Nubatama or NOOBatama

Hey folks, This is Le Jestre here. Today i am going to discuss about Nubatama. The clan that have been MIA since BT01. So where did those ninjas disappear to?

Bushiroad sure have something up under their sleeves that they don't wanna disclose yet. Lets 1st answer the burning questions that everyone been asking.

IS NUBATAMA OP?
Lets 1st make an analysis of what support this clan will be receiving in the upcoming bt13.

Ashura Stealth Dragon, Kujikiri Kongou

[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When a «Nubatama» rides this unit, choose your vanguard, that unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of turn, your opponent chooses a card from his or her hand, discards it, chooses a card from his or her hand, binds it face down, and at the end of that turn, puts that card into his or her hand. [AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks, if the number of cards in your opponent's hand is three or less, 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: What?! discard 1 card and bind 1 card?! whoa... Isnt that a minus 2 for the opponent if ya were to break ride on him. Wouldn't this totally put transcore to shame...

Ashura Stealth Dragon, Kabuki Kongou

[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1)] When this unit attacks a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, bind all of your opponent's rear-guards face up, if the number of cards in your opponent's bind zone is three or more, this unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of that battle, and at the end of that turn, your opponent puts all those cards that were bound with this effect into his or her hand. [ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (1)] This unit gets [Power]+2000 until end of turn. [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Opinions about this card: Isn't this better than the dragonic lawkeeper. CB1 to bind all their rearguards during their turn and gaining additional 10k power is just slightly broken for a single counterblast. So how to avoid him screwing your vanguard? It is to not give him enough targets to bind 3 cards into the bind zone.

How is this card effective in the meta?
This card is effective against decks that are reliant on their rearguard and field presence. Decks like Gold Paladin, Link Jokers, Celestials, Aqua Force.

What are the other support that can be played with this card?
Stealth Beast, Tamahagane

[AUTO]: When this unit is placed on (VC) or (RC), if you have a «Nubatama» vanguard, choose up to one of your opponent's rear-guards, bind it face up, and at the end of that turn, your opponent puts that card into his or her hand.

Storm Stealth Rogue, Fuuki

[ACT](RC):[Counter Blast (1) & Put this unit into your soul] If you have a «Nubatama» vanguard, and if the number of cards in your opponent's hand is three or more, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose a card at random from your opponent's hand, bind it face down, and at the end of that turn, your opponent puts that card into his or her hand.

Stealth Dragon, Dreadmaster

[AUTO](RC):[Counter Blast (1)] When an attack hits during the battle that this unit boosted a «Nubatama», if the number of cards in your hand is less than your opponent's, you may pay the cost. If you do, your opponent chooses a card from his or her hand, and discards it.

Stealth Beast, Kuroko

[AUTO]: Forerunner (When a unit of the same clan rides this unit, you may call this unit to (RC)) [AUTO](RC):[Soul Blast (1)] When an attack hits a vanguard during the battle that this unit boosted, if you have a «Nubatama» vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to two cards in your opponent's bind zone, and put them into the drop zone.

So what are the different type of combos a nubatama deck would pull off?
Lets imagine with me...
Kujikiri(breakride) + Kabuki(limit break) + Boost with Kuruko = 36k solo vanguard column
Not to forget the pressure that the booster adds to the vanguard where if ya were to let the attack hit. Which Effectively -2 your opponent.
Lets imagine Kujikiri discard 2 10k shields = 20k shield

Lets count now count how much your opponent will minus.
25k for 1 pass(max -5 cards, min -3cards)
30k for 2 pass(max -6 cards, min -3cards)
35k for No pass(max -7 cards, min - 4cards)
Or Kanzen!!! -2cards
Now wait... What if ya kanzen get binded? Oh fark!!!!
Maximum number of cards your opponent will lose guarding this collumn
= 10 cards if he guard with 5k shields.

Minimum number of cards your opponent will minus if he kanzen
= 3 (negate + discard)

This obviously tells ya on how to play this card and play against it. Nuff said Just Kanzen!!!

Now lets look at the combos the rearguard can pull.
Storm Stealth Rogue, Fuuki + Stealth Beast Kuroko
So what it does is that Fuuki will bind 1 card in your hand which is equivalent a minus 1 for your opponent during the guard step and a breakeven for yourself when she moves to the soul to give fodder to spam Kuroko's effect.

So how to prevent this from happening, Burn Fuuki as soon as she appear on the field as allowing her on the field will become a threat when they broke ride on that turn. Which works similarly like a dust tail unicorn.

Tamahagane + Dreadmaster
What it does is that it pressure your opponent rearguard or vanguard with the attack. Therefore it is recommended to attack with this card after the vanguard to gain some buffs from the trigger. Coz a rearguard taking a hit from this guy is practically a minus 2 cards which hits you at a magic number of 16k where assuming ya rearguard is decent 9k and your vanguard is a 11k. Its either ya minus one to guard for your rear or minus two to let your rearguard die and chooses a card to minus from your hand. This can be good and bad. As sometimes ya might wanna let this card hit if you do not have enough shields in your hand to guard which allow you to discards dead cards in your hand like grade 3s.

Lock and Link Jokers

Hey folks, this is le jester over here. Today I am gonna enlighten you about the playstyle of link jokers and reverse cards such as Vowing Saber Dragon Reverse.

So who are the Link Jokers?
Link Jokers are the scourge of planet cray which is used by multiple characters in Season 3 of the Cardfight!! Vanguard Anime and is the avatar of Void. Link jokers are corrupted the corrupted counterparts of existing cards such as the case of Soaring Star-vader, Krypton who is the counterpart of Knight of Darkness, Rugos
 VS 
see the similarity in the art?

Link jokers also happen to have their own archetype called Star-Vader
The forerunners of "Link Joker", which is the incarnation of "Void" and the invaders threatening Cray. Their main mission is to investigate the indigenous creatures and collect the data of powerful beings, and dominate their bodies if possible. However, it is said that they would annihilate weaker beings in the process, finding their data not valuable enough to be collected. They possess multiple technologies that do not exist on Cray, and can manipulate the mysterious power "Lock" freely.

So what is the playstyle of Link Jokers?
Link jokers revolved around locking your opponent units similar to binding them in the rearguard circle which would stun your opponent and disable the card's potential and ability it has on the rearguard circle. Link jokers often goal and objective is to disrupt your field, at the same time stunning you and limiting your actions for subsequent turns. This lock ability not only immobilize and stun your units, it also allows themselves to gain card advantage through the locking. Imagine, if your opponent front row interceptors got locked, Logically, they would need to guard their vanguard with cards from their hand, which eventually reduce their handsize. At the same time, it also help them conserve their handsize as they have to guard for lesser attacks and smaller attacks that will eventually give them enough time to gain a larger handsize than your opponent.

What is the "lock mechanism"?
When a card is affected by lock, it is turned face down until the end of its owning player's turn (the card remains where it is). A unit turned face down by lock cannot be used to perform any action; it cannot attack, boost, use skills, be used to pay a cost, move to another circle or zone (including intercept) or be retired by calling another unit over it. The card is not considered a unit and the card and the circle it is on are considered to not exist for the duration of the lock skill. When a unit is unlocked, it is not considered to be called back to the field, and thus on call skills are not activated.

Lets take a look at the badass cards that link joker has to offer to us.
Star-vader, Nebula Lord Dragon

[CONT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):During your turn, all of your «Link Joker» in your front row get [Power]+3000 for each of your opponent's locked units. [ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2)] Choose one of your opponent's rear-guards in the back row, and lock it. (Locked cards are turned face down, and cannot do anything. Turn them face up at the end of its owner's turn) [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Star-vader, Infinite Zero Dragon

[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When a «Link Joker» rides this unit, choose one of your opponent's rear-guards in the front row and back row, lock them, choose your vanguard, and that unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of turn. (Locked cards are turned face down, and cannot do anything. Turn them face up at the end of its owner's turn) [AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, 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)

So what happen if I were to Break ride a Nebula Lord Dragon on an Infinite Zero Dragon?
Obviously, you would want to lock the vanguard booster and a one attacking front row with IZD's effect. Next I would want to lock the backrow of one of his attacking rearguards.Thus, Your opponent has an 11k attacking vanguard and a 12k attacker. Next, with a Nebula Lord Dragon's effect, it gives a 3k power to all your front row attacking units for each locked units your opponent controls, This easily gives you at least a + 6000 power to all your attackers.

Wait isn't this better than the celestials?

Now, lets do the math behind it, How much must your opponent guard during your turn?
Assuming you have an 8k booster behind every column and a NLD that broke ride this turn, along side with a 12k attacker rear and a mobius breath dragon too. Also to add that your opponent has 3 locked units.
R1: 9k Mobius + 8kboost + 9k NLD effect = 26k column PERFECT NUMBER! 20k GUARD!
R2: 11k Vanguard + 8kboost + 9k NLD effect + 10k 2trigger check = 38k column. 30k NO PASS!
R3: 12k attacker + 8kboost + 9k NLD effect = 29k column. 20k GUARD!
Total power your opponent has to guard: 20k + 30k + 30k = 70k
Minimum handsize your opponent needs to burn to guard this: 6 (1 negate, 4 10k shields and 1 random card)

Now, lets do the math behind it, How much do you have to guard for your opponent's turn?
Assuming opponent has only 2 cards in his front row to attack and controls an EDD.
Lets now imagine.... FINAL TURN!
R1: 12k unboosted attack = -1 from hand for a 5k shield.
VG: 16k descendant with especial CB = -15k 2trigger pass, 20k No pass.
Restand Vanguard: 26k with 2 triggers: 25k 2 pass, or 30k No pass. Or KANZEN!!
Total damage you need to guard: 5+ 20+30 =55k.
Minimum hand you need to tank your opponent W/O restand and W/O especial CB: 2 (5k, 1 10k guard for 2 trigger pass)
Maximum hand you need to tank your opponent: 11cards (11 5k guards)

So who are their key minions?
Star-vader, Dust Tail Unicorn

[AUTO]: Forerunner (When a unit of the same clan rides this unit, you may call this unit to (RC)) [ACT](RC):[Counter Blast (1) & Put this unit into your soul] If you have a «Link Joker» vanguard, and your opponent has a locked card, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose one of your opponent's rear-guards, and lock it. (Locked cards are turned face down, and cannot do anything. Turn them face up at the end of its owner's turn)

Star-vader, Mobius Breath Dragon

[AUTO](VC): When this unit's attack hits a vanguard, choose one of your opponent's rear-guards, and lock it. (Locked cards are turned face down, and cannot do anything. Turn them face up at the end of its owner's turn)

One Who Shoots Gravitational Singularities

[AUTO](RC):When this unit's attack hits a vanguard, if you have a «Link Joker» vanguard, and your opponent has a locked card, choose one of your opponent's rear-guard, and lock it. (Locked cards are turned face down, and cannot do anything. Turn them face up at the end of its owner's turn)

How do i deal with these pesky jokers?
So these are the rearguards ya gotta look out for.
Dust-Tail Unicorn is annoying, Kill him fast with your linchiu or by the turn that he rides nebula lord dragon.

So we got 2 different pressure units to play with. Mobius and Singularity.
Mobius is an on hit effect, guard him during the turn your opponent ride his as a VG. Do note that he can target any rearguards to lock, which would give Singularity an effective early game pressure to lock more of your units. YOU MUST BE HIGH TO NOT GUARD.

Singularity is only effective when ya got a locked unit. Otherwise it be a waste of deck space to run 4 of her in your deck, what more its a puny 8k beatstick. However look at it this way, They will need a NLD to turn on the pressure cooker on you where ya gotta guard its additional power that all the front row gains when he rodes on IZD.

The real threat of the Deck is actually NLD and IZD who can start turning on the pressure in you with the locks. So in other words, They need to start a chain of locks with the vanguard's ability. In this case, If they were to fail to ride an IZD, they would need to depend on their CB 2 to start screwing up your field. So in other words ya might wanna control their damage and do not give them a chance to counterblast and start the chain of locks and pressure on you.

Note that Link jokers rearguards do not use counterblasts at all with exception of dust-tail which is CB1.

So how do i counter them? Hmm this is when you play decks that restand the vanguard or decks that do not focus too much on the rearguards or rearguard dependent. Decks such as DOTE, ERADICATORS are barely affected as LJ only focus on crippling your rearguard. Decks that allow your vanguard to hit High numbers are best against them. So no worries readers, your DOTE and ERADICATORS are still badasses that can screw the jokers up.

Signing off,
Le Jester

Updates and Spoilers

This morning VG-BT12: Binding Force of the Black Rings (黒輪縛鎖 lit. Black Ring Binding Chain) was announced for a Japanese release on July 6th. Featuring support for the revived Shadow Paladin clan and the Link Joker clan that will be introduced in TD11: Star-Vader Invasion, BT12 will introduce Link Joker's new "Lock" mechanic. (Although presented as "Lock" phonetically, the kanji 呪縛 used for it means "Spell" or "Curse.")

The set will contain 102 types of cards with 1 reprint, currently believed to be Blaster Dark Revenger from TD10:Purgatory Revenger. It will also support the Pale Moon, Dark Irregulars, Narukami and Gold Paladin clans. Careful scrutinizing of the promotional images reveals cards resembling Great Silver Wolf Garmore, Divine Seal Dragon Dungaree and Mad-Eye Basilisk. The Link Joker units have been noted to resemble existing units from other clans, so far with Blaster Blade on the cover image for TD11, Spectral Duke Dragon on one promotional image for BT12, and Silver Thorn Dragon Tamer, Luquier on the other promo image. Furthermore, the artists for these Link Joker units are the same as their originals, Suzukigorou and Masa.

Notably, as the images for the Garmore and Dungaree lookalikes have United Sanctuary and Dragon Empire nation boxes, it appears that modern promo materials are now eschewing the standard practice of using Sanctuary templates to conceal a unit's nation prior to release. Because of this, the image for TD11 which showed a US nation likely points to Link Joker being from the United Sanctuary. However, due to now counting a version of Luquier among its ranks, Link Joker may be a composite clan with multiple nations contributing to its card pool.

In addition to the new "Lock" mechanic, the image at left advertises that BT12 will also introduce new crossride and break ride units. With Garmore and Dungaree as the speculated crossride candidates, and the Link Joker clan which is already embraced by many cardfighters as an appealing new group of antagonists, BT12 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated sets of 2013.

Copied from: http://vanguardus.blogspot.sg/

BT11 Spoilers

Goddess of Fortune, Fortuna

[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Soul Blast (3)] When this unit's drive check reveals a grade 1 or greater «Genesis», you can pay the cost. If you do, put that revealed card into your drop zone after of this drive check, and perform a additional drive check.
[ACT](VC):[Soul Blast (3)] This unit gets [Power]+5000 until end of turn
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Fighter's Collection Spoilers

Wisdom Keeper, Metis

[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1)] When a «Genesis» rides this unit, you may pay the cost. If you do, draw a card, Soul Charge (3), choose one of your vanguards, and that unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of turn.
[AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, Soul Charge (1), and this unit gets [Power]+1000 until end of that battle.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Story Teller


[AUTO](VC/RC):[Counter Blast (2)] When this unit's attack hits, if you have a «Dark Irregulars» vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, draw a card.

Pretty Celeb, Charlotte

[AUTO](RC):[Counter Blast (1)] When this unit's attack hits a vanguard, if you have an «Bermuda Triangle» vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, return this unit to your hand, choose up to one «Bermuda Triangle» from your hand other than a card named "Pretty Celeb, Charlotte", and call it to an open (RC).

Dandelion Musketeer, Mirkka

[AUTO](RC):When this unit boosts a «Neo Nectar», if you have a «Neo Nectar» vanguard, and if your deck has been shuffled by your card's effect during this turn, the boosted unit gets [Power]+3000 until end of that battle.

Unrivaled Brush Wielder, Ponga


[AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, if the [Power] of your opponent's battling unit is 12000 or greater, this unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of that battle.
[AUTO](RC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, if you have a «Great Nature» vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+2000 until end of that battle.

More updates and New Clan: Link Joker

TD11: Star-vader Invasion

Release Date: 22nd June 2013
Features the new Link Joker clan.
A constructed deck built of 50 cards.
There are 18 different cards.
The deck includes 1 RR and 2 R cards. Includes cards used in Season 3 of the Cardfight!! Vanguard Anime
The official price is 1,050 Yen.


Fighter's collection:
Liberator of Rigid Spear, Bureobellis

[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1)] When a «Gold Paladin» rides this unit, you may pay the cost. If you do, look at up to two cards from the top of your deck, search for up to two «Gold Paladin» from among them, call them to separate open (RC), put the rest on the bottom of your deck in any order, choose one of your vanguards, and that unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of turn. [AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+2000 until end of that battle. [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Eradicator, Electric Shaper Dragon

[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When a «Narukami» rides this unit, choose one of your vanguards, that unit gets [Power]+10000, and gets "[AUTO](VC):When an opponent's rear-guard is put in the drop zone by any of your card's effect, choose one of your opponent's rear-guards in the back row of the same column as the retired unit, and retire it." until end of turn. [AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks, if the number of cards in your opponent's damage zone is three or more, this unit gets [Power]+2000 until end of that battle. [CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)