Episode 34 – Read the Card Text

GreenRanger and DeckTech bring cards, lots of them. We go through the notable cards from the upcoming Galactic Origins set. Also discussed are Card Trader cards, Ranked Duel rewards, the latest events, and updates in esports. We don’t understand flip summoning, and this episode proves it.

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The Duel Assessment Episode #34

November 4, 2017

1. Intro

– Intro Music: “Danger Storm” by Kevin Macleod, used under Creative Commons license—thanks, Kevin!

http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/music.html

– [0:01:05]: Our weeks in the Duel World:

DeckTech has been having an absolutely insane week IRL and has barely had time to spend actually playing the game. He has been able to autoduel, though, and even hit the gem cap for a hot second before he bought some packs to sort that out.

GreenRanger did not get KoG last month and was sent back to low Platinum. At 15-20 wins with Ancient Gears mostly, and playing around with a Handless deck.

2. News

– [0:03:53]: This week in esports

10/28/17 – Reddit Tag Team Tournament: Last week, the Duel Links Subreddit held their tag team duel tournament. Double elimination, BO3. Partner system works in that a losing player must tag in their partner to duel.

• 1st – The Dankest – Edgarlopes10 brought a teched-out REZ, while AstroAssassin brought the new dinosaur deck, featuring a Dark Driceratops, as well as Oxygeddon and Kabazauls over Destroyersaurus.
• 2nd – Gucci Duo – Puraficial brought a standard Mind Scan CA deck, while Saint Frac brought an almost exact copy of the first Tecumseh dinosaur list.
• 3rd – abc is cancer – Snowsyy brought a Ghosttrick deck, with lots of survivability in Wall of D, Astral Barrier, Spirit Barrier. Bartek brought a very aggressive Warrior deck, which goes almost all in with offense (3x The A Forces, 3x Metalmorph, Anti-Magic Arrows, Galahad), and very little backrow (1x Econ, 1x Windstorm).

See the decklists here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DuelLinks/comments/79fs78/28th_of_october_2017s_weekly_tournament_report/

11/4/17 – Reddit Random Roulette Box Tournament: The first attempt at running a limited tournament format is happening today. Each duelist is allowed to only use cards from one box, and level up rewards from LDs, not farmed rewards. The boxes, which are assigned at random, are Age of Discovery, Land of the Titans, Neo Impact, Dawn of Destiny, Electric Overload, Valkyrie’s Rage, and Echoes of Silence.

11/4/17 – Duel Links Pro X Tournament: Happening today in a few hours from this recording. 64 players competing in a 2 deck, 2 character, 2 skill, 2 archetype format. Upcoming limit list is active, but Balance is legal.

– [0:15:11]: New GX Character: Jesse Anderson (11/6-11/15) – New character! Rumored to be Syrus Truesdale or Jesse Anderson. UPDATE: Confirmed to be Jesse Anderson! In a previous episode we mentioned a Duel Skill that will shuffled the 8 Crystal Beasts into your deck. If Jesse is unobtainable from this event, it will appear to just be an NPC skill.

The latest XOF datamine of 80 cards (https://pastebin.com/q431q8vg) has a clue to his rewards.

• Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat
• Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth
• Crystal Beacon
• Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle
• Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger
• Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle
• Phantom Skyblaster
• Crystal Tree
• Rainbow Life

– [0:17:45]: Updated Terms of Use as of 11/17/17: We received word that the game’s Terms of Use have been updated, to include that Konami may delete your game data or close your account, if you have been inactive for over 6 months. Another update is specifically for iOS users, basically implying that they are not responsible for the technology not working on iOS devices. FYI, there may be conflicts with Duel Links and iPhone X, so this is what that is about.

– [0:21:11]: New Box: Galactic Origins coming 11/6/17: The box, coyly mentioned in the past few weeks, is confirmed. Though the contents of the box aren’t a huge surprise, given the 210 card datamine that was posted. See all the cards here: https://www.konami.com/yugioh/duel_links/en/box/galactic_origin/

• Exiled Force (UR) – Essentially a more flexible Man-Eater Bug, as you can use it right away, instead of waiting for a flip effect. Can be brought back with cards like The Warrior Returning Alive and The Creator. Can be special summoned with Marmiting Captain. It is even better if it’s ability is a quick effect.
• Elemental HERO Terra Firma (UR) – A “normal fusion”, which is a bit easier to get off, since fusion materials exist. While the monster ability is solid, the question remains whether Elemental HEROs are viable to run in Duel Links. If not, this is just another card we can’t reliably use.
• Gladiator Beast Heraklinos (UR) – This card is summoned via contact fusion of 3 Gladiator Beasts, so that is a bit of a challenge on it’s own in Duel Links. After that, it is basically a better version of Dark Paladin or Horus. Negating traps is definitely the key to making this relevant, but the test is seeing if having 3 Gladiator Beasts out is tenable.
• Into the Void (UR) – Just a good card advantage card, helpful in various decks. Can see this getting the most use for Burn decks. Also a way of dumping monsters into the graveyard for whatever resurrection effect is planned.
• Upstart Golden Ninja (UR) – Some ninja lists are extremely diverse in their construction, but this monster definitely seems like a core ninja card, outside of 3*D versions.
• Saffira, Queen of Dragons (UR) – With the upcoming Machine Angel Ritual nerf, many identified this has an include for CA decks. Having 6 stars really helps getting the ritual summon out there, and the effects are definitely strong. In fact, the ritual spell Hymn of Light, acts the same way as Machine Angel Ritual, by saving ritual monsters from getting destroyed once. Sprite’s Blessing is also relevant now, with another Light Ritual Monster. The question is whether a Dragon can mesh with Fairy types.
• Cosmic Cyclone (UR) – A card leaked really long ago, and good card to counter 1 backrow. Quick-play allows it to be in the hand for activation during the battle phase, so as long as you did not set it that turn. If activated to chain, the spell/trap should be banished before it is activated. This card is held back by having a life point cost, and just countering 1 card. Anti-Magic Arrows may still be the better option for offense. This card is also versatile as a better spell removal to destroy continuous things and fields. Definitely a card you want for your collection.
• Rush Recklessly (SR) – Power creep over Inspiration, as the quick-play lets you activate the same turn over a trap. The problem is that 700 ATK may not be relevant in a time when cards like Mirror Force, Wall of D, and Metalmorph are being play. Another spell that isn’t bad to have, but it’s relevance will depend on the deck and meta.
• Mask of Brutality (SR) – The strongest raw attack equip card in Duel Links, and we know that defense isn’t exactly irrelevant, with various position-flipping cards. I could only see this being used in a deck that requires losing life points to trigger a Duel Skill, if it sees play at all.
• Thienen the Great Sphinx (SR) – As discussed last week through frivolous laughter, this card is the “Five-Headed Dragon” of the set. You need the trap, as well as two monsters to get this guy out on the field.
• Elemental HERO Storm Neos (SR) – A powerful card that requires a very difficult contact fusion of 3 monsters, including Neos. While the ability is very flashy, there is no reason to not run Nephtys over it. The exception is if there is something else with the Elemental HERO cards used to make it.
• My Body as a Shield (R)- This is probably a card you will see a little bit, as it helps fill holes for budget deckbuilders. While less experienced card players may see the LP cost as a huge downside, it isn’t really in a crucial situation. Notable that this doesn’t work on tribute effects like Dakini, Lava Golem, and Soul Exchange.
• Cybernetic Cyclopian (R)- Obvious card for Handless decks. Could just be better than Swift Gaia in some instances, where the 2400 ATK can actually compete with other monsters. Can also fill in for Blade Knight, if you don’t have a ton of those.
• Field Barrier (R)- A better version of Magical Deflector. Can also just be played to counter Mausoleum decks by denying the field from being played.
• Gladiator Beast Bestiari (R)- Gladiator Beasts are all the rage, so know that this one will serve as a backrow destroyer of the deck. It will destroy the spell/trap after a battle happens with the previous beast, so interesting interplay on how to use the backrow.
• Colosseum – Cage of the Gladiator Beasts (R)- This field will basically allow the Gladiator Beasts to keep up with other monsters in attack. The monsters get stronger with every battle, and can snowball bigger. If the archetype gets out of control (thanks to this), spell removal may be back in the meta.
• Hymn of Light (R)- Ritual Spell only for Saffira, but can provide protection for all Rituals, when in the graveyard.
• Spell Economics (N) – Free Mausoleums!
• Terra Firma Gravity (N) – Non-tribute monsters will always consist of most monsters in a typical deck. So this could be the game-ender for Terra Firma decks. A card like Super Rush Headlong can get around it though.
• Disarm (N) – Very efficient spell counter. Gladiator Beast decks probably have to run a lot more monsters than spells/traps for this to be useful.
• Parry (N) – Very efficient trap counter. Gladiator Beast decks probably have to run a lot more monsters than spells/traps for this to be useful.
• Worm Noble (N) – Possible sneaky burn use for this card, and can be comboed with something like Dark Spirit of the Silent.
• Ally of Justice Reverse Break (N) – A unique card that can destroy face down monsters instantly.
• Sacred Spirit of the Ice Barrier (N) – Ice Barriers swarm the board well, so this card definitely fits to survive on the board and continually remove monsters.

– [0:52:44]: Card Trader update:  In what seems to be a weekly phenomenon, the Card Trader has new cards.

• Chaos Hunter (UR) – The most useful card to appear in the Trader’s stock in a really long time. While the card isn’t really relevant in this meta, this is definitely a card you want to stock up on. Besides the Cyber Dinosaur effect, you prevent your opponent from banishing cards. This effect prevents all cards from banish, such as monster abilities, graveyard abilities, contact fusions, spells, and traps. You can see all the card it applies to here:https://www.reddit.com/r/DuelLinks/comments/79u608/discussion_a_list_of_relevant_to_semirelevant/
• Dark Desertapir (R) – Specifically has synergy with Beast Rising, so that you can special summon a 4-star Beast and transfer 1100 attack right away.
• Desertapir (R) – A bit like the card Gonogo, except this happens on a flip effect. Very budget play to take advantage of weak defense monsters.

– [0:56:54]: New Ranked Ticket Rewards: The new cards just don’t stop coming.

• Creature Seizure (SR) – With upcoming unplayability of Red-Eyes Balance, there goes the most relevant Normal monster in this meta. Other targets you might include Blue-Eyes, Gemini monsters, and regular beaters. The meta has to be right for this card to work, either as a tournament or side deck card.
• Amulet of Ambition (SR) – Again we see a card that only works on Normal monsters, which gives a huge boost for small monsters battling. It is a two-way effect on battle, unlike Metalmorph, which just gives the 50% on an attack target.
• Kalantosa, Mystical Beast of the Forest (R)- Some synergy with Uniflora and Dark Desertapir.
• Transmodify (R)- The “Mokuba Monstermorph” ability in a regular spell card. You are probably better off just using Mokuba for Gandora shenanigans.
• Roaring Earth (N) – More beast support, giving piercing to all beasts and active damage reduction on monsters. Good to get for your N tickets.

– [1:01:25]: Card Flipper Campaign: We are getting 1 new card to our collection.

• Electromagnetic Bagworm (SR) – A card that has the Jowls effect for only Machine monsters, while having the Rigorous Reaver ability of weakening monsters. Not useful, unless there is some unseen Machine meta.

3. Future News

– [1:03:16]: Quick hits: Just quick reminders of upcoming things.

• Kaiba Cup starts in a couple days if you already got KoG last month or this month.
• Nerfs live Monday, with the new box we just discussed.
• Paradox Bros and Pegasus coming back.
• Espa Roba coming for the first time.
• Dimension Tower Water.

Top Techs of the Week will return for the Kaiba Cup.

Wrap-Up

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