Death Aspect, A.K.A. Michael Bonacini, is a serious pro-circuit Magic the Gathering player and occasionally dabbles in Yu-Gi-Oh! to play Goat Format. He has his own blog (http://inamedeathaspect.blogspot.com) that I highly recommend and he records a lot of very intense Goat Format matches for his YouTube channel, with stellar narration I might add. He's not often one to frequent Dueling Network these days, but he is an active participant whenever duelistgroundz.com hosts any Goat Format related events.
How long have you been playing goat format?
I played the format in it's entirety in 2005, and picked it back up in 2012 during the Dragon Ruler format.
Why do you play goat format?
I think Goat Control is the best format of any trading card game. Legacy in Magic is similar for cards like Daze, Brainstorm, and Stifle, but all of Goat Control's one-of power cards make games much deeper and complex.
What is your overall philosophy of how to win in goat format?
I believe the best way to win in Goat Control is to balance both card advantage and life points. It is easy to point to cards like Sakurestu Armor and call them "1 for 1” trades, but it is important to understand which 1 for 1s are worth fighting for. After two to three 1 for 1 trades, you can start getting an edge on an opponent for the +1 and start forcing them to use power cards prematurely. Managing life points plays directly towards this - being below 3000 life points is incredibly dangerous and changes how both you and your opponent interact with each other. Card advantage doesn't mean much if you are forced into overcommitting to the board.
What is the most important power card and why?
I think Graceful Charity is the most important power card, although Ring of Destruction is a close second. Graceful lets you see more cards than your opponent and set up your graveyard for BLS / Premature / Call - all of which can be more important than a +1 from Pot of Greed. Graceful Charity is as dangerous as the player playing it.
Are there any power cards that you feel are overrated?
I think Pot of Greed and Delinquent Duo are both overrated. You need to be able to both capitalize on your +1s and come back when you are behind in a game. Most players I see would rather complain about losing to trinity than actually learn to beat it.
What are your favorite tech card(s) and why?
I like Cannon Soldier and Des Koala a lot. Being able to put a lot of damage on the board, either by surprise or low commitment, is very powerful (but Magic Cylinder is still a bad card).
Are there any tech cards that you feel are overrated?
I think Asura Priest is overrated. Sure it can clear boards, but leaving yourself exposed to Spirit Reaper or any generic form of damage is too dangerous in my opinion. Sometimes you just need field presence, and Asura Priest can't provide that.
How do you use your side deck?
I use it differently from 2005 compared to today - 2005 was all about handling rogue burn and stall decks. Today, sideboards can be used almost exclusively for mirror matches.
If you had to use an alternative deck (not goat control) what would you use and why?
DMoC Launch. It was a combo deck that looped Dark Magician of Chaos, Cannon Soldier / Mass Driver, Spell Economics, and Dimension Fusion. It was able to use Cyber Jar and Morphing Jar with Book of Moon, Book of Taiyou, and Shallow Grave to draw cards, and Monster Gate and Reasoning to set up the combos. Reasoning was especially strong, because the only four monsters in the deck were leveled 2,3,4, and 8.
Could you give an example of a pro play you like to make?
I think pro plays are overrated - sure, everyone wants to bluff Heavy Storm for the +2. I think most actual pro plays come from sneaking in incremental points of damage.
Are there any pro plays that you feel are overrated?
Didn't realize this was the next question lol. Yeah, people try too hard with Heavy Storm.
What is your strategy when your opponent opens with some or all of the trinity?
Stall the game out as long as possible to either draw my own trinity or wait until my opponent starts becoming inpatient and wasteful of their resources. Also, card advantage does not always win games. This is why I believe BLS and Ring are good for the format - they are able to steal wins from behind, and force the player that is ahead on card advantage to play an honest game.
To what degree do you value life points?
Extremely highly. I always assume I start at 6200 for Premature and Duo, and then 5000ish for both my and my opponent's Rings. I allow myself to take 2000 at most after the 5000ish number, because BLS must be respected at all times.
To what degree do you value tempo?
Fairly highly, but for similar reasons to life points. Getting free points of damage accelerates game states and forces card advantage out of place.
Would you ban any cards in the format if you could?
I wouldn't ban any cards. I think all power cards have similar benefits and costs. I also think card games need variance, so both Pot of Greed and Delinquent Duo can stay.
How do you feel about playing with Cybernetic Revolution?
I dislike playing with CRV. I think Cyber Dragon invalidates a lot of the tech choices and innovations of the format. It also accelerates game states to quickly. Cyber Twin Dragon with BLS is also unreal. It is unfortunate because cards like Drillroid and Steamroid were awesome to play with.
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see other players make?
I don't think the mistakes that most players make are necessarily their fault. Yugioh has drastically changed from 2005. Just because your hand is capable of winning the game doesn't mean you should go for game. Be patient and take time to work through your opponent's backrows. Respect cards like Scapegoat and Book of Moon. Respect the one-outers like Mirror Force. Don't make excuses like "Oh I can't believe they had that one card" - accept responsibility for the decisions you make.
What concept about goat format took you the longest to learn?
It took me the longest to learn how to get the most value out of my unimportant cards. Most every card has the potential to be Pot of Greed if you work hard enough for it.
Are there any mistakes you still make?
I tend to be too conservative, and end up not going for game when I can clearly win on a particular turn. Playing multiple card games and formats makes me play around cards that don't exist.
When two really good players play each other, how does one beat the other?
I think it comes down to tech choices and the angle at which each player attacks the format. Generally speaking, I don't think any two players are ever equal - everyone is influenced by their region's styles. Players react to different cards in different ways, and I think the winner is most often determined by who is able to adapt to more adverse situations. A better player cannot be determined in a best-of-three match.
What is your advice for someone who wants to get better at goat format?
Read the old Metagame archives across July and August. Also get more active in the Duelistgroundz Goat Control community - there is a lot of good information in the archives. I do not recommend going to popular "Yugitube" channels - most of them just do videos for attention, and they have no idea what they are actually talking about.
How long have you been playing goat format?
I played the format in it's entirety in 2005, and picked it back up in 2012 during the Dragon Ruler format.
Why do you play goat format?
I think Goat Control is the best format of any trading card game. Legacy in Magic is similar for cards like Daze, Brainstorm, and Stifle, but all of Goat Control's one-of power cards make games much deeper and complex.
What is your overall philosophy of how to win in goat format?
I believe the best way to win in Goat Control is to balance both card advantage and life points. It is easy to point to cards like Sakurestu Armor and call them "1 for 1” trades, but it is important to understand which 1 for 1s are worth fighting for. After two to three 1 for 1 trades, you can start getting an edge on an opponent for the +1 and start forcing them to use power cards prematurely. Managing life points plays directly towards this - being below 3000 life points is incredibly dangerous and changes how both you and your opponent interact with each other. Card advantage doesn't mean much if you are forced into overcommitting to the board.
What is the most important power card and why?
I think Graceful Charity is the most important power card, although Ring of Destruction is a close second. Graceful lets you see more cards than your opponent and set up your graveyard for BLS / Premature / Call - all of which can be more important than a +1 from Pot of Greed. Graceful Charity is as dangerous as the player playing it.
Are there any power cards that you feel are overrated?
I think Pot of Greed and Delinquent Duo are both overrated. You need to be able to both capitalize on your +1s and come back when you are behind in a game. Most players I see would rather complain about losing to trinity than actually learn to beat it.
What are your favorite tech card(s) and why?
I like Cannon Soldier and Des Koala a lot. Being able to put a lot of damage on the board, either by surprise or low commitment, is very powerful (but Magic Cylinder is still a bad card).
Are there any tech cards that you feel are overrated?
I think Asura Priest is overrated. Sure it can clear boards, but leaving yourself exposed to Spirit Reaper or any generic form of damage is too dangerous in my opinion. Sometimes you just need field presence, and Asura Priest can't provide that.
How do you use your side deck?
I use it differently from 2005 compared to today - 2005 was all about handling rogue burn and stall decks. Today, sideboards can be used almost exclusively for mirror matches.
If you had to use an alternative deck (not goat control) what would you use and why?
DMoC Launch. It was a combo deck that looped Dark Magician of Chaos, Cannon Soldier / Mass Driver, Spell Economics, and Dimension Fusion. It was able to use Cyber Jar and Morphing Jar with Book of Moon, Book of Taiyou, and Shallow Grave to draw cards, and Monster Gate and Reasoning to set up the combos. Reasoning was especially strong, because the only four monsters in the deck were leveled 2,3,4, and 8.
Could you give an example of a pro play you like to make?
I think pro plays are overrated - sure, everyone wants to bluff Heavy Storm for the +2. I think most actual pro plays come from sneaking in incremental points of damage.
Are there any pro plays that you feel are overrated?
Didn't realize this was the next question lol. Yeah, people try too hard with Heavy Storm.
What is your strategy when your opponent opens with some or all of the trinity?
Stall the game out as long as possible to either draw my own trinity or wait until my opponent starts becoming inpatient and wasteful of their resources. Also, card advantage does not always win games. This is why I believe BLS and Ring are good for the format - they are able to steal wins from behind, and force the player that is ahead on card advantage to play an honest game.
To what degree do you value life points?
Extremely highly. I always assume I start at 6200 for Premature and Duo, and then 5000ish for both my and my opponent's Rings. I allow myself to take 2000 at most after the 5000ish number, because BLS must be respected at all times.
To what degree do you value tempo?
Fairly highly, but for similar reasons to life points. Getting free points of damage accelerates game states and forces card advantage out of place.
Would you ban any cards in the format if you could?
I wouldn't ban any cards. I think all power cards have similar benefits and costs. I also think card games need variance, so both Pot of Greed and Delinquent Duo can stay.
How do you feel about playing with Cybernetic Revolution?
I dislike playing with CRV. I think Cyber Dragon invalidates a lot of the tech choices and innovations of the format. It also accelerates game states to quickly. Cyber Twin Dragon with BLS is also unreal. It is unfortunate because cards like Drillroid and Steamroid were awesome to play with.
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see other players make?
I don't think the mistakes that most players make are necessarily their fault. Yugioh has drastically changed from 2005. Just because your hand is capable of winning the game doesn't mean you should go for game. Be patient and take time to work through your opponent's backrows. Respect cards like Scapegoat and Book of Moon. Respect the one-outers like Mirror Force. Don't make excuses like "Oh I can't believe they had that one card" - accept responsibility for the decisions you make.
What concept about goat format took you the longest to learn?
It took me the longest to learn how to get the most value out of my unimportant cards. Most every card has the potential to be Pot of Greed if you work hard enough for it.
Are there any mistakes you still make?
I tend to be too conservative, and end up not going for game when I can clearly win on a particular turn. Playing multiple card games and formats makes me play around cards that don't exist.
When two really good players play each other, how does one beat the other?
I think it comes down to tech choices and the angle at which each player attacks the format. Generally speaking, I don't think any two players are ever equal - everyone is influenced by their region's styles. Players react to different cards in different ways, and I think the winner is most often determined by who is able to adapt to more adverse situations. A better player cannot be determined in a best-of-three match.
What is your advice for someone who wants to get better at goat format?
Read the old Metagame archives across July and August. Also get more active in the Duelistgroundz Goat Control community - there is a lot of good information in the archives. I do not recommend going to popular "Yugitube" channels - most of them just do videos for attention, and they have no idea what they are actually talking about.
