Usopp OP17-080
Usopp is one of your best openers. For 2 DON!!, he looks at the top three cards, starts developing your board, and can find another Usopp. Once a 12-cost or higher Character is in play, he also becomes a 5000-Power attacker.
Sabo OP13 Deck Guide
Build a wide Elbaf Straw Hat board, keep a 12-cost Giant in play, and turn every small Character into immediate pressure with Sabo's Leader effect.
Decklist
Mulligan
Your priority is an early game that develops the board while finding a Giant. Usopp and Jaguar D. Saul are your most important keeps, followed by Roronoa Zoro to protect your smaller Characters.
Priority Keeps
Jaguar D. Saul OP17-089
Saul looks at the top three cards while being a 12-cost Giant himself. That turns on both Sabo's Leader effect and the +3000 Power bonus for your 2-cost Elbaf Straw Hats.
Roronoa Zoro OP17-095
Zoro is excellent after your searchers. He is a 2000 Counter and protects your wide board from removal by returning three cards from your trash to the bottom of your deck.
Good Keeps
Nami OP01-016 and Nami OP17-086
OP01 Nami searches on the first turn, while OP17 Nami trashes an Elbaf card to draw two. The newer Nami is especially useful when a hand contains too many cards without Counter.
Nico Robin OP17-087
Robin can be a priority in matchups where her -3000 Power effect immediately puts an opposing Character in range of your board.
Don't Overprioritize Your Late Game
Prioritize Usopp plus Jaguar D. Saul before Pirates Docking Six, Loki, and Monkey D. Luffy. Once a Giant is in play, your 2-cost Characters gain +3000 Power, while attaching 1 DON!! to Sabo gives your Leader and every Character +1000 Power.
Curve Guide
Sabo wants to play several small Characters, establish a 12-cost Giant, then finish with Monkey D. Luffy. Going second is usually smoother, although some turns force you to choose between development and keeping 1 DON!! on Sabo.
Going First
OR
Start with either Nami. OP01-016 searches a card, while OP17-086 can trash an Elbaf card to draw two and clean up your hand.
Play Usopp to keep searching for your pieces. Use the remaining DON!! on the Leader when a 5000-Power attack matters.
OR
Saul searches again and establishes your 12-cost Giant, then your final DON!! can activate Sabo. Docking Six is the alternative when replaying a 2-cost from trash develops a stronger board, even though you give up the Leader activation.
OR+
Loki costs 6 DON!!, can K.O. opposing Characters with a combined cost of 4 or less, and is another 12-cost-or-higher Character. Docking Six plus a 2-cost is the other line; Robin is especially strong when her -3000 Power lets your established board remove a Character.
+
Play Luffy, then bring back Robin from trash. With a 12-cost Giant in play, Luffy has Rush; Robin lowers a target by 3000 Power and Luffy can immediately attack it. You still have 1 DON!! for Sabo.
Going Second
+OR
Use Nami OP01 followed by Nami OP17, or play Usopp, to shape your hand and establish the early board.
OR+
Saul gives you a Giant and another search, but leaves no DON!! for Sabo, so the Leader remains at 4000 Power while you are at 4 Life or more. Alternatively, play two 2-costs such as Usopp plus Zoro to build wide and prepare protection.
OROR
Saul plus 2 DON!! on your Leader establishes a Giant and a stronger Sabo. Docking Six plus 1 DON!! on Sabo and a 2-cost from trash is another line. Loki is best when removing an opposing 4-cost brings real value; otherwise, keeping DON!! for Sabo is often safer.
+
With a 12-cost Giant already in play, Luffy gains Rush. Bring back Brook ST01-011 from trash, then use Brook to place two rested DON!! on Sabo. You activate the Leader despite spending all 8 DON!! and create a 9000-Power Rush attack.
+
This is the primary late-game sequence: Robin lowers a Character by 3000 Power, Luffy attacks immediately with Rush, and your earlier board keeps applying pressure.
When your board is already ahead and the opponent has two important Characters that cost 6 or less, spend 7 DON!! on Kong Gun and keep 1 DON!! for Sabo. With little or no board, committing nearly all of your DON!! to removal is far less rewarding.
Tech Cards
These cards do more than fill out the curve. Some improve specific matchups, while others reward you for keeping a 12-cost Character on the board.
Franky OP11-012
Franky is primarily a choice against Event-heavy decks such as Mihawk, Purple Enel, and Rocks. When the opponent uses an Event, he gives your whole board +2000 Power, sharply increasing the pressure from your next attacks. He is flexible rather than essential.
Tony Tony Chopper OP17-084
Chopper becomes unblockable while you control a 12-cost-or-higher Character. He is particularly dangerous at 0 Life, and Luffy can replay him from the trash without requiring you to keep him in hand.
Gum-Gum Kong Gun OP17-098
Kong Gun gives your Leader +3000 Power defensively. With a 12-cost-or-higher Character in play, it can also spend 6 additional DON!! to K.O. up to two Characters that cost 6 or less. Use removal mode chiefly when your board is already wider than the opponent's.
Bad Manners Kick Course OP04-016
This deck has many cards without Counter, so Bad Manners converts an awkward card into +3000 Counter. Its Trigger also gives an opposing Leader or Character -3000 Power for the turn, which can save a close defensive turn.
Other Options
Gerd OP17-081
Gerd can trash a card from your hand to return a Character that costs 8 or less from your trash, including Monkey D. Luffy for the late game. She also has 2000 Counter. Because Sabo is not an Elbaf Leader, she does not gain the 12-cost part of her effect.
I'm Luffy! The Man Who Will Become the King of the Pirates! OP17-096
This Event gives +4000 Counter for 1 DON!! while you control a 12-cost Character. Its Trigger recovers an Elbaf card from trash, but its condition makes it less reliable than the current defensive options.
Roronoa Zoro EB04-007
A mirror-tech option for Sabo Elbaf and Elbaf Luffy. He gives your Leader +2000 Power through the end of the next opposing turn, and gains Rush when an opposing Character has 8000 Power or more.
Sanji OP17-082
Sanji can replace some 2-costs to draw two, then trash two. With a 12-cost Character in play, he becomes a 5000-Power attacker; Sabo's Leader effect raises that to 6000 Power for only 2 cost.
Sanji ST21-003
Sanji is an alternate unblockable threat if you prefer a different condition from Chopper. Nightmare Luffy is another defensive idea, but reaching 20 cards in your trash is difficult for this deck.
Brook OP17-091
Brook can make the opponent trash a card, but he fits this aggressive version less well. Your goal is to empty the opposing hand through repeated attacks, not a slow resource battle.
Matchups Format 17.5
See Sabo's win rates when going first or second in OP13 Sabo Stats in OP17 Format.
↑Favorable
~Even
↘Slightly Unfavorable
↓Unfavorable
Tips
Sabo rewards a wide board, careful Giant management, and knowing when to leave DON!! for the Leader effect.
Keep a 12-cost Character on the board. Your 2-cost Elbaf Straw Hats gain their full value once a 12-cost-or-higher Character is in play, and Saul enables Sabo's Leader effect early. Avoid losing your last Saul or Loki if you have no other way to reactivate the effect.
Protect your board with Zoro. Once you begin playing multiple small Characters, Zoro OP17-095 can protect that board from removal. The longer you stay wide, the more valuable Sabo's global +1000 Power becomes.
Robin is one of your best tools. Use her -3000 Power to put an opposing Character in range of your attackers rather than always attacking the Leader. She is even stronger when Luffy replays her from trash before attacking with Rush.
Use Brook with Luffy. When all 8 DON!! go into Luffy, bring back Brook ST01-011 from trash. Brook places two rested DON!! on Sabo, letting you activate the Leader effect while Luffy is in play.
Do not play Loki just because you can. Loki uses 6 DON!! and can prevent you from strengthening Sabo, so prioritize him when removal hits a key target. Against Ace, Loki's +3000 Power during the opposing turn can also enable Edward Newgate OP17-005's cost reduction.
Gum-Gum Kong Gun is strongest when you are already ahead on board. Removing two opposing Characters while keeping several attackers forces the opponent to rebuild. With little or no board, this investment is much harder to justify.
Jinbe can be more than a Blocker. With a 12-cost Character in play, he gains +3000 Power and goes from 2000 to 5000 Power. Then, with 1 DON!! attached to Sabo, the Leader effect gives him another +1000 Power, making him a 6000-Power attacker.
Remember Sabo's low-Life advantage. At 4 Life or more, Sabo begins at 4000 Power; at 3 Life or less, the penalty disappears. With 1 DON!! attached and an 8-cost-or-higher Character in play, the Leader gains another +1000 Power.