Tactics 07 - Double Block Technique

This post is about a technique used to counter A LOT of cards that many people think are over powered. I called the technique the "Double Block" because that is basically what it is. I will go over what it is and give some examples as well as some cards that are thwarted by this technique.

What is it

How many times have you been in a situation where the opponent has one (or two) card(s) which enabled them to play block until you played strike and at the end, the opponent ends up with a safe card advantage in exchange for a small amount of life points? I have had this happen to me so many times (especially when Parry Lili was running wild) and it frustrated me till I realized the counter was so simple. Blocking with them, twice.

As you all know, the game will force all 5 players to discard their cards if there is no movement in cards (currently it is "if there is no change in the total # of cards on the field, but this will be corrected). The double blocking technique takes advantage of this and forces the opponent to perhaps "focus" so that they do not have to discard their card, but also risk a focus break or play "block" and risk discarding their cards. It ensures that no card grants an unstoppable ability and requires taking a risks. I will go over some examples ahead.

When is it Useful

Usually, the opponent will abuse their cards by constantly blocking in hopes that you strike. If you possess a card that they cannot afford let through and they possess one of the cards below, they will most likely block till you strike.

Kazuya

Demon Scissors: 19 Damage, Kick, Before the attack: Block: +1 Punch Parry & Opp 4th card -10 Hit

Opponent will block till you strike. Best case scenario: you strike with 5 cards, 1 card (5th card) hits your opponent and half a card (4th card) hits your opponent. The opponent has X cards and you have 0. In the worst case scenario, you end up striking for 0 damage, and your opponent has X cards and you have 0.

Entrails Smash: 20 Damage, Punch, Before the attack: Opp Strike: Opp cards ≥ 3: +1 Punch Parry

Similar to Demon Scissors but not as effective.

Law

Dragon Junkyard Kick: 22 Damage, Kick, After the attack: Opp cards ≥ 4: Card discarded +2 cards

Opponent will block till this card triggers, then they will strike or block. Best case scenario, you strike with 5 cards, 3 go through and they end up with 2+ cards and you 0. Worst case scenario, you strike them with 3 cards and 1 card goes through, they end up with 2+ cards and you 0.

Dragon's Descent: 25 Damage, Kick, After the attack: Opp Focus: Card discarded +30 HP

When the opposing Law desperately needs HP and a strike will potentially kill them, they will block till you focus.

Ab Cruncher: 23 Damage, Kick, After the attack: Block & Opp cards ≥ 3: -5 HP and +1 card

The opponent will block till you strike or have at least 3 cards. From there, they will activate Ab Cruncher's ability and receive 1 card at the cost of 5 hp whilst maintaining a strong defense.

Yoshimitsu

Sakanobori: 12 Damage, Kick, Before the attack: Block: +1 Parry

Exactly like Entrails Smash, opponent will block till you strike. This card works well when paired with Kurama Itto and other HP per turn cards.

Tobi Ushiwaka: 15 Damage, Kick, After the attack: Block & Opp Focus: +1 card

Opponent will block in hopes that you strike/focus. As a result they will draw a card safely for every time you played focus. They will sneak a strike in from time to time.

Shisetsu Genman: 16 Damage, Kick, After the attack: Cards = Opp cards: +1 card & Opp -1 card

When you are behind in cards by 1, the opponent Yoshimitsu will block, in hopes that you focus and thus triggering the effects of Shisetsu Genman.

Xiaoyu

Battering Winds: 10 Damage, Punch, After the attack: Opp Focus: +1 card

Exactly like Tobi Ushikawa. Opponent will block in hopes that you strike/focus. As a result they will draw a card safely for every time you played focus.

Lili

Dendrobium: 18 Damage, Punch, After the attack: Cards = Opp cards: Opp -1 card

Exactly Similar to Shisetsu Genman but not the ability is not as strong. Opponent will use this to force you to discard your 1st card especially if it is highly threatening one.

Autumn Wind: 15 Damage, Kick, After the attack: Opp Focus: Both +1 card

Exactly like Tobi Ushikawa and Battering winds, except Opponent Lili will draw 1 for every card you receive. For Lili, her cards add so much utility (especially when the opponent has 3 or more cards) as a result this is actually OK.

Direct Persuasion: 26 Damage, Punch, After the attack: Cards ≤ Opp cards & Opp cards ≥ 3: +1 card

Opponent will block with this card in hopes that you focus to 3 cards or strike. If you played strike, 2 cards will be blocked and they will get another free card by playing focus when you have 0, they will then continue to block till you focus to 3 cards.

Freesia Thrust: 20 Damage, Kick, Before the attack: Opp Strike & Opp cards ≥ 3: +1 Kick Parry

Works very well with the 130 HP Lili Power Card. Works very much like Demon Scissors. Opponent will Block till you have played strike. After your failed strike, opponent will have a safe focus and continue to play block.

Rafflesia: 12 Damage, Punch, Before the attack: Opp cards ≥ 3: +1 Parry

Works very well with the 130 HP Lili Power Card. Works Exactly like Freesia Thrust. Opponent will Block till you have played strike. After your failed strike, opponent will have a safe focus and continue to play block.

Rose Pique: 20 Damage, Punch, Before the attack: Cards ≤ Opp cards: 3rd card +15 Hit & Opp 3rd card -30 Hit

Works Exactly like Rafflesia and Freesia Thrust except instead of blocking the 3rd card, it reduces its damage to nearly nothing. Opponent will Block till you have played strike. After your failed strike, opponent will have a safe focus and continue to play block.

Examples

These are the best examples I could get. Some of them aren't as critical but it was difficult for me to find examples where the opponent had the card and the cards were in the right positions.

Xiaoyu's Battering Winds

Opponent Xiaoyu blocking to avoid potential strikes and the effects of Shisetsu Genman

Here the opponent Xiaoyu posses the card Battering Winds. By blocking, the Xiaoyu can gain cards whilst avoiding potential strikes and the effects of Shisetsu Genman due to the Yoshimitsu's 1st card, Tobi Ushikawa. As the actual Yoshimitsu player, I value 1 of my cards as more valuable than 1 of Xiaoyu's so I will focus all the way. If I wanted, I could block three times for an all card discard, but that would be counter productive for me and favorable to the opposing Xiaoyu.

Kazuya's Demon Scissors

Demon Scissors being used against an Opposing Kazuya to prevent Devastator from hitting at all costs.

In this mirror match, the opposing Kazuya has 4 cards with Devastator in 2nd position. Originally, white trunks Kazuya drew Demon Scissors the same time red trunks Kazuya drew Devastator. Knowing that Demon God Fist and Devastator hitting would be extremely unfortunate, white trunks Kazuya decides not to risk it and blocks till red trunks Kazuya strikes. As the red trunks, I would 2x block, focus, 2x block, focus to abuse the healing of Demon God Fist knowing that the White Trunks Kazuya is most likely not going to risk taking the effects of Devastator or the Damage of Demon God Fist.

Lili's Dendrobrium

Dendrobrium used to get rid of Devastator

Opposing Lili will play block to force Dendrobrium's ability to discard Kazuya's Devastator (Devastator is such a great card =] ). The match just started but the Lili does have card advantage. As the Kazuya, I will double block with the Lili, and possibly a third time. If the Lili wishes to forgo her card advantage and also block on the 3rd turn, the Kazuya and Lili will then be at equal cards, and thus the Kazuya will win. If the Lili decides her card advantage is worth more than the Devastator, she will focus but not knowing what Kazuya is thinking, she risks letting the Devastator ability go off.

Conclusion

After I think about it, the examples are pretty bad (lol). I will use this last paragraph to describe another example. Let's pretend we are Paul with 2x 60 Damage cards (the ones that reduce pauls HP by 20 each turn if he has 3 or more), and the enemy is Yoshimitsu with 4 cards, Tobi Ushikawa in position 1, 1 Sakanobori Parry card,(to keep things simple) and 2 bronze cards that do 15 damage each. Let's imagine that Paul is at 31 HP and Yoshimitsu is at 20 HP. Let's imagine Yoshimitsu plans to block and use Tobi Ushikawa to gain a card and secure the tie/win. Paul knows focusing will be his downfall so if Paul plays Double Block, Yoshimitsu is pressured to flip a coin and Yoshimitsu's Tobi Ushikawa card becomes useless. This is the scenario I was trying to get from countless staminaless Quick Fights but I couldn't get one, and if I did, it was too intense to take a picture (lol).

I hope this posts helps people out. I know the pictures would be a lot better if the HP were in critical numbers but that was the best I could do =].

Don't be afraid to comment.

Kazuya Card Analysis

I recently started playing with Kazuya. Like everyone else, I use 3x Skull Smash, 3x Twin Fang Double Kick as the core of my build. I am looking towards experimenting with a lot of Kazuya's cards as they seem pretty interesting and fun. Kazuya's cards are not as 'weird' or 'creative' as Yoshimitsu's so the remarks are not as informative. Similar to the Yoshimitsu Card Analysis, I will post the picture, damage, ability, etc...

Hope everyone finds this card analysis useful and insightful. Please don't hesitate to leave a comment!

Soul Thrust

Soul Thrust

Damage: 20 22

Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: This card hits: Opp 3rd card -60 80 Hit
Synergies: Jaw Breaker
Remark: This card is if you think about it, is an inferior version of Lion Slayer, except that it can occur when HP is greater than 110 and it decreases the damage of the opponent's card as oppose to discarding it. You should never have this card in your deck unless you have already have Lion Slayer. The damage is average. There is not much to be said about this card. Countering: Don't let it hit you or don't have a 3rd card, or dual strike.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Acute Pain

Acute Pain

Damage: 9
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: HP ≤ Opp HP: Card +26 Hit
Synergies: Jaw Breaker
Remark: Awesome damage if the ability procs. Unfortunately, there will be scenarios when this card is a useless 9 damage (or 11 if you took the Punching Power Card). When that happens you will sure wish you took another more reliable card. I have been in many fights where Acute Pain's ability will proc, but there are also many times where it wouldn't have. Countering: Have less HP than Kazuya, and this will be a useless 9~11 damage.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Engetsusen

Engetsusen

Damage: 20
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: Dual Focus: Both -15 HP
Synergies: Kumo Kiri, Tsunami Kick, Inferno, Glorious Demon God Fist, Devil Blaster SR
Remark: Average Damage, a way Kazuya can control his HP. Other than the self HP lowering, it does not offer a a great amount of utility. It is a Kick card so it does not receive bonuses from Wind God Fist or the Punching Power Card. Sometimes the ability can be unwanted, it may cause imminent death in certain cases. Countering: The only abilities that will really affect the outcome of the game when Kazuya has Low HP occur when Kazuya is 90 or below. When facing this card, you may want to refrain from focusing if it leaves Kazuya below 90. You can attempt to deal with this card if it is in position 1 by focus breaking.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Slaughter High Kick

Slaughter High Kick

Damage: 30
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: This card blocked: -15 HP
Synergies: Jaw Breaker, Stature Smash
Remark: Great damage, situational ability. Sometimes the ability of this card is unwanted, sometimes it is wanted. It is up to the opponent to determine whether the ability goes off or not. A nice way to give them incentive is to focus to 5 and strike. Countering: Most of the time, you don't really want to tank 30 damage from Kazuya so it is a good idea to block this card if you have the option to. Other than the ability (which might not even go off) this card is just a 30 damage Kick card.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Lion Slayer

Lion Slayer

Damage: 28
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: Strike & HP ≤ 110
Synergies: Can't think of any
Remark: Great damage, "OK" ability. Although this is (in my opinion) a superior version of Soul Thrust, the ability itself isn't that useful. I would only use this card for the damage as depending on the ability is not a reliable way of winning. To counter this card, have less than 3 cards or dual strike with the Kazuya, or strike prior to them striking. Twenty-eight damage is somewhat intimidating so be wary of a strike.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Oni Front Kick

Oni Front Kick

Damage: 20
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: Double Block & HP ≤ 90: -5 HP & Opp -1 card
Synergies: Demon God Fist, Rising Sun, Demon Slayer, Wind God Fist, Twin Fang Double Kick
Remark: A very nice card. Average Damage. The ability adds a lot of utility to Kazuya's Game. Although the HP requirement for activation is pretty high, the small -5 HP reduction can be just enough to adjust Kazuya's HP to 40 for Demon Slayer, or 35 for Rising Sun. If you use heavy damaging cards such as Demon God Fist which counteracts the HP loss, the opponent will be very intimidated and will most likely block. Countering: this is a trap card, kind of like Trout Sweep. It won't win the match like Trout Sweep but it will destroy any card advantage you may have had after Kazuya Strikes. Try your best to leave Kazuya at 91 HP or above. If that fails, don't be scared to focus 5 card strikes (lol).
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Hell Lancer

Hell Lancer

Damage: 20
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: Opp Strike & HP ≤ 100: +20 HP
Synergies: Oni Stomp, Demon Scissors, Entrails Smash, Inferno, Heaven's Door SR, Demon's Wrath, Double Back Fist, Dragon Uppercut
Remark: One of 3 Healing cards in Kazuya's aresenal. Average Damage, sometimes unwanted ability. Depending on the deck you are running, this ability can be a liability or it can be awesome. Combining protection, parrying or damage reduction makes the effects of this card very strong. Unfortunately many of Kazuya's cards require Kazuya to be below a certain HP. That is where this ability becomes unwanted. If you have a deck that does not have any HP requirements to the cards, this card will fit in well, especially since healing is quite a feat for Kazuya. Countering: Make sure your strikes are not counter productive, sometimes it is best to just let the Kazuya Strike first so that striking won't leave Kazuya with more HP than he began with. Note, the ability will activate if you played strike and Kazuya's HP is reduced to 100 or below as a result of the damage from cards that hit.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Abolishing Fist

Abolishing Fist

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: Head-on card -20 Hit
Synergies: Can't think of any.
Remark: Average damage, "OK" ability. There is not much to be said about this card. The reason why I say "OK" ability is because Head-on card abilities are tough to trigger. For instance, if this card is in position 3, 4 or 5, it is only really OK when the the opponent has card advantage, or equal cards. If Kazuya has the card advantage, he will most likely strike first, else the opponent must "catch up" for this card's ability to be "potentially" useful because even after triggering, it only really becomes useful when the opponent strikes. I prefer Sokushitsu Goda, which will always proc, and just seems more reliable in general. Countering: don't strike if this ability is procing. The damage is not that intimidating compared to what Kazuya's other cards are.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Sokushitsu Goda

Sokushitsu Goda

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: This card appears: Opp 1st card -30 Hit & Opp 2nd card -30 Hit
Synergies: Demon God Fist, Twin Fang Double Kick
Remark: Average Damage. Decent Ability. When the ability goes off, focusing can be very safe. This card also plays a strong role when the opponent and yourself each at a sliver of health, Sokushitsu Goda will give you that uncontested strike or safe focus. Countering: Striking when this ability goes off isn't very efficient but you can almost guarantee that the Kazuya won't block, kind of like Oni Kick Combo for Yoshimitsu.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Demon's Wrath

Demon's Wrath

Damage: 23
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: Dual Strike: +35 Protection
Synergies: Hell Lancer, Entrails Smash, Dragon Uppercut
Remark: Above average damage. Decent ability. Unfortunately this is literally outclassed by Double Back Fist in every way except that Double Back Fist is Unique and this isn't. You should only be carrying this card if you already have Double Back Fist in it. If Double Back Fist didn't exist, I would say this card is pretty good, but I really dislike carbon copies. Countering: Don't be so predictable with your strikes. Alternatively, you can focus till 5 cards and hope that the Kazuya has played strike before you reach 5, if they haven't you can 3x block 5 card discard. This card isn't the greatest card but the damage is still quite strong, 23~25
Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Demon Scissors

Demon Scissors

Damage: 16
Type: Kick
Ability: Before the attack: Block: +1 Punch Parry & Opp 4th card -10 Hit
Synergies: Hell Lancer, Steel Pedal Drop
Remark: One of the best defensive cards in the game. On top of an extra parry, it reduces the opponent's 4th card (if they have one) by 10. It isn't a full 5 card parry, but for 1 card, this is truly amongst the best defense in the game. The damage is below average but for such a strong ability, it is worth it. The only thing this card is missing is 1 more damage, and being a Punch card. Countering: if the opponent has this card, you should try a 1-2 card strike, and refrain from striking till they have play strike. Don't be afraid to consider a 3x Block into 5 card discard if you have 5 cards and the opponent Kazuya has 2 or more cards, one being Demon Scissors. This is because striking leads to 1 and a half cards hitting and the opponent will have 2 card advantage.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Reign of Terror

Reign of Terror

Damage: 21
Type: Kick
Ability: Before the attack: Opp cards = 0: Card +20 Hit
Synergies: Gates of Hell SR
Remark: Average Damage. Not so useful ability. The reason I say "not so useful" is because a lot of players these days will have cards that will leave them with at least 1 card after striking, in other words, they will rarely be at 0 cards. Xiaoyu, Lili, Kazuya, and Nina will rarely be at 0 cards after the first turn. Countering: If the opponent has this card and you have no means of striking and ending up with 1+ cards, you can consider blocking to give them card advantage and an incentive to strike first. If you can avoid 41 damage, you should.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Can you see the Santa Clause in the artwork?

Kumo Kiri

Kumo Kiri

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: Dual Focus & HP ≤ 120: Opp -10 HP
Synergies: Engetsusen, Tsunami Kick, Inferno, Devil Blaster SR
Remark: Average Damage. Decent Ability. Similar to Engetsusen except 10 damage, occus when HP Less than 120 and the damage is only for the opponent. Against other Kazuya's, Kumo Kiri can be your bane. Characters that can gain cards without actually focusing are unaffected by this. These include: Kazuya, Yoshimitsu, Law, Xiaoyu, Lili, and Nina. Countering: If it is in position 1, you can attempt a focus break, otherwise, you have to suck it up and just tank the damage. Alternatively, you can strike Kazuya till he is 121 HP, and from there lower him to 81, and then to 0. The 20~22 Damage is not that threatening.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Searing Edge

Searing Edge

Damage: 10
Type: Kick
Ability: Before the attack: HP ≤ 140 & This card in 1st pos: Card +80 Hit
Synergies: Jaw Breaker, Skull Smash
Remark: Horrible damage. Nice ability. It seems like a very difficult ability to proc. The HP requirement can be met easily. "This card in X pos" abilities are quite difficult to get off. Even then, getting the damage to go through isn't guaranteed either. Cards like Jaw Breaker and Skull Smash aid in triggering the ability as well as ensuring the damage goes through. Overall, the ability is too difficult to pull off (in my opinion) and I would rather have something more reliable. Still, a pretty fun card. Countering: The ability will rarely go off, but when it does, you have to "guess right". You can imagine that people who run 3 of these cards will run 3 Skull Smashes as well. That being said, the last 3 cards have a chance to be quite low, so you may consider blocking 4 times in a row. Most of the time, this will be a crappy 10 damage card.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Rising Sun

Rising Sun

Damage: 20
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: Strike & HP ≤ 35: +2 cards
Synergies: Oni Front Kick, Oni Stomp
Remark: This has got to be one of the best abilities in Kazuya's deck. Unfortunately, the ability has the second hardest health requirement (Law's Dragon Cannon SR being the hardest). Damage is average. The ability can be quite devastating, but having 35 HP is quite risky as a mere gust of wind can KO you. If you do get to 35 HP somehow and have 3 cards of these as well as Twin Fang Double Kick and Skull Smash, you will make Xiaoyu look like Panda in terms of speed. Countering: When fighting Kazuya, drop him from 36+ to 0. Throughout the match, you should have seen one or two of these so you should be prepared to not let the Rising Sun proc. If you do, and you have 0 cards, you are most likely going to die blocking.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Skull Smash

Skull Smash

Damage: 13
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: Strike: +1 card
Synergies: Searing Edge, Twin Fang Double Kick
Remark: Below average damage. Awesome ability. Considering they just nerfed Nina's Spin Low Kick to Right Upper (10 Damage, Punch, After the attack: Strike: +1 card & +4 HP), this card has got to be one of the best cards for Kazuya. The only thing it is lacking is some damage, but since it is a Punch card, it will receive the 2 damage from the power card, and the boost from Wind God Fist. Countering: Focus Break if this card is in 1st position. If not, there is not much you can do to stop the ability. As a tip, most Kazuya's won't strike unless they have this card in hand or have 5 cards.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Demon Slayer

Demon Slayer

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: HP ≤ 40: Card +25 Damage
Synergies: Oni Front Kick, Jaw Breaker, Oni Stomp
Remark: One of Kazuya's muscle cards. Average damage. Good ability. Just like Rising Sun, this ability is quite difficult to pull off due to the low HP requirement. For an extra 25 Damage, I wouldn't say it is worth it. There are other muscle cards with less risk such as Demon God Fist, and Wind God Fist or even Agony Spear. After the ability procs, the damage is not secured as well. Countering: Burst Kazuya down from 41 to 0 so the ability will never proc.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Stature Smash

Stature Smash

Damage: 21
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: Opp Block Won & HP ≤ 110: +70 Protection
Synergies: Slaughter High Kick, Devastator, Slaughter Hook
Remark: One of 2 cards in Kazuya's collection that give Protection after the attack, the other card being Heaven's Door SR. The damage is average. The ability allows Kazuya to get a safe focus the next turn. The desire of Protection after the attack is because of self damage inflicting cards such as Engetsusen, Tsunami Kick, Devastator, Slaughter High Kick, Devil Blaster SR. Unfortunately, due to the conditions of Stature Smash's ability, only Devastator and Slaughter High Kick can take advantage of the protection this card has to offer. Countering: 21 Damage isn't that intimidating and neither is the ability. The best way to approach this card is to throw in some focus breaks here and there. Most Kazuya players will focus to 5 and strike with this card so that the ability will proc.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Double Back Fist

Double Back Fist

Damage: 25
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: Strike: +50 Protection
Synergies: Hell Lancer, Entrails Smash, Dragon Uppercut
Remark: Great damage. Good ability. A lot of Kazuya's find themselves in predicaments where dual striking means a draw. Double Back Fist is the answer to all those draws. The card provides a strong 50 Protection and only requires a strike. At the moment, there are no "before the attack" self damage inflicting cards that will synergize with Double Back Fist, and there are no cards that reduce damage before the attack, so this card only plays when Dual Strikes occur. Considering it does 2 more damage and provides 15 more protection, it is much better than Demon's Wrath. If you plan on using Demon's Wrath, get Double Back Fist first. Countering: Double Back Fist can be quite intimidating as it boasts a solid 25~27 damage, and can absorb 50 Damage if the Kazuya strikes. The ability is not very intimidating but be weary when finishing a Kazuya. This card may be the difference between a Loss and a Draw.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Shattered Spine

Shattered Spine

Damage: 20
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: Strike: Opp -10 HP
Synergies: Can't think of any
Remark: Average damage. OK ability. The ability combined with the damage makes Shattered Spine look like a 30 damage card or a 20 damage card and 10 unavoidable damage. This card seems like an ordinary muscle card and does not really do much other than provide damage. Still, one of the more safe and reliable damage cards compared to Demon God Fist or Stonehead. Countering: Remember to take into account the ability when doing your addition. Twenty damage is no laughing matter and blocking won't save you from the ability. If this card can be focus broken, you may consider doing so. The 30 damage you will be avoiding is 17% of your health. If the ability is going to kill you, always remember if you have healing cards that occur after the attack, you will reap their benefits and won't die that turn.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Jaw Breaker

Jaw Breaker

Damage: 15
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: Strike & HP ≤ 110: Opp -1 Parry
Synergies: Soul Thrust, Acute Pain, Slaughter High Kick, Searing Edge, Demon Slayer, Devastator, Skull Smash, Twin Fang Double Kick, Wind God Fist, Agony Spear, Demon God Fist
Remark: Below average damage. Amazing ability. Allowing 1 more card to go through is awesome. Depending on your deck and what cards you have in hand, an extra card hitting can be an enormous asset. This card works extremely well with other cards that require hitting for the ability to activate (Devastator, Slaughter High Kick, Soul Thrust), as well as buffing cards (Searing Edge, Demon Slayer, Wind God Fist, Agony Spear). On top of that, Jaw Breaker works well with Twin Fang Double Kick and Skull Smash Combo, as a lot of the time you will be at 2-3 cards, if Jaw Breaker is amongst those, damage will most definitely be inflicted on blocks. I wouldn't use more than 2 Jaw breakers in a deck as 3 in a hand has no effect. Countering: Extra parries will counter this. Sometimes when there are 2 on the field, remember to focus if you have 0 cards. This card is not very threatening on its own, but with others, it can be a big difference in damage. Focus breaking to discard the enemy Kazuya's Jaw Breaker does not seem very attractive unless they have several cards.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Oni Stomp

Oni Stomp

Damage: 10
Type: Kick
Ability: Before the attack: Opp Strike & HP ≤ 110: +25 Protection
Synergies: Hell Lancer, Rising Sun, Demon Slayer, Entrails Smash, Glorious Demon God Fist
Remark: Horrible damage. Good protective ability. Works really well in position 1 and allows focusing without any fear. Near the end of the match, this card could be the difference between a Loss and a Draw providing a cushion for focus breaks and soaking damage when turtle-ing. Do not use this card if your deck is lacking damage, Oni Stomp is purely for defense. Countering: Cards such as Wave Crest, or Wolf Fang destroy this card. Do not bother focus breaking to discard this card as it is somewhat counter productive. Focus with the opponent if they have card advantage. Remember to take into account the 25 protection when striking to lower Kazuya's HP to 81~90.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Devastator

Devastator

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: This card hits: -15 HP & +2 cards
Synergies: Stature Smash, Jaw Breaker
Remark: Average Damage. Great ability. The main feature of this card is its ability to generate 2 cards for a low low price of 15 HP (Tsunami Kick charges 15 HP for 1 card). On top of that, it is the only card that offers self inflicted damage and cannot be negated due to the actions of the opponent (if it appears in position 3 or higher). This is one of the best Unique cards for Kazuya and in my opinion is compulsory to any strong Kazuya Deck. In positions 1 or 2 the ability may not trigger. If you run Jaw Breakers and in position 2, consider fishing for the Jaw Breaker before striking, otherwise take a guess. Countering: Knock the card into position 2, or focus break to discard it. In positions 3 or higher, there is not much you can do. Remember to take into account the 15 damage when striking the Kazuya, you will want to leave him at 96 HP and not 81.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Stonehead

Stonehead

Damage: 50
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: This card appears: Opp +20 HP
Synergies: Jaw Breaker
Remark: Highest damage for Kazuya. Unwanted ability. Due to the ability, this card actually is more like 30 damage. I don't know where healing the opponent can be a good thing (except maybe in a Kazuya vs Kazuya). Also this card in combination with Twin Fang Double Kick, Skull Smash may end up healing the opponent more than the damage dished out. Furthermore, if the opponent is brought to 0 HP from the effects of Gates of Hell SR or Shattered Spine, this card appearing will bring them back to 20 HP. Although the base damage is very intimidating, you only get the full effect if the opponent is already at full HP. I really like the 50~52 number on the card though, it really puts the fear of God into the opponent. Countering: Don't let it hit you if you have the chance as it gives a nice 20 HP. In position 3, you might want to consider focus breaking to potentially avoid the damage.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Glorious Demon God Fist

Glorious Demon God Fist

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: Opp Focus Break:  -10 HP & +1 card
Synergies: Oni Stomp, Engetsusen, Kumo Kiri, Entrails Smash, Tsunami Kick, Inferno, Devil Blaster SR
Remark: Average damage. Decent Ability. Not exactly Nina's Assault Bomb (25 Damage, Punch, After the attack: Opp Strike: +1 card & +5 HP) but still pretty good. Synergizes well with the Oni Stomp to soak in the focus break damage, and many Dual Focus cards. Inferno with Glorious Demon God Fist enables an always win situation when playing focus. Countering: Focus along with Kazuya to avoid the ability from procing. He will most likely focus to 5 cards. Remember to take into account the -10 HP if you do decide to focus break Kazuya.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Awesome artwork. I enjoy the detail on the gloves.

Entrails Smash

Entrails Smash

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: Opp Strike & Opp cards ≥ 3: +1 Punch Parry
Synergies: Hell Lancer, Demon's Wrath, Double Back Fist, Oni Stomp, Glorious Demon God Fist
Remark: A solid defense card with an average damage. Not as good as Demon Scissors for turtle-ing but the ability persists when playing Focus or Strike. The fact that Entrails Smash is also a Punch card is a nice bonus for those who use the Punching power card as well as Demon God Fist. Remember to take into account the parry when deciding to allow the opponent to strike to get 80 HP or below. Interesting Fact: If an opponent's card subtracts X "parry" (Paul's God Hammer Punch and Kongo Blast SR; Kazuya's Jaw Breaker; Yoshimitsu's Doushi Kiri; Xiaoyu's Wave Crest) it does not remove a "Punch Parry" so Entrails Smash still persists. Countering: Strike with 1-2 cards or allow the enemy to strike first.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Wind God Fist

Wind God Fist

Damage: 25 22

Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: HP ≤ 60: P cards +15 Hit
Synergies: All Punch cards, Oni Front Kick, Jaw Breaker
Remark: Good Damage. Amazing Ability. This card is amongst the biggest damage buffers in Tekken Card Tournament and the best damage buffer for Kazuya. The HP requirement is not difficult to achieve, especially with the help of Oni Front Kick, or other self inflicting damage cards. Jaw Breaker (I think) works very well with Wind God Fist as it receives the bonus and allows another card (that hopefully also received the bonus) hit. This card has saved many many times and is the bane for those who are too lazy to do proper addition. Countering: Burst Kazuya from 61 to 0 HP to prevent the effects of this card. If this card is in 1st positions AND it is activated, you may want to focus break Kazuya as you could potentially eat a 100+ damage strike if they accumulate 5 cards.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Dooryah!

Dragon Uppercut

Dragon Uppercut

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: Strike & HP ≤ 100: Opp cards -10 Hit
Synergies: Demon's Wrath, Double Back Fist, Hell Lancer
Remark: Average Damage. The ability is another Dual Striking ability. Where Demon's Wrath and Double Back Fist fail (against Xiaoyu), Dragon Uppercut will conquer. After drawing many games against Xiaoyu's who use Wave Crest, it seems Dragon Uppercut is the answer when seeking victory. Demon's Wrath and Double Back Fist are great, but cards which subtract protection (currently only Xiaoyu, Law's Wolf Fang nullifies cards making everything useless) will make them obsolete. Dragon Uppercut significantly lowers Xiaoyu's damage (in many cases, it makes her damage 0). At this moment, I feel this card only beats out Double Back Fist and Demon's Wrath in fights against Xiaoyu's that use Wave Crest. In all other scenarios, I would prefer Double Back Fist and Demon's Wrath.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
SHORYUKEN!

Tsunami Kick

Tsunami Kick

Damage: 20
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: Dual Focus: -15 HP & +1 card
Synergies: Engetsusen, Kumo Kiri, Glorious Demon God Fist, Inferno, 160 HP Power Card
Remark: Average Damage. Great ability. A nice accelerator for Kazuya, as well as a self damage inflicting card. Receiving 2 cards a turn can make Kazuya extremely dangerous. This card goes very well with the 160 HP Power Card as it throws him off to a flying start. The only downside of this card is it isn't a punch. Countering: One way is to just not focus. Depending on the Kazuya's deck and their current HP, focusing to trigger the ability could be your downfall.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Twin Fang Double Kick

Twin Fang Double Kick

Damage: 13 11
Type: Kick
Ability: After the attack: HP ≤ 80: Card discard & +2 card
Synergies: Oni Front Kick, Skull Smash, Jaw Breaker
Remark: Amazing ability. The bread and butter of many Kazuya Decks. Despite it's poor damage, this card is the driving force behind a lot of Kazuya decks. This is why high level players will burst a Kazuya down from 81 HP. Twin Fang Double Kick with Skull Smash boosts Kazuya's drawing power to Xiaoyu-like speed. Consider using the silver version for 20 Damage but a lower HP requirement (60). Countering: Burst Kazuya down from full HP to 81 to 0. If miscalculate and Kazuya is at 80 HP or below with this card in hand and yourself with 0, you can bet you will be taking a lot of damage in the next 3-4 turns.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Inferno

Inferno

Damage: 15 18
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: Opp Focus: Card discard & Opp -2 cards
Synergies: Engetsusen, Kumo Kiri, Glorious Demon God Fist, Tsunami Kick, Agony Spear
Remark: Below Average Damage. OK ability. Aside from Lion Slayer and Oni Front Kick, this is the only other card that forces the opponent to discard cards. Although the ability seems rather straight forward, it seems rather difficult to fully utilize. I would suggest blocking when the opponent has 3 or more cards. Goes rather well with the other Dual Focus cards. I currently own 2 Inferno cards but I have never been able to make them work with my other Kazuya cards. I am looking forward to trying a second deck consisting of the Dual Focus cards and Inferno. Countering: Guess correctly, as I suggested to block when the opponent has 3 or more cards, I recommend focusing when you have 3 or more cards. It really is all just about guessing correclty, not much can be said.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Demon God Fist

Demon God Fist

Damage: 46 43
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: Block: -1 Parry & +5 HP
Synergies: Oni Front Kick, Sokushitsu Goda, Jaw Breaker, Oni Stomp
Remark: Awesome damage. Situational ability. Sometimes +5~ HP can be useful and it also baits out the opponent. The -1 parry can be quite burdensome when behind in cards in which case, I would recommend striking to get rid of it and possibly sink 48 damage into your opponent. That being said, it is not always a good idea to focus when the opponent has 4 cards if you run 3 of these in your deck. If this card appears in position 3, 4, or 5 you can expect your opponent to take massive damage. Try healing a bit when holding 5 cards. Countering: Try not to get hit by this card when it is in position 1 or 2. In position 3, I recommend focus breaking. Don't be fooled when Kazuya attempts to heal 10 HP by blocking with 5 cards.
Rating: 3 out of 5 star

Agony Spear

Agony Spear

Damage: 20
Type: Kick
Ability: Before the attack: Opp Only Punch: Card +30 Hit
Synergies: Jaw Breaker, Inferno, Gates of Hell SR
Remark: Average Damage. Situational Ability. Depending on the meta, this card could be great. When the ability is not active, this card is just another 20 damage kick card. To get a better chance at procing the ability, use Inferno to force the opponent to discard cards or strike. Gates of Hell also forces the opponent to take action. If the opponent is using a punch deck this card will be your greatest asset. Countering: If you play a Punch Deck, there is not much you can do other than strike and block all day. If you have a deck consisting of punch and kicks, but currently only have a punch, you must guess correctly and even than the nightmare may not end.
Rating: 3 out of 5 star

Steel Pedal Drop

Steel Pedal Drop

Damage: 20
Type: Punch
Ability: Before the attack: HP ≤ 100: Opp 5th Card discard
Synergies: Demon Scissors
Remark: Average damage. Inferior ability. The reason why I say inferior ability is because Entrails Smash does not have an HP requirement to trigger, and triggers when the opponent has 3 or more cards. Steel Pedal Drop will only be useful when the Opponent has 5 cards. When the opponent sees this card, they will obviously attack with 4 cards or less. This is really an inferior version of Entrails Smash. If you need more than Entrails Smash, use Demon Scissors, you may lose out on 6~ damage (15 more from Wind God Fist) but at least the ability is infinitely better. Do not use this card if you already haven't purchased Entrails Smash. Something tells me this will get a buff. Countering: Strike with 4 cards or less.
Rating: 0.5 out of 5 star

Slaughter Hook

Slaughter Hook

Damage: 25
Type: Punch
Ability: After the attack: This card blocked & HP ≤ 90: +30 HP
Synergies: Stature Smash
Remark: Good damage. Situational ability. Sometimes the 30 HP can be a liability more than an asset and vice versa. I have yet to try Slaughter Hook in a deck that does not require certain HP levels but I feel it could fair well as an unreliable healing card. If you want the ability to go off, focus to 5 cards. If it is in position 3, focus to 5 cards and pray your opponent focus breaks you. If you do not want the heal, strike pre-5 cards. Countering: Depending on how the Kazuya plays it, you may not have a choice on whether the ability goes off or not, unless you want to tank a 5 card strike from Kazuya. If you push it into the 2nd position from the 3rd, you kind of have a choice but ultimately it is up to the Kazuya.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 star

Heihachi Update

About 24 Hours ago, an app update was released in the App store and the Google Play Store (soon the update will be available for Kindle as well). This update included the following:

This is taken directly from the Google Play Store 

What's New

• Heihachi added
• Augmented Reality and QR Code scan for physical cards
• New avatars
• Card discard rule modification change: HP changes are not taken into account anymore
• VS Screen modification
• Yoshimitsu's mask effect persists over turns
• Bug fixes on various effects that didn't apply correctly such as Kazuya's Entrails Smash and Demon Scissors, Law's Backflipper and Yoshimitsu's Thunderblade
• Fixed a bug that would enable you to draw a card already present on-screen
• Reading messages is faster

I want to briefly make a couple comments on each of the points.

Heihachi is a great addition to the game, unfortunately he will be available exclusively through the purchase of physical cards. On the bright side, the "NEWS" section of the game has this to say "Initially Heihachi cards will only be available as physical cards and you'll have to scan them to build your digital deck." That line can be interpreted in many ways. I would like to think that individuals who purchase the physical cards and sell Heihachi cards will make those cards available in the market place. Perhaps Heihachi cards will be available in digital boosters in the near future. On the Tekken Facebook page, a fan goes to say "heihachi is only playable if we buy real cards? wtf?!" and is then replied by Community Manage at C4M Productions, Panda Lex "Yes, it is the idea.". That being said, I am not sure what the deal is with Heihachi (lol), we will just have to wait and see.

Augmented Reailty and QR Code scan for physical cards. This isn't very interesting to comment on, so I will just go on to the next points

New Avatars. This is pretty neat. Now I can choose a better looking avatar. I will try to go for something Unique so when people see my avatar they will associate it with my in-game-name.

Card discard rule modification change. This is one of the main things I wanted to talk about. Not sure who is affected the most from this (I would imagine Yoshimitsu) but I think it will make for more fast pace matches. I really dislike blocking all day till my HP bar is full (or the enemies), so I think this update was a good idea. After looking at the Tekken Card Tournament Twitter page, it seems there are a lot of other bugs that came with the update. This included discards occurring despite changes in cards and HP (the total number of cards in play remained the same). Quite a blunder. I hope no one intends to sell their entire decks for another character. The balance update is within 24 hours, hopefully this will even the playing field for characters that lost a lot from the rule modification.

VS Screen modification. Wooo no more dodging matches. This is great. This will also help the developers discover which character is truly over powered. Since dodging is eliminated, I would imagine players who dodged and consistently ranked high will rank a lot lower. This update will bring out everybody's true rating. I would be kind of embarrassed if I was consistently ranking high and when the dodging fix comes up, my rank is terrible.

Yoshimitsu's mask effect persists over turns. Well, this is truly one of the most disappointing updates. I was hoping for at least Oni Kick Combo working in conjunction with the SR Power card, but actually, it still reveals itself to any competent opponent. I have not confirmed this but, I had Oni Kick Combo as my one of my starting concealed cards for at least 9 games. Eight out of 9 players blocked with the 9th player possibly being AFK (the counter dropped to 0 and he focused). On top of that, I thought cards like "Prison Gate" would draw the resulting focus card concealed, but instead the card comes in plain visible sight for all to see. This update was extremely disappointing. I seriously had my hopes up, especially when the Yoshimitsu new cards were pretty mediocre.

Bug fixes for various cards. Not much to comment here.

Fixed a bug that would enable you to draw a card already present on-screen. Not actually fixed, and not quite sure what they are trying to do. I would imagine that they are attempting to make it so that 2x SR cards do not occur in a 5 card hand. This sounds great and all but I am not sure what kind of card drawing formula they will have if they intend to make that change. Possibly when drawing the 16th card, you are not allowed to have a card in your current hand, which means your draw will be from the other 14 cards (or maybe the other 11 cards). I am not quite sure what to expect, either way, I have to some of my posts on card counting.

Reading messages is faster. Good update.

Conclusion

Don't sell your decks till the Balance Update 04 is released! You may regret it. I know a lot of people feel Kazuya's Gates of Hell card is ruined, but maybe the Balance Update will address it and bring it back to it's former glory (I mean even before Balance Update 02). Overall, it seems the only big changes were the HP rule modification. I think it only negatively affects Yoshimitsu and Kazuya. Panda has enough damage to ensure that 3 cards kill the opponent after they absorb 30 damage from Trout Sweep. Lili's SR card that subtracts damage wasn't very game changing anyway. Paul players rejoice (sort of), the update allows 5 card discards so that the negative effects of Paul's cards don't bury him. I think when they fix the bug, Law's Flash Fist can get it's full effect when in position 5.

That conceal update was seriously, such a let down. I hope the upcoming Balance Update modifies Yoshimitsu's cards so that conceal can at least be used to conceal effects such as the combination of Prison Gate and Oni Kick Combo.

Card Release 02

The new cards for Yoshimitsu and Kazuya have arrived today in honor of Japan (lol, they said China last time, I wonder if they will say Japan this time). These can be seen at the official Tekken Card Tournament site. I wanted to just do a quick review on them now that they are out.

New Cards

• Demon God Fist: 46 Damage, Punch, Before the attack, Block: -1 Parry & +5 HP/li>
  

Second highest base damage for Kazuya (Stonehead is still in the lead with 50) but unlike it's successor in base damage, it does not heal the opponent. This card works very well with Oni Stomp and other Focus Break Cards. Also, it is not even Unique. Really matches Kazuya's No Block Policy. In those sticky situations where the opponent is trying to finish Kazuya from 81 HP, this card can become quite the burden, I guess those are the costs of a 46 Base damage card.

• Agony Spear: 20 Damage, Kick, Before the attack, Opp only Punch card: Card +30 Hit

This card just destroys punch decks. Ones that come to mind are, Lili, Panda, and Nina (Yoshimitsu's Punch deck is so terrible...). The damage is already pretty good and there is a good chance that unless the opponent has a Kick Deck, that this card's ability may proc for some big damage. This card doesn't really offer any utility to Kazuya, it is just another muscle card like Demon God Fist.

• Steel Pedal Drop: 20 Damage, Punch, Before the attack, HP ≤ 100: Opp 5th card discard

This card is kind of like another Entrails Smash but inferior. Both cards are unique so you can consider running this card as well as Entrails Smash for that extra defense. If the opponent is fishing to kill you with a 5 card strike, this card is the answer, but there are other choices in Kazuya's collection, Oni Stomp comes to mind.

• Slaughter Hook: 25 Damage, Punch, After the attack, This card blocked & HP ≤ 90: +30 HP

Great damage, sometimes unwanted ability. This card opens up the doors for possibly a Healing Kazuya deck? (lol). Sounds sketchy but you never know. The ability will throw off the strategies of a lot of Kazuya's opponents unless they take a meaty 25 damage.

• Kamikaze: 21 Damage, Kick, After the attack, Focus & Cards = 5, Both -5 cards & Opp -45 HP

This card is kind of like Gehosen, weird. I look forward to using this card, I really enjoy these screwy louie cards because when you win, it is like the most embarrassing thing for the opponent (imo, lol). I think it works well if the average damage of your deck is rather low. When the ability goes off, you'll always be on equal footing in card, or at an advantage. This will probably be the first card I buy from the new cards.

• Spirited Away: 18 Damage, Kick, After the attack, Cards ≤ 1: +1 card & Opp -1 card

Interesting card, can be used to really rush to a quick 3 card. Unfortunately this card only works in position 1 and is just an 18 damage otherwise. Wonder how it fairs with 3x Dragonfly Fist. I don't believe in putting 1 of any card in a deck unless it is a unique. That being said, putting 3x Spirited Away doesn't sound that great since they are only useful in position 1. I am somewhat interested in how these cards will play in a deck but something tells me by the looks of it, it is just a useless 18 damage Kick more often then not.

• Shisetsu Genman: 16 Damage, Kick, After the attack, Cards = Opp cards: +1 card & Opp -1 card

Another interesting card that I look forward to playing with. I can't think of the synergies off the top of my head but playing around with card drawing is always fun. From the Yoshimitsu pool of new cards, this card is my 2nd choice after Kamikaze, but in terms of viability and consistency, I will probably choose Shisetsu Genman over everything else as the chances of this card procing are quite high.

• Doushi Kiri: 19 Damage, Punch, Before the attack, Every turn: Both -1 Parry

Hallelujah, the answer to Parry Deck Lili (sort of) this card comes as a double edge sword but at least matches won't last 20 minutes against Lili like they usually do. Killing Kazuya just became easier as well. I wish this card was Opp -1 Parry but one can only hope. This will be the 3rd card I try out because I hate Parry Lili decks.

Conclusion

Kazuya gets 2 muscle cards which I think are pretty neat, a redundant defense card and an interesting healing card. I think the muscle cards may help Kazuya a lot in his game. If you've seen my Speed Kazuya Deck I think 3x Demon God Fist could replace Acute Pain in the future. Maybe things will change for Kazuya's style and the new healing card will pave the way for a Kazuya Healing deck.

I am kind of disappointed in Yoshimitsu's cards. I was hoping for a REAL answer to Lili Parry deck similar to Law's Wolf Fang (lol that probably would've been OP on Yoshimitsu). But I guess Doushi Kiri will have to do. Kamikaze isn't anything special, Spirited Away is mediocre at best. Shisetsu Genman on paper looks like the best card from the lot. Doushi Kiri will probably get Yoshimitsu killed faster than usual. I don't think Yoshimitsu will be moving anywhere in competitive play. But we will have to see. I am looking forward to making a silly deck though (lol).

My Review on Card Release 01 actually hoped for a release on Kazuya and Yoshimitsu. Spooky. Wonder if the game developers or designers actually read my blog. Hope you guys enjoyed this post. Leave a comment =]

Kazuya Deck - 01

Lately, I have been looking at Kazuya's cards a lot, and am starting to get bored of Yoshimitsu (those new cards are coming out today though so hopefully that changes). As a result, I've created a poll to help me choose which character I should take up. I am currently leaning towards Kazuya, Heihachi, and Law (if the game designers mention King, I will add him tot he poll as well). Obviously it will take me some time before I get a full deck rolling, but it never hurts to get an idea of what my blog viewers think. If I were to go with Kazuya, I would run the following deck as my first 15 cards.

The Deck

So I have decided to call this deck "Xiao Yu 2.0" (pronounced She-ow Yu two-point-oh). The reason being, simply because at 80 HP or below, it draws cards as fast as Xiao Yu, and it hits for up to 5 times
more.

Kazuya in a suit

• 2x Jaw Breaker: 15 Damage, Punch, Before the attack: Strike & HP ≤ 110: Opp -1 Parry
• 1x Demon God Fist: 43 Damage, Punch, Before the attack: Block: -1 Parry & +5 HP
• 3x Skull Smash: 13 Damage, Punch, After the attack: Strike: +1 card
• 3x Twin Fang Double Kick: 13 Damage, Kick, After the attack: HP ≤ 80: Card discard & +2 cards
• 1x Devastator: 20 Damage, Punch, After the attack: This card hits: -15 HP & +2 cards
• 1x Wind God Fist: 25 Damage, Punch, Before the attack: HP ≤ 60: P cards +15 Hit
• 2x Oni Stomp: 10 Damage, Kick, Before the attack: Opp Strike: HP ≤ 110: +25 Protection
• 1x Gates of Hell: 20 Damage, Kick, After the attack: HP ≤ 120: Opp -7 HP

Select 1 of the 4 Options

• 1x Oni Stomp: 10 Damage, Kick, Before the attack: Opp Strike: HP ≤ 110: +25 Protection
• 1x Double Back Fist: 25 Damage, Punch, Strike: +50 Protection
• 1x Entrails Smash: 20 Damage, Punch, Opp Strike & Opp cards ≥ 3: +1 Punch Parry
• 1x Stonehead: 50 Damage, Punch, After the attack: This card appears: Opp +20 HP
• Power Card: 175 HP, Every turn: P Cards  +2 Hit

This deck has relatively weak damage if HP is greater than the opponents, otherwise, Acute Pain is where the bread and butter is. At 80 HP or less, there are 7 cards which improve the draw rate. That is just under half the deck so it is quite difficult to find yourself in a position with no cards. Choosing between the 4 options is a matter of preference. I prefer Stonehead because a 50 damage card puts the fear of God into your opponent.

Strategy

You will start off with around 175 HP and until you are 110ish HP you need not worry about blocking. Concentrate on not losing Skull Smash from focus breaks and do your best to put some hurt on the enemy. At around 110 HP, watch out for 1-2 card strikes that will leave you at 81 HP or 61 HP. At this point, you should have a good feel for the average damage the opponent can dish out with 1 card, and block potential strikes that will leave you above 80. Remember to consider Oni Stomp and Entrails Smash in your calculations. If you find yourself in a situation where the Opponent is attempting to kill you in a 5 card strike and there are many 3x Block into 5 card discard, then you made a mistake somewhere and you have to wait till you get the Gates of Hell card to force your opponent to strike you or die. When you are under 60 HP and Wind God Fist is procing, you should be able to win with the power you have attained, overwhelming and absolute.

Edit: I have taken out 3x Acute Pain for 2x Jaw Breaker and 1x Demon God Fist. I think Jaw Breaker is a good choice because at 80 HP or below, if you consistently strike, you will be at 1-3 cards.

Kazuya Balling

Conclusion

I am not a Kazuya player (yet...) but this is a deck I would like to try if I pick up Kazuya. I feel Kazuya's decisions to block, focus or strike have more impact then the deck Kazuya uses. I said in a comment on a past post that I felt Kazuya is the most tactical of the characters and possibly the hardest to use in all of Tekken Card Tournament, so if you don't have success at first with Kazuya, don't give up. If you don't want to do a lot of calculations, you may not have an easy time breaking mid 1200's with Kazuya. Hope you found this informative and interesting. Please leave a comment, like, share, subscribe, etc. Thanks for reading =]