2011 Ends

2011 is just about over, and it's been quite an interesting year. Card games have been winding down a bit for me, since college was ending and it was a change in priority. Not just that, but it was an excellent year, personally speaking.

However, 2011 did bring me back into MTG and got me to take a little break from YGO so it doesn't go sour on me. As for next year, I hope to still be playing both in some capacity. But only time will tell.

But first, time to get acquainted with my new home here in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Top 10 TCG Releases of 2011: Part 2

Well, I figured I do this tonight. Can't let this keep piling up, since the moving will not let me blog until I reach Pennsylvania. So before that, it's time to finish my Top 10 list for this year.

#5: T.G. Hyper Librarian

Librarian was an insane card during the past format, especially with Formula Synchron going crazy all over the place. It's because of this card that Formula and Fishborg got a spot on the ban/restrict list, along with this one. Why? Making Shooting Quasar Dragon was just too easy. And not only that, it generated too much advantage when combined with Formula's draw power. Being a generic level 5 made this card splashable anywhere, so it easily became a chase card and a real powerhouse all in one.

#4: Number 39 Utopia

The dawn of the Xyz era showed us that summoning these new monsters was going to be easier than we thought. However, Utopia earns it's spot here for being the most easily accessible Xyz monster in every deck, given that level 4 monsters are seen almost everywhere. Not just that, but Utopia is the most common generic Rank 4 right now, and perhaps even the best choice we got now. Gachi Gachi Gantetsu and Leviair follow in their generic statuses, but Utopia for me is the one getting the spot.

#3: Legendary Six Samurai Shi En

Now, this guy was insane. This was the reason you feared Samurai decks during the previous format. Why such fear? They could bring out 3 of these if they wanted to! It brought such control to a game, that it gave you the lead simply by having it. Your opponents had to spend resources just to try and get rid of it, but it somehow managed to haunt everyone in every duel it was seen.

#2: Reborn Tengu

Not much to say about this that we already don't know. The best floater in the game, a synchro machine, and an overall annoying little bastard. Tengu made an amazing impact this year, bringing forth a nightmarish wave of Plant decks to abuse this sucker like nobody's business. Regardless, Tengu helps out any deck that can use it, since it not only keeps field presence but also thins the deck. And all that goodness in one small package is something you simply can't ignore.

#1: Tour Guide of the Underworld

An instant Xyz-summoning machine, Tour Guide took the cake for powerhouse card. Due to the crazy ruling fiasco of earlier this year, Tour Guide was turned into the most broken card out there. And even after the ruling was fixed, it still showed up everywhere. It thinned the deck and brought out a monster to reward you as well, so it's understandable why it's the best card of the year. It's searchable, finds other searchers, goes for Rank 3 on a normal summon, and so many other things. Words cannot contain the insanity this card has unleashed.

Well, that's all for the Top 10 list. I know we all have our own different versions of it, but I hope you have enjoyed this one.

Don't know if there will be any more posts this week since I'm still working on the whole moving issue.  But once I'm settled in, I hope to be able to continue updating.

Tour Bus From The Underworld

First off, happy christmas to everyone out there. Now then, on to business. Tour Bus' effect has just been revealed, so here's a quick review...

When this card is sent to the Graveyard: Target 1 monster in either player’s Graveyard, except "Tour Bus From the Underworld"; shuffle that target into the Deck.

Right off the bat, it shows that it's meant to be used with Tour Guide. Not only that, but from what it's effect reads, it's assumed that one can get it's effect even when detached (similar to Dandylion needing to only reach the graveyard from anywhere). So since it's a searchable recycling tool, Tour Guide gets an even bigger buff. Not just because it can search for the Bus, but Bus then brings back any used card once it's sent to the graveyard.

Bring back to the deck any Dandylion, Tengu, perhaps a Gadget, or any useful monster you want back in the deck. Not only that, use that to bring back a used Tour Guide or Sangan for even more shenanigans.

But it also has it's offensive uses, which is what makes it really interesting. It returns a card in either player's grave, so you can take advantage of this to manipulate their graveyard to your advantage as well. Remove a Treeborn Frog, Necro Gardna, lower the Lightsworn count, perhaps remove that one key monster needed to summon BLS. Whatever you need gone, it solves quickly.

That's what makes this card so interesting, it's so versatile. You can either use it to reinforce your deck with a recycled monster, or turn the tables on your opponent by putting back in their deck a monster they need in the graveyard.

I fear what kind of mayhem this card will bring. Only time will tell...

Top 10 TCG Releases of 2011: Part 1

I figured I get this list out of the way before I end up being completely unavailable (moving to the states) for a bit. Anyways, let's get the second anual Top 10 list rolling, shall we? In this list I pick what I found to be the Top 10 cards of this year. Keep in mind some may be on this list due to earlier this year, as I take into consideration the entire year and not just the current time.

#10: Genex Ally Birdman

This little tuner offered so many shenanigans that it wasn't even funny. Still sees a lot of play nowadays, participating with such cards as Agents, Tour Guide, Tengu, or even other cards. Whether you like it or not, this was probably the tuner you went to for crazy synchro plays. And with the release of Xyz monsters, Birdman got even more new tricks.

#9: Maxxx C

At first it started as a side card, but nowadays it's starting to become as common as a Veiler for the main deck. It gives advantage when your opponent begins to swarm, so it forces your opponent to either make you draw a lot or stop the swarm completely. Quite a fun card to use indeed, but needs to be used at the right time or else it can backfire.

#8: Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier

When Trishula finally arrived in the TCG, it became a force to be reckoned with. This card became the go-to Level 9 synchro for removal, leaving Mist Wurm behind in the dust. It became a very explosive synchro back when Fishborg was legal, as well as a pseudo-boss for Agents when they played around with Birdman.

#7: Master Hyperion

And speaking of Agents, this card here threw these to the next level. It became an incredible boss monster for the archetype, being easily summonable and searchable. Hyperion was able to remove cards on the field as well as control the graveyard's numbers so you could summon Krystia and keep even more control of the game.

#6: Rescue Rabbit / Evolzaur Laggia / Evolzaur Dolkka

Why are these three in the same spot? Well, basically because these three essentially go hand in hand. When you see these massive Xyz dino powerhouses, there's always a Rabbit following. With the explosive power of Rabbit, you can basically summon any of these following monsters virtually from the deck. Not too shabby, right?

This concludes part 1 of the countdown. Part 2 will be out in just a few days, I suppose. Perhaps even sooner. Until next time!

Gokai Change! Mask HERO!

With some of the new promo cards announced over in Japan, it was curious to see some new HERO support, but even better seeing as how they were Masked HERO monsters. Now, I'm a very big fan of Masked HERO monsters, especially since they remind me a lot of the Super Sentai (great stuff).

But all Sentai stuff aside, these two new heroes pack quite a punch and will take the deck to an even bigger level.

First up, we have Masked HERO Acid:

Must be Special Summoned with "Mask Change", and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When this card is Special Summoned: Destroy all Spell/Trap Cards your opponent controls, and all face-up monsters your opponent currently controls lose 300ATK.

Acid packs quite a punch! Combine this with Absolute Zero and you have a complete field clearing combo. Zero takes care of the monsters and then Mask Change into Acid and turn it into a Harpie's Feather Duster with legs! And if you don't do it with Zero, then there's still the ATK reducing effect that can come quite in handy. Back row clearing is definitely it's best attribute, as is it's Water attribute.

All in all, Acid is a great card to have in any HERO deck. And it also combines well with the next card...Masked Hero Daian.

Must be Special Summoned with "Mask Change", and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "HERO" monster from yourDeck.

Daian is the recruiter of the deck. Imagine using this to search for Voltic, who in turn can search for any banished HERO for extra damage. Perhaps you want to bring Stratos for an even bigger plus. Bring another HERO from the deck and then use Mask Change on that one for yet another beater. This card opens so many plays that it's not even funny. Indeed yet another great addition to the Extra Deck for HERO decks.

So whether it's Acid or Daian, these new Masked HERO cards are definitely worth running. Time will only tell if we get Wind, Light and Dark attributes as well. But for now, these will do more than well. I can't wait to use these guys and test them out!

About my lack of posts...

Sorry about the delay guys, but I was finishing up with college. And when I mean finishing up, I mean last semester EVER before graduation. So it's understandable why I was somehow out of action. Now that college is behind me, I'm going to be catching up on things with both YGO and MTG to see what posts I can do.

It's also the end of the year, so expect another Top 10 like last year.

And even though I still haven't been motivated with both games as of late, some much needed free time might be what I need to bring back that spark of interest.

Be back soon with another article.

TG Testing

I was getting kinda bored with YGO as of late, and been needing that special kick in the ass to get fired up again. Heck, I wasn't even playing MTG as well, so perhaps it was some down time from all card games in general. Anyways, I got hold of some TG monsters (2 Warwolf, 2 Striker, 2 Rhino, and the swap trap card) and I quickly tried it out.

Gotta say, it was like a breath of fresh air to try something I haven't played yet.

Tried it with Gadgets and it seemed really fun, but kept having the usual problem with Gadgets when they clogged the hand.

Put them into the Alien deck but only Warwolf showed up to do some shenanigans with Birdman. Other than that, no TG presence.

But then I got thinking...What if I mix them with my Blackwings? Sounds a bit strange, but I think it can work...at least in theory.

And speaking of theory, my Karakuri Machina deck is working pretty well. Looks like I might make a few other tweaks before I take it to a tourney, if I ever go back to one...kinda got away from both games for a bit.

That's all for now. Be back later with updates on the TG Blackwing project.

Slifer the Sky Dragon

At long last! My favorite amongst the God Cards has been announced for it's release! And it doesn't disappoint, because it's one heck of a card! I will be getting this one for sure, and playing it too!

You must Tribute 3 monsters to Normal Summon this card (you cannot Set this card). The Normal Summon of this card cannot be negated. When this card is Normal Summoned, cards and effects cannot be activated. If this card is Special Summoned: Send it to the Graveyard during the End Phase. This card gains 1000 ATK and DEF for each card in your hand. When your opponent Normal or Special Summons a monster(s) in face-up Attack Position: That monster loses 2000 ATK, and if its ATK becomes 0 by this card's effect, destroy that monster.

Yes! It kept the attack reducing effect and made it even more awesome! This card gets rid of so many things, it's not even funny. It's the ultimate boss for any deck that can summon it. And speaking of decks that can summon it, Gadgets are the most ideal.

Gadgets help Slifer keep it's attack at a decent amount, while also helping you keep hand advantage. So it's a win-win scenario. This is a must-get for sure. I can't wait to finally use it. I'm making a "Slifer's Gadgets" deck now. Time to make a build.

Tinplate Archduke

Earth/Machine/Xyz/Rank 4 

3 Level 4 monsters  

During either player's turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; change the battle positions of all monsters your opponent controls. (Flip Effects are not activated at this time.)

An interesting card from the latest Duel Terminal series, Tinplate Archduke is a monster with plenty of shenanigans in it's arsenal. While 3 monsters seems a bit costly, it's effect makes up for the cost. Being able to switch your opponent's monsters into a different position is no laughing matter. And having flip effects not activate is pretty good too, so it can laugh at cards like Ryko, Morphing Jar, GK Spy, or Penguin Soldier to name a few.

It's effect seems mostly defensive, since changing positions can save you from an all out attack, but it can also be quite offensive. Just like Karakuri's own Burei, this can turn any opponent's defensive play and turn it into an offensive strike. I can see this card being a bit fun to play in Karakuri for that reason, since they already take advantage of the whole switch position deal.

Costly summon but fun effect, Tinplate Archduke is a fun card to keep an eye out on.

Planechase Returns!

And I'm back with another post. Sorry for the delay, finals are keeping me busy (especially an international marketing plan). Today, I return to discuss a new MTG card from the return of Planechase. The card is none other than Time Distortion.

The last Planechase introduced us to Plane cards, where the battlefield was modified based on the plane that was active. Planes were each of the worlds seen in the MTG game, and players had a chance to take part in them during a game. Of course, Planechase is a casual game in which two or more players can do battle. Planes switch constantly, so it makes the dynamic quite unique.

But this new edition introduces a new card known as Phenomenon. These cards are similar to planes, but represent events that happen in planes rather than having them be actual worlds. So if you thought Planes were a unique way to have the battle change, Phenomenon cards now are a new way to affect players in these duels.

So far, this is the only Phenomenon card out. However, I'm sure more are to come as we still have plenty of time until the next release in 2012. But until then, we can only wonder how else these new cards can affect Planechase games. But from what I'm seeing, it's going to be interesting.

Karakuri

For a while now, I've had a good interest in playing Karakuri. However, the problem was that I didn't have access to any of their synchros, nor am I willing to buy them.

So what do I do? Easy, improvise!

I have been testing this deck out without their synchros and it runs pretty well. Besides, it's all in good fun anyways.

So here it is, my Karakuri deck.

Kuribolt

During your Main Phase: You can target 1 Xyz Monster with Xyz Materials; detach 1 Xyz Material from it, and Special Summon 1 "Kuribolt" from your Deck. This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster.

Order of Chaos brings us yet another interesting card, Kuribolt. Being able to detach an Xyz material can be quite effective, considering there are already a few monsters this card alone can weaken. Let's see:

Utopia blocks less attacks

Force Dolkka to waste a material on it, since it's going to be detached anyways

Turn Laggia into a vanilla, whether it's by Kuribolt or forced negation

Leviathan gets one less buff

Leviair gets one search less

Well, you get the drift. As Xyz monsters are slowly gaining more use, this little guy is going to be a good card to keep at bay. That way, you can disarm an Xyz monster and use their own materials against them.

Not just that, but also summoning another copy of itself as a result of the effect is pretty good. Effective for making Rank 1 monsters. Make their loss your gain, that's Kuribolt's way!

Delver of Secrets

Back again with another MTG post. Went to one of the card stores a few hours back, hoping to look for copies of Doomed Traveler, but instead found this interesting common just waiting to be used.

First thing that came to mind was to use it in my Blue Illusion deck. While this isn't an illusion, it's an excellent 1 mana drop that turns into a good flyer as early as turn 2. Now, that's not something to take lightly. Another good thing I realized is that it remains a human, even after transforming. So I can experiment with the Innistrad equipments for humans, especially since Lord of the Unreal is also a human.

Now, while Delver of Secrets may be tricky in it's transformation, there are ways to make it so that you know it will surely transform. For example, a card like Ponder will have you look at your deck and make sure there's either an instant or sorcery so it transforms. Another way of helping out is by making sure your creature count is a bit lower than other spells. But the best way is using cards like Ponder or other abilities like Scry, for example.

Perhaps there's a way to abuse this and Invisible Stalker for a very aggro Blue Human deck. That would be pretty fun, but for now I'm just going to use this with my illusions.

Doomed Traveler

It's Friday, so it means it's time for another MTG post! This week I'm going to discuss a common card from Innistrad that's been grabbing my attention. It's a card I seem to have overlooked at first, but then realized I had to get more. I'm talking about none other than Doomed Traveler.

Doomed Traveler is quite simple. For one white mana, it gives a 1/1 Human that produces a 1/1 white spirit with flying when it dies. This means, it gets the token if it chum blocks or even if it's sacrificed. This opens up a whole lot of plays.

First off, it allows for Human decks to use cards with Morbid, since it feeds the conditions quite well and replaces itself instantly. It also fuels Unruly Mob and Thraben Sentry if you use a deck with them. Best part of it is, that the spirit tokens covers one weakness this deck exhibits, which is the lack of creatures with flying or reach. Having a chum blocker that can fly is quite significant.

So if you have a Human deck out there, you might want to give this guy a try. It might be worth your while.

Royal Prison

While this card is face-up on the field, neither player can Special Summon monsters from the Graveyard.

Well, isn't this an interesting card? Seems Order of Chaos is going to bring us a watered-down version of Royal Oppression. However, it's not a card we can dismiss. There's potential here, even if it's just as a card you have on your side deck.

This card is great to side against decks like Dark World, especially since their special summoning comes from the graveyard. You can use this to bring down Frognarchs, Lightsworns (to a certain degree), X-Sabers, Karakuri, Blackwings, and other decks that use grave revival for big plays.

It's going to be a good surprise element to any grave reliant deck, so don't underestimate it when it comes out. Certainly it's a card that can turn the tide of the game if played right. Who knows, perhaps it can be good in the main deck. Only time will tell.

Let's hope this card doesn't increase in rarity once it comes out, because it's going to be one of those cards with enough force your opponent to play differently. Good card.

Ideas and Humor

While I haven't been posting as much due to being busy, it's also getting hard to post about YGO when the interest in the game has decreased a lot. However, I'm trying to find some way to keep it going. So there might be a few long articles in the future like analyzing banned cards, more archetype analysis articles, and maybe the return of fallen heroes. Hoping to hear from you on whether those would be things to consider.

On the other note, I have been giving the humor blog a bit more life lately. Feel free to check it out and follow it.  (Link provided in the "other sites" section below my logo.)

Another update...

International marketing, production process on a short film, and other personal issues have been keeping me from posting here lately.

Hope to find some time between this hole maelstrom to post a few things.

Just thought I should let you guys know I didn't abandon the blog. Just haven't had the time lately. 

Wind-Up Rabbit

One of the newest exclusives in PHSW, Rabbit brings a big boost to Wind-Ups. While the main focus may be on the other rabbit, this one is still one to look out for. It's effect reads:

During either player’s turn: You can target 1 "Wind-Up" monster you control; banish it until your next Standby Phase. This effect can be used only once while this card is face-up on the field.

Upon initial observation, we see it's a quick effect. This becomes really good due to the fact that Rabbit can essentially rewind your monsters at any given time. This can be used both defensively as well as offensively.

You can save a Wind-Up you control from being destroyed from any source by just using Rabbit's effect. Likewise, you can wait until your opponent's end phase to activate it and bring back an essential Wind-Up in your turn for a big play.

Not just that, but 1400ATK saves it from Bottomless. That alone is pretty good. That, and the fact that it can save stronger Wind-Ups from the same card. It can also stand it's own ground, or even banish itself if needed and then bring it back and reuse it's effect on other targets.

No matter how you look at it, Rabbit is a real fun card that brings a surprise factor to any Wind-Up deck. Be sure to look out for it.

M12 Illusions

Lately, I have been losing interest in my Innistrad Vampires and gaining more interest in M12's set of Illusions. Normally, I'm not a Blue player since my style is more aggro. However, these Illusions caught my eye as a good balance between aggro and control. Why the perfect control? Well, it's Blue for starters! Anybody knows Blue has the best control. But aggro?

I was surprised as well, but it wasn't until I saw the following card that I was convinced.

So there it was, the one thing that made me want to try the deck out. Most of the new illusions are powerful creatures that are destroyed if they are targeted by any effect. However, since Lord of the Unreal solves that problem and gives them a nice boost, it suddenly turned into an awesome concept. While I know illusion decks don't have much wiggle room when it comes to making the deck, it's still a great mix between aggro and control.

So there's strong creatures that have low mana cost, creatures that buff those illusions and support them, and have all the control that Blue has to offer. How is that not alluring?

I'm going to start playing it soon, hopefully it will be as rewarding as it seems.

Alien Invasion

Lately, YGO has been rather dull for me. But when a game gets dull, that means it's time to switch it up a bit. So to make things interesting again, I rebuilt my old Alien deck with some new tricks.

Aliens, besides Fish and Vanity Gadgets, have been my other signature deck for quite some time. And it's just now that I'm discussing them...

Anywho, here's the deck.

Monsters:
Alien Warrior x3
Alien Ammonite x2
Alien Kid x2
Alien Grey x2
Alien Dog x2
Alien Overlord x2
Alien Telepath
Genex Ally Birdman x2
Machine Emperor Wisel x2

Spells:
Mysterious Triangle x2
Code A Ancient Ruins x2
Gold Sarcophagus x2
Dark Hole
Monster Reborn

Traps:
Planet Pollutant Virus x2
Offering to the Snake Deity x2
Bottomless Trap Hole x2
Call Of The Haunted x2
Fiendish Chain x2
Safe Zone
Mirror Force
Dimensional Prison 

Extra Deck:
Cosmic Fortress Gol'Gar x2
Genex Ally Triforce x2
R-Genex Locomotive
other synchros/xyz monsters

While still keeping true to the Alien theme, as well as the distribution of A-Counters, the deck is focused on exterminating and invading the enemy. With the main Aliens, I can infect my opponent's monsters with their virus, allowing for cards like Mysterious Triangle to help swarm for attacks. Plantet Pollutant Virus and Offering help me exterminate opposing monsters, while helping out my cause. While PPV helps clear the field and distribute counters, Offering allows for not just destruction, but the window for Wisel to enter the field.

Genex Ally Birdman has been working out quite well, allowing for use of Triforce. It's effect isn't wasted either, since the deck meets all 3 element options for it's effect: earth, fire, and light. But there's also R-Genex Locomotive (summoned by combining with Overlord), who can steal the highest level monster my opponent controls. Not just that, Birdman allows me to recycle Alien Dog's effect, allowing for more counter spreads.

As for the continuous stuff, it's more of a control build. Fiendish Chain and Safe Zone assure some surprise shenanigans when combined with Gol'gar.

Deck is really tons of fun to use, so perhaps there's a video soon.

Gishki Beast

When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower "Gishki" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position.

When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower "Gishki" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position.

Just realized this piece of awesome was coming out in Photon Shockwave as one of the imports. All I can say is, I'm glad I can have my Gishki deck already when HA05 comes out instead of having to wait. Beast is that one card that makes the deck just virtually awesome.

I would go to the sneak just to get Beast and nothing more...

Update

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, been having a very busy week. Exams and assignments, as well as personal issues have taken a lot of my time.

But I should be back with a few items soon.

HERO vs Psychic

In the longest video yet, fellow teammates Juancho and Flash duel each other with their ace decks.

Top 32 at YCS Columbus

So let's see...

We had 20 "Synchro Summon" Plant decks, 6 Agent Decks, along with Gladiator Beasts, Karakuri, Chaos, Tech Genus, Gemini, and Machina Gadgets representing with 1 deck of each.

When I see the high number of "Synchro Summon" Plants in this tourney, only one thing comes to mind...

Really? Is this what the game has become? At first I was surprised when Agents dominated the previous YCS, but suddenly...here comes the horde of "Synchro Summon" decks. This is reminding me a bit of how the old Tele-DAD days used to be, but it's not as bad as before. At least we still have other decks trying to reach the top.

But still, it's not looking all that good for the competitive environment in YGO. There's no longer any thrill of the casual environment, for example. At least in casual, you come across all kinds of decks (regardless if good or bad) that can bring up a good challenge.

In reality, the casual aspect is what keeps me going in this game. From what I can garner in this list, it seems to be a format where 1-2 decks dominate and the others try to top. I miss the format where the Top 32 was quite diverse, even if many didn't like it.

Oh well, that's just my mini-rant, I suppose...

Blackwings

Out of all my previous YGO decks, the one I have probably least discussed is Blackwings. I have already discussed my Fish and Gadget decks so many times, it feels like my Blackwing deck is finally getting some needed attention. Not just that, but it's been boosted up to my main deck, so I'm going all out with it.

First thing you notice are the lack of Dualities and the presence of Upstart Goblin. Why is this? First off, it's the IRL deck. Secondly, I'm not willing to spend 30-45 dollars in just 3 copies of Duality. I will find them via trades if needed.

Secondly, it seems pretty much standard, with a few tweaks. Dark Eruption is pretty fun, since I can control my graveyard count for DAD or recycle a Blizzard with it. Kochi is also there, but mostly as either an instant Xyz with Shura or a Mind Control play into a Synchro.

But something tells me I should be running more traps and maybe one less MST. Will probably post the fixes later, as I think I might have messed up the list from my original deck...not sure yet.

Evolzar Dolkka

2 Level 4 Dinosaur-Type monsters
When an Effect Monster's effect activates: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; negate the activation and destroy it.

Well then, as if we didn't need another reason to make Rescue Rabbit broke, enter Dolkka. Granted, it's got an amazing effect. Being able to stop monster effects is no laughing matter, especially since there's no "once per turn" clause on the effect. Combined with Laggia, you got yourself one heck of a controlled field. Being able to compensate for Laggia's only weakness has turned this into a very dangerous card, so make sure to eliminate it with a counter trap if you can, especially since Laggia can't respond to counters.

On a more fun note, Jurracs are going to be a much better deck with Dolkka and Laggia available. Well, that is, if they can be afforded (I assume they will cost a lot). Jurracs perhaps might be able to be a stronger deck in the competitive scene (perhaps at a local level, at least) and are going to be a more welcome alternative than decks focused on Rabbit. However, the hefty price will still affect it.

Either way, Evolzar Dolkka has turned into quite the force and has already made an impact before release. Only time will tell if it will live up to the hype or just show up every now and then. I'm just glad it's restricted to only dinosaurs, otherwise this would be a very big reason to just rage.

Tezzeret's Gambit

While it's a late Friday post, it's still good for another MTG post. While I did not attend any FNM events today, I did test out my new vampire deck and I gotta say, I'm impressed. But tonight's post isn't about the deck, but rather a nifty weapon that any Innistrad-themed deck can take full advantage of. Tezzeret's Gambit will allow you to draw 2 and then proliferate at a cost any deck can pay, even if you don't play Blue.

Innistrad decks have cards that focus on counters. While not the centerpiece of many decks, there are still those that can benefit from a little proliferation.

Humans can benefit from proliferation for one of their main cards, Champion of the Parish, who gets a buff after playing human spells. They can also get a buff from Elder of Cathar's counter boost when it dies.

Enough said, most Vampires from Innistrad focus on getting counters on themselves when inflicting damage. This one seems like a good option for the deck if you can get your hands on a few copies. Combine your vampires with all counter-increasing methods, and you got yourself a fierce battlefield.

Wanna make your awesome Zombie survive longer? Well, now there's a way you can! Tezzeret's Gambit can keep this ace alive for longer, and buff it in the process.

Impatient when it comes to transforming this beast? Well, this makes waiting a little bit more bearable. However, it's still a tough feat, but not impossible. 

So as you can see, there are ways that a little proliferation can go a long way for Innistrad decks. Just a little fun idea I wanted to share with you guys tonight. More MTG ideas soon...

Miracle Blastfan

Back with another YGO deck this week. This time, it's a deck made by a friend of mine that was so bizarre but functional, that I had to feature it here. While there's no official name for the deck, I have begun calling it "Miracle Blastfan."

Why such a name, you ask?

Bring me Birdman at once!

Then I will explain. The deck focuses on special summoning Genex Blastfan constantly as a means to not only gain access to Genex Ally Birdman, but also set up the field for Synchro/Xyz plays. With a wide array of monsters meant to special summon Blastfan, you will be able to get a big monster quite early, and thin your deck in the process.

However, do be careful with Blastfan, as it can miss the timing. However, this deck makes sure the effect will have the highest probability of the deck searching.

Unorthodox deck, but it works!

The deck is meant to just search itself out always for a quick spam, but also notice the Miracle Synchro Fusions in the deck, which specifies the other part of the name "Miracle Blastfan." Since there's a wide array of spellcasters (Blastfan, Monk, and the Gravekeepers), the deck's main bosses are both Arcanite Magician and the Supreme Trainer. And with a good mix of monsters, BLS is also able to fit in quite well. 

Quite a strange deck indeed, but it's quite fun to play with. 

Rakish Heir

With chances of me going to Friday Night Magic after years of hiatus, and the likely chance of me buying the Vampire Intro Pack today as well, I'm going to talk about one of my favorite vampires from Innistrad. Out of all the vampires in this set, Rakish Heir stood out the most.

It's a continuous buff for all vampires, even itself. So the more vampires you strike your opponent with, the bigger they get as long as you control Rakish Heir. If you have multiple copies in play, it even gets a lot more fun. Combined with Bloodcrazed Neonate and Stormkirk Noble, their attack buffs will be even more insane.

Thanks to this card alone, a deck with red vampires and black removal seems to be the way to go for me.  The others may buff themselves, but this one is what sold me on the idea.

D-Boyz

Fiend/Level 1/DARK
100/1000
FLIP: You can Special Summon any number of "D-Boyz" from your Deck in face-up Attack Position, then you take 1000 damage for each monster Special Summoned by this effect.

I cannot even begin to describe what's wrong with this card. This has got to be the most stereotypical card I have seen by far, but I digress. This card isn't too impressive, but it makes up for it by either setting up a Rank 1 Xyz summon or by just bringing out 2 chum blockers.

Other than that, this is one card I want to have on my binder due to the hilarious art. The thought of rapping fiends from the hood will put a smile on my face any day. But as for a deck, they might as well make my opponent laugh too.

If you're going for a deck dedicated to Rank 1 monsters, you might want to check it out. Otherwise, it's just another card to pass up on.

Gizer (Blackwing) vs Flash (Psychic)

Another rare duel video is up, so feel free to watch.

Wind-Up Zenmaines

Epic artwork

Rank 3/Machine/Fire
2 Level 3 monstersIf this face-up card on the field would be destroyed, you can detach1 Xyz Material from this card instead. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this effect was used this turn: Target 1 card on the field; destroy it.

Well, now isn't this a little surprise? What a very fun card this turned out to be! Not only does it give Wind-Ups a bit more support, but this card is quite incredible on it's own. It has a great defensive ability that not only allows it to survive longer, but it also destroys something afterwards. Ram it into a monster, survive a destruction effect, or just have it as a chum blocker as a last defense. No matter what, this card is sure to be rewarding for anybody who uses it wisely. But be careful, it can only destroy once, so multiple survivals in one turn won't stack.

Esta carta si es una buena sorpresa, y bastante divertida que se ve! No solo le da mas a los Wind-Up, sino que es increible sola. Tiene una gran abilidad defensiva para sobrevivir en el campo, al igual que destruir una carta si sobrevive. Sobrevive un ataque, un efecto de destruccion o usalo para una ultima linea defensiva. No importa cual sea el uso, es una carta con gran recompensa. Pero tengan cuidado, porque su efecto de destruccion es una vez por turno. Si sobrevive multiples veces por turno su efecto sigue una vez nada mas.

Bad Moon Rising

With the Innistrad pre-release over and it's release coming soon, there's a whole lot of attention on the werewolves. This type is the one that transforms the most and can be quite aggressive. However, werewolves are plagued with one common problem.

They can be a bit slow.

Patience is a virtue for these guys.

All werewolves have the same requirement for transformation, no spells need to be played in the last turn. But there's a problem. Even if you play a creature, it's already a spell. So you have to be either very patient or very conservative in order to transform these fighters.

Enter Moonmist, an instant that transforms all your humans into werewolves right on the spot. And not only does it transform them, it protects them to boot. But is it enough to give werewolves the boost they need? Once transformed, playing two spells turns them back into humans. So if your opponent can't run them over, they will play spells in order to transform them back. If they transform back, you can't do anything during your turn so they can transform back.

A godsend for werewolves, but is it enough?

However, it's still way too early to tell if they will sink or swim. They are an interesting archetype indeed, but will they be able to keep up due to the harsh transformation requirements? They are a force to be reckoned with, but will Moonmist be enough to make sure they destroy everything in their path? There is a great chance that it will be indeed a great help, but I feel they might still need something else to keep consistency between transformations.

Alexandrite Dragon

The new Sneak Preview promo for Photon Shockwave has been announced, and I'm sure nobody's raving about it. Why not? Most people will see a normal monster as just garbage, and as a waste of a promo.

I actually think it's pretty neat. First off, it's got incredible card art. Secondly, even though it's a normal monster, 2000 ATK is nothing to laugh at. It can stand it's own against most level 4 beaters, so it's got my respect there.

It's light, so compatible with Honest. Also, it's searchable with Rescue Rabbit.

So who knows? Maybe this card might see some play somewhere.

The Art of Negation

Negation, one of the most common elements of any card game. It prevents an opponent from putting something into play and quickly dismisses it, leaving you to see another turn if you negated the right thing. However, negation does have it's issues.

But how can negation be so complicated, you ask?

 Simple. It's all in the wording and the purpose.

First off, when you negate an opponent's card, it's quickly sent to the discard pile or graveyard as a result. Thus, said card never actually got to see play. But again, it's not as simple.

Why? Here's an example as to how negation can complicate things.

To use Solemn Warning as an example, it states that it negates AND destroys said card. Normally, this would never be an issue. However, there are cards that have either vague rulings or effects that they can simply activate even when they are negated. A prime example of this can be found in either Light and Darkness Dragon or Scrap Dragon, which state that their effects activate when they are destroyed and sent to the graveyard. However, the wording doesn't state from where it has to be destroyed (such as Dandylion activating when sent to the graveyard from anywhere, even as an Xyz Material).

"When this card is destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or card effect) and sent to the graveyard..."

Such wording creates a loophole in which the player can simply activate their effects upon their destruction, even after being negated. Why is that? "Negate AND destroy that card" can be blamed for such things. Now while this seems like a perfectly normal thing, considering how YGO has always said negate and destroy, it creates a different meaning as to what negation means all together. It should be about stopping a play completely, not having said negation backfire by a loophole.

Now, let's look at a prime example of what negation looks like in another game, shall we?

"To counter a spell or ability is to remove it from the stack, usually placing it in its owner's graveyard. This prevents the spell or ability from resolving."

This example from MTG is rather simple. Negate a spell, period. Now when you look at the rulebook it states that it doesn't hit the field and doesn't resolve. This is quite contrary in YGO, as it applies probably 98% of the time due to the negate and destroy wording that allows certain cards to resolve due to their destruction.

But negation isn't just limited to preventing your opponent from putting things in play, it's also a means of defense. For example, there are cards that can prevent attacks or abilities. In cases like these, they don't necessarily have to be put into the graveyard. Prime examples of these can be Skill Drain for YGO, since it only negates monster effects but doesn't necessarily remove any cards from active play.

A prime example of negation without removal.

So now we saw how negation can vary in styles. There's the negation that prevents cards from being played (such as Solemn Judgment or Cancel), and then we have the kind of negation that doesn't remove cards from active play (Negate Attack or Fog) as a means of preventing effects or damage. So next time you are out to consider negating some of your opponent's plays, consider how it will negate so you can fully understand any of the following backlash. Whether it's a purposeful summon of Scrap Dragon to bait negating to trigger it's effect or the forceful negation of a card to drain your opponent's mana resources, negation has it's pros and cons. While a defensive move, it can all backfire depending on the wording of said negation.

Gizer (Fish) VS Flash (Psychic)

Back with another video duel, after possibly a format of not filming. First duel back is a clash of ace decks between myself and my best friend. This time around, it's a test of speed.

Hopefully there will be more videos to come in the future. Gotta check if I have the time. Also, if anybody knows how to film duel network battles let me know.

Winning and Losing

In all games, we all win and lose quite often. Nothing wrong with losing. When we lose, it helps us realize what mistakes we did and how we can learn from it. Not just that, but losing helps us better form our strategies by seeing what works and what doesn't.

If you want to win, you must first want to lose. Because by losing duels we can learn a whole lot about the game itself. Losing helps us win.

So next time you feel like getting angry at a loss, relax and think back about what made you lose. Was it a misplay? Perhaps it was something your opponent did to counter you that you didn't prepare for? Perhaps you underestimated your opponent? All these and more can factor as to why we lose.

But once we realize why we lost, we can begin fixing our mistakes and get closer to winning.

Update

Been a bit busy with college and stuff as of late, but I'm thinking up a few article ideas for the week.

San Juan Regional

Thanks to my best friend, I realized there was one coming up. Problem is, I'm still a bit unmotivated to play YGO competitively (since I'm mostly casual now). However, this may be my last regional event in quite some time. So what to do?

Don't feel like wasting 20 bucks to get my ass kicked, especially since I can get that for free. But then again, there's the chance that I can really do well. But given my history of regionals, I only made it to Top 32 once, and that was a whole long time ago. I only have a 1/4th success rate with these events.

And then he told me, "take your f*cking Fish deck already!"


And so, I have given it thought. Don't know if I will compete yet, but here's the deck I'm definitely going to use if I do manage to take it.

My signature deck gets a shot at last!

Whether I compete in the regional event or not, still got a while to decide. But If I do, I'm going to show them why I was known as the "Fish Guy" before anybody (locally) started playing them.

If I do decide to compete, I might just film the events. Still not sure.

Innistrad: The Art of Transformation

Innistrad, the newest MTG set is looking to be quite interesting. Not only does it support a classic "monster movie" theme filled with Vampires and Werewolves, but it also introduces a new mechanic into the game. This new mechanic, transform, allows for a card to transform into something else once a specific condition is met.

But how does it transform? Easy, the cards now have designs on both sides so transforming a card is as simple as flipping it to the opposite side.

Creatures that transform normally tend to transform back when other conditions are met as well. However, this makes for quite the interesting mechanic because you can end up with a powerful creature when you least expect it. Not just that, but transformations aren't just limited to creatures. Planeswalkers aren't safe from it either.

And all transforming cards must be played in their basic forms. Transformed cards don't have any mana cost, and it's understandable.

This new mechanic is quite interesting and I want to see how it shapes the game in the future.

Jurrac Flamvell

Already got to brainstorming on various decks to use this format, so I have been getting a bit creative. Flamvell was one of my ideas, but the Merchant engine seemed a bit too slow for me. And then, I realized Jurracs were around and how good they can be, as well as their synergy with Flamvells due to constant recruiting on both parts. So why not try a deck that can spam Synchros and Xyz monsters like crazy?

So here's what I managed to make (budget of course):


The extra deck is still a pain to organize, but it's all going into consideration.

Official Xyz Rulings

Just got the official rulings regarding Xyz Materials and the monsters. Here it is:

“Xyz Materials

Monsters that are used to Xyz Summon are called ‘Xyx Materials’, and are placed underneath the Xyz Monster, to show that they are attached to it. Monsters that have become Xyz Materials are not treated as cards on the field. When an Xyz Monster leaves the field, all of the Xyz Materials attached to it are sent to the Graveyard. If an Xyz Monster is flipped face-down, or becomes controlled by the opponent, the Xyz Materials are not sent to the Graveyard. They remain attached to the Xyz Monster.

Leaves The Field
Some monsters have effects that activate when they ‘leave the field’. For example, these effects activate when the monster is sent to the Graveyard, or is banished, or is returned to the hand or Extra Deck. When a monster on the field is shuffled into the Main Deck, or becomes an Xyz Material, it is no longer a card on the field, however its effects that activate when it ‘leaves the field’ will not activate.”

At last, sweet justice! Official rulings can finally clear out all the mess regarding these cards. Not just that, but now Tour Guide and Sangan became just "meh" due to not being able to search (as it was supposed to be all along). With this, we can at least have Xyz monsters be as balanced as they should have been.

Now if only we could solve the problem with priority...

Weenie Decks: Small Battles of Big Proportions

Weenie decks are something we see in both Yugioh and Magic, with both being considerable decks in any style of the game itself. So what are weenie decks? Basically, weenie decks consist of a deck that relies on smaller fighters to gain victory and overpower your opponent. So let's take a look at Weenie Decks for both Magic and Yugioh.

Magic Weenie Decks:

In MTG, weenie decks consist of decks that function well with everything being of a cost of 3 mana or less. This includes creatures, auras, equipments, and instants that combine to make the deck a force to be reckoned with. In weenie decks, most creatures would cost between 1 and 2 mana, with creatures of 3 mana still seen but in lesser numbers. Creatures with converted mana cost 4 or more normally tend to be the "boss monsters" of the deck, usually having some kind of relation to the deck. In times, weenie decks may use Planeswalkers as their boss monsters as can be the case of Elspeth.

Elspeth not only can create 1/1 soldiers, but make your smaller creatures a lot more powerful. There are other planeswalkers that follow their own distinct strategy, but some such as Garruk (the new one), Gideon Jura (with his final ability), and Ajani Vengeant can all be good considerable bosses for weenie decks.

But weenie decks aren't all low cost creatures, they also depend on stuff to turn them into considerable opponents. Whether it be Auras or Equipments, these cards can easily turn your 2/1 weenie with flying (random example) into a 4/3 flying with double strike, for example. Cards like these provide easier control of the game, as you can not only gain bigger creatures for a lower cost, but keep mana reserved for any defensive spells you might play.

As a final verdict, MTG weenie decks rely on a combination of low cost cards to overpower your opponent and swarm the field with an army of small creatures that can do big damage. Weenie decks are known for gaining big advantage in early games, so they can be a force to be reckoned with.

Yugioh Weenie Decks:

Now, while YGO doesn't have any resource system, it can still have weenie decks. These, however follow a similar concept of using small monsters to gain big advantage, but weenie decks here have changed across the ages. Most weenie decks now have the ability to Synchro summon massively, but since the bosses come from the Extra Deck, the main deck can still consist of weenies to make the deck work. However, there are still decks that are true to the weenie deck nature, while there are others in similar nature but use their weenies for a bigger purpose.

The first weenie decks we see in YGO are level 3 or lower monsters that are the core of the deck, and have a strategy that revolves around them. An example of a pure weenie deck in YGO can be a Wetlands oriented deck. All their monsters are level 2 or lower and use the field to gain a major buff that allows them to compete with the big monsters on their own. Not only that, but it gives them access to bigger monsters with greater ease. For most cases, these weenie decks use either fields or continuous effects (from either spells, traps, or the monsters themselves) to gain attack, while mostly ignoring equipments (contrary to MTG where auras and equipments buff individual monsters).

And then there's the other type of weenie deck, which uses a combination of level 3 or lower monsters to gain access to bigger monsters (such as Synchros or Xyz). Decks like these consist of massive swarming with said creatures and bring out either 1 or 2 big monsters by either using their effects to recruit from the deck or be used in conjunction with other monsters to gain advantage. Weenie cards that fit this category are monsters like The Immortal Bushi, Deepsea Diva, Junk Synchron, and Tour Guide From the Underworld.

Said monsters can for bring their own massive plays. Junk Synchron can be summoned if Bushi is on the field to bring back a level 2 and make a Junk Destroyer, one of the boss monsters of their deck. Diva recruits for easy level 5 synchros on her own, or combined with another Diva can make 2 synchros if combined with other monsters. As for Tour Guide, it can make an Xyz monster out of thin air due to it's effect.

Final Verdict:

While MTG Weenie Decks may be of a similar fashion, they all tend to be pretty powerful on their own. Meanwhile, YGO Weenie Decks tend to have multiple purposes. While one of their weenie styles may be similar to the MTG mentality of small creatures gaining huge power, it's the "weenie swarm for big bosses" strategy that is predominant in this game.

Weenie decks can be a force to be reckoned with if not careful. Just because you see small monsters, doesn't mean they are easy to deal with. For these decks, there's strength in numbers.

Sun Titan

Since getting back into Magic, not only have I learned my primary playstyle, but I have also transitioned smoothly between my time away and my time active due to keeping that MTG mentality throughout.

For now, my main deck is a Green-White Weenie Deck focused on swarming and buffing creatures with Auras and Equipment. However, even weenie decks gotta have a boss at some time. In my case, my boss monster is a white giant.

Enter Sun Titan:


Now, while 6 mana does seem counterproductive to the whole weenie theme, it does serve as a great boss in either 1 or 2 in a deck. And what makes Sun Titan so special for weenie decks? It's ability to put cards with 3 mana or less back into play. Since weenie decks use mostly 3 mana for everything, Titan can bring back essential creatures, equipments, or even attach used Auras back into it.

This last use is the best one, since you can give Sun Titan an added boost just by having it hit the field or declaring an attack. Not just that, but it also helps you swarm your previously used creatures, so keeping field advantage will be facilitated as well.

Even in MTG, we sometimes add bosses to our decks.

Hurricane Irene

Meant to post yesterday, but the hurricane really set those plans back. So perhaps I should post the bullet points I wanted to get across yesterday.

I have a feeling that the "Storm + 3 MST" format might have been blown right out of proportion. Yes, I'm still upset regarding the banlist...but I'm starting to think it's not what people might say it's going to be.

Yes, Twilight and LS decks are going to be running rampant. However, who is to say X-Sabers won't rise to the occasion? They benefit from this format as well, and are a great deck. Vayu Turbo and BW decks will also be seeing a rise in play, and Agents are still a great choice for the format.

Sure, everyone is going to lean towards Chaos...but a deck that relies on mills is far from perfect, but if you know how to control it, then you will survive. Will the meta be all chaos? Only time will tell.

As for Anti-Meta, it's not dead...we will adapt. New methods of going against the meta will be developed.

As for Tour Guide (second time mentioned in my blog), it is NOT a needed card for this format. Yes, you gain advantage from it...but it's not the law to use it.

I still don't like this format, but I'm trying to be optimistic.

That's all I got tonight...

Ajani Vengeant

The MTG posts are back! Not just that, I'm finally making my way back into this game, even though my decks have to start from scratch due to accidentally sending them in a moving process. However, I'm going to start by talking about my favorite planeswalker, Ajani Vengeant.

Why Ajani? Well, it suits my playstyle the best. In MTG, I find myself being an aggro player who tends to lean towards weenie builds or swarm decks. However, Ajani was the first planeswalker I ever used in my old Naya deck, my favorite aggro deck.

Not just that, but Ajani is coming back in a duel deck, so I figured I would talk a bit about him...just so I could get back into the MTG feeling...


Ajani helped bring control to those aggro decks by either tapping a creature that could be dangerous (allowing you to attack freely), or inflicting damage to a strong creature so it will be destroyed by the effect itself or by blocking your attacks.

How does this tie into anything new, you ask? Well, if you find yourself making a weenie aggro deck, chances are it's a mix of any of Naya's colors (unless you're using Goblins, since some can be Black/Red). If you are using any WR weenie deck especially, Ajani can prove to be a worthy ally.

I think that finally got me into the mood, perhaps more posts on newer MTG stuff soon...

About Starlight Road

Everyone is talking about how it's going to be THE response to Storm this format and how it will magically save your deck from destruction. Yes, it's a good card...but it's always been situational. Sorry to say this, but Road is still vulnerable to 3 MST or any other means of singular destruction.

Is it a good card to still use in a side deck? Yes, especially if you know the deck is destruction-heavy and will be of some use. But maining it, I'm not too sure.

Not just that, but it's still too easily countered by cards like Trap Stun, especially now that chainable traps are going to see more use.

But it's too early to tell, we need more time for the meta to develop.

But for now, those are my thoughts on the card. Good, but very situational. Overhyped defenses.