Why People Think Scraps are Bad

Well, if you're been reading this blog, you probably don't think that Scraps are bad. I've been doing very well at locals with them, and you've seen them played in some of my YouTube videos.

However, the main reason why people think that Scraps are bad is because they often see very questionable Scrap variants being played. While those variants seem good in theory (I'll destroy my Geartown to get its effect!), they're terribly inconsistent in practice. With a bunch of random cards in your deck, you'll have less chance to actually summon your Scrap Dragon.

This goes into things like running dedicated Flip Effect engines (Ryko, Super-Nimble Mega Hamster, Gravekeeper's). While doing such helps against slower decks, it leaves you vulnerable against faster decks. In my Scrap mirror match last weekend, I was able to control the game because my opponent's answer to the situation was to Set a Ryko. That's a pretty bad answer when you're up against a Scrap Dragon.

Moreover, people see decks with questionable card ratios. For instance, only playing two Scrap Chimeras. Okay, so Scrap Chimera doesn't cause a loop like Scrap Golem does when Scrap Dragon is destroyed, but it's a one-card Synchro. Moreover, you can add it back to your hand with other Scraps' effects for more one-card Scrap Dragons.

Another thing is the question of how many Scrap Spells to play. Seeing as how you absolutely need your Tuners, three Scrapyards seems good. Scrapstorm is a good card, but at the moment (without Scrap Searcher...) it can be dead too often. It shines early game when you can turn it and Scrap Beast into a Scrap Dragon and a drawn card, but it's lackluster later in the duel. Moreover, it doesn't even work without a Scrap Tuner, but people play the equivalent of seven, Scrap Tuners as opposed to nine, and expect Scrapstorm to be amazing all the time.

While these things are important during the first duel of a match, your Side Deck needs to be exceptional in order to keep yourself in the duel. Scraps are very easy to side against; there's no other way of putting it.

You'll often see people side in cards like D.D. Crow, Effect Veiler, Nobleman of Crossout, Skill Drain, and Royal Oppression against Scraps. Also, Scraps have some difficulty against Stun decks.

So, you have to find ways to combat those. D.D. Crow and Effect Veiler can't really be stopped, which is why they're commonly used. You just have to play around them. With Skill Drain and Royal Oppression, you have Mystical Space Typhoon, Trap Stun, and Seven Tools of the Bandit to stop them. Avoiding Nobleman of Crossout is as simple as not playing Flip Effect Monsters.

Dealing with Stun decks is easy. You just side into Anti-Stun! And that is a post for another day...