Episode 147 – Still Dueling in 2020

GreenRanger kicks off 2020 by discovering a podcast crisis! Help save this podcast’s back catalogue! In the Duel World, we discuss the URs and SRs of the new BOX, Future Horizion, as well as the Superheavy Samurai Archetype. New cards from Ranked Rewards, Mission Circuit, as well as Yusei’s new Duel Skill are reviewed. Finally, Doug Dimmaduel (@YuGiOhDeckTalk) has a revisited Thunder Dragon Deck with their new addition.

Subscribe in a reader

#duellinks #yugioh #podcast

The Duel Assessment Episode #147

January 4, 2020

1. Intro

– Intro/Outro Music: “Danger Storm,” Doug’s Intro/Outro Music: “Rocket Power” by Kevin Macleod used under Creative Commons license—thanks, Kevin!

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

Search “The Duel Assessment Podcast,” Subscribe & Listen! Remember, we’re on Spotify, too now if you or your friends prefer that system.

– [0:01:40]: The week in the Duel World: 

GreenRanger ended 2019 1 win streak off lethal, ending it at Legend 5 with Unga Bunga Elementsaber Invoked /Assault Mode. He is running the same deck, constantly updating the card to our meta, now at Plat 7. He also discovered a new problem with the podcast, one that will require everyone’s help.

2. News

– [0:06:15]: This Week in Esports

DLM Weekly #105

Generally: With the arrival of new cards, there is something resembling a diverse meta in the Top 32. We have 7 archetypes with at least 3 representatives and maxing out at 6.

• 1st – Zeeta w/ Compensation Darklords: The classic deck with new general good card Artifact Lancea. There is a little Fairy synergy, allowing to tribute summon Darklord Desire for 1 tribute, and being able to be resurrected by Darklord Superbia. The card likely good in any deck right now.
• 2nd – WhoDaresWin w/ Beatdown Dark Magician: Once again, Dark Magician are back thanks to one new card. We are seeing some attrition cards like 2x World Legacy Clash and 2x Wall of D, something to keep an eye out in the meta.
• 3rd/4th – Anthoxe w/ Sorcery Conduit Elementsaber Invoked: Big monsters are really meta again, so that can explain the attrition cards, as well as the reentry of Concentrating Current for Invoked decks.
• 3rd/4th – PopayMaster w/ Sealed Tombs Plasma Counter Ritual Beasts: Ritual Beasts with a 6-card counter trap package and Plasma.

– [0:10:46]: Duel Links Meta Tier list Update

• Tier 1: Elementsabers, Darklords
• Tier 2: Shiranui, Ritual Beasts
• Tier 3: Crystrons, Blackwings
• High Potential: Cyber Dragon, Dark Magician

– [0:11:33]: Main BOX: Future Horizon

URs

• Stardust Spark Dragon: Generally useful Level 8 Synchro, who can stay on the board and stall for long periods of time for a comeback. While banish as removal exists in Duel Links, the top decks in the meta now don’t really do it. The closest thing are Metaphys or Fortune Lady. So, this will generally be useful in the meta now, against Shiranui.
• Chimeratech Rampage Dragon: Pretty good! While this can get hit by FGTH or Paleozoic Canadia, you are guaranteed destroying 2 spells/traps. The second ability to make additional attacks for OTKs has further synergy with the new fusion support for the archetype. This card might be good enough get Cyber Dragon on the meta board.
• Overload Fusion: We’ve seen this type of fusion spell in Elemental HERO, and now this is just for Dark Machines. Nowhere as strong as deck fusion cards, but this allows a second fusion during the turn, which is good for OTK. Also works for the Cyberdark fusions, as well as Gatling Dragon.
• Superheavy Samurai Wagon: Of course this is the UR of a BOX, but you’ll need this to play the deck well. This card can change positions twice, allowing you to tutor a Soul card from the deck, likely Soulpeacemaker.. Further, this has 4 stars, allowing it to be considered for Synchro material for any of the Level 5-9 plays.
• Artifact Lancea: All the Artifact cards can be set like Toy Magician, and destroyed to be special summoned. This will just definitely see play as a hand trick to shut down any deck that banishes for plays, so this hits a variety of decks like Shiranui, Elementsaber Invoked, Ritual Beasts, Fortune Lady, Dark Magician, and more. Possibly will be the most useful, all-purpose card in this whole box.
• D.D. Warrior Lady: A stronger D.D. Warrior, the ability is the same as HTS Psyhemuth. The ability is a little slow in the meta now, but now and then a Light or Warrior is needed somewhere.
• Tragoedia: A really weird card. While monsters that force attachment, like Vampire Vamp are generally really good, this one is a bit too situational to be relied upon.
• Dark Magical Circle: Is this enough to make Dark Magician meta again? Allows you to scry 3, most likely draw 1 of the 3, reorder, and is banish removal each turn. This is good enough to likely bring Dark Magician back. This card will be countered by Artifact Lancea, or force untargetable cards to be meta again.
• Chain Disappearance: This notably hits Aleister the Invoker hardest, but won’t work if the field spell buffs him above 1000. Probably won’t be widespread, as Invoked works more as a package after the nerfs, not the primary way to win the game. Will probably show up as a tech card often in tournaments though.

SRs

• Junk Archer: This card seemingly only exists for an aggressive OTK strategy. This card does need Junk Synchron, but a Dark Verger in the GY will only add up to 5 stars. Additional levels from a card like Quillbolt Hedgehog exists for this purpose. Or maybe, something like Level Augmentation is needed to pull this off.
• Cyber Dragon Core: While this card doesn’t provide the offensive upside of being a free 2100, this card seems to be a core card for Cyber Dragons. You can tutor Cyberload Fusion, among other options, to fuse into Chimeratech Rampage Dragon right away. 
• Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer: The monsters get pretty big, so this will add piercing. When destroyed, this will help tutor a card. Very solid equip.
• Superheavy Samurai Soulpeacemaker: This likely exists for the second ability, allowing you to tutor any monster from the deck. The equip ability is okay given that Flutist exists to protect against targeted effects.
• Thunder Dragonduo: Chaos strategies have never really been meta in Duel Links, but Thunder Dragons have been KoG-worthy. The card doesn’t look horrible, and seems to only fit in Thunder Dragons.
• Righty Driver: Also gets Left Driver on the board, which will only be 3 or 4 stars, so you’ll need a level modulating skill to actually Synchro Summon your monsters.
• Rush Warrior: This card seems to have come just in time to be possibly playable. Given we just got Scrap Fist for Junk Warrior, this could double the Junk Warrior to 4200, which is devastating with Scrap Fist on the monster. This card also boosts other supported monsters, like Stardust Charge Warrior, who can clear a board.
• Giant Rat: We get another generic floater, this one is just about as useful as Mystic Tomato, given the number of Earth monsters around.
• Krebons: This Tuner doesn’t come out quick, but can protect himself from attacks, which is functionally the same thing. Bonus getting floated out by Serene Psychic Witch. Besides the Psychic synergy, this isn’t too remarkable to see a lot of play.
• Cyberload Fusion: Yet another Cyber Dragon tool, this one is more dangerous, being a quick play Fusion spell, meaning you can fuse and get extra attacks in. Cyber Dragons should have enough to be decent in the meta.
• PSY-Frame Circuit: The archetype can’t play at all without this field allowing the quick Synchro summoning during the opponent’s turn. Additional ability helps you toss PSY-Frame Driver to help a monster gain 2500 attack.

Superheavy Samurai

• Ogre Shutendoji: Really solid Synchro play, basically a 2500 attacker that will wipe out the opponent back row. Field spells as well!
• Swordsmaster Musashi: This one isn’t too impressive with stats, but purely exists for recycling Trumpeteer to make a Level 7 Synchro play.
• Stealth Ninja: Basically a Synchro Masked HERO Anki with the ability to self-resurrect when destroyed by effect, instead of getting a card draw. Has the highest offensive upside of the monsters, and pretty powerful with the Soulpiercer.
• Soulshield Wall: Basically a 1200 stat buff which is pretty good for 1 card.
• Flutist: A great opening play for this archetype, you normal summon, ramp into a bigger monster like Wagon or Big Waraji. This card really shines in providing negation + destruction protection while in the GY.
• Trumpeter: The main Tuner you’ll consider for the archetype, and this one is pretty good at that. A free special summon can let you Synchro Summon immediately. Further, you can tribute this for Big Waraji and special summon this card again.
• Big Waraji: This is the only card in the archetype that can be tribute summoned, but then again, this could come out for free as well. You’re talking at least 7 stars worth of free monsters with Trumpeter. The tribute summon for a Machine may lead this to be packaged with other cards.
• Gigagloves: Once destroyed, you can scry 5, and this serves to protect you from direct attacks, while playing attrition with opponent monsters. This is a doubly situational outcome though, so safe to skip this card.
• Beast Kyubi: Level 9 shouldn’t be too hard to make with all the free special summons. This is the big beater who will likely have at least 3400 defense.
• Kabuto: This can buff your monsters during your opponent’s turn, but requires the monsters to be in attack position for it to even work. That requires some set up, and exposing your monsters to the weak side for that turn.
• Soulbeads: Actually a decent equipment, as you provide effect destruction protection when equipped, and when in hand, can resurrect something destroyed by battle.
• Drum: This has some late game appeal, as you can resurrect any other your monsters, except this is awkward in a Tuner that has to be destroyed, which means your Synchro play has failed somehow.
• Soulhorns: Probably will see play as an equip when the decks become more aggressive and seek OTK plays with Soulpiercer.
• Prepped Defense: A bit like Parry Knights, being special summoned from hand when you take damage. This one is a bit on the cusp, and likely a budget choice.
• Fist: Very situational card, this card as to be on the board, your bigger monster destroys something and this becomes part of the Synchro Summon for another attack. Or, this could be in the GY and you can use it. Getting the levels right is too much.

– [0:44:53]: New Yusei Duel Skill

• Angel Baton: This skill is basically a +1 in card advantage if you survive until your 4th turn, which would be Turn 8 or 9 in the game. This certainly is only a positive, but is it enough an impact versus other Duel Skills? While this skill can likely be used with any deck, you’ll like to take advantage of tossing that card into the GY. Overall, this is a little slow having to wait 4 turns in Duel Links, but likely something to consider when some more popular Duel Skills get nerfed.

– [0:46:23]: Ranked Duels Updated

• Synchro Monument (SR): A big weakness of Synchros is having either the Tuner or a material get flipped face-down by FGTH or Paleozoic Canadia. While this field will protect the monster from getting flipped for the summon, Paleozoic Canadia can still be activated during the battle phase, or on a material after this is activated. It does protect against FGTH though.
• Celestia (R): The buff isn’t much, but let’s your Metaphys monsters hit over 3000. Metaphys already have Metaphys Factor though. Only useful if some other Wyrm deck benefits from being banished from the GY.

– [0:48:36]: Mission Circuit

• Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier: The same effect as Obnoxious Celtic Guard, with 100 more attack and Water attribute. This could see play as a Water for Stall Invoked decks, but this card may not be better than Flip Flop Frog or the other Water monsters that bounce things.

3. [0:49:26]: Doug’s Casual Deck of the Week: Doug Dimmaduel (@YuGiOhDeckTalk) updates Mokuba’s given Duel Links deck, Thunder Dragons! Using the new monster from the new BOX, he has Synchro Thunder Dragons.
4. [0:57:28]: Upcoming News

• [Early January] Transcend Game Part 2: Unlock Sera, new rewards, Skill
• [Early January] 3rd Anniversary Campaign
• [Mid January] Carly Carmine, Fortune Fairy Hikari, Miracle Stone,  + Fortune Teller
• [Mid January] Kalin Kessler to the Gate
• [Mid January] Tag Duel Tournament, The Unchosen One, High and Low
• [Late January] Duel Quest
• [Late January] Obtain DSOD Joey

Wrap up

Listen and subscribe on: iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play Music | Overcast | YouTube

Check out the podcast and more at the website: TheDuelAssessment.wordpress.com

Email us: TheDuelAssessment@gmail.com

Tweet us: @Duel_Assessment or  @GreenRangerCCG