Thursday, June 24, 2010

Structure Deck Marik

So it appears that this is going to be coming out now.

And with common Mirror Force...just like the new Dragunity Structure deck...

As well, Cathedral of Nobles is coming out too.

~~~

Some crazy reprints if you're asking me!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

For Infernities: What to Side

Yesterday, I spoke about the cards that players should be using to side against Infernities.

Today, I'll be speaking on behalf of the Infernity players out there, and be listing cards that I think are appropriate as counter side deck options.

~~~

Smashing Ground / Fissure

This is the first card that comes into my mind when I think of all the Thunder King Rai-ohs and Consecrated Light people are using against Infernities. Just simply use more card-for-card removal.

If you cannot attack over a certain attack threshold, you require more removal cards at that point. For Consecrated Light, Fissure does justice against it with its 0 Atk.

Hero's Rule 2

An effective Trap card designed to protect your graveyard. It negates the effect of a card targetting your graveyard and destroys it. This stops D.D. Crow and Crevice into the D.D.
However, this card also stops your opponent from targeting his own graveyard as well, so cards such as Call of the Haunted, Limit Reverse, or even specific graveyard cards such as Gottoms' Emergency Call and Infernity Launcher are negated.

Imperial Iron Wall

Another card designed to protect your graveyard. But instead of stopping your opponent from targeting your graveyard, it stops them from removing cards from the game. It stops key removal cards like D.D. Crow and Crevice as well.

~~~

These are the key counter side cards that I envision in the Infernity player's side deck.

Hopefully, you won't mind trying them out a bit.

That's all for today's post.

Until the next time.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Against Infernities: What to Side

So with the coming and going of YCS Chicago, and with the coverage, I would like to reflect upon what would be the ideal side deck when going against a particular matchup.

In this post, I would like to go over what would be the most effective method against Infernities.

~~~

Ideally, most, if not all people, have realized Infernities dependance on the graveyard.

As a result, this cards were the first to come up in most people's lists for their side deck.

D.D. Crow

A natural pick, being able to be activated from the hand during either player's turn. As well, it's easily mained without disrupting your main strategy.

Crevice into the Different Dimension

A more specific designed card , with a few more applications outside of Crow. Able to strip two cards out of the graveyard, this card is effective against Infernities as well. However, it's a Trap card, meaning it has to be set one turn prior unfortunately.

Thunder King Rai-oh

One of the more effective choices against Infernities. Being unable to search out Infernity Launcher by Infernity Archfiend's effect, this card is rather effective as their main win condition is now locked. As well, it's 1900 Atk works for beating over most of the Infernity monster line-up, short of Infernity Necromancer.

Doomcaliber Knight

Similar to Rai-oh, it's ability to negate monster effects is key. Unfortunately, DCK can be tricked into activating its mandatory negation effect by other cards, which is rather unfortunate.

Consecrated Light

For some reason, this appears to be the most effective of all Infernity hate cards. An Infernity player just has absolutely no out to Consecrated Light once it appears. As well, should Light be turned facedown thanks to Book of Moon, there's no doubt that there will be other outs to the Infernity deck's combos.

~~~

As such, with these five possible choices for your side deck, there are a lot of options to choose to counter the Infernity matchup.

Tomorrow, I'll be discussing the options an Infernity player can use in order to counter side against these choices.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday Local Report

Well, I forgot about doing the last three new Blackwing cards, but they'll be up and coming over the next three days.

I also forgot to post yesterday because Maplestory likes to drive me into a corner a hammer me there so I cannot access my Yugioh stuff!!!!

~~~

Got to my Locals on time thanks to my rollerblading (man, it's so fun rollerblading when it's hot outside), but I didn't feel like playing my Quickdraw variant at all.

Thankfully, Steve was there with his Quickdraw variant. So I get to enjoy using his High Monster Beat deck for the day.

But of course, since there were six Quickdraw variants there, we would get to see which is the Top build of the day.

~~

Round 1: XOO vs Infernities

Game 1: So basically I open with no D.D. Crow, and he goes off on his first turn. Enough said.

Game 2: This game I opened a lot better, but I wasn't able to beat him in a few turns. He had set up his combo, and was waiting to OTK me at any moment. Fortunately, I managed to go off first and win right before he top decks an Infernity Launcher.

Game 3: I survive again as he has no answers to Stardust and Junk Destroyer. Royal Decree did its job this game as well.


Round 2: OO vs Quickdraw (Obelisk)

Game 1: Now this was interesting. I wasn't expecting to hit a Marshmallon when I summoned Junk Destroyer to destroy it. Regardless, I win cause I was able to get my combo off first.

Game 2: This time, he pulls off Gravekeeper's Spy on me, which caught me off guard. He hits my Decree by bringing out Descendant, but I still manage to go off. Man, Quickdraw and Plaguespreader is one hell of a godly combo.


Round 3: XOX vs Gladiator Beasts

Game 1: I opened extremely nasty here. Almost all Tuners, and nothing to use for synchroing. Him attacking my graveyard with Retiari doesn't help either.

Game 2: Here, I was able to ride Jinzo and Ally of Justice Catastor to a win. My opponent was forced to get rid of Jinzo in order to open up his traps, but Catastor destroyed his Murmillo afterwards. When he tries to drop Gorz, I flipped Swallow Flip, destroying his only answer to Catastor.

Game 3: He goes first and set a monster. I could of play Junk Destroyer first turn, but I opted against it. Instead I bring out Dandylion through Lonefire Blossom. Then next turn he flips D.D. Warrior Lady. I cry. Nothing I can do as I lose my main synchro material. I make a comeback thanks to Jinzo, but then he drops Gorz as my facedown Swallow Flip is locked by my own Jinzo. Then he plays Brain Control.

Sigh...Gorz and Brain Control...Of course.


Round 4: OO vs Quickdraw

Game 1: Quickdraw mirrors are hard to describe I guess. There really isn't much to say. He goes off and I go off. We trade cards with his Grand Mole and my Drill Warrior. Eventually, I bring out a Caius on his Grand Mole and I deal enough damage for game.

Game 2: Same deal as Game 1 I suppose.


Top 8: Autowin vs Quickdraw

Well, my opponent was the same as the one from Round 4, but he really didn't feel like playing my deck again, so he decides to scoop to me.

Instead I play a Stall Exodia deck for fun this round, but Junk Destroyer does his job and wrecks 2 cards on the field at once against him.


Top 4: OXO vs Gladiator Beasts

Game 1: At first, I was losing to a massive field of two set S/T and a boosted Laquari and a Gyzarus. However, Debris manages to get me out of this pinch thanks to Black Rose Dragon, and thankfully, there was no Starlight Road or Book of Moon. He also didn't have a GB to summon next turn, so I was safe. From there, I played the game safely to a win.

Game 2: Yet again, I open massively bad. A bunch of Tuners with no synchro material is bad news. It doesn't help that he has a lot of backrow cards also.

Game 3:

He hits me hard with Heraklinos early game, but Black Rose Dragon stops it the first time. He brings it back with Call of the Haunted, but thanks to me forcing a facedown backrow (Compulsory Evacuation Device) with Debris Dragon, I managed to destroy Herakilnos a second time with Junk Destroyer. As well, with Plaguespreader Zombie in my graveyard and a bunch of tokens on the field, I wasn't about to make the same mistake as I had last time: Leaving Attack fodder for Gladiator Beasts. I bring out Ally of Justice Catastor. My opponent couldn't follow up after that.


Top 2: OO vs. Quickdraw (Obelisk)

Game 1: What can I say about this matchup? I play the deck normally, and it goes off faster than the regular Quickdraw variant thanks to a lot more milling.

Game 2: Same deal as Game 1.

~~~

So in the end, I win the tournament with Quickdraw! It's been quite a while since I've played and won a tournament, so this was a nostalgic feeling.

d(^_^)d

Junk Archer is a really sick card by the way. It lets OTKs happen when you may not see it possible.

Nitro Warrior is beast in the matchup against Quickdraw mirrors. Just goes through those tokens like nothing.

Nothing else to say really.

Anyways, that's all for this report.

Thanks for reading.

Until the next time.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Black Feather - Aurora the Northern Lights

And we continue with the new Blackwing monsters!

Today's monster is:

Black Feather - Aurora the Northern Lights
LIGHT/ Winged Beast - Effect/Level 10/? ATK/ 0 DEF

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by removing from play, 1 "Black Feather" Tuner and 1 non-Tuner monster. Once per turn, you can remove from play 1 "Black Feather" Synchro monster from your Extra Deck, and until the End Phase, this card's name is treated as being that monster's name, its ATK becomes equal to that monster's ATK, and it gains that monster's effect(s).

~~~

Now that is a lot of text!

Let's first start off with its name.

The name Black Feather is good, as it fits with the archetype. Kalut can be dropped to increase its Attack points when needed. However! That's as good as it gets.

With ? Atk, you cannot search this card out with Black Whirlwind. That's very bad. This card is now going to be overlooked just because of that one fact.

Let's keep moving though.

It has a LIGHT attribute.

Say what? A Blackwing monster with a LIGHT attribute?

Yes, I know that it's very strange that they would print this card out, but think about it! You can use Honest and Kalut to boost this guy! As gimmicky as that would be though...You cannot even Allure away this card should it be dead in hand.

The Winged Beast typing means it still is a target for Icarus Attack at least.

The ? Atk is based upon its effect, but it only gets the Atk gain until the end phase of the turn, so this card wont survive your opponent's next turn for sure. 0 Def doesn't help this card much either.

This card, being a Nomi monster only adds to the bad qualities this card already has.

To special summon it, you have to remove from play a BF tuner and only 1 non-Tuner monster. This makes it easier to bring out than most synchros that require more than 1 non-Tuner monster.

Its effect is really good, as copying a Blackwing Synchro's effect and attack for that turn is kinda useful.

~~~

Overall, this card is still bad stuff.

The only benefit this has versus normal Synchroing is that this card can be used to bring out Silverwind a lot easier than Synchroing for Silverwind.

However! Bringing this guy out in order to copy Armed Wing or Armor Master is just dumb! You have a Tuner and a non-Tuner on the field already! Why not just Synchro for those two monsters if you can!

As well, the only time when you can expect to see that you would need this guy is when you cannot Synchro, right? But for that to occur, more than likely you cannot special summon, so Aurora is pretty dead itself!

As stated before, this card is dead stuff.

Don't try to run it.

Use this card as an alternative to Synchroing? What I see is more minuses.

That's all for today.

Until the next post.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

New Blackwing Cards

According to the anime, Crow is set to go against Jaeger, who uses a ton of anti-Synchro cards.

So, along with the anime, there are going to be new Blackwing cards released in the new set, Starstrike Blast!

And I'm going to be previewing these new cards one at a time because it seems that there will be too much text in one post if I post it at once!

The new cards are:

Black Feather - Etesia the Twin Longswords

Black Feather - Aurora the Northern Lights

Black Feather - Abroholos the Megaquake

Black Feather - Mine

Black Back

~~~

And today's card is!

Black Feather - Etesia the Twin Longswords
DARK / Winged Beast - Effect/3/400/1600

If, at the end of the Damage Step of a battle between a "Black Feather" you control and an opponent's monster, that opponent's monster is still on the field, activate by sending this card from your hand to the graveyard. Inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent.

Ehh...

So it's time to analyze this card.

Well, it's low attack means that this card is a constant target for Black Whirlwind. Even Vayu could search out Etesia with its 800 Atk.

Etesia doesn't have much purpose on the field though.

It's effect activates in the hand, much like Kalut does, so it shouldn't necessarily count as a monster.

It's defense is mediocre, as high attack monsters can still run over it rather easily should you be in the position to set it. Mistral would definitely be a stronger card to set for defensive purposes.

However, it does have the DARK attribute, which is always good to have.

In addition, its low attack means it is a target for Shura so that you don't have to bring out Gale or Kalut when you run out of Vayus in the deck.

As well, 1000 points of damage is a lot.

1/8 of your opponent's life does takes its toll.

It's effect also serves to be a game ender, should the opponent's life reach that low.

Overall, this card is still meh, but it definitely warrants testing. In the right builds, this card could be as devastating as Sirocco.

That's all for today.

Until the next time.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Gold Series 3

All of the Gold Rares are now confirmed!

Vice Dragon
Exploder Dragon
Elemental Hero Prisma
Dimensional ALchemist
Judgement Dragon
Mezuki
Plaguespreader Zombie
Thunder King Rai-oh
Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind
Infernity Archfiend
Stardust Dragon
Blackwing Armor Master
Blackwing Armed Wing
Mystical Space Typhoon
My Body A A Shield
Smashing Ground
Enemy Controller
Icarus Attack

~~~

This set looks to be a good one!

Structure Deck Draguinity Drive

It seems like the full list is finally out.

http://shriek.twoday.net/

Stuff that stands out in the set are:

Bottomless Trap Hole
Mirror Force
Icarus Attack
Foolish Burial
No REDMD (LOL)

And that big one: Draguinity Arms Laevateinn.

~~~

Who's willing to bet Mirror Force is going to be taken out of the deck in the TCG?

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Qucikdraw Deck

Looks like my Quickdraw Plants variant just can only go so far.

I may have to take up my friend's variant after play testing with it a little bit just today.

I need to pick up a lot more cards now than just Synchron Explorer.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Darklord Desire

Besides the CRAPPY three new promo cards, there is one more being released in the TCG.

That card is Darklord Desire. Although Fallen Angel Desire sounds much better, IMO.

DARK/Fairy - Effect/Level 10/3000 Atk/2800 Def

This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can be Tribute Summoned by Tributing 1 Fairy-Type monster. Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can have this card lose 1000 ATK, and send 1 monster your opponent controls to the Graveyard.


Well, this card won't probably be put to use as much as the other Darklords such as Superbia, but it does have some merits.

Only tributing one Fairy-type monster does help when you intend to use Tribute Fodder as the main way to bring this guy out.

In addition, the DARK type it has means that this card has a lot of support from Dark cards, such as Allure of Darkness...and others...Dark Armed Dragon I guess..

The attack and defense of this card is definetely great assets.

Being a Fairy means that Archlord Kristya would work as well in a deck with this card.

The effect of this card is excellent: it's like a pseudo-Dark End Dragon, and with its high defenses, can be protected by Book of Moon from attacks in order to reset its attack points.

Unfortunately, this is where the benefits stops, because the ability to be unabled to be special summoned really hampers the card.

In a deck that likes to special summon a lot, such as one that would include Valhalla, Kristya, and Superbia, this card would appear to be very weak.

Light and Darkness Dragon is also a better choice to tribute summon, due to your opponent being forced to commit cards that get rid of Light and Darkness Dragon.

Overall, this card is meh~

~~~

Anyways, thanks for reading this card analysis.

Until next time.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Turbo Pack 3

Shiny Rescue Cat.

OMG. That is amazing...I can't wait for it!

Also, Rekindling is getting a shiny upgrade as well. And Morphtronic Celfon.

Does Celfon becoming a shiny mean Morphtronics are going to get some broken support in the near future???

As well, Magical Android is getting reprinted, most likely as a common. It's due time.

~~~

Sorry about no post yesterday. My week has just been hectic.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Gold Series 3

Mystical Space Typhoon and Exploder Dragon.

Both Gold. Both reprinted.

Proof here.

Just open your eyes.

http://www.konami.com/yugioh/articles/

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

X-Saber Wayne



EARTH/Warrior - Synchro - Effect/Level 5/ 2100 Atk / 400 Def

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your hand.


My friend made me play this card, so I feel like I should take another look at it at the very least.

Well, the fact that's it's a Level 5 Synchro doesn't really help much, because both Ally of Justice Catastor and Magical Android are many times superior to this Synchro monster.

It's Attack stat isn't so great either, because the Level 5-6 Atk threshold is established to be 2400 Atk, the same Atk value of the Monarchs.

So overall, the card is really bad right?

Wrong.

There is one deck where this generic Level 5 Synchro can fit in, and that would be in an X-Saber deck.

Have a Pashuul and a Darksoul, as well as a Faultroll in your hand? Why not Synchro for X-Saber Wayne, as well as letting you summon that Fulhelmknight?

Of course, situational event is situational, but still, if you have that Sangan instead of Darksoul...

I would say that one X-Saber Wayne is fitting for an X-Saber deck. You never know when he can save your face.

The fact that he has X-Saber in his name helps a lot too.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Youtube

Go on over and check it out!

www.youtube.com/user/MonarchVV

~~~

Slow news day today, I don't really have much to talk about.

=\

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Sunday Locals Report

Today was yet another Sunday at my locals. Luckily it was a normal constructed format, so I did not need to do anything weird to my current set of cards.

I made it early, so I was there a bit doing some trading, etc...

Tournament finally got started, and it was four Swiss rounds, cutting to a Top 8.

Round 1: OO vs Infernities

Game 1: He just had a really bad hand for some reason. I pull off a lucky mill off Card Trooper sending Dandylion to the graveyard, and then with the tokens I summon Light and Darkness Dragon the next turn. It was all downhill from there.

Game 2: Pretty much the same deal as Game 1. He had a bad setup and my transformational side did its job. Siding in Crows, Monarchs and Royal Oppression gave me the edge in this match-up.


Round 2: OXO vs Machina Gadgets

Game 1: Oh boy. I really did not expect to see this match-up today. I had not side for this match at all.
=\
Somehow though, I managed to outlive my opponent's resources through his minus from summoning a Fortress into my Bottomless Trap Hole, and a LADD late game wins me this duel.

Game 2: Drawing into only Monarchs and Chaos Sorcerer early game, while having my only summon-able monster sent by Trap Dustshoot is brutal. REAL BRUTAL.

Game 3: He pulls off Chain Disappearance on me in this duel, but it doesn't stop me from getting off my Lonefire Blossom play. From there, it was rather similar gameplay to Game 1: he gains advantage, but I get through it through his minuses from Machina Fortress.


Round 3: OXX vs Gladiator Beasts

Game 1: Early control through Drill Warrior and my S/T removal wins me this game.

Game 2: I don't remember much detail, but I recall having bad hands.

Game 3: Now the last duel this was a misplay by me. I get out Turbo Warrior, but leave a token on the field. I had a Spore in my graveyard, but didn't use it to synchro with the token into AOJ Catastor. Because of that, while I did have My Body as a Shield face down as an answer to his Smashing Ground, I did not have an answer to his Book of Moon.

=\ Bad plays by me there, but you learn when you misplay.


Round 4: XX vs Rock Stun

This two duels were rather lousy, as I was against my brother and I really had no motivation to beat him into the ground. Also, my deck pretty bad against his deck.

Monster heavy deck against Neo-Spacian Grand Mole = GG


Alright, so I go 2-2, and somehow make it into the Top 8 through tiebreakers (as usual)

Top 8 Match-up: XOO vs Machina Gadgets

Yes, against the same person from Round 2.

Game 1: Another Trap Dustshoot sends away my LADD, but I could not do much anyways with Quickdraw, two Caius, and two useless spell and trap cards. I get beat down rather quickly.

Game 2: I manage to pull off the Drill Warrior plays, and I win with him staring down Drill Warrior and Light and Darkness Dragon.

Game 3: This was a good back-and-forth match, as the exchanges were rather even. In the end, Caius wins me the duel as he just couldn't get Caius off the field after I removed his Machina Fortress.


Top 4 match-up: OXX vs LIGHT Anti-Meta

A good duel against my friend and teammate Jimmy.

Game 1: Early control through Drill Warrior wins me this game, as Jimmy just couldn't remove it off the field. Dust Tornado hitting Royal Oppression was a lifesaver also. Also this duel was the first time I used Junk Destroyer all day. Although it was only for a final finisher though.

Game 2: His anti-meta antics work, as I just couldn't get through D.D. Warrior Lady, Thunder King Rai-oh, and Royal Oppression.

Game 3: A rather similar repeat of Game 2. Just throw Honest in there somewhere.

~~~

Today's Top 8 was one Gladiator Beast deck, one Quickdraw deck, one Infernities, one Machina Gadget, one Synchro Cat, one Rock Stun, one Anti-Meta deck, and one Zombie deck.

The Top 4 consisted of the Anti-Meta deck, my Quickdraw deck, the Infernity deck and the Gladiator Beast deck.

Top 2 was the Anti-Meta deck and the Gladiator deck going head to head, with the GBs coming out on top eventually.

~~~

So I end with a Top 4 finish today. It's been quite a while since I've last seen a Top 2 or Top 1 finish. Lately, Quickdraw Plants just aren't as efficient. I may switch back to a different variant of Synchro Cat next week. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks for reading this blog post as usual.

Until tomorrow~

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Maplestory 3rd Job Advancement

Today is June 5, 2010.

At 4:42 pm today, I reached Level 70 with my first Maplestory character.


IT'S BEEN A GOOD FIVE YEARS!

Scar-Red Nova Dragon


This card gains 500 ATK for each Tuner monster in your Graveyard. This card cannot be destroyed by your opponent's cards effects. When your opponent's declares an attack or targets this card, you can remove from play this card to negate 1 monster's attack. During the End Phase, Special Summon this card that was removed from play by this effect.
.
.
.
.
.
When your opponent's declares an attack or targets this card, you can remove from play this card to negate 1 monster's attack.
.
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targets this card


Daaaaaaamnnnnnnn

Does this card keep getting better text or what?

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Baaack!

What happens when a person gets his hand on an Ace Attorney game?

He MUST complete all five episodes before returning to his normal life!!!

So yea...I picked up the new one and I haven't been on the computer at all in the past two days.

But anyways, I beat the game and I'm back to my regular posting schedule!

Expect more updates to come!