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"'''[[Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End]]'''" is a card that was first released on [[Invasion of Chaos]]. This card alongside "[[Chaos Sorcerer]]" and "[[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning]]" started the popular [[Chaos Deck]]s that combined [[Dark]] and [[Light]] Monsters to quickly [[Summon]] both Envoys and Chaos Sorcerer and that become a nightmare for other players since the powerful effects of the Chaos monsters.
Since its release this card become very popular among players due to his mighty effect, huge attack, the fact that it was very easy to summon and the low cost to [[activate]] its effect. However, other players considered it to be broken and overpowered, which caused this monster to be [[Forbidden]] in [[September 2004 Lists|September 2004]].
A strategy that was quickly discovered when this card was released was its ability to introduce an unbreakable "[[Yata-Garasu Lockdown|Yata-Lock]]" with the help of "[[Sangan]]" or "[[Witch of the Black Forest]]". The strategy was simple: The player activates "[[Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End|Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End's]]" effect while either "Sangan" or "Witch of the Black Forest" is on the [[field]], then with effect of any of these two monsters add "[[Yata-Garasu]]" to their hand, summon him and attack directly. Thanks to Yata's effect the opponent will not be able to draw a card during their turn and with no cards on the field and hand will be unable to do anything, assuring victory to Yata's controller. This strategy become feared by most of players and caused "[[Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End]]" and "[[Yata-Garasu]]" to be banned.
Despite being [[Forbidden]] in [[Advanced Format]] this card is still popular in [[Traditional Format]] due to his powerful abilities and even through he's forbidden now, his legacy still lives in his downgraded version: "[[Demise, King of Armageddon]]". +
"'''[[Jinzo]]'''" is an early card dating back to [[Pharaoh's Servant]]. Since then the machine has always been a hot favorite among players of all levels.
Being one of the first high [[Level]] [[Monster Card|monsters]] to sport both a decent [[ATK]] and [[Effect Monster|effect]] earned "[[Jinzo]]" a spot on the [[Limited]] List, where he remained until [[September 2007 Lists|September 2007]], when he was relegated to [[Semi-Limited|semi-limited]].
Shutting down [[Trap Card]]s is useful as "[[Jinzo]]" and other monsters the player may have could [[attack]] fearless of the opponent's [[Spell & Trap Zone|back line]], while also letting "[[Jinzo]]" dodge "[[Bottomless Trap Hole]]" and "[[Torrential Tribute]]", something his "[[Monarch]]" rivals couldn't do. However, he could also [[negate]] the negative effects of the [[control]]ler's own cards such as "[[Call of the Haunted]]".
Despite this some players came to simply consider "[[Jinzo]]" a minus one in [[Card Advantage]], due to its associated [[Tribute Summon|tribute]] making it less [[splashable]] and often outshone by the "[[Monarch]]s", who could could remove opposing cards to make up for their [[Tribute Summon|tribute]]. However "[[Jinzo]]" was not deemed ''unplayable'' as its [[Dark]] [[Attribute]] and [[Machine]]-[[type]], made "[[Jinzo]]" very popular in [[Chaos Deck|Chaos]] and [[Chimeratech OTK|Chimeratech]] based Decks, particularly when backed with "[[Return from the Different Dimension]]".
Although his more powerful Deck types have been weakened with the [[Forbidden|forbidding]] and [[Limited|limiting]] of key cards, "[[Jinzo]]" hasn't lost any spotlight and may very well prove deadly in pairs. +
"'''[[The Creator]]'''" is a card that was first released in [[Rise of Destiny]]. This card's effect was unusual as it allowed players to Special Summon a monster from the Graveyard once per turn by just sending one card from the hand to the Graveyard.
When this card was released it wasn't very popular since it required two Tributes and had a very low ATK compared to most of level 7 or higher monsters. But thanks to support cards like "[[The Creator Incarnate]]" and "[[Kaiser Sea Horse]]" this card has become more formidable.
A good strategy in [[Traditional Format]] is sending "[[Sinister Serpent]]" to the Graveyard with The Creator's effect, since "Sinister Serpent returns to your hand during the next turn you can use it again and use The Creator's effect countless times for free. Similar moves can be used in [[Advanced Format]] with cards like "[[Treeborn Frog]]" and "[[Night Assailant]]".
With the release of Decks like "[[Structure Deck: Rise of the Dragon Lords|Rise of the Dragon Lords]]" its popularity increases as this card fits with this Deck's strategy. +
"[[Breaker the Magical Warrior]]" is [[Limited]] in both [[Advanced Format|Advanced]] and [[Traditional Format]]s, and that status will change with the March 2007 Ban/Limited List.
In most situations, this card will come onto the [[field]] as a 1900/1000 beatstick, which is quite respectable for a LV 4 monster. What keeps this card on the [[Limited]] list, though, is his secret weapon: the ability to [[destroy]] one [[Spell Card|Spell]] or [[Trap Card|Trap]] card on the [[field]], at the cost of 300 [[ATK]].
Considering "[[Breaker the Magical Warrior]]" as nothing more than a means of [[Spell Card|Spell]]/[[Trap Card|Trap]] destruction, he's not particularly remarkable -- ''until'' you consider that he can be reused... over, and over, and over, and over, as long as you keep him supplied with [[Spell Counter]]s, making him a staple or at least good-to-use card in spell counter decks.
If you use a "[[Mystical Space Typhoon]]" or "[[Dust Tornado]]" to destroy one of your opponent's [[Spell Card|Spell]]/[[Trap Card|Trap]] cards, you're getting 1:1. "[[Breaker the Magical Warrior]]", on the other hand, is ''at least'' a 1:2, as not only can he destroy a [[Spell Card|Spell]]/[[Trap Card|Trap]] card, but you'll still have a 1600/1000 left over. Although 1600 [[ATK]] is relatively low for a LV 4 monster, it will easily pierce most [[Defense Position]] staples (such as the ever-present "[[Magician of Faith]]" and "[[Mask of Darkness]]").
This is ''definitely'' a card for most [[Main Deck|Decks]], regardless of type, especially those that can easily generate repeated [[Spell Counter]]s courtesy of "[[Apprentice Magician]]" or "[[Pitch-Black Power Stone]]". One card to [[destroy]] your opponent's [[Spell Card|Spell]]/[[Trap Card]]s and another to [[attack]] -- or one card that can do both? The choice is yours. +
"[[Cyber Dragon]]" was first released in '''[[Cybernetic Revolution]]''', with a further three reprints in the '''[[2006 Collectors Tins]]''', '''[[Mattel Action Figures Promos: Series 3]]''' and '''[[Duelist Pack 4: Zane Truesdale]]'''. In Japan, it was released in '''[[Cybernetic Revolution]]''', with three reprints in the '''[[Academy Duel Disk Special Edition Promos]]''', and '''[[Duelist Pack 4: Zane Truesdale]]'''.
In the early days of this card's existence, it was the ideal card to use in [[Chaos Deck]]s, owing to it's [[Light]] Attribute, and easy summon requirements. It is able to quickly [[swarm]] the field, offer a respectable 2100 [[ATK]] in the form of a [[Beatstick]], and can be used immediately as Tribute Fodder for a [[Tribute Summon]], since the summon via it's effect is a [[Special Summon]]. It is also the basis for an entire [[Archetype]] of cards. It has three [[Fusion Monster]]s it is able to fuse into; '''[[Cyber Twin Dragon]]''', '''[[Chimeratech Overdragon]]''', and the feared '''[[Cyber End Dragon]]'''. It also has three monsters within the same family; '''[[Proto-Cyber Dragon]]''', '''[[Cyber Barrier Dragon]]''' and '''[[Cyber Laser Dragon]]'''.
'''[[Cyber Dragon]]''' has since become a [[staple]] in nearly every [[Main Deck|Deck]], but especially in Monarch Deck's, [[Machine]] Decks, [[LIGHT]] Decks, and any Swarm-based Deck, like [[Warrior]]s. This easy splashability has been criticized, especially since most, if not all Top 8 players in [[Regional Tournaments]] have three of these per [[Main Deck|Deck]]. Any suggestion of a limitation, is countered by the fact that it would harm pure-breed [[Cyber Dragon Deck]]s. +
"[[Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys]]" was previously [[Limited]], having been changed to [[Unlimited]] status in the March 1st 2007 Lists.
For many duelists, this card can be a pain to deal with. When it was [[Limited]], all one had to do was [[Banish|remove it from play]], to take the sting out of the Deck. Now, at 3 per Deck, it has the potential to be quite troublesome, especially with the banning of [[Chaos Sorcerer]] in 2006, one of the most prevalent removal monsters out there. Even so, a keen Phoenix Duelist will [[Side Deck]] [[Return from the Different Dimension]], and/or [[Dimension Fusion]], as well as [[Main Deck]] plenty of Tribute Fodder-generating cards, such as [[Gilasaurus]], [[Cyber Dragon]], [[Brain Control]] and [[Searcher]]s, such as [[Mystic Tomato]].
[[Crush Card Virus]] and [[Chain Destruction]]'s effect will activate [[Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys]]'s effect, since it is still destroyed, and sent to the [[Graveyard]], but it's effect will not activate, if [[Banish|removed from play]], such as with [[D.D. Warrior Lady]] or [[Karma Cut]].
It is also vulnerable to cards that distort [[ATK]], because Phoenix's effect will not activate if [[destroy]]ed by battle. Subsequently, cards such as [[Shrink]], [[Cybernetic Magician]] and [[Mirror Wall]] can be very effective at making sure Phoenix hits the [[Graveyard]] without being able to activate it's effect. +
'''Dark Magician Girl''' is a far from powerful card, but is popular among the fandom for her anime appearances and [[Dark Magician Girl (Character)|roles]], along with her startling beauty.
Regarding playing the card, there aren't many combos and there are plenty of better-suited monsters, but determined players can have fun with "[[Magician's Circle]]" and "[[Sage's Stone]]". The best way to make use of her [[ATK]]-increasing effect is to quickly drop a few "[[Dark Magician]]s" and/or "[[Magician of Black Chaos|Magicians of Black Chaos]]" in your [[Graveyard]]. You can use "[[Future Fusion]]" to Summon "[[Dark Paladin]]" or maybe use "[[Advanced Ritual Art]]" sending "[[Dark Magician]]" and "[[Charcoal Inpachi]]", or just to the [[Graveyard]] to Summon a powerful [[Ritual Monster]], like "[[Demise, King of Armageddon]]". Her [[DARK]] [[Attribute]], lets you use her for cards like "[[Deck Devastation Virus]]" and many of the new [[DARK]] Attribute monsters and support, like "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]" and "[[The Beginning of the End]]". +
'''Skelengel'''... Maybe not the Valentine's Day card you were hoping for. However this little Cupid can help you meet that special person. While you may not know or care to appreciate it "[[Skelengel]]" can be the key to [[Draw a card|drawing]] you closer to the next card you'll hold dear.
"[[Skelengel]]" proved popular finding new love in [[TCG]] player's [[Main Deck|Decks]] shortly after its release in the [[Starter Deck 2006|Yu-Gi-Oh! Starter Deck]]. Helping bring [[LIGHT|light]] and [[DARK|dark]]ness together in [[Chaos Deck]]s, while also replacing material-obsessed cards such as "[[Magical Merchant]]" and "[[Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive]]" reminding players about how love can bring happiness more so than possessions.
"[[Skelengel]]" began to replace some copies of "[[Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive]]" to help balance out [[LIGHT]] and [[DARK]] in [[Chaos Deck]]s. While with "[[Magical Merchant]]" there was the fear of tearing apart your Deck, "[[Skelengel]]" kept it simple.
This Valentines Day "[[Skelengel|Skelengel's]]" love arrows can make "[[Freed the Brave Wanderer]]" fall for some beautiful [[Fairy|Fairies]] making a decent [[Fairy]]-Type Deck. Pretty much anywhere his arrows land can work out, as "[[Skelengel]]" is [[splashable]] enough to fit into most [[Main Deck|Decks]]. So hey, maybe you'll get lucky...
Happy Valentine's Day. +
'''[[Dark Armed Dragon]]''', what is considered the "Dark" version of [[Armed Dragon LV7]], has become a major card that finds its place in many Decks. Originally a [[Rare]] from [[Phantom Darkness]], this card has grown into a beast that many find troublesome.
First of all, because [[Dark Armed Dragon]] has extremely easy summoning requirements, many players find Dark Armed Dragon to be a field-clearer and an effective beatstick after that. One way to summon it is to discard a level 5 or higher [[DARK]] monster to [[Special Summon]] "[[Dark Grepher]]", then activate its effect to discard a second [[DARK]] monster from your Hand to send third from your [[Main Deck|Deck]] to your [[Graveyard]], thus setting the 3-monster requirement to summon this card. A side method to summon it is to suicide three [[Mystic Tomato]] or [[Giant Germ]]. In addition, cards like "[[The Dark Creator]]", "[[Armageddon Knight]]", "[[Prometheus, King of the Shadows]]", and "[[Skull Lair]]" are great cards to use with [[Dark Armed Dragon]] to manipulate the amount of [[DARK]] monsters in your [[Graveyard]].
Secondly, if you're playing in [[Traditional Format]], summon "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]" and use his effect to clear your opponent's field. Then, if you removed powerful [[DARK]] monsters from play you can activate "[[Dimension Fusion]]" to summon the removed from play monsters and attack to end the game. For an [[Advanced Format]] version, use [[Return from the Different Dimension]].
A third strategy you can use treats your [[Dark Armed Dragon]], literally as a machine gun. [[Burial from a Different Dimension]] to reload your [[Graveyard]] with [[DARK]] monsters after you've used up three of them. Refilling your [[Graveyard]] with more [[DARK]] monsters is equivalent to reloading your [[Dark Armed Dragon]]!
All in all, there are many ways to wield this dangerous dragon. And don't forget that Graveyard manipulation might even make way for your other [[DARK]] turned cards!
A Japanese [[OCG]]-only card, "[[Necroface]]" is a manga-based promotional card released in [[The Valuable Book 9 promotional cards|Valuable Book 9 Promos]]. "[[Necroface]]" is a unique monster that at first glance looks subpar at best, but upon closer inspection, holds a variety of versatile and powerful effects that will bring victory if used correctly.
Being a [[Dark]]-[[Attribute]] monster means it works well in [[Chaos Deck|Chaos Decks]]. Being a [[Zombie]]-[[Type]] means it fits in nicely with the Deck milling effect most zombie-monsters possess. Sadly, this card's rather unimpressive starting stats of 1,200 [[ATK]] and 1,800 [[DEF]] strays it away from being splashable in most decks.
However, what makes "[[Necroface]]" worthwhile is its two special effects. The first one is its "[[Needle Worm]]"-esque ability to [[Banish|remove from play]] five cards off each player's deck when "[[Necroface]]" itself is removed from the game, whether it be from the "[[Hand]]", "[[Field|Playing Field]]", or "[[Graveyard]]". The second ability is when "[[Necroface]]" is [[Normal Summon|Normal Summoned]] to the [[Field]], all cards removed out of play return to the respective owners' decks, and for every single card, "[[Necroface]]" gains 100 ATK. While 100 ATK may not seem a lot, one "[[Necroface]]" removed out of play already equals 11 cards from both decks, putting the second "[[Necroface]]" at an automatic 2,300 ATK when summoned, saying that other cards haven't already been removed from play.
"[[Necroface]]" has excellent support in [[Spell Card|Spell]] and [[Trap Card|Trap]] cards such "[[Macro Cosmos]]", "[[Dimensional Fissure]]" and "[[Gold Sarcophagus]]", as well as [[Monster Card|Monster]] cards like "[[Strike Ninja]]" and "[[Bazoo the Soul-Eater]]". "[[Soul Absorption]]" also increases the controller’s [[LP|Life Points]] by 5,500 each time [[Necroface|Necroface’s]] effect is properly activated.
While not every duelist may see it fitting to include this card in their deck, "[[Necroface]]" shouldn't be underestimated simply because of its poor stats. In the right deck, it may prove to be quite deadly.
Ah, [[Beatdown Deck|Beatdown Decks]]. The choice for any aggressive player, these [[Main Deck|Decks]] focus on monsters with high [[ATK]] to wipe your opponent's field clean and quickly drop their [[LP|Life Points]] to 0. A common misconception to making this type of Deck are that your monsters of choice are only in your Deck for its ATK, and as such, adding monsters with both high ATK and powerful effects is a natural move for these Decks. This is where this card shines at its best.
Now, "[[Beast King Barbaros]]" may not look like much: There are notable [[Level 8]] [[3000 ATK Monster Cards|3000 ATK monsters]] out there with other, more harmful, effects, like the popular "[[Judgment Dragon]]", or "[[Gladiator Beast Heraklinos]]", "[[Vampire Genesis]]", "[[Flying Fortress SKY FIRE]]" and "[[VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon]]". But this card has higher strategic use.
Let's take a look at his first effect: "''You can [[Normal Summon]] or [[Set]] this card without [[Tribute|Tributing]]. If you do, its [[Original ATK and DEF|original ATK]] becomes 1900.''" Sound too heavy for a sacrifice? Not really. 1900 ATK is already good for a monster that can be Normal Summoned without tribute. And that's just the beginning! If you play a [[Skill Drain Deck]], it'll be like you summoned a 3000 ATK beatstick for free! Or perhaps when your opponent is feeling lucky enough to attack it in Attack Position, you can use "[[Forbidden Chalice]]" on it to not only boost its ATK by 400, but [[negate]] its own ATK-cutting effect, turning it into an instant 3400 ATK monster, and when "Forbidden Chalice's" effect disappears, "Barbaros'" original ATK will stay at 3000! This may be a predictable strategy, but it'll make your opponent think twice before attacking.
Now for its second effect: "''You can Tribute 3 monsters to [[Tribute Summon]] this card. When you do, destroy all cards your opponent controls.''" BAM! This card possesses the combined effects of "[[Gilford the Lightning]]" and "[[Moisture Creature]]", and that's for the same cost as them, too. Your opponent may have prepared their defenses with the likes of "[[Mirror Force]]" and "[[Scrap-Iron Scarecrow]]", but with "Barbaros'" field-clearing effect, they better brace themselves for one big direct attack.
So, which Deck can this card be placed in, aside for your Beatdowns? Your [[Beast]]/[[Beast-Warrior]]/[[Winged Beast]] Deck would look good and be powerful with him in it. Oh, and don't be shy to add up to three copies of him in your Deck.
His effects speak for himself. And for a little trivia: This card's name in Japanese is '''God Beastking Barbaros'''. You now know why.
Ah, [[Special Summon]]s. By now, they are the bread and butter of many Decks. With the advent of [[Synchro Monster]]s, many Decks focus exclusively on their ability to Synchro Summon - if something locks them out of their Synchro Summons, or Special Summons in general, then they are generally beaten right away. When that ''something'' is a Level 8 monster with 2800 ATK and the ability to come back right after you get rid of it, they are toast. Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly present "'''[[Archlord Kristya]]'''", the card you definitely don't want to see on your opponent's side of the field.
"Kristya" has not one, not two, not even ''three'' noteworthy effects - it has a grand total of four. First of all, you can Special Summon it by having exactly four [[Fairy|Fairies]] in your [[Graveyard]]. This makes its Summon fairly easy - many Fairies like "[[Honest]]", "[[Hecatrice]]", and "[[Herald of Orange Light]]" can dump themselves into the Graveyard with ease. Of course, "Kristya" doesn't ''have'' to be Special Summoned by this effect - you can use "[[Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen]]" or "[[Call of the Haunted]]" to Special Summon it, or even [[Tribute Summon]] it. You will want to use its effect, though, because if it is Special Summoned by its own effect, you can return one of those Fairies to your [[hand]]! One obvious choice would be the aforementioned "[[Honest]]", which allows this card to power over anything, including on-field Synchros. That 4000 ATK "[[Colossal Fighter]]" isn't so powerful now, is it?
Third is the most powerful effect of this card, the one most dreaded by duelists - "Neither player can Special Summon monsters". It is a "[[Royal Oppression]]" with 2800 ATK! Sorry, but it looks like the monsters that you would be using to take out this huge threat - "[[Judgment Dragon]]", "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]", "[[Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier]]", and others - are just going to be useless. And not much that is Normal Summoned can deal with it either. Finally, whenever it would go from the field to the Graveyard, it returns to the top of your Deck instead. Meaning that even if your opponent uses "[[Mirror Force]]" or "[[Smashing Ground]]" to deal with "Archlord Kristya", it will be back next turn - and this time your opponent will have even less ways to stop it.
So, the question is, where do you put this powerful card? Well, it can fit into a couple decks, one being a Fairy deck, and the other being [[Lightsworns]]. It seems counterintuitive, as "Lightsworns" rely on Special Summons with "[[Wulf, Lightsworn Beast|Wulf]]", "[[Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner|Lumina]]", and "[[Judgment Dragon]]". The trick here is to Summon "Kristya" ''after'' you make those special summons, ensuring your opponent cannot counter with their own. It is a strategy that has been in use for a while - [[Teleport Dark Armed|Tele-DAD]] and [[Synchro Cat]] decks often [[Main Deck|Main]] or [[Side Deck]]ed "[[Royal Oppression]]" in their heyday. With Lightsworns, it is even better, because that "Royal Oppression" now has 2800 ATK and recycles itself. And with many Fairies being used in "Lightsworns", such as "[[Celestia, Lightsworn Angel|Celestia]]", "[[Honest]]", and the TCG-exclusive "[[Shire, Lightsworn Spirit]]", it is easy to Summon. Otherwise, you can build a Deck based around "Kristya" itself - using cards like "[[Nova Summoner]]" and "[[Shining Angel]]" to thin the Deck and fill the Graveyard for "Kristya's" summon.
So, how do you get rid of "Kristya"? There's really only one good answer - [[Banish|remove it from play]]. Use "[[Bottomless Trap Hole]]" to get it as soon as it enters the field, or "[[Caius the Shadow Monarch]]" to remove it while it's on the field. Alternatively, you can negate the Special Summon with cards like "[[Black Horn of Heaven]]", "[[Royal Oppression]]", or "[[Solemn Judgment]]". This prevents it from hitting the field, so it won't be able to recycle itself. You can even use "[[D.D. Crow]]" to control the number of Fairies in your opponent's Graveyard, preventing it from special summoning itself. You will want to have at least one of these options in your Main Deck or Side Deck, because "Archlord Kristya" can tear through most Decks out there, and stopping it will be a priority.
Aside from the Egyptian God Cards, this is undoubtedly one of the most powerful cards in Duel Monsters. [[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon]] is formed from a [[Fusion Monster|Fusion]] of 3 [[Blue-Eyes White Dragon]]s.
There are many ways to summon this awesome creature, ranging from [[Polymerization]], [[Fusion Gate]] or [[Cyber-Stein]].
It is, however, still susceptible to effects from Monsters, as well as Spell and Trap Cards, whereas some [[Fusion Monster]]s have abilities to negate Effects and/or Spell Cards and/or Trap Cards. +
At long last, the [[Duel Terminal]]s are coming to the United States! And with them, TCG players are surely anticipating a variety of new archetypes – “[[X-Saber]]s” have already been released, but “[[Mist Valley]]”, “[[Genex]]”, and “[[Flamvell]]” monsters have not. The only other archetype at all represented in English are the “[[Allies of Justice]]” with a contribution of precisely one card, which may seem small. However, “'''[[Ally of Justice Catastor]]'''”, the first of these machines to invade the TCG, may be the best one.
"Catastor's" stats are fairly mediocre; 2200 ATK for a level 5 Synchro. However, its effect means that it can be splashed easily into every deck with any sort of access to a Tuner monster, because if it battles a face-up non-[[DARK]] monster, the monster is automatically destroyed – ''before'' [[damage calculation]]. As opposed to problem solvers such as “[[D.D. Warrior Lady]]”, which will cause you [[battle damage]] if rammed into your opponent's monster, Catastor simply gets rid of it. Not [[DARK]]? Okay – boom! This means it can easily take down more powerful monsters, such as “[[Judgment Dragon]]”, “[[Gladiator Beast Heraklinos]]”, or “[[Goyo Guardian]]”.
But only using it to remove a big monster is a waste of its talent. You can take out useful searchers such as “[[Giant Rat]]”, “[[Pyramid Turtle]]”, and “[[Nova Summoner]]”, because their effects will not activate when you destroy them with this effect. Furthermore, its effect doesn't only activate when it attacks, so it can become an incredible wall. To be really mean, combine it with “[[Battle Mania]]” to wipe your opponent's field clean of monsters! Besides this, its level makes it especially easy to summon. You can use anything from “[[Junk Synchron]]” to “[[Deep Sea Diva]]” to bring out the Ally.
The main reason that Catastor is better than the other “[[Allies of Justice]]” is because their effects are specifically aimed at [[LIGHT]] monsters. This machine doesn't have that specificity, so with its ease of summoning and super-powered effect, expect to see “[[Ally of Justice Catastor]]” in practically any and every extra deck, very soon!
Cyber End Dragon is formed from a [[Fusion]] of 3 [[Cyber Dragon]]s, and is indeed a powerful card. It inflicts the difference between its [[ATK]] and its opponent's [[DEF]] as [[Direct Damage]].
It can be summoned in a variety of ways. [[Polymerization]] is the old school method. But [[Fusion Gate]], [[Cyber-Stein]], and [[Power Bond]] will also summon it.
It can also be used with [[Limiter Removal]], doubling its attack, although [[Power Bond]] will provide that also. +
Ever since the introduction of [[Synchro Monster]]s, the speed and power of the [[metagame]] has increased tenfold and this card is certainly one of the most useful Monsters released so far. At first glance, this card might not seem to be worth playing, having only mediocre stats of 2300 [[ATK]] and 1400 [[DEF]], which is low for a [[Level]] 6 [[Synchro Monster]], and can easily be surpassed by the likes of "[[Goyo Guardian]]", "[[Stardust Dragon]]" and even any "[[Monarch]]" or the rarely used "[[Summoned Skull]]", but it's the effect of '''[[Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier]]''' which gives it its rightful place on the [[Limited|Limited List]].
As already mentioned, "Brionac" has rather mediocre stats and can be defeated by an almost endless list of monsters. However, it shines whenever you have cards in your [[hand]], since you can simply [[discard]] any number of them to return the same amount of cards to their owner's [[hand]]. This can be used to either disrupt your opponent's strategies or help you reuse and abuse the effects of certain cards, such as "[[Swords of Revealing Light]]" to create a near unstoppable block. Another good point to this card's effect is that it can be used multiple times in a turn, meaning you can discard cards from your [[hand]] one-at-a-time, and not end up with no cards in your [[hand]] in case you happen to run into a "[[Divine Wrath]]".
Given how this card cannot be stopped by the commonly played "[[Stardust Dragon]]", there is no reason that this card can't be placed in every deck which has access to [[Tuner monster]]s. It can also single-handedly ''turn the tide'' of almost any [[Duel]], by returning all the cards your opponent controls to their [[hand]], leaving them wide open for a [[direct attack]], also its [[Level]] makes it very easy to Summon, especially with low Level [[Tuner monster]]s like "[[Krebons]]" and "[[X-Saber Airbellum]]".
The main reason why "Brionac" is better than most other [[Synchro Monster]]s is that it has only a handful of cards which can negate its effect once it activates, whereas others can be stopped by much more. So there's no reason why "[[Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier]]" doesn't deserve to be included in almost every [[Extra Deck]].
Happy new year, Duelists! It's time to kick off 2012 with a card that's already had an impact on the metagame of 2011 - and you can bet that "'''[[Rescue Rabbit]]'''" is going to be important this year as well! After all, it's the spiritual successor to the infamous "[[Rescue Cat]]" - how could it not be important?
A year ago, if any of you Duelists had heard that [[Normal Monster]]s like "[[Kabazauls]]" (yes, ''that'' "Kabazauls") would be used in top-tier Decks, you probably would have laughed. However, with "Rescue Rabbit" now on the loose, it's more likely than you'd think. You see, you can banish a face-up "Rescue Rabbit" you control and [[Special Summon]] any two Level 4 or lower Normal Monsters from your Deck, as long as they have the same name. Two "[[Alexandrite Dragon]]s", "[[Sabersaurus|Sabersauri]]", or any other Normal Monster from your Deck, for free! These Normal Monsters are destroyed during the End Phase, but that's no problem - you'll have used them for an [[Xyz Summon]]. This is the true power of "Rescue Rabbit" - instant Xyz Summons of monsters like "[[Number 39: Utopia]]", or the devastating "[[Evolzar Laggia]]". What's more, "Rescue Rabbit" can easily be reused, thanks to another great Xyz Monster: "[[Leviair the Sea Dragon]]". "Leviair", which is very easy to Summon thanks to "[[Tour Guide from the Underworld]]", can Special Summon a [[banish]]ed "Rescue Rabbit" for another easy Xyz Summon!
The card creators at Konami seem to have learned their lesson after the domination of "Rescue Cat" in the dueling world, and the power of "Rabbit" has been dialed back quite far from that of its predecessor. As mentioned before, the two Special Summoned monsters must have the same name - no Summoning a [[Tuner monster|Tuner]] and a non-Tuner monster for a [[Synchro Summon]]. Additionally, "Rabbit" itself cannot be Special Summoned from the Deck, so it cannot be abused with "[[Summoner Monk]]", and the effect of any "Rescue Rabbit" can only be used once per turn.
With all these restrictions, how is this card making it into top-tier decks? One trick is to build the Deck around "Rescue Rabbit" - a Dino Rabbit Deck! Such a Deck focuses mainly on the Xyz Summons of "Evolzar Laggia" and "[[Evolzar Dolkka|Dolkka]]", using Normal monsters like "Sabersaurus" and "Kabazauls" as Xyz material. Add in a couple of "Tour Guides", some "[[Jurracs]]" like "[[Jurrac Guaiba|Guaiba]]" and "[[Jurrac Velo|Velo]]" for more Xyz material, a few copies of "[[Dimensional Fissure]]" (for such a Deck doesn't rely on the Graveyard), and you have a fast Deck that can lock down the opponent with "Laggia", and has taken the [[Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series|YCS]] by storm!
But that's not all! Many Decks have Normal Monsters - from "[[Elemental HERO]]" to "[[Ojama]]" to "[[lswarm]]" - and Rabbit can be splashed into any one of them for an extra dash of power and deck thinning. Whatever you do with it, "Rescue Rabbit" will surely lead you to victory!
Many of the Featured Card articles seen on the main page are about relatively new cards, that can radically change the metagame, or at least make a useful addition to it. This is not such an article; in fact, the card in question hails from more than a decade ago. However, there is every reason for '''[[Tyrant Dragon]]''' to be a powerhouse now more than ever, despite its age.
Why is “[[Tyrant Dragon]]” so powerful? First of all, it can double attack, which is nothing to joke about at 2900 ATK. It can overpower cards such as “[[Gladiator Beast Gyzarus]]”, “[[Dark Armed Dragon]]”, “[[Goyo Guardian]]”, and “[[Stardust Dragon]]” with ease, and still take out another monster, making it perfect for trampling opposing swarms. Possibly more importantly, it has immunity from targeting trap cards, such as “[[Karma Cut]]”, “[[Sakuretsu Armor]]”, “[[Dimensional Prison]]”, and more pesky cards that might trip up the big dragon. There's also an annoying condition about having to tribute a [[Dragon]] to special summon “[[Tyrant Dragon]]” from the grave, but it's definitely worth it and can easily be fulfilled in [[Dragon Deck|the right deck]].
So, why is now a better time than ever to use “[[Tyrant Dragon]]”? It's because the most recent TCG set, [[Raging Battle]], has introduced a number of support cards for high-level monsters. One is “[[Proof of Powerlessness]]”. Just in case there's too many monsters for you to take care of even with two attacks, this card can often become a surprise “[[Raigeki]]”. It's drawback should not be a problem; you'll be using it during your opponent's turn. You can cut off [[Synchro Summon]]s with it, for example – try to keep the menacing “[[Colossal Fighter]]” or “[[Red Dragon Archfiend]]” out of the way by destroying the [[Tuner monster]]s before they can become a problem.
Of course, that card is useless if you can't keep “[[Tyrant Dragon]]” on the field. However, there's another [[Raging Battle]] card to help; “[[Hardened Armed Dragon]]”! If you tribute summon “[[Tyrant Dragon]]”, using [[Hardened Armed Dragon]] as a tribute, it is nigh-unstoppable; it cannot be destroyed by card effects, cannot be targeted by trap cards, and has 2900 ATK. That means that if you can keep “[[Colossal Fighter]]” and its kin out of the way, your opponent will be incredibly hard-pressed to stop it. Some of the only cards that can do so are “[[Raiza the Storm Monarch]]” and "[[D.D. Warrior Lady]]" – which is where another [[Raging Battle]] support card comes in.
That card is [[Overwhelm]]. It can negate any effect monster or trap card if there is a [[Tribute Summon|tribute summon]]ed Level 7 or higher monster that you control. Is the opponent trying to spin [[Tyrant Dragon]] with Raiza? [[Overwhelm]] them! Trying to remove it with [[D.D. Warrior Lady]]? Do the same thing! Properly protected, your [[Tyrant Dragon]] will win games, and there's no reason not to let it.
Moving away from the ''[[TCG]]'' and ''[[OCG]]'' metagame for a moment - although perhaps not as far away as you might think - we introduce the ace card of the new [[Geargia]] archetype, "'''[[Gear Gigant X]]'''"! An epic name for an epic card - let's take a look at why.
At first glance, "Gear Gigant X" is a standard [[Rank 4 Monster Cards|Rank 4]] [[Xyz Monster]], boasting a respectable 2300 ATK, while still leaving something to be desired, and a mundane 1500 DEF. However, like most monsters in this game, there is much more than meets the eye. "Gear Gigant X" requires 2 [[Machine-Type]] [[Xyz Material]]s to summon, and once on the field, by detaching 1 of the cogs that make up this mighty machine, you can search your deck for a Level 4 or lower Machine-Type monster!
That's already a pretty punch-packing power, but if you choose to run the posterboy for the Geargia archetype, "[[Geargiano]]" or its more-modern cousin "[[Geargiano Mk-II]]", you can Special Summon one of them from your Graveyard when "Gear Gigant X" leaves the field!
And what's more, this titanium tyrant is exceedingly easy to summon! The new Geargia archetype cards introduced in ''[[Return of the Duelist]]'' offer consistency and speed when summoning any Rank 4 monster. "[[Geargiarmor]]" is a card boasting a hefty 1900 DEF for a Level 4 monster, and allows you to search for any "Geargia" when it's flipped face-up! This allows you to tutor "[[Geargiaccelerator]]", another Level 4 monster who's eager to get onto the field - if you control any "Geargia" monster, you can Special Summon it straight from your hand! Finally, "[[Geargiarsenal]]" makes bringing "Geargiarmor" to the field a breeze.
On the other hand, you may prefer to abuse the Geargia's excellent Graveyard control capabilities. "Geargiano" can net you a Level 4 Machine-Type from the Graveyard by tributing itself, while "[[Iron Call]]", a Normal Spell Card introduced in ''[[Duel Terminal - Ouroboros, Wicked Dragon of Destruction!!|DT14]]'' will grab you another, providing you already control one. Together, these cards give you the materials you need to Xyz Summon the king of klang instantly!
Now, some of you may be a bit concerned - "With only 2300 ATK, he'll get run over by "[[Evolzar Laggia]]" and other popular Rank 4 Xyzes!" I hear you say. This may be true, but by backtracking to his first effect, we can learn how this archetype deals with several threats in the current metagame by combining with another popular Machine-Type archetye, [[Machina]].
"[[Machina Gearframe]]" is a Level 4 Machine-Type monster with 1800 ATK, and when summoned, searches for any "Machina" monster in your Deck, including the powerhouse monster, "[[Machina Fortress]]" - a monster that doesn't fear being discarded by the [[Wind-Up|Wind-Up Loop]], nor being destroyed by "[[Inzektor]]" monsters and boasts a high 2500 ATK to steamroll "Laggia" down with. Being Level 4, "Gearframe" is searched by "Gear Gigant X", allowing you almost instant-access to the feisty Fortress.
Geargias are a new archetype that are both blessed and cursed with the Machine-Type, benefiting from excellent support in "[[Limiter Removal]]", but thoroughly threatened by the presence of "[[Chimeratech Fortress Dragon]]". Regardless, they are a threat and while it remains to be seen how they will fare in the upcoming metagame, underestimate them at your own peril.
One of the many new [[Synchro Monster]]s, "Stardust Dragon", takes flight. Coming from the new series, [[Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's]], this is the signature card used by [[Yusei Fudo]] and also one of the [[Five Dragons|Five Dragon]] cards held by the [[Signers]].
Despite a low ATK for a level 8 monster, this card proves to be one of the most useful Synchro monsters ever, if not ''the'' most useful. It can negate most of Staple cards like "[[Monarchs]]", "[[Fissure]]", "[[Smashing Ground]]", "[[Sakuretsu Armor]]", "[[Mirror Force]]", "[[Heavy Storm]]", "[[Mystical Space Typhoon]]", "[[Torrential Tribute]]", etc, by Tributing itself, and then comes back to the field at the End Phase, which means you can use its effect again and again. "[[Stardust Dragon]]" can also negate the effects of the many destructive dragons, such as: "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]", "[[Judgment Dragon]]", and "[[Red Dragon Archfiend]]".
A quick way to Synchro Summon it is to use "[[Cyber Dragon]]" and "[[Dark Resonator]]". An alternative method is to use "[[Instant Fusion]]", then "[[Dark Resonator]]".
"[[Stardust Dragon]]"'s main weakness is being [[Banish|Removed from Play]], meaning it cannot be revived with its effect. So "[[Macro Cosmos]]" and "[[Dimensional Fissure]]" will restrict "[[Stardust Dragon]]" to only negating and destroying 1 card and leaving it incapable of reviving itself. The popular "[[Caius the Shadow Monarch]]" will remove "Stardust" from play, without giving it the chance to negate his effect, since it doesn't "[[destroy]]" - using "[[Imperial Iron Wall]]" will help you get rid of this problem. Another danger is "[[Snipe Hunter]]", whose effect cannot be negated by "[[Stardust Dragon]]", since it is unknown at the time of activation if it will destroy anything. Other weakness include returning to the [[Extra Deck]], and being destroyed in battle by stronger monsters.
And don't forget that since "[[Stardust Dragon]]" revives itself every [[End Phase]], use "[[Card of Safe Return]]" to your advantage to further punish your opponent every time they force you to temporarily tribute "[[Stardust Dragon]]".
Over the past few months, and the next few to come still, the ''[[TCG]]'' has been overwhelmed by a horde of new game-breaking cards hitting the scene - between “[[T.G. Hyper Librarian]]”, the new [[Xyz Monster]]s and cards such as “[[Doppelwarrior]]”, the game has changed like never before. However, the one new card on everyone’s mind is definitely “'''[[Reborn Tengu]]'''”.
“Reborn Tengu” was introduced as the [[TCG Exclusives|TCG-exclusive]] [[Sneak Preview]] card for ''[[Extreme Victory]]'' and quickly became the talk of the town. Since its release, its domination of [[Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship|YCS]] tournaments, as well as incorporation into almost every deck type you can think of has been unimaginable. It’s no surprise, as “Reborn Tengu” Special Summons a copy of itself whenever it leaves the field, regardless of how it was removed – including being banished, tributed, or just plain destroyed.
This effect means that "Reborn Tengu" can impressively function under virtually any strategy, but is efficiently abused by [[Synchro Monster|Synchro]] Decks in particular. The notorious [[Plant]] Decks that have ran rampant across the metagame this format have taken perfect advantage of this card - being Level 4, "Reborn Tengu" can quickly create the advantage-churning Synchro Monster, "T.G. Hyper Librarian" using simple Plant-Type [[Tuner monster|Tuners]], including "[[Glow-Up Bulb]]" and "[[Spore]]", and even begin a chain of Synchro Summons by Special Summoning additional copies of itself. Other combos include fantastic Synchro Summon synergy with "[[Genex Ally Birdman]]" and acting as an effective bridge into the increasingly popular, terror-inducing "[[Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier]]".
Along with "Reborn Tengu"'s Synchro talents, it also acts as a floater - able to retain a strong field presence, adding consistency to Decks that lacked it, while being an excellent addition to decks that thrive in it, including [[Gadget]] and [[Gemini monster|Gemini]] Decks. Meanwhile, "Reborn Tengu" seeks to support the new Xyz Monsters in a similar manner to Synchros - originally advertised as an Xyz Support card, it will make Xyz Summoning some of the strongest new monsters, such as "[[Steelswarm Roach]]" simple.
While performing these amazing tasks, "Reborn Tengu" can be recycled near-infinitely using the unlimited "[[Pot of Avarice]]", allowing for a chain of up to 9 "Reborn Tengu" summons from a single card! This, paired with its ability to absorb 1-for-1 cards while retaining advantage makes it truly one of the most game-changing cards brought to Yu-Gi-Oh! in a long time.
From Plants, to Gadgets, to its own Tengu Synchro builds, get used to this card - you'll be seeing a lot more of it.
So the ''[[TCG]]'' begins its turbulent foray into the [[Xyz Monster|Xyz era]], starting with ''[[Extreme Victory]]'', a set that introduced a [[TCG Exclusives|TCG-exclusive]] monster that sought to drastically influence the game, "[[Yu-Gi-Oh!:Featured Card/Reborn Tengu|Reborn Tengu]]". While it has already had an impressive impact on the metagame, today, we look at another hyped card from EXVC – "'''[[Tour Guide From the Underworld]]'''"!
"Tour Guide From the Underworld" was released in ''Extreme Victory'' as a TCG-exclusive [[Secret Rare]]. <span style="text-decoration:line-through;">whose popularity has since sky-rocketed, becoming a widely sought-after card. Let's take a look at why that is -</span> When "Tour Guide From the Underworld" is Normal Summoned, it can bring out any Level 3 Fiend-Type monster from your Deck! And although that monster can't be used as Synchro Material, nor use its effects on the field, it has a few notable uses.
The most obvious way to utilize this card is with the new Xyz Monsters - "Tour Guide", being Level 3, searches out another Level 3 monster for an instant [[Xyz Summon]], into popular monsters including "[[Number 17: Leviathan Dragon]]". This in many cases results in essentially Normal Summoning a 2500 ATK beater, but its true uses take it even farther!
<span style="text-decoration:line-through;">Following the announcement of the TCG rule change which states that monsters used for Xyz Materials are considered non-targetable cards "on the field", "Tour Guide" can now be used to tutor "[[Sangan]]" - a useful little ''critter'' (pun intended), who can then be Detached and gain his effect, allowing you to search for the most popular monsters in your Deck. This has become an invaluable engine for several Deck Types, allowing [[Plant]] Decks to search out "[[Lonefire Blossom]]" and "[[Dark World]]" to search out "[[Fabled Raven]]", among others.</span>
(Due to the announcement debunking the TCG ruling that stated that Xyz Materials were considered cards on the field, the above paragraph no longer holds true.)
However, this card shines when paired with cards from the latest sets, ''[[Generation Force]]'' and ''[[Photon Shockwave]]''. Used alongside "[[Leviair the Sea Dragon]]", this card brings a fearful consistency to Plants and "Dark World", allowing them to revive monsters Banished by "[[Spore]]" or "[[Gate of the Dark World]]", respectively. "Dark World" can continue to bounce their revived monster to resurrect "[[Grapha, Dragon God of Dark World]]"!
Finally, this card provides useful support to the much-anticipated new "[[Rescue Rabbit]]" builds! A combination of "Tour Guide" and "Leviair" can bring back a "Rescue Rabbit" you used earlier on, allowing you to quickly re-make terrifying "[[Evolkaiser Ragia]]" plays.
<span style="text-decoration:line-through;">"Tour Guide From the Underworld" truly is a force to be reckoned with, and being a TCG-exclusive, won't see the banlist for a long, long time, so snap one up while you still can! The leading Decks of the upcoming September 2011 format will be exploiting this card to the fullest!</span>
Despite "Tour Guide From the Underworld" being nerfed by the official TCG rulings, it can still continue to be a player in Decks such as Plants and Dark World, who can continue to quickly tutor "[[Sangan]]" from the deck (but can no longer benefit from Xyz Summoning with it) and use it to search their best monsters via other means. Unfortunately, other decks will likely opt to no longer use this card.
The Queen of Candy, the Matriarch of Muffins, "'''[[Madolche Queen Tiaramisu]]'''", premiering in ''[[Abyss Rising]]'', is an [[Xyz Monster]] to be feared. Like the rest of her kind, she can totally mess with the mind of the metagame, and will leave your opponent scrambling for resources while you're living easy. Let's take a look at what makes the Queen tick.
First and foremost, it should be noted that "Tiaramisu" is, like "[[Number 8: Heraldic King Genom-Heritage]]", restricted to her own archetype so as to keep balance. That means she can't be splashed into your average deck; you'll have to run at least two "[[Madolche]]" monsters to summon her. However, the "[[Madolche]]" archetype, while new, has multiple options, from a pureblood build with Xyz and [[Synchro monster|Synchro]] elements to [[Spellcaster]] and "[[Gadget]]" builds, so it shouldn't be hard to bring out "Tiaramisu". Another element that may make "Tiaramisu" appear weak at first glance is her measly 2200 ATK stat. For a [[Rank 4 Monster Cards|Rank 4]] [[Xyz Monster]], that's rather low. However, with the Madolche-specific [[Field Spell Card|Field Spell]] card "[[Madolche Chateau]]", not only will her ATK increase to a walloping 2700, her true potential can be unleashed as well.
But now let's take a look at why we're here: her effect. By detaching one of her materials, she allows you to return up to two "[[Madolche]] cards in your [[Graveyard]] to your [[Main Deck|Deck]], and then return the same number of cards your opponent controls to ''their'' [[Main Deck|Deck]]. There are plenty of cards that allow for protection against destruction, such as "[[Stardust Dragon]]" and "[[Wind-Up Zenmaines]]", or for whom destruction is nothing but a minor setback, such as "[[Lightpulsar Dragon]]" or "[[Sangan]]". Returning monsters to the deck not only instantly disposes of Synchro and Xyz monsters, but cards sent back to the [[Main Deck]] will mess your opponent up even more. In today's metagame, players want their cards in their [[hand]], [[field]], or [[Graveyard]]; when they're still in the deck, their owner has no way to access them. So by returning a "[[Lightpulsar Dragon]]" to the deck instead of sending it to the Graveyard and triggering its effect, or by returning "[[Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World]]", halting its continuous Graveyard revival, you can not only stop your opponents' strategies dead in their tracks, but you can also give them [[Dead Draw|dead draws]] later down the line. And this effect isn't limited to monsters; you can return your opponent's Spells and Traps as well. And because the effect of "Tiaramisu" targets the cards in your Graveyard, and the cards to be returned aren't chosen until resolution, your opponent can't "cheat" you out of the effect of "Tiaramisu" by chaining a card you would have returned; if they want to use "[[Mystical Space Typhoon]]" or the like, they have to use it before you choose your targets, which means that whatever you pick is going away, whether they like it or not.
Similarly to "[[Zombie Master]]", "Tiaramisu" requires at least one "[[Madolche]]" card (note: ''card'', not [[Monster Card|monster]]) in the Graveyard. Like "Zombie Master", though, she can select her cost as an effect target, so as long as you have one "Madolche" card in the Graveyard, you can always return up to 2 cards your opponent controls to the deck. If you want to run Synchro monsters and Xyz monsters other than "Tiaramisu", your Graveyard will quickly fill up with monsters, leaving you multiple targets for the effect of "Tiaramisu". If you prefer to run a pureblood "Madolche" deck, you only need to have "Madolche" Spells and Traps in the Graveyard to initially target. Cards like "[[Madolchepalooza]]" and "[[Madolche Tea Break]]" can be quickly used, then disposed of, so you have viable targets in your Graveyard.
Next, let's talk about how she can be summoned. She requires two [[Level 4]] "Madolche" monsters, which is an easy feat, since most "Madolche" monsters are Level 4. However, this can get even easier with "[[Ultimate Offering]]". As mentioned before, this deck can work fantastically in tandem with "[[Gadgets]]" due to "[[Madolche Magileine]]", the "Madolche" archetype's very own [[Searcher]] card who can search for any "Madolche" monster, including herself. This means that with "Ultimate Offering" in play, you can quickly summon four "Madolche" monsters with her effect alone. Most of the "Madolche" monster cards have their own effect that can either search for more cards or make it easier to summon "Tiaramisu", so be sure to look through them all to find which ones you like!
Lastly, it's time to cover just how the "Madolche" Spell cards serve the purpose of the effect of "Tiaramisu". The effect of "[[Madolche Chateau]]" states that if a "Madolche" monster's effect would return a "Madolche" monster from the Graveyard to the deck, you can add it to your hand instead. In the past, this was exclusively used to return "Madolche" monsters to your hand whenever they are destroyed. However, "Tiaramisu" adds a new dimension to the Chateau. When "Tiaramisu" activates her effect, any "Madolche" monsters targeted can be returned to your hand instead of your deck. By returning "Madolche Magileine", you can abuse her loop once more, bringing out yet another "Tiaramisu", or any other Rank 4 monster for that matter.
The other "Madolche" Spell to mention is "[[Madolche Ticket]]" which, fittingly, has "Tiaramisu" in its artwork. Whenever a "Madolche" monster is returned from your field or Graveyard to your hand or deck, the effect of "Ticket" will activate (though only once per turn), adding a "Madolche" monster from your deck to your hand. However, if you control a [[Fairy]]-type "Madolche" monster (such as "Tiaramisu"), the monster can instead be Special Summoned. In other words, when you activate the effect of "Tiaramisu", not only will you be adding "Madolche" monsters from your Graveyard to your hand (provided that "Madolche Chateau" is on the field), but you will also be summoning an additional monster from your deck, all while your opponent is cramming their own cards back into their deck. Will you Special Summon "[[Madolche Messengelato]]", triggering his effect and giving you material for another "Tiaramisu"? Or will you summon the elusive "[[Madolche Puddingcess]]", whose effect to destroy a card with each battle will leave your opponent with no resources?
The "[[Madolche]]" archetype is still new, but with their refusal to die, their easy swarming capabilities, and their effects that twist the metagame, they are certainly a force to be reckoned with, despite their adorable exterior. [[TCG]] players can prepare for the oncoming parade of pastries with the "Madolche" cards from ''[[Return of the Duelist]]'', set to be released this upcoming August.
The holy '''[[Judgment Dragon]]''' is summoned to cast judgment! Dwelling in the [[Realm of Light]] as it waits for its owner to call it, [[Judgment Dragon]] is the trump card of the well-supported archetype, the [[Lightsworns]]. Within its shimmering elegance lies destructive powers rivalling that of [[Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End]], [[Judgment Dragon]] is a force to be reckoned with. A small cost of 1000 [[LP|Life Points]] allows [[Judgment Dragon]] to cast judgment on all beings on your opponent's side of the field, wiping the wicked enemy's field clean of all its evils!
First of all, [[Judgment Dragon]]'s summoning conditions are relatively simple to follow: the requirement of four or more unique "[[Lightsworn]]" monsters in your [[Graveyard]]. When compared to other [[Nomi]] monsters with somewhat similar summoning conditions, such as [[Rainbow Dragon]], many might find calling it out a chore. However, when [[Judgment Dragon]] is played amongst its many [[Lightsworn]] allies, calling it out to the field is fairly simple. After all, [[Lightsworns]] are famous for milling your own [[Main Deck|Deck]] with their field presence and effect-- which includes sending their own allies to the [[Graveyard]]. As a result, the alter that awaits the dazzle of [[Judgment Dragon]] grows more and more illuminated each time you overwhelm your opponent with [[Lightsworn]] monsters and their effects.
Unfortunately, with great power comes great responsibility. Sometimes, wielders of [[Judgment Dragon]] will find themselves unable to call on its shining powers when all three copies flee to the [[Graveyard]]. In a sense, with great justice comes great risk. Fortunately, smart players who are dedicated to punishing their opponents will expect a couple of copies to rest in the [[Graveyard]], and take advantage of their presence in the [[Graveyard]]. By using clever retrieving techniques, such as "[[Monster Reincarnation]]", "[[Herald of Creation]]", and/or "[[Beckoning Light]]" to retrieve "[[Judgment Dragon]]" from the [[Graveyard]] after he's milled to the [[Graveyard]] by other [[Lightsworns]]. The discard cost of the aforementioned cards can also serve as a means to add [[Lightsworn]] monsters to the [[Graveyard]] to summon "[[Judgment Dragon]]." Better yet, "[[Gold Sarcophagus]]" will ensure you safeguard "[[Judgment Dragon]]" before it ever gets sent to the [[Graveyard]]!
Generally speaking, many players use [[Judgment Dragon]] to counter the wicked-turned [[Dark Armed Dragon]], because of his clean-wipe at low [[cost]] ability--and the potential to play more than one [[Judgment Dragon]]. A deck centered around [[Judgment Dragon]] is also very fast and has an early chance of [[OTK]] using the mill effects and then summoning him. [[Judgment Dragon]] alone would very easily be able to create an [[OTK]] situation incredibly quickly. And don't forget: Judgment Dragon himself has a self-milling ability - additionally, the strongest of the [[Lightsworns]]! Use that to your advantage by playing the secondary dragon of the [[Lightsworn]] series, [[Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon|Gragonith]]. Milling nowadays helps a player rather than harm, so take advantage of the strong mill.
Those who wield Judgment Dragon well are granted the ability make all the villains they meet see the light!
The long-awaited OCG promo, recently released in the TCG, has had a great impact on the way the game is played, reinforcing the opinion that mind games are as essential as real cards in victory. Never again shall a direct attack on a clear field seem safe to the attacker, as “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” may be looming in the opponent’s hand.
Albeit without in-built protection to keep him from harm, “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” is probably more threatening to a player than a field of “[[Stardust Dragon|Stardust Dragons]]”. And that is without him even ''being in play!'' He can easily be Special Summoned when you take damage while controlling no cards - an easy to fulfill requirement. According to the kind of damage, the effect he gets upon being Summoned varies:
:[[Battle damage|Battle Damage]] will allow you to also Special Summon an “Emissary of Darkness Token” with ATK and DEF equal to the [[damage]] taken, so a huge hit on you can be returned to the opponent, adding a little more too!
:Otherwise, if you get burnt by a well-played “[[Chain Strike]]”, or any card that inflicts [[Effect damage|Effect Damage]], use “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” to deal just as much to the opponent, while getting “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” himself as a 2700 ATK [[Beatstick|beatstick]]!
The amount of plays “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” allows is near limitless – use him or the “Emissary of Darkness Token” as a Tribute for a Tribute Summon, or for the activation of an effect. His Level 7 status allows him to be tuned with any Level 1 [[Tuner monster]], bringing out a Level 8 [[Synchro Monster]]. The 2700 ATK points “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” boasts are enough to bring down your opponent’s “[[Stardust Dragon]]”, “[[Monarchs]]”, “[[Black Rose Dragon]]”, “[[Magical Android]]”, “[[Ryu Kokki]]” and many more, even rival the popular “[[Thought Ruler Archfiend]]”. Also, don’t forget that the “Emissary of Darkness Token” that comes along with “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” is potentially even more powerful than he is, allowing you to turn the tide of a Battle Phase, even maybe a whole duel, in no time. The big [[One Turn Kill]] moves that have recently become popular will be thwarted by summoning “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” when your opponent clears your field and attacks, cutting the [[OTK]] short.
Even the most intimidating cards can be countered, though. The universal Counter Trap “[[Solemn Judgment]]” cannot negate “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]’s” Special Summon, since it is the result of a monster effect. The summon cannot be negated by the popular “[[Royal Oppression]]” due to the fact that Gorz's Effect activates during the damage step and “[[Royal Oppression]]” can not be activated at that time.“[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” can only be negated by “[[Divine Wrath]]” due to the fact that it stops the effect that would summon him to the field. “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]” is much weaker once he has hit the field. Even though his ATK stats are high enough, he is still easily removed by card effects. His summon can also be prevented by out-witting the opponent, by attacking with all but the monster with the highest ATK. The opponent, waiting on the last attack to summon “[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness|Gorz]]”, will find his options limited, and time running short.
One thing is for sure though, a direct attack on a clear field has never been harder!
The reigning Top 3 decks of this format each have their devastating plays that has allowed them to seize power in the [[March 2012 Lists|March 2012]] games. We've talked about "[[Rescue Rabbit]]" and we've told you about "[[Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity]]". Now, let me introduce you to the final members of this triad - [[Inzektor]]s, and more specifically their star player, "'''[[Inzektor Hornet]]'''"!
Inzektors as a Deck are very combo-orientated, relying on three specific cards to get their plays going to start raking in the card advantage. "[[Inzektor Dragonfly]]" and "[[Inzektor Centipede]]" are the crutches to fully utilizing the destructive power of "Inzektor Hornet"! Together with several support cards, these cards are capable of tearing down entire fields in a single turn and then [[OTK]]ing mercilessly. But how do they do it? Firstly, let's take a look at "Hornet"'s effects.
"Inzektor Hornet" is a Level 3 [[DARK]] Insect-Type monster. Once per turn, it allows you to attach another "Inzektor" monster from your hand or Graveyard straight to it, and when it becomes attached to its Insect brethren, it boosts their ATK/DEF and Level! But its true powers come into play with its last and most ruthless effect - when "Inzektor Hornet" is equipped, by sending it to the Graveyard, you can destroy 1 card on the field. A pretty useful effect, but it gets better.
Both "Inzektor Dragonfly" and "Inzektor Centipede" are also capable of attaching their Insect-Type family members to themselves. When combined with "Hornet", they unleash the combo that has secured the Inzektors' place in the high tiers.
When "Hornet" is sent to the Graveyard while attached to "Inzektor Dragonfly", not only do you get to destroy 1 card, but "Dragonfly"'s effect allows you to Special Summon another "Inzektor" monster from your Deck straight to the field. By summoning "Inzektor Centipede", you can reattach "Hornet" and then send it back to the Graveyard to immediately destroy another card! "Centipede" then allows you to search for a 2nd "Inzektor Dragonfly" and add it to your hand to use the turn after, allowing you to loop the combo several times.
Due to the nature of the combo, this deck relies heavily on draw power, as well as cards that send "Inzektor Hornet" to the Graveyard. Being DARK, Inzektors have access to "[[Allure of Darkness]]" for draw power and "[[Armageddon Knight]]" for dumping. Other options include the ever-popular "[[Pot of Duality]]" and "[[Foolish Burial]]".
"[[Inzektor Giga-Mantis]]" is used to make an OTK situation easier to accomplish, while boosting the ATK of your "Inzektor" to a respectable 2400. With the main "Inzektor" monsters being Level 3, they are also able to create the most popular [[Xyz Monster]]s, including "[[Number 17: Leviathan Dragon]]" and "[[Number 20: Giga-Brilliant]]", while the Level-changing effects of "Hornet" can be used to create rare but powerful Rank 6 monsters like "[[Photon Strike Bounzer]]". With "Inzektor Hornet" paving the way, this deck finishes off the opponent with big beaters, including "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]" and "[[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning]]".
With their ability to bounce back from the infamous [[Wind-Up]] loop, and forcing "[[Evolzar Laggia]]"'s hand, little is left to wonder why this deck has gained a strong foothold in both the ''[[OCG]]'' and ''[[TCG]]''. Make no mistake - left unprepared, Inzektors can and will decimate even the top of the top tier.
To kick off the celebrations we bring you '''"[[Space Gift]]"''' as the birthday-themed Featured Card.
Although it may have served [[Jaden Yuki]] well in the [[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX]] anime, it doesn't see major usage in the real life metagame. However, to make some usage of the ribbon wrapped present, the player must swarm the field. The ideal scenario is to have at least 3 different "[[Neo-Spacians]]" out, in order to gain card advantage. One such way is to use this in conjunction with the other celebration-themed card "[[Cocoon Party]]"; After dumping multiple "Neo-Spacians" in the Graveyard, the player then plays "[[Cocoon Party]]" to swarm the field, with "[[Chrysalis]]" monsters, followed by "[[Cocoon Rebirth]]" to evolve them. +
Today, for the first time ever, we'll be taking a look at 3 cards instead of just one. We'll take a look at the powerful combos of "[[Elemental Hero Neos Alius]]", "[[Gemini Spark]]" and "[[Hero Blast]]". In a time where [[Yusei Fudo|Yusei's]] style of play is popular, Angel Flores used [[Jaden Yuki|Jaden's]] style of Hero play to rise up and overcome some of the top Decks in today's meta.
First we have "Elemental Hero Neos Alius". "Neos Alius" has a powerful 1900 [[ATK]], which means he's capable of beating almost any monster your opponent [[Normal Summon]]s or [[Flip Summon]]s, like "[[Super-Nimble Mega Hamster]]", "[[Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame]]" or even go toe-to-toe with "[[XX-Saber Boggart Knight]]". It also helps that he's [[Level]] 4, so he easily summoned. His [[LIGHT]] [[Attribute]] is another thing he has going for him. If he battles a more powerful monster, he can tap into the powers of justice and you can use "[[Honest]]" to give him a power boost large enough to handle even the biggest monsters your opponent can send your way! Being a [[Warrior]]-[[Type]] means that he can be searched out through fellow "[[Elemental Hero]]", "[[Elemental Hero Stratos]]", "[[Reinforcement of the Army]]" or "[[E - Emergency Call]]". And his [[Gemini monster|Gemini]] status is another thing will help him.
Next we have "Gemini Spark". "Gemini Spark" is a powerful card that can get around the commonly played "[[Trap Stun]]", and in a pinch during your turn, it can be played from the hand. To activate it, you need to tribute a Gemini monster, which your "Elemental Hero Neos Alius" is, and target a card your opponent controls. Then, you destroy that card, and you draw a new one! This can help you get rid of monsters that can't be destroyed through battle, like "[[Colossal Fighter]]" or "[[Spirit Reaper]]", or destroy a powerful [[Set]] card, like "[[Mirror Force]]" or "[[Torrential Tribute]]". Having your "Neos Alius" in the [[Graveyard]] might not seem like a good thing, but our next card changes that.
Finally, we have "Hero Blast". "Hero Blast" has you target a Normal "Elemental Hero" monster in your Graveyard, which "Neos Alius" is since it's a Gemini monster. Then, you add it to your hand and destroy one monster your opponent controls. That means that you get a monster back, and destroy one of your opponent's at the same time! You can destroy cards like "[[XX-Saber Emmersblade]]" or "[[Gladiator Beast Hoplomus]]" to prevent them from getting their effects. "Hero Blast", being a [[Normal Trap Card]], can be negated by the popular "Trap Stun", but that doesn't mean you can't use it during your turn. With this, you can even [[Chain]] it to your opponent's cards and launch a surprise attack. Never count a Hero out.
These are some powerful combinations of cards that don't look very powerful on their own, but Heroes often have strength in numbers. You can also use cards like "[[Upstart Goblin]]", "[[Pot of Duality]]" and "[[Gold Sarcophagus]]" to get to these powerful cards faster. Getting these cards to your hand will give you more control over the Duel, and more power for your opponent to have to deal with. Hero Duelists unite!
We're certain that plenty of you have been wielding the new weapons of the deep with the ''[[Realm of the Sea Emperor]]'' [[Structure Deck]]. For all aquatic-lovers, though, things get even better in ''[[Abyss Rising]]'' with the introduction of the "[[Mermail]]" [[archetype]]. "Mermails" have a variety of abilities, most of which are accessed by using [[WATER]] monsters as cost, which is just what your new "[[Atlantean]]" monsters need to trigger their tactical abilities, and the centerpiece of the "Mermail" archetype is "[[Mermail Abysslinde]]".
First, let's take a quick look at "Mermail Abysslinde" on her own. She's a [[Level]] 3 [[WATER]] [[Aqua]]-[[Type]] Monster with 1500 [[ATK]] and 1200 [[DEF]]. Her low ATK makes her an excellent target for the effects of both "[[Mother Grizzly]]" and "[[Salvage]]". If she's [[destroyed by battle]] or by a [[card effect]] and [[send|sent]] to the [[Graveyard]], she can search out another "Mermail" monster from your [[Main Deck|Deck.]] She laughs off "[[Torrential Tribute]]" and "[[Dark Hole]]", and takes all attacks in stride. Because of this, she acts as the oil that keeps the "Mermail" engine running.
When she's destroyed, you have a multitude of options from your deck to choose from, but it boils down to a choice between two: Use an "Atlantean", or Summon a massive [[beatstick]]. "[[Mermail Abysspike]]" and "[[Mermail Abyssturge]]" [[discard]] a card to activate their respective effects, meaning that if you have an "Atlantean" in hand, you can get their effect off while simultaneously performing a search (in the case of "Abysspike") or a recycle (in the case of "Abyssturge"). If" you have no "Atlanteans" in hand, or simply want to gain some massive field presence, then you can always bring out the 2400 ATK "[[Mermail Abyssmegalo]]" or the monstrous 2700 ATK "[[Mermail Abyssleed]]", who makes his premier in ''[[Cosmo Blazer]]''. They might not have much in the way of destructive or defensive capability, but when your opponent's "[[Gear Gigant X]]" is staring down a giant beater that just swooped out of the deck, their confidence will quickly wane. You can also use her to play mind games with your opponent. If you use "[[Snowman Eater]]" in tandem with "Abysslinde" (both can be searched by "Abysspike" and recycled by "Abyssturge" and "[[Salvage]]"), you can set one, making your opponent have to decide between attacking or destroying your unknown monster, with a 50% chance of making the wrong choice.
There are a multitude of [[Trap Card|Trap Cards]] that can work in tandem with "Abysslinde". As is the famous strategy with "[[Sangan]]", you can chain "[[Call of the Haunted]]" before it is destroyed to revive "Abysslinde", then gain her effect upon destruction. More specific, though, are two "Mermail" support cards in ''Abyss Rising'', "[[Abyss-squall]]" and "[[Abyss-sphere]]".
"Abyss-squall" summons up to 3 "Mermail" monsters from your Graveyard, negating their effects and destroying them on the [[End Phase]]. Because the effect of "Abysslinde" can only be used once per turn, you can't Special Summon 3 copies of "Abysslinde" and expect 3 searches when they're destroyed. However, you can still Special Summon an "Abysslinde" to be destroyed at the End Phase, as well as either two Level 4 "Mermail" monsters for a [[Rank 4 Monster Cards|Rank 4]] [[Xyz Summon]], two Level 7s to summon "[[Mermail Abyssgaios]]", or two Level 3 "Mermail" monsters to overlay all three Summoned monsters and Xyz Summon "[[Mermail Abysstrite]]" (who also premiers in ''Cosmo Blazer'').
Even more potent, however, is "Abyss-sphere", which Summons any "Mermail" monster from your Deck; however, the monster's effect is negated on the field, and it's destroyed on your opponent's End Phase. While it's possible to Summon "Abyssmegalo" to make an offensive push, it's clear that this card is intended to be used with "Abysslinde", seeing how she appears in the card's artwork. If your opponent performs a [[direct attack]], use "Abyss-sphere" to Summon an "Abysslinde" from the Deck, who will then Summon another "Mermail" monster upon destruction. Or, if your opponent doesn't attack, trigger "Abyss-sphere" before their End Phase so she can be destroyed. Then, you can use your new monster's effect to discard "[[Atlantean Marksman]]", destroying whatever Trap Card they may have just set before it has a chance to go off. Or, if they set a monster, you can summon "Abysslinde", then activate "Torrential Tribute" to destroy all of your opponent's monsters, while getting a "Mermail" monster out of the Deck. Or, if your opponent tries to destroy "[[Abyss-sphere]]" with "[[Mystical Space Typhoon]]" or "[[Heavy Storm]]", you can trigger it, summoning "Abysslinde" and getting a free summon when she's destroyed by the Trap Card's effect.
There are a ton of fantastic ways to utilize "Mermail Abysslinde", and she is the driving force that will make the "Mermail" archetype a force to be reckoned with. Keep an eye out for her and other "Mermail" monsters in ''Abyss Rising''!
We've finally come to the end of the [[Synchro]] era, and with it we gain one of the most gamebreaking Synchro Monsters known to ''Yu-Gi-Oh!'' - '''"[[T.G. Hyper Librarian]]"'''. The ''[[OCG]]'' has had this little gem for a while now, and it's set to hit the ''[[TCG]]'' – and quite possibly the next [[Limited]] List – soon enough, too.
"T.G. Hyper Librarian" is a fairly simple card with a fairly simple effect – you draw 1 card each time a monster is [[Synchro Summon]]ed (by you or your opponent). However, this simple effect has lead to the creation of several Deck types that now flourish off of the card advantage potential that this card can pay out. Let’s look at some of these Deck types.
The ever resilient "[[Monarch]]" Decks received a face-lift recently with the dawn of the definition of +1, in a tidy [[Tuner Synchro Monster|Tuner Synchro]] form – "[[Formula Synchron]]". Now, the Deck type created from the wonderful fusion of these cards, [[Frognarchs#Formula Monarchs|Formula Monarch]]s, gets the ability to +2 off of every single "Formula" Summon, providing Monarchs a brutal consistency with the addition of "Hyper Librarian". This premise has carried over into other Decks, who seek to abuse the same card cash-cow.
[[Junk Synchron|Junk]] [[Debris Dragon|Debris]] is a Deck that "Hyper Librarian" has breathed new life into, despite the weakened [[Plant]] engine recovering from the Limiting of "[[Dandylion]]" and the [[Semi-Limited|Semi-Limiting]] of "Debris Dragon". This new Deck type and its variations that have cropped up can Summon "Lib" instantly using a combination of "Junk Synchron" and" [[Doppel Warrior]]", leaving behind two [[Monster Token|Tokens]] to Synchro Summon "Formula" and instantly start raking in the advantage.
Among some of the other Deck types to benefit from "Hyper Librarian" include the new [[Banish||RFG]] [[Psychic]] archetype that has emerged from ''[[Extreme Victory]]'', benefiting from the quick Synchro Summon of "Hyper Lib" to replenish their dwindling hand advantage, "[[Fabled]]", which combines "Hyper Librarian" and "[[Fabled Ragin]]" for quick draws, and "Lib's" mothership archetype, the new "[[T.G.]]" monsters.
Amidst the card advantage, "Hyper Librarian" also acts as a bridge into bigger plays while retaining it. "[[Arcanite Magician]]" can be now be splashed into [[Extra Deck]]s that can easily summon both "Lib" and "Formula" and "[[Shooting Quasar Dragon]]" can be Summoned using two "Hyper Librarians" and a "Formula Synchron", as can the ultimate "T.G." monster, "[[T.G. Halberd Cannon]]". Most importantly, with the game still highly Synchro-orientated, "T.G. Hyper Librarian" will put pressure on the opponent to remove it from the field, lest they want their biggest plays to + you.
The advent of "T.G. Hyper Librarian" has intensified the urgency for decks to reliably bring out the now superior Level 5. All in all, all Synchro Decks out there should be using this guy!
What do you get when you mix a [[wikipedia:Cockatrice|Cockatrice]] with a [[wikipedia:Basilisk|Basilisk]], and then add in a pinch of Yu-Gi-Oh flare? You get the one and only "[[Hazy Flame Basiltrice]]", a monster that immediately strikes fear into your opponent, mostly because it turns their best monster into thin air. Let's take a close-up look at "Hazy Flame Basiltrice".
First and foremost, we immediately see that "Basiltrice" needs to be made with at least 2 Level 6 FIRE Attribute monsters, and while those requirements might look steep, they're easily met if "Basiltrice" is used with the right Deck. "Basiltrice" actually has four different effects, and accumulates them based on the number of Xyz Materials that are currently attached to it. The [[Ignition Effect]] of "[[Hazy Flame Basiltrice]]" can be activated as long as you have at least 1 Xyz Material attached to it; just detach 1 Xyz Material from "Basiltrice" and banish any monster on your opponent's field ''or'' Graveyard. That's a ridiculously powerful effect, and makes "Basiltrice" an amazing problem solver for really tough monsters. If you manage to have 3, 4, or 5 Xyz Materials, "Basiltrice" will just become better.
Obviously, "[[Hazy Flame Basiltrice]]" fits in perfectly with the "[[Hazy Flame]]" archetype, and a single successful resolution of a "[[Hazy Flame Peryton]]" or "[[Hazy Flame Sphynx]]" will usually end up with you making "Basiltrice". Usually, Summoning a "[[Hazy Flame Sphynx]]" and another "Hazy Flame" off of 1 "Peryton" makes it possible to summon a "Basiltrice" with at least 3 Xyz Materials. Even though "Basiltrice" fits in perfectly with "Hazy Flame", it's also possible to make "Basiltrice" in some existing "[[Evolsaur|Evol]]" builds. "[[Evoltile Najasho]]" and "[[Evo-Force]]" make it easy to summon two copies of "[[Evolsaur Terias]]", "[[Evolsaur Darwino]]", or "[[Evolsaur Elias]]". Heck, even "[[Goka, the Pyre of Malice]]" or "[[B.E.S. Big Core MK-2]]" can be paired up with a "[[Flamvell Uruquizas]]" or "[[Lavalval Dragon]]" to summon "Basiltrice".
Even though "[[Hazy Flame Basiltrice]]" seems difficult to Summon, it's a Rank 6 Xyz Monster that acts as a powerful problem-solver, and that alone is reason enough to find a way to summon it.
Whether or not you were disappointed by the copious amounts of [[Plant|weeding]] done by the [[March 2012 Lists|March 2012 Banlist]], I can assure you that this guy definitely wasn't - "'''[[Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity]]'''" carries the [[Wind-Up]] archetype into a turbulent upcoming format, ruling alongside [[Inzektor]]s and "[[Rescue Rabbit]]" Decks.
Those who were present during the late-[[September 2011 Lists|September 2011 Format]] will be well-acquainted with this beast of an [[Xyz Monster]]. Alongside the advent of "[[Wind-Up Shark]]", "Zenmaity" brings Wind-Ups to a whole new playing field in the ''[[TCG]]''. The first thing that one thinks of when they hear of Wind-Ups is "the loop" - the infamous Wind-Up loop that can shed more than half of an opponent's opening hand, leaving them with little to strike back with. This is made possible by "Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity".
Let's take a look at what makes it tick - "Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity" is a [[Rank]] 3 Xyz Monster that can be Summoned with any 2 [[Level]] 3 monsters. By detaching an Xyz Material from it, the user can Special Summon any "Wind-Up" monster from their Deck or their hand. Seems harmless enough at first glance, until one combines this effect with "[[Wind-Up Hunter]]" and "[[Wind-Up Rat]]" - two of the other pieces of the frightening puzzle.
Being a Rank 3 Xyz Monster, "Zenmaity" is accessed instantly through the ever-popular "[[Tour Guide From the Underworld]]", adding ferocious consistency when summoning this monster. It can also be summoned through the combination of "Wind-Up Shark" and any of the several Level 3 "Wind-Up" monsters, including "[[Wind-Up Rabbit]]" and "Wind-Up Hunter". Once summoned, it can begin a flurry of Xyz Summoning.
With "Wind-Up Shark" in hand - a feat made far easier through the use of "[[Wind-Up Factory]]" - the loop can be started by detaching an Xyz Material to Special Summon "Wind-Up Hunter", bringing "Wind-Up Shark" onto the field using its own effect. "Hunter" then tributes "Zenmaity", causing the opponent to discard 1 card. "Shark" becomes Level 3 and overlays with "Hunter" to summon a second "Zenmaity" who detaches an Xyz Material for "Wind-Up Rat". Using "Rat", the player can Special Summon "Hunter", tribute the "Zenmaity" to force a second discard and then continue the loop by overlaying with "Rat".
This means that a simple opening hand of "Tour Guide From the Underworld" and "Wind-Up Shark"/"Wind-Up Factory" can leave the opponent with 3 cards in their starting hand to face down a powerful Rank 3 monster such as "[[Wind-Up Zenmaines]]" or "[[Number 17: Leviathan Dragon]]". With the aid of "[[Pot of Avarice]]", the loop can be lengthened to discard their entire hand, leaving them with very few options from Turn 1.
Along with this devastating loop, "Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity" also helps to set-up other mighty "Wind-Up Shark" plays, including the summoning of powerful Rank 5 monsters such as "[[Tiras, Keeper of Genesis]]", "[[Wind-Up Arsenal Zenmaioh]]" and "[[Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon]]". Make no mistake - Wind-Ups will be a very real threat in the upcoming format, difficult to prepare for and even more difficult to survive.
With Christmas here, what better way to celebrate than to share the love? '''"[[Gift Card]]"''' makes the ideal Christmas present for your opponent, giving that special someone a free 3000 [[LP|Life Points]], stamped on a pretty "[[Winged Kuriboh]]"-decorated gift certificate. If you're feeling generous, this may prove a fitting gesture to spread the warm love of Christmas to all.
...'k, enough with the sentimental BS. Card games are ''serious business'', as we all know. If you play [[Yu-Gi-Oh!]], you play to win. Hurting someone's feelings is a casualty you'll just have to take. That being said, "[[Nurse Reficule the Fallen One]]" makes the perfect Grinch to steal this year's Christmas while "[[Bad Reaction to Simochi]]" is the mistletoe your opponent better be on the look out for, lest they find themselves in an ''unlikable'' situation. Toss in a "[[Rain of Mercy]]" and a few "[[Upstart Goblin]]s" and you can create a your very own [[Burn Deck]] wrapped up in gold ribbon and garnished with a twig of spruce.
So if you're generous, sneaky or if you just like cuddly-cute "[[Winged Kuriboh]]s", hopefully you'll find this in your Christmas Stocking this year.
Merry Christmas and peace out. +
With the [[March 2013 Lists|March 1, 2013 format]] upon us, one of the pivotal cards of the format is likely to be "[[Fire Formation - Tenki]]". "Fire Formation - Tenki" allows you to [[add a card|add]] 1 [[Level]] 4 or lower [[Beast-Warrior]]-[[Type]] [[Monster Card|monster]] from your [[Main Deck|Deck]] to your [[hand]], and then it gives all Beast-Warriors on your side of the field an extra 100 [[ATK]]. "Tenki" is widely reminiscent of the popular "[[Reinforcement of the Army]]", though with the drawback that only 1 "Tenki" can be used per [[turn]].
Not only does "Tenki" search out key "[[Fire Fist]]" monsters like "[[Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Gorilla]]" and "[[Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear]]", it also searches out important monsters such as "[[Constellar Kaus]]" in "[[Constellar]]" Decks, "[[Gladiator Beast Laquari]]" or "[[Gladiator Beast Darius]]" in "[[Gladiator Beast]]" Decks, "[[Wind-Up Rabbit]]" in any Deck that uses it, and key "[[Fire King]]" monsters such as "[[Fire King Avatar Yaksha]]" and "[[Fire King Avatar Barong]]". Less prominent Decks also gain a boost from "Fire Formation - Tenki"; the card single-handedly makes a Deck based around "[[Koa'ki Meiru Urnight]]" and "[[Koa'ki Meiru Crusader]]" consistent. In the past, such Decks might have needed to rely on something like "[[M-X-Saber Invoker]]" to consistently get to "Urknight" early in the game, but that is no longer the case. You can even search out "[[Vorse Raider]]" and use the 100 ATK boost to have a legal target for "[[Deck Devastation Virus]]".
"Fire Formation - Tenki" is worth experimenting with, so grab a couple of copies and start testing it out. +
With the recent release of "[[Blackwings|Blackwing]]" monsters along with more [[DARK]] support cards, duelists have been looking for other [[DARK]] [[Winged Beast]]-[[Type]] monsters and this card is by far one of the best which fits in those categories. Now at first glance, this card might not seem like much with only 100 [[ATK]] and [[DEF]]. Virtually every monster in the game can destroy it in battle. However, the effect of '''[[D.D. Crow]]''' makes up for all its flaws in battle and, at the same time, makes it a noteworthy card.
So what makes its effect so useful? Well firstly, it can be used against the quite commonly-played "[[Pot of Avarice]]" by removing 1 of the monsters your opponent selects to return to their Deck, preventing them from returning the 4 other monsters that they wanted back in their Deck. The effect of "[[D.D. Crow]]" can also be used to remove the third [[DARK]] monster in your opponent's [[Graveyard]] slowing them down in the attempt to Summon the infamous "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]", or you could remove that fourth "[[Lightsworn]]" preventing the Summoning of "[[Judgment Dragon]]" and possibly giving you another turn to start a counter attack.
Now of course "[[D.D. Crow]]" isn't just limited to removing monsters. You can also remove your opponent's [[Spell Card|Spell]] and [[Trap Card]]s as well, stopping cards like "[[Magical Stone Excavation]]", "[[Mask of Darkness]]", and "[[Spell Reproduction]]" dead in their tracks. Also, if the card has a [[cost]] to activate it, your opponent will still have to pay it and get nothing back as a result giving you more of a field/hand advantage. Its effect, ironically, can also help the Summon and activate the effect of the aforementioned "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]", since it is also a [[DARK]] monster and can contribute to the three [[DARK]] monsters in your [[Graveyard]] required to [[Special Summon]] it.
As you can tell, "[[D.D. Crow]]" is a very flexible card and can be quite deadly and annoying when used correctly. With all these examples of stopping cards from either being summoned or being able to resolve their effects, there is no reason why "[[D.D. Crow]]" shouldn't be at least a [[Side Deck]] in your most competitive [[Main Deck|Deck]].
With the release of [[The Shining Darkness]], many Duelists are interested in the booster's top cards. "[[Blackwing - Breeze the Zephyr]]", "[[Chaos Goddess]]" and "[[XX-Saber Darksoul]]" are all high on Duelists' lists for their respective archetypes, and with this, a common card such as "[[Ronintoadin]]" may have been overlooked. But for [[Frog]] Duelists, this card is one of the most important cards to be released in the current series.
As a monster with 2000 [[DEF]], "Ronintoadin" is a reasonably strong defender and with only 100 [[ATK]] and being [[Level]] 2, it can be supported with cards such as "[[Salvage]]", "[[Aegis of the Ocean Dragon Lord]]" and most importantly "[[Swap Frog]]", allowing "Ronintoadin" to be dumped into the graveyard quickly, the exact place he needs to be. It's "Ronintoadin's" effect that makes him such a fantastic support card, as he can be [[Special Summon]]ed from the Graveyard very easily, simply by removing another "Frog" monster in your graveyard from play. And unlike similar monsters such as "[[Quillbolt Hedgehog]]" or "[[Plaguespreader Zombie]]", who are both removed from play after using their effect once, "Ronintoadin" doesn't have a limit or downside to using his effect. This makes him easy [[Tribute Summon]] fodder for your "[[Des Frog]]", or to use as tribute with "[[Substitoad]]'s" effect. And coupled with "Substitoad", this cards allows for mass Frog swarming with only two cards. Alternatively, "Ronintoadin" can be used as now the easiest tribute fodder within a [[Frognarchs]] or Froggy-Monarch deck.
"Ronintoadin's" other effects may not be as powerful, but its first is just as important, for in the same way as "[[Dupe Frog]]", its name is treated as "Des Frog" while face-up on the field. Most importantly, this means with three "Ronintoadin"s in your graveyard and enough Frogs with them to Special Summon all three, you can easily activate "[[Des Croaking]]" to destroy all of your opponents cards, though this won't result in much of attacking force to conclude. However, you can then use you three monsters as Fusion Material for "[[D.3.S. Frog]]", who can hit your opponent for at least 2500. On its own however, a single "Ronintoadin" can quickly make up the numbers necessary to activate "Des Croaking" as well as be supported by other Frog effects, such as "Substitoad" preventing it from being destroyed by battle and of course "[[Froggy Forcefield]]", wiping out your opponents monsters when they attack it.
"Ronintoadin" may for some seem like a slightly better and more appropriate version of "[[Fishborg Blaster]]", and some may be put off with the effect stopping it from being used as Synchro Material, but where "Fishborg Blaster" fails with no field or hand advantage, "Ronintoadin" succeeds and allows for difficult barriers that are not easy to break, and speeds up the Frogs' game winning destruction and swarm effects. Could this card see the Frogs back in the top Deck tier? Only time will tell, but for now, "Ronintoadin" is definitely a card no [[Frog]] Deck should be without.
With the upcoming [[September 2012 Lists|September 2012 banlist]] now confirmed, and having hit a horde of threats from last format, the game is now moving in a newer, perhaps slower direction. Only time will tell how the new format will shape up, but with the return of [[Synchro|Synchro-centric]] Decks such as "[[Agent]]s" and [[Plant|Plant Synchro]], old Decks are already reinventing themselves to take them on. This has brought upon a new surge of popularity to a variety of cards, one of them being "'''[[Snowman Eater]]'''".
An oldie but a goodie, "Snowman Eater" was first released years ago in the ''TCG'' with the coming of ''[[Raging Battle]]'' and received considerable [[Side Deck]] use since, being a great answer to big monsters that are otherwise hard to deal with such as "[[Legendary Six Samurai - Shi En]]" and "[[Evolzar Laggia]]". For such a popular card, though, it has a very simple effect.
First off, let's talk about its stats - "Snowman Eater" is a [[WATER]] monster who sits at [[Level]] 3, bringing a range of advantages that we'll be covering later on in this article. Its effect is what makes it really shine, however. When "Snowman Eater" is [[flip]]ped face-up, it must [[destroy]] 1 face-up monster; but if it is the only monster on the field, it will have no option but to target itself. It's an effect that's akin to other popular monsters like "[[Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter]]"; however, what sets it apart from these monsters is its impressive 1900 [[DEF]], and the ability to destroy in the [[Damage Step]], where only a few cards can [[negate]] it.
With Synchro Monsters projected to rise up once again, "[[Thunder King Rai-Oh]]", another popular Side Deck card, has become a useful addition to many a Main Deck. Run in multiples, it threatens "[[HERO]]es", Plants, "Agents" and even [[Rescue Rabbit|Rabbit]]-based Decks with its Special Summon negation and search-blocking capabilities. With many of these Decks unable to get over it without excessively wasting important cards such as "[[Dark Hole]]", "Snowman Eater" is a ray of hope. Its 1900 DEF prevents "TKRO" from running it over, and when flipped up, it removes the formidable card from the board altogether.
Its bulky DEF also allows it to survive attacks from most other [[Normal Summon]]able monsters, letting it stay around to assist in bigger plays, such as [[Xyz Summon]]ing. With the Semi-Limiting of "[[Tour Guide From the Underworld]]", players are finding themselves having to run unorthodox monsters to bolster the [[Rank]] 3 engine, or deal with only being able to reliably Summon a Rank 3 monster once per game. "Snowman Eater" helps rectify this problem, becoming the perfect Xyz Material to bring out monsters like "[[Wind-Up Zenmaines]]" and "[[Leviair the Sea Dragon]]" after it has used its effect.
In Plant Decks, "Snowman Eater" becomes a force to be reckoned with - on top of its vigorous effect, it joins an exclusive group of elite members that can be Special Summoned by one of Plant's ace monsters, "[[Debris Dragon]]". As a Level 3 monster, "Snowman Eater" becomes yet another material for the [[Synchro Summon]] of "[[Black Rose Dragon]]", enhancing the Deck's already efficient ability to nuke the field. It also grants access to the almighty "[[Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier]]", a powerful card that can allow many plays, especially when the discarded cards can be used when they go to the [[Graveyard]].
With Rabbit-based Decks still likely to be used in abundance, "Snowman Eater" also continues to perform its ability of reliably disposing of "Evolzar Laggia" with limited hassle, as well as other problematic monsters. All in all, get used to enjoying seeing this little critter's face, because you may be seeing it a lot this format.
You saw it coming. Hot off the [[Forbidden]] List, today we're going to be talking about the most hyped card of the [[September 2011 Lists|September 2011]] format so far - "'''[[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning]]'''"!
An infamous monster, "Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning" first debuted all the way back in ''[[Invasion of Chaos]]'', and what an invasion it was. Along with its equally infamous partner, "[[Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End]]", this card was known as one of the pioneers of the annual Forbidden and Limited List, hitting Forbidden status in September 2005, where it would remain till the end of the game...
... That is, so we thought, until [[September 2011 Lists|September 2011]] rolled around. Whether you guessed it from an eyebrow-raising ''[[Gold Series 4: Pyramids Edition|Gold Series 4]]'' reprint, or were shocked beyond belief, prepare for the beginning of a metagame centralized around this Envoy.
Firstly, let's take a look at why this card is held in such high regard: "BLS" is a LIGHT monster, bolstering a massive 3000 ATK and 2500 DEF. Being at the forefront of the [[Chaos]] standard, this monster is Special Summoned by [[banish]]ing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster in your Graveyard, making throwing this 3000 ATK beatstick onto the board a simple feat.
But it doesn't end there! The first of "BLS"'s two devastating effects, similar to the more widely familiar "[[Chaos Sorcerer]]", is the power to banish any monster on the field, once per turn! Unlike "Chaos Sorcerer", this card can banish a monster that's face-up OR face-down, preventing "[[Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter]]" or "[[XX-Saber Emmersblade]]" from escaping its fury. Its second effect allows it to strike twice each time it destroys a monster, making each attack from this behemoth a dangerous one!
Let's look at how this card is shaping the current game. With the addition of "[[Tour Guide From the Underworld]]" to the ''[[TCG]]'', this card becomes easier than ever to summon in virtually any Deck. By splashing 3 "Tour Guides" and a "[[Sangan]]" into a Deck that runs the popular "[[Effect Veiler]]", this card is set-up just by drawing into 1 card.
"[[Lightsworn]]" Decks have once again risen up, with the Unlimiting of boss monster "[[Judgment Dragon]]", and Semi-Limiting of "[[Necro Gardna]]" - "BLS" now grants this destructive archetype a minimum of 4 3000 ATKers that can easily be brought to the field. [[Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship|YCS]] favorite archetype "[[Agent]]s" have also changed their strategy to accommodate this beast, now opting to run "[[T.G.]]" or "Tour Guide" builds to boost their DARK count, while [[Plant]]s join the sea of Decks adapting to utilize this card.
The myraid of various tricks that can be performed with this card including the ability to tear through monsters with "[[Honest]]", followed by a painful boosted direct attack makes the summoning of "BLS" one of the most dreaded things to face down this format. If you can't counter this card, you sure as hell better be running it!
[[Dark Necrofear]] can be [[Special Summon]]ed after removing from play, on your side of the field, 3 [[Fiend]]-Type monsters in your [[Graveyard]]. Her Summoning requirements are rather easy, you can use cards such as [[Giant Germ]], [[Painful Choice]], or [[Magical Merchant]] to get monsters into the [[Graveyard]]. You could use her as a wall to block any attacks, or just ram her into another monster on your opponent's side of the field, and get it at the end of the turn. +
[[Effect Veiler]] is a card making its TCG debut in [[Duelist Revolution]], and it is one of the cards that has the potential to impact the game not just immediately, but possibly formats to come. Effect Veiler is a versatile card, and that is extremely important in today’s metagame. Its versatility is nearly, if not as, as impressive as that of [[D.D. Crow]]; and that isn’t a statement to take lightly.
Effect Veiler has the ability to negate a monster’s effects in the [[Main Phase]] of your opponent’s turn, until end of that turn. The ability to do this allows him to stop several key cards in your opponents array of offensive weapons. Key cards such as [[Infernity Archfiend]], [[XX-Saber Faultroll]], [[Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier]], [[Mist Wurm]], and the ever present [[Monarchs]] become much less of a threat when you have this card in your hand. You strip these cards of their effects, and you can essentially stop your opponent in his tracks.
With the upcoming format killing some decks, and making others more viable, the [[Metagame]] is going to change. The question now becomes, which do you find more problematic, the presence of cards in the graveyard, or the effect of the monster that hits the field?
Effect Veiler stops the problem when it arrives on the field, and D.D. Crow’s goal is to stop it from happening to begin with by hitting key cards in the graveyard. The potential of both cards is clear, but you don’t always have room for both, as they’re likely to take up the same slot in your main or side deck.
How will this card affect the Metagame in the near future? You could say only time will tell, however if you look at the success of this card’s impact on the OCG. Frog Monarchs, aka [[Frognarchs]], have made good use of this card in the OCG, as well as [[Formula Synchron]], [[Swap Frog]], [[Fishborg Blaster]], [[Ronintoadin]], and the recently unlimited [[Treeborn Frog]]. Considering that the OCG is a good barometer for the impact cards will have in the TCG, it’s safe to say that Effect Veiler has a lot of playtime to come.
[[Legacy of Darkness]] is often regarded as just one of the many mindless boosters before "real" strategy came into the game, but there's still at least one good reason to pick up a pack. Or should we say, a very ''evil'' reason. "[[Patrician of Darkness]]" may not look like much at first - with a "[[Gene-Warped Warwolf]]" you could do more of the damage with none of the [[Tribute]] - but he lies at the root of an extremely vicious combo.
The other participant in this combo is the deadly "[[Spirit Reaper]]", who, with his ability to simply ''not'' take damage, is a formidable force in himself. But teamed-up on your field with "[[Patrician of Darkness]]", he forms the ultimate wall. "[[Patrician of Darkness|Patrician of Darkness's]]" effect dictates that as long as he is face-up on the field, you can select the targets of your opponent's attacks. If these attacks are redirected to a [[Defense Position]] "[[Spirit Reaper]]", you will take no damage from anything, but Patrician will surely deal damage of his own. "[[Patrician of Darkness]]" and "[[Spirit Reaper]]" are a Stall Deck's best friends. Another powerful subsitute is [[Yubel]] who not only can't take damage but deals damage to your opponent equal to the monster's attack points, therefore combining it with Patrician of Darkness means that not only can your opponent harm you with monsters, your opponent also takes as much damage as he would have dealt.
"[[Patrician of Darkness|Patrician of Darkness's]]" stats leave it open to great support: Being a [[Type#Zombie|Zombie]], "[[Patrician of Darkness]]" has paid host to great support including "[[Pyramid Turtle]]" and "[[Book of Life]]". The [[swarm]]ing capabilities of [[Zombie Deck]]s heighten the chance of performing the said "[[Spirit Reaper]]" combo. With its [[Attribute#Dark|DARK]] [[Attribute]] Patrician now awaits great support in the upcoming [[Phantom Darkness]] Booster. +
[[Plant]]s are a deck type which are currently one of the top decks, in both the [[TCG]] and the [[OCG]]. They are known for some of their powerful beatsticks, like [[Botanical Lion]], and [[Tytannial, Princess of Camellias]]. They also have the ability to toolbox many of their monsters with the versatile [[Lonefire Blossom]]. Before however, they didn’t have very much in the way of [[Tuner monster|Tuner]]s, aside from the extremely useful [[Spore]] from [[The Shining Darkness]]. But now, they have a Tuner which is on par with Spore, or maybe even superior, from the new set, [[Starstrike Blast]]. That monster is, of course, [[Glow-Up Bulb]].
Glow-up Bulb may seem meagre in attack and defence, with only 100 [[ATK]] and [[DEF]]. However, it has the powerful ability to recur itself from the [[Graveyard]], and as a [[Level]] 1 Tuner, it is very useable. Its [[Card effect|Effect]] promotes its usabilty, allowing you to [[Special Summon]] it, for the simple cost of one card from the top of your [[Main Deck|Deck]] and sending that card to the [[Graveyard]] which even helps many main [[Main Deck|Decks]] today.
[[Plant]] Decks often employ a usage of using the [[Graveyard]] to store resources, until they need them, and then uses other cards to bring them out, like the popular [[Debris Dragon]]. Another common thing in [[Plant]] [[Main Deck|Decks]], is the monster known as [[Dandylion]]. This monster [[Special Summon]]s two [[token]]s when it is sent to the [[Graveyard]], and it gets sent there often by cards such as [[Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter]], [[Foolish Burial]] and [[One for One]]. Because the [[Token]]s that [[Dandylion]] sends to the [[Graveyard]] are Level 1, it can be used with [[Glow-Up Bulb]] to [[Synchro Summon]] the brand new [[Formula Synchron]].
This little [[Plant]] has the potential to be played in almost any deck that [[Synchro Summon]]s, especially if they use the [[Graveyard]]. [[Glow-Up Bulb]] is one of the best ways to create [[Formula Synchron]], and is also great with a weak Emissary of Darkness token that came about when you dropped [[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness]] because you needed field presence. [[Glow-Up Bulb]] can turn the token, or even both of those monsters into beefy Level 8 [[Synchro Monster]]s, like [[Stardust Dragon]] and [[Colossal Fighter]].
This card could see play in a number of different decks, such as the aforementioned [[Plant]] deck, [[Gadget]]s (a Gadget and this card makes the powerful [[Naturia Beast]]), and upcoming [[Naturia]] decks. [[Lightsworn]] can also take good advantage of this card because the effect [[mill]]s a card, which has synergy with the [[archetype]]. This monster is a very versatile [[Tuner monster|Tuner]], and if you need a [[Level]] 1 Tuner, this card is one of the best for the job, simply because of its versatility and reusability.
However, because of the text on the card, it would be unwise to use more than one in your deck. But, don't be afraid to try splashing [[Glow-up Bulb]] into some of your decks, because this card really is the most generic [[Level]] 1 [[Tuner monster|Tuner]] ever.
[[Plant]]s are often forgotten about when building a deck. They get lost in the big names of "[[Gladiator Beasts]]", "[[Lightsworn]]", "[[Blackwing]]", "[[X-Saber]]", and the like. There isn't really a star among the Plants that rivals that of a card like "[[Judgment Dragon]]" or "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]", but they do have their very own "[[Archlord Kristya]]", and it comes in the form a monster than can be [[Normal Summon]]ed called "[[Cactus Bouncer]]".
First of all, to understand this prickly Plant's power, you need to understand its stats and effect. At level 4, it's an easy monster to bring out and start locking down. Just as significant, it has 1800 ATK, meaning if your opponent can't Special Summon they may not have a huge number of monsters that can best it in battle to stop the lockdown. Finally, in order for its effect to work, there must be another Plant somewhere on the field - either side. And appropriately, it itself can't be Special Summoned.
Past popular Plant Decks like [[Debris-Hime]] didn't have access to this recently released [[TCG]] exclusive card, which is ironic, as Debris-Hime didn't make it to the TCG [[metagame]] anyways. "Cactus Bouncer" may not be able to be [[Special Summon]]ed, but it can be searched by the likes of "[[Violet Witch]]" and "[[Botanical Girl]]", so it can still be easy enough to access. The ability to prevent Special Summons is a fair trade-off if you know how to get around its restrictions. That's right, you need to manipulate "Cactus Bouncer" to use it to its fullest.
Popular Plant cards like "[[Lonefire Blossom]]" and "[[Gigaplant]]" are Special Summon "machines", and they are the key to victory - so, you'll need to know how to get around the Bouncer. So how do you manipulate this preventing monster so you can perform your Special Summons? Easy, "[[Book of Moon]]" and other similar cards. Flip that "Cactus Bouncer" [[Face-down|face-down]] and start your Special Summons. Afterwards, [[Flip Summon]] it to prevent cards like "[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness]]", "[[Tragoedia]]", or "[[Battle Fader]]" from ruining your attacks. "[[Compulsory Evacuation Device]]" also works here. Both have the added benefit of being able to deal with your opponent's troublesome monster that could overpower the Bouncer.
Alternatively, take advantage of the fact that it needs another Plant to work, with cards that Special Summon while in the grave such as "[[Mystic Tomato]]" and "[[Lord Poison]]". You can't use the effect of "[[Lonefire Blossom]]" while the Bouncer is on the field because the effect activates on the field, while the lockdown is still applied. But if either "Lord Poison" or "Mystic Tomato" is destroyed by battle and there are no other Plants on the field (besides the Bouncer), "Cactus Bouncer"'s effect will not apply, so you can Special Summon a monster with either of their effects.
You may be worried about losing such a monster, and while it doesn't have the same recurring effect that "[[Archlord Kristya]]" does, it does have access to other support, like "[[Wall of Thorns]]", "[[Tytannial, Princess of Camellias]]", and "[[Black Garden]]". "Black Garden"? Oh, yeah, the [[Field Spell Card]] that will halve the [[ATK]] of any monster that your opponent Normal or Spec.., er, nope, they can't Special Summon! If you summon the Bouncer and activate the Garden, your opponent will probably only get one summon before Black Garden pumps out a Rose Token and the lock takes effect. So they'll have a hard time getting a more powerful monster out, unless you happen to face a "Lightsworn" or "Blackwing" Deck, which could use "[[Honest]]" or "[[Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow]]", respectively. In any case, it's not as though you can't just summon another "Cactus Bouncer".
The rise of [[Plants#GigaVise|GigaVise]] Decks will be happy to add this card to their Deck to help control the speed of the duel. Even if you're going to look at making a Debris-Hime Deck, "[[Skill Drain]]" can nullify the effect of no Special Summons, which you can always return to your hand with "[[Giant Trunade]]" or negate with "[[Trap Stun]]". Plants now have a way to keep with everyone else, and it's by forcing others to slow down.
[[Raging Battle]], the newest-released set in the TCG, has a plethora of cards designed to counter the metagame. There's [[G.B. Hunter]], which is designed to shut down [[Gladiator Beasts|guess what]]. And then there's the whole anti-meta archetype that's been released, the [[Koa'ki Meiru]]s. They all destroy themselves in the end phase unless you reveal a certain type of card or discard [[Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru]], but in exchange, these monsters are designed to wreck decks, packing both frustrating effects and superpowered ATK strength ([[Koa'ki Meiru Powerhand]] has 2100 at level 4). Of the group, none brings decks to a screeching halt more than '''[[Koa'ki Meiru Drago]]'''.
''LIGHT and DARK monsters cannot be Special Summoned.'' BAM! That stops so many cards, including "[[Dark Armed Dragon]]", "[[Judgment Dragon]]", "[[Gladiator Beast Gyzarus]]", "[[Wulf, Lightsworn Beast]]", "[[Black Garden]]", "[[Red Dragon Archfiend]]", "[[Thought Ruler Archfiend]]", "[[Demise, King of Armageddon]]"... basically, every halfway significant deck type has a LIGHT or DARK monster that it needs to special summon, and Drago stops that from happening. Of course, it doesn't hurt the Koa'ki Meirus a bit - they're all WIND, WATER, FIRE or EARTH. Furthermore, Drago has 1900 ATK to back its effect up, meaning that not much that can be handily Normal Summoned will be able to power over it.
Now, where can we put this card? Unfortunately, Dragons may not be the place for it. Drago stops a number of significant Dragons from being summoned too, such as [[Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon]], [[Five-Headed Dragon]], [[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon]], and many more. This card should probably stay in Koa'ki Meirus, where it won't hurt your deck too. Still, it's a formidable foe when you realize that the combos that your deck is built around simply don't work. +
[[United We Stand]] is [[Limited]] in both [[Advanced Format|Advanced]] and [[Traditional Format]]s, after having previously been [[Forbidden]] in [[Advanced Format]].
In the current [[Spell Card|Spell]]/[[Trap Card|Trap]] removal metagame, it's not going to end up on the field for more than a turn or two at best, but one is more than enough to bring about a game-breaking change in your opponent's [[LP|Life Points]] (especially combined with [[Mage Power]]).
But, it's not for every Deck. Beatdown, and OTK decks will benefit from it (For a while, Goat Control certainly did). +