Untap List:
//play-1
1 Vegeta // SS4 Vegeta, Ultimate Evolution (bt11-032)
//deck-1
1 SS4 Vegeta, Rise of the Super Warrior (bt11-052)
1 SSG Son Goku, Miraculous Transformation (bt-16 spr)
4 Son Goku, Calamity Challenger (bt14)
3 SS2 Trunks, Heroic Prospect (p-219)
3 SS Trunks, God-Sealing Technique (bt10-044)
3 SS3 Gogeta, Super Warrior Evolution (p-234)
2 Zen-Oh, Edge of Space (bt10-055)
4 East Kai, Keeping Watch (bt5-044)
1 Baby Hatchhyack, Saiyan Destroyer (bt11-153)
2 Vegeta, Disciplined Warrior (bt11-054)
2 Android 17, Turning the Tide (db2-036)
2 Kale, Rampaging Demon (bt15-042 sr)
3 Majin Buu, Assault of the Agents of Destruction (bt13-034)
3 SS Vegeta, the Interceptor (bt16-030)
4 Dimension Magic (bt5-050)
4 Senzu Bean (bt1-053)
4 Realm of the Gods – Beerus Destroys (bt16-045 r)
4 Ultra Instinct Goku’s Kamehameha (bt9-131)
What is up scrub fam!? Happy New Year and we are starting to work on them resolutions which for me includes a return to writing.. semi-regularly. At this point though, I understand the content game well enough to know that a lot of folks really just want the list and an easy way to upload and play, so moving forward a pic of the list and the text needed to import to Untap directly will stay at the top of these posts as we move forward – happy testing <3.
Why SS4?
SS4 Vegeta has been one of my favorite leaders/archetypes since Vermilion Bloodlines and as new previews roll in each set, I love to see what the new tools offered can do for the archetype. Realm of the Gods definitely dropped some generic Blue bangers that I feel give a much needed shot in the arm to the archetype.
The other piece of this decision to explore SS4 Vegeta is the fact that the format has slowed down so much after multiple ban lists. This has brought up the Average Converted Energy Costs (ACEC) pretty significantly reducing the overall actions per turn/tempo an aggressive/aggro slanted midrange deck can present. This means that big d*$k energy strategies become much more viable.
The New Additions
With the new cycle of extra cards, the one that quietly snuck by was Beerus Destroys. When you read the card it doesn’t necessarily jump off the page, but the card offers Blue a solid, efficient removal option offensively, and the ability to cycle it defensively for a boost and the ability to swing some early tempo against pesky threats that cost 2 or less. The appeal to Beerus Destroys in SS4 Vegeta is that it now gives you eight pump effects to ensure that early ramp and the card works beautifully with UI Kamehameha on defense to provide a ton of combo power for little investment in terms of energy and cards in hand since Beerus Destroys cycles on defense.
SS Vegeta, the Interceptor is a huge pick up for Blue. For three energy you’re getting a 20k Dual Attack threat that on play lets you bottom deck two of your opponent’s threats – which for Blue means that surviving to the late game becomes must easier for you. Not only that, but Dual Attack is a great keyword for fighting opposing Unisons, and being a 20k body means that a swing at the opposing leader is going to trade for a super combo, or two 5k’s in the late game.
Only a single copy in our main deck, but the card always tends to perform well at any point in the game whether you’re on the backfoot trying to stabilize, or you’re in a favorable spot and trying to pour it on. Since the card can feel really heavy in multiples, I would recommend no more than two copies in your main deck if you choose to make any edits to the list. Sitting with two or more in hand at any time just makes your hand feel pretty unplayable at times, and since we have plenty of bridges through the added removal options, floodgates, and Buu Unison there really isn’t a need to go all in on the miraculous transformation.
The Unisons
You can certainly play around with the Unison slot, but since we’re really on the plan to ramp on turn one on the draw or turn two on the play, it makes the most sense to play Unisons that take advantage of our available energy. SS3 Gogeta on your turn two, going second, is such a powerful threat that can reset the board and push the pace if needed and AOD Buu turn three, on the play, just completely takes over the game – especially in this much slower format.
Side note: another reason in favor of higher cost Unisons is the fact that you actually want your opponent to swing at your leader early on to take some damage. If you drop a two cost Unison on turn two, you can guarantee your leader is never going to see a card from life from there on out.
The Payoffs
The payoffs can always change, aside from Turning the Tide. In this list, I really am trying to be in full control of the board at all times, so I lean into Kale, Rampaging Demon to provide a powerful sweeper on five that hits non-Barrier threats cost three or more, and has the upside of being a Barrier, Dual Attack sweeper that hits all opposing threats, including Barrier. Lastly, SS4 Vegeta, Rise of the Super Warrior is in there as a way to pull ahead in those grinding games by either drawing four cards, or ramping two and drawing two.
With the ban list looming some alternative late game threats include:
Roshi is already a threat on the cusp of being in my current list. The additional card draw each turn, plus a 25k Barrier, Dual Attack, Critical threat that offers removal is super appealing. I can already see myself trimming a SS Vegeta, the Interceptor for the first copy of Roshi.
Tragedy Overground has made its way into a lot of older SS4 Vegeta variants, and there is for sure merit. Nine energy to me is just a bit too pricey at the moment.
Energy Annihilator is cute, but has the potential to take over a game if unchecked. I am definitely not sold on it.
God Break.. hear me out lol. If the card comes down, the attack is going through – which is huge. Another thing to keep in mind is that it can evolve over our four copies of Calamity Challenger.
Another approach can be to lean into four and five energy threats like Obuni, Golden Avenger, At All Costs Vegeta, etc.
Lastly, you can always lean into Calamity Challenger and main four copies of Path to Infinite and Ultra Instinct -Sign- Son Goku from Cross Worlds.
The Tech
Basically every top strategy tries to play Battle Cards on your turn, so drawing multiple East Kais means you can readily tax your opponent’s hand or their removal options.
Calamity Challenger to me is just a Blue staple since I adore cheap cantrips that can be used as a threat or for additional defense. Calamity Challenger is also just a great way to soak up that additional energy or two you have left over on some turns. They’re also great because since they’re four cost Battle Cards, it is hard to get two for one’d by a Secret Identity Masked Saiyan if you do have multiple in play.
Conclusion
In a more fair world, ramp strategies have to be explored. If you haven’t sleeved up SS4 Vegeta yet, now is the time. Of course there is always the risk of having our best closer banned, but with the tools available from Realm of the Gods the deck definitely feels like it has a lot of its old weaknesses accounted for. In most games you were hard mulling for your UI Kamehameha since there were just four copies, but now you have another strong pump effect that makes the mulligan much more forgiving. Not only that, but you now have solid removal options at almost every spot on the curve to mesh with your floodgates to buy time to the late game. This is a great time to learn the following lesson: as average ACEC goes up – removal gets better since the energy exchanges are closer to even and late game bombs become king.
Happy testing!
#scrubfamisbestfam #KTHXBAI
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