NOTE: This is the first Replay-paired CDS article. See the Garden Combos section for a link

Introduction to the Rikka:

All of these options considered – the Rikka deck has a lot to do with Tributing, but its quite clear that all of this tributing bears a significant cost. Without the free advantage offered by Petal returning each turn, you can quickly run out of tribute fodder on the field to work with – this is the reason why other Plant type decks are the option. So without further ado, let’s switch gears to the second archetype that excels in everything the Rikka need – Aromage!

Reintroduction to the Aromage:

First up is one of the more recent Aromages, Aromage Laurel. This Level 1 Plant is essential for its first effect – whenever you have more LP than your opponent, you can Special summon it from the hand. This is a perfect option to search with Glamour, since you can grab Petal and this at the same time, but we will get back to that later. Its second effect lets you turn a Plant monster you control into a Tuner when you gain LP. Finally, its third effect brings us home – when it is sent to the GY, you can gain 500 LP. This lets you trigger so many different things, but we will get to that in the Combos section, don’t worry.

This has been a fairly long-winded introduction to these two undervalued archetypes, but it’s definitely necessary to begin seeing the synergy between the two. Let’s check out the decklist and perhaps you will begin to see even more how these two themes are like two peas in a pod.

Sample Decklist:

Click here to view the sample decklist in the Official Card Database.

Monsters: 26
| Hellebore the Rikka Fairy
||| Snowdrop the Rikka Fairy
| Erica the Rikka Fairy
||| Mudan the Rikka Fairy
| Aromage Marjoram
| Primula the Rikka Fairy
||| Lonefire Blossom
||| Aromage Laurel
| Spore
||| Evil Thorn
||| Rikka Petal
||| Aromaseraphy Angelica

Spells: 8
| One for One
||| Rikka Glamour
| Monster Reborn
||| Aroma Gardening

Traps: 6
|| Rikka Tranquility
| Rikka Sheet
| Blessed Winds
|| Humid Winds

Extra Deck:
| Black Rose Dragon
|| Aromaseraphy Sweet Marjoram
| Aromaseraphy Rosemary
||| Teardrop the Rikka Queen
| Alsei the Sylvan High Protector
| Orea, the Sylvan High Arbiter
|| Kanzashi the Rikka Queen
| Fairy Knight Ingunar
| Sylvan Princessprite
|| Aromaseraphy Jasmine

Glamourous Combos in the Garden:

Click here to view replays using this build on YouTube.

NOTE: YGOrganization is not affiliated with any online simulator and does not promote their use over any official platform.

Additional Tech Options:

Looking Forward:

Beyond just Strenae, the future for this theme is bright. Since it directly supports any Plant archetype, Rikkas can always get stronger with the release of new Plant themes. Just like how Zombie World became the new norm for Zombie-type decks, and how each Zombie archetype or individual card released since has been judged on its ability to fit that mold. It’s quite refreshing to see a type like Plants have a resurgence, especially when each of their themes supports a different summoning mechanism (Fusions, Synchros, and Xyzs). If only we had a Ritual Plant deck to round things out nicely…

Outro:

Thanks for spending some time in the gardens with our watery queens. Hopefully you learned something new about this last archetype of the Secret Slayers triad, and I hope you try out the build because this deck can really combo chain with the best of them. Setting up a field with a bit of disruption and a lot of protection can go a long way, so go out there and plant some seeds of your own. They may blossom into something quite glamourous. Worst case scenario, just save this advice for the next Plant archetype to be released, because the Rikkas will for sure play a role there for archetypes to come. With that, thanks for reading, and catch you next time when we ReBoot a classic combination. And no, I’m not talking about cars.

Reminder, I also take suggestions for future CDS articles! I really want to see some input from you! If you wish to see a CDS article about the archetype, theme, or strategy you love, feel free to private message me on the YGOrg Discord server, the YGOrganization Forums, or just post a comment in response to this article on our Facebook page with your ideas to keep under consideration! On most YGO-related communities my username is Quincymccoy, so feel free to reach out. As of now, I have a couple of outstanding requests that I am looking into: Cyberse, Generaider, HERO, Mecha Phantom Beast, Shaddoll, Vehicroid.