You’re on your way to a tournament, but it’s not just any tournament. It’s Regionals time! With that comes extra anticipation and nerves. You’ve spent hours play testing your deck, making it just right. Round One is about to begin, you’re shuffling up and looking over at your opponent. What does the tournament bring?

We’ve all been there. Preparing ourselves for that big tournament moment. One thing goes largely unspoken about when it comes to tournament play. How do I ensure I give myself the best chance to meet my potential? A good decklist plays a large role in how anyone will fare over the course of a tournament. But what about a player’s style, attitude and mental toughness. Where does that come from, and how can we improve it?

Weigh up your opponent

You can tell a lot about an opponent from when they sit down with you and start their pre-game routine. Take the time to analyse your opponent on face value. Look at the combination of personality and mastery and start to piece together a picture of the potential match up ahead. But then look at your opponent themselves. Are they showing any signs of nerves, or are they talking up a big game? The way they compose themselves before the game will tell you a lot about how they are likely to play during the game.

But the most important part of any pre-game routine is three questions:

• What is my opponent’s objective?
• How are they going to achieve it?
• How do I stop it?

Your deck determines how you’re going to win the game, so it is up to you and how you play that determines whether or not your opponent gets to their objective first.

Tempo

Speed of the game is how many players like to control the way in which a game pans out. Is your opponent rushing, and making you feel rushed at the same time? Are they stalling when they clearly only have one or two options to consider? While stalling out a game is always considered an infraction on the game, slightly altering the tempo of a game is a legitimate strategy used to help put yourself back into the driver’s seat.

To protect yourself against this, and to ensure that you play at a tempo that you are comfortable with, you need to make sure that you have thought out your own moves and anticipated your opponent’s moves. Pay close attention to your opponent’s hand and where they position their cards, both when in attack phase, and both in their defensive phase. This will help give you an idea after watching their play a few times, to make an educated guess as to how many attacks, blocks or dead cards they are holding.

Be prepared to change

As a game ebbs and flows, it’s important to realise the tactics that you successfully used early game might not match the state of play end game. Sometimes if you have been sitting back and building board control, your opponent might end up in a situation they don’t like. Maybe they just finished a combat and have no cards in hand, and you still have one and you move onto your own turn. Sometimes it’s important to press an advantage. The idea behind this is to keep your opponent guessing. The more you create doubt in their mind, the more likely they are to make a play error. By making your opponent make the decisions, it can help force their hand and change their own plans.

Finally…

Last but not least, always keep an eye on the game state. Sometimes you can get so focused on your own plays and cards that you lose sight of your opponent’s plans. It’s important to read the future potential of your opponent’s plans at all times so that you can make a sound judgement. When a whole game can rest on the outcome of 1-2 plays at the right times, the extra few seconds it takes to size up your opponent’s options can make all the difference.

Game on!

-Trent (@TAKGames_Trent).

Resident Sydney writer Kenny Phuong Nguyen continues with the Heroes and Villains review tonight, choosing four cards from the new reveals today for an in-depth analysis. Phoenix Lee from For the Players also features with another video on Heroes and Villains. Over to Kenny and Phoenix Lee…

Kenny:

Hello again fellow DBZ fans!

Are we all looking forward to Heroes and Villains? I know I certainly am! After the excitement caused by all the sudden spoilers yesterday, you can’t imagine my glee at seeing even more previews hitting today. I’ll be doing an in-depth review of a few of the cards featured in today’s reveals of Heroes and Villains.

First, let’s look at my favourite card from among the spoiled cards, Red Destiny, posted on Panini’s blog today. Red Destiny is very comparable to Red Blazing Aura from the Core Set, but there are a few key differences.

• Red Destiny is a setup, whereas Red Blazing Aura is an event. One issue I have with Red Blazing Aura is that as an event, it likely takes up a slot in your combat hand. If you draw it on your turn, it makes entering combat safer but less explosive. This isn’t really aligned with what Red tends to aim for: super awesome, combo-tastic combats where you chuck a million attacks and use a tonne of critical effects (at least, that’s what I try to do when I play red :D). Red Destiny, in my mind, therefore compares favourably here – drawing it on your turn means that you’re probably passing, but you don’t lose the effect. Instead, you get to save it for a future turn as opposed to just tossing it in the bin, or holding it in the hopes of using it on your opponent’s turn.

• Red Destiny grants you less protection from attacks than Red Blazing Aura, however, the amount of attacks where the damage reduction difference will be relevant are few and far between. When playing against black, -2 Stages / -2 Life Cards is enough to prevent all of one of the damage types, meaning that the -3 Stages / -3 Life Cards is a bit of an overkill. I’d rather have more than not enough, but I don’t think Red Destiny is “not enough” in this case.

• Red Destiny grants you 2 anger instead of 1. This is incredibly significant, especially if you’re gearing up for a big combat. Any single card that grants you 2 anger automatically warrants some exploration in my opinion, and is part of the reason why Red Double Strike and Red Right Cross are important presently. If Red is going to succeed, it needs anger, and the more anger you can gain off each individual card, the better.

But why compare the two? Why not have both? (Queue fiesta music, and Old El Taco commercial). These cards both shield red from its glaring weakness – poor block choices from the base set and fairly ordinary endurance. Being able to avoid Critical Damage for a turn will certainly help the angry Red player to power up through their MP levels and get to stomping sooner rather than later. I am super excited for this card!

Next up, let’s look at Namekian Confident Burst, also posted on Panini’s blog today.

Clearly this card has been made for Gohan Namekian. In fact, Gohan Namekian appears to be shaping up to be the Heroic Ally deck! The hit effect of this card when playing Gohan is ludicrous! Land one of these babies early, fetch Chi-Chi and Piccolo, and sit behind a wall of blocks. Or fetch out some other allies, like Yamcha, Tenshinhan, or Chaozu, and get your boys to beat up the opponent. If Ginyu has taught anyone anything so far, it’s that allies are awesome. It’s a shame that allies will receive a bit of a smackdown with the upcoming Orange Driving Drill, but that’s not gonna stop me from playing them!

When I first started the game, I played a lot of OCTGN games (I do recommend trying it!). “blinkkite” was my name, Gohan Namekian was my game. After much getting my butt kicked, I gave up on him in favour of Piccolo, but now that all this support is coming out for the young Saiyan, maybe I can look past both my record and his inability to dodge, seeing as though he now has friends who can do it for him!

For my third and final card, let’s have a look at another huge game changer previewed by Panini directly today, Blue Overpowering Drill.

“Overpowering” is a fairly apt name for this beast of a card. Frieza grinned ear to ear (or ear like thing to ear like thing in his case) when this card was spoiled – it was practically made for him. Combined with Blue Protective Mastery and Frieza’s level 1, you can gain 3 anger off of a single block! Imagine stopping a big attack with Frieza, jumping up to level 2, then using Level 2 Frieza’s power to copy that attack, only your opponent won’t be stopping your attack. Overpowering, overwhelming, whatever you want to call it, the next time you see Frieza Blue drop onto the opposite side of the table, you’d best be hoping they don’t draw this bad boy, or you have some way to deal with it, or a very angry Frieza may be ripping you to bits with your own attacks!

Thanks for tuning in! I’ll see you next time, whether it be with more Heroes and Villains previews, or just something else I want to talk about regarding my new, favourite game 😀

Until next time, stomp some faces, Saiyan style!

Kenny Phuong Nguyen

Check out Phoenix Lee’s assessment on For the Players for his new video on today’s Heroes and Villains spoilers.

Look out for the next spoiler reveal from TAK Games tomorrow – to make sure you’re up to date with the latest reveals, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TAKGames_au.

Game on!
– Kyp (@justkyp).

Resident Sydney writer Kenny Phuong Nguyen joins us on the TAK Games blog today to analyse the Heroes and Villains preview cards released so far. Fellow Victorian Phoenix Lee from For the Players also makes a special vlogger appearance looking in detail at Tenshinhan. Over to Kenny and Phoenix Lee…

Kenny:

Hey fellow Dragon Ball Z fans! If you’re like me, you’ve been holding out for this personality preview. When I woke up at six this morning, first thing I did was look for it. To my dismay, it had yet to be updated. However, since that crushing sadness at 6 AM, not only have we received a personality preview from Panini, but six other cards have been spoiled! Let’s have a gander at them and see what the next Dragon Ball Z TCG expansion Heroes and Villains has to offer us.

Tenshinhan (his friends call him Tien) seems to be a fantastic personality. Levels 1, 3 and 4 all offer us some kind of card advantage. Let’s mix it up a bit and look at Tien from back to front.

Level 4 Tien gives us a significant boon, reading “The first attack you play each combat stays in play to be used a second time that combat”. Holy moly, where to begin. Remember all those HIT effects that are super awesome, but require you to actually “hit”? Why not use them twice, pretty much guaranteeing their juicy backloaded effects? Hell, if you hit the first time, all the better! Get them twice!

What about all those other non-hit effects? Orange Stare Down, Red Left Bolt, Overpowering Attack, Red Heel Kick… the list goes on! The amount of power Tenshinhan’s ability gives you is insane. If I am interpreting it correctly, it will only work on cards played from hand, not printed abilities on characters or setups. This brings us to his level 3.

And what a level 3! 5 life cards of damage in a free energy attack? Why yes Tien, I do like to threaten critical damage for free. Oh, what’s that? Banish 8 cards to gain 6 anger and level up to that super juicy level 4, which you can use in the same turn? Looking real smooth right now, Tien. Even if you just stay at 3, 5 life cards a turn is no joke, especially when combined with Orange or Black!

Level 2 reads, “Your attacks do +1 life card of damage. Once per combat after using a critical damage effect, you may search your discard pile for a non-Styled card and Rejuvenate it.” and is, in this writer’s opinion, the worst. This level leaves us with much to be desired; +1 life card is decent, but nothing to write home about. The once per turn when you deal critical damage effect is a slightly improved version of Gohan Level 2. In fact, Tien is very similar to Gohan at Level 2, but Gohan hits harder. You’re also not guaranteed a rejuvenation with Tien, which could be awkward.

Now we reach Level 1. It reads “Power: Banish the top card of your life deck to search your life deck for a Named card and place it in your hand”. Without even seeing the named cards, this power is very comparable to that of SDCC Godku – take a damage to have an extra card. Whereas Godku could draw you a dud or something awesome, Tien’s ability is consistent in that it will always get you one of two cards, and always the one you want. But just what are those cards?

Set your eyes to stunned.

What. On. Earth.

Tenshinhan’s Preparation makes a really good run at being the best named card in the game so far. Both players take 2 damage, you get 2 anger, helping you push towards those better higher levels, your opponent loses 2 anger, this goes back into your deck, then you draw a card? What am I missing? 9 times out of 10 I am grabbing this card at level 1, and I think the presence of this card will be part of the reason why Spheres get even better than they are currently. I know what I’m naming with Black Scout Maneuver!

And yet, if I do happen to name it, they can grab Tenshinhan’s Draining Blast instead and bring it back, still drawing a card in the process! Not to mention smacking me for 5 life cards! Oh, and it costs no power stages to perform. You do have to banish 3 cards from the top of your life deck, but who knows; you may hit Tien’s Preparation, which you can then Rejuvenate to draw a card!

Overall, I think Tien is a personality that works well in any colour. He’s flexible enough ability wise to fit just about anywhere, and his named cards are just fantastic! Whilst his average power-up rating and abysmal power level (currently the worst in the game) will certainly make him road kill against physical beat down decks (waiting for Nappa Smash!), I’m actually most looking forward to using him in a Red deck; I feel like he may have actually been the personality Red needed to succeed due to his guaranteed anger gain at level 1 due to his power, and the inherent card advantage that comes with it. He won’t punch hard, but he sure may be able to combo well (like that time he locks up Cell 2. He tried hard and didn’t do much damage, but he achieved his goal).

Good work Panini! I can’t wait to Ki Beam Haaaaaaaaaaaa! some people into the ground!

A few other cards were previewed on community sites around the web too, nothing too special though…

Oh, wait a minute, there was this little gem from DragonBall Radio – Orange Driving Drill.

Nice knowing ya Ginyu. It was fun. I would not wanna be piloting Captain Ginyu against an Orange Deck any time soon…or ever, really. This card alone is going to completely rattle the current “stale” (note the inverted commas) format. Its mere presence will make people think twice about piloting Ginyu and his goons into a tournament, which is great for the health of the game overall. Meta cards are conducive to a healthy game, and I am glad that Panini have printed such a card. It does seem a little too convenient an answer though. Especially in a colour that is able to search for and recur its cards so easily. Overall, a great addition.

Whilst less mind blowing, some of the other spoiled cards included:

Fanatics Gaming previewed ally Piccolo-Waiting: Realistically, this ally will see play only in a Gohan deck, much as Chi-Chi will only see a lot of play in Goku, Gohan and Goten decks. However, it does provide a fairly needed boost to the underwhelming personality, allowing Gohan to have Piccolo save his bacon from energy attacks (until he learns to dodge), as well as soaking up stage damage on his behalf. Good old punching bag Piccolo.

The Panini Dragon Ball Z News page on Facebook previewed Red Overpower: Another solid addition to red. 3 stages is a fair cost for 5 life cards. The ability to lower your MP a level (thus drawing a card due to the mastery) in order to tank up by giving all your cards Endurance 1 does give Red some sorely needed survivability. I’m not 100% sold on it yet, but it’s not bad by any means.

That’s it for today, folks. Until next time!

Kenny Phuong Nguyen

Check out Phoenix Lee’s assessment on For the Players for his verdict on the Heroes and Villains spoilers so far:

TAK Games will be joining the Heroes and Villains spoiler reveal with our first exclusive preview tomorrow – to make sure you’re up to date with the latest reveals, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TAKGames_au.

Game on!
– Kyp (@justkyp).

SDCC Promo Krillin offers a distinct advantage over the standard Krillin Lvl1.

There is no doubt that a well-made Black deck in the current environment can wreak havoc on your opponent’s best-laid plans. As I explained in our State of the Game – Black Style article, Black style is all about manipulation of a player’s cards in hand and reducing the cards potentially available to them in their Life Deck and Discard Pile. Black Krillin ramps up control another level by teaming manipulation with critical effects on a frequent basis. This is the deck I’m currently running and I find it very strong against some of the more dominant decks in the metagame.

Krillin’s Personality Cards

Krillin’s powers have great synergy with the Black Devious Mastery and compensate for areas where Black style is lacking. I currently run the San Diego Comic Con promo of Krillin’s Level 1 personality to leverage his Level 1 power as long as possible which creates a floating effect that stays active until a card is discarded from a hand. The discard can occur in any fashion, via the Mastery or other card effect. This critical effect can help discard allies or lower an opponent’s anger – anger control which is sometimes lacking within the currently available Black Style card pool.

But Krillin’s higher level powers won’t leave you at a disadvantage. If you are forced up to his higher levels, he has some great powers that disrupt your opponent’s hand.

Style of play

Black Scout Maneuver makes a welcome return in Panini DBZ to help keep your opponent’s future plans in check!

The best way to play this deck is defensively. You need to let your opponent come to you and force their hand, using your turn to regroup and set your board up to wait for the right time to push your advantage.

To play Black well, you need to understand your opponent and the style they are playing. You need to know the threats in each style so you can use cards like Black Searching Technique and Black Scout Maneuver to get rid of future headaches. This makes it very important to research other styles’ strengths and then read your opponent’s play.

Defensive Cards

As Black has a hard time utilising the help of Allies, and has no protection in the form of drills, I play nearly all the blocks available to me in my deck. Make sure you have enough defense to counter your opponent. The stand out Black blocks are Black Finger Block for physical and Black Swipe for energy attacks. Make sure you make the most of your limited defensive resources, as most secondary effects help you manipulate your opponent’s hand in some way. Weigh up your options and choose wisely!

Offensive Cards

Most Black Style attacks have cool effects to help manipulate your opponent. My favourites include Black Energy Web and Black Defensive Burst. If these attacks are successful, they prevent your opponent from performing either energy or physical attacks for the remainder of combat. Sometimes a powerful offense is the best defense!

One of the most powerful attacks in Krillin’s arsenal.

In this particular deck, you should also consider running cards like Krillin’s Solar Flare and Blinding Energy Move. If you find yourself at the losing end of a tough combat, these cards can help you get out of a jam. This deck’s objective is to hit and run, so do what you can and then leave your opponent hanging.

Without a doubt, the most effective card is Krillin’s Destructo Disc. An attack hitting for 5 life cards and 1 stage can sometimes make all the difference, particularly if you’re looking for a critical effect.

This deck shouldn’t rely offensively on physical attacks as Krillin’s power levels are too prohibitive. Aim for attacks with effects that remove cards from your opponent’s discard pile, as most top tier decks attempt to use their discard pile to their advantage.

Try and avoid energy attacks with high costs as they may eat away at valuable stages you need to absorb against a physical beatdown deck.

Rounding out the deck

Many staple cards are obvious inclusions in this deck, including Confrontation, Time is a Warrior’s Tool and Heroic Energy Sphere.

However, there are a few other cards that may help support your plans. For setups, look at Black Searching Technique which allows you to rid your opponent’s deck of two potential threats – whether those threats are attacks, or allies, or setups. Another setup to check out is Visiting the Past where you can pick and choose something from your discard pile that will help you – will an extra defensive card be what you need, or is it time to finish off your opponent with an additional energy attack?

Another fun card to look at is Black Reflection, which can add a whole new level of frustration to your opponent as their attacks are thrown back at them. Your options are limitless!

Need help?

Do you need some help tweaking your deck for your local metagame? We’d love to help you out. Feel free to send in your decklists to dbz@tak-games.com.au and we will give you some advice to maximise your potential.

If there are other decks you would like us to cover, let us know via Facebook (TAKGames.au) or Twitter (@TAKGames_au).

Game on!

– Trent (@TAKGames_Trent)

It’s been an eventful – and somewhat tough – week for Namekian aficionados. The first release of Panini’s DragonBall Z Current Rulings Document saw the first major errata of the game – the “nerf”ing of Namekian through its Mastery. It’s not all bad news – most players will agree with the change as Namekian can no longer gain “passive anger” through sitting back and passing combat each turn. If Namekian’s your game, there’s no need to fear, this change does not leave the style in a significantly weaker position.

Truthfully, Namekian style remains a strong contender in the current metagame. Most Namekian cards are geared towards helping achieve one or two of the victory conditions possible. Namekian does not have many drills or setups, so you’re not looking to gain board control. Its strengths come from omni blocks which help you roll with whatever your opponent throws at you and strong attacks which hit your opponent when they least expect it. Namekian style is best suited to absorbing whatever damage is thrown at you and work towards achieving victory in any way possible, leaving your opponent scrambling to cover all the bases: most powerful personality victory (MPPV); survival; and DragonBall victories are all possible with a well-made Namekian deck.

Does Namekian have any weaknesses? It struggles with gaining board control and doesn’t have much to interrupt opponent tactics – so you need to hold out with rejuvenation or get your anger up for a MPPV while your opponent is on the defensive to make it work.

Key Cards:

• Namekian Palm Shots
• Namekian Hybrid Defense
• Namekian Fusion

Strongest Personalities:

• Piccolo
• Gohan

Game on!

– Trent (@TAKGames_Trent)