Overview

Maliss is a link based deck centered around summoning their monsters from the banishment and climbing into powerful in-archetype and generic Link Bosses. It's art draws heavy inspiration from both Alice in Wonderland and Computer Viruses/Malware. Each card has a name referencing a character from "Alice in Wonderland" while also having references to Computer code/malware.

Each of the Maliss monsters have unique effects when they are banished and the Traps allow you to activate them the turn they were set by banishing a Maliss monster you control. This creates not only incredible combo lines but also enables an extremely powerful Resource loop that guarantees if your opponent doesn't kill you Turn 2, they aren't seeing another turn.

Strengths and Weakness

Strengths

1. High ceiling - The variety of generic Cyberse support as well as their favorable attributes allows this archetype to combo to high heaven.
2. Flexibility - Summoning from the banishment allows you to always threaten extenders from hand that can ensure playing around a variety of handtraps.
3. Compactness - The relatively small engine means there's plenty of room for non-engine and sub-engines to shore up the deck's weaknesses.
4. Resiliency - Once you've established cards like White Binder and GWC, this deck creates a Resource Loop that is almost impossible to stop. It resists common breakers like Loading... and Loading... , as well as ensuring follow up in the even that your opponent was able to get some damage in but not able to finish you off.

Weaknesses

1. Maxx "C" - Like any combo deck, Maliss gets stopped in its tracks by the Master Duel menace and while it can Droll itself in a similar fashion to Snake-Eyes, it's combos are far less flexible around the earth insect.
2. Silver Bullets - TCG players will know that cards like Loading... and Loading... completely hose the deck to the point where people play sub optimal engines alongside Maliss to have some plays into these cards.
3. Going Second - While the deck does get to play a lot of non-engine, the Maliss engine itself isn't great a playing through established boards and is especially vulnerable to spot removal.

Table of Contents

1. Main Deck
2. Extra Deck
3. Other engines
4. Sub-optimal Techs
5. VS Popular Non-Engine
6. Combos
7. Deck-lists

The Main Deck

Malware

All of the Main Deck Maliss monsters have their own unique effects on the field/in the hand, however they all share the ability (with the exception of March Hare) to summon themselves back the first time they are banished by paying 300LP.

Maliss P Dormouse

The best one card starter in the deck, Dormouse allows you to banish any Maliss monster from your deck allowing you to start link climbing the quickest.

This effect also buffs all of your Maliss monsters by 600 ATK for the rest of the turn, which turns Hearts Crypter into a 1 monster OTK machine.

She also prevents Maliss Link monsters from being destroyed by card effects when a Maliss Link monster points to her.

Always played at the max amount of legal copies.

Maliss P White Rabbit

While not the best starter we have, White Rabbit is our other 1 card normal summon starter, allowing you to set any Maliss Trap from deck on Normal or Special. This effect is either full combo or fullish combo depending on your deck-building choices (we'll get to that later), but it being a trigger effect also means that you can use her to set a card like MTP-07 on your opponents turn, which can then be activated the turn it was set.

She also prevents you from taking any battle damage that involves a Maliss Link monster that points to her, though this effect rarely if ever comes up in real games.

Always played at the max amount of legal copies.

Maliss P Chessy Cat

Despite not being full combo on her own, Chessy Cat is invaluable as both and combo piece and as a handtrap magnet. On field she allows you to banish any Maliss *card* from hand to draw 2 cards. This can be used to both bait early disruptions on normal or it can be used mid-combo to dig for non engine as part of your endboard.

She also has the effect to banish any monster destroyed by battle with a Link Monster that points to her, which can come up especially in the mirror.

Ratios for Chessy are very much build dependent, most choose to max her out in order to better your odds of finding an ever crucial Maliss name, however some play her at 1 to maximise their non-engine space. Be warned that doing so puts you at the risk of weakening your engine by drawing her instead of banishing her off Ransom. As a result, most duelists choose to play her at at least 2 copies.

Maliss P March Hare

The new girl on the block, March Hare was a sorely needed addition that provided a great source of extension in a deck desperate for non normal summon reliant plays. March Hare functions as an in-archetype Bystial, allowing you to, in either Main Phase, banish any Maliss card from hand or graveyard to summon herself. This allows you to both combo off an impermed normal summon or banish a link to trigger their powerful banish effects.

Unlike the other main deck monsters, March Hare does not summon herself when banished. Instead, you can pay 300 LP to add back any of your banished Maliss monsters. This is normally used to add back herself, though notably you can also add back other names for followup/banish off Chessy.

She also has an effect on field that prevents any Maliss Link Monster from being targeted by card effects while a Maliss Link Monster points to her.

Generally always played at 3 copies, however she can be shaved down to 2 copies to fit in more non-engine.

Spyware

Maliss In Underground

Easily accesible off Loading... , Maliss in Underground is everything you want in an in-archetype Field Spell. Its effect to banish a Maliss card from Hand, Deck or Graveyard functions as both extension and as full combo on it's own, meaning hard drawing it just allows you to extend your plays even further.

It also prevents your opponent from attacking monsters other than your Maliss Link Monsters while you control them, as well as providing an attack boost in the rare situation that you have all 3 Maliss traps in your banishment.

Always played at the max amount of legal copies.

Maliss In The Mirror

Arriving alongside Loading... , Maliss In the Mirror functions as another target off Loading... and serves as a great piece to an end board. It allows you to target a monster your opponent controls, banish a Maliss monster you control and then negate that monsters effects. This alongside Red Ransom is our best option under Loading... as we still get two interruptions off just Mirror.

The real star of the show here is the banish effect, allowing you to banish a Maliss card from grave to add a Maliss card of the same card type from your deck to your hand. This comes up frequently in 1 card combo lines and is a great way of ensuring access to Loading... or guaranteeing you have a banish for a Chessy Cat on board.

Only seen at 1 copy in almost all lists due to its accesibility mid combo and its lack of play starting capabilities.

Viruses