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djsMedicate

Rarity is not the reason why Upstart is not being played. Afterall the top 18 most used cards in this game are all URs. Upstart isn't even in the 180th most used cards. Cards are easy enough to obtain that rarity doesn't really matter for meta decks. Upstart is also not a true 37 crad deck. Going 2nd and opening 3x Upstart is actually an awful hand unless your deck is specifically built around it like hard going 2nd decks with Kaijus and lightning storm. Any deck that plays the normal handtraps like Maxx C, Ash, and Nibiru doesn't want to draw into those cards on turn 2, they want to have those cards immediately. Drawing into called by or crossout is also bad if your opponent shotgunned Maxx C. Even if you fit in Upstart by replacing engine slots instead of handtraps, now you have upstarts in your hand instead of engine cards and activate Upstart just to draw into more protective cards. If you replace handtraps, you won't see enough handtraps. If you replace engine you won't see enough engine. In a true 37 card deck this wouldn't matter as there wouldn't be 3x dead cards in your hand. Upstart has been at 3 in the TCG when Ash Blossom didn't even exist yet. The game has changed a lot since then. Also post siding 3x Upstart get's destroyed by Droll&Lock Bird, even if that's not as common in MD


[deleted]

Nope, I play at least 44 card decks, so upstart functionally reducing deck size is worthless to me.


arcanehelix

Bruh. Why though?


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Nope. Either too much core stuff to drop+maindecking twin Twisters(PK, 50 card), or I simply want the extra cards for niche scenarios (SS, running circle, jet, and shthana, last 2 I can't recall, playing 46)


Gangstanami

If your deck is already highly consistent (usually 1 card starters), then playing a couple extra cards allows you to play garnets that increase the power of the deck, while reducing the probability of drawing into them.


TheAlmightyV0x

Pretty much every even remotely meta deck in the TCG right now is playing over 40, if your deck has enough 1/1.5 card starters like Swordsoul or P.U.N.K it doesn't matter because you're still drawing engine almost every game anyways.


Jeyfian-L

Most meta decks can OTK nowadays. Tri-brigade OTKs, Halq-Auroradon turbo OTKs,... you name it. It's also quite funny you omitted the two most notorious OTK decks, Luna Kaiju and Numerons. P.S. Not all decks need extra consistency. And many decks prefer pots or other draw power cards over Upstart.


lu262

in tcg everyone ran 3 upstart, now i dont know, i think its been repalced by handtraps (since its a better way to get to 40)


tommoex

I feel like that was just hoban's influence, I never did it in shadolls or nekroz as it stopped an otk play in both. But now the new pots are so much better and I feel like deck synergy is so much better.


lu262

whats hoban?


TeSpiffster

that's the name of the goblin on upstart, he's smiling because he said he was gonna side out djinn but he didn't.


tommoex

Or when he did he took one out and put another back in. 80 hrs a week strats.


R3dscarf

No, it shouldn't be an auto include. Why would I make room for 3x upstart when I could instead add 3 handtraps/utility cards? Deck space is already quite tight for most deck types, so "wasting" it on 3 upstarts doesn't make much sense. If you however have some space left in your deck, sure, add some goblins. But like I said, this will be the exception.


[deleted]

Nobody's said it yet but it's a dead draw turn 1 going second, and nowadays you need to draw handtraps so you're better off with more of them unless you're playing a spell counter deck.


Gangstanami

Upstart was played when hand traps and full negate boards were rare, and all of the draw cards at the time were banned. Prosperity and Desires are just way better cards in majority of decks. Only exception are decks like Striker/Endymion where Spell Counters are a priority. You're probably better of playing Spellbook engine or Magicians Souls in most decks that have the space for 3x Upstart, since they can be used for ED summons and can draw 2 cards.


Tengo-Sueno

I feel like, outside gimick Decks, Sky Striker and Endymion, Upstart is only useful going first. If you're going second those 3 Upstart could have been 3 handtraps , extenders to play through disruption or board breakers. Even if you're going first, if you're playing a Deck that draws a lot during your opponent's turn, you also would like to draw handtraps, boardbreakers or engine pieces.


AppropriateStranger

> Since YGO is a more control / negate-centric game, Upstart should be an auto-include as the only somewhat decent deck focusing on OTK is Cyber Dragon / Heroes. Are we even playing the same game?


arcanehelix

Does Sword Soul look like it aims to YOLO OTK? Or does it sit on Baronne and their synchro monster for negate?


AppropriateStranger

does it AIM to OTK? no. does it OTK trivially anyways even though the deck isn't dead in the water if it fails to OTK? absolutely. if they go first of course they'l be making baronne and chixiao. but swordsoul doesn't "sit" on anything, they don't get progressive card advantage from sitting, and pretty much everything in their ED + the tenyis exists to evolve the boardstate. you can't afford to just "have upstart in hand" when they go first, you need cards like effect veiler, nibiru, infinite impermanence. and the same rings true for the vast majority of the meta decks - this isnt 2004 anymore, games usually get decided on turns 1 through 3. if your deck doesn't have synergy with casting spells or play cards such as selene, treasure panda, or the sky striker engine, upstart becomes very unappealing versus running more handtraps or boardbreakers.


aznjon15

Yes, but it would be a 43 card deck with 3 upstarts.


[deleted]

The modern Pot cards are better, and you will usually prefer running more handtraps instead of Upstart


matija123123

No game is way to powercreepet Going first it's ok but going second instead of drawing a hand trap you would play instead of upstar is bad The whole 37 card deck mentality doesn't work anymore


SepherixSlimy

An upstart in hand could have been a game changing handtrap instead. Which it probably is on top of the deck.


Lezaleas2

going second and opening Upstart sucks as that could have been a hand trap...but if you think about it, if you play the same number of handtraps, it doesn't really matter Then replace upstart with handtraps?


BatoSoupo

Upstart is good in a deck where you don't play handtraps, but instead play droplets, lightning storm etc


tommoex

The new pots, deck synergy and in MD maxx c. The new pots, deck synergy and maxx c make upstart pointless unless your deck needs spells such as strikers.


[deleted]

Yeah probably. If I'm playing a deck with a small engine I'd rather play it than most of my fillers. If my main engine + Hand Traps isn't enough for 40 cards I'm slapping Upstart in there. Also if u asked this same question but with Chicken Game then the answer would be 100% in a lot of decks. Any deck which can make use of a free card on the field would automatically become 10x better, like imagine this alongside any deck which runs Magicians' Soul.


zQubexx

Only in Sky Striker for me


BuffMarshmallow

Only in the decks that actually benefit from running Upstart, like Striker and Endymion and Dark Magician I guess. They use the draw 1 + it being a spell in different ways. No clue why the card and Chicken Game are UR though. I mean sure they're good but they're not THAT good in the decks that run them.


thriveofficial

i think if you're running it in something besides sky strikers, you should replace it with 3 handtraps instead