Table of Contents [Show]
Welcome to your comprehensive deckbuilding guide for OP05-002-belo-betty, the only non-Luffy leader in the top tiers of the OP11 format. This guide dives into the core strategies, essential card choices, and potent tech options that define this powerful Revolutionary Army deck. We'll explore:
- Deck Core: Cards that are absolute must-includes or found in nearly every winning list.
- Adaptive Core: Strong cards commonly used but can be swapped based on the evolving meta.
- Tech Cards: Specialized options for fine-tuning your deck against specific matchups or for personal playstyle and surprise factor.
- Sample Decklists: Practical examples of how the cards are integrated, showcasing various builds optimized for different meta considerations and playstyles.
OP05-002-belo-betty is the quintessential definition of a glass cannon: a hyper-aggressive combo machine designed to overwhelm opponents before they can even react. Your primary game plan revolves around rapidly populating your board with a swarm of Revolutionary Army characters, then leveraging your leader's powerful ability to transform these units into monstrous threats. Getting your board swarmers, like OP05-004-emporioivankov and OP06-003-emporioivankov, into play early is absolutely critical. They act as the catalyst, allowing you to flood the board with your combo pieces, setting the stage for explosive turns where multiple characters swing for massive damage, forcing your opponent to burn through their entire hand just to survive.
This relentless, all-in approach means that while your offensive potential is immense, you are inherently vulnerable, often sacrificing hand size for immediate board presence and power. Opponents will quickly learn that a "starve" game plan, avoiding attacks on your life to drain your hand of counters, is their best bet. This is precisely why the core of competitive winning OP05-002-belo-betty lists remains remarkably consistent, with very little room for flex or "tech" options. For an aggressive combo deck to truly shine, every card must contribute to maximizing consistency and executing its game plan with surgical precision, leaving no room for wasted draws or inefficient plays.
Join me as we explore every card in this deck's core, along with potential tech options, to truly master the art of the OP05-002-belo-betty rushdown!
Board Swarming Core
These characters excel at rapidly populating your board, creating multiple threats that can be buffed by your leader.
OP05-004-emporioivankov is a powerhouse for aggressive plays. By boosting him with your leader, you essentially get a 2-for-1 deal, instantly developing your board and setting up powerful follow-up attacks or defensive blockers. He synergizes beautifully with your main offensive units; you can play OP05-005-karasu to instantly drop an opposing leader's power, forcing them to burn more counters, or bring out OP05-003-inazuma for a surprise rush attack from hand. Sometimes, you just need to flood the board with any Revolutionary Army unit to build a solid presence and prepare for an overwhelming attack next turn.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
OP06-003-emporioivankov offers similar game-breaking synergies to his 4-cost counterpart, even having the ability to play OP05-004-emporioivankov herself, kickstarting a devastating chain of combo summons. These two Ivankovs are often what you're praying for in your opening hand. If you're going second (evens), you'll want OP05-004-emporioivankov to start your board presence early, while OP06-003-emporioivankov is your go-to when going first (odds), as he lets you immediately swarm the board and set the pace of the game.
Run 2-4 copies depending on your comfortability of having more counterless cards in the deck. I'd personally recommend a minimum of 3 copies.
Consistency Core
These are the unsung heroes that keep your engine running smoothly, ensuring you always find the right cards, refine your hand, and maintain enough fuel to outlast your opponent.
In this deck, even your smallest units can suddenly become formidable attackers thanks to your leader's ability. This means OP05-015-belo-betty does double duty: she searches for crucial cards and puts a body on the board that can be buffed into an attacker in later turns. Playing multiple copies of OP05-015-belo-betty early in the game is key. It not only helps you dig for those essential combo pieces you need, but also sets up a strong board presence ready to be supercharged when you're ready to strike.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
OP09-103-koala is an absolute lifesaver. This 6-cost [Blocker] is not just a solid defender; she's your deck's primary way to refill your hand. Belo Betty is often called a "glass cannon" deck because it can burn through cards quickly by playing units or discarding for the leader effect. Opponents will sometimes try to "starve" you out by avoiding attacking your life. OP09-103-koala counters this perfectly, helping you replenish your hand while simultaneously putting a strong defender on the board, ensuring you can sustain your offense and defense.
Run 3-4 copies depending on your comfortability of having more counterless cards in the deck.
Getting your key pieces into hand early and consistently is paramount, and OP05-021-revolutionary-army-hq delivers exactly that. While it doesn't strictly add more cards to your hand, it offers invaluable card filtering, helping you find those crucial Revolutionary Army cards. We even run 4 copies despite it having no counter, because any extra copies drawn can simply be filtered away by its own effect or used for your leader's ability, ensuring your hand quality remains high.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Offensive Core
These cards are primarily focused on pushing damage to the opponent's leader or disrupting their board through aggressive attacks.
OP05-005-karasu is another card you'll often be looking for in your opening hand. His [On Play] and [When Attacking] abilities are typically used on the opposing leader, designed to soften them up before your explosive attacks. By dropping their power, you force them to commit more precious counter cards, setting up for truly devastating turns when you attack with a buffed, swarmed board. He's absolutely essential for breaking through defenses and demanding high counter power from your opponent.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
OP05-003-inazuma is a no-brainer for this deck; he's the only low-cost Revolutionary Army unit with [Rush]. When combined with your leader's buff, OP05-003-inazuma instantly becomes a 7000 power [Rush] attacker for just 3 DON!! This makes him a vital tool for applying immediate pressure, grabbing early tempo, and landing those surprising, game-changing hits.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
2000 Counters
These cards primarily serve as discard fodder for defense, offering significant counter power to protect your leader or characters during attacks.
OP05-006-koala is a fantastic 2000 Counter, offering crucial defense. Beyond that, her [On Play] effect provides incredibly efficient spot removal for smaller threats, perfect for clearing annoying blockers or weakening larger units for a K.O. She truly shines in her synergy with cards like OP05-017-lindbergh or OP05-011-bartholomew-kuma, allowing you to combine their effects for even more effective removal.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
OP11-106-zeus is one of the strongest 2000 Counters in Yellow. His [On Play] effect provides highly efficient removal, letting you take out an opponent's character with a cost of 5 or less. While you do have to add a card from your life to your hand, this is usually a benefit more than a cost, especially against opponents who try to "starve" you out by making you run out of cards faster. It's a vital tool for immediate board control or clearing a path for your lethal pushes. Run 4 copies as recommended
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Revolutionary Army triggers are a key reason why opponents often try to implement the "starve" game plan against Betty; every body that comes out of a trigger means an additional attacker they have to worry about on defense. OP09-108-bartholomew-kuma is one of those powerful triggers, offering an invaluable reactive body that appears from a life trigger to absorb an attack or simply add pressure, especially when life totals are low. At worst, he's a handy 2K counter.
Run 2-4 copies depending on your preference for 2k counters.
Utility Core
These cards provide versatile effects that support the overall strategy, offering flexible removal, reactive plays, or defensive options.
OP05-017-lindbergh brings flexible removal to the table with his [When Attacking] effect, letting you take out low power blockers or even some mid-power units when combined with cards like OP05-006-koala. Even better, his powerful [Trigger] allows you to play him for free from life by trashing a card, giving you an immediate reactive board presence or a surprise blocker when your opponent least expects it. Similar to OP09-108-bartholomew-kuma, units we can play from triggers are always very welcome.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
OP09-100-karasu is a crucial [Blocker], providing vital defense when you need it most. Remember what we said about trigger unit summons? They're incredibly potent, and OP09-100-karasu is no exception. You can drop an unexpected blocker in the late game, protecting your precious remaining life and crucially impeding your opponent when they're trying to finish the game before they die.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
OP05-011-bartholomew-kuma is usually good when played early to clear an opponent's small searcher units without having to waste an attack on them. While in rare cases you can use his trigger to have an extra body for offense, his 2000 power means his impact might not always be that great in terms of direct damage, making him more of a disruptive early play or a reactive body.
Run 2-4 copies depending on personal preference.
Tech Options
These cards aren't part of the core, but they offer situational advantages or alternative strategies, allowing you to fine-tune your deck for specific meta matchups or playstyles.
P-073-sabo is a versatile 2000 Counter who can also replenish your hand from life, which is invaluable against opponents trying to starve you out of cards. This helps you maintain resources for crucial defensive turns or to fuel your leader's powerful abilities.
Run 0-2 copies depending on player preference.
OP06-016-raise-max is a Character that serves as a flexible power-reducer against larger threats like OP01-051-eustasscaptainkid-770 setting him up for a K.O. from your attacks. To get maximum value, you can usually attack with OP06-016-raise-max first before bottom decking him.
Run 0-2 copies in a Bonney-heavy meta.
OP07-015-monkeyddragon offers a powerful late-game body, providing a valuable option for players who like playing big units. However, his 8-cost can often feel too slow for OP05-002-belo-betty's inherently aggressive, faster-paced game plan.
Run 0-2 copies depending on player preference.
OP09-112-belo-betty provides excellent additional draw power, allowing you to cycle through your deck for key combo pieces and replenish your hand size, making her an attractive option for players prioritizing hand size.
Run 0-4 copies depending on player preference.
EB02-002-sabo offers a valuable 2000 Counter for defense, but his [Activate:Main] effect requires him to rest, making him primarily a one-time use for power buff on the turn he's played.
Run 0-2 copies depending on player preference.
OP05-016-morley can be useful in a meta heavily reliant on [Blocker] Characters, allowing you to clear their defenses and open up direct attacks. However, his lack of a counter value often makes him a less flexible option compared to other cards in the deck.
Run 0-2 copies depending on player preference.
OP05-018-emporio-energy-hormone is an Event that, as a [Counter], grants +3000 power to one of your Leader or Character cards during battle, and then allows you to play a Revolutionary Army Character with 5000 power or less from your hand. While this can lead to surprising turns, the 3 DON!! cost often feels detrimental to OP05-002-belo-betty's aggressive curve, making it a "cheesy" tech for catching opponents off guard.
Run 0-1 copies depending on player preference.
Sample Deck Lists
This list represents a standard, no-nonsense approach to OP05-002-belo-betty, prioritizing consistency above all else. You'll notice most of the essential pieces are run as 4 copies, ensuring that you have a highly consistent game plan and reliable access to your core combos in virtually every match.
In this version, the pilot has made a deliberate choice to slightly reduce the count of cards without a counter, opting instead to include two copies of the valuable 2000 Counter, P-073-sabo. This subtle adjustment adds a bit more defensive flexibility without compromising the deck's aggressive core.
This particular list runs two copies of OP06-016-raise-max, a clear meta call. This inclusion is likely a strategic decision to specifically counter decks that are heavily reliant on OP01-051-eustasscaptainkid-770.
Across all three of these sample lists, it's immediately apparent that the vast majority of the deck's core remains perfectly intact, highlighting the optimized and consistent nature of the OP05-002-belo-betty archetype in competitive play.
Conclusion
As we wrap up our deep dive into OP05-002-belo-betty, it's clear why this archetype stands out in the OP11 format. In a landscape often dominated by various Luffy leaders, OP05-002-belo-betty carves its own path as arguably the only other consistently top-tier contender.
Its success isn't built on complex maneuvers or intricate setups, but rather on a straightforward, unyielding aggression that can overwhelm opponents with explosive board presence and powerful, buffed attacks. This deck rewards pilots who understand tempo and resource management, transforming a simple game plan into a devastating force that can close out games in a blink.
