GeneralZorpa on Yugioh Cool Cards
that Nobody Plays
May 28, 2008
Who Are You? And What Are You Doing In My Deck!?
Well as everybody knows, I am a fan of underused cards. From
Zombyra the Dark to Fusilier Dragon,the Dual Mode
Beast, I have always been on the lookout for talent in
the seemingly dull ranks of mediocrity. So Now I bring you a
new look at some rather powerful cards that manage to keep
themselves off of the top tables of Regionals and Shonen
Jumps.
I am Invincible!
10 virtual cookies to anyone who gets the reference in the
title to this card, Cold Wave. Cold Wave is
actually being played now, but I thought up this article
before the results of the most recent SJC was posted. This
card I think would have been better had people still been
playing the flurry of spell cards that signifies an opening
move. To an extent, DAD decks are still doing it, but I
think that they are very subtly undergoing changes into more
of a brawling deck, rather than an OTK. Anyone who knows we
knows that I love to brawl with my decks, slugging it out
turn by turn in the style of the MRD days of Vanilla
Attackers. Hence why I am playing a Gladiator Beast deck,
which lo and behold, is perfect to run Cold Wave in.
Cold Wave gives you an immunity for 2 of your own turns (if
your opponent had nothing set) from Spell and Trap Cards.
That will often be the opening that Gladiator Beasts need in
order to bring out Gyzarus or Heraklinos for
the kill. It does affect you, but usually you will be able
to set a Solemn Judgment or other protection for your
hulking behemoth after the freeze has passed.
It is also good AGAINST Gladiator Beasts. Wait, I just said
that it helps them, but in many situations, it will actually
destroy an opposing Gladiator deck. They rely on Solemn
Judgment and Waboku for support, especially for their
smaller monsters, Secutor and Murmillo. They
can still chain to Cold Wave, but of course they
would have activated it at an inopportune time. So you can
see that Gladiator builds running Cold Wave have a
tactical advantage over almost the entire field, save
Lightsworn.
Speaking of Lightsworn, Cold Wave is good for them
too. All but one of their power cards are monsters, and
Cold Wave would do nothing to Card of Safe Return,
which is already on the field. Lumina, Lyla,
Garoth, Jain, Ryko and Judgment
Dragon get just that much more powerful when they are
not hampered by Spell and Trap cards. I fully expect Cold
Wave to become a common "tech" choice or even a staple in
both Gladiators and Lightsworn.
My, What Big Teeth You
Have
This is one Lightsworn that just gets passed over, mostly
because it is a common. Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon
is a beastly behemoth of a beast. The stats of 2000 ATK and
1600 DEF are not that great. Even Wulf beats him out, and
he's not even a tribute monster. But, of course, it's the
effect that counts. He gains 300 ATK for each Lightsworn of
a different name in the graveyard. There are ten different
Lightsworn monsters, so if one copy of each was in the
graveyard (not unheard of in a Lightsworn deck) then that is
a 3000 ATK point boost. Of course, Lightsworn decks do not
run all 10 monsters, and getting many in the graveyard is
kind of situational. However, when you have three different
Lightsworn in the graveyard (a fairly common occurance) he
has 2900 ATK and the ability to trample any monster played
minus Judgment Dragon and can be played at that ATK a
turn earlier than his illustrious cousin.
And you can take into account that Gragonith is a
single Tribute that is a Lightsworn itself, you have a solid
monster. Unfortunately he is often passed over for
Celestia, Lightsworn Angel who has slightly higher
starting ATK and kills two cards when she comes into play.
But the one thing that Gagonith has on his Akroma
counterpart is replayability. Monster Reborn and
Premature Burial both get him back with all of his
effects kicking, and likely at least 2300 ATK. Celestia
is spent after one go, as she needs to be tribute summoned,
like a monarch. I think that if the She-Angel were to fall
out of favor, Gragonith would easily and happily take
her place.
OMFG! Turn the Friggin'
Light Out!
It has been widely accepted that most themes in Yu-Gi-Oh!
have their own Field Spell. Gladiators have their coliseum,
Crystal Beasts have their Ruins and Samurai have their
Castle. What is not very well known is that Lightsworn have
their own Field Spell as well, namely Realm of Light.
Now a good Field Spell would support what a given deck is
trying to do. Coliseum gives an ATK boost each time a
Gladiator is tagged out. Ruins gets effects per
Crystal Beast in your spell and trap card zone. Realm of
Light supports the milling effect of the Lightsworn.
Each time a card(s) is sent to the graveyard, you put a
shine counter on it. Lightsworn monsters get 100 ATK per
shine counter.
Well, lets think. Every Lightsworn card mills cards to the
graveyard. So by turn 3 or so, you will have milled like 3-4
times depending on your luck. That is a 300-400 ATK increase
for every Lightsworn on your field, and it can't be
destroyed, just remove 2 shine counters and that is that. SO
it gets even more powerful as time goes on. And eventually
even Lumina with only 1000 ATK could become an 1800 beater.
Once again I think that this is a card that was overlooked
simply because it was a common, and people just bypassed it
to get to the rare in their pack.
Plus, Lightsworn are more likely to mill it than to get it
out into play. Well, not if you are playing multiple copies.
It could be an interesting choice for a Lightsworn deck, as
it can make them nearly impossible to destroy in battle,
especially with the ever looming threat of Honest to
back them up.
That's all from me today, Finals are coming up so I will
have even less time to write. I apologize for not having the
results of my Create-A-Card contest out yet, but expect them
soon, after my life gets less hectic.
