Table of Contents
Introduction
If you’re looking for a deck that’s both resilient and hard-hitting, OP13-002-portgasdace is a leader worth trying. With 6000 power and an ability that weakens enemy attacks while refilling your hand, Ace can consistently outlast opponents and maintain card advantage into the late game. He has already proven to be one of the strongest contenders in the current meta, standing alongside fellow OP13 leader OP13-079-imu and OP12 staples like OP12-001-silvers-rayleigh and OP12-020-roronoa-zoro.
Welcome to your complete deckbuilding guide for OP13-002-portgasdace, a versatile Red/Blue leader in the OP13 format. This guide will walk you through the deck’s core strategies, essential card choices, and flexible tech options. Centered on Whitebeard Pirates synergy and power manipulation mechanics, this value-oriented deck combines resilience with a relentless game plan, making it a strong contender in the current meta.
- Deck Core – The essential cards that every OP13-002-portgasdace deck relies on, forming the backbone of the deck’s strategy.
- Tech Cards – Flexible options that let you adjust the deck for specific matchups or to suit your personal playstyle.
- Sample Decklists – Competitive builds that showcase how OP13-002-portgasdace’s core and tech choices come together.
OP13-002-portgasdace as a Red/Blue leader gains access to some of the strongest Whitebeard Pirates support available in both colors, most notably OP02-004-edwardnewgate and OP13-042-edwardnewgate. The deck also benefits from easily searchable 2000 counters, providing excellent defensive flexibility. Combined with his 6000-power baseline, Ace naturally pressures opponents by forcing them to overcommit resources just to land successful attacks.
What makes OP13-002-portgasdace unique is his ability to comfortably run cards without counters, thanks to his built-in defense. Once per turn, when the opponent attacks, you may discard a card from your hand to reduce their Leader or Character’s power by 2000 for that battle. This functions as a pseudo-2000 counter, letting you defend efficiently without relying solely on counter-heavy hands.
Although Ace starts with only 3 life, he makes up for it through consistent card advantage. Whenever you lose a life or one of your Characters with 6000 power or more is knocked out, you draw a card. This offsets the typical drawback of low-life leaders and keeps him resourceful enough to compete with leaders that begin with 4 or more life.
With this built-in resiliency, Ace is almost guaranteed to reach the late game, where the deck shines the most. The game plan is simple but powerful: disrupt the opponent’s board in the early to mid game, then overwhelm them with consecutive Boss units that dismantle their setup and secure victory through relentless pressure.
So if you want to see just how strong OP13-002-portgasdace truly is, get your boats ready, we’re building this deck card by card to showcase the full power of Whitebeard’s 2nd Division Commander.
Core Cards
Every strong OP13-002-portgasdace deck begins with a solid core. These essential cards drive Ace’s strategy by consistently searching out key Whitebeard Pirate pieces, maintaining pressure on the board, and steadily draining your opponent’s resources until they’re left with no way to recover.
Low-Cost Staple: The Searchers
The card that elevates this deck’s resource management is ST22-002-izo, a powerful new 1-cost searcher and hand filter for Whitebeard Pirates decks. Its [On Play] effect lets you look at the top five cards of your deck and add a Whitebeard Pirates card to your hand, excluding another copy of Izo. This makes it easy to find key pieces like PRB02-008-marco or ST22-015-i-am-whitebeard, greatly improving consistency in the early and mid-game while setting up a smoother path into the late game.
On defense, Izo can also be trashed during an opponent’s attack to let you draw a card, then place one from your hand at the bottom of your deck. This ability makes it an excellent unbricking tool for OP13-002-portgasdace, providing efficient hand filtering without losing real card advantage and directly reinforcing the deck’s overall strategy.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
A powerful new searcher for Three Brothers red decks, OP13-016-monkeydgarp is a 1-cost card that significantly improves the consistency of OP13-002-portgasdace. Its [On Play] effect lets you look at the top four cards of your deck, choose one card with a cost of 3 or higher to add to your hand, and place the rest at the bottom. This makes Garp a versatile universal searcher, capable of finding both Whitebeard Pirates and other key pieces. When paired with Ace’s easy-to-activate effect, Garp becomes a flexible tool that fits naturally into different deck builds and playstyles.
Beyond consistency, Garp shines in helping you find exactly what you need at every stage of the game. In the mid-game, it can fetch stabilizers like PRB02-008-marco or OP13-054-yamato to establish a solid board and maintain hand advantage. In the late game, it can search for finishers such as ST22-015-i-am-whitebeard when combined with OP08-043-edwardnewgate or OP13-042-edwardnewgate. Uniquely, it also provides reliable access to OP09-118-goldroger, one of the deck’s strongest closers, making it a must-have inclusion in competitive builds.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Defensive Option: The 2k Counters
The first card is ST23-001-uta, a 6-cost [Blocker] whose cost can be reduced if you already control a 10000-power character—often making her effectively a 2-cost [Blocker]. This efficiency makes her an invaluable defensive tool, capable of shutting down big pushes or buying an extra turn in the late game. Beyond her blocking power, Uta also functions as a searchable 2000 counter through OP13-016-monkeydgarp, giving her consistent utility at every stage of the game.
Run 3-4 copies as recommended.
Next is OP02-008-jozu, the most searchable 2000 counter in the deck thanks to [Next is OP02-008-jozu, the most consistently searchable 2000 counter in the deck thanks to OP13-016-monkeydgarp and ST22-002-izo. This makes him a dependable option for protecting both your leader and key characters. Although his [Rush] ability can occasionally swing momentum in your favor, Jozu is typically more valuable when held in hand as the deck’s go-to 2000 counter.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Finally, we have OP13-043-otama, a 1-cost, non-searchable 2000 counter that adds valuable versatility to the deck. Her [On Play] effect lets you draw 2 cards and then discard 1 if your leader has 3 or less life. Since OP13-002-portgasdace starts the game with only 3 life, this condition is always active. This makes Otama a flexible card—she can either provide efficient hand filtering when you need stronger options or stay in your hand as a dependable 2000 counter for defense.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Mid-Game Anchor: The Stabilizers
A defensive cornerstone in OP13-002-portgasdace decks, PRB02-008-marco is a searchable 4-cost, 6000-power [Blocker] that makes defending safer while forcing opponents to commit extra resources to remove it. When Marco is knocked out, its [On K.O.] effect allows you to draw 2 cards, perfectly complementing its [Blocker] role.
Additionally, Marco’s 6000 power naturally triggers OP13-002-portgasdace’s [Once Per Turn] ability to draw 1 more card. This means Marco alone can generate the equivalent of 3 cards worth of value, giving you a massive hand advantage. That resource lead becomes especially impactful in the mid-to-late game, where extra options allow you to consistently outlast and outvalue your opponent.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
OP13-054-yamato is a powerful 5-cost curve play that provides both value and tempo. Its [On Play] effect lets you draw 2 cards if you have 3 or fewer life cards—a condition always guaranteed since OP13-002-portgasdace starts the game with only 3 life. On top of that, Yamato also adds 1 rested DON!! to your leader, which directly enables Ace’s ability to draw 1 card whenever you take damage or when a 6000-power or higher character is K.O.’d. With Yamato itself being a 6000-power unit, the synergy between the two is seamless.
Together, Ace and Yamato naturally fulfill each other’s conditions, making their costs negligible compared to the immense value they generate. This pairing allows the deck to establish a strong mid-game board, apply constant pressure, and still maintain a healthy hand advantage.
Run 2-4 copies as recommended.
I Am Whitebeard!! : The MVP
The centerpiece of the deck is ST22-015-i-am-whitebeard, a game-changing event that lets you cheat out an Edward Newgate from your hand as long as your leader has the Whitebeard Pirates typing. It also gives you the option to increase your leader’s power by 2000, effectively turning OP13-002-portgasdace into an 8000-power leader after taking a card from the top or bottom of your life. This boost is situational but valuable, since reaching that power threshold is rare. More importantly, the extra card drawn provides additional options for your hand. If the effect would negatively impact your board state, you can simply skip the boost, making the card highly flexible and adaptable to different game situations.
Its [Main] effect is what truly sets it apart, allowing you to deploy massive late-game boss units ahead of curve. Options include the devastating OP08-043-edwardnewgate, which completely shuts down your opponent’s attack turn, or the resilient [Blocker] OP13-042-edwardnewgate, both of which give your board an immediate power spike. Without this card, OP13-002-portgasdace would likely sit a full tier lower in the current meta, cementing ST22-015-i-am-whitebeard as the deck’s undisputed MVP.
By cheating out a 10-cost unit while you still have only 8 DON!!, this card lets you establish overwhelming threats earlier than your opponent, breaking down both their board and their hand until they run out of options. This makes it one of the strongest tools not only against meta powerhouses like OP13-079-imu and OP13-003-goldroger, but also for flipping tough matchups such as OP12-020-roronoa-zoro into winnable games.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Win-Condition: The Finishers
OP08-043-edwardnewgate is a 10-cost, 12000-power powerhouse and one of the strongest board-control options in the game. Its [On Play] effect forces your opponent to trash 2 cards from their hand if they attempt to attack with a character on their next turn. This effect only activates if your leader has the Whitebeard Pirates typing and you are at 2 or less life—a condition that OP13-002-portgasdace meets easily, since he is a Whitebeard Pirate and starts with only 3 life. By taxing your opponent’s hand this way, Edward Newgate drains their resources and punishes overcommitted attacks, often leaving them defenseless against your counterpressure.
This card is especially effective against wide-board decks like OP13-079-imu and OP12-001-silvers-rayleigh. By discouraging multiple swings, it acts like a pseudo-blocker, slowing down aggression and buying you valuable time. When paired with ST22-015-i-am-whitebeard, you can cheat it into play ahead of curve, gaining a crucial turn to set up follow-up defenses such as OP13-042-edwardnewgate and PRB02-008-marco to firmly secure board control. However, it is important to note that this effect does not apply to newly played units, so remain cautious against [Rush] characters that can bypass its restriction.
Run 2-4 copies as recommended.
A newly released defensive powerhouse, OP13-042-edwardnewgate was introduced alongside OP13-002-portgasdace as its dedicated support card. This 10-cost, 12000-power [Blocker] offers immense value the moment it enters the field. Its [On Play] effect lets you draw 2 cards and then trash 1, providing critical hand filtering that becomes especially valuable in the later stages of the game when resources run thin. On top of that, it immediately enhance your board tempo by attaching 2 rested DON!! to your leader and another 2 to one of your characters, creating 4 DON!! worth of pressure instantly. This synergy makes it a perfect target for ST22-015-i-am-whitebeard, allowing you to stabilize, defend, and transition into the late game while maintaining board presence.
In most matchups, OP13-042-edwardnewgate is the preferred version to cheat out since it provides both card advantage and a massive [Blocker] that doubles as a heavy attacker. However, when facing opponents who already have a wide board established, OP08-043-edwardnewgate can often be the safer choice. Its ability to completely halt your opponent’s next attack turn can buy the time you need to establish additional blockers like PRB02-008-marco or OP13-042-edwardnewgate in the following turns.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
The ultimate endgame closer for this deck is OP09-118-goldroger, a 10-cost, 13000-power [Rush] character with one of the most threatening aura effects in the game. Whenever your opponent activates a [Blocker] while either player has 0 life cards remaining, you immediately win the game. In practice, this turns every one of your attacks into an unblockable threat, perfectly complementing OP13-002-portgasdace’s overall strategy of surviving into the late game, building a board of heavy hitters like OP13-042-edwardnewgate and OP08-043-edwardnewgate, and then closing out with Gol D. Roger.
This card shines brightest against decks that rely on blockers as their final layer of defense when they are down to 1 life. Popular defensive staples such as OP13-079-imu or OP07-019-jewelry-bonney are rendered completely useless by Roger’s effect, forcing your opponent to rely exclusively on hand counters to survive. This makes every swing more punishing, as they can no longer stall out your attacks by simply dropping a blocker.
Even though OP09-118-goldroger is not a Whitebeard Pirates character and therefore falls outside of some archetypal synergies, he remains easy to search and play thanks to OP13-016-monkeydgarp. This consistency, combined with his unmatched closing power, makes Gol D. Roger the definitive win condition for the deck—turning a stable board state into a guaranteed victory the moment he hits the field.
Run 1-4 copies as recommended.
Tech Cards
With the core of the OP13-002-portgasdace deck firmly established, it’s time to dive into Tech Cards. Thanks to the deck’s flexibility, there are plenty of options to explore, allowing you to fine-tune your strategy and adapt to whatever threats the current meta presents.
Most Popular
When it comes to popular and effective tech options, two strong contenders stand out: OP08-047-jozu and EB02-006-yamato. Both come in at the 6-cost slot but play entirely different roles, making them valuable depending on the matchup.
Starting with the aggressive choice, EB02-006-yamato is a consistent mid-game attacker that immediately applies pressure the moment she hits the field. Thanks to her [Activate: Main] effect, once per turn you may attach 1 rested DON!! to your leader while Yamato herself gains the [Rush] keyword. This creates explosive tempo swings by enabling OP13-002-portgasdace’s draw effect and threatening the opponent with two 7000-power attacks in the same turn Yamato is played. Few mid-cost units can replicate this level of instant value while also advancing your leader’s draw engine.
Her utility doesn’t end on the turn she’s summoned either. Even after her initial impact, Yamato’s [Activate: Main] remains a constant source of pressure, letting you maintain offensive momentum while fueling Ace’s effect turn after turn. Against decks that focus on dragging games out by carefully preserving life and resources—such as OP13-079-imu—this becomes invaluable, as Yamato forces them to respond to repeated high-power swings instead of stabilizing at their own pace.
Another underrated aspect of EB02-006-yamato is her role as a pseudo-blocker. Because she represents such a recurring threat, opponents cannot afford to ignore her, often dedicating one or more attacks to remove her as soon as possible. This not only buys you breathing room but also preserves your actual blockers for later turns, creating a subtle but effective defensive benefit.
Altogether, Yamato offers a balance of proactive aggression and indirect defense that few other techs can match. For players looking to lean into Ace’s natural tempo and keep the board state in their favor, she is one of the strongest flex picks available in the current meta.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
On the other hand, OP08-047-jozu is the go-to tech option for players who prefer a more resource-conscious and control-oriented playstyle. His [On Play] effect allows you to return one of your own characters to your hand in order to bounce an opposing character with a cost of 6 or less back to its owner’s hand. This creates a versatile tempo swing, removing key blockers or disruptive units from the board while also giving you the chance to recycle your own utility characters for extra value.
Targets like OP13-016-monkeydgarp and ST22-002-izo become even more impactful with Jozu, as he essentially grants you additional search or draw activations when you replay them. Even OP13-043-otama becomes a clever bounce target, letting you recycle her filtering ability and then hold her in hand as a valuable 2000 counter. By combining disruption with card advantage, Jozu not only slows down your opponent’s momentum but also helps you maintain a steady flow of resources—something especially important in longer games and OP13-002-portgasdace mirror matches.
Beyond his utility, Jozu also brings raw staying power to the board. Sitting at 7000 power, he is awkward for opponents to efficiently deal with, often demanding multiple attacks or high-cost counters. Left unchecked, Jozu can chip away at life cards or threaten opponent's key units over several turns. This makes him a “sticky” presence that subtly pressures the opponent, even if he doesn’t carry the same immediate explosiveness as EB02-006-yamato.
Perfectly, Jozu thrives in games where careful resource cycling and tempo management matter more than raw aggression. Against slower decks or in matchups where mid-game stability is the deciding factor, he becomes one of the most valuable tech inclusions you can run.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
Searchable 2k Counter
If you’re short on copies of the core 2000 counter cards, these Whitebeard Pirate options serve as reliable alternatives. Since they’re searchable with both OP13-016-monkeydgarp and ST22-002-izo, they not only fill the defensive role but also improve the deck’s overall consistency and resiliency.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
Utility Cards
A standout tech choice for OP13-002-portgasdace decks is OP06-047-charlotte-pudding. Her [On Play] effect forces your opponent to return their entire hand to their deck, shuffle, and then redraw 5 cards. This type of hand reset is one of the most disruptive effects in the game, completely undoing the advantage of opponents who have spent turns carefully sculpting a strong hand. When timed correctly, Pudding can swing the momentum of a match instantly, denying key counters, boss units, or finishers right before they can be used.
She is particularly devastating in OP13-002-portgasdace mirror matches, where both players often build up massive hand advantage through Marco, Yamato, and Ace’s leader effect. By resetting their resources, Pudding can effectively cut off their late-game plan and give you a decisive edge. She also punishes decks that rely heavily on holding a wide range of options, such as OP13-079-imu or OP07-019-jewelry-bonney, turning their biggest strength into a sudden weakness.
Because of her disruptive power and ability to cripple even the strongest setups, Charlotte Pudding stands out as one of the most dangerous and high-impact techs you can include in this deck.
Run 0-2 copies depending on personal preference.
An excellent aggressive draw engine tech for OP13-002-portgasdace is OP10-045-cavendish. At 4-cost and 6000 power, he hits the ideal curve for mid-game pressure while offering a strong [When Attacking] effect: once per turn, you may draw 2 cards and then trash 1 card from your hand. This hand-filtering engine synergizes perfectly with Ace’s strategy of maintaining card advantage while pushing tempo, ensuring that your resources never run dry.
Because Cavendish sits at 6000 power, he’s resilient enough to demand committed answers from your opponent. Left unchecked, his recurring draw every turn steadily snowballs your advantage, making him one of the few mid-cost characters who can continuously generate value without requiring additional setup. More often than not, Cavendish functions like a pseudo-[Blocker]—opponents are pressured to deal with him immediately, redirecting their attacks away from your leader or bigger boss units. This creates windows for you to stabilize, develop your board, and prepare for late-game closers like OP09-118-goldroger.
By combining consistent card draw with meaningful board presence, Cavendish adds another proactive dimension to the deck, rewarding aggressive play while reinforcing Ace’s naturally defensive toolkit.
Run 0-2 copies depending on personal preference.
Tech Events
OP01-029-radical-beam is a staple 1-cost event counter that scales in value as the game progresses. At its base, it provides a solid +2000 counter, but if you are at 2 or fewer life, it instead grants +4000—an incredibly efficient defensive boost. Since OP13-002-portgasdace begins the game with only 3 life, this enhanced effect is almost always online, making Radical Beam one of the most reliable late-game survival tools in the deck.
Its [Trigger] effect, which allows you to give your leader +1000 power during your opponent’s turn, can occasionally come in handy, but Radical Beam shines brightest when kept in hand as a flexible counter. The ability to stop lethal pushes or preserve key boss units for another turn is invaluable, especially in a deck built around reaching the late game.
By combining low cost with high defensive efficiency, Radical Beam fits perfectly into Ace’s strategy of outlasting opponents and forcing them to overcommit resources just to push through damage.
Run 0-3 copies depending on personal preference.
For dealing with high-cost threats, OP04-056-gum-gum-red-roc is one of the strongest removal tech cards you can include. Its [Main] effect allows you to place any opposing character on the bottom of their deck for just 6 DON!!, giving you a clean answer to nearly any boss unit. This can completely swing the game in your favor—whether it’s removing OP06-118-roronoa-zoro from green decks, eliminating a 10-cost “Edward Newgate,” or shutting down a late-game OP09-118-goldroger in mirror matches.
On top of that, its [Trigger] effect places a 4-cost or lower character on the bottom of the deck, making it a great defensive tool against aggressive decks like OP12-001-silvers-rayleigh. However, in matchups where your opponent’s win condition relies on bigger boss units, it’s usually better not to activate the trigger immediately. Instead, hold Red Roc in hand to ensure you can remove their late-game threats when it matters most.
Run 0-1 copies depending on personal preference.
Sample Deck Lists
Decklist Placement: Bandai OPFest 3v3; Placement: 1st Place
This decklist makes use of several tech options to balance its playstyle and adapt to different matchups. It runs both OP08-047-jozu and EB02-006-yamato in nearly equal ratios, providing a mix of control and aggression. To add even more value and mid-game pressure—crucial for winning mirror matches in the current meta—the deck also includes OP10-045-cavendish. On top of that, it features situational tools like OP06-047-charlotte-pudding for hand disruption and OP04-056-gum-gum-red-roc for removing high-cost threats such as OP13-042-edwardnewgate or OP09-118-goldroger.
Decklist Placement: Overseas_Event 3v3; Placement: 1st Place
This OP13-002-portgasdace decklist emphasizes resiliency, running a full 12 cards with 2000 counter alongside OP01-029-radical-beam for additional defensive power. With this setup, the deck can consistently withstand aggressive pushes and preserve its resources for late-game swings. A standout tech choice is OP02-004-edwardnewgate, which temporarily boosts the leader’s power from 6000 to 8000. This not only stalls opponents during critical turns but also creates the breathing room needed to establish a massive, game-ending board presence.
Decklist Placement: Bandai OPFest 3v3; Placement: Top 4
This build enhances its mid-game aggression through EB02-006-yamato and OP10-045-cavendish, while also including alternative searchable 2000 counters like ST15-004-thatch and OP12-002-edwardnewgate. Even without some of the core cards, this version still proves to be a powerful contender, especially in matchups against decks like OP13-079-imu.
Conclusion
To wrap up, OP13-002-portgasdace stands out as one of the most resilient yet explosive leaders in the OP13 format. With a natural 6000-power baseline and effects that both reduce enemy power and refill your hand, Ace thrives in grinding through the early and mid game before unleashing devastating finishers. Sequencing searchers like ST22-002-izo and OP13-016-monkeydgarp, stabilizing with PRB02-008-marco and OP13-054-yamato, and timing your MVP ST22-015-i-am-whitebeard to cheat in boss units such as OP08-043-edwardnewgate or OP13-042-edwardnewgate allows you to consistently outlast opponents and swing the game when it matters most.
Ace embodies a deck with a straightforward yet inevitable gameplan: survive, preserve resources, build tempo, then strike with overwhelming firepower. What looks like a weakness, starting at 3 life, turns into his greatest weapon, fueling consistent card advantage and relentless pressure that few decks can match.
Light up the battlefield, rally the Whitebeard Pirates, and show your opponent the true firepower of Portgas D. Ace. Once the fire starts, there is no putting it out.
