Trains 2019 (TCG/OCG)

This deck is for the TCG/OCG metagame on YgoPro. For the purely OCG version, see https://ygoprodeck.com/trains-2019-ocg

 

It took a long time of believing that pure Trains didn't have enough good cards to be real good in TCG, and that it always benefited more from a second archetype - Kaiju, Cyber Dragons, or Shaddoll - but finally, I've got something I believe can actually beat the competition! I present to you: a calculated approach to Trains! Edit: that was, until Sky Strikers demonstrated to be good enough to be included too. Whatever.

Let's start with the odds, since I made a script specifically to calculate them: this deck has (with slightly old numbers) a 86.6% chance of summoning a big honkin' Juggernaut Liebe T1, and a 97.8% chance on T2 if going second. It also has a 76.6% chance T1/95.4% T2 chance of summoning a Double Header alongside it, seeing up future plays. In fact, there's a 50.5% chance T1 that you'll have a Switchyard too, meaning you get a Super Dora and full board before they even get to play!  Oh, and it draw an average of 0.95 cards at the end of the turn, thanks to End-Of-Turn-drawing cards. Here's how the averaged T1/T2 stats compare to other Trains decks:

 
-----Deck: This One
Misc cards in deck: 5 (eg: Ash Blossom)
XYZ Summon Chance: 93.898%
Knuckle+XYZ Summon Chance: 91.088%
(Switchyard+Knuckle+XYZ Summon Chance: 58.393%)
Bonus cards: 1.45229
-----Deck: Purer Trains
Misc cards in deck: 7
XYZ Summon Chance: 90.3779%
Knuckle+XYZ Summon Chance: 76.0239%
Bonus cards: 0.654668
-----Deck: Shaddoll Trains (Assuming opponent always Extra Deck Summons)
Misc cards in deck: 6
XYZ Summon Chance: 85.9644%
Knuckle+XYZ Summon Chance: 68.3919%
Switchyard+Knuckle+XYZ Summon Chance: 46.8137
Bonus cards: 0.755203
-----Deck: Kaiju+Trains
Misc cards in deck: 5
XYZ Summon Chance: 86.4271%
Knuckle+XYZ Summon Chance: 62.0589%
Kaiju Chance: 61.35%
Bonus cards: 0.880766
-----Deck: Timelords+Trains
Misc cards in deck: 2
XYZ Summon Chance: 91.5682%
Timelords OTK Chance: 17.0987%
Bonus cards: 0.61586
 

The deck strategy is simple: summon Liebe every turn, and if you have trains to spare, summon Anger Knuckle too. And try resummoning Bullet Liner and Ruffian Railcar as much as you can.

For the Extra Deck: if you're going second then replace the traps/Pots Of Desires with the Shaddoll set.

Always go first, unless up against an OTK deck. Yes, really. Sure, it can OTK too, but the sheer majority of your opponents would much rather you go second.

 

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...More detail? Alright, let's talk about some of the cards.

• Going first might sound unintuitive, considering it's an OTK-capable deck, but there's a lot of plays you want to make going first. Letting the opponent have an extra card is worth it.


• Ruffian Railcar is definitely the weakest of the five trains. Still worth a one-of though. Just one.


• Sky Strikers, using Hayate, let you summon two Machine monsters with one card. Which lets you summon Anger Knuckle. That's a big deal.


• Adding more normal-summonable Earth Machines hardly changes the odds. Seriously, adding in Swift Scarecrow, for example, only increases the Liebe odds by 0.5%.


• Don't hate me for Needlefiber & Sorceress. They're just too good a combo in this deck to leave out. ...And yes, having exactly three non-Ash tuners is best for odds, apparently.


• Blitzkrieg Bombardment, All-Out Attacks, and Xyz Veil would be pretty great... if I had any faith in them sticking around. But I don't.


• I used to use Pinpoint Landing, Imperial Order, and Turbo Booster, but they eventually got bullied out of the deck by better tech cards.


• No, Kaiju are not good enough.