Learn your ABCs: FAQ #2

I wonder how~ I wonder why~

Let me start of by first stating that as an OCG player, I am used to analysing card from the OCG's metagame point of view. Or rather, I only dare to do so as I do not possess sufficient knowledge of the TCG meta.

I just wanted to start the article with this disclaimer since there are ruling conflicts between both parties, which can affect how good is PSY-Frame Lord Omega (a question which will be answered below).

What do you think about the symphonic engine? You can search guitars with gear gigant x and discard A, B or C to get an extra normal summon from Mic. Thoughts?

Symphonic Engine is real reliable when it comes to plays exploiting Cyber Stein. You search Stein from the deck with Gear Gigant X (use Gadgets' help to xyz it) and you can normal summon it with the additional normal summon provided by Mics. 

Being a Level5 Machine monster also means that Mics can contribute to the summon of Cyber Dragon Nova.

Problem lies when you draw Mics. The combo is broken (not the OP-broken but damaged-Broken) and the deck is slowed. You can still perform a pendulum summon if you draw into Mics & Guitaars, but Guitaars-drop-and-special-summon-Mics play would probably gain you more advantage.

It is worth noting that both pendulum cards has yet to make it to TCG. The need to place Guitaars on the pendulum scale to perform the combo also makes the user vulnerable to Anti-Spell Fragrance which is very common in the OCG.

Personally, I am not a fan of decks which has cards you wish that will remain in the deck, and that you won't draw into. Like Brilliant Fusion builds. It holds you back and Maxx C's resolution might even harm you if you pilot these kind of decks. #justsaying


Why do players side in ABC Dragon Buster?

Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries. Look closer at the side deck. 
Other than that I can't think of any other reasons.

Full effect:

During either player's turn, if your opponent controls more monsters than you do: You can discard this card; reveal 1 card in your Extra Deck, then look at your opponent's Extra Deck, also banish all cards in their Extra Deck with the same name as that revealed card. 

You can only use this effect of "Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries" once per turn.

It puts pressure on your opponent to have to draw into Avidity to salvage their situation. Losing their boss monster, they will likely rely on their R4NKs to stall or bank on them to win the game from there on.





Why do players play Omega in ABC deck.

Let's get straight to the point: You DON'T HAVE to play Omega.

PSY-Framelord Omega is a staple level 8 synchro and is arguably the best there is now in the current meta. By stating that it is staple, I point towards the fact that doesn't require specific synchro-masterial monsters, not even the "non-tuner synchro monster'' that Crystal Wing requires. Hence, like Stardust & Scarlight, I consider it to be staple.Some players prefer the terminology splashable. But oh well... moving on~

It can recycle your banished cards. Even face down! And thus shares synergy with Cupidity.
[Only in the OCG can you use Omega's effect for the banished  face-downs]
It effectively reduces the steep cost of Cupidity AND turn it into a search.
Used with Cupidity, your banished 10 cards can be returned to the graveyard. That's like a choose-and-return/mill.

If you find this argument familiar, it is because we have previously talked about it. (link)

At the very least, Omega's recycling ability can save, or at least mitigate your losses, from common side deck cards such as Ally of Justice - Cycle Reader and System Down.
Assault, Buster and Crush can also be returned from the banished zone to the grave, but I am not sure you would want to do that, or that if that's the best move, unless your Dragon Buster

Additionally. Annoying is just the word to describe this card.
Omega can "run" with its effect, leaving the field with one card in the opponent's hand. This is a quick-effect which can be used any time during the main phase, be it the user's or opponent's Main.

As long as your opponent has at least two cards in card, Omega can usually activate and resolve its effect. Unless your opponent empty their hand by discarding one as twin twister's cost, leaving Omega unable to use its effect when the window of opportunity presents itself.
Even if you opponent set one of those two cards, you can respond to the setting of the card with Omega's effect, and remove the remaining card in hand.
Interesting, Taiwan winner Hsiao Tsun Yu managed to win by baiting his opponent to activate Omega's effect. His set card turns out to be Terraforming, and with the opponent's board cleared, he went on with his Union Hanger to extend the board and make the kill. (link)

Omega's "Let's run" effect is annoying in both ways.
Firstly, it gives you knowledge of your opponent's hand. Even if it is just one card, at a time.

Know a Dark Hole/Harpie's Feather Duster and you can play cautiously to avoid losing the game from overextending.
Know a System Down and you will save your Judgment to prevent the tragedy.
Know more, and if you do play Mind Crush, you can call it.

Knowledge is key, knowledge is power.

Secondly, it renders that card useless for a turn. As your opponent will have no access to it.
Omega returns during YOUR own standby. And the same card may be vulnerable to being banished again during your opponent's next turn.

Lastly Omega is hard to get rid. Seriously there is almost no way to permanently get rid of it unless you D.D Crow it or resolve something like Karma Cut. Send it to the grave and it will find its way back to the extra deck. Send it back to the extra deck and your opponent can find more ways to summon it again.

Maybe less so for ABC but I recall a situation where I found myself dealing with Omega again and again when I was facing a zombie deck.

(More on an article on useful engines in a future article, where we feature cards like Shiranui Sage, effectively a one-card Omega)

It can recycle itself. AND another card. Its recycle effect is best for recycling xyz monsters. Since you can gain access to it immediately afterwards. That or you can shuffle your Union monsters once you have run out of them to keep Union Hanger alive.
AND IT CAN EVEN SEND OPPONENT's grave card back to deck! Does this nightmare never end?

You can bait its effect then clear it, via negation or Ghost Ogre but you will usually have done a 2-for-1 exchange in the process. The most effective and straightforward way to clear it is really Compulsory Evacuation Device. Target it any time outside of a Main Phase and you would have removed it from the board. Which explains why Compulsory is such a good card to play in this meta. Or at least that's what I think.

Omegas loops tho

While not played for this sole purpose, Omega can also contribute as a fodder for Ghost Reaper' effect. This is probably for the later stages of the game and your second/third copy of Ghost Reaper, where the monsters with the higher priority and threat level are already banished from your opponent's extra deck.

For those who TL;DR. Omega is played coz it is good. For the current OCG  meta at the very least.
Feel free to play Scarlight, Crimson Blader and/or Stardust Dragon. Up to you.







For side decking gameciel do u tribute the cdi or dragon buster normally


Let me rephrase the question:
Given a choice, will I tribute Cyber Dragon Infinity or Dragon Buster?

Here in OCG we do not have Gamecial, or any Kaiju monsters yet. We substitute and make do with Santa Claws and Lava Golem. The latter is an easy option. Just say bye bye to both. Santa Claws, like the Kaiju Monsters, will only require 1 tribute.

For me, I would say that I will go for Dragon Buster, as I do not want them to tribute it to summon three monsters on the board. Dragon Buster represents a future investment of field advantage. By tributing it away, you remove that, and they would have hence lost a method to flood the board and extend their card advantage.

Of course, many things need to be considered. If I were to have a hand full of options, I would attempt to bait out Infinity's effect first - by cards that Dragon Buster can't help with. Such as Dark Hole, Eclipse.

Then I would eliminate Dragon Buster out of the equation. 

The reason I don't go for Infinity is because your opponent, realising that you play Santa Claws, might play it safe and forsake the banish ability of Dragon Buster,  and chain its effect upon Claw's summon. With that, it dismantles and the three Union monsters touch the field. This gives you more things to worry about, such as triggering their field effects and the emergence of a second ABC Dragon Buster the next turn. Infinity has only one effect that you have to worry about during your turn, and that is its negation.

Your resources (e.g. hand size) will also affect your judgment, but you will usually find yourself worrying less about Infinity.

Conclusion

Keep the questions coming!

And that's all for this second FAQ article.
In the OCG, Torque Tune Gear starts to see more play, as players start to see the importance and the utility of the 500ATK boost to bring A - Assault Gear to 2400ATK.
At 2400ATK, you can tie in battle with problematic monsters such as Vanity's Fiend & Majesty Fiend. A normal summon of Assault with Union Hanger on field, allows you to equip Torque to Assault. The whole process does not involve any monster effect activation and/or special summoning, proving to be an effective method to clear these Fiends. Most importantly of them all, you get to clear Masked HERO - Dark Law which is getting more and more common with the emergence of Aqua HEROes. Or as some calls it: Frog Heroes.

Thanks for reading!

Ken Sir