Beginner's Guide To Ritual Beasts
Ritual Beasts consist of WIND type Spiritual and Ritual Beast monsters that abuse their built in Contact Fusion abilities to gain massive advantage and make themselves extremely difficult for your opponent to get rid of. Ritual Beasts are one of the more complicated decks to play as there are so many possible combinations of ways to play each hand. This guide will walk you through the Ritual Beasts' cards and shed light on their combos below.
The monsters are broken up into Spiritual Beasts and Ritual Beast Tamers. The Spiritual Beast monsters have various effects that range from increasing your ATK and DEF to acting as a Golden Sarcophagus and are all considered Ritual Beast monsters (spiRITUAL). The Ritual Beast Tamers on the other hand focus on summoning Spiritual Beast monsters either from your hand, Graveyard, or Banished Zone in order to Contact Fusion Summon your powerful Spiritual Beast Fusion monsters.
Instead of using the tradition fusion method of using Polymerization or the like, Ritual Beasts work like Gladiator Beasts and Contact Fusion. By banishing one Ritual Beast and one Spiritual Beast monster you control from the field, you can Contact Fusion Summon a Ritual Beast Ulti Fusion monster from your Extra Deck. No Fusion Spell cards are required for this Contact Fusion Summon.
These 4 Fusion monsters have various effects that range from adding Spiritual Beast cards from your deck to your hand to negating and destroying Spells, Traps, and monster effects. However they all have one effect in common - allowing you to return the Fusion monster back to the Extra Deck to Special Summon two of your Banished Ritual Beast monsters. This effect is a Quick Effect, meaning you can use it in response to your opponent's card during either player's turn. This ability allows Ritual Beast players to abuse each Spiritual Beast monster's effect more than once per turn, and leads to various combos (as described below). Let's take a look at the different Ritual Beast monsters.
The Spiritual Beast Monsters:
Spiritual Beast Cannahawk
Level 4 WIND Thunder
Effect Monster
ATK: 1400
DEF: 600
(1) Once per turn: You can banish 1 "Ritual Beast" card from your Deck, face-up. During your second Standby
Phase after this effect's activation, add the card banished by this effect to your hand.
(2) You can only Special Summon 1 "Spiritual Beast Cannahawk(s)" once per turn.
Arguably the best Spiritual Beast monster, Cannahawk allows you to load up your Banished Zone to enable
more Contact Fusion Summoning. The Ritual Beast deck works by Contact Fusioning multiple times per turn
in order to activate each of your Spiritual Beast monsters' effects multiple times per turn. When each Spiritual
Beast monster uses its effect to go back into the Extra Deck, it will Special Summon 2 Ritual Beast monsters
from the Banished Zone. Spiritual Beast Cannahawk extends your plays by loading up your Banished Zone
and allowing you to Special Summon those monsters later in your turn.
Spiritual Beast Rampengu
Level 4 WIND Pyro
Effect Monster
ATK: 1600
DEF: 400
(1) Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can banish 1 "Ritual Beast" monster from your Extra Deck
and send 1 "Ritual Beast" monster with the same Type as that monster from your Deck to the Graveyard.
(2) You can only Special Summon 1 "Spiritual Beast Apelio(s)" once per turn.
Rampengu is an amazing card that sets up both your Graveyard (for Spiritual Beast Apelio's effect, Ritual Beast
Tamer Zeframpilica's effect, Ritual Beast Tamer Lara's effect, and for Ritual Beast Ambush) and your Banished
Zone (for Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk).
Spiritual Beast Apelio
Level 4 WIND Pyro
Effect Monster
ATK: 1800
DEF: 200
(1) Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can banish 1 "Ritual Beast" card from your Graveyard; this turn,
all "Ritual Beast" monsters you control gain 500 ATK and DEF.
(2) You can only Special Summon 1 "Spiritual Beast Apelio(s)" once per turn.
Apelio, when used twice for a 1000 ATK bonus can easily lead to some one turn kill opportunities. His effect to
banish from the Graveyard is extremely relevant as it puts monsters back into the Banished Zone, from where
they can later be Special Summoned by the effect of any of your Fusion Ritual Beast monsters.
Spiritual Beast Pettlephin
Level 4 WIND Beast
Effect Monster
ATK: 0
DEF: 2000
(1) Once per turn: You can banish 1 "Ritual Beast" card from your hand, then target 1 card your opponent
controls; return it to the hand.
(2) You can only Special Summon 1 "Spiritual Beast Apelio(s)" once per turn.
While it may not contribute as much to your combos as the other Spiritual Beasts, Pettlephin does play a role in
clearing threatening cards. For example, Pettlephin can get rid of cards like Naturia Beast, Vanity's Emptiness,
Vanity's Fiend, Rivalry Of The Warlords, and Lose 1 Turn.
The Ritual Beast Tamer Monsters:
Ritual Beast Tamer Elder
Level 2 WIND Psychic
Effect Monster
ATK: 200
DEF: 1000
(1) After you Normal Summon this card, you can Normal Summon 1 "Ritual Beast" monster during your Main Phase
this turn, in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. (You can only gain this effect once per turn).
(2) You can only Special Summon 1 "Spiritual Beast Elder(s)" once per turn.
Elder is the best Ritual Beast Tamer and you always want to draw him as he and a Spiritual Beast monster in your
hand equal a fusion. His effect to Normal Summon instead of Special Summon is very relevant as each monster is
limited to only being Special Summoned once per turn.
Ritual Beast Tamer Zeframpilica
Level 3 WIND Psychic
Effect Monster
ATK: 1000
DEF: 1500
(1) When this card is Normal or Pendulum Summoned: You can target 1 "Ritual Beast" or "Zefra" monster in your
Graveyard, except "Ritual Beast Tamer Zeframpilica"; Special Summon it, but destroy it during the End Phase.
(2) You can only Special Summon 1 "Spiritual Beast Apelio(s)" once per turn.
While it being a Pendulum is actually somewhat of a downside (as it goes to the Extra Deck instead of being sent
to the Graveyard when destroyed), Zeframpilica is one of the better Ritual Beast Tamers as she Special Summons
from the Graveyard and can be searched through Oracle Of Zefra.
Ritual Beast Tamer Lara
Level 3 WIND Psychic
Effect Monster
ATK: 100
DEF: 2000
(1) When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 "Ritual Beast" monster in your Graveyard; Special
Summon it.
(2) You can only Special Summon 1 "Spiritual Beast Lara(s)" once per turn.
Lara is similar to Zeframpilica, except with less ATK and not being searchable. She is used mostly for her name,
as you need Ritual Beast Tamer monsters with different names to continue your Contact Fusion Combos (as each
effect monster can only be Specail Summoned once per turn).
Ritual Beast Tamer Wen
Level 3 WIND Psychic
Effect Monster
ATK: 1500
DEF: 1000
(1) When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 of your banished "Ritual Beast" monsters; Special
Summon it.
(2) You can only Special Summon 1 "Spiritual Beast Wen(s)" once per turn.
Wen is similar to Lara, except she Special Summons from the Banish Zone. She is also used mostly for her
name.
The Ritual Beast Fusions
Ritual Beast Ulti-Pettlephin
Level 6 WIND Psychic
Fusion Monster
1 "Ritual Beast Tamer" monster + 1 "Spiritual Beast" monster
ATK: 200
DEF: 2800
(1) Must be Special Summoned (from the Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control, and cannot
be Special Summoned by other ways (You do not use "Polymerization").
(2) Cannot be destroyed by card effects.
(3) During either player's turn: You can return this card to the Extra Deck, then target 1 of your banished
"Ritual Beast Tamer" monsters and 1 of your banished "Spiritual Beast" monsters; Special Summon them
in Defense Position
Pettlephin is generally your go-to Fusion for your last Fusion Summon of the turn as it would be difficult for your
opponent to get over her.
Ritual Beast Ulti-Apelio
Level 6 WIND Pyro
Fusion Monster
1 "Ritual Beast Tamer" monster + 1 "Spiritual Beast" monster
ATK: 2600
DEF: 400
(1) Must be Special Summoned (from the Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control, and cannot
be Special Summoned by other ways (You do not use "Polymerization").
(2) If this card attacks, it is unaffected by other card effects until the end of the Damage Step.
(3) During either player's turn: You can return this card to the Extra Deck, then target 1 of your banished
"Ritual Beast Tamer" monsters and 1 of your banished "Spiritual Beast" monsters; Special Summon them
in Defense Position
Apelio is usually your last Fusion Summon before entering your Battle Phase if you do not have access to
Ulti-Gaiapelio.
Ritual Beast Ulti-Gaiapelio
Level 6 LIGHT Psychic
Fusion Monster
1 "Ritual Beast Ulti-" monster + 1 "Ritual Beast Tamer" monster + 1 "Spiritual Beast" monster
ATK: 200
DEF: 2800
(1) Must be Special Summoned (from the Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control, and cannot
be Special Summoned by other ways (You do not use "Polymerization").
(2) If Summoned this way, during either player's turn, when a Spell Card, Trap Card, or another monster effect
is activated: You can banish 1 "Ritual Beast" card from your hand, negate the activation, and if you do,
destroy it.
Ulti-Gaiapelio is the only Ritual Beast Fusion that cannot return itsself back into the Extra deck. However, when
you summon Gaiapelio, you are often in a position where you are trying to end the duel. With 2 or more Ritual
Beast cards in your hand, it's likely that you will win shortly after summoning him.
Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk
Level 6 WIND Thunder
Fusion Monster
1 "Ritual Beast Tamer" monster + 1 "Spiritual Beast" monster
ATK: 1400
DEF: 1600
(1) Must be Special Summoned (from the Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control, and cannot be
Special Summoned by other ways (You do not use "Polymerization").
(2) Once per turn: You can target 2 of your banished "Ritual Beast" cards; return them to the Graveyard, and if
you do, add 1 "Ritual Beast" card from your Deck to your hand.
(3) During either player's turn: You can return this card to the Extra Deck, then target 1 of your banished "Ritua
l Beast Tamer" monsters and 1 of your banished "Spiritual Beast" monsters; Special Summon them in Defense
Position
Like Cannahawk, Ulti-Cannahawk is arguably the best Ritual Beast Fusion as it allows you to add any Ritual
Beast card from your Deck to your hand. By abusing both Ulti-Cannahawk's effect to search and bounce back
to the Extra Deck as well as Cannahawk's effect to banish a card from your Deck,you can easily build up card
advantage.
Note: There is a way to abuse Ulti-Cannahawk's search effect and end up only having to return 1 Ritual Beast monster to the Graveyard instead of two to search. Activate Ulti-Cannahawk's search effect and target 2 Banished Ritual Beast monsters (at least one of them couldn't have already been Special Summoned this turn). Then chain Ulti-Cannahawk's 3rd effect to return himself to the Extra Deck to Special Summon 2 Banished monsters targetting one of the previous targets for Ulti-Cannahawk's search effect (the one that hasn't been Special Summoned already) and another Ritual/Spiritual Beast monster. The chain will resolve and you will Special Summon those two targets and then return only one of the previous Banished targets into the Graveyard instead of two. Check out how this can be abused in the video combo below:
video combo
The point of the Ritual Beast deck is to use as many Spiritual Beasts effects as many times as you can (up to 2 times per turn) and use Ulti Cannahawk's effect to add a card from your deck to your hand as many times as you can. In order to do this you will need to load up your Banished Zone through Cannahawk and Rampengu, send the Banished monsters back to your Graveyard through Ulti-Cannahawk, and then Banish them again through Apelio or through a process of Special Summoning them back from the Graveyard in order to banish them for a Contact Fusion. By continuing to do this turn after turn, you'll build up huge card advantage to the point where you can stop anything your opponent tries to do with Ulti-Gaiapelio, or slowly beat down your opponent through your monsters, Exceeds, or added Ritual Beast Trap cards. Speaking of which, let's view their themed Trap cards
The Traps
Ritual Beast Steeds
If you control a "Ritual Beast" monster: Destroy monstes on the field up to the number of "Ritual Beast"
monsters you currently control.
A great card that stops your opponents from attacking your Ritual Beast monsters. You can often destroy
at least 2 of your opponents monsters with this card. Note that Steeds does not target meaning that you
can destroy those annoying monsters with the "Cannot be targeted by your opponent's card effects".
Also note that while you have a fusion Ritual Beast out, you can activate Steeds, chain your Ritual Beast
to Special Summon two Ritual Beasts, and then destroy two monsters your opponent controls instead of
just one.
Ritual Beast Ambush
Target 1 of your "Ritual Beast Tamer" monsters and 1 of your "Spiritual Beast" monsters that are banished
and/or in your Graveyard; Special Summon them in Defense Position. After this card is activated, you
cannot Special Summon monsters, except "Ritual Beast" monsters, for the rest of this turn. You can only
activate 1 "Ritual Beast Ambush" per turn.
Not only is this card clearly amazing when you are in a winning position, but it's also great when you start
off slowly. For example, if you start off with only a Cannahawk and no way to get a Ritual Beast Tamer on
the field, you can begin your turn by using Cannahawk's effect to banish a Tamer, set Ambush, and then
end your turn. Assuming your opponent destroys Cannahawk, you can flip Ambush during your opponent's
End Phase to Special Summon back Cannahawk and the Ritual Beast Tamer and then begin your combos
during your turn. If instead your opponent didn't destroy Cannahawk during their turn, during your turn, you
can use Cannahawk to banish Rampengu and then flip Ambush to Special Summon those two banished
monsters. You can then start more combos with Rampengu and Ulti-Cannahawk.
Other Cards To Consider:
Ritual Beast's Bond: Although usually used at just 1 per deck, Bond has several important applications. It can help during situations where you only drew Ritual Beast Tamers (for example, Elder and Zeframpilica) by allowing you to Special Summon Ulti-Cannahawk or Ambush. It can also allow you to push for more damage, by allowing you to Special Summon a Ritual Beast Fusion during your Battle Phase (similar to how El Shaddoll Fusion is used to push for game in Shaddolls).
Emergency Teleport: Being able to Special Summon any Ritual Beast monster from your Deck or hand increases the consistency of being able to Contact Fusion.
Oracle of Zefra: Searches Zeframpilica to your hand
Brain Research Lab: Allows you to Normal Summon a Ritual Beast in addition to your Normal Summon, allowing you to Contact Fusion with more consistency.
Dimensional Fissure: A good card to annoy decks like Burning Abyss, Nekroz, Shaddoll, and Sattellarknights while not affecting Ritual Beasts.
Macro Cosmos: See Dimensional Fissure
Extra Deck:
Besides the Ritual Beast Fusions, the Extra Deck should comprise of Exceed monsters. Ritual Beasts are able to make Rank 2, 3, and 4 Exced monsters, the most notable being Totem Bird and Lightning Chidori.
Tips and Plays
Ritual Beasts have an endless amount of combos and plays with a variety of ways to do them, however the majority of them focus on abusing as many Spiritual Beast effects (up to twice per turn per Spiritual Beast) and Ulti-Cannahawk effects as possible per turn. In order to do this, the player must not only play smart, but keep track and remember which Ritual or Spiritual Beast has already been Special Summoned that turn (remember that each effect monster can only be Special Summoned once per turn). In order to consistently get the effects of the same Spiritual Beast monster twice per turn, remember to always use the effect of the Ritual Beast Fusion to Specail Summon 2 Ritual/Spiritual Beast monsters during your opponent's End Phase. Likewise, using Ambush during your opponent's End Phase is a smart move.
One of the best turn one plays made by Ritual Beasts is this two card combo that allows you to banish from the deck twice with Cannahawk and also search twice with Ulti-Cannahawk (explained in the text under the video):
The Combo:
Hand of Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and Spiritual Beast Cannahawk
Normal Summon Elder and Normal Summon Cannahawk
Cannahawk's effect to banish Spiritual Beast Apelio
Banish Elder and Cannahawk to Contact Fusion any Ritual Beast Fusion
Send back the fusion to the Extra Deck and Special Summon Elder and Cannahawk from the Banished Zone
Cannahawk's effect to banish any Ritual Beast Tamer (besides Elder)
Banish Cannahawk and Elder to Contact Fusion Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk from the Extra Deck
Use Ulti-Cannahawk's searching effect to target Elder and Apolio, then chain the Special Summoning effect of Ulti-Cannahawk to target Apolio and the non-Elder Ritual Beast Tamer in Banished Zone. Special Summon Apolio and the non-Elder Ritual Beast Tamer and search for Ritual Beast Ambush
Apelio's effect to banish the Elder from the Graveyard and have all monsters that turn gain 500 ATK and DEF
Contact Fusion Ulti-Cannahawk banishing Apelio and the non-Elder Ritual Beast Tamer
Use Ulti-Cannahawk's searching effect to send Elder and Cannahawk to search for Ritual Beast Steeds
Set Steeds and Ambush.
You are now very well set up for the next turn. You have the capability to destroy up to 4 of your opponent's monsters during their turn (through the use of Ambush as well as returning your Fusion to Special Summon the two monsters in your Banished Zone. You are also able to do the exact same combo once again during your next turn.
Check out a Sample Decklist Here