Link summoning?

[Vectra]

Disclaimer:

I don't play actual YuGiOh as I only play the video games of it. I'm not here to scream about how bad they are because I think they're bad, but I don't play because I personally think they make OP cards and then make OPer cards to beat them OR they just ban all of them after people had spend $$$ on them. So they'll come out with a deck with obviously broken cards and then ban them cards after people bought them. Or, if they come out with a new mechanic and/or new decks, all the older decks become weaker (usually bc of OP cards), and then part of it is banned and then rinse and repeat.  

 

I thought of playing because I never played before but after a while of watching others play on youtube and hearing reviews (the best and the worst), and the trends I see, I decided to not waste my $$$. Not saying its a waste of $$$, it just is for me. Btw, I don't think a specific mechanic is OP per say, but I feel there should be a re-print of older cards to be on the same power level as current cards (but maybe thats unrealistic, *shrugs*) bc it seems people pay TONS of $$$ for cards to only have them be useless pretty soon afterwards.

 

That's what I see from outside looking in, so if someone wants to talk about Konami's tactics and either wants to counter or validate what I said... sure, I don't mind it.

 

To the actual discussion

What is your opinions about link monsters because they just seem like Xyz monsters on Mega-OP steroids. You might be thinking "If you don't play, why do you ask?" It's because I find the debates and arguments concerning OP cards, new mechanics, etc. interesting.

 

So for an official question: Do you think Link Monsters will/are OP, why or why not?

[Dragulas]

Most of them are bad (right now), in terms of card economy they are not worth it, powerfull synchros and xyz (even fusions ignoring the fact of needing an effect to do so) require 2 monsters and while not as generic as the link materials are, that factor ultimately depends on the deck you were running. They core idea of what they are based is cool but they dont add anything, rather substract. Unlike the other mechanics which you choose to play or not according to how a deck can be improved by including them, we are pretty much forced (in most cases) to play links in order make the decks operate as near as possible as they used to, problem is rouge decks are just slow down by the new mechanic. While top tier decks due to their more enhanced spam capability can afford the link materias and continue their usual stuff (again not all).

But in the end, outside of link based decks and some decks that synergizes well with them, most decks are now a nerfed version of what they used to be with a more tigh Extra Deck.

[Vectra]

rouge decks are just slow down by the new mechanic. While top tier decks due to their more enhanced spam capability can afford the link materials and continue their usual stuff (again not all).
Ye, in the video game, I noticed the speed changes in higher difficulty (speed of decks). I made a fairly decent deck in the game, and I just straight-up kill really slow decks, bc my deck isn't extremely fast but it flows well and is adaptable. I did learn about speed the hard way as I got murdered by a much faster deck when I had a slow deck when I was first playing. Considering how the speed is now from me watching duels, I can just imagine what those people are going through (ppl who are using rouge decks).

we are pretty much forced (in most cases) to play links in order make the decks operate as near as possible as they used to
I actually heard of that. How are they forcing you to do so? I mean, I think Konami is taking it a tad too seriously because if you make it a necessity, that COULD be interpreted as two things. 1) These suck but we don't want them to be irrelevant so BUY THEM or 2) These are eventually going to be broken and if everyone is OP, no fixing is needed

Not saying either is true, but considering how ppl feel about Konami a lot of times, I wouldn't be surprised if that theory came up.

most decks are now a nerfed version of what they used to be

My hypothesis was correct, then... noice. I really wished Konami would just reprint old cards or MAYBE they could have a system where, every card you buy has a unique ID and if u have the ID, you can go somewhere, put in the ID and they send you the re-printed version IF there is one. Of course, they probably haven't thought about it, but that's my idea.

[~ P O L A R I S ~]

rouge decks are just slow down by the new mechanic. While top tier decks due to their more enhanced spam capability can afford the link materials and continue their usual stuff (again not all).

 

It depends on the rogue deck in question. World Chalice is a rogue Link deck, and previous rogue decks like Chain Burn, Cubics, Lightsworns and Monarchs are thriving with the new mechanic because they don't rely on the Extra Deck so much. They're still rogue in that they're peripheral to the meta, but they can catch just about anyone off guard.  

[Yui]

This should really not be in General, so I'll be moving it to the Yu-Gi-Oh Banlists & Theory section appropriately (General is for more broad, non-YGO topics; TCG and its subsections are where to go if you want to talk card games). If any other mod stumbles upon this post and knows a better section for this, you do you.

 

Before I go though, I'll leave my quick thoughts on Links. I can understand why many players are against the new mechanic and the rule changes that came with it; it hampers extra deck activity and forces people who play the game irl to buy the new cards if they want to use old mechanics as freely as they used to. I personally don't mind that bit, since all the decks I use either ladder or only need one extra deck monster to begin with. If anything, I enjoy the new format since my decks are altogether unaffected by it. The Link monsters themselves seem pretty underwhelming last I checked, but I have poor game knowledge so I'm sure there's an outlier or two I missed. This mechanic can easily develop into complete cancer though, especially with Konami's... "generous" distribution of power to new cards. I'm staying optimistic though, but won't rule out the possibility that this gets really bad.

[Vectra]

This should really not be in General, so I'll be moving it to the Yu-Gi-Oh Banlists & Theory section appropriately (General is for more broad, non-YGO topics; TCG and its subsections are where to go if you want to talk card games). If any other mod stumbles upon this post and knows a better section for this, you do you.

 

Ah, ok. I was looking for a section but coulnd't find one that seemed to fit. I must've missed that section (ironic because I posted something there before lol). Thanks for the fixing :p

[~ P O L A R I S ~]

The Link monsters themselves seem pretty underwhelming last I checked, but I have poor game knowledge so I'm sure there's an outlier or two I missed. This mechanic can easily develop into complete cancer though, especially with Konami's... "generous" distribution of power to new cards. I'm staying optimistic though, but won't rule out the possibility that this gets really bad.

 

This is right on point. For now in the competitive TCG so far Links have mostly been used for their arrows to open up more slots for Extra Deck monsters, and it's probably Missus Radiant that's seeing the most play. This will change very soon though if the OCG is any indication. Firewall Dragon shines brightest in extensive combos involving many Link monsters and SPYRALs are a deck that can abuse it dramatically, thanks in part to their own new Link monster SPYRAL Double Helix. We'll also be getting another Link-based Structure Deck in early November featuring Tri-Gate Wizard, which is a very powerful Link-3 that combines a negation body with spot removal and extra battle damage. 

[Dragulas]

It depends on the rogue deck in question. World Chalice is a rogue Link deck, and previous rogue decks like Chain Burn, Cubics, Lightsworns and Monarchs are thriving with the new mechanic because they don't rely on the Extra Deck so much. They're still rogue in that they're peripheral to the meta, but they can catch just about anyone off guard.  

Thats why i said most (those who relied on extra deck), not all also excluded link based  decks or decks that (because fate intervention if not konami s doing) synergizes well with the mechanic

[Sleepy]

I think Links are intentionally designed underwhelming as a strategy to stomp over some of the potential of some decks prior to the Link era changes. You know, like, the decks that could end up with unbreakable fields turn 1, which was more or less the game model, now have to divert some of their resources into making a not-so-great Link that'll open up zones for Extra Deck use, but still not as many zones as you previously could with the old rules. I think the game will slowly move away from that model.

 

Though most Links I bump into right now either belong to specific archetypes or are Cyberse-Type, and I find issue with that because there's nothing for me to really experiment with on a casual level with older decks. There are also a lot of archetype based Links out there, and that is a complete opposite of the Synchro era debut where most Synchros introduced were generic (with the only exception being Junk Warrior). The only real options right now are Proxy Dragon, Missus Radiant, Decode Talker, and maybe Link Spider, and Firewall Dragon is just used in loopy plays and nothing else really.

 

Linkuriboh is probably gonna be a JUMP card with sky-rocketing prices when it gets here, and mostly all good general Links seem to come from different places too. Mega tins, starter deck, regular set, or some promo...  It'd be neat to have gotten them in one place. Well, I guess that's just gonna be the waiting game.