Continuing on my blogging from overseas (this time I'm in Scotland) I'm going to be bringing you guys a brand new blog (yay!). Instead of making another deck profile (since I've made one of those recently without a tournament report in between) I'm going to post about what I would change on the banned list for September 1st. I'll post each change and then give my reasons for each change, so let's begin!
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Forbidden:
Rescue Cat
Limited:
Infernity Launcher
Black Whirlwind
XX-Saber Faultroll
Swap Frog
Substitoad
Semi-Limited:
Infernity Archfiend
XX-Saber Darksoul
Destiny Draw
Allure of Darkness
Unlimited:
Chain Strike
Cyber Dragon
Alright, let's begin analyzing my choices. Some of you may be completely confused by my choices but please read on. It never hurts to hear multiple opinions (and if you guys still disagree with me please leave comments telling me why!!).
Forbidden:
Rescue Cat: This card sets up way too many plays for way too many decks. The obvious deck that benefits the most of Rescue Cat is X-Sabers (allowing for Aribellum pokes, Hyunlei synchros using Darksoul, and multiple X-Sabers for Gottoms E-Call). Cat can also be splashed into Gladiator Beasts and makes a Naturia control deck called Pineapple Cat (which if it lives up to the hype is going to be really good). All of these things added up makes Rescue Cat too good for the current meta.
Limited:
Infernity Launcher: This spell allows for the Infernity loop to happen. You can't reuse Archfiend nearly as often if Launcher doesn't continue the loop. No loop, no broken synchro plays. Having this card at 1's going to allow Infernities to continue being a good deck, but not overly good.
Black Whirlwind: In the US meta, this limit probably isn't warranted... but in Japan's meta Blackwings are Tier 1. Whirlwind gives Blackwings tremendous advantage, especially if you have multiple on the field. Summon Shura, search Gale and Kalut, synchro for Armor Master and now if you summon another BW it's nearly invincible in battle. If we're only looking at the TCG, I keep this card at 2. Combine with the OCG and Whirlwind deserves to be at 1.
XX-Saber Faultroll: Another card that X-Sabers lose that sets up big plays. No more Gottoms E-Call, Faultroll, go for Gottoms, trib to burn opponent's hand, another Faultroll, etc. Faultroll at 1 doesn't allow X-Sabers to do the Gottoms loop nearly as often, slows the deck down, and doesn't allow them to reuse their grave as much. A limit is clearly warranted.
Swap Frog: Say goodbye to the consistency of Frog Monarch and Frog FTK. This guy allows for repeated dumping of Treeborns, Ronintoadins (which, as you can see, I don't think are the problem in the FTK), and general deck thinning. The fact that you can return him to your hand to reuse at a later time doesn't help his case either. Put it at 1 so the engine is still alive but much less consistent.
Substitoad: Same principal as Swap Frog. The limiting of this card's going to hurt the consistency of the FTK and still allow Ronintoadin (which I don't believe is broken in it's own right) to stay legal. Make this card harder to draw and the FTK isn't nearly as much of a problem anymore.
Semi-Limited:
Infernity Archfiend: Another change that will stop Infernities from doing their loop nearly as often. If you remove it from the grave you don't have to worry about multiple copies still waiting to be used. Having it at 2 also reduces the chances of topping it with no cards in hand, a truly broken play.
XX-Saber Darksoul: Less searching is always a good thing when it comes to hurting decks. A slight limit on Darksoul will allow you to see less of a toolbox from X-Sabers. I don't want to kill that aspect entirely so a Semi-Limit seems right.
Destiny Draw: I didn't like this card at 1 at all. It became completely irrelevant and killed the Destiny Hero engine. Monarchs are too slow to abuse this card and Tele-DAD is dead and burried... I don't see why people are afraid of this card now. The only reason it was limited for this format was because of Zombies last format and they were abusing Mezuki and Burial from a DD much more than this card. Allow for some draw power in the game and let Destiny Heroes become viable deck options once more.
Allure of Darkness: Same idea as D-Draw. Allure was used more this format than D-Draw is currently being used but it's still not the same. I've seen some dark decks not even run Allure simply because it's not worth the space at 1... and that's just plain not right. Allure should be at 2 so that, once again, it's worth the slot in the deck but doesn't break the game (like I feel it does whenever it's at 3).
Unlimited:
Chain Strike: Some of you may be saying, "Who the hell cares if this card's at 2 or 3? Burn's dead." Not necessarily. I have a Chain Burn deck that's actually pretty good and a 3rd Chain Strike could be really beneficial... but let's face it, even if this change happens, burn's not coming back. Chain Strike to 3 would help out a deck that really needs it but it's not going to break the format or anything. I think we'll be safe if this card goes to 3.
Cyber Dragon: I'm a bit afraid of this pick but I really want to try it out. There may be some negative consequences due to this change but I don't think it's going to be the worst thing in the world. It'll allow for Cyber Dragon decks to be at full strength (which actually may be viable as a Tier 2 deck with the support that's out now) and it'll make it so that people can't just leave their machines on the field forever. Since Fortress Dragon's being reprinted, meaning everyone will have it (which is a pure counter for the Cyber Dragon decks. As long as they don't OTK you, you can just summon your own Cyber Dragon and fuse with all of their monsters). Without Fortress Dragon being reprinted I would be afraid of too much power for Cyber decks, but the fact that nearly everyone's going to be able to counter the deck, even if it does have a lot of power behind it, makes me willing to try having a format with 3 Cyber Dragons.
Rescue Cat
Limited:
Infernity Launcher
Black Whirlwind
XX-Saber Faultroll
Swap Frog
Substitoad
Semi-Limited:
Infernity Archfiend
XX-Saber Darksoul
Destiny Draw
Allure of Darkness
Unlimited:
Chain Strike
Cyber Dragon
Alright, let's begin analyzing my choices. Some of you may be completely confused by my choices but please read on. It never hurts to hear multiple opinions (and if you guys still disagree with me please leave comments telling me why!!).
Forbidden:
Rescue Cat: This card sets up way too many plays for way too many decks. The obvious deck that benefits the most of Rescue Cat is X-Sabers (allowing for Aribellum pokes, Hyunlei synchros using Darksoul, and multiple X-Sabers for Gottoms E-Call). Cat can also be splashed into Gladiator Beasts and makes a Naturia control deck called Pineapple Cat (which if it lives up to the hype is going to be really good). All of these things added up makes Rescue Cat too good for the current meta.
Limited:
Infernity Launcher: This spell allows for the Infernity loop to happen. You can't reuse Archfiend nearly as often if Launcher doesn't continue the loop. No loop, no broken synchro plays. Having this card at 1's going to allow Infernities to continue being a good deck, but not overly good.
Black Whirlwind: In the US meta, this limit probably isn't warranted... but in Japan's meta Blackwings are Tier 1. Whirlwind gives Blackwings tremendous advantage, especially if you have multiple on the field. Summon Shura, search Gale and Kalut, synchro for Armor Master and now if you summon another BW it's nearly invincible in battle. If we're only looking at the TCG, I keep this card at 2. Combine with the OCG and Whirlwind deserves to be at 1.
XX-Saber Faultroll: Another card that X-Sabers lose that sets up big plays. No more Gottoms E-Call, Faultroll, go for Gottoms, trib to burn opponent's hand, another Faultroll, etc. Faultroll at 1 doesn't allow X-Sabers to do the Gottoms loop nearly as often, slows the deck down, and doesn't allow them to reuse their grave as much. A limit is clearly warranted.
Swap Frog: Say goodbye to the consistency of Frog Monarch and Frog FTK. This guy allows for repeated dumping of Treeborns, Ronintoadins (which, as you can see, I don't think are the problem in the FTK), and general deck thinning. The fact that you can return him to your hand to reuse at a later time doesn't help his case either. Put it at 1 so the engine is still alive but much less consistent.
Substitoad: Same principal as Swap Frog. The limiting of this card's going to hurt the consistency of the FTK and still allow Ronintoadin (which I don't believe is broken in it's own right) to stay legal. Make this card harder to draw and the FTK isn't nearly as much of a problem anymore.
Semi-Limited:
Infernity Archfiend: Another change that will stop Infernities from doing their loop nearly as often. If you remove it from the grave you don't have to worry about multiple copies still waiting to be used. Having it at 2 also reduces the chances of topping it with no cards in hand, a truly broken play.
XX-Saber Darksoul: Less searching is always a good thing when it comes to hurting decks. A slight limit on Darksoul will allow you to see less of a toolbox from X-Sabers. I don't want to kill that aspect entirely so a Semi-Limit seems right.
Destiny Draw: I didn't like this card at 1 at all. It became completely irrelevant and killed the Destiny Hero engine. Monarchs are too slow to abuse this card and Tele-DAD is dead and burried... I don't see why people are afraid of this card now. The only reason it was limited for this format was because of Zombies last format and they were abusing Mezuki and Burial from a DD much more than this card. Allow for some draw power in the game and let Destiny Heroes become viable deck options once more.
Allure of Darkness: Same idea as D-Draw. Allure was used more this format than D-Draw is currently being used but it's still not the same. I've seen some dark decks not even run Allure simply because it's not worth the space at 1... and that's just plain not right. Allure should be at 2 so that, once again, it's worth the slot in the deck but doesn't break the game (like I feel it does whenever it's at 3).
Unlimited:
Chain Strike: Some of you may be saying, "Who the hell cares if this card's at 2 or 3? Burn's dead." Not necessarily. I have a Chain Burn deck that's actually pretty good and a 3rd Chain Strike could be really beneficial... but let's face it, even if this change happens, burn's not coming back. Chain Strike to 3 would help out a deck that really needs it but it's not going to break the format or anything. I think we'll be safe if this card goes to 3.
Cyber Dragon: I'm a bit afraid of this pick but I really want to try it out. There may be some negative consequences due to this change but I don't think it's going to be the worst thing in the world. It'll allow for Cyber Dragon decks to be at full strength (which actually may be viable as a Tier 2 deck with the support that's out now) and it'll make it so that people can't just leave their machines on the field forever. Since Fortress Dragon's being reprinted, meaning everyone will have it (which is a pure counter for the Cyber Dragon decks. As long as they don't OTK you, you can just summon your own Cyber Dragon and fuse with all of their monsters). Without Fortress Dragon being reprinted I would be afraid of too much power for Cyber decks, but the fact that nearly everyone's going to be able to counter the deck, even if it does have a lot of power behind it, makes me willing to try having a format with 3 Cyber Dragons.
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So there you guys go, those are the changes that I would make to the banned list this September. I'm not trying to predict that Konami will do, because I know that getting that right is nearly impossible, so keep in mind that these are just the changes I would like to see, not the changes that I expect to see.
I hope you guys like what I would do but even if you don't, please make sure to comment on this blog entry! This entry, more than any other entry that I've written so far, is extremely debatable. There are many different opinions on how the banned list should be handled and I'd love to hear what you guys think!
See you guys later.
I hope you guys like what I would do but even if you don't, please make sure to comment on this blog entry! This entry, more than any other entry that I've written so far, is extremely debatable. There are many different opinions on how the banned list should be handled and I'd love to hear what you guys think!
See you guys later.
