Yu-Gi-Oh Card Review: Watt King Cobra & Wattcancel

Hello readers. After eventually getting over my rage with black luster soldier, I can now continue with my card reviews. Watts have been given the short stick to be completely honest. Since their debut in The Shining Darkness back in May 2010, they were given support in every set until Storm of Ragnarok. But all of their support has been lackluster, bar a couple (Wattgiraffe and Wattdragonfly are decent). When they stopped recieving support in Extreme Victory, it was assumed to be the end of watts. All they need is a few more decent support cards, and then they are very good, maybe even competitive (Maybe a level 4 that can special summon a Watt from the graveyard perhaps?).

Now that Photon Shockwave is on the horizon, Konami gave Watt players a little something to keep them interested: Watt king cobra & Wattcancel

Lets start with the monster. Watt king cobra has 1000 attack and 500 defense. all Watt monsters have a low attack power, so no surprise there. Like a few of it's Watt buddies, it can attack directly. However, when it does damage by attacking directly, you can add a Watt monster from your deck to your hand.

This is actually very good. It's not perfect, but it's definitely worth using in Watts. If you get it's effect, it's a +1 and it forces your opponent to waste cards on it to stop you gaining the advantage. The best card to add to your hand is probably another Cobra, so you can +2 next turn. But this whole process is incredibly slow, which is the main problem with Watts in the first place.

However, Wattcancel is a way to slow down your opponent to your speed.

 Ojama yellow getting a Watt welcome

It's a counter trap card that lets you negate a normal or (Inherent) special summon and destroy it, provided you discard a watt monster.

This is also another very useful card to use. It's better than other archetype specific summon negation cards such as Vanquishing light and maybe even Saber hole, since you do not need to have the monster on the field, just in your hand. That's what makes it decent though since Watts are reliant on their normal summon so they will almost always have a hand with at least 1-2 Watts in it. Although, the card is a -1 (-1 from the card itself and a -1 from the discard cost, but a +1 from the monster it destroys), there are a few ways to recover from it. If you attack with Wattkingcobra and use it's effect, then you have now turned the Wattcancel into a slightly worse solemn warning. Also, if you use the spell card Recycling Batteries, you can retrieve the card that you discarded and another Watt monster. Running 2-3 Wattcancel alongside 2 Solemn Warning is some serious monster hate right there, and your watts can just keep poking for damage now that their field's open (Especially Wattgiraffe, since its effect stops your opponent from summoning Gorz).


So yeah, Photon Shockwave is jam packed with many interesting cards to give semi-old archetypes a helping hand, which Konami should always be doing to stale archetypes, but they don't (poor Toons :( ). But i can tell that Watts are still in need of one or two good cards before becoming a threat in the current meta. For my next review, I'm going to take a look at a banned card that's been revised.

Black Luster Soldier: One little pickle of a card.

This post is not really a card review, more of a rant and a discussion of said card.

If any of you (and I hope it's many of you), have seen one of my recent duels on the Dueling Network (DN), Black Luster Soldier - Envoy played a huge part in my opponent's strategy. He managed to summon it 3 times in the duel, causing me to run out of outs to it the third time round. I managed to use Gladiator beast war chariot twice, but it just wouldn't die. If I had known he had beckoning light set, I would have summoned Gladiator Beast Retiari and removed it. But he could have chained beckoning light and got it back anyway. Point is, the card really screwed me over.

One of the things I don't like about this card is how the situation goes down when it hits the field. It has two effects: Remove a Monster on the field, or double attack right? Well when it hits the field, the person who summoned it has priority to use the first effect to remove something.

So, I would politely say "Priority?", giving him a chance to use the first effect if he wants. One of the problems with this card is that if I don't suggest it, then he might activate it after the summon was successful, so my face down bottomless trap hole is useless.

But the most annoying problem here is, if I ask if he is retaining priority to use it's effect, he will begin to figure out that I will activate a card after priority has been passed over to me, thus realising to use the removal effect before I can activate my bottomless and 1-for-1.

It's very frustrating when this happens, and it's the reason why I cannot stand facing it right now. How is a budget player supposed to deal with cards like this without losing 2 cards on the field in the process?

My theory is that because the OCG and TCG banlists are identical, Black Luster Soldier could come back into the OCG quite happily since they do not have priority anymore, therefore clearing up the issue I had with the card.

Simply put, it should have stayed at 0 in the TCG. The TCG is simply not suited for a powerhouse card like Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning to exist in.

Yu-Gi-Oh Card Review: Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon

Next up for review is the Cover card of the next set, Photon Shockwave. Its been a long time since the cover card was not between the numbers 40-50 in the set (I believe the last time this happened was Rainbow dragon, or maybe Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault mode). It's evident that Konami have some crazy obsession with dragons, because so many cover cards thus far have been dragons, as well as boss synchro monsters and other cards.

Anyway, today I'm reviewing Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon.

The ghost rare art is so freakin' sexy!

This is Kaito's ace monster in the Anime (If you dare to watch it). It hits the field at 3000 attack and 2500 defence. With those stats, it's assumed that he is going to be Yuma's rival for the rest of the anime (Like Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician). He is part of the Photon archetype, which I have mentioned a few times in my previous card reviews. Anyway, here's the effect:

You can Tribute 2 monsters with more than 2000 attack to special summon this card (From your hand). When this card battles, during the damage step, you can remove from play Galaxy-eyes and the monster it's battling. When the battle phase ends, return both monsters to the field. If your opponent's banished monster was an Xyz monster, this card gains 500 attack for every Xyz material that Xyz monster had when it was banished.

That's quite a lot of effect right there. Definitely one of the weirdest effect's I've seen in a long time. Like all good boss monsters, it's got a built in special summon condition that does not need to be filled in order to get it onto the field. But it does require 2 monsters and they both have to be 2000 attack or more. There are very few level 4 or below monsters that come onto the field with 2000 or more attack, so unless you're running Koa'ki Meiru's, you will have to use level 5 or above, which means you will have to tribute summon monsters, which is rarely ever a good thing to do anymore (unless its for a monarch). Therefore, the best cards to use as fodder are easy to summon cards like Cyber dragon, or cards that can gain attack by their effects, like Wind-up Soldier.

Once your preferred summoning method is sorted out, you can easily summon it when you need to. Now, it's effect, I admit, is really not very good. With the way the game is, this card can be stopped so many times even before you get to enter the battle phase (Bottomless, Solemn warning, torrential etc.. etc.. etc..). However if you do manage to get into battle without being stopped (Say, by using MST on all of the back rows before summoning this card) you can banish problems that are in the way, allowing your other monsters to attack through. You can attack the Legendary Jujitsu Master that is sitting there on your opponent's field and remove them before it's effect activates. But it's best used against Xyz monsters so that you can remove their Xyz materials. That makes Leviathan dragon a 2000 sitting duck or Leviair the sea dragon completely useless. But with 3000 attack, wouldn't you prefer to just attack over their monster anyway? sure you can gain up to 1500 attack with it's effect (If the Xyz monster had 3 materials), but how many cards in this game can get over 3000 attack? At least you do not have to worry about Honest if you use it's effect.

Anyway, in conclusion, this card is really nothing to rave about. It's got a lackluster effect, and it's just food for the younger player base who watch the anime and wants to play Photons. There are other, easier to summon 3000 beatsticks with much more potent effects, like the ridiculously broken Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning.

It's price? Well I can imagine many people getting very annoyed if they pull this card from a pack, so it wont be any higher than around $5. The Ghost rare might be around $10, only because that rarity is sought after by collectors, and it actually looks really good.

The poll is now closed

Hello everyone. The poll I had displayed on my blog is over. The question was 'Where should Mystical Space Typhoon be on the Banlist?'

You guys voted and:
6% wanted it to be forbidden
11% wanted it limited
49% wanted it semi-limited
33% was happy that it's now at 3

Thanks for voting. I personally feel that you guys are right. MST at 2 would certainly clear up some problems this format. I made the wrong assumption that players would only run 2 since less traps are played, but MST at 3 protects your traps as well as being a 1-for-1 offensive tool right when you need it.

I hope Konami visits this blog and sees exactly what the playerbase wants in the game.

The next poll question is: 'Which is the most powerful back row removal card?'

Im going to post some DN videos on my youtube channel

I'll make one every day or so. Suggest decks to play and comment on the sound or if I'm making bad plays :)

Yu-Gi-Oh Card Review: Number 10: Illumiknight

Good evening readers. To ensure continuity with my reviews, the next card we're going to look at is Number 10: Illumiknight

 

 

This Xyz monster requires 3 level 4 monsters as it's materials and hits the field at an underwhelming 2400 attack and defense. Now i keep saying it, but so far Konami are really trying to make sure that Xyz monsters are not broken or anything close to it. If this card had 2600 attack then it would have been much more useful. Now onto it's effect:

Once per turn, you can detach one of its xyz materials, send one card from your hand to the graveyard, then draw a card.

Now, if you have not noticed, you can use this card's effects up to three times (Not on the same turn, of course). It is a +0 since you send a card, and draw a card to replace it. But while that is the case, i really like it. There will be times when ditching a useless card and digging into your deck can really benefit you. I mean, it's why Hero decks use Destiny draw as an engine, and lightsworn players run 3 solar recharge in any variant of the deck. They are a +0, but they allow you to access more options that your deck can provide for you to tackle the current situation.

Because this card sends, you cannot use cards that get their effects when discarded (Like Fabled Cerburrel). But the advantage gained would be a little too ridiculous.

When i first approached this card, i was really annoyed by the fact that it needed 3 level 4s to make it. But you would be surprised how often the opportunity comes up. With monster reborn still in the game and call of the haunted at 2, assembling the materials is easy. In lightsworns, use can use Wulf, Lightsworn beast to swarm and Xyz. Offering gadgets can make this with ease. And if you feel like trying the archetype, you can use Photon Veil to fetch 3 Daybreakers and special summon all 3 by Photon lead.

Anyway that's pretty much it. This card is nothing spectacular, but if your deck can make it, you might be able to draw yourself a victory that you wouldn't have been able to before.

The price? This card is way underhyped. Because of that, i can see it being around £15-$20 at the sneak (Since this "OMG i need xyz!!" from the GENF sneak wont apply here, which made the Xyz monsters more than they should have been) and then it should drop down to around £8-$10 by around december.

The other Xyz in the core set are pretty much trash (Baby Tragon is cute though), so what should i review next?

Yu-Gi-Oh Card Review: Thunder-End Dragon

Happy Sunday everyone! There's no better day than a Sunday to kick back with a few drinks, huddle around your buddies, and play some trading card games.

Continuing one with the Photon shockwave card reviews, today's card is Thunder-End Dragon

 Looks a little like Blue-Eyes Shining dragon.

This is the first rank 8 Xyz monster to be made thus far. Because its a rank 8, it requires 2 level 8s as its xyz materials. Not only that, they must be normal monsters. That's probably the most difficult summoning requirements for an Xyz monster to date (Just a little ahead of Evolkaiser Ragia).

Hitting the field at 3000 attack and 2000 defense, it packs a punch. But because of its summoning requirements, you'd think that it would be 3500 to help it get over the big beaters of today (I'm looking at Judgment dragon and Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning). At least it's effect can help with that problem.

Once a turn, you can detach one of its 2 materials to destroy all other monsters on the field.

Well, that's a little underwhelming of an effect. I just gave up 2 big beaters to make 1, and all it can do is nuke the monsters on the field? I'd rather it blew up all spells and traps to be honest. Then i can just attack other their monsters and put them in a tough position.

There's really not much to say about this card's effect though. It does not have to worry about Face-down monsters since it blows them away. But how do we summon this beast?

About a year ago i did a review on Blue-Eyes White Dragon. This card is a perfect candidate to use for xyz summoning Thunder-End Dragon. It can be searched by White stone of legend and Summoner's art, and can be special summoned straight from the hand by Kaibaman and Ancient Rules, which is handy. Special summon 2 of them and you can Xyz into Thunder-End. Not too difficult, is it?

Anyway, this card is probably going to stay an ultra rare in its TCG. It shouldn't be a ultra but since it's a powerful beater, it will probably stay where it is. I wouldn't be too happy if i pulled it though!