Messiah plays dice:The mathematics of deck building (Part 1)

There is a belief in the Cardfight! Vanguard community that Vanguard as a trading card game is competitively non-viable as "luck" is a very prevalent mechanic, which can very easily swing games, and while it is certainly true that Vanguard has many elements which involve chance, that does not mean that it is impossible for Vanguard as a trading card game to be competitive, and today I am going to give you the knowledge to be able to manipulate chance so you can win more games of Vanguard! No, I am not talking about stacking or other forms of cheating. I am talking about:

The mathematics of deck building!

Mathematics is a skill that is rarely, if ever used for deckbuilding. However it is a very important skill that can give you the edge in a cardfight, since your deck is the main thing you can edit to improve your play.

Mulligan is a mechanic whose power is very understated in vanguard, as it gives you a way to directly manipulate your hand once without losing any advantage or having to use any abilities.

The chances of having a specific card in your starting hand after your first draw:

# Cards in deck	Mull 0	Mull 1	Mull 2	Mull 3	Mull 4	Mull 5
1	12.24%	14.20%	16.94%	17.85%	19.56%	21.20%
2	23.21%	26.53%	29.81%	32.80%	35.60%	38.23%
3	33.02%	37.48%	41.56%	35.29%	48.71%	51.85%
4	41.75%	46.93%	51.55%	55.67%	59.36%	61.68%

Using this handy table, you can decide how many copies of a card you want in your deck for how often you want that card in your hand when you are starting the game.

For example, I know that if I want Flash Ripple Odysseus (The Rippul Gansta) in my hand when playing Ripple, since the maximum I can run is 2 I know that I have a 32.8% chance of getting him at the start of the game.

I hope this information helps you make your play better!

If you want to learn more about deck building, more specifically the likeliness of being double crit by a stride at 3 damage, I would recommend watching this video by my good friend TimmyPowerGamer!

That is all for today. The next part of Messiah Plays Dice will be on how much more consistent ride chains are!

Interesting Rulings #2 How to Troll Link Joker, Ninja Style.

Lock. Arguably one of the most annoying mechanics in the game. We've all dealt with it, some of us since BT-12 when it was introduced. But what if you could get around lock? No I am not talking about unlock, which is pretty much useless against everything apart from one single clan... That being Link Joker.

No, I am talking about a mechanic which is useful against every single deck in the game which happens to have a way to troll lock:

Afterimage!

So you can just keep your rearguards empty? So what? Aqua Force can block lock with Skyros and Granblue, Palemoon and Spike Brothers can keep their board clear between turns. Not only that Afterimage is restricted to having six or less cards in hand to use!

Ah yes, but afterimage has a second, more interesting use against lock: Clearing freshly unlocked rearguards before the opponent has a chance to lock them again.

But how?

You see, it has everything to do with how the End Phase works... So let's learn at how exactly the end phase works.

6.8.1. The phase in which several actions are resolved at the end of a turn. This phase is done in the following order: 

6.8.1.1.The turn player performs the following simultaneously. 
6.8.1.1.1. Return all locked cards on that player's field to a normal state by turning the cards face up. 6.8.1.1.2. Return all deleted units to a normal state by turning the cards face up. 
6.8.1.1.3. Put all G units on the vanguard circle to the G zone in a face up state.

This means that Locked cards and deleted unit return to a normal at the same time G-Units return to the G-Zone face up.

6.8.1.2. Each automatic ability with the timing “when a card is unlocked”, “when a card is put to face up”, and “when put to G zone” triggers and are put to stand by. Then, resolve a check timing.

Any ability that is triggered by cards returning to G-Zone or returning to a normal state trigger and resolve.

 6.8.1.3. Each automatic ability with the timing “At the beginning of end phase” and “at the end of turn” that have not become stand by in this end phase becomes stand by. 
6.8.1.4. Resolve a checking timing. After completing all the actions in the check timing, all effects with “until end of this turn” will cease to exist. 

Any ability says "At the end of turn" and "At the beginning of end phase" trigger and resolve. All effects with "Until end of this turn" are removed.

Honestly the end phase is really simple. But there is two things we need to know: Afterimage and when bound cards return to the opponent's hand in Nubatama.

Afterimage is this: "When your opponent's puts a bound card into hand, if you have six or less cards in hand, you may return this card to your hand"

After checking over every single card in Nubatama, I can assure you that every single bind as of writing works the same way. Let's use a popular Nubatama card from BT-13 as an example:

For Nubatama, he is a bear necessity!

Stealth Beast, Tamahagane

(Auto)]: When this unit is placed on (RC) or (VC), if you have a <Nubatama> vanguard, choose one of your opponent's rearguards, bind it face up, and at the end of your turn, your opponent puts the card bound by this effect into his or her hand.

So the bind happens at the end of turn. Now we know the timing of the bind, it is time to show you how to troll Link Joker, ninja style!

It is quite simple: At the end of your turn, have a bound card in your opponent's bind-zone, have a rearguard with the afterimage skill locked and have 6 or less cards in hand.

The locked card unlocks. Then any skills relating to that unlock (For example, Chaos Breaker Dragon's LB4 or Palladium) trigger. After that, the bound card returns to your opponent's hand. Then you can return the rearguard with afterimage before the opponent's turn begins, clearing that rearguard circle.

This ability is perfect for clearing your front row so that Link Joker can only lock it once, and can reduce the effectiveness of Chaos Universe significantly. As Chaos Breakers LB4 can trigger before you are able to return the card with Afterimage to your hand, it can still retire the unit and draw a card.

It is also worth noting that you can only do this if the card actually unlocks, so "omega locks" from Glendios or "Tagliatelle" are an issue.

Happy trolling!

-DrSheep

Aqua Force GBT-09 review

I AM BACK! To celebrate my "glorious" return, I will be going through every single Aqua Force card from GBT-09 bar the reprints.. So without further ado let's get started.

The only person who is going to be wailing
is your opponent!

Storm of Lament, Wailing Thavas

(Auto) (GB3)]: When this unit attacks a vanguard, for each battle that a rearguard attacked during this turn, your opponent chooses one of his or her rearguards, and retires it.

(Auto) (GB2) Wave-3rd time or more  :{(CB)1]: When this unit attacks, you may pay the cost. If you do, this unit gets power +5000 for each battle that a rearguard attacked during this turn, and until end of battle, your opponent cannot call grade 1 cards to hand from (GC)

The GR of GBT-09, and undeniably the best card in the set, Wailing Thavas is a godsend to the Aqua Force clan. It has so many good points I don't even know where to start.

Firstly, it is an almost straight upgrade of One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot in that it can do everything Scharhrot under certain conditions. It can retire just as well as scharharot as long as you can get the appropriate wave to retire all the opponent's field and if none of your opponent's rearguards have resist. It also doesn't destroy your own board.

It is also a better "Glory" as it can power up further then Scharhrot while still blocking all the same cards. As well as this it does not have to attack last as it still has rearguards that could attack after it.

Wailing Thavas is also 3rd wave or more. Wave 3rd or more is significantly better then Wave 4th or more as no "enablers" (A term for rearguards that enable extra attacks) are needed to activate it.

As well as these points, Wailing Thavas is viable and incredibly powerful in every variant of Aqua Force. It is:
A secondary finisher in Thavas
A tertiary finisher in Blue Wave
A primary finisher in Maelstrom because Wailing Thavas + Despina is cancer
A primary finisher stride in Ripple as it often more reliable to go into then Lambros

All I can say is watch out for the storm of lament, it will make you wail if you are not careful!

This is pretty aptly named... in that it is
a disaster.

Blue Storm Helican Dragon, Disaster Maelstrom

(Auto) (VC) :[Choose a face down "Blue Storm Helical Dragon, Disaster Maelstrom" from your G-Zone, and turn it face up]: When this unit attacks a vanguard, if you have a heart with "Maelstrom" in it's card name, you may pay the cost. If you do, search your deck for up to one card with "Maelstrom" in it's card name, reveal it, add it to your hand, shuffle your deck and if you have a card with "Maelstrom" in it's card name in your soul, choose up to three units in your front row, and those units get (power) +5000 until end of turn.

So in the same set we went from arguably the best stride in Aqua Force's arsenal to ... A slightly better Madew. That's what it is. The +5k power to the front row will almost never be used, as it is very unlikely that you would have broke-rode by the time you would have strode this, and there are better options for Maelstrom to go into second stride *Cough Wailing Thavas Cough*

As well as this, it is the ONLY Maelstrom support in the set... Where they reprinted Glory Maelstrom... Just why? They could have at least given the fleet admiral a card or two surely?

I'd only ever run 2 of this, and that would be if I had absolutely no other option to stride into, otherwise this card is kind of useless.

Blue Storm called. They want their badge
back... You Genovious rip-off.

Blue Wave Marine General, Artiom

(Auto) {VC]]:When your rearguard with "Blue Wave" attacks, that unit gets (power) +3000 until end of battle.

(Act) (VC) (1/turn) :[(SB)1-card with "Blue Wave" in it's card name]: Look at seven cards from the top of your deck, search for up to one grade 3 card with "Blue Wave" in it's card name from among them, place it on your (VC) as a heart, and shuffle your deck. If you placed one or more cards, put all your heart cards other then the cards placed due to this effect into your drop-zone.

This card isn't the worst thing in the world, but it isn't the best either. The +3k to any blue wave rearguard is sort of pointless, but it can sometimes make some good columns.

Really though the only thing that stops this card from being unusable trash is the roulette to fix your grade 3. Riding Tetra weakens the deck significantly, so having a way to fix the ride without losing a grade 3 by riding is somewhat important in the deck.

Eh. One of at most.

Huh, a G-guardian of a quintet wall...
That's pretty cool... *Bad-um-tiss!*

Blue Storm Deterrence Dragon, Ice Barrier Dragon

(Auto) Wave-1st or 4th time or more]: When this unit is placed on (GC), until the end of turn this unit gets (shield) +10000

I heard a lot of moaning when this card was revealed, and I am not sure as to why. It does it's job pretty well. Sure it's nowhere near as good as plotmaker but it still isn't terrible.

Wave 1st OR 4th time or more is what saves this card from being terrible, as it is a guaranteed first attack 25k. With Flotia being a 20k shield for the first and second wave we do have a GG gap during the third attack, but I am willing to put up with that weakness for near guaranteed 20k shields.

Overall I'd say it's alright. I run 2 and find it rather comfortable.

Not gonna lie, that art is pretty rad...
Shame it's attached to this skill.

Battle Siren, Janka

(Auto) (RC) (GB1) :[(SB)1]: When this unit attacks a vanguard, if you have a vanguard with "Thavas" in it's card name, you may pay the cost. If you do, for each of your other units with the wave ability, this unit gets (Power) +4000 until end of that battle.

Can I ask? What retard at Bushiroad said "You know what, we should make a more restrictive version of that common from GBT-02, High Tide Sniper, and then make it a RR." Because this card has almost no purpose. Which is a shame because it's art is really, REALLY nice.

To make this card better then High Tide Sniper you would need 3 other wave units, making it so that you would need 4 wave rearguards in total.  That is not a small ask. Sure a lot of good strides such as Wailing and Commander Thavas have wave, but having 2 other rearguards as well as your vanguard to have wave is very restrictive, especially since the three main grade 2s run in Thavas do not have wave. As well as that, Wave rearguards aren't that good.

"But you can use Christos" Yeah, you can. But you know what? You would still need 2 other units with wave to beat out high tide, as high tide + christos' 2k boost means that it hits for 21k on it's own.

And this isn't even considering that High Tide isn't really run anymore because people prefer to have more multiattackers for grade 2s...

Pictured: One of my many colonel
sharpshooters.

Marine General of Twin Bullets, Cretas

(Auto) (RC) (GB2) Wave-3rd time only :[(CB)1]: When your vanguard attacks, you may pay the cost. If you do, [Stand] This unit, and if the unit that attacked has the wave ability, this unit gets (power) +2000 until end of turn.

(Auto) :[(CB)1 & (SB)1]: When this unit is placed on (VC), you may pay the cost. If you do, look at five cards from the top of your deck, search for up to one card with the wave ability, reveal it, put it into your hand and shuffle your deck.

The R Keywork G3 from every set has finally come to Aqua Force, and it is alright.

Second skill is standard, but certainly not terrible. First skill is ok, but still not amazing, as it is rearguard only and only triggers when your vanguard attacks during the 3rd wave...

♫ They want you, they want you
They want you as a new recruit ♪

Blue Wave Marine General, Iason

(Auto) (VC)]: When your G-unit with "Blue Wave" in it's original card name (Stride) during your turn, choose up to one card from your hand with "Blue Wave" in it's card name, call it to (RC), choose a rearguard with "Blue Wave" in it's card name, and until end of turn it gets "(Auto) (RC)]: At the end of the battle that this unit attacked a vanguard, choose this and unit and one of your other rearguards in the same column as this unit, and exchange their positions"


So it allows a card to essentially become a storm rider for a turn. It has a bit of synergy with Artiom, but otherwise this card's skill is almost useless. A pretty mediocre card overall.

That kelpie is adorable! It is
as harmful as it looks...

Kelpie Rider, Nikitas

(Auto) (RC) Wave-1st or 2nd time.]: When this unit attacks a grade 3 or greater vanguards, this unit gets (Power) +2000 until end of turn

(Auto) (RC) (GB1) :[(CB)1]: At the end of the battle that this unit attacked, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose another of your rearguards with the wave ability, and exchange positions with this unit.


Sigh... What is it with this set and cards that have good arts but bad skills? This card is an inferior version of a card that was originally printed in GBT-02, but as a promo, then reprinted in the Aqua Force clan booster, Couple Dagger Sailor.

This card is vanilla until grade 3, when it becomes twin strike brave shooter. After you stride it then becomes a more restricted version of couple dagger sailor. Why would you play this card? Couple dagger isn't even run in Aqua Force, as it is outclassed by Tidal Assault.

The most frustrating part about this card? If ONE thing was different it would be an almost superior version of couple dagger sailor for wave, and that is switching which skill has GB1.

Just a note of how close this card was to actually being decent, but apparently we can't have decent normal wave units in this set.


Kelpie Rider, Vallas

(Cont)]: Sentinel

(Auto) :[(CB)1 & (SB)1]: When this unit is placed on (GC) from hand, you may pay the cost. If you do, call five cards from the top of your deck (GC). If two or more units with the wave ability are called due to this effect, this unit gets (Shield) +5000. If three or more units with the wave ability get called by this effect, (CC)1

(Auto) (RC) (GB1) Wave-1st time only]: When this unit attacks or boosts, this unit gets (Power) +2000 until end of that battle.

How do you even make a sentinel this bad? Even the terrible Wyvern Defender Guld isn't as bad as that, and that's not counting the fact that it is a PG. This card is a quintet wall, costs CB1 and SB1, is luck dependant to make it a SB1 and has a near useless second skill.

That is all. Burn this card, I will gladly appreciate it.

Because it's a big stupid jellyfish!

Stagglefin Dragon

(Auto( (VC/RC) (GB1)]: When this unit attacks, this unit gets (power) +4000 until the end of that battle.

(Auto) (RC) Wave-4th time only  :[(CB)1]: When this unit attacks hits a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, [stand] this unit.

As a rule of thumb, a card is bad when the first thing you think when you read it's skill is "What the fuck is that?"

Unfortunately for this card. That's an understatement.

Literally what is this card for? Filler to say you have X different cards in a set, that's what!

Don't use this card. It is bad. That is all.




Blue Wave Marine General, Damia


(Auto) (RC) :[(SB1]: When your grade 3 or greater vanguard with "Blue Wave" in it's card name attacks, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose your vanguard and your other rearguard, and those units get (power) +2000 until end of turn.

I am not sure what to think of that card to be honest. It is pretty average. Useable, but average.

It can activate whenever your grade 3 vanguard with Blue Wave attacks, but the boost is inconsequential unless you boost tidal, Foivos a 9k grade 2 that has no booster.

It does have to replace either Tidal or Adelaide however, so there is a bit of an opportunity cost.




Blue Wave Marine General, Lucianos

Oh Look... Another Blue Wave that looks
like a Ripple...

(Act) (RC) (1/Turn) :[(CB)1-Card with "Blue Wave" in it's card name]: If you have a grade 3 or greater vanguard with "Blue Wave" in it's card name, until end of turn, this unit gets (power) +2000 and "(Auto) (RC)]: Wave-2nd time only]: At the end of the battle that this unit attacks a vanguard, [stand] this unit

Seriously what is it with this set and Blue Waves that look like they were originally Ripple cards? Is it to just taunt those who play Ripple, such as myself? If so, that's just mean Bushiroad!

Oh. The card. Right. Good skill apart from one thing. Wave 2nd time only Because there is ABSOLUTELY no cards in Blue Wave that want to attack second... Except Anger Boil's stride skill and Tetra Drive... So whoops. The card is instantly terrible. And it is a shame as well. Could have been an amazing Blue Storm card.






Kelpie Rider, Paul

(Auto) (RC) (GB1) Wave-3rd time or more :[(SB)1]: When this unit attacks or boosts, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to two of your units, and until end of turn they get (power) +2000

This is like the third unit with this near useless skill in this set, it is like they didn't want to give Aqua Force any rearguard support at all, and just made carbon copies and changed some terms. Lazy and uninteresting if you ask me.

Everything I have said for the other cards with similar effects applies to this card. It is pretty useless.








Blue Wave Soldier, Cimon 

(Auto) :[(CB)1 & (SB)1]: When this unit is placed on (RC), if you have two or more cards with "Blue Wave" in it's original card name on your (VC), you may pay the cost. If you do, choose one of your units. That unit and this unit get (power) +4000 until end of turn.

This card is trash. CB1 SB1 for not even a +5k shield increase in normal magic columns if the power is split is terrible. It would not even be good if it was not pretty much restricted to stride. But is it. And it cannot be Thavas or Lambros either. It HAS to be Tetra-Boil or Artiom. So yeah this card is bad and should feel bad.










Blue Wave Dragon, Submerge Dragon

Add caption

(Cont) (RC]: If you have two or more cards with "Blue Wave" in their original card name on your (VC), this unit can attack from the back row.

Ok so this is Aqua Force's second backrow attacking rearguard... and it is completely inferior to Battle Siren Stacia.

For one, unlike Stacia it cannot hit 9k rearguards, which is a huge deal as that means Stacia can actually attack the opponent's advantage as no rearguards in the metagame are 10k base.

Secondly right now the phrasing of this card is pretty much just a even more restricted generation break one. And even if Blue Wave get a legion, Stacia is likely to still be better because of G-Guardians.




Battle Siren Cressida

(Auto) (RC) Wave-4th time or more :[(Sb)1]: At the beginning of the guard step of the battle that your vanguard was attacked, you may pay the cost. If you do, move this unit to (GC) nd unit unit gets (Shield) +5000 until end of that battle.


That's it. I give up. What the actual fuck is this card? This card is yet again an inferior version of a card we already have, however this card is so bad that there is no reason to run it over the other card ever.

Of course the other card I am talking about is Battle Siren Cloris. Who isn't reliant on decks attacking more then three times a turn, can be used any attack, can superior PG if you so wish and isn't GB locked either... So why would you ever run this card ever?



Harpoon Dracokid

(Auto)]: Forerunner

(Auto) (RC) Wave-4th time only.]: When this unit attacks a vanguard, for each of your other units with the wave ability, this unit gets (Power) +4000 until end of battle, and at the end of that battle, put this unit into your soul


I feel bad for taking this away from Magia. Seriously. Replace Wave with Magia and make it so that it and remove the 4th time or more condition for a soulblast and you have yourself a decent palemoon starter.

Instead, Aqua Force got what is another inferior version of a card from GBT-02, Officer Cadet, Cyril

But yeah this card is terrible. No reason to run it ever. And with that I am FINALLY done with the inferior clone fillers!

Blue Wave Recruit,Yiotis

Ok. What is it with Blue Wave and looking
like Ripple rip-offs? At least this one is
good.

(Auto)]: Forerunner

(Auto) (RC) (GB1) :[(CB)1 & put this unit into your soul]: When your vanguard with "Blue Wave" attacks, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose one of your rearguards, [stand] it and it gets (power) +2000 until end of turn.

This card... Is actually pretty good. It is almost completely superior version of Officer Cadet, Andrey for Blue Wave.

So how is this card better? Firstly it triggers in the battle phase. This is good for several reasons, Firstly it allows you to restand your rearguards one extra time regardless of skills, as it does not conflict with Tidal or Foivos. As well as this, you can use it last, allowing you to attack a rearguard once and the vanguard three times with a single rearguard on either a Lambros turn or a Tetra Boil over Anger Boil turn.

The fact that it also triggers in the battle phase means you can use it as a booster (Or attacker if you are using Commander Thavas) before you put it into soul, allowing you to lose a rearguard to gain an extra attack,

As well as that, Denial Griffin cannot just shoot down the rearguard you gave a skill to end your fun like it can do with Andrey.

Overall this card is pretty damn good, and I am surprised Blue Wave players do not use it more.

I'm not sure that outfit is safe to cook in...

Flambe Sailor

Vanilla Heal

Ok... Why am I reviewing a Vanilla heal trigger? Surely the usefulness of this card is just a different art right? Yes, you're absolutely right. However I want to rant on about how this card is a missed opportunity.

How is it a missed opportunity? Simple: Why isn't this a Blue Wave or Ripple heal?

Ok. I can understand it not being a Ripple heal, because that would be pretty ridiculous, but why not Blue Wave? They now need the especial CB and having a Blue Wave heal would help that immensely. But they didn't get it and instead we got another generic heal. Yay.

Dolphin, Dolphin swimming in the ocean
causing a commotion, because it is so
awesome!

Dolphin Soldier of Leaping Wind Waves.

(Auto) (RC) (GB1) Wave-1st or 2nd time :[(SB)1]: When this unit attacks, if you have a vanguard with "Thavas" in it's card name, you may pay the cost. If you do, until end of battle this unit gets (Power) +7000. and at the end of that battle, draw a card and put this unit on the bottom of your deck.

Dolphins are amazing and adorable creatures. Having seen and swam with them in real life, they are so majestic.

This card is no different. It is an 11k beater that returns to the deck and draws you a card for SB1, but your vanguard has to be Thavas... In other words it is pretty good, considering that it takes no space in the deck, stands have synergy with most strides in Thavas except Christos and it can be turned into a 16k beater with Commander Thavas, which to be honest is just funny that a trigger is hitting someone for a trigger's shield value.

Overall I really like this card.

And that is all the cards in the set. Overall I think the new Aqua Force support was pretty poor, bar the G-Guardian which was alright and the other cards that was good.

Thank you for reading my complaint article to the end!

Vanish Delete! Deletors post GBT-08

This is my third article on Deletors. If you haven't read my two other articles on Deletors, you can read them here and here.

"We transcend your very understanding."

When It was revealed that Deletors were to be supported in GBT-08, I was very excited. I hoped a strong amount of support, preferably with a new stride... But alas it was not to be. Deletors got 2 normal units, neither of which fix most of the decks problems.

I say most because they actually addressed one of my biggest issues with the deck, that being the fact that Vanish Delete was completely useless bar a near impossible win condition.

That was, until this card was revealed:

Punishment Deletor, Gieron.

(Cont) (RC)}: This unit gets (Power) +1000 for every face down card in your opponent's bind-zone.

(Auto) (RC)]: At the end of the battle that your vanguard with "Deletor" in it's card named attacked a Vanguard, your opponent chooses a card from his or her drop-zone, and binds it face down. (Vanish Delete)


The first skill increases it's power by the amount of cards in the bind-zone, which makes this card get stronger both offensively and defensively. Gieron has a strong synergy with Delete, as the power it gains allows it to force more hand from the opponent, as well as being able to bind those cards without a cost.

The catch? It's a 7k. I'm not going to lie, I was very weary about this when I first tested him, but after my tests I've come to the conclusion that he is the best G2 in Deletors, even despite the 7k.
I hope more cards that benefit from Vanish Delete are printed for Deletors in the future, especially if they are good like this card.

The second card of the deck is the same story: I thought it was bad at first, tried it and found out it was pretty good:

Overeat Deletor, Onagil.

(Auto)]: When this unit is placed on (RC), you may play "All fighters draw a card, chooses a card from his or her hand and discards it.

(Act) (RC) :[Put this card into soul]: If you have a vanguard with "Deletor" in it's card name, your opponent chooses a face down card from his or her drop-zone, and binds it face down (Vanish Delete)

When this card was released, there was many criticisms. One my personal complaints what why the Vanish Delete wasn't on-retire, which admittedly would have certainly made the card better.

Regardless, the card is still quite good, both for fixing your hand and providing you cards to vanish Delete.

As well as that, it can be an emergency bind if you are extremely close to getting Egorg's win condition.

And that's all the cards in the set. However, between Comic Booster one and GBT-08, A new mechanic was introduced:

G-GUARDIAN!

So let's talk about the two link Joker G-Guardians, and how they help Deletors:

Death Star-Vader, Demon Maxwell.

(Auto) :[Choose one of your back-row rearguards, and lock it.]: When this unit is placed on (GC), you may pay the cost. If you do, this unit gets (Shield) +5000 until the end of that batlle.

I'm not gonna lie, this doesn't help Deletors that much. I run it because 20k Shield is sometimes necessary to surviving, and sometimes I want to protect a rearguard in the backrow, so I lock it. 

Locking backrow rearguards isn't the best in Deletors either, who want to force as much shield as possible, and every unit is valuable as a booster, so using this can have its drawbacks.

Genesis Beast, Destiny Guardian

(Auto)]: When this unit is placed on (GC), choose up to 2 locked cards, and unlock them. If two units were unlocked with this effect, this unit gets (Power) +10000 until the end of that battle.

I only run this to deal with other Link Joker decks, in what is essentially a "Win more" move. Apart from that, It's a 15k shield.

So no, it's not that good in Deletor.

Decklist:

G-Zone:

4 Original Deletor, Egorg

4 Nebula Dragon, Big Crunch Dragon

2 Genesis  Dragon, Amnesty Messiah

2 Death Star-Vader, Demon Maxwell

2 Genesis Beast, Destiny Guardian

1 Dark Element, Dyzmel

1 Light Element, Agleam.

Grade 3:

4 Docking Deletor, Greion

2 Waving Deletor, Greidhol

Grade 2

4 Bloating Deletor, Gio

4 Punishment Deletor, Gieron

3 Juxtapose Deletor, Gaele

Grade 1

4 Instill Deletor, Ender

4 Illfate Deletor, Drown

3 Overeat Deletor, Onagil

3 Looting Deletor, Gunec

Grade 0

Starting VG: Aquire Deletor, Igor

4 Biting Deletor, Geeva

4 Deletor Criticals

4 Cramping Deletor, Edy

4 Deletor Heals

THE GENIUS STRATEGY, Megacolony review!

Technical Boosters so far have been very interesting to pay attention to. They always support more niche clans with interesting support, and there's a lot to cover, so let's get started with:

Megacolony!

Bushiroad, I have a question: Why do you hate Megacolony? They're the clan who has received the worst support in this set by far. And this card is a microcosm for why:

Merciless Mutant Deity, Darkface.

(Act) (Vc) :[(CB)1 And choose a face down card named "Merciless Mutant Deity, Darkface" from your G-Zone and turn it face up]: Choose one of your opponent's units for every face up card named "Merciless Mutant Deity, Darkface" and until the end of your opponent's turn those units get "(Cont) (RC) This unit cannot intercept and cannot be chosen for the cost or effect of one of your cards" and for each rearguard chosen with this effect, this unit gets (Power) +5000 until end of turn.

CB1 Flip anything to turn a paralysis into either a lock or a retire  isn't the best to be honest, even if it does make sure that the opponent can't get rid of the cards using skills such as Gluttony Dogma or Diablo. CB1 for something that is only useful when combined with something else is pretty bad to be honest. It's worth noting that for the clans you'd mainly use this against, Tachikaze and Shadow Paladin it only is effective when they actually have a field, which isn't always the case.

So it's only useful in niche situations, it requires copies of itself to be useful and it burns counterblast, which are extremely precious in Dark Face, the only card you'd consider running more than 2 copies in. It's overcosted and performs very little for any deck overall, Sums up a lot of Megacolony's support in GTB-02, actually.

Lawless Mutant Deity, Obtirandus

(Act) (VC) (GB2) :[(CB)2 & Choose a card from your hand, and discard it] Your opponent cannot call cards to (RC) until the end of your opponent's next turn.

G-Units in Technical Boosters tend to be cards that are needed for niche situations. This card definitely fits that description.

Overall this card punishes a significant amount of decks and can turns paralysis into locks... The only issue is it's stupidly high cost. I can understand why Tsukumorakan was CB2 person, I really can. Reducing your opponent's hand size to 4 is very powerful, as well as being able to reduce it even further to 3 which pretty much makes it impossible to guard every single attack. It was also noteworthy that Nubatama has the ability to countercharge 1 every single turn using Kamoquisha.

 Megacolony definitely does not have Countercharge abilities as good as Nubatama, that's for sure, as they are constantly forced to -1 to do so bar their P-Guard.

Overall the card's good, but Megacolony (Especially Darkface) needs a much better capacity to countercharge, as well as a generic finisher that isn't on-hit before this card can become the powerhouse staller that it is capable of being.


Mutant Deity Fortress, Gricefort

(Auto) :[(CB)1];  When this unit is placed on (GC) for the battle that your vanguard was attacked, you may pay the cost. It you do, rest all of your opponent's backrow rearguards, and this unit gets (Shield) +5000 for every two of your opponent's units at rest until the end of that battle.

This is one of the few quality cards Megacolony received in the technical booster. It's well costed, powerful and flexible. It can become a 30k with ease, and it can reduce the power rearguard attacks easily.

I find no faults with this card. It's exactly what it should have been, a great way to control the opponent's board while gaining shield.

There are ways to play around it, yes but for the most part you are succeeding at forcing your opponent to either attack in a less than efficient pattern or by resting the opponent's rearguards and doing the same.

I rather like it.


Sky-Slicing Rending General, Superior Mantis

(Auto) Dark Device :[(CB)1]: When this unit is placed on (VC) or (RC), you may pay the cost, if you do, choose one of your opponent's rearguards in the same column, and that unit cannot (stand) during your opponent's next stand phase.

(Auto) (GB1) Dark Device: When this unit is placed on (RC), choose one of your opponent's rearguards, and that unit cannot (stand) during the opponent's next stand phase.

This card is pretty bad, simply because you don't want to call grade 3's to rearguard circle.

If it was a grade 2 however, this card would be alright. Nothing spectacular, just alright.




Punish Stag

(Auto) (GB1) (Dark Device)]: When this unit is placed on (RC), if you have a vanguard with "Darkface" in it's card name, this unit gets (power) +2000 until end of turn, choose one of your opponent's rearguards, and until the end of your opponent's next turn, that unit gets "(Auto) (RC) At the end of your turn, if this unit is at (Rest), your opponent draws a card" and that unit doesn't stand during your opponent's next stand phase.

This card's pretty good. A Giga paralysing Machining Papilio with 9k base power is cool with me, even if it is slower.

Even so, the nature of the card means that the effect only happens for a turn, and that there is no way really to get around it.




Six Horns Mutant, Honeycomb Queen.

(Cont)]: Sentinel

(Auto) :[Choose a card from your hand, and discard it]: When this unit is placed on (GC), you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to one of your vanguards that is being attacked, and that unit cannot be hit until the end of that battle.

(Auto) (RC) (GB1) Dark Device :[(SB)1]: When your unit's attack hit's a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, return this card to your hand.

This card is alright, I guess. The biggest problem with this card is opportunity cost, as G-Megacolony needs all the countercharging it needs, so not running the G-PG is simply not an option.

Nothing else to say really.

Vulcan Lafertei

(Auto) (RC) (GB1) Dark Device :[Put this unit into soul]: At the beginning of your main phase, you may pay the cost, If you do, (CC)1

(Cont) (RC)]: If you have a vanguard with "Giraffa" in it's card name, this unit cannot be chosen by the effects of your opponent's cards, and your opponent's units in the same column as this unit cannot intercept.

Probably the best rare in the set for Megacolony, Vulcan Lafertei's conditional skill is pretty amazing. It both allows paralysis to be put in the front row and the unit cannot be removed if you have a Giraffa vanguard.

Unfortunately, I believe that the Auto Skill should have been CC2 instead of CC1, as this unit is extremely valuable to keep on the board, so you are either forced to remove it from the board so you can do your thing, or keep it on the board to make Paralysis more efficient. If it was CC2 it would have been much more effective as a countercharger, and would have allowed Megacolony to stall much more efficiently.

Makeup Widow

(Auto) (RC) (GB)1 Dark Device :[Put this unit into your soul]: At the end of each turn, you may pay the cost. If you do, (CC)1, Choose your opponent's grade 1 or less rearguard, and that unit doesn't stand during your opponent's next stand phase.

This card is alright I suppose. It's main issue is that it is a -1 to countercharge yet again.

Why does Megacolony have to -1 to cc1 when decks like Great Nature can do it while plussing and while CBD has a countercharger that is a -1 to CC2.

It makes no sense, really.

Childhood Command, Rosenberg.

(Auto)]: Forerunner

(Act) (RC) (GB)1 Dark Device :[Put this unit into your soul]: Choose one of your opponent's rearguards, and until end of the opponent's turn that unit gets "(Cont) (RC) This unit cannot intercept and cannot be chosen for the cost or effect of one of your cards."

(Act) (RC) :[(Rest) this unit]: Choose one of your opponent's units, and (Rest) it.

Let's take an already mediocre ability from our RRR stride, and give it to a rearguard for a -1! Such a great idea!

No, this card is awful. Use Crimebug instead. At least you get something out of that -1!

And that pretty much sums up Megacolony support in GTB-02. 

Vanguard Stride Gate: A Theory.

So I've been watching the Vanguard G anime for a while now, and something had been bugging me for a long time. That something being how are TRY3, Ibuki and group who co-operated to cause GIRS CRISIS going to stop Ryuzu Myoujin? Surely Ryuzu could just steal Chrono's Depend cards, as Ibuki did with Kanzaki's?

Chrono Shindou

As we found out last episode (Episode 34 of GIRS Crisis/Stride Gate) Ryuzu requires Chrono to fully awaken the Depend cards, so he can open the stride gate, as being the singularity, Chrono is the only way to fully bring a unit to Earth. We also found out that Chrono Dran is the only Depend Card to have been fully completed. Stealing Chrono's Depend cards would be pointless, as all twelve Depend Cards have to be fully completed to open the stride gate.

When we found out that Ryuzu Myoujin needs all 12 different depend cards, all of them complete to open the stride gate, I turned to attempt to solve another question: Why did Ibuki re-introduce Chrono to Vanguard? Surely that's a horrible idea when you're trying to stop somebody from plunging Cray into the dark ages for their own sakes?

Ibuki must know this, and wouldn't do this unless he had to, So he requires Chrono to have been awoken for his plan, But why?
After thinking about this for a while, and coming up with no solution, I decided I might be able to figure this out by looking at the how and not the why.

So how will TRY 3 and Co defeat the company and ensure that the Stride Gate will never open?

Kouji Ibuki

The Company won't back down because they lost a Vanguard Fight. That much is obvious. Whether they win or lose is irrelevant, though they tell themselves otherwise. After all, they might lose the battle but they will win the war. They've been shown to go as far as destroying buildings and endangering lives just to "punish" those who are plotting against them.

When you're this far down the rabbit hole, you're not getting back out.

Unless Chrono stops playing Vanguard and wipes it from his memory (which is highly unlikely for him to do,), the only way of stopping Ryuzu is somehow permanently destroying Depend Cards.

Logically, burning a Depend Card would release the unit trapped inside, making it so that the released unit could possibly be recaptured. In otherwords, our question isn't "How do you destroy a Depend Card", but it's actually "How do you destroy a unit?"

Then I had a Eureka moment:

The only way anyone can stop Ryuzu from opening the stride gate is with Deletors!

Daunting Deletor, Oksizz 

I can explain: In the Vanguard Movie, the Deletors were shown to be able to "Delete End" the avatar of whoever was beaten by them, turning the card black and effectively removing it from existence. We know the movie is canon in the G-Universe as Ibuki was given Neon Messiah at the end of the movie. Ibuki was the antagonist of the Neon Messiah Movie, and he used Deletors. In the Manga Ibuki is linked to Deletors as well.

So here's my theory: Ibuki's plan is to use the Deletors to "Delete End" Chrono Dran, and everything so far has been put into place to make it as easy as possible for Ibuki to achieve this goal. Everyone fighting against Ryuzu except TRY3 are working with Ibuki to achieve this goal.

Why Chrono Dran? He is the only complete Depend Card at this moment.

So why not use Deletors on Chrono after he created Chrono Dran's Depend Card? It's simple: Delete End targets the user's Avatar, rather then a card of their choice. Chrono Dran isn't Chrono's avatar, Chronojet is! Chrono Dran and Chronojet appear to be related, but lore wise they appear to be unrelated. It's confusing.

However, we know that Rive has 3 Depend cards, one of which could have been linked to Chrono Dran at the same time Chrono got his. Chrono Dran is likely to be Rive's Avatar, as it would remind him of his son.

Chrono Dran when first revealed.

Why is Chrono involved with this plan? To make it possible for Chrono Dran to be Deleted. He's also bait for Rive Shindou, who did everything in his power to stop Chrono from getting involved in the plan.

 Now that Rive knows he's invovled again, he's knows who exactly is to blame, Ibuki!

Rive is likely to return to Japan to confront Ibuki, no matter how hard it will be for him to do that. He is likely to challenge Ibuki to a Cardfight, and then all Ibuki has to do is win to stop Ryuzu from ever opening the stride gate. The sacrifice, rather then the entirety of Cray, is a Single Zodiac Time Beast: Chrono Dran.

Well that's my theory. There's only one way to find out whether it's true or not, and that's to watch the Vanguard Anime!

Hope you enjoyed this very different kind of article.

Interesting Rulings #1: The Ultimate Defence?

There's a secret "mechanic" in Cardfight Vanguard that I'm going to tell you about today. Ok. It's not actually a mechanic, moreso a consequence of several rules that can be applied in a very creative and useful way.

The catch? It's only possible in two decks right now, and one of those decks can only trigger it against two very specific matchups, and requires luck. So we'll focus on the deck that it is possible against every single deck.

That deck being... *Drumroll*

Sweep Command Eradicators!

So what's so special about this deck that it can do something only 1 other deck is capable of only against certain matchups?

It's simple: There's a 2 card combo that if luck is on your side you can "P-Guard" the vanguards attack whilst retiring 3 rearguards... without P-Guards. Yes, you didn't misread that, this combo Makes it so the opponent cannot hit your vanguard during that battle.

One of these combo pieces is guaranteed (unless your opponent is a control player.), Eradicator First Thunder Dracokid:

(Auto)]: Forerunner

(Auto) (RC) :[Put this unit into your soul]: When an opponent's rearguard is put into the drop zone due to an effect by one of your cards, if you have a grade 3 or greater vanguard with "Eradicator" in it's card name, you may pay the cost. If you do, look at up to ten cards from the top of your deck, search for up to one "Eradicator, Sweep Command Dragon" from among them, ride it and shuffle your deck.

This card is the center of this deck. It can be used to psuedo-restand if Zoras hits, and it can be used for our amazing combo.The only catch is it searches the top 10 cards of your deck, and if lady luck hates you on that day, you might not get Sweep Command in the top 10.

The other card we need for this combo is Eradicator, Unruly Dragon:

(Auto) (RC) :[(CB)1-Card with "Eradicator" in it's card name]: When this unit Intercepts (intercept), if you have a vanguard with "Eradicator" in it's card name, you may pay the cost, if you do choose one of your opponent's rearguards not attacking or boosting (Boost), and retire it.

Simple enough. Retires a unit not attacking or boosting during your turn, Can stop an attack, Pretty decent.

So what's the combo? It's actually quite simple:

When your opponent attacks your vanguard (preferably with their vanguard), intercept with Unruly Dragon, use it's skill to trigger First Thunder, activate his skill and (hopefully) ride Sweep Command, Use Sweep Command's onride skill (Or Vowing Sword Dragon if LB4 is online and you had him as your vanguard) to retire a front row rearguard, then use Sweep Commands LB4 if applicable to retire the other rearguard and draw 1.

So how does this P-guard without an effect that stops an attack from hitting? Because of this rule from the official comprehensive Vanguard rulebook:

"7.6.1.3.If the attacking unit or the attacked unit had left the field, or if the master of any of these unit changed, or if any of these units moved to another circle, then the powers are not compared, and the attack does not hit"

Since we had superior rode Sweep Command during a battle, That put the vanguard that was being attacked into the soul, causing it to leave the field and putting this rule into effect.

However, the opponent drive checks cards as per usual, and any effects that read "At the end of the battle that this unit attacked a vanguard" still activate, so use with caution.

This combo has a few problems though: It is HIGHLY reliant on both of these cards being on rearguard circles, which makes this combo highly telegraphed. Because of this, any player who knows about these two cards will quickly try to stop this combo as quickly as possible.

Still, it is a very interesting combo!