Heya everyone! The October 31, OP13 release for the West is fast approaching, and new leaders and cards are coming to the game! This also means that the Sealed Pre-release event is something to look forward to!
The Release Events will take place between October 31 and November 20, 2025. The format is the organizer’s choice. It can be the traditional constructed format or a sealed format. The latter is what matters to us for this article.
The Rules
- Players open a set number of booster packs from specified sets and build their decks using only the cards they open. (Players who purchase 1 booster box during the event period will receive 1 additional Release Event Pack.)
- Unlike the standard play, you can ignore the normal deck-building color restrictions based on your leader and can include cards of any color in your deck. There are additional special rules for deck building.
- 6 Packs is the suggested number of packs. Each participant should use the same number of packs.
- You may bring your leader (including those from previous sets) to use in the event.
- Bring 10x DON!! cards.
Deck Construction Rules
After opening 6 packs, players build a 40-card deck, and a 10 DON!! card deck. There are no banned or restricted cards, and players can include as many copies of cards with the same card number as they like. (There is no 4-card limit and 5 or more copies of a card with the same card number can be included in decks.) Any cards left over from deck construction are treated as sideboard cards.
Suggested Match Format
Use a Swiss draw format to match players with the closest win rates.
Sideboard
Cards not used in decks are treated as sideboard cards. In between games, players can exchange cards in their deck with cards in their sideboard. Players can exchange as many cards between deck and sideboard as they like, so long as they have a legal number of cards in their deck.
Special Game Rules
In sealed format games, players can ignore deck color requirements based on their leader. For example, if you are playing with the Red starter deck as your leader, you would be restricted to only having red cards in your deck. However, in sealed, you can use cards of any color in your deck, even though your leader is only Red.
All other card restrictions still apply as normal, including effects listed on leaders that specify names or colors.
Example 1: With your leader as Blue Donquixote Doflamingo, you may search for [The Seven Warlords of the Sea] type of Character cards when triggering his ability.
Example 2: When using the ability of OP01 7-cost Crocodile “Blue Event cards in your hand cost 1 less to play” would only apply to Blue Event cards – This would not apply to Event cards of other colors.
Prizes
Participation
3rd Anniversary Tournament 3 Brothers Pack
(3rd Anniversary Leader Card + 1 of 3 cards at random)
Leader Card
OP-13 Pre-Release Pack
- 2 cards per pack
- 75 types in total
- Release Gold Stamped cards are from CARRYING ON HIS WILL [OP-13] Common and Uncommon cards.
Winner
ST01-012 Monkey.D.Luffy (Silver foil + Gold stamp)
OP07-053 Portgas.D.Ace (Silver foil + Gold stamp)
OP09-027 Sabo (Silver foil + Gold stamp)
Players Application Period
October 17, 2025 onwards Apply here!
Leaders
When selecting a Leader, it’s best to choose one that isn’t limited by specific deck-building requirements or card types. Ideally, your Leader should have abilities that remain useful no matter how your deck ends up. Since players can bring their own Leader to the event, you’re not restricted by the randomness of OP13 packs. That said, some stores may require everyone to use the Rainbow Luffy Leader, so be sure to check with the organizer in advance.
Sanji’s effect works only on 8-cost or lower Characters that don’t have an On Play ability, allowing you to give them the Rush keyword the turn they enter play. This creates immediate pressure by letting your Characters attack right away, forcing opponents to use up their Counter cards. Since Vanilla Characters are especially strong in prerelease events, and you’ll likely include as many as possible, Sanji’s effect adds even more value to them, turning your Vanillas into serious threats.
I believe Sanji will be one of the strongest leaders in this format, especially since we have a lot of Vanilla Characters to include in this format.
Jewelry Bonney is a defensive Leader designed to slow down your opponent’s aggression, and she saw success during previous prereleases. Her ability to rest an opposing attacker makes her great for stalling the game, though it requires you to keep 1 DON!! available during your opponent’s turn. However, unlike in OP07, Bonney no longer has access to the same support cards, so her performance will likely be weaker this time around.
Monkey D. Dragon has a solid standalone effect, allowing you to reassign attached DON!! to another Character. This gives you flexibility and helps maximize your offensive potential by enabling more aggressive plays.
Another strong Leader in this format is Eustass “Captain” Kid, known for his ability to attack multiple times. His effect requires 3 DON!! to activate, making it more suited for the late game. When timed well, it allows you to pick off rested Characters, pressure your opponent’s hand by forcing Counter cards, or shift into an aggressive strategy by attacking the opposing Leader directly.
Charlotte Katakuri’s +1000 Power when you attach a Don on him is crazy good for powerful attacks that could force 2 Counter cards from opponent. Getting to look at the top Life Card gives you crucial information. Usually, we’re more used to looking at our own Life Cards to find a Trigger card. However, we might not have access to many Trigger cards in this format, so we’ll opt to look at the opponent’s Life Cards and put them at the bottom if it’s of any use to them in their upcoming turn.
Yamato is one of the best Leaders for applying pressure with Double Attack, enabling aggressive plays regardless of your deck composition. In many cases, Yamato can carry the game on her own. However, Blockers can disrupt your strategy by shutting down your Double Attacks, especially if you don’t have removal options. It’s also worth noting that facing 5-life Leaders can be challenging, as many players will likely favor them in this format
Yamato also gives 2 Rested Don to one of your characters, maximizing the aggressiveness of the deck.
Green Roronoa Zoro’s ability to attack a rested Character and then re-stand for a second attack can go a long way in this format, offering a control option while also pressuring the opponent’s Life cards. However, having to attach 3 Don to Roronoa Zoro to activate this effect can be a bit expensive, especially since we’re trying to develop a board presence.
In OP13, we have a couple of cards that set Don as Active while restricting us from developing certain Characters. Cards like Roronoa Zoro, Uta, and Sanji synergize with Zoro’s effect, allowing us to activate his aggressive two attacks without compromising on board development.
Other Leaders
These are all strong Leaders with powerful effects that aren’t locked into a specific deck build.
Rainbow Luffy can be a powerful Leader in this format when paired with cards that have restrictions. Those cards can still still activate their effects even if they’re designed for a specific Leader type. You gain access to effects normally restricted to specific Leaders or card types, allowing you to make use of powerful abilities that would otherwise be unavailable.
OP13 Leaders
Red Blue Ace is the strongest new Leader to take to a pre-release. He has only 3 Life cards, which is rough for this event, but being a 6,000 Power Leader enables stronger attacks and makes it harder for the opposing player to get an attack through. You’re forcing the opposing player to attach a Don to their Leader if they want to threaten a Life card.
Ace’s defensive effect means you can trash cards with no Counter effect to reduce a card’s Power by 2,000. This means we get to make use of dead cards in our hand, turning them into a defensive play. Ace also has a built-in draw engine that synergizes with 6,000 Power or more Characters, giving you access to more card draw.
General Tips
- Protecting your rested Characters can go a long way in this format. Removal options are usually limited, so opponents will rely on sheer attacks to win the field.
- Since removal options are limited, Blockers are extremely valuable in this format, taking a hit for you to protect your Life cards or a key rested Character.
- +2,000 Counter Characters are generally good to have in your deck, making it easier to protect yourself from attackers.
- Vanilla high-stat characters are usually not played in the majority of OPTCG decks. However, for this format, big bodies are good. We want to add as many to our deck as possible.
OP13 Cards
- This set doesn’t have a lot of Rush attackers.
- A lot of strong Events to protect from attacks and can also shut down blockers.
- There are a lot of +2,000 Counter cards, so ideally, you’ll want to attack with 5,000 or 7,000 Power attacks.
- Both even and odd cost cards are strong in this set. So, depending on how you build your deck, you’ll choose whether going first or second is best for you.
- Some cards in OP13 are locked to certain Leaders, so playing Rainbow Luffy would unlock those effects and potentially give you an edge.
- A lot of cards that give Active Don in this set, so expect a lot of heavy attacks in the mid-game.
Vanillas
Standard Vanilla
Vanilla cards are excellent in this format; they don’t rely on specific synergies and offer high power for their cost, making them strong, straightforward threats. Since they’re all commons, you’ll have no trouble finding plenty to include in your deck.
These are usually an auto-inclusion, but we should avoid the 2-cost one since 4,000 Power isn’t creating much of a threat.
+2,000 Vanillas
These are Vanilla Characters with a +2,000 Counter, making them excellent additions to your deck, whether you use them defensively for their Counter effect or play them to build board presence. Compared to standard Vanillas, they trade 1,000 Power for the added Counter value. While that makes them weaker on the field, their higher Counter makes them much more effective at protecting you from attacks. These are all uncommon, so you have good odds of hitting these!
You’ll generally prefer these +2,000 Counter Characters over most effect-based ones, as they offer better overall value, both as defensive options and as solid plays when you need to put them on the field. I’ll feature the other +2,000 Counters later in this guide, and we’ll talk more about them!
Vanilla Stats With Effect
These are Characters with an effect but have the standard Vanilla statline. Naturally, there’s a trade-off—while they offer both solid stats and an effect, they come with no Counter, making them dead cards in hand during your defensive turn. Still, they’re worth including for their strong on-field presence and useful abilities.
- Boa Hancock has a great value effect when KO’d, drawing you 2 cards. However, she is Leader locked, and you won’t likely play Leader Boa Hancock in this event, so her effect only works with Rainbow Luffy.
- 5-cost Sanji is one of the strongest cards in this deck, as he lets you set 2 of your Don as Active on the turn he’s played. This allows you to drop an additional Character or go for heavier swings. He can also set 1 of your Don as Active at the end of your turn if your Leader is FILM or Straw Hat Crew. We likely won’t be running a lot of Events to make use of this effect much, but if you plan on playing Red Green Luffy, then Sanji is insanely strong!
- As for Bepo, he can set himself or one of your Don as Active at the end of your turn. You’ll mostly set Bepo as Active, preventing the opposing player from trying to remove him through attacks. Bepo is a common, so you want to include him in your list if you pull him!
- Vista’s Double Attack keyword can be devastating for the opponent, threatening to take 2 of their Life cards and forcing them to commit Counter resources. If you’re playing Red Sanji, Vista can attack on the turn he’s played thanks to the Rush keyword, putting the Double Attack keyword to use.
Blockers
Blockers are incredibly valuable in this format, as most opponents won’t have consistent ways to remove them. This means you can reliably block attacks to protect your Life cards or key rested Characters.
Strongest Flexible Blockers:
- Sabo lets you attach 1 rested Don to your Leader, enabling a stronger attack.
- Law can be strong depending on the state of your board. If you have a low-cost Character in play like Monkey.D.Garp, you could return it to your hand to play out a 5-cost or less Character.
- St. Topman Warcury is a value blocker, drawing you a card when KO’d. You need to have 7 cards in your trash to gain the Blocker keyword and he also can’t be removed by effect.
- By trashing 1 card from your hand, St. Marcus Mars can KO a 5-cost or less Character.
- Edward.Newgate is a massive late-game carry, adding more resources to your hand, acting as a high-cost blocker/attacker, and attaching rested Don to your Leader and a Character to go for heavier attacks.
Synergistic Blockers with Rainbow Luffy:
- On Play Koby lets you set 1 Don as Active if your Leader is FILM type or has Strike attribute, so technically, you’re playing a 4 Don Blocker with 6,000 Power.
- Kouzuki Hiyori is an insanely strong defensive play, blocking an attack and giving you a Life card if your Leader is multi-colored. Gaining a Life card and a blocker in this format can go a long way, buying you more time until you can set up a winning turn.
High-power Blockers (6,000+ Power) are always excellent choices. They can safely block 5,000 Power attackers and typically require less Counter investment to keep alive compared to taking the hit to your Life.
Control Characters
I already talked about St. Marcus Mars, so I won’t go over him again.
- Nekomamushi can KO a 3-cost or less Character, which might be handy if they have Saint Charlos blocker in play, or if you can combo him with Power reduction events like Meteor Fist. Nekomamushi is also a +2,000 Counter, so you can’t go wrong having him in the list.
- Nico Robin prevents one of the opponent’s 8-cost or less Characters from being rested on the upcoming turn, which means they can’t go for the attack. This is buying you valuable time, as you have one less attack to worry about.
- Rayleigh is both an aggressor and a control option. He’s a 9,000 Power Rush Character that gets to rest a 5-cost or less Character, either removing a blocker from the equation or allowing you to attack the rested character for board control.
Card Value
Cards that give us more value are usually good in this format, as they ensure we don’t fall behind in the late game. Some of these cards are too strong and should be an immediate addition to your list if you’re lucky enough to pull one.
- Although Curiel is only 4,000 Power, he is attaching 1 rested Don to a Whitebeard Pirates Leader or Character, which means he can turn himself into a 5,000 Power attacker. When KO’d, he draws you a card, so you won’t be losing on resources and forcing the opponent to commit an attack on Curiel.
- Izo and Yamato are immediately giving you 2 card draws on the turn they’re played. Yamato requires you to have 3 or less Life cards to get access to her effect, so you might not be able to play her on turn 3.
Strong Cards to Consider
- Uta is setting 2 of your Don as Active. She prevents you from playing a 5-cost or more Character, but the 2 Don you’re gaining can be used to set up a stronger attack to get your attack through. Usually, your opponent isn’t too excited to remove Uta, as KOing her means you get to play a 5-cost or less Character from your hand.
- Marshall.D.Teach can gain the Banish keyword and draws you a card if you trash a Whitebeard-type Character. Including him in your deck will be dependent on your overall list, if you have enough Whitebeard-type Characters to justify running him.
- Crocus is a ramp card that can also return an opponent’s 3,000 Power or less Character to their hand when he goes for the attack. We can combo him with Power reduction events to remove higher-power targets.
- The longer Koala sticks on the field, the more value you generate from her. You get to place 1 card from your trash at the bottom of your deck to attach 1 rested Don to your Leader or one of your Characters. Keep in mind that Koala can mess up cards like St. Topman Warcury if she drops you below 7 cards in trash.
- S-Snake’s Power reduction effect is worth adding her to the list, helping you maintain board control.
- Luffy is a Double Attack Character that sets 4 of your Don as Active if you are playing a multi-colored Leader. He does prevent you from playing a 5-cost or more Character, but the 4 Don you’re gaining are still worth it as you can develop a 4-cost Character, play an event, or go for heavier attacks.
- Rush Characters are usually always good in this format, so Ace using his 7,000 Power immediately on the turn he’s played is a massive aggression boost for your deck. His On Play effect can mess up the opponent’s field, removing a 5-cost Character and having them replace it with a 4-cost or less Character. It can be useful for removing a pesky unit or a blocker that costs 5.
- Gol D Roger is a massive defensive play, returning 3 Don to give your Leader a +2,000 Power boost and a -2,000 Power reduction on all of the opponent’s Characters until the end of the opponent’s turn. This makes it exceptionally harder for the opposing player to get their attacks through.
+2,000 Counters
In OP13, we have access to a wide range of +2,000 Counter Characters. In most cases, these cards are included primarily for their Counter value, helping you shut down incoming attacks and defend key turns. However, we’ll usually favor the Vanilla +2,000 Counter Characters over most of these.
Ace & Sabo & Luffy is neat for the -3,000 Power reduction, helping you remove one of the opponent’s Characters.
Rainbow Luffy Synergy
- Zoro needs a FILM or Straw Hat Crew type Leader to set 2 Don as Active when he’s played. So, Rainbow Luffy works here, or if you’re playing Red Sanji, Zoro is a great addition. Additionally, at the end of your turn, Zoro sets himself as Active, preventing the opposing player from attacking him.
- LittleOars Jr. is a draw engine, drawing you a card whenever he goes for the attack. You can also include him if you’re playing Red Blue Ace.
- Scopper Gaban is a ramp card that also draws you 2 and trashes 1 card from your hand.
- Bonney is an extremely strong card to add if you’re playing Rainbow Luffy. You’re developing a 10,000 Power Rush Character that forces the opposing player to take a Life card and add it to their hand, making them more vulnerable to your attacks.
Events
We don’t have to include Events for our deck to perform well, but running two or three events could still come in handy.
Counter Events
This set offers access to several powerful Counter Events, but a lot of them are Leader locked. It’s important not to include too many, as our main goal is to consistently develop the board. Prioritize Characters that help you maintain pressure and presence on the field while using Events as support tools, not the core of your strategy.
- Paper Art Afterimage is giving your Leader or one of your Characters a +3,000 Power boost to protect them from an attack. In the late game, when your opponent is down to 2 Life cards or less, you get access to another +1,000 Power boost to give to your Leader or a Character.
Control Events
- Meteor Fist gives a -5,000 Power reduction to one of the opponent’s Characters, allowing you to attack and KO it or use a removal card like 3-cost Nekomamushi to remove it from play.
- Gum-Gum Elephant Gun rests a 5-cost or less Character, which can come in handy if you need to remove a blocker and attack the opponent’s Leader directly.
- Gum-Gum Dawn Stamp is perfect to KO a 6-cost or less Character. We don’t have reliable ways to reduce the cost of Characters, so you won’t be getting much more out of Gum-Gum Dawn Stamp.
These are low-cost events that can be used during your turn or your opponent’s turn, depending on the state of the game.
- I Know You're Strong... So I'll Go All Out from the Very Start!!! can prevent two 7-cost or less Characters from becoming active, basically shutting down the opponent’s aggression for the upcoming turn. You can also play it for its Counter effect to give your Leader +3,000 Power.
- If I Bowed Down to Power can be a massive game-winning play, shutting down the opponent’s ability to activate the Blocker keyword when your Leader goes for the attack. It has the same Counter effect as I Know You're Strong... So I'll Go All Out from the Very Start!!!.
- Divine Departure is just too good not to include. It can give a -8,000 Power reduction when played during your turn, or you can go for its Counter effect to give your Leader or one of your Characters a +3,000 Power boost by trashing a dead card in your hand.
Rainbow Luffy Events
- Gum-Gum Gatling Gun is great to keep the aggression going by attaching a Don to your Luffy and giving an opponent’s Character -2,000 Power for you to attack and KO or use a removal effect.
- If your Leader is Imu, Never Existed… in the First Place… gives your Leader or a Character +4,000 Power when your opponent attacks. It can be activated with Rainbow Luffy, and a +4,000 Power is massively great to counter a heavy attack.
How to build the deck
It’s important to make sure your deck has a smooth curve. Once you’ve added your Blockers, Vanillas, +2,000 Counter cards, and late-game win conditions, take a step back and review your list. You want to ensure you can develop on the board every turn after Turn 1 (if you’re going second). We don’t want to end up with a bunch of unplayable cards in hand and be forced into an awkward turn that puts us behind.
Your turn order should also match your deck’s curve. For example:
- If you’re running a lot of 4-cost and 6-cost Vanillas, going second lets you start playing them right away.
- If your deck leans more on 3-cost, 5-cost, and 7-cost Characters, then going first is usually the better choice.
Also, be careful not to overload your deck with cards that have no Counter value. Running too many of them can make it difficult to defend against attacks, leaving you vulnerable and incapable of defending a rested Character or your Life card.
Practice
You can use a pack-opening simulator here.
Closing Words
A pre-release sealed event is a fun and exciting way to play the One Piece card game, and the prizes are often quite valuable. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the cards before the event; it’ll make deckbuilding easier and help you play more effectively during matches!
This is it from me, I wish the best for your event, good luck! If you want to keep up with my content, consider following me on Twitter or BlueSky.
