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It's a conflict Ihave been toying with since the newest restriction list came out.
Since October 1st. Players have been heavilly concerning themselves with card advantage. If you have seen anyone rare a card by a +/- system. That's what the advantage is about. Players now will only use cards, if at a miniumum, will net them a 1-1. Big examples here are Sakurestu Armor and Smashing Ground. You trade off 1 card for their 1 creature, and that has basically what the meta has come down with today.
Now normally , if you're playing in one of these duels, you could very well find yourself topdecking against your opponent, which is a very bad corner to be in. And usually, a Sakurestu Armor or a Smashing Ground against a swarm, isn't going to cut it.
So here's where I'm getting at. Would it be wise to place cards in your deck that serve as EXCELLENT topdecks rather than concoct a deck that is mostly 1-1 tradeoffs with your opponent.
For those who may be a bit confused as to what kind of cards I am talking about, here's some examples:
Magic Cylinder
Dimention Wall
Lightning Vortex
As far as advantage goes, both of these cards are a -1. This is so because you are using 1 card in order to get an effect to happen, and the effect doesn't change the opponents side of the field, as would Sakurestu Armor.
HOWEVER, they have effects that can easily swing the game in your favor, possibly pull a win for you.
Topdecking a MC/DW against a swarm could easily turn the tide of the game. If they're at 1900 and they swing with a Cyber Dragon first, and your only card on the field is a topdecked Dimention Wall. That card just nailed a win for you. Now, imagine if that would be a Sakurestu Armor against that swarm. Not so good.
Lightning Vortex is a -2 right off the bat. The card itself and the discard cost. The only way to equate this is by nabbing 2 of the opponents creatures, making the whole thing a 0. You're back to square one, but you took out some of the opponents creatures and possibly prevented a swarm.
Some other personal maindecked goodies:
Sasuke Samurai #4
Time Wizard
Yes, these 2 have great topdeck potential. Time Wizard is great in case the opponent sets up an instant swarm on their turn. Time Wizard on your turn and possibly change the tide.
Now, using TW is looked down upon a little, primarilly because of coin tosses, a practice that is VERY looked down upon. HOWEVER, by using Time Wizard, you are basically using a Raigeki you can maindeck in 3's, if you think about it.
If you are getting swarmed, this is the best time to use him, and quite possibly, the ONLY time he should be used. If he's your only creasture on your side of the field, and you lose the flip, you lose 250 lp and the normal summon for the turn.
But that goes with the chance of using a Raigeki on your opponent.
Sasuke Samurai #4 follows the same path, looked down upon because of the coin toss aspect.
Let's say your opponents 5 creatures are attacking you.
If you get the first coin toss to work. He just became a Sakurestu Armor, AND you maintain FIELD ADVANTAGE. If you get all 5 to go off, he just became a Mirror Force, highly unlikely, but the possibility is still there.
But topdecking a SS#4, drop him out in Attack and ending the turn, just got you some instant defense with the possibility of preventing an opponents swarm.
So here's where I'm getting at. The cards I have mentioned do not provide great card advantage, however, they are definately great working with in a pinch.
Is is best to construct a deck of cards that make little differences in the game, which can lead to a big difference later on.
Or using several cards in a deck that can provide a big difference?
Basically: Card Advantage practices VS Topdecked Goodness. Which is better?
The tide of the game changes on a whim, keeping constant card advantage is a bit difficult to maintain. You will find situations where these 1-1 tradeoffs won't help against bigger threats that a Widespread Ruin simply cannot handle.
But 1-1s can help prevent those threats from ever happening. Personally, I'd rather prevent a huge swarm from hitting me than try to deal with it once it's on me. If I take a chance in letting my opponent gain momentum, that could be the end for me. Burn decks seem to show this point the best. Let a Burn deck get started and it'll take a lot to stop it. That's why you have to stop it before it even starts to beat it.
If you end up facing a lot of swarms, you're either a low-skill player or someone who faces a ton of overly aggressive players. The best players don't keep summoning monsters turn after turn until they have 3-4 monsters in play. Otherwise, Dark Hole would hit much harder than it should. The only decks you should have to worry about when it comes to swarming are Gravekeepers and Dark World (if you're not careful with it).
everyone is assuming their deck wont be on the field much and plan accordingly
ppl prepare more to take out an opponents deck rather than win with theirs, they keep doing 1-1 till they can get the one monster out and chisel away at life points till the oppenent does the same, kinda boring
i try to balance the 2 in my decks, its not fun when i only have 1 monster on the field and im already planning for what i will do when it dies this turn, thats a little too grim for me so i plan tech cards and general negation into my decks
but then again, my decks are able to disassemble other decks so i cant really relate to someone else's experiences in dueling.
It's a conflict Ihave been toying with since the newest restriction list came out.
Since October 1st. Players have been heavilly concerning themselves with card advantage. If you have seen anyone rare a card by a +/- system. That's what the advantage is about. Players now will only use cards, if at a miniumum, will net them a 1-1. Big examples here are Sakurestu Armor and Smashing Ground. You trade off 1 card for their 1 creature, and that has basically what the meta has come down with today.
Now normally , if you're playing in one of these duels, you could very well find yourself topdecking against your opponent, which is a very bad corner to be in. And usually, a Sakurestu Armor or a Smashing Ground against a swarm, isn't going to cut it.
So here's where I'm getting at. Would it be wise to place cards in your deck that serve as EXCELLENT topdecks rather than concoct a deck that is mostly 1-1 tradeoffs with your opponent.
For those who may be a bit confused as to what kind of cards I am talking about, here's some examples:
Magic Cylinder
Dimention Wall
Lightning Vortex
As far as advantage goes, both of these cards are a -1. This is so because you are using 1 card in order to get an effect to happen, and the effect doesn't change the opponents side of the field, as would Sakurestu Armor.
HOWEVER, they have effects that can easily swing the game in your favor, possibly pull a win for you.
Topdecking a MC/DW against a swarm could easily turn the tide of the game. If they're at 1900 and they swing with a Cyber Dragon first, and your only card on the field is a topdecked Dimention Wall. That card just nailed a win for you. Now, imagine if that would be a Sakurestu Armor against that swarm. Not so good.
Lightning Vortex is a -2 right off the bat. The card itself and the discard cost. The only way to equate this is by nabbing 2 of the opponents creatures, making the whole thing a 0. You're back to square one, but you took out some of the opponents creatures and possibly prevented a swarm.
Some other personal maindecked goodies:
Sasuke Samurai #4
Time Wizard
Yes, these 2 have great topdeck potential. Time Wizard is great in case the opponent sets up an instant swarm on their turn. Time Wizard on your turn and possibly change the tide.
Now, using TW is looked down upon a little, primarilly because of coin tosses, a practice that is VERY looked down upon. HOWEVER, by using Time Wizard, you are basically using a Raigeki you can maindeck in 3's, if you think about it.
If you are getting swarmed, this is the best time to use him, and quite possibly, the ONLY time he should be used. If he's your only creasture on your side of the field, and you lose the flip, you lose 250 lp and the normal summon for the turn.
But that goes with the chance of using a Raigeki on your opponent.
Sasuke Samurai #4 follows the same path, looked down upon because of the coin toss aspect.
Let's say your opponents 5 creatures are attacking you.
If you get the first coin toss to work. He just became a Sakurestu Armor, AND you maintain FIELD ADVANTAGE. If you get all 5 to go off, he just became a Mirror Force, highly unlikely, but the possibility is still there.
But topdecking a SS#4, drop him out in Attack and ending the turn, just got you some instant defense with the possibility of preventing an opponents swarm.
So here's where I'm getting at. The cards I have mentioned do not provide great card advantage, however, they are definately great working with in a pinch.
Is is best to construct a deck of cards that make little differences in the game, which can lead to a big difference later on.
Or using several cards in a deck that can provide a big difference?
Basically: Card Advantage practices VS Topdecked Goodness. Which is better?
Well, one of my brothers absolutely loves reducing the duel to topdecking and when I used a trad CED deck I did too. Topdecking can highten the excitement and desperation of a duel and possibly make it more fun.
However, topdecking can backfire horribly, card advantage means you shouldn't have to worry about topdecking. FI you do though the negative side of topdecking emerges you draw a "useless card" and watch as your opponent whittles your LP away.
SO I'd pick card advantage, but it is pretty fun when both players are reduced to topdecking.
Card Advantage is mostly better to have than to go into topdecking but every game won't turn out flawless and it wouldn't hurt to figure out if your deck actually topdecks well. There will be 2 or 3 duels, maybe more say you're at a Regional where a player & deck WILL be reduced to topdecking and I recall seeing something about a test to see how well the topdecking in your deck is....I just don't remember where I saw it.
some decks absolutely rely on topdecking, its crucial. some that come to me now-
-Exodia
-Burn/Stall
-Mill
-etc
These decks rely on topdecking, exodia mainly, because they attempt at a defence. the best defence is a good offence, but because it usually isn't a good idea to run an offencive exodia deck... well you get what I'm sayin'. I'm going to guess that this is why exodia decks arn't exactly good competitive decks, know what I'm sayin'?
Opposing this, you have excellent topdecking decks, which normally include cards like cyber dragon or dark hole, which are both excellent topdeckers.
If you think about it, cards like magic cylinder and dimension wall like Beck mentioned, whether we are topdecking or not, are still going to be useful. Like Terable said, with all these 1 for 1's going around, we're not going to be able to get much damage through often. These cards can help get some extra damage in so we can get closer to ending it. Still, no one seems to want to use cards like cylinder anymore.
As much as we don't want to admit it, little by little, we'll end up losing advantage and it'll end up being a topdeck war most of the time so, yeah, some more "disadvantage" cards come in handy at times..
I can tell you this, whenever I lose a game guess what it is to?
Exactly.
Card advantage, my opponent wil have a full hand of cards while i'm stuck with two or one.
And when I win,
You guessed it.
I have all the cards and my opponent is top decking or has one or two cards.
It is all about being conservative in your hand. Play one or two cards per turn, especially in the early game. It's the worst when you end up with no cards on the third turn. Also cards like Dekoichi, Morphing Jar and Avarice (which I am not too fond of) can also give you cards in your hand, but may also replenish your opponents hand too, Morphing Jar.
In the end, you just have to be conservative if you want to come out on top.
Size alone doesn't always matter. You could have 6 cards in your hand, but if they don't help you at that time, then it's not really an advantage. Seen it and had it happen a lot.
Like I said...you'll both keep declining in advantage if you choose to keep playing cards each turn until, unless you win early, you end up in a topdeck war.
Size alone doesn't always matter. You could have 6 cards in your hand, but if they don't help you at that time, then it's not really an advantage. Seen it and had it happen a lot.
That's when it comes down to how your well your deck has been built.
A poorly built deck will probably run into that, but now and then you will run into that horrible hand, but if the deck is well built, that kind of hand should be extremely rare.