Friday 27 December 2013

Deck Classes in vanguard

Hey folks, today i'm going to talk about decks and the metagame in cardfight vanguard.

Decks that are viable in the current competitive scene.
Eradicators
Transcendence Dragon G4
Minerva
Dauntless Reverse
Chaos Breaker Dragon
Silver thorns
Jewel Knights
Blaukuger
Revengers

Lets classify them into classes and Categories.
Playstyle
Class 1: Disruptive Field Control
Class 2: Aggressive beatdown
Class 3: Anti Burn
Class 4: Anti Rush

Triggering Style
Shuffle
Stack Hastening

Disruptive Field Control (Burn).
They are decks that are disruptive and love killing your rearguards. Decks of this class gain +1 for themselves or -2 to the opponent via retiring or field removal. Often packed with pressure on the opponent who is facing it.

Decks that fall into this class:
Kagero
Narukami
Nubatama
Chaos Breaker Dragon

Aggro-Beatdown(Rush)
They are the type of decks that do nothing else except 1 thing. to rush and beatdown and deal damage. They are decks that are packed with pressure and forces the opponent to guard everything or take the damage. They are the type of decks that normally do not gain pluses with exception of a restanding vanguard.

Decks that fall into this class:
Beast Deity
Spike Brothers
Aqua Force
Blaukuger
Dimension Police
Ancient Dragons
Great Nature
Murakumo

Anti Burn
They are the type of deck that gain massive advantage and able to replenish their field easily to make up for the lost. Often have a huge handsize to begin with and play around. They are usually direct counter to our dragons from the dragon empire.

Decks that fall into this class:
Jewel Knights
Silver thorns
Minerva
Bermuda triangle
Granblue
Royal Paladins
Gold paladins
Celestials
Great Nature
Murakumo

Anti Rush
They are decks that are counterblast dependant and gain advantage when have loads of open damage to use for counterblast. They are there to prevent getting rushed and to counter them after getting rushed.

Decks that fall into this class:
Revengers
Celestials
Jewel knights
Narukami
Kagero
Nubatama
Gold paladins

Not to forget some decks belong to more than one class and share more than 1 characteristic.

Now we know what decks there are out there,
Lets simplify how the metagame works
Burn (wins)> Rush
Burn > Anti Rush
Rush > Anti Burn
Anti Rush > Rush
Anti Rush > Anti Burn

Now lets talk about triggering style in vanguard. This section is where the more advanced players would understood and how triggers can help gain pluses.

Shuffling
Shuffling is one of the few ways to score triggers as it resets your deck stacking pattern by removing the cards that are non trigger.

Decks that uses this technique:
Neo Nectars
Revengers
Royal Paladins
Great Nature
Murakumo

Stacking
Oracle Think Tank
Granblue
Dark Irregulars
Palemoon
Gold Paladin

Deck Classes in vanguard

Hey folks, today i'm going to talk about decks and the metagame in cardfight vanguard.

Decks that are viable in the current competitive scene.
Eradicators
Transcendence Dragon G4
Minerva
Dauntless Reverse
Chaos Breaker Dragon
Silver thorns
Jewel Knights
Blaukuger
Revengers

Lets classify them into classes and Categories.
Playstyle
Class 1: Disruptive Field Control
Class 2: Aggressive beatdown
Class 3: Anti Burn
Class 4: Anti Rush

Triggering Style
Shuffle
Stack Hastening

Disruptive Field Control (Burn).
They are decks that are disruptive and love killing your rearguards. Decks of this class gain +1 for themselves or -2 to the opponent via retiring or field removal. Often packed with pressure on the opponent who is facing it.

Decks that fall into this class:
Kagero
Narukami
Nubatama
Chaos Breaker Dragon

Aggro-Beatdown(Rush)
They are the type of decks that do nothing else except 1 thing. to rush and beatdown and deal damage. They are decks that are packed with pressure and forces the opponent to guard everything or take the damage. They are the type of decks that normally do not gain pluses with exception of a restanding vanguard.

Decks that fall into this class:
Beast Deity
Spike Brothers
Aqua Force
Blaukuger
Dimension Police
Ancient Dragons
Great Nature
Murakumo

Anti Burn
They are the type of deck that gain massive advantage and able to replenish their field easily to make up for the lost. Often have a huge handsize to begin with and play around. They are usually direct counter to our dragons from the dragon empire.

Decks that fall into this class:
Jewel Knights
Silver thorns
Minerva
Bermuda triangle
Granblue
Royal Paladins
Gold paladins
Celestials
Great Nature
Murakumo

Anti Rush
They are decks that are counterblast dependant and gain advantage when have loads of open damage to use for counterblast. They are there to prevent getting rushed and to counter them after getting rushed.

Decks that fall into this class:
Revengers
Celestials
Jewel knights
Narukami
Kagero
Nubatama
Gold paladins

Not to forget some decks belong to more than one class and share more than 1 characteristic.

Now we know what decks there are out there,
Lets simplify how the metagame works
Burn (wins)> Rush
Burn > Anti Rush
Rush > Anti Burn
Anti Rush > Rush
Anti Rush > Anti Burn

Now lets talk about triggering style in vanguard. This section is where the more advanced players would understood and how triggers can help gain pluses.

Shuffling
Shuffling is one of the few ways to score triggers as it resets your deck stacking pattern by removing the cards that are non trigger.

Decks that uses this technique:
Neo Nectars
Revengers
Royal Paladins
Great Nature
Murakumo

Stacking
Oracle Think Tank
Granblue
Dark Irregulars
Palemoon
Gold Paladin

Saturday 7 December 2013

BT14 Meta and opinions

Hey folks. Its been quite sometime I never update the blog and been on a hiatus. This Le Jestre who is going to discuss with everyone reading this about the upcoming meta and my opinions on the new cards in bt14.

Lets talk about the current meta.
Tier 1 - G4 Novelle Kagero
Tier 1.5 - CBD Link Joker
Tier 1.5 - Narukami
Tier 2 - RFD Revengers
Tier 2 - Nova Grapplers Beast Diety/ Blau/ Asura
Others not mentioned are decks that are not frequently used in tourneys

Decks that Died to the new meta of 13k base
Revengers
Aqua force
Nova grapplers
Chaos breaker

Lets 1st talk about the cover card GRAND EZEL SCIZZORS
[ACT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (2) & Soul Blast (2)] Unlock all of your locked cards, and if you have five «Gold Paladin» rear-guards, this unit gets [Power]+10000/[Critical]+1 until end of turn, and at the end of that turn, Soul Charge (1), choose a card from your damage zone, and turn it face up. [CONT](VC):During your turn, this unit gets [Power]+1000 for each of your «Gold Paladin» rear-guards. [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

My opinions on this card: This card is just isn't liberator. I don't see a reason why it need to target solely link joker and CBD. CBD isn't that popular anymore which people abandoned him to play G4 transcendence dragon.

Lets read the card line by line.
The problem with this card lies in its inability to gain any defensive advantage with its skill conditioned to be ideal only when you have a full field. In other words, this card is vulnerable to massive retirement of rearguard. Ezel would be SHUT DOWN AS A SOLO WARRIOR.
The other loop hole with the card is when you only have 1 open damage for counter blast. Ezel skill needs 2 CB and Soul Blast 2 and only unflips after the cost is paid and the unflipping of damage and soul charge 1 will resolve at the end of the turn.

Which means give Ezel the 4th damage when his damage has 3 cards facedown to TOTAL SHUTDOWN the skill of ezel. Ezel has no skills to recover from mass retirement from decks like Narukami and kageros which will give Ezel Multiplier Minuses if both of the above mentioned shutdown conditions are fulfilled.

To all the CBD Players out there. Nothing to fear out there. Ezel isn't that strong and effective against you.

Next lets discuss about Gancelot Zenith
[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1)-card with "Liberator" in its card name & Choose one of your grade 2 or less rear-guards, and put it on the bottom of your deck] When this unit attacks a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, look at the top card of your deck, search for up to one «Gold Paladin», call it to an open (RC), and put the rest on the bottom of your deck, and that unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of turn. [CONT](VC):If you have a card named "Solitary Liberator, Gancelot" in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+2000. [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

My opinions on this card. Gancelot zenith is just like an Ethic buster Extreme who allows you to deliver 4 attacks every turn. How it works is it refreshes one rearguard with a cost of CB1 and replace with a random rearguard called from the top of the deck and adding a power of 10k. So in this case, I would use one rearguard unboosted to attack your interceptors or your 11k Vanguard and then use the vanguard to attack and trigger gancelot's skill to call the top card to hasten triggers and to drain more hand card and allow both rears to get buffed by trigger effects. However this card DO NOT GIVE PLUSES unless a josephus is called to draw 1.

How to Shutdown this card? Keep on RETIRE and sweep their REARGUARDS. This way, you get to force more cards from their hand to replenish their field to accommodate and cater for his effect. To conclude this card poses very little threat to the dragon empire :D To my dragons, please burn those humans. Muahahahahah!

Next I'm going to discuss about the Broken Heart Jewel Knight Ashlei.
[ACT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1) & Choose one of your rear-guards with "Jewel Knight" in its card name, and lock it] Choose up to one of your opponent's rear-guards in the front row, and retire it, and search your deck for up to one card with "Jewel Knight" in its card name, call it to (RC), and shuffle your deck. This ability cannot be used for the rest of that turn. (The locked card is turned face down, and cannot do anything. It turns face up at the end of the owner's turn) [CONT](VC):If you have a card named "Pure Heart Jewel Knight, Ashlei" in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+2000. [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Opinions about this card: Ashlei is like a card that gives free pluses for a cheap cost of CB1. Lets imagine. A g3 with effects of a Blaster Dark Revenger and a Tartu for CB1, Lock1. And having a base vanguard as ashlei which gives pressure with the critical. Its kinda good to prevent limit break. I kinda find this card decent with a potential +2 everyturn. I kinda love the art. Like how sci-fi she looks like with her sexy curves. Grear Job to the artist that drew her.

Next Imma talk about the Tempest Bolt Dragon
[ACT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (3)-card with "Eradicator" in its card name] Retire all of each fighter's rear-guards. [CONT](VC):During your turn, this unit gets [Power]+2000 for each fighter's open (RC). [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Opinions about this card: His effect is kinda straightforward of burning everything in his sight. What makes this card good is the mass retirement it gave. To me it isnt a staple in an eradicator deck but rather a special tech card to turn the tables of the game when in danger. Its a good card to instant minus your opponent if he is piloting decks that do not offer advantage or low handsize decks which ultimately cripple their offence and attacking power. However against decks like Palemoon and Garmore which are able to offer up to a +5 advantage to replenish field would put his skill to waste.

If you are planning to run this guy, I recommend playing 2 copies at a maximum. As in the art of the card wise, I find him like some mad scientist who experimented on himself and failed which explains the tentacle head and the scythes as its hands which will do its experiments and cut your body open as his test subjects.

Next card worth mentioning would be the Eradicator, Ignition Dragon
[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1)] When a «Narukami» rides this unit, you may pay the cost. If you do, your opponent chooses two of his or her rear-guards, and retires them, and choose your vanguard, and that unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of turn. [AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks, if the number of rear-guards you have is more than your opponent's, this unit gets [Power]+2000 until end of that battle. [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Opinions about this card: Lets all play the good old Gauntlet Buster Dragon. Who doesn't forget that badass that stack crits and +3k power while burning opponent rearguards. Well this card makes him more broken. For a cheap cost of CB1, you get to +16k and 2 criticals. How more broken can it get? I personally love its art and how this card brandishes its chainsaw and telling ya that ya better guard your ass otherwise the chainsaw will land in your ass if you no guard. Totally love this art a lot.

Next card that is Meta Defining would be the Dauntless Dominate Dragon Reverse.
I know this card is on par with Dauntless Drive for holding the title of having the most Ds in the name. DDDR
[ACT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1) & Choose one of your «Kagerō» rear-guards, and lock it] Until end of turn, this unit gets "[AUTO](VC):When this unit's drive check reveals a grade 1 or greater «Kagerō», choose up to one of your opponent's grade 1 or less rear-guards, retire it, and this unit gets [Power]+3000 until end of turn.". This ability cannot be used for the rest of turn. (The locked card is turned face down, and cannot do anything. It turns face up at the end of the owner's turn) [CONT](VC):If you have a card named "Dauntless Drive Dragon" in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+2000. [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Opinions about this card. This card is good especially on how it force your opponent to guard a 2 pass no matter what whether you lock or not. This card can be abused with its breakride to stack its skill up to 4 times. I kinda like how it forces the guard and gives your opponent a guarantee minus. Simple yet powerful effect. I kinda like how badass this card art is.

I have tested this badass guy and has proven to be a head to head contender with the G4 Transcendence dragon. Dauntless being able to restand itself and hit perfect numbers of 23k is no joke and to stack reverse's effect is just too sweet and proved to be a badass and deserved the spot in the meta.

Here is the decklist that I've used:
G3
4x Dauntless Drive Dragon
4x Dauntless Dominate Dragon Reverse

G2
3x Berserk Dragon
4x Dominate Drive Dragon
2x Bellicosity dragon
2x Hunger Hell Dragon

G1
4x Dragon Dancer Maria
2x Calamity Tower Wyvern
2x Heatnail Salamander
3x Embodiment of armor, Bahr
3x Sealed dragon, Kersey

G0
4x Heal
3x Sealed dragon Artpitch (Draw)
3x Gattling claw dragon (Draw)
6x Critical

SVG
Lizard Soldier, Conroe

Until next time, stay tune for the part 2 where I'm going to talk about murakumo and all the other supports in bt14 and the current metagame.