They Hatin'

So once again it's that time of the year where all players around the world begin fantasizing about the upcoming banlist. Many suspect Reborn Tengu to be semi-limited, or even banned on the September 2011 list, a move that would hardly be surprisingly given the widespread use of the card. In the current format Tengu acts in a similar manner as Destiny Hero - Malicious did during the Tele-DAD format several years back. However, Tengu has couple differences that set it apart from it's predecessor.

1. Not being a Tribute Monster enables Tengu to be played the turn it's drawn, unlike Malicious which requires a Tribute.
2. Being Beast-Warrior, makes it compatible with the recently popular Horn of the Phantom Beast, making Tengu able to generate advantage without leaving the field.
3. Not being searchable outside it's own effect. Unlike Malicious, which can searched for and/or Special Summoned by a number of cards—Elemental HERO Stratos, Mystic Tomato, Foolish Burial, Armageddon Knight, Limit Reverse,etc.—Tengu needs to be drawn into to be played.
4. Tengu doesn't centralize the metagame the same way Malicious did. Granted the limitation status of other cards played a role in this, but in the current state of the game several decktypes are dominant, unlike the Tele-DAD format.

That aside, I don't think Reborn Tengu will be affected by the upcoming banlist, and this has nothing to do with it's current impact on the game. As previous banlists have shown, the OCG meta is the primary factor in the outcome of the list. Since Tengu is not out in Japanland, it is highly unlikely to be touched. Granted it could still be semi'd as a preemptive measure, but I doubt Konami will hit the card before OCG players get their chance at it. Then again, Rescue Cat was banned back in September 2010, BEFORE XX-Saber Darksoul became playable in the OCG. A deterrent to prevent the X-Saber abuse that plagued the TCG meta? That's the most likely reason.

It's Konami's decision in the end, but I suppose anything is possible. After all, who would've thought both Monster Reborn AND Dark Hole would ever be unbanned? 

Remember players, the game ends with you.

No More Heroes

This new banlist has really put me at a loss, not only have I lost a copy of Dandylion and Debris Dragon in my Plant Deck, but an Honest and two copies of Book of Moon in my Hero Deck. And to make matters worse I lost my sole Card Trooper in an ante. *sigh* Anyway this was the build I was previously testing:

ABSOLUTE ZERO BARRIER (SEPTEMBER 2010)

MONSTERS (20)

1 Gorz the Emissary of Darkness

2 General Raiho of the Ice Barrier

3 Elemental Hero Neos Alius

1 Elemental Hero Stratos

2 Elemental Hero Prisma

1 Elemental Hero Wildheart

2 Elemental Hero Ocean

2 Honest

2 Elemental Hero Voltic

1 Neo-Spacian Grand Mole

1 Glow-Up Bulb

2 Effect Veiler

SPELLS  (15)

3 Book of Moon

3 Miracle Fusion

3 E – Emergency Call

2 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Dark Hole

1 Cold Wave

1 Future Fusion

1 Monster Reborn

TRAPS (5)

1 Mirror Force

1 Torrential Tribute

1 Call of the Haunted

2 Bottomless Trap Hole

I'm too broke to afford Solemn Warnings, hence the Bottomless Trap Holes, and I'm still tinkering with the Extra Deck, but this build showed a lot of potential against a variety of decks: Blackwings, Gladiator Beasts, Macro, Chaos, and Six Samurai (to an extent), at least from my testing.

Replacing an Honest and Cold Wave is simple enough as there are many alternatives with similar effects, Shrink and Giant Trunade being among them. However, Book of Moon is a bit more difficult since the alternatives won't always be as helpful as the original.

• Enemy Controller won't stop Blackwings from getting a search off Black Whirlwind.
• Compulsory Evacuation Device won't save you when your opponent chains Trap Stun or has Royal Decree active.
• Forbidden Lance was originally praised for its ability to counter Book of Moon, but with the latter being restricted to one, it's bit more limited in it's use.
• Effect Veiler will negate a monster's effect, but it's still useless during the Battle Phase and won't protect you from receiving damage.

I guess this is just one of those things that needs to be solved through trial and error. Guess I'll be proxying Pot of Dualities and Solemn Warnings in the meantime. ^_^

Remember players, the game ends with you.

P.S: Yes, I understand that General Raiho of the Ice Barrier is not legal in the TCG as of yet. So what? He's still a sexy beast. (No homo, lol.)

Exceeding Expectations

So a lot of news has been circulating within the past few days. The March 2011 Banlist for one thing, but Exceed Monsters have also finally gotten their mechanics explained. What will this mean for the game? Well the first few packs that released Synchro Monsters produced most of the staples people still use today. 

Duel Terminal 01 - Synchro Awakening:

• Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
• Ally of Justice Catastor
• Mist Wurm

The Duelist Genesis:

• Stardust Dragon
• Goyo Guardian (Recently Banned)
• Red Dragon Archfiend
• Thought Ruler Archfiend

Starter Deck 2008:

• Colossal Fighter

Now that it' known that Duel Terminal 12 - Exceed Startup, Generation Force, and Starter Deck 2011 will introduce Exceed Summons into the game, I'd expect most of our staple Exceed Monsters to make their debut. 

Speaking of which, it's definitely starting to look like Konami is trying to phase-out Synchros completely what with Goyo Guardian getting banned out of the blue and one of the first cards in Generation Force (Gagaga Magician) already stating it can't be used for Synchro Summons.

Some players fear that popular archetypes like Scraps, Karakuri, and Watts will no longer receive support now that Exceed Summoning will become the focus of upcoming sets, but this may not exactly be true. If DT12 is any indication we may start seeing Exceed Monsters being made for existing archetypes like how Vylons received Vylon Disigma.

Remember players, the game ends with you.

Banlist Denial

I'd mentioned in my last post that Konami sometimes likes to throw curve balls. If you've seen the spoilers for the banlist, then you may have realized that they've thrown one heck of a pitch. The bizarre nature of this banlist has many people at my locals in denial. They say that Konami would never do something like that or that the OCG list is different than the TCG one anyway. I didn't really care for their opinions regardless, it just makes it easier to get the new staples I need for the upcoming format off them.

First off, the OCG list is ALWAYS the same as the TCG list. The sole exception to this rule applies to cards that exist in one meta but not the other. For example, Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier was released between formats in the TCG (it debuted earlier for the OCG). Because of this, the previous banlist did not have any restrictions placed on Brionac until the end of the format.

The only other way for there to variations between the lists is if a card is Emergency Banned. Cyber-Stein was the first card to be banned during the middle of a banlist cycle, and not during the new banlist announcements.

Other than those ways scenarios I've mentioned, the two lists are nigh identical, there's no two ways about it. I know that there's still going to be people that wait till September 1st, or whenever Konami decides to update their website, but I guarantee it would best to get a head-start right now. After all, the previously banned-now limited Monster Reborn and Dark Hole's prices are going to skyrocket.

Remember players, the game ends with you.

P.S: http://manjyomethunder.twoday.net/ is generally accepted as the #1 source for all upcoming information for the OCG. It's counterpart for the TCG is http://shriektcg.twoday.net/. Remember these two sites, and you'll have all the knowledge you need of all upcoming cards for both metas.

P.S.S: Haha, Rescue Cat finally got banned.

Permabanning

Players that are newer to the game often look at the banlist and question the logic behind choices Konami has made. I've heard arguments calling for cards like Tribe-Infecting Virus and Sinister Serpent to brought back, at least to one. The logic they use stems from the fact that there exist cards that can be used to counter them, should they get out of hand. In this case, suitable counters would be Starlight Road and D.D. Crow.

Now it is not my intention to insult anyone, but this is inherently flawed logic. Cards are on the banlist are there for a reason. The existence of a card that can counteract it does not make said card any less unbalanced. I can use Solemn Judgment when my opponent summons Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End, but does that make him any less broken? Heck no!

The only reason I bring this up is because recently I've seen a growing number of players calling for Thousand-Eyes Restrict to be brought to 1 or higher, and I will say this now: "It will NOT happen!"

Thousand-Eyes Restrict, which I shall hereby refer to as TER, was first brought into notoriety during the Goat Control Format. For those of you unfamiliar with the format, 

A Goat Control Deck centers around using "Metamorphosis" on "Magician of Faith" or a "Sheep Token" to summon "Thousand-Eyes Restrict". "Tsukuyomi" is also a vital card to this Deck, as it allows you to re-use "Thousand-Eyes Restrict's" effect.

Goat Control Decks became practically dead after the September 2005 banlists, when "Scapegoat", "Metamorphosis" and "Thousand-Eyes Restrict" were all Limited. This Deck is now truly dead in the Advanced Format as of September 1, 2006, since "Tsukuyomi" and "Thousand-Eyes Restrict's" banning. "Magician of Faith" and "Metamorphosis" have also been banned since. 

~ Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia

Some of you may still wonder why TER can't come back if Metamorphosis remains banned. The reason for this is because now there is any even better alternative: Instant Fusion

Instant Fusion (Normal Spell)

Pay 1000 Life Points. Special Summon 1 Level 5 or lower Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon). It cannot attack, and is destroyed during the End Phase. Only 1 "Instant Fusion" can be activated per turn.

Instant Fusion triumphs Metamorphosis in several ways. For one, it treats the Special Summon as a Fusion Summon, meaning TER can be revived later. With Book of Moon currently at 3, bringing TER back would definitely slow the meta considerably. Monarchs would likely benefit the most, being able to use TER + Instant Fusion as a pseudo-Soul Exchange that lets them retain their Battle Phase.

Indeed, for the reasons I've mentioned as well as others, there are some cards that just can't come on the banlist. Sure, Konami may throw a curve ball like they did with Monster Reborn a few formats ago, but the odds that happening again are extremely slim, so I wouldn't bet on it.

Remember players, the game ends with you.

Banlist Fever

It happens to a lot of players, usually around months before the upcoming format's banlist is revealed. There are many symptoms associated with the condition, but most focused on a decreased interest in the playing/trading and a urge to call it quits. 

Why is this? Well, I'm no psychology expert but the reason most likely is due to a sense of foreboding. Players don't like it when they work hard to build a deck that turns out to be destroyed by the following formats banlist. 

Back in the September 2009 format, I perfected a Monarch variant I called Level Control Monarchs, which utilized both Tragoedia and Level Eater to generate infinite tribute fodder. I was devastated when I learned that Tragoedia was limited to 1 in the March 2010 banlist. Even now, although I've altered my deck's build to function with Battle Fader and Oracle of the Sun instead of Tragoedia, I possess great fear that Fader will get hit by September's list due to its immense popularity in the current meta. 

Banlist discussions I've often found to be quite pointless as players tend to be a bit melodramatic with their arguments. Besides Konami can be quite unpredictable with some of their choices. Those who wish to act on assumptions can be my guests, but I think I'd rather wait and see how things make their turn.

Remember players, the game ends with you.