I’ll take one DBZ Panini with extra fanboy

Just when I thought I would grow up, this happens. There I sit, in the real world, when the phone rings. It’s Garrett. Now, I don’t think I’ve ever talked to this man on the phone once. This was a special occasion and my first thought was ‘Why?’. Big news. The biggest. Words leave his mouth but I barely comprehend. Something about some old game being rebooted…again? I can’t really form a response and the conversation ends faster than it started. I hang up and I am left with myself and a few months to prepare for the relaunch of the Dragon Ball Z CCG, ten years after Score Entertainment left us waiting at the bus stop.

Greetings Dragon Ballers, Didier here with an awestruck fanboy’s perspective. I’ve gone through all the 5 stages of acceptance, (from ‘why now??’ to ‘please, take my money’) and I’m ready to put it on paper. I’ve read over all of the released cards and thought about the biggest balance jumps from Vintage Z to Modern Z, New Z, Panini Z… whatever the hell we’re calling it. I feel many of the changes bridge gaps and give us a cleaner gaming experience. Let’s summon this dragon!

1) Set deck size of 60 cards

Decks in Score’s DBZ CCG bounced between 50 and 85 cards, a huge range in total size, but in the restored version everyone locks in at 60 cards. Many veteran Z players are quick to state ‘The better version of every deck is the smaller one’ and there is absolutely truth to this. Less total cards means you draw your big stuff faster. Cut the fat, if you will. Now everyone is stuck at 60 and I like it. Instead of wishing for that Trunks Sword Slice or Energy Lob to appear between the filler, take extra time in choosing the perfect combination of cards to be included in your deck. This hard cap sets a nice standard of damage to build around and games won’t last over an hour, but we’re also forcing Ball victory decks to play an additional 10 cards. Let’s face it, they were too fast anyway.

03 Gohan Lv. 1

2) Ramp up of self damage/rejuvenation

I’m seeing some experimentation with self damage such as in the new Gohan Resilient Child and Super Saiyan God Goku. With a 60 card deck limit, each card you discard really starts to wear down your character. Now these abilities have serious drawback and their use to be controlled – a great additional facet to the game. Mirroring this, Namekian seems to have taken the Rejuvenation theme much like in old Z. Just as game changing as a single discard can be, Rejuvenation seeks its claim to fame. This often overlooked Z archetype is sure to be powerful

3) Reduction of the PAT

So we have a set deck size now, how does the damage look? Most energy attacks are doing between 3-5 life cards and likewise physicals rest in a similar range. Not much change from the old Score version – slightly weaker when comparing the hard hitters towards the end of Kid Buu Saga. This had me worried at first. The reduced deck size threatened to make games super fast when your attacks could hit for 10-15 damage. Fear not! Where the GT expansion failed, Panini has learned and improved. They went in the opposite direction and rather than doubling the PAT, they reduced it by 33% and only have a total of six brackets rather than nine. Energy decks were always kept in check by stage management while physicals lead the damage charge. A 33% maximum damage reduction offsets the deck size cap. I hope this change isn’t a ‘first set only’ deal and this sticks.

05 Super Saiyan God Goku Lv. 1

4) Card Memory

SuperSaiyan God Goku sure did cause a big stink when he was first released, and with good reason. Imagine for a second the new Panini Red Mastery that allows for cards draws when both raising and lowering levels. Considering Goku Kaioken Enhanced guarantees a de-level back to L1, let’s entertain the idea of using the Super God power for a card draw, leveling up (drawing and discarding a card), using the Kaioken attack, de-level to L1 (drawing a card), and then using the God power a second time to draw…ANOTHER CARD! It’s a good thing new Z is adopting the idea of having personality power memory. Each character power in the new game will truly be one time use. The game will ‘remember’ what powers you’ve used and not let you activate them again. Another vote for modern Z! Instead of Super Saiyan God Goku being the unstoppable, OP monster he was assumed to be, the Card Memory rule establishes him instead as “simply” the strongest Saiyan personality: a maxed out PAT beast with card draw. Not to be overlooked, I commend Panini for starting the game with this powerhouse…as long as they understand this is the standard and it shouldn’t get better from here.

 

5) Critical Damage Effect

Please, point out the person who came up with this idea so I know where to send my thanks. I’ll be at Gen Con, I’d like to shake your hand, for this change is groundbreaking in a game over ten years old. It fills a gap that’s been open this entire time…and we didn’t even realize it. Capturing Dragon Balls has always been an afterthought. I know I’ve forgotten about counting my life cards in several games and lost from this oversight. A reworked Critical Damage Effect changes the requirement of five Life Cards of damage AND the opponent having a Dragon Ball in play to a global ability that helps in multiple situations against nearly every deck: Capture a dragon ball, discard an ally, or lower the opponent’s anger one. Instead of tossing and turning in your sleep on what form of anti anger to play, rest easy with this ability in your toolbox. If there’s one thing the Retro format did an excellent job of, it’s revealing is the OP nature of allies. Double Whammy, Z-Warriors Gather. The stage management and swarm potential of allies is off the scouters. Good thing we have an answer to that now.

129 Blue Terror

6) Tokui-Waza Removed

Don’t quote me on this, but there seems to be a severe lack of Tokui-waza in this game. Unlike Score’s game where declaring a fighting style was optional, reprints like Blue Terror aren’t showing up with the classic ‘If you declared a Tokui-waza.’ This text kept colorless decks in check by excluding cards from decks having access to every styled card in the game. Some call this an oversimplification, but to me it’s rather the streamlining of gameplay. Most often then not (here’s looking at you, Roshi), you declared a Tokui-waza since any other option was much less powerful. Non-Tokui-waza decks sat somewhere between a jumbled mess and overpowered onslaught, With the amount of energy wasted ensuring this deck type wasn’t over the top, I hope Panini requires a mastery card across the board.

03 Namek Ball 3

) Reduced Dragon Ball Scaling

This is not to say the Dragon Balls are less powerful, oh no. The impact of every Dragon Ball 3 rings in the ears of DBZ players around the world. The infamous “Draw 3 cards” has been reduced to a net of a single card draw. The Balls now seem to be more averaged in power. Dragon Ball 1 stands as Goku’s Capturing Drill, protecting your Balls from capture and additionally boosting your attacks whereas Dragon Ball 5 provides the same net draw as Ball 3 while giving anger and stages. No Ball is an auto addition to beatdown. No Ball provides raw card advantage, but instead replaces itself and adds additional effects. Dragon Balls still hold their mystical value of granting a wish. They can still win you the game and allow for some game changing plays, but drawing one first turn is no longer victory in itself.

 

Overall, I’m excitsed for the new game.My mind is open as is my wallet. The changes released so far give hope for this game’s longevity as its own format. I can only hope they follow along Snake Way and don’t fall into HFIL.

 

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