First Post: 500gb time

This blog has been on backburner for a few months now because of 2 vital issues preventing me from using it:
1) A way to show exactly what I'm doing in games.
2) More games and space to play them in.
Luckily enough, thanks to the holidays, I was able to get both! I got a 500gb hard drive and Dazzle SD video recording software. Unfortunately, because I don't have all the cables, I don't have gameplay videos for my first post. Instead, I worked on my second gift for most of the day, installing the 500gb hard drive into my Playstation 3. The process is pretty long(I'm still finishing it up). The work went pretty much like this:

Step 1: Sort through the 59/60gb of console data and figure out what I can keep and what I can get rid of. As a lot of you guys know, not all the data can be copied to USB storage units because they are "copy protected." Also, I only have 2 storage units to work with, a 2gig and 16gig thumb-drive. The PS3 wanted 40gb of free space to backup all of my info, so I had to copy all the game saves it lets me, then delete them -> Delete the corresponding game data ->Delete MAG's game data to get me down to the 14gb I could fit onto the USB ->Backup all the "copy protected" files onto the USB.

Step 2: Swapping the Hard drives was a pain and a half because of a teeny blue screw that Sony practically bolted into the system.

I got this HDD from Best Buy with my GIFT CARDS from my girlfriend and her family, a Western Digital Scorpio Blue 500gb/5400rpm SATA HDD.

Once you get over that freaking screw, the transfer is easy.

After popping it in, the PS3 will automatically ask you to format the HDD. Info like accounts and version are saved onto the PS3's internal memory, so I didn't need update anything.


Step 3: After it formats, we're basically on the home stretch to playing games again. Restoring the backup file off of the USB is a long, annoying process. Many people report freezing, and some even claim their HDD was destroyed. Luckily, I only had one freeze, and that was after pressing the -Okay- button. Restarting the Backup still worked (after letting it install for an hour...). Then I simply add the save files from the 2gb thumb drive.

Step 4: Finally we have to get back ALL the PSN content and game data that I deleted. Also, there is the trophy data that takes a loooong time to sync. My PSN account also claims that I have 159 downloads over the 2~3 years of having my PS3. Of course I don't need all of it, but I'll get back what I can.

Work post 1

So I figured that since I read blogs at work, I may as well make quickee posts too. The layout will be numbered thoughts on various things.
1) I'm wondering about main decking nobleman of crossout in koakis. I run no monsters most modern decks would and 80% of players open with a set monster. Most of those respond to a 1900+ attackers with another set or special summon. So I think that 2-3 noblemen would complement the books and compulsories that are also in the deck. Against monarchs and other decks that don't set much, I'm thinking about siding d.d.crow as a replacement for nobleman. I'm really a big fan of Crevice to the different dimension right now, so I may even try that.
2) relinquished seems like soooo much fun. Right now is a great time to run relinquished because the decks you face are similar in strength. The inclusion of necro gardna is much cooler than I ever expected. Attackers are the number 1 killer to the deck (despite what people think) so using necro and burial is awesome.
3) I really want to try a regional. Without pot of duality, I am really skeptical about topping with koakis. Hand resources are just too valuable right now to spend on cards Like core transport unit. So I would either run relinquished, beasts, or amaryllis since those are my best original decks. Starting from now I will be watching the tournament postings so I can join in on the REAL fun.

I apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors in this post. Typing from my phone isn't the most reliable thing on the planet.

Quickee Post, Debris variants

I was finally able to go to locals on Saturday. I didn't get to enter any tournaments, and I wasn't able to test as much as I would have liked. As I expected, everyone was running Debris variants. What's good about the Debris deck is that it constantly has SOMETHING in its hand that it can use. Debris, Gorz, Caius, Dandylion, Hamsters, Quickdraw, its almost ridiculous. Of course, there are many many many cards now to use against this deck that I feel like Debris could be the next Infernity. Infernities were soooooooo good when they were released, then everyone decided to run a side deck that was 50% geared to shutting their deck down. And it worked. So until STOR is released and a new banlist comes out, we have many cards to use against Debris variants.
Chain Disappearance - Removes 2-3 copies of key cards from their deck. Must run 3.
Power Filter - Prevents them from special summoning ANYTHING from the graveyard with Debris. Also stops Quickdraw and Battle Fader for those that run that. Susceptible to MST.
Mischief of Yokai - Instantly halts 1 synchro attempt, then it stays in the graveyard to stop another. Only problem is the fact that the monsters stay on the field.
D.D. Crow - Removes key cards from the graveyard. Chainable to effects like Debris and Pot of Avarice to make them waste a play. "One for ones" aren't that great in this format in my opinion.
Crevice into the Different Dimension - Removes key cards from the graveyard. Chainable to effects. The only problem is that it requires 2 targets and good lord do i wish that they released it without that restriction. The card would have been 100000% balanced if it could hit any 2 cards for no apparant reason. There's so many overpowered cards that rely on the graveyard that removing 2 of them is barely half the battle.
D.D. Ground - I was very excited about this card. Unfortunately though, against a deck like quickdraw your have to use it at the start of their turn, then it becomes a stunning effect. Using it before the synchro is attempted but while the mosnters are on the field IS an option, and may be better than crevice in the beginning of the round. Your opponent gets a brand new synchro monster, but lose their cards to the Different Dimension Zone (RFG). I'd love to test this more, I feel like D.D. Ground is a very very skillful card that could easily stop your opponent in their tracks while leaving you with your graveyard intact.

Unicorn Synchro, Tournament Ready!

I believe I have finally created my end-build for the Unicorn Synchro deck. After much much testing and about 5 different versions of the deck, I've narrowed down a monster lineup that I feel is the most consistent, as well as a spell and trap lineup that I feel will help the most.

For those that don't know, the Unicorn Synchro deck has a very wide monster lineup that can form into countless different builds. The choice monsters are
Chain Dog - Lock Cat - Key Mouse - Scrap Beast - Scrap Chimera - Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter - Egotistical Ape - Elephun - Super Nimble Mega Hamster - Giant Rat - Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest - Kinka Byo - and Dark Desertapir
The monsters I am running in the final version of the deck will be
Monsters 22

Chain Dog x1 Dark Desertapir x2 Egotistical Ape x2 Elephun x1 Giant Rat x2 Green Baboon x1 Key Mouse x2 Lock Cat x2 Kinka-Byo x1 Mine Mole x2 Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter x2 Scrap Beast x1 Super Nimble Mega Hamster x3

Though the scrap engine is amazing, the fact that none of the cards are search able unless you run Scrapyards like we did in Unicorn MK I make the engine too unreliable unless it is a dedicated portion of the deck. I decided to keep 1 Beast though, as it is the only normal summon in the deck that can be hit by bottomless trap hole, so it makes decent bait. Also, if it is in the graveyard for whatever reason, it instantly becomes a Desertapir target. I feel the card is better than Airbellum because of the fact that A) Rescue Cat is gone, B) Airbellum promotes Normal summoning to get in that attack effect, which could bring more harm than good, C) Airbellum cant make reliable level 5 7 or 8 synchro summons.
Elephun made a return to the deck because Giant Rat only has 2 real targets, Mine Mole and Key Mouse. The synergy between Mole and Mouse is nonexistent unless you throw in Lock Cat, so Elephun becomes a toolbox card; searched out whenever it is necessary. The battle effect is as bad as ever, and once konami releases more beast type tuners, Elephun will be the first to be dropped from the deck.
Super Nimble is by far one of the most important cards in the deck. It is one of the best turn 1 sets in the game and opens most of the deck to you. You can search out key mouse to synchro-5 if your opponent can't kill Hamster. You can search out Mine mole if you have a synchro-5-7 waiting next turn. I was originally running 2, mostly just for Ryko, but after realizing how important searching out things that ARENT ryko are I figured out that the deck can not run without 3 hamsters.

The spell and trap lineup has been the most debated part of the deck. It is difficult to figure out what Unicorn Synchro actually needs besides the core components of the deck. Unicorn Beacon and Super Rush are both very very good cards, but in this deck they simply don't flow well enough. Beacon is in the side deck to use against people who play Macro and Super Rush finds no place in the deck at all. I believe Super Rush Recklessly is designed for dedicated swarm/Baboon builds, where destroying your own monsters is practically encouraged. After a lot of testing, I narrowed the s/t lineup to this:
Spells-14 Traps-4

Book of Moon x2 Creature Swap x2 Dark Hole Gold Sarcophagus x2 Mind Control Monster Reborn Pot of Avarice x2 Soul Release x2 Compulsory Evacuation Device x2 Mirror Force Torrential Tribute

Now this isn't to say that the deck can't run 2 Solemn Warnings(which I do own) and 3 Pot of Duality. I may test them later, but out of what I really wanted to run, the above is what I think is most consistent. Avarice, Soul Release, Gold Sarc, Reborn and Dark hole are mandatory for "Unicorn Synchro. This leaves about 10-12 open spots for various other cards. So the idea is, what hurts the deck the most and how do we complement the monster lineup? High attack boss monsters are a bit of an issue. Decks that normal summon monsters they plan to attack with are not much of an issue. Constant amounts of stun aren't TOO much of an issue either because of the fact that the deck can make multiple plays in 1 turn, and then recover on the opponents turn through their attacks. Adding those facts together, the s/t lineup is less reactive than most decks(no bottomless, no Warnings) and instead I wanted to go with a more "plan B" route. That means that the cards are in there for when plays don't work the first time and the opponent has already garnered an advantage (Compulsory and Creature Swap) With only 4 traps, you would think that royal decree is a no-brainer, but I don't think that Decree is a good main-deck card in this format. There are just too many good cards available to allow space for 3 Royal Decree in your main deck.

I wasn't able to play at any locals this week, which does suck. I will be placing Unicorn Synchro on the deck pages at the top of the screen and with luck, it will become as successful as the others.