Subject: Top Ten Cards to Look for in PGD
As some of you may know, PGD (Japanese Pharaonic Guardian + The New Ruler) is the next English set due for release.  The first half focuses on zombie and egypt-based monster cards with flip effects - that can also turn themselves face-down once per turn.  Isn't that cool?
 
The second half focuses on the "gravekeeper" monsters and some pretty cool m/ts.  In this list I'm going to use their confirmed English names.  The rarities are the ENGLISH ones, not the JAPANESE ones, just so you know.  But the card text is the Japanese card's, so if Upperdeck messes up translations again, at least you'll know what the original card did.
 
These are not in order.  I hate putting them in order.  Anyway...
 
 
1.  PGD-107 Lava Golem   Secret Rare (sold in the retail boxes). 

Fire/Fiend/8/3000/2500
Effect: This Monster can only be Special Summoned, and only by sacrificing 2 of your opponent's Monsters.  This Monster goes under your opponent's control.  During each of this Monster's controller's Standby Phases, this Monster does 1000 damage to him or her.  When you Special Summon this Monster, you cannot do a Normal Summon during this turn.
 
 
This monster is incredible combined with a card that stops your opponent from attacking.  That way, your opponent gets a monster that does 1000 damage to HIM, and he can't even attack with it!  Just wait eight turns and he loses.  Or you can Snatch Steal/CoH/Creature Swap it back to your side and attack with it.  I'mi really not sure what happens if this card is revived by one player...
 
 
 
 
2.  PGD-108 Ring of Destruction   Secret Rare (sold in the hobby boxes).
 
 
Trap
Effect:  Destroy 1 monster on the field, and do damage to both players' LP equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster.
 
 
This card is better than Magic Cylinder in nearly every way because IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CHAINED TO AN ATTACK.  If your opponent so much as SUMMONS a strong monster, you can instantly destroy it.  I'm also pretty sure it's unrestricted.
 
 
 
 
3.  PGD-031  Fushioh Richie (j. Nosferatu Lich)  Ultra Rare
 
 
Dark/Zombie/7/2600/2900
Effect: This Monster can only be Special Summoned, and only by sacrificing [Great Dezard] by its effect.  Once during each of your turns, it may change to face-down defense mode. Negate and destroy any Magic and Trap cards that target this card.  When this card is Flipped, Special Summon 1 Zombie Sub-Type Monster from your Cemetery.
 
 
This is THE BEST Zombie card to be released in English so far.  Of course, the best zombie card in Japanese is Vampire Lord by far, but we probably won't have to wait long for it to be released in English if it ends up in TP4 or the next set's Secret Rares.  Anyway, this card can basically revive a Zombie every turn - AND it can still attack as long as you revive the zombie in your Main Phase 1! 
 
 
Let me explain its name, though... It may sound incredibly stupid, but it's really quite accurate.  The Japanese wording on this card spells out "Undead King Lich."  "FushiOh" means "Undead King."  And "Richie"... well, the 'L" and "r" sounds in Japanese sound really about the same, so they're often interchanged.  Since the Japanese aren't used to ending a word with a consonant (with the sole exception of n), they often tag along a vowel sound so they can pronounce it correctly.  The most frequent way to pronounce the 'ch" sound at the end of an English word (in Japanese) is "chi."  Hence, "richie." 
 
 
And in case you're wondering what the heck [Great Dezard] is...
 
 
 
 
4.  PGD-020  Great Dezard (j. Supreme Priest De Zart)  Ultra Rare
 
 
Dark/Spellcaster/6/1900/2300
Effect: This card gains the following abilities, depending on the number of Monsters it has destroyed during Battle.
- One: Negate and destroy all Magic and Trap cards that are activated that target this card.
- Two: You may sacrifice this card to Special Summon a [Fushioh Richie] from your hand or deck.


Since this card is necessary to get out Fushioh, it's automatically good anyway... AND it can negate magic and traps that target it if it's destroyed one monster.  Just one!
 
 
 
5.  PGD-029  Don Zaloog (j. Don Zaruug)   Ultra Rare
 
 
Dark/Warrior/4/1400/1500
Effect: If this Monster does damage to your opponent, choose 1 of the following effects to activate:
- You opponent discards 1 card at random from his or her hand.
- Your opponent discards the top 2 cards of his or her deck.
 
This card is so incredibly versatile because it can be used both as hand destruction and as deck destruction.  Oh, and in case you want to know, Don Zaloog is only the first of four other members of a gang known as the "Black Scorpions."  The only problem I can see with this card is that it's Level 4 so Gravity Bind will counteract it.  But hey, that's what Messenger of Peace has been standing on the sidelines so long for!
 
 
 
6.  PGD-105  Rope of Life (j. Lifeline)  Ultra Rare
 
 
Continuous Trap
Effect: If 1 of your Monsters was destroyed during Battle and went to the Cemetery, discard your hand, increase that Monster's attack strength by 800 and Special Summon it to the Field.
 
This card is probably the coolest revival card in the history of Duel Monsters because it's continuous and isn't restricted to one sub-type of monster.  Unfortunately, you have to discard your hand to use its ability, and (from the wording) it's MANDATORY.  I.e. you HAVE to discard your hand when a monster dies during battle, and you HAVE to revive it 800 ATK stronger.  But that's not too bad.  If a Sangan or Witch dies you get to discard your entire hand to bring it back at either 1800 or 1900 ATK.  Not too shabby.  And I think its effect will still work if you have no cards in your hand (read: when you're losing against a hand destruction deck badly, or a yata-lock).  Ooh, and if a MoF or something kills your defense-mode GAF, flip this card and watch as GAF goes up to 3100 ATK ready to slice and dice that MoF the next turn!  ^_^
 
 
 
7.  PGD-095  Barrel Behind the Door (j. Hellish Trap Door Gun)  Super Rare
 
 
Counter Trap
Effect:  If an effect does damage to you that isn't Battle Damage, the damage that is done to you is done to your opponent.
 
 
Obviously, this card doesn't count cost damage, but other than that it's a great card.  If your opponent uses Ceasefire or Just Desserts on you when you have a bunch of monsters out, just use this card and THEY take the damage instead!  How funny!  This card can even be used to counter itself!
 
 
 
8.  PGD-082 Mirage of Nightmare (j. Mirage of NIghtmares)  Rare
 
 
Continuous Magic
Effect: During your opponent's Standby Phase, draw cards until you have 4 cards in your hand.  During your Standby Phase, discard as many cards from your hand at random as you drew from this effect.
 
 
This card looks incredibly crappy until you realize that you have three very cool cards to combo it with: sinister serpent, imperial order, and MST.  Sinister Serpent: discard one less card (because you get it back).  Imperial Order:  Discard no cards (and you don't even have to pay its cost!)  MST:  Discard no cards (activate it during standby phase before you discard, and destroy Mirage of NIghtmare).  I can't believe it's a Rare.  This card is potentially four completely free draws when you have no cards in your hand. 

 
 
 
9.  (Unknown)  Metamorphosis   Unknown (either Common or Super Rare)
 
 
Normal Magic
Effect: Sacrifice 1 of your Monsters on the Field.  Special Summon a Fusion Monster from your Fusion Deck with a level equal to the sacrificed Monster.
 
 
This has got to be THE FASTEST WAY to get out Thousand-eyes Restrict.  Ever.  Just sac a Sinister Serpent.  If you really felt like it you could sac a Skull to summon Ryu Senshi, but that's kind of a waste.  The very best use for this card I can think of is Snatch Steal/CoH/Creature Swap one of your opponent's high-level monsters and sac it to summon a strong Fusion monster.  Of course, you'd have to stuff your Fusion Deck chock-full of monsters of every level...
 
 
 
10.  PGD-033  Book of Life   Rare
 
 
Normal Magic
Effect: Special Summon 1 Zombie Sub-Type Monster from your Cemetery to the Field.  Remove 1 Monster card in your opponent's Cemetery from the game.
 
 
This card is awesome revival in a Zombie deck.  And you get to remove a monster from your opponent's cemetery!
 
 
 
 
 
That's all I could fit in ten cards, but I still haven't mentioned awesome cards like Necrovalley or ANY of the Gravekeeper monsters, not to mention Thunder Break and Dark Room of Nightmares... oh, there's just too many good cards in this set!
 
 
 
Questions, Comments, Rants:
 
qc@fengyuan.com
 
 
-Pegasus