How to play test your custom archetype

[WhiteThunder777]

Depending on your custom archetype, you will have to duel another person on DuelingBook to test your custom archetype.  For a going 1st archetype, you have to go into Solo Mode and there, you can determine the ceiling of your end board of your custom archetype.  Having an end board of 5+ negates is just asking for trouble.  Going 1st means you set up stuff to play on your opponent's turn.  

For a going 2nd archetype, you'd want to test it against another player via a duel in order to measure the ability of your archetype to break existing end boards. Going 2nd uses stuff like multiple attackers, stuff that removes back row, stuff that boosts the stats of your monsters, attacking directly, and things that temporarily turns off the opponent's board.  

Midrange custom archetypes have a combination of going 1st and 2nd strategies so you may need several duels going 1st and 2nd to test your custom archetype. 

[WhiteThunder777]

Sometimes the way your cards are worded can affect the endboard.  Archetypes can have a pre-determined end board or a variable end board. 

Kashtira has a very specific endboard.

 

[Messoras]

I use EDOPro to playtest my Customs and I can really recommend that to other creators, since you can fast forward through the combos and get a feel for where the deck needs a little push and where it generates to much advantage to quickly. The AI doesn't always react appropriately to your custom effects, but you don't have to wait for your opponent to read all of your cards and then leave the duel before you get to try anything out. Another point is that you will be able to play against TCG/OCG decks and evaluate the powerlevel of your cards better than you could while playing against other custom cards on DB (which might be badly balanced or inconsistent). Scripting the cards also helps chosing the correct PSCT.

 

Greets,

Messoras

[KH911]

I honestly wish the game would slow down a bit so that it's not all about unbreakable boards and board breakers. I want control decks that slowly makes your opponent lose card advantage over time, midrange decks that focus on recycling material to out resource the opponent, you know all of those different strategies that are inherently slow but make the game more interesting than bloated turn 1 combos. Mayakashi is my main deck, and it's always viewed as a weak deck because it's end board is underwhelming, but it has an insane grind game. I literally win every duel that lasts more 3 turns because of their ability to constantly revive and generate card advantage each turn.

[WhiteThunder777]

On 4/19/2023 at 5:08 AM, KH911 said:

I honestly wish the game would slow down a bit so that it's not all about unbreakable boards and board breakers. I want control decks that slowly makes your opponent lose card advantage over time, midrange decks that focus on recycling material to out resource the opponent, you know all of those different strategies that are inherently slow but make the game more interesting than bloated turn 1 combos. Mayakashi is my main deck, and it's always viewed as a weak deck because it's end board is underwhelming, but it has an insane grind game. I literally win every duel that lasts more 3 turns because of their ability to constantly revive and generate card advantage each turn.

And also, 4 negates is too much for an end board in yugioh. 

[WhiteThunder777]

On 4/19/2023 at 5:08 AM, KH911 said:

I honestly wish the game would slow down a bit so that it's not all about unbreakable boards and board breakers. I want control decks that slowly makes your opponent lose card advantage over time, midrange decks that focus on recycling material to out resource the opponent, you know all of those different strategies that are inherently slow but make the game more interesting than bloated turn 1 combos. Mayakashi is my main deck, and it's always viewed as a weak deck because it's end board is underwhelming, but it has an insane grind game. I literally win every duel that lasts more 3 turns because of their ability to constantly revive and generate card advantage each turn.

Recycling is another aspect in yugioh.  

[WhiteThunder777]

Understand card advantage is important to balance.  Look at Forbidden Droplet. If you don't want your opponent to respond anything to it, that is a -4 in card advantage.  (A -1 for activating the spell, and a -3 for sending the cards from hand/field to GY).  

Harpie's Feather Duster was banned because it nuked back row for little to no cost despite it being -1 in card advantage. 

 

[Messoras]

10 hours ago, Surge77754 said:

Understand card advantage is important to balance.  Look at Forbidden Droplet. If you don't want your opponent to respond anything to it, that is a -4 in card advantage.  (A -1 for activating the spell, and a -3 for sending the cards from hand/field to GY).  

Harpie's Feather Duster was banned because it nuked back row for little to no cost despite it being -1 in card advantage. 

 

I'm not sure if you understand card advantage entirely. If you actuvate Harpie's Feather Duster to remove 1 backrow, that's a net card advantage of +- 0. You always have to take your opponent's cards into consideration. If you blow out 5 backrows with HFD, that's a +4.

 

Greets,

Messoras