Table of Contents
You thought Edward Newgate was dead and buried after the ban announcement in OP04, but like his second, Marco the Phoenix, the great and handsome mustachioed Edward Newgate rises from the ashes, and he is stronger than ever in the current One Piece Card Game meta.
Since its release in OP02, the Red Edward Newgate leader is undoubtedly one of the most dominant decks in the game, whether in Japan, Europe, or the American continent. With 6000 attack points and 6 starting life points, Newgate is a real threat to the opponent from the early turns. His main mechanic could be seen as a weakness because it involves losing a life point each turn. However, this also allows you to quickly have many cards in hand to defend more easily or plan different offensive strategies.
And what would a captain be without his crew? Newgate's crew is impressive with cards like Marco (OP02-018 and OP03-013), who can return to the field after being knocked out, Ace (OP02-13) who weakens enemies and gains Rush with Newgate as the leader, or Izo (OP03-003) who allows you to fetch members of the "Whitebeard’s Pirates" crew.
Newgate can also rely on the support of the Straw Hats, especially Luffy (ST01-012), who puts immense pressure with his Rush and unblockable abilities.
When playing Newgate, the goal is to start the game with Luffy, Ace, or Whitebeard in hand if possible. In the early turns, Nami or Izo is used to fetch powerful cards like Luffy, Ace, Newgate, or Marco. If the opponent doesn't have much board control, a blocker can be played to protect life points and units that will attack the opponent later on.
It is important to manage resources well not only to hit hard but also to defend. Indeed, our life points decrease after each turn due to the leader's passive ability. Once the board is established, it's crucial to defend it, especially Luffy, who can attack ignoring opponent blockers.
Here is an example of a decklist to play Edward Newgate:
Edward Newgate Decklist
Treasure Cup Paris - Rémi Tallier (3rd)
This decklist is very comprehensive with a good distribution of offensive and defensive cards. Offensively, it includes many Rush cards like Luffy or Ace, putting significant pressure on the opponent from the turn they are played.
There's only one blocker present in the form of Marco (OP02-018), but thanks to his ability, he can return to the board even after being knocked out, compensating for the absence of other blockers. In addition, there are defensive events like Guard Point (ST01-014) and Radical Beam!! (OP01-29), along with numerous counter 2000 cards that will counter opponent offensives.
Essential Cards
Nami
Nami (OP01-016) is a card that allows you to search your deck for cards labeled "Straw Hat Crew" (other than Nami), such as Guard Point (ST01-014) or Zoro (OP01-025), or even Radical Beam!! (OP01-029). However, the main target here will be Monkey.D.Luffy (ST01-012), who alone can change the course of a game (but we'll get to that later).
Be cautious, though, as while Nami is there to help you draw, it can sometimes backfire. There have been cases where players placed multiple Nami on the board without ever succeeding in drawing a "Straw Hat Crew" card.
Izo
Izo operates on the same principle as Nami but for cards labeled "Whitebeard Pirates." This time, you have a plethora of options. Between Portgas.D.Ace (OP02-013), the two Marco (OP02-018 and OP03-013), or even Edward.Newgate (OP02-004) himself, there's little chance you won't find a target to draw from your deck. It's up to you to decide, based on what you already have in hand, whether you prefer to fetch a card with Nami (OP01-016) or with Izo (OP03-003).
Marco
Marco (OP03-013) is a very powerful card in this deck. With more than respectable stats of 6000 power for 5 DON!!, Marco will KO an opposing character with a power equal to or less than 3000. Perfect for getting rid of a small blocker or a small card that could pose a problem later on.
AND THAT'S NOT ALL! If, unfortunately, Marco (OP03-013) were to be KO'd, you can bring him back to the board in active mode by sacrificing an event from your hand. However, be careful not to deprive yourself of a defensive option for the next turn.
Attack Cards
Monkey.D.Luffy
This is THE card you will want to draw thanks to your Nami (OP01-016). Indeed, for 5 DON!!, you will play a character with 6000 power, capable of attacking right away thanks to its Rush effect and thus putting tremendous pressure on the opposing board.
Moreover, if you attach 2 DON!! to your Monkey.D.Luffy (ST01-012) and attack with it, your opponent won't be able to activate a blocker on your attack. This will be a character to protect from opposing offenses to ensure your victory.
Portgas.D.Ace
Portgas.D.Ace (OP02-013) is a card costing 7 DON!! and boasting 7000 power. When you play this card, deal a power penalty of 3000 to 2 characters or the opposing leader. If your leader is of the "Whitebeard Pirate" type, Ace gains Rush and can therefore attack from the turn it is played. Lowering the power of opposing characters makes it easier to eliminate them, either by attacking them directly or by combining with Edward.Newgate (OP02-004).
Edward.Newgate
The Emperor of the deck. For 9 DON!!, you place a monster with 10000 power on the board, which, in addition to that, adds 2000 power to your leader. This allows for a very aggressive offensive afterward. Then, when he attacks, attach 2 DON!! to Edward.Newgate, and he will KO an opposing character with power equal to or less than 3000. Combined with the on-play effect of Portgas.D.Ace (OP02-013), you can manage the opposing board radically. Long limited to a single copy per deck, this restriction is now lifted since the release of OP05.
Defense Cards
Marco
The blocker Marco (OP02-018) will undoubtedly be one of your most effective defensive options, thanks to his resurrection effect. If your Marco is KO'd, you can bring him back to the board in rest mode by sacrificing a "Whitebeard Pirate" character from your hand (and normally, with this decklist, you'll have several in hand). It's crucial to choose the right moment to block with Marco to bring him back into play without risking another attack and sacrificing cards repeatedly.
Guard Point
Guard Point (ST01-014) is a defensive event that allows you to add 3000 power to your leader or one of your characters for the cost of 1 DON!!. On trigger, it adds 1000 power. This card can help you save counter 2000 or the use of a blocker.
Radical Beam!!
Just like Guard Point (ST01-014), Radical Beam!! (OP01-029) is a defensive event that allows you to add 2000 power to your leader or one of your characters. If you have 2 or fewer life points, it adds another 2000 power (a total of 4000 power is added to your leader or one of your characters), all for the cost of 1 DON!!. The trigger effect is the same as Guard Point, but for both events, you prefer to use them from your hand rather than as triggers.
Other Cards That Can Be Played
Tony Tony Chopper (ST01-006)
The game's first blocker. Chopper allows you, for a cost of 1 DON!!, to block an opponent's attack. For a long time, one of the favorite blockers among red players, today, the cute little reindeer is much less prevalent, notably due to the arrival of the leader Sakazuki in OP05, who dominates the meta and easily handles low-cost cards.
Bad Manners Kick Course (OP04-016)
A defensive event that costs 0 DON!!. Discard a card from your hand to add 3000 power to your leader or one of your characters. On trigger, decrease the power of the opposing leader or an opposing character by 3000. This card can be useful defensively as it doesn't cost a resource per se. However, if you already play 4 Marco (OP02-018) and 4 Marco (OP03-013), you will already have the opportunity to discard a lot of cards from your hand.
The "Whitebeard Pirates" Vanilla Cards
Vanilla cards are often underrated in the One Piece Card Game, as their lack of active effects may give the impression that they lack utility. However, all vanilla cards have a 1000 power counter, which can be an asset during defensive phases, and their stats can also pose a problem for the opponent. For example, Speed Jil (OP03-006) has a power of 6000 for only 4 DON!!, and Thatch, for 6 DON!!, possesses 8000 power. These cards can be interesting, especially for new players, as they are easily found at a low price.
Matchups
In its current state, and paradoxically, Edward Newgate doesn't have a real favorable matchup. The fact of losing life points each turn makes it vulnerable against players who can defend themselves early in the game before hitting your last life point hard.
Conclusion
So why is the deck still played and performing well? Simply because it is ultimately very complete. It has many defensive cards like Guard Point or numerous counter 2000 cards that help it survive, board management with Marco or the recently added Nico Robin (OP05-010), and significant pressure with Luffy, Ace, or, if you draw it, the monstrous Newgate, which increases your leader's attack points by 2000 until your next turn.
It is primarily this immense pressure that will force your opponents into mistakes and allow you to secure victory. Be aggressive quickly and don't let your opponent develop their board. Eliminating their active characters is likely the best strategy. Your opponent will have few attack options, especially since your leader has 6000 power, requiring more resources than usual to deal a point of damage, as the majority of leaders in the game have 5000 power.
Also, don't forget to protect your characters on the field; your life points decrease on their own, so you need to hit as much as possible and apply pressure on your opponent, forcing them to spend the game calculating how many attacks it will take to knock them out.
