Cactuar Correspondence - Weekly FFTCG Chat 8/23/18
let's talk fftcg!
Every week, there is something new to discuss and analyze in this game. In this feature, we answer your questions and respond to recent developments, new meta decks, specific cards we like or don't like -- you call it, we'll answer.
If you want to join the conversation, send us your thoughts! We would also love to hear the questions you have next week, so please shoot us a message at Facebook or on Twitter. Thanks for reading!
This week, we're joined by Sam Prime of The Chocobros. Sam is a really talented player, as well as a fantastic ambassador of the game. Give The Chocobros a look, if you haven't already!
Do you think Cloud 1-182L is positioned to be a powerful card in this meta, and why or why not?
SAM: No, and I don’t think it ever will be again. Cards now have to be difficult to remove (Dadaluma 4-085), do something amazing when it comes in (Nidhogg 6-130) or provide something that your deck normally wouldn’t have access to (Urianger 5-163). I think it’s a blast in Cube drafting though ;)
STEPHEN: Cloud is an on curve light forward with brave. His special Meteorain only requiring dull and 1 colorless cp to deal 4k to a board makes him a useful tool to deal with small body board flooding. Regardless I don’t think he is a powerful one-size-fits-all answer to board flooding. For example, a good Viking deck will tech against every simple solution an opponent uses. The Emperor 2-147 or Cecil 2-129 shut off Cloud and leave him open for Cloud of Darkness 5-126 to dive bomb very early.
TREVOR: It's hard to say. While he is powerful, and a cleave is incredibly powerful currently, I think there are better options out there that still allow you to run The Emperor, Shadow Lord 4-148, and Kam'lanaut 5-148.
VINCENT: Cloud is not a good choice anymore seeing as how Garland 6-002 has a hold on his abilities and he doesn't dull for his Specials.
What advice would you give a group of 2 or 4 people who are looking to build a local scene?
SAM: Show up and play. Just keep playing. There honestly isn’t much else you can do. Some people pass out fliers and, for example, I created a local Facebook page. But ultimately, I think you just need to be in the store playing as much as possible and hope that your LGS is on board.
STEPHEN: The best advice I can give to a couple of guys looking to build a scene is to be visible, friendly, and give lots of financial support to the local store where you’re trying to build a scene. Push your LGS employees to announce your tournaments so players from other games know you’re there. Put the best side of yourself out there so people interested in the game see you as an inviting and helpful person. Make sure your presence benefits the store in some way or else the employees will feel like you’re wasting their time.
TREVOR: Just play. Show up at an LGS, at the same time on a regular time frame, and just play. People will see a game they don't recognize, and will naturally gravitate to you. Bring spare decks, and offer to let them play.
VINCENT: To help a small scene grow, it takes time and patience. It sounds cliche but with where the game is now as long as you take the time to teach new players and are passionate about the game it is very easy to grow a community
Is there a deck from the past meta that got particularly worse in the Opus VI meta, and might not be competitive anymore?
SAM: Tri-color monsters. It was certainly among one of the best decks in Opus V meta, but with the popularity of Turbo Discard and the thread of Ramuh 6-102, sadly I think it’s dead in its past form. There is some way that it could be revived because of the power level of Ajido-Marujido 6-064, but I’m not certain we will have time to test it enough prior to Nationals.
STEPHEN: I believe monsters are nerfed since Opus VI. Breaking two monsters at once with Ramuh 6-102 hurt monster decks a lot. The meta shift to Turbo Discard as well as board rush decks have kept monster players from being able to build their board. Players have also gotten smarter and learned when to react to monster activations. Casting Ramuh in attack prep against an animated monster and selecting “Choose 1 monster of cost 2 or less. Break it” and “Choose 1 active forward. Deal it 7000 damage” can destroy Koboldroid Yin 4-057, Green Dragon 4-124C, and/or Bangaa Thief 4-088. The monster archetype went from being the boogeyman deck to just another very good deck.
TREVOR: Three-Colour Monsters dropped down a few steps because of the natural monster hate introduced into Opus 6. Tempo Ice took a step down from king of the format, because of Turbo Discard. Also, Mono Water Dudes. Big bodies just aren't enough anymore.
VINCENT: I think that standard units has faded from the radar. It seems to be a bit too slow and hard to set up for it to be competitive again.
What character has not been printed on a card yet, and you think deserves to be printed, and in what element?
SAM: Bahamut Zero Dark/Lightning. Maybe something cute, like it’s a Lightning card but can’t be pitched for CP. Or, it could be some sort of delayed summon, like it needs to charge up. You play it now, and during your next turn it does 9k to all forwards.
STEPHEN: Unfortunately I’ve only played 1/3 of Final Fantasy VI, so any opinion here would be rubbish. I just really like the TCG.
TREVOR: Blank (FF9) or any of the rest of the Troupe - Light.
VINCENT: I would love to see Ultros as a card, in Dark or maybe Lightning element.
What is one Legendary card that nobody is playing in the meta, but that you think should be played?
SAM: Cecil 2-129. I think with the ability to protect him via Clione 4-125 or Y’shtola 5-068, he could be really good right now. Unfortunately I think between Vayne 2-026 and Turbo Discard, he might not reemerge for a while.
STEPHEN: Hraesvelgr 6-127. I don’t see him played much if at all. I won a Swiss match at a local qualifier and at a local by skipping my opponent’s next attack phase. Sometimes that’s all I need to catch up against an opponent mid to late game. Getting a character back from the break zone to effectively make him a 4 CP 9k Forward is incredible. Furthermore, removing your opponent’s entire Break Zone from the game in a meta with a lot of recursion makes him a very versatile card with a lot of applications
TREVOR: For some reason Lightning 4-115 has fallen out of the meta. That card is still stupid good.
VINCENT: Prishe 1-116 could be really good in this meta, I feel. She gets big fast and fight down a lot of threats.