The Top 10 Tournament Cards From Androids Saga

Last time, when I talked about Trunks Saga and its special place in the history of the game, I meant it. However, Androids Saga has a much more important place in my personal history with this game. I was fortunate enough to win my Androids Saga pre-release, and take home an entire box! Since this was a smaller expansion set, I was able to pull all the cards (minus the elusive The Hero Is Down and Trunks Guardian Drill) in my prize. Keep in mind; this was before the release of the actual product, so I felt super-cool. I went home and used my awesome mid-90’s flatbed scanner to upload images of each card to Fanatics’ message board. Oh boy, did I become popular. In fact, they made me a moderator, and I can easily say that this experience is what brought me into the DBZ CCG community.

On a non-personal note, this set rules. It has a great design, a bitchin’ foil pattern, and some of the most powerful cards that graced the first half of the game. In fact, some of them are still staples today. Unlike previous articles, I went ahead and put these in a real ‘top 10’ order, so be sure to comment if you think one card deserves to be higher (or lower) on the list!

10. Piccolo The Trained

Okay, so maybe good ol’ PTT hasn’t seen the same level of play he did in 2003, but he was truly a personality that ravaged the game for a long time. I first ran PTT at Worlds 2001, as a way to combat the ridiculous Trunks Level 1 HT. It’s a real shame that he became the best example of a ‘meta’ card in the game, where players ran him just because everyone else was running him. It didn’t make sense to run someone with a power if it would just get blanked! Fun fact about PTT: The only personality in the history of the game to receive multiple, different errata.

9. Straining Jump Kick Move

If Anger wasn’t so popular when Androids Saga came out (it did win Worlds 2001), more people would’ve run this card from the get-go. While it definitely peaked before the Trunks Effortless Drill nerfing, it’s still a very fun card with an amazing effect. It made for some epic Roshi vs. Roshi matchups in ’03, though.

8. Blue Terror

When Blue Terror debuted, it was generally regarded as an “aw, that’s cute!” moment for a style that really didn’t have anything going on. As time went on though, and the amazing Blue Style Mastery from the Cell Saga came to town, this card’s true ability to tutor ANYTHING other than a Dragon Ball from your deck started to really wear on people’s patience. A much-needed restriction was announced, and this card, while still powerful, has definitely diminished in usage as Blue fell by the wayside once again.

7. Winter Countryside

Androids Saga was the first set to really ‘address’ any balance issues in the game, and the thing they focused on was anger. There were numerous cards introduced to combat this powerful deck type, including Awful Abrasions and Cell’s Threatening Position. However, Winter Countryside was decidedly the best, because it had benefits that the creators didn’t even see coming. Need to protect your awesome Level 1 personality from Aura Clash? Need something that isn’t City In Turmoil, but you want to make sure it doesn’t hurt you, too? Winter Countryside’s got you covered. Heck, you could even use it in Dragon’s Victory.

6. Black Searching Technique

 

Black style got some really nice cards in AS – this isn’t the only one on the list. BST is so ridiculously powerful. Not only does it give you a chance to remove 2 cards in your opponent’s life deck from the game (without having to name them beforehand); but you get to look at your opponent’s ENTIRE deck and make mental notes. Oh, and it’s not even restricted.

5. Saiyan Destiny

Saiyan got some real power in this set; but the headlining act was definitely Saiyan Destiny. There was simply no other card in the game that could pump out so much damage in 1 card slot. Back when the Saiyan Style Mastery from the Trunks Saga was still the only game in town, this card was incredibly effective.

4. Orange Stare Down

For a second, I almost wanted to make this entry “Orange Stare Down/Blue Betrayal”, but let’s be honest with each other. When this card debuted, it was an energy attack costing 1 stage and doing 5 life cards, with an amazing secondary effect. Blue Betrayal, while it packs the same secondary effect, is a free physical attack likely doing no damage. They just aren’t the same, even though they are both very good. In Orange v. Orange matchups, this card is as much a deciding factor as Orange Destruction Drill.

3. Black Scout Maneuver

Let me be clear – I do not like that this card is Freestyle now. I was a big fan of this card in Black decks and ran 3 of them to much success at Worlds 2002. In fact, this card was THE deciding factor in the Top 4 match between Brian Valdez and me:

Game 1: I enter first turn, BSM 4x of his Android 18’s Stare Downs. I end up winning the game a few turns later.

Game 2: Now that I think about it, I don’t remember WHAT I BSM’ed, but all I remember was that it was a horribly poor decision and ended up costing me the game (and consequently the match) in an epic fashion. Thank you human brain for attempting to block a bad memory from my mind!

In short: Black Scout Maneuver is so good, it cost me $1500.

2. City In Turmoil

A close second in my eyes, as far as “best card” from Androids Saga is concerned. Disabling the entire field of Non-Combats & Drills, CIT is probably the most-run location/battleground in the game. In fact, I’m convinced that almost all of the Battleground removal introduced in the sets that followed was in response to this card.

What I really love, is that feeling your opponent has when you play CIT. It’s utter despair. They get to constantly look at their board full of Non-Combats and wonder “what if?”, as they hope and pray to draw into another Location or Battleground, or maybe that 1 copy of Land in Pain that they’re running. Pure joy to watch, especially if you’re an evil bastard like me.

1. Android 18’s Stare Down

I’m going to do something I haven’t done in any of my “Top 10’s” so far – declare a clear winner for ‘best card’. Android 18’s Stare Down wins on so many levels. It’s colorless, it’s a staple, it gives villains something to be proud of, and it even looks amazing in foil.

This card can ruin your day. If your opponent is packing discard pile removal, or even the rarely-seen Dying Planet, you will hate it even more. And the most ridiculous part? Android 18, arguably one of the most dominant personalities the game has even seen, can run 4 of them.

If you’re playing villain and not running this card, go ahead and book A Hospital Stay, because you’re going to get beat.

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