Archetypes in Vanguard

Archetypes are a new theme in Vanguard. Although most of their abilities, with their limitations like Especial counterblast, the benefits that they gain from it are actually better than the original boss' of the same clan. This I feel is a little silly, especially when the costs are very easy to pay for (simply by having most of the deck to be of that archetype) and many of them G3s (actually all but 1) still sport 11k base power. 

Break ride units are commonly found in archetype-decks too, so I shall include them as well.

Support cards can vary, but mainly those essential cards like G1 & G2 +3k units ; special boosters etc, will be standard for almost all decks, so I shall delve into each archetype's boss units only, making reference to support cards only when needed.

Let's Rank the Archetypes!

#4 Jewel Knights (Err.. Bling Bling?)
Royal Paladins was the first clan to be created, and I expected Bushiroad to do a good job supporting the clan. But no! First they had to restrict Majesty Lord Baster, and years later coming up with nonsensical archetype for it.

Ashley, as agreed by many Vanguard communities, has just gotta be the lousiest break ride ever. Gives no net advantage, and effects only go to the VG circle, which is pretty crap since the opponent definitely will have at least one Negate in their hand by the turn you break ride. 

Salome, while displaying a very good Alfred-like ability along with a +2k/1 crit passive skill on your turns, only sports 10k power. I don't see why it can't have 11k, considering GBD has a similar effect in which counterblasting 2 already gives you +3k/1 crit, but Salome requires almost a full field and definitely, in my experience, some especial counterblasting is needed as well. Too costly + weak = Money wasted. Link this sentence to real jewels.

Tsktsk, what a lengthy paragraph.

#3 PR♥ISM (Promise, Romance, Image, Smile, Miracle)
Ah, what's not to love in this clan. Cute arts, Cool effects, Crazy gains; this could be the new 3 Cs we guys will want to have. 

Vert is AWE-SM. Not only do you not minus when you break ride with this card, heck you even get to return 2 Bermuda Triangle units, triggering a chain of bounce effects and even prepare yourself to use Labrador's skill for free.

And then Labrador puts the Shadow Paladins to shame. A simple cost of placing three more units to the field (not retiring them) gains you +10k/1 crit, which is basically a PBO / PBD effect triggering every turn . #badass 

What's not to love? 

Disclaimer: I had a hard time for the following ones.

#2 Liberators (*Plays Alfred's theme song*) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=JrGfhmHRbVI&NR=1 @0.13

The first archetype to be announced, and I must admit, quite a powerful archetype to be first introduced. It's basically just raw power every turn, which is really scary in the late game and if your opponent has run out of Perfect Guards.
Liberator Gancelot. I have much respect for this pseudo-SSD. Wait. Or is it the other way around? Whichever. Basically break ride and pass the power to all of your RG boosters, you force another 3 cards out of your opponent's hand. This is SSD, revived and stronger after 9 sets.
Liberator Alfred (Notice I'm getting lazy with the names, lol) A very random superior calling from the top of the deck; even by checking your trigger cycles there is still a chance that you will top call something that's not of much help. However, that is as with all top-calling units. However, a +1 is always useful. Wait, that's not the point. Remember my previous article on breaking power lines and reducing your opponent's card advantage? THIS. A guaranteed +6k (if you find this difficult, something is terribly wrong.) to +10k power boost ensures an extra 2-3 cards gone to guard this beast. Oh wait no, it's a Knight. Sorry. Still, your opponent has to guard for 4-5 stages for this powerhouse alone every turn. EVERY. FREAKING. TURN. That's already 3 - 4 cards. All in all a very, very, very easily high-powered VG that's also easy to defend too (11k base power). I cannot stress this enough; this card is really a beast. Period.

Oh wait, no. It is a Knight.

#1 Eradicator (The Erasers) (lol)

The second archetype to be announced after Liberators, Eradicators are currently the only archetype to feature TWO boss units. 

Vowing Sword Dragon. Minuses your opponent by minus-ing yourself in the process. However, this card can be used to chain with Gauntlet Buster's limit break skill, and when break-ridden with Eradicator Dragonic Descendant in late game, hallelujah.

Gauntlet Buster Dragon. Not much to say, a very auto-pilot card in general, basically combining Dragonic Deathscythe's skill with a +3k/1 crit. Holy.

Ah, Eradicator Dragonic Descendant. I have learnt to love to hate this card. Forces the opponent to ooze out every brain juice over whether to guard or not at his/her 4 damage. A very pressurizing archetype deck on its own, when I first played against it, it almost everytime made me sh*t due to its inevitable appearance in the game, even when my opponent and I were just at grade 1. YES. IT'S THAT SCARY. However, guarding early damage and rushing the opponent is a good way to counter EDD. Not a foolproof method, though. Either that and/ or save at least 2 PGs in your hand for EDD but ensure a win on your next turn or else...

A very scary early game / late game (respectively) type of archetype, definitely deserves #1 . Even better, combine the two types and maybe you'll have surprising results.

Credits goes to: Dee Kit from PSYchic Deviants

BT10 review part 1

Booster Set 10: Triumphant Return of the King of Knights

Feature a new clan called Genesis which would be played and pilot by Misaki in the new season of Link Joker.

Here is the trump card used by Misaki at the moment, Battle Deity of the Moonlit Night, Artemis


[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Soul Blast (3)] When this unit attacks a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, draw two cards, choose a card from your hand, put it into your soul, and this unit gets [Power]+5000 until end of that battle.
[CONT](VC):If you have a card named "Twilight Hunter, Artemis" in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+1000.

As you can see it focus around manipulating its soul to gain hand advantage as it also doesn't use any counter blast.

In bt10 is also feature another counterpart of alfred, where he has liberator in his name.
Liberator of Round Table, Alfred


[CONT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):During your turn, this unit gets [Power]+2000 for each of your rear-guards with "Liberator" in its card name.
[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2) - Cards with "Liberator" in their card name] Look at up to one card from the top of your deck, search for up to one «Gold Paladin» from among them, call it to an open (RC), and put the rest on the bottom of your deck.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Look we have another potential Bad Ass card when combo with Gancelot. Means every turn you get a 10k boost without any restraint.

Narukami has more variants and more variety to its playstyle after being revealed that there are two characters(Naoki Ishida, Kai Toshiki) that play the same clan in the anime.

Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon

[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When an opponent's rear-guard is put into the drop zone with one of your card's effects, this unit gets [Power]+3000/[Critical]+1 until end of turn.

[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2) - Cards with "Eradicator" in their card name] Your opponent chooses one of his or her rear-guards, and retires it.

[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Here is one Bad Ass when rode on Sword vowing dragon. This gives a guarantee effect of getting the critical every turn with its consistent playstyle of retiring opponent units. Love the Artwork though, Looks like one Real Bad Ass to lookout for in the upcoming meta.

Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant

[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1) & Choose three cards with "Eradicator" in their card name from your hand, and discard them] At the beginning of the close step of the battle that this unit's attack did not hit, you may pay the cost. If you do, [Stand] this unit, and gets [Critical]+1 until end of turn. This ability can only be used once per turn.

[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2) - Cards with "Eradicator" in their names] 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)

Looks like a potential "DOTE" eff with 3 cards to pay to activate its effect. Seems balanced after the Restriction of DOTE. Good for pressuring your opponent with trigger stacks. Effect seems to balanced out after a -3 as a cost and a +4 after drive check. Seems good enough +1. I would recommend play 6 draw, 6 crit. Another Bad Ass to look out for as well.

Pureheart Jewel Knight, Ashlei

[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When a «Royal Paladin» rides this unit, you may choose one of your vanguards, that unit gets [Power]+10000/[Critical]+1 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)

Leading Jewel Knight, Salome

[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When this unit attacks, if the number of other rear-guards you have with "Jewel Knight" in its card name is four or more, this unit gets [Power]+2000/[Critical]+1 until end of that battle.

[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2) - Cards with "Jewel Knight" in their card name] Search your deck for up to one card with "Jewel Knight" in its card name, call it to (RC), and shuffle your deck.

Seems like royal paladins are back with bitches like Jewel Knights, an archetype being played by Kourin. Dogs evolves to bitches in season 3. Salome seems to be imba when rode over Ashlei with her effect gave 10k power and +1 critical. Not to mention Salome's own effect which allow her to gain a critical every turn as long as there is 4 or more rearguards. So total would be 3 criticals. How to counter her? Retire her units and attack her rearguard.