June 2007 - Oh the Meta, and the Ban List

Hey y'all this is the Lightning Cat, Chris Butcher coming at ya.  As you can see by the title of this little article it's all about the meta game and the ban list.  Let us start with the meta game.
     The meta has changed, but not for the better.  DDT and Monarchs reign supreme in deck lists, with few "original" decks among the chaos.  I've seen a couple players in the tips section here stating their angst of seeing the same cards in just about every deck, and I for one join them.  Ladies, Gentlemen, Cyber Dragon does not fit in every deck.  "I think I'll build a Fiend Deck.  Lets see Ha Des, Necrofear, Cyber Dragon.  Yeah that works."  No that doesn't work.  You see Cyber Dragon is no Fiend.  cyber Dragon is not a Fairy, Fire type, warrior or Six Samurai.  (That goes to our good friends at the Beckett Yu-Gi-oh! Collector)  The Monarchs are not splashable.  They belong in a dedicated Monarch deck, just as Cyber Dragon belongs in either a dedicated Cyber Dragon deck or a Machine deck.
     However while I agree with what other players are saying, I can't agree with every card they have problems with.  One of which is Swords of Revealing Light.  This card has been around from the very start and deserves to be played.  No it's not overly powerful.  It stalls for three turns, three turns where nothing good can come to the person who played the spell in the first place.  Lets not forget that it is vulnerable to every anti-spell card in the game.  Another is Sakaretsu Armor.  I just started playing this card recently and I gotta say it's a very awesome trap.  Negating an attack and destroying that monster is great.  Again lets not forget that Jinzo and Royal Decree (Bleh.  Now there's a card that needs to be banned  More on that later) are still standing.
     The only thing we have to blame for seeing the same deck list time after time is that we have compitions such as Shonen Jump and Nationals mucking up the works.  The spirit of compitition has been over come by the spoils of compitition.  Once all the narcisist, cookie cutter players learn that it's not winning that makes a game fun, but the playing of said game makes it fun, we'll all be in a much better place.
     Now on to the Ban List.  Don't get me wrong, I like the ban list (well for the most part that is) I just don't like some of the decisions that were made.  Now I know that this ban list is world wide and there's little that can be done but lets take a look at things real quick.  We have Magician of Faith banned.  Yeah Dimension Fusion and Over-load Fusion are discustingly awesome cards but they come at a really high price.  Dimension Fusion suffers from not only a 2000pt deduction, but also the fact that your opponent gets his or her monsters back as well.  Over-load Fusion forces you to remove powerful machine monsters from the game.  One well played anti-attack card and all that power has gone to waste.
However we have Mask of Darkness at two per deck with Mirror Force, Ring of Destruction and Torrential Tribute still around.  Where is the balance in that?  "Yeah go ahead, play Ring three times in one game, we don't mind.  What's that?  Dimension Fusion more than once?  ha forget it!"  As you saw I dislike Royal Decree.  It's far too easy to get now with most of the new structure decks packing one, and most players have at least two in their main or side deck.  Yes it'll stop Mirror Force.  Yes, it will stop Ring of Destruction.  However, it stops every other useful trap in the game.
     Well, that's that for now.(Mainly because my hand is falling asleep.)  If you wish to reply, in any way, shape or form please do.  Make sure ya label it with something Yugi related or I probably won't open it.  The e-mails chillin' below.
tlc4ever@hotmail.com
     Till next time y'all.  The cat's den is closed.  You don't have to go home but you can't stay here.  Peace.  Chris Butcher TLC