Anime/Manga Club Yu-Gi-Oh!

[Meadow]

Oh, it made sense for her to stop being a psycho, but it didn't make sense for her to lose her independant, strong spirit and ability to duel with the best of them. I mean, she was a Signer! A main character by any definition! It was sad to see her character slowly being sapped away and then demolished entirely...much like Asuka. After she was brainwashed by Saiou, that was it for her really.

This.
While Rio (in Zexal) was heavily shafted in terms of screentime (partly due to a coma), the writers at least didn't take away her strong spirit, and especially not her dueling skills.

It's good to know there is a bit more variety in Zexal and Arc-V, though! I shall look forward to watching them...after I've watched everything that came before them, aha. I need to get back to the roots of the show before I jump into the newer stuff; it's all changed up I believe, at least in terminology, and I never really got the gist of synchro monsters, aha. I watched the first episode of Arc-V when it aired initially and I could barely follow it! The psychotic characters were always my favourites, though - Marik put on such a fantastic show in the Battle City Arc! With his crazy faces, blatant disregard of the rules by fusing himself with Ra, and systematic destruction of everyone who faced him. The Egyptian Gods and their theme music didn't hurt either. xD

Yup, then you're definitely gonna enjoy every single moment that Vector is on screen. *tempted to post a picture, but can't due to major spoilers*
I'd say, if you manage to survive the slow start of Zexal, then you'll be good to go!

Thanks! I might still have it stored on my copy of WC08, actually...I'll have to look. Burn decks were great too! Bad Reaction to Simochi was such a troll card...use Upstart Goblin, Rain of Mercy or, better yet, The Eye of Truth! Plus three Solar Flare Dragons and maybe a Stealth Bird if you've got Level Limit - Area B or Gravity Bind on the field, just for that extra bit of damage. Anything that involved stalling and sitting behind a nearly impenetrable combo, really. Of course, most of my decks, if not all of them, would be useless against the current metagame, but they sufficed back in 2008. xD

I never really liked the real-life metagame though, to be honest...everyone used the same cards. It was Six Samurai, then Dark-based decks, around then, and it was kinda dull; there wasn't much room for creativity, and it all came down to who drew what first.

Well, whaddya know! The first (real) deck that I ever made happened to be a Simochi deck! Good times. xD
After that, I made a Legendary Ocean deck with Gravity Bind and Tornado Wall, combined with low-level monsters who attack directly when Legendary Ocean is face up. x3

The metagame today gives me mixed feelings. The game became very diverse in terms of deck styles and summoning methods, but the problem is that most of the new archetypes are too absurdly overpowered, like by a larger scale than ever before (there are exceptions, of course).

They were? I never really noticed...I think I just found the earlier duels more engaging; the cards were more interesting. Evil!Jaden never really did anything for me - and nor did the sudden massive influx of random new characters, each with their own mediocre deck themes - and Yubel was just plain confusing. They ramped things up a bit in terms of plot, but the excitement of the duels was gone. Shou's character development was pretty good throughout, though! Shame the same can't be said of his brother, who devolved into a total jerk, and not even a likeable one...

Ah, so you were looking at it from a duel writing perspective, eh? In that case, you're right... the duel writing indeed declined, but the opposite applies to the plot. Before the Disclosure Duels arc, all of the "relevant" episodes were buried between loads of random irrelevant episodes that had no synergy between them. Like, Judai spent several episodes lost in the woods after getting Neos while doing ABSOLUTELY nothing, and then the writers threw in a "Hell Kaiser" episode in between. After the Hell Kaiser episode? Judai, still in the woods, meets up with SAL the monkey and hallucinates (in starvation) about all of his past opponents... and at the end of the episode, the Duel Academy was right in front of him but he accidentally went the wrong way! Also, the love duel between Manjoume and Asuka was placed right between the duel with Amnael and the duel with Kagemaru, which was hilariously ridiculous. xD

In the Kaiser's defense, that was actually pretty understandable, and he did get his composure back in the Dark World arc. Usually, something like that happens to characters off-screen (see Himuro from 5D's and Ryoga from Zexal), and they have to overcome their past in order to achieve character development. It worked out pretty well with Himuro, except for the fact that he was written out of the show, and Ryoga (AKA Shark) is universally accepted to be one of the best characters in Zexal. As for the Kaiser, he was less fortunate because his degeneration happened on screen, but remember that he was actually a figure for Shou's development, and ultimately Shou is the more important character.

Also, there is one little thing that caught my attention:

>I did make about 22,000 posts on Janime

>Evil!Jaden

The way you used that exclamation point... I officially have zero doubts that you were a part of a Yu-Gi-Oh community, aha. xD
(I've seen plenty of YGO-related posts that use the "Description!Character" format, such as "Batman!Shark," "JokeCharacter!Jack," etc.)

 

[pkmin3033]

This.
While Rio (in Zexal) was heavily shafted in terms of screentime (partly due to a coma), the writers at least didn't take away her strong spirit, and especially not her dueling skills.

It would have been nice if they'd given Asuka and Aki the same treatment...I'm not even going to comment on Mai. xD

Yup, then you're definitely gonna enjoy every single moment that Vector is on screen. *tempted to post a picture, but can't due to major spoilers*
I'd say, if you manage to survive the slow start of Zexal, then you'll be good to go!

Well, Yu-Gi-Oh! is traditionally quite slow to start, no? At least, the less said about the Duelist Kingdom arc of the first season, the better. It takes a while to set the scene and introduce the plot, since it's going to span at least a hundred episodes. I can persevere with a bad start...even if some of the character designs are ridiculous. xD

Well, whaddya know! The first (real) deck that I ever made happened to be a Simochi deck! Good times. xD
After that, I made a Legendary Ocean deck with Gravity Bind and Tornado Wall, combined with low-level monsters who attack directly when Legendary Ocean is face up. x3

The metagame today gives me mixed feelings. The game became very diverse in terms of deck styles and summoning methods, but the problem is that most of the new archetypes are too absurdly overpowered, like by a larger scale than ever before (there are exceptions, of course).

Agh, Mako always kicked my backside across the table with that godawful combo! I hate field spell cards. xD

More overpowered than Six Samurai and Lightsworn? They were both a menace...Six Samurai for the ability to fill your field within two turns if you drew the right cards (plus the existing Warrior-type support that already existed in the metagame thanks to the earlier Elemental Heroes...) and the Lightsworn were just designed to blast through an opponent to compensate for the fact that your deck was getting systematically demolished...I always wondered if they would work with RFG cards and Necroface, actually; I never got the chance to test those in the game. But Rainbow Dragon I hate for its brokenness. Judgement Dragon? That was Chaos Emperor Dragon all over again.

Ah, so you were looking at it from a duel writing perspective, eh? In that case, you're right... the duel writing indeed declined, but the opposite applies to the plot. Before the Disclosure Duels arc, all of the "relevant" episodes were buried between loads of random irrelevant episodes that had no synergy between them. Like, Judai spent several episodes lost in the woods after getting Neos while doing ABSOLUTELY nothing, and then the writers threw in a "Hell Kaiser" episode in between. After the Hell Kaiser episode? Judai, still in the woods, meets up with SAL the monkey and hallucinates (in starvation) about all of his past opponents... and at the end of the episode, the Duel Academy was right in front of him but he accidentally went the wrong way! Also, the love duel between Manjoume and Asuka was placed right between the duel with Amnael and the duel with Kagemaru, which was hilariously ridiculous. xD

Yup...after all, it's a show about card games, first and foremost. Without engaging duels, the plot might as well be nothing but filler, because the conflicts never get resolved in a satisfactory fashion. If the fate of the planet - or multiple dimensions - rests on these games, and if it's going to last multiple episodes, it needs to be engaging. I need to actually care about the resolution. GX lost that for me after the second season; the main character had turned EVIL, but that sense of urgency that was present in Duel Monsters (freakin' season zero, screwing with the series ordering! xD) was completely lost in the influx of new characters.

I suppose the God cards might have had something to do with that, although the Sacred Beasts were quite interesting, even if they were obviously inferior to said cards. I did like Armityle though. I think the problem was the lack of development for the new characters in particular...it would have been so much better if someone who had been with Judai since the beginning brought him back to his senses - Shou would be the obvious candidate, although Kaiser or Manjoume would have worked just as well. The plot was throw in interesting directions, but the character focus was totally skewed, so it was hard to really care about what was going on. At least, that was how I felt. Who knows, maybe I'll change my tune when I watch it again, but I doubt it somehow. xD

In the Kaiser's defense, that was actually pretty understandable, and he did get his composure back in the Dark World arc. Usually, something like that happens to characters off-screen (see Himuro from 5D's and Ryoga from Zexal), and they have to overcome their past in order to achieve character development. It worked out pretty well with Himuro, except for the fact that he was written out of the show, and Ryoga (AKA Shark) is universally accepted to be one of the best characters in Zexal. As for the Kaiser, he was less fortunate because his degeneration happened on screen, but remember that he was actually a figure for Shou's development, and ultimately Shou is the more important character.

It was, but I would have liked to have seen a clearer focus, rather than this back-and-forth pandering that led the viewer to read between the lines...assuming there was anything to read, anyway. Again, it felt like the writers couldn't decide who they wanted to focus on, at least in terms of the relationship between the two brothers. Shou advanced all right on his own, but his brother had always been a major source of inspiration and his spectacular inferiority complex, and there was never really any proper resolution between the two; he never really stepped out of Kaiser's shadow...after all, he got absolutely demolished when he duelled him. Kaiser, by the same token, never really recovered from his degeneration, which started off brilliantly but ended up turning him into another random antagonist wandering about. Kaiser WAS important, for being the first to give Judai the beating he deserved (and for tying with him afterwards, which in no way diminished his standing as a credible duelist) and for being that senior, experienced character that shows like this always seem to have. His losing was important for his character progression, but I don't really think he ever recovered properly from the loss, which was...disappointing, considering what the writers tried to do with him. I dunno, I'm rambling. xD

Also, there is one little thing that caught my attention:

The way you used that exclamation point... I officially have zero doubts that you were a part of a Yu-Gi-Oh community, aha. xD
(I've seen plenty of YGO-related posts that use the "Description!Character" format, such as "Batman!Shark," "JokeCharacter!Jack," etc.)

What can I say...old habits die hard. xD

 

[Meadow]

It would have been nice if they'd given Asuka and Aki the same treatment...I'm not even going to comment on Mai. xD

Then again, we have Sherry from 5D's. She technically ties with Yusei (in a sense... not literally), and she kinda replaces Jack Atlas as the rival, seeing as the latter degenerated into a joke character. xD

Well, Yu-Gi-Oh! is traditionally quite slow to start, no? At least, the less said about the Duelist Kingdom arc of the first season, the better. It takes a while to set the scene and introduce the plot, since it's going to span at least a hundred episodes. I can persevere with a bad start...even if some of the character designs are ridiculous. xD

Well, people generally consider Zexal to have the second slowest start after GX. The first nine episodes of Zexal seem like filler-ish duels, except for the fact that they're technically not fillers. The plot starts kicking in once Shark comes back, but they do take quite a while to find a clear direction for the plot to move.

The weird thing about Zexal is that they intentionally made the characters look stupid at first, and then they transitioned into having dramatically better designs (most notably Yuma and Shark).
Examples:

Spoiler:

More overpowered than Six Samurai and Lightsworn? They were both a menace...Six Samurai for the ability to fill your field within two turns if you drew the right cards (plus the existing Warrior-type support that already existed in the metagame thanks to the earlier Elemental Heroes...) and the Lightsworn were just designed to blast through an opponent to compensate for the fact that your deck was getting systematically demolished...I always wondered if they would work with RFG cards and Necroface, actually; I never got the chance to test those in the game. But Rainbow Dragon I hate for its brokenness. Judgement Dragon? That was Chaos Emperor Dragon all over again.

Yes... back in my day, Six Samurai decks had toooo much power, but now they're absolute jokes against the likes of today's archetypes. I don't even want to begin explaining what they're capable of... O_o

Lightsworns are pretty tame now, but I mostly see them as side engines for decks who like a lot of milling (such as Junk Doppel, Chaos Dragons, etc.). Also, Michael (their Synchro) gets put into plenty of random decks that have tuners and LIGHT monsters.

Yup...after all, it's a show about card games, first and foremost. Without engaging duels, the plot might as well be nothing but filler, because the conflicts never get resolved in a satisfactory fashion. If the fate of the planet - or multiple dimensions - rests on these games, and if it's going to last multiple episodes, it needs to be engaging. I need to actually care about the resolution. GX lost that for me after the second season; the main character had turned EVIL, but that sense of urgency that was present in Duel Monsters (freakin' season zero, screwing with the series ordering! xD) was completely lost in the influx of new characters.

Yeah... the problem with basically any series after DM is that they're FORCING everything to resolve with a card game, even when card games would otherwise be irrelevant to the plot (though it never personally bothered me). The only time they acknowledged this was during the Judai vs Saiou confrontation, but that satellite was SOOO poorly executed, and Judai screwed up by throwing his key towards Ed even though Tyranno could've just Kattobing'd in the first place. (I actually burst out laughing when Saiou refused to duel. xD)

I'm pretty sure every person has a different perception of the word "engaging," but I'll give you a fair warning so that you don't give your hopes up. In GX, 5D's, Zexal, and even ARC-V, the creativity of the duels are -usually- inversely related to the stakes at risk. So if the stakes are high, the duels will be rather... situational (there are many exceptions, of course). I don't know what to tell you if you hate situational cards, but I personally feel that they don't degenerate the show as heavily as most people make them out to. Also, Judai's Rainbow Neos set a standard for all subsequent series. Apparently, Extra Deck monsters can now appear out of thin air, but the only time it's actually annoying is in ARC-V.

Another thing I must note is that the anime considers "stacking" to be a skill, not a method of cheating. Hence, the Kaiser spent all of his childhood training at a dojo in order to learn how to stack three Cyber Dragons and the right spell cards (reference to Kaiba, who is probably like the best stacker of all time xD).

I suppose the God cards might have had something to do with that, although the Sacred Beasts were quite interesting, even if they were obviously inferior to said cards. I did like Armityle though. I think the problem was the lack of development for the new characters in particular...it would have been so much better if someone who had been with Judai since the beginning brought him back to his senses - Shou would be the obvious candidate, although Kaiser or Manjoume would have worked just as well. The plot was throw in interesting directions, but the character focus was totally skewed, so it was hard to really care about what was going on. At least, that was how I felt. Who knows, maybe I'll change my tune when I watch it again, but I doubt it somehow. xD

Well, I'll admit that a majority of the new characters (such as Jim and O'Brien) weren't necessarily needed in the plot, but they were pretty darn well-written, despite being replaceable by the already established characters. However, Amon is a different story... he was a complete waste of a character slot. He turned evil, tried to become the main antagonist, failed pretty hard at doing so, and most importantly, got defeated by the actual antagonist (rather than Judai). The only thing I'll give him credit for is putting Manjoume in his place. (You gotta admit, Manjoume DID deserve that... come on, picking a fight because someone is richer than you? xD)

I do wish it was Shou who brought an end to the Supreme King, but the writers didn't give him enough duel-development episodes to warrant the skills to do so. I guess they wanted to save his growth for the end, but they definitely could've done more with him.

It was, but I would have liked to have seen a clearer focus, rather than this back-and-forth pandering that led the viewer to read between the lines...assuming there was anything to read, anyway. Again, it felt like the writers couldn't decide who they wanted to focus on, at least in terms of the relationship between the two brothers. Shou advanced all right on his own, but his brother had always been a major source of inspiration and his spectacular inferiority complex, and there was never really any proper resolution between the two; he never really stepped out of Kaiser's shadow...after all, he got absolutely demolished when he duelled him. Kaiser, by the same token, never really recovered from his degeneration, which started off brilliantly but ended up turning him into another random antagonist wandering about. Kaiser WAS important, for being the first to give Judai the beating he deserved (and for tying with him afterwards, which in no way diminished his standing as a credible duelist) and for being that senior, experienced character that shows like this always seem to have. His losing was important for his character progression, but I don't really think he ever recovered properly from the loss, which was...disappointing, considering what the writers tried to do with him. I dunno, I'm rambling. xD

I wouldn't say "demolished," as Shou literally had that duel won... minus the fact that the Kaiser stacked De-Fusion at the bottom of his deck. xDDD (Reverse-Cyber Style... I see what they did there! =P)

Shou did actually step out of the Kaiser's shadow, but you said that you haven't seen the final season, right? So for now I don't think I should spoil how. xD (Just know that it was pretty rushed.)

As for the Kaiser not recovering from his degeneration, that's... both true and untrue at the same time, haha. Ultimately, it was just the product of lazy writing and poor pacing. xD It looks as if the writers wanted to do a lot more with him, but they just couldn't plan out their episode numbers accordingly. As a result, he regained his personality out of nowhere during the Dark World arc, and his excuse for turning normal was that he simply "got over the phase of craving for victory." xD So yeah, there wasn't a single event that "snapped" him back to normal, but the writers had no more room for another walking antagonist. xD So in a sense, when you said that he never "recovered properly," you're right... rather than redeeming himself, he just stopped being evil xD (well, IF he qualified as evil anyways).
I guess that's what happens when the writers don't use all of their episodes wisely, they just end up rushing things.

Yeah I can do a writeup of that, just learned about it the other day too, so I'm semi familiar with it. I've been trying to think of something else to do for random cards, because it's getting kinda boring (as you can tell from what I've reviewed so far; I stopped for a couple days after generating Bunilla haha). But yeah I was thinking maybe newer cards, stuff that hasn't been released.

Ah, I didn't notice that you already had it up, haha. But now the alternative discussion is up-to-date, so that's always good!

Alternative/On-going discussion: Thoughts on today's/a previous day's random card?

My thoughts on Lose a Turn... Honestly, I don't think it was necessary for Konami to make this card, especially since Skill Drain and Vanity's are still sitting at 3. Sure, it isn't as abusable by other decks, but what good does it do for the game by having this card alongside Vanity's and Skill Drain rather than as a replacement? I personally feel that making the game revolve around floodgates is the wrong way to go... but hey, maybe Konami is only trying to get Vanilla Pendulums to rule the world for a few months before changing their minds. xD

 

[Flushed]

I liked GX for its focus on fusion monsters, which had been previously next to useless...the Elemental Heroes were an odd bunch. The Neo-Spacians were pretty awful, but it felt very fresh and exciting coming off of the second series, in my opinion. Hope you enjoy it! :3
A lot of people frown on Waking the Dragons...personally, I quite liked it! It was no worse than the Virtual World Arc, and it was a lot better than the KC Cup! I kinda feel like it inspired 5Ds a bit as well...all those dragons running around. It's always dragons. xD

Yeah so far I'm not too into Waking the Dragons haha, I'm sad that they replaced the Mai dub voice actor. But a lot of the cards in the season were just released in the Dragons of Legend Pack about a year ago so it's really interesting seeing all of these cards in the show.

And nowadays in the T/OCG, fusions are pretty commonplace. Several archetypes run primarily on fusions, and Heroes are getting new support, but yeah in the GX days, fusions were pretty innovative.

Ah, I didn't notice that you already had it up, haha. But now the alternative discussion is up-to-date, so that's always good!

Alternative/On-going discussion: Thoughts on today's/a previous day's random card?

My thoughts on Lose a Turn... Honestly, I don't think it was necessary for Konami to make this card, especially since Skill Drain and Vanity's are still sitting at 3. Sure, it isn't as abusable by other decks, but what good does it do for the game by having this card alongside Vanity's and Skill Drain rather than as a replacement? I personally feel that making the game revolve around floodgates is the wrong way to go... but hey, maybe Konami is only trying to get Vanilla Pendulums to rule the world for a few months before changing their minds. xD

Floodgate, that's the term I was looking for (you definitely have better analysis than me haha). But yeah I've always thought Vanity's should get hit. Skill Drain not as much when half of the monsters these days are getting effects in the grave. But like I said, I definitely don't think this card is as powerful as the other floodgates, but I agree that in conjunction with the other untouched floodgates that's just more copies in your deck that shuts stuff down.

In regards to Vanilla Pendulum, they're getting stronger every set haha. I played against them at a locals the other day and definitely underestimated them.

 

[Meadow]

Floodgate, that's the term I was looking for (you definitely have better analysis than me haha). But yeah I've always thought Vanity's should get hit. Skill Drain not as much when half of the monsters these days are getting effects in the grave. But like I said, I definitely don't think this card is as powerful as the other floodgates, but I agree that in conjunction with the other untouched floodgates that's just more copies in your deck that shuts stuff down.

In regards to Vanilla Pendulum, they're getting stronger every set haha. I played against them at a locals the other day and definitely underestimated them.

By this point, I don't think it would be a bad idea for Heavy Storm to come back... even if some people would frown upon it. (Heck, I'd daresay that it would be decent at 2, rather than 1.)

Oh, dear... the apocalypse begins! I'll admit that they are a genuinely interesting deck, but Qliphorts kind of... skewed my opinion on Pendulums, haha. Too bad that Vanilla Pendulums will mostly have to rely on Rank 4's, as I would've been amused to see a Vanilla Bunilla Pendulum deck. /lamepun

The Neo-Spacians were pretty awful, but it felt very fresh and exciting coming off of the second series

Aww, Grand Mole is crying in a corner now. {D:}


Anyways, it looks like the banlist topic has been dead for over a day now (ignoring the fact that I just brought up Heavy Storm LOL), so I might as well start a new one:
What archetype(s) would you like to see a new Structure Deck for? (Anything goes; it can be from the TCG/OCG, the anime, or even the manga.)

 

[Flushed]

I would love to see Heavy Storm back. Though the floodgates (and by that I mean Vanity's) usually hurt the most upon activation, in which case I need more MSTs.

What archetype(s) would you like to see a new Structure Deck for? (Anything goes; it can be from the TCG/OCG, the anime, or even the manga.)
Tbh, I get the structure decks primarily for the random staple they throw in, like Fiendish Chain or Breakthrough Skill. I don't usually try to build the deck, although I think it'd be cool if Shaddolls or Satellarknights got a Structure Deck, mainly for the sake of cheaper reprints haha. And maybe Harpies so they could get Harpie Harpist to the TCG haha.

 

[Centipede Chan]

My friends want me to get into this, but I have no idea where to start. Got YGOpro installed but that's pretty much it.

 

[Meadow]

I would love to see Heavy Storm back. Though the floodgates (and by that I mean Vanity's) usually hurt the most upon activation, in which case I need more MSTs.

Hmm... in that case, would you consider Night Beam a good card? It sounds nice on paper, but I feel hesitant about running it simply due to its inability to deal with face-up floodgates (also, it's not a Quick Spell, so that means less potential mindgames). However, it only serves as an extra MST, so you can even run a single copy and not worry about it clogging. That, and the opponent can't activate their card in response to it, so... it'll be a tough choice, haha.

What archetype(s) would you like to see a new Structure Deck for? (Anything goes; it can be from the TCG/OCG, the anime, or even the manga.)
Tbh, I get the structure decks primarily for the random staple they throw in, like Fiendish Chain or Breakthrough Skill. I don't usually try to build the deck, although I think it'd be cool if Shaddolls or Satellarknights got a Structure Deck, mainly for the sake of cheaper reprints haha. And maybe Harpies so they could get Harpie Harpist to the TCG haha.

Haha, I see. I'll admit to doing that as well, especially with the Lightsworn Structure Deck (as there was a common Breakthrough Skill in there, haha). However, are there any archetypes in particular that you would actually like to see brand new support for? Because nowadays, if you look at HERO's Strike and Synchron Extreme, new structure decks are almost guaranteed to add some game-changing support to their respective themes.

My friends want me to get into this, but I have no idea where to start. Got YGOpro installed but that's pretty much it.

Hmm, are you planning on getting into the card game only, or both the card game AND the show? If you're gonna get into both, then I'd recommend watching the show first because it can help you get the gist of how the game works. Also, YGOPro is a really helpful engine, because it moves through the Draw Phase and Standby Phase for you, which can help clear up a lot of confusion. Not to mention, YGOPro was programmed hand-in-hand with the rules, so you don't have to worry about making illegal mistakes, but you should watch out for misplays (like summoning the wrong monster). In addition to YGOPro, the rulebook (found here) is your friend. Do NOT feel ashamed of reading it, as it is actually very clear and concise, haha. If you do decide to get into it, good luck! I hope it'll be a great experience for you! {:3}

 

[Flushed]

My friends want me to get into this, but I have no idea where to start. Got YGOpro installed but that's pretty much it.

Joining the club (which I'm assuming you're doing?) is a good first start. ;)

But yeah Revise Librarian's got the right idea. Assuming you want to get into the card game, the show is a pretty good starting point for learning the basics, although it's a little outdated haha. The rule book is pretty detailed and has a lot of stuff that's pretty advanced imo, but it does give a pretty detailed overview of the game, so that's also a good place to start. Honestly you could probably spend a good 5-10 min just learning the card types from the rulebook and then mess around in YGOpro until you get the hang of it. They have pretty simple decks that the characters use in the show, and you can duel against a computer. Or you could duel your friends with YGOpro, or one of us, and we'd be glad to show you the ropes or answer any questions.

Hmm... in that case, would you consider Night Beam a good card? It sounds nice on paper, but I feel hesitant about running it simply due to its inability to deal with face-up floodgates (also, it's not a Quick Spell, so that means less potential mindgames). However, it only serves as an extra MST, so you can even run a single copy and not worry about it clogging. That, and the opponent can't activate their card in response to it, so... it'll be a tough choice, haha.



Haha, I see. I'll admit to doing that as well, especially with the Lightsworn Structure Deck (as there was a common Breakthrough Skill in there, haha). However, are there any archetypes in particular that you would actually like to see brand new support for? Because nowadays, if you look at HERO's Strike and Synchron Extreme, new structure decks are almost guaranteed to add some game-changing support to their respective themes.

Night Beam is pretty good, especially against like Burning Abyss, idk though I'm just getting Emptiness flipped against me in Harpies of Raccoons upon discards or summon, by that point it's too late. I guess I could preemptively blind Night Beam, but I never get lucky on those haha. Trap Stun has been alright, but I've run into too many weird situations of when to activate it.

And there's one (mini) archetype that I thought was really interesting, the Allure Queens. They're LV monsters, so there's really not much room for support, but I think it'd be pretty cool to see what they could come up with in terms of new stuff for an entire structure deck.

 

[Centipede Chan]

Thanks so much for the link to the rule book! I'll be sure to post in here if I need anything, or even message one you.

 

[Meadow]

Night Beam is pretty good, especially against like Burning Abyss, idk though I'm just getting Emptiness flipped against me in Harpies of Raccoons upon discards or summon, by that point it's too late. I guess I could preemptively blind Night Beam, but I never get lucky on those haha. Trap Stun has been alright, but I've run into too many weird situations of when to activate it.

And there's one (mini) archetype that I thought was really interesting, the Allure Queens. They're LV monsters, so there's really not much room for support, but I think it'd be pretty cool to see what they could come up with in terms of new stuff for an entire structure deck.

Aha, Trap Stun! Trap Stun literally slipped my mind for the longest time, haha. Too bad I don't have any space for it in any of my decks. =/

Wow, I've never even heard of them until now... Then again, I started playing in 2011, which was around... when Xyz monsters became a thing? lol
They're still pretty interesting nonetheless, as I already find Disigma and Relinquished to have annoying effects. xD

Thanks so much for the link to the rule book! I'll be sure to post in here if I need anything, or even message one you.

No problem! We'll be happy to help you out anytime! ^^

Oh, and if you ever need clarification regarding any particular ruling, don't be shy to ask!

 

[Judge Mandolore Shepard]

Well I know of a structure deck that was used in the anime, but not in real life that was an interesting archtype. It was the Arcana Force archtype. Course I would be interested in seeing that particular archtype become an official structure deck in real life.

 

[Meadow]

Well I know of a structure deck that was used in the anime, but not in real life that was an interesting archtype. It was the Arcana Force archtype. Course I would be interested in seeing that particular archtype become an official structure deck in real life.

Interesting choice! The funny thing is, I was re-watching some of the final episodes of GX yesterday, and the Arcana Force monsters happened to make another appearance.

Also, I noticed that the following Arcana Force monsters never made it to the TCG/OCG, which is quite unfortunate:

• Arcana Force VIII - The Strength
• Arcana Force XII - The Hanged Man
• Arcana Force XV - The Fiend

So yeah, if they ever did get their own structure deck, I'm sure those cards would be the first ones to consider.

 

[Flushed]

Arcana Force had a lot of cool designs (at least the artwork iirc). The coin flip thing makes them really inconsistent though haha.

 

[Meadow]

I'm surprised I didn't answer my own topic yet, haha.

What archetype(s) would you like to see a new Structure Deck for? (Anything goes; it can be from the TCG/OCG, the anime, or even the manga.)
Umm... get ready for one heck of a ride!

Sharks - Konami's been nerfing every single Shark card since day 1... it's not even fair. Then they made these Mermails and Atlanteans which basically sealed the final nail on any generic WATER support, in fear of making Merlanteans too broken. They tried to redeem themselves by creating FIncess, but that has only gotten the Sharks so far since Fincess itself was overshadowed by all of the new powercreep. My only fear of a Shark structure deck is that Konami will purposely base them off of useless Level 5's, rather than the needed Level 4's. (Although I wouldn't mind seeing a bit of Level 3 support again, aha.)

Junks - See "Sharks," minus the fact that Junks barely have any cards at all. They definitely need some new monsters to fuel the deck, preferably new Tuners and extra "Junk Servants" (but with added effects). There are a TON of potential Junk monsters in the 5D's manga, but I can't believe Konami had the nerve (in the latest Premium Pack) to release Junk Giant of all things! For the record, Junk Giant is a level 6 that has zero synergy with Junk.dek.

Synchrons - Okay, let me make one thing clear: Synchron Extreme was by no means a Synchron structure deck... it was literally just Quasar fodder mixed with fanservice cards and one Synchron Carrier (Stardust Warrior is included in said "fanservice"). It wasn't bad, as it helped Quasar.dek, but it just wasn't for the TRUE Synchrons. What the Synchrons need are extra Quickdraws... Junk Anchor was a step in the right direction, but its level was too low and its effect was pitifully bad. One more thing they need is something along the lines of a "Quickdraw Warrior," which can be summoned with ANY Synchron tuner monster. Of course, I wouldn't mind seeing Synchrons share a structure deck with Junks, as the two archetypes seem to work well together.

Majestic - Majestic Dragons need their own Neo-Space, lol. Also, an inherently special-summoning Tuner monster whose name is treated as "Majestic Dragon" would be perfect... along with maybe some extra consistency (searchers would be fine).

/Assault Mode - Please make this happen. They were awesome when they first came out, but they generally suck due to their lack of consistency. Rank-Ups are the spiritual successor of /Assault Modes (but for Xyz), and they are still getting new cards today. I think what /Assault Modes need are their own Quick-Spell, and maybe some good floaters.

Watts - These critters are SO cute, but they're also too weak lol. Watts were one of my first decks, and they are still fun to play with. Maybe some extra power and consistency would help the deck.

Roids - It's impossible to even make a casual deck based around them, but I do love their archetype! A TRUCK TON of extra power and consistency would be very much appreciated.

Fishborgs - These guys would help out the Sharks a LOT. Also, we need our very first Fish Synchro, thank you.


Yeah... sorry for the outburst of rambling and squealing, haha.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

[*]Arcana Force XV - The Fiend

Maybe if they named it correctly, it would be make it =D

But yea, Arcana deck was awesome, I tried it once in game and it was pretty fun to play =D

 

[Meadow]

Maybe if they named it correctly, it would be make it =D

Are you referring to how "The Fiend's" original name is "The Devil"? If so, I also prefer "Devil" over "Fiend," haha. ^^

Oh, I forgot another archetype that could use some support. Cyberdarks. You know something is wrong if regular Cybers are more functional than them. xD

 

[Flushed]

Agreeing with the Assault Modes and Cyberdarks. Never toyed around with the former, but I always thought the concept was cool. Cyberdarks I've actually tried out because I like Cyberdark Dragon, it's just really inconsistent from what I've found, and they run Vanillas like Hunter Dragon, ew haha. But yeah more support would be great for them.

 

[Meadow]

Agreeing with the Assault Modes and Cyberdarks. Never toyed around with the former, but I always thought the concept was cool. Cyberdarks I've actually tried out because I like Cyberdark Dragon, it's just really inconsistent from what I've found, and they run Vanillas like Hunter Dragon, ew haha. But yeah more support would be great for them.

What I dislike about /Assault Mode monsters is that you can't special summon them from your hand, so if you draw them out you're pretty much screwed. {D:}

As for Cyberdarks, I actually expected them to be at least somewhat OP (in GX standards, anyway), but they turned out to be surprisingly... uh, sacky... and underpowered. xD

 

[Hiatus]

I've bought so many structure decks in the past, I've lost count.

One of the most memorable ones, for me, would be Spellcaster's Judgment, which I'd bought about six to seven years ago (wow, I can't believe it's been this long; time flies so fast). Luckily, I still have it in my basement somewhere, I believe. I've been able to pull a good number of wins with this one; generally, I found it to be quite easy to use. Few of my cards from the deck are Breaker the Magical Warrior, Royal Magical Library, and, of course, Dark Eradicator Warlock (primarily due to its rarity).

I don't tend to customize structure decks; I always wind up leaving them as they are. We could always improve them by making changes here and there, but when we do, the decks seem to lose their original touch, in a way (at least in my eyes).