April 2005 to September 2005 Goat Format.  Jazz made a deck library in 2014, which has been a valuable resource for me to learn the format.  But I wanted to give a 2017 update to include more decks (especially since many players ban Exarion)

 

For your convenience, the YDK deck files for the below deck lists will be included in a Download Link (<1 MB) hosted by Pojo.  You can upload these files to Duelingbook or whichever program you prefer to duel on.  The first 4 deck lists use Exarion Universe, but the remaining decks are acceptable for Exarionless Goat Format.  Forbidden/Limited list included in attachment.

 

There’s at least 20 lists here.  And people said this wasn’t a very diverse format… 

 

Standard Goats w/ Exarion

[Exarion Goat Format] This is the deck that Kris Perovic won a major 2014 Goat Format with.  To this day, it still accepted as the most perfect deck in this format.  It’s beautiful.  The majority of the deck is cards ran in 2’s, for extra consistency.  Balance is key.  3 can get too cloggy (i.e. 3 Dust Tornado may leave you with a lot of Spell/Trap removal but no monster removal).  Since Exarion is legal, Goat is cut to two.  Merchant is used for milling, Tsukuyomi recycling, a LIGHT for Chaos and to make a 3^rd copy of Metamorphosis (with only 2 Goats) justifiable.  Two Airknights (no Jinzo is the standard).  Perovic uses Morphing Jar because it’s an out to Duo, rewards skillful psychological games and provides too much potential advantage to pass up on.

 

 

 

Zoo w/ Exarion

The Zoo deck is focused on a strong first few turns, at expense of late-game.  The goal is to overwhelm the opponent and make the cards in their hand essentially useless.  A large trap line-up denies the opponents whatever means they have for getting over your burly monsters.   Dustshoot is an early game gem.  Solemn Judgment is used to enforce game-winning play or denying the opponent their desperate last hope (like Metamorphosis or Graceful Charity).  Cards which aren’t useful turn 1 (such as Tribute monsters) aren’t used.  Tributes aren’t used because your monsters are beaters – not floaters.  Snatch Steal and Torrential Tribute are not used because the field should usually only consist of your monsters.  Exarion gives this deck punishment against Goats, as well as a monster that’s very difficult to get over.  Warriors (MSLV2, Exiled, Blade) are added to the deck because they manage annoying defense monsters.  Against decks that use more offensive monsters (like a mirror match), side in 2-3 D.D. Assailant (side out Blade and/or MSLV2).  Abyss Soldier, with Sinister Serpent, locks the opponent down by making their sets useless (and it handles Thousand-Eyes Restrict) although it is a respectable beater with Tsuku-proof DEF in itself. 

 
Gearfried Zoo w/ Exarion

[Exarion Goat Format] This is the Zoo deck which uses Gearfried the Iron Knight’s effect to destroy Smoke Grenade of the Thief so that its effect can activate as a Trap Dustshoot that can hit Spells/Traps too.  Blast With Chain with Gearfried is also a very fast versatile removal option.  Gearfried has strong stats, but unfortunately its effect is not useful outside of those two combos.

 

Chaos w/ Exarion

[Exarion Goat Format]  This deck is self-explanatory.  It’s a Chaos deck with Thunder Dragon to allow DARK’s like Exarion and Dekoichi to muscle in some field presence.

 

 

Standard Goat Deck

This deck I built is based on Perovic’s deck, but of course, in Exarion-less Goats.  It’s a very symmetrical deck list.  The two Exarions were replaced with Asura Priests for Goat punishments.  With those 2 LIGHT’s added (and less beaters in the absence of Exarion), Dekoichi is a big monster.  With 3 Goats and 4 Spirits, 2 Creature Swap is practically mandatory.

 

Chaos Recruiter

Although this deck does have a linear pattern and is reliant on Chaos Sorcerer for muscle, it’s a quite clever build from Perovic.  It’s a balance of having an offensive posture early game (with a strong trap-lineup) but also having Chaos monsters for mid-late game.  It’s like a mix of Zoo and Chaos, sort of.  1400 ATK (from Mystic Tomato and Shining Angel) will get over a lot in this format and the monsters replace themselves anyway (to fuel Chaos Sorcerer).  The deck doesn’t use tributes for consistency issues (plus you don’t want to tribute Tomato/Angel); Asura Priest is used in lieu of Airknight Parshath and it returns to hand so the opponent only has the recruiters to attack.  Scapegoat is not used because you want the opponent to attack the tokens.  Instead of Metamorphosis, Creature Swap is the power card of the deck.  Sinister Serpent and Tribe-Infecting Virus also aren’t used because this deck doesn’t have the synergies that Goat decks have.  This deck often uses its side deck to smokescreen into Goat/Chaos.

 

Turbo Chaos

This deck relies on Chaos monsters (BLS Envoy and Sorcerer).  With Thunder Dragon and Dekoichi, the deck is thinned to get into cards faster.  Night Assailants and Thunder Dragon makes discards no problem; Morphing Jar, Tribe-Infecting Virus and Card Destruction can be profited on.  Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, when the discard is afforded, is one of the best removal cards.  Triple Book of Moon is the best defense against Thousand-Eyes Restrict (before TER can absorb your flip effects).  The deck’s major weakness, of course is its reliance on Chaos Sorcerer for field presence.  If you’re paranoid about Nobleman, you can consider Big Shield Gardna, Spell Shield Type-8 or taking out a Dekoichi for Dark Mimic LV1 to diversify your Flip Effect lineup.  An added benefit: This deck doesn’t get hurt by an opponent’s Delinquent Duo.

 

 

Zoo (no Exarion)

Without its best beater (Exarion), there are plenty of other options to consider.  As alternatives, Enraged Battle Ox puts damage on the board, especially with Gorilla.  King Tiger Wanghu is great against Goats; Thousand-Eyes Restrict and Scapegoat can’t be used; the opponent is forced to use up removal (or their Asura).  While Wanghu does have low DEF, Tsukuyomi would be destroyed on summon anyway.  Breaker is also a threat to it, so protect it anyway).

 

Flip Flop Chaos

Similar to Turbo Chaos, except this deck focuses a bit more on abusing Flip Effects than on abusing the discard engine. 

 

Monarchs

Soul Exchange is not used because Metamorphosis is essentially a Soul Exchange that lets you attack and is more versatile overall.  The problem with Monarch decks is that they’re too predictable; they need a little more way to deviate from tributing the opponent’s monsters.  Otherwise the opponent is not going to commit resources if they see a Soul Exchange coming every turn.  (Goats give the deck some cushion just in case you need time to draw into your combos.  is either suboptimal or useless if the opponent isn’t committing many monsters to the board.  Using more than 1 Zaborg is risky; Airknight is better because it is always an amazing card to have on the field (and doesn’t die to Tsuk).  Unlike Thestalos, Mefist the Infernal General is a DARK for BLS, has high DEF to resist Tsukuyomi and inflicts piercing damage; 1800 ATK is plenty in this format.  Granmarg is a respectable choice (due to versatility) in a non-Chaos build.  I’ve come to accept Mobius as the best Monarch.  Why?  It’s a living breathing Heavy Storm that strikes just when the opponent thinks you wasted your Heavy Storm early game; as a result, Breaker and MST aren’t needed.  Sakuretsu protects against Tsukuyomi, BLS and goat abuse; it also helps your flip effects floats; if you have better luck with Trap Dustshoot, use a playset of them instead.  Mimic and Merchant exist alongside Dekoichi to diversify against Nobleman and also as a LV1’s for Metamorphosis. 

 

Stall Burn

Des Koala and Just Dessert (in such a token-heavy format) can easily drop 1500-2000 damage.  Big Shield Gardna, apart from being a defender and a Nobleman shield can drop ~1000-1500 damage as well.  There’s enough stall to get past removal.  Tsuku recycling is also possible.  By siding out all 10 traps, 2 Level Limits, 1 Gardna and 2 Stealth Bird, a decent Goat Chaos deck can be smokescreened game 2.

 

 

Machine Chaos

Fusilier makes King Dragun, so a full Goat-Metamorphosis engine is maximized.  X-Head Cannon is a solid beater and Chaos fuel.  Dekoichi is the best machine in the format.  Jinzo for added aggro.  Limiter Removal goes in for the kill.

 

 

Earth Goat

It’s too bad there wasn’t much EARTH support, so it’s a Ratbox deck.  Gaia Power would’ve been nice if not for Heavy Storm.  Gigantes can add pressure.  A lone Legendary Jujitsu Master for a one-off surprise.  Ceasefire punishes flip effects and protects Rat/Assailant against Nobleman.  Feel free to add in Enraged Battle Ox somewhere.

 

 

Strike Ninja

The classic combo of Strike Ninja and D.D. Scout Plane.  Many deck lists I saw in ’05 use 3 Strike Ninja but that’s excessive.  Since it can keep reviving itself, you only need 1; can always be recovered with Premature/Call.  Dekoichi and Tsukuyomi are the best discretionary DARK monsters.  Magical Merchant, Morphing Jar and Card Destruction are for dumping and speed.  BLS Envoy, Dimension Fusion, and Return from the Different Dimension allow OTKing; Jinzo as an enforcer.  Creature Swap gives something for DDSP to do, but DDSP is also hilarious Nobleman bait.  For some reason, I forgot Breaker.  May cut a Dekoichi or DDSP for it.  The Goat and Morph engine gives some tempo to the deck so it can stall a bit while it acquires its needed combos. 

 

Wilson Luc

This is deck list that Luc top 8’d the SJC of my home state with in 05 (someone from my locals also topped; represent).  Luc was brilliant; really ahead of his time in both fully maximizing Goat/Chaos and the Night Assailant engine.  He deviated from the meta at the time, which focused on beaters, and instead capitalized on Goat and Metamorphosis to stall and then punish the opponent for overcommitting.  Slate Warrior was recycled by Night Assailant (I wonder how it holds up). 

This is not an exact deck list.  I made 4 modifications to make it more viable in modern Goats:

·         - D.D. Warrior Lady, + Magical Merchant

·         - Jinzo, + Airknight Parshath

·         - Lightning Vortex, + Nobleman of Crossout

·         - Magic Cylinder, + Sakuretsu Armor

 

 

Baneful Goats

My personal deck.  Blade Knight and Mind Control to punish Magician of Faith (and other Flip Effect) plays, although they require good reading.  Mefist is a hipster addition on the logic that if Airknight is like a tribute monster version of Pot of Greed, what would a tribute monster version of Delinquent Duo be like?  With both Asura Preist and Metamorphosis is used for its incredible versatility, but the engine is not maxed out on because I want more consistent opening hands and nothing holding me back from a full assault.  Most of my monster benefit from being protected from attacks so 3 Sakuretsu Armor is used.  If I didn’t use Dekoichi, Ceasefire would be considered.  Book of Moon is only in this deck because it is the best way to deal with Thousand-Eyes Restrict.

 

Zombies

This is similar to Jae Kim’s build, using Giant Rat to allow Pyramid Turtle to be activated.  2 Book of Lifes may be more consistent, but not going all out on Zombies’ only good support card would be silly.  Ryu Kokki isn’t needed because 2000 ATK is plenty.  Vampire Lord is unfortunately weak to Chaos monsters and Thousand-Eyes Restrict, which have only become more prevalent in modern adaptations of Goats.  Chaos variants of the deck are an option too, but overall Zombies are underpowered.  I really wish the deck could have 2 Goblin Zombies (sadface).

 

Reasoning Gate

This is an OTK deck; Dimension Fusion is the bottom line.  Monster Gate and Reasoning bring out big monsters and mill through the deck.  Dark Magician of Chaos recovers Dimension Fusion in case it gets milled.  Chaos monsters banish your cards.  I added a little machine to be cute but feel tree to run it the traditional way.  (Note: Typo.  Cut out the Sangan for Airknight or Ha Des) 

 

Gravekeepers

Monster count is low because it’s about building a setup and protecting your monsters rather than treating them disposably.  This deck is a fortress that relies on Necrovalley, so 2 Terraforming is necessary to search it.  Spy engine is too good; Ceasefire is added protection against Nobleman.  Premature and Call are not used, but 3 Rite of Spirit covers your Special Summoning.  Skill Drain is in the side deck; Royal Tribute is worth siding too, but unreliable for main deck.

 

 

Tsuku Lock

This deck stalls, but instead of burning, it uses Tsukuyomi to abuse Flip Effects and plus (with a heavy trap lineup to build up a fortress setup).  Tsukuyomi re-using Mask of Darkness to retrieve Time Seal is, of course, the signature combo of the deck.  Scapegoat is not used because you want to protect your setup instead of having a fallback for a destroyed setup.  Can side into Flip Flop Chaos.