A Game of Dragons

Dragons hold a special place in this game with most of the more iconic Monsters being dragonic in nature: Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Red-Eyes B. Dragon, Cyber End Dragon, Rainbow Dragon, Stardust Dragon (and all it's upgrades)...the list goes on. It's no surprise then that the Zexal Era would introduce yet another mascot in the form of Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon.

Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon

(Dragon-Type/LIGHT/Level 8/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)

"You can Tribute 2 monsters with 2000 or more ATK to Special Summon this card from your hand. When this card battles an opponent's monster, during the Battle Step: You can banish that monster and this card. Return the banished monsters to the field when the Battle Phase ends. If the monster banished by this effect was an Xyz Monster: This card gains 500 ATK for each Xyz Material that monster had attached to it when it was banished."

Now I've never a huge fan of Dragons as an archetype. I respect good players that run Dragons, but I've yet to run them myself. This is because there are few non-Synchro Dragon-type Monsters I actually like. Perhaps the sole exception being White Night Dragon.

However, some of the support Dragon have received in recent years has shown a lot of promise, such as Totem Dragon and Dodger Dragon. Galaxy-Eyes is yet another addition to the growing list. Barring an effect like Skill Drain or Imperial Iron Wall, it's Quick Effect makes it nigh unstoppable during the Battle Phase.

Almost makes me tempted to run off to my locals and start collecting support for when Photon Shockwave arrives in the TCG. Of course Dragons were never my thing, but then again, maybe for Galaxy-Eyes I'll make an exception. ^_^

Remember players, the game ends with you.

More Broken than Pot of Greed

So after browsing through the new releases in Photon Shockwave, I came across Fragment of Greed.

Fragment of Greed (Continuous Spell)

"During your Draw Phase, place 1 Greed Counter on this card when you perform your normal draw. When this card has 2 or more Greed Counters, you can send this card to the Graveyard to draw 2 cards."

I told my friends how this cards was more "broken" than the original Pot of Greed. Mind you, this was a joke as the art does depict a shattered Pot of Greed. However, I got such a strong reaction that this was a BAD card that, quite frankly, I'm disappointed at them.

Here we have a more balanced, splashable version of Pot of Greed. It may not be part of some game-ending combo, but it's far from being unplayable. From that logic, Six Samurai United is a bad card. Just the other I had a game against someone that was playing a Six Samurai deck. Everytime he attempted to summon a Six Samurai and start gaining Bushido Counters, I negated the summon with Solemn Warning. Because he couldn't net any card advantage from his Six Samurai United and Gateway of the Six he subsequently lost. I myself was trying out dubkdad1's most recent Volcanic variant.

Now does that mean that Six Samurai United is a bad card? Of course not. But you can't always use the "this card counters that" argument in this game. Things just don't always play out that way.

It's a solid card, and it's worth playing. I would play it, not in anything I'm running at the moment due to space issues, but it's something I might consider running in the future.

Wouldn't you rather have you opponent waste their Mystical Space Typhoon on the Fragment of Greed you just played than your set Solemn Warning? I'd like to think so.

Just watch out for that pesky Giant Trunade.

Remember players, the game ends with you.

Good Job Konami

In my previous post, I mentioned how Konami was remaking older banned into less broken counterparts. It appears that my initial opinion of Rescue Rabbit maybe be worth reconsideration, especially since builds have begun surfacing in an attempt to break the rabbit, as what happened with its feline predecessor.

Putting that aside it's the remaining content of Photon Shockwave that has interested me more. Apparently Konami hasn't given up on older archetypes such as the Ice Barriers, Naturias, and Watts. Ice Barriers specifically have gotten a fantastic support card in the former of Preacher of the Ice Barrier.

Preacher of the Ice Barrier

(Aqua-Type/WATER/Level 2/ATK 1000/DEF 400)

"If you control a face-up "Ice Barrier" monster: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. If you do, you cannot Special Summon Level 5 or higher monsters during this turn. You can Tribute this card to target 1 "Ice Barrier" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target."

Preacher helps the Ice Barrier theme in three key ways:

1. It's ability to Special Summon itself helps fulfill the effect activation requirements of several Ice Barrier Monsters that requires another IB Monster to be on the field.
2. It's second effect effect helps players get out the Generals onto the field easily. 
3. It's level, type, and attribute make it great for Wetlands variants as another big beater, but one that can swarm the field. It's also compatible with Graceful Revival, Limit Reverse, AND Surfacing, essentially turning those cards into a Monster Reborn for any of your other IBs.

Good card is good, and I'm glad to see an archetype with so much potential finally given support that can tie the entire theme together.

Keep up the good work Konami. *Nice Guy Pose*

Remember players, the game ends with you.

P.S: You can still summon Monsters that don't have levels during the same turn you use Preacher. *Nudge, Nudge, wink, wink.*

Reincarnation

First there was Tradetoad.

Then there was Tribe-Shocking Virus.

Now we have Rescue Rabbit.

Rescue Rabbit
(Beast-Type/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 300/DEF 100)

"This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Deck. During your Main Phase: You can banish this face-up card; Special Summon 2 Level 4 or lower Normal Monsters with the same name from your Deck. Those monsters are destroyed during the End Phase. The effect of "Rescue Rabbit" can only be used once per turn."

I like how Konami's remaking banned cards into less broken counterparts. It seems like they've finally learned how to make balanced cards.

It's about time! lol.

Remember players, the game ends with you.

Seeing the Light

Photon Veil (Normal Spell)

"Return 3 LIGHT monsters from your hand to the Deck. Then, add up to 3 Level 4 or lower LIGHT monsters from your Deck to your hand. If you add 2 or more cards, they must have the same name."

Ways to use this card well:
1) Search for 3 Effect Veiler.
2) Wait for opponent to scoop.

OR

1) Return 2 random Fabled Monsters to your deck.
2) Search for 3 Fabled Grimros.
3) Proceed to search whatever you want and probably win that turn.

OR

1) Return your Wulf, Lightsworn Beasts.
2) Search for Rykos or Lylas.

OR

1) Return your Mystic Shine Balls.
2) Search for 3 The Agent of Mystery - Earth.
3) Laugh manically if you have Master Hyperion(s) in hand.

Remember players, the game ends with you.

The Circle of Life

Tribe-Shocking Virus

(Thunder-Type/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1000)

"Once per turn, you can activate this effect by banishing 1 Monster in your hand. Destroy all face-up Monster on the field with the same Type as the Type of the monster banished for the activation of this effect."

So apparently Konami's finally made a decent counterpart for the since-banned Tribe-Infecting Virus. Previously we got Hunter of Black Feathers, but that card isn't even worth the mention. 

Tribe-Shocking Virus, however, is a major improvement in card design over the original. Not only does it have a restriction to its effect (once per turn), it removes the card used to pay for its cost, so no more Graveyard shenanigans which was in part why Tribe-Infecting Virus was so popular during the original Chaos Era. The fact that it has more ATK is also a plus, allowing it to run over more threats than its predecessor. Practically speaking it'd best used in a mirror match, seen as the banished card determines whats destroyed.

One can only hope that Konami doesn't screw us over with the rarity on this thing. Then again I'm sure the secondary market will value it high regardless of the rarity, as I've seen happen with other cards like Forbidden Lance and Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan. 

*sigh* Maybe if I'm lucky I'm pull some at the Photon Shockwave Sneak Preview, whenever that comes around.

Remember players, the game ends with you.

On the Origin of Species: Part I

Evolkaiser Ragia 

(Dragon-Type/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2000)

2 Level 4 Dinosaur-Type monsters

You can detach 2 Xyz Materials from this card to negate the activation of a Spell/Trap Card OR the Normal or Special Summon of a monster, and destroy that card.

A good friend of mine is a huge fan of Dinosaurs and when I first heard of this card a few days ago I made sure he was the first person I informed of it. He looked kindly pointed out it was a Dragon, to which I had to go back and re-read the card. Despite not be a Dinosaur itself, Evolkaiser Ragia is excellent Dinosaur support, a fact both of us had come to acknowledge. In fact I've heard of several players dusting off their old copies of Hydrogeddon for this card's eventually release in Photon Shockwave. While Ragia is supposed to be part of the larger Evol archetype, I'm not seeing much merit in some of the other members. According to Wikia:

"The Evol monsters are a series of three sub-archetypes: Reptile-Type "Evoldo" monsters, Dinosaur-Type "Evoldar" monsters and Dragon-Type "Evolkaiser" monsters. "Evoldo" monsters Special Summon "Evoldar" monsters, who can Special Summon other "Evoldar" monsters when Special Summoned by the effect of "Evoldo" monsters, and "Evolkaiser" monsters who are Xyz Summoned by using Dinosaur-Type monsters as materials. 

The archetype name, Evol, is probably derived from evolution. They are based on evolution from Reptiles into Dinosaurs into Dragons. This is referenced in some cards, such as Ultra Evolution Pill."

Now while Darwin would be appalled at this blatant misuse of terminology, it's an interesting concept nonetheless. However, I'm more interested in a previously released archetype that could easily abuse Evolkaiser Ragia: Jurracs. Jurrac Guaiba and the aforementioned Hydrogeddon make summoning Ragia a cinch. I've heard of some player mentioned using Frost and Flame Dragon as additional tech, and while I'm not huge fan of the card (I never have been), it's another combo for a deck that could easily become the next Xyz-spamming engine.

Expect a Part II to this post sometime in the future. ^_^

Remember players, the game ends with you.