Invited Author: Robin
Country: Indonesia
Introduction
Hey everyone, I am Robin/ Twitter: @IKI_Azu from Indonesia. Thank you for the invitation to write my first article on ONE PIECE TOP DECKS .
I participated in total of 3 flagship to this date since OP03 came out. I used Whitebeard with a slightly different list on the latest one and able to get top 4, first, and top 8. I won 2 standard battles in the same week as well. For this article I will go through the Deck explanation and share my journey to get my 2nd Flagship Zoro or 1st Flagship Zoro since OP03 came out.
Deck Explanation - Core Cards
First I will explain how the deck works and the core cards.
Cost 4 Marco:
Your main blocker, Very hard to remove. Play this only when your life is 3 (end turn gets to 2 by leader effect) or less. Usually played on 6 don turn/ 7 don turn.
Cost 4 vanilla:
Very strong on don 4 when going 2nd. It has 6k power which is technically the same power as your leader making it easy to guard from opponent attacks, however vulnerable to K.O by effect.
Cost 5 Marco:
This card is amazing, It K.O 3k power or less on play, has a 6k body and also very hard to remove as you can resurrect him by throwing event. You want to play this at your 5 don turn/ 6 don turn every time.
Cost 9 Edward Newgate:
At first glance, during OP02 to OP03 transition, this card looks bad. After researching and play testing for a while. This situation seems to be the best scenario. Deploy him on the turn when you have 1 Life remaining, and cost 4 Marco. This is the “unkillable formation” setup.
Radical Beam:
1 don 4k counter. How can I say no to that?
Moby Dick:
+2k to all unit is just too good.
Match Ups - My Way of Play Whitebeard
Mulligan guide: You always choose going 2nd if you win the coin toss/dice roll.
- Going first: mainly look for Izou, 5-cost Marco
- Going second: mainly look for Moby dick, 4-cost vanilla
- Cards you look for but not in the starting hand: 4-cost Marco, 9-cost Edward Newgate.
Popular matchups:
Mirror whitebeard: The strategy is to hit their characters until their hand gets depleted, play safe for 1-2 turns with unbreakable formation. When they all in and failed, you technically win. Set up Edward Newgate before your opponent and keep Otama in hand. Use Otama to -2k their blocker marco, destroy marco with Newgate effect while swinging for lethal.
Ace: slightly favored(55-45) follow normal mulligan guide. Play everything on curve. If they have removals, great, otherwise, It’s hard for them to handle the board.
Blue Nami: Highly favored (70-30/75-25) Follow normal mulligan guide. Don’t be scared to put more attackers and 0 blockers. Mostly attack for 7k and 9k line when they have open dons. Save 5-cost marco for moji (1-cost vanilla) or Kaya. Play mostly 4-cost vanilla since the power is already 6k and attaching 1 don already hits for 7k. Don’t need to focus on unbreakable formation since their leader won’t swing at you.
Rob Lucci/ Smoker: slightly favored(55-45) Luci is more passive than smoker, They only deploy blockers and only chip you with 6k power and dropping indestructible blockers like Borsalino and Fukurou. At most they go for Ishou which is RNG. Then they will try to all in on the next turn. If they fail, you always win so just poke and play safe.
Smoker is more annoying as their Ishou + leader effect can make our Newgate to 5-cost making it vulnerable to 6-cost Sakazuki. Their hand size is not a lot so they can’t guard forever.
Pure yellow decks: Highly favored (70-30/75-25) Their cards interacts with opponent live which makes their card mostly become vanilla. Watch out for Ikoku trigger as it can destroy 4-cost Marco making you vulnerable when they try to all in.
Event Recap
Flagship Sumitako 23/02/25
I used this list with reference to JOKER (Japan) who won Championship Finals. I changed 2 guard point from his original list into 2 speed Jill/ 2 extra 6k vanilla because I feel that the key to winning mirror match is to have vanilla on board on turn 2 while going 2nd. From there, you will have advantage of chipping 2-3 extra cards from your opponent’s hand.
Tournament run:
R1 2nd (lost dice roll) vs whitebeard O
R2 2nd (won dice roll) vs whitebeard X
R3 2nd (won dice roll) vs ace O
R4 2nd lost dice roll) vs BY bigmom O
R5 2nd (won dice roll) vs ace O
Seed 1
Top 8 2nd (I choose by seeding) vs smoker O Top 4 2nd (I choose by seeding) vs dofy X
I kind of felt dofy was kind of high rolled by having perona turn 1, Moria vanilla on turn 2 and 3 from dofy effect, and Sogeking on turn 4 to wipe out my attackers. Very tough game to win at that point.
Flagship ogre puri 23/02/26
I used the same exact list I used for Flagship Sumitako as I felt like the run was ok, it’s just that at top 4 dofy kind of high rolled in my opinion. Participant was lower than expected.
Tournament run:
R1 2nd (lost dice roll) vs Y big mom O
R2 2nd (lost dice roll) vs whitebeard X R3 2nd (lost dice roll) vs Y big mom O R4 2nd (won dice roll) vs nami O Seed 3
Top 8 2nd (I choose by seeding) vs Whitebeard O Top 4 2nd (oppo choose by seeding) vs arlong O Final 2nd (oppo choose by seeding) vs whitebeard O
Nothing much to comment here. In final, oppo tried to all in on the “unkillable formation” setup and failed to finish. Next turn just all in and won.
Standard battle: IKI Cardshop 23/02/27
I tried to explore different list this time. I used Chamy’s list He got top 4 in Championship Finals and he also won a Flagship with the same list.
Result: 4-0, first place
Standard battle: Arcanum 23/03/02:
This time I decided to change a few cards and find my comfort list. I actually made a mistake. My initial plan was to play 2 guard point and 1 Ace. I changed the card last minute and didn’t realize until Tournament finished. Result: 5-0, First place.
Last but not least,
Flagship Chekku-Pointo 23/03/05
My comfort list for now. Everything seems just nice.
Tournament run:
R1 1st (lost dice roll) vs Whitebeard O
R2 1st (lost dice roll) vs Whitebeard O
R3 2nd (won dice roll) vs Whitebeard O
R4 1st (lost dice roll vs YB Bigmom X
R5 1st (lost dice roll) vs Nami O
seed 6
Top 8 1st (oppo choose by seeding) vs Ace X
Actually greed for lethal at top 8 whereas I can just play defensively and survive next turn and kill on the next turn.
I know it is a very long article. I hope by sharing many version of Whitebeard list you will find the comfortable list for yourself. I don’t think few card changes would impact much on the deck itself as the main point of the deck is quite straight forward.
I hope you enjoy reading this article. Thank you!
Hi Robin, thanks for the great article, you comforted me into playing whitebeard for the next two expansions.
Little question tho : How do you decide whethter to take or counter early face hits with whitebeard?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Alexis,
end of turn 1= 5 life
end of turn 2= 4 life
end of turn 3= 3 life
end of turn 4= 2 life
so technically you want to take 1 life from attack to make moby dick online and you can deploy 9-cost Edward newgate to reach the "unkillable formation"
Try to predict on how big your opponent will hit you.
Take the first 8k attack and guard the rest/ if you see they will only hit you for 6k multiple times, take the first attack.
I hope this answer your question 🙂
hey just a question im building in op02 as thats where we are at in NZ arguments for Edward Newgate 9 drop
is he good in 02? if no why if yes why haha im just fishing for as much info as possible
hey there building in op02 and wondering your thoughts on 9 drop newgate is he good in set 2 only or no im budiling the moby pirates build too so curious on thoughts from the past season as thats where the rest of the world is at!
thanks for any insight
Hi Ben,
In OP02 format, there were a lot of Zoro and Kinemon decks. Since those decks have very good early drops, its hard to contest the board early so the best solution is to get your moby dick online ASAP (take all the attacks) and finish your opponent by attacking all to the leader. You won't have the time to drop 9-cost newgate. Also 0 searcher for moby dick makes the deck inconsistent.