These 4 Leaders Got Way Better With The Time of Battle (OP-16)

With the release of the One Piece Card Games' The Time of Battle (OP-16), we have six brand-new Leaders to play with! However, with this set, we also get a lot of support for older and more established decks from the history of the One Piece Card Game.

In this article, we're going to highlight four older Leaders that got new support tools with the release The Time of Battle, as well as an example build for each to help introduce you into this new meta!

#1 Red Shanks

Shanks released in OP-09 and was a strong contender for the best deck in format (BDIF) for the OP-09 and OP-10 formats. It even got its own starter deck with ST-23, but it was unfortunately unable to keep up with the current pace of the game.

However, a year later, there have been a couple of new additions that have many players taking a new look at Shanks.

While OP09-011 Hongo has been the preferred Red-Haired Pirates +2000 counter, OP16-018 Rockstar has been a good backup. Its protection effect is relevant for your early Lucky.Roux blockers.

This Benn.Beckman has a lot of perks. If needed, it can be played for five DON!! as a good-stated blocker on curve. (Additionally, having a 6000 blocker works well with your Shanks Leader effect.) 

But, on 10 DON!!, you're able to play out one of your many Shanks cards and have four DON!! left open for the turn. Shanks has always suffered with being inflexible with DON!! in the late game, so this is a mandatory four-off for any Shanks deck in the near future.

While not necessarily a card from OP-16, P-097 Shanks is a newly released Regional promo for the One Piece Card Game. Not only has this been a choice tech instead of OP09-118 Gol.D.Roger, but it being within the Red-Hair Pirates archetype (and able to be played off the aforementioned Ben Beckman) means it definitely has potential in Shanks. I would try it at one or two copies, as it can be a devastating finisher.

Example Decklist

(All deck images via Egman Events)

• 1 OP09-001 Shanks
• 4 OP13-007 Ace & Sabo & Luffy
• 2 OP16-018 Rockstar
• 4 OP09-002 Uta
• 4 OP09-011 Hongo
• 2 PRB02-003 Lucky.Roux
• 4 OP09-015 Lucky.Roux
• 4 OP16-012 Benn Beckman
• 2 ST23-001 Uta
• 4 PRB02-002 Trafalgar Law
• 4 OP09-009 Benn.Beckman
• 2 EB04-007 Roronoa Zoro
• 3 ST23-002 Shanks
• 4 OP09-004 Shanks
• 2 OP06-007 Shanks
• 1 P-097 Shanks
• 2 OP09-020 Come On!! We'll Fight You!!
• 2 OP10-019 Divine Departure

Buy This Deck on TCGplayer

On the high-end, there is a lot of flexibility with which Shanks you want to focus on in this build. I'm also a big believer of Divine Departure in the deck, and now that you don't have to spend all 10 Don!! from playing Shanks cards thanks to Benn Beckman, you can definitely be flexible with other events such as Gum-Gum Giant Sumo Slap, Ten-Layer Igloo, and Distorted Future.

#2 Blue Yellow Boa Hancock

As one of the Seven Warlords Leaders released in OP-14, Boa Hancock has been known for its obnoxious play style. By being able to deal direct damage, heal Life cards, and produce game-changing triggers, many players had a tough time playing against Boa Hancock effectively. 

After the release of EB-03 (and the pair banning of Re-Quasar and Borsalino), many players found themselves using our other Blue/Yellow Heroine Leader, OP11-041 Nami. But there have been a couple of new additions from OP-16 that help carve an identity for Boa Hancock outside of Nami.

OP16-113 Boa Marigold is just a perfect support card for the Boa Hancock Leader. First, its trigger effect means you get to play it from your Life for free (and then draw a card from your Boa Hancock Leader effect). Second, it gains blocker when your Life is at 2 or less. Not only is this relevant for not losing but, since Boa Marigold has 5000 base power, it activates Boa Hancock's other Leader effect: adding one Life to your opponent's hand on K.O. All-in-all, a mandatory card for any current build of Boa Hancock.

Spoilers, this is probably one of the best cards in OP-16 in general. A generic heal (with a known Life card) is already incredibly strong on an eight-cost 10000-power body. But it also has a great trigger effect that offers some more removal potential.

Example Decklist

• 1 OP14-041 Boa Hancock
• 4 OP07-046 Sengoku
• 4 OP14-103 Gloriosa (Grandma Nyon)
• 2 OP06-106 Kouzuki Hiyori
• 3 OP14-113 Marguerite
• 4 OP14-114 Ran
• 4 ST17-004 Boa Hancock
• 2 OP15-113 Roronoa Zoro
• 4 OP16-113 Boa Marigold
• 2 EB04-058 Borsalino
• 4 OP14-105 Gorgon Sisters
• 4 OP14-107 Shakuyaku
• 2 OP12-119 Bartholomew Kuma
• 3 OP14-104 Gecko Moria
• 4 OP16-119 Marshall.D.Teach
• 2 OP14-112 Boa Hancock
• 2 OP07-057 Perfume Femur

Buy This Deck on TCGplayer

This build had a mild focus on The Seven Warlords, which includes the new Marshall.D.Teach card.

Gecko Moria is only played for its trigger effect to play out cards such as Boa Hancock and Roronoa Zoro. The build can definitely focus more on Thriller Bark cards to be able to use Gecko Moria's on-play effect (though deck space is a little limited).

#3 Purple Yellow Donquixote Rosinante

Rosinante has gone through many highs and lows in terms of viability. On release, the Leader was immediately sub-optimal due to some unreleased Trafalgar Law Promos. Additionally, with the delayed release of EB-03 for the English format, and specifically the EB03-062 Law from that set, Rosinante felt incomplete for a long time. 

The Leader eventually clawed its way into the meta. By the end of the OP-14 format, Rosinante finally had all its promos, EB-03 cards, and most importantly, the EB04-038 Rosinante & Law. It finished the format as a contender for BDIF, but its relevance was short-lived, as it had a hard time keeping up with the OP-15 format's Enel and Nami.

But with the release of OP-16 and Sengoku's purple Navy archetype, Rosinante is now able to take advantage of its semi-exclusive purple Navy typing, and has gotten a surprising amount of indirect support in the set.

OP16-068 Trafalgar Law is the only "direct" support for Rosinante in OP-16. P-093 Trafalgar Law is still our best play on turn two, but you're not going to always see it, so this new Law has been a great consistency add. It's a little fragile on board, but it's still 6000 power when attacking, and is wonderful for the deck.

EB04-038 Rosinante & Law is one of the best cards in the deck, and it conveniently has the Navy trait to be found by Koby (as do OP16-078 Marineford and OP16-067 Tsuru). Additionally, one-drops feel a little strong this meta to be able to trade into opposing one-drop cards, so having another great turn-one searcher helps this deck a lot.

OP16-065 Sakazuki is one of my favorite cards in The Time of Battle, and the main reason Rosinante's Navy typing comes in handy. Two-turn power reduction, Don!! ramping, incredibly searchable—this Sakazuki has it all. Especially when paired with OP09-077 Gum-Gum Lightning, it can remove most Characters in the game.

Example Decklist

• 1 OP12-061 Donquixote Rosinante
• 3 OP12-108 Donquixote Rosinante
• 4 OP16-064 Koby
• 2 OP16-067 Tsuru
• 2 OP10-114 X.Drake
• 3 OP16-068 Trafalgar Law
• 4 P-088 Trafalgar Law
• 2 ST10-010 Trafalgar Law
• 4 P-093 Trafalgar Law
• 4 EB04-058 Borsalino
• 4 EB04-038 Rosinante & Law
• 4 OP16-065 Sakazuki
• 2 EB03-062 Trafalgar Law
• 4 OP15-078 Mamaragan
• 4 OP12-115 I Love You!!
• 2 OP09-077 Gum-Gum Lightning
• 2 OP16-078 Marineford

Buy This Deck on TCGplayer

Another deck where we have too many good cards and not enough room to run them all (including cards like OP15-078 Mamaragan and the conveniently Navy-typed Borsalino). I think this is a great first build to test the new support, and can be tailored to the OP-16 meta as it continues to develop.

#4 Red Blue Portgas.D.Ace

Ace has been one of the strongest decks in the game since its release in OP-13. It was already a 6000-power Leader with a ton of card draw that can play out OP13-042 Edward.Newgate as early as 8 DON!! thanks to ST22-015 I Am Whitebeard!!

But with the release of the new OP16-001 Ace Leader, Ace's OP-13 variant has gotten a lot of new toys to play with as well.

Marshall.D.Teach might be the generically better Secret Rare in OP-16, but the Ace Secret Rare is a welcome addition to this deck. A potential double search is huge for consistently playing OP13-042 Edward.Newgate early. Additionally, we play a good amount of 8000-power Characters, such as OP07-051 Boa Hancock, so being able to convert them into +2000 counter is a strong benefit as well.

OP16-021 Moby Dick is one of the best search cards in the One Piece Card Game. As if OP13-016 Garp wasn't strong enough, this has no restrictions on what card you get the draw from the top of your deck. Also, since Ace's once-per-turn ability is dependent on having a DON!! attached, being able to trash Moby Dick later to attach a DON!! helps you on some of your more awkward turns.

This is a fantastic card that Ace didn't need, but will 100% take advantage of.

OP16-017 LittleOars. Jr ticks a lot of boxes for this deck. Its type includes "Whitebeard Pirates", so it's really searchable. It has 8000 power, so OP16-118 Portgas.D.Ace turns it into +2000 counter. And, since it's a blocker with more than 5000 base power, it will allow you to draw off your once-per-turn Leader ability on K.O. (despite being a 4000-power card in the majority of situations).

Example Decklist

• 1 OP13-002 Portgas.D.Ace
• 2 ST22-002 Izo
• 3 OP13-043 Otama
• 4 OP13-016 Monkey.D.Garp
• 4 PRB02-008 Marco
• 4 OP16-017 LittleOars. Jr
• 4 OP16-118 Portgas.D.Ace
• 2 ST23-001 Uta
• 3 OP08-047 Jozu
• 4 OP07-051 Boa Hancock
• 4 OP16-004 Curiel
• 3 EB04-007 Roronoa Zoro
• 2 OP16-003 Edward.Newgate
• 2 OP13-042 Edward.Newgate
• 2 OP09-118 Gol.D.Roger
• 4 ST22-015 I Am Whitebeard!!
• 3 OP16-021 Moby Dick

Buy This Deck on TCGplayer

This list also runs the new OP16-003 Edward.Newgate, which I find a bit more experimental in the OP-13 Ace Leader compared to the new OP-16 one. But since we're playing 12 8000-power cards in this deck, we can fairly consistently get the -6000 power effect.

Ace has been viable since its release, and OP-16 will not break its streak.

Conclusion

The Time of Battle (OP-16) has been a fantastic set for not only introducing new decks in the format but also supporting older decks and archetypes as well. As we close in on the global meta with the release of OP-17, the English version of the One Piece Card Game is only a couple of weeks behind Japan. These decks are the clear front-runners for this set, but I also believe there is room for other Leaders to shine as well, such as OP08-002 Marco, OP14-080 Gecko Moria and even EB01-021 Hannyabal.

(Probably not Hannyabal, but an egg can dream.)

I hope this helps dip your toes into the new OP-16 meta, and I hope y'all are as excited as I am for what the meta will develop into in the next couple of weeks!