Notes & Combos

Return of blind second!

Last season with Maliss being like 70% of the meta, blinding second against that deck is just not efficient so I went first. However this season with the introduction of Ryzeol we are back to picking 2nd every time

The matchup into Maliss is unfortunately very difficult and requires you to either have a custom hand + the opponent to be missing specific non-engine OR for your opponent to misplay (Never underestimate the ability of Maliss players to do that lol)

HOWEVER, we are greatly boosted by an ABSURD win rate into standard Ryzeol builds (and most other stuff tbh). There are some builds that try to do WAY more unfair stuff, but pure Ryzeol or even Ryzeol Fiendsmith just cannot compete with Striker.

I tried a LOT of different tech cards for the format, and will make a video talking about those later (check my youtube in a few days!), but let me go over a few:

• Slayer: Obviously sick into Ryzeol, but just does something vs a lot of decks and is a 1 card way to remove Terahertz without them using Desavewurm (and then a draw 1 with Garura which they will negate with Appo lol)

• Sales Ban: I would play more if I had more UR dust. SOOO versatile, and at worst you can just call Droll or Ash to resolve your other draw spells

• Red Reboot: The two best decks currently always end on annoying trap cards, though it is more for Maliss than Ryzeol

• 4x Backrow wipes: Your biggest lose condition to Ryzeol is having to play through their ENTIRE backrow suite, and Maliss also usually ends on a lot of backrow as well (and you may even need two to get over Desavewurm)

• 2x Raye: In this specific version of the deck I have no problem opening a starter. Opening too many ways to engine is your other most common lose condition

• Area Zero: There are a lot of individually powerful cards that are not activateable at any given time, and this card helps turn that into a chance at engine

• Cyanos: I just am a huge sucker for the graveyard effect in order to give yourself followup without having to keep a striker on board

Handtrap Build:

For M2/M3 I started running into a LOT of Maliss, and eventually changed the deck to have 2 Maxx C/3 Fuwa/3 Lancea. Among other changes, I swapped out some breakers for Evenly so I could do more with less. You obviously stop maliss more with that strategy but still break Ryzeol very consistently! It's a solid strategy but with much less impressive replays and requires you to engage in the mini-game