You Name It!

Originally, I intended on writing a post directed to how you can make use of an upcoming generic Rank 4 Exceed Monster. Yes, if you still haven’t notice the insanity of Gagaga Gunman in one of the best old time decks Infernities you better brush up your knowledge on that. May you be an Infernities lover, neutral to them, or hate them Gunman will be a very useful card to have in your storage of arsenals. To be honest, Gunman is the only card that has kept me interested in YGO this week. Everything else is, you know, same ‘ol same ‘ol. How much would Infernities impact the future formats? I don’t see how they can take over having lost their best weapon, Trishula, and possibly losing Brionac as well in the coming banned lists. But Gagaga Gunman will certainly see a lot of play and perhaps a deck of its own might emerge. Whatever it is do get a copy of that cool looking cowboy. Or better still get copies of it.

End of introduction. Initially, like I have mentioned above, I wanted to write a post on how to combo with Gagaga Gunman but I came across a couple of bloggers that have written about it and has done a good job. I see no point on repeating this. Instead, this post will be an advertising post for them. First blogger being the legendary grandmaster Baha. Check out his old Infernities Ouroboros video to see how the combo works. Just replace Verz Ouroboros with Gagaga Gunman and there you have it. If you find Infernities annoying, I would advise you to get an extra table so you don’t need to flip the one your laptop or desktop is on. Anyhow, go and check it out! I don’t need to introduce Dueling Days do I? LOL!!!

The second blogger that has written about Gagaga Gunman would be Leodip. If you prefer articles over videos so that you can remember the steps or jot them down, go ahead and visit his blog. Leodip has written a couple of alternative routes you can take while performing the combo. All and all, do check out his blog as well. You can find it in my blog roll, it’s called Blog YGO. And that’s all for today. I hope you find the loop interesting and credits to both Baha and Leodip for doing a good job on ‘em articles. Thank you for dropping by!

The New Recruites

Life has been rather mean when it comes to time management lately. I suppose that is how things work when you do not run the world and that is why one should always look to lead the pack instead of going with the flow. But, yeah, enough of the random ramblings. Apart from being able to find time for further Yugioh evolution, I have been catching up with what Linkin Park has been doing. Living Things is good shit. No doubt. Back to Yugioh, things are still very slow and the new Structure Deck is not showing any huge impact upon its debut. Maybe because of the lack of new resources at the moment. However, Abyss Rising is close. Next month to be exact and Mermail looks badass enough to create a change in the Meta. However, I am more interested in the new Exceeds. There are a few that catches my eyes immediately when I took a peek at the upcoming pack. 

GAGAGA GUNMAN

This guy was an immediate catch. To start off, it has great art! Though what makes Gunman a card to keep an eye on is because it is a Dragon support card, indirectly. Rank 4, EARTH. Dragons, especially Disaster Dragon and Hieroglyphs, have been lacking behind when it comes to generic Rank 4 Exceeds they have access of. Yes, I am talking about when you have Kao’ki Meiru Drago on field. If you are not playing in Asia Format, Kachi Kochi Dragon is still the best generic Rank 4 to go to. But in Asia Format, the only Rank 4 we have access to is Wind-Up Zenmaister. How is Gunman better than it you ask? First off, it has a 2400 DEF which will be crucial in the future of Asia Format OCG when Rabbits begin their reign. 2400 DEF lets you hold the field against Raggia and Dolkka unlike Zenmaister who is only a 2400 beatstick if you do not utilize its effect. So, yeah, 2400 is going to be the special number in the future.

Apart from that, Gagaga Gunman is capable of becoming a 3000 beatstick when you need it to be. That being its effect when place in Attack Position. Base ATK of 1500, boost 1000 and minus 500 from opponent’s monster. Slightly insignificant as of now but it can become useful. Similar to how Muzurhythm is in a way. The second effect is more or less useless but it might come in handy for some decks. Fingers crossed. So, Dragon players in the Asia Format make sure to stock up on Gagaga Gunman. He is a must have in your Extra Deck. Coincidently, Gagaga Gunman can be of use in a Six Sam Extra Deck too.

HEROIC CHAMPION-GANDIVA

I am happy to see more support for Warrior-type decks! First we were given Blade Heart and then Heroic Champion-Excalibur now Konami presents us with Heroic Champion-Gandiva. Six Sams much anyone? What makes this card interesting is it being able to hurt Rabbit-based decks or your generic Tour Guide plays. Perhaps against Wind-Ups as well? Gandiva practically laughs in the face of decks that rely on Special Summoning small monsters to make big plays. Having Gandiva on the field against decks like Rabbit Raggia or Verz Rabbit can mean game. Though at 2100 ATK, it is not exactly the strongest beatstick but it proves its worth by giving players the ability to prevent a problem before it even becomes a problem. To all you Warrior lovers out there, Gandiva is a card that will make your day. Maybe Six Sams will regain its footing as a strong contender of the Meta with the help of Blade Heart, Excalibur, and Gandiva. I heard first turn Shi En and Gandiva against Rabbit Raggia is good. 

This card also works wonders together with Fairy King Alverd. Sadly, the summoning restriction is too much to handle for some decks. Will Vayu Turbo be good next format with the help of additional Extra Deck support and with Inzektors being hit in September? I am wondering myself. 

HEROIC CHAMPION-KUSANAGI

Kusanagi is an interesting version of Shi En or Barkion in my point of view. I am unsure if my assumptions are true or not but given the current look of the card right now Kusanagi is a 2500 beater that is capable of becoming bigger every time you negate a Trap card. Possibly 4000 if its attack boost is permanent! This is, of course, another boost for Six Sams. However, the problem with this card is the summoning restriction. The requirement of needing 3 Level 4 monsters to Exceed into is quite a high cost to pay no matter the situation. If without such restrictions, Six Sams would have been able to get another big beater which can aid them in numerous scenarios.  Even better if Kusanagi’s attack boost actually stays unlike Excalibur. I would not call Kusanagi an OTK enabler like Blade Heart or Excalibur but it is something good to have around the field just in case you need one. But with better Rank 4s in Six Sams arsenal, is Kusanagi even worth to play? That is personal preference I suppose. Having said that, Kusanagi is definitely a good boost for Six Sams or generically Warrior-based decks and hopefully it does see play in the competitive scene.

ONE-EYED SKILL GAINER

This is another interesting piece of work. First of all, Skill Gainer has potential and he comes with solid stats. 2500 ATK and 2600 DEF is pretty big. Being a LIGHT means it works with Honest though I doubt that is happening. To have the ability to copy a monster’s effect and name is pretty scary. Imagine copying a Raggia’s effect when you are running a deck like Six Sams. Yeah, bullshit and it is not funny. With all of the possibilities said, the main problem Skill Gainer faces is the summoning restriction. Similar to Kusanagi or other Rank 4 Exceeds that require three Overlay units, it is practically not worth it. It is sad to see such a good card going to waste due to its summoning restriction. If without the summoning restriction, Skill Gainer would be a good option to consider when combating Chaos Dragons as it has 2600 DEF. Specifically against Lightpulsar. Again, hopefully it sees play in competitive scene. Skill Gainer is an interesting card that can enable a lot of different plays to emerge according to the situation a player is in.

Abyss Rising is indeed a set worth getting if you are looking for more Warrior support cards. I have not spent enough time researching Mermail and so I would leave the job to someone else to review them but they do look strong enough to be called a Meta deck. I have come to the end of today’s post. I hope this has provided readers with good insights. Stay tuned for more updates and thank you for dropping by!

Rolling With The Top Dogs, 13

I’ve been down with a cold and tons of work to complete lately. Haven’t had much time  to update the blog. But, nevertheless, welcome back to another segment of Rolling with the Top Dogs. Today, let me introduce another player from Singapore to you, my readers. He may not be a very popular name but I find him worthy to be included in this segment. A duelist that has gave Dino Rabbits some credentials in Singapore. Please welcome, Ryan Stark from Singapore! Without further delays, please go ahead and enjoy today’s interview. I’m not sure if he is related to Tony Stark or not.

Ryan Stark a.k.a Rabbit Ryan

1.Let's start of by introducing yourself. Please tell us a little bit of who you are.

Hi, I'm Ryan from Singapore, start playing Yugioh around December 2010. Start play competitive at 2011 till today, my achievements are Singapore Showdown Top 16, Asian Championship Qualifier 3rd place with Dino Rabbit and currently seeded Top 16 for Singapore World Championship Qualifier.

2.Before going into serious business. Do you've a favourite deck, which deck(s) is it?

Erm...Before March banned list 2012 my previous favourite deck I been playing is Junk Doppel. Due to important cards like Grow-Up Bulb, Spore and Trishula banned now I’m playing Infernity. Haha yes I love stunts combo decks.

3.This is a 'lil something everyone wants to know. Are there any YGO cards you especially like? I mean, favourite card(s).

My favorite card is of cause Rescue Rabbit!! This is one of the reason I play for tourneys and the picture explain all for you ^^ and Effect Veiler. 

4.Okay, going into business. How long have you been playing YGO and what is your personal opinion on the state of the game right now?

Since around December 2010, i found current state of game is very interesting with new exceed monsters and new archetype decks + new structure decks keep coming out we will have a lot choices to choose which decks we want to play.

5.Apart from improving skills, being competitive means understanding the current situation of the format. What do you think of the format as of now and how is the Meta in your country performing at the moment?

My current local everywhere can see Inzektors and Heroes, seriously opponent top deck a Damsel while you are winning and you have nothing to counter him is too broken, Hero Beat/Arrive Hero with their amazing control base cards and OTK engine is very fast and strong too. They also not very expensive so a lot peoples choose to play these decks. Apart from the 2 decks, Hieroglyphs, Machina Gadget are also included and Chaos Dragons are getting popular in Singapore. I also start playing them.

6.What deck are you running at the moment and how is it performing in the format, in your opinion? And, just out of curiosity, why do you choose that deck as your weapon of choice?

Currently, I'm playing Infernity aside from Dino Rabbits, it’s one of the deck I like other then Junk Doppel before March banned list so now Junk Doppel get hit so hard,  It’s pretty stupid to use Infernity during this format where everyone main x2/3 Veiler+Inzektors+OTK decks flying around Infernity pretty much stand no chance. Why I still choose Infernity was because their result they giving me by 1 card within one turn its too strong and its fun. So, I choose to continue my Infernity deck till now.

7.This is a personal interest of mine. Do you think TCG exclusives are capable of making an impact in the OCG competitive scene by the time they arrive? Will they be positive or negative changes?

Yes they will make huge impact in OCG as long as they have very strong effect. Example, Tour Guide. They will be heavily used once reaching OCG.

8.YGO is serious business nowadays. Are there any specific preparation taken by you to get yourself ready for major events? How does it help you?

Keep deck testing with friends in DN or in real life, especially before major important tourneys. Know your own cards and current Meta deck ruling properly.

9.Side-decking has always been an important part of the game and many players still aren't familiar with it. What does you focus on in your side-deck and how do you decide on which card is effective enough to be included?

My side deck mainly focus on Meta decks, decide by thinking that this card is it good to go against them,  if not then take out after that I surf my side deck, take out cards that is good against and analyze how many cards I can change/side-in/side-out. I try to prevent over-siding or lose focus on it and turn inconsistent.

10.Continuing from the question before. Side-decking sometimes reduces the synergy in your main-deck. Do you side in a specific order to  prevent that from happening, is there a formula you apply while side-decking?

Not really in specific order nor any formula, depending on what deck you’re facing off with. It’s important to put balance between main and side deck. Try not over-side it and play properly during matches.

11.I'm sure a lot of players are interested in your methods of seeking improvement as a competitive player. What do you do exactly to be a better player?

I read deck-lists topping in major tournaments like YCS and OCG Championship, you can learn their skills and knowledge why they put those cards inside their deck and brought them to top place. Play with your friends/local tourney and analyze your mistakes while made during games.

12.The banned list has always amused us. So, let's say Konami gave you the right to ban a card, which card(s) would it be? Why?

Heavy Storm.  I hate that card.

13.By banning a card, what if Konami again gave you the chance to unbanned a card, which card(s) would it be? Why?

Rescue cat. Rabbit need his friend to join the party.

14.Apart from the banned list, if you given an opportunity to change a part of YGO, what would it be and why?

Life Points? Haha 8k is like too little. I would like have more tag team tournaments in Singapore.^^

15.Last question, are there any players out there that you think should be in this section? Who do you think Digital Mortal should interview next?

HoroHoro from Japan. He’s a very strong player and one of the reasons why I played Scrap deck while i just started playing YGO competitive during 2011.

Here comes the end of another interview with a good player. HoroHoro huh? A good name indeed. Regardless, I’ll do my best to find him. Last but not least, I would like to thank Eustace for helping me get in touch with mister Stark and thank you to the man himself for giving some time and effort to complete this interview. Much appreciated! Also, best of luck to all the Singaporean players who are attending WCQ this week! Until next time, remember to play smart, fight hard, or go home a loser. Thank you for stopping by!

Breaking The Curse, 4

WCQ happened earlier and as usual it was one of the most crowded tournaments in Malaysia. Tons of events happened today and funny enough some were fortunate ones but whatever they may be I will not write about the dramas that unfolded. Too many details. Nothing much to introduce more and I’ll jump straight to the tournament report. Seeded players had to wait for quite awhile before it was our turn to play so there was a lot of time to chat, trade and make money. 

TOP 32 (WIND-UP INZEKTORS)

I wasn’t expecting this but, yeah, life goes on.

GAME 1: Drew nothing and my opponent revealed nothing until he played his first POD. As soon as I saw Damsel, it was clear to me on how I needed to play. After that turn, I drew my first MST and proceeded to bait out his Veiler with my Atumus. Went into REDMD and made a Photon Streak Bouncer to hold the field and things were going my way until he had 1700LPs left. Shit happened the next turn. He top-decked a Dark Hole, mind fuck, and loop my remaining 3 cards. GG from there.

GAME 2: I made an early field control with Bouncer and REDMD again. Things were looking good as I rushed till he had 1700LPs left. Guess what? Dude top-decks Dark Hole again and left me blown and proceeded to loop my hand cards. The fuck is happening...Died the next turn due to his tremendous advantage. 

So, I scrubbed and failed to break the curse. Honestly speaking, I am utterly disgusted on how things went its way but such is life. I guess it’s another year of waiting before I get another shot on the title. Better luck next time? This is the shortest tournament I’ve ever played in. Today’s MVP that killed me is Dark Hole. Apart from that, Sam didn’t manage to hold on to his reign this year and congratulations to Sung Lee for winning the event! Sung Lee played really well. Also, congrats to Zack Teoh for taking the 3^rd place. Well-played matches sadly he couldn’t go all the way through. Not to forget, for all those Sam-haters out there I suppose today you can celebrate. LOL! And here comes the end of today’s post. Thank you for reading! Stay tune for better and longer updates. Until next time.