Invited Author: Jude Macaranas
Country: Philippines.
Introduction
Hello, I'm Jude Macaranas here from Philippines. Recently I won the Aqua Card Games Flagship Main on March 12, 2023
I chose Kaido deck because he’s the best Purple Leader since OP01 up to now.
My main goal is to cast Onigashima on my turn 2, play Magellan or King [6 cost] on turn 3 and turn 4, and play Kaido [9 cost] on 5. My main strategy is to slow the game phase of the opponent using Magellan and King [6 cost] to survive the early game.
The reason why I'm confident playing against Whitebeard is because I practice with the first person to ever put Whitebeard in the Philippine Meta.
CARD CHOICES
Uta [4 cost]
Can hold up to 2 attacks. I usually play Uta [4 cost] if my opponent already have 2 to 3 characters on play.
Magellan [5 cost]
Can ruin any deck's curve by forcing opponent to return 1 Don to their Don Deck gives you an advantage especially when played in 2 consecutive turns.
Magellan will surely stay on board until opponent's have 8 to 10 Dons but even if they managed to K.O Magellan that time he already did his job.
Kaido [9 cost]
As I stated, My main goal is to slow the game phase of the opponent using Magellan and King [6 cost] to survive the early game. And having a rush 10,000 attack power that can K.O 6 cost below in the midgame is too powerful.
Thunder Bagua
2 cost for +4000 counter. My main reason playing Thunder Bagua over Blast Breathe is because of the additional Don that Thunder Bagua gives. Small advantage like gain +1 Don in Kaido is huge.
Also I can play Kaido [9 cost] on my turn 4 if Thunder Bagua triggers.
Top Knot
Bottom deck any cost 4 below with same effect in trigger for only 2 Dons is way too good in the current meta.
Didn't play any cost 2 blockers because of Marco [5 cost]. Also cards with +2000 counter are already enough sustain the early game.
Match Ups
MULLIGAN GUIDE :
- Going First : Mainly look for Onigashima.
- Going Second : Mainly look for Onigashima or King [6 cost] with Magellan.
TOURNAMENT MATCH UPS :
- Round 1 Rob Lucci – WIN
- Round 2 Whitebeard – WIN
- Round 3 Whitebeard – WIN
- Round 4 Whitebeard – WIN
- Round 5 Whitebeard – WIN
MATCH-UP STRATEGY :
VS WHITEBEARD
- I always choose going first against Whitebeard it's because I want to play Onigashima into King [6 cost] as early as I can so I can K.O their Atmos or Speed Jil at their turn 2 or at least play Magellan on my turn 3 if I don't have a K.O target for King [6 cost].
- I’m playing Magellan because it's a free hit 6000 attack power every turn without spending a single Don and to delay Whitebeard [9 cost] as I can until they can't play it anymore.
- Protect your life with 2000 counter cards as you can.
- In the mid to late game, if you managed to K.O Marco [4 cost] blocker either by attack or by effect, attack him as many as you can before you use Top Knot to Marco [4 cost] blocker. After they discard a lot of cards to revive Marco [4 cost] blocker, your opponent is forced to play another copy of Marco [4 cost] blocker on their turn. On your next turn play your Kaido [9 cost] to K.O their newly played Marco [4 cost] blocker and attack it again as many as you can.
- The finishing move against Whitebeard is to use Top Knot to Marco [4 cost] blocker then go all in Dons to Kaido [9 cost].
VS KATAKURI
- Protect your life if you can so you can choose Trash Life against Charlotte Linlin [7 cost].
- Delay Charlotte Linlin [7 cost and 10 cost], and Charlotte Katakuri [8 cost] using Magellan.
- K.O as many as you can using King [6 cost] especially Charlotte Daifuku, Smoothie, and Cracker.
- If they have Charlotte Perospero on board, attack to Leader first before you play King [6 cost] so you can K.O your opponent’s trigger character like Charlotte Smoothie, Daifuku, and Cracker.
- Prioritize adding Hells’ Judgment over Little Sadi in the effect of Hannyabal.
- Mostly, Decks aside from Whitebeard won’t let his life down to 2. So make him discard up to 2 by attacking the Leader then play X.Drake so you can have the upper hand in terms of resources.
VS ROB LUCCI
- In this matchup I always choose to go second turn because most of the casting cost of Black Characters are even numbers.
- Immediately do early counters so they can’t play Issho Fujitora against you.
- Use Top Knot as soon as possible against Kizaru Borsalino.
- Play Magellan as early and as many as you can.
- Play Uta [4 cost] blocker if they already have Fukurô or Kizaru Borsalino on board.
- Play King [6 cost] even without a target. Having 7000 attack power with 6 cost on board is a powerful threat since Sakazuki Akainu can't K.O a King [6 cost] without the help of other card/s.
- The finishing move against Rob Lucci is to Top Knot their Fukurô or Kizaru Borsalino, attack Kaido [Leader] with 9000+ attack power to their Leader, Kaido’s [Leader] effect Trash Life, then direct hit using characters with high attack power like Kaido [9 cost].
Summary
My deck's main weakness is Zoro since most of my cards won't do much like Top Knot, Magellan, and Kaido [9 and 10 cost] if I didn't manage to defend my life in the early game.
Hardest match up would be Rob Lucci because of cannot be K.O.’d blockers that's why I main 4 copies of Top Knot and 4 copies of Uta [4 cost] blocker for Fukurô and Kizaru Borsalino so that I can even the aggression of Rob Lucci.
Strong against Whitebeard because this deck list is only created to beat that deck because Whitebeard is still the deck to beat in the Philippine meta.
PROS – Not super reliant on the Onigashima since Magellan helps me have a decent board.
CONS – Sometimes Magellan comes out too late and Onigashima went bottom deck because of Hannyabal. Also doesn't have any searcher yet for Animal Kingdom Pirates.
Tournament MVP's are Uta [4 cost] blocker, Magellan, Top Knot, and a single copy of Kaido [10 cost].
I want to thank Team Pachamp especially Laurrie Funelas and Jec Lim for helping me build this powerful deck list, for practice and for providing everything I need to excel. I will surely use this deck list as long as Whitebeard dominates the Philippine Metagame.
To all Team Asiong for sharing game knowledge and for bloody practice. And to Gerald Mercado, Lyon Cu, Jayvee Rosario, Rizaldy Belarmino, Chito Racimo, Rob Reyan, Emm Lazarte and Alvin Rodriguez for supporting me all the way from the bottom to top.
Huge shout out to Team Arken for the support on every tournaments.
Also want to thank and congratulate Aqua Card Games for this awesome event!
And congratulations to all players who made it to the top 8. Happy gaming everyone!