This preview adds a new mechanic that I hinted at last week, that we feel really makes a lot of sense as we move forward with some TUFF ENUFF events. Now honestly, think back to the whole TUFF ENUFF Promo Set from the Cell Games Saga (arguably the first insert set): Do you remember what Blue Show Off does? How about Straining Double Strike Move? Garlic Jr.’s Palm Blast anyone? Unless you’ve been making decks for TUFF ENUFF or Expanded GT (I think. I can never remember.), you probably had to look those cards up. You can’t even consider them for Retro Standard, so out of sight, out of mind, right?
Well we wanted to change that. What if there were standard cards with TUFF ENUFF effects? That way, there’s very little in the way of cards restricted by format so it can all be fair game. It seems so simple now, cards that can be used one way in standard but really let their hair down in TUFF ENUFF. So we would like to introduce TUFF ENUFF effects with this card.
As I’m sure you’ve figured out by reading the card, TUFF ENUFF effects work just like Empower does, except it’s not an option. If you are not playing in a format where TUFF ENUFF cards are legal, all text after the TUFF ENUFF ONLY is ignored. So looking at this card, if you aren’t playing TUFF ENUFF then it acts as a normal drill card. If you are playing TUFF ENUFF, you get to return the drill to your hand whenever you level. Simple!
One further note, these cards do count as TUFF ENUFF ONLY cards for the handful of card effects that affect them. Now let’s take a closer look at this drill.
I always liked the power of Energetic Fruit, but that card is pretty unusable. You gotta be real careful with making leveling easier, so really you can only make those kinds of effects for the Saiyan or Namekian style (or possibly Freestyle Tokui-Waza stamped). We decided to go with Saiyan since it fit more with the flavor of the show/style/race and there was some leveling support already in place.
Saiyan has a couple of anger cards, but unless you are Broly or the Majin Buu Saga Goku, or running the Majin Buu Saga Saiyan Mastery or some Aura Clashes, you probably aren’t moving off level one (especially with that dastardly Victorious Drill in every deck). With the aforementioned personalities, Saiyan is probably the best style for a 1-3 MPPV deck, to the point that this drill may not even make the cut in a decent Broly deck. And there’s no denying that Broly 1-3 could benefit with this card, but it also opens up some possibility for a Broly 1-4/5 as well. But it also gives personalities like Vegeta, Settled Down or Gohan the Swift a nice little stepping stone, or making the journey to Trunks the Powerful and Goku, Super Saiyan 3 for the MBS Saiyan Mastery a little bit easier.
In TUFF ENUFF, this can be the drill that keeps on giving, especially when you combine with something like Earth Dragon Ball 5. This is especially handy if you’re running the MBS Saiyan Mastery again, and don’t wanna give your opponent a boost with an Are You Tuff Enuff??? It’s really all up to you, but it’s never bad to have extra cards in your hand, especially against a wicked Black Style deck.
If you consider running this card, don’t forget to pack some Saiyan Power and Saiyan Lurch to surprise your opponent with this sneaky drill. Just don’t get cute with the terrible Future Gohan Lv. 1, and try to level off one anger.
Check back later this week when we try to make the World Games Saga Red Style Mastery a little more playable in both standard and TUFF ENUFF. Who knows, maybe we’ll succeed.
Later, BroZ!
I always wish the game had incorporated the concept of oozarus somehow. Maybe like fusion.
If for no other reason but the show, it’s so wonderful to see some kind of moon and Saiyan card come into the fold. This is pulling some good ideas from the show that were missed hard in the dreadful Saiyan saga. Brolly decks should REALLY love this card.
I wouldn’t run this in broly at all. Broly has no problem gaining anger. Running this would slow it down quite a bit.
Well, good for you. I think it would speed it up. And yes, broly doesn’t have problem gaining anger.
If you haven’t hit level three in the second combat then the deck is built wrong this this drill would have no positive effect on broly speed anger
Someone asked what would happen if you Krillin’s Power Tap this card three times (effectively making you need -6 anger to level). Excellent question that I forgot to address in the article. You would still need an anger effect to gain a level in that instance. Even though you require 0 anger to level, you still need an anger gain to trigger the leveling and it would not carry over to the next level since anger resets.
For example, if you Krillin’s Power Tap this Drill three times, you would need 0 anger to level. This does not automatically send you to your highest level because you still need anger to trigger the level gain. So let’s say you gained one anger in this state, you would then go up one level because anger resets at each level (this is why you don’t go strait to level 5 when you play Are You Tuff Enuff???)
Sorry I’m in a bit of a rush, I can explain this a little more eloquently latter if anyone needs it done for them. Bottom line though, you need anger to trigger a level gain unless otherwise stated.
Sounds fun. Power tap and then play a couple raise anger 1 cards to win the game.
Any chance you will change this to just say you only need 3 anger to avoid this crap storm?
Changing it to 3 anger sounds like a solid idea.
THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS!!!
(thank you for addressing this, albeit not privately – Still kinda broke in my opinion but whatever)
nvm I didn’t realize people were talking about the power tap thing publicly too.
i think its too broken. Saiyan and Red are the only styles that dont have any problems in leveling. if you play the other styles like black or orange level up is nearly impossible…
PS: Its nice to see that you guys push the dbz card game to a noticeable status again 🙂 I would really love if you guys would also organize some GT focused side events, what do you think?
That’s true, only really true for Saiyan when you’re playing Broly or MBS Mastery though. And I think that’s probably why this card is okay. It doesn’t really help the speed version of broly (while may do something for the thicker, slower version) and it buffs MBS Saiyan, which severely lacks card advantage and leveling is still slower than red, despite you giving up MPPV.
I’d be way more afraid of this card in some weird NTW deck. It may be fine after changing it to 3 anger rather than -2, but stacking Orange Rapid Attacks with this card could make for some nasty wicked fast MPPV.
A question I would have is does this card mean you’ll go to max power stages at 3 anger once hitting your max level also?
Doi, it says if you declared a TW. Forget I said that >_<
In that case, changing it to 3 anger to level would make this card perfect IMO
Saiyan has drills? Since when? :p