Yu-Gi-Oh Card Review: Karakuri Shogun MDL 00 "Burei"

With Starstrike blast comes a new archtype called the Karakuri. They are a bunch of interesting japanese-themed machine types which in the most part have the same clause at the start of the effect:

"This card must attack if possible. When this card is attacked, switch it into defence mode"

Also, i have to note that the transition from the OCG to the TCG has caused their names to become excessively long and difficult to remember. If you happen to want to make a Karakuri deck, you might have to refer to them as "the one that special summons stuff" or "the one that sends stuff to the graveyard" instead of their names.

Now, Karakuris also have their first synchro monster too. Which is what todays review is about: Karakuri Shogun MDL 00 "Burei"! (which i will just call Burei from now on).

The Karakuri General.

Burei has 2600 attack points and 1900 defence points. 2600 is a respectable attack for a level 7, which can get over stardust dragon and other used synchro monsters.

Burei has a cool effect. When this card is Synchro summoned, you can special summon a Karakuri from your deck. Also, once per turn, you can select a monster on the field and change its battle position.

These effects are amazing for Karakuris, and yet, its completely balanced for a archetype synchro monster. Special summoning a Karakuri from your deck is a gorgeous +1 for you, and you are most likely to get Muzichiha for an extra 1800 beatstick and a potential 4400 direct damage. Its second effect can be used offensively and defensively. Combined with the spell card karakuri anatomy, you can easily accumulate the 2 counters needed to literally pot of greed!

Fortunately, if you dont play Karakuris and you happen to pull this card, there's no need to despair. To synchro summon it, you only need a machine type tuner while the non tuners can be anything. This means that morphtronics and other machine type archetypes can synchro into this with ease. Also, with the release of Formula Synchron, you can synchro into Burei on your Opponents turn! How cool is that?

If this card doesn't warrant playing Karakuris, i dont know what will (Until the next synchro comes out in Storm of Ragnarok!)

Yu-Gi-Oh Card Review: Scrap Mind Reader

One of the more expensive cards to come out in Starstrike Blast is an exclusive for the recent scrap archetype. It has been said by some to be junk (no pun intended) while some have given it praise and therefore, has got itself a $50 pricetag.

The card i'm reviewing today is Scrap Mind Reader.

Scraps look like machines, yet this is the only one.

Now this card has a pretty good effect. Scraps were never known to have an agressive approach so its effect fits well.

Once per turn, while this card is in your graveyard during your main phase 2, you can select 1 face-up scrap monster you control, except a scrap mind reader. Destroy that monster and special summon this card from the graveyard. If you do, remove this card from play when its removed from the field. Also, if this card is used for a syncho summon, all other monsters used for the synchro summon must be scraps too.

Wow. What a mouthful. Now let me break each part down and explain its uses/limitations for you.

Now, you can destroy a scrap and summon it. Your targets to destroy here are going to be Scrap beast, scrap goblin and scrap soldier since when they are destroyed by the effect of a scrap monster, you can return a scrap from your graveyard to your hand. That means no loss of advantage for you. Next, when this card is removed from the field, remove it from play. That stops it being abused of course, so thats fine. And lastly, you need to use scraps to synchro with it, which is also ok since a good scrap deck will have at least 12 scrap monsters.

So, what else can you do with this? Well firstly, you can synchro this and Scrap Searcher and make a Formula Synchron. You can also synchro this with a Scrap chimera and a Scrap hunter for a Scrap dragon. OR you can swap the Scrap Hunter for a 2nd Chimera and go into a Twin Dragon instead!

this card opens up alot of synchro monsters that weren't previously avaliable for scraps.

But this card has been rediculed and critisized, and with good reason:

- Counting the compulsory 3 Scrap beasts, 3 Scrap Goblins and perhaps the Scrap soldier there too. There is enough tuners in the deck already. Mind reader seems a little redundant to me.
- You can only activate it in main phase 2. Thats not good if you prefer a more agressive approach or prefer to make your plays before you attack.
- Drawing this card is TERRIBLE. This card warrants playing a Foolish burial just to get this card in the graveyard.

But its not all bad, it can still save you at times.

And there you go. Its up to you if you want to pay 50 dollars for one, but i personally wouldnt.