It seems since I already gave you a thoroughly misleading taste of a parody I might as well attempt the real thing. The new format. What are my thoughts on it? Does it benefit or hurt this game? How can one keep up?

I will tackle this in a slightly different measure then most: by choosing not to dwell on the negative shortcomings and decisions that I do not agree with. I believe such approach accomplishes nothing productively to the mind seeking knowledge and guidance. In simpler terms, you may not like the list but there is nothing you can do about it. Your choices are to (a) use it as best you can or (b) quit the game.

The first major truth one can choose to accept is this: Control is back. This last format saw the almost complete destruction of this tier 1 type in all but the most diminished and retarded forms. By “diminished and retarded” I mean most control decks of that list focused on flippers drawing you cards. The conventional combos and deck synergy was not there to showcase control as it once was. That does not seem to be the case with this new format.

While we may still only see diminished forms of Scapegoat/ Metamorphosis use the other aspects of the former control deck have returned in just about full force. Magician of Faith being brought back to two has, essentially, always been the ideal number to begin with. While only one piece of the former “trinity” has returned we still have been graced with the replacement form of another (and the increased speed to make it that much more splash-able). Also a second boarded copy of Nobleman of Crossout has given control back some of its former power (instead of having to rely on lesser replacements such as Mystic Swordsman LV2) and a counter to mirror matches. However, do not think facedown cards and flip effects will die out that quickly. The re-banning of Dark Hole has given them a roughly equal chance of survival.

With these facts firmly in place we can begin to see the rise of spell card counts yet again. Late last format it was no surprise to see competitive decks running as few as 10 spells main-decked, and often times an even higher trap count to act as counter-aggression. What I believe we will begin to see over the next months is a revert back to the way the ratios once were: Anywhere from 14 to 16 spell cards and around 6 to 8 traps.

In addition to this re-emerging deck type there will always be a good number of anti-meta and theme decks pioneered in the hands of skilled innovators to combat them. However, one deck I see as being a true counter measure and success in this regard is the Dark World deck. I have already given discussion in this regard. I believe the new format has done nothing to diminish its power and several things to increase it. The semi-restriction of Deck Devastation Virus has given this deck one of the strongest anti-control weapons in the game. To anyone who seriously doubts this I have only to assume you have never been hit with the card before. Trust me when I say that that will soon change.

Dark Hole was this deck’s worst enemy. Mirror Force does not possess the same guarantees Dark Hole did. I considered this card to always be the main repression of all-out, complete and ridiculous swarm. Now that all changes and your goal in constructing a Dark World deck should be clear. Your opponent’s only massive field clearers are both traps. I trust this will put up another red flag in your mind.

Former Dark World decks had two cards with the potential for multi drops to the field, or as I call them, “game enders”. The new list has given us a third. The use of any of these cards in conjunction with Card of Safe Return pushes advantage drastically in your favor. Two of the three cards are spell cards. Two Magicians increase reusability. Translation: More power.

There is a good amount of tech to use against the stemming tide of the new format. Knowing and assessing your options will, of course, be critical to success. Big Shield Gardna was a fun option back in the day. Its use has increased quite a bit since then: stopping such cards as Nobleman of Crossout, Soul Exchange, and Dark World Lightning while providing a bit of defensive power to your arsenal. In keeping with a similar theme of destruction negation I have never seen a format where My Body as a Shield shows more promise. This old-school Jae Kim tech has a lot more power in its punch; working to shut down this impressive list of commonly seen strategies:

Nobleman of Crossout

Smashing Ground

Lightning Vortex

Dark World Lightning

Torrential Tribute

Mirror Force

Sakuretsu Armor

Bottomless Trap Hole

Deck Devastation Virus

Old Vindictive Magician

Zaborg the Thunder Monarch

Exiled Force

Mystic Swordsman LV2

 

As an additional tech option I see promise in Broww, Huntsman of Dark World in the side deck. Working in much the same way as teching Goldd or Sillva did for non-Dark World decks, this card can provide a nice counter to the hand destruction DW decks can run. I feel this card’s greatest use may come as an answer to main-boarded Deck Devastation Virus and its level works to counter stall decks.

As a final note I hope to finally see the death of weird OTK decks knocking me out of competition early. You all know the feeling. You plan and work so hard to build something that does well against the meta-game and you end up getting Steined or Jowgened or Burned. This list has the greatest measure of suppression on these types of decks. I personally do not see successful builds of this type emerging in this format. Three cheers to never having to waste side deck space to Elephant Statue of Disaster or Neko Mane King!

I like a new format if only for the increase in decks I can design. As is tradition in most of my articles I want to include a deck at the end. Props go to Chris Moosman for the general idea.

[3] Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World

[3] Sillva, Warlord of Dark World

[1] Night Assailant

[1] Sangan

[1] Breaker the Magical Warrior

[2] Asura Priest

[3] Skelengel

[2] Magician of Faith

[1] D.D. Warrior Lady

[1] Morphing Jar

[1] Graceful Charity

[1] Card Destruction

[1] Pot of Avarice

[2] Dark World Lightning

[2] Gateway to Dark World

[1] Card of Safe Return

[2] Nobleman of Crossout

[1] Lightning Vortex

[1] Creature Swap

[1] Scapegoat

[1] Heavy Storm

[1] Premature Burial

[1] Snatch Steal

[1] Call of the Haunted

[1] Torrential Tribute

[1] Mirror Force

[1] Beckoning Light

[3] Royal Decree

Side Deck:

[1] Mystical Space Typhoon

[2] Mystic Swordsman LV 2

[1] Exiled Force

[2] Big Shield Gardna

[1] Rienforcement of the Army

[2] Smashing Ground

[2] Broww, Huntsman of Dark World

[2] Deck Devastation Virus

[2] Swarm of Locusts

For those wondering where the idea originated from here is the current ruling list for Beckoning Light (courtesy of netrep.net):

Discarding is not a cost.

"Beckoning Light" doesn't target.

When you resolve "Beckoning Light", first discard, then pick cards to add to your hand. So you can add cards to your hand that you discarded while resolving "Beckoning Light".

If you don't have enough LIGHT monsters as there are cards in your hand, you cannot activate "Beckoning Light".

You cannot activate "Beckoning Light" if you have no cards in your hand.

If your opponent chains "Disappear" to "Beckoning Light", and there are no longer enough LIGHT monsters to retrieve as there were cards in your hand, the effect of "Beckoning Light" disappears and you don't discard your hand or add cards to your hand.

The first point is the important one here. Because the discard is not a cost Dark World monsters achieve their triggered effects through its discard, giving this deck a fourth multi-drop.

Well, that about does it for me this time. Stay tuned where I have a special interview planned for you all. You won’t want to miss it.