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Hello again, One Piece Card Game enthusiasts! We're continuing our journey through the upcoming card rotation, and this time, we're setting our sights on the ever-strategic Blue archetype.
In case you missed our other deep dives into the upcoming card rotation, you can find quick links to each color's analysis below:
- Block 1 Rotation Guide For Red
- Block 1 Rotation Guide For Blue
- Block 1 Rotation Guide For Green
- Block 1 Rotation Guide For Purple
- Block 1 Rotation Guide For Yellow
- Block 1 Rotation Guide For Black
Where Red thrives on swift strikes and overwhelming power, Blue excels in calculated plays, deck manipulation, and control. In this article, we'll navigate the shifting tides of the One Piece Card Game's Standard Format, focusing on the Blue cards that are set to rotate out. From dominant leaders to crucial staples and off-meta experiments, we'll examine their impact and ponder what the future holds for Blue's strategic arsenal.
Rotation-Proof Cards
Here's a silver lining! Bandai's confirmed that Manga Rare cards are getting a free pass from Block rotation. So, for now, OP03-122-sogeking-201 is our lone rotation-proof hero. Fingers crossed for more!
Block 1 Notable Blue Leaders
We're saying "sayonara" to some heavy hitters: OP01-060-donquixote-doflamingo-859 and OP03-040-nami-529 are heading out of the Standard Format.
OP01-060-donquixote-doflamingo-859, after ST10-001-trafalgar-law's exit, basically ruled the roost. His sheer dominance, in fact, is what prompted Bandai to finally drop the OP07-045-jinbe-891 ban, aiming to curb his oppressive presence in the metagame. Now, with rotation looming, the question becomes: will he be reprinted? Time will tell! Personally, I'm betting a reprint is a long shot. That whole "free Warlord every turn" thing? That's gotta be a design headache for future cards, and it's likely a key factor in why we might not see him again in Standard.
And then there's OP03-040-nami-529! Always a bit of a wildcard, right? Dedicated players swore by her, no matter the meta. She had some killer matchups, like OP07-079-rob-lucci-317, OP05-098-enel-426, and OP07-019-jewelry-bonney-910, but also some really tough ones, like OP01-001-roronoa-zoro-924, OP09-081-marshalldteach-633, and OP01-060-donquixote-doflamingo-859. Plus, most of her support cards will be removed from the format with rotation. And honestly, her effect, which rewards heavy draw strategies, might be another design space issue. Bandai would have to reprint a ton of Block 1 cards if they bring her back.
OP04-039-rebecca-109 and OP04-040-queen-454, two off-meta but beloved leaders, are also leaving Standard. I'm sure their fans are feeling a bit of a sting with this news.
There's a strong feeling that OP04-039-rebecca-109's Dressrosa support cards will see reprints, or at least replacements. After all, OP10-042-usopp-752, another Blue Dressrosa Leader, just hit the scene! It'd be odd if Bandai let all the Block 1 Dressrosa support vanish without a trace. Cards like OP04-096-corrida-coliseum, a crucial Block 1 card, are essential for the archetype. So, for Dressrosa fans, it's likely just a waiting game until Bandai's reprint announcements.
OP04-040-queen-454, meanwhile, has a pretty generic effect and hasn't really seen much in the way of dedicated support, even in recent sets. The good news? The new OP11-041-nami-480 might just fill that Queen-sized void for those players once rotation hits.
Block 1 Blue Staples and Tech Cards
Staple Utility Characters
We're saying goodbye to some key Blue characters from Block 1 next year, with OP01-077-perona-437 being particularly notable. Her stacking effect is incredibly valuable in Blue, and honestly, it's easy to see why. Blue has tons of effects that interact with the top of the deck, like playing your top unit or revealing it to draw. This makes OP01-077-perona-437 a consistent pick in decks like OP01-060-donquixote-doflamingo-859, OP07-038-boa-hancock-390, and even some OP11-040-monkeydluffy-620 builds.
OP03-044-kaya-722 also offers a unique utility. She's not just a 2k counter; her on-play effect lets you filter your hand (draw 2, trash 2). And since Blue has several cards that bounce characters back to hand, you can often replay OP03-044-kaya-722 to get that filter multiple times! That's efficient.
OP04-044-kaido is the first big boss unit we're talking about in this article. He's a premium card, and for good reason. He can swing the game's tempo by removing two units while establishing a formidable 12k power presence. Notable units he can bounce include OP01-051-eustasscaptainkid-770 and OP11-067-charlotte-katakuri-936, giving you some serious board control.
Staple Events
These events have been staples across multiple decks, metas, and formats. OP04-056-gum-gum-red-roc-823 stands as the game's most potent single-unit removal card, surpassing even the recently banned EB01-059-kingdom-come. What makes it so powerful? It's unconditional. Just spend the mana, and you bottom-deck any character. That's some serious removal power!
OP03-057-three-thousand-worlds-779, a slightly less powerful variant of OP04-056-gum-gum-red-roc-823, while not as prevalent in meta decks, is still a notable card slated for rotation, especially for its tech utility in bottom-decking key mid-game cards like EB02-035-sanji-pudding-429, EB01-012-cavendish-193, or OP10-030-smoker-638.
OP03-056-sanjis-pilaf-935 is another versatile tech staple, fitting into virtually any Blue deck seeking additional draw power. For example, it even saw play as a tech card in the OP05-041-sakazuki-374 deck during last year's World Championship! It has recently seen play in OP08-002-marco-552 and is likely to feature in future builds, at least until its rotation.
Similar to the 0-cost events in other colors, Blue's version, OP02-068-gum-gum-rain, will also be removed from the Standard format next year. However, given that 0-cost events are an essential part of One Piece, it's likely that OP02-068-gum-gum-rain, or a suitable replacement, will be reprinted in the future.
Block 1 Archetype-Specific Blue Cards
Warlords
A significant chunk of Warlord support cards resides in Block 1. This includes ST03-004-gecko-moria-981, which offers Warlord decks valuable card recycling, and ST03-005-dracule-mihawk-804, a 2k counter with a flexible filtering effect for those tight spots. OP01-073-donquixote-doflamingo-415 is another versatile unit, seeing play even outside Warlord decks, thanks to its cheap blocker status and OP01-077-perona-437-like stacking effect. And let's not forget 9-cost OP01-070-dracule-mihawk-684, the most impactful boss unit from the Blue Warlord lineup, currently making waves as a late-game unit in OP11-040-monkeydluffy-620 decks.
Here's a collection of other notable Blue Warlord cards. While they might not be meta mainstays, they serve as excellent tech options for players looking to inject a surprise element into their decks. For example, ST03-008-trafalgar-law-344 can function as a 1-cost chump blocker, proving relevant against decks with large units like OP09-001-shanks-233 or OP11-040-monkeydluffy-620. This ability to absorb any attack for a single cost can be game-winning in late-game scenarios. Additionally, ST03-013-boa-hancock-899 has recently seen play in some OP11-040-monkeydluffy-620 decks, serving as a surprise trigger card to suddenly deploy a blocker onto the board. ST03-009-donquixote-doflamingo-675 also saw some fringe play in OP01-060-donquixote-doflamingo-859 builds that wanted to find extra mid-game beefy characters while also removing a unit on board.
If I were to take a guess, I'd say we'll likely see reprints of several of these Warlord cards soon. Bandai's unlikely to let OP07-038-boa-hancock-390 remain in Standard with most of her support rotating out. Or, who knows, maybe they'll surprise us with a fresh batch of Warlord cards as replacements!
Nami Mill
The majority of OP03-040-nami-529's Blue support events and characters are scheduled to rotate out next year. Since these cards primarily synergize with the OP03-040-nami-529 strategy and their effects aren't generically applicable to many other decks, I don't expect any of them to be reprinted to avoid rotation.
Block 1 Off Meta Blue Leaders
Finally, before we wrap up, let's take a moment to acknowledge these leaders: ST03-001-crocodile, OP01-061-kaido-578, OP02-026-sanji-974, OP02-049-emporioivankov-913, OP01-062-crocodile-627, and OP04-001-nefeltari-vivi-802. To be honest, for most of these, I haven't even played against them a single time! Given their lack of competitive play, it's probably fine that they're rotating out. However, I understand that the few who dared to experiment with them will definitely feel the sting. They might not have dominated the competitive meta, but they'll surely be missed by the off-meta warriors who dared to experiment with them when most wouldn't!
The Future of Blue Post-Rotation
Looking ahead, Blue likely has a bright future, bolstered by recent promising additions to its roster. OP11-040-monkeydluffy-620, with its unparalleled late-game value, is already making waves in OP11. Similarly, OP03-040-nami-529, while yet to secure major tournament wins, boasts a powerful and generically useful leader effect. Furthermore, the upcoming Ace & Whitebeard starter deck introduces a fresh wave of Whitebeard Pirate cards to Blue, potentially revitalizing the OP08-002-marco-552 deck. While OP08-002-marco-552, too, has yet to achieve significant tournament success, its potent leader effect suggests it's only a matter of time before it finds its place in the metagame. The One Piece Card Game's ever-evolving nature promises new opportunities and fresh strategies.
Conclusion
As we bid farewell to these iconic Blue cards, we acknowledge their significant contributions to the One Piece Card Game's metagame. The departure of these leaders, staples, and tech options will undoubtedly reshape Blue's strategic identity, forcing players to adapt and innovate. While the loss of powerful tools like OP04-056-gum-gum-red-roc-823 and the unique strategies of leaders like OP01-060-donquixote-doflamingo-859 and OP03-040-nami-529 may seem daunting, the One Piece Card Game's ever-evolving nature promises new opportunities and fresh strategies.
As we look forward to future sets and potential reprints, we can be confident that the spirit of Blue – its control, its strategy, and its adaptability – will continue to thrive in the Standard Format. And stay tuned for our next article, where we'll be diving into the verdant depths of Green, my personal favorite! We'll explore the cards set to rotate from this dynamic color and discuss how it might impact the future of the metagame.
