cards.
Trigger Lineup
Finally, I am playing a standard lineup of triggers for Oracle Think Tank. There is nothing special about this lineup. You will see it in current decks. This lineup may change if Bushiroad releases a third set of critical triggers. I would not need perfect draw triggers. First, my vanguards give me a Protect marker that works as a sentinel. Second, I am always drawing cards from skills. I always have enough cards to defend my vanguard.
The Final Word
Overall, Imperial Magus is a defensive deck, and has surprising bursts of offense. It is one of my favorite decks in the V-Premium format. Manipulation of my deck puts me one step ahead of my opponent. My large hand also gives many options on units to call on rear-guard circles and units to defend on the guardian circle. If you can defend the vanguard, then you can win many games.
