Yu-Gi-Oh! Rogue Report: Time Thief Bearer / Banshee
Time Thief is perhaps the TCG exclusive archetype with the highest ratio of player-appreciation-to-actual-support. Receiving only a single initial wave, way back in Savage Strike, the degree to which the strategy works has been almost entirely reliant on how powerful their boss monster, Time Thief Redoer, is at the current moment. There’s a certain charm to the gamble of attempting to hit a Spell or Trap off of your opponent’s deck. But why talk about them now, when they’ve not been good for years at this point? Time, dear reader, has been on their side — between Age of Overlord and the 25th Anniversary Tin: Dueling Heroes Mega Pack, Time Thief has more new tools than you can shake a sonic screwdriver at, and it’s an especially funny archetype to cover now, given Magic: The Gathering is also debuting Doctor Who-themed cards as we speak. So, let’s dig into this peculiar concoction of Level 4s, with Time Thief Bearer/Banshee.
As a bit of review, Time Thief are an archetype of DARK Psychic & Machine monsters focused on Rank 4 swarm, and have been decently consistent in that regard. Their most well-known piece is as-mentioned, Time Thief Redoer, who does a variety of things depending on your detached material; crucially, Time Thief has never done anything on its own, and always remained reliant on external engines to pump out Rank 4s, as they have some trouble getting started, before their gameplay smooths out.
Their newest card, debuting in a surprise drop as part of the 25th anniversary is Time Thief Power Reserve, and it’s a massive upgrade. Not only does it Summon itself as a Level 4 Trap Monster, it also brings out an accessible Machine Time Thief, and acts as universal removal in the GY. Suffice to say, this got some heads turning, but no one settled on a build which actually had meta play.
That said, I think this particular brew has merit, and it does so via a pairing of cards I never expected to even slightly consider, being Infernal Flame Banshee and Noble Knight’s Shield-Bearer. Banshee, as I discussed in my previous article, allows for a combo wherein you search Nemeses Flag, for Nemeses Eschatos, linking them off for Reproducus, and Summoning Eschatos by banishing at least Banshee, and two other types. This results in a lock similar to VFD, where you choose a type, and prevent any play of it during your opponent’s turn, but it has some prerequisites: You need at least 1 monster banished, 2 non-Pyro types available, and enough material to make a Rank 4.
This list combines the consistency and extension of Time Thief with that plan, and does so via Shield-Bearer. Shield-Bearer can banish itself from hand to search for a Level 6 or lower WIND Beast, in our case, Dynatherium or Hop Eared Squadron; Dynatherium is a free Level 4 body, and Hop Eared allows us to make a stray Time Thief Power Reserve into a Discard+Negate, via Desert Locusts, and Baronne de Fleur. But more than that, silly as it is, Shield-Bearer’s cost to banish itself from hand is free fuel for our Nemeses Flag.
Beyond that, most of the list otherwise is just a number of free Level 4s for Xyz plays, or utility. The Spirit engine, seen first in Exosister, combines Aratama and Sakitama for 2 Level 4s off of a single Normal Summon, but it’s also convenient these monsters are of different non-Pyro types, turning on all but the banish requirements for the Banshee lock. The Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine is akin to another Power Reserve, but instead of being an additional body, it’s activateable turn 1, meaning we can get Redoer’s removal effect live instantly. In this list, we’re pretty much cutting down to as many extenders as possible, and removing all other stray pieces.
From AGOV, we’re also using the strength of S:P Little Night to turn on our Nemeses lock as well, provided we generate enough material, and the Armored Xyz engine because it’s genuinely foolish not to include it in a modern Xyz strategy. Full Armored is known for Ranking Up Xyz Armor Fortress into Full Armored DARK Lancer, but it’s also a potent piece of Power Reserve support, allowing us to Xyz Summon using the bodies provided by that Trap, for things like a surprise Bagooska, Abyss Dweller, or Redoer. We’ve gotten close to critical mass when it comes to Level 4 spam strategies, and this list weaves between extension, and 2-body Normal Summons expertly.
The strength of the Triple Tactics package also cannot go unstated — while we’re not on the ‘new hotness’ of Gen & Ken, these cards provide immense value, and get you into your Sidedeck in games 2 & 3, something this strategy can falter against. Ensuring you resolve your Eschatos effect is part of the skill here, and being able to punish interaction via a Talents is great, as well as Book of Moon, although that card isn’t a Thrust target, notably. Small world is also a useful way to filter through extenders, given any 4 is any other Level 4, due to how we can port through LIGHTs & DARKs of varying types. The only real “bad” Small World bridge is between Aratama and Time Thief Adjuster, given each has the same attribute, Level, and DEF as one another, so be aware of that!
In terms of what you’d consider Sidedecking, I’d err towards playing targeted haymakers, rather than more handtraps. Going first, you’re generally keen to side in Book of Moon and other protective pieces like that, to ensure Eschatos resolves, and going second, Kaijus, Book of Eclipse, and especially Evenly Matched are great blowouts. Because your core gameplan involves wholly shutting out the opponent from their primary type, it’s alright to sit back and take a few turns to get lethal damage off, instead remaining cautious of your HOPTs, and Reproducus zone. In ideal circumstances, you’re looking to find hands that have a good Normal Summon, 1-2 extenders, and then some non-engine that fills in the gaps.
This list is the one I’ve settled on, but due to the flexible nature of Rank 4 spam, there’s pieces in your toolbox that might suit a local meta different to my own. Notably, I’ve excluded cards like Evilswarm Exciton Knight, Tornado Dragon, and any Utopia line, which may suit your budget or personal tastes better. The need for Baronne & Locust is only as such because of my scruples about playing at least 2 targets for Noble Knight’s Shield-Bearer, but if another package emerges which presents a better banished monster, that would be the first thing to go. Moreover, I think it’s not impossible that this list sees the use of a Superheavy Samurai package, as despite their bans, they can kickstart an Infernal Flame Banshee line with no external support.
All in all, 2 non-Pyro Level 4s and a banished monster give you a lock reminiscent of the strongest ever Rank 9 Xyz, now banned, and the rest of the deck provides enough fuel and flexibility to deal with nearly any midrange deck.
If I’m to be perfectly honest, I think Archnemeses Eschatos may soon join his brother on the banlist, for a slightly different reason; while Protos is banned due to the consistency by which Swordsoul could find him, Eschatos is a similar story for any deck abusing Rank 4 toolboxes, a far wider group. The ceiling on this card’s usage is not nearly reached, and given most decks are mono-type than mono-attribute, my gut feeling is to play him while he’s around.
And there we have it! That’s a close on the Level 4 spam that is Time Thief! I think there’s still a great debate to be had about the best Banshee engine strategy, but this comes close. I’d love to hear what you guys think about that emerging group of playstyles in the comments below!
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