Scareclaw is a Control deck in Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel, using certain Link Monsters to force all other monsters to Defense Position, and be stronger for each one. Check out the core deck list, key combos, as well as how to play & counters!

Scareclaw Deck List

Main Deck: 40 cards
x3	x3	x3	x3	x3
x3	x2	x2	x1	x1
x3	x2	x2	x2	x1
x1	x1	x2	x1	x1
Extra Deck: 15 cards
x1	x1	x1	x1	x1
x2	x2	x1	x1	x1
x1	x1	x1	-	-

Scareclaw Breakdown

Monsters

Spells

Traps

Extra

Rarity	Name	Qty
	Scareclaw Reichheart	3
	Maxx "C"	3
	Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring	3
	Visas Starfrost	1
	Kashtira Fenrir	1
	Droll & Lock Bird	2
	Scareclaw Kashtira	2
	Scareclaw Astra	3
	Scareclaw Belone	3
	Scareclaw Acro	3

Rarity	Name	Qty
	Reinforcement of the Army	1
	Primitive Planet Reichphobia	3
	Called by the Grave	2
	Raigeki	2
	Crossout Designator	1
	Scareclaw Straddle	1
	Scareclaw Arrival	2

Rarity	Name	Qty
	Infinite Impermanence	2
	Scareclaw Sclash	1
	Scareclaw Twinsaw	1

Rarity	Name	Qty
	Virtual World Kyubi - Shenshen	1
	Baronne de Fleur	1
	Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying	1
	Salamangreat Almiraj	1
	Scareclaw Light-Heart	2
	Knightmare Unicorn	1
	Scareclaw Tri-Heart	2
	Unchained Abomination	1
	Tri-Brigade Shuraig the Ominous Omen	1
	Accesscode Talker	1
	Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir	1
	Knightmare Phoenix	1
	Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy	1

Tier Evaluation

Tier Ranking
Tier 1
Deck Archetype		Deck Difficulty
Aggro		Easy
Deck Evaluation
Revolves around Scarclaw Tri-Heart, forcing all other monsters to Defense Position and is immune to their effects while on the field Scareclaw monsters pointed by Tri-Heart's Link Markers give the Link Monster additional effects Boosted even more now with the arrival of Kashtira support

Scareclaw Deck Guide: How to Play

Playstyle and Win Condition

The Scareclaw archetype is an interesting set of cards that functions as both as a beatdown deck, and a floodgate control effect. All of it comes down to its playstyle, centralized around its signature Link Monster in the Extra Deck. While it heavily leans on its strength as a Link-based deck, it can pivot into other boss monsters as well, including Synchros and Xyz to either control the field or be as aggressive as possible.

For low-rarity cards, the Scareclaw monsters all serve a key purpose to boost their boss monster, Scareclaw Tri-Heart. Each of the monsters have lingering effects as they remain face-up on the field, which more than makes up for the fact that three of them have 0 ATK. Some of them also gain another effect when being summoned if there are three or more monsters on the field in Defense Position, which is easy to fulfill through Tri-Heart's effect.

Scareclaw Acro searches out a Scareclaw Spell or Trap from the Deck, and can draw a card as a second effect. Scareclaw Astra provides monsters in the Extra Monster Zone additional attacks based on the number of Scareclaw monsters in Defense Position. Scareclaw Belone provides the same support by granting piercing battle damage to monsters in the Extra Monster Zone.

Scareclaw Reichheart is an integral card among the Scareclaw Main Deck monsters, as it's the main searcher; summoning this card lets the player search out a Scareclaw Spell/Trap. If there are three or more monsters in Defense Position, the player gets an additional draw.

Scareclaw Light-Heart can only use materials in the Main Monster Zone to be summoned, and for good reason. Summoning this card to the Extra Monster Zone lets the player search out a copy of Primitive Planet Reichphobia. This card can also be Special Summoned from the GY if the player controls a Visas Starfrost on the field, enabling Link Climbing with other Link Monters.

The main floodgate and boss monster for the Deck is Scareclaw Tri-Heart. As long as this card is face-up on the field, all monsters on the field are forced in Defense Position. On top of that, this card has immunity to effects from said monsters in Defense Position--except for fellow Scareclaw Monsters mentioned above. Its second effect acts as both a Special Summon and a search in one go, being able to Summon a Scareclaw monster to get more effects and adding a card from the Deck to the hand for card advantage.

Activating Primitive Planet Riechphobia immeidately grants an advantage, as it searches out either a Scareclaw monster or a Visas Starfrost to add to the hand. It also debilitiates the opponent, decreasing their stats for every monster on the field in Defense Position. If there are three or more monsters in Defense Position, this card also gains a card destruction effect.

The different Scareclaw Spells and Traps are all to supplement either the pressure or the offensive firepower of the Deck. Scareclaw Arrival can Special Summon a Scareclaw monster or Visas Starfrost from the GY, and provides protection to a Scareclaw Link Monster. Scareclaw Straddle can choose between boosting the stats of one of your monsters based on a monster the opponent controls, or negating a targeting effect. Scareclaw Sclash can allow Scareclaw monsters in Defense Position to attack while this Continuous Trap is face-up, applying damage to whether ATK or DEF is higher, while also acting as an omni-negate.

Visas Starfrost is a card that enables a lot of the shenanigans done by Special Summoning Scareclaw monsters. It can Special Summon itself by destroying a monster wiith a different Type and Attribute from this Monster Card. It can also gain ATK equal to half the original ATK or DEF (whichever is higher) of a monster it destroys.

Parallel eXceed can be used as fodder to Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck, whether it is for Synchro, Xyz or Link Monsters. Activating its effect can have two copies of this monster on the field immediately, and being Special Summoned by a copy's effect halves the monster's stats and Level, providing flexibility.

Scareclaw Counters: How to Beat

Best Decks to Use Against Pure Scareclaw

Branded Fusion

All the various versions of the Branded Fusion Decks have quite a lot of options on hand to deal with Scareclaw Decks. Especially if the Branded Decks run copies of Super Polymerization, and they can use some of the monsters in a Scareclaw Deck as material by virtue of some of them being DARK monsters.

Thunder Dragons

Thunder Dragon Decks are pretty notorious for having consistency being unparalleled. Add to the fact that it can be splashed to other Decks, and its boss monsters like Thunder Dragon Colossus and Thunder Dragon Titan can disrupt a Scareclaw Deck with their floodgate-like effects.

Thunder Dragon Deck Guide

Swordsoul

Another powerhouse when it comes to consistency, Swordsoul Decks have a powerful combo that can bring out powerful Synchro Monsters like Swordsoul Grandmaster - Chixiao and Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying. They have an uncanny ability to turn things around even with just one card, so be ready for anything they can draw from the top of the Deck.

Tenyi Swordsoul Deck Guide

Best Cards to Tech Against Pure Scareclaw

	Nibiru, the Primal Being
	Because of how reliant Scareclaw Tri-Heart is with the monsters pointed at by its Link Markers, a Pure Scareclaw Deck can end up doing more Special Summons than it realizes. Nibiru, the Primal Being can take advantage of it, and because most of its Main Deck Scareclaw monsters have 0 ATK, the low total ATK of the Token summoned by this card can be taken advantage of by the opponent.
	Skill Drain
	One of the three Synchro Boss Monsters, Virtual World Kyubi - Shenshen is one of the best Synchro Monsters to add to this Deck. Its presence on the field already acts as a form of disruption, as any cards sent to the field to the GY are instead banished. It also has an effect to Special Summon itself back onto the field, so long as the activation requirements are met.
	Super Polymerization
	A very powerful Fusion Spell against DARK-heavy Decks, Super Polymerization is a great counter to run against Scareclaw Decks. The player going against Scareclaws can run this card and a copy of Starving Venom Fusion Dragon for an easy out against the Link Monster, and provides a floating effect that wipes the opponent of their monsters should it be destroyed.
	Forbidden Droplet
	By discarding cards equal to the number of monsters that need their effects negated, Forbidden Droplet can bypass the floodgate effect of Scareclaw Tri-Heart. It is also a Quick Effect, meaning the only way to stop the activation of this effect is with an effect of the same Spell Speed--meaning another Quick-Play Spell, or a Counter Trap Card.

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