Shining Golden Knights

Hello one and all, welcome to the Hitchhiker's guide to Planet Cray. I will be your guide, The Mau5. Today we will be starting with the clan that is either loved, or hated by cardfighters everywhere (and a personal favorite of mine), the Gold Paladins. This clan's lore is derived from the void that was taking over Cray. The remaining members of the Royal and Shadow Paladins were united by Fang of Light, Garmore, who then was chosen by the armor of the Silver Wolf, becoming The Great Silver Wolf, Garmore. But enough of the back story, let me tell you why this clan won the World Tournament.

Clan Breakdown:
The clan can be broken down into 6 different decks. These decks are:
-Blond Ezel and Garmore
-Platinum Ezel and Garmore
-Garmore and Pellinore
-Spectral Duke Dragon
-Chrome Jailer Dragon and Spectral Duke Dragon
-Chrome Jailer Dragon and Garmore

Now, if you look at the list, you may be wondering, "Why is Garmore in so many decks?" I'll tell you why, because he is arguably the best grade three in the Gold Paladin clan. Here's a list of all the top grade 3 Gold Paladins and their effects:

Great Silver Wolf, Garmore

Code:

[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):
When this unit attacks a vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+5000 until the end of that battle.

[AUTO]:[Counter Blast (2)] When this unit is placed on (VC), you may pay the cost.
If you do, search from your deck for up to one grade 2 or less «Gold Paladin», call it to (RC),
and shuffle your deck.

His counter blast of 2 to call any grade 2 or lower unit can allow you to call into a card like Lop Ear Shooter or Listener of Truth, Dindrane, letting you call another unit or draw a card respectively, or call into Chargal, with a limit break allowing you to hit 25,000 before triggers.

Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel

Code:

[ACT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (2)] Look at the top card of your deck, search for up to one «Gold Paladin» from among them, call it to an open (RC), put the rest on the bottom of your deck, and increase this unit's [Power] by the original [Power] of the unit called with this effect until end of turn.

[CONT](VC):During your turn, this unit gets [Power]+1000 for each of your «Gold Paladin» rear-guards.

Oh the Protaganists card, this is probably the weaker of the grade 3s. On paper his limit break is good, but in practice, its alright. There's not much to it, his limit break is extremely sacky, and you need a full field to utilize him to his full potential.

White Hare in the Moon's Shadow, Pellinore

Code:

[AUTO](VC): Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage): [Choose two of your «Gold Paladin» rear-guards, and put them on the bottom of your deck in any order] When this unit attacks, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to two of your «Gold Paladin», and those units get [Power]+5000 until end of turn.

[AUTO]: [Choose a «Gold Paladin» from your hand, and discard it] When this unit is placed on (RC) from your deck, if your opponent has a grade 2 or greater vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, put this unit on your (VC).

One scary motherf***er, if he's called from the deck he can ride over the current vanguard for a measly 1 card discarded, allowing you to attack AGAIN, and drive check another two times, thats a +3 total if you called him using Spring Breeze Messenger. His limit break isn't the best, but it can let you hit the magic 20,000 column to make your opponent drop at least 2 cards, straining his hand.

Spectral Duke Dragon

Code:

[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (2) & Choose three of your «Gold Paladin» rear-guards, and retire them] At the beginning of the close step of the battle that this unit attacked a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, [Stand] this unit, and this unit loses "Twin Drive!!" until end of turn.

[CONT](VC):If you have a card named "Black Dragon Knight, Vortimer" in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+1000.

I have a personal affinity to this card, seeing as its the deck I run in real life. He is the top card in the world for a reason. His limit break of retiring 3 units may seem a bit steep in the beginning, but if you can play it right, its devastating, forcing your opponent's hand throughout the game. The ride chain lets you +2 every turn with no counter blast.

Blazing Lion, Platinum Ezel

Code:


[ACT](VC) Limit Break 5 (This ability is active if you have five or more damage):[Counter Blast (3)] Choose up to five of your «Gold Paladin» rear-guards, and those units get [Power]+5000 until end of turn.

[CONT](VC):If you have a card named "Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel" in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+2000.

[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

This is a broken card. The Ultimate Break giving +5000 to each of your rear guards allows your columns to hit 20,000+ before trigger locations.

Convicting Dragon, Chrome Jailer Dragon

Code:


[ACT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (2) & Choose two of your «Gold Paladin» rear-guards, and retire them] This unit gets [Power]+10000/[Critical]+1 until end of turn.

[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (1) & Choose a card named "Conviction Dragon, Chromejailer Dragon" from your hand, and discard it] Look at up to four cards from the top of your deck, search for up to two «Gold Paladin» from among them, call them to separate open (RC), and put the rest on the bottom of your deck in any order.

Quite possibly a contender for top Gold Paladin card. His Limit break is cheaper than Spectral Duke Dragon and give you an extra critical. His persona blast allows you to call 2 units from your deck, refilling your field.

Those are the main Gold Paladin grade 3 units. The decks are build around one or more of those, usually by ones that work together.

However, each deck needs a good starting Vanguard. There are 3 good to choose from, Spring Breeze Messenger, Crimson Lion Cub, Kyrph, and Black Dragon Whelp, Vortimer.

Spring Breeze Messenger

Code:


[AUTO]: When another «Gold Paladin» rides this unit, you may call this card to (RC).

[AUTO] (RC): [Counter Blast (1) & Put this unit into your soul] When an attack hits a vanguard during the battle that this unit boosted, you may pay the cost. If you do, look at up to three cards from the top of your deck, search for up to one «Gold Paladin» from among them, call it to (RC) as [Rest], and put the rest on the bottom of your deck in any order.

This is probably the most feared starting Vanguard in the Gold Paladin clan, its ability to call into Lop Ear Shooter(+1) which can call into another card, possibly Pellinore, which will allow you to attack again, and perform a twin drive check resulting in a +3 for the turn, and possibly triggers out the wazoo for you. He's useful in almost any build.

Crimson Lion Cub, Kyrph

Code:


[AUTO]:When another «Gold Paladin» rides this unit, you may call this card to (RC).

[ACT](RC):[Choose a unit named "Crimson Lion Cub, Kyrph", and a unit named "Knight of Elegant Skills, Gareth" from your (RC), and put them into your soul] If you have a unit named "Knight of Superior Skills, Beaumains" on your (VC), search your deck for up to one card named "Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel", ride it, and shuffle your deck.

Not much to say about him, he's meant for an Ezel deck, by setting up your field right you can superior call Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel.

Black Dragon Whelp, Votimer

Code:


[AUTO]:When a card named "Scout of Darkness, Vortimer" rides this unit, look at up to seven cards from the top of your deck, search for up to one card named "Spectral Duke Dragon" or "Black Dragon Knight, Vortimer" from among them, reveal it to your opponent, put it into your hand, and shuffle your deck. [AUTO]:When a «Gold Paladin» other than a card named "Scout of Darkness, Vortimer" rides this unit, you may call this card to (RC).

Made for the Spectral Duke ride chain. Not much to say for him either, if you ride Scout of Darkness, Vortimer over him, you can check the top 7 cards of your deck for Black Dragon Knight, Vortimer, or Spectral Duke Dragon. If you don't, just move it to a rearguard circle.

Trigger Lineups
"Which triggers should I run, Mau5y-kun!?" Calm yourself young padawan, the trigger lineups for Gold Paladins are easy. Seeing as you can call units from your deck in every deck type, you do not need Stand triggers. That leaves only 3 options. 4 Heal, 4 Draw and 8 Critical or 4 Heal, 6 Draw, 6 Critical, or 4 Heal, 12 Critical.

Support cards
Support cards are needed with clans, luckily, the Gold Paladin support cards don't vary too much. Here are the staples:
Grade 3:
Gigantech Destroyer - Gains 2k when you have a Gold Paladin vanguard, so allows for a 20k column with an 8k booster.

Grade 2:
Lop Ear Shooter - When this unit is called from the deck, discard 1 card to check the top 3 cards from your deck and call one card.
Knight of Superior Skills, Beaumains - 10k beater, goes in every deck.
Mage of Calamity, Tripp - Damage Unflipper, valuable in counterblast heavy decks.
Player of the Holy Bow, Viviane - counter blast 1, when her attack hits the vanguard, call the top card of your deck.

Grade 1:
Knight of Elegant Skills, Gareth - vanilla 8k
Listener of Truth, Dindrane - When she's called from the deck, you can soul blast 1 to draw 1 card.
Sleygal Dagger - When you have at least 4 rear guards, and some spare cards to counterblast with, he can reach upwards of 11,000 power boost. (1 CB = +1000 power)
Halo Shield, Mark - He's a perfect guard, no need for explanation

Thank you for reading chapter 1 of the Hitchhiker's Guide to Cray, look for the next chapter sometime soon!

Isn't Slegal Dagger CB1, + 2000 Power?