Analyzing the Recent Success of Anti-Meta

Whether you are using Tech Genus, Malefic Beats, or even Anti Monster Beasts, you are using an anti-meta deck.  The obvious definition for anti-meta is any deck that seeks to counter the current meta.  Not too long ago, Gravekeeper's did that job very well.  Now they seem to be eclipsed by more battle oriented decks.  Where GK's depended on Necrovalley to shut down graveyards and gain atk/def stats, this new breed of decks use specialized monsters with advantage generating effects on their own without much reliance on other cards.


The most recent deck to hit the scene is Augustin Herrera's "Anti-Monster" deck.

Here is the decklist:

Monsters: 15

3 Thunder King Rai-Oh
3 King Tiger Wanghu
3 Reborn Tengu
3 Beast King Barbaros
2 Pitch-Black Warwolf
Spells: 7
3 Forbidden Lance
2 Pot of Duality
1 Dark Hole
1 Book of Moon
Traps: 19
3 Horn of the Phantom Beast
3 Dimensional Prison
3 Skill Drain
2 Solemn Warning
2 Dark Bribe
2 Bottomless Trap Hole
1 Seven Tools of the Bandit
1 Torrential Tribute
1 Royal Oppression
1 Solemn Judgment

You can visit this link to see Konami's review of the deck.  I have a different take on the build.
While agree that this type of deck is really good in the right hands, I have to say that this type of deck is in no way more skillful than any other anti-meta type deck.  The monster line-up was brilliantly chosen and the trap line-up is absolutely flawless. 




Anyone remember that oldie but goodie?  In the past he was outclassed by Mirage Dragon simply because we had plenty of Dark Attribute monsters and not enough playable Light Attributes.  PB War-Wolf gets a second chance to shine because of  his type and people's new found love of Horn of the Phantom Beast.  Being able to prevent opposing Horns, Dimension Prison, Seven Tools, Solemns, etc in the battle phase is just G-O-O-D!  His only problem is his weak attack, which wasn't a problem at the time of his release.  His main enemies are the 3 main decked Skill Drains and opposing Tengus.  Those weaknesses probably account for the fact that only 2 are played, 3 Forbidden Lances mained, and a truckload of backrow cards.







All of these simple one for one / battle phase tactic type cards protect the weak War-Wolf and King Tiger who simply lose to opposing Tengus and other monsters with 1700+ atk.

It is not surprising that these decks are doing so well.  In my opinion the success of these type of decks lie solely in the inability of many players to play VS decks who herp derp summon random control monster and set 5 backrows.  Even I get annoyed and intimidated by these decks because you know that if you summon there is a Warning/Bottomless.  If not, when you attack there will be a Dimensional Prison/Mirror Force/Horn of the Phantom Beast.  If you simply play passive, then the opponent drops another control monster and now you have double the pressure to do anything.

 I've noticed when watching people play against these types of decks lose game 2 after siding all types of S/T hate simply because they couldn't draw any S/T hate.  I chuckle inside because I know that the innovators of these types of decks are those people who consistently draw those perfectly balanced hands of Control Monster (Thunder King/Wanghu), Acceleration Card (Duality), and 3 - 4 protection cards (Prison, Bottomless, Warning).  Most people are like me and will pick up a deck like this and consistly open 3 - 4 monsters, Dark Bribe, 7 Tools, etc.  In other words, the most shitty hand you can think of in a deck like this, will be the exact hand I would open with.

When these decks creep into the Tournament Scene they cause all types of havoc. We only have 15 slots in our side decks to deal with a plethora of decks we expect to see at any given event. You can't devote to many cards to one type of deck because that leaves you vulnerable to others. And while many people side addtional S/T hate like Malevolent Catastrophe and multiple Dust Tornados, there is no garauntee you will draw them in time...and even if you do...these decks run 19+ backrow cards! You can't hit them all!


I am not mad at all about players who choose to run this deck.  I actually appluad those guys for taking a chance and running an original deck.  It is the easiest thing to Net a deck from a previous Event and tweak it for the upcoming event.  It is difficult to develop something new and have it perform consistently at an event.  So no, I'm not mad at all.  I just don't like how boring and annoying it is to play in a format without this card:



Yeah, none of these decks would exist with this card back in the game...but then the game would be stale wouldn't it?