Hello and Welcome to Alter Reality Games
I am Tom Watabiki, a fellow duellist like you, however from abroad shores all the way over in the United Kingdom. South of England to be exact. I’ve been playing this game since Magic Ruler was released and kept with the game ever since. However this is enough about me let’s get on to the article.
Now bear in mind that this is being written pre- YCS Brighton so by the time this report would be posted if I am so fortunate enough to top 32, you will have the results on whether I have or not been successful at the event.
YCS BRIGHTON – What deck is the best choice to use?
By most players eyes a lot of players will feel that plants would be the best choice going to any big event at this current point in the metagame; and it would be very hard to disagree with this point. Although it was unfortunate that the plant synchro deck did not keep its reign as champion deck at the YCS held at Kansas City – to which could give a bit of a spin off to what could be used at Brighton – It’s still apparent to be the top contender with the consistency and mass variety of choice that it has compared to all of the other tier 1 decks at the moment.
From my testing since the start of the format I have tried a lot of decks. I started off the format testing agents which everyone started off assuming would be the best deck of the format. I liked the deck very much but compared to the match up against plants especially with the whole leeching the light side deck choice which over time has become an apparent side deck staple led to a non-confident perspective of the deck for the event on top of the problem of multiple dead boss monsters and drawing any number of mystical shine balls.
Dark worlds to me never really caught my attention from the get go of course no one can deny that whole grapha problem can get on anyone’s nerves! However with some of the fatal dead hands and the problem of getting the ball running can be a tough task in itself compelled me to keep away from the deck for such a large event which will definitely have a high amount of Swiss rounds not even including whether I made in to the top cut or not!
When I first started testing against plants I didn’t really get the feel of the deck, the hands I consistently got where not the best; however looking back on it my testing was not very informative – and should of lead me to more testing and different builds rather than to disregard the deck in general.
Before I move onto my current thoughts on plants I will briefly go on to my thoughts of the last deck I have been testing. This is Dino Rabbit. You all know the deck by now; from the rampant amount of abuse it has got previously on duelingnetwork and the recent success it got from 3 of the deck managing to make the top 8 disregarding the odds as only 4 made the top 32! Which shows it is a true contender to look out for. My testing with this deck has been great so far. However my build is a rather unorthodox build compared to the average build that you will see, mine focusing more on consistency and aggressive gold sarcophagus plays combined with tour guide which can be hard to stare down of a evolzar lagia and leviar the sea dragon knowing that If you don’t accomplish something quick another dragon XYZ will be on its way! You will be able to see my build later on in this article.
So recently to help out some of my friends and a few people that I am currently getting to know through the site Duelistgroundz to meet at Brighton itself I have been going through all of the decks helping them prepare; playing the decks over and over again until they feel more comfortable with each match up. This not only helps them but me as well as it enables me to familiarize myself with the competition and enable a fresher view on how they may interact on their turn as I should know there deck as well as they do!
While going through the decks I have so happened to start playing the famous plant deck some more, the way I feel about the deck know is quite the opposite as beforehand and questions my initial thought about playing rabbit. It means I wouldn’t have to worry about drawing any normal monsters although I could draw multiple tengus which would be a downside to the deck.
Here are the 2 decks at hand that I have to choose from:
Dino Rabbit:
Monsters:21
3x Rescue Rabbit
3x Kabazauals
3x Sabersaurus
3x Tour Guide From The Underworld
2x Maxx “C”
1x Effect Veiler
2x Thunder King Rai-Oh
1x Sangan
1x Gorz The Emissary Of Darkness
1x Black Luster Soldier - Envoy Of The Beginning
1x Neo Spacian Grand Mole
Spells:14
2x Pot of Duality
2x Gold Sarcophagus
2x Mystical Space Typhoon
1x Dark Hole
2x Forbidden Lance
1x Monster Reborn
1x Heavy Storm
1x Book of Moon
1x Mind Control
1x Pot Of Avarice
Traps:6
2x Solemn Warning
2x Vanitys Emptiness
1x Solemn Judgment
1x Trap Dustshoot
This list may seem odd to you, however I have never been a fan of Dimensional Fissure in the main deck and felt that Maxx “C” was better for in the circumstances that I go second and my opponent wants to start off with a big play to start the game with a huge threat from the beginning. Not only that with the use of 2 pot of duality’s and 2 gold sarcophagus it leads to me getting those combo pieces quicker and the ability for a more consistent tour guide sarco play. For those of you who may not be aware it would be to summon tour guide to bring out another level 3 to xyz into leviar gold sarco for rabbit and then bring out the rabbit from leviar to make an evolzar xyz that turn! Finally my trap line up is very unordinary however with the ability vanity emptiness tends to have in the duels; leaving them surprised and not aware of the card with the combination of shutting their plays they had in mind down it gives you a huge benefit and could punish them with such a weak board that they will then have.
Plants:
Monsters: 22
1 Effect Veiler
3 Maxx “C”
3 Tour Guide From the Underworld
1 Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning
3 Reborn Tengu
1 Glow-Up Bulb
1 Caius the Shadow Monarch
2 Thunder King Rai-Oh
1 Spirit Reaper
1 Dandylion
1 Lonefire Blossom
1 Sangan
1 Debris Dragon
1 Spore
1 Gorz the Emissary of Darkness
Spells: 13
2 Mystical Space Typhoon
2 Enemy Controller
1 Dark Hole
1 Book of Moon
1 Monster Reborn
1 Mind Control
1 Pot of Avarice
1 Heavy Storm
1 Scapegoat
1 One for One
1 Foolish Burial
Traps: 6
1 Dimensional Prison
1 Torrential Tribute
1 Solemn Judgment
2 Solemn Warning
1 Trap Dustshoot
I didn’t really need to write the deck list for this one as I could of simply directed you to Konamis website to look at Alter Reality writer Patrick Hoban’s deck list. This is the build I have been testing and has been working rather successfully I may add to. I feel the combos that can be made from these Tengu Plant decks alone are a good reason to consider using this deck. I feel Hoban’s build to be exactly what I would like from a deck of this type the maxing out of your key cards whilst using single copies of particular cards like Caius the shadow monarch or dimensional prison to get rid of future problems without leading to cloggy hands to begin or end the game.
I’m now going to move on towards what you as the readers of the European coverage or any of you lucky enough to attend the event in England should expect, It’s been known that the players in England are much more aggressive when It comes to a playstyle which is why lightsworn has such big success here compared to other places when gladiator beasts won nationals in USA or cat synchro the following year. Along with the tier 1 decks to expect of: Plants, Dino Rabbit, Agents, Dark World or even Karakuri will be a heavy amount of Gladiator Beasts and TG Stun which still run quite popular around the British isles. So you should always be prepared for anything to turn up at a big event!
Thinking back to something said earlier on this year by Angel Flores he mentioned that the best thing to do is go in to event with the deck you feel most comfortable with, which is some great solid advice. The only problem is when I’m thinking between what may be seen as the 2 best options for the event and feeling confident with both choices leads to a dilemma; of what deck should I use? Only time will tell. It just means I will have to test all the more to get to the conclusion, before the event itself to prevent myself making a wrong decision at an event as big as a YCS.
I would like to thank Alter Reality Games for giving the opportunity not for just If I win but to everyone for the opportunity to give their perspective on the game that we all share and play together and hopefully If I end up winning the competition to hopefully come back and write more articles.
And remember! Play hard, or go home.
Sandhurst in England
Rockbottom Toystore
Latest posts by Thomas Watabiki (see all)
- YCS Brighton – What deck is the best choice to use? - December 16, 2011
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