About the banlist, and the state of the game

*Beware: Wall of texts

Everyone's discussing the F/L list for September now

In my opinion, no matter how skillful the Dragon/Prophecy mirror matches are, this format is still shit. Matches depend too much on the coin toss, and on the starting hands

Just like any other year, the March formats (National formats) were full of shit, and the September ones were always better

Wandering around some blogs and forum threads, I've seen various possible options for the banlist to make the game "balanced" (from the point of the banlist speculator)

Ban/limit Judgment Day
Ban/limit Rejuvenation
Ban the Baby Dragons
Limit Secret and/or Magician
Limit Gold Sarcophagus
Semi-limit the Big Dragons
....

The whole point of all those things were to hit Dragons and Prophecies. I'm not saying that's not needed. Of course Dragons and Prophecies should be hit, but how?

Let's consider. Just a little behind Dragons and Prophecy, there're a lot of good/decent decks out there. Mermail (top 8 Europe), Evilswarm (of course. Anti-meta, or just 2550 body pressing with free Lances), Constellar (Pleiades is good, Paladynamo is good, Shock Master is good), Fire Fist (Chicken/Rooster and Wolfberg confirmed), Dragunities (check my older posts)...

Going more rogue, there're also: Infernities (Lavalval Chain is a bitch, and now there's Transturn to turn used Necromancer into brand new Archfiends), Karakuri (Transturn Merchant into Ninishi, start the drawing whore, Iron Calls and Redox abuse,...), Hieratic (there's a new normal dragon monster which is tuner, DARK, level 6, and Dragodrad whatever, to pair with the former for Trident Dragion), and more

So, if there's no more Dragon and Prophecy (or assume Konami nerfs them into something like the non-Zenmaity version of Wind-Ups), what will be the top deck?

Obviously Mermails. They have Stream, Tidal, Abyssgaios, the rank 7 access (Abyssteus, Abyssmegalo, the Dragons, Abyss-Sphere) while also have access to rank 4, though less often (Aqua Spirit banish Tidal search Stream, normal summon it and xyz - totally legit combo. Bahamut Shark is quite good, in addition)

After a format dominated by Dragons and Prophecy, people may think Mermail is just normal. NO! The use of 6 hand traps in Dragons, as well as Spellbook of Fate and Jowgen, prevented Mermail from going to top. When there's no more Dragon or Prophecy, the trend would be over, and Mermail, being the fastest deck right now, can easily crush everything on its way

BUT, we have had a Mermail format, and Konami rarely does something that boosts the old deck. Six Samurai and Dark World were exceptions, while everything else just kept being hit (Plant, Dino Rabbit, Wind Up, Chaos Dragon,...)

BUT, again, Mermail is not likely to be hit. Why? Why should you hit a deck that does absolutely shit in the recent months? That creates a paradox, hitting the whole 3 meta decks seems stupid, but letting any of them survive is even more stupid

Evilswarm (and, to some extent, Constellar) are the anti-meta picks for the format. I don't see any problems with the 2 decks though. They're doing stuffs in their own way: not too fast, not too aggressive, not too consistent. They're just... good. But still Ophion is bad for the game, obviously

To sum up, I don't think Konami would hit everything. And if they ever hit anything, they wouldn't kill them, just yet. Following Konami's trend of making the banlist really short, I'd PREDICT something like this:

Banned: 
Super Rejuvenation

Limited:
Spellbook of Judgment
Spellbook of Secret
Dracossack

Semi-limited:
Mermail Abyssteus

Unlimited:
Who cares?

Some reasoning:

The banning of Rejuvenation: Because with 3 Swords and 3 Sarcophaguses, Dragons are still consistent as ****. Just don't let them be too broken, and make things a little more... fair. Dragons without Rejuvenation = grind game (it's not easy to OTK with Dragons, especially in game 2-3). Without Rejuvenation, Dragon will be a Mermail-like deck. Lots of card advantages, sometimes pulling off an OTK with a good/god hand, most of the time will be about summoning big monsters (Dracossack or Master of Blades) and protect the field. In short, Dragons don't need Rejuvenation to be a good deck

The limited: Because Konami likes hitting searcher. Secret or Magician is 50:50, but Magician is easier to stop (Effect Veiler, Breakthrough Skill,...) so I'd pick Secret to the limited list. Requiring a normal summon is also a disadvantage for the Blue Magician at times. Judgment is obvious choice: for the whole last format, the first Judgment is just a preparation for a bigger Judgment next turn. Judgment also serves as a stupid way of protection in the Spellbook mirror matchs, so goodbye!

The same thing goes to Dracossack: People don't have too much problem dealing with the first Dracossack, but the second and third are too much to handle. Big Eye is the same, but TCG people don't use Big Eye that much, so I guess hitting 1 of them is enough. Not to mention now me have Master of Blades

The semi-limited Mermail Abyssteus: Because it's what makes Mermail so consistent during the pre-LTGY era. It even replaces the ultimate search engine Genex Undine/Atlantean Dragoons. And if you're still playing Mermail now, you know having Abyssteus makes us feel much better than Abyssmegalo, because the whole point of the Mermail deck in this meta is Abyssgaios. The Megalo/Diva OTK is still broken, but it's much easier to stop (Book of Moon, from my own experience) and requires more cards than a Gaios setup, especially with Sream/Tidal engine

Also, the reason for not hitting any Dragons is: the deck should remain for a little bit more (look at Plant, Wind-Ups,...) and the Dragons also serve in various single-attribute decks (Karakuri, Gadget, Plant (the new one with Tree Spirit coming soon) Dragunity, Mermail, Fire Fist,...). If the Dragons weren't able to summon themselves by banishing Dragons, I'd appreciate Konami for bringing in such balanced elements for single-attribute decks. It sucks we cannot change the text, but I haven't seen anyone putting 2 elements in a deck

There's one last topic to talk about: hand traps. From my experience, Maxx "C" is a really good card design, and so is Effect Veiler. The problem is, the 2 hand traps should never ever have co-existed. There're a number of more balanced hand trap: the limited Gorz, Tragoedia, Swift Scarecrow, Trifortressops. In that case, if people decide to push through Maxx "C", the risk is high, but still not like deciding your game in a coin toss. Have you ever tried to push through Maxx "C", and on your last key move you're hit by Veiler? To stop a combo, people should be required to have more than just a single monster which helps you digging for another single monster. Herald of Orange Light is balanced, so as Trifortressops, Tragoedia, which are easier to play around. However Scarecrow is quite broken too, if you haven't realized

On the other hand, without Maxx "C", everything's alright. You need to conserve your hand traps, read your opponent possible combos, or in short, be more skillful

But we can't do anything to it but to face it. I really don't like the existence of hand traps from the start, but that's another topic that we'll talk about later

So, that concluded my article for today. It's been quite long since I last wrote a real article for this blog, I hope you still appreciated it xD

Until next... format

Peace

Fish

Format is not over for worlds' people, but for me it is

Which means it's time for cancerous decks

Today, as the title says, Fish!

First up, decklist:

Monster [29]
3 Stream
3 Tidal
3 Aqua Spirit
3 Coelacanth
3 Mermail Abysspike
3 Mermail Abyssgunde
3 Mermail Abyssteus
2 Mermail Abyssturge
2 Mermail Abysslinde
1 Mermail Abyssmegalo
1 Mermail Abyssdine
1 Fishborg Archer

Spell [9]
3 Gold Sarcophagus
3 D.D.R
1 Storm
1 Reborn
1 Foolish Burial

Trap [5]
3 Call of the Haunted
2 Abyss-Sphere

The point is: Gaios and some good rank 4 xyz monsters

You have a lot of ways to summon the fish: banish (for Gold Sarc/Tidal) then revive with DDR, or Burial/Tidal it to grave then Call, or just tribute summon it thanks to Linde into Dine, or into Pike/Turge discarding Gunde, also there're always Stream, Teus, Fishborg Archer, Tidal, Aqua Spirit and such

Once you have it, bring out all your fish Mermail and start your xyz summoning. Gaios + Dweller/Shock = GG Dragons, Gaios + Shock = GG spellbook. You can even side EEV and No 85 Crazy Box for the Books

Of course Fish + double Dweller = OTK, or Bahamut Shark into Abysstrite/Nightmare Shark/whatever for controlling the board. You have many ways to operate your combos once Coelacanth is on the field, and the extra deck is also up to you

So, what if you cannot get access to the big fish?

Just play like normal Mermail. With Teus/Tidal/Stream, you still have a good chance of making Gaios against Dragons, or some rank 4 against other deck. Prophecy is cancerous though

Tempest Dragunity (broken) combos

Assume you have Phalanx in graveyard, Dux and Mystletainn/Garuda the Wind Spirit in hand, another random WIND monster in hand, there're gazillion stuffs you can do

Basically, make Gae Dearg and 1 other level 6 Dragon

Atum + REDMD + Shock Master: This is the combo I pulled out the most during tournaments. Shock Master is the best option against Dragons and Prophecy. Of course it gets Veiler'd at times, but I don't mind it lol. Combo decks die to Veiler and "C"s, so YOLO

Combo: Summon Dux, get Phalanx, now either tribute Dux for Mystletainn to bring back Phalanx, or tune for Vajrayana bringing back Phalanx then banish Dux for Garuda, finally make Gae Dearg

Gae Dearg searches and discards Zephyros. Make Atum with Gae Dearg and Mystletainn/Vajrayana, get REDMD, get back Gae Dearg (detached from Atum), search Garuda and discard the random WIND monster (field Atum + REDMD + Gae Dearg)

Zephyros bounce REDMD, REDMD banishes Atum, gets back the discarded xyz material (Mystletainn or Vajrayana), make another Atum with Gae Dearg, calling out Debris Dragon or whatever level 4 Dragon you have. Banish someting for your in-hand Garuda, then Debris + Zephyros + Garuda = Shock. This wins me a lot of games, trust me (one of them due to my opponent decked out)

REDMD + Queen Dragun Djinn + Strike Bounzer/any rank 6 + Stardust/whatever level 8. Devastating combo against Evilswarm or any other non-meta decks which don't really die to Shock Master

Combo: Do the same thing until you bring out REDMD and get back Gea Dearg, now search and discard Mist Valley Baby Roc, summon it back to the field. Bounce REDMD for Zephyros, tune Baby Roc and Gae Dearg for Stardust, then banish Atum for REDMD, get back Gae Dearg, search Garuda and discard the random WIND (field REDMD + Zephyros + Stardust + Gae Dearg)

You should get the point now. Summon Garuda, make Queen Dragun Djinn with Zephyros, calling back a dragon, xyz with Gae Dearg for whatever rank 6 you have (M7, Gauntlet Shooter or Exa-Beetle)

Alternative: If you don't have the extra WIND to discard when you searh Garuda, then just don't search it. First Atum calling out REDMD, get back Gae Dearg, get Baby Roc. Zephyros bounces REDMD, banish Atum for REDMD, get back the other material (field REDMD + Zephyros + Baby Roc + Gae Dearg + level 6 dragon)

Make another Atum, calling out Debris Dragon, make Queen Dragun Djinn with Zephyros, calling back whatever you detached with Atum, tune with Baby Roc for a level 8! (field REDMD + Atum + Queen Dragun Djinn + level 8 synchro), still solid, especially if you have any kind of protection (traps or Veilers/"C"s), next turn you have Atum ready, REDMD ready, Dragon Ravine ready for whatever your opponent throws at you

REDMD + Queen Dragun Djinn + double Gaia including Exa Beetle: Clear Dracossack and pierce through 2 tokens!

Combo: Do the same start, having Atum, REDMD, Gae Dearg on field with Zephyros in grave. Gae Dearg search Garuda discarding the random WIND (again). Bounce REDMD with Zephyros, banish Atum for REDMD, summon Garuda, make Queen Dragun Djinn with Zephyros, summon back the other material, xyz for another Atum, detach Gae Dearg to summon Mystletainn (field REDMD not using effect, Queen Dragun, Atum, Mystletainn)

Now use REDMD effect, get back Gae Dearg, send Dragunity Aklys to graveyard. Xyz Gae Dearg and Mystletainn for Exa Beetle, equip Aklys, pop 2! (Aklys even sends stuffs to graveyard, not destroying anything, so Dracossack or Zenmaines or Gachi Gachi is not a problem). Upgrade Exa Beetle and Atum for double Gaias, then REDMD + Queen + 2 Gaias attack~

Alternative: If you don't have an extra WIND to discard for Gae Dearg to search Garuda, there's still a way for it:

Same start until you make the first Atum. Call REDMD, get back Phalanx. Bounce REDMD for Zephyros, tune with Phalanx for Vajrayana, get back Phalanx once more, then banish Phalanx for REDMD, get back Gae Dearg

Now Gae Dearg send Aklys, then xyz with Vajrayana for Exa Beetle (field REDMD + Exa Beetle + Atum)

...

..

.

And many more stuffs! If you play Leyvaten, you can always call out Leyvaten with Atum, get back Phalanx, tune for Trident Dragion for sweetness

Or make Thought Ruler Archfiend and set EEV

You can even Debris back your Phalanx, tribute for Mystletainn getting back Phalanx and tune for Trident Dragion tributing the Phalanx yet again

And stuffs I never think of but you will!

So, if you want to have fun at NAWCQ, or locals, or just casual plays, try the deck out xD

This is not my competitive deck so I don't mind sharing all the combos of it :3

How Dragons beat Prophecies

This is a short advice post to summarize what I've experienced at nationals

Cards that you should side: Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer, Psi Blocker

Cards that you should never side: Fusilier, EEV, Droll and Lock Bird

If you ask me why, then they're all horrible cards to have in your deck. Fusilier does shit, but EEV without Fusilier is even more shit. Droll Bird is good to have in your hand, but after a Judgment is played you'd wish you had a Kycoo or Psy Blocker instead

Cards that you should consider: Divine Wrath (yes), Last Day of Witch (yes), Skill Drain

The former one deals with Blue Magician completely, and if Rodrigo Togores can play Raigeki Break, why can't you play a similar trap?

Last Day of Witch do a better job of avoiding Spellbook of Fate. Fate is the only reason why people considered Book of Eclipse, but in Prophecy match-up, Last Day of Witch is much much more better that Eclipse

Skill Drain seems pointless due to Fate and Wisdom, but chaining it to a Magician is still good as fuck, and you can also side this against Ophion. They can get past Drain for 1-2 turns, but in the long run you'd be the one who had advantages. Jowgen + Fate = GG, and Drain deals with that, at least baiting out the Fate

Cards that you should think of when you're completely desperate: Spell Canceller, Light and Darkness Dragon

Because people are cutting High Priestess and Breakthrough Skills, these card are good again

And, be careful about Dimensional Fissure. It seems harmless at first, but in the long run you'd wish you could have your graveyard full of baby dragons

And, you should play 2 Swords and 2 Gold Sarcophaguses. In game 1 whatever you play is not so important, but Swords will net you crucial advantages in game 2-3, when you need to dig for side cards

The last thing is not recommended, but if you side like 9-10 cards for a deck like Prophecy, just side out Rejuvenation. Your deck is completely ok without it (have you ever won a duel not using Rejuvenation?), and Swords help you draw too