New Blackwing Cards

According to the anime, Crow is set to go against Jaeger, who uses a ton of anti-Synchro cards.

So, along with the anime, there are going to be new Blackwing cards released in the new set, Starstrike Blast!

And I'm going to be previewing these new cards one at a time because it seems that there will be too much text in one post if I post it at once!

The new cards are:

Black Feather - Etesia the Twin Longswords

Black Feather - Aurora the Northern Lights

Black Feather - Abroholos the Megaquake

Black Feather - Mine

Black Back

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And today's card is!

Black Feather - Etesia the Twin Longswords
DARK / Winged Beast - Effect/3/400/1600

If, at the end of the Damage Step of a battle between a "Black Feather" you control and an opponent's monster, that opponent's monster is still on the field, activate by sending this card from your hand to the graveyard. Inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent.

Ehh...

So it's time to analyze this card.

Well, it's low attack means that this card is a constant target for Black Whirlwind. Even Vayu could search out Etesia with its 800 Atk.

Etesia doesn't have much purpose on the field though.

It's effect activates in the hand, much like Kalut does, so it shouldn't necessarily count as a monster.

It's defense is mediocre, as high attack monsters can still run over it rather easily should you be in the position to set it. Mistral would definitely be a stronger card to set for defensive purposes.

However, it does have the DARK attribute, which is always good to have.

In addition, its low attack means it is a target for Shura so that you don't have to bring out Gale or Kalut when you run out of Vayus in the deck.

As well, 1000 points of damage is a lot.

1/8 of your opponent's life does takes its toll.

It's effect also serves to be a game ender, should the opponent's life reach that low.

Overall, this card is still meh, but it definitely warrants testing. In the right builds, this card could be as devastating as Sirocco.

That's all for today.

Until the next time.

Darklord Desire

Besides the CRAPPY three new promo cards, there is one more being released in the TCG.

That card is Darklord Desire. Although Fallen Angel Desire sounds much better, IMO.

DARK/Fairy - Effect/Level 10/3000 Atk/2800 Def

This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can be Tribute Summoned by Tributing 1 Fairy-Type monster. Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can have this card lose 1000 ATK, and send 1 monster your opponent controls to the Graveyard.

Well, this card won't probably be put to use as much as the other Darklords such as Superbia, but it does have some merits.

Only tributing one Fairy-type monster does help when you intend to use Tribute Fodder as the main way to bring this guy out.

In addition, the DARK type it has means that this card has a lot of support from Dark cards, such as Allure of Darkness...and others...Dark Armed Dragon I guess..

The attack and defense of this card is definetely great assets.

Being a Fairy means that Archlord Kristya would work as well in a deck with this card.

The effect of this card is excellent: it's like a pseudo-Dark End Dragon, and with its high defenses, can be protected by Book of Moon from attacks in order to reset its attack points.

Unfortunately, this is where the benefits stops, because the ability to be unabled to be special summoned really hampers the card.

In a deck that likes to special summon a lot, such as one that would include Valhalla, Kristya, and Superbia, this card would appear to be very weak.

Light and Darkness Dragon is also a better choice to tribute summon, due to your opponent being forced to commit cards that get rid of Light and Darkness Dragon.

Overall, this card is meh~

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Anyways, thanks for reading this card analysis.

Until next time.

X-Saber Wayne

EARTH/Warrior - Synchro - Effect/Level 5/ 2100 Atk / 400 Def

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your hand.


My friend made me play this card, so I feel like I should take another look at it at the very least.

Well, the fact that's it's a Level 5 Synchro doesn't really help much, because both Ally of Justice Catastor and Magical Android are many times superior to this Synchro monster.

It's Attack stat isn't so great either, because the Level 5-6 Atk threshold is established to be 2400 Atk, the same Atk value of the Monarchs.

So overall, the card is really bad right?

Wrong.

There is one deck where this generic Level 5 Synchro can fit in, and that would be in an X-Saber deck.

Have a Pashuul and a Darksoul, as well as a Faultroll in your hand? Why not Synchro for X-Saber Wayne, as well as letting you summon that Fulhelmknight?

Of course, situational event is situational, but still, if you have that Sangan instead of Darksoul...

I would say that one X-Saber Wayne is fitting for an X-Saber deck. You never know when he can save your face.

The fact that he has X-Saber in his name helps a lot too.

Ally Genex Birdman

Thanks to my infinte knowledge and such and such, I have found a new awesome card that's pretty good!!!

cough cough Neuxcharge's Blog...

Ally Genex Birdman

DARK / Level 3 / Machine-type / Tuner / 1400 Atk / 400 Def

By returning 1 face-up monster you control to your hand, Special Summon this card from your hand. If the returned monster was a WIND monster, this card gains 500 ATK. When this card is Special Summoned by this effect, it is removed from play when it is removed from the field.

So, let's review this card.

Wow, I haven't done one of those in a while.

First of all, is the archetype.

Yea, it's not a strong one. Ally Genex is really one of the undermined archetypes due to the fact that the archetype is only available in the OCG at the moment, and when the archetype is compared to the other Duel Terminal archetypes, it falls short against the infamous Magoshin (Fiend Roar Dieties) and the Naturia Boss monsters.

The attribute is next.

Being DARK greatly increases this card's chance of being used. As the DARK attribute has been greatly enhanced in recent years of this game, Birdman being DARK is just goodness all around.

Searchable by Mystic Tomato, and being able to be removed for Allure of Darkness puts this card in a good position.

Now I'll talk about it's typing and it's Tuner status at once. Because that's the only way to talk about one of this card's greatest asset.

Genex Neutron.

Genex Neutron lets you search out a machine-type Tuner from your deck at the end of a turn he's summoned. Birdman is a machine-type Tuner. SYNEEEERGY!!!

But anyways, yea, Birdman has a good typing for that reason and that reason alone.

As well, being a Level 3 Tuner opens up a lot of synchro abilities, although Level 7 synchros have been suffering as of late.

1400 Atk is really nice here, given that the Birdman sneaks under Bottomless Traphole, allowing you to synchro without losing Birdman to that card.

Lastly, the effect.

While its effect may seem subpar at first, the significance of Birdman's effect would clearly be the ability to reuse monster effect that activates when they are normal summoned.

Obviously, the ones that come to mind would be to reuse E-Hero Stratos' effect.

Other cards would be the Gadgets, Armageddon Knight, and even reusing Monarchs' effects.

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Overall, Birdman is a relatively good card. With goood support, a strong attribute, and other benefits to this monster, I can see this card being played in a few decks in Japan.

Where it truly stands, however, will be whether or not the deck is effeicient enough to compete against the metagame.

I give this card a 7.0/ 10

It isn't the best card to use, but it isn't the worst either.

SOVR Card Feature #3

Come thunder's strike, and rid me of opposition...

Welcome to the 3rd, and final card feature of Stardust Overdrive!

Why final you ask? Because I'm tired of reviewing cards day after day. It makes my head hurt. Now stop wondering and enjoy this final session.

Today's card isGemini Spark
Spell / Quick-Play

Tribute 1 face-up Level 4 Gemini Monster. Destroy 1 card on the field and draw 1 card.

Being a spell card, there are very few ways to add it to your hand. Short of Gold Sarcophagus, nothing will be able to add Gemini Spark to your hand. Utilizing 3 copies, along with ways to thin out your deck is ideally the method of adding Spark to your hand faster.

Quick-Play. Now this is where things get interesting. A quick-play spell card has several advantages compared to normal spell cards, due to the fact that Quick-Play spells are Spell Speed 2, and can be chained to trap cards. In addition, you can play them on your turn, or surprise the opponent on their turn. The quick-play status is brought out fully thanks to the effect of this spell card.

Tribute 1 face-up Level 4 Gemini Monster. Destroy 1 card on the field and draw 1 card.

This effect is amazing. AMAZING. By tributing 1 Level 4 Gemini, the destruction of a card is guaranteed, and you draw a card.

Now, by itself, this card is essentially a card for card exchange. By tributing 1 monster (-1), you destroy a monster (+0), and you lose Gemini Spark (-1) while drawing a card. (+1).

BUT, by chaining Gemini Spark to a form of removal, such as Mirror Force, Torrential Tribute, Bottomless Trap Hole, Gemini Spark can start to give you a lot of card advantage over your opponent.

Eventually, you'll be able to pressure the opponent into a worse position with your extra cards, and win the duel.

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Finding decks which can use this card effectively usually means that it has to be centralized around Geminis. While the prospect of using Geminis may not be all that appealing do note that with the recent support in the form of Supervise, there are several combos out there available.

First off, I would like to credit Rauzes and BAHA84 for the two ideas presented in this blog. Rauzes built a deck centered around Dark Valkyria, and her destruction effect. BAHA84 built a Gemini build around Another Neos, or Neos Alius for us TCG players.

Both decks set off the abuse the card Gemini Spark. Seeing as how Neos Alius has a ton of support from Hero Blast, Stratos, and Honest, and Dark Valkyria has support from the dark side of Yugioh through Dark Armed Dragon, Allure of Darkness, etc., both decks looked solid, and I believed that both builds were successful in accomplishing the task their creators wanted to do.

Just look through your Level 4 Geminis, and I'm sure a new deck idea will emerge, abusing Gemini Spark to it's full advantages.

That's all for the card previews of Stardust Overdrive. Previewing cards is too much to do on a daily basis.

Look forward to the SOVR Sneak Preview Report.

SOVR Card Feature #2

Welcome the the second card feature of Stardust Overdrive!

From the depths of hell, a black dragon rages...

Today's card isBlack Bulldrago
Fire / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / Level 8 / 3000 Atk / 2600 Def

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Gemini Monsters

Effect: Once per turn, you can send 1 Gemini Monster from your hand to the Graveyard to destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can select 1 Gemini Monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it. It is treated as an Effect Monster and gains its effect(s).

It's time to analyze this card.

Synchro. The fact that this card is a synchro monsters is a good indication that the attribute, type, and Level will be of lesser importance compared to the effect that it has.

Fire, Dragon, Level 8. As stated above, due to the card's status of being a synchro monster, it's interactions with other cards in the main deck become limited. However, there are still some strong combos Black Bulldrago has with it's effect.

3000 Atk / 2600 Def. Now these stats are something to be fearful about. Black Bulldrago's high Atk value of 3000 matches to Red Daemon's Dragon, and can get over a majority of cards that people use, such as Stardust, Dark Armed Dragon, and it can tie with Judgement Dragon. With its high Def, few things will be able to get over Bulldrago, unless a card is wasted in order to remove Black Bulldrago off the field.

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Gemini Monsters.

Now, the fact that Black Bulldrago requires the use of non-tuner Gemini monsters should not discourage you from using this card. There are several combos which can easily pull out this card, such as the combination of Il Blud and Plaguespreader, or Nettles and Gigaplant. With recent support for Geminis coming out, Black Bulldrago should be seeing more gameplay in other decks that utilize Gemini monsters.

The effect : Once per turn, you can send 1 Gemini Monster from your hand to the Graveyard to destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can select 1 Gemini Monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it. It is treated as an Effect Monster and gains its effect(s).

Now this is where Black Bulldrago truely shines. Its effect is very strong, especially the second one.

Once per turn, you can send 1 Gemini Monster from your hand to the Graveyard to destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls.

Black Bulldrago's ignition effect isn't one of the best, but it still is very good. By sending 1 Gemini monster from your hand to the Graveyard, Drago can destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on the opponent's side of the field. While the fact that a Gemini Monster has to be discarded is a bit discouraging, there are still times when this effect will become useful.

When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can select 1 Gemini Monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it. It is treated as an Effect Monster and gains its effect(s).

Now this is where Black Bulldrago should be getting it's hype from.

When Drago is destroyed by a card effect, such as Mirror Force or Torrential Tribute, and sent to the graveyard, a Gemini monster can be special summoned from your graveyard, with the Gemini monster already having it's effect. This means that once Black Bulldrago loses in battle, another monster will be able to replace it immdiately. Dying in battle means that you'll just be able to pull out another potentially dangerous monster.

Noting that this part of Drago's effect is optional, Black Bulldrago can miss the timing. However, a majority of times when Drago is destroyed and sent to the Grave, timing should not be missed.

Of course, Bottomless Trap Hole would wreck Black Bulldrago, but of course players should be able to play around that card.

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The last part of this card review follows suit as the first one. An analysis of which decks Black Bulldrago can go into and which decks will be able to bring out Drago's maximum efficiency.

As stated earlier, both Gigaplant and Nettles and Il Blud and Plaguespreader make the summoning of Black Bulldrago very simple. Both cards also have a recursion effect, so therefore a player can be able to pull out Black Bulldrago without losing ANY advantage at all.

With the recent release of Supervise in the TCG, new card combos are available now. Plants and Zombies will more than likely benefit from Black Bulldrago's release, while rogue Gemini builds will also see success with this card.

If your tuner is already in the graveyard, then bringing out Il Blud / Gigaplant will make several combos available. Supervise into Black Bulldrago into Gigaplant / Il Blud has swarming potential.

Not only that, but if Black Bulldrago gets destroyed, then you'll be able to pull out Gigaplant / Il Blud, get your tuner back, and bring out ANOTHER Black Bulldrago. Now that is impressive comboing.

Black Bulldrago creates some really good loops in Plants and Zombies, and I am excited to see how this card will be used in the TCG metagame.

That's all for today's post. Leave your comments below.

Tomorrow:

Come thunder's strike, and rid me of opposition...

SOVR Card Feature #1

With the up and coming Stadust Overdrive upon us, I have decided to do a few card previews of what to look out for in this coming set.

So this is the Stardust Overdrive Card Feature #1!

Today's Card isLevel Stealer
Dark / Insect / Effect / Level 1 / 600 Atk / 0 Def

Effect: When this card is in your Graveyard, you can select one face-up monster on your side of the field whose level is 5 or higher in order to activate this effect. Reduce the selected monster's Level by 1 and Special Summon this monster from your Graveyard. This card cannot be Tributed, except for a Tribute Summon.

Let's take a good look at this card.

Dark. A dark type monster is always good in this metagame. It's a target for Allure, and can be used to fuel the Dark Creator, DAD, and other dark-based decks.

Insect. While the Insect typing may not be ideal, it still leaves Level Stealer a card to consider for use in certain insect builds.

Level 1. Being a Level 1 means that this card, should you ever need to set it, can act as a chump blocker in times of need.

600 Atk / 0 Def . The low attack means that this card is searchable by many, MANY things. Sangan, Mystic Tomato, Howling Insect, and others. As well, the low Atk means that this card can be used in conjuction with Limit Reverse for recursion. Of course, it's effect more than likely makes up recursion...

The effect : When this card is in your Graveyard, you can select one face-up monster on your side of the field whose level is 5 or higher in order to activate this effect. Reduce the selected monster's Level by 1 and Special Summon this monster from your Graveyard. This card cannot be Tributed, except for a Tribute Summon.

Now this card's effect is something to be amazed about. Whenever a Level 5 or higher monster exists on your side on the field, you can bring back this card for a FREE +1 in card advantage.

As well, this can happen as MANY as as you like. There are no restrictions on the number of times you can use this card's effect, so keep bringing him back as much as you want.

Another key thought regarding this card is the fact that you CANNOT use Royal Oppression to stop Level Stealer's effect.

Reduce the selected monster's Level by 1 and Special Summon this monster from your Graveyard.

A key word here is the word AND. This means that the special summon and level reduciton effect occurs at the same time. Therefore, even if you use Royal Oppression to negate Level Stealer's effect, no level will be reduced, and then you are free to activate it's effect once again.

The last part of Level Stealer's effect doesn't necessarly concern many duelists, including myself. Tributes are most likely done for monsters, and I don't know many cards which tribute monsters as a cost / effect.

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The last part of this card feature is determining decks which could use this card's effect to maximize it's efficiency in a competitive sense.

First off, a deck which has access to several Level 5 or higher monsters are needed. The first one to come to my mind would be the Monarch archetype.

Monarchs run roughly 5 to 6 of them, all having beneficial effects once Tribute Summoned. Level Stealer can be used for Tribute Summons! And can bring itself back by stealing a Level from a Monarch to be tributed!

It's dark type allows for Allure of Darkness and Mystic Tomato to be played with it, so Level Stealer would fit nicely into a dark-type build of Monarchs.

Level Stealer also loves to be in the grave, and with the vast amount of disruption Monarchs run (IE PWWB, Raigeki Break), Level Stealer will more than likely find it's way into the graveyard more than once every few duels.

In addition to all these benefits, Monarchs that main Royal Oppression will be glad that a card with a Treeborn Frog like effect exists that doesn't allow the opponent to negate it's special summon, so that the reliance on Treeborn Frog/ other tributes is less strained.

Level Stealer has several other uses besides Monarchs, and it's up to you, the deck builders, to find all it's uses.

That's all for today's post. Leave all questions / comments in the section below.

Tomorrow:

From the depths of hell, a black dragon rages...