Tony's Take

Chapter 2: Card Values (basically what I do on COTD)

11.03.04  Wow, the first article was a LOT longer than I anticipated…hope you guys enjoyed it ^^  And sorry about the delay in the second one…once again school proves to show its ugly head =\

So I explained the important cards in my deck…in fact, I explained EVERY card in my deck.  haha...that’s only a start though and it didn’t cover a LOT of the cards in the Metagame.  What this section is made to do is basically make you guys understand the idea of 2for1, hand/card/field advantage, how I rate cards on COTD, and hopefully you guys will understand the core values of cards to become a better deck builder (next chapter probably). 

So let’s get started on this! 

Now this is going to be a difficult section to write.  Explaining a value of a card can go many different ways.  Sometimes people just rate a card because they like it and sometimes rate a card because they just simply don’t.  Basically there isn’t a bona fide system of card rating.  I wish I could be smart enough to have one but there just isn’t…

So let me start by explaining the 2for1 concept again in this chapter because it is very important in Yu Gi Oh.  2for1 is a concept that is used by Magic the Gathering players worldwide.  It means that 1 card just took down/destroyed/traded with at least 2 cards.  I’ll list many examples so you guys would get the idea.

• Using a Don Zaloog to kill your opponent’s monster and then making them discard a card also.  You took away 2 cards for the price of 1...2for1.
• When your opponent destroys your facedown Jar of Greed using one of the many Spell/Trap destroyers and you draw a card.
• Your opponent is forced to use a Book of Moon and then Nobleman of Crossout on your monster because they couldn’t deal with it...that’s a 2for1 because your opponent used two cards to destroy only one of your card.
• Using Call of the Haunted with Jinzo in the grave to CHAIN to your opponent’s activation of a Trap.  You gain 1 more monster on the field, they lose 1 card on the field with that card’s effect negated.
• Your Airknight Parshath destroys a monster and tramples over some damage.  You gain 1 card in hand and they lose 1 monster on the field.
• You play Heavy Storm and successfully destroyed 2 cards or more on your opponent’s side of the field.

I think you guys get the basic idea now…let me explain the non-2for1s that most people get confused about

• You use Nobleman of Crossout to take out 3 Magician of Faiths in your opponents deck while you have none.  Your opponent loses 3 cards but you only destroyed 1 card for 1.  Same goes for Nobleman of Extermination
• Your opponent plays Pot of Greed, you chain with Magic Jammer.  He does not get the +1 hand advantage but you lose 1 card in hand and on field…he kinda pulled off a 2for1 against you so basically it’s like you let him play Pot of Greed anyways.
• Your opponent attacks and you chain Magic Cylinder.  Your opponent takes damage and then you still can’t deal with the monster you Magic Cylindered.  He just played a combo of card called “You still can’t deal with my monster and all I had to do is pay x life.”
• Using Enemy Controller to destroy only 1 Berserk Gorilla (though if it saved your monster, it IS a 2for1).  The point is that it’s only effective against 1 card and really not doing much and against a Kycoo or something like that, it’s not that good. 
• Waboku Waboku Waboku!  It’s not a 2for1 and it doesn’t really save your creatures without Dark Hole, Raigeki in the format.  Realize that it just gains you x amount of life and most of the time you still can’t deal with the monster you wabokued from.  Most common non-2for1 cards in the games, Magic Drain/Jammer, Waboku, and Magic Cylinder (though magic drain is sometimes VERY effective).

Okay this kinda explains where I want to take this article.  Now these are not necessary 2for1 combos but in my opinion, it’s basically what it does and I’m going to consider these types 2for1s.

• Your opponent has a face up monster on the field.  You destroy it with Ring of Destruction and destroy your opponent’s monster, saving your monster.  You traded one card for one card but it was all done in one turn and you saved a monster.  Same goes with Sakuretsu Armor and even better, Mirror Force
• Sinister Serpent used with Painful Choice, Tribe Infecting Virus, anything with a discard activation and you can have the option of re-using it again.
• Breaker the Magical Warrior with a counter destroying a monster and a magic/trap.  Actually, that’s an obvious 2for1 >_< sorry guys...haha

Now you guys have some-what of an idea what I mean by 2for1, hopefully you know what I’m talking about exactly.  Now let’s actually get down to what this article talks to you about…

How to rate cards...Well I hope none of the people on Card of the Day just randomly select numbers to put on cards =\ because I actually rate them.  It seems like an easy job just putting numbers on a card right?  haha, well it IS true.  They are just numbers but it’s your choice to see if this card could be played or not.  Eh, well anyways, I always rate according to these standards:

• Playability in the Metagame
• 2for1 value
• Hand/Field/Game advantage
• Go right back to the 2for1 value
• Is this a good top deck or a bad one?
• Is it a combo card?  Does it need “reinforcements” or can it be fine by itself?  Or is it a versatile card?

So let’s start by rating one card.  I’ll start by using one of the most popular cards in the game, Black Luster Soldier.

-          Playability in the metagame?  Please, he basically declares the metagame in any format.  He definitely has a 2for1 value because a) he could attack twice if he wanted to, b) he can always remove a monster from the game if he wanted to, c) he IS a special summon with a very easy cost of removing a light monster and a dark monster, and d) it’s one of the best late game top decks in the metagame right?  He takes cares of the hand/field/game advantage for sure and it’s not that big of a combo card.   Also, notice he is a Nobleman of Crossout/Dark Core/Hayabusa Knight/Blue Eyes all in one at a easy Light/Dark requirememt…versatile, YEAH I think so ^^

-          Now what’s his negatives?  Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer?  Maybe even Soul Release?  Couple Bottomless Trap Holes?  I mean there are a lot of cards to basically say it’s not that good for a card.  Now that’s your decision now.  This card’s effect is great, but do you think you can beat the “hate” in the current metagame?  Most Type-2 Magic the Gathering players will tell you Affinity is HARD to be “hated” out so that’s why it’s one of the best decks right now in Type-2.  Sometimes will you be holding a Black Luster Soldier in your opening hand but can’t do anything about it?  Sometimes your opponent will have a Kycoo out on the field so you can’t even summon it…is that worth it?  Many things go in the making of a Black Luster Soldier deck but from there, it is your individual choice.

Now that was an easy review, here’s something harder...everyone’s favorite trap besides me.

NOTE~I’m notoriously known for not liking this card so my review might be biased a bit...cuz I think this is a REALLLY bad card >_<

-          Waboku Waboku Waboku...People live or die by this card but I still don’t see why it’s good.  Many people have told me it’s great because a) it can be chained to pretty much anything in the game, b) it saves you a lot of damage sometimes, c) it keeps your creature alive on the field, and d) it can be chained to almost anything (see how it always comes to that with this card?).  Well if you notice it, Waboku IS a combo card, it possesses no 2for1 value in it self.  In fact, there IS no 1for1 value in this card most of the time.  Granted if your opponent wastes a Mystical Space Typhoon on it and you can chain it, you pulled off a 1for1 and gained some life points but that’s about it.  2for1 should at the least give you some sort of field advantage afterwards.  Waboku does not achieve that at all.  I’d say in the non-advanced format, Waboku might be playable in right decks because of 3 Mystical Space Typhoon, Harpie’s Feather Duster, and the need to be able to chain things because the format is so quick, but in the advanced, not a chance.  Remember I said Waboku is a combo card.  Most of the time you still can’t deal with the monster you Wabokued from and need to still destroy it with a Smashing Ground or something like that.  I think people will start realizing this card can’t do anything without Dark Hole, Raigeki, or even Monster Reborn.  You need to be able to deal with the creature you opponent played after you Waboku.  Try NOT playing Waboku and replacing it with Sakuretsu Armor.  You’ll understand where I’m coming from then.

-          What are the positives though?  Well it’s chainable.  Your opponent flips Fiber Jar and you are protected and you gain +1 Hand advantage on your opponent.  I mean there are some great combos with this card but the more you play it, the more you guys will realize that it’s SUCH a hefty combo card like Last Will or Reasoning and things like that, the faster you’ll realize my 2for1 concept.

Let’s keep going with the review.   Time to review one of the cards I consider a “staple” in this format and one that not everyone plays: Swords of Revealing Light

-          Remember the playability in the metagame part?  Well I believe with only 2 REAL s/t destroyers (1 Mystical Space Typhoon and 1 Heavy Storm) it’s amazing.  3 Turns is a LOT in this format since it’s a) slow b) less creature removal and c) its combo related.  If you look at this format without only 1 Torrential Tribute as the mass removal, it’s very hard to destroy many creatures.  And when the metagame is full of attacking creatures, 3 turns might enable you to stabilize.

-          Swords could also give you tremendous hand advantage.  If you have 1 or 2 more cards than your opponent when you played Swords, after it’s gone you’ll have 2 or 3 more useful cards because you don’t have to worry about other stuff your opponent couldn’t do.  I hope you guys can see that because I couldn’t explain it very well >_<.  Also, Swords gives you field advantage since your creatures are in a way “wabokued” and safe from damage. 

-          Versatile?  Combo oriented?  2for1?  Well this is a card without 2for1 advantage but in a way it is o_O?  hahaha...if you see how this card will achieve field advantage immediately (even if they use MST or Dust Tornado to kill it right away) because you can then play versatile traps.  So versatile as in using it as “bait”/”bluff”...yep!^^v  Combo oriented?  I mean with Giant Trunade it’s kinda “cute” but that’s about it.  I think it’s not.  See where I’m going with card values guys?

My next article will take a while...I have a bad feeling about a lot of school work in my future >_<.  So I want you guys to e-mail me about card you guys want reviewed.  I’ll pick 5 best that are in need of being reviewed for this metagame and write it in a Pojo Forum article somewhere.  I hope I helped you guys. 

Now I want you guys to go back and look at my deck from Chapter 1.  You guys can see where I have equal answers to almost anything because I try to put only versatile/2for1/metagame fitting cards in the maindeck and SideDeck. 

REMEMBER TO PLAY A LOT OF 2FOR1 CARDS IN YOUR DECK!!!!!!

Next Chapter, Deck Building 101.  I’ll show you guys how to build decks based on cards and the steps toward it. 

My e-mail is jinutym03@cox.net and I’ll be expecting e-mails so I can have my own lil “card of the day” week in a way...lol  I love answering e-mails btw, so don’t be shy ^^

Peace out ^^v

- tony