Two Months In: What to Look Out For!
Two months into the September 1st, 2010 format should give us a clear idea of what is yet to dominate the format. This being said, assuming that the format stays this way without the release of new cards! With the meta game having such a vast variety, players must be able to playing against anything at any time. The diversity of the ban list helped establish a new pace and rhythm to the format. So far, we have witnessed a more control based format than an aggressive OTK-filled format. So lets top this off with the top 3 decks of the format so far!
With the versatility of Blackwings I find it tough to not place them as a tier one deck. Blackwings have the ability to gave field advantage with cards like Icarus Attack and Royal Oppression. But at the same time, can go aggressive on your opponent and unleash beat-sticks with the swarming ability of cards like Blackwing - Bora the Spear, and Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind. While maintaining control with a basic trap line-up, Blackwings are able to avoid Royal Oppression at times with card effects like Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame. And as if the support cards of Blackwings aren't enough, Konami decided to throw in 3 Honest-like monsters with Blackwing - Kalut the Moonshadow. This not only helps Blackwings and keeps their monsters alive, but it can trigger effects like Shura's. My favorite thing about Kalut is; you don't need to be attacking a monster to get the 1400 boost for your Blackwing monster! You can attack your opponent directly, then in the damage calculation, drop Kalut for game! The options that Blackwings have is what is keeping them at the top of the meta. Look out for Blackwings throughout the format!
Light Beat, Hero Beat, Light Hero Beat, call it what you want. This heavily combat fueled deck has proven to take its place as a tier one deck. When played correctly and thoroughly, it can be the most difficult deck to defeat. Help with support from cards like Pot of Duality and Hero Blast, add a whole new level of consistency to the deck. Getting cards like Honest, Gemini Spark, or Stratos in your hand can be a great way to start off a game. With the support of Honest and a stable and cooperative Hero-engine, you can bring back your beat-sticks and continue to beat-down your opponent. With a heavily loaded defensive Spell and Trap line-up, stopping your opponents plays is a given. Look out for Light Beat for this format, and possibly the formats to come!
Ze Cat may have lost its 9 lives, but X-Sabers are still a competitor at the top of the meta game! With their aggressive play style, they can deal for high level of damage and leave your opponent defenseless and handless. Maintaining control while being an aggressive deck can really throw your opponent into a bottomless hole. Cards like Cold Wave are key for X-Sabers. With their easy ability to destroy backrow by the effect of Hyunlei, then spamming the field with Faultroll and his effect. The best aggressive deck out there by far, X-Sabers remain on the top after witnessing 2 months without Ze Cat. Lets see what they'll have in store for us until March when the new banlist comes out!
Tier 2 Favorites
These decks have topped in many events and are certainly underdog decks to look out for. A format with this variety can be dangerous while preparing for an event considering how many possible decks you might have to deal with. We know that a true player has more power in his side deck than he does in his main. You truly have to be prepared for any deck. Just because these decks are tier 2 doesn't mean they can't completely destroy a tier 1 deck. So without further-a-do I introduce to you the fan favorites for tier 2!
Without a doubt, one of the most effective cards in the game. This cute little dragon can turn into a big ugly nightmare full of field control when synchro summoned into a Scrap Dragon or Stardust Dragon. Combos great with Dandylion, and can work with many cards in Quickdraw decks or Debris Plants deck. This card contains the versatility that this format needs to be successful against most deck types. And with the Debris Plants deck topping in the YCS in Philadelphia, it has proven that it is still a force to be reckon with.
A rather new archetype to the game, known as Scraps, have made themselves known through the past 2 YCS' topping in San Jose and Philadelphia. Where Kaiba Corp's own, XV was the only Scrap duelist to top in the YCS Philadelphia. But back on topic. Scraps are an underrated deck that have gotten a bad reputation because some people just don't know how to handle them. But when played correctly, Scraps are very aggressive and controlling of the game. With a broken Spell card like Scrapstorm, which can be chained to Bottomless Trap Hole and raise your hand advantage by 2 cards, while putting a Trap card of your opponents to waste, is always good. With the recycling of Scraps, you won't have a problem getting the boss monster, Scrap Dragon, out on the field.
Machina Gadgets are still a very consistent and aggressive deck that can help you obtain a hand advantage while at the same time beating down your opponent with a "aggressive-anti-meta-ish" type of game play. With so many searches, getting the cards you need to your hand is fairly easy as drawing a card. Which ironically, is what your mostly going to do to get that card, and if you want to be cool and play 1-2 Pot of Duality in your Machina deck to add some more consistency. Point blank is that Machina is for sure a force to be reckon with. Their aggressive and controlling game play makes it hard for opponents to set up their strategies, while your robots are eating away at their life-points!
Although they are not as aggressive as they used to be, Infernities still remain in the meta game. Konami might have hit Infernities main weapon, Infernity Launcher, but cards like Infernity Barrier and the newly released card, Stygian Street Patrol, is keeping Infernities alive. The objective of Infernities after the September 1st format isn't to OTK as much, but maintain control with Archfiend's effect to search for Infernity Barrier. Hundred-Eyes Dragon is also playing a big role in Infernities. You can copy Infernity Mirage or Infernity Necromancer and bring back Infernity Archfiend to get another Barrier to your hand! Although they might not be as effective as they were last format, Infernities have a very control-based play style, but to be realistic, we won't see them win anything big any time soon.
Although I personally see them going no where this format, Gladiator Beasts remain in the tier 2 for the meta. Even though in the latest YCS, they didn't even see the light of a top 32, people still consider them as tier 2 to be a very well structured and balanced decks cause of Gladiator Beast War Chariot. Cards like Starlight Road, and Royal Oppression, really kill Gladiator Beasts. Also, let's not mention that decks with generally big beat-sticks are a threat to Gladiator Beasts. Which unfortunately this format, is mostly consisting of.
Side deck cards to look out for!
Great start to any game. Not only is he a defensive wall with 1900 defense, but he has a flip effect that is immune to Nobleman of Crossout. Its a great card to side against Light Beat, and Blackwings, and even Gladiator Beasts as a first turn set. It can stall out the game against a Hero Beat and will cause them to waste either an Honest or a Gemini Spark in order to get rid of it. Snowman is too good of a first turn set. And I believe everyone should side in 1-2 Snowman Eaters for this format. Depending on how it goes, of course.
Not only can it negate any monsters effect in the Main Phase, but in a Twilight build deck, this card can count as a LIGHT monster in the Graveyard for Chaos Sorcerer. Effect Veiler is like a D.D. Crow but you can be more versatile with it. Whenever you have it in your hand its like you're sitting on a safety mat and this card can help disturb your opponents combos and strategy in the long run. Effect Veiler is also a tuner, so in case you feel like you can go for game with a Level 5 synchro monster, you can use this as a tuner. Effect Veiler has the versatility that this format needs. Its a great side against Debris Plants, and any deck you can think of that uses effects really!
A very good side deck card. Acts like a Book of Moon but instead of flipping the monster face down, it returns it to the owners hand. Compulsory Evacuation Device helps stop your opponents combos, mainly sided in for X-Sabers and Infernities, or any deck that swarms. Saving your own monster from an assault is also an option with Compulsory Evacuation Device (CED for short). In a format where controlling field presents is very important, CED does the job correctly.
Even though 3 sounds like overkill, I see many top duelists siding in 3 Cyber Dragon in their Side Deck. Reasons being; well, of course, hes a 2100 easy summon beat-stick that is practically good against most decks out there. Especially Machina. There is nothing sweeter than clearing 2-3 of your opponents Machine-type monsters to bring out your Chimera Fortress Dragon. Cyber Dragon works great against Hero Beat as well, seeing that its a 2100 beat-stick and the most powerful monster in Hero Beat is either a Cyber Dragon or a neos Alius. They might just have to waste a Gemini Spark or Honest to get over Cyber Dragon! My personal favorite part: Cyber Dragon never goes to waste. If your opponent chain Bottomless Trap Hole to its summon, its okay, it was a special summon! Assuming that this wasn't late game, you just caused your opponent to waste a Bottomless Trap Hole, and still Summon or Set after that! The "King of Machines" will impact the format as a side, and even main deck card!
The "King of Stun" still reigns supreme as a great option in the side deck! Heck, many duelists even tech 1-2, that is in certain decks. Thunder King is a great card against Machina, Infernity, X-Sabers, Blackwings, and many more decks that you can think of! Not only can it negate any inherent special summon (meaning Special Summon by the monsters effect) but it stops your opponent from adding cards from their decks to their hands! So you can say goodbye to cards like Sangan and XX-Saber Darksoul, and not only that! Rai-oh can negate any normal Synchro Summon! So other decks that synchro a lot such as Flamvell and Debris Plants, might have a hard time dealing with Thunder King Rai-oh.
In a format that uses the Graveyard very often, Crevice is the answer to problems caused by many decks! Is commonly sided against decks like Infernities, Debris Plants, and even X-Sabers. Can also be helpful against Machina as extra removal for Machina Fortress since System Down isn't popular in the side anymore. Crevice being a chain-able card means that it can cause your opponent to waste a Mystical Space Typhoon while hoping to set up the strategy, and you remove 1-2 cards in their Graveyard. Crevice can also be chained to with effects like Scrap Dragon, so you are initially destroying a card on your opponents side of the field and removing 1-2 monsters from your opponents graveyard from play!
I personally love this card. I side at least 1 in every deck. With the return of Monster Reborn, getting monsters in the Graveyard is sweeter than ever. Not only can Hero's Rule 2 also negate your opponents D.D. Crow or Crevice into the Different Dimension, but it negates effects on the field that target card(s) from the Graveyard. You can laugh in the face of Debris Dragon, Faultroll, Gottoms Emergency Call, Pot of Avarice, and many more cards!
Thats it folks! I hope you enjoyed reading this article and I'll be looking forward to hearing your opinions on cards/decks that you believe will impact the format!
Thank you to EJ and Ballin1521 for helping me with the images