The Fundamental of Vanguard Vol. 2 - The Magic Numbers

The Magic Numbers

So.... what are they?

Magic Numbers are probably one of the quintessential points in learning the game. A huge chunk of Vanguard is based around hitting as hard as you can, also known as "beatsticking." Obviously, most units have their own individual skills that give Vanguard it's color, but other than that, Vanguard heavily relies on the numbers game.

Let me explain this from the very basics. You know how to guard, correct? When you want to guard, you choose units from your hand and/or units on your field that can intercept to guard against an attack. Well, here's an interesting thing to notice. Grade 0's have 10000 shield value, (except for Draw Triggers), Grade 1's and 2's have 5000 shield value, and Grade 3's have 0 shield value, and that's it. That's it.

So what does this mean? Well, it means this. Say you have a Grade 3 Vanguard with 10000 power (as most clans do). When you guard against attacks, you're only allowed to guard in intervals of 5000, with Grade 0's simply being 5000 doubled. So your intervals of guarding for your 10000 Vanguard are 15000, 20000, 25000, 30000...and so on. Now, if we take into account the rule that if the attacking unit's power is equal to the target's power the attack will hit, then we can create intervals such as this.

10000 Power

--- 20k

- 19k

- 18k

- 17k

- 16k

--- 15k

- 14k

- 13k

- 12k

- 11k

--- 10k

So with this graph illustrating it, we can say that if my opponent attacks for 10k, 11k, 12k, 13k, or 14k, we would need a 5k shield in order to block it. If my opponent attacks for 15k, 16k, 17k, 18k, or 19k, we would need a 10k shield to block the attack, and so on and so forth.

Well, in a roundabout way, this means that a 10k attack is just as powerful as a 14k attack. And a 15k attack is just as powerful as a 19k attack. How can that be? Well, both attacks require to the same shield to guard the attack. 10k requires a 5k shield, 14k requires a 5k shield. 15k requires a 10k shield, 19k requires a 10k shield, too. So yeah, in this case, a 10k attack is just as powerful as a 14k attack.

I feel the need to explain this because I've seen people I play against do some stupid things such as this. The field will be like this.

And they'll have this in their hand.

And they'll replace Jarran and put Bahr behind Goku, because they think it's a more powerful attack, when in reality it's not.

That leads to the unveiling of the "magic" numbers. I'll bring down that interval scale for you to look at again.

10000 Power

--- 20k

- 19k

- 18k

- 17k

- 16k

--- 15k

- 14k

- 13k

- 12k

- 11k

--- 10k

So, what are the magic numbers? Well, if the extra indenting behind those 3 numbers didn't tip you off, then I should tell you now that those are the magic numbers. So what's so magical about them? Well, these numbers are the benchmarks that you use to set up your columns to force out the most shield. They're the numbers you "aim" to hit. If you remember my example for setting up columns in Vol. 1, that's a perfect example of setting columns up to hit magic numbers.

So, to water it all down for you, if your opponent has a 10k Vanguard, what are the magic numbers? 15k, 20k, 25k and so on, right. Now what about an 11k Vanguard?

11000 Power

---21k

-20k

-19k

-18k

-17k

---16k

-15k

-14k

-13k

-12k

---11k

The numbers change by just +1k, but that +1k makes all the difference in the world. Now 10k vanilla G2's can't even hit them without booster or trigger support. They're the reason why people run the G3's that gain +2k when they attack. That simple increase in magic numbers from 10k, 15k, 20k to 11k, 16k, 21k is literally what shapes the competitive scheme of Vanguard and dictates what units people choose to put within their decks. With the existence of 11k's, competitive players pick units that set up 16k columns, just to hit that magic number. The 15k column that used to force 10k shield against 10k Vanguards now forces only 5k against 11k Vanguards.

And now for Crossrides...

13000 Power

---23k

-22k

-21k

-20k

-19k

---18k

-17k

-16k

-15k

-14k

---13k

This is what really broke the game. The bar was raised once again by the existence of G3's that gain +2k ON BOTH PLAYERS TURNS when they have a specific unit in the soul. Remember all that hubbub I was making about a simple increase in 1k power? Think about the noise when you take that increase and increase it again by +2k. Now the magic number people are looking at is 18k. But to attain that, that requires a 10k and 8k booster, which is very difficult to consistently make. It's pretty insane.

Finally, I'll talk about magic numbers for rear guards. Yes, rear guards have magic numbers just like every unit does, and it's important to not ignore them. Here let me give you an example.

Okay, if anybody has played against Oracle Think Tank for an extended period of time, they should know how annoying and deadly Silent Tom is, and if you leave him untouched, the unnecessary damage he does to you could be too much to come back from. Now, look at this situation. You're hitting good numbers against the Vanguard Wiseman, 15k with Garuda, and 18k with Thunderstorm. So let's say you attack Wiseman with Garuda, he doesn't guard, and neither player gets any triggers. Now it's Thunderstorm's turn to attack, but what should you do? Should you go after Wiseman or Tom? Well, going after Wiseman really isn't a bad play if he doesn't guard, since more damage = closer to victory. But think about next turn, when he rides to Grade 3 and gets his Twin Drive. If he gets a Critical Trigger, (assuming you don't guard) that's 2 damage to you already, and unless you have a Perfect Guard, that 21k Tom column is giving you a 3rd damage just like that. So really what you should do is look at Tom's magic numbers.

---18k

-17k

-16k

-15k

-14k

---13k

-12k

-11k

-10k

-9k

---8k

Being an 8k is what gives Tom his weakness, being weak offensively and defensively. In this case, you're exploiting his defensive weakness, because your Thunderstorm column is hitting for 18k, hitting that magic number. So in this case, if you go after Tom with Thunderstorm, he'll either lose Tom, or waste 15k shield saving him, which is really a win-win for you.

Rear guards shouldn't be disregarded in terms of magic numbers. If you have that 18k or 19k column, it gives you more options to go after rear guards if they're bothering you or if your opponent damage checks a trigger.

Understanding those 5k increments in magic numbers will help you set up your columns more intelligently. Learn them as quickly as you can, as they're the hidden foundation of Vanguard.

Next Week - Fundamentals of Vanguard Vol. 3

The Fundamentals of Vanguard Vol. 1 - Know your Matchup

So, let me give you guys some insight into how I got into Vanguard before I start this off, you know, for shits and giggles. I come from a heavy Yu-Gi-Oh! background. I started playing when I was maybe 12-13 or so. I was pretty terrible, but I did eventually learn the concept of staples, deck structure, etc. etc. I quit for maybe 3 or so years before I decided to jump back in when Synchros were in high gear. I played Psychics, Crystal Beasts, and a bit of Evols before I finally decided to abandon ship around Summer of 2012.

That's when I noticed my friends at my Card Shop were playing a new game. I had heard of Vanguard before, but had never seen it actually in front of me being played. After a few more weeks, I was sold, and I finally decided to buy a Narukami Trial Deck and start my Vanguard career. That's also right about the time we decided to switch our usual Card Shop, switching from Collector's Cache in Lenexa, KS (which ironically is where you will find 2012 WCQ Champion Tyler Tabman. Who is a dick.) to Spanky's Card Shop in KC, MO. Don't ever buy or go to Collector's Cache, their prices and policies all suck. So, with a new shop and a new game to start on, I began delving into the world of Vanguard, and now it's my turn to share.

Know your Matchup (I'm totally copying off Chan b/c I learned first from him)

Not many people consider this to be a very essential part of the game, since most clans are "generally" the same except for a few key cards. However, not knowing the difference between Oracle Think Tank and Spike Brothers can lead to a very swift death.

Let me give you a simple scenario. This is your field.

And this is your hand.

Alright, so in our hand, we have a 12k attacker, 9k attacker, an 8k booster, and a 6k booster. Now, let's say you're playing against Alfred Royal Paladins. With your 4 empty rear-guard spaces, where should you call each unit?

After giving you some time to think, this is what your field should look like.

So, why like this, you ask?

Well, in Alfred Royal Paladins, and Royal Paladins in general, almost all of their grade 3 Vanguards are 10k. So, with us knowing their Vanguard will be 10k, we can set up our columns to force the most shield out of the opponent. The Tripp column on the right hits for 15k, forcing a 10k shield, and the Destroyer column on the left hits for 20k, forcing 15k shield (You'll learn about Magic Numbers and Guarding soon). With this arrangement, (let's assume they don't guard Sagramore) you force out 25k guard, without even accounting for triggers. Now, what if Gareth and Dindrane swap places with each other? Well, it looks solid enough, the left column hitting 18k and the right hitting 17k, but against a 10k vanguard, that forces out 20k shield, whereas our previous set-up forced out 25k. The name of the game is to force out the most shield, and apply as much pressure as you can to your opponent. The more shield you can force out, the closer your opponent will hit that 6th damage.

So, how is this all supposed to work? How do you know to set up your field like this? You have to know the matchup. If you know your opponent is playing Royal Paladin, and 99% of the time, the highest their Vanguard gets is 10k, then you set up your columns to hit 15k and 20k. If you know your opponent is playing Nova Grappler, and 99% of the time of the time, their Vanguard is going to be Asura Kaiser, Azure Dragon, Stern Blaukruger, something with 11k, then you set up your columns to hit 16k and 21k. Know is the key word here. You know what you're playing against the second they flip over their starting Vanguard, and as soon as you know that, you start building up your field to hit as hard as it can.

Part of what makes this fundamental is that it applies in every situation. No matter what clan you're playing with, the idea of knowing what you're up against and setting yourself up accordingly is universal. It's something that can be applied everywhere, and once you learn and master the concept, you get that much better at the game.

This next example is a bit more difficult, but should hopefully teach a little bit more.

Again, this is your field.

And this is your hand.

Now let's say you're up against Spike Brothers. It's your turn to ride to grade 3. Which do you choose, Thunder Break Dragon or Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion?










 
The answer may surprise you, but Thunder Break Dragon is your go-to guy in this situation. Okay, so why Thunder Break? We'll let's look at it this way. Vermillion killing the entire front row is great against most other decks, but in the case of Spike Brothers, they actually want their front row empty. Most of the time, if Dudley Emperor has performed his Limit Break, and the two Juggernaut Maximums have soulblasted their way back into the deck, there's nothing to Vermillion Thunderbolt in the first place. Thunder Break instead goes after boosters with his skill, which is absolutely crippling for Spike Brothers. Also note that Dudley Emperor is 10k, and Thunder Break looooooooooooves to harass the fuck out of 10k Vanguards. With Photon Bomber behind him, your late game is going to be 25k attack after 25k attack after 25k attack...you get the picture. Also Vermillion's 11k defense really has no effect here, considering that a soulblasted Juggernaut/Brakki hits for the same numbers against Mr. 10k Thunder Break over here.

This requires much more experience and understanding of the gamestate to understand, but it just shows how far this fundamental aspect of the game can be taken.

Thanks for reading!

Next week - Fundamentals of Vanguard Vol. 2

Hello!

Hi,

So this is my Blog. I finally got around to making this post after spending 2 hours on the background. It probably sucks.

I'll be attempting to post Vanguard content here on a regular basis. Content will probably contain Deck Profiles, Tournament Reports, and even intricate things to simply get better at the game. I may also use it as an opinion column, to respond to the constantly changing gamestate and metagame of Vanguard. My next post should simply be my personal tips at getting better at certain aspects of Vanguard, such as Attacking, Defending, Mulligan-ing, and some other stuff.

Last bit to put here. I know I'm not the most knowledgeable or well-known player in Vanguard, but I feel like every player holds their own personal views and insights into the game, and all of them are equally helpful and interesting. No one person is more "right" than someone else, so don't think you're doing it wrong just because someone else says you are and he has a fancy schmancy Blog or YouTube channel. Listen to yourself, take criticism when needed (seriously, everyone needs some at some point), and play the game your way.

Hope you enjoy the Blog!