Red Shanks continues to perform in the OP10 meta, remaining one of the most-played decks in tournaments. This deck focuses on controlling the field, preventing opponents from keeping too many Characters in play as it takes things to the late game. Leader Shanks effect stalls out the game, saving you from playing too many Counter cards. This enables you to run high-cost win conditions at lesser risk.
Leader
Shanks is a defensive Leader, capable of reducing the Power of one of your opponent’s attackers by 1,000 when they go for the attack. This prevents 5,000-Power attackers from damaging your Leader and reduces the need to use Counter resources when defending against higher-power attacks.
With your Leader’s effect, it will be easier to protect your Leader and Characters, allowing you to push the game longer and have your high-cost win conditions carry the game.
Red Shanks Decklist
How to Play
The Red Shanks deck focuses on controlling the field by KOing opponents’ Characters and weakening their overall offense. Simultaneously, it develops powerful Characters like 8-cost Silvers Rayleigh and 10-cost Shanks, which can be challenging for opponents to handle. Multiple attacks from these heavy hitters can eventually win you the game.
Rather than going all-out aggressive with the Red deck, this strategy relies on the Leader’s effect to slow down the opponent’s tempo, aiming for a late-game takeover by high-cost Characters. The deck’s multiple KO-effect Characters help shift board control in your favor.
Early Turns
Uta is an early-game searcher used to find a {Red Haired Pirates} card to play on the upcoming turns. You can find the cards you’ll need
Early Plays
3-cost Sanji is an early aggressor, attacking for 6,000 Power. He can help you pressure the opponent’s Leader or KO a rested Character. However, Sanji is a 3,000 Power Character during your opponent’s turn, so he’s vulnerable to attackers.
Lucky Roux and Silvers Rayleigh are key blockers that can protect the Leader when needed. When KO’d, Lucky Roux can KO a 6,000-Power Character. Since Lucky Roux is a blocker, you can control when he’s KO’d, using his ability to block an attack and KO one of your opponent’s Characters at the best moment.
Yasopp offers protection for Leader Shanks differently, providing a +1,000 Power that stays active during the opponent’s attack turn, making it easier to Counter attacks. Additionally, Yasopp weakens an opponent’s Character by -1,000 Power whenever he attacks, making him a persistent nuisance if left on the field. The Power reduction from Yasopp‘s not only makes it easier to KO a rested Character, but it can drop the power of an opponent’s Character in range for one of your removal plays.
Control Characters
Benn Beckman is a 7,000 Power Character that trashes an opponent’s Character rather than KO, making him a strong counter to KO-immunity Characters like Jesus Burgess. He can trash a Character with 6,000 Power or less, so he usually is a great play in the mid-game, but he will have a tough time against high-power targets.
Silvers Rayleigh is one of the top control Characters, reducing the Power of two of your opponent’s Characters by -3,000 and -2,000. This puts one Character in range of Rayleigh’s KO effect, while the other becomes vulnerable to your attackers if it’s rested. The Power reduction lasts until the end of your opponent’s next turn, so even if the second Character isn’t KO’d, it won’t be as threatening offensively.
You might find yourself in situations where you play Silvers Rayleigh for the power-reduction only, even if you can’t KO a meaningful Character. Since the power reduction sticks till the end of the opponent’s turn, it will make it harder for them to get their attacks through with those Characters. So we’re using Silvers Rayleigh defensively to protect our Leader and stretch the game longer.
Control Event
Divine Departure is a versatile Event, that can be used during your turn to control the field or during your opponent’s turn as a Counter effect to protect your Leader or a Character.
Its main effect lets you rest 5 Don to KO 1 of the opponent’s Characters with 8,000 Power or less, an extremely powerful removal option to KO a high-power Character. As for its counter effect, for 1 Don, you can give your Leader or a Character +3,000 Power.
Power Reduction
Otama is a +2,000 Counter that can be used for her -2,000 Power reduction effect, making it easier to attack and KO a rested Character or bring it within range of your KO effects.
Hongo can be played on turn 2 and left on the field until his -2,000 Power effect is needed. To activate his effect, you have to rest Hongo so he will become vulnerable to opponents’ attacks. If you have a blocker, you could potentially protect him to keep reusing his cost-reduction later in the game. However, in most cases, you’ll Hongo for his +2,000 Counter.
Rush Characters
5-cost Luffy is a great aggressor, providing a 6,000 Power attack on the turn he’s played. When attacking, Luffy attaches 1 rested Don to your Leader or a Character, boosting the Power of another attack by +1,000. The longer Luffy stays in play, the more value you gain from the rested Don effect, so protect him when possible.
Monkey D. Dragon is an 8-cost Rush attacker with 9,000 Power, so he’s already packing a punch when he joins the field. However, Monkey D. Dragon will also give two rested Don to your Leader or a Character, enabling an extremely aggressive turn to pressure the opposing player.
On Don 10, we want to slam 10-cost Shanks on the field, especially when the opponent has multiple Characters on the field. His -1,000 Power reduction to all enemy Characters weakens their offense and helps save Counter resources. It also makes it easier to KO Characters, either through attacks or KO effects.
Additionally, Shanks has Rush, allowing you to immediately use his 12,000 Power to KO a rested Character or go straight for the opponent’s Leader.
We won’t allow the opposing player to KO Shanks through attacks, forcing them to use a removal effect to deal with him.
Other Cards to Include
- Bad Manners Kick Course to trash a card you need the least and gain +3,000 Power on your Leader or one of your Characters, great to shut down an attack.
- 1-cost Building Snake can reduce the Power of an opponent’s Character by 3,000m, making it easier to KO through attacks or effects.
- 5-cost Marco can KO a 3,000 Power or less Character and up to 6,000 Power Character when combined with Building Snake.
- Radical Beam!! is a 1-cost Counter Event to shut down one of the opponent’s attacks. You need to anticipate when you’re going to play it and save 1 Don for the defensive turn. Having 2 Life cards or less bumps Radical Beam‘s Power gain from +2,000 to +4,000.
- Edward Newgate is an 8,000 Power Character that can KO a 5,000 Power Character. Additionally, Newgate grants a rested Don to your Leader or one of your Characters, which can synergize with Yasopp to KO a 6,000-Power Character. You can reactivate Newgate‘s KO effect once per turn; keeping the control option available when needed.
- Gol D. Roger is a late-game finisher play. If either player has 0 Life cards, the opponent can’t activate Blocker anymore, or they’ll automatically lose the game. If the opponent is down to 0 Life cards, Gol D. Roger can go for a direct attack on the opponent’s Leader and force them to have enough Counter cards to stop the attack or lose the game.
- 10-cost Shanks enters the field and immediately KOs a 10,000-Power or lower Character, then remains a massive threat with his 12,000 Power. Most opposing Characters will fall within range of Shanks’ KO effect, making him a key late-game removal.
Turn-Based Gameplay
Going First
- Turn 1 (1 Don): Uta
- Turn 2 (3 Don): 3-cost Sanji
- Turn 3 (5 Don): 5-cost Yasopp or Luffy.
- Turn 4 (7 Don): Benn Beckman.
- Turn 5 (9 Don): 8-cost Silvers Rayleigh or Monkey D. Dragon (You can use Power reduction Characters to help KO high Power Characters).
- Turn 6 (10 Don): Shanks.
Going Second
- Turn 1 (2 Don): Uta.
- Turn 2 (4 Don): Lucky Roux, 3-cost Sanji, or Tony Tony Chopper.
- Turn 3 (6 Don): 5-cost Yasopp or Luffy.
- Turn 4 (8 Don): 8-cost Silvers Rayleigh, Edward Newgate, or Benn Beckman (You can use Power reduction Characters to help KO high Power Characters).
- Turn 5 (10 Don): Shanks.
Matchups
Teach can shut off our On Play effects, so Benn.Beckman and Silvers Rayleigh won’t be able to KO opponent’s Characters. Rush attackers will play a more important role in this matchup since they can keep pressing the aggression on the opposing player. 10-cost Shanks is the carry, and your opponent can’t remove him easily.
We have to KO their cost-reduction Characters like Laboon and Van Augur.
Doflamingo can’t aggro us down thanks to Leader effect and control Characters. We can KO all their Characters easily with Benn.Beckman and Silvers Rayleigh. Jozu will be the toughest to remove, which is still not much of a challenge for your attackers or power reduction effects. Lucky.Roux protects our Leader and can KO one of their Characters, making it harder for them to rush us down.
They have Gum-Gum Red Roc to remove 10-cost Shanks, but if he sticks on the field, it’ll be difficult for them to make a comeback.
Red Roronoa Zoro is an aggressive deck trying to develop multiple Characters and attack your Leader to rush you down. Lucky.Roux is an extremely strong Character for this matchup, blocking one of the opponent’s attacks and KOing a 6,000 Power or less Character, perfect for removing OP08 Tony Tony Chopper.
They have multiple Rush attackers but eventually will run out of steam. As long as we KO their field and protect our Life cards, they’ll have a rough time setting up the winning turn. At 0 Life cards, they can ignore your blocker with Sanji or Diable Jambe, so it’s best to stay at 1 Life card.
