Perona OP12-034
Perona is one of the best cards to see early. She starts finding the pieces you need for the next turns, helping you build a hand that follows your curve cleanly.
Dracule Mihawk OP14 Deck Guide
Build your hand first, then take over with Dracule Mihawk into 5-cost Characters, efficient DON!! recovery, and powerful green late-game control. This guide covers the decklist, mulligan, curves, tech choices, matchups, and practical tips for Mihawk OP14 in OP17.
Decklist
Mulligan
Your first priority is finding the draw engine. Mihawk depends heavily on its curve, so use the early turns to shape your hand before you begin chaining mid-game plays.
Kin'emon ST32-001
Kin'emon is especially strong on your first turn. Your Leader cannot attack yet, so you can rest it with Kin'emon to draw 2 and trash 1 without sacrificing an attack.
You Can Be My Samurai!!
This is a core part of the draw engine. With smaller Characters already in play, rest two of them to draw 2 and keep turning your early board into fresh options.
Otama OP07-022
Otama finds You Can Be My Samurai!! while also accessing the Wano cards that make your early turns more consistent.
Prepare Your Mid Game
Once your draw engine is secured, look for Kouzuki Oden and especially Dracule Mihawk ST32-003. At 6 DON!!, Mihawk can play a Slash Character costing 5 or less from your hand; Oden is an excellent target because he also draws a card.
Curve Guide
Mihawk uses the early turns to draw and prepare his hand before chaining Dracule Mihawk ST32-003 into a 5-cost Character, then his major late-game threats. The Leader can return up to 3 DON!! active for attacks and Events.
Going First
1 DON!! — Set Up Your Draw Engine
OR
Start with Kin'emon or Perona. Kin'emon rests your Leader to draw 2 and trash 1, and you give up no attack because the Leader cannot attack on turn one. Perona begins finding the cards you need next.
3 DON!! — Draw & Search
++
Keep preparing your hand with Perona, Otama, and You Can Be My Samurai!!. Your goal is to reach the mid game with Dracule Mihawk and a strong 5-cost target ready.
5 DON!! — Kouzuki Oden or Smoker
OR
Play Oden when you need to stop an opposing Character from attacking. Otherwise, Smoker is the more flexible development play at this point.
7 DON!! — Mihawk into a 5-Cost
++
Play Dracule Mihawk ST32-003, then use his effect to play the Slash 5-cost that fits the situation. Oden is usually the best target because he also draws a card. Use your remaining DON!! on Coffin Boat when possible.
9 DON!! — Shanks or Mihawk into a 5-Cost
OR+
Shanks ST16-004 is ideal when there is a valuable rested Character to K.O. Otherwise, keep developing through Mihawk into Oden, Perona, or Smoker. After the Leader effect returns DON!! active, All Out can keep up to two rested opposing Characters from becoming active.
10 DON!! — Late Game
OR
Law & Bepo and Shanks OP17 are your major late-game plays. Select the one that best fits the board, then use your remaining resources for attacks, Events, or defense.
Going Second
2 DON!! — Perona + Kin'emon
+
Play Perona and Kin'emon on your first turn to establish the draw engine immediately.
4 DON!! — Draw Engine
++
Continue with Otama, Perona, and You Can Be My Samurai!!. If you played two 1-cost Characters last turn and have two copies of the Event, you can use it twice to accelerate your draw dramatically.
6 DON!! — Mihawk into a 5-Cost
+
This is your first major development turn. Play Dracule Mihawk, then play the 5-cost Character that best answers the board. Oden is especially valuable because he draws a card.
8 DON!! — Mihawk into a 5-Cost + Setup
++
Repeat the Mihawk into 5-cost line. The remaining DON!! can go toward Coffin Boat or another You Can Be My Samurai!! when your board still supports the draw engine.
10 DON!! — Law & Bepo or Shanks
OR
Finish the curve with Law & Bepo or Shanks OP17. Shanks rests every opposing Character and returns 2 DON!! active; your Leader can return up to 3 more for a very flexible turn.
Tech Cards
Mihawk has a stable core, but flexible slots can target the matchups you expect. The main alternatives are 2K Counters, the Fish-Man package, control tools, and late-game Characters.
Kawamatsu OP12-023 + Vander Decken IX OP06-033
A Fish-Man package can replace flexible slots. Kawamatsu can replace Kikunojo as a 2K Counter and remains a target for Perona OP14-033 or Dracule Mihawk ST32-003. Vander Decken can then trash a Fish-Man to K.O. a rested opposing Character for 2 DON!!. The line becomes especially strong after Shanks OP17 rests the opposing board and returns 2 DON!! active.
Hody Jones OP06-035
If you play Kawamatsu and Vander Decken, Hody Jones gives you another Fish-Man for the package. He also adds a far more aggressive option through Rush, 8000 Power, and the ability to rest up to two opposing DON!! cards or Characters in exchange for taking a Life card to hand.
Shanks OP14-027
The 7-cost Shanks is another control option. On your opponent's turn, he gives every opposing Character -1000 Power. When Shanks becomes rested, including through your Leader effect, he can also rest an opposing Character with 7000 base Power or less.
For Fun OP14-037
For Fun supports the same plan against rested Characters with 7000 base Power or less. For 4 DON!!, it can K.O. one of those targets, and its 3000 Counter keeps it useful defensively. It is relevant against Red/Green Luffy, some Elbaph Characters, and Reiju after you rest the target.
Dracule Mihawk OP14-119
The 9-cost Mihawk remains a late-game alternative. Once rested, he can stop an opposing 9-cost Character from becoming active, while also turning a card from your hand into a 2000 Counter for the turn. He is a more defensive late-game choice.
Trafalgar Law OP13-031
Law was more common before ST32-003 Dracule Mihawk. Both can play a 5-cost Character, but Law plays the target rested and requires another Character to return to hand. His upside is becoming a Blocker at 1 Life.
Electrical Luna OP08-036
Increasing Electrical Luna is an option when you expect very wide boards. Luna can freeze every opposing Character costing 7 or less, while All Out freezes up to two eligible rested Characters. This build favors All Out because it is also a Counter Event, which matters with only eight 2K Counters.
Matchups
For the complete turn-order win-rate breakdown, see the Dracule Mihawk OP14 stats in OP17 Format.
Tips
Mihawk rewards disciplined sequencing: draw early, develop the right 5-cost target, then use recovered DON!! to control the final turns.
Use the early turns to prepare your hand. Prioritize Perona, Otama, Kin'emon, and You Can Be My Samurai!! to search and draw. First secure Dracule Mihawk into a 5-cost; the extra cards you see will find your finishers and Counter Events.
Use Kin'emon on your first turn whenever possible. Resting your Leader to draw 2 and trash 1 is one of the best ways to filter your opening hand without giving up tempo.
Plan The Billion-Fold World Trichiliocosm before your opponent's turn. Its 4000 Counter for 1 DON!! needs eight rested cards, including your Leader, DON!!, Characters, and Stage. The DON!! used to pay the Event counts, so seven rested cards before paying is enough.
Coffin Boat lets you be aggressive without abandoning defense. It returns 1 DON!! active at the end of the turn, allowing you to spend more resources while keeping a Counter Event available afterward.
Use the Leader effect only after every Character play you need to make: once it returns 3 DON!! active, you cannot play Characters for the rest of the turn. Smoker's effect only prevents other Characters from returning DON!!, so it and the Leader effect can be used in either order to return up to 4 DON!! on the same turn.
Law & Bepo can effectively buy another turn. Rest an opposing Character, then stop it from becoming active at its next Refresh Phase. When its condition is met, your Leader also gains 2000 Power through your opponent's next turn.
Shanks OP17 is not only a finisher. He rests every opposing Character and returns 2 DON!! active, setting up powerful freeze turns. Electrical Luna can lock down every eligible 7-cost-or-less Character, while All Out freezes up to two targets.
Opposing Blockers do not protect well against Shanks OP17. His On Play effect rests them before you begin your attack sequence, making Shanks ideal when you need to shift from defense into a lethal push.
Know when to stop buying time and go on offense. Shanks can suddenly change the pace: rest the opposing board, recover DON!!, and attack with 12000 Rush to force the game to end.