Dark Aliens MetaZoo Deck Tech

When MetaZoo’s UFO set was first released, many saw a lot of good cards that had the potential to affect the metagame.  One of the cards that I was very high on was Grays.  Grays contract effect has always had insane potential, but nobody has made a great version that has been visible to the public.  Over the last month’s weekend tournaments, we’ve seen a few Grays decks do well.  Now, I present my Dark Aliens MetaZoo Deck Tech. 

Dark Aliens

(Decklist Import Link HERE)

How it wins

This deck has many interactions, so I will break them down here.

All Hallow’s Eve

This is your alternate end-game finisher.  Usually, you’ll win games with Reptoid Ruler, but now and then, you’ll play this insane spell.  Generally, you’ll play as many beasties as possible and put pressure on your opponent.  If they can withstand the early onslaught, you just play All Hallow’s Eve and get all your Aliens back, including Reptoid Ruler, and just win that turn since they come into play awakened.  The old Cosmic deck would lose if the opponent had successfully answered beasties, but this solves that issue with All Hallows Eve.

Carmel Area Creature

This Beastie plays a very important role in the deck.  First, you can contract it for one Neutral aura when you reveal it.  Therefore, if you reveal it with Dark Watchers or Grays, you can immediately contract it, and it enters the arena awakened.  Yes, the attack is small with 20 attack power, but you also have Trick-Or-Treat Town to give it the Nighttime bonus of +15 attack.  Carmel Area Creature has more utility since it’s a Dark Beastie and can be sent back into your hand with Fresno Nightcrawlers.    

Dark Watchers

Dark Watchers’ power is essential in this deck because it sets up many things. 
Dark Watcher’s power can stack the top of your deck so that you have Grays on top of your deck.  It gets your Aura as well as sets up your next draws.  Since you have a top end of All Hallow’s Eve, it also allows you to play aura every turn to hit seven aura in the late game. 

Fresno Nightcrawlers

Fresno Nightcrawlers is a fantastic Beastie with 50 attack power, the Spirit trait, and Fleet.  Fresno’s effect usually would never be used, but this deck takes full advantage of the effect.  In the early game, you can shuffle away Carmel Area Creature, Dark Aura, and other cards you don’t need to use.  The effect can sometimes mean drawing multiple new cards, which can refill your hand with more Grays and Lizard People.  Since Lizard People can search for Fresno, you can generally get a Fresno in your hand anytime you want.  

Grays

Here’s a fun fact about Grays in this deck, almost half the cards interact with it.  You have ten Grays in the deck, but Carmel Area Creature can be played if you reveal it with Grays.  You can also immediately contract the Stars Terra as well. With so many cards to hit with Grays, I consider each hit comparable to drawing a card. When you hit multiple cards, Grays’ synergy with Dark Watchers can be game-breaking.  Your dream scenario generally hits multiple Grays from a turn-one Grays contract, which happens fairly often.

First Anniversary Celebration

FAC is a tool in the deck to use as removal and to slow the game down if needed.  Many decks now have evasive beasties with the Spirit trait, and FAC allows you to control the board by attacking them.  It also nullifies traits, such as Fleet, which can slow the game down enough for you to fill the board with Aliens for Reptoid Ruler.  As well as allowing you to set up an All Hallow’s Eve turn. 

Reptoid Ruler

Reptoid Ruler is your true finisher in the deck.  Flooding the board with Grays and using Lizard People to search for it is the usual play you’ll be making.  You can also use Reptoid Ruler early to apply pressure; even if it’s destroyed, you can bring it back with All Hallow’s Eve.  Reptoid Ruler can also be used to prevent a Beastie from attacking with its second Power, which can also slow games down in certain situations.  

The Archive

One of the first things you’ll notice is that Flatwoods Monster and El Verde Monster are in the Archive, not the main deck.   The reason is that the format has evolved enough to where most decks have answers to this combo.  It’s still powerful against Beastie-heavy decks like Fearsome Critters or Spell-heavy decks.

The Archive has lots of removal because Beastie-heavy decks can sometimes be a problem.  So you have to bring in the correct removal cards against certain matchups.  Laser Beam Gun Upgrade is good against evasive beasties such as anything with the Spirit Trait.  So you’d generally bring them in against Cosmic or Lightning decks.  

Hateful Demise is here for matchups such as Water.  Water decks will have to Dampen available for All Hallow’s Eve, so I just take them out and put them in Hateful Demise.  Supernatural Black Hole is a board sweeper that wipes out all non-Aura cards in the arena, so it’s good against decks such as the Sam’s Artifact deck.  

Lastly, Second Anniversary Celebration is for decks that play New Year’s, New Beginnings.  A well-timed NYNB can make you discard All Hallow’s Eve, which can be a problem.  Usually, decks that play NYNB are also very aggressive, and they’ll play Powerup Red. Therefore, we have Second Anniversary Celebration as an option to bring in against those two very powerful cards.

Dark Aliens is a top-tier deck and deserves a solid spot in the current metagame.  All Hallow’s Eve is extremely powerful, and we’ll see it played for a long time.  Let me know what you think about this deck in the comments section!