{"id":48750,"date":"2019-10-19T19:45:38","date_gmt":"2019-10-19T19:45:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ygorganization.com\/?p=48750"},"modified":"2019-10-19T20:13:27","modified_gmt":"2019-10-19T20:13:27","slug":"cds_ld5pred","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ygorganization.com\/staging\/?p=48750","title":{"rendered":"Creative Deck Strategy: Promulgating Predaplant"},"content":{"rendered":"

Plant your counters and embrace the predator vines.<\/p>\n

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Introduction:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>After releasing a Gimmick Puppet article following the launch of LD5, there was significant outcry for the need to tend to our carnivorous garden, so let’s dig into this unique Fusion theme. To quote my previous article involving the Predaplants: “it is Fusion-based without a good way to recover card investments… and no in-theme Fusion options saved you card advantage.” Being upfront I still feel like this is the case with the theme today, but the new support tackles this issue by providing unique strategies for the archetype.<\/p>\n

In this vein, I want to address the benefit of Pure Predaplant over the many different variations that have previously existed to give the theme some legs: The new support has pushed this archetype to go all-in on its unique disruption capabilities. This is the way I’m presenting the archetype in this article, so hopefully you come away from this seeing that point of view. Whether it is disrupting levels, tributing your opponents monsters for inherent summons, or Fusion summoning with your opponents resources – the bottom line up front is that Predaplant bring unique options to the table. So let’s discuss how to exploit that.<\/p>\n

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A Unique Garden:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The new support (and core of the pure theme) begins with the centerpiece of this disruption strategy,\u00a0Predaplanning.\u00a0<\/strong>To activate this Trap, you must first send a Predaplant from your deck to the GY, then all face-up monsters on the field get a Predator Counter (PC) to drop their levels to 1. This combos quite nicely with the other trap card for theme,\u00a0Predaplanet.\u00a0<\/strong>Whenever a monster with a PC leaves the field, you get to search a “Predap” card. This can occur when your opponent Link Summons, or if they just successfully remove your monster from the field. This gives you the search power you need to get all of your combo pieces.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>But what happens if your opponent doesn’t want to remove any cards from the field? Then just tribute them away, because it’s about time we introduce our in-theme Kaiju. First, Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra\u00a0<\/strong>can be summoned to your field from your hand or GY by tributing one of your opponent’s monsters with a PC. Remember that you had to send a Predaplant to GY to activate planning? Yes, you should send this… always. The second option is Predaplant Banksiogre, <\/strong>the only tuner for the theme, but it also can Special summon itself (only from your hand) by tributing an opponent’s monster with a PC.<\/p>\n

Besides these unique options, predaplant are supported by a strong core suite of effects. Whether it is summoning from the Deck, searching additional Predaplant cards, or even additional inherent summons – this theme has plenty of cool cards. But this wouldn’t be a Predaplant article without talking about their Win Condition – Fusion Summoning.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Predaplants may be more known for their splashable nature, with\u00a0Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra\u00a0<\/strong>searching Super Polymerization<\/strong> or Brilliant Fusion<\/b>, but they have so many intheme ways to Fusion summon. Whether it is the ignition effect of their Predaplant Chlamydosundew\u00a0<\/strong>(which can even fuse using your opponent’s monsters with PC), good old Polymerization<\/strong> and Super Polymerization<\/strong>, their intheme Predaprime Fusion<\/strong>, or the GY effect of Predaplanet<\/strong>, this deck should always have access to its fusions. This variety of effects (not all tied to spells), gives the theme a way to get in the fight even if your opponent throws up significant disruption that you can’t happen to tribute away.<\/p>\n

Anyways, I feel like it’s time to step off my soapbox for introducing the archetype, so let’s dive into the decklist, shall we?<\/p>\n

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Decklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Click to view the Interactive Decklist in the Official Card Database.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Spoiler<\/summary>\n

\"\"<\/a>Monsters: 19
\n|| Predaplant Banksiogre
\n|| Predaplant Chlamydosundew
\n| Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra
\n| Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra
\n| Predaplant Flytrap
\n||| Predaplant Heliamporhynchus
\n||| Predaplant Orthys Scorpio
\n||| Predaplant Sarracenient
\n||| Predaplant Spinodinaea<\/p>\n

Spells: 16
\n| Polymerization
\n||| Pot of Desires
\n|| Predaplast
\n|| Predaponics
\n||| Predapractice
\n| Predaprime Fusion
\n| Predapruning
\n||| Super Polymerization<\/p>\n

Traps: 5
\n|| Predaplanet
\n||| Predaplanning<\/p>\n

Extra Deck:
\n| Mudragon of the Swamp
\n|| Predaplant Chimerafflesia
\n| Predaplant Dragostapelia
\n|| Predaplant Triphyovertum
\n| Starving Venom Fusion Dragon
\n| Borreload Savage Dragon
\n| Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess
\n| Aromaseraphy Jasmine
\n| Knightmare Cerberus
\n| Knightmare Phoenix
\n| Knightmare Unicorn
\n| Linkuriboh
\n| Wee Witch’s Apprentice<\/p>\n

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A Plant Deck without Lonefire:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Yes, I never thought I’d see the day either where I would suggest running a plant archetype without Lonefire Blossom<\/strong>… but here we are. As I said earlier, the reason you would want to use this theme is to abuse its unique effects that no other archetype offers – if you’d rather run a streamlined plant build, Aromage is probably the better archetype to look into. But the primary reason I strongly suggest you don’t run any Lonefire is their new Spell card from LD5 –\u00a0Predapractice.\u00a0<\/strong>First, it summons a Predaplant from your hand, then it lets you search any other “Predap” card from your deck. In other words, this card gets you an extra Pred to the field, and a free Predap to replace itself. I really hope you see the power here, because this card provides the synergy of running Predaplants and it’s standout way of playing the Fusion gameplan.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Unlike many other Fusion themes, Predaplant does not have the luxury of just throwing monsters together and gaining advantage off of the Fusion summon. We aren’t playing Shadolls, we don’t have insane draw power like Fluffal, we don’t have endless combo strings like HERO… at the end of the day, you have to be specific and intentional with how you fusion summon. If you are going to use specific monsters as material, you want to make the most out of them first. Clearly one of the best opening turn plays is using Orthys Scorpio to summon Darlington Cobra which then searches out a Super Poly, so, why not make that play first without using your Normal Summon? The secondary advantage is that Practice will often soak an Ash Blossom before you have to discard for Scorpio, so you still make it out in card advantage.<\/p>\n

So let’s return to my initial point – why no Lonefire? Well, you can’t use Practice if you just draw into a Lonefire, but you can if you draw into any Predaplant monster. Also, with the rise in popularity of Nibiru, the deck thinning Lonefire brings is not necessarily as attractive when your opponent is sitting back counting summons.<\/p>\n

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Other Strategic Elements:<\/strong><\/p>\n

As\"\"<\/a> you may have guessed from my introduction, this theme thrives when you play around Pred Counters. So let’s give a short explanation of how you can take advantage beyond just its level reduction. First, Predaplant Spinodionaea<\/strong> can summon another Predaplant from the deck whenever it battles a monster of lower level, which will be guaranteed if that opponent’s monster has a Pred Counter. Also, note that Ash cannot be used during the damage step to stop your Spinodionaea, so that is a perfect time to get a Orthys Scorpio combo going undeterred. Another option is to just park a Predaplant Flytrap<\/strong> on the field with your Practice, as if you search planning, you can guarantee that it quickly becomes a threat your your opponents non-Link monsters.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The last big unique thing that Predaplant bring to the table is an intheme hand trap for the battle phase – Predaplant Sarracenient<\/strong>. With the heavy board-clearing options available to today’s modern game, there will oftentimes be many opponents that wipe your field then go for game. Most decks have to rely on just stopping their plays with a hand trap, but Predaplant have a different option – Sarracenient can block one of your opponent’s important attacks… and if your opponent chooses to continue attacking anyways, Sarracenient’s second effect destroys your opponents monster… then when it is destroyed, it lets you add any Preda card from your deck to hand. In short, it is both a defensive tech that sports disruption while searching the card(s) you need to fight back on your next turn. Oh, and it’s also one of your prime Fusion materials, since it also can gain its search when used from the field.<\/p>\n

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Going for Game:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The last piece of the Predaplant puzzle is understanding their win condition. Before LD5, Predaplant entirely relied on getting a lucky Super Polymerization<\/strong> opportunity, then hoping to win the duel from there. Nowadays, we keep that in the back pocket, but we also have a brand new boss, Predaplant Triphyoverutum<\/strong>. You may have taken an initial look at him for Super Poly plays against DARK decks, but take a look again now that you understand that Pred Counters can actually be easily spread – he is an OTK option that can reach very high ATK levels, especially if your opponent had invested in a significant monster prescience.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The last win condition available to the deck is a grind game, just slowly draining your opponent of all resources. This type of gameplan revolves around the GY recovery options –\u00a0Predapruning\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Predaponics.\u00a0<\/strong>Both seem similar, reviving a Predaplant monster, but the beauty is that Ponics can revive a monster every single turn. That means as soon as you get your first Ponics, you are pretty much guaranteed to have at least one fusion material every single turn. Sure, it comes with an 800LP per turn price tag, but when has LP costs ever stopped anyone from running a card? This gives you surprising longevity, as if you keep reviving your Sarracenient, you also get to rebuild your hand presence one “Predap” at a time.<\/p>\n

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Alternative Techs:<\/strong><\/p>\n