Okay, so everyone is well aware of what Mermails are capable of. In the last two YCS events (Seattle-Tacoma and Barcelona) they have placed 2nd in each case, and took a fine portion of the top 32 spots in both events (notably decreasing however, possibly due to how easy they are to side against).
Nevertheless, people consider Mermails to be Tier 1, and I wouldn't disagree. Here are some reasons why.
(1) They aren't burdened by back row: Not needing to have huge amounts of back row actually benefits a deck more than one might believe. There is quite simply more room for Effect-related strategies. And in my opinion, if a strategy is simple, then it is almost always more effective. Some would call Genex Undine a strategy in himself.
(2) They plus a LOT: From an objective point of view, a deck which keeps their hands close to their chest, and always gets more back than they dish out, is statistically more likely to succeed. The first turn Genex Undine play nets you a +2 (presuming you send Dragoons), and if you happen to have Allure of Darkness, a +3 (sick, really). Not to mention Abyssmegalo plays, Diva plays, and Abyss-Sphere plays (if MST'd), and Salvage!
People also seem to forget about the versatility of the Water Archetype per se, namely how well they combine with other archetypes, such as Elemental Heros:
Consider the following:
- Discard Dragoons and Elemental Hero Ocean to Special Summon Mermail Abyssmegalo - Search stuff for lovely plusing (though currently a -1)
- Activate Miracle Fusion in hand for Absolute Zero
- You notice your opponent has 4 monsters, but no backrow. Still scary? Naaah
- Tribute the Absolute Zero with Abyssmegalo, blow up their monsters, and attack for Game. Good night.
What makes it sweeter? If they have a Zenmaines, you can take all his materials from him without minusing.
(3) They swarm, pure and simple: An obvious consequence of plusing is swarming. They're also particularly adept at baiting out back row (especially if, like me, you have a Miracle Fusion in hand :-p). Fearing back row isn't in their nature. They'll gladly normal summon an Abysspike to bait out any Solemn Warnings or Bottomless Trap Holes, and then go for Abyssmegalo.
So they're good, but are they broken? Yes, for one reason: MOULINGLACIA
The ability to search a Delinquent Duo from your deck is just ridiculous, also the fact that you can bring him out in a single turn:
CARDS NEEDED:
- Genex Undine, Atlantean Dragoons, any other water monster
- Normal Summon Genex Undine, send Dragoons, add Abyssmegalo and Controller
- Discard Dragoons and water monster to Special Summon Mermail Abyssmegalo, activate effect to search, then search for Moulinglacia with Dragoons (3 in grave).
- Activate the effect of Abyssmegalo to tribute Undine (4 in grave).
- Wait until Abyssmegalo dies (after playing mind games with your opponent) and Special Summon Moulinglacia.
I'd only do this is you had a Diva in hand, or some other option like an Abyss-Sphere. Otherwise I'd leave it be. Hope you enjoyed this. Be sure to show your support!
I find that the elation which typically follows such heart-pounding, high-flying action doesn't stick (and oh yes, it most certainly rhymes with the title). I watched it, I consumed it. I gave the film a fair chance. I also thoroughly enjoyed the first trilogy. A revamp was expected by all. Was it required, though? For Batman, I welcomed it with open arms. And it succeeded. It was dark, malicious, and truly brilliant in its execution (all the more reason to see his next installment in a couple of weeks). But this was different. If a revamp was expected in this case, it wasn't necessary. Especially if you were merely going to replicate the origin plot of the first trilogy. Being true to the comic is fine, and there were some more creative plot alterations (like more scientifically explicated theories, and some more credible back stories)--however, if that means that half the audience that saw the original trilogy would be yawning, thinking "I guarantee you that THIS will happen" then perhaps they needed to think about it a little harder.
As a spectacle, I enjoyed the film (spectacular was certainly the word of choice, given the amount of high-flying action). But as a fan of the series, I can't say I did. And I'm no comic book geek. I simply know good cinema. The villain plot (more an experiment gone wrong) fit with the pre-existing relationships between the characters. That fit rather well. But I felt that Dr. Connors (as a lizard in this case) didn't feature as strongly as I would have liked. It all ended rather suddenly and, as is typical of such films, conveniently (green bad, blue good, all screwed, or all cured)--forever dealing in absolutes, in other words. And, it ultimately made the presumption that those without a degree in science or some form of specialised knowledge wouldn't be able to fathom the complexity of cross-species genetics.
The one thing I will say is that the relationship in the film was believable. Also, Emma Stone is, well, you know, up there with the best of them. Which may have biased my opinions somewhat. Nonetheless I find that a true cinematic relationship between two characters has to avoid cliches, which this film did, and also be based on a kind of subtlety inherent in cinematography which only film can pull off effectively.
In any case, what did everyone else think of the film? This now qualifies as a rant, since I have been sufficiently cynical. Nevertheless I'm still willing to be kind: I'll give it 4/5. Simply for its believable characters, good soundtrack (James Horner is always reliable--did someone say Titanic, A Beautiful Mind, Avatar?)
So, we're all excited about the European Championships, right? Right? Perhaps not. But it certainly isn't a tournament which should be overlooked. In terms of attendance, you're talking just as many as there were at the US Nationals events (I don't have the exact number, but something around 600) so that's rather substantial. A melting pot of cultures also ensures that the meta is far more difficult to predict. I mean sure, you'll likely have a bunch of tier 1 decks--that much people can predict. But who can predict the so-called secret sides that the brighter amongst us come up with for these tournaments--and that, say, all of Italy or France or Spain know about, but we don't? This basically segues into my next point: namely how the meta is represented at these events. Given the number of nations being represented, you'll get the odd "rogue" deck as people call it. Gravekeeper's might very well make an appearance. Tech Genus Stun decks could see some play. If France favours such builds, they might be more common than usual. So, in a nutshell, proportions may be a little off for this event.
Of course, that's no reason to lose one's head, or make crazy decisions regarding one's side deck. The standard sides will remain prevalent: Electric Virus, Shadow-imprisoning Mirror, Soul Taker, D.D Crow, Dimensional Fissure, Macro Cosmos, and so forth. All I'm saying is that one can't treat it like a Nationals.
The other issue players often face is simple culture shock. In the majority of cases, hand gestures are sufficient to indicate to your opponent what your intentions are in a duel, but I'm not even referring to that. I'm just talking about the more intangible, less quantifiable factors of another culture's impressing on your own. It could be daunting for some. But for those with experience, it shouldn't be an issue.
I will be very interested to see what tops the event. I am predicting it
will be Chaos Dragons (though I do have some favourance for the deck,
given that I topped with it in Nationals (decklist below). And I did in
fact qualify for the Euros. Unfortunately, however, lack of funds
prevents me from going. In any case, if Wind-Ups top, as they have done
at WCQ North and South American events, we can almost guarantee spot for
them on the next ban list in some shape or form. I would almost bet
money on it, but apparently you can't do that in Yu-Gi-Oh (if you get
the reference, then keep quiet--don't want to stir up a ruckus! :-p). Inzektors tend not to win big, so I don't expect them to do much. And finally Rabbit: from the Top 8 I expect to see maybe 4 or 5 Rabbit decks, and the rest being either Wind-Ups or Chaos Dragons. But hey, I honestly can't say with any degree of certainty what will happen.
So kudos to those who qualified, the very best of luck, and I look forward to hearing their many stories when they return!
Yu-Gi-Oh News: Wind-Ups win it big at the latest WCQ event in North America - so what about Europe?
The plethora of tier 1 decks which have emerged in Yu-Gi-Oh in recent times is quite astounding. No less astounding is that only a handful of them have been topping. On initial examination of recent tournament wins, perhaps we can put this down to an internal stratification of these tier 1 decks: some simply face-off against their counterparts better than others. Kind of like a Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock, to quote Sheldon. Chaos Dragons over Rabbit, Rabbit over Inzektors, etc. This logic falls to individual skill, of course, but when you're facing a potential 500 person tournament, you have to play the odds. Still, did any of us really expect Wind-Ups to win at the latest WCQ event? I have to say, I certainly didn't. And that, I believe, is part of the problem.
Side decking as a practice has always been based on a single factor: the locale. A side deck is almost wholly determined by the trends circulating in the localised meta. If Wind-Ups or Inzektors (however improbable that may be) aren't widely represented, then people may not side as heavily against them. This, however, is an acceptable rationale for your own locals alone. I can accept people who are testing at locals not siding against Wind-Ups. But once you hit the big leagues, you're basically anticipating and extrapolating from what little knowledge you have national trends, and sometimes, as will be the case on July 6th at the European Championships, continental ones.
Perhaps such exercises were done by the majority of players, tossing in their Maxx "C"s, Neko Mane Kings, or even D.D. Crows, thinking however casually that "I won't get looped". Or they simply weren't thinking. My question is how one could ignore or overlook a deck which requires a handful of two-card combinations to win in their opening hand. I dare say that no other deck can make such a claim - unless you consider something like Future Fusion in Chaos Dragons.
Clearly, however, the side deck choices of the other players weren't enough, especially considering that the final was a mirror match--though, I suppose Lewis' deck was a little unconventional. Either a reformulation of the Wind-Up sides needs to be popularised, or people need to get in line for those Wind-Up Carriers and whatever else is required for netdecking.
So why did Wind-Ups win? Maybe it was pure skill; maybe the sides were all correct for his opponents, but not drawn; or maybe it's because Tyler Tabman sensed a gap in the meta, a gaping need for Wind-Ups to go to town on Inzektors, on Rabbit, on Chaos Dragons in particular. And that's what he did, and with style. His build wasn't particularly daring or unconventional. The only comment I would have would be on the Instant Fusions--but if anything they helped him loop even more efficiently, and with, I assume, far greater frequency. As I mention in the above video, the deck also seems to have an out to everything, much like Inzektors. Veiler doesn't really scare them, since they always have alternatives. Unlike decks such as Chaos Dragons which are somewhat balanced, in that single card techs such as Macro Cosmos can give them serious problems, Wind-Ups have no single card which stops their momentum. I can hear people shouting Maxx "C", but honestly it doesn't stop the deck. Who is to say it can't loop you twice? And that the player won't simply draw Pot of Avarice (as Tabman himself did Game 3 of the final) in his/ her opening hand? Or within a couple of turns? If you Veiler a first turn Tour Guide, they can Instant Fusion (or else they wouldn't have summoned her). If you Veiler the Carrier, they can defend with backrow until the next turn, when I am sure they will proceed to loop you anyway.
The implications?
Well, issues arising from the deck's recent success include the price of Maxx "C", whether or not to main deck him, and ban list considerations. After the price of the card has just reached tolerable levels, will we now see it skyrocket again? Or will someone come up with a new revolutionary side that hundreds of world class players couldn't come up with? I doubt it, somehow. Next, should Maxx "C" be maindecked? Are such thoughts reactionary and unfounded? In my opinion, maindecking him at one might not be a bad idea, since even against decks where he isn't at his best, he still might net you a +1 (like against first turn Rabbit plays, for example).
As for the ban list, I can almost guarantee that one or more of these cards will be hit:
- Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity (restrict or ban)
- Wind-Up Rat (restrict to 1)
- Wind-Up Hunter (ban, since only 1 is maindecked as it is)
- Instant Fusion (possible restriction which would cover not just Wind-Ups but also Ninjas and
Inzektors)
In all cases, the idea is to prevent the loop while still preserving the bulk of the deck. The loop, in fact, is incidental and often unnecessary. It simply helps the Wind-Up player get a few free hits when the opponent is down. But who is to say that the potential for card advantage which Wind-Up decks are known for isn't enough, and that the deck couldn't prosper if Carrier were limited?
In any case, I'm pretty sure things will change now that this news is out, simply given the amount of netdecking going on these days. I myself am guilty of it with Chaos Dragons (but hey, I topped at Nationals with them!). We'll just have to see what happens.
These were my Words of Wisdom -- take them to heart!
- Search stuff for lovely plusing (though currently a -1)
The ability to search a Delinquent Duo from your deck is just ridiculous, also the fact that you can bring him out in a single turn:
