In 60 Seconds
- The plan: go 1st. A searcher on turn 1, a Leader swing on turn 2, then the Leader play every turn from your 3rd: rest 5 DON!! and trash a card to put a big Cross Guild Character into play (the 9-cost Alvida, Crocodile & Mihawk, Dracule Mihawk). Counter early and kill on your 5th to 7th turn.
- The list: play the Mr. 3 build. 4 of the 4-cost Mr. 3, 4 Borsalino and 4 of the 7-cost Buggy, instead of the 4-cost Buggy, Gravity Blade Raging Tiger and 2 Mohji & Cabaji. In our Pro AI's games it wins 51% against 44% for the old list. It's in The Deck.
- Keep or redraw: keep a Leader-play target plus a searcher or a 2000 counter, with at most one brick (the 7-cost or 10-cost Buggy). Two bricks: send it back.
- The matchups that matter: 1. Xebec: players won 45%; go 1st (56% vs 30%). 2. Sabo: 47%. 3. Nico Robin: 55%; go 1st (61% vs 45%).
- Top 3 mistakes: 1. Going 2nd. 2. Not countering at 5 Life. 3. Not blocking with Dracule Mihawk at 4 Life.
Buggy in one line: players with Buggy win 53% of their EB05 games (3,040), and they win by going first: 60% going first, 42% going second. It's the most played EB05 deck after Xebec.
What Is Buggy?
In short
- A go-wide Cross Guild deck: from 5 DON!!, your Leader puts any Cross Guild Character from your hand into play.
- Players win 53% with Buggy: 60% going 1st, 42% going 2nd.
- Great against Kaido and Sugar; the weak spots are going 2nd and the fast decks (Shirahoshi, Law, Luffy & Ace, Luffy OP13).
- The Leader play: rest 5 DON!! and trash 1 card from your hand to play a Cross Guild Character from your hand, whatever its cost. From 5 DON!! it works every turn.
- The chain: the 9-cost Alvida plays another Cross Guild Character of cost 8 or less, and Crocodile & Mihawk one of cost 4 or less, so one Leader play is often two 7000s.
- The 10-cost Buggy sends one of their Characters to the bottom of their deck, any cost. It stays as a 12000 if you have 5 Characters with cost 5 or more.
- The 7-cost Buggy is an 8000 that can't attack; while it's out, no Character with cost 3 or 4 can attack, theirs or yours.
The Deck
In short
- Play the Mr. 3 build: our Pro AI wins 51% with it, 44% with the old list (over 3,000 games each).
- The 4-cost Mr. 3 is the new piece: trash it to draw 2 and stop one of their attackers.
- Cabaji and Mohji are your 2000 counters; Borsalino often costs 3.
The list
| Card | Copies | Its job |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. 3 (Galdino) (OP09-056) | 4 | 1-cost searcher: look at 4 for a Cross Guild or Baroque Works card |
| Cross Guild (OP09-057) | 4 | 1-cost Event: look at 4 for a Cross Guild card |
| Alvida (ST25-001), the 4-cost | 4 | Draw 3, trash 2 |
| Mr. 3 (Galdino) (OP16-056), the 4-cost | 4 | Trash it: draw 2, and one of theirs (cost 9 or less) can't attack next turn |
| Cabaji (ST25-002) | 4 | A 2000 counter; a 6000 on their turn |
| Mohji (ST25-005) | 4 | A 2000 counter; a Blocker once your board is up |
| Dracule Mihawk (OP09-048) | 4 | 7000 Blocker; draw 2, trash 1 |
| Mohji & Cabaji (OP16-051) | 2 | 7000; draw 2 with 5 or fewer cards in hand |
| Borsalino (ST33-004) | 4 | 6000 Blocker and a 2000 counter; 3 cheaper on a turn your effect trashed a card |
| Buggy (P-084), the 7-cost | 4 | 8000 wall: no cost 3-4 Character can attack; plays a Cross Guild cost 6 or less |
| Crocodile & Mihawk (ST25-003) | 4 | 7000; draw 2, trash 1, play a Cross Guild cost 4 or less; protects your Cross Guild |
| Alvida (EB05-021), the 9-cost | 4 | 7000; draw 2, play a Cross Guild cost 8 or less; its attack switches off one of theirs |
| Buggy (OP09-051), the 10-cost | 4 | 12000; one of theirs to the bottom of their deck |
- What changed from the old list: -4 of the 4-cost Buggy, -2 Gravity Blade Raging Tiger, -2 Mohji & Cabaji; +4 of the 4-cost Mr. 3, +2 Borsalino, +2 of the 7-cost Buggy.
- How our Pro AI uses the new cards: the 4-cost Mr. 3 in 84% of games (1.6 a game), and Borsalino about twice a game: Alvida's trash and the Leader play's trash make it a 3-cost.
Mulligans
In short
- Keep a Leader-play target plus a searcher or a 2000 counter, with at most one brick.
- Two bricks (the 7-cost and 10-cost Buggys): send it back.
- Tested by playing the same hands both ways: 50% kept, 41% sent back for hands that pass the rule.
KEEP: A LEADER-PLAY TARGET + A SEARCHER OR A 2000 COUNTER, AND AT MOST ONE BRICK. TWO BRICKS: MULLIGAN.
| The hand | Won kept | Won sent back |
|---|---|---|
| Target + a searcher or a 2000 counter, 0-1 bricks | 50% | 41% |
| Two or more bricks | 26% | 40% |
- A target: the 9-cost Alvida, Crocodile & Mihawk or Dracule Mihawk, so your 3rd-turn Leader play has something to put out.
- A brick is a card your first turns can't use: the 7-cost or 10-cost Buggy. One is fine: you trash it to pay for the Leader play.
- Keep: the 9-cost Alvida, Cross Guild, Cabaji, Mohji and one brick. Mulligan: all top end with no searcher and no 2000 counter.
- The same-hand test used the old list; the Mr. 3 list keeps the same pieces.
Turn Order: Go 1st
In short
- Go 1st, every matchup: players win 60% going 1st and 42% going 2nd.
- Going 1st, your first Leader play lands on turn 5 of the game, a turn before their 3rd.
- Our Pro AI agrees with the Mr. 3 list: going 1st wins more against every deck we tested but Robin, where it's even.
GO 1ST, EVERY MATCHUP. Strong players already do: they go 1st 97% of the time they choose.
The Game Plan, Turn by Turn
In short
- A searcher on turn 1, a Leader swing on turn 2, the Leader play on turn 3 and every turn after.
- Inside a turn: swing your 7000s, then make the Leader play, then swing your Leader.
- Trash a spare big card to pay for the Leader play, never a 2000 counter.
| Your turn | Going 1st | Going 2nd |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Cross Guild or Mr. 3 | Mr. 3 or Cross Guild |
| 2nd | Your Leader swings with 2 DON!! | The 4-cost Alvida (draw 3, trash 2) |
| 3rd | The Leader play, all 5 DON!! | The Leader play, 1 DON!! left for a searcher |
| 4th | The Leader play again | The Leader play again |
| 5th-7th | A Leader play most turns (two at 10 DON!!), DON!! on your 7000s, everything swings | The same |
- The 3rd turn is the Leader play, every game: our Pro AI made it on its 3rd turn in all 144 detailed games, going 1st and 2nd.
- What to put out: the 9-cost Alvida into Crocodile & Mihawk by default (better 58 times in 98); into Dracule Mihawk against yellow Enel, Law and Rosinante. Or the 10-cost Buggy for their best Character.
- Swing your 7000s first: the Characters the Leader play puts out can't attack that turn anyway. Attacking with Alvida first won 43 of 67 close calls.
Fundamentals
In short
- Counter early, from 5 Life (better 37 times in 53); at 1 Life it's a coin flip.
- At 4 Life, block an attacker under 7000 with Dracule Mihawk.
- Hit the Leader; the kill comes on your 5th to 7th turn.
COUNTER EARLY. BLOCK WITH MIHAWK AT 4 LIFE.
- Countering is cheap: your 2000 counters are 4-cost bodies, and your 7000s draw 2 when they land. Cabaji first, then Mohji, Borsalino.
- Block at 4 Life: an attacker under 7000 can't K.O. Dracule Mihawk; blocking came out ahead 29 times in 33 there.
- Leader first: your removal handles their board. Exceptions: Kaido's King and yellow Enel's The 3 Sweet Commanders.
| Your attack asks for | Landed |
|---|---|
| +1000 (your Leader alone) | 52% |
| +3000 (a 7000 into a 5000) | 76% |
| +4000 to +6000 | 90% |
- A spare DON!! on a 7000 makes it ask for +4000: 9 in 10 landed.
- The kill: your 5th to 7th turn (69 of 79 kills), with the 9-cost Alvida, Dracule Mihawk and your Leader. Alvida's attack switches off the Blocker or counter effect that would stop your last swing.
Matchups
In short
- Your best: Kaido (79%), Sugar (77%) and yellow Enel (68%, few games); Robin leans your way (55%).
- Even: Rosinante, the mirror and Sabo.
- The hardest: Luffy OP13 (36%), Shirahoshi (38%), Luffy & Ace (40%) and Law (42%). Go 1st against all of them.
XebecPlayers do much better than our AI45%23%
Sabo47%32%
Nico Robin (EB05)55%63%
Trafalgar Law42%54%
Shirahoshi38%52%
Luffy & Ace40%too few games–
Rosinante54%58%
Luffy (ST10)43%40%
Kaido79%70%
Sugar77%85%
Luffy (OP13)36%too few games–
Enel (OP05)68%too few games–
Enel (OP15)46%too few games–
Buggy's win % in each matchup: players on the EB05 ranked ladder, and our Pro AI in its own games. The thin line is 50%; past it, Buggy wins more than it loses. Tap a row for the number of games.
| Opponent | Players | Players 1st / 2nd | Our Pro AI | Pro 1st / 2nd | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xebec | 45% (234) | 56% / 30% | 23% | 28% / 18% | 1st, by a lot |
| Sabo | 47% (200) | 50% / 46% | 32% | 34% / 31% | lean 1st |
| Nico Robin (EB05) | 55% (234) | 61% / 45% | 63% | 63% / 63% | 1st |
| Trafalgar Law | 42% (233) | 55% / 29% | 54% | 60% / 47% | 1st, by a lot |
| Shirahoshi | 38% (147) | 48% / 24% | 52% | 62% / 41% | 1st, by a lot |
| Luffy & Ace | 40% (91) | 50% / 29% | - | - | 1st, by a lot |
| Rosinante | 54% (100) | 61% / 47% | 58% | 68% / 49% | 1st |
| Luffy (ST10) | 43% (145) | 46% / 40% | 40% | 46% / 34% | lean 1st |
| Kaido | 79% (121) | 87% / 71% | 70% | 87% / 54% | 1st |
| Sugar | 77% (105) | 81% / 72% | 85% | 86% / 84% | lean 1st |
| Luffy (OP13) | 36% (122) | 45% / 25% | - | - | 1st, by a lot |
| Enel (OP05) | 68% (34) | - | - | - | Either |
| Enel (OP15) | 46% (76) | 64% / 28% | - | - | 1st, by a lot |
| Mirror | 50% | 65% / 35% | - | - | 1st, by a lot |
Players: EB05 ladder games, every bounty level, all Buggy lists, farmed games removed (the same two accounts playing each other 8+ times, one side winning 85%+); '-' under 30 games, or under 15 a side for the split. Our Pro AI: the Mr. 3 list, 196-588 games per matchup ('-' = not tested). Bold marks where the two are 15 or more apart: our AI pilots Buggy worse there, so trust players' number.
Xebec (OP17-039)
- Go 1st, by a lot (56% vs 30%). Players do far better than our AI here; trust 45%.
- Gloriosa bottoms your cheap bodies and Rocks Pirates returns your 6-costs: your cost 7-10 Characters are safe from both. Crocodile & Mihawk lets you trash a card instead, once a turn.
- Alvida into Crocodile & Mihawk here (better 8 times in 9).
Sabo (OP13-004)
- Counter early: at 4 Life countering was better 11 times in 13.
- The 10-cost Buggy reaches Saul and Ripley (cost 16 on the field): its bottom-deck has no cost limit.
- Loki's K.O. (total cost 4) reaches only your Mr. 3s once your board is up: the 4-cost Alvida, Cabaji and Mohji become cost 5.
Nico Robin (EB05-010)
Practice vs Nico Robin · Hard AI
- Go 1st (61% vs 45%) and bottom-deck instead of K.O.ing: their Leader adds a Life card when a Wisdom Character is K.O.'d.
- Megalo K.O.s a rested 7000; Shanks rests your whole board.
Trafalgar Law (OP14-001)
Practice vs Trafalgar Law · Hard AI
- Go 1st, by a lot (55% vs 29%).
- The 7-cost Buggy stops Urouge (cost 3), which otherwise K.O.s one of your 3000-base-power-or-less bodies each swing.
- Alvida into Dracule Mihawk here; counter early (better 5 times in 6 at 5 Life).
Shirahoshi (OP11-022)
Practice vs Shirahoshi · Hard AI
- Go 1st (48% vs 24%) and go face: the Leader attack came out ahead in 18 of 19 close calls.
- Electrical Luna keeps your rested cost-7-or-less Characters down: Crocodile & Mihawk, the 9-cost Alvida and the 10-cost Buggy are safe.
Luffy & Ace (ST30-001)
Practice vs Luffy & Ace · Hard AI
- Go 1st (50% vs 29%) and counter early: they swing about 9 times a game, mostly asking for +3000.
- Their ST30-012 Luffy rests your Blocker when it attacks, so Mihawk can't save you.
Rosinante (OP12-061)
Practice vs Rosinante · Hard AI
- Swing the 9-cost Alvida before the Leader play: it won 10 of 11 close calls here.
- Bottom-deck Rosinante & Law with the 10-cost Buggy: their Leader can't save it from that.
- Sakazuki's -6000 turns a 7000 into a 1000.
Luffy (ST10-002)
Practice vs Luffy (ST10) · Hard AI
- Expect two turns in a row when the 10-cost Luffy lands; keep counters for it. Counter early: better in all 4 close calls at 5 Life.
- The 10-cost Buggy bottom-decks their 12000 Luffy.
Kaido (OP17-058)
- Your best matchup: go 1st (87% vs 71%) and attack King (better 7 times in 8).
- Alvida into Crocodile & Mihawk here; their 10-cost Kaido K.O.s one of your cost-6-or-less Characters when it lands.
Luffy (OP13-001)
Practice vs Luffy (OP13) · Hard AI
- Your worst matchup in players' games (36%): go 1st, by a lot (45% vs 25%). Their Leader rests DON!! for +2000 each on your attacks, so ask for more than you think.
Enel (OP15-058)
- Go 1st, by a lot (64% vs 28%), and counter early, even at 5 Life: Holly gives itself and every Ohm Double Attack.
- Their 8000 Enel can't be removed by your effects: switch it off with Alvida's attack first, then bottom-deck it.
Enel (OP05-098) and the mirror
Practice vs Enel and the mirror · Hard AI
- Yellow Enel: plan one hit more than their Life (their Leader refills once on your turn). Bottom-deck around Charlotte Pudding!!.
- The mirror is decided by the turn order: 65% going 1st, 35% going 2nd.
The Mistakes Strong Players Make
In short
- Not countering at 5 Life: strong players counter 14% of the attacks on their Leader there.
- Not blocking at 4 Life: they block 31% of the attacks they could.
| The spot | Strong players | Our Pro AI's analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Counter at 5 Life | 14% | better 37 times in 53 |
| Block at 4 Life (Dracule Mihawk) | 31% | better 37 times in 45 |
| Go 1st when choosing | 97% | right: 60% vs 42% for players |
Cheat Sheet
- Go 1st, every matchup (60% vs 42%).
- List: the Mr. 3 build (51% vs 44% for the old list in our Pro AI's games).
- Mulligan: a Leader-play target + a searcher or a 2000 counter, at most one brick. Two bricks: send it back.
- The plan: searcher on turn 1, Leader swing on turn 2, the Leader play on turn 3 and every turn after. Trash a spare big card to pay.
- Order: swing your 7000s, then the Leader play, then your Leader.
- Counter early from 5 Life; at 1 Life keep them for 0. Block with Mihawk at 4 Life.
- The kill: your 5th to 7th turn, with the 9-cost Alvida, Mihawk and your Leader.
Practice It
Play Buggy against our AI, free in your browser at optcgwebsim.com, no download and no account.
Our other EB05 guides: Xebec, Sabo, Nico Robin, Trafalgar Law, Kaido, purple Enel, Luffy ST10, yellow Enel, Luffy & Ace, red-green Luffy, Shirahoshi, Rosinante, Moria, Sugar and Boa Hancock.
Players: EB05 ladder games (updated 10-26), farmed games removed. Our Pro AI: the Mr. 3 list's own games (3,136, updated 10-25). Plays, counters, blocks and close calls: 144 detailed Pro games with the older list.