100th YCS, Upcoming Format

So I'm sure your all aware that Dark Worlds took the win at the largest YGO TCG tournament in history. The deck is arguably a "rogue" deck as opposed to the big 3, but it is a top tier deck nonetheless. I firmly believe that this guy had a consistent build, and that is what got him the win. He opened up with the nuts almost every game.

This being said, I fully expected either Dino-Rabbit to take it, or Wind-ups to finally win one. I was wrong. There is always next YCS I suppose.

We have 4 more YCS's to go before GAOV becomes legal, so perhaps we will see a bit of variety, as seeing 3 Dino-Rabbit in the top 4 is getting old very quick.

Once GAOV does become legal however, I can see this format changing pace very quickly. Some predictions I have atm are:

• Heretics will become tier 1. They have an excellent match up against Dino-Rabbit, but Inzecters and Wind-ups eat this deck alive. I can see this being a Rock-Paper-Scissors format.
  
• Card Car D will be played in 2-3 in almost 90% of the decks. It is a decent card, sure, but I feel it is extremely over hyped.
  
• Trial and Tribulation( TCG Exclusive) will be played in Wind-Ups as a Win-Moar Card.
  
• Tardy Orc will have a lackluster effect that adds nothing to the Underworld archetype.
  
• Inzecter Gruf being released will give inzecters the edge over Dino-Rabbit. Having access to rank 4 and 5 exceeds is no laughing matter. Its almost like giving Inzecters the same toolbox that Wind-Ups have.

Thats all for now. I have been thinking alot lately about taking a hiatus from the blog. It just isnt on my agenda lately, and I'm sure you have all noticed. If I do, I plan on keeping it open for certain events/coverage/releases. I haven't decided for sure yet, but I feel like I'm not committed enough. LOL.We'll see. Till next time. (whenever that will be.)

Price hikes are stupid.

$60 Fiendish Chain
$130 Maxx "C"
$140 Tour Guide
$80 Wind-Up Rabbit
$110 Zenmaines

Watch the trend continue.....


inb4 $150 Secret Rare Card Car D,
        60$ Lightray Sorcerer ( If it gets the SCR treatment),
        $50 SUPER rare Inzecter Gruf.
         and of course, $200 TCG exclusive in which you need 3 of to be competitive.

Banlist Thoughts & YCS Atlanta Results

Banned
Trishula
Glow Up Bulb
Spore
Trap Dustshoot

Limited
The Agent of Mystery Earth
TG Striker

Semi-Limited
Marshmallon
Lightlord Summoner Lumina
Emergency Teleport
Shien’s Smoke Signal
Level Limit Area B
Torrential Tribute
Ultimate Offering
Reborn Tengu

Unlimited
Call of the Haunted

Well, I was nowhere near any of my guesses. Le Sigh. Ah well, I still think this banlist is utter bullshit. Seems like Konami was thinking "Lets kill skillfull decks, and promote autopilots." Its like they zoned out the last half of the format. They absolutely didnt need to buttfuck plants as hard as they did. The deck wasnt a problem ever since the introduction of Inzectors/Wind-Ups. I Like that Six Sams got a nice little buff to add consistency. And its about damn time Lumina went to 2. The biggest impact this banlist will have on the meta today is the fact the TT went to 2. It's a good card, that I could have seen getting banned before semi'd.

Ah well, bandwagon time, Got my wind-ups built this weekend during regionals. Scored a bunch of great deals.

 Also, T.Gs Won YCS Atlanta (Albeit the Heavy-Trap Stun build). I guess this could be their curtain call, as Tengu getting hit hurts the deck, as well as T.G striker to an extent. I didn't expect Dino-Rabbit to be so prominent. I figured they would have showed some appearances, but I honestly expected Inzecter's to take it. Oh well, Theres always next YCS.

Lightray Sorcerer.

This little gem was recently announced in the new set, Galactic Overlord. It is only a rare in the OCG version of the set, but knowing Konami, I can see this getting the SCR-Treatment over here in TCG. With good reason. He's pretty broken.

Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) when you have 3 or more banished LIGHT monsters. Once per turn: You can shuffle 1 of your banished LIGHT monsters into your Deck to target 1 face-up monster on the field; banish that target. This card cannot attack the turn you activate this effect. 

Obviously he is best suited in Agent decks, as it is extremely easy to meet his requirements with Master Hyperion alone (or Jupiter if your particular build runs him). He is a level 6 who can essentially be a free summon, giving the deck easier access to level 8 Synchros (which the deck sorta lacked). Even better then his summon conditions is his effect. He shares Chaos Sorcerer's effect, but at the same time RECYCLES your banished Shine Balls/Venus/Herald of Orange Light.

Also pointed out to me, is that 2 of these guys = Magi Magi ☆ Magician Gal, which has a pretty ridiculous effect. ( IF we ever get her anyways). Another suitable replacement is Photon Streak Bouncer, which comes out in the same set as LightRay Sorcerer.

 With the release of this card, I can easily see Agents becoming tier 1 yet again. This is of course assuming Earth/Venus/Hyperion does not get hit by the March 1st Ban list. It might even give Agent decks a better reason to add Cards in the Sky to their decks for a bit of consistancy.

 Even if, I for one am extremely excited about this card, given that it comes from a pretty lackluster set (IMO). Well, not so much lackluster, but definitely not as decent as the last 2 sets we were given.

EDIT:: So apparently lightrays are getting their own DAD, sort of.

Effect unconfirmed: Lightray Diablos
Light Dragon / Effect
LV7 2800/1000
Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by having 5 or more LIGHT monsters with different names in your Graveyard, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. Once per turn: You can banish 1 LIGHT monster from your Graveyard to target 1 Set card your opponent controls; reveal that target, and return it to either the top or bottom of the Deck.

Bandwagon Time.

So it's that time of year, so I figured I would post my Banlist Predictions. Well, not so much as predictions, but what I would LIKE to see happen. I was actually pretty accurate last banlist - Here's what I thought was going to happen:

BANHAMMER: 

Giant Trunade

Dandylion

Future Fusion

Monster Reborn

Sangan

LIMITEDHAMMER:

Shien's Smoke Signal

Trishula

T.G Hyper Librarian
BLS
Chaos Sorcerer

Bottomless

Pot of Avarice

Heavy Storm

Semi-Hammer

Pot of Duality

TKRO

Summoner Monk

Formula Synchron

Tragodia

And this is what ACTUALLY happened. 

ACTUALBANHAMMER:

Fishborg Blaster 

Mind Master

Giant Trunade,

Royal Oppression

ACTUALLIMITEDHAMMER:

Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning

Debris Dragon,

Lonefire Blossom

Formula Synchron

Legendary Six Samurai - Shi En

T.G. Hyper Librarian

Trishula, 

Heavy Storm

Pot of Avarice

Primal Seed

Shien's Smoke Signal

ACTUALSEMIHAMMER:

Necro Gardna 

Summoner Monk

Tragoedia

Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier

Destiny Draw

Swords of Revealing Light

Call Of The Haunted

Mind Crush

So all in all, I predicted pretty smoothly, so I figured I would give it another go. Im going to do alot of predictions(*Things i want to happen) because A) I know they won't all be right (I only expect like.. 40% of these to actually be hit.), and B) Gives me less room for error =D. 

So here it is:

NEWLY BANHAMMERED:

BLS

Monster Reborn

Mind Control

Trap Dustshoot

Sangan

Honest

Heavy Storm
Gorz

Morphing Jar

Future Fusion

CED -EotE. (Lol JK.)

NEWLYLIMITHAMMERED:

DMOC 

Magician of Faith
Archlord Kristya

Royal Oppression

Shooting Quasar Dragon
Leviar, the Sea Dragon
Goyo Guardian
Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaighty
Inzecter Hornet

REDMD

Gachi Gachi Gantastu
Wind-up Zenmaines

Solemn Warning

NEWLYSEMIHAMMERED:

Shien's Smoke Signal
TKRO
Grapha

Formula Synchron

Book of Moon

Rescue Rabbit

MST

Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner

Effect Veiler

Sneak Peak Results!

So this weekend overall - quite successful. For everybody on my team. Except me. lol. Between the 2 sneaks, and all the traveling and trading and whatnot, all I have to show for the 150$ I spent is pretty much my Ultra Formelsynchron, and the sneak mat. I pulled quite a bit of goodies, which all went to one team member's Inzect-up Deck.

At the 1st sneak, at my regular locals, we were the only ones to pull any Wind-Up Sharks (we got 2), and only 1 Tour Bus was pulled by some scrub. We ended up having a Box Event for PTSW - I scrubbed out entirely, went 1-3. Would have been 2-2 if it weren't for a Bullshit game with some french fuck. Yeah, I was mad bro. Bad Math cost me a game, and when I realized how I calculated incorrectly, I had scooped everything up by that point. Ah well. The top 2 game came down to Scott & JT. JT lost, but still got the better pulls. He got 15 packs - pulled both a Rabbit, and a Zenmaines. Scott got a full box - packed a Shard of Greed.

2nd Sneak - We played sneakpeak format, and I came in 3rd. But I had to sell my soul to do it. Scott was the only 4 - 0, and got paired with me, who was one of the four people who went 3-1. I convinced him to scoop to me, so I would still get a mat ( he was guaranteed first place anyways). I gave him my 4 prize packs, and I kept the mat. (Very Sexy I might Add). Overall - good day.

YAYS!

• Got my Ultra Formelsynchron
• Practically got 2 teammates decks completed.
• Won My Mat
• Got a Trishula for a Hanzo + some other stuff.

NAYS!

• One teammate spent 400$ on basic stuff for his inzectups.
• Very bad overall pulls on the first sneak.
• Lost one of our 4 BLS in a trade.
• Got Sacked by BAD Wind-ups. Like... he had no Zenmaitys, etc.

On a Side note - Pure Wind-ups will be the deck of the format that doesnt run tour guides.