Dragonball Z Collectible Card Game

When "Pokemon" died, A2k was born

Three years ago, a boy walked into a comic store and saw an unfamiliar character on a pack of trading cards.  He considered buying it but decided to buy his normal three packs of "Pokemon" cards, as he couldn't recall that character anyway.  Later that day, he was shocked because he saw those very same characters on television and decided he had to go back and get those cards!  He hauled himself up and got to that store and bought a "Saiyan Saga" Starter Deck.  As he opened it, his eyes lit up as he saw a shiny "High Tech" of "Goku", the lead character. This young collector was now hooked.

This kid's nickname is A2k.  He is I, or something like that.  Well I was active in the "Pokemon" craze until it's last dying breath, but then I decided to give up on it.  I went to the "Pokemon Regionals", where I finished third.  This qualified me for STS, in the Meadowlands in New Jersey, which I gladly accepted.  It wasn't as great a result for me as the Regionals, and a friend of mine from the group of qualifiers was victorious.  His name is Carson, and he was vindicated as he had lost on a technicality at the qualifiers by a Drowsy.  Well, when all was said and done, I finished 169th at the STS.  This did not upset me as it taught me that you always play to win and have fun while you are doing it!

Well, I waited and waited for "DragonBall Z" to become popular and for someone to compete against.  One day, after I was done beefing up my deck, a much older dude came along and asked me if I played.  I told him I did and gladly accepted his challenge to battle.  I lost, and rather miserably I might add!  He played his "T-Rex Offense" and I was destroyed, and I felt a little embarrassed as I thought I was the better than I turned out to be.  So, I decided to sit out some matches and practice so that I might get some more experience.

Next came "Freeza Saga" and now, if you can already imagine a player having trouble with his game, I thought the hard times might continue. A fluke occurred as I was destroyed over and over again into oblivion, and I couldn't figure out why.  I built deck after deck after deck and was still not any good.  So, I still waited and waited for a Saga that would give me a boost into a higher skill level than a super novice beginner with no talent!

Next, was "Trunks Saga", the oh so wonderful "Trunks Saga".  It helped a lot as my friends all started and now we could have real matches.  None of us were really any good, but since I was in it the longest, I was more skilled by default.  I began to see this wasn't just a game of chance where you just beat your opponent, as there was definitely a degree of strategy.  As always, you can have a certain amount of strategy but you still need the right cards.  So after a while, I got a box as a gift and I was ecstatic.   I took all my friends to the store and we opened every pack, but I was naive, I wanted an "Ultra Rare" and figured they were one per box, and I was very disappointed.  This taught me a lesson though as the best cards aren't the most expensive ones.  The best ones are the ones that work for you!

SO I got better and better, until I met a friend who changed the whole way I played. He was worse off then I was, he sucked, BAD.  But I taught him to play, mostly out of pity, as that first person I played had, but he got better, much better, and eventually became the best, I felt like Obi Wan, may the apprentice grow better than the teacher and that shows the quality, but in the long run I was repaid.  This happened when all my worthless training paid off, and my friend found a tournament. Which in good time, I went to, and in my first one I got second which to me was a great accomplishment, but as someone very special taught me "If you get second every time you're only second best, and who remembers the second best anything?"

Next, came Android Saga, which now the better off me, was able to but a box, so me and a friend each bought a box, and discovered not an ultra rare, but a whole new way to play.  That it wasn't possible for the decks we played to survive. So we learned to use good cards great and bad cards ok.  This was all good, but it didn't get us anywhere, neither of us was yet to win a tournament.

Still my previous friend I talked of, he was great, he won many tournaments, more than I can remember, but I didn't care because I remembered what he became after so many days of help and training.  We both advanced, but differently, no matter how much skill I had, he had what really counts, money, he was rolling in green and bought probably 25 boxes of cards and continued to win, but it was ok, I still only wanted to do my best.

Next came Cell, which is almost where we are now.  Well here I finally went to a pre-release, where I to my great surprise got 2nd, only to my friend from before.  I was lucky to play Cell, but my buddy was luckier to get Goku, but it didn't matter because neither of us left empty handed.  I went to tourney after tourney, and then I finally won one.  Very few people believed it as they thought I was a very bad player, but I showed them I guess.  But the surprising part was it was a strategy deck not one of my regular throw togethers.

And this drops us off here, my friend who brought me to this tournament still plays (and I'm proud to say his skill still grows) all my other friends are getting better, and I won a tourney last week.  The moral of this story is that not everyone who's in this game for a long time was great at first and not everyone who's been playing for it is that great overall, but if you're trying your hardest and having fun, you'll always win!

By: A2k
IQ's Crew