Digimon TCG: Deck Tech - Marsmon and Callismon

In today's article, we'll go over our first deck with BT25 - Dual Revolution, the new Digimon TCG set. As one of the themes in this set are Time Stranger and Olympos XII cards we still didn't have, we'll explore the most anticipated out of all of them: Marsmon. This archetype focuses on plain, straightforward duels against enemy Digimon and turning these small combats into an advantage.

A player called Ega, from Indonesia, brought the version below to a local tournament and won it. I'm using it to learn more about this archetype precisely because I tend to only play Monoblack decks and I want to open my horizons. The core includes Time Stranger Digimon in red, green, and black, but the rest of the list focuses mostly on the two Bearmon from BT25, save for a few TS Digimon.

The entire archetype leans heavily into Digimon battles and the Raid ability to get ahead.

Here it is:

Digi-Egg

Tokomon BT25-001 is simple to understand but actually makes a lot of sense in this deck too. Its Inherited effect draws a card once per turn when it attacks if this Digimon has the TS trait.

As you'll attack a lot during the match and often target enemy Digimon instead of the opponent's Security, Tokomon will be quite helpful. It will create an advantage even when you spend your turns trying to control the board.

Level 3 Digimon

Tapirmon BT24-043 is the most straightforward searcher in this list. It reveals the top 3 cards in your deck and lets you get a Digimon with the Beast, Shaman, Sovereign, or Animal traits, as well as a TS card. Tapirmon will usually get part of your Digivolution line as well as Options and Tamers and will often improve and fix your weird hands. Its Inherited effect is also useful: it suspends an enemy Digimon when it attacks, which opens the way for the combats you want to set up with this list.

Bearmon BT25-009 is one of the best ways to speed up your early game. At the beginning of your main phase, if you have 4 Memory or less, you can Digivolve it for free into a Digimon from your hand that can Digivolve from it. Like so, you can go from a Rookie to a Champion Digimon for no extra resources and keep up the pace even when your opponent is trying to exhaust your Memory.

As for Bearmon BT25-048, it's pretty similar. It lets you Digivolve a green TS Digimon for less resources, and at any point, so you don't have to be low in Memory to use it. Its Inherited effect, which draws cards when it wins a battle, also fits the main game plan really well. This list only plays one copy of Kokuwamon BT25-062, but it also lets you Digivolve TS Digimon for free under certain conditions.

Level 4 Digimon

The Level 4 Digimon in this list are aggressive and defensive. Cyclonemon BT24-011 has Rush and Raid, and its Inherited effect gives Raid to the following Digivolution. It's not the main star in this list, but it is pretty helpful when you need Raid straight away. It's almost like an emergency button.

Grizzlymon BT25-012 is more essential to this list. When it enters play or Digivolves, it gives Raid and +3000 DP to one of your Digimon, which is perfect considering this deck is all about battling enemy Digimon. Its Inherited effect, just an extra +1000 DP, is simple but very relevant later on. You want big numbers to win your battles safely, after all.

Grizzlymon BT25-051, in turn, is the most defensive version. It has Blocker and gives you +3000 DP until the end of the opponent's turn. It overall protects your stack and other resources. Its Inherited effect also draws a card when it wins a battle, which fits the main game plan: each combat you win must give you some value back.

Level 5 Digimon

The level 5 Digimon in this deck are pretty important. GrapLeomon BT25-16 and GreatGrizzlymon BT25-054 link the mid game to the high end of the deck and also come with other effects.

GrapLeomon is part of the red side of the deck, so it is more aggressive. When it enters play or Digivolves, it gives +3000 DP to one of your Digimon and lets one of them attack. This effect is a follow-up for Grizzlymon BT25-012 and is quite strong, particularly with Raid or a way to suspend enemy Digimon. This list itself encourages you to set up this sequence of effects. Furthermore, when a Digimon with 13000 DP or more attacks, GrapLeomon can Digivolve for free into Marsmon or Callismon from your hand. Like so, you can get to your Mega cards with a lot of Memory leftover.

GreatGrizzlymon is more defensive, as it is part of the black side of the deck. It has Blocker, and when it enters play or Digivolves, it gives an enemy Digimon an effect that forces that Digimon to attack at the beginning of the opponent's main phase. It's an interesting way to manipulate combat, as it essentially forces the opponent to throw themselves against a bigger Blocker or against a board that is ready to punish this. Its other effect lets you Digivolve it into Marsmon or Callismon when it wins a battle. Once again, combat is a way to get ahead in this list.

Marsmon

Marsmon BT25-020 is the main reason why you should play this deck. It is a green/red Mega Digimon that rewards you for doing what this list already wants to do: win battles. When it enters play, Digivolves, or attacks, it gives +3000 DP to one of your Digimon and then lets you attack an enemy Digimon with one of your Digimon. Like so, Marsmon is a pretty competent removal, as it doesn't need to attack the enemy Security to affect the board. It sets up great battles for you and makes the opponent lose Digimon even when they try to play it safe.

Its most important effect, however, is the one that trashes the opponent's Security when one of your TS Digimon wins a battle, once per turn. This is what makes this deck special. Attacking enemy Digimon and passing your turn won't win you the game, but turning these removals into pressure with Marsmon and forcing the opponent into a difficult spot can. If they leave any Digimon in play, they'll become vulnerable to your game plan, and if they don't, they'll be unprotected. It's a win-win.

Callismon

Callismon BT25-058 is another pretty expensive Digimon in this list, as well as a control tool. It has Reboot, Blocker, and Fortitude, three key words that make it a lot more difficult to remove in a clean way. Considering this deck wants to play around direct battles and board control, a body that attacks, untaps, and also protects you is extremely relevant.

Its effect when it enters play, Digivolves, or attacks suspends an enemy Digimon or Tamer and prevents them from untapping until the end of the opponent's turn. This is quite strong against decks that need a specific Tamer or a big stack to get back into the game. Callismon also has a De-Digivolve and a "battle" effect that triggers when effects put Digimon in play or Digivolve them, which makes it excellent against strategies that want to skip the traditional Digivolution process.

While Marsmon ends matches by battling Digimon and by trashing the opponent's Security, Callismon stalls the game and prevents the opponent from answering in a clean way. It's precisely this dichotomy that makes this list interesting because these two Megas don't do the same thing but both fit the same combat structure.

Tamers

Akiho Rindo BT11-089 is a consistent support card for this deck. It gets red Digimon with Vaccine and gives you Rush when you play a red Digimon with particular traits through an effect. In this list, it will turn putting Digimon in play into immediate pressure, so it really fits the aggressive nature of the red part of the strategy.

Hiroko Sagisaka BT24-083 is one of the most important cards that keeps this deck going. When it enters play, it acts as a searcher and gives you a TS card as an extra. Furthermore, at the beginning of the turn, if you have 4 Memory or less, you can put it back at the bottom of your deck to play another Hiroko Tamer or a TS Digimon with 5000 DP or less from your hand for free. Like so, you'll build your board with whatever you need, whether that's a cheap Hiroko or more Digimon.

Dan Yuki & Kanan Yuki BT24-085 is the last card in this trio. It gives you Memory, and, at the end of the turn, lets you use a TS Option for free if you meet certain conditions. It also lets you attack with a TS Digimon. Like so, you'll be able to set up pretty interesting strategies besides just playing bigger and bigger Digimon, particularly when you've already put in play what you need to create value.

The Options

In-Between Theater BT24-100 is the main "consistency" Time Stranger Option. It is a searcher, as it gives you a TS card, but then it moves on to the Battle Area. It also has a Delay effect that gives you 2 Memory as well. It's simple but very efficient. It's literally a Memory Boost for this archetype.

Paradise Colosseum BT25-095 is a global buff when it is in your Security, as it gives your green or red TS Digimon +2000 DP, and, if you have Marsmon or Callismon, Rush as well. Its effect while it is in play is relevant too. It lets you put it in your Security and play a red or green TS Digimon for less resources.

This is the deck I wanted to build straight away as soon as the new set came out. What most stood out to me is that it seems simple from afar but is actually quite complex when you look at all the buffs and effects (Raid, Blocker, battle effects, and Security effects). Marsmon rewards you for winning battles, while Callismon leans more towards control. The result is an incredibly satisfying tempo list.

What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!