Labels: previews, Set 25, squee

Hey guys! Tsu here with another preview from Naruto CCG's Series 25 "Kage Summit"! We here at "The Perfect Curve" typically rotate who gets to write about which previews each set, to give each person a chance to write about a super rare because honestly, those are the most fun cards to write about and talk about. As the corner stones of the set and the "value" you'll be getting out of your boxes, the "Super Rare" card is obviously going to be widely talked about. Sadly the card I'm going to show you is NOT a Super Rare.

"Then why tell us about Super Rares at all Tsu?"

Glad you asked, Jimmy! You see normally I get dumped into one of two camps: Super Rare ... or unplayable card. I'm very pleased to announce though that our 2nd preview is actually a very good and very playable rare... so without further explanation, here is Lightning Style: Emotion Wave!






What Can I Do For You?
So at first glance, we can see that this is a late game Jutsu, primarily used by Darui in the anime and manga series. A turn 5 Jutsu with a symbol requirement isn't so bad but whenever we talk about Turn 5+ Jutsu the card has to hold some weight because it's going to be instantly compared to cards like Hydro Pump, Snake Sword, and of course Almighty Push!

So the question is, does Emotion Wave hold up? Well considering that most of the above removal cost at least 3 or more chakra to remove 2 to 3 Ninjas, we'll have to just see if it is a good value in comparison. But before that, we have to actually look at how the card works.

When we play Emotion Wave, we obviously have to pay the cost of X chakra...X can be as little or as much as we want. Note that paying 0 chakra for Emotion Wave does absolutely nothing. For each card you pay with the Lightning Symbol, you'll get a simple damage spell along the lines of an old school Fireball Jutsu. For each Water symbol you pay, you'll net an additional target on the card. So what does this all mean? Here's a quick table for you:

1 Lightning Chakra + 0 Water Chakra = 1 Damage to 1 Opposing Ninja
2 Lightning Chakra + 0 Water Chakra = 2 Damage to 1 Opposing Ninja
1 Lightning Chakra + 1 Water Chakra = 1 Damage to 2 Opposing Ninja
2 Lightning Chakra + 1 Water Chakra = 2 Damage to 2 Opposing Ninja
1 Lightning Chakra + 2 Water Chakra = 1 Damage to 3 Opposing Ninja
2 Lightning Chakra + 2 Water Chakra = 2 Damage to 3 Opposing Ninja
... And so on and so forth.

So 4 Chakra nets you a team wipe, which is actually less valuable than Snake Sword in this case which isn't really good value.

"But Tsu! I thought you said this was a good card!"

Well it is! The secret lies in a theme that's being pushed in Series 25 "Kage Summit" and that's multi-colored decks. By paying the cost of Emotion Wave with a single card like ...oh I dunno...the most played card in the format Monster Research, the Jutsu becomes way more efficient. If you were to pay the cost of emotion wave with only cards with the Water & Lightning Symbol together, the numbers for the card start to look more like this:

1 Water/Lightning Chakra = 1 Damage to 2 Opposing Ninjas
2 Water/Lightning Chakra = 2 Damage to 3 Opposing Ninjas

So for the low cost of that Monster Research in your chakra area, this card can cause some serious damage!




Double Trouble!
Here is a list of every Lightning/Water dual element card in Block format for your reference. This should give you an idea of just how many cards in the format are playable and can easily provide the double cost requirement for Lightning Style: Emotion Wave! Please keep in mind, this list does not include any cards from "Series 25" but you should note that many powerful cards such as Raikage, Darui and even Emotion Wave itself are capable of efficiently activating Emotion Wave.

Ninja
Anko Mitarashi - An already highly played card.
Anko Mitarashi - This 2 drop Common has no real use when you consider the 3 drop counterpart. Even though it can make every card in your chakra area able to be more efficient with Emotion Wave, I still don't see it making a huge splash.
Five Tails  - 7 Combat 4 drop is pretty good. Especially since he gets a draw for every victory he wins.
Gamaken - Thomas Veazie popularized this as a sideboard option against Ink Ninjas in Lightning & Water decks.

Mission
Great Naruto Bridge - Already sees play in 9 Phantom Dragons decks, which are already primarily Water/Lightning to begin with.
Anko's Memories - Restricted to 1 but still played in pretty much every Lightning or Water deck
Monster Research - The BIG ONE! 3 of in almost every single SJC Winning deck, a single Monster Research in your chakra area makes Emotion Wave something to fear.

 Jutsu
Chidori Lance - Decent Jutsu
Blade of the Thunder God - Not too great

So considering that only 2 of the cards on our list are actually unplayable (T2 Anko & Blade of the Thunder God), it's safe to say that this card will have a lot of synergy with a lot of very playable and powerful cards.

The Thunder God Tech
So I feel that this is something that needs to be pointed out and it's probably one of the main reasons I feel that Emotion Wave will make a big "splash" (get it?) in Lightning Decks this season... all thanks to this guy:





On turn 2 you can play Monster Research and board press with your field. If your opponent blocks you can play The 4th Hokage and have him use Emotion Wave for the cost of the 1 Monster Research in your chakra. This + the 4th's Effect all but guarantees you discard any opposing team as early as turn 2. Using the 4th Hokage's Mastery effect, you can keep not only the 4th Hokage but Emotion Wave to set this play up again later in the game. You killed 3 Ninjas for 2 cards in hand and 1 chakra. Talk about value!!!

I hope you enjoyed our second preview for Series 25 "Kage Summit"! Please check back next week for our 3rd preview!

-Tsu

Labels: Chief Tsuzumiya Haruhi, previews, Set 25, tsu

Normally at this time of the day I'm sort of busy with work but today on my lunch break I came across this article written by Matt Eisenbud . Just reading over the list, I can already see several problems with it and wanted to share some of my thoughts on it and what I do and don't agree with on the list.

At Zero
Hydro Pump
Disagree with Hydro-Pump entirely at zero. I used to be one of the biggest opponents of this card being at zero and as it stands right now, I think it's fine. The format is generally fast enough where this card isn't really a huge problem and there are comparable cards now late game (Almighty Push). It isn't even really in every deck anymore. So the only real problem with this card is if it comes down early from Fourth Hokage... which is a combo I've played before. It's a -4 from your hand and if you still have to make a Ninja drop, that's a -5 for the turn. I really hope that what's left in your hand is a KNS and/or Sakura's Decision to refill your hand otherwise you burnt everything just to get that far. And if your opponent has the Dragon Flame/F. Punch Response, you just look silly for going "All In" on turn 1 or turn 2.

On top of that, it's one of the few cards that can stop a card like Susan. In fact I'd argue that Hydro Pump is one of the largest reasons as to why Susan doesn't see play in this format (others being things like Mind Transfer, Almighty Push, and an aggressive format).

At 1
The Warhawk
Why? I understand it's pretty much super over powered but if you go after this card, you have to go after Monster Research from Lightning & Water as well as Sakura's Decision from Wind because they essentially net you the same style of advantage you need. Earth is the only element that doesn't have a card like this and they're getting back Student & Sensei, a turn 1 Draw 2, with Set 25 as well as a pretty powerful Permanent Mission theme in my book. I really don't think you want to hit Warhawk at all as it's pretty much Fire's "Bread N' Butter" the same way all those other cards are. Post rotation, Fire has garbage missions without Warhawk.

At 2
Byakugan
This is one that I can get behind but at 2 solves nothing. If you're going to hit Byakugan, go all in or don't. Byakugan isn't a 3 of card, even with tri-color cards coming out in droves this set. You either ban it (I don't think it's that good), put it at 1 (kill it's consistency to be played in mulitples) or leave it alone. I really feel Semi-Limits are dumb as they don't really accomplish anything unless all 3 copies of the card are needed to win. You don't hit the consistency of a card, and you don't fix the problem.


Dome Prison
The problem with Dome Prison is the amount of advantage you get for playing it back to back. Putting Dome at 2 instead of 3 decreases consistency yes, but it just allows for a less skill intensive meta. You hit your 2 Dome Prison and blew the other guy out of the game early with your chakra burn so they can never get their game plan going. Denying resources is the most "Anti-Fun" mechanic in this game. Players shouldn't be just handed things and should have to be challenged to try to make their game plans but you shouldn't straight up deny your opponent's game, especially when it further accelerates you, can be played that early, and played that cheap. Putting this @ 2 is the equivalent of moving Furious Current back to 2. . . you're just encouraging an early game blowout


Big Bang
Same as Dome Prison. Only this time, putting this at 2 will make everyone shift to Fire/Wind or Fire/Lightning to give them the best chance of digging for Dragon Flame for the "GGs." Putting it at 2 just accelerates decks and gives players more chances to lock their opponent out of a game before they even get a chance to play it.


Reanimation
So Wind has no real damaging moves unless used with another element. And Reanimation's "Infinite Loop" doesn't really hit until turn 6 when Tsunade hits (I recognize with the release of 25, you have Sakura and Shizton to make this happen much earlier). But really this is all Wind has besides F. Punch...Wind Pressure is good but not great, like the Jutsu from other elements. I say let Wind have it....and if you're going to restrict it, why 2? That does NOTHING. Most people only play 2. 2 is what allows the loop to exist! If you want to hurt this card at all, put it at 0 or 1. As I said above, limiting to 2 does nothing except lower your odds of pulling off a combo (and it's not even that high, percentage-wise). 

Ink Leech
I still don't see the problem with this card. Earth and Wind can turn 1 F. Punch/Super Slap/Mind Transfer to stop any early game Jutsu you can get. In fact, it can force you to waste those same cards with Mental Power starts. The stats are sub par. I have no issues but the player base seems to disagree with me here... again 0, 1, or 3. 2 is not a realistic option for this card either.


Infinite Embrace
ROFLMAO! You're joking right? RIGHT!? The Jutsu that's tied for the 2nd best (along with Chidori/Petals/Summoning Jutsu, first being Prong) early game Jutsu ever...you want it to come back? DO YOU WANT THE GENCON META TO BE FIRE/WIND OR LOSE? 

3 x Dragon Flame
2 x Embrace


Every deck. Get at me.

Bonus:
Create-A-Card Article #1 goes up tonight or tomorrow, featuring Anthony Burns' card.

Our Videocast/Vloggy/New Podcast had a huge snag in filming which caused us to lose a lot of our footage. We have been working to fix the problem and as soon as Andrew is able to start filming again, we'll host these. We might even consider doing a weekly live streamed show, where we have prominent players/guests from the community on to discuss the state of the game. 


Our 2nd preview from Series 25 "Kage Summit" goes up next Tuesday around lunch time (EST) so be sure to check it out! It's really good! Trust me!


-Tsu

Labels: Rogue list, Set 25, tsu