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Pojo's Duel Masters Card of the Day

aqua_surfer
Image from Wizards Duel Master site
 

  Aqua Surfer

DM05
Card #16



Date Reviewed: 02.23.05

Constructed Average Rating: 2.5
Limited Average Rating: 2.2


Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst. 3 ... average.
5 is the highest rating.

 
Knives101 Aqua Surfer

Some kid at my local store put this thing into his Water deck. I was shocked, and horrified. I dug through my cards and got out a corile. I said, "Oh! Look at that! This card does the same thing only it costs one less mana, and sends the card back to your opponent's deck!". But the kid said, "Well it's good as a Sheild Trigger". So I dug through my cards once agian.
"Oh! Looky here! It's Spiral Gate!". Anyway... Aqua Surfer stinks. There's gotta be a better way to spend six mana. And if you want to use it as a ST then I suggest Splashing in Awe/Pit/Snare/Flames instead. Any one of those cards is better than this peice of junk.

Rating: 2/5
 
Nimbly

Today, we review a decent card that’s seeing more play in my meta. The unicorn fish remix commonly known as Aqua Surfer.

 

Aqua Surfer

Civilization: Water

Family: Liquid People

Mana: 6

Attack: 2000

Ability: Shield Trigger, Bounces a monster on the field to their owner’s hand.

 

Ok, this card is alright. It’s not the most amazing, but it does get the job done. A person at my meta uses a 4-color shield trigger deck, and this card basically saved him in the finals, so my review may be one-sided, but…

 

The Plus Side

 

This card is a very nice addition to the water civilization, as if they really need more help on the whole bouncing aspect. It’s a basic unicorn fish, only shield triggerized, which is amazing. I’m not really sure how much leverage this card has over the unicorn fish, but it is decent. I can go on and on about the major competition between the 3 big bouncers, but I’ll get to that later.


Let’s start with the shield trigger. If you been playing this game at all, you’d know that ANY shield trigger is amazing. Having a nice amount of shield triggers in your deck can determine your ability to turn the game around, and this is one of those cards that do so. So long alcadeias, Ballom, Valdios, Huge fatty Monster, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

 

The second ability: the bounce. This monster is a basic Spiral Gate turned monster. If you like spiral gate, and are willing to pay extra mana, then this is the card for you.

 

The Negative Side

 

Ok, I really can’t say that much about the positives because I think that there really isn’t a place for this card anymore. Let’s look at the stats.

 

Corile-Craziest Bouncer ever.

-          5 mana

-          2000 power

-          bounce to top of deck

 

Unicorn Fish

-          4 mana

-          1000 power

-          bounce to hand

 

Aqua Surfer

-          6 mana

-          2000 power

-          bounce to hand

-          shield trigger

 

As you can see, there are pluses and minuses to all 3. Aqua surfer is the most expensive, but has the most advantageous effects, just not a bounce better than Corile and a mana cost better than the Unicorn Fish. I think it’s up to you. If you’re willing to pay the extra 2 mana for the shield trigger-ness, then go Aqua Surfer. If you need speed, go Unicorn Fish. Always Use Corile :)

 

The mana cost for Aqua Surfer is painful. With the same amount of mana, you could play 3 spiral gates or 1 and a unicorn fish, so the amount of bouncing for the cost does not really match the card. The surfer does have the shield trigger, but how much better is it to pay 2 more mana for the same effect as a card that already exists. Look at it like this

Torcon- shield trigger, but same mana as Burning Mane or Steel Smasher

Kamikaze- Shield trigger, but same cost as a vorg, titan, or brawler

Locomotiver- Shield Trigger, but one cheaper than Masked Horror

Aqua surfer- Shield Trigger, but 2 more than unicorn Fish?

 

See? To me the card is unproportional to the standard of shield trigger monsters. Considering its effect and its impact on the game, yeah, I get the increase, but why 6? What could I play with 6?

1 Unicorn Fish + Spiral gate?

3 Spiral Gate?

Corile?

Not that much, but this card is meant to be in the shields. Run emerald or use green with mana Nexus and other stuff that edits your shields. Then you get the full potential of Surfer.

 

The Limited Side

 

This card would be crazy in draft. This is one of those cards you wish to get to take care of that annoying as hell monster that you can’t get rid of. Plus, good shield triggers in limited is great. If you can pick up shield trigger monsters in limited, do not hesitate. It’ll pay off. See it like this:

Opponent: “yea, you can’t stop my La Byle. He’ll kill up all your small monsters”

You: “great…Aqua Surfer…”

Opponent:” Aw damn…”

You:” Youse dead, mans. I cut you up so bad, that, that, you didn’t wish that I cut you up so bad”


Sorry about that. Had to go with the family Guy. I gots a bad roach problem ;). But, yea, you get the point. It’s amazing.

 

 

The Recap

 

Let’s review the + and – again

 

Plus

- shield trigger

- bounces

- liquid person

- amazing in limited and shield switch decks

 

Minus

- Corile puts it to shame

- Unicorn Fish is better at times

- 6 is awfully high for a bounce card.

- Is 2 mana with the shield triggerness?

- Unproportional to other shield trigger and their ability

 

Constructed(Blue + Shield Editors)-3/5- It’s workable, but wouldn’t a terror pit or natural or something be better?...

Constructed(Blue)-2.5/5- I have a split opinion on this. It’s alright, but there are things better than it, namely Corile and at times Unicorn Fish.

Limited-4/5- Take it, use it, abuse it. You have no real reason to not take it.

Art-3.5/5- Surf on, Aqua Surfer….Surf on….

 

Well, that’s it for Aqua Surfer. If anyone has any questions, comments, concerns, complaints, e-mail me at

pt_1bc_2@yahoo.com

Later Days…

 


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