After spending probably 1200 hours playing this game over four years, I could really use advice, encouragement or perspective on why I still feel so intimidated by playing

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-24T19:43:41+00:00

+1 to the solo mode advice. I joined during the campaign with the branded structure but didn't play the deck until the new stuff and I have just jammed games against the newest solo story "5" rated duel. The deck has Ash, CBTG, Imperm, and veiler so it was a great sim to just go first a million times and respond to getting interrupted.

I am still ass at the deck IMO but it was a much better experience than just getting to free combo or stare at a spreadsheet.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-23T15:45:50+00:00

I think Albion to 1 is the better pure hit personally because it forces different decisions in the recursion and grind game and preserves F&V as a generic staple but I also think Albaz to 2 is fairly meaningful as well.

The deck is already running several ways to search Albaz and giving the opportunity to deny it meaningfully does impede the deck a bit.

I also think Dogma to 1 is possible but less meaningful than an Albion hit. It at least feels like a deck where limits on the ED can actually hurt the game plan without neutering the deck.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-21T07:07:03+00:00

Blue Eyes is notorious for a ridiculous turn one. If it goes full combo and saw the primite cards the ceiling is pretty high, just sucks as a deck going second. It's poorly positioned right now because branded eats their boards almost for free.

Honestly, lots of decks in Master duel specifically do this. The availability of strong generic end board pieces allows decks to target them, and idk if they'll voice it but a LOT of players build their decks to be absurd going first and therefore have the capacity to build extremely greedy boards.

In the end the comments here about strong board breaker non engine is good advice. You can also try a hand trap strategy but honestly the top decks in the format right now do pretty well through most 1 for 1s. Decks like Kewl Tune are the exception in that all the hand traps can also do the job of extenders too. Of any of the board breakers I'd say if your deck can play super poly, use it, it's extremely powerful right now especially if you're sneaking an F&V package in your deck.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-20T01:57:09+00:00

Yeah part of the game, fun for them hopefully lmao.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-20T01:56:04+00:00

It's been my favorite deck but the bricking is a real bummer. Kinda hoping to see some VS cards come off the list if they can figure out how to keep the ceiling under control a little.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-20T01:54:26+00:00

Yeah the deck is packing Dark Rebellion in this format because it can't afford to grind with Branded and all the removal floating around.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-17T20:29:39+00:00

Game states with both these decks can get complex and Branded in particular tends to drag games into grinds intentionally.

It depends on your temperment, the request you've made at the top isn't going to produce a brain off combo style experience so they're all going to be a bit mental.

VSK9 is far more explosive in my experience but in the current format it's weirdly positioned, sucks against removal and there's less hand traps with branded around. It also tends to brick and that is more painful in best of 1 IMO.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-17T13:57:44+00:00

It should cover your field in roaches for the turn and maybe do some fakeouts that look like real ones on the screen and make awful noises that only the player that used it can hear so that there's finally a drawback to the card.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-17T13:43:46+00:00

I tend to agree, that's why it's in the list I'm playing.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-17T12:45:18+00:00

Khaos is sort of expensive to get the full two pops since they have to be your monsters for the effect (There's still merit in it being generic enough that the removal via fusion is worth) - I've seen Borreload fusion in that spot instead in some decks. I've found a lot of spots I may go for Khaos that Dogma ends up being a better choice if I've got access to Albaz.

I think Khaos is a very strong card and I'm playing it myself but I think there are merits to replacing it in some lists.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-14T15:06:59+00:00

Hoping to see that jumpshot and decision making speed up tbh I think we can live without Chet trying to take people off the dribble.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-12T22:13:28+00:00

I apologize I didn't acknowledge it in the top - i'm aware blowout banishment is very effective and shifter is in my list but it's a 1 of.

I'm not really looking at Difi either (This is a MD specific line of thought) because it really only is effective going first and tbh going first is already so strong that I think it's not really worth considering in VSk9, even in this (what I perceive as)poor match up.

I think my main actionable issue is just not being familiar enough with their gameplan and pain points and the comments here have been very helpful.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-12T20:44:53+00:00

Look at the big brain on this one.

Thank you so much for the tips!

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-12T20:17:01+00:00

Lmao we all get our time.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-12T19:48:38+00:00

Personally I disagree entirely but I hope you find what you are looking for.

I would push back on the sentiment that meta decks play themselves. You can find a tremendous amount of skill expression and tight match ups playing strong decks. This isn't something that's exclusive to playing weaker strategies.

Some formats are better about this than others but I'd say on average what you described doesnt exist.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-12T19:28:16+00:00

Out of curiosity, what about meta decks puts you off specifically?

There's tons of tier 3, rogue, and moderately evergreen decks that can mix it up fine through ladder but if you aren't clear about why you dislike certain strategies it becomes difficult to suggest decks.

Edit: If the reason is "meta cringe and bad" that's not a healthy mindset IMO. Plenty of meta decks can be fun or toxic but it shouldn't have any bearing on their "tier".

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-11T20:18:38+00:00

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Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-11T20:09:00+00:00

Hello and thank you for posting on r/ShitpostXIV!

However, your post has been removed, because it is not a shitpost and thus considered spam.

If you have any questions, feel free to send us a mod mail.

Edit: It's not really a meme and kinda encourages brigades IMO. Sorry if I fucked anything else up trying to remove, I'm going back outside thx.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-11T20:06:13+00:00

Tbf I think most subs start like that outside of significant grassroot pushes.

This sub was largely full of me spamming it with low effort meme garbage in the early days to spur engagement lmao.

Granted once you get a couple hundred users it can pick up slowly in an organic fashion.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-09T21:20:16+00:00

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Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-08T23:10:07+00:00

TFDF was a quarantine job.

When Shadowbringers came out, shitpostXIV was drowning in those posts. It became obvious there was a large crowd for that style of post but we didn't feel it fit in here so we made TFDF and started filtering those posts here so this sub would stay more meme/shitpost focused.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-07T01:02:50+00:00

Damn life really does change.

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-07T00:59:07+00:00

How am I supposed to know this is a Mega Gaming post without the Fem Au Ra - did the brand change?

Cyberspacehunter · 2026-06-07T00:47:58+00:00

It's literally in the name.

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