Upper Deck Entertainment Forums

Greetings all!

In our area we have something of a judge mentorship and cross-training program. We have enough skilled judges with both tournament and life experience to share the wealth. Our newest idea is to produce a deck to train both our judges and more advanced players...

The deck consists card combinations that are prone to penalties, if played incorrectly. Some of the specifics: Morphing jar and Protector of the Sanctuary (and Dark Bribes, Card Destruction, etc). Also, popular "locks" like the Macro/Gravekeeper's Servant. Then, tricky cards like Blasting Fuse (for those duelists that must change their monster positions) and Question (for anyone that rearranges the graveyard).

The deck isn't designed to win (though it may stall for a while), but it's purpose is to help train our less experienced judges. It may take years before the combos actually require a judge call, and by then it may be too late. We would like to train in a more practical and less theoretical environment and this seems to be a way we'll all remember the rulings.

Thus, within reason, I'd like to request some "training" deck combos and ideas that will assist. Also, the reason this isn't in the deck building forum is to avoid spreading difficult builds for the purpose of winning by technicality.

Any easy-to-build, but "difficult to judge" combos you might have on hand?

Thanks in advance!

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Ken Maness
Pflugerville, Tx
RK 2 YGO, PM2, Specialist 2, TO 1

Having administered the L2 certification test, I can with all confidence state the most often misunderstood parts of the game are these..

Standby and End Phase effect resolution, chaining, damage step, types of monster effects, and what can and cannot be activated in the damage step.

You might have both decks include multiple standby / end phase effect cards (Ectoplasmer, DD Scout Plane, Twin-Headed Behemoth, Solar Flare Dragon, Asura Priest, Dark Snake Syndrome, Treeborn Frog, Lava Golem, Nightmare Wheel, Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, etc.)

For damage step, Airknight Parshath, Reflect Bounder, Dark Ruler Ha Des, D.D. Warrior Lady, Chainsaw Insect, Ryu Kokki, Cat's Ear Tribe, Sasuke Samurai #4.

For monster effects try to cover the whole range, ignition, multi-trigger, optional trigger, etc.

For damage step activation of cards, Divine Wrath, Solemn Judgment, and Barrel Behind the Door,among others.

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Yu-Gi-Oh! RK3
PM L3
TO L1
Specialist L1

Great items!

More please...? We'll construct a couple of these "trainer decks", even if we need to use proxies... :-)

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Ken Maness
Pflugerville, Tx
RK 2 YGO, PM2, Specialist 2, TO 1

There is also alot of issues over what cards target and which don't.  Also, the difference between a cost and effect.  Other then that...you should add in cards that have effects that are seen all over the game...for example...fairy meter crush, gemini monsters, the old "can be changed to face down" effects, etc. 

Hope that was helpful.  Happy Dueling.

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"I may be a chick, but I've been a gamer for about half your life...so don't treat me like an idiot."

Level 1 Yu-Gi-Oh! Rules Judge
Level 1 Player Managment Judge

some ideas.  some are specific combos and others are just problematic cards.

targetting:

• creature swap
• smashing ground/fissure/hammer shot
• brain control
• soul exchange
  

battle damage:

• dimension wall
• amazoness swordswoman
• spear dragon

cost vs. effect

• lightning vortex
• dark world cards
• (might be nit-picking) cyber valley
  

lingering effects

• power bond
• destiny hero - diamond dude

segoc/multiple optional trigger effects and/or missing the timing

• DMOC
• stratos
• armageddon knight
• gadgets
  
• dimension fusion/return from the different dimension + s/t removal
  
• card of safe return
  

multiple continuous effects

• command knight
• king tiger wanghu

ATK/DEF modification

• megamorph
• shrink
• field spell/s
• rush recklessly
• axe of despair
  

monster effects during battle phase

• mystic swordsman lv 2
• neo spacian grand mole
• marshmallon
• drillroid
• flip-effect monsters
  

optional v mandatory effects

• sangan
• nimble momonga and/or + green baboon
  
• giant germ

indefinite outcomes

• snipe hunter vs. prime material dragon/destruction jammer
• paths of destiny vs barrel behind the door

special summons solemn judgement can/cannot negate:

• sacred bird of nephythys
• vampire lord
  
• treeborn frog
• cyber dragon
• contact fusions
  

other common ones:

• jinzo vs. skill drain vs. plasma
• grandmaster vs bottomless
• crystal beast monsters vs. dimensional fissure/macro cosmos
• monarch (raiza/caius) vs torrential
• trap monsters vs. jinzo/decree
• goat/doomsday tokens for summon: normal/tribute, destiny hero - plasma, 'wicked' monsters
  

ones i haven't been asked, but will probably trip up judge hopefuls:

• field is only 'a legendary ocean' and 'legendary fisherman'.  can LP be hit direct?
  
• 2 maraudings FU on field.  can opponent attack?
• 2 command knights on field.  can opponent attack?
• marauding captain => fire trooper => inferno reckless summon

i'll agree with mr. danker.  multiple effects to resolve during standby/end phase

• treeborn frog/samsara lotus
• ectoplasmer
• phantom of chaos
• any spirit monster
• solar flare dragon
• the yubels
• elemental hero ocean
• evil hero infernal gainer
  

Based on what people have had for input here are a pair of decks that might work. One is more aggressive and fairly straight forward (You can let someone use the first one who might not be as skilled at setting up "situations") The second deck is a lot more tricky and one that the "teacher" can use.

They should actually be kind of fun to play against each other and get a lot of grins along with being teaching tools.

Deck #1

Monsters: 20

1 Asura Priest

1 Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys

1 Treeborn Frog

1 Dark Ruler Ha Des

1 Twin-Headed Behemoth

1 Airknight Parshath

1 Jinzo

1 Mobius the Frost Monarch

3 Giant Germ

1 Cyber Dragon

1 Sangan

1 Spear Dragon

1 Mystic Swordsman LV2

1 Susuki Samuri #4

1 Neo Spacian Grand Mole

1 D. D. Warrior

1 Morphing Jar

1 Spirit Reaper

 

Spell Cards: 12

1 Monster Reborn

1 Heavy Storm

1 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Soul Exchange

1 Brain Control

1 Smashing Ground

1 Creature Swap

1 Shrink

1 Megamorph

1 Pot of Avarice

1 Card Destruction

1 Twister

 

Trap Cards: 8

1 Torrential Tribute

1 Solemn Judgment

1 Bottomless Trap Hole

1 Ultimate Offering

1 Dust Tornado

1 Divine Wrath

1 Reckless Greed

1 Jar of Greed

 

Deck#2

 

Monsters: 21

1 Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest

2 Lava Golem

1 Chainsaw Insect

3 Nimble Momonga

1 Giant Rat

1 Exiled Force

1 Cat’s Ear Tribe

1 Marshmallow

1 Sangan

1 Morphing Jar

1 Miracle Flipper

1 Malice Doll

1 Reflect Bounder

2 Destiny Hero – Defender

3 Nimble Musasabi

 

Spell Cards: 8

1 Scapegoat

1 Lightning Vortex

1 Dark Snake Syndrome

1 Ectoplasmer

2 Messenger of Peace

1 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Giant Trunade

 

Trap Cards: 11

1 Compulsory Evacuation Device

1 Barrel Behind the Door

2 Greed

1 Ceasefire

1 Nightmare Wheel

1 Dust Tornado

1 Gravity Bind

1 Ojama Trio

2 Remove Brainwashing

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Yu-Gi-Oh! RK3
PM L3
TO L1
Specialist L1

Is there a post with a damage step chart i noticed at a Shonen Jump That some judges were carring around a very nice and specific damage step chart and would like to get one for the local judging staff as even i still have some trouble with exactly what part of the damage effect this would go off in off the top of my head. Thank-you for any help anyone can give.                                           

it probably was modified from Kevin Talwart's Damage Step Mechanics unofficial thing on City of Gamers forums.

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107-744-616
Circle of Tragedy Duels
YGORK2, PM1, TO1
UDE May Use My Card Ideas At Will!
EVERYTHING I SAY IS PERSONAL OPINION
Prepare for the coming Global Crisis

Great idea. I'll see if I can put one together as well.

One of our "local" Texas judges (Paul) put together a great "cheater sheet" for penalties. We've found it to be a wonderful template for the judges to provide a uniform and easily read format. I'll see if I can get that out here too... Not certain how well the formatting may end up, but I'll try.

Well, unfortunately my Word doesn't paste very well here... I'll see if we can somehow get this into another area for better sharing.

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Ken Maness
Pflugerville, Tx
RK 2 YGO, PM2, Specialist 2, TO 1

I have a Word doc that has the damage step and the penalty guideline on it.  It fits into a top loader so that you can carry it around.  If anyone wants this, send me a PM and I will send it to you.

If you like the documents, send your thanks over to Chris Goff.  I got it from him originally.

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Lvl 3 Yugioh Rules Knowledge
Lvl 2 Player Management
Lvl 1 Tournament Organizer
Lvl 1 Specialist
Lvl 1 Vs Rules Knowledge

Sounds great. I'll PM you my email and maybe we can get these documents in a common area for resources...

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Ken Maness
Pflugerville, Tx
RK 2 YGO, PM2, Specialist 2, TO 1

You should see if Simon Sangpukdee will provide a rough outline of the Skill Drain deck he used at SJC Anaheim in April 2007.  I hear it was a judging nightmare, but he's evil that way.

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Jeff Piroozshad
Marketing Events Specialist
Upper Deck

Next Yu-Gi-Oh! Shonen Jump Championship:
SJC CHICAGO
November 15-16, 2008
www.yugiohchamps.com

1716303:

One of our "local" Texas judges (Paul) put together a great "cheater sheet" for penalties. We've found it to be a wonderful template for the judges to provide a uniform and easily read format.

 

Hey, thanks for the props, Ken. I've had to change a thing or two since the one I handed out in Houston, but they still work. I wish there were some way we could share these docs with the community. I know that UDE would probably rather save their Downloadable docs area for those things officially UDE and there's always the problem of security and viruses with file shares, but it would be great if we had something available to the community...especially since doing so would 1. open our resources to others to improve; 2. prevent unnecessary re-inventing the wheel; and 3. possibly help to standardize (optimize?) the way we do things, making transitions from one venue to another not as foreign(?).

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I want to fix the game state.
I must fix the game state!

Please! Please! Let me fix the Game State!!!

Well, there's a program in Microsoft Office ( I think it's called Microsoft Project, I need to double-check later) where remote users can add documents to this network reserved for a project.  It's been a while since I last used it so I'm hazy on the details, but I'll be more than happy to see if I can't set something up for us to experiment with among Texas venues.  I'm not sure what computer access is like for you at your regional events Paul, but I know Ken and I each have our own laptops we can use to access the information put on there.

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JD DeKeyzer
-YGO R&K LV2
-PM LV1
-TO LV1
-inventor of the world's first Duel System (Duel Terminal's a cheap knock-off of this, I swear)

Just a thought,

But wouldn't practice tests (10-15 questions max) be a bit more helpful to the judge community.  I mean it can't be that hard to get a pool of questions of varying difficulties.  It would benefit many more judges than simply the ones that get to use these decks.  In addition, when playing these decks you have to hope that player A plays card X while player B has card Y out so that you can get the card interaction you're looking for.

One of the ways I help train judges is every round I put up a "judge question" at registration.  It varys in difficulty from level 2 to level 3.  They have until the end of the round to give me an answer and why they feel that way.  It's had great success thus far.  I simply wish I had more questions to give.  I know that some of the L3's are elitists and don't want to share their level of knowledge with regular floor judges (sort of like job security I guess) but isn't that the point of the judge program. {sorry for the tangent}

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Alex Evans
Unity Entertainment
Event Manager