Subject: Re: What did you say Goku? And TES is a JOKE?!?!?

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: DarthNaps
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2003 21:25:12 EDT

What?! Did you say Goku??

Well, Mr. Matthew Low, this deck is in its fourth evolution. To this point
the deck has not been play tested, but the basic theory behind this deck is to
be able to handle the dominant deck archetypes with a solid constant combat
philosophy (medium to big energy attacks supported by card drawing, power level
raising physicals) - with MOST increasing anger AND lowering opponent’s anger.
I know MBS mastery gives my physicals a serious advantage, but this is not
physical beat-down (although it could easily make that transition). CS mastery
gives me an extra safety blanket. This deck is about balance, control and
quick anger.

P.S. I went on the fanatics web site which you promoted as being solid for
trading up for the cards you need for a deck and I read an article about TES no
longer being a staple for every deck and it gave several arguments about how
it just takes up space in different deck types. In my type (anger/survival) it
said Android 20’s Search Pattern is superior because it goes after Cell’s
Threatening Position and cards of the like directly, whereas if you draw TES
early and you hold on to it too long, it could cost you the game. It’s a pretty
convincing argument and I’m seriously considering trading TES for the Search
Pattern. What do you think?

Personality: 5 cards
Goku, the Hero (CS)
Goku, the Saiyan (CS)
Goku, Earth’s Hero (Hi-tech CS)
Goku (Level 4 CS)
Goku, the All Powerful (CS)

Mastery: 1 card
Blue Style (CS)

Sensei: 1 card
North Kai Sensei
(Sensei Deck: 13)
Huh?? (promo)
Blue Energy Dive x 3 (BS)
Stunned x 3 (CS)
Blue Protective Bubble x 3 (BS)
Blue Rebound x 3 (WGS)

Allies: 2 cards
Chi-Chi (Level 1 SS)
Yamcha, the Amazing (Level 1 FuS)

Battleground/Location: 3 cards
City in Turmoil x 2 (AS)
New Vegeta x 1 (promo)

Non-combat: 1 card
Earth Dragonball 7 (SS)

Combat: 16 cards
TIAWT (FS)
TES x 3 (TS)
Dazed (FuS)
Battle Pausing (SS)
Drills Are For the Weak (TS)
The Power of the Dragon (CG)
Dragon’s Victory x 2 (CG)
Boomstick x 2 (FuS)
Super Saiyan Effect (TS)
Frieza Smiles x 3 (FS)

Physical Combat Blocks: 8 cards
Vegeta’s Physical Stance (SS)
Nappa’s Physical Resistance (SS)
Blue Evasion x 3 (CS)
Goku’s Flight x 3 (FuS)

Physical Combat: 22 cards
Straining Jump Kick Move x 2 (AS)
Goku’s Physical Attack x 2 (SS)
Cell’s Backslap (CG)
Gohan’s Kick x 3 (CG)
Gohan’s Physical Attack x 3 (SS)
Blue Knockdown x 3 (FuS)
Majin Vegeta’s Frantic Attack x 2 (BS)
Blue Betrayal x 3 (AS)
Blue Back Kick x 3 (WG)

Energy Combat Blocks: 5 cards
Nappa’s Energy Aura (SS)
Frieza’s Force Bubble (promo)
Blue Energy Guard (FuS)
Energy Ricochet x 2 (BS)

Energy Combat: 21 cards
Straining Spirit Bomb Move (promo)
Trunks Makes Himself Clear (TS)
Captain Ginyu’s Energy Attack x 3 (TS)
Blue Terror (AS)
Blue Energy Arrow x 3 (CG)
Blue Energy Transformation x 3 (WG)
Blue Energy Flight x 3 (FS)
Blue Stance x 3 (FS)
Blue Energy Outburst x 3 (FS)

*********
>_< I can't believe you are convinced by one of the STUPIDEST articles
>ever written. That article should be burned. If you actually read
>Fanatics, the message board itself, everyone, or everyone smart, will
>back Trunks Energy Sphere as the HANDS DOWN most important card in the
>game.

I'll try to make this simple. The guy who wrote the article, sorry to say, has a really thick skull and doesn't understand the power of Trunks Energy Sphere, even though greats from around the world try to tell him. Statistics even prove it.

Anyway, let's say there was one card in the game that could stop physical attacks. Only one. Now wouldn't it make sense that we would all play physical decks and totally whomp your opponent seeing that there's a very small chance that physical block will show up? Physical attack decks would take over the environment easily. Oh sure, you can play cards that power you up to full, or reduce the damage, but that doesn't matter if every single one becomes successful, or they all do big life cards like Carpet Attack Technique.

That's the thing with Combat cards. There is ONE card in the game that can stop Combat cards, and that's Trunks Energy Sphere. There are cards that prevent you from playing those Combat cards, but you can just use them later. TES is just plain overpowering; smart people know when to hold onto one seeing Combats are the most powerful cards with only one thing to stave them off. Aura Clash can cripple a Drill/Level 1 based deck. Cell's Presence resets allies. Android 17 Smirks sweeps Drills. Confrontation/Android 18's Stare Down allow you to take a peek at your opponent's hand and take their best card away, effectively allowing you to have the advantage of knowing what's coming this Combat, how to prepare, and most of all being able to take the advantage with that knowledge. Time is A Warriors Tool shuts down most attacks for one Combat. Dragon's Victory wins games. Cell's Threatening Position resets anger decks. Now imagine if all these cards were guaranteed to work every time. There would be no balance; many things would be based on luck seeing if an anger deck was playing against a Drill deck, first to pull that CTP or that A17 Smirks and hold onto it until it is nice and ready to call a reset.

I hold TES most of the time at the end of Combat. There are just so many powerful Combat cards in the game. I easily run at least 10 in every deck. I run around 31 in my Android 20 deck, around 18 in my Worlds ally deck, currently 15 in my ally deck as of now, 17 in my Tuff Enuff deck updated since Worlds, and I can go on and on. There is a reason why decks with a ton of Combat cards are the best decks. Dragon Ball decks with the ability to end combat with Combat cards and use many others at their disposal, and Namekian with their Strikes and ability to chain energy via Combat cards is the reason why they good archtypes. Currently Goku Freestyle is the powerhouse, and with cards like Goku's DB Quest and Goku's Instant Transmission, you know why they are good.

Now, the reason why you don't use A20's Search Pattern is that it may remove a copy of a card, but that's only 1. Great in decks that need to get rid of one like HUH??? and CTP. But then there's the bright idea of running... both... but in many decks, TES is needed, and with Black Scout you are fine. You can't Search Pattern all 17 of my Combat cards in my deck. You can, however, hold a TES in your hand, knowing that holding it will scare your opponent from playing that game altering Combat card until he can rid you of your TES (using another TES or Confrontation/Staredown or another Combat card). Search Pattern is also a non-combat card, which makes it a dead card in Combat. And City In Turmoil screws it over. You'd have to hold it during combat until your next turn and put it down, something I'd rather not do seeing during that one combat holding the card you can be easily slaughtered.

Oh sure you could hold TES and it can cost you the game. But I'd rather be holding TES than a 20's Search Pattern. TES will save you the game against more people than Search Pattern will.

I hope that helped convince you. If not, just go to Fanatics and read all the flame wars when The Spriggan shows up and the million people trying to explain why the card is so good. Many of the people are twice or three times as good as I am easily. If you don't listen to me, at least listen to them.

Ok... to the deck.

Stunned is not a Sensei Deck card. Where did you get that idea? Add Black Scout Maneuver. Nice card. A Hero's Heart is Strong might help as well. Blue CS... hmm.... ok then.

Yamcha the Amazing does nothing as an ally seeing that you can never use his power (without random support cards). It is When Entering Combat. If we could use WEC powers as allies, I'd have 18, Yamcha, Tapkar, Roshi, Gohan, Goku, and so forth all line up and have this 20 card hand. Nope, not gonna happen.

Dragon's Victory... interesting. If you want to win this way, I'd run 3.

You run no non-combats, which seems odd. I'd run at least Expectant Trunks, seeing that you'd be able to set it up quite easily, especially with New Vegeta out. City is not always going to be around.

I would not run Frieza Smiles seeing that it won't do much if you ever want to play a card. You'd be holding it and making it a dead card a lot.

If you are trying to play DV, Blue Evasion is not something you want to keep. I'd run Pikkon's Leg Catch or Goku's Quick Dodge for added anti physical. I wouldn't even keep the stop alls if it stops you from running sweet anger cards. Weaving is a nice card you can try. I'd even try out Blue Arm Blast.

Blue Back Kick needs to be cut as it stops your energies as well. The reason is Blue Longshot. Gohan's Physical Attack is weak and needs to go as well. Blue Knockdown is strange, but if it works, then fine. No net anger gain... that's all.

I'd add a Ricochet, seeing that card is just plain good. It does mess up your DV, but I realized it is not the main part of the deck.

Interesting. Blue anger. I should of known. Well in that case, Blue Backbreaker is a great card. Blue Stopping Technique is still good regardless. I'd throw in Blue Longshot; it can help get the anger flowing fast. There are many URs/Ubers that would work nicely in here, but no use in bugging you about them. I'd also run the Babidi Goku 5 over the CS one. A good non-combat for Goku anger is Face Off, which can easily set up nice combos. Blue Quick Blast is a must for the Sensei deck. Big Man on Campus looks like it would work. I'd also throw a set of the DBs in as a backup win; many of the Earth ones have great abilities.

Good luck. This deck is extremely well built... but you are missing Confrontation, one of the premier cards in the game. With work, this deck can be very very good and very unexpected.

--
matthewlow@franceslow.com
"You will not be allowed to do this to anyone else!" - Gohan
--