Beginner’s Guide To Burning Abyss
Burning Abyss is an archetype focused around Special Summoning level 3 Fiend monsters with very powerful effects that activate if sent to the Graveyard. These effects never miss timing and revolve around maintaining card and field advantage. Dante, Traveler Of The Burning Abyss is their main boss Exceed Monster that both facilitates getting Burning Abyss monsters into the Graveyard as well as gaining card advantage. Through their powerful monster effects and amazing trap cards, Burning Abyss not only overwhelm the opponent with card advantage, but also have the ability to swiftly end duels with lethal damage.
Every Level 3 Burning Abyss Monster has a self-destructing effect that will destroy them if you control a non-Burning Abyss monster, so be careful when Exceed Summoning.
All Burning Abyss Monsters have the ability to Special Summon themselves from the hand if you control no Spell or Trap Cards. However, if you do, you cannot activate any of their other abilities for that turn.
The Original 3 Fiends:
Graff, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1000
DEF: 1500
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 "Burning Abyss" monster from your Deck,
except "Graph, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss".
Scarm, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 800
DEF: 2000
During the end Phase, if this card was sent to the Graveyard this turn: You can add 1 Level 3 DARK
Fiend-Type monster from your Deck to your hand, except "Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss".
Cir, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1600
DEF: 1200
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 "Burning Abyss" monster in your Graveyard, except
"Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss"; Special Summon it.
Barbar’s effect is relevant as even using it once means that you only need to attack with a combined direct attack
total of 3 Dantes to finish the game. With all the discard traps the deck plays, this is not such a difficult task.
Libic, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1300
DEF: 700
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 Level 3 DARK Fiend-Type monster from
your hand, but its effects are negated.
Tour Guide is the card you always want to draw as it allows you to Special Summon any Burning Abyss
Monster (usually Graff) and Exceed into a rank 3 Exceed Monster (usually Dante).
Other Burning Abyss Monsters
The following Burning Abyss Monsters are similar in that they all can be Special Summoned from the hand
and self destruct when you have a non-Burning Abyss Monster on the field. When in the hand, they are
more often than not just Special Summoned as their effects are mediocre when compared to the above
three Burning Abyss monsters.
Barbar, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1700
DEF: 1000
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can target up to 3 "Burning Abyss" monsters in your Graveyard,
except "Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss"; Banish them, and if you do, inflict 300 damage to
your opponent for each
These three cards make the Burning Abyss deck so good and consistent. They ensure that you always
have a Burning Abyss card in your field or hand and can be used aggressively to swarm the field with
Dante, Traveler Of The Burning Abyss. They work whenever sent to the Graveyard and never miss timing,
meaning they get their effect when detached as an Exceed Material or when discarded for a Trap Card.
Tour Guide From The Underworld
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1000
DEF: 600
When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 level 3 Fiend-Type monster from your
hand or Deck. Its effects are negated and it cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster.
His effect is great when your Tour Guide's effect gets negated by your opponent's card effect and you're
stuck with a non-Burning Abyss monster on your field. By Normal summoning him on your following turn,
you can Special Summon a Burning Abyss without the self destruction effect and use that Burning Abyss
and Tour Guide to Exceed into a Dante.
Alich, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1200
DEF: 0
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 face-up monster on the field; negate its effects until
the end of this turn.
While his effect isn't used very often, there are some possible applications. One application is discarding
him during your opponent's turn through a discard Trap to negate an opponent's monster's effect. However,
you would not be able to chain the discard trap to an already activated monster's effect, as Alich will
activate on a new chain link after that opponent's monster's effect resolved. Another application for Alich is
using him as an Exceed material for Acid Golemn. During your next turn when you detach for Acid Golemn's
effect, detach Alich to negate Acid Golemn's effect to allow you to Special Summon again.
Farfa, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1600
DEF: 1200
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 monster on the field; banish it until the end of this turn.
This card was mainly used during past formats where Nekroz utilized a Djinn lock, making opponent's unable
to Special Summon. While players don't have to worry about this anymore, Farfa still has his uses. His ability
can be useful when going for game, or for temporarily banishing problem cards like Vanity's Fiend.
Rubic, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 100
DEF: 2100
No unique effect
Cagna, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1600
DEF: 1200
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can send 1 "Burning Abyss" Spell/ Trap Card from your Deck to the
Graveyard.
Some players use Cagna in decks that use Good & Evil In The Burning Abyss. While Good & Evil is great w
hen its in your Graveyard, it really slows you down when it's in your hand, and therefore I do not recommend
using Good & Evil or Cagna.
Calcab, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1400
DEF: 0
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 set Spell/ Trap Card on the field; return that target to
the hand.
As Calcab is limited to only set Spell or Traps, its effect does not have much real use.
Draghig, Malebranche Of The Burning Abyss
Level 3 DARK Fiend
Effect Monster
ATK: 1100
DEF: 900
If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can choose 1 "Burning Abyss" card from your Deck and place it on
the top of your Deck.
Draghig doesn't really do much, and is only somewhat effective in very specific scenarios. I wouldn't
recommend using him.
Extra Deck Burning Abyss Monsters
Dante, Traveler Of The Burning Abyss
Rank 3 Light Warrior
Exceed Monster
2 Level 3 Monsters
ATK: 1000
DEF: 2500
(1) Once per turn: You can detach 1 Exceed Material from this card and choose a number from 1 to 3, then
send that many cards from the top of your Deck to the Graveyard; until the end of this turn, this card gains
500 ATK for each card sent to the Graveyard this way.
(2) If this card attacks, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase.
(3) If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 "Burning Abyss" card in your Graveyard, except this
card; add it to your hand.
The go to Exceed Monster, Dante is insane in that he triggers your Burning Abyss monsters and brings back
any Burning Abyss card to your hand when sent to the Graveyard. Note that Cir can Special Summon Dante
from the Graveyard, and create a soft loop by adding back Cir to your hand when that Dante is sent to the
Graveyard. Expect to summon all three of your copies of Dante every duel.
Virgil, Rock Star Of The Burning Abyss
Level 6 Light Spellcaster
Synchro Monster
ATK: 2500
DEF: 1000
(1) Once per turn: You can discard 1 "Burning Abyss" card, then target 1 card your opponent controls or in
their Graveyard; shuffle it into the deck.
(2) If this card on the field is destroyed by battle or card effect and sent to the Graveyard: You can draw 1
card. You can only use this effect of "Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss" once per turn.
Virgil allows you to clear any threat your monster may have, whether that be a monster that Dante can't get
over, a Spell or Trap, or any other card on the field or Graveyard. Note that he can be Special Summoned
from the Graveyard through Cir.
Dante, Pilgrim Of The Burning Abyss
Level 9 Light Fairy
Fusion Monster
3 "Burning Abyss" monsters with different names
ATK: 2800
DEF: 2500
(1) Cannot be targeted by an opponent's card effects
(2) Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can send 1 "Burning Abyss" card from your hand to the
Graveyard; draw 1 card.
(3) If this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, or if this card you control is sent to your
Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can send 1 random card from your opponent's hand to the
Graveyard.
While he has decent effects, unfortunately this Dante is too difficult to get out, with the player needing 3
different Burning Abyss monsters as well as the underwhelming Fusion Spell card. Therefore, this card
does not see any play. Although note that The Terminus of the Burning Abyss (the Fusion Spell) is an out
to Towers when used in the Graveyard to increase Dante or Virgil's attack by 800.
The Traps
The Traveler And The Burning Abyss
Target any number of "Burning Abyss" monsters in your Graveyard that were sent there this turn; Special
Summon them in Defense Position. You can only activate 1 "The Traveler and the Burning Abyss" per turn.
While this card has seen little to no play in the past, more and more players have started to utilize this card
in builds playing large amounts of Burning Abyss monsters. This card essentially acts as a costless Soul
Charge, although arguably slower as it is a Trap Card. However, it makes up for its slowness by being
borderline broken when resolved. Note that this card can be brought back from the Graveyard to your
hand through Dante when he is sent to the Graveyard
Fire Lake Of The Burning Abyss
Target any number of "Burning Abyss" monsters in your Graveyard that were sent there this turn; Special
Summon them in Defense Position. You can only activate 1 "The Traveler and the Burning Abyss" per turn.
In a Trap heavy format, Fire Lake is one of the best cards Burning Abyss could ask for. Resolving this card
on your opponent's End Phase after they set Spell/ Trap cards usually means a Burning Abyss victory. Seeing
as how Dante can add this card back to your hand if it's in the Graveyard, there's really not much reason not
to play this card.
Other Cards To Use
Kuribandit: Milling Graff, Cir, or Scarm along with any combination of Spell/ Traps really puts you ahead.
Beginning Of The End: Resolving this card usually results in the Burning Abyss player winning the duel.
Skill Drain: Burning Abyss are able to play relatively unharmed through Skill Drain. While it does stop Dante from increasing his attack, Tour Guide's effect, and Virgil's effect, it will generally make it so that your opponent can't play Yugioh. As such, it is recommended to play several copies of Acid Golemn and let Skill Drain help you out. Also note that when Skill Drain is up, your Burning Abyss monsters will not self destruct when you have a non-Burning Abyss Monster on the field.
Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force: Using this card on your Rank 3 Exceed monsters allows you to summon powerful monsters like Constellar Pleiades, Volcasaurus, and Heraldry Chrest of Horror (an out to Apoqliphort Towers).
Mathematician: Send Graff to Special a self destructing Scarm to not only set up your Graveyard but to also search for a Tour Guide. Or send a Libic to Special Summon a negated effect Burning Abyss monster from your hand to Exceed Summon into Dante.
Crane Crane: Acts similarly to Tour Guide but from the Graveyard instead of from your Deck or hand.
Extra Deck:
Besides the Burning Abyss Extra Deck Monsters and Downerd Magician, this is a standard Rank 3 Extra Deck
If you play Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force, you should consider including Constellar Pleiades, Volcasaurus, Grenosaurus, Heraldry Chrest of Horror, and Chronomaly Crystal Chrononaut.
Tips and Plays
(On your first turn, or if your Graveyard isn't set up) If playing Mathematician, instead of directly sending Libic or Scarm to the Graveyard, send Graff first. This will set up your Graveyard so that if you Exceed into Dante and he is sent to the Graveyard, you can add the Graff back to your hand instead of just the Libic or Scarm.
If possible, it is wise to Special Summon two Burning Abyss monsters in your hand to Exceed into Dante before Normal Summoning Tour Guide. Any effect negation on Tour Guide could leave you at a stalemate for several turns until either your opponent destroys your Tour Guide or you draw a Farfa to banish your Tour Guide or a Libic to Special Summon a negated effect Burning Abyss monster from your hand.
Be careful when setting your Spell/ Trap Cards as doing so shuts off your ability to Special Summon Burning Abyss Monsters from your hand.
Unless you have a Fire Lake play, it is recommended to Special Summon Downerd Magician over your Dante to ensure that Dante will go to the Graveyard. This protects you from cards or effects similar to Compulsory Evacuation Device that send cards back to your hand.
