Episode 148 – Draw Your Last Pathetic Card

GreenRanger is losing all his Duels because he does not have faith in his deck. This episode returns to some of the lesser archetypes of the Future Horizon Box, like Artifact, PSY-Frame, and Heroic Challengers. The new Artifact cards and Duel Skill from Transcend Game Part 2 are also reviewed. Doug Dimmaduel (@YuGiOhDeckTalk) makes use of the new skill, with his Mind of Plana U.A. deck. Finally, Just Chatting has the group discussion on the new archetypes and stall decks.

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The Duel Assessment Episode #148

January 11, 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.

– [0:01:41]: The week in the Duel World: 

GreenRanger spent most of the week losing in PvP, and subsequently playing as little as possible. He is at the Legend 1 floor though, so it is fine. 

2. News

– [0:03:07: This Week in Esports

DLM Weekly #106

Generally: Overall, the Top 32 is still very diverse, though Darklords do comprise 25% of the pie. We have some emergent threats to the meta in Thunder Dragons.

• 1st – zeeta w/ Sealed Tombs Blackwings: A lot of monsters in this deck and 4x Forbidden Cards, which means they are pretty good back row to beat the meta.
• 2nd – Erikson w/ Compensation Darklords: With the meta possibly too inconsistent to expect all Shiranui, the development of Artifact Lancea being core in Darklords may have been a weekly tech. Right now, there are no developments for this top deck.
• 3rd/4th – Buns w/ Spell Specialist Grass Shiranui: Besides being a 30-carder and having room for a lot of generally good cards, this runs 2x Burgeoning Whirlflame, a Laval trap outfitted to work on banishing these guys.
• 3rd/4th – Francisco w/ Transcendent Crystals Crystrons: Another 30-carder in the Top 4, and Crystrons generally benefit from discards, so Divine Wrath and Ultimate Providence are perfect for the deck.

Damage Step #5

• 1st – Kcful w/ Compensation Darklords: Artifact Lancea back in Darklords, otherwise the deck looks exactly the same.
• 2nd – wayne kenoff w/ Transcendent Crystals Crystrons: 30 card Crystrons again with the typical trap cards in it, with Pulse Mines, which is super good.
• 3rd/4th – Obito w/ Sorcery Conduit Elementsabers: The general shell for Elementsabers with 2x FGTH, 2x Paleozoic Canadia.
• 3rd/4th – Kingkrabbe w/ Baggy Sleeves Synchro Thunder Dragons: Here’s a new deck, and there is a ton of stuff going on. Thunder Dragons, Batterymen, tuners, unsummonable monsters, etc.

– [0:10:37]: Duel Links Meta Tier list Update

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

– [0:11:35]: Future Horizon Remaining Archetypes

Artifact

• Beagalltach: This one acts as an activator to destroy your other Artifact sets. This is all dependent if this archetype can work together as a unit, rather than just be tech cards used in other decks. It is worth noting that Cosmic Cyclone being the typical choice of back row removal hurts the cause of this being worth using.
• Caduceus: A bit conditional being it is a draw engine that must activate after being destroyed itself, and having additional back row destroyed to draw the cards.
• Failnaught: A situational recycle, which could go decently with an activator like Beagalltach.
• Aegis: This only useful if these monsters are used for something when on the board. There could be something with Rank 5 Xyz plays down the line, so this might be useful whenever that happens.
• Achilleshield: Almost the same ability as Aegis, so consider them in the same bin as protection for when these monsters become played.
• Labrys: This one is decent for offense, being a free 2300 from the hand. There exists a more general usage card in Parry Knights, but this is just archetype specific.
• Mjollnir: This helps get bodies on the board, but you cannot special summon other monsters during the turn, so it doesn’t help the potential Rank 5 Xyz cause.  

PSY-Frame

• PSY-Framelord Zeta: Only works with Alpha, this card has a defensive ability of being summoned during the opponent’s turn, and banishing both monsters to stall for a turn.
• PSY-Framegear Alpha: This card seems really strong, being able to special summon itself from the hand and a Level 6 monster straight from the deck, during your opponent’s turn. This seems to need the Field Spell active though, or your monsters are vulnerable.
• PSY-Framegear Epsilon: Another surprise special summon, for an instant Level 8 Synchro with the Field Spell. This is your main way to play against back row, so just keep it in the hand.
• PSY-Frame Multi-Threader: A very useful card to help stall a little bit and protect your monsters if you don’t have the Field Spell out. It immediately recoups value by being in the GY and getting special summoned again.
• PSY-Frame Driver: Useful for existing and being core for the archetype. Hits for 2500, comes out free, and has normal monster synergy.

Heroic

• Swordshield: Purely a hand trick to be discarded and give yourself another turn to believe in the Heart of the Cards.
• Night Watchman: Effect destruction on your opponent’s defense monsters, which may seem like this deck should run some back row to flip positions.
• Heroic Retribution Sword: This card could actually lead to a number of draws, if your opponent is completely unfamiliar with this archetype. The surprise factor of this card should wear off over time though.
• Spartan: This card can easily be played around by attacking the other monster, but the Heroic Retribution Sword trap could be looming!
• War Hammer: Not very good, as you need a 2100 to successfully destroy the monster and gain the ability that isn’t too useful for the next turn. Further it is 1-tribute. You’ll need to support this card with other cards for it to be played.
• Ambush Soldier: Lets your Heroic Challengers play fast, but this does need to survive for 1 turn, but it isn’t impossible, as this archetype does have tools to survive.
• Clasp Sword: This exists to be special summoned by Ambush Soldier, and then you can tutor a card from the deck.
• Heroic Chance: A surprise card that works primarily with War Hammer being able to hit over bigger monsters. A bit slow though being a normal spell.
• Heroic Advance: These monsters work best in a pair, so this plays towards that. This could be a good combo with Heroic Retribution Sword, as you can switch the attack target to force your opponent to take big damage.

Constellar

• Leonis: Has Xyz synergy with Sheratan, allowing a Rank 3 Xyz summon.
• Acubens: These guys are all under-stated, so this is just a weak board helper.
• Alrescha: Another Xyz play, but possible Rank 6, but with more situationality. 
• Constellar Twinkle: Owing to the potential of Xyz plays, this modulates levels, and can be played twice a turn.

– [0:29:28]: 3rd Anniversary Campaign

• 1000 gems
• 1 UR Dream Ticket, 3 UR tickets, 1 SR Dream Ticket, 3 SR tickets
• 1 Skill Ticket
• 1 Winged Dragon of Ra

– [0:30:23]: Transcend Game Part 2

• Artifact Vajra (UR): Actually a card that makes the archetype work better. This one is meant to be kept in the hand, for when your opponent uses a direct attack. You special summon this, and destroy all your spells and traps. In addition to activating effects of set Artifacts, you can possibly load cards like Wild Tornado to take out your opponent’s cards.
• Artifact Chakram (SR): While Cosmic Cyclone still exists to banish back row, there is still plenty of effect destruction with something like Shiranui Spiritmaster. Again, one of the better Artifact cards, though the free 1900/2000 can be wiped out easily nowadays.
• Mind of the Plana (Skill): A playable Duel Skill for Sera, as removing your opponent’s banished cards is really just as good as Sealed Tombs against certain decks. While the phrase “banish” has meaning, in Yu-Gi-Oh! it really has just become a secondary graveyard, with which players can shuttle cards in and out to for benefit. On the creative side, it is nice to see them use creative phrasing to put an unclear twist to what the Duel Skill does.

3. [0:36:11]: Doug’s Casual Deck of the Week: Doug Dimmaduel (@YuGiOhDeckTalk) outfits an old deck with a new skill, A Mind of Plana U.A. deck! He combines the banish abilities of U.A. with the Duel Skill removing cards from the game completely.
4. [0:43:46]: Just Chatting

Podcast Question of the Week: What is the best new/returning archetype in Duel Links?

• Dark Magician = 54.5%
• Cyber Dragon = 25%
• Superheavy Samurai = 11.4%
• Other = 9.1%

@cardgamepenguin: Shiranui, hands-down. Such a fun deck to play!

@ProBenchWarmer_: Picked other since I’m feeling Thunder Dragons atm but also SHS and CyDra. So conflicted but all so good.

@verageGatsby: My mind is telling me Cyber Dragon. But my body.. my body.. is telling me super heavy samurai

@GrandHarrier: Thunder Dragons. Duo was the boss monster they were missing.

@The_L_Games: You forgot the most important card of all! Silent Swordsman Lv 7 is the best returning card. But no really, I like Cyber Dragons but they could be “better”

@Duel_Assessment: The amount of stall decks that exist in Duel Links is infuriating. It’s like everyone wants to play 20 minute games!

@The_L_Games: I’m about to unleash a super stall cancer deck, one that will slowly kill the pathetic meta once and for all.

@verageGatsby: Don’t worry I’m sure 3 Fiendish Chain and 3 Floodgate will be super fun to play against paired with Drill Barnacle and Raging Flame Sprite.

@Duel_Assessment: It’s hard to have empathy for control players while slugging scotch and just trying to earn 60 Neuron Gears lol.

@YuGiOhDeckTalk: You mean 60 eggs. They’re totally eggs

@BlueFuego2: Not me lol

5. [0:49:57]: Upcoming News

• [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

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