Mono Chrom (B22)

## Overview

Written by: Basil

Mono Chrom is a solid midrange deck that can own the board since he is able to consistently set up strong blue class change skills. Chrom can put the pressure on with his blue low costs like Lucina, Frederick and Robin F, then once they die he deploys them from retreat to use their strong class change skills depending on what high cost he has in hand. Overall, he’s a pretty versatile, all-around midrange deck that has tempo, movement, destruction and more at his disposal.

## Gameplan

Mono Chrom usually leans on the more aggressive side of midrange, so early on you’ll want to deploy some low costs and hit the opponent’s MC. You will probably clear whatever they play as well, but that’s more of a means to keep your own units on the field and continue hitting them. Of course, if the opponent is actually aggro, then you adjust and play defensively, using your units to kill theirs and maybe even hiding Chrom in the backline.

After Chrom promotes, you’re mostly looking to set up class changes depending on what you have in hand and what you need using his skill 1. How he does it is you flip 1 discard a card you don’t need, then deploy the low cost of whatever card in hand you want to class change. What’s nice is this can actually let you class change units like Lucina and Robin F a turn early, since normally on turn 4 you can’t play a 1 cost and CC a 5(4), but this skill gets around that. You can even discard the 1 cost of the card you want to deploy from your hand if you don’t have it in your retreat yet.

Lucina is usually a great choice throughout the game since her tempo and enemy movement can allow you to control the board, but Frederick is a solid backup if she isn’t in your hand. If the opponent has a few units on board, you’ll probably be looking to CC Robin F instead, who just straight up destroys 2 or more enemies, allowing you to continue to pressure the opponent’s MC.

That is really all there is to it- class change your allies using Chrom’s skill 1 depending on what you need, control the board, hit the opponent’s MC with remaining swings. Naga is great for when you’re missing the card you want to CC from hand, and you can use value-oriented 4 costs like Robin M or Nowi to keep your hand size up. Chrom’s skill 2 makes all your class changes hand-neutral, or even positive if a unit sticks and you class change them again, so he can potentially keep going for a while until you beat down your opponent.

## Strengths and Weaknesses

**Strengths:**

* Can consistently abuse Blue’s strong class change skills
* Flexible build options- can lean into aggro or slower midrange
* Has extra gas thanks to his skill 2 making class changes hand-neutral

**Weaknesses:**

* Needs the cards to class change into in hand to do anything
* Doesn’t hit 80 + 20 on his own
* Doesn’t do anything on promo turn

## Key Cards

### Robin F 5(4) CC

Class changing Robin allows Chrom to completely wipe the opponent’s board and swing at their MC- something he shares with Exalt. However, while Mono Chrom can’t sneak out more units alongside Robin as well as Exalt, he makes up for it by being able to use her a turn earlier. She always clears at least 2 units since she counts herself and your MC, and if you have more like Frederick that’s just a bonus.

### Lucina 5(4) CC

One of the strongest class change skills in the game, this card is part of what defines Mono Chrom’s more aggressive playstyle. You can potentially get Lucina class changed on turn 4, giving you her and a 4 cost from the retreat, which is great tempo. Depending on your build you can run value-oriented 4 costs like Robin M or Nowi, or just get Frederick 4 out to buff Chrom and whack face. Her movement skill is also great for pulling backline threats or pushing a front line unit back and ignore it for a turn.

### Naga 5

Naga is a great card because you can play her alongside any low cost and class change them from retreat. This is especially nice for Mono Chrom since he has to class change from hand, meaning Naga can potentially get him a Class Change he didn’t get to draw. Her ramp and board buff are also nice for securing hits, and if you have bond retrieval like Nowi 4 you can potentially pick her up from bonds and use her again.

### Frederick 4(3) B22

Though not quite as impactful as Lucina or Robin F, Frederick is still a solid inclusion since he can move the board with his CCS and make himself and Chrom 80 base. Usually you will class change him, get the buff, swing with him, then hide him in the back line. If he sticks, which is possible since he is 80 in the back line, then next turn he can buff and move himself forward again.

## Sample Decks

Mono Chrom (Lissa)
4 Chrom, Fate-Changing Exalt
4 Chrom, Ever-Just Prince (RP)
4 Lucina, Princess Striving for a Hopeful Future
4 Lucina, Despair-Defying Princess (P2)
4 Frederick, Knight of Ylisse
4 Frederick, Guardian Knight of the Halidom
4 Robin (Female), Tactician Bearing a Spectrum of Strategies
4 Robin (Female), The Exalt's Tactician
3 Naga, Divine Dragon of Salvation
3 Nowi, Playful Millenary Dragon
3 Chrom, Sacred Sovereign of Hope
3 Robin (Male), Tactician of Exalted Strategies
2 Lissa, Holy Princess
3 Lissa, Princess of the Shepherds
MC:
1 Chrom, Enthusiastic Prince