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The official Bandai Namco announcement for banned or restricted cards in One Piece OP06 Meta is just around the corner. Players are left to speculate which of the meta-breaking cards will get hit. Decks like Sakazuki, Black Moria, and Katakuri have dominated the OP6 meta, thanks to their access to solid cards that grant them a significant advantage over other decks.
Explanation of Banned and Restricted cards from One Piece Card Game's official website: "When a card is a “Banned Card” it is not permitted at all in decks used, while a “Restricted Card” means only 1 of that card is permitted in the deck."
As for Errata cards: "Errata Cards are cards which have their text changed due to misprints, to clarify translation or wording, or to adjust game balance."
In this article, I'll delve into the cards that have defined the meta in the OP6 JP format, as well as those that have been frustrating for players to play against.
It's important to note that I'm not advocating for the banning or restricting of all these cards. Rather, I'm shedding light on what might be on Bandai's radar or what different parts of the community want to see addressed. Let's dive in!
8c Gecko Moria
Let's kick it off with 8c Gecko Moria, arguably the strongest card in the OP-06 release.
8c Gecko Moria is a powerful late-game play that allows players to bring Characters from the Trash onto the board. This ability has made Gecko Moria a staple card in decks like Sakazuki, Perona, Black Gecko Moria, and B/Y Luffy.
The board pressure coupled with the synergistic effect of two Characters from the Trash has solidified Gecko Moria as one of the strongest late-game plays, boosting various archetypes. This has led to a massive representation of both Sakazuki and Black Gecko Moria in the OP6 meta.
Consequently, there's widespread anticipation that Gecko Moria might face some form of restriction. A Ban or Restriction would tone down the late-game dominance of Black decks, leading to a significant shift in the meta and opening up opportunities for other archetypes to shine.
Although challenging to change text, limiting Moria to Thriller Bark Pirates Leaders could be another approach to keep it in check.
200,000,000 V Amaru
One of the strongest cards in Yellow that enables you to set up the finisher play. Yellow decks such as Katakuri and Enel often struggle against blockers, and Amaru is the perfect solution. The ability to rest one of those 4 cost blockers and pave the way for your Character to connect with the opponent's Leader can set up the winning play. Moreover, the +3000 Power provides an additional boost during your attack, offsetting the Power decrease resulting from spending 2 Don!!!
Amaru acts as a defensive option when its Trigger effect is activated, providing an extra Life Card for Yellow decks. This makes it exceptionally difficult for opponents to set up the finishing blow. Amaru's versatility allows it to be effectively utilized both offensively and defensively.
The community's stance on Amaru remains divided. While some advocate for its restriction, others argue that it serves as an indispensable component in Katakuri and Enel decks, essential for closing out games.
Rebecca
Rebecca stands out as a high-value card in the popular Sakazuki deck, offering the dual benefit of setting up a blocker and deploying a cost-reduction Character like Hina simultaneously. This synergistic play enhances the effectiveness of Sakazuki's removal tools while maintaining a defensive presence on the board.
However, banning or restricting 4c Rebecca means it'll be a huge blow for the Black/Blue Rebecca deck, which already struggles to compete with the dominant meta decks.
Unlikely, but an alternative solution is errata, limiting Rebecca to Dressrosa. This keeps 4c Rebecca relevant in decks like Black/Blue Rebecca.
10C Charlotte Linlin
I'm not keen on touching 10c Big Mom in any shape or form. However, there has been a notable uptick in complaints from part of the community regarding Yellow decks, particularly, Katakuri.
Charlotte Linlin is a high-cost Character that'll spend all your Don!!! to bring onto the field. While this investment may lead to a potentially weak defensive turn, the payoff of gaining a Life Card while your opponent trashes one constitutes a significant swing in value.
She plays a crucial role in keeping various Yellow decks relevant. If we see a card restriction, I prefer if Big Mom is restricted to 2 copies, keeping her as a viable late-game win condition. However, card restriction means 1 copy is only allowed unless that rule is changed.
Hound Blaze
Sakazuki deck has garnered hate due to its dominance across multiple metas, leaving players sick of going up against it. Hound Blaze is a great low-cost removal card to deal with an opponent's Character. The fact that Hound Blaze removes a Character from play and places it at the bottom of the opponent's deck instead of K.O. means it can deal with Characters like 4c Borsalino and 5c Black Sabo.
Hound Blaze is one of the top-performing cards in Sakazuki decks, playing a pivotal role in keeping the deck at the top of the meta. Losing access to that low-cost removal should impact the overall strength of the deck and tone down its board control capabilities.
Ana Murakumo will most likely be the replacement for Hound Blaze, but Sakazuki will lose that +3000 Power aggression that Hound Blaze provided.
Capone Bege
While I'm not the biggest fan of restricting Capone Bege, many players have voiced concerns that it should be limited. Personally, I don't think restricting Capone Bege to just one copy is necessary.
Typically, players don't drop Capone Bege on the board; instead, they primarily include it in Yellow decks for its +2000 Counter and Trigger effect.
When its Trigger effect kicks in, stopping a Character or Leader from attacking can completely change the game, giving you an extra turn to snatch victory. In the late game, both Enel and Katakuri heavily rely on Capone Bege to buy them more time.
Closing Words
Many players have raised concerns about other cards like Ice Age and Rob Lucci. Although they didn't make the list, they're still powerful cards that enable the Sakazuki deck.
There hasn't been any official announcement yet regarding the banned or restricted cards, we'll have to wait until the 3rd of March.
