Notes & Combos

Pure blind second Mankos into Man ladder.

There are multiple approaches you can take to nonengine this season, due to all the backrow decks that resist breakers. Over half my matches were just Man/RT/DT. You can adjust for more breakers or Ash/Belles/Crows depending on which half of the meta you see more.

Ended up making space for Imperm, as it can still be used against VSK9/Yummy and when drawn for turn, while having a chance at stopping Man/RT/DT from setting up their full backrow.

Matchup Notes

VSK9

• Huli protection does nothing, prioritize pure gas with Hare and Sanaki, especially Fire Dance to block Sue
• Golem on Ripper+Rock clogs the most zones, unless you have no way to Arabesque Nash/C104
• Be mindful that Rock/trap summon Love/Jiao can stop your Battle Phase even after Sue and Caesar are done

Yummy

• They can beat Huli with Silvera, White Woman, and Droplet, but their ED is often too slopped up to run outs. Play conservatively for Huli, you are strongly favored if you get her live even as your last play
• GY lines are safe if they don't have Lollipo ready. Fire Dance Huli from hand, or 2 Arabesques onto Elf also can't be stopped in-engine
• Be wary that Surprise can bounce your equip and stop Huli summon if you have anything else onfield (ex: Fire Dance after a negated Arabesque)

DTail

• Poor matchup unless the DT player is very bad. Even if you resolve Reboot and Ban Faimena, you still have to gas through Performapal/Sanctifire/handtraps
• Fire Dance can stop Sanctifire by reviving Albaz early, but be mindful that Faimena can just fuse him back into the GY

Mitsu

• OTK or bust, unless you think a hybrid build isn't on Wousu. If you know you can't reach lethal against a Ryzeal hybrid, defense position Huli may be able to buy you indefinite time if they only have Exciton/Ray Lancer
• Very good at dodging lethal with Prayers. Target Golem, revive a second big body on their side, or bait it out if you can spare Arabesque

Typhoon

• Huli (especially via GY line) protects from all the MST interrupts, but they run max Droplet/SPoly/Book/Shiina
• Set up Huli and play greedy for OTK. If they have the blowout backrow, you were losing next turn anyways

Primite Man

• The Primite line is much better to see than Man, Huli beats Drill and Baronne
• If they floodgate or clog their backrow, sometimes it's best to grab Huli and then do nothing but chip Man/Beryl to death. Don't activate anything to let them clear space for Apophis