Branded Despia Deck Profile + Discussion Post Ban List | Is the Grass Greener? | September 2024

Summary

The video discusses the evolution and optimization of a Branded Despia deck list, focusing on adjustments after the ban of Branded Fusion. The speaker shares their thoughts on strategies to play through Ash Blossom and Infinite Impermanence, along with incorporating cards like Grass and Maximus for better consistency. The goal is to strike a balance between a larger deck size for milling while ensuring flexibility against hand traps and other common meta challenges. The video encourages collaboration in improving the list, while offering insights into side-decking options and extra deck choices.

Takeaways

• 🃏 The player is adjusting their Branded deck list due to Branded Fusion being limited and focuses on strategies to play around Ash Blossom and other hand traps.
• 🌱 The inclusion of 'Grass Looks Greener' is primarily as an Ash Blossom bait and acts like a second copy of Branded Fusion, without heavily dedicating the build to it.
• 🧩 The deck is a 55-card list, not fully committing to 60 cards despite playing Grass. The player believes the build works even without Grass as it maintains consistency.
• ⚔️ Important card choices include playing two copies of Quem, despite some players reducing it to one, and maintaining consistency through multiple recursion options.
• 🚫 The deck is vulnerable to hand traps, especially Ash Blossom, making it crucial to have multiple ways to recur Branded Fusion from the graveyard or banished zone.
• 🧱 Maximus was kept in the deck despite being a potential brick; it helps play through Ash and provides flexibility in extra deck usage.
• 🛡️ The side deck includes board breakers like Evenly Matched and Lightning Storm, as the player has cut hand traps to focus on maintaining momentum after breaking boards.
• 🔄 The extra deck remains tight, including cards like Rimbrum and Guardian Chimera, and aims to cover key matchups without overextending into specific tech options.
• 🃏 Cards like Super Polymerization and Eclipse are used to handle problematic board states, protect key plays, and handle difficult matchups such as Tenyi and shifter strategies.
• 📉 The deck faces challenges against decks that make strong end boards and requires adjustments to side deck choices based on local meta and player experiences.

Q & A

What is the main deck being discussed in the script?

The main deck discussed is the Branded Despia deck, which has undergone adjustments to optimize consistency and performance against hand traps like Ash Blossom and Infinite Impermanence.

What adjustments has the speaker made to handle Ash Blossom?

The speaker is trying out Grass as an 'Ash bait' to draw out Ash Blossom early, considering it a second copy of Branded Fusion. They are also using cards like Nadir Servant to provide more options to recover Branded Fusion from the graveyard or banish pile.

Why is the speaker playing two copies of Quem in their deck?

The speaker plays two copies of Quem because they often need the second one when going first and also find its effect useful for reviving Kid. The second copy frequently comes up during games.

Why is the speaker playing a 55-card deck instead of a 60-card deck despite using Grass?

The speaker believes that while Grass is a powerful card, they did not want to fully dedicate the deck towards it, considering Grass a 'one-of.' They felt comfortable with a 55-card list that still performed well without heavily relying on Grass.

What is the role of Nadir Servant in the deck?

Nadir Servant is used to help play through Ash Blossom, which has become more problematic with Branded Fusion limited to one. It provides a means to recover resources and maintain consistency.

What are the speaker's thoughts on Branded in Red and how it has been adjusted?

The speaker is playing two copies of Branded in Red, noting that it was a common choice when Branded Despia was Tier 1 in 2022. They believe two copies are more necessary now with Branded Fusion at one, especially with Grass milling one occasionally.

What is the purpose of playing Maximus in the deck?

Maximus is used to help play through Ash Blossom and other disruptions. The speaker acknowledges that while it can be a 'brick,' it provides a strong interaction with Nadir Servant and the extra deck.

Why did the speaker reduce the number of hand traps in the side deck?

The speaker cut hand traps in favor of board-breaking cards, feeling that drawing into board breakers like Evenly Matched provides better utility, especially in post-banlist games where breaking boards is critical.

What is the speaker's approach to handling Infinite Impermanence?

To mitigate the effect of Infinite Impermanence, the speaker uses cards like Mudragon to provide targeting protection for key cards like Aluber. They also consider Eclipse as a tech card to protect against Impermanence and force out other hand traps.

Why is the speaker playing Super Polymerization, and how does it fit into the deck strategy?

The speaker includes Super Polymerization to deal with matchups like Kashtira, where Shifter is a major issue. It can also be used in combination with cards like Mudragon and Garura in the extra deck, adding flexibility in fusion plays.