How to Qli in April 2015

[Zauls]

So Qli got hit pretty fucking hard by the banlist, but there are still plenty of ways to make them work. Basically there are a bunch of cards we can play that are a bit less optimal than before but they can just about make up for what we lost and fill the spaces.

 

First, that 1 lost copy of Scout. Well, Summoner's Art was the main way of searching Scout, but playing 3 wouldn't be optimal with only 2 Scout and 1 Monolith, so the options are to either play more Monolith or cut Summoner's Art. I would opt for the former, since Monolith increases draw power to make up for the deck's drop in consistency. You could also play a lone copy of Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon to search Scout.

 

 

Next, the biggest hit to the deck; the limiting of Saqlifice. Saq did soooo much for one card and really deserved its limiting. However, rather than accepting defeat, we need to think of ways to still abuse it while its @1. Well, firstly, you can search it with Hidden Armory, though it does have a pretty big restriction. Also, playing 1 searcher for 1 card is inconsistent, especially if that card can be searched out in other ways. I would therefore recommend playing another Equip Spell if you were going to play Hidden Armory. Options include Big Bang Shot (has great interactions with Storm and Stealth, but could be winmoar), Break! Draw! (Has plenty of synergy with the deck, but is only good at the right time), Mage Power (can help OTKs but can be a dead draw) or Megamorph (ditto). I've yet to test to see which is better, but they are all interesting options.

Then there is the issue of recycling Saqlifice. There is only really one card for the job, and that's Swords at Dawn. It can be a dead draw if you don't already have the Saqlifice available, but its still the best chance we have of reusing and abusing Saqlifice.

Finally, a copy of Laser Qlip can give the deck back some of its lost speed and can help with those Tribute Summon plays.

 

 

As for the Traps, we lost 2 Skill Drain and 2 Emptiness. One of Skill Drain's places can be filled with Re-qliate, or 2 if you weren't playing it before. You could also play floodgates like Mind Drain or perhaps even Summon Limit in replace of the rest of the lost Traps. Fill up any space with Mind Crushes, Fiendish Chains and perhaps a Book of Moon and you're sorted.

 

These are just my initial thoughts and I need to test a hell of a lot more to decide what's optimal now. Anyone else have any thoughts? Do you think Qli can still compete?

[newhat]

Do not use Big Bang Shot; it creates a weak point. Break! Draw! doesn't advance you toward your objective. You don't need another equip for Hidden Armory; if you're going to use more than one, save the extra copies to recycle Saqlifice from the Graveyard.

 

The issue with losing 2 Saqlifice is not Hidden Armory becoming redundant. The issue is that the Deck topdecks it less. You get less utility at random and fewer easy searches.

[ihop]

Hidden Armory's drawback is enormous in Qli. You really need the normal summon to put another body on the board, as well as to trigger all your effects and possibly get monolith searches, not to mention actually getting your Saclifice off the board. I'd honestly be very wary about running it at all, I think playing Swords and Dawn and searching Saqlifice with Scout.

[Zauls]

Yeah, the whole equip thing was just an idea, it probably isn't optimal.

I also forgot to talk about Limiter Removal. Seems good now to speed up the whole OTK process.

[Darj]

You mentioned possible Equip techs to play along Hidden Armory but not Snatch Steal? It is not good anymore or something?

But as pointed out above, not really an Qlip expert but Hidden Armory doesn't look like a good idea anyways.

 

EDIT: Nvm, just noticed Snatch is back into the forbidden list.