Kris Perovic was a founding member of the legendary Team Overdose which represented the NY/NJ area with great pride in their heyday and successfully challenged the dominance of California's Team Comic Odyssey. He managed multiple premier event Top 8s during the Goat Format era, which is quite impressive. The scary thing is that he's probably even better at Goat Format now than he was back then!
How long have you been playing goat format?
Since goat format.
Why do you play goat format?
Some of my most cherished memories are of when my team and I were atop the game but I just don’t have the time or inclination to take this game seriously anymore. Still, I’m drawn to it so sometimes I’ll play goat format for fun because its card pool is big enough to make unique decks and small enough not to get overwhelmed by a ton of options. Moreover, goat games are slow-paced so the consequences of pre- and in-game decisions tend to favor better, well-prepared players, and I like winning.
What is your overall philosophy of how to win in goat format?
Most folks suggest doing whatever you can to avoid giving up card advantage but there’s a lot more to goat format than that. Of course you should put in as little as possible into each play and get the most out of each card, but you have to master timing, bluffs, and setting up game shots too. Success in the format also depends on a mastery of the fundamentals, like knowing where to set the cards you want your opponent to Dust or where to hold the cards you want them to Duo. You also have to throw them off their game by mixing in some non-standard plays. Stay tight, but aggressive, and don’t push hard until you can counter a counter. Have a game plan, but be willing to adapt at all times.
What is the most important power card and why?
“Most important power card” is a weird phrase because so many cards can change or outright win a game depending on the circumstances: Pot, Grace, Duo, BLS, Jar, Heavy, Snatch, etc. are some examples. But I guess if I had to choose just one at the risk of going against the herd, I’d pick Ring over Jar just because it’s a standalone ace in the hole and no hand is worse for having it.
Are there any power cards that you feel are overrated?
I can’t think of many “power cards” that haven’t earned the title.
What are your favorite tech card(s) and why?
A lot of goat format tech just don’t belong in the category anymore: Apprentice, Enemy Controller, Swap, and most other things have been done to death. If I absolutely had to choose a card most folks wouldn’t ever think to put in their goat format decks, it’d probably be Last Will. I’d use it in something with recruiters because Last Will into Spirit Reaper is pretty cool. That, or Greenkappa.
Are there any tech cards that you feel are overrated?
There are overrated cards, sure: DDWL, Spy, Book, Tribe, and even Goats are some examples. I’m not sure which of these, if any, qualify as tech. But again, I’m not sure what, if anything, qualifies as tech anymore.
How do you use your side deck?
I don’t really use my side deck anymore, to be honest. Back in the day, I focused on countering non-Goat decks and just relied on my main to beat ordinary Goat decks. But now, since most non-Goat decks are frowned upon, I don’t have as much a reason to side. I don’t even bring in Kinetic Soldiers against Warrior decks, or my Jinzo against decks with multiple Sakuretsu, because my main is already geared to beat all that. Maybe, maybe, once in a while I’ll bring in MSLV2 or Blade Knight vs. the flip flop decks but I have to be in a really weird mood to do that.
If you had to use an alternative deck (not goat control) what would you use and why?
Pre-CRV, there weren’t a lot of options to choose from aside from all the OTK decks. Goat control was the deck of the format for a reason. I would never have used Monarchs because they all lost out to Tsukuyomi, and had too much potential for horrible hands without Treeborn Frog. Post-CRV, I’m quite fond of Chaos/Recruiters (without Goat/Return/Decree, just 3 Dust).
Could you give an example of a pro play you like to make?
T1: Set Jar or Faith, pass. The only way ever backfires is when someone tries to DDWL/Sangan/Exarion into your face-down, but no one ever expects Jar or Faith to be there. They usually think it’s Spy or Exarion and don’t want to attack it, or they want to set their monster to bait a NoC. They also won’t set more than one S/T for fear of Heavy, so generally, huge plusses ensue.
Are there any pro plays that you feel are overrated?
Setting Heavy Storm. Sometimes it seems like no one knows how to do this right. You don’t set it to match their S/T. You don’t set it alongside an S/T to match their two S/Ts. You certainly don’t set it when it’s late-game and you’re waiting for a game shot with BLS. You set it, for example, behind a Graceful and Sangan T1, or mid-game when you’re setting up for an Airknight push.
What is your strategy when your opponent opens with some or all of the trinity?
It depends on my hand, but generally, and I know a lot of people won’t agree with me, but I try to be as aggressive as I can. I won’t set my Exarions to bait NoCs and post-CRV, I’ll go Cyber Exarion into a single monster, Snatch/Meta be damned. I do this because in the games where I’m far behind on advantage and my opponent has Sinister, live Faiths, and BLS, well, I can’t hope to recover that advantage unless my opponent is insurmountably stupid, so I try to win on life points and set up for a BLS/Airknight/Ring play somewhere down the line. That’s one of the reasons most of my pre-CRV builds nowadays include two Airknight and two Exarions, because the damage they can do opens up a lot of game shots.
To what degree do you value life points?
The first 3000 are important because they’re your cushion, but this period is when card advantage matters more than LP. Exarion hits? No problem. Asura hits? No problem. The last 5000 are when you have to start playing tight. Either way, you never want to be so far apart or so low on life points that BLS or Ring means game.
To what degree do you value tempo?
Tempo is a weird word. If you mean pace, then yes, it’s important to stay ahead of your opponent and dictate the pace of the game when your cards allow it. Mostly, the challenge is in recognizing what hands are well-equipped to do this and what hands aren’t because the only way to master this skill is to learn how to judge the quality of your opponent’s hand with very little information.
Would you ban any cards in the format if you could
Duo, but not because I can’t stand getting Duo’d T1 or the idea of making Faith live ASAP. I’d ban it because I just think it would free people from the need to run Sinister Serpent in other decks (like Warriors or Zombies).
How do you feel about playing with Cybernetic Revolution?
I’m quite fond of CRV. I think the inclusion of it into the format only makes decks better and matches more skill-intensive. For more, seehttp://duelistground...45347&p=3741567
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see other players make?
Poor card choices (i.e. Skilled White Magician, Gravekeeper’s Spy). Poor in-game decisions (i.e. leading on life and advantage, then using TER on a f/d without a plan to Tsuku/tribute it). Unwillingness to experiment (i.e. always including DDWL in their deck). Oh, and things like this happen all the time: a lot of people go all game without baiting out a Snatch, use their Dust to force an activation of Goat, then drop Airknight.
What concept about goat format took you the longest to learn?
I learned a few things throughout 2005 that I didn’t really know before that: 1, to think ahead; 2, DDWL vs. Spy; and 3, time. 1. I was playing in a local and had Cylinder face-down and Jinzo in hand, staring down a Kycoo and an S/T, nothing else. My opponent attacked (I had no monsters in my graveyard) and I used Cylinder. That’s when my teammate Anthony Alvarado stopped me, asked me what I was doing, and I said, “I’m probably not going to get anything more than 1800 from the Cylinder, so what difference does it make?” I had plenty of LP so he told me to wait until it was absolutely necessary before wasting a card. Sure enough, I took back my move, drew Don, set it, protected it with Cylinder, and tributed for Jinzo on my following turn – my opponent drew traps back-to-back-to-back and I won, never having forgotten the lesson. 2. Wilson Luc once asked me for my opinion on whether I’d remove when my DDWL ran into a Gravekeeper’s Spy. Luc was far more of an accomplished player than me at that point and I only wanted to impress him, but my answer, “Probably, yes, but it depends if I have another card to get rid of the second Spy. Otherwise I’ll just wait. Maybe I can TER + Jinzo, or TT later,” didn’t really impress him. It wasn’t until a year or so later that I thought back and realized that no, there are very few circumstances by which you should remove a Spy with DDWL. 3. I lost to Jae Kim at SJC Charlotte because he sat on the side of the table facing the clock and I didn’t, and I never thought about how much time was left in the round. That was the last time I ever lost for that reason.
Are there any mistakes you still make?
No.
When two really good players play each other, how does one beat the other?
The only way for a perfect goat player to beat another perfect goat player, more often than not, is to have a better deck. But if both players are using the same deck and both players play it perfectly, well, the only way someone can win is because someone has to.
What is your advice for someone who wants to get better at goat format?
In this order: 1. Shadow and play against better players. 2. Question everything. 3. Play a lot to develop good instincts. 4. Control the information your opponent has access to and only let them believe what you want them to believe. (For 1, 2, and 3, my team and I used to play open-handed in front of everyone, and we let everyone judge each move. I’d recommend that to anyone to get better at any format. Also, you’ll never do 4 unless you can master 1-3.)
How long have you been playing goat format?
Since goat format.
Why do you play goat format?
Some of my most cherished memories are of when my team and I were atop the game but I just don’t have the time or inclination to take this game seriously anymore. Still, I’m drawn to it so sometimes I’ll play goat format for fun because its card pool is big enough to make unique decks and small enough not to get overwhelmed by a ton of options. Moreover, goat games are slow-paced so the consequences of pre- and in-game decisions tend to favor better, well-prepared players, and I like winning.
What is your overall philosophy of how to win in goat format?
Most folks suggest doing whatever you can to avoid giving up card advantage but there’s a lot more to goat format than that. Of course you should put in as little as possible into each play and get the most out of each card, but you have to master timing, bluffs, and setting up game shots too. Success in the format also depends on a mastery of the fundamentals, like knowing where to set the cards you want your opponent to Dust or where to hold the cards you want them to Duo. You also have to throw them off their game by mixing in some non-standard plays. Stay tight, but aggressive, and don’t push hard until you can counter a counter. Have a game plan, but be willing to adapt at all times.
What is the most important power card and why?
“Most important power card” is a weird phrase because so many cards can change or outright win a game depending on the circumstances: Pot, Grace, Duo, BLS, Jar, Heavy, Snatch, etc. are some examples. But I guess if I had to choose just one at the risk of going against the herd, I’d pick Ring over Jar just because it’s a standalone ace in the hole and no hand is worse for having it.
Are there any power cards that you feel are overrated?
I can’t think of many “power cards” that haven’t earned the title.
What are your favorite tech card(s) and why?
A lot of goat format tech just don’t belong in the category anymore: Apprentice, Enemy Controller, Swap, and most other things have been done to death. If I absolutely had to choose a card most folks wouldn’t ever think to put in their goat format decks, it’d probably be Last Will. I’d use it in something with recruiters because Last Will into Spirit Reaper is pretty cool. That, or Greenkappa.
Are there any tech cards that you feel are overrated?
There are overrated cards, sure: DDWL, Spy, Book, Tribe, and even Goats are some examples. I’m not sure which of these, if any, qualify as tech. But again, I’m not sure what, if anything, qualifies as tech anymore.
How do you use your side deck?
I don’t really use my side deck anymore, to be honest. Back in the day, I focused on countering non-Goat decks and just relied on my main to beat ordinary Goat decks. But now, since most non-Goat decks are frowned upon, I don’t have as much a reason to side. I don’t even bring in Kinetic Soldiers against Warrior decks, or my Jinzo against decks with multiple Sakuretsu, because my main is already geared to beat all that. Maybe, maybe, once in a while I’ll bring in MSLV2 or Blade Knight vs. the flip flop decks but I have to be in a really weird mood to do that.
If you had to use an alternative deck (not goat control) what would you use and why?
Pre-CRV, there weren’t a lot of options to choose from aside from all the OTK decks. Goat control was the deck of the format for a reason. I would never have used Monarchs because they all lost out to Tsukuyomi, and had too much potential for horrible hands without Treeborn Frog. Post-CRV, I’m quite fond of Chaos/Recruiters (without Goat/Return/Decree, just 3 Dust).
Could you give an example of a pro play you like to make?
T1: Set Jar or Faith, pass. The only way ever backfires is when someone tries to DDWL/Sangan/Exarion into your face-down, but no one ever expects Jar or Faith to be there. They usually think it’s Spy or Exarion and don’t want to attack it, or they want to set their monster to bait a NoC. They also won’t set more than one S/T for fear of Heavy, so generally, huge plusses ensue.
Are there any pro plays that you feel are overrated?
Setting Heavy Storm. Sometimes it seems like no one knows how to do this right. You don’t set it to match their S/T. You don’t set it alongside an S/T to match their two S/Ts. You certainly don’t set it when it’s late-game and you’re waiting for a game shot with BLS. You set it, for example, behind a Graceful and Sangan T1, or mid-game when you’re setting up for an Airknight push.
What is your strategy when your opponent opens with some or all of the trinity?
It depends on my hand, but generally, and I know a lot of people won’t agree with me, but I try to be as aggressive as I can. I won’t set my Exarions to bait NoCs and post-CRV, I’ll go Cyber Exarion into a single monster, Snatch/Meta be damned. I do this because in the games where I’m far behind on advantage and my opponent has Sinister, live Faiths, and BLS, well, I can’t hope to recover that advantage unless my opponent is insurmountably stupid, so I try to win on life points and set up for a BLS/Airknight/Ring play somewhere down the line. That’s one of the reasons most of my pre-CRV builds nowadays include two Airknight and two Exarions, because the damage they can do opens up a lot of game shots.
To what degree do you value life points?
The first 3000 are important because they’re your cushion, but this period is when card advantage matters more than LP. Exarion hits? No problem. Asura hits? No problem. The last 5000 are when you have to start playing tight. Either way, you never want to be so far apart or so low on life points that BLS or Ring means game.
To what degree do you value tempo?
Tempo is a weird word. If you mean pace, then yes, it’s important to stay ahead of your opponent and dictate the pace of the game when your cards allow it. Mostly, the challenge is in recognizing what hands are well-equipped to do this and what hands aren’t because the only way to master this skill is to learn how to judge the quality of your opponent’s hand with very little information.
Would you ban any cards in the format if you could
Duo, but not because I can’t stand getting Duo’d T1 or the idea of making Faith live ASAP. I’d ban it because I just think it would free people from the need to run Sinister Serpent in other decks (like Warriors or Zombies).
How do you feel about playing with Cybernetic Revolution?
I’m quite fond of CRV. I think the inclusion of it into the format only makes decks better and matches more skill-intensive. For more, seehttp://duelistground...45347&p=3741567
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see other players make?
Poor card choices (i.e. Skilled White Magician, Gravekeeper’s Spy). Poor in-game decisions (i.e. leading on life and advantage, then using TER on a f/d without a plan to Tsuku/tribute it). Unwillingness to experiment (i.e. always including DDWL in their deck). Oh, and things like this happen all the time: a lot of people go all game without baiting out a Snatch, use their Dust to force an activation of Goat, then drop Airknight.
What concept about goat format took you the longest to learn?
I learned a few things throughout 2005 that I didn’t really know before that: 1, to think ahead; 2, DDWL vs. Spy; and 3, time. 1. I was playing in a local and had Cylinder face-down and Jinzo in hand, staring down a Kycoo and an S/T, nothing else. My opponent attacked (I had no monsters in my graveyard) and I used Cylinder. That’s when my teammate Anthony Alvarado stopped me, asked me what I was doing, and I said, “I’m probably not going to get anything more than 1800 from the Cylinder, so what difference does it make?” I had plenty of LP so he told me to wait until it was absolutely necessary before wasting a card. Sure enough, I took back my move, drew Don, set it, protected it with Cylinder, and tributed for Jinzo on my following turn – my opponent drew traps back-to-back-to-back and I won, never having forgotten the lesson. 2. Wilson Luc once asked me for my opinion on whether I’d remove when my DDWL ran into a Gravekeeper’s Spy. Luc was far more of an accomplished player than me at that point and I only wanted to impress him, but my answer, “Probably, yes, but it depends if I have another card to get rid of the second Spy. Otherwise I’ll just wait. Maybe I can TER + Jinzo, or TT later,” didn’t really impress him. It wasn’t until a year or so later that I thought back and realized that no, there are very few circumstances by which you should remove a Spy with DDWL. 3. I lost to Jae Kim at SJC Charlotte because he sat on the side of the table facing the clock and I didn’t, and I never thought about how much time was left in the round. That was the last time I ever lost for that reason.
Are there any mistakes you still make?
No.
When two really good players play each other, how does one beat the other?
The only way for a perfect goat player to beat another perfect goat player, more often than not, is to have a better deck. But if both players are using the same deck and both players play it perfectly, well, the only way someone can win is because someone has to.
What is your advice for someone who wants to get better at goat format?
In this order: 1. Shadow and play against better players. 2. Question everything. 3. Play a lot to develop good instincts. 4. Control the information your opponent has access to and only let them believe what you want them to believe. (For 1, 2, and 3, my team and I used to play open-handed in front of everyone, and we let everyone judge each move. I’d recommend that to anyone to get better at any format. Also, you’ll never do 4 unless you can master 1-3.)
