Subject: Re: Please Help my Gohan Sword Deck

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: FRANCESCEASLEY
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 16:29:50 EDT

Fleat's Sword Deck
Dragon's Lair
West Hartford, CT

Well, I'm seeing how my deck would measure up, and I ask you for help on it.
It's been working pretty well, but I can always have a second opinion on it.
Also, can you rate my deck?

Main Personality 4 (I could run a level 5, but that's redundant because any
anger deck would have a level 5 anyway)
Gohan lv1 Buu
Gohan lv2 Cell
Gohan lv3 Buu
Gohan lv4 Fusion

Mastery 1
Freestyle Buu (obviously)

Sensei 1
North Kai

Sensei Deck 6
Hero's Drill
Breakthrough Drill x2
Released x2
Black Searching Maneuver

Dragonballs
Alt. Dende #2

Battleground
Tree of Might x2

Allies 1
Chi Chi

Non-Combats 14
Trunks Guardian Drill (my only UR, pity me...)
Gohan's Swordplay Drill x4
Caught Off Guard Drill x2
Vegeta's Quickness Drill
Android 20's Absorbing Drill
Goku's Defensive Drill x2
Hero's Lucky Break
Expectant Trunks
Severe Bruises

Combats 11
Time is a Warrior's Tool
Super Saiyan Effect
Narrow Escape x2
Battle Pausing
Power of the Dragon
Drills are for the WEAK (yea right)
Confrontation (getting 2 more in the mail, what should I take out?) Trunks Energy Sphere x3

Attacks 30
Gohan's Kick x4
Gohan's Sword Slash x3
Gohan's Sword Sweep x4
Gohan's Sword Thrust x4
Focused Sword Strike x3
Trunks Sword Position 1 x3
Trunks Sword Position 4 x3
Trunks Sword Position 3 x3
Krillin's Solar Flare x2

Blocks 21 (24 including the combats)
Gohan's Elbow Block x4
Gohan's Forearm Block x3
Gohan's Energy Defense x3
Tien's Block x3
Goku's Flight x2
Goku's Energy Absorption
Vegeta's Physical Stance
Nappa's Physical Resistance
Nappa's Energy Aura
Frieza's Force Bubble
Victorious (yea, it isn't good, but it's in for sentimental value for my good
performance in the New York Regionals)

Well that's my deck. Lately, I've been debating whether or not to replace the
Gohan's Energy Defense/Forearm Block with GSM/TSM respectively. I kept in the
Gohan's cards for the compatibility with the Gohan's Wrist Block so that I
can recycle them, and the fact that they raise my anger. The rest of the deck is
self-explanatory.

************
What can I say... good, bad... or... well, you got more things going right than wrong. With a couple changes, I think you'll be up to par.

Honestly, if you ask me, I think that you should run your level 5. I have seen many many 3 level anger decks, and it isn't hard to for a Saiyan Goku deck to run a level 4 and just gain a measly 5 anger to claim the win. My sister runs a 4 level anger deck (Android 20 Red TS), mainly to get to the nasty level 3, but if she can win by anger, why not? I think giving up slot in the deck is worth the headache, but then again you know your play area more than me. If there aren't any 4 level anger decks or people run Aura Clash all over the place, you probably won't need it.

I would run the HT CS Level 3 hands down. That HT has so much power, especially with the removing a non-combat and the great power non-combats have gained lately.

Oh boy... great Sensei, but yet again someone who doesn't FILL THEIR SENSEI DECK. Sorry for the caps... but I mean, you can run good stuff like Black Scout Maneuver, HUH???, A Hero's Heart is Strong... a ton of things are just plain good and can be extremely helpful against certain decks. I mean, if anything, at least you can Energy Ricochet 6 times (an amazing card, consider running it). I mean... how is not filling your Sensei deck helpful?

Alt Dende 2... yeah, I can see that being a choice DB for this deck. I would run Alt Dende 3 as well. Why? If City In Turmoil hits the table, turn it off permanently with Alt 3... and watch your opponent try to steal it...

I would run a Location as well as TOM. This is because if CIT hits the table and Alt 3 is no where in sight, you can enter the following Combat, Mastery, and pull out Gohan's Nimbus Cloud and plain spoil their plans. Fun stuff. Winter Countryside always stands out in my mind. There are a lot of options like Protective Shelter that you can use to draw and Mastery the card. Look at your other options and see what can be helpful.

I don't think with that many non-combats TGD will be all that helpful. I guess that's just me. I'd rather run Brothers In Training in your case... but you are the only one who knows if you get nons clogged in your hand after you've already Masteried and stuff. I would also definitely cut both Goku's Defensive Drills and put in 3x Trunks Swordplay Drill to even further strengthen your physicals. Run 3x Devastation Drill, that card is just broke. Outside of the UR/Ubers, nothing else comes to mind at the moment, except maybe another Absorbing Drill.

All your Combats are perfect, and yes you need those two more Confrontations. Run them whatever you do. Also, with Narrow Escape, it doesn't turn really broken until you hit level 2. If you ask me, your level 2 is WAY better than your level 1, except probably against a Black dicard deck. I'd run 2x Aura Clash, seeing your Drills don't get nuked, and you get some broke power. Getting two cards you want of your choice each combat? Even if you draw 3 non-combats you'll still have a 5 card hand with 2 really good cards. The only thing is Aura Clash + Winter Countryside doesn't quite work, but remember I did say Alt DDB3 is a good thing.

Ok... attacks. Well, it seems that you are missing one of the vital cards to the deck, and that's Trunks Sword Slice. Being able to chain physicals is Namekian's Strike great. I would probably ditch TSP1, and maybe 4 if room is necessary. I'd also and another Sword Slash. These Sword cards are easily searched out with Mastery / level 2 power, and with Gohan's Swordplay Drill out, you can easily take advantage of each attack. You also might want to consider King Cold's Sword Trick. Strange card, but it removes a Drill, even without North Kai, so it might really help against other Freestyle decks. And if you can get your hands on it, Gohan's Power Hit is nice to drain your opponent so they can't do anything, and then just hammer your opponent while they are at zero.

Forearm Block is ok, but Elbow block is much better. I wouldn't take it out for TSM though. Add another Goku's Flight. You might not need the Forearm Blocks anyway... maybe Pikkon's Leg Catch and you'll be more than set. That might be too many physical blocks... maybe you can take out VPS and NPR. Gohan's Energy Defense can be taken out for Energy Ricochet, an amazing card. Yeah, Victorious isn't that great, but who cares right?

This is quite strong, and I must admit it is very very well built. Make those changes and I can see you watch your opponent cry when he gets hit with a Sword attack doing +16 or so ^_^ (2x Devastation Drill, 3x any Swordplay Drills, lol). Oh, and you might want to run Long Journey or Releasing the Sword, both great cards.

Have fun! This looks really good... I'm going to use a lot of this as a model to help other Sword decks, like the other one in my mailbox. I'd give this... a 6.8, very nicely done. All the staples are set... just need work on the Sensei and a couple broke cards like Sword Slice, Devastation Drill, and Swordplay Drill.

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