Game 4 - Vanguard Market

Dear Vanguardians,

Do you want to know how to get the best deals just in time? Do you want to know what will be the trends in the next few months? Or you just want to know more about how the market for this game works?

Well, while obviously one post is more than not enough to tell you everything about it, I'm doing my best to make an introductionary post about this whole thing for you.

So, get your notes, and let's get started!

Cardfight!! Vanguard is a game that's running since 2012, so you could say that the game is relatively fresh. Still, there are cards that are either really hard to get, and even if it is easy to obtain, its price is really, really high nowadays, even though it used to be really cheap, or its rarity is simply common and you don't understand why its price is so high.

Well, the basic rule of any market is about the demand-supply model. A card's rarity is only just an indicator, a mark that makes you note if a card is easy to obtain by buying a single booster box, or there is only a chance to get it from that specific display. Keep it in mind that it only applies to an ideal case, and that case only happens when:

1. The booster is actually available to buy from your local/shop (so it is not out of stock)
2. Short print is applied

The latter means that even if it "only" has a low rarity, it IS the rarest of that kind of rarity. These kind of cards are especially hard to find when they have the highest rarity. However, keep it in mind that even a set can be short printed, not just a single card. It actually happened with Vanguard when they released BT07, as it is one of the rarest sets in the game, and the cards from it are incredibly hard to find (that's why Luquier is so "overpriced", because it IS indeed actually rare).

However, when the set is out of print (either because it is out of print OR simply because the set is simply old enough that you can't get it so easily anymore), the prices are more varied. Cards that actually has a value either for collectors or competitors will have a higher price, and cards that no one wants (this is important: a card doesn't necessarily have to be bad, it's just about the demand of people if they want to buy it or not) will have a lower price. This will always vary, depending on what kind of cards does Bushiroad print in the upcoming sets, what kind of decks dominate the actual metagame, who won a bigger event, etc.

Second-hand market, while artifically manipulating the prices in such a way, are not dumb. They actually "test" if a card sells for that value, and if it isn't, they will immediately relist that card with a lowered price. Also, several single-selling sites are actually selling with a lower price if they actually follow the real metagame and know the actual value of the card, since by that, they know if the card actually has the value to sell that on that specific price. The only dangerous "retailer" is one specific site that I may mention in my later posts, who's only able to sell cards on high value because it actually buys it from as much reseller as possible to have a monopoly on the price of a specific card (or cards).

Watching the anime is also a great trick to have acknowledge of the market. Vanguard is a lore-based game, which means that the most support will be applied to the main characters, and as soon as a secondary character appears and has an on-screen fight, you can bet it's for the promotion of the new set featuring that aforementioned card. Because of that, you can not only know what kind of cards will be released later, but by knowing the main characters' clans, you know which cards are a "safe bet" and which cards aren't.

Last, but not least, the reprint controversy that is actually a topic in several forums nowadays. Because Bushiroad denies to reprint as much as other card games to reward old and recurring players, they don't retrain cards, but rather include supports for them. Because of this, and the lack of reprint for the specific reason, the price of those cards becomes incredibly high after the revelation/release of that card, and it will be really hard to get it after. Because of the random nature of which gets that support, it's really hard to know what is a safe "invest" that way - however, being loyalty to one clan and only selling old cards that you're sure you won't use again will make it a bit easier to play with the decks you really want to. In other words, don't give away your own decks, because the legacy support is real, and sometimes even better than new, fresh concepts. In fact, I actually encourage you to build your "dream" (budget) deck, because you can be sure that if you're patient enough, it will actually be a decent deck with a new support (Pleasereleaseanewgalahadthx). Not only that, but if you want to build a new concept, you should buy those cards after the release, but not immediately after the release, since that's the time when all the cards has the lowest value, EVEN for competitive cards. That's the time when you still can buy boxes/singles, and those who needed the cards in hurry already picked up their copies, so retailers are decreasing their prices, because they know it IS the "calm before the storm", which either means the next wave of a new support, or simply the set becoming out of stock. As soon as it happens, they CAN and WILL increase their prices again.

Since this was just an intro post, I won't go into details about which cards should be bought, neither in general, nor specifically. That's for the next part of this mini-series.

Kind regards,

Sheo

Game 3 - My Vanguard (Part I)

Dear Vanguardians,

I decided to post about my opinion of the current state of Cardfight!! Vanguard G, my problems and concerns about the series, what went "wrong" with it and what could have been fixed.

Keep it in mind that this will be a long post, so it will be a "series" of posts rather than an incredibly long single article.

So, let's get started!


The main problem with Vanguard G at the moment, in my opinion, is that they don't know what direction should they take. I feel like they are trying too hard to also show character development, having great duels/featuring new cards AND they still want to introduce elements from the upcoming Stride Gate series. It is just too much, and they don't have the capacity to do everything, thus they are either showing us only as much as they have to.

The reason why (in my opinion) Chrono is always winning is to not do what they did with G Season 1, which was really similar to the original Season 1. If Chrono just lost each of his matches until he fought the big bad, it would be Season 2 again and people would complain for that. The only way to NOT do that again is, that Chrono will win. Of course, it is annoying that he wins almost all of his matches, and it is even more annoying how he wins them.

However, there is another reason why he can't lose (and this is actually more important than we'd first think): he has to unlock the Depend Cards. His potential must growth, and he can do only that by winning over and over again. We can all feel that the stakes are high, and in such a case, a protagonist just cannot afford to lose. (On the other hand, we already saw a case where he could easily lose, and he actually lost: against Kamui, or against Kumi in the previous season's finale.)

But the main problem is, that while Try 3 was originally a team, in the latter episodes, it isn't anymore (just formally) and everyone has their own goals they are fighting for, and all they do is travelling to the events together. Tokoha is slowly, but surely becoming the "I'm just standing there, good luck guys!" character that would perfectly fit in YGO, but not in Vanguard, especially not in a series concentrating too much on team work and deconstruction of the original elements in card fight series like transformation and the power of the duelists. This is actually "confirmed" by the fact that her latest ace card, the ultimate triumph card is revealed in a filler episode, and in a "light-hearted" (almost joke) battle. This obviously is a confirmation for downgrading her role and importance in the series.

Luna and Am, while promoted as important characters, are usually aren't even there, and when they are, they are just "placeholders", minor characters that could easily be replaced (aside from Episode 16, which was nothing but a filler episode). I have the feeling that they will have a much more important task in the series finale and/or Stride Gate, but I wouldn't mind seeing them more. They HAVE the potential, they all have goals and needs to not only fight, but to improve as a human being, they all have their own background and the relation with the other characters. Just these traits would be more than enough to qualify them as deuteragonists.

Also, Season 2 is just too short. 26 episode is NOT enough to do so many tasks in the G Quest and have so many "features". All these stuff currently happening could easily be included in one single season. "Shion's Saga", "Chrono's Saga", "Luna's Saga", "G Quest Saga", all of these could EASILY be a stand-alone 26 episode season all alone without any additional plot, with both detailed storywriting AND detailed cardfights. It feels rushed because it is overflooded. It's just too much, too many things are happening at the same time - and all of these are happening too fast.

We have this great event that is currently occuring (G Quest), yet what we see is Card Capital tournament with all the old faces, just because of fanservice. Just check out YouTube: they don't want plot, all they want is to see Kai and Aichi again. I don't give a duck, I don't want to see them, this is a NEW series with NEW plot, let it happen instead of adding old characters just for the sake of adding them!

The only character I actually care about in the series is Shion. He was dumb, he was spoiled, but he's actually learning a lot not only about cardfight, but also about the real way of life and himself. The main problem is (again), that this arc could easily be 20+ episodes ALONE. If he defeats Ace in the upcoming "Shion vs Ace", you can guarantee that it's because of the aforementioned reasons.


As someone previously said to me, "the main problem with Vanguard G that it feels exactly like a fanfiction rather than a professional, official storyline". And while some of the problems are not the fault of the makers, there are indeed errors that are created by them and only them. It feels too episodic, too rushed, and too "over the top" sometimes. The less is more, and some mistakes could easily be avoided just by planning ahead a bit off.

In the next parts, I will not only write about the errors and problems with the series, but also will describe you my own idea about such a show, as if these were fixes for the aforementioned errors.

Kind regards,

Sheo

Game 2 - Refreshment

Dear Vanguardians,

Are you looking for some new decks, either because you want to buy a new concept in before they get hype and their price is skyrocketing? Or you just want a secondary deck next to your competitive concept, and you don't know what to choose from the new upcoming cards?

Let me suggest you some decks that you should try out/look up. I won't guarantee you may like them (or if these are the droids decks you're looking for), but at least you will have a general idea about the trends OR obscure concepts coming.

TRENDS

These decks are either budget at the moment, or budget since you'll be able to pick them up easily, but for sure, they will be really popular among casual and competitive players too.

Shadow Paladin (Diablo)

The most obvious choice is the first Legend Deck that features cards used by Ren Suzugamori, but with the twist of old units being retrained as stride-compatible cards that are actually competitive in the new metagame, especially Dark Dragon, Phantom Blaster "Diablo". While the deck itself is only used by casuals, with the upcoming support in G-BT06, we can be sure that it won't be the case anymore. While the deck seems to be expensive at first, the fact that you can get the key cards from the legend deck qualifies it as a budget deck among the trending concepts.

Kagero (Legend "The" Deck)

Even if the deck won't be "The" best deck of the format, we can be sure that it will be "The" most popular among casual players in local level. "The" fact that "The" classic units are returning will make it "The" Trend deck of "The" upcoming format.

Gold Paladin (Gurguit)

While the clan lost its popularity since the debut of Vanguard G, Gold Paladin is still a deck favored by many players, even if some of them are still using Liberator's Bluish Flame variant instead of using Gurguit. However, the new Start Deck (possibly) featuring the aformentioned ace card, and the next wave support for the Sunrise Ray Knight may increase its popularity.

Gear Chronicle (???)

Popular among casual players since its debut, Gear Chronicle had to wait to become competitive until the release of Chronodragon Nextage. With the reprint set (another Start Deck) and the new Time Leap, somewhat giving alternative ways to build the deck, people may give the clan another chance and will start using Gear Chronicle to save Cray once and for all. Also, I hope Chronoscommand will be its own variant in the (near) future, not relying on Chronojet that much.

Nova Grappler (Cat Raizer)

While the popularity of this deck is questionable at casual level, the formerly popular deck was really popular in the legion era, even though (for a good reason) it isn't used globally neither in the Japanese, nor the English metagame. However, the new support from G-BT06 and the confirmed legion may revive the deck, and we may see it even in bigger events, once again.

OBSCURE

These decks, while won't be better, or worse than all the other concepts, you can be sure that they won't be used that much as the aforementioned decks.

Oracle Think Tank

Doesn't matter how great the clan will be, it will be never as popular as it used to be at the beginning of the game. Japanese players still use Tsukuyomi, while players overseas simply don't bother giving a chance of the clan again. However, Magus is definitely a deck that has the potential to become a meta-defying deck with its ability to completely control the game, and the incredible pressure of OTT Witches is just somewhat insane. Also, Silent Tom IS still Silent Tom.

Great Nature

Once the most obscure clan, the deck is slowly earned its potential to be one great deck with many variants. Duckbill and Mikesaburo both made the deck consistent with lots of draws, and you can even use cards like Chatnoir, Bigbelly, Leo-pald, Tester Fox to play the deck as you wish. Still, it is somewhat budget (the "most expensive budget deck" award goes to GN for sure), and still not as popular as other deck neither among casual nor competitive players.

Spike Brothers (Dudley)

I left this deck as the last one for a reason: while it may not be as competitive as all the other decks aforementioned here, it IS the budget deck of the clan at the moment. You literally can get any card for (less than) 1$ per card or playset, so even if you don't like the deck that much, you can just sell it to someone else, because for that price, you can be sure that someone else will be able to afford and willing to buy it. Also, the deck is incredibly fun and it has some dirty tricks that your opponent won't expect at all. You can even mixture it with non-Dudley card for higher competitiveness, which still will be budget, even/especially compared to other decks on this list.


Of course, the Golden Rule still applies: play whatever you want. G Megacolony & Murakumo are also some really awesome decks with high potential to become great with next wave support, and even decks like classic Liberators, Blue Storm Legion, and even trial decks are incredibly fun among friends to play with or against. The game currently in the state that it rewards clan loyalty, and all your old cards in the clan are actually worth the invest and will usually spike in their price once a new support is released for them. Of course, there are trends (I will write about those later), but it shouldn't persuade your own deck choice that much.

Kind regards,

Sheo

Game 1 - Intro Post! A New Beginning?

Dear Vanguardians,

I decided to start my own Cardfight!! Vanguard blog. Before I continue, let me share with you some info about myself.

My name is Sheo (or Sheodon, which one you prefer), and I'm a huge fan of different card games (TCGs and CCGs), I have been playing them since I was 6 or 7. After playing lots of different games (some of them on casual level, some of them as a competitive game), I decided to start playing Cardfight!! Vanguard, and I'm playing since October 2014, and it is still my main hobby at the moment.

Also I'm a musician (a composer, to be more precise) and independent game developer. I'm currently a freelancer, but I'm actually planning to work in the industry as a full-time job.

I try to make this blog as different as possible compared to other similar blogs. While I will post some detailed analysis about the game, different clans and decks, I will also make content about completely different categories, like theories, obscure deck/card choices, and even about state of the game and its market in general.

If anything, I'm using this blog as a way to improve my English, since it is not my native language.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions. I'll be more than glad to answer them.

Kind regards,

Sheo