Staples & LCCG

One of the most common questions from a new member is what cards are staples in the CCG. Honestly, there are very few - no certain cards that work universally such as Reborn, Dark Hole etc. But there are a good deal of cards that are always worth considering when constructing your Deck.

tl;dr alert

Monsters
Starting with monsters, the recently Limited Savior Soldier is always a strong addition. Not requiring you to take damage like some TCG counterparts, Soldier can hold off an OTK admirably with a very respectable 2500 body. In-built effect negation is fantastic as well, and will likely shut down your opponent for the remainder of the turn. Due to its lack of restrictions on Summon, it will fit into nearly any deck and except in unlikely scenarios, will always reward your choice.

Another monster for you to consider is Nox Exploiter. This is one of only a few strong hand-Traps in our game, but it's versatility is unparalleled by others of its kind. While it is an inherent minus on use, its various applications make its cost negligible. The ability to shut down attacks and Xyz/Synchro plays during either turn, interrupt combos and nullify threats is what Exploiters brings to the table. Having no restrictions and the ability to dodge most on-field counters, Exploiter will rarely harm consistency while having a tonnes of potential.

Of all the monsters I'm discussing, the least splashable of them is probably Keeper of the Arsenal. However, it can potentially help you more than the more defence-focused Nox Exploiter and Savior Soldier. Having a respectable 1900 Defence, Keeper can comfortably wall most first turn Summons, but that isn't what he's there for. What he's really there for is his unique ability to turn any monster you control into nearly any monster in your Deck. A fantastic consistency engine, Keeper of the Arsenal can grab combo peices at will, with his bulk providing you a stable base to assemble the correct cards. If you find that you have trouble amassing your win condition, this card should be high on your list of solutions.

Before I progress to Spells, I'd like to mention another monster whose stock in the game I feel is rising rapidly. Icevale Witch is on paper not entirely impressive, and I would really advocate it as a Side Deck choice, but on a competitive level in a Metagame that has become more focused on slow grind games, Icevale Witch provides you with a fantastic Anti-Meta option. It's 1700 Defence stat is much more relevant than you might first realize - it walls Nox Deceiver, who is unable to flip the Witch to later pop it, it laughs in the face of each Pteryx and nullifies their searches. It keeps Firetongue Gila at bay and in the face of some faster decks, drags Mezzo, Antennae and other contenders into slow-paced games that they struggle to win.

Spells
I'm sure you all want to know what the best 1 for 1 removal cards are, but the honest answer is that there is no clear-cut superior card.

In terms of monster removal, one of the most common choices is Depraved Extortion, which actually forces your opponent to Tribute a monster for nothing - this helps dodge anti-destruction clauses. Other contenders are Interdimensional Treaty, which you don't have to discard for if the monster isn't removed and also has the perk of being searchable by Interdimensional Skullblade. Scrap Destruction is a strong contender, being a Quick-Play adds the benefit of speed and versatility, though with a 1500 LP cost. Endless Dissension is another option, but some decks lack the ability to consistently feed its cost. Phantom's Decision is an option that many are still fond of, but may not be a good choice for those who like to commit monsters to the field. Of the options presented here, I would personally recommend Scrap Destruction and Depraved Extortion - these two will generally cover enough ground to suit your needs.

One card I'd like to mention separately is Extremely Obvious Spike Trap. While technically a 1 for 1 monster removal card, it doesn't always play out like that. But when you put it into play you can near guarantee that your opponent will be forced to burn a card to get rid of it, whether it is S/T removal or willingly attacking into it in order to get it off the field. On the other hand, they just may not attack at all. It's cards like these that are what make Yugioh worth playing, they can either break even to try and force it from the field or sit back until they gather enough cards to push through it. For the user though almost every scenario is a win-win, because if they leave it on the field, it allows the user to continue as normal, knowing they have a layer of removal protecting them. I'm Ash and this is my favourite Spell in LCCG.

Onto backrow hate, there isn't quite as much S/T removal as there is for monsters. The 3 stand-out options are Splitting Cut, Trap-Setting Dud , or Swift Storm . To a lesser extent, there is Scrap Liquidation though it has fallen out of favour in a Metagame dominated by Traps that your opponent can happily concede for a 1 for 1 of their liking. The main 3 however must be chosen to suit your Deck. For a fast-paced deck, removing as much backrow as possible to enable your plays is of utmost importance, and is likely the only Deck Type to use Swift Storm, likely assisted by use of Splitting Cut for guaranteed removal. A slower paced deck would most likely pick Dud and Cuts for neutral coverage and card advantage. Bear this in mind when constructing your Deck.

The last Spell I shall discuss is probably also the closest card in the CCG to attaining true Staple status - Lifeforce Shield. I touched upon it when discussing the Pteryx Deck earlier this month. This card essentially says "Everything on your field is untouchable and your opponent is bad for trying to play Yugioh". It makes a mockery of any and all forms of removal and turns monsters invincible whenever you want. The fact that it replaces itself is, from a design stand-point, excessively good. If chained to any 1 for 1 removal card, it will force your opponent to drop in card advantage. Add in that it is a Quick-Play and hence can be used whenever the hell you feel like it, Lifeforce Shield is a card that should certainly one of the first cards on your Deck List.

Traps
Traditionally, Trap line-ups in the CCG have practically built themselves due to lack of good varied options. Some cards fill in certain niche roles, but for the most part, you will see a familiar trap backbone to most Decks.

Hostile Negotiation has been virtually unchallenged as supremo S/T negator, though if you can maintain enough Life Points to play it, Acid Spark or Coils of Cocytus may be your preferred option. This is one of the few times in Yugioh in general where the choice really does come down to player preference, as there are good arguments in favour of all. In Hostile's favour is the chance of disrupting your opponents hand and phazing through their backrow. A good assumption is that if your opponent is willing to discard to ensure resolution, then your opponent is either desperate, or needs to ensure a play. If they don't, then their hand is either S/T-free, they're baiting your backrow or they're holding a more relevant card. Utilizing Hostile and making the correct read based on its outcome will go a long way. In the case of Cocytus/Spark, you have pure 1 for 1 negation, that is nearly untouchable. Holding either when making a push for the win isn't far from being backed up by a Solemn Judgment and it is a quality that can't be disregarded. Like I said, it is down to player preference.

In the Effect negation department, there is really only one choice. Effect Disorientation is another Counter Trap but it's scope of use is unfortunately not very wide in comparison to say, Symphony of Pain. However Symphony of Pain has a very fatal flaw - using it can happily allow your opponent to set up or manipulate their Graveyard. This leaves Disorientation head and shoulders above its closest competitor.

Moving on, we have some more familiar Traps: Twister of Rejection; Gift from Diabolus have been in Decks since their inception (or in Diabolus' case, their unbanning) and have proven their worth time after time. Both are, and will likely remain for a long time, dependable, disruptive, chainable Traps. For decks that keep a high card advantage, such as Pteryx, Soul Spark Attack is also a fine choice, bringing extra removal and versatility to the table. Like Lifeforce Shield, responding to removal with this will usually garner a plus in advantage over your opponent.

I hope you all find this informative, and I hope that members new and old find this article helpful while they work on their innovations. I expect that in time we'll find or create more cards worthy of being discussed here and when that happens I'd be glad to pass on the information.

Deck Awareness: Pteryx

Today, I want to talk about the Deck that caused a huge stir when it debuted in last years Fall League Season. Pteryx made it all the way to the final, where Leo eventually fell to Mr. Volcano and his equally impressive Reptile Beat Deck. Reptiles did see some cause for concern with the new Ban List - Razor Scales was Limited, which restricted some control capabilities - but Pteryx was untouched and still has the ability to overwhelm opponents with sheer card advantage.

The basis of the Deck is that each Pteryx is also a Gadget - every time you Normal Summon a Pteryx, it fetches a different Pteryx from your Deck. On 1400 bodies, that may not seem very impressive, but the idea of having a startling number of Traps while maintaining a consistent flow of Monsters can be very difficult to disrupt once it starts going. But the monsters have another quality that shouldn't be overlooked when deck building - Luminopteryx and Nyctopteryx are Light and Dark respectively, allowing the Main Deck access to the powerhouse Deep Chaos Dragon. Backed by flexible Spells and Traps, DCD can quickly push towards a victory with it's impressive Attack stat and the ability to further read an opponents hand or extend your own.

You've seen me talk about how Pteryx uses its backrow to further its ability to control the game, but there are 3 cards in particular that achieve this better than others. Firstly, Soul Spark Attack is a card that might seem similar to people that have ran HERO's in the TCG. A generic Trap version of Gemini Spark that Pteryx can use to amazing effect. Using  it can push to +2 in advatage, if you chain it to your opponents removal and used on a Pteryx that already searched. In addition, Lifeforce Shield grants protection for any card and replaces itself. It is a +0 on paper, but games aren't played on paper. You will often chain the Quick-Play to a removal card, which will force your opponent into a minus. Correct use of Lifeforce Shield serves to further your advantage over your opponent and nullify their outs. Finally, Blizzard is probably the best tool a control deck could ask for. By restricting your opponent to one Summon per turn, you force them to play at your pace, effectively butchering any Swarm deck in your way. But what allows you to beat other control decks is that Blizzard searches ANY Counter Trap in the game for using it. For example you could search Scrap Confusion. Since you already locked them to 1 Summon, if it's a Normal Summon that's gone too. Alternatively you could search Mirror Shot to defend your backrow or Effect Disorientation to thwart any incoming dangerous monsters.

For now, I've finished glorifying the Deck, and I'm sure you want to know how to beat it too. Unfortunately, there is no "quick-fix" solution. The previous method was to use Rotting Eyes and strip cards from their hand away turn by turn, but that option is no longer available. The only real option is to either beat them quickly before they set up, or to match their advantage game. Both are incredibly hard to pull off, but Mezzo can manage option 1, while Greymarch and Nox are options for the second route. If you are playing the mirror match, sided Hellcrescent Strix can make the task much simpler as you steal their searches and put out a bigger monster than any Pteryx. Alternatively, sided Mirror Walls and Icevale Witch can help alleviate the match-up, but your opponent will have a number of answers for these.

Sample Deck List

3|Dsa|Gainsboropteryx

3|Dsa|Luminopteryx

3|Dsa|Nyctopteryx

3|Anv1|Dreadcaster

2|Dsa|Apocalypse Valkyrie

2|Dirb|Big Shield Locker

3|Acrd|Depraved Extortion

2|Dodm|Lifeforce Shield

2|Acrd|Trap-Setting Dud

2|Nasb|Splitting Cut

2|Dsa|Extremely Obvious Spike Trap

1|Dirb|Scrap Destruction

1|Dodm|Support Recharge

3|Dsa|Effect Disorientation

3|Rope|Soul Spark Attack

2|Anv1|Hostile Negotiation

2|Dirb|Blizzard

2|Acrd|Twister of Rejection

1|Acrd|Scrap Confusion

1|Clpc|Gift from Diabolus

1|Acrd|Flash Grenade

1|Enil|Twin Double Crossers