Top 10 Portal Cards

And we’re back for a long overdue top 10 for the Portal set. Portal has set the bar beyond what Bleach players have been used to. It has taken bleach to new levels as is the demand to match new threats on the horizon. Akin to learning shikai, we now have to master our bankai with the power Portal offers. Some strategies are now passe as the name of the game now is free. Without further adieu, here are the top 10 portal cards:

Number 10: Toshiro – Icy

Toshiro – Icy would have been much higher on the list had it not been for the errata for Toshiro – Ready for Action. Nevertheless, the ability to hold down the opposing board and the opportunity to freely attack twice will make this card stay strong in the tourney scene, and probably the most powerful card among the cards in the subset. Just make sure he doesn’t get reality checked in the crucial moment.

Number 9: Byakuya – Surprised

If anyone has a surprise in store, it’s care of Byakuya. Hence it would probably be better if they just described it as Byakuya – Surprise, ha ha. This will probably go up higher in the rankings once they break in the Renji – Unleashed. It’s not only a search card, it breaks the curve and frees up your mana afterwards. I still say Bleach has to institute it’s future future league in order to minimize errata’s to the cards because this one soon will, or a card it affects will. Watch out when it releases it’s bankai.

Number 8: Toshiro – Surprised

Another Toshiro in the top 10. This one overtakes Icy because it hasn’t been nerfed. A 1st turn drop, a surprised Toshiro will bring along a Rangiku – Squad 10 Lieutenant more often than not. Be his attack successful or not, balance of souls him or mix him in a Tug of War, you’re assured of a 2nd turn Toshiro – Ready for Action at least. What is more important, on the 2nd turn, your mana is all freed up to busy yourself with other stuff or lead to extra draws to make your opponent’s life more miserable.

Number 7: Surveillance Device – Attacking

A sure drop from the sideboard on a turn you might not be doing anything at all. You also get to look at your opponent’s hand and plan ahead. What’s also to look forward to is that you don’t have to lose any significant forces to a Balance of Souls and play Balance in decks that wouldn’t have been able to typically run the card. The extra 2 mana for Balance doesn’t sound bad to me that way. We also have a nice pretty combo with Mysterious opponents to it just in case you wanna screw a drop planned by your opponent on his next turn.

Number 6: Kenpachi – Captain by Force

The Squad 11 Captain comes roaring in like a ball of lightning (Pun intended). Just don’t call him the devil’s agent with a 6/6/6 stat. What would’ve cost 8 energy just becomes 4 with the right guardian. He also works quite well with a Wrong Again and wipe out the opposing board. And who wouldn’t wanna ready him with another aggressive Ichigo- Rushing In. Aggression really comes along way for the ever ready Squad 11 when you’re looking for a fight. Plus he can KO an opposing boards captain.

Number 5: Combining Forces

Pitch cards have come to Bleach. One extra card, no mana used and you’ve got a free attack to look forward to for Squad 10. But there’s also another ability and that’s location search. So this card is quite the bargain because it is flexible also. And the boost is something we can always use for Squad 10. Combining forces being free also brings a lot of surprise to the board when your opponent thinks he is safe when all the energy on your side has been spent only to be surprised a flurry of attacks from your part.

Number 4: Rangiku – Pissed

Search is always good. No pre-requisite whatsoever. Just grab yourself a squad 10 card. And so 2 of these in hand is already a good to go hand in any matchup. You also can make use of reunited, tap an opposing board, search for a Rangiku – Embarassed and go for multiple attacks with your Rangiku lieutenant. Rangiku pissed also allows those who fantasize on Anime mammary glands to add something to their collection, pervs, haha.

Number 3: Noba – Server
The lynchpin of the deck archetype that has demanded a nerfing of so great a proportion to satisfy the bleach community who couldn’t come up with a solution to him. Basically you accelerate the mana to beyond any curve immaginable and start coming up with monsters. Who would have known that the filler character that he is has so much reiatsu to offer. Yes, i think score went overboard by allowing the curves to be broken by giving it a search engine to run on. Tagging with Yoruichi – Solemn and Yoruichi – Quick certainly has terrorized the hobby leagues and Noba – Unmasked also has neutered any decks that typically ran an army of 4 drops (except Toshiro -RoA).

Number 2: Dark Ritual
Just say NO! and pay half your life. No energy required. But it is something you only cast when you’ll win by the next turn, or just stalling for a solution to survive into the next round of combat. Why it’s not number 1? It’s just not usable on in the early game. And played around properly, you can make sure you cast your threats first before attacking to make casting DRit a mistake for your opponent as you lower him to striking range. Still, quite worth it for the asking price.

 

 

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Number 1: Self Sacrifice

Self Sacrifice is numero UNO for the set in my book. It is versatile for stopping discard pile decks like squad 8/13, Legacy of the Quincys and even reunited. You also get to destroy any item or battleground. And importantly shuffle any character 4 cost of less back into the library for a measly 5 life (Chad says crap). Know decks which used to pack Renji-Young Thief/Farewell Letter, Flower Crane Cannon/Spare Key and a QQ/Balance suddenly frees up around 8 cards in the typical deck by taking up this one. And it doesn’t have spend energy to use. So much free with this card, you ever won’t see it in the bargain bin.

Have fun opening them Portal. Finally got the top 10 of as i promised from my video to redeem those Rangiku promo. Now to get them Renjis. Till then, release your limits, release your imagination.