Multi Core Engines - MKS and CCG

When I was making articles, way back then, I was thinking of making one for multi core engine decks, which is basically my own terminology for referring to decks which use separate cores that tie in together, regardless of archetypal or other connections. A popular example to that would be the old plant decks. There would be a basic lonefire+debris dandy engine with added milling, other times with synchrons, other with tengu and tribute friendly engines, etc. You wouldn't find an archetype connection and even the type connections were not that strong, they could seem like random cards. While that applies to those decks, it does not apply to the goats deck, that was more of a combination of good cards coupled with a couple of basic engines which did not take too much space in it.

I gave up on doing those articles because reasons, but I'll talk about it a little in this deck profile. This isn't the too basic stuff (that is when compared to the basic deckbuilding article, imo it is still basic in reality), but it may seem simple and obvious to most. To those that are not too familiar, please read on.

A beginner's mistake when making an archetypal deck is to throw together as many cards of the archetype as possible. Even if they grow past that, they tend to take terms like "outside support" for cards that work with the deck but are not part of the archetype, too seriously and still find themselves locked into making a mediocre deck for no reason other than the names sticking together.

So here's the basic lesson of the day.
The name of the card does not matter unless specifically mentioned in a card effect. Even then it only matters in regards to that card effect with importance that depends on the card effect.
So what matters the most is:
- The card effect

After that, in a similar magnitude of importance are:
- Attribute
- Type
- Name
- Secondary Type (Tuner, Gemini, etc.)
- Category (Normal, Synchro, Ritual, Effect, Non-Effect, etc.)
- Level
- ATK
- DEF

With that in mind, when building a deck you are looking for specific interactions, not a vague name connection or even a vague effect type connection. You should specifically think "This card interacts in this way with this card and this card. This card is needed for this card to function which will produce this result" when building the main core.
As a sidenote, usually metacalls and simple control aspects (basic traps like Bottomless Trap Hole, it doesn't have to interact with a card of yours and often is used to counter a variety of threats instead of being a specific metacall) are not part of the main core, but are connected to it often as a single concept, meaning that a way to think in regards to them is "I need this amount of control, because my deck is this slow/fast / needs this much breathing space" which in turn can be translated to a control sub-core (in decks that need it) which can be modified separately.

I will not go through the building process as I don't want to spend that much time right now, but I will showcase two decks that work like this as examples and go through the card functions to demonstrate.

First of is what the title refers to as MKS and stands for Machina Karakuri Synchron (not synchro, Synchron).

25 Monsters
1 Gearspring Spirit
1 Gorz the Emmissary of Darkness
1 Junk Synchron
1 Karakuri Komachi MDL 224 "Ninishi"
1 Karakuri Ninja MDL 919 "Kuick"
2 Karakuri Soldier MDL 236 "Nisamu"
1 Karakuri Strategist MDL 248 "Nishipachi"
2 Karakuri Watchdog MDL 313 "Saizan"
1 Machina Cannon
3 Machina Fortress
3 Machina Gearframe
3 Mecha Phantom Beast Tetherwolf
2 Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders
3 Unknown Synchron

11 Spells
1 Dark Hole
3 Iron Call
1 Limiter Removal
3 Mystical Space Typhoon
3 Tuning

4 Traps
1 Bottomless Trap Hole
1 Mind Crush
1 Solemn Warning
1 Torrential Tribute

15 Extra
1 Ally of Justice Catastor
1 Black Rose Dragon
2 Karakuri Shogun MDL 00 "Burei"
3 Karakuri Steel Shogun MDL 00X "Bureido"
1 Scrap Dragon
1 Star Eater
1 Stardust Dragon
1 Gear Gigant X
1 Number 11: Big Eye
1 Number 15: Gimmick Puppet Giant Grinder
1 Wind-Up Zenmaines

Let's go through the basic premise of the deck. That is the interaction between Tetherwolf and Unknown Synchron. To explain, you can special summon Unknown Synchron, normal summon Tetherwolf, the effect of which summons a lv3 mecha phantom token which in turn makes its own level 7, so you can synchro summon Bureido with Unknown and Tetherwolf itself, then summon saizan with Bureido and synchro summon Burei with saizan and the token, summoning one more karakuri. If you have nisamu or kuick in hand, that can be ninishi which will enable another synchro summon, if you want to use burei on an opponent's monster, you can summon nishipachi to change its own position so you can draw with Bureido, if your opponent has a monster Kuick can kill, it can be kuick to get back Saizan for another Bureido or Stardust. A simple combo with a simple reward.
In that combo however there is a major weakness. Tetherwolf is not searchable. There are cards which can search him, but they are not simple spells, instead they require prior setup, so it will not be a turn 1 play like that, which is the optimal option.

To fix that, a choice is to add additional cores that interact well with those cards. The result is the deck above, let's go through the cores and specific card interactions.

Machina Gearframe: Another basic way to pull that combo is to use Machina Gearframe, simply summon Unknown, summon gearframe, summon fortress, make bureido with unknown and fortress, use the spare gearframe to go from there, so then we have the Machina engine. The issue with the combo is that while it allows for a double bureido instead of a burei + bureido, which in turn can translate into a double card draw to make up for the loss, it uses the additional machine discard for Fortress instead, meaning you lose a card for the card you gain.
Machina Fortress: Aside from the above combo, you can summon it next to a bureido that summoned a saizan to make dracossac, make another bureido with one of the tokens and continue from there. Naturally, Fortress can work well on its own as well depending on the circumstances. Common fodder for it is Unknown Synchron as it can special summon itself once per duel, due to the interaction it creates with Junk Synchron, it hardly ever feels that you need do special summon Unknown a second time in a duel, when used correctly.
Machina Cannon: Faster Fortress combo with Gearframe if Fortress is in the graveyard. Also simple pressure play for a low resource late game.

Unknown Synchron: Can be used with any simple Burei (result of ninishi + lv4 karakuri, iron call play, etc.) to synchro into Bureido, get the additional Karakuri summon and extend the play. Can be used with the Gearframe combo. Obviously can be used with the core Tetherwolf combo.
Junk Synchron: Creates a simple Fortress play when that is available but not Gearframe. Basically, summon fortress, summon Junk Synchron, summon Unknown with Junk's effect, make Bureido with Fortress and Unknown, summon Kuick or Nisamu, summon Burei, go from there. Also works with Iron Call or any level 4 non-tuner on the field in the same way by summoning Unknown, or by summoning Nishipachi. As it requires graveyard conditions to work, it is at 1, but consistent when needed due to Tuning.
Tuning: While Tetherwolf cannot be searched, Unknown Synchron can, and to maximize efficiency 3 Tunings are there to help that. Because the search card exist, Junk Synchron is added as it enables its own combos under circumstances, in case you already have access to Unknown Synchron and do not need another one from Tuning (otherwise Tuning could be dead). Still, 2 Unknown Synchrons are useful as 1 can be Fortress fodder, making Tuning in turn additional Fortress fodder.

Ninishi: While useful in its own deck, not enough Karakuri can fit here to make it efficient. Iron Call tends to do the same thing as Ninishi more consistently in the deck when in the hand (ninishi needs one of 3 cards in the hand while Iron Call works with many more combinations). When needed it can be simply summoned by Burei in the middle of the combo, it wouldn't be able to be used twice in the turn either way. As such, 1 is enough here. It's specific uses are, as mentioned, extending a Karakuri combo, additionally it can occasionally work with Kuick/Nishipachi for an additional way to initiate a combo, while being a lv3 tuner it allows for Burei to combo into Dracossac or Unknown into Bureido, if need be.
Kuick: Use is situational, but as the deck does not often OTK and just generates advantage instead, the ability to extend the combo by taking advantage of a weak monster on the other side of the field with Kuick makes a substantial difference. For example, as mentioned, a Burei + Bureido can get Kuick as the last Karakuri to end in a new synchro if the circumstances are favourable (Burei's position switching can also help with that). Obviously, in those cases you can just search it with the Karakuri synchro, while otherwise having a karakuri tuner in grave (4 in deck) plus a monster with less than 1700 on the opponent's side is hardly reliable, so not much needed to have in hand, thus staying at 1.
Nisamu: The lv4 non-tuner Karakuri of choice (lv4 meaning it will permit for a synchro with any tuner other than Unknown), as due to its effect it can allow you to play out of a non-perfect hand into a combo. Additionally, in order to make sure it will help in such a situation which you play defensively, multiples of it will help you in the same way they do with any recruiter (meaning, if the opponent has 2 monsters, just summon another nisamu). While important, as far as combos are concerned, you only need a certain amount of Karakuri, and there are more important monsters in the deck which take precedence and allow you to do a combo right away instead of playing defensively, which is the main goal, for which reasons it is at 2.
Nishipachi: Allows Bureidos to draw out of a pure Bureido combo or when Burei is needed to change the position of an opponent's monster instead. Being a level 3 karakuri tuner, it helps in the same way Ninishi does as far as that property is concerned. For similar reasons to ninishi, 1 is sufficient.
Saizan: Lv4 tuners are different here than lv3 tuners, that is because Tetherwolf tokens as well as Dracossac Tokens are both lv3, meaning that only Saizan and no other Karakuri tuner can make a Karakuri synchro with them. As such, they are needed more often and may both be required in specific circumstances, or you may want to use Bureido for card draw to extend the advantage as the deck is not as OTK focused neither is it too focused on pulling Dracossac plays. However, unlike nishipachi or ninishi, it does not have additional utility other than being a small wall, so ultimately, it is at 2 which is the same number as the total number of karakuri lv3 tuners.

Tetherwolf: As explained, the basic Unknown Synchron combo. Other than that it should be noted that Tetherwolf is also self sufficient as it can prevent its own destruction or be a 2500 beater for one attack. Being a lv7 on summon it can also be used to make rank 7 monsters with some of the other lv7s. But you don't have to use it as a lv7 every time. For example, combo'd with a Saizan (which either remained on the field, was summoned by nisamu or was summoned by Iron Call in your turn), you can first make a Burei with the token, then you can use the now lv4 Tetherwolf for a new synchro summon with the summoned tuner.

Iron Call: It has been mentioned in many other combos that don't need to be mentioned again, it will either start one with another monster in hand and another in graveyard, or extend an ongoing combo (conditions are almost always available in that case because karakuri), which often makes it an OTK card as well.

Redox: Due to the high number of earth monsters in the deck (7 Machinas, 7 Karakuris in the main deck) it can function similarly to Iron Call, again either starting or extending a combo. Being a lv7, it can also be used to make a Dracossac to extend a combo in that way. Often it is the last OTK damage.

Gearspring Spirit: Mostly for Dracossac, as the format was rich in them at the time. An example of OTK'ing over a Dracossac is: Unknown-Tetherwolf combo for Bureido+Burei+Nishipachi(or Ninishi), summon Gearspring, make Dracossac 0, synchro Star Eater (Nishipachi+Gearspring), attack the 0 ATK Dracossac that cannot be destroyed by battle due to its own effect. 2600+2800+3200=8600
Obviously only works as a surprise tactic. Similarly however it is still able to destroy anything by battle and allows for similar OTKs over certain settups using the attack position changing effects of the Karakuri + Gimmick Puppet for the last damage. That being said, due to Star Eater covering for most OTKs, I'd change Puppet for Felgrand if I were to update this.

Limiter Removal: Allows you to OTK out of anything in this deck. ANYTHING. Cards used in conjunction with Limiter Removal to make OTKs include but are not limited to: "Winged Kuriboh", "5 of Spades", "Get out of jail free".

Mystical Space Typhoon: Anything that touches a summon, stops your combos for the turn. Unfortunately, that's all the hate space you have, so you have to depend on luck. It's a major weakness of the deck.

Bottomless, Solemn, TT: Minimum Control
Gorz: Control is too minimum, also it's a lv7.
Dark Hole: While your deck utilizes beaters, it doesn't do so always. Also, OTKs.
Mind Crush: I like it.

Burei vs Bureido: One is at 2, the other at 3. A Burei will often become a Bureido, but not the other way around. Dracossac combos don't have to go all the way and besides, there is no space for double Dracossac. Additionally, with the deck seeking advantage more thank OTKs, you will more often opt to go for Bureido for draws than Burei for position changes. And of course, Unknown Synchron can only go for Bureido, not Burei, unless it is used with 2 mecha phantom beast tokens (of course it can also go for catastor if no other options are available). That also means that since neither the Tetherwolf nor Gearframe + Unknown combos can go for double Burei, you won't expand into Dracossac as reliably for more Burei after 2.

Stardust: Protecting the settup if OTKs are not available.

Zenmaines: After you open with only Nishipachi + Ninishi for the bazillionth time, you get used to life sucking and adapt to it.


As shown, the above deck utilizes multiple cores that tie together. There is the Karakuri core to create the main combos with their synchros, but only at their necessary numbers. There is the machina core which for one combines into extended synchro plays but is also self sufficient, as Fortress is already a good card by itself. The synchron core ties in with both of them and Tetherwolf to make combos faster or longer, while Tetherwolf itself can also be self sufficient at 2500 and can combo with other tuners for extended plays. Finally, Iron Call and Redox fill in the roles of both starting combos more consistently and extending them. They tie in to increase consistency in some good engines and create a specific advantage-stability combination.

With that out of the way let's check the other deck. A much newer one, CCG which stands for Cyber Chronomaly Geargia.


20 Monsters
3 Chronomaly Golden Jet
3 Chronomaly Nebra Disk
2 Cyber Dragon
3 Cyber Dragon Core
2 Cyber Dragon Drei
3 Geargiaccelerator
3 Geargiauger
1 Honest

11 Spells
1 Chronomaly Technology
2 Cyber Repair Plant
1 Dark Hole
1 Limiter Removal
3 Mystical Space Typhoon
3 Pot of Duality

9 Traps
1 Bottomless Trap Hole
1 Compulsory Evacuation Device
1 Cyber Network
2 Mirror Force
2 Phoenix Wing Wind Blast
1 Solemn Warning
1 Torrential Tribute

15 Extra
1 Barbaroid, The Ultimate Battle Machine
1 Chimeratech Fortress Dragon
1 Constellar Omega
2 Constellar Pleiades
1 Constellar Ptolemy M7
1 Cyber Dragon Nova
1 Evilswarm Exciton Knight
1 Gaia Dragon, The Thunder Charger
2 Gear Gigant X
1 Number 101: Silent Honors Ark Knight
1 Number 33: Chronomally Machu Mech
1 Number 36: Chronomally Fork Hoyuk
1 Wind-Up Arsenal Zenmaioh

I was going to make a cyber dragon deck, but it has a major weakness. It gets hard countered by Chimeratech Fortress Dragon. The opponent doesn't even have to main something specific, if you just leave a cyber dragon next to something else you are dead, which makes for a very awkward deck. So long as CFD is there, Cyber Dragon decks can only be OTK based (which they can actually pull of easily now, but I'm not interested at the moment).
So instead the idea was to combine 3 self-sufficient engines that we got lately which happen to work with each other. Let me explain.

First of all we got Nebra Disk, a major gain card which goes +1 on summon and can continue generating advantage from the graveyard. To maximize its efficiency, you just need a Golden Jet as with just 1 extra card in the deck, you can now start pulling free Xyz, which are not just Fork Hyuk, but most importantly Pleiades. That means Nebra Disk + Golden Jet is a 2 card core that works on its own.
The second major gain card here is Cyber Dragon Core. It does not exactly +1 on summon, as the card itself is expendable, being a 500 atk monster, meaning that unless you protect it with Cyber Network (by banishing Drei and using its eff) you are trading a card for a card. However, from the graveyard it becomes a +1 as it can special summon a Cyber Dragon monster from the deck, making it a very good card. The combinations for this are a bit more tricky, you need something to summon and actually gain from it, so in this case, other Cyber Dragon monsters in deck, depending on their utility. You also need the Spell since that's what it's searching. However the spell does not have to search extra Cyber Dragons, any light machine will do so long as a CyDra is in the grave, that includes Nebra Disk to extend your advantage from that engine instead.
Our last self sufficient engine is another 2 card core, that is Geargiauger + Accelerator. Geagiauger can search accelerator which you can summon to Xyz into Gear Gigant X and search any machine (usually, either Nebra Disk or Core). That there is a +1 play using 1 card and keeping a living Gear Gigant X, however you cannot attack for the rest of the turn. Still, it is an excelent turn 1 play and you can always use it after you attack if you already have something on the field.

These are cores that conveniently tie into each other, Geargias can search anything other than Cyber Dragon itself, Repair Plant can search either Cyber Dragon cards or Chronomally cards, and Chronomally cards, which are accessed by all, need only a disk to gain advantage.
But with great utility come greatly annoying conditions. So, as we mentioned you cannot attack after using Geargiauger's effect, neither can you special summon monsters other than machines. Nebra Disk can be summoned from the graveyard only if your only monsters are chronomally, so usually you only go that way after you lost field presence to gain it back (it works reliably that way though, both Pleiades and Fork Hoyuk are excelent at shifting momentum), additionally on the turn you use it you cannot use ANY other card effect, not only the effects of other synchros, but also things like MST. All cyber dragon monsters here are treated as Cyber Dragon itself while on the field (with the exception of Cyber Dragon Nova), so none can stay on the field next to other machines unless you are sure the opponent is not running Chimeratech Fotress Dragon. Repair Plant will only work when a Cyber Dragon is in the graveyard, which is not as easy as it sounds if the opponent has figured you out.

With that said, let's move on to the cards, their interactions and their restrictions.

Chronomaly Nebra Disk: Main advantage gainer, what you'll usually be searching if you do not have access to it already. Having it means beater now and access into Pleiades if it leaves. It must be played very carefully, for example, extra MSTs should be played early (as in, the end of the opponent's turn) if you plan on using its second effect as it cannot be used with non-chronomaly effects in the same turn.
Restrictions - Only one of its effects can be used per turn, must only control chronomalies to summon it from the graveyard, cannot activate ANY other card effects the turn you summon it from the graveyard.
Chronomaly Golden Jet: Card you would be mostly searching with Disk. After Disk goes to the graveyard, you can summon it to go into a rank 4 or rank 5 monster. Usually it will be Pleiades. Even though its effect cannot be used in the same turn, it can still be used in the opponent's turn, which is when it usually matters. Alternatively, Fork Hoyuk is also excellent at taking back the momentum, and very annoying to face for certain decks. The coverage between the two Xyz is actually pretty good. Golden Jet can also be used with Cyber Dragon for a standard rank 5 play if needed, while you use an additional card, the effects are immediately usable.
Chronomaly Technology: Naturally, you'll run out of Golden Jets at some point. It happens often due to how easy it is to search in the deck. Or you may just not need extras, if you have 2 in hand for example, they are enough at that point. In that case, the search that allows you to maintain advantage with your Disk effect is Technology to draw into an extra card of your choice. For its cost, you can banish not only Jet, but additional Disks, as you don't need more than 1 in the graveyard. It also feeds Cyber Network.
Restrictions - Can only special summon Chronomalies in the turn you use it. Often used alongside Duality for that reason.

Geargiauger: The optimal turn 1 play if you go first since it is a costless +1 search with a beater (with a benefit if it stays on the field) in that case. Restrictions are hefty, but it gives you access to every play in the deck and can obviously be used in mp2 if you have not lost field control.
Restrictions - No attacks or special summoning non-machine monsters for the rest of the turn
Geargiaccelerator: The card that completes the auger combo. If you have auger + this in hand you can summon 2 Geargigants by searching the detached accel with the first one. A very strong turn 1 play that will let you pull way ahead if left unchecked. Additionally, it can retrieve Geargiauger from the graveyard when destroyed, making it a floater under circumstances.

Cyber Dragon Core: Can work mainly in two ways. First is use the searched Repair Plant to search Nebra Disk to aid in the Chronomaly core. The other way is to search Drei with Plant, banish itself from the graveyard for another copy of itself (so that you'd have one in the grave afterwards), then with Drei make a Cyber Dragon Nova/Zenmaioh/Machu Mech, or banish itself for another copy of Drei and make any rank 4 with that plus the Drei in hand. Other than that, it can work with Cyber Network to protect itself with Drei's effect, or generally allows Xyz plays when banished with other cards like the Chronomalies. Sometimes you no longer need the spell/trap search, so you may end up wanting it in the graveyard with Phoenix Wing Wind Blast. Most efficient way of taking out other machines using CFD, for example cards like Ptolemy, Dracossac and Zenmaines are easily taken out, by this as well all cyber dragons, but this gets the gain and gets in the grave where you want it while you do it.
Restrictions - Only 1 Core effect per turn. Must get in the grave to work usually. Being "Cyber Dragon" on the field and in the graveyard, it cannot be placed next to other machines unless you have confirmed the opponent does not have Chimeratech Fortress Dragon. To use secondary effect, your opponent must have monsters, while you don't.
Cyber Dragon: Lv5 beater that's summonable by Core, can be special summoned for plays or pressure.
Restrictions - Cannot be placed next to other machines unless you have confirmed the opponent does not have Chimeratech Fortress Dragon. To special summon, your opponent must have monsters, while you don't.
Cyber Dragon Drei: Opens lv5 plays, uses up remaining Cores into them, can go for rank 4 or 5 with others, can be special summoned by Core for rank 4 Xyz with other lv4s. With Network, it can grunt invulnerability to other Cyber Dragon monsters on the field.
Restrictions - Being "Cyber Dragon" on the field and in the graveyard, it cannot be placed next to other machines unless you have confirmed the opponent does not have Chimeratech Fortress Dragon. Cannot special summon non-machines the turn you activate the effect to change levels.
Cyber Repair Plant: Searches Cyber Dragon monsters or chronomalies, usually used for Nebra Disk, but allows for other plays explained in Core. You'll run out of favourable searches soon when using them (considering you already have a cyber dragon in the graveyard somehow), so only 2 are required really.
Restrictions - 1 Repair Plant per turn. Needs a Cyber Dragon in the graveyard.
Cyber Network: Available search when Repair Plant searches do not produce as much advantage anymore. Can create a swarm or protect a Cyber Dragon using Drei. Remember that it's not the only card in the deck that banishes. Chronomaly Technology and Cyber Dragon Nova also banish light machines.
Restrictions: Will destroy ALL other spells and traps you control when itself is destroyed, so watch what you set next to it. Needs a "Cyber Dragon" on the field to banish.

Honest: A lot of lights, also Core can kill something.
Pot of Duality: Some turns are set up turns with just normal summoning Core or Disk, in those turns Duality can increase consistency. Also, an extra condition to worry about, we didn't have enough of those.
Mystical Space Typhoon: Most of your plays depend on your normal summon to be successful, so clearing backrows really helps.
Limiter Removal: No longer OTK'ing over everything, but OTK's sometimes. Others, you can use an expendable card to kill something.
Dark Hole: Control deck
Phoenix Wing Wind Blast: You end up with too many cards often in this deck, that plus the ability to load the grave with Cores fast makes it an excellent control card to use here, could go at 3.

CED, BTH, MF, TT, SW: Needs a large control core since plays can be really passive, at least for 1 turn. Additionally, such control is what the deck is meant to have due to its simple pluses.

In this deck we had a self sufficient Nebra Disk - Jet engine which is aided by the Cyber engine, lead by Cyber Dragon Core, all of which in turn are aided by Geargiauger. So we are often able to choose from different cores depending on the situation and can constantly gain presence since the bigger power cards from multiple decks are combined. As a result we have a deck with many restrictions that need to be strategically played around but also the ability to constantly apply high pressure due to card presence.

The above are two examples of multi core decks tied by critical characteristics to create a functional deck., showing that it is specific effects and applications that matter for the card you add in your deck rather than the archetype it is part of. That's all for this showcase/lesson,
Al-Bhed out.

P.S.: Was half asleep towards the end, you may point out errors in the text, just keep that in mind.