The deck archetype has already proven itself to be strong enough to go the distance, but thanks to the Light of Destruction Sneak Previews we’re about to be given a new card to add to its arsenal (and one of the most powerful Gladiator Beast cards yet): Gladiator Beast Gyzarus. Normally, any card that can destroy at least two of your opponent’s cards without any loss of your own is a good one. However, Gyzarus’ potential goes further than just that. Check it out: 

Gladiator Beast Gyzarus
Winged Beast / Fusion
Dark / Level 6
2400 / 1500
Fusion Of: Gladiator Beast Bestiari + 1 "Gladiator Beast" Monster

Gyzarus can only be special summoned from your fusion deck by returning the above cards you control to the deck (don’t use Polymerization). When Gyzarus is special summoned, you can destroy up to two cards on the field. At the end of the battle phase, if Gyzarus attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the fusion deck to special summon two "Gladiator Beast" monsters from your deck, except Gladiator Beast Bestiari.

Elemental Hero Prisma is going to see a lot of play in Gladiator Beast decks in the near future, creating a play sequence which is absolutely overwhelming. While this play sequence won’t deplete your opponent of all his or her life points, its power wields almost complete control over any deck (especially Dark Armed Return). On turn 1, set a Gladiator Beast. On turn 2, summon Elemental Hero Prisma, sending a copy of Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the graveyard (making Elemental Hero Prisma’s name Gladiator Beast Bestiari, and an operable piece of summoning Gyzarus). You can then special summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, destroy two of your opponent’s cards, and attack directly for 2400 damage!

At the end of the battle phase, you use Gyzarus’ effect to trade it for Gladiator Beast Darius and Gladiator Beast Laquari, which allows you to special summon the Bestiari you sent to the graveyard with Prisma’s effect. Now, you have the necessary components to special summon Gladiator Beast Heraklinos from your Fusion deck, and have the ability to stop any spell or trap card your opponent plays! At the end of this turn you have five cards in hand, Gladiator Beast Heraklinos on the field, and have already dealt 2400 damage.

While this seems like a rather large extension of cards to commit to a combination attack, the chances of doing so are fairly strong. Elemental Hero Prisma is searchable from your deck with Reinforcement of the Army or E - Emergency Call, and drawing a Gladiator Beast is a fairly simple thing to do. Those are the only two cards you need in your opening hand to make this powerful combo work. The Gladiator Beast deck doesn’t even have to change much to bend to the application of Gyzarus.

Also, notice that Gyzarus gets its effect whenever it’s special summoned, which means that Premature Burial and Monster Reborn will also allow you to utilize its effect to destroy two cards. That’s a strong increase in utility for two spell cards that were already incredibly good.

The current state of the format grants some additional power to other cards that might be found in Gladiator Beast decks (besides their given synergy within the deck). Waboku and Defensive Tactics are useful in Gladiator Beast decks as a way to get a Gladiator’s effect without losing it to the graveyard. This will actually make these cards compensate for their own lost card presence through the ability to use each Beast’s effect. Normally, players don’t like playing cards like Waboku because they don’t actually provide answers to opposing threats: they just keep them at bay for a turn. However, in a Gladiator Beast deck, you can negate an attack, search for a Gladiator Beast, and destroy an on-field card. While the synergy within the deck is good for any format, it’s absolutely amazing given the current state of the game. With decks attempting to make large swings in a single turn—overloading the field all at once and committing to an attack—a well-timed Waboku or Defensive Tactics can leave an opponent incredibly vulnerable.

When Gladiator Beast Gyzarus finds its way into the format, Gladiator Beast decks are going to have a new way to punish opponents for overextending. If, for instance, your opponent summons Dark Armed Dragon, Dark Magician of Chaos, Snipe Hunter, and two other Dark monsters with Dimension Fusion, you’ll be able to destroy the Dark Armed Dragon and Dark Magician of Chaos by playing Monster Reborn on Gyzarus, then attack the Snipe Hunter and destroy the other two monsters with copies of Gladiator Beast Murmillo. You’ve just played Monster Reborn to destroy five monsters and ended your turn with two of your own on the field!

Gyzarus gives Gladiator Beasts control over almost everything they could have lacked. They can now compete against the massive card-drawing engine Allure of Darkness and Destiny Draw offer by having the consistency to first keep opponents at bay with the cards we already had (Waboku and Defensive Tactics), and punish the overextensions such massive card-drawing power promotes with Gyzarus. You can turn your opponent’s draw engines into a weakness: the opponent’s reliance on drawing many cards leads him or her to depend on specific game-winning combo attacks. By stopping those large attacks and destroying your opponent’s field, you’ll leave your opponent with almost no possible retaliatory responses. You’ll control the speed of the game and quickly deplete your opponent of cards.