TPC Analysis on Balance Impact

Following the recent balance update, we will be sharing the TPC reaction covering the balance changes and their impact on the current meta. Please keep in mind that this is an early reaction, not a final verdict.
The next Tier List update will be on May 4th.

Deck Changes

In general, it is a good banlist which addressed a lot of problems, but it is still not enough and has some missing points (such as not banning Loading... or not addressing Loading... ), but overall it is more than I expected.

Loading... to 3 helps to shorten the gap between high rogue (like Swordsoul or Dragonmaid) and top tier. But I am worried that when not every new top tier contender gets a limit 3, the new decks can always have an advantage because of that.

It has come to my attention that my opening statement for the last tier list update garnered a lot of attention. I would like to take this opportunity to say: when the game isn't struggling from the whims of FTK related negligence, Duel Links is really quite fun to play. For those content simply reading absurdist descriptions, please enjoy these writings until the man behind the curtain is unmasked and the Rube Goldberg machine of monkeys on typewriters falls apart. Until then,
I am the eggman, I am the walrus, and thank you for playing Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links.

I think Konami somewhat misunderstands the design mistake spawned from the current Destiny HERO deck. The problem isn't about accessing limit 1 cards, it is that it can access any combination of cards. Loading... is a ban-worthy card, and until they pull the trigger we will be observing every combination of floodgates possible be accessed. Given that a turn skip has already been discovered, we will have to wait and see if they either hit 12 more cards on the banlist, or take a more direct approach like Loading... to 1.

The banlist removed most of the toxic combos that were in the format, like FTKs, floodgates, and the Destiny HERO handloop combo. That means we could have a board breaker format, as decks like Destiny HERO can set up Loading... and Loading... through basically any handtrap in the game, so cards like Loading... or Loading... seem really important now.

Also, the boards are not really as oppressive as they used to be in terms of negates because of Loading... 's hit (I think the only deck that can use Loading... now is Galaxy-Eyes), so going second looks definitely easier than before. I think the main issue this format is going to be how to deal with the Destiny HERO board with Loading... , because it is basically the only floodgate left in the format.

Therion

Therion loses a lot for their going first setup. They can still build a good board, but it is easier to break, and once it is broken it is hard for Therion to come back. Turn 2 remains the strongest by far, thanks to Loading... still being live.

It got hit so much that the deck is not playable the way it was before, because the deck basically turbo'd through every unfair engine that was in the game, resulting in multiple different FTKs and floodgates. Even though its hits were massive, the deck was so broken that it is still fine. Previously they were not even playing more than 1 Loading... most of the time, while they can now just increase the amount. And it is not like there are no other viable rank 8 engines. Just hours after the list dropped, Therion won its first tournament again, now featuring Horus cards. The deck's turn 1 was severely weakened, but they can still set up Loading... and search for Loading... , preventing them from being OTK'd and solving their comparably weak turn 1.

They can play in two ways: either completely foregoing Loading... and not using skill 2 on turn 1, or just banking on Loading... for Loading... and breaking the board on the follow-up turn. Both versions are a lot fairer than the previous iterations, but the deck still has the strongest turn 2 in the game. Especially now that most floodgates that stopped Therion from playing are a lot harder to use.

The turn 1 got insanely nerfed. It lost the Counter Trap and Loading... , and now it is weaker to handtraps since getting Loading... or Loading... hit by Loading... means you don't have it for the rest of the game. But if uninterrupted, the deck leaves an unaffected Loading... in defense, Loading... with Loading... under it, Loading... , and Loading... plus one or two techs. Also, thanks to Loading... and Loading... being limited, the deck is even stronger going second now.

Destiny HEROs