Is "Pure P.U.N.K" now viable? | Power of the Elements (POTE)

 Hey RespectYGOers! Arcknight here and today, we're going to cover the underdog of Deck Build Pack: Grand Creators (DBGC) which is P.U.N.K who received new support cards in Power of the Elements(POTE). Let's get started!

After its release, it didn't get much attention compared to Adventurer Token and Exosister due to the fact that the combo doesn't have any solid opening unless you incorporate the good-stuff Synchro engine. Post-DIFO, the deck gained its strength in the form of Therions and Deer-Note which allowed you to dodge Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring at least. The deck gained some popularity in the form of Therions P.U.N.K but then later on got overshadowed by new archetypes like Splights and Tearalaments after Power of the Elements (POTE) arrived. 

With the arrival of Power of the Elements (POTE), the deck received new cards which are P.U.N.K Jam Dragon Drive and P.U.N.K Jam Extreme Session. P.U.N.K Jam Dragon Drive provided consistency by searching any level 3 Psychic-type monster and also act as a free level 8 body every time your P.U.N.K cards get responded to while P.U.N.K Jam Extreme Session gave the deck free draws and the ability to special summon your extenders from hand. With a meta where going first and consistency are big deals, can P.U.N.K get the spotlight it deserves?

In this article, I'll provide a sample deck list, tech and ratio explanations as well as basic combo. 

Deck Profile:

Total: 40

Monsters: 30

1 Nibiru the Primal Being

3 Noh-P.U.N.K Ogre Dance

3 Noh-P.U.N.K Foxy Tune

2 Noh-P.U.N.K Dear Note

2 Ukiyoe P.U.N.K Sharukasai

1 Gagaku P.U.N.K Wagon

1 Joruri P.U.N.K Madame Spider

3 Noh-P.U.N.K Ze Amin

3 Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring

3 Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit

2 Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion

3 Maxx "C"

3 Effect Veiler

Spells: 6

2 Called by the Grave

1 Crossout Designator

2 Emergency Teleport

1 P.U.N.K Jam Extreme Session

Traps: 4

3 Infinite Impermanence

1 Joruri P.U.N.K Dangerous Gabu

Extra Deck: 15

1 Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K Rising Carp

1 Psychic End Punisher

2 Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K Amazing Dragon

1 Baronne De Fleur

1 Ravenous Crocodragon Archethys

1 Chaos Ruler, the Chaotic Magical Dragon

1 Borreload Savage Dragon

2 P.U.N.K Jam Dragon Drive

1 Black Rose Dragon

1 Formula Synchron

1 Accesscode Talker

1 Selene, the Sacred Sovereign of Magic

1 Crystron Halqifibrax

Tech Choices and Ratio

• While Therion can give you protection while Therions King Regulus is up, this also puts you at risk of having brick hands. On the other hand, while the good-stuff synchro engine can provide insane amount of draw power with the help of T.G Hyper Librarian, opponent negating Crystron Halqifibrax and Mecha-Phantom Beast Auroradon could be game over. Hi-risk, Hi-reward as they say.
• Yes, 18 hand traps on this sample build. With Splight dominating the meta, your best bet to survive is to ensure there are multiple hand traps on your first five or it could be game over the moment two level 2 monsters landed. If you feel 18 handtraps are a bit overkill, you can playaround with 15 or less and add consistency engines like Pot of Prosperity or Pot of Desires. In my case, I prefer surviving when going second.
• I maxed Ogre Dance and Foxy tune as they can bring out Ze amin which is the core of the deck or Deer Note if I already have a level 3 tuner. 
• The rest of the handtraps are pretty much self explanatory (Ash, Maxx C, Impermanence, Effect Veiler).
• The extra deck line-up isn't fixed. You can tech other cards for as long as you have the mainstay monsters (Dragon Drive, Amazing Dragon, Psychic End Punisher and Carp Rising.)
• Wagon and Madame Spider are both at 1 to search the theme field spell and trap.
• P.U.N.K JAM Dragon Drive can search one of Splight's most hated hand traps: Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit.

Note that some of the card ratios are based on my own preferences after various testing against the current meta in OCG April 2022.

Basic Combo:

Now on the exciting part, here are some combos you can try. 

Combo 1: 3 Interruptions + Free 3 draws

Cards needed: 

A. Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K Sharukasai + 1 P.U.N.K monster

B. Foxy Tune + 1 card

C. Ze Amin (To add Foxy Tune) + 1 card

D. Emergency Teleport to Ze-Amin (Add Sharukasai)

1. Normal Summon Sharukasai, pay 600, fusion summon Carp Rising using the P.U.N.K monster in your hand.
2. Use Card Rising Effect, tribute itself > special summon Deer Note and Wagon. 
3. Use Wagon's effect > add Extreme Session, activate Extreme Session.
4. Use Deer Note + Wagon = Synchro Summon LV8 (Dragon Drive)
5. Form Chain: CL1 Dragon Drive - Pay 600 (Search Madame Spider) - CL2 Deer Note , revive Sharukasai. Resolve chain.
6. Extreme Session will let you draw 1 card. Use Extreme Session to special summon the added Madame Spider by banishing a P.U.N.K monster in your GY. 
7. Madame Spider - Pay 600 - add Dangerous Gabu. 
8. Extreme Session will let you draw an additional card.
9. Use Madame Spider and Sharukasai to link summon Crystron Halqifibrax - Special Summon Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. (Or another sharukasai if you want to surprise your opponent with Amazing Dragon on their turn.)

End Board: 3 On-field Interruptions + free 2 draws from Extreme Session + 1 additional draw from Formula Synchron

1. Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit destruction effect.
2. Cystron Halqifibrax turning into Formula Synchron for additional draw (Be sure to not chain Crystron Halqifibrax to a card activation or effect so Formula Synchron's draw effect won't miss the timing. Formula Synchron can then synchro summon Baronne De Fleur using itself + P.U.N.K Jam Dragon Drive for additional negation.
3. Joruri P.U.N.K Dangerous Gabu for additional effect negation and LP gain (if used while Dragon Drive is on the field)

The additional draws can give you a chance to draw into more hand traps as well. Alternatively, you can skip the Crystron Halqifibrax route and Madame Spider Route by just adding Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. 

Conclusion:

While the combo looks promising, keep in mind that your opponent's 5 card opening hand may have interruptions that can affect your combo so it's very important to manage your card resources well and know when to use your counters against them. The deck post-POTE showed great potential. Personally, I feel that they still need further support to be able to match the strength of the current meta. They need something that prevents Nibiru, the Primal Being at least and a level 3 tuner that revives itself.

Will this finally make them viable against the meta? Share what you think the comments.

'til next time!

Arc