Thursday

As if we needed another modified Goblin Attack Force, here they are, Goblin Recon Squad.  Now, Goblin Attack Force is still a respectable beatdown card.  Goblin Elite Attack Force has swords, capes, armor, and still 2200 attack (and 1500 defense) and is still a reasonable card.

However, is our Recon Squad any good?  Arguably.  Goblin Recon Squad is Level 4, of the Wind attribute, with only 1700 attack, and 0 defense of the Warrior attribute.  It has the built in changes to defense after attacking effect, but what else?

If Goblin Recon Squad successfuly attacks your opponent directly, you get to look at one random card in your opponent's Hand.  That's surely a good thing.  Additionally, if it's a Magic card, it goes straight to the Graveyard.  If not, you got a free peek at some card in your opponent's Hand.

In short, 1700 attack is too low, and you won't realistically get to use the effect more than once, if at all.  This Goblin, should stay in your trade binder.

Ratings:

Traditional:   1/5  Not worth it, not even for the attribute.  Only one

Wind monster is played here, and it's a deadly little bird.

Advanced:  1.5/5  For reasons listed above.

Art:  3/5

Goblin Recon Squad
Wind
Level 4
1700 atk 0 def
[Warrior/Effect]

If this card successfully attacks directly, you can look at 1 random card in your opponent's hand. If it's a Spell Card, send it to the Graveyard. If this card attacks, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. This card's battle position cannot be changed until the end of your next turn, except with a card effect.

This card is very tempting. This card is one word away from being splashable.  “Spell”.  That being said this card does have it uses.  D.D. Designator, Mind Crush and the Great Phantom Thief are all smiling at their new friend.  Being searchable by Reinforcements of the Army makes it even more tempting.

Traditional 1

Advanced 2

Advanced Hand Disruption 3

In Velvet Veritas

 Goblin Recon Squad

While giving this card an easy 1/5 would be completely justified and expected, I'll put it through the paces to explain exactly why this card deserves such a low rating.

Playability; Despite having no real restrictions placed upon it, there are too many things wrong with this card to allow it to be adequately used in any deck. It gains a few points as a Warrior Monster... but really, there are MUCH better options, there are much better WIND Warrior options... Stratos, the Sasuke suite, etc. I can't think of any reason you would want to fit this into any deck, even a fun "Wind" deck would use much better cards than this. For the Hand Disruption, wouldn't you rather use a card that was a guaranteed discard?

Playability - 3/10

Plus; If (and only if) you are able to attack directly you *might* get lucky and be able to discard a spell. Knowing a card in hand might also be helpful, but other cards exists *cough* Don Zaloog *cough* that are easier to use and actually guarantee a discard. With 1700 attack it is technically possible to destroy a non-floating monster in battle, but there are very few circumstances when a Bestari, Bountiful Artemis, or Ehren would exist on the field without already having garnered some sort of plus.

In short, despite the nature of this card's effect, I would guess that, if someone was to try using a GRS, it would probably never be able to give any advantage.

Plus - 3/20

Power; 1700 attack, with no real guarantee of destruction or advantage is horrible. And how can you make an already sub-par card even worse? "If this card attacks, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. This card's battle position cannot be changed until the end of your next turn, except with a card effect." Even if this line wasn't included I would give it a horrible score... but it is included. It's not even like this card is level 3 and therefore able to get by Gravity Bind or Level Limit. This card just fails on all levels.

To be fair, it is technically able to take down quite a few cards that people use, and it could be worse... it could be a vanilla (but even then, at least in wouldn't switch to Defense =/).

Power - 6/20

Overall; 3+3+6 = 12/50 = Advanced: 1.2/5

Traditional = 1/5 (At least every other card this week is a Light or Dark Monster =/)

I realize I am on a "late start" On COTD. I am extreeeeeemly apologetic for such, but I was at orientation for college. It happens. GO MEAN GREEN!

So. that being out of the way, we shall begin!

July 10, 2008

This will be my first official card review!

Back in the day, I used to do a "Duel Masters" COTD review that was popular on pojo, but sadly that game died. I also lost interest after the third set...

Back on track, let's look at the card at hand!

Goblin Recon Squad - Okay name, continues with a theme of the GAF family
Wind - odd?
Level 4 - Great level
1700 atk 0 def - Decent attack
[Warrior/Effect] - GREAT!

If this card successfully attacks directly, you can look at 1 random card in your opponent's hand. If it's a Spell Card, send it to the Graveyard. If this card attacks, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. This card's battle position cannot be changed until the end of your next turn, except with a card effect.

Let's begin with the positive

He's search-able by Reinforcement of the army. He has a 1700 attack, meaning the only normal summon-able monster in gladiator beast that will run over him outright is laquari and stratos. 4 out of around 17 to 20 monsters. Not bad. Stratos will be the only normal summon to run over him in a dark deck, with grepher having to opt. to ram. So basically, it can be hard to directly deal with him without simply going into a 1 for 1.

Now, the bad part. Gladiator's proving ground gives more serchability to laquari and rota gives more searchability to stratos. Gyzarus and DAD will take him out easy. His own effect is terrible as well. "IF", not if the card deals damage, "IF" the card successfully attacks "DIRECTLY", you can look at 1 RANDOM card in your opponents hand. "IF" it is a spell card, send it to the graveyard.

IF IF IF IF IF IF IF IF IF!

So, it's a situational card and if it even got to attack, it's turned to defense

The card gets a 1.65/5 in advanced simply because there are so many drawbacks, the format can't deal with him, and there's a better searchable warrior card called Don Zaloog that is much better at what he does.

He gets a 1/5 in traditional. There's no room for him at all in any competitive deck.