One Piece TCG: Deck Guide - Green and Purple Luffy

It's time to talk about a beast that came straight out of the EB02 boosters and quickly became one of the best decks in One Piece TCG: the powerful Monkey.D.Luffy EB02-010, also known as GP Luffy.

This deck has been wrecking havoc in the meta, and should remain relevant once OP11, the next set, comes along. Monkey.D.Luffy EB02-010 is perfect with Sanji & Pudding EB02-035, and, together, our iconic leader and this explosive couple will give us extra resources and stun our opponents. They'll be reliving the match in their heads for the rest of the week.

Please note that this list is a true lesson on how to play One Piece TCG. Great players have performed really well with it in multiple tournaments, so it's a great option if you're a competitive player and want results.

Leader

This deck might seem simple at first, but, when you combine all the main mechanics, it becomes quite complex, and as fun as it is dangerous. It is fun because Monkey.D.Luffy EB02-010's ability, which recycles DON!!, is great with characters that have more power than usual, and will win many matches for you.

This ability is dangerous because, if you don't use it well, you might get behind on DON!!, or compromise your board. So, you must pay attention to the small details. Let's start with our captain!

Luffy is a green and purple leader, has 5000 power, 4 life, and is part of the {Straw Hat Crew}. His ability states:

[Activate: Main] [Once Per Turn] DON!! -2: If the only Characters on your field are {Straw Hate Crew} Characters, set up to 2 of your DON!! cards as active. Then, this Leader gains +1000 power until the end of your opponent's next turn.

At a first glance, this ability may seem strange. After all, you're using 2 DON!! to untap... 2 DON!!. But I promise: this deck works so well that this first impression fades away very fast. Let's see our list and unravel the secrets that make this leader so powerful.

The List

The list we'll work with today was played by Joshua Tan to get first place at the Online Regional on May 24th. Consider this list a solid, trustworthy base that you can adapt to your game style and the particular meta you're playing in.

The main idea behind this deck is to fill your board with {Straw Hat Crew} characters, activate your leader's ability, and, after that, use your DON!! as efficiently as you can. For instance, you can use this DON!! to develop your characters or set up unusual attacks.

Your attacks will usually be very powerful, and, as such, force your opponents to spend their precious resources or take blow after blow. As a bonus, your leader will have +1000 extra power until the end of your opponent's turn, so you'll have an extra barrier to stay ahead in the game.

To make all of this work with pinpoint precision, Sanji & Pudding EB02-035 are essential: they'll "return" part of the DON!! you spent with your leader's ability, and, as such, let you keep up with your opponent and even get ahead in terms of board presence.

Furthermore, this list also plays more than a few blockers and +2000 counters, so you'll be able to build a solid defense. Another popular highlight in lists led by this Luffy is the scary Gum-Gum Giant, a versatile card that can both fix bricked hands and protect you with its impressive +4000 buff.

The main strategy, then, is simple and efficient: build a solid line of attackers, defend yourself as best as you can, and repeat this cycle until your opponent can't fight back anymore.

Game Phases

Early Game (Turns 1 and 2)

In the first few turns, you should focus on playing searchers like ナミ EB02-017, Zoro-Juurou ST18-004, and Merry Go EB02-041. Besides drawing extra cards for you, this Stage will also increase the cost of your characters, so they'll be protected against the most common early game removals in OPTCG.

These cards should open a path so you can sculpt your hand and start planning your next moves. The idea is to set up your board so you can develop your characters.

Mid Game (Turns 3 and 4)

At this point, you need to be faster. With your leader's ability, Sanji & Pudding EB02-035 lets you develop two characters in a row - Zoro-Juurou ST18-004, for instance, or Roronoa Zoro EB02-019.

This is also when you'll be able to set up important blockers and activate your leader's ability more frequently. You'll create a protective barrier while you set up stronger attacks against your opponent.

A very efficient combo, particularly when you're going second, is to play Sanji & Pudding EB02-035 with your leader's ability to get 4 active DON!! again. As such, you can play a character that costs 4 or less on the same turn still. Essentially, you'll be able to develop two characters in a row straight away and put pressure on your opponent from very early on.

Late Game (Turn 5 and Beyond)

From here on out, it's up to you, and this means many interesting things can happen. You need to know how to read the game state to find out what you need to do. Do you need to increase your defenses? Keep a DON!! active to answer with a Gum-Gum Giant OP09-078? Or maybe you're better off freezing your opponent's rested attackers with Electrical Luna OP08-036?

On the other side, you might have to be more aggressive. In this case, just develop new attackers, like ルフィ太郎 ST18-005 or Monkey.D.Luffy EB02-061. They'll both put pressure on your opponent straight away, and force them to spend resources. Then, you'll be able to push forward more freely.

You'll usually end the game with Monkey.D.Luffy EB02-061, which often enters play with Rush and attacks twice in the same turn. Use it wisely: knowing the right time to put it in play might be the difference between winning by a landslide and losing because you ran out of resources.

Here's an important tip: protect your board at all times. Your leader's ability relies exclusively on having {Straw Hat Crew} characters in play because, without them, you'll hardly be able to use your effects, and, as such, kill your opponent efficiently.

Pros

- It draws lots of cards.

- It can defend itself really well with efficient blockers and an ability that forces your opponent to play against a leader that essentially has 6000 power.

- It plays Gum-Gum Giant OP09-078, the best defensive card for purple decks.

- Its attacks are very powerful, as well as a lot of trouble for your opponent.

- It is highly rewarding if you know how to play it.

Cons

- It relies a lot on Sanji & Pudding EB02-035, as well as always having {Straw Hat Crew} characters in play.

- It can brick a lot because it doesn't play many cards with [Counter].

- It demands a lot of strategy and planning ahead. Otherwise, you'll just waste your resources.

Mulligan

This deck is great when you go second, so, when you mulligan, try to get a few essential pieces to put your plans in motion from very early on:

Favorable

マーシャル・Ｄ・ティーチ OP09-081: Even if they disable all your [On Play] abilities, your deck can put a lot of pressure on them early on. Your characters will be well-protected at the beginning of the game thanks to Merry Go EB02-041, and your opponent will usually struggle to answer your powerful attacks. This matchup is often favorable with the right cards.

Usopp OP10-042: Once again, Merry Go EB02-041 is an essential defense. By developing two characters at once, you'll get ahead in terms of board presence, and will be able to attack multiple times in a row, so time will be on your side. Keep an eye on their Cavendish OP10-045, which you must remove as fast as possible so they don't create problems later.

Shanks OP09-001: Against Shanks, you need to put pressure on the opponent from very early on by developing attackers and forcing your opponent to give up their characters. They'll struggle to use their main ability against your characters, particularly if you build your board well. Be very careful when your opponent gets 10 DON!!, as that's usually when they'll try to win. Be ready to deal with Lucky.Roux OP09-015 because your opponent will try to get as much as they can from it.

Unfavorable

Belo Betty OP05-002: Belo Betty is an aggressive leader, and faster than you. In many situations, your opponent will put a lot of pressure on you, and the fact that you don't play many cards with [Counter] can make the mid game quite difficult. A good tip is to bluff a Gum-Gum Giant OP09-078 by keeping a DON!! active. This may make your opponent hesitate before they attack.

Furthermore, Electrical Luna OP08-036 can buy you some time by freezing dangerous attackers. Use it wisely, and only in a well-thought-out plan. If you'd like to know more about this leader, check out our guide on how to play Belo Betty!

Smoker OP10-001: This matchup is complicated. Smoker plays many DON!!, can set up powerful attacks, and plays the dangerous Hody Jones OP06-035, which can be a blocker and a DON!! at the same time. As such, it can compromise your defenses. Always think ahead, and try not to overcommit to your board because your opponent can punish you quite fast.

Jewelry Bonney OP07-019: This leader is great at controlling the board, and knows exactly how to disable your attackers. This list also plays Hody Jones OP06-035, which will put even more pressure on you. Manage your resources well, and save Monkey.D.Luffy EB02-061 for a final, surprise attack. It may be the difference between winning and losing long matches.

GP Luffy combines aggression, a sturdy defense, and great abilities. Despite expensive, there's a good chance this deck will get more support cards soon, and, as such, it could stay in the meta for a long time. You'll need to be patient, study hard, pay attention, and practice a lot to master it, but, once you do, you'll start winning lots of matches and learn more about the game.

Playing this deck is a nice way to train your brain, and learn more about One Piece TCG. Be bold and give a chance to our favorite Straw Hat character!

What do you think of this list? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!