Hello Everybody!
Today I am here to talk about Omniguards. First off I'd like to say that personally, I don't like Omniguards so there may be a bit of bias. Take everything I say with a pinch of sugar. Remember the points made below are all my opinions, that doesn't mean I'm 100% right.
Omniguards, the "must have" card. Why is this? Let's do a pros and cons list.
Pros:
BLOCKS AN ENTIRE ATTACK
6k Booster ain't too shabby
Makes you look big an' tough!
Usually have awesome card art
Cons:
One less space for a better booster
Requires you to drop another card when used
Useless if it's your only card in hand
Inhibits the users regular play style
That's all I can think of off the top of my head, so let's break it down. The pros are self explanatory, though two of them aren't really related to gameplay. The cons, "One less space for a better booster", For every Omniguard you put in your deck you lose utility, that spot could be used for a Vanilla 8k or a handy drop and draw. "Requires you to drop another card when used", That's right, so not only are you losing out on a better booster but you're essentially removing yet another card from your deck. This part isn't so bad if you drop a draw trigger or a grade 3 but in any other situation it is not good. "Useless if it's your only card in hand", Can't drop nothing can you? I guess you could put it on rearguard but doesn't that defy the point of an Omniguard?
And finally "Inhibits the users regular play style". This is the part that needs most explaining. Remember back to when you first started playing, now imagine your first deck has four Omniguards in. You manage to get one in hand, but you can't ride to Grade 1 unless you use it, or you have no booster to put down except your Omniguard. What happens next? You panic, you can't decide whether to hold onto it or use it in that moment. Too many players covet Omniguards too much which causes them to make bad decisions, especially new players. My theory is if a player can learn to use a deck without Omniguards then they can utilize the Omniguards to the best of their ability.
"But Poncho Guy, wheres your evidence?!" Why, ME of course! That may seem big headed but I have no more than two Omniguards in any deck. I recently placed 2nd in a local tournament using my Narukami which have one Omniguard in there. Another example would be that a few days ago I built a new Spike Brothers deck. I've been using it against my housemates since. Said Spike Brothers deck has 0 Omniguards and the Grade 3 roster is currently incomplete. Over the past two days I've lost 4 rounds and won 13. To top it off a few hours ago I went 5-1 against an Ildonna Shadow Paladin deck running three Omniguards. Why is this? Because I study my decks and know exactly what my opponents cards do. Mini rant and shameless self promotion now over- Players should learn the game and learn to appreciate their deck before adding Omniguards, it gets them into a better state of mind about how to play and how to react.
Omniguards are NOT bad. Just because the paragraph above is me bashing Omniguards, it does not mean that they are bad. They are being used wrongly and without forethought. Players should look at the current situation and analyze there and then whether it's best to use that card for something other than nullifying an attack. Need it to ride? Need boosters? Does the opponent have enough damage for a Counter Blast? How many cards does your opponent have in hand? All of these questions should be asked and answered before choosing to save an Omniguard. If you can stop thinking of it as an Omniguard and more of "Another Grade 1 with a really cool ability" then you should be fine.
End of rant.
Disagree with anything said? Want me to elaborate? Leave a comment!
