From Fallen Warrior to Underworld General
The history of "Dark Blade" is a tale of two eras. It began as a memorable but mechanically unsupported DARK Warrior from a simpler time in Yu-Gi-Oh!, a relic defined by its striking design rather than a cohesive strategy. Two decades later, it was reborn as Mementotlan Dark Blade, the central engine of the "Memento" archetype. This modern incarnation transforms the lonely warrior into the leader of a complex, Graveyard-centric combo deck. The strategy revolves around a loop of self-destruction to generate advantage, building formidable boards that stand in stark contrast to the original's fragility.
The original "Dark Blade" and its support cards were a product of early game design, focused on theme over function. The strategy relied on Normal Summoning, equipping Union monsters, and a slow Fusion Summon, making it too fragile and inconsistent for competitive play. It serves as a perfect case study in how archetypal design has evolved.
The 1800 ATK Normal Monster that started it all.
A Union monster granting piercing damage.
A stronger Union for a direct attack finisher.
The resource-intensive Fusion boss monster.
The first retrain, representing a conceptual bridge to modern design with its targeted removal and control-oriented effect.
No in-theme searchers existed to assemble the required 3-card combo for the Fusion monster. Success was based entirely on luck of the draw.
The strategy required multiple Normal Summons over several turns, leaving key pieces vulnerable to removal before the combo could be completed.
The final boss monster had only 2200 ATK and a battle-reliant effect, making it an underwhelming reward for the high investment.
The Memento archetype reimagines Dark Blade's legacy. Its core philosophy is synergy through self-destruction. By destroying their own monsters, Memento players trigger powerful effects to search, summon, and populate the Graveyard, creating a resilient and resource-rich system. This web of interconnected cards, from starters to boss monsters, allows the deck to build overwhelming boards from a single card. Dive into the full Memento card list to see the entire cast.
Mementotlan Dark Blade: The one-card starter. Destroys a Memento (including itself) to summon another from the Deck.
Mementotlan Angwitch: Searches any Memento monster on summon, providing immense consistency.
Mementoal Tecuhtlica: The 5000 ATK boss monster, summoned from hand or GY, that can attack all opponent's monsters and revive Mementos for interruption.
Mementotlan Bone Party: A Quick-Play Spell that serves as a starter, extender, and interruption by destroying a Memento to summon another from the Deck.
Mementomictlan: The Field Spell that protects Mementos and provides recovery when your monsters are destroyed.
Mementotlan Cranium Burst: A Continuous Trap that turns your 5000 ATK boss into a walking multi-negate.
The deck's power is best seen in its 1-card combo, which converts a single Normal Summon into a board of interruptions by carefully sculpting the Graveyard.
Normal Summon Mementotlan Dark Blade. Activate its effect, destroying itself to Special Summon Mementotlan Goblin from the Deck.
Activate Goblin's effect, destroying itself to send key cards like Mementotlan Fusion from your Deck to the Graveyard.
Using the resources you've gathered, you Fusion Summon, search, and populate the GY with five unique Memento names to Special Summon the boss monster, Mementoal Tecuhtlica - Combined Creation.
A typical Memento end board is a multi-layered fortress, combining a colossal boss monster with numerous forms of interaction to control the game.
A 5000 ATK/DEF behemoth that enables negations and revives Mementos from the GY for interruption.
Provides a crucial quick-effect banish to remove key threats.
While the Memento core remains untouched, the archetype's minimal reliance on generic support means restrictions on generic support cards do have an impact.
Meta Implications: Despite restrictions on support cards, Memento's strong standalone archetype with powerful recursion allows the deck to remain viable with alternative tech choices.
Banlist Status Summary
Core cards checked:
• Memento Cranium
• Memento Ghattic
• Mementoal Tecuhtlica - Combined Creation
• Mementomictlan
• Mementotlan Cranium Burst
• Mementotlan Dark Blade
• Mementotlan Goblin
+ Related cards checked:
• Reinforcement of the Army analyzed •
0 archetype restrictions •
1 synergistic card restricted
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