Introduction
Odd-Eyes is a Pendulum archetype debuted in the Arc-V anime, where the original boss monster was Loading...
. While the original boss monster is no longer relevant in the current meta, with the powerful Loading...
, as well as support from various Performapal and Pendulum Magician cards, I was able to hit Platnium 1 and Diamond 1 in the last few seasons with this deck.
This deck relies heavily on the Extra Deck, utilizing Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Link monsters to combo off into overwhelming end boards, if you are interested in a combo deck that utilises all the Extra Deck summoning mechanics while maintaining a moderate difficulty to pilot, you've come to the right place.
Odd-Eyes Core Cards
Main Deck
Monsters
Odd-Eyes Arc Pendulum Dragon
The best card in the archetype, Special Summons any Odd-Eyes card from the hand, deck or graveyard if another Odd-Eyes monster card is destroyed while in the monster or pendulum zones, regardless of battle or effect destruction. Ideally, you trigger this effect with Loading... . This effect can also be used to summon Odd-Eyes Extra Deck monsters that were properly summoned from the graveyard.
Odd-Eyes Persona Dragon
The best low scale in the archetype, being a scale 1, this card will allow you to Pendulum Summon most if not all monsters in your main deck alongside Loading... . While the scale effect is irrelevant, sometimes even detrimental depending on the situation, its monster effect is extremely powerful. This card will help you break boards while going second by negating key Extra Deck monsters on your opponent's field, or if you summon this during your opponent's turn, disrupt their combo by negating one of their key Extra Deck monsters.
Performapal Odd-Eyes Synchron
One of the best targets for Loading... to summon from the deck, this allows you to go into Loading... plays, as well as Level 9 synchro plays. Playing one is usually enough, but you may want to play a second one in case you are playing one of the synchro packages we will talk about later.
Performapal Skullcrobat Joker
The best normal summon in your deck, allows you to search any card from the Odd-Eyes, Pendulum Magician and Performapal Archetypes, and you will be playing a lot of those.
Nobledragon Magician
A Tuner that can be Special Summoned from the hand or graveyard by decreasing the Level of a Level 7 or higher Odd-Eyes monster, this enables Loading... and dragon synchro plays, also act as an extra extender in some rare scenarios.
Odd-Eyes Revolution Dragon
This card will never be summoned or put onto the scales, instead, you will be using its effect to discard it and search for any one dragon pendulum monster from your deck, and this is not a once per turn effect. You can also copy its monster effect from the grave with Loading... , paying half your life points to shuffle both fields and graveyards back into the deck while also boosting its attack by up to 4000, helping you dismantle otherwise unbreakable boards.
Odd-Eyes Wizard Dragon
The only non-Pedulum Odd-Eyes monster worth playing, this is a really good card going second, its effect is not once per turn so you can crash this into an opponent's monster, Special Summon 1 from the deck and search 1, then Special Summon it back from the grave with Loading... and do it again. Since this is not a Pendulum monster, you may want to skip over this card if you are bricking a lot. Most important of all, this card has sick artwork.
Performapal Odd-Eyes Dissolver
Another target for Loading... to summon from the deck, however, since it is a Level 8 monster and a scale 4, it can brick your hand, so you might want to avoid playing this card if you are already playing a lot of garnets in your deck.
Astrograph Sorcerer
This is your key combo piece with Loading... , you will be able to use this card's monster effect to loop resources from your deck, you will also overlay this with a Level 7 monster for rank 7 plays. If you play Loading... , this is also an extender when drawn.
Spells
Spiral Flame Strike
This card can either search you Loading... or destroy a card on the field, but most importantly, this effect is not once per turn, so it is a great bait for Loading... . Its second effect is also great for going second and is your way of outing floodgates.
Duelist Alliance
Another searcher for Loading... , this can also search Loading... . Playing 2 copies is recommended unless you plan to play more than 40 cards in your deck.
Sky Iris
This card can search you every monster card in the archetype but requires another card to destroy in order to resolve, while also protecting your scales as long as they are from one of the 3 mentioned archetypes. Do not play this card if you are bricking a lot, as its effect is only beneficial if you already have a decent hand. This card can also trigger the effect of Loading... and Loading... .
Extra Deck
Heavymetalfoes Electrumite
The glue to all Pendulum strategies, you will need this card to play any deck centred around Pendulums. You would want to use its first effect to send Loading... to the Extra Deck then use its second effect to destroy an Odd-Eyes monster, ideally Loading... , in the Pendulum scales while Loading... is in the other Pendulum Zone. Try to Link Summon this card before committing to your Pendulum Summon, this way you are more likely to make a negate or force out an interaction before committing to your Pendulum Summon.
Selene, Queen of the Master Magicians
This card allows you to link climb into Loading... and Loading... easily, Pendulum scales also count towards the number of spells on the field. You can send Pendulum monsters to the graveyard easily by using them as Xyz materials.
Accesscode Talker
The OTK machine himself, make this with Loading... or a leftover Loading... and destroy your opponent's entire field. This card is often required to break boards and OTK when going second.
Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom
You will usually use this monster to copy the effects of Loading... in case its effect got negated or Loading... to wipe the field and the graveyards, but you can also copy the effect of your opponent's monsters on the field or in the graveyard, to gain useful effects like omninegates. You can also use this card and Loading... to Synchro Summon into Loading... .
T.G. Wonder Magician
Extremely core piece of your turn 1 end board, the basic combo is to summon this off of Loading... 's effect, destroying an Odd-Eyes scale to activate the effect of Loading... 's effect to Special Summon out an Loading... from the deck, using its effect to negate the effect of one of your opponent's Extra Deck monsters, then using this cards second effect to Synchro Summon both cards into a Loading... . It also synergies well with the Loading... combo, which we will mention later.
Baronne de Fleur
Your second-best boss monster, you usually will be making this with Loading... plus Loading... or Loading... . Craft this if you don't already have it, it's a great card that sees play in a lot of decks.
Cystron Halqifibrax
The infamous combo enabler, his purpose in this deck is to summon Loading... on the opponent's turn, usually to combo with Loading... and make Loading... , or be used to Link climb into Loading... . It also summons a Tuner from your deck which very often allows you to go into Loading... and other Synchro monsters.
Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess
You will often be able to make this card with 2 to 3 materials, which translates to 2 to 3 monster negates. You will find yourself making this as your last monster very often when going first.
Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon
The boss monster of the archetype, an omninegate that also allows you to recycle a Pendulum monster in your face up Extra Deck back into your deck, you can summon this back after it is destroyed with Loading... if it was properly summoned. It also bounces an attack position monster when Special Summoned, not just when Fusion summoned, just keep in mind that this effect is also once per turn. Only play the second copy of this card if you are also playing Loading... .
Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon
This is how you will be bringing out Loading... most of the time, by destroying or linking away this Xyz Summon card, it will allow you to Special Summon Loading... from the Extra Deck, bear in mind that this effect only activates if this monster is Xyz Summoned, so it will not work if you bring this back from the grave with Loading... 's effect, and Loading... 's bounce effect will mistiming if this effect is not resolved in chain link 1. You can also chain block this effect with the effect of Loading... .
Borreload Savage Dragon
A really good generic Level 8 Synchro monster you can make with Loading... and one of your Level 5 monsters, not much else can be said about it.
Other Engines and Extenders (Recommended)
- Pendulum Magicians
- Darkwurm
- Scythe
- Generic Extenders
Pendulum Magicians Engine
This is a very important engine with a lot of powerful playmakers, it is not recommended to play the deck without this engine.
Harmonizing Magician
A Tuner that summons another Magician Pendulum monster from your deck, a great card that allows you to make all kinds of Link and Synchro plays. The main payoff of this engine.
Purple Poison Magician
A low scale searchable by Loading... , also a great normal summon when going second, if its monster effect is negated and destroyed while it is in the face-up Extra Deck, it will be destroyed, sent to the graveyard and trigger again.
Dragoncaller Magician
Can Be summoned by Loading... to facilitate rank 7 Xyz plays, not really compulsory since Loading... can search for Loading... very easily.
Pendulum Call
Searches for 2 different Pendulum Magicians after discarding 1 card from your hand, ideally you want to discard Loading... or Loading... and search for Loading... and Loading... but you can also search for a missing scale. Keep in mind that activating this card will cause you to be unable to destroy Magician cards in your Pendulum Zone until the your next turn. You do not want to play more than 2 of this card unless you plan to go beyond 40 cards.
Performapal Celestial Magician
This card allows you to recure resources by searching for any Pendulum monster from your deck during the end phase of the turn it is summoned. Also shuts down all opponent monster effects if you make a Synchro monster before activating its effect
Stargazer Magician
Let's you extend with an Loading... in hand. Also makes Loading... with Loading... .
Oafdragon Magician
Can be used to make Loading... with Loading... , and can also recycle a Level 7 Odd-Eyes card used for Xyz Summoning from the graveyard.
Darkwurm Engine
This engine mainly allows you to extend for Loading... and generate card advantage, it also has good synergy with the Pendulum Magicians engine, it is highly recommended to play this engine.
Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm
An extender from the graveyard if you control no monsters, ideally this is sent to the graveyard with Loading... or discarded from the hand with Loading... . This can be searched with Loading... for either discarding or as a normal summon if you don't already have one.
Destrudo the Lost Dragon's Frisson
A non-Pendulum extender from the grave that can be sent from the deck to the grave with Loading... or discarded if drawn. Since it is a Level 7 Tuner monster, it can also just be Pendulum Summoned and used for rank 7 or Loading... plays.
Foolish Burial
This acts as an extra copy of Loading... that can bypass its once per turn restrictions, while also being able to send Loading... to the graveyard.
Supreme King Gate Zero
The search target for Loading... , a Level 7 that can be used for rank 7 plays. You can also use its effect to destroy a scale and trigger the effect of Loading... if Loading... is negated, chain blocking its's effect with the second effect in the process.
Dragon Shrine
This is used to send Loading... from the deck to the graveyard, but if you already have access to that, you can use this to send Loading... instead. Do not play more than 2 copies of this unless you are planning to play more than 40 cards.
Shooting Riser Dragon
This card can be summoned from the Extra Deck with the effect of Loading... , its effect will not activate and it cannot be used for a Synchro Summon, but it can be used to Link Summon Loading... .
Scythe Engine
This engine aimes to set up the infamous Loading... Extra Deck lock, while this engine isn't as important as the two mentioned prior, it increases the power of your turn 1 end board significantly and will improve your win rate with this deck.
Artifact Scythe
This cards effect can be activated by destroying this set card in the spell and trap with the effect of Loading... or Loading... , then it can be used to Synchro Summon with the former to make Loading... .
Artifact Dagda
Link Summon this with any two monsters to gain access to Loading... from the deck, its effect can be activated by scaling a pendulum scale. If this managed to stick, or if Loading... 's effect was negated, you can destroy this card to summon it out from the graveyard to trigger its effect again.
Generic Extenders
Here are some generic extenders that can be played to make Loading... before Pendulum Summoning.
Abyss Actor - Curtain Raiser
Chronograph Sorcer & Timegazer Magician
Optional Engines and Tech Cards
DPE Engine
A meta engine that works very well with the Scythe engine, an easily accessible recurring quick effect destruction effect, a Special Summon from hand and a draw 2. Play this if you already have the cards around.
Handtraps
These are some handtraps that can be considered in this deck, however, be warned that they can brick hands. Do not play more than 2 of any particular handtrap unless you are planning to play more than 40 cards.
Hieratic Seal Engine
Any two Dragons make Loading... , which can bounce a card and Special Summon Loading... or Loading... from the deck for another interruption.
Z-Arc Engine
Loading... can be fairly easily summoned by using Loading... to Special Summon Loading... , then overlaying them for Loading... , Link it away with another monster to make Loading... and use its effect to Special Summon Loading... from the Extra Deck, use its effect to send Loading... to banish all 4 dragons and summon a 4k boss monster that wipes the field.
VFD Engine
With multiple easily accessible Level 7 monsters and Loading... , this deck can easily summon two Level 9 Synchro monsters to overlay for Loading... . Loading... is also just a good Extra Deck tech card that can be played separated from this engine.
Level 8 Synchro Engine
This engine aims to bring out Loading... with the effect of Loading... by summoning Loading... with Loading... on the opponent's turn, then Synchro both of them into Loading... for effectively a quick effect Loading... . This is more of a budget alternative to some of the more expansive engines like the Scythe Baronne combo, while Loading... is still a good monster on its own while going second. Other Level 8 Synchro monsters can also be considered.
Buster Lock Engine
This is an alternative to the Scythe engine which lets you cut down on Extra Deck cards like Loading... . This engine simply aims to equip Loading... onto Loading... to lock out the opponent's Extra Deck.
FTK Engine
This engine's goal is to achieve a first turn kill by summoning out 2 Loading... and cheating out a Loading... with Loading... , the prior 2 will copy the latter's effect and activate to burn the opponent for 8k.
I:P + Unicorn
This is a generic Link combo that can be gone into with leftover monsters on the field, allowing for an additional spin on the opponent's turn.
Bagooska
Loading... can be used as a backup plan when opened with a brick hand or when the opponent activates Loading... . It can also be used as a boardbreaker going second, as link monsters are not affected by its effect.
Metaphys Horus
This is a good generic Level 6 Synchro monster that can be made with Loading... with any Level 4s on the field.
Summoner's Art
This is a good filler card that gets you to Loading... if you decide to play a deck with more than 60 cards.
Deck List and Combo Example
Due to the nature of Pendulum decks, there isn't really a set in stone starters for our combos, rather, try to reach cards that can advance the combo, which are namely Loading...
, Loading...
and Loading...
, just to name the most important few. Here I will demonstrate an ideal combo scenario, however, with more experience in the deck, most players should be able to achieve a similar end board with a decent hand.
Let's say we open this 5 card hand but our last spell card that got ashed:
And here is how we full combo:
- Scale Loading... , use its scale effect to Special Summon itself.
- Normal summon Loading... , activate its effect to search Loading... .
- Link Summon Loading... with the two pendulum monsters on the field, on summoned it will send Loading... from the deck to the Extra Deck.
- Scale both Loading... and Loading...
- Loading... effect destroys Loading... in the Pendulum Zone to add Loading... from the Extra Deck to the hand.
- Chain link 1 Loading... , chain link 2 Loading... , chain link 3 Loading... .
- Loading... Special Summons itself from hand, then adds 1 Loading... from the deck to the hand.
- Loading... Special Summons an Loading... from the deck.
- Loading... effect draws one card.
- Overylay Loading... and Loading... for Loading... .
- Link Summon Loading... with Loading... and Loading...
- Loading... 's effect activates and Special Summons Loading... from the Extra Deck to a zone no Link arrows are pointing towards.
- Scale Loading... and activates Loading... 's effect to set Loading... directly from the deck to the spell/trap zone face down.
- Pendulum Summon Loading... and Loading... from the face-up Extra Deck, as well as Loading... from the hand, activate its effect on Pendulum Summon to summon Loading... from the deck.
- Link Summon Loading... with Loading... and Loading... , it gains 3 spell counters due to the 2 scales and the spell in the grave.
- Use Loading... effect to Special Summon Loading... from the graveyard.
- Link Summon Loading... with Loading... and Loading... , it gains 1600 ATK and 2 monster negates.
- Link Summon Loading... with Loading... and Loading... , use its effect to summon Loading... from the deck.
- Synchro Summon Loading... with Loading... and Loading... , equipping Loading... from the grave, gaining 3 counters.
Sample Deck List
End Board
The same end board can be achieved easily with a different hand, as long as you have access to an extender, a Tuner, an Loading... and any other Odd-Eyes name in hand, just be aware that you will need a full scale to perform the Pendulum Summon. So with a little different combo line, the following hands can also end on the exact same board.
Say with these 4 cards you simply search Loading... with Loading... , then discard it with Loading... to search for Loading... and Loading... ; use Loading... 's effect in the graveyard to Special Summon it onto the field and search for Loading... ; normal summon Loading... and use its effect, then use both monsters to Link Summon into Loading... , sending Loading... to the Extra Deck; search for 2 copies of Loading... , scale both of them, then destroy one of them with the effect of Loading... . The rest of the combo should be largely similar to the above, except Loading... is your low scale this time around.
Not having access to all of your playmakers should not result in much of a change in the combo flow, just "downgrading" your end board instead. Most notably, if you cannot access a Tuner, you can use Loading... to summon Loading... , or Loading... to summon Loading... , this will allow you to still make Loading... without drawing a Tuner.
If you are having trouble understanding the combos, don't worry! The combos in this deck are relatively linear and all it takes is just some practising to get used to them, don't be afraid to copy this deck into an unofficial simulator and give it a try! Feel free to change the ratios and try out different options, fit it to your liking and make it your own deck.
Bonus Example Decks
Slightly Budget Alternative List
also by me
Note: A lot of URs and SRs in this list are available in the Starter and Structure Decks.
The End
Welcome to the end of the guide, congratulations, you survived! To celebrate you reading to the end and Electrumite surviving the Master Duel ban list, let's recite the wise words of the Pend God:
PEND BEST DECK BABY LET'S GO!
- Trif