Notes & Combos
A huge shoutout to Query the Worm deck helper for suggesting I adapt to the overwhelming amount of hand traps in the meta by playing pure VW with Gamma, which contributed an outsized percentage of my win rate!
Gamma gets ABSURD value in this meta.
Most people are shotgunning Maxx C because of Kashtira and will also shotgun Shifter if they're playing Kashtira or Vanquish Soul. when people see Kauwloon or E-tele, they'll Ash or chain Maxx C right away. Likewise, when you play Desires, you'll often get Ashed or sometimes find your turn abruptly ended by a Droll.
All of these scenarios are heavily punished by your Gamma. Not only do you negate the hand trap, you also get to synchro summon Dragon Drive to add Lulu to hand! You essentially win the game on the spot if you resolve Gamma on Turn 1.
Remember to use your Imperms BEFORE you throw down Gamma, since you can't use Imperm while Gamma is on the field!
The decklist I actually ran had 2x Desires instead of 1x Desires 1x Prosperity. However, since Desires is about to be limited, you have no choice but to replace the second Desires with another consistency card. Prosperity and Upstart are the two best replacement picks. You could also put a second Nyannyan here.
Your banish picks with Prosperity should be: (1) Stardust Charge, (2) Croco, (3) Dragon Drive or Cicada. Banishing 6 here is almost unthinkable due to how awful your future board states will be, but if you must, then also banish (4) Crystal Wing, (5) Tzolkin, and (6) Dragon Drive or Cicada.
FLEX SPOTS:
- Gamma package --> Any other meta-relevant hand traps, i.e. Droll, Veiler, Nibiru. You could also find room for a second Nyannyan, since having your only Nyannyan get banished by Desires is rather awkward.
- Dragon Drive --> Wollow, Totem Bird, M7, Evolzar Lars when we have access to that, etc.
***
Your typical endboards with Pure VW are:
(1) Chuche, Laevatein, Shenshen or Cicada King
(2) Chuche, Laevatein or Crystal Wing, Shenshen or Cicada King
(3) Chuche, Laevatein, Crystal Wing
(4) If you're extremely lucky: Chuche, Laevatein, Crystal Wing, Shenshen or Cicada King
(5) If your opening hand is garbage: Chuche, Laevatein or Crystal Wing, hopefully you have hand traps too.
Replays
Replays: 781-697-168.
The replays showcase how to board break when going second using the adventurer and psi-reflector variants. Board breaking is a task for which virtual world is often underequipped; you nonetheless cannot expect to climb ladder without learning this skill.
Ask yourself what you would do in my position and see if you made the right call! You might even improve on my line of play -- I made a few misplays in some of those games.