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Carrotizer on YuGiOh
The Future Metagame
November 23 2007 

 My absence has been unreasonably long, but now it is reasonable.  AP classes have been making me “topdeck” and I haven’t been able to play for about 2 months.  As I write this, I have a week off (I love pilgrims. And turkeys.), StarCraft II release date is nowhere in scope (although there was a YouTube video claiming the date as 2.2.2008…fake),  finished taking 4 tests and a huge assignment, I have no GLAS cards (*sob*), and I am seriously behind metagame.  I never actually faced OTK Zombie due to erratic failure of YVD on my computer.  I still tend to whine like this.  Unfortunate.

            Summer, undeniably, is a good time to play.  However, sporadic matches will never assure you any matches because consistency is what makes this game a strategy game.  Consistency is what makes strategy a strategy.  Consequently, consistency is the strategy.  It always has been, and it still is.  My quest, then, is to see and predict (since the Dragon Lord structure deck, Light and Darkness Dragon, and Gladiator’s Assault are all out) what metagame will be.

            Zombies have been shown constant and yet explosive aggression.  It has potential to take out any deck in one turn, yet it maintains utility of individual cards.  Furthermore, it provides advantage for overextension, a new concept, no , possibility that was enabled by Zombie Masters and Il Blud.  Well, it is certainly difficult to get 3 copies of Il Blud unless you have found a $500 bill on the ground.  However, Zombies are not the most consistent types nowadays in my opinion.  To function with impunity, Zombie player requires Card of Safe Return to ensure any advantages, excluding Life Point, are never lost in vain.  Thus the type relies on 3 specific Continuous Spells that cannot be searched and have optional trigger effects (which can cause troubles).

             The question has been what is the most consistent deck for past.  Usually, it is around cards that utilize other high utility cards (assonance! Oh…no rhetoric’s… 9 days off, 9 days off…), mainly  now eradicated Chaos monsters.  Because I absolutely have no clue about the new cards except for Light and Darkness Dragon, new “Chaos” Six Samurai, Gladiator Beasts, and Marshmallon (and Shield Crush…see? I’m only off by a month or so!), I think I will need to analyze new cards in order to decide which decks will be most benefited. 

                        The new Il Blud card will be, without doubt, Soul Taker, the new Smashing Ground.  As soon as I saw this card, it became clear why Smashing Ground and Fissure were limited to 1 each.  Soul Taker competes for the best 1-for-1 Spell removal that kills monsters without big drawbacks, against Smashing Ground.  Target a face-up monster, destroy and give 1000 LP to your opponent.  We never minded paying 1k for Confiscation, 800 for Premature Burial, so why bother giving 1000 LP?  Now, Shield Crush threatens set monsters, and Soul Taker gives 3 more ways of destroying a face-up monster.  A lot of 1-for-1 Spells…get rid of your opponent’s monsters…hm….ring any bells?

            If you said Gadgets, you are crazy.  Just kidding.  Yes, Gadgets, although you can only use a pair of each color, that’s all you needed.  Fifth Gadget wasn’t an inferior theme (in fact, it almost always got me top 8 in local tournament), but now that it’s gone…Pot of Avarice is at 2.  Card Trooper is at 1, and that helps Gadgets more than it cripples it.  Remember, the purpose of Gadget is to simplify the game and overwhelm the opponent with unending stream of floaters.  Card Trooper’s job is to act as a 3-star, Machine, 1900 ATKer that safely guarantees aggression.  Well, that didn’t get me anywhere.  Point is, Gadgets will not gain anything from sending Gadgets into the graveyard by using card Trooper.  However, opposing, though usually at 400 ATK during your turn, self-replacing 1900 ATKer hurts Gadgets a lot.  I personally expect to see a lot more Gadgets.

             Gadgets also have consistency, because you can essentially consider all 3 types of Gadgets as 1 monster; drawing 1 will basically allow you to search for others, and chances of drawing a monster that you run 6 copies of in your deck is pretty high.  Throw in Giant Rats, UFOroid (I had to mention it), and Sangan, you won’t run out of Gadgets once you start the loop of Red-Yellow-Green.

            However, the problem was that Hydrogeddon, once unleashed, pushed Gadgets beyond repair; from having 2 Gadgets on your side against nothing, you could suddenly have 3 1600 beatsticks standing over disassembled clockworks that you have to spend removal on if you don’t have Cyber Dragon at your disposal or other solutions.  Even with Shrink (though Gadgets came after Shrink) the dinosaurs provided a nearly insoluble problem against “weenie swarm” decks (floater, for your clarification), because everything that Gadgets could use (excluding Limiter Removal), Hydrogeddon users could also use.  Yet mathematically they are 3 cards in aggressive deck (you are never going to see Hydrogeddons with Wave-Motion Cannon in a competitive deck…PROBABYL never) that presumably will not be as consistent as 6-10 cards in more of control/aggressive theme. 

            So…why isn’t everyone using Gadgets?  Good question.  For one, Marshmallon technically acts as a secondary Spirit Reaper that requires an offensive removal (Sakuretsu Armor would be considered defensive, as it deflects incoming attacks) and is easily searchable if necessary.  It’s 1 monster, but it is worth including in almost every decks.  Shield Crush, on the other hand, somewhat conflicts with Nobleman of Crossout because in a sense, too many face-down removals will result in fewer face-up (attack position) removals.  In addition, Light and Darkness Dragon will negate about…quite a lot of removals and Gadgets once it is summoned.  Dark Bribe is also hurts Gadgets rather than supporting it.  My reasoning is it’s not 1-for-1, and Dark Bribe easily stops Solemn Judgments (the ultimate 1-for-1), which considerable Gadget decks include.   I got to go to a local store and actually play against a well-constructed deck based around Light and Darkness Dragon, and it actually crushed my Gadget deck once it had the Dragon out.  1200, 1300, and 1400 vanilla monsters weren’t really useful against a beatstick (even though ATK and DEF decreased).  And Soul Takers are not the easiest cards to get…

             Six Samurai got an incredible boost, although about 3 new cards appeared.  Well, think of the Zombies.  All we needed was Il Blud and Zombie Masters right?  Well, Six Samurais have had Double Summon in hand for a while now and I almost lost my 6^th win in…the Regional 2 month ago or so to aggressive SS deck.  Had the judge ruled incorrectly (Active Zanji vs. Apprentice Magician – before Zanji’s effect activates, Apprentice Magician is considered destroyed.  It is same situation as active Zanji destroying Mystic Tomato.  Therefore, Apprentice Magician’s effect will be activated, which would not have been if Sasuke Samurai #4 destroyed it), I would have been unable to retrieve Lightning Vortex that I sidedecked.  Add 3 more Grandmasters of the Six Samurai that you have to remove 2 SS’s to summon, and provide 2^nd SS on the field, you have a Warrior Toolbox that can even match the velocity of the Zombies.

            Speaking of which, it would be a good idea to have printed papers about complicated rulings with you when competing in anywhere.  Judges tend to rule incorrectly (well…prove me wrong please, judges), and showing them these proofs often can correct the rulings.  At least have a Battle Step chart, because effects happening during this time can have critical changes that turn around the duel.  

            With Foolish Burial, D – Hero theme (specifically Commander, Dasher, and Fear Monger) got even more speed in addition to Elemental Hero Stratos.  With D-Draw still at three, drawing 2 cards with Commander just got easier.  As a result, D.D. Crow, Banisher of Radiance and Macro Cosmos/Dimensional Fissure could see a huge rise in playability.  Bottomless Trap Hole would probably replace at least 1 or 2 Sakuretsu Armors.  I cannot predict if Malevolent Catastrophe would be a staple, but it, at the very least, would be a very good tech. 

            Because Foolish Burial is now available at 3’s, one can expect to see slightly less Phoenix Wing Wind Blasts and Lightning Vortex, though these nevertheless would still be a good choice.  Phoenix Wing Wind Blast is especially a great card for most decks, so do not get caught unprepared.  Chainable Raiza can be painful, especially when MST or Dust Tornado is wasted.

            Burn decks using 3 Dark Bribe could easily guarantee Wave-Motion Cannon reaching 3000-4000 damage, but GLAS gave us Energy-Absorbing Monolith, the ultimate anti-burn.  Instead of taking damage, you gain Life Points.  Just watch out for Dark Bribes.  Solemn Judgment and Dark Bribe will be seen plenty of play.  I guess that means Royal Decree will also rise?

            Gladiator’s Assault did what Force of the Breaker and Tactical Evolution did - it changed how the dominating themes or cards were.  I cannot predict how strong Gladiator Beast can and will be, but they will at least be as potent as Crystal Beasts.  Next Shonen Jump will be a clash of Six Samurai, Gadgets, Light and Darkness Dragon, Gladiator Beasts, Monarchs, burn, and other themes.  Epic.  Marshmallon will be everywhere, too.  I’m hungry…

By Paul Yeem – Carrotizer @ paulyeem@gmail.com