Episode 243 – I Want to Be an Actor

GreenRanger takes a look at the new miniBOX, Force of Infinity, the UR/SR review, Abyss Actors, and Dinomists. Also discussed this week is the Aporia Raid Duel rewards, the ever-changing meta, and Unformed Void! #YGODuelLinks #duellinks #yugioh #podcast 

#YGODuelLinks #duellinks #yugioh #podcast

The Duel Assessment Episode #243

Your Podcast for Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links

December 11, 2021

1. Intro

– Intro/Outro Music: “Danger Storm,” by Kevin Macleod, Deck Theme: “Desert Conflict,” by Rafael Krux, used under Creative Commons license—thanks, Kevin and Rafael!

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

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– [0:01:24]: The Week in Duel World 

• The Duel Assessment Podcast can now be officially listened to on Roku! If you have Roku, get the Podcast-TV app, and you’ll be able to find this podcast!
• Cyber Dragons
• Abyss Actors
• Accessory Popularity Poll Campaign

2. News

– [0:04:26]: This Week in Esports

DLM Weekly #205

• 1st – Ryu Zane w/ Territory of the Sharks Water Xyz: Not surprising to see a tried-and-true deck take it during an unsettled meta. Also not surprising to see a deck with quick plays take the tournament games.
• 2nd – trap w/ Territory of the Sharks Water Xyz: Same deck with the same monster composition, but different traps. Really just load up on those solid quick play spells.
• Top 4 – yobromikehoe w/ Tuner Level Balancer T.G.: We’ve seen pure T.G., this is Dinosaur Lightsworn T.G. Really heavy on control aspects and GY plays.
• Top 4 – zenzoh w/ Destiny Draw: Thunder Dragons refuse to die! Here we see a post-nerf Thunder Dragon, with a split in the Limited 3 with Chaos Dragon Levianeer and 2x Thunder Dragon Dark, Limited 2 on Gold Sarcophagus, and 1x Melody. I guess Battlin’ Boxer Veil is the cost.

Duel Links Lounge Millennium Cup #24

• 1st – SpeCtre w/ The Dragon Knight’s Path Gaia: No change to the deck except they just threw in some Archfiend Eccentrick.
• 2nd – Shi-en w// Territory of the Sharks Water Xyz: Here’s some spice, Armed Sea Hunter instead of Atlantean Attack Squad! That is a bit of a tech card to negate the effects of an effect monster it battle. This opens up possibilities for other useful Sea Serpents in this deck.
• Top 4 – Zain Smile w/ Territory of the Sharks Water Xyz: Your typical Atlantean build.
• Top 4 – Shining w/ From Songstress to Maestra Melodious: You can futz around with the trap cards this deck runs, but this has some usual suspects. 

– [0:10:53] Duel Links Meta Power Rankings

• Tier 1: 
• Tier 2: Melodious (12.9), Destiny HERO (9.7), Water Xyz (9.3), Harpies (9.0), Magnet Warrior (7.7) 
• Tier 3: Gaia (6.6), Thunder Dragon (5.6), Cyber Dragon (5.1), Noble Knights (5.0) 
• Off List: 

– [0:11:54] Aporia Raid Duels

• Chaos Infinity: This card is not unlike cards that flip a bunch of flip monsters up, something like Ghostrick Scare, Desert Sunlight, W Nebula Meteorite, or World Legacy Pawns. This has the added benefit of special summoning a Meklord from the deck or GY. This lends the possibility of a Meklord and flip monster deck. Meklord Geargias? Meklord Worms? 
• Granel Attack: This doesn’t seem good, it basically grants Meklord monsters a situational double attack.
• Mark of the Dragon – Heart (skill): Leo gets a free skill I guess, which gives 2 of a basic tuner in Morphtronic Lantron. Power Tool Dragon is nothing new, but we get an unobtainable card in Life Stream Dragon. Life Stream Dragon is pretty cool, allowing you to reset LP, taking no effect damage ever, and keeping this card alive with Equips. This is sorta an Accel Synchro though, but the skill lets you play Morphtronic Lantron from the hand right away. Probably not a meta skill at all, despite the cool new monster.

– [0:21:11] New MiniBOX, Force of Infinity

URs/SRs

• Meklord Astro Mekanikle: The Meklord archetype is nowhere on the meta map, so consider this an ace in a non-existent deck. The summoning activation doesn’t sound crazy difficult, but something that could lead to a lot of bricking. This specifically serves to eat up a Synchro Monster, attaching it for it’s attack points, and essentially destroying it. You’ve also got some burn capability by disposing of the attached monster. This is a solid card, but attached to a bad archetype. It’s too bad you can’t even really run a Meklord package, as you’ll need the monster consistency in the hand to run this card.
• Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon: Level 7 Synchros were once the hallmark of meta gameplay, a lot less so now. This card isn’t really good at all. The ability to special summon a card from the Pendulum Zone can lead to a big turn, but the set up for a Synchro first is a bit much. The other ability isn’t great either, as it just negates effects during the Battle Phase.
• Abyss Actor – Superstar: This is really good, as you’ll be able to Set any Abyss Script from the deck, and play it right after. While this could be countered by a “Toggle On” MST or Cosmic Cyclone, still a great ability. Further, this monster can’t have his summon interfered with by back row effects.
• Orient Dragon: Level 6 Synchro toolbox option, to banish another Synchro monster. Just a solid option for Level 6 Synchro, a set of cards that are known to have a bunch of different uses.
• Meklord Emperor Wisel – Synchro Absorption: I don’t get the name of this card because it has nothing to do with Synchros. This card is not unlike Silent Magician, who comes as a special summon by sending another controlled monster to the GY. The notable thing is this comes during your opponent’s turn, so it serves to counter that monster from attacking then. A decent hand trap for this archetype.
• Meklord Army Deployer Obbligato: This is typically a strong ability, as you’ll get to play 2 monsters straight from the deck. Meklord Army monsters aren’t that great though, so hopefully you’ll be setting up for some Extra Deck play or Meklord special summon. 
• Nobledragon Magician: This card definitely has versatility, being a Pendulum/Tuner. The use of this card is another question, as you’ll have limitations of Magicians sharing the Pendulum Scale. As a Tuner, you’ll be limited to a Dragon Synchro. Then there’s some further Odd-Eyes synergy. Just consider this card for Odd-Eyes plays, but a little situational for general usefulness.
• Abyss Actor – Mellow Madonna: There’s a lot to like about this card, starting at a Pendulum Scale of 0, which allows the lowest bound for Pendulum Summons. You can pay 1000 LP to tutor an Abyss Actor monster, which can set up a Duel Skill that requires LP payment. This also comes with varied monster effects, ramping onto the board like Parry Knights, or when on the field, special summoning an Abyss Actor from the deck. The only downside are the stats, but you’ll honestly never be tribute summoning. This card has so many good abilities, and makes Abyss Actors decent.
• Abyss Actor – Wild Hope: This card mostly exists to set the Pendulum Scale on the other side to 9, which allows a solid 2 to 9 spread. The monster effect is a bit more lackluster, just a little power boost. Also comes with a tutor effect upon destruction.
• Dinomist Rex: This card does quite a bit, starting with a Pendulum Effect that provides negation on targets. The monster effect is more interesting, situational on attacks going through like Gladiator Beasts. Certainly an interesting archetype, which is currently limited by this card release.
• Santa Claws: Not being crazy here, but this could be the all-purpose chase card of the box. This is a little Lava Golem, giving the opponent a festive 1200/2500, and allows you to draw 1 card! Happy Holidays!
• Meklord Assembly: If anything, this allows you to stretch your deck, making up for any Meklords you didn’t draw for Meklord Astro Mekanikle. General support spell for this archetype. 
• Dinomist Charge: This first let’s you tutor a Dinomist monster, so that’s a good start. When some Pendulum action happens with Pendulum monsters being destroyed and sent to the Extra Deck, you can add that card to the hand instead. I suppose this makes Dinomists an archetype that focuses on Pendulum Summons from the hand.

Abyss Actor

• Abyss Actor – Evil Heel: We’ve seen similar cards be meta, like Lunalight Crimson Fox, who can set up an OTK that turn.
• Abyss Actor – Twinkle Little Star: This card is better-served with the Pendulum Effect, as you can let beater/debuffer Evil Heel hit a bunch of stuff!
• Abyss Actor – Leady Lady: A smaller version of Evil Heel, and situational on the opponent dealing battle damage to you. Probably less useful than Evil Heel.
• Abyss Actor – Sassy Rookie: This is a decent card for protection in the Pendulum Zone. This card is also really sticky, making it an asset for any Extra Deck play, whether Xyz or Synchro. 
• Abyss Prop – Wild Wagon: This is a more comprehensive protection card for all Abyss Actor, but it has some holes. A lot of the moves can be countered, and this card’s effects can be chained. With all the MSTs around, it might be better to have the monsters in the Pendulum Scales.
• Abyss Script – Rise of the Abyss King: This should be a core piece to Abyss Actors, given how easy it is to get this out of the deck with Superstar.
• Abyss Script – Romantic Terror: If anything, this gives the Abyss Actors the Swallows’ Nest ability to dodge target effects, and to take advantage of some special summon ability. 
• Abyss Script – Abysstainment: This is an interesting card, being able to be special summon Abyss Actor Pendulums from your deck. This is an opponent triggered effect though, so you can’t destroy this on your own.
• Abyss Script – Fire Dragon’s Lair: This has a novel ability, basically being an equip on a monster, who destroys a monster by battle, and you can banish 3 opponent Extra Deck cards. Similar to deck milling, but targeting a different resource.
• Abyss Script – Opening Ceremony: This comes free with a Duel Skill, but the card draw is nice if your opponent hits it.

Dinomist

• Dinomist Ceratops: This archetype is pretty aggro, this is a ramp special summon without being a Pendulum Summon, which is handy if you do not have your Pendulum Zones set up. The protection ability in the Pendulum Zone is nice as well.
• Dinomist Spinos: Comes with the same Pendulum Effect as Ceratops. This is the more aggro card of the bunch, coming in with 2500 attack, and being able to attack directly or twice.
• Dinomist Pteran: Less good for the archetype, more of a resource generator.
• Dynamic Powerload: Field buff for 300 stat points, and ability to negate battle phase effects, sign me up.
• Dinomist Rush: Pretty good, special summon from deck effects are very strong, and they come built in with effect immunity. Given the deck is OTK in nature, it doesn’t matter the monster gets destroyed.
• Dinomist Brachion: Being a scale of 6, this comes with the same Pendulum Effect as Rex. This is a situational ramp card, more like a situational Cyber Dragon, as they have to have more than 2000 attack. 
• Dinomist Ankylos: I think this makes it in Dinomist, as it gives the Dinomists an Amazoness Onslaught like ability.
• Dinomist Plesios: A board debuffer, with the ability to make your opponent monsters lose 300 stats for a full board.
• Dinomist Stegosaur: This is just a general effect, but Pendulum Monsters you control get the effect destruction bonus going off even on monsters that can’t be destroyed by battle.
• Dinomist Eruption: A little situational, but if you can trigger the monster destroyed effect yourself, it’s okay. Being a trap card makes it less good.

– [0:55:15] Duel Links Mission Research

• Unformed Void: Muy interesante! This is a 3 overlay Rank 4 Xyz, which could be done with the help of the Star Seraph combo. This is a disruptor, activating the effect during your opponent’s turn, of gaining stats equal to all those of your opponent’s Xyz monsters. With just 1 monster, this card will just trade with the enemy monster, but they won’t be incentivized to play more than 1. This card will force your opponent to destroy it, and will be a struggle of keeping this alive. This card certainly deserves some consideration for decks that can swarm the board with level 4s. Whether this is better than other 3 overlay monsters is another issue.

3. [0:57:17]: Upcoming News

• [Mid December] Duelist Kingdom, new UR “Archfiend’s Staff of Despair,” new SR “Blast Sphere”
• [Mid December] Tour Guide’s Mission Bingo
• [Late December] Quattro to the Gate
• [Late December] Duelist Chronicles 5D’s: The Three Emperors of Illiaster, new UR “Armory Call” new Jack Atlas Skill
• [Late December] Duel Quest, new SR “Seiyaru”
• [Late December] New character (Anna Kaboom), new UR “Express Train Trolley Olley,” new SR “Lionhearted Locomotive”

Wrap up

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