Deck Building Basics

Note: This article is of my opinion and written for beginners only. As such, this article is to be used as a guide only, not a set way of how to play. Aspects of this guide will change for various reasons.

One thing I have noticed in Buddyfight is that building a deck isn't as clear as Vanguard. You have your world then your Attribute (example: Dragon knights, Armordragons, 72 Pillars are all attributes) and maybe an Archetype ( to work with but that's all that guides you. This means its rare for your deck to be exactly the same as someone else without net-decking (The act of copying a deck list off the internet) and I like that. Unfortunately this has led to people putting random decks together and unsure what to do. So here is a simple guide to help those having trouble building decks.

If you are a beginner, you will probably want a single card to build around, if you want a better deck, you will want to build around an Archtype or Attribute, and the best players can ignore that and build around combos and combat tricks, but as a new deck builder don't worry about that just yet. An example of a good monster to build around would be Jacknife Dragon. This will allow you to get an idea of what your deck is going to be. Next, look at how that card, attribute or Archtype works. This is vital to working out your deck, as it will decide everything about your deck. If you pick an Archtype or Attribute, then you already have this, but if you picked one card, then look at its attributes and any archtypes it may have and anything in its ability text that relates to these. Then look at all the other cards with those attribute. You now have your base selection of cards to choose from.

Next is filtering out bad monsters and spells from your selection. This is a little tricky, as the current vanilla test makes some worlds look really weak. My current vanilla test is that a monster of size 1 or higher should have either 5000 power, 6000 defense or 3 crit at least, but both magic and katana world as well as what looks like future worlds to come all have trouble reaching those numbers at size 1. In a case like that, look at the magic numbers of the game, which is currently 5000, 6000, 8000 and either 10000 or 13000 (possibly both). See if your monster can link attack with your other monsters to reach those numbers. the more it hits the better it is. However, you must also look if the monster has an ability. Abilities and costs both change how good the card is, be wary of this. As a general rule keep all cards with abilities in your selection pool and keep an eye on those with costs, you will evaluate how much gauge your deck can afford to use latter. Spells are a little tricky, but generally, keep any that say nullify, any that give you a card, any that give power, life or gauge and any you feel can help make your deck able to fight better. Don't forget generic spells and monsters, most may be weak but some have interesting effects that could help in battle.

Now that you have a selection of seemingly good cards, we need to take the staple cards of each world and put them into your deck. Staples are cards that have been proven to be good in every deck it can go in. Most of these cards are spells, and every world's 'nullify' spell is in one way or another, a staple as of writing this (Note: I do not consider Generic a world, so Castling doesn't count, but Castling is still a card to note). Now bellow is a list of cards I consider staples to their respective worlds as well as cards that could be considered staples in certain decks or situations, are good cards that can be used in allot of decks or I am simply unsure of.

Dragon World

• Green Dragon Shield: Null then heal, good in any deck and any situation. That 1 life is normally not much but it can save you in tough situations, and that's what a shield should do. Run 4 Main.
• Blue Dragon Shield: Null and gain 1 gauge, while not as good as its green sibling, its still a null card with benefits, and that gauge is almost as good as the life gain. Run 4 main, at least 2 if you can't easily find them but try for 4 if you want your deck to be as good as it can be.
• Flying Dragon Shield: With EB02 came the weakest archetype for dragon world and the weakest dragon shield. For 1 gauge, you reduce an attack against you to 0, then gain 1 life. Very restrictive and not a good card overall, but why is it staple you ask? It's an amazing counter to dragon shield counters. As it does not nullify attacks, the current dragon shield counters don't work against it. Also many consider this better than White Dragon shield, and while I don't agree with them, I think the smartest play is to make this the card you side out for White. Despite my opinion, I can't leave this out of the staple light, it's only a common and neat temporary replacement for Blue Dragon Shields. Run 2 main with 4 of Green Dragon Shield and 4 of Blue Dragon Shield, 4 if you can't get Blue. 

Other Important Cards

• Twin Dragonblades, Dragoanthem: Under request, I have put this on the list. This item at 5000 power and 1 crit has double attack, but can't attack left or right, so centre only. I was very hesitant on this card as every time I've seen this played it was played incorrectly, but I can see why it is worth noting here. Basically it can easily clear centres and deal a bit of damage that nullify cards can't stop easily. Unfortunately it does require a little more skill to use and you will not use this in Jacknife decks. Run 2-4 main.
• Steel Fist, Dragoknuckle: At the cost of 1 life you get a weapon of 2000 power, 2 crit, the ability to charge gauge every time you hit the player with it and can pay gauge to gain more power on the weapon. It's its gauge charging ability that sells this card, as it allows you to charge up gauge for your gauge eating cards like Jacknife. This is a card I am unsure if every deck needs it, but those that do are winning, so keep it in mind. And remember that 1 life is not much for an awesome item card. Run 2-4 main.
• Dragonic Grimore: Don't let anyone tell you this is a bad card! At 5 or less life you can discard your hand for 3 new cards! it resets your hand and can give you card advantage if you have 2 or less cards in your hand when you use this. This card can be a life saver! The reason this isn't a staple is because of you play correctly and manage your resources correctly, you may never need this, but you should keep it just in case! Run 2-3 main or side.
• Drago/Knight Energy: These are not staples for the fact that jacknife doesn't really need them and you require knowing exactly how the cards work to use them, but can help any other deck! They can take up slots for other cards but that's a suitable cost for these. Also, while yet to be updated on the cards, dragoenergy is the only counter card that can be used more than once during a battle under the new rules, so keep that in mind when looking at this card. Unfortunately knight energy isn't the same, so remember that. I don't consider this a staple simply because it can take up room for cards that could be more suited towards your deck, but try to run it if you can. Run 2-4
• Thousand Rapier Dragon: 5000 power, 2 crit and 1000 defence, it wont stop anything but is the best stat vanilla monster of dragon world at size 1 for attacking. This is the baseline of all great size 1 monsters and should be treated that way. It isn't a staple simply because it isn't a Dragon Knight and an Amourdragon at the same time, but even then I would probably throw this into a dragon knight deck as they have yet to get a version of this guy. Run 4 main.

Danger World

• Armorknight Hellhound/Spike Vine: I might get some slack for this but this card, in my opinion, is the best size 1 monster in the game. For Hellhound, No other size 1 monster meets 2 of the vanilla test requirements without a cost (yes, life link is a cost, even if it doesn't say so) or restriction. And while playing a centre has deteriorated due to Adventerers and the excessive penetrate in multiple worlds, Hellhound does make a nice addition to your deck as a card that can block when needed, or be a pesty hard to rid of card on the left or right.  In the case of Spike Vine, duel dragons needed this badly, and this is an awesome card to go with Duel Law as its the only size 1 Duel Dragons have that can consistently call upon a link attack. This is extremely true with legend and Dungeon world having a few cards that rely on link attacking. I call cards like these turtles as Bronze Sheild Dragon and Hellhound both look like creatures with large shells, and Bronze really does look like a turtle. Run 2-4 Hellhound in Armorknights, main, 4 of Spike Vine in Duel Dragons, main.
• Battle Aura Circle: Nullify an attack if you have no monster in the center The only nullify in danger world. Run 4 main, no question.
• Hysteric Spear: The flagship weapon of the world that relies on weapons. 5000 power with penetrate and 2 crit for 2 gauge. As most spells in danger world rely on open centers or weapons equipped, a good weapon is always needed, even in more defensive Danger decks. Run 4 main
• Demon Slay Resurrection: Heal 4 if you have 6 or less life, an open centre and a cast cost of 1 gauge. While Invigorating breath was quite important for along time, this is just a great card. Danger has a hard time staying alive sometimes even with its new stuff, but this is Recover from Pokémon put into a buddyfight card, and anyone who plays Pokémon competitively knows how annoying a well timed Recover is. Your opponent has probably struggled to get you don to 6 or less life, every one of their attacks stop in their tracks by Dangers' spells, and this spell simply takes that away from them, making all their efforts for nothing. Aces really enjoy this card as you can put them into your weapons soul before activating this card, meaning you have an average of 8 life with a super powered weapon

Other Important Cards

• Explosive Axe, Ricdeau Demon Slay: I love this thing. When danger was getting new support all we really wanted was more weapons and more weapon reliant cards to go with them. This 6/3/0 weapon for the cost of 1 gauge was all we needed to pick it up. What's the catch? Well once you equip it you can't call monsters in the centre. This doesn't mean that existing monsters get destroyed or the one move card danger has is now useless, because they survive in the centre, you just can't call new monsters to the centre. This is both a blessing and a curse. For one you no longer have to worry about having your centre open because you can't close it off, but then you can't defend with a monster. You won't care with all the new spells though, and that 1 gauge cost means nothing because a good Danger deck, shouldn't use too much gauge and a bad one should have ways of getting around that.
• Armorknight Golem: Armorknights love this card, I love this card, but I wouldn't call it a staple because some decks simply don't need it. This hard to rid of card walls so many this including Seiger's first form. Downside? Centres are weak in the current meta game and for danger's new spells. Also it's disappointing Duel Dragons still don't have a clone of this. Run at least 2 main.
• Armorknight Wall Lizard: Probably the most confusing card rules wise, this guy kills himself during an attack to reduce the next damage you take that turn by 2. Now the trick with this guy is that you can use him during an attack against him, completely stop that attack, and still get the damage reduction for the next attack. I love this guy as he stops penetrate AND the new Spirit Attack when he kills himself and still does something. He counters nearly every current meta deck. He does have a massive weakness to destruction though, but he makes a great first turn play. Run 2-3 main or side.
• Invigorating Breath: I would have this as a staple if it weren't for the fact that Demon Slay Resurrection outclasses it. I also find it more as a Rub-it-in-your-opponents-face kind of card then a I-need-to-play-this-card. It helps when you use it, but you don't need to. Also don't worry about using it more than twice, chances are at 3 copies you wont get the chance. Run 3 main, Yes, its dumb to run at 2 and unnecessary to run at 4, though running 4 can sometimes work.

Magic World

• Magical Goodbye: One of the key components to magic worlds defensive spells, Magical goodbye bounces any size 2 or less monster to the hand as a counter for no cost other than playing the card itself. This card ruins allot of stuff, and is key in any magic world deck, so of cause its a staple. 3-4, mostly 4, main.
• Nice One: The 3 best words in MTG are the 3 best words in any trading/collectible card game, Draw a card. This card is draw 2 cards for one gauge, which effectively means you get a +1 from this each time you use it and replaces this card. The pot of greed of this game is twice as powerful than the yu-gi-oh version. You can only use this card once per turn though, so maybe gauge one off if you have 2 in your hand. Run 3-4 main.
• Solomon's Shield: The nullify card for magic world, this card can stop any attack that isn't a link attack even if you have a monster in the center. Even with the vast amount of defensive spells in magic world this is still one of the best. Just be wary of that link attack though, double penetrate and a link attack to the center will stuff up this shield more than most.
• Gunrod Stradivarius/Bechstein: Oh the Kid Icarus uprising esc weapons of magic world. watch them as they sit there firing their lasers of doom while they have a monster in front of them. These card put the opponent on a timer of damage as you block and counter their every move. Stradivarius even beefs up your monsters so they can hit better. There is one more gun rod, but I'm not as much of a fan of it as these guys as it doesn't have burn 1 (Magic.T.G term, means to deal damage to an opponent through ability or spell). Still unsure which rod is better though so I put both in the one slot. Run 3-6 main.

Other Important Cards

• Oops!: I like this card. It can ruin any size 3, particularly danger worlds, target weapons and set spells (I believe it doesn't counter non-set spells) and its really versatile. If only it didn't have a two very annoying problems. Its cost is really high for magic world and it only returns to hand, meaning things like Emperor Dragon, Gael Khan, while they do have to pay that hefty cost again, can clear the field again. Set spells normally cost 1 gauge and Magical goodbye easily targets most monsters. That is why it isn't staple and belongs in the sideboard if anywhere. Run 2-3 side.
• Key of Solomon, First Volume: The charge 2 card, this little thing helps magic pay for its more hefty costs, But the problem with gauge chargers is that if you don't use the gauge, you just lost a card from you hand for no reason, so you have to be a little smarter to play this. This is for magic world decks that are having a bit of trouble building gauge. However I don't recommend running second volume at all. Run 2-3 main or side, don't put in if you are not in need of it though.

Katana World
Going to be honest here, I have no idea how katana is meant to work as I have very little experience facing it. As such I'm not going to give my opinion on this worlds staples and only note one important card. There are so many spells and different monsters that are specific to its attributes play styles that even the null I am unsure of. As such, please either comment bellow potential staples or go find someone who actually knows something about katana world. Otherwise here is the one card I am sure of as an important card.
Other Important Cards

• Nanomachine Ninja, Tsukikage: THIS GUY WONT DIE! Ok well he can but very rarely. He is a size 1 with Thousand Rapier Dragon's stats that has the awesome ability to not die if you discard a non-monster card from your hand if he were to die. Can basically act as a centre shield against non-penetrate decks (as his ability, much like soulguard, doesn't block penetrate damage) and even if you have no spells he can act as a basic size 1 monster with great stats. Unfortunately I haven't faced him enough to know how many copies you should have, but so far I've seen it at 4 copies in each deck I have faced and even seen it as the buddy in those decks, take that as you wish.

Ancient World

• Dragon Dreams: Ancient world however, I do know something's about. So to start off we have dragon dreams, the gain 3 life card. Now gain 3 life in any world is good, but in ancient world it is required. The life link and spells and abilities that use life like it was gauge make this card better than getting 2 gauge in other worlds. If you don't run life link, them 3 life is still cool enough to warrant running this. And for those who question this, every deck I have seen run this as a way of paying for life link and spells, but I have put the card below as a suitable replacement in case you don't like this card. Run 3-4 main.
• Dragon Emperor Legend: Ok so I'm changing the formula a bit here, but if you don't run dragon Dreams, atleast use this card. Use one, the other or both as you wish. What this card does at least is when you use it, you get +1 gauge, +1 life and draw an extra card in that order. This is one of the few cards that playing it instead of gauge-ing it off is always better. Just good luck working out what you are using. Run 2-4 main.
• The dragon emperors: These monsters double as spells when you have a size 3 on the field, and knowing ancient world you should nearly always have one active. Some are main, others can be sided in, but all ancient world decks should run at least some of these guys. Run 4-12

Other Important Cards

•  Dragon Flame Cascade/Dragon Thunder: These cards kill 2000 power or 2000 defense or less monsters, and you will be shocked at how many cards have those values somewhere. Nearly all my favorite size one monsters have these values and really pushes twin sword dragon over rapier. Also, both are counter spells! Unfortunately they can't stop most heavy hitters, so if you want to run these run them side to scope out opponents. I put these cards together as they both target the same things even though dragon flame kills all your opponents monsters of those values for 2 gauge. Run 2-6 side.
• Rise & Fall of Dragons: Pay 2 life, +4 gauge. This card comes under the same conditions as other gauge chargers, but for things like Duel Seiger, you may want this somewhere in you deck. just remember that not only does this have a cost, but if you don't use the gauge that's a waste of life and a card. Run 2-4 main/side.
• Divine Dragon Creation: This is so close to a staple I feel sorry for putting it here. At the cost of 2 life you draw 2 cards. I just feel this card isn't a staple for some reason. The reason this is really good is because if you are playing Seiger, you need its evolutions fast, and this helps dig for them as well as anything else you may need. Also draw 2 cards is always good in any deck. Don't be surprised if I do eventually move this to staple, I'm just having an internal battle over this card. Run 3-4 main.
• Dragonverse: This card I did not know of till I faced it, and man it was a pain in the butt. When you play a card with life link on the field and this is active, gain 1 life. This could mean the difference between life or death and should be played in any ancient world deck. Its also another reason why set spell destruction is so good. However, it is minimal life gain, and while it can save you from losing, it wont really help you win either. Originally I had this as a staple, but after chatting with other players and fighting more ancient world decks, I decided to move it to this section. Run 2-3 main.

So you now have an idea of your deck, a selection of cards to choose from, your staples selected and the important cards you may need, its time to fill the rest of your deck. Make sure what ever you put in from here on in is either vanilla with the same attribute as the majority of your deck or the ability matches the style of your deck. There is nothing worse than finding out your ability doesn't work because you stuff up your attributes. While there is no current standard for number of monsters, spells or the recommended number of each size, A simple guide is that your monsters should make up about 30 cards in your deck, the remain 20 being everything else, your number of size 1s should be more than your size 2 count and you should have no more than 6 size 3s. This is also where I recommend looking at existing deck lists. They can help you with the numbers and give you an idea of the filler cards you want to use. Remember that your buddy should have 4 copies in your deck and one copy to the buddy zone. Also remember that what ever you pick at this stage is not permanent. That's where we get into testing. Fight everything! you want to battle as many different decks as possible. this will give you an idea of what cards work and which cards don't. Remember that your deck will lose some of the time, there is no ultimate deck. just see which cards tend to deal with more situations. Changing your deck as you test is a must. And that's it, your deck is tournament ready!!

Bonus Round!
Side-boarding
Ah so here we go into side-boarding. Side-boarding is a feature of card games that was introduced in magic. In buddyfight it is a set of 10 cards that you may use to interchange with the other cards in your deck, allowing you to adjust to your opponents deck and play style. The only trick with side-boarding is working out what cards allow you to cover your decks weaknesses and counter common decks that you may face. As you have probably noticed in my staple card section that I have given a list of important cards that should be in sideboards in that staple list. Basically, any item or spell destruction should be side-boarded, any situational card that is really good but requires a specific opponent to use effectively should be side-boarded and if you want your deck to be able to switch between defending and attacking depending on how aggressive your opponent plays, or simply want your deck to be able to switch between 2 different play styles, then build your sideboard to do that. In fact here is a checklist for your sideboard:
Sideboard checklist:

• Set spell/item destruction
• Counters to common builds (for example, White dragon shields to counter penetrate builds).
• Cards that are good in certain match ups (goes hand and hand with point 2)
• Card you can't quite fit in your deck but are good anyway
• Play style changing cards (for example, changing from a jacknife build to a more conventional armor dragon build).
• Cards that work with other cards already in your sideboard.

As long as you can meet some of those conditions your sideboard is good. Remember to test out your sideboard as well.