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Article 52: Good Lord, 2006 is almost over?

Well, it's almost (although still 2 weeks left) the end of year of 2006. This year, the world have its ups and downs, and the game of Yu-Gi-Oh also have some up/down. Up is the metagame shakeup (not once, but twice), down is the domination of E-Hero in sets. Like last year, I would do a complete recap of the year. Like last year, I would review on the set/products (cards...), the ban/restrictions, the tournament result/metagame, or just anything.

Sets/Related product
This year, like last, have 4 "big" booster sets, 4 Structures, some Duelist Packs, abundance of promos (due to number of GX video games or number of times V-Jump/Weekly Jump including promo). Of course, when I done my first impression of each set (EOJ, POTD, CDIP, STON), I'm only guessing on the impact of those cards to the game. Like last year, I would give them a "score" based on the card designed, the impact on metagame, and what-not. And for the other things: like the Structure Deck (based on how good they're built and how good are the new cards), reprints, promos overall.

Enemy of Justice : 8.5/10 - The set itself include few things: the introduction to the "enemy" (D-Hero), some boost to Birds, the all new Angels, some more E-Hero card/support, and of course, the [Macrocosmos]. D-Hero, until the recent release of [Destiny Draw] and [E-Hero Airman], is very bad. Some new Birds are nice, but not enough. The whole Counter-Angel seems...well, "forced", even if the flavor is there (divine counters). The out-game theme had gave some competitive decks for a while (i.e. Dimensional-Emperor), but they die down. Overall, not a bad set...considering the

Power of the Duelist : 7.0/10 - The set gave us...well, a HUGE number of GX cards. From the new Neospacian crap from Judai, new D-Heroes, Dinos, Roids, etc. In terms of competitiveness...well, the D-Heroes sees play (see above), E-Hero Neos is a nice card to just "play" with as like people play with DM deck or BEWD deck: a deck based on a normal monster (one thing? It don't use Neos Fusions...). Of course, in the end, there's that damn Chimeratech Over Dragon, with the combo of [Future Fusion] + [Overload Fusion]. Otherwise, it's a rather disappointing set.

Cyberdark Impact : 5.8/10 - The set gave us the Cyber Dark stuff (never seen play), few LV monsters, and a series of Chain-related cards. On paper, this set is the weakest set ever since...well, 309. But we all know that 309 have some good commons (Abyss, Wall of Light). In reality, there's a whole new "Chain Burn" deck (or the "Chain Madness" deck that I had mentioned but have no idea where to start), some decent anti-special summon side-decking card. But in the end, the set design is bad (not enough things in the set itself to support the Chain cards), as thus the disappointment of the LV monsters (which I still believed is the best new mechanic)

Strike of Neos : 5.4/10 - It's have "Neos" in the set name, or, it have more Neospacian craps. Some new Normal monster is nice for dream for some player that want to play them, as thus the relation of them with the Rituals in the set. However, the Six Warmasters are overrated, as thus the sadness of number of fillers in the set. If anything, the only card that would give competitive sense new toy is [Card Trader]...yet it's yet to seen much play.

Duelist Packs: 6.8/10 - In terms of Judai pack, it's still at the same shitness level. As for the two other, Hell Kaiser one makes the people want to cry (CyDra, CED, Chimera just RARE...), and the two Ultras in Ed's DP are actually GOOD.

Promo: 10/10 - I would say promo "is the thing" this year. We have the VB9 promos (Chest + Necro), V-Jump's Baboon and Airman, comic's Gors and LnDD. Chest, Gors, and Airman screams restriction right now by its amount of usage in the metagame, as like Baboon was during the 9/1 ban.
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Structure Deck:
Conqueror of Gale - 4.6/10 - Bird is a weak type, and this structure does not make it any better. The new cards are weak, the theme is weak (by trying to pull Harpies and the "other" birds together). 3 new cards just KILLS it.
Pulse of Dinosaurs - 3.9/10 - I had said 3 new cards kills the Bird deck, but too bad with 8 new cards, it stills does not do the job. Well, the new cards are OK, but too bad they're limited in their own usage even in the deck. Dino is STILL weak no matter what, especially since they decided to nerf [Jurassic World] to a crazy level.
Rebellion of Machines - 5.2/10 - Well, Gadgets itself are good cards, reprinting them makes the collector wants to burn down Konami. However, the deck design is just...weird. Pulling in the Antique Gears and Gadgets just...don't work. The new Magic cards looks more like filler, and being too limited by its "themed up" gave this deck a lower score.
Surge of Radiance - 8.2/10 - At last, the VERY latest of Structure deck. This deck pulls in the old [Sanctuary of Sky] together with the new Counter-Angel. It work little bit...not much. But if anything, the "boss card" is not weak or limited, the new monsters are actually nice and boost to Angel type. If anything, this deck does it's job: pulling the Angel "gives and punish" together.
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The ban/restriction list!
No, the list stills does not do it's job. Konami's stubborness in "never pulling cards out" just make the list looks more ridiculous. The list is just TOO long...if anything. Until Konami realize that what they're doing is just "killing" the deckbuilding, not helping it (as any cards that are even use are on the list)

Anyway, just brief rating:
3/1 banlist: 6.3/10 - I always call this the "kill the deck" list. The Tier 1.5 decks Dandyomi-Tribute is dead, as with the MPT decks. Although some bans are nice (like the gone of Pot, TIV, Black Hole), some are bad (DDA, etc.). Of course, the return of gifts means that Dark World is AGAIN playable (and to this date, it's "the cards" right now)
9/1 banlist: 7.8/10 - For those who just love the random Light-Dark monsters + Chaos people, they surely HATE this list. For those who love Tsuku-abuse (like I do in my Baroncaster), that is also gone. Chimera OTK wants to dominate? No...stall? Goodbye...Instant Fusion abuse? No...if anything, Aggro deck now RULES the game.
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Tournament/Metagame:
World Championship is another disappointment. But that's when all people are forced to play with the TCG metagame...and oh yeah, Europe wins again.

SJC? Well, "the tournament" had been dominated with bad decks and just TOO much techs. People should go back to the basic...learn how to build a more consistant deck instead of just dumping every other good card in. Of course, after the banning of Chaos Sorceror, the TCG metagame looks little bit better...at least it's more diverse (although limited to Monarchs)than just every deck is "Chaos".

At last, the Japanese metagame had not changed much from the last time I talked about it in my rant. Well, except now people are actually playing [D-Hero] deck (of course, not the theme one, the tournament one like using tournament staples like CyDra and Gors).
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The good, the bad, and the ugly
I just love this section...

Good: The recent set and cards are improving...not having so much Hero filling up set maybe good news (as thus giving slots to other character)
Bad: The number of good promos. It's just sad that the two games, OCG and TCG, is SO divided because the promos are "delayed for 6 months")
Ugly: The stubbornness and idiotcy of Konami (for OCG) and Upper Deck (for TCG). In the end, the companies STILL don't catered to the player but to the Greens. The blame game just never end...and OCG v. TCG war? Well, I simply don't give a shit about it anymore.

Hopes:
- Freaking god...parallel release the sets!
- Please...3 months per list, even if they won't change a thing
- Promos...I don't want to eat Happy Meal for it either.
- Design - the number of fillers are just unacceptable. This game is not even design for draft, so I don't see the reason for the number of fillers per set. The imbalance of Types and Attributes is STILL there, as does the "stop" of themes.

That's it, hope everybody Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

- Baron, 12/17/06