From on High: Choosing a Monster
By Zach Bunn– May 3, 2012
It feels like ages since MonCon West… nevertheless, MonCon 2012 is barely a month away and I have a title to defend! This will be the first time I’ve ever played competitively at MonCon. Seeing the list of those who have registered, there is plenty of reason to think that the road to the top is going to be a long one. Regardless of who I’ll be competing against, there is one looming question in my brain: what monster am I going to use?
Unlike most major MonPoc events, MonCon has always been a single monster affair. As such, picking the right monster is of critical importance. You cannot pick two monsters to cover your bases. Whatever you use in round one you’ll be using in the finals, if you should be so lucky as to make it that far. This means you need a monster who has few weakness and even fewer bad match-ups.
At the same time, the single monster event spans almost an entire day! You don’t want to be stuck with a monster you don’t enjoy or one that you find boring. You also don’t want to be the guy that brought Zor-Voltis! At current, my choices include:
Gakura - I’ve had quite a spell with Gakura and never tire of using him. His play-style is extremely agressive and in a timed format he is tough to beat.
Tectomoc – I also have a good history with Tectomoc. I think in a timed environment he is one tough cookie to crack. His high health and high damage output makes him perfect for the MonCon format.
Sky Sentinel – My first monster ever and still one of my absolute favorites. As far as risk goes he is tops… as far as a fun factor I’m not sure I’d want to spend an entire day behind a Sky Sentinel list.
Quantum King Kondo – Still probably my favorite monster to use (very close with Gakura). At the end of the day, I have an absolute blast using this monster every time I play him.
Quantum Defender X – if I use Defender X it will primarily be because I absolutely love the Alpha form I won at BashCon a few years back. Getting the Quantum gave me a decent reason to have the Alpha on the table and using him might be worth it just for the novelty factor.
I’m at an impasse… I have five monsters that I absolutely could use and would love to use come MonCon. A long, long time ago I asked the community what I should use just before the Masters at Monsterpocapalooza. That time you chose Quantum King Kondo and I ended up taking fourth place at that event. I’d like to try my luck again. Magic 8 ba… I mean, fellow community members, what monster should I use to defend my title at MonCon 2012?
Zach
I feel like you already answered the question yourself. RE: Quantum Kondo – “Still probably my favorite monster to use (very close with Gakura). At the end of the day, I have an absolute blast using this monster every time I play him.”
Rule #1 – play what you like the best.
I feel like you already answered the question yourself. RE: Quantum Kondo – “Still probably my favorite monster to use (very close with Gakura). At the end of the day, I have an absolute blast using this monster every time I play him.”
Rule #1 – play what you like the best.
So you’re saying if I bring Voltis I won’t be allowed any waffles at the breakfast bar? Even though I’ll have a hard time cracking the top 20? That’s rough.
Since Austin can’t make it this year I’d love to see Gakura represented. He’s done so well with him for so long that I’m partial to seeing that big guy. Dave and Marcus are correct, and I was telling Eric the same thing. At the end of the day, you should play what makes you happiest. Unfortunately I need to take my own advice, because I like way too many monsters, and am also struggling with whom to use.
I would give you my waffles Robert. I understand the struggle, I have narrowed my list down to 12.
I think you’re crazy to not play Gakura. I feel like you enjoy him just as much as Kondo, but you’re much better with him.
But he has already proven himself with Gakura. He needs to show that he can do it with Kondo too!
I vote for anything BUT Sky Sentinel. I hate Sky Sentinel…
You knock Volits, then put Sky Sentinel in your list? Is Moncon for Masters, or Meeples? Would you rather not say you faced the best, on their best monster, on their best day, and STILL pounded them into the ground?
For the record, if I somehow managed to pull off a miraculous Moncon appearance this year, I’d be running Voltis.
Agreed that SS and Voltis are equal cheese, and that both should be in the field.
He’s on my list of 12 too. Voltis is a bad ass, yet not as cheesy as Osh in my opinion. Zach you play a mean Gakura. I vote for him over the others on your list, with Mega Tec as my second choice.
I don’t find Voltis or Osh cheesy, but SS, definitely. Voltis and Osh still both require skill to pull off, and Osh in a timed environment is quite the puzzle. SS also requires skill, but encourages a sit in the corner strategy I find so counter to my idea of MonPoc.
Osh, takes skill? Ha. You could play just half a game with him then do things at random and still win.
Like all morphers, you really need to be aware of your interactions. And it’s easy to lose that first form for any morpher to one attack. I know when I was helping people practice for last MonCon I had a certain Osh player’s number but he managed to pull it out.
Interesting. I like to play SS more aggressively than I probably should. Nothing crazy like power attacks, but definitely a mid-board positioning game.
I’ve played against Osh a lot…as Chris says, if you’re not careful, Osh goes down just as easy as any other monster that lets you hit them for 5+.
After he forms you in one morpher activation
Osheroth is one of the few monsters that can lose his alpha-form as the opening blow to the battle, then still win by a 5 health. So long as the Osheroth player “makes sure it happens”, Ultra will heal on every turn. Some monsters just cannot generate the necessary offense (even with unit help) to do more than scratch him up a little. Meanwhile, he’s sporting ANNIHILATE and TELEKINESIS to close the game in one final huge attack.
And that’s if you form the alpha in one hit to open the fight.
Play what you think gives you the best game and the most fun (though not necessarily in that order). If you defend your title, but aren’t having fun doing it, you’ve lost sight of the entire purpose of MonCon.
How about something new? It’s like your billionth time ordering off the same menu!
This is why I don’t like buffet’s, Robert. I don’t really care for quantity / variety. I prefer quality / consistency. As such, I find the few monsters that meet my preferred taste and level of quality and stick with them. The odds of seeing something new from me… very near zero.
Also you don’t have to worry about a new monster giving you an intestinal infection.
True.
King Kondo. Absolutely. If I ever play MonPoc (unlikely), this is the guy. A huge gorilla? Awesome. (he is a gorilla, isn’t he?)
Indeed. Gakura is also a giant ape.
Who’s swinging a giant train.
Is there some guy who can hide in he corner and shoot at range? That suits my style, too.
Mega Zor-Maximum, Sky Sentinal, Ultra Phobos. Ninja, Robot, Martian Walker.
I want to play the Ninja Robot Martian Walker Texas Ranger monster!
Robo Norris will come out with series 6
I say go with Tec. You’ve already done it with Gak, and personally I don’t think you can do it with Tec. Not just you, anyone. Mega Tec is good but I don’t think he’s win MonCon good. Prove me wrong.
Haha. A challenge. Someone finally gets how to get me to do something crazy.
If you were really wanting to do something crazy, take Ultra Deimos.
Shave your head.
I thought you were doing the Mastering MonPoc for Mega Tec? He seems like a good choice.
I am… but I’m just not certain yet. I guess you could say I’m waffling.
Hey that’s Steven’s department! That and Head-butts.
If you’re going to successfully defend your title, and since I will actually be there watching you if it happens, I’d want to watch you do it with Quondo.
As with all of the above posts, I think you need to play the monster you’ll enjoy playing with most, because if you make a long run in the tournament, you’ll have done a lot of reps with him.
Go with the King or Tec. One you enjoy or one that is a personal challenge. Both fun and you should feel comfortable with ether one and do really good. Don’t use G-Ape , as you’ve gone all the way with him already. I’m not saying any thing, but you don’t want to use him.
Personally, I’d love to see Quantum Defender X represent. What are the odds of him showing up if YOU don’t do it, Zach? And having run Qondo plenty, I think you are the right pilot to bring a TD Quantum to MonCon.
I too would like to see someone sport their new Quantum, but you don’t seem the candidate because you aren’t saying “I love Defender X…” You do, however, love Gakura and Kondo, but even that’s a tricky choice. Most people say, “You’ve already proven yourself with Gakura,” but at the same time, you are stronger with him (he is the stronger monster).
I want to know how you FEEL about Mr. T? If you also really enjoy playing with him, then I’d say use him. I feel like he is stronger than Quantum Kondo, and has better matchups overall.
So, without info on how you much you enjoy playing Tectomoc, I’m going to say Quantum Kondo, but I think if you enjoy playing him, take Tec, he is so strong. Plus, Chris has set a challenge forth…
addressed at Zach not Theorist… O wait…
He’s the right guy. He just won’t be saying it until AFTER he wins it all with Quantum Defender X — which I doubt he said about any monster before it won for him. Very results oriented, that man. 0=)
Sky Sentinel says I’m right. And Sky Sentinel is NEVER WRONG.