It's that time of the month again

[Frostweaver]

https://entertainment.upperdeck.com/y...rrent_new.aspx link

I. Forbidden Cards

You cannot use these cards in your Deck or Side Deck:


BLACK LUSTER SOLDIER - ENVOY OF THE BEGINNING
BUTTERFLY DAGGER - ELMA
CHANGE OF HEART
CHAOS EMPEROR DRAGON - ENVOY OF THE END
CHAOS SORCERER
CONFISCATION
CYBER JAR
CYBER-STEIN
DARK HOLE
DELINQUENT DUO
EXCHANGE OF THE SPIRIT
FIBER JAR
GRACEFUL CHARITY
HARPIE'S FEATHER DUSTER
IMPERIAL ORDER
LAST TURN
LAST WILL
MAGICAL SCIENTIST
MAKYURA THE DESTRUCTOR
METAMORPHOSIS
MIRAGE OF NIGHTMARE
MONSTER REBORN
PAINFUL CHOICE
POT OF GREED
RAIGEKI
RING OF DESTRUCTION
SINISTER SERPENT
SNATCH STEAL
THE FORCEFUL SENTRY
THOUSAND-EYES RESTRICT
TIME SEAL
TRIBE-INFECTING VIRUS
TSUKUYOMI
VICTORY DRAGON
WITCH OF THE BLACK FOREST
YATA-GARASU

NEW! - Confiscation, Metamorphosis, Ring of Destruction, Snatch Steal



II. Limited Cards

You can ONLY use one of the following cards in the Deck & Side Deck combined:


BOOK OF MOON
BRAIN CONTROL
BREAKER THE MAGICAL WARRIOR
CALL OF THE HAUNTED
CARD DESTRUCTION
CARD TROOPER
CEASEFIRE
CHAIN STRIKE
CRUSH CARD VIRUS
D. D. WARRIOR LADY
DARK MAGICIAN OF CHAOS
DESTINY HERO - DISK COMMANDER
DIMENSION FUSION
ELEMENTAL HERO STRATOS
EXODIA THE FORBIDDEN ONE
FISSURE
FUTURE FUSION
GIANT TRUNADE
GOLD SARCOPHAGUS
GRAVITY BIND
GREEN BABOON, DEFENDER OF THE FOREST
HEAVY STORM
LEFT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
LEFT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
LEVEL LIMIT - AREA B
LIMITER REMOVAL
MAGE POWER
MAGIC CYLINDER
MAGICAL STONE EXCAVATION
MAGICIAN OF FAITH
MARSHMALLON
MEGAMORPH
MIND CRUSH
MIRROR FORCE
MORPHING JAR
MYSTICAL SPACE TYPHOON
NEO-SPACIAN GRAND MOLE
NIGHT ASSAILANT
OVERLOAD FUSION
PREMATURE BURIAL
RIGHT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
RIGHT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
SANGAN
SCAPEGOAT
SMASHING GROUND
SNIPE HUNTER
SPIRIT REAPER
SWORDS OF REVEALING LIGHT
THE TRANSMIGRATION PROPHECY
TORRENTIAL TRIBUTE
TRAP DUSTSHOOT
TREEBORN FROG
TWIN-HEADED BEHEMOTH
ULTIMATE OFFERING
UNITED WE STAND
WALL OF REVEALING LIGHT

NEW! - Brain Control, Breaker the Magical Warrior, Card Trooper, Destiny Hero - Disk Commander, Fissure, Gold Sarcophagus, Magician of Faith, Marshmallon, Megamorph, Smashing Ground, Snipe Hunter, Trap Dustshoot, The Transmigration Prophecy, Wall of Revealing Light



III. Semi-Limited Cards

You can ONLY use two of the following cards in the Deck & Side Deck combined:


APPRENTICE MAGICIAN
CREATURE SWAP
DESTINY HERO - MALICIOUS
GREEN GADGET
JINZO
MANTICORE OF DARKNESS
MASK OF DARKNESS
NOBLEMAN OF CROSSOUT
POT OF AVARICE
RECKLESS GREED
RED GADGET
REINFORCEMENT OF THE ARMY
ROYAL DECREE
YELLOW GADGET

NEW! - Destiny Hero - Malicious, Green Gadget, Jinzo, Nobleman of Crossout, Pot of Avarice, Red Gadget, Royal Decree, Yellow Gadget

NEW! - The following cards are no longer Limited: D.D. Assailant, Deck Devastation Virus, Good Goblin Housekeeping, Protector of the Sanctuary

 

[Forci Stikane]

Ring & Snatch were predictable, as was Brain Control (I thought it was Limited all along @_@), Marshmallon, Gold Sarcophagus (Sealed Gold Coffer, right?) and the PCM attacks. Card Trooper I could see, as well.

However...MoF being back (YAY) and the attacks on Gadget...not-so-much. Interesting that there's nothing on Shield Crush, though. Jinzo & PoA becoming semi-limited is from WAY out in left field, though...specifically Jinzo. I mean, that thing's been on the Limited list since the list's creation...and DD Assailant coming off the list entirely? Oh boy...

 

[Frostweaver]

DDA was rendered useless by the massive zaborg/raiza nuke that it has to run into something or else its effect just never goes off. Japan does not even use DDA or DDWL. Light and Darkness Dragon will just nuke it anyway if it tries anything.

I was sorta surprised breaker came back though... Jinzo is also a "what?" from everyone, but I'm not going to go "zomg I'm putting 2 jinzo in maindeck" either. Royal Decree with attack power is powerful, but still vulnerable to monarchs' brutal effects. Then again, only apprentice monarchs are left now that T-Hero is weakened, and brain control is out.

Everyone is predicting that the world belongs to six samurai and monarchs. Agree or disagree? I generally disagree myself...

 

[Forci Stikane]

Everyone is predicting that the world belongs to six samurai and monarchs. Agree or disagree? I generally disagree myself...

...Well, with Snatch Steal gone and Brain Control down to 1...I doubt that Monarchs will be able to work as well anymore unless we get yet another monster-control card. Six Samurai is a possibility, but...Pot of Avarice coming up to 2 might bring some Tomato toolbox variant out of the woodworks...maybe.

 

[Frostweaver]

don't forget, tomato toolbox does mean monarch in the very end... afterall, anything that helps with making tribute fodder is a potential monarch deck. T-Hero is weaker but not defeated. Disc Commander at 1 only means that they need all the RotA possible. They can still draw, just that they need something other than malicious as fodder... Frog is still somewhere there, and with shield crush surprisingly untouched while fissure is nuked, frog is a great choice to lure out shield crush and tribute for monarchs.


I'm not sure about Pot of Avarice. Won't 2 of them clog up the hand?

 

[Forci Stikane]

don't forget, tomato toolbox does mean monarch in the very end... afterall, anything that helps with making tribute fodder is a potential monarch deck. T-Hero is weaker but not defeated. Disc Commander at 1 only means that they need all the RotA possible. They can still draw, just that they need something other than malicious as fodder... Frog is still somewhere there, and with shield crush surprisingly untouched while fissure is nuked, frog is a great choice to lure out shield crush and tribute for monarchs.


I'm not sure about Pot of Avarice. Won't 2 of them clog up the hand?

...Sorry about that, I was thinking about generic swarm decks (you know, with maxed-out searchers, Germ, and the like) abusing those two PoAs, and TT was the first sort of thing to come to mind. You're right though, since swarming usually means easier tributing...

Well, they might not be as fast, but they have a flipped MoF and Marshmallon now...as well as the unaffected Fear Monger.

If nothing else, 2 PoAs seems like an interesting (albeit counterproductive) idea for Chimeratech.

 

[Marauding Master]

I have already played a new format tournament. As expected, I came across a lot of decs which had 3 Assailants mained. They do their jobs. Also expected, 3 Enemy Controller was an amazing choice to main as they really gave credit to their name, even more if it was named Player Controller.

Other notable cards I have seen so far:

Exiled Force
Asura Priest
Pot of Averice
Marshmellon(Duh)
Zombie Master

I'm dissapointed in Magician of Faith though, and I think I'll be siding her out. It never gave me the plusses I needed.

 

[Frostweaver]

It's understandable to see Assailant at 3. How else do you want to get rid of Jinzo and monarchs now that spell cards are not available anymore? If they run Decree, even the trap section is gone then, which makes monster effects your last resort. DDA is also resistant to shield crush by being faceup. Also, the uncertainty opening of every format is always warrior toolbox. Same goes for Exiled Force, though I personally hope not to use it actually...

Zombie decks aren't overly surprising, because Zombie Master is good, and Deck Destruction Virus is even better. Zombie is one of the easiest way to use them.

Asura Priest is always lurking around... unless it's suddenly in 3 or something, I don't consider it a surge in appearance.

 

[Scarlet Weather]

Heh, Toolbox is meh favorite decktype, so even if I'm going to see it get a little action I'm excited. Incidentally, does anyone share my conspiracy theory that eventually Cyber Dragon will get so huge that it will become the next Chaos?

 

[Frostweaver]

No, because it's not Cyber Dragon itself that's overpowering, is what comes after the Cyber Dragon that's scary. Japan is laughing at us if we whine about Cyber Dragon, heh. They are already long used to Monarchs dropping on their first turn through means that we can only enjoy on the DS.

Cyber Dragon combos well with Cyber Phoenix for 2 monsters that are hard to destroy (especially with this banlist too), or it can be instantly tributed away. Cyber Phoenix is thematic for the Cyber series, so you really got no right to complain. Tributing, well Fiend Sanctuary, Metal Reflect Slime are all the same thing except in spell or trap form for Japan anyway... You don't see T-hero, perfect circle using cyber dragon, because they got malicious to do it even better. It's the monarch drop that's scary. Cyber Dragon is just one of the 5+ ways for monarchs to come out consistently.

Banning Cyber Dragon is saying how Sangan is in every deck, so therefore let's get rid of it. Monarchs is just a flaw in design that is beyond total and complete cure in my opinion...


Hehe, toolbox I admit is indeed easiest deck to play too, next to old Chain Burn when Chain Strike is still at 3.

 

[Marauding Master]

It's understandable to see Assailant at 3. How else do you want to get rid of Jinzo and monarchs now that spell cards are not available anymore? If they run Decree, even the trap section is gone then, which makes monster effects your last resort. DDA is also resistant to shield crush by being faceup. Also, the uncertainty opening of every format is always warrior toolbox. Same goes for Exiled Force, though I personally hope not to use it actually...

Zombie decks aren't overly surprising, because Zombie Master is good, and Deck Destruction Virus is even better. Zombie is one of the easiest way to use them.

Asura Priest is always lurking around... unless it's suddenly in 3 or something, I don't consider it a surge in appearance.

A lot of people over here are playing Asura-Creature control in the new format in addition to Toolbox. And I haven't seen many increases in Jinzo and Monarch. Seeing as Brain is down to 1, Monarch took a hit. Many people go back to Soul Exchange but I don't like the card. Monarchs usually only give a + when they attack.

And Cyber Dragons aren't that great. When Chimeratech Fortress Dragon hits, Cyber is exceptionally weakened.

EDIT: I do believe CyDra should be errate'd to become a Normal Summon and not a Special summon.

 

[Frostweaver]

I really don't see how Chimeratech Fortress Dragon will affect Cyber Dragon being special summoned at all... and usually cards with errata is an error, not re-creating cards to balance them again.

I am really not a fan of using asura to swap, because that deck is really weak in mirror matches (which will happen if it's as popular as you say.) Swapping asura away and getting only a toolbox monster that paid for itself already is "blah" as in the end, you used creature swap with asura only to end up with a +0 in CA while the combo is really potentially +1 (-1 swap, -1 your own monster, +1 getting a monster, +1 destroying enemy monster, +1 if your own monster is searcher.) while changing everything in field presence. It's high beatsticks like monarchs or Cyber Dragon that you want to steal anyway if you're using asura priest.

Monarchs do get a + only if they attack, but the problem is that they are always 0 at least. Also, card advantage can't calculate everything, such as field presence (raiza and zaborg handle that very well.) It's useless if your card advantage can't hit the field (well unless it's exodia), and hitting the field is what zaborg and raiza do very well.

 

[Marauding Master]

Soul Exchange with Raiza is utterly useless though. Anyway, Creature Swap is a perfect example of a card that cannot be calculated with card advantage. It can give you supreme field presence if done correctly, or mediocre one if not. Timing is key, that's where skills come in.

 

[Frostweaver]

Soul Exchange for Raiza (destroy 1 monster on the enemy's field), return one card (another monster or back row) to the top of the deck. Field presence is already dominating if it's hitting 2nd monster. In terms of CA, it's actually not equal even though it seems like it is, because you get to draw a new card while his turn is basically "delayed" because he has to draw that monster again. Also, now you basically know what his next draw will be, since Raiza forced that (assuming you target a face up card that is)

The backside to soul exchanging Raiza or any monarch is the horrible speed factor... unlike brain control, there's still time for the enemy to recover before you can push for LP damage. That's something soul exchange sucks at, be it raiza or anyone.

 

[Marauding Master]

Soul Exchange for Raiza (destroy 1 monster on the enemy's field), return one card (another monster or back row) to the top of the deck. Field presence is already dominating if it's hitting 2nd monster. In terms of CA, it's actually not equal even though it seems like it is, because you get to draw a new card while his turn is basically "delayed" because he has to draw that monster again. Also, now you basically know what his next draw will be, since Raiza forced that (assuming you target a face up card that is)

The backside to soul exchanging Raiza or any monarch is the horrible speed factor... unlike brain control, there's still time for the enemy to recover before you can push for LP damage. That's something soul exchange sucks at, be it raiza or anyone.

Which basically comes back to the point I was trying to make. I don't think Monarchs are worth their cost if they don't get to attack. Be it a monster or LP. Yes, your opponents turn is delayed but so is yours. And you didn't get their monster if there is one left which gives them more options. I plain just don't like Soul Exchange. I prefer Behemoth in such a case.

 

[Frostweaver]

I never said that I like it either :3

But it has its use. Soul Control exists as a valid decktype for its own reason, although you see it fading away every time some faster method comes to be. Yet for now, start of new format, back to square one... the old and the steady (warrior toolbox) and soul control comes back... for now.

 

[Marauding Master]

Another notable card, Don Zaloog. It runs surprisingly smooth around a tight Toolbox deck.

Oh I need your help. What's it called if you send something to the top of his/her deck? It has a word for it, like returning to hand is called bouncing, but I forgot.

 

[Zaikiro]

I was assuming frostweaver had a different time of the month, but I should have suspected this.

Jinzo at 2 breaks the tradition. A dear mistake.

 

[Frostweaver]

Not really... Rather Jinzo at 2 with Royal Decree at 2 than Royal Decree at 3. It promotes trap usage a bit actually, because Jinzo does not promote card advantage, but momentum swing. Not a bad thing at all to introduce rivals to monarchs for the 1 tribute slots. Also, it's just *my opinion* that monster removal is far easier than trap removal. Not every deck has the same level of spell/trap removal, but almost every deck will find its way to deal with monsters one way or another.

Hmm... is there really a specific term for bouncing to deck... not sure >>;

 

[Scarlet Weather]

Hm... the Raiza bounce almost sounds a little like Jackal Knight lockdown without the repeatability. XD

I think the term for placing something on the top of the opponent's deck is a "lock", but I'm not involved in competitive YGO, so I really wouldn't know. I'm fairly sure, however, that even if it isn't a long-term "Lockdown" you could consider placing a card back on the deck a short-term "lock".

Altneratively, I like to call it "Banishing", but that's just me.