After years of research, months of work, and possibly even some amount of testing, here’s a really big one.
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Usually, a release covers 6, 7, maybe 8 new cards and a few odd updates. Not so this time. This one is already above average from having 10 wholly new creations, and then completely leaves the realm of sanity by updating no less than 55 previously existing cards – the entire Rahi archetype, with no exceptions.
This is … a lot to get through for design notes, so for this article I’ll only give a brief summary of the underlying strategies and mostly focus on what changed from the old version and why. A more detailed explanation of how the various decks are meant to be played will follow in Theme Guides soon™.
Also, general disclaimer: Since I didn’t actually get more time to work on this behemoth of a release than usual (except the coincidental summer benefit of vacation time), testing was a good bit less rigorous than normal. If you see some issue I missed, do leave a comment so I have a chance to fix it eventually!
Structure
As mostly established in our long-running series of Rahi articles, the key to taming the sheer variety of wildlife that inhabits the Matoran Universe is splitting it up by Type (and sometimes other traits), connected by their shared name and Pendulum/Synchro focus. Doing so resulted in five decks on which my design and testing were focused:
- Beasts + Winged Beasts
- Fish + Sea Serpent + Aqua
- Insects
- Reptiles
- Place of Shadow (Rahi Nui)
Another interesting division here is the multiple expansions spanned by the update – Challenge of the Rahi (BCOR), Beware the Swarm (BBTS), and now with the new additions also Protodermic Evolution (BPEV). While this update affects them all at once, their original releases are far apart, creating something much like the staggered support waves of real-life archetypes. I tried to respect this in the update process by making sure each strategy – except the Rahi Nui one that is only enabled by BPEV releases – already had a functioning gameplan with the initial BCOR wave, and anything further just added options or patched weaknesses.
Finally, there are some fresh standalone non-Rahi cards snuck in here, just because I felt they fit best in BCOR and I might as well add them when I’m already doing stuff there. Actually, let’s start with those, as a digestible appetizer before heading into the pile.
Free Agents
Red Star of Prophecies
SpellBanish 1 Spell/Trap from your hand, Deck, or GY. When a card, or the effect of a card, with the same name as a card in your banishment that was banished by “Red Star of Prophecies” resolves while this card is in your GY, negate that effect, then shuffle this card into the Deck. You can only use this effect of “Red Star of Prophecies” once per turn.
The idea is simple: You banish a Spell/Trap, and when either player uses it (as per your prophecy) this card turns into a negate – mandatory even, so no triggering Swordsoul or Kashtira cards with this. Now why would you ever play this when Crossout Designator does it all and more without the foresight required? Good question – maybe it’s helpful in some archetype that can easily recover banished cards, or you just want to have fun with the fact that the second Red Star you get in the GY is still a negate for the thing the first one banished (that’ll catch them off guard).
But perhaps the real use case for this card still lies in the distant future. Consider it a … prophecy.
Shadow Toa
Effect MonsterLevel 6 | DARK Illusion | ATK 0 / DEF 0(Quick Effect): You can target 1 monster with 2000 or more ATK your opponent controls; Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, it gains ATK/DEF equal to that monster’s ATK/DEF, also its Attribute becomes the same as that monster’s. You can only use this effect of “Shadow Toa” once per turn. If this card battles a monster, neither can be destroyed by that battle. Unaffected by the activated effects of monsters with the same Attribute.
Just so the new Illusion Type doesn’t feel left out of the expansion, here it is applied to a little plot element that I skipped over the first time around. The novel-only shadow versions of the Toa Mata are all represented by this single card that summons itself from the hand by copying a high-ATK monster (e.g. a Toa Mata) and is then very hard to remove for monsters of that particular Attribute.
This reflects the “switch opponents” method by which they were defeated in the original novel, rather than the story bible’s “absorb your darkness” method that was later retconned over it. Mainly because the former goes better with the standard Illusion battle protection effects, and doesn’t require me to condense an entire character arc of self-acceptance into a single card text.
Now on to the meat, or more accurately biomechanical tissue-stuff that makes up the true stars of this update.
General Rahi Spells/Traps
Due to our method of division being monster Types, the Spell/Trap cards that fundamentally do not have those are one of the best vehicles for providing generic support to all the different decks. That purpose is served by a lineup of cards from the first expansion BCOR, ranging from essential to gimmicky and listed here in more or less that order.
Rahi Swarm
SpellIf your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters: Add 2 “Rahi” monsters with the same Type, but different names, from your Deck to your hand. For the rest of this turn, your opponent takes no damage. You can banish this card from your GY; Special Summon 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY, but it cannot attack, also it is destroyed during the End Phase. You can only use 1 “Rahi Swarm” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Rahi Swarm
SpellAdd up to 2 “Rahi” monsters with the same Type from your Deck to your hand, then, if you added 2 monsters including an Effect Monster, banish 1 card from your hand, face-down. You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 face-up Monster Card you control; Special Summon 1 “Rahi” monster with the same Type and an equal or lower Level from your GY. You can only use 1 “Rahi Swarm” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Your main search card with followup revival in the GY. That was the concept of the old version as well, but the new version frees it from the shackles of its activation condition, allowing it to be applied freely in one of three use cases:
- Search any 1 “Rahi” monster, classic ROTA stuff.
- Search 2 “Rahi” Normal Monsters with the same Type.
- Search any 2 “Rahi” monsters with the same Type, but say goodbye to a card in your hand.
Mostly you’ll be doing 1. and 2., the latter of which is meant specifically for the pairs of high-Level Normal Pendulums that would be uncomfortably bricky if you always had to find them separately. 3. is something you don’t want to use if you can help it, but could be necessary at times.
Later on, or if it was sent to the GY directly without activating it first, the card allows you to literally “swarm” the field with an additional monster from your GY. This, too, was freed from some restrictions and instead put under new ones that fit into the overall Type-matching theme.
The Ussalry Arrives
Quick-Play SpellDuring the End Phase of the turn this card was activated, draw 1 card for each “Rahi” card banished to activate its own effect this turn. If you have 2 or less cards in your hand and this card is in your GY: You can shuffle this card and 1 of your banished “Rahi” cards into the Deck, then draw 1 card. You can only use 1 “The Ussalry Arrives” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
The Ussalry Arrives
Quick-Play Spell(This card is always treated as a “Rahi” and “Matoran” card.)
Target 1 face-up monster you control; Special Summon 1 “Rahi” Pendulum Monster Card with the same Type or Attribute from your Pendulum Zone, GY, or face-up Extra Deck, but banish it during the End Phase. During your Main Phase: You can shuffle this card and 1 of your banished “Rahi” cards into the Deck, then draw 1 card. You can only use 1 “The Ussalry Arrives” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
This one changed quite drastically compared to its original incarnation, from a Super Rejuvenation clone to a more literal interpretation of reinforcements from behind the frontlines. It also gained an archetype clause marrying it into both Rahi and Matoran, and indeed the activation condition of matching either Type or Attribute allows it to be used with both. Not sure if you would, but you technically can.
In contrast, the GY effect stayed the same because I already liked the way it worked. Only thing is that it has been freed of its near-empty hand condition; you already need banishment setup to make it work at all, so it’s not exactly at risk of powercreeping Metalfoes Fusion (a card from nearly a decade ago, I might add).
Siege of the Rahi
Continuous SpellOnce per turn, when your opponent Normal or Special Summons a Level 4 or lower monster(s): You can change 1 of those monsters to face-down Defense Position. During your End Phase, if you do not control a Level 5 or higher “Rahi” monster: Destroy this card. If a Level 5 or higher “Rahi” monster you control would be destroyed, you can banish this card from your GY instead.
Siege of the Rahi
Continuous SpellIf a “Rahi” monster(s) is Normal or Special Summoned to your field, except during the Damage Step: You can activate 1 of these effects, based on the Level of that monster(s) on the field;
●4 or lower: Draw 1 card. ●5 or higher: Change 1 face-up monster on the field to face-down Defense Position.
If a Level 5 or higher “Rahi” monster you control would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you can banish this card from your field or GY instead. You can only use each effect of “Siege of the Rahi” once per turn.
In positive news, the weird floodgate of the Rahi archetype has been reconfigured to keep the same theming while supporting a more interactive playstyle. Specifically, it rewards you for summoning Rahi during both your and your opponent’s turn, with the small ones getting you ahead in advantage and the big ones doing the traditonal Siege job of locking down the opponent’s monsters. Do note that both of those bullet point effects can be used in the same turn.
The only change to the GY effect, meanwhile, was to also make it work on the field – having a way to get a continuous card out of the backrow might not be a bad idea in a Pendulum deck, I figured.
Devastation of the Rahi
SpellDestroy any number of other “Rahi” cards you control, and if you do, destroy the same number of cards your opponent controls. You can banish this card and 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY, then target 1 card on the field; banish it. You can only use 1 “Devastation of the Rahi” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Devastation of the Rahi
SpellDestroy any number of other “Rahi” cards you control, and if you do, send the same number of cards your opponent controls to the GY. You can banish this card and 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY, then target 1 card on the field; destroy it, or if you control a “Rahi” Synchro Monster, you can banish it instead. You can only use 1 “Devastation of the Rahi” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Getting into the more gimmick territory now, we have an offensive Spell trading your Rahi for the opponent’s cards, based on the battle that once upon a time burned down the Charred Forest. A serious modern approach to this Type of effect would be a Quick-Play like Fire King Sky Burn, but since it didn’t feel right to copy that, I kept it as a Normal Spell and instead ramped up the impact to make it non-targeting, non-destruction removal.
Even with that, I’ve found myself mainly using it for the GY effect – a cheaper, more convenient piece of standard spot removal with a slight upgrade for controlling a Rahi Synchro.
Encounter in the Drifts
Counter TrapWhen your opponent Summons a monster(s), except during the Damage Step: Special Summon 1 “Rahi” monster whose Level is less than or equal to the highest Level among those monsters from your hand or Deck. Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to this Summon. You can only activate 1 “Encounter in the Drifts” per turn.
Encounter in the Drifts
Counter Trap(This card is always treated as a “Rahi” card.)
When a monster your opponent controls activates its effect, except during the Damage Step: Special Summon 1 “Rahi” monster from your hand, Deck, or GY, then destroy that opponent’s monster if your monster’s ATK is higher. You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 “Rahi” monster you control; banish it until the End Phase. You can only use each effect of “Encounter in the Drifts” once per turn.
Our Counter Trap (now properly integrated into the archetype) depicts a Rahi ambush in the snowy wastes , and so it basically lobs wildlife of your choice onto the field when an opponent’s monster dares to move, with lethal consequences provided it’s also sufficiently big. Note the change in condition from the previous on-Summon trigger – turns out that’s not something that usually goes on Counter Traps, those negate Summons instead of responding after they happened. Chaining to an effect activation though? Perfectly legitimate even if we don’t try to negate it!
A cute detail of the theming here was always that this card bypasses the debilitating effects of the Drifts Field Spell linked above. Originally it did so by shutting off all responses to the Summon, but the fact that this also killed your own on-summon effects didn’t sit right with me, so instead I gave it a GY effect to “dodge” whatever misfortune may befall your monster, as if vanishing into the snowstorm. You can imagine this has a lot of neat side utility outside the very unlikely use case it’s secretly made for.
Rahi Hive Showdown
SpellIf your opponent controls 2 or more monsters with 2000 or more ATK and you control no monsters with 2000 or more ATK: Take control of the monster your opponent controls with the highest original ATK (your choice, if tied). During your opponent’s Main Phase (Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 Level 4 or lower monster your opponent controls that was Summoned this turn; take control of it until the End Phase. You can only use this effect of “Rahi Hive Showdown” once per turn.
Rahi Hive Showdown
SpellIf your opponent controls 2 or more monsters with 2000 or more ATK: Take control of the monster your opponent controls with the highest original ATK (your choice, if tied), but it cannot activate its effects while you control it. If you control a “Rahi” Synchro Monster: You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 monster your opponent controls; take control of it until the End Phase, but it cannot declare an attack. You can only use 1 “Rahi Hive Showdown” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Here we have better Change of Heart … with extra conditions that make its activation effect fairly unusable. I actually dared to get rid of one half of those conditions in the update, so hopefully that didn’t accidentally make it good enough to run generically, seeing how it doesn’t require any Rahi on that end.
Much like Devastation earlier, this one is much easier to use from the GY. While that’s no longer a Quick Effect (because you aren’t supposed to put those on Spell Cards), it now works on anything and can be used during your own turn; just need to control a Synchro to make it work (Spoiler: There’s a real convenient one in the Insects).
Infection of the Rahi
Continuous TrapOnce per turn, before damage calculation, when a “Rahi” monster you control battles an opponent’s monster: You can place 1 Comet Counter on that opponent’s monster, and if you do, it cannot be destroyed by this battle. During the End Phase: Take control of all monsters with Comet Counters your opponent controls. If this face-up card leaves the field: Remove all Comet Counters on the field and inflict 400 damage to your opponent for each, then return control of all face-up monsters on the field to the owner.
Infection of the Rahi
Continuous TrapYou can only control 1 “Infection of the Rahi”. Each time a monster your opponent controls activates its effect while you control a “Rahi” Monster Card, place 1 Comet Counter on that opponent’s monster (max. 1) after that effect resolves. Monsters with a Comet Counter cannot attack, also each time 1 leaves the field, inflict 400 damage to its owner. During your Battle Phase or your opponent’s Main Phase: You can banish this card from your GY or your face-up Spell & Trap Zone; take control of all monsters your opponent controls with a Comet Counter, until the end of this turn.
And this last one is and has always been all gimmick and no utility. It just spreads an “infection” in the form of Counters to your opponent’s monsters, which leads to some inconvenient symptoms and allows you to wololo everything affected at some point.
The specifics of this changed pretty fundamentally, as you can see. Instead of having to battle with your Rahi, you just need to have one hanging around somewhere while your opponent activates monster effects, which is arguably more accurate to how the infection in Po-Koro went down (and even sort of aligns with what Ahkmou does!). Instead of having burn as an outbound “fuck you” if it gets removed, that’s now a proper part of the symptoms and happens when the affected monsters leave (e.g. by being used as material). And instead of needing to wait until the End Phase for the infection to fully take hold, it’s now a one-time move you can fire at a convenient timing. Do note that all the drawbacks associated with the Counters are provided by a continuous effect on the Trap itself, so once you banish to steal, you’re free to do whatever you want with the monsters – but so is your opponent once they get them back.
Insect Rahi
Insects crawl all over the place and into every deck – in other words, they’re the monster side of the shared glue that powers different Rahi variations. Coming right off the Spells and Traps, nothing exemplifies this better than one very important Insect Synchro Monster.
Nui-Kopen, Wasp Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 6 | WIND Insect | ATK 2100 / DEF 20001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; excavate cards from the top of your Deck until you excavate a “Rahi” monster, then, if that monster’s ATK is higher than the target’s, send all excavated cards to the GY and take control of the target until the End Phase. Otherwise, Special Summon that monster and shuffle the remaining cards into the Deck.
Nui-Kopen, Wasp Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 6 | WIND Insect | ATK 2100 / DEF 20001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card is Special Summoned: You can take 1 “Rahi” Spell/Trap from your Deck, and either add it to your hand or send it to the GY. During the Main Phase (Quick Effect): You can Tribute 1 monster; Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower “Rahi” Tuner from your hand or GY, but negate its effects. You can only use each effect of “Nui-Kopen, Wasp Rahi” once per turn.
Where the Nui-Kopen was originally just a funny excavation thing (I recall I was pretty into that mechanic at the time I made it) with chances of stealing and opponent’s monster or getting a free Rahi, it has now obtained a new identity as a universally useful searcher for all the Spells and Traps we just went over. It can even send them straight to the GY, so you get free choice which of the two effects on each you’d like to have available – including the Synchro boosts for Devastation and Showdown, because this is, in fact, a Synchro!
Actually, let’s take a closer look at that Rahi Hive Showdown use case. The thing that guided the original design of the Nui-Kopen was its role in putting Lewa under the control of an infected mask, and through that Spell which depicts the same event, this flavoring remains indirectly intact: Simply send the Showdown and steal a monster of your choice. Here’s where the Nui-Kopen’s second effect becomes relevant, the idea being that you Tribute away the stolen monster so your opponent won’t get it back in the End Phase, and you get a Tuner to the field. Incidentally, it’s also a good way to dodge targeted negation, which is very appreciated on such a load-bearing enabler for the entire Rahi archetype.
The other things Insects help with is making Synchros in the first place, namely by supplying some nice splashable Tuner monsters.
Fikou, Spider Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 1 | EARTH Insect | ATK 600 / DEF 400You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 Level 3 or higher “Rahi” monster you control; reduce that target’s Level by 1, then Special Summon 1 “Fikou, Spider Rahi” from your hand or Deck. You can only use this effect of “Fikou, Spider Rahi” once per turn.
Fikou, Spider Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 1 | EARTH Insect | ATK 600 / DEF 400If this card is in your hand or GY: You can target 1 Level 2 or higher “Rahi” monster you control; reduce that target’s Level by 1, and if you do, banish this card, then Special Summon 1 “Fikou, Spider Rahi” from your hand or Deck. You can only use this effect of “Fikou, Spider Rahi” once per turn.
The historic precedent here is the Fikou, which remained unchanged in principle, only receiving some convenience updates. But it is now joined by a few other Level 1 Insect Tuners, adapted from what used to be Level 2 handtraps.
Hoto, Firebug Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | FIRE Insect | ATK 600 / DEF 300(Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your hand or field and 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY, then target 1 Spell/Trap your opponent controls; banish that target. Your opponent cannot activate the targeted card in response to this effect’s activation. You can only use this effect of “Hoto, Firebug Rahi” once per turn.
Hoto, Firebug Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 1 | FIRE Insect | ATK 600 / DEF 300If this card is in your hand (Quick Effect): You can banish 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY or face-up Extra Deck; Special Summon this card, and if you do, you can destroy 1 Spell/Trap your opponent controls. You can only use this effect of “Hoto, Firebug Rahi” once per turn.
Let’s look at this via the example of the Hoto. The cost of banishing a spent Rahi remains the same, but extended with the face-up Extra Deck to account for our monsters’ Pendulum nature. The Spell/Trap removal that was previously the main point of the card has been slimmed down and converted into an optional bonus after you Special Summon, meaning it’s now an easily accessible Tuner with upsides going second. A similar conversion has been applied to the Cliff Bug and Electric Bug , making for a quartet of Level 1 Rahi Tuners with different Attributes – very aesthetically pleasing. Though with the Electric Bug (formerly Lightning Bug) in particular, I’m not completely sure of the balancing – a non-targeting negate is a deceptively powerful thing that can even take down boss monsters, rather than just acting as the well-placed disruption it’s meant to be. There’s a chance some future version will amend a restriction to that if I think of one (suggestions welcome!).
Fikou-Nui, Tarantula Rahi
Link Effect MonsterLink-1 [↗] | EARTH Insect | ATK 10001 Level 2 or lower “Rahi” monster
If this card is Link Summoned: You can target 1 “Rahi” monster in your GY or banishment; add it to your hand, then place 1 card from your hand on the bottom of the Deck. You can only use this effect of “Fikou-Nui, Tarantula Rahi” once per turn. You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower “Rahi” monster from your hand or GY, and if you do, you can increase or decrease its Level by 1.
Now for a new card that builds on the Fikou’s Level manipulation gimmick while bridging some gaps in the size-based assignments of Levels to our Rahi. The recently unearthed Legend of Mata Nui mini-boss Fikou-Nui arrives as a Link-1 you mainly make on top of your small Tuners, optionally recycling a thing (“then” makes it free for Extra Deck stuff!) and then tagging back into another Rahi while granting a 1-Level margin of error. Mostly you’ll use this to bump up one of the aforementioned Level 1 Tuners, and in the small Fikou’s case it fixes the oddity that bringing it out by draining one of your big Rahi always left you unable to go into the Synchro 1 Level above that would represent the appropriate combination model.
That about covers the Insects that go everywhere, but there are also some more advanced options you can play if you’re willing to accept limitations.
Kofo-Jaga, Scorpion Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | FIRE Insect | ATK 1300 / DEF 1900Pendulum Scale = 5
[ Pendulum Effect ]
When a “Rahi” monster is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of “Kofo-Jaga, Scorpion Rahi” once per turn. If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster that was Summoned using this card as Synchro Material gains this effect.
●When a monster effect is activated (Quick Effect): You can shuffle 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck into the Deck; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that monster if its ATK is lower than the ATK of the monster you shuffled into the Deck.
Kofo-Jaga, Scorpion Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 6/6 | FIRE Insect | ATK 1200 / DEF 1900[ Pendulum Effect ]
If your opponent Special Summons a monster(s) (except during the Damage Step): You can destroy this card, and if you do, that monster(s) loses 1200 ATK/DEF, until the end of this turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
If a face-up Spell/Trap is on the field (Quick Effect): You can Tribute this card; add 1 Insect “Rahi” monster from your Deck to your hand, except “Kofo-Jaga, Scorpion Rahi”. If this card is banished while you control a “Rahi” Tuner: You can Special Summon this card, and if you do, increase its Level by 1, also you cannot activate non-Insect monster effects for the rest of this turn. You can only use each effect of “Kofo-Jaga, Scorpion Rahi” once per turn.
The Kofo-Jaga only resembles its original incarnation in that it adds a monster from your Deck, but the way it does so has been changed into a reference to its heat-loving and light-fleeing nature, and the targets have been changed to other Insects … including, of course, the above handtrap-style Tuners, for which it can be the cost and then immediately return to the field ready to Synchro into a Nui-Kopen. Just need to let yourself be a little Insect-locked.
Also its Pendulum Scale is now 6, mainly to accomodate the following two Level 5s.
Nui-Rama, Fly Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 5 | Scale 3/3 | WIND Insect | ATK 1800 / DEF 1700Pendulum Scale = 3
[ Pendulum Effect ]
While you have a Level 5 Insect “Rahi” Pendulum Monster Card in your other Pendulum Zone, your opponent’s cards and effects cannot be activated in response to the Pendulum Summon of a “Rahi” monster. You can target 1 “Rahi” monster you control; Special Summon 1 “Rahi” monster with the same Type and a lower or equal Level from your Deck, but it cannot attack this turn. You can only use this effect of “Nui-Rama, Fly Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Flavor Text ]
A harsh buzz fills the air…a rustle of wings…a dark shape flying out of the sun…the warning signs of a Nui-Rama attack.
Nui-Jaga, Scorpion Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 5 | Scale 8/8 | EARTH Insect | ATK 2300 / DEF 700Pendulum Scale = 8
[ Pendulum Effect ]
While you have a Level 5 Insect “Rahi” Pendulum Monster Card in your other Pendulum Zone, cards in your Pendulum Zones cannot be destroyed by your opponent’s card effects. Once per turn: You can add 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster in your Extra Deck to your hand, then destroy 1 card in your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Flavor Text ]
Nui-Jaga commonly hunt in packs, which helps to make up for the fact that they are not very fast. One of the creatures will drive prey forward, usually into a canyon, where others wait to strike. Once the target is surrounded, the Nui-Jaga will call to each other. Their cries have been compared to the sound of glass breaking.
Nui-Rama, Fly Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 5 | Scale 1/1 | WIND Insect | ATK 1800 / DEF 1700[ Pendulum Effect ]
You can target 1 face-up monster you control; Special Summon 1 Insect “Rahi” monster with a lower or equal Level from your Deck in Defense Position, also you cannot Special Summon monsters for the rest of this turn, except Insect monsters. You can only use this effect of “Nui-Rama, Fly Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Flavor Text ]
A harsh buzz fills the air…a rustle of wings…a dark shape flying out of the sun…the warning signs of a Nui-Rama attack.
Nui-Jaga, Scorpion Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 5 | Scale 8/8 | EARTH Insect | ATK 2300 / DEF 700[ Pendulum Effect ]
If an Insect “Rahi” monster(s) is Special Summoned to your field (except during the Damage Step): You can target 1 face-up monster on the field; destroy it, and if it was an Insect “Rahi” monster, you can add 1 Insect “Rahi” monster with a different name from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of “Nui-Jaga, Scorpion Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Flavor Text ]
Nui-Jaga commonly hunt in packs, which helps to make up for the fact that they are not very fast. One of the creatures will drive prey forward, usually into a canyon, where others wait to strike. Once the target is surrounded, the Nui-Jaga will call to each other. Their cries have been compared to the sound of glass breaking.
With these two, we get our first look at the category of Normal Pendulums representing the iconic large Rahi from 2001. These have collectively been updated to remove their pair-matching bonuses, as the small text budget for Pendulum Effects does not at all vibe with that. Instead, you’re encouraged to use them together by the potential +1 from Rahi Swarm and simply because of natural synergies between what remains of their effects.
Here, that means the Nui-Rama gets an Insect straight from the Deck – downgrading the scope of it from what used to be all the Rahi, but also letting you activate it by targeting non-Rahi monsters (to go with the Nui-Kopen/Showdown play, but I am just now noticing that might be pointless since you have the Nui-Kopen anyway in that case). The Nui-Jaga then reacts to that Special Summon to either throw its stinger tail (beware it!) towards the opponent’s field or taking out your own monster to call further allies.
Oh, and all the low-scale Normal Pendulum Rahi such as the Nui-Rama now have a scale of 1. I want putting these cards in the Pendulum Zones to be optimal in those Types that have them, so clashing with Level 2s and 3s would be bad.
Kirikori-Nui, Locust Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 3 | WIND Insect | ATK 1400 / DEF 10001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can send 1 “Rahi” monster from your Deck to the GY; this card gains 500 ATK. You can banish this card until the End Phase of your next turn; destroy 1 card on the field. You can only use this effect of “Kirikori-Nui, Locust Rahi” once per turn.
Kirikori-Nui, Locust Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 3 | WIND Insect | ATK 1400 / DEF 10001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card is Synchro Summoned: You can send 1 “Rahi” card from your Deck to the GY; this card gains 500 ATK. You can only use this effect of “Kirikori-Nui, Locust Rahi” once per turn. You can banish this card until the Standby Phase of your next turn; destroy 1 card on the field.
The final thing, sitting in a bit of a weird standalone position, is the Kirikori-Nui. It used to send a Rahi from Deck as cost and temporarily banish itself to destroy stuff, and that is still what it does. Just the send has been expanded to also work with Spells and Traps, so we can dip into the Nui-Kopen use cases, and the banish now expires at a less inconvenient timing. Also the hard once per turn has been moved to the effect that probably deserves it more.
To be honest, I’m not too happy with this – it’s basically a broken send-as-cost thing ostensibly balanced by the fact that we (currently) can’t go into Level 3 Synchros very easily. But I haven’t figured out what else to do with it yet, and the current design is relevant to some enjoyable combos, so it is what it is for now.
By the way, you can also put these in an Insect pile. I have a demo video even.
Beast and Winged Beast Rahi
Alright, with the shared preliminaries out of the way, here’s the updates to the Rahi that make up the first of the dedicated Type-based strategies. Beasts and Winged Beasts, grouped together for their obvious similarities, are a pretty broad category, so I’ll try to do this via as few examples as I can manage.
In general, the strategy here can be described as a fairly traditional combo deck, aiming to either build a board of disruptive boss monsters going first or to clear the opponent’s field and win with some big beaters going second.
Muaka, Tiger Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 7 | Scale 8/8 | WATER Beast | ATK 2800 / DEF 1900Pendulum Scale = 8
[ Pendulum Effect ]
While you have a Level 7 Beast “Rahi” Pendulum Monster Card in your other Pendulum Zone, cards in your Pendulum Zones cannot be destroyed by your opponent’s card effects. If a “Rahi” monster you control destroys an opponent’s monster by battle: Gain LP equal to the destroyed monster’s original ATK.
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[ Flavor Text ]
This Rahi relies primarily on its claws when hunting. Sinking them into its prey, it forces the unfortunate victim to the ground and then finishes the job with its teeth. The Muaka will then carry its kill off to a nearby lair.
Kane-Ra, Bull Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 7 | Scale 3/3 | EARTH Beast | ATK 2600 / DEF 2300Pendulum Scale = 3
[ Pendulum Effect ]
While you have a Level 7 Beast “Rahi” Pendulum Monster Card in your other Pendulum Zone, your opponent’s cards and effects cannot be activated in response to the Pendulum Summon of a “Rahi” monster. While you control exactly 1 “Rahi” monster (and no other face-up monsters), that monster gains 1000 ATK and cannot be destroyed by card effects.
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[ Flavor Text ]
Surprisingly, the Kane-Ra Bull is not a herd animal. Unlike some beasts, it does not require others of its kind for protection.
Muaka, Tiger Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 7 | Scale 8/8 | WATER Beast | ATK 2800 / DEF 1900[ Pendulum Effect ]
During your Main Phase: You can destroy 1 other “Rahi” Monster Card in your hand or face-up field, and if you do, add 1 Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster from your Deck to your hand, except “Muaka, Tiger Rahi”. You can only use this effect of “Muaka, Tiger Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Flavor Text ]
This Rahi relies primarily on its claws when hunting. Sinking them into its prey, it forces the unfortunate victim to the ground and then finishes the job with its teeth. The Muaka will then carry its kill off to a nearby lair.
Kane-Ra, Bull Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 7 | Scale 1/1 | EARTH Beast | ATK 2600 / DEF 2300[ Pendulum Effect ]
Once per turn, if a monster(s) in your possession is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can destroy 1 card in your Pendulum Zone, then Special Summon 1 Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster from your hand or GY, with a different name from the cards you currently control, and if you do, it gains 1000 ATK until the end of this turn.
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[ Flavor Text ]
Surprisingly, the Kane-Ra Bull is not a herd animal. Unlike some beasts, it does not require others of its kind for protection.
The pair of Normal Pendulums aiding us in this are Muaka and Kane-Ra. The former has changed completely (because what was I to do with battle-focused LP gain?), now providing us with the search power we need to get all our various pieces in play. It’s still roughly themed after “hunting down other Rahi and dragging them off to its lair”, but obviously tilted much more to the utility side. The Kane-Ra, meanwhile, retains some of its identity with that 1000 ATK boost and not allowing duplicate names at least, but now also works in a way that helps you build up your field presence. The obvious synergy of combining them is that the Muaka’s required destruction causes the Kane-Ra to trigger after the search resolved, immediately letting you Special Summon whatever you got – and the fact that this discourages you from having your Muaka destroy your Kane-Ra doubles as a nice representation of the horns that canonically keep the bull safe from the tiger.
On the effect monster side, I actually ended up sticking fairly closely to how Rahi in general used to work previously. In case of the Level 4 Pendulums, that meant an effect to Special Summon itself from the Pendulum Zone and a monster effect that is granted to a Synchro using it as material, and looking at the Fusa, that still is very much the case.
Fusa, Kangaroo Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | EARTH Beast | ATK 1600 / DEF 1300Pendulum Scale = 5
[ Pendulum Effect ]
If a card in your Pendulum Zone is destroyed: You can place 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck in your Pendulum Zone. You can only use this effect of “Fusa, Kangaroo Rahi” once per turn. If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster that was Summoned using this card as Synchro Material gains this effect.
●Your opponent’s cards and effects cannot be activated during the Battle Phase.
Fusa, Kangaroo Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | EARTH Beast | ATK 1600 / DEF 1300[ Pendulum Effect ]
During your Main Phase: You can destroy 1 other Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” Monster Card in your hand or face-up field, and if you do, Special Summon this card. You can only use this effect of “Fusa, Kangaroo Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster Summoned using this card as material gains these effects.
● Once per turn, at the end of the Damage Step, if this card attacked an opponent’s monster: You can activate this effect; this card can attack again in a row.
● A “Rahi” Synchro Monster Summoned using this card as material gains the above effect.
However, it’s also clear that a lot of things changed. Aside from the granted monster effect being swapped out entirely (a double strike fits a Kangaroo more than blocking effects, doesn’t it?), it can now also be passed on through a second Synchro Summon using the monster that gained it as material, provided it’s for a Rahi. This sets the stage for potential Accel Synchro climbs with future support, and already comes up right now with another card that will be mentioned below. The Pendulum Effect has been reduced to only the Special Summon (again, tight text budget), but rather than a generic “no monsters” condition, it now plays into the overall self-destruction thing going on with Muaka and Kane-Ra as well. The specific mechanics of this Special Summon now also differ between Rahi, with the Vako having a more expensive requirement to balance its on-summon effect and the Husi not having one at all, instead electing to spend its Pendulum Effect on other utility.
The Level 3s retain similar miscellaneous Pendulum Effects from before the update, as well as their triggered abilities when either sent to the GY or banished, overall compressing a bunch of different small things you can weave into your lines. Let’s make the Mahi our exhibit of choice.
Mahi, Goat Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 3 | Scale 2/2 | EARTH Beast | ATK 700 / DEF 1500Pendulum Scale = 2
[ Pendulum Effect ]
(Quick Effect): You can send 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck to the GY, then destroy this card. You can only use this effect of “Mahi, Goat Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
If this card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 Level 3 or lower “Rahi” monster from your Deck to your hand. If this card is banished: You can add 1 of your banished Level 3 or lower “Rahi” monsters that was not banished this turn to your hand. You can only use 1 “Mahi, Goat Rahi” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Mahi, Goat Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 3 | Scale 2/2 | EARTH Beast | ATK 700 / DEF 1500[ Pendulum Effect ]
You can target up to 2 “Rahi” monsters you control; destroy 1 Beast or Winged Beast Monster Card in your Pendulum Zone or face-up Extra Deck, and if you do, increase or decrease the targeted monsters’ Levels by 1.
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[ Monster Effect ]
If this card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 Level 4 or lower Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster from your Deck to your hand, except “Mahi, Goat Rahi”. If this card is banished: You can target 1 of your banished “Rahi” cards that was not banished this turn; add it to your hand. You can only use 1 “Mahi, Goat Rahi” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Here we see that the updates were, at least in some cases, pretty minor. The Pendulum Quick Effect to send from Extra Deck to GY (so as to trigger various Level 3s) was rewritten to account for the fact that Pendulum Quick Effects aren’t a thing, now also providing some Level manipulation to make up for the loss of quickness. The search from GY was shifted from the pool of Level 3 or lower Rahi to Level 4 or lower Beast or Winged Beast Rahi, reinforcing the Type association, and I figured the very slow effect to recycle banished cards might as well cover the entire archetype. Some other monsters that didn’t have as much of a clear identity, for example the Moa got more extensive updates, but for the most part we’re looking at small tweaks.
Before we move on from the Pendulums, I need to address one particular pattern break with the Levels here, owed to the fact that I completely mixed up the sizes of Kewa and Taku back in the day.
Kewa, Vulture Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 3 | Scale 2/2 | WIND Winged Beast | ATK 1400 / DEF 400Pendulum Scale = 2
[ Pendulum Effect ]
If you control no other cards: You can add 1 WIND monster from your Deck to your hand, except “Kewa, Vulture Rahi”, and if you do, destroy this card during the End Phase. You can only use this effect of “Kewa, Vulture Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
If this card is sent to the GY: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower WIND monster from your GY, except this card. If this card is banished: You can add 1 “Rahi” card from your GY to your hand. You can only use 1 “Kewa, Vulture Rahi” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Taku, Duck Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | WIND Winged Beast | ATK 1400 / DEF 1700Pendulum Scale = 5
[ Pendulum Effect ]
During your End Phase: You can add 1 “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Deck to your Extra Deck face-up. If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster that was Summoned using this card as Synchro Material gains this effect.
● When a Spell Card is activated (Quick Effect): You can shuffle 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck into the Deck; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card.
Kewa, Vulture Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 2/2 | WIND Winged Beast | ATK 1400 / DEF 400[ Pendulum Effect ]
You can target 1 Spell/Trap on the field; send 1 Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster from your hand or face-up Extra Deck to the GY, and if you do, destroy that target. You can only use this effect of “Kewa, Vulture Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
If this card is sent to the GY: You can Special Summon 1 other Level 4 or lower WIND monster from your GY, but negate its effects. If this card is banished: You can add 1 Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster from your GY or face-up Extra Deck to your hand, except “Kewa, Vulture Rahi”. You can only use 1 “Kewa, Vulture Rahi” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Taku, Duck Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 3 | Scale 5/5 | WIND Winged Beast | ATK 1400 / DEF 1700[ Pendulum Effect ]
If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card, and if you do, add 1 Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Deck to your Extra Deck face-up, except “Taku, Duck Rahi”. You can only use this effect of “Taku, Duck Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster Summoned using this card as material gains these effects.
● Once per turn, when a card or effect is activated (Quick Effect): You can shuffle 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck into the Deck; negate the activation.
● A “Rahi” Synchro Monster Summoned using this card as material gains the above effect.
A simple Level swap fixed this mishap, but because the Kewa’s association and thus synergy with the WIND deck Le-Koro was lore-relevant, I ended up sticking with the effect designs based on their original (inaccurate) Levels. So the biggest changes here are just that the Kewa’s broken search for all WIND monsters was replaced with something more restrained and that the Taku has fully taken up the mantle of negation granter from what used to be a trio of Rahi (with the old Hikaki and Kofo-Jaga ) doing that for different card types. The effect has been toned down a little by removing destruction, but I still feel like it might be too much for a semi-free bonus and am considering a further restriction to your own turn only. Also, congrats to the Kewa for finally being photographed from the correct side.
Now for the Synchros … I can’t get out of mentioning all of these, can I? Alright, speedrun time.
Dikapi
Dikapi, Ostrich Rahi
Synchro Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 5 | EARTH Winged Beast | ATK 1000 / DEF 16501 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can choose a number from 1 to 4; reduce this card’s Level by that number, then take damage equal to that number x 300. When using this Synchro Summoned card as a Synchro Material, you can use 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster in your Extra Deck (and no other monsters) as the other Synchro Material.
Dikapi, Ostrich Rahi
Synchro Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 5 | EARTH Winged Beast | ATK 1000 / DEF 16501 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this Synchro Summoned card would be used as Synchro Material for a “Rahi” monster, 1 face-up Beast or Winged Beast Pendulum Monster in your Extra Deck (and no other monsters) can be used as the other material. If you do this, you can treat this card as any Level from 1 to 5 for that Synchro Summon. If you control no monsters and this card is in your GY: You can target 1 of your banished monsters; shuffle it into the Deck, and if you do, Special Summon this card. You can only Special Summon “Dikapi, Ostrich Rahi(s)” once per turn.
Synchro Tuner. Enables both stacking of granted effects and triggering of Pendulum GY effects by using a monster from the Extra Deck as material – now limited to only Beast and Winged Beast materials, and only Rahi Synchros. The Level change has also been rolled into this specific use case, as you have other options to make the stars align if you’re working with the field.
Since it’s also domesticated by Po-Matoran and used as a mount for scouting missions due to its endurance, I’ve added a recursion effect that helps you endure long grind games while being generic enough to also work in a Po-Koro deck.
Gukko-Kahu
Gukko-Kahu, Hawk Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 6 | WIND Winged Beast | ATK 2500 / DEF 10001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card is Synchro Summoned: Draw 1 card. If this card is sent from the field to the GY: Add 1 “Rahi” monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use each effect of “Gukko-Kahu, Hawk Rahi” once per turn.
Gukko-Kahu, Hawk Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 6 | WIND Winged Beast | ATK 2500 / DEF 10001 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card is Special Summoned: You can send 1 Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster from your Deck to the GY. If this Synchro Summoned card is sent from the field to the GY: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower “Rahi” monster in your GY; Special Summon it. You can only use each effect of “Gukko-Kahu, Hawk Rahi” once per turn.
Mid-combo body that does something useful when Summoned and when it leaves again. That hasn’t changed from how it used to be, but the useful things are now more tied to the Beast/Winged Beast typing and general playstyle. Like the Dikapi, it can be made with generic materials not because it’s a Winged Beast, but because it has been domesticated and should thus be an option in a Le-Koro deck.
Mata Nui COw
Mata Nui Cow, Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 6 | EARTH Beast | ATK 1800 / DEF 24001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can destroy Spell/Trap Cards on the field, up to the number of “Rahi” monsters you control. If this card is sent from the field to the GY: Add 1 Level 4 or lower “Rahi” monster from your GY to your hand.
Mata Nui Cow, Bovine Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 6 | EARTH Beast | ATK 1800 / DEF 24001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, if a monster(s) is Special Summoned to your opponent’s field (except during the Damage Step): You can target 1 of those monsters; either destroy it or negate its effects. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card is in the GY because this Synchro Summoned card was sent there from the field this turn: You can add 1 Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster from your GY or face-up Extra Deck to your hand.
Going-first endboard piece offering reactive spot interaction and followup in case it’s removed. Its original effects were a combination of what Gali and Pohatu (its component models) used to do way, way back, and in the same way its current on-field effect combines the on-summon trigger and destruction aspects of Pohatu with the negation aspect of Gali, while also having a general flair of retaliating with its horns when it feels threatened. But floating is nice to have, so that was carried over as well, albeit shifted to the End Phase since you want to keep this one on the field in the opponent’s turn, unlike a certain bird up there.
Kuma-Nui
Kuma-Nui, Rat Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 8 | EARTH Beast | ATK 3000 / DEF 25001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
At the start of the Battle Phase: You can destroy all face-up or all face-down Spell/Trap Cards on the field, then this card gains 500 ATK for each of your cards destroyed this way, until the end of this turn. You can only use this effect of “Kuma-Nui, Rat Rahi” once per turn.
Kuma-Nui, Rat Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 8 | EARTH Beast | ATK 3000 / DEF 25001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
Gains 300 ATK for each other “Rahi” card you control. If this card battles an opponent’s monster, at the start of the Damage Step: You can activate this effect; change that opponent’s monster to Attack Position, also negate its effects until the end of this turn.
Big beatstick for going second or generally finishing out games. Where its activated effect previously allowed it to get big and/or clear backrow, it now gets big all on its own (well, with moral support) and instead only activates during the Damage Step, grabbing the foe with its claws and dragging it into a helpless position to ensure big damage is done.
Alright, that’s done. If seeing these Synchros made you wonder “where’s the Tuners”, you’ve hit on one of the interesting realities of the multi-expansion release cycle on which the current Rahi card pool was built. The truth is, Beast or Winged Beast Rahi Tuners did not actually exist in the original BCOR wave, forcing the archetype to instead rely on Insects beyond the scope of its own native search effects! BBTS fixed this with two Winged Beast Tuners – now freshly updated from handtraps to combo extenders – and BPEV, in this very release, adds a Beast Tuner that’s a bit more gimmicky in design.
Pokawi (BBTS)
Pokawi, Flightless Bird Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | EARTH Winged Beast | ATK 300 / DEF 600(Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your hand or field and 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY; monsters your opponent controls lose 500 ATK for each of your banished “Rahi” monsters, until the end of this turn.
Pokawi, Flightless Bird Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | EARTH Winged Beast | ATK 300 / DEF 600If a Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster(s) is Normal or Special Summoned to your field (except during the Damage Step): You can Special Summon this card from your hand, then, immediately after this effect resolves, Synchro Summon 1 “Rahi” Synchro Monster using monsters you control. You can only use this effect of “Pokawi, Flightless Bird Rahi” once per turn. During the Battle Phase (Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your GY; all monsters your opponent currently controls lose 500 ATK for each of your banished “Rahi” monsters, until the end of this turn.
The Pokawi comes in with the ability to come out of the hand and make a Synchro, which exists mainly because one combo I labbed out got a Taku as precisely the 4th summon, meaning this allows you to get a Synchro with a negate to the field before your opponent has a chance to activate Nibiru. On top of that, it also does its original ATK debuff but now from the GY, which, now that I look at the whole package like this, is kind of an insanely big upgrade and might still get dialed back a bit. I will say it never really felt broken in testing, though.
Mata Nui Fishing Bird (BBTS)
Mata Nui Fishing Bird, Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | WIND Winged Beast | ATK 500 / DEF 400(Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your hand or field and 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY, then target 1 card your opponent controls; banish it until the End Phase, and if it was a face-up monster with 2000 or more ATK on the field, banish 1 random card from your opponent’s hand face-down. You can only use this effect of “Mata Nui Fishing Bird, Rahi” once per turn.
Mata Nui Fishing Bird, Swooping Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | WIND Winged Beast | ATK 500 / DEF 400If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower Beast or Winged Beast “Rahi” monster in your GY; Special Summon it, but negate its effects, also if your opponent controls a monster with 2000 or more ATK, you can banish 1 card from either GY. You can only use this effect of “Mata Nui Fishing Bird, Swooping Rahi” once per turn.
The Mata Nui Fishing Bird now quite literally “fishes” monsters out of your GY to enable Synchro plays that way, and keeps its theming of harassing large predators in the form of a bonus banish from GY when appropriate.
Lava Rat (BPEV)
Lava Rat, Blazing Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | FIRE Beast | ATK 400 / DEF 200Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can reduce the Levels of all other monsters currently on the field by 1, also they lose 500 ATK. At the start of the Damage Step, if your “Rahi” monster battles an opponent’s monster: You can banish this card from the GY; destroy that opponent’s monster. You can only use this effect of “Lava Rat, Blazing Rahi” once per turn.
The theming on this one is that it sets itself on fire to ward off enemies, while being immune to the flames itself. That manifests in an on-field effect of turning up the heat to either fix your own Levels or annoy the opponent (though I’m not sure the latter use case is word having it be a Quick Effect rather than an Ignition Effect), and a GY effect to burn an opponent’s monster to the ground if it happens to touch yours.
And with that, we’ve made it through probably the hardest part of the design notes. If you just want a simple look at how this deck actually plays in practice, see the demo video below (though it is from a slightly older version).
Marine Rahi
Another big group that combines three whole Types, though only two of them have actual Rahi at this moment. Sea Serpents sure are elusive.
What we saw so far was a combo deck aiming for big boss monsters using more or less the same design principles as the old Rahi designs did, but things are going to be quite different here. The Rahi of the seas don’t really care about “building boards” or the concept of a “Synchro boss monster” all that much – their idea of gameplay is throwing small fish with sharp teeth at the opponent until only bones are left.
In other words, we’re looking at a grindy control deck that uses its Tuners to disrupt the opponent and its Pendulums to build advantage while that’s happening. Let’s look at how the cards evolve for the new version to make that possible, starting with the prime bity fish itself: The Ruki.
Ruki, Fish Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | WATER Fish | ATK 700 / DEF 100(Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your hand or field and 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY; destroy 1 monster your opponent controls. You can only use this effect of “Ruki, Fish Rahi” once per turn.
Ruki, Fish Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | WATER Fish | ATK 700 / DEF 100If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 Fish, Sea Serpent, or Aqua “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Deck to your hand, then discard 1 card. You can only use this effect of “Ruki, Fish Rahi” once per turn. (Quick Effect): You can banish both this card from your hand or field and 1 “Rahi” monster in your GY or face-up Extra Deck; destroy 1 monster your opponent controls.
This, too, was one of those Level 2 Rahi handtrap Tuners, and it has retained both its cost and its way of interacting through non-targeting monster destruction. However, to bring it from just another random Rahi to something that can serve as one centerpiece of a dedicated strategy, it has been upgraded in two ways: One is that there’s no longer a hard once per turn on that destruction effect, so Ruki swarms actually get to be as voracious as they should be. The other is that it also searches the Pendulums of its Type when summoned, with a discard that both keeps it from plussing too much and can set up the Ruki’s own cost in the GY.
The other thing that makes this all work are, of course, the Pendulums. BCOR only has two of them, so we can just take those as our examples.
Takea, Shark Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | WATER Fish | ATK 1800 / DEF 900Pendulum Scale = 5
[ Pendulum Effect ]
At the start of the Damage Step, if a “Rahi” monster you control battles: You can double any battle damage your opponent takes from that battle. You can only use this effect of “Takea, Shark Rahi” once per turn. If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster that was Summoned using this card as Synchro Material gains this effect.
●If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: Special Summon 1 “Rahi” monster from your Deck with ATK less than or equal to half the damage inflicted, but it cannot attack this turn.
Makika, Toad Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | EARTH Aqua | ATK 600 / DEF 2100Pendulum Scale = 5
[ Pendulum Effect ]
If a card in your Pendulum Zone is destroyed: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target. You can only use this effect of “Makika, Toad Rahi” once per turn. If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster that was Summoned using this card as Synchro Material gains this effect.
●If this card is destroyed by battle: Destroy the monster that destroyed it, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster’s original ATK.
Takea, Shark Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | WATER Fish | ATK 1800 / DEF 900[ Pendulum Effect ]
If your Fish, Sea Serpent, and/or Aqua “Rahi” monster(s) is banished: You can target 1 of those monsters and 1 card your opponent controls; place the first target on the bottom of the Deck, and if you do, destroy the second target. You can only use this effect of “Takea, Shark Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can banish up to 2 “Rahi” Monster Cards from your hand and/or field; add that many Fish, Sea Serpent, and/or Aqua “Rahi” monsters with different names from your Deck to your hand, except “Takea, Shark Rahi”. If this card is banished: You can target 1 card you control; destroy that card, also, after that, add this card to your Extra Deck face-up or place it in your Pendulum Zone. You can only use each effect of “Takea, Shark Rahi” once per turn.
Makika, Toad Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 3 | Scale 1/1 | EARTH Aqua | ATK 600 / DEF 2100[ Pendulum Effect ]
During the End Phase: You can target 1 of your banished Fish, Sea Serpent, or Aqua “Rahi” monsters, except “Makika, Toad Rahi”; add it to your hand. You can only use this effect of “Makika, Toad Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
During the Main Phase, if this card is in your hand (Quick Effect): You can target 1 Fish, Sea Serpent, or Aqua “Rahi” monster you control; return it to the hand, and if you do, Special Summon this card in Defense Position. If this card is banished: You can add this card to your Extra Deck face-up or place it in your Pendulum Zone, then take 1000 damage. You can only use each effect of “Makika, Toad Rahi” once per turn.
Gone is the old formula of random Pendulum Effect, self-summon from Pendulum Zone, and bonus effect when used as material. Instead, the Pendulum Effects aim to extract further value from the banishing cost tied to your disruption effects, either by further devastating your opponent’s field or by replenishing your own resources. The monster effects are a combination of miscellaneous utility – here, searching and dodging stuff – and a shared effect that brings the monster back to the Extra Deck or Pendulum Zone at some cost when it is banished, thus ensuring we don’t run out of ammo and keep getting those boosts from the backrow. The Makika even changed both its Level and its Pendulum Scale!
I also can’t quite gloss over BCOR’s other Tuner, the Shore Turtle.
Shore Turtle, Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | WATER Aqua | ATK 0 / DEF 1200When a monster declares an attack: You can banish this card from your hand or field and 1 “Rahi” monster from your GY; change the battle positions of all face-up monsters. You can only use this effect of “Shore Turtle, Rahi” once per turn.
Shore Turtle, Shelled Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 2 | WIND Aqua | ATK 0 / DEF 1200Your opponent cannot target Fish, Sea Serpent, and/or Aqua “Rahi” Monster Cards you control with card effects. If your opponent activates a card or effect: You can banish 2 “Rahi” cards from your hand and/or face-up field, including this card; Special Summon 1 Fish, Sea Serpent, or Aqua “Rahi” Tuner from your Deck. You can only use this effect of “Shore Turtle, Shelled Rahi” once per turn.
While I did enjoy it’s previous position-changing gimmick (originally stolen from Speedroid Menko) and would have liked to keep it, in a post-Link era with a questionably relevant Battle Phase, it just would be totally worthless except for the unlikely case where it totally walls of your opponent, which isn’t very fun and interactive either. So instead, this “slow and harmless” creature has turned into something that slowpoke triggers after your opponent does something (this is not a Quick Effect), bringing you something potentially less harmless to the field, in the best case even a live Ruki on turn 0. Or you can go into another copy of itself and enjoy targeting protection, because this turtle can fly. Also it’s WIND now, because this turtle can fly.
And while I did say this deck doesn’t care about boss monsters, there’s still one for when you’ve managed to spam a whole lot of bodies onto the field.
Mana Ko, Guardian Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 11 | LIGHT Aqua | ATK 3500 / DEF 28001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner “Rahi” monsters
Control of this card cannot switch. The ATK of all face-up monsters your opponent controls is halved during their Battle Phase only. When this card that was Synchro Summoned using exactly 1 non-Tuner monster as material leaves the field: Special Summon that non-Tuner monster from your GY. This card that was Synchro Summoned using 2 or more non-Tuner monsters as material cannot be targeted or destroyed by your opponent’s card effects.
Mana Ko, Guardian Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 11 | LIGHT Aqua | ATK 3500 / DEF 28001+ “Rahi” Tuners + 1+ non-Tuner “Rahi” monsters
Control of this card cannot switch. Other cards you control cannot be destroyed by your opponent’s card effects. (Quick Effect): You can banish this card; Special Summon any number of Fish, Sea Serpent, and/or Aqua “Rahi” monsters from your GY and/or banishment, whose total Levels equal 10 or less, and if you do, banish 1 card on the field. You can only use this effect of “Mana Ko, Guardian Rahi” once per turn.
The Mana Ko is the biggest thing in our Extra Deck, and is truly exclusive in that all its materials must be Rahi (NEW: multiple Tuners are allowed, works better in Fish/Aqua/Sea Serpents that way). Secretly trained by the Order of Mata Nui, it is immune to mental manipulation … and that’s where the similarities between the versions end. You see, the ATK reduction that follows was meant to represent its disintegration beams (hinting how I’m going to do Guurahk a bit down the line, by the way), but upon rechecking their novel appearance and the guidebooks … it turns out no such thing exists. They just shoot explosive blasts. So back to the drawing board it was, and now it just does something that fits right into the deck’s supposed non-reliance on boss monsters: It fucks right off, bringing back just a smidgen less than the material used on it and making something go kaboom with a banish along the way. While it’s around, though, it does also protect the rest of your field from destruction, because that goes well with both the name “Guardian” and the fact that your opponent can’t steal it.
A total of three more Aqua Pendulums were introduced in BBTS, but curiously, only two of them have remained Pendulums, acting as a secondary pair of scales. Those are the Ghekula and the Keras . No need to say much about their updates, as I really just translated the same ideas they were already based on to the mechanics of the new strategy. The Ghekula causes your opponent bad luck for harming it (even accidentally), and the Keras is generic support for low-Level WATER monsters that hates Defense Position monsters, representing its role as an anti-Bohrok mount for Ga-Matoran. The latter also doesn’t have the effect to recycle itself if banished, instead investing that word count into a way to Special Summon it from hand – having variety doesn’t hurt.
And what of the third new card? Well, the Waikiru became a Synchro.
Waikiru, Walrus Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | WATER Aqua | ATK 1800 / DEF 1000Pendulum Scale = 5
[ Pendulum Effect ]
When the battle position of a face-up monster(s) you control is changed: You can apply this effect until the end of this turn, depending on that monster’s new battle position.
● Attack Position: It gains ATK equal to its Level/Rank x 200.
● Defense Position: It cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects.
You can only use this effect of “Waikiru, Walrus Rahi” once per turn. If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster that was Summoned using this card as Synchro Material gains this effect.
●Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can change the battle position of up to 2 face-up monsters on the field that have the same battle position.
Waikiru, Walrus Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 5 | WATER Aqua | ATK 1800 / DEF 10001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card is Special Summoned: You can banish 1 Fish, Sea Serpent, or Aqua “Rahi” monster from your Deck. (Quick Effect): You can banish this card; Special Summon up to 2 Fish, Sea Serpent, and/or Aqua “Rahi” monsters from your GY and/or banishment, whose total Levels equal 4 or less. You can only use 1 “Waikiru, Walrus Rahi” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
This is one of the most total redesigns, going from a battle position manipulator to a Gold Sarc on, uh, fins that can alternatively do a miniature version of the Mana Ko’s tagout. However, the lore behind it remains the idea of a creature that is “slow on land and swift in the water” – even though it’s now mostly the latter part with how it can run away from the destruction a banished Takea would attempt. I guess the shared hard once per turn on both effects that I added because it felt broken otherwise could be considered the “slow” portion.
Lastly, three new additions fresh off the virtual printer. One is a stealth-add to BCOR and a Level 1 Tuner: The Lightfish that illuminates the huts of Ga-Koro.
Lightfish, Luminescent Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 1 | WATER Fish | ATK 700 / DEF 100While face-up on the field, this card becomes LIGHT. (Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your hand or GY, then target 1 monster your opponent controls; apply 1 of these effects.
●Change its battle position. ●Discard 1 card, and if you do, that face-up monster cannot activate its effects this turn.
It doesn’t do a whole lot, but it’s an easily accessible self-banishing quick effect, which is neat both for the Ga-Koro deck (to get high chain links) and for this one (to trigger Takea or Keras in the Pendulum Zone). Don’t read anything into the part where it becomes LIGHT on the field, that’s just because they glow “as long as they’re alive”. And so it can be a LIGHT Fish in some way at least.
… I just noticed this has the same stats as the Ruki. That’s a copypaste error, should be more like 100/100 probably. Can’t catch ’em all, just one more thing to fix in a future update!
MKT Fish, Biting Rahi
Tuner Effect MonsterLevel 3 | DARK Fish | ATK 900 / DEF 300If this card you control would be used as Synchro Material, you can treat it as a non-Tuner. During your opponent’s Main Phase, you can (Quick Effect): Immediately after this effect resolves, Synchro Summon using Fish, Sea Serpent, and/or Aqua monsters you control, including this card. You can only use this effect of “MKT Fish, Biting Rahi” once per turn.
What’s those random letters? Those are my refusal to write a “not treated as” clause into this text, because the proper name of this creature is “Makuta Fish“. It’s basically a slightly bigger Ruki that appears here and there in the novels and doesn’t do anything special, so for the effect I just went with what I felt would be fun and made it a way to perform all kinds of Quick Synchro plays in addition to your base strategy – that gives us something to do with the Extra Deck space at least.
Rahi from the Depths
TrapTarget any number of “Rahi” monsters you control; all monsters your opponent currently controls lose ATK/DEF equal to the total ATK of those monsters you control (until the end of this turn), then you can destroy 1 monster your opponent controls with 0 ATK or DEF. You can banish this card from your GY; Special Summon 1 Fish, Sea Serpent, or Aqua “Rahi” monster from your GY or banishment, but its ATK/DEF become 0. You can only use 1 “Rahi from the Depths” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
And the final one is a new Trap card, based on the novel-only scene featuring an early (distant) look at Metru Nui’s Great Temple Squid. The idea is to have tentacles restraining your opponent’s monsters, perhaps even crushing one if it’s weak enough – late in testing, I realized this part should probably be 0 ATK and DEF rather than or, otherwise you can take out big threats laughably easily sometimes if they’re only big one way. While this activation effect works with all Rahi, the goal was balancing it so it’s only really worth the space in decks that can also use the Type-locked revival effect in the GY, which I’m not sure the current design achieves.
Reptile Rahi
Reptiles are, and will for a good while remain, a fairly unrepresented Type among Rahi. They do, however, get a pair of Normal Pendulums as early as BCOR, whose old designs already went well with the planned “scale manipulation” gimmick. So I did my best to put together the baseline of a functioning deck with what’s available at this point.
To elaborate on said gimmick a little, it’s a hit-and-run strategy that moves monsters back and forth between the front and back rows of the field, including the Pendulum Zones. In fact, precisely that is what the two Normals sort of did and now absolutely do.
Tarakava, Lizard Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 6 | Scale 3/3 | WATER Reptile | ATK 2600 / DEF 1200Pendulum Scale = 3
[ Pendulum Effect ]
While you have a Level 6 Reptile “Rahi” Pendulum Monster Card in your other Pendulum Zone, your opponent’s cards and effects cannot be activated in response to the Pendulum Summon of a “Rahi” monster. When an opponent’s monster declares a direct attack: You can destroy this card, and if you do, Special Summon 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck.
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[ Flavor Text ]
The first thing to remember about Tarakava is that even if you can’t see them, they are always there.
Sand Tarakava, Lizard Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 6 | Scale 8/8 | EARTH Reptile | ATK 2300 / DEF 1800Pendulum Scale = 8
[ Pendulum Effect ]
While you have a Level 6 Reptile “Rahi” Pendulum Monster Card in your other Pendulum Zone, cards in your Pendulum Zones cannot be destroyed by your opponent’s card effects. Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can target 1 “Rahi” Pendulum Monster you control; place that target in your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Flavor Text ]
Sand Tarakava are slightly smaller than their Tarakava relatives. Their hunting method is to hide under the sand and wait for unsuspecting prey to come near.
Tarakava, Lizard Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 6 | Scale 1/1 | WATER Reptile | ATK 2600 / DEF 1200[ Pendulum Effect ]
When an attack is declared involving an opponent’s monster: You can target 1 Reptile “Rahi” Monster Card in your Spell & Trap Zone; Special Summon it (but it cannot attack directly this turn), and if you do, destroy that opponent’s monster. You can only use this effect of “Tarakava, Lizard Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Flavor Text ]
The first thing to remember about Tarakava is that even if you can’t see them, they are always there.
Sand Tarakava, Lizard Rahi
Normal Pendulum MonsterLevel 6 | Scale 8/8 | EARTH Reptile | ATK 2300 / DEF 1800[ Pendulum Effect ]
Reptile “Rahi” monsters in your leftmost or rightmost Main Monster Zone gain this effect.
●Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can place this card face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell, or if it is a Pendulum Monster, you can place it in your Pendulum Zone instead.
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[ Flavor Text ]
Sand Tarakava are slightly smaller than their Tarakava relatives. Their hunting method is to hide under the sand and wait for unsuspecting prey to come near.
The Tarakava is the forward motion in this equation, and being a battle-centric effect, I saw fit to give this one a major upgrade. Rather than only springing its ambush on a direct attack and doing it indirectly by destroying itself and then summoning from the Extra Deck (not the best idea under new Master Rules), it just throws a Reptile directly from the backrow at any opponent’s monster that finds itself battling, destroying the unfortunate target in the process.
The Sand Tarakava (a totally different creature, of course) provides the opposite direction of movement, the changes being that I’ve worked around the taboo on Spells having Quick Effects and that it can also put stuff into regular Spell & Trap Zones so it works with our Synchros. Speaking of which:
Ranama, Magma Toad Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 4 | FIRE Reptile | ATK 2200 / DEF 6001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
You can target 1 card your opponent controls; banish both that target and this card until the End Phase of your next turn. You can only use this effect of “Ranama, Magma Toad Rahi” once per turn.
Tarakava-Nui, Lizard King Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 7 | WATER Reptile | ATK 2900 / DEF 01 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; this card loses 1000 ATK, and if it does, shuffle that target into the Deck. You can only Special Summon “Tarakava-Nui, Lizard King Rahi(s)” once per turn.
Ranama, Lava Lurker Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 4 | FIRE Reptile | ATK 2200 / DEF 6001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
When your opponent activates a card or effect (Quick Effect): You can target 2 face-up monsters on the field, including this card; place them face-up in their owners’ Spell & Trap Zones as Continuous Spells. You can only use this effect of “Ranama, Lava Lurker Rahi” once per turn. Once per turn, during the Standby Phase, if this card is a Continuous Spell: You can destroy 1 other Monster Card in a Spell & Trap Zone, and if you do, Special Summon this card.
Tarakava-Nui, Lizard King Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 7 | WATER Reptile | ATK 2900 / DEF 01 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card is Special Summoned: You can target up to 2 cards your opponent controls; this card loses exactly 1000 ATK for each targeted card, and if it does, shuffle them into the Deck. You can only use this effect of “Tarakava-Nui, Lizard King Rahi” once per turn. Loses 1000 ATK during your Main Phase only. While this card is a Continuous Spell, “Rahi” cards you control cannot be destroyed by your opponent’s card effects.
The Ranama, now slightly renamed to mask the fact that this isn’t too much of a reptile (I really need it over here, sorry Aquas), still does its thing of dragging an opponent’s monster under the Lava and then staying there until it’s done eating. But “under the Lava” now means the backrow in accordance with the updated mechanics, and mealtime reliably ends in each Standby Phase, where the Ranama properly digests its prey and returns to feed again. Functionally, this results in something best described as “S:P at home”.
The next tier up is the Tarakava-Nui, themed on the concept of punching things so hard they go back to the Deck. That much is unchanged, but it now does so each time it’s summoned, since we’re trying to do that a whole bunch with the regular Tarakava. As a fancy little debuff, summoning it the normal way during the Main Phase only gets you one target rather than two, because it pays with its ATK and is thus limited by that otherwise useless Main Phase stat reduction. And if you somehow get it in the backrow, which it has no way to do on its own, you can enjoy some blanket protection.
The catch is, this is another of these Types without a Tuner, and since we also don’t have the sheer swarming and searching potential of BCOR Beasts, the one and only Main Deck Effect Reptile is forced to pick up the slack.
Bog Snake, Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | WATER Reptile | ATK 1500 / DEF 1500Pendulum Scale = 5
[ Pendulum Effect ]
If your opponent takes effect damage: Draw 1 card. You can only use this effect of “Bog Snake, Rahi” once per turn. If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster that was Summoned using this card as Synchro Material gains this effect.
● Each time your opponent activates a card or effect, inflict 300 damage to your opponent immediately after it resolves.
Bog Snake, Venomous Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | WATER Reptile | ATK 1500 / DEF 1500[ Pendulum Effect ]
Once per turn: You can destroy up to 2 “Rahi” Monster Cards you control, and if you do, Special Summon 1 Reptile “Rahi” Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck whose Level is less than or equal to their total Levels (this is treated as a Synchro Summon), then place it face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell.
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[ Monster Effect ]
If this card declares an attack: You can inflict 300 damage to your opponent for each Monster Card in your Spell & Trap Zone. If this card is destroyed: You can place 1 Reptile “Rahi” monster from your GY or face-up Extra Deck face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell. You can only use each effect of “Bog Snake, Venomous Rahi” once per turn.
What remains from the old focus on effect damage (you know, the venom) is just a bonus burn effect when attacking – be sure to sequence it correctly with the Tarakava for maximum value. The more important job the card adopted due to necessity is the Pendulum Effect, cheating out our Synchros … into the backrow. I’m sure they’ll find a way to come forward. For one thing, destroying the Bog Snake itself Poplars something into the backrow as well, so that right there gives a Ranama its meal for the next Standby Phase.
Overall, I still feel like there are some adjustments left to try here. For example, granting the Ranama the ability to also snatch stuff out of the GY would enhance its use as disruption and give you a way to put your other Synchros back on the field, which could then free up the Bog Snake to fetch only Pendulums from the Extra Deck and properly place them in the scales. Lacking a way to do that without a Sand Tarakava already in place really hurts the deck’s recovery at the moment.
Rahi Nui
And finally, something completely new introduced by this very release. Coming straight from the Tales of the Masks novel, an enemy of Toa from ancient times rises in a Place of Shadow.
Rahi Nui, Vengeful Chimera
Fusion Effect MonsterLevel 11 | DARK Dinosaur | ATK 3800 / DEF 22003+ “Rahi” monsters with different names
Must be Fusion Summoned, or Special Summoned from your Extra Deck by Tributing the above cards, including a DARK monster. This card’s Type is also treated as the original Types of the materials used for its Summon. If this card is Special Summoned, or your opponent Special Summons a monster(s) from the Extra Deck: You can Special Summon 1 Level 10 or lower “Rahi” monster from your Extra Deck that shares a Type with this card, also this card cannot attack for the rest of this turn. You can only use this effect of “Rahi Nui, Vengeful Chimera” once per turn.
For some reason I can’t quite explain myself, the design on this one is themed around the kind of boss fight where the big guy suddenly throws the bosses you fought previously at you – in this case, the Rahi Synchros. Befitting its chimeric nature, the ones it can get are based on the Types it has absorbed from its materials, and vengeful as it is after its previous defeat, triggering this effect keeps it from attacking that turn, almost like it’s stuck in a wall or something.
The native Type of Dinosaur does not have any targets to Summon from the Extra Deck … or didn’t, until now.
Subterranean Worm Rahi
Synchro Effect MonsterLevel 7 | DARK Dinosaur | ATK 2700 / DEF 10001 “Rahi” Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If a “Rahi” monster you control battles, inflict piercing battle damage. If this card is sent from the field to the GY: You can target 1 “Rahi” Tuner in your GY; Special Summon it. You can only use this effect of “Subterranean Worm Rahi” once per turn.
Also featured in Tales of the Masks, this supposedly ancient creature (whatever that means in Bionicle time) is always available to get with the Rahi Nui and give your whole board piercing. But it’s primary use case actually lies before that: As a DARK Rahi that lives in the Extra Deck, it provides a consistent way to access the Rahi Nui via its Contact Fusion clause. And when you do so, the Worm in the GY will trigger to bring back a Tuner, enabling further climbing with your complementary free Synchro.
Place of Shadow
Continuous Spell(This card is always treated as a “Rahi” and “Makuta” card.)
Once per turn: You can Tribute 1 monster; take 1 “Rahi” Normal Monster from your Deck or GY, and either add it to your hand or Special Summon it. If you Special Summon it, it becomes DARK. If this card is sent to the GY (except during the Damage Step): You can Fusion Summon 1 “Rahi” Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, by banishing materials from your field, GY, and/or face-up Extra Deck. You can only use this effect of “Place of Shadow” once per turn.
Another way to get DARK Rahi is this card, which fetches specifically the Rahi Normal Monsters (which are, of course, the Rahi Nui’s canon components) from the Deck. This comes at the cost of a Tribute, because I thought it would be very funny to have synergy between Place of Shadow and Lair of Darkness. It’s basically the same name, after all!
Alternatively, if you send this card straight to the GY, it works as a traditional Fusion Spell that banishes its materials from field, GY, and face-up Extra Deck, leading to a whole bunch of Types on the resulting monster if you have the setup.
The following demo video also does a good job of showing these features.
Makuta
The cards related to the overlord behind all the infected Rahi terrorizing the island also got some tweaks along the way, just to keep them up to date.
Infected Kanohi
Equip SpellDestroy all other “Kanohi” Equip Spell Cards equipped to the monster equipped with this card. During your opponent’s Standby Phase, if they control the equipped monster: Your opponent can send 1 card from their hand or field to the GY, except the equipped monster; otherwise, take control of the equipped monster. While your opponent controls the equipped monster, it cannot declare an attack unless your opponent sends 1 card from their hand or field to the GY. During your Draw Phase, if your opponent controls a face-up monster and this card is in your GY, instead of conducting your normal draw: You can add this card to your hand.
Infected Kanohi
Equip SpellDestroy all other cards equipped to the equipped monster. The equipped monster cannot declare an attack or activate its effects unless its controller sends 1 card from their hand or field to the GY. During your opponent’s Standby Phase, if they control the equipped monster: Your opponent can send 1 other card from their hand or field to the GY; otherwise, take control of the equipped monster. During your Draw Phase, if your opponent controls a face-up monster and this card is in your GY, instead of conducting your normal draw: You can add this card to your hand.
The Infected Kanohi got what could as this point be called a fairly standard modernization update of also restricting effect activations in additon to attacks. And it now does so even after control of that monster changes to you, because if you think about it, the struggle against the infection doesn’t end even after it manages to turn you against your allies.
The Makuta
Ritual Effect MonsterLevel 2 | DARK Fiend | ATK 1500 / DEF 1500You can Ritual Summon this card with “I am Nothing”. Must be Ritual Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If this card is Ritual Summoned: Return all Special Summoned Level/Rank 5 or higher monsters on the field to the hand. You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 “Rahi” monster from your hand, Deck, or GY whose Level is less than or equal to the number of monsters in your GY. You can only use this effect of “The Makuta” once per turn.
The Makuta
Ritual Effect MonsterLevel 2 | DARK Fiend | ATK 1500 / DEF 1500You can Ritual Summon this card with “I am Nothing”. If this card is Ritual Summoned: You can return all Special Summoned monsters on the field with 2000 or more ATK to the hand. You can Tribute 1 DARK monster; add 1 “Rahi” card from your Deck or GY to your hand, then you can Special Summon 1 monster from your hand whose Level is less than or equal to the number of monsters in your GY. You can only use this effect of “The Makuta” once per turn.
Makuta himself sticks to the concept of being a small Ritual Monster that mass removes large Special Summoned monsters on Summon and brings out a Rahi. But the definition of “large” has been updated to suit the standard Toa identifier of >=2000 ATK – ideally this would just have been Extra Deck monsters, since it’s based on the Toa Kaita coming undone in Makuta’s presence, but I didn’t want to ruin the Kaiju Makuta synergy. The effect to get a monster has also been upgraded to get any “Rahi” card, and after doing that you get to Summon something from hand based on how stacked your GY is, meaning the old use cases are still intact, among many others. And the change in cost is once again meant for Lair of Darkness synergy.
Mangaia, Lair of Makuta
Field SpellWhen this card is activated: You can add 1 “Makuta” Ritual Monster or 1 Ritual Spell Card from your Deck to your hand. Once per turn: You can send up to 4 cards from the top of your Deck to the GY, and if you do, increase the Level/Rank of all Special Summoned monsters your opponent controls by 1 for each, until the end of this turn. You cannot Special Summon monsters the turn you activate this effect, except “Makuta” monsters. Summons of “Makuta” monsters and the activation of their effects cannot be negated. If this card is in your GY: You can destroy 1 Spell/Trap Card you control, and if you do, add this card to your hand, but it cannot be activated for the rest of this turn.
Mangaia, Lair of Makuta
Field SpellWhen this card is activated: You can add 1 “Makuta” Ritual Monster or 1 Ritual Spell from your Deck to your hand. Once per turn: You can send cards from the top of your Deck to the GY, equal to the number of Special Summoned monsters your opponent controls; the ATK of all Special Summoned monsters your opponent currently controls become 2000, until the end of this turn. If this card is in your GY: You can destroy 1 Spell/Trap you control, and if you do, add this card to your hand. You can only activate 1 “Mangaia, Lair of Makuta” per turn.
Speaking of Lairs: The wall of text that was Mangaia got cut down a bit, specifically by removing the clause preventing responses to your Makuta summons and effects – while appropriately villainous, that kind of noninteractive clause is still the thing I’m most ready to cut given the choice. Its generic milling effect has been depowered by tying it to the number of your opponent’s Special Summoned monsters, and adjusted to suit Makuta’s own new text. And rather than not being able to activate it the turn you add it back, you’re just generally limited to activating 1 per turn only.
And I guess this is a fairly reasonable point to bring up one more Rahi that’s technically Aqua, but exists outside that Type’s strategy to instead act as support for all the different Normal Pendulums representing the large sets from 2001. I’m talking about the guardians of Mangaia that did in fact release in that same wave of toys: The Manas.
Manas, Monstrous Crab Rahi
Effect MonsterLevel 10 | DARK Aqua | ATK 3200 / DEF 2600Cannot be targeted or destroyed by your opponent’s card effects. Once per turn, if a Spell/Trap Card is activated: This card gains 800 ATK until the end of this turn. During your Standby Phase: Return this Special Summoned card to your hand.
Manas, Monstrous Crab Rahi
Effect MonsterLevel 10 | DARK Aqua | ATK 3200 / DEF 2600Gains 400 ATK/DEF for each face-up Spell/Trap on the field. You can only use each of the following effects of “Manas, Monstrous Crab Rahi” once per turn. You can discard this card; add 1 “Rahi” Normal Monster from your Deck to your hand. During your opponent’s turn, if you control a “Rahi” Normal Monster Card (Quick Effect): You can Special Summon this card from your GY, and if you do, it is unaffected by other monsters’ effects, also return it to the hand during the End Phase.
Initially, this was a big protected beater you were meant to Tribute Summon over whatever you spam with the Pendulum Rahi, to the point where it wouldn’t even stay on the field if Summoned another way. After some thorough reconsidering, its primary function is now discarding it to search a Normal Monster, and on the opponent’s turn it can be Special Summoned as a wall that’s hard to get over (in fact, it’s specifically designed so a Toa Kaita can’t deal with it except by taking out the backrow “heating towers” granting it strength). Doing this still makes it return to your hand, as before, but now that just means you can discard it for another search.
Yes, I am Nothing received no changes. Can’t fix perfection.
The Rest
One Rahi and one ex-Rahi remain, by virtue of not being at home in any of the listed strategies.
The first is a Dragon that can work with them all: the Hikaki.
Hikaki, Dragon Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 4 | Scale 5/5 | FIRE Dragon | ATK 1900 / DEF 700Pendulum Scale = 5
[ Pendulum Effect ]
When a “Rahi” monster(s) is Special Summoned: You can add 1 “Rahi” Tuner from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of “Hikaki, Dragon Rahi” once per turn. If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.
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[ Monster Effect ]
A Synchro Monster that was Summoned using this card as Synchro Material gains this effect.
● When a Trap Card is activated (Quick Effect): You can shuffle 1 face-up “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck into the Deck; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card.
Hikaki, Dragon Rahi
Xyz Effect MonsterRank 3 | FIRE Dragon | ATK 1900 / DEF 7002+ Level 3 monsters
If this card is Xyz Summoned: You can detach 1 material from this card; add 1 “Rahi” monster from your Deck to your hand. If a “Rahi” monster(s) is sent to your GY (except during the Damage Step): You can detach 1 material from this card, then target 1 face-up card on the field; destroy it. You can only use each effect of “Hikaki, Dragon Rahi” once per turn.
The initial use case this was meant for was getting from Beast combos into those otherwise unsearchable Insect Tuners, so really not too different from its old Pendulum Effect if you think about it. But it also has applications in other decks with multiple Level 3s, like Marine Rahi, and even in those without since it can be made generically with the Terrortop engine.
The second one has been taken out of the Rahi archetype entirely, since it technically isn’t one. “I can’t be a Rahi?”, said the Daikau. “Then I’ll be a Trap Hole, fuck you.”
Daikau, Floral Rahi
Pendulum Effect MonsterLevel 3 | Scale 2/2 | WATER Plant | ATK 1500 / DEF 300Pendulum Scale = 2
[ Pendulum Effect ]
You can send 1 “Rahi” Pendulum Monster from your Deck to the GY; all monsters your opponent currently controls lose ATK equal to that monster’s ATK, until the end of this turn. You can only use this effect of “Daikau, Floral Rahi” once per turn.
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[ Monster Effect ]
If this card is sent to the GY: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower WATER monster from your GY, except this card. If this card is banished: You can discard 1 “Rahi” card, then target 1 monster with 2000 or less ATK on the field; destroy it. You can only use 1 “Daikau, Floral Rahi” effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Daikau Trap Hole
TrapWhen a monster with less than 2000 ATK activates its effect on the field: You can destroy that monster, and if it was Normal or Special Summoned this turn, you can Special Summon this card as a Normal Monster (Plant/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 0). (This card is NOT treated as a Trap.) If this card is in your GY: You can banish 1 Insect or Plant monster you control; Set this card. You can only use this effect of “Daikau Trap Hole” once per turn.
I wonder if anyone would bother playing this in Traptrix.
Closing Thoughts
From the moment I first put out the original versions of these cards in … 2016 I think?, I wasn’t happy with how they turned out. I even said as much in the design notes back then – I didn’t finish, I just decided to be done and move on. So you can imagine I am now very relieved to finally have this done properly. There’s still room for fixes and adjustments, as noted above, but at the very least, the archetype is now in a state where the future support that will surely come has clear design directions to follow.
Aside from that, I have to say this was fun. Way too much work at once, but still fun. I got to nerd out over a spreadsheet, write what is basically a guidebook on Rahi zoology as applied to card games, think up a bunch of cool effects and interactions, and even build some Rahi that only ever appeared in text form – the Lava Rat, Subterranean Worm, Makuta Fish, and Rahi Nui you see here are all original creations. It’s certainly a mix of creative activities I couldn’t be getting any other way.
Now, dear reader, whether you’ve made it this far through all of the above or you just scrolled and skimmed your way down here, I thank you very much for your attention and hope to eventually have it again when the Time comes.
The next update after this will be in a few months.
