BP06 Open 8 Guide

Overview

Want to win the hotstamped Ginsetsu? Look no further than this drafting guide to make sure you get the best of your 8 packs every single time.

Once again, Bma here with card evaluations for every single card in the set. The Open 8 guide this time will be for $5 subs and above.

How to use this guide

In general, drafting in Open 8 will become very easy when using my guide. On average you will run into two situations after opening 8 packs:

1) You drafted too many good cards

This is a great problem to have. It means that even if you do make some slight mistakes with deckbuilding, you will still be able to win. Just cross-reference with my list and pick only the cards that I consider to be strong. Ideally, you want to reduce your deck size to 30.

2) You drafted too few good cards

This resource helps you pick the 25 or so good cards that you do have, so long as you can cross-reference or memorise the material below. You then find the 5 or so cards in your pool that are the "least bad" and boom, deck is done.

That's all there is to it. Most of the time, "synergy" is overrated, just pick good cards and it'll work itself out (outside of the specific synergies I mention within the article).

I drafted a good deck but I lost, why? 

Reason 1: The variance factor 

This is the nature of BO1 formats with high variance. Sometimes you can draft the best deck in the room but not win the event. For example, imagine if you pulled 2 Israfil in BP04 Open 8. This is an insane advantage over practically all of your opponents.

But the odds of not drawing a single one in your top 15 cards? 24%.

In 24% of your games, it doesn't even matter that you drafted the most broken card in the set!

Reason 2: The piloting factor

Drafting a good deck is not the only component to winning an event. Sometimes, an inferior draft can beat a better draft due to player skill. Suppose you make a subtle misplay that the opponent capitalises on. Sometimes, that's all it takes to lose the game.

BP06 general draft thoughts

One thing you'll notice is that there is a distinct lack of low rarity removal. This means that on average, your followers are more likely to die through combat rather than through other means.

This also creates a large premium on cards like Petalwink Paladin as significant threats in the mid game. Legendaries are also stronger in BP06 compared to BP05. Cards like Ginsetsu with Evo are significant advantages over many other cards in the set, for instance.

Playing for board seems like a solid option in this meta, especially if you have the stronger draft. If you have the weaker draft, you can consider playing hyper aggressive (leaving followers standing and praying they did not draw enough removal)

Forest

Lymaga, Forest Champion - I think with the sheer volume of Hunter cards in the pool, this card is very strong. 4 damage storm is pretty good considering it has bane (meaning opponent can't value trade into it after. Also, the Hunter follower you get will come into play standing, which represents additional tempo and threat against the opponent. Very strong, regardless of evo.

Amataz, Fairy Blader - Another autoinclude into your draft. regardless of synergies The card is fundamentally strong as it gives you a 2/2 in stats for 2 mana, and also a 2/2 in stats for 1 mana. When drafted with synergies (such as Fairy Dragon), you will pretty much win every early game.

Greenbrier Elf - I think 2/3 in stats is good enough to play, but the fanfare effect is probably a bait.

Wildwood Matriarch - I'd only play this if I either got Lymaga or if I got this card's evolve. It's a bit of an awkward card if you don't have the right draft though.

Fairy Dragon - How strong this card is depends on if you got cards like Amataz and Spiritshine in particular. A 0/4 ward is pretty average, if we're being real, but its synergy with the above cards can push it over the top.

Woodland Cleaver - Include this card if you drafted Lymaga, Wildwood Matriarch with Evo, Woodland Cleaver Evo, or other sufficient Hunter synergies. Basically, if the card fits in your deck, it's fine to play. Otherwise, it's understatted for 2 mana.

Spiritshine - Generally an excellent card that activates many different synergies. Paying 1 mana for 2 1/1s is generally okay, though it can be skipped if you didn't pull many pixie synergies.

Assault Jaguar - I think the card is fine to include without any hunter synergies, but you'd need to treat it as removal (3 mana 4 damage to an engaged follower). Still, I think it's skippable if you have better cards and weak hunter synergies. If you drafted a lot of Hunter cards, then obviously, you should play it.

Greenwood Guardian: Pretty much always very playable. 3/2 is a pretty reasonable statline for a 2-cost follower, especially as it has ward as well. This is not to mention that it works well with other Hunter cards.

Crossbow Sniper: Only ever play this if you have legitimate hunter synergies.

Mallet Monkey: Only play this if you drafted the evolve. 2/1 storm for 3 mana is a rip off. Even 5 mana for 2x 2/1 storms is still not a fair price. Don't get baited.

Elven Sentry: I get the impression this card is usually not good unless you drafted a lot of fairy related support cards. Can be skipped due to low stats, high cost and average effect.

Synchronized slash: Garbage. Not sure it's worth playing even if you draft a lot of hunter cards.

Sword

Kagemitsu - Very strong in this format as you can stack up your evos without needing the corresponding base card (in open 8, you can flip any card over to give a follower rush). Thus, it may be a good idea to go 2nd for the three evo points when you have Kagemitsu, making it at least a 1 mana, 4/4 rush + assail with almost total certainty. Getting to x=7 will probably take too long in practice, so feel free to drop it when it seems like the tempo swing of a high-statted 1-drop will allow you to snowball a win.

Ralmia - 3/2 rush is a solid stat line for a 2-cost, so you don't even need the evo. Obviously, the evolve makes this card even better, but it's not needed.

Steadfast Samurai - Considering the lack of hard removal in the format, this card is probably one of the best 1-cost followers in the format. If you play it turn 1, you just buff it turn 2 and swing face, opponent can't clap back on it. In a sense, it's almost permanent value from the moment you put it down on the board as you no longer have to worry about value trades from opponent (outside of the few bane cards in the set).

Hero of Antiquity - Very strong "boss monster". 6/10 basically makes the card invincible, especially with all its protection effects. It also impacts the board immediately due to rush. Goes without saying that if you get the evo version of this as well, you will probably win if you can ever drop this card with a safe hp range on your leader.

Courtly Dance - Generally a skip as your deck will usually consist of multiple different classes, and whiffing a 6-cost spell is too high a risk.

Quickdraw Maven - 3/3 stat line is playable for 3-cost. If you got the evo as well, this quickly becomes one of the best cards you can pull, considering its very powerful tempo evo effect, and how rare hard removal is in this set.

Twinsword Master - Seems pretty bad, 1/3 stat line is pretty shit, even if it can hypothetically attack twice per turn, or attack once and restand to protect itself.

Grand Acquisition - Don't bother with this card, it's basically just a -1.

Samurai Outlaw -  Again, 3/2 stat line is perfectly valid for a 2-cost. That said, I think this card is hilarious in that you can run it even without the evo, and your opponent will be forced to respect the fact that it can potentially become a 6/5 on evolve.

Adept Thief - 3/2 stat line with slight upside. You will usually use the draw 1, discard 1 effect where possible.

Petalwink Paladin - Exceptional card, one of the best in the entire set. It is no exaggeration to say that whoever drafts the most of this card has a massive edge over everyone else in the tournament.

Levin Scholar - 3/3 for 3-cost is fine in general. Keep in mind that if you have multiple of these in your deck, it can search itself.

Breakneck Draw -  Another very strong card due to the lack of hard removal in the format. You need to adjust your deck and playstyle to be able to use thie card, but IMO, it's worth it. Unless you got very few Sword cards in your packs, I'd run this and add a bunch of sword followers in to make it work, even if that has to be like Twinsword Master, which is ironically kinda good with this card (You can deliberately leave him standing every turn and poke for 1 damage only, so that he can always be available for Breakneck Draw).

Rune

Kuon - I'd carefully consider whether it is possible for you to discount this card to around 8pp by turn 8 before deciding whether or not to play it. As strong as this card is, it's pointless if you can't actually play it.

Mysteria, Magic Founder - Probably a skip in almost every circumstance outside of having the evolved copy. It's the only academic follower in the set.

Curse Crafter - Very powerful card with, or without the evo. Once again, removal comes at a premium this expansion, and it can either be used to get 4/4 in stats on board, or to get a 2/2 that kills an enemy follower, draws 1 and discards 1. With the evo available, this card is a no brainer inclusion.

Hulking Giant - A 5/5 for 5-mana is playable, even without the Earth Rite synergies. That said if you drafted Passionate Potioneers, it's an obvious autoincluson.

Shikigami Summons - Seems good enough to me. 2/2 isn't a great stat line, but since Paper Shikigami can fix your hand, it seems fine.

Demoncaller - Can be played without the evolve due to 3/3 statline, but obviously an autoinclude if you got the evo copy.

Traditional Sorcerer: Generally a skip, 1/4 ward isn't very good and it's hard to pull enough Onmyoji support to make it useful (maybe if you got Kuon, I guess).

Crimson Meteor Storm: Spellchain 10 seems.... very unlikely. Nevertheless, I think it's playable as a 7pp card as it should clear almost everything other than Mammoth and Hero of Antiquity, while burning face.

Talisman Disciple - I think this is playable if you drafted 2 copies of Shikigami Summons. If you drafted 1 copy of Shikigami Summons, but other ways to summon Paper Shikigami, you can just discard this card via Paper Shikigami instead.

Charming Gentlemouse - 2/2 is pretty weak unless you have the evolve. Even if you pulled multiple copies, paying 4pp for 2x 2/2s isn't particularly great...

Passionate Potioneer - Good stats and has particularly strong synergy with Hulking Giant.

Golem's Rampage: Garbage. Hulking Giant is the only real target, and if your opponent can't answer it on the first turn it comes down, they are probably gonna lose anyway.

Mirror of Truth: The only real synergy is with Passionate Potioneer, which doesn't really lead to anything. A skip every time.

Dragoncraft

Garyu, Supreme Dragonkin - I think this card is actually not worth playing at all without evolve. 3/4 stats for 5-mana is way too low, even if it does draw you a card. With evolve, definitely worth playing, considering 4/5 rush is barely acceptable, but if you have dragon followers, it's actually very strong tempo.

Whitefrost Dragon Filene - Pretty great card. Best use case is to hold it until you really need it. For example, using this on one of their larger followers, leaving it engaged, then dealing with it next turn with a bigger Evo, while being able to go face. Obviously even better if you have Whitefrost Whisper, but in general, an include in all drafts.

Phoenix Empress - I suspect this card is very, very strong. In reality, there is no way your opponent can actually find a viable way to kill this card repeatedly without costing so much tempo that the pp loss is essentially irrelevant. That said, do be careful if you legitimately need to play higher pp cards, as your opponent may deliberately keep you at certain play point thresholds to avoid your big tempo swing cards.

Wyrm God of the Skies - 4/4 4-cost is playable on its own. With evolve available, this card is exceptionally good in my opinion, making a single standing follower into a boss monster the following turn.

Whitefrost Whisper - Very strong removal option, autoinclude.

Ice Dancing Dragonewt - Strong card with, or without evolve. You can play it early game, or you can hold it for late game as a 3/3 storm.

Jadelong Tactician - Strong card when you have control over the board. Don't greed too much with hitting face, it can often be correct to use this card to value trade.

Aquascale Stalwart - Useless card, avoid.

Swordwhip Dragoon - I think this is quite a good card. The ability to choose where the damage goes makes it flexible, and you can go face without worry of getting value traded on.

Dragonblader - I like this card a lot, it's a 5/5 4-cost. Even though they also get a dragon in their EX Zone, this card having 5 attack means they can't value trade over him anyway. Also, his evolve makes him a 6/6 lol. Very good.

Trident Merman - 8/8 in stats for 5 mana. Great card.

Dragon Chef - 3/4 stats for 3 cost AND it heals you for 2 at a minimum. Exceptional.

Flamewinged Might - I think this card is great, especially when going on the offensive. If your opponent doesn't have the removal in hand, they have to trade into it, effectively giving you the tempo lead. I don't think I'd draft more than a few copies, but I think I'm happy to include them in most decks.

Abyss

Ginsetsu - Garbage without the evo. Obviously an autoinclude (and possibly auto-win) if you can play it and resolve the evolve.

Aragavy - Broken legendary. Easily one of the best finishers in the pool with massive tempo swing.

Shuten-doji - I think this is playable with just the base copy despite 1/4 not being the best statline. It can value trade early game using its bane. Goes without saying the card is very good with evolve.

Bear Pelt Warrior - Exceptional card. 5/4 is very strong, also comes with rush built in. Essentially reads: Heals 3 hp, does 1 damage to enemy leader.

Yuzuki - Again, very strong card. Especially the 3pp effect to discard and deal 5 damage instantly, as there is not that much removal in the set. The main body is not too bad either, if you can snipe something big on their field, they need to deal with your 5/5 standing bane follower. Necrocharge 10 also isn't that difficult to achieve in later stages of the game.

Kasha - 1 hp is a little vulnerable but it's still worth playing. The ping damage can be flexible, the ability to give it rush makes this a potential 4 damage trader. Occasionally, you may also get value from the Yokai recursion effect too. Playing it as a standing 3/1 is a little vulnerable, but you can do so if you have no other options.

Cougar Pelt Warrior - Don't bother without drafting the evo. It's fine if you have the evolve, you don't even need a 2nd copy of the base in deck.

Unleash the Nightmare - It's a little expensive for what it does, but 3 1/1s and drawing 2 cards is fine for 4pp. Don't run too many copies of it though, can brick your hand. Rookie Succubus is a vampire, so it can make the card cost only 3pp.

Zashiki-Warishi - Probably only play this with the evo (or significant amounts of other Yokai synergies).

Antelope Pelt Warrior -  Good card, doesn't matter that it does 1 damage to your leader since tempo usually matters way more.

Rookie Succubus - Pretty good card, instant 2/2 in stats, but delayed 3/3 in stats upon death.

Demonic Procession - Just skip this most of the time (unless heaps of Yokai synergies or Ginsetsu + evo). Basically, you don't want to take a -1 for no reason if unlucky. On the other hand, if you do have Ginsetsu + evo in deck, I think it's fine to risk the -1 if it means you automatically win the game by hitting Ginsetsu.

Berserker's Pelt - This is way too clunky to play. Its best usage case is with Cougar Pelt Warriors, but if you fail to draw the cards in the right order, you sort of just... lose.

Haven 

Wilbert, Grand Knight - His stats are fine even prior to gamble. If you hit practically any other ward off this card's effect, he is very strong. Probably wouldn't ward him on the first turn usually, 4/5 isn't that great compared to possible 5/5s coming down. Usually included in your draft.

Karula - I mean, 3/3 is fine and you can include him in your deck as your 3-cost, but I think the effects cost too much without having the evolve version, so you'd just be playing him a 3/3 in that situation.

Saintly Leader - Pretty good if you got a lot of cards with wards and can actually use its banish effect. Otherwise, slightly subpar.

Phantom Blade Wielder - Without evo, this card can still see some upside by pinging their 2-cost 2/2 (bad luck if it's 2/3 lol) and you failed to draw a 3-cost. But tbh, this seems kinda weak, so I'd skip this card without evo. With evo, the card is very good.

Manifest Devotion - Skip

Holy Lancer - Extremely good with evolve. Otherwise, only play it if you have sufficient ward pool density, as 3/4 for 5-cost is very bad.

Boost Kicker - This card is very good. You are supposed to play it in the late game, where it can do 4+ AOE damage.

Feather Sanctuary - Skip

Winged Staff Priestess - It's fine if you got multiple copies of it, and it synergises well with the ward package.

Gravity Grappler - One of the best float package cards that can be played without any synergies within the deck. You are more than happy to pay 2pp for a Mystic Artifact.

Barrage Brawler - Useless without evo and even with evo... Probably a skip unless you somehow drafted a full on float deck... which is still bad lol.

Holy Counterattack - Card is actually very good if you got a lot of ward cards. It's basically your "payoff".

Focus - Generally a skip even if you draft a couple of Gravity Grapplers or Karulas, the card is sort of dead without drawing them.

Neutral 

Sentry Gate - Garbage.

Bazooka Goblins - I think this card comes down too late to really be useful on a consistent enough basis, considering its low stats and the fact that it really does need to kill something on the opponent's board to be worth 4pp. If you get the evo version, he has a respectable 5/5 rush on evolve while potentially clearing two cards. IMO, skip if you only have base form.

Sweet Tooth Sleuth - Card has really nice stats and the effect is very useful if the card comes down on turn 3. Definitely run.

Biofactrication -  Decent cantrip with occasional upside if it flips over a follower you have multiple base copies of but only 1 evo copy. The draw a card effect will be live relatively early due to the Open 8 rules allowing you to give any follower rush by flipping any card in your evo deck face up for only 1pp. Generally skippable, but if you need to make up a 30 card deck, it''s fine.

Clash of Heroes - Card seems playable enough and helps you get out of some sticky situations where opponent leaves their follower standing. Due to the low volume of hard removal in this expansion, I think it's fine to include a few copies in your deck to stabilise and catch opponent off guard.

Chaht, Ringside Announcer - Card is fine as a 3/3 3-cost follower. Even better if you have its evolve form, as it searches a huge amount of cards in the set.

Colosseum on High - A card to be avoided in general. No point introducing variance that can cost you the game instantly when you want to win every game in the tournament to win the prize card. I would only run this if my draft were so bad that I may as well gamble with this to steal wins away. And even then...

Fall from Grace - Great card due to low amount of hard removal in the format. It's fine to give them two health and a draw if you kill off a follower that's like 5pp, you will make that back in tempo easily.

Mithra - LMFAO, fuck this card man. I feel like I would not run this card unless my draft sucked. Same logic as Colosseum on High. The only thing is, someone is going to play this against you and they're going to draw 2 cards while you discard 2 and uh... the game is over. Cool.

Badb Catha - Excellent card with or without the evolve. Each of the effects can be very strong depending on the context, but most of the time, you should use the effect to buff another follower, especially when going first. If you have the evo, I think the third effect to put a card in EX area is usually the best one, though situationally, you can go hard on aggro with the burn, or engage their followers if the situation is juicy enough.

Mammoth God's Colosseum - This card is very strong in this format and you do not need Colosseum on High to use this card (in fact, it's probably better if you don't include it even if you have it). For the main part, feel free to slam it down on 7 mana as a 7/8 to forcibly downsize their board to 1 card. Obviously, if you have the board lead, then you can just hold it until later. Common scenario is swinging everything to face, let them get value trades in, then drop Mammoth the turn after to hard punish.