Welcome to the 2014's top 10 list! I started writing COTD's on last year's list, a whole year. Full circle. I worked hard on Pojo, tried new things, some worked, some didn't, but overall, I'm very satisfied with the effort I put in. Next year is going to be busy for me, so I won't have time to write on Pojo as often as I've been, but you'll still see me around.

Anyway, onto #10. Mathematician. My nickname for the card is "Mathem-phetamine" because he speeds up the deck. I had him at #9 on my list, but not too much of a difference. Math has seen some big amount of play in the second half of the year, particularly in two decks.

In Burning Abyss, it initially helped dump Scarm to make a +1 at the end of the turn. As new Burning Abyss cards came out, Mathematician became more of an optional card as using the new Malebranches to either summon "first turn Dante" or make fuel for the Fire Lake trap card. Math, however, has always been a mainstay for Shaddolls as it can trigger the effect of any Shaddoll, including Beast via Squamata.

As the name "Mathematician" suggests, numbers are a big part of the game and most of the time Mathematician is a +1 in card advantage. It's impossible to get rid of without the opponent gaining something out of it. If you destroy in battle, the opponent draws a card. If you destroy the card by a card effect, you spent a resource to get rid of a floater that already activated its effect.

If you negate the on-field effect via Breakthrough Skill or Fiendish Chain, the opponent can still use its graveyard effect to draw a card. The only exception I can think of is Solemn Warning, which will negate the card entirely.

The only weakness I can think of is that Math takes up a Normal Summon and it isn't a LV4 for standard XYZing. I can't say this card has any other real weaknesses, except that it depends on the decks you are using. I'm sure lots of fun decks that rely on sending <=LV4 monsters to the graveyard benefit from Mathematician too. Skull Servants? Who knows?

Since Math has a pretty broad general effect, covers its bases in card advantage and doesn't have a lot of weaknesses, it's safe to say the card will age better than most other cards.

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RATINGS

Power - 3/5 (This card won't turn the tide of the duel but it will increase the consistency of your deck,)

Versatility - 4/5 (You can send a wide breadth of possible targets to the graveyard to trigger a variety of effects, but of course, the versatility of this card is limited by the versatility)

Card Advantage - 4/5 (Won't be any more than a +1, but it's usually guaranteed to be a +1)

Dependability - 4/5 (Requires other cards in deck to plus but is self-sufficient as far as the hand goes.)

Speed - 5/5 (Activates on summon. That's as fast as a monster effect gets.)

Overall Rating - 4/5

Mathematician

A great way to start off the top 10 of the year. This was one of the cards that caught the metagame by storm. The card was released as a worldwide shocker as it was in a universal set. The card was sought as a replacement to Armagedon Knight right off the bat. An amazing way to drop any level 4 or lower monster from the deck to the graveyard. An amazing deck thinning option but it doesn't stop there. When it dies via battle, you can draw a card. Another amazing function to the card. This card has a 3rd application thats a bit less noted. It is fuel for the earth Shaddoll fusion! An amazing card having 3 key applications making it a good top 10 pick for the year!

Advanced Format 5/5

Mathematician

And so here we start off the countdown of the Pojo Card of the Day Reviewers Top 10 Yu-Gi-Oh! cards that have been released over the last year/ 2014. 

Some great generic type cards, or cards that can fit into a multitude of Decks have been released this year and this one certainly fits into that role.

Mathematician has in many instances been able to fill the role of being additional copies of Foolish Burial… At the cost of your Normal Summon for the turn, however many Decks can Special Summon making up for this minor inconvenience.

As an additional bonus, when destroyed by battle you can Draw a card, and this makes it an easy choice to use over something such as Card Trooper in most instances.

Mathematician also can quite often make an opponent have to waste an effect negation card, such as Breakthrough Skill to negate it’s effect of sending a card from your Deck to your Graveyard, and while this may seem like a negative on one hand, on the flip side, if Mathematician’s effect is negated, this means that it’s not being used upon something that can be far more threatening… Such as a “Boss” monster.

And because Mathematician also allows for you to Draw a card when destroyed by battle, destroying or removing Mathematician from the field by effect becomes more important.

This is easier for some Decks to do than it is for others, and because of the ability to Draw a card when destroyed by battle, it can result in an opponent holding back from attacking for a turn or 2, and this is quite often results in more of a detriment to your opponent that you Drawing an additional card ever really can.

Of course, Mathematician can always be rammed into something so that you can Draw a card also…

And Mathematician comboe’d with Supply Squad could really result in some ridiculous plusses, and this was always something that those Burning Abyss builds that used both Mathematician and Supply Squad could really gain. Quite often that advantage helped them to overwhelm an opponent even easier.

Anything from Burning Abyss to Lightsworns to Monarchs and Shaddolls as well as everything else in between can/ could benefit from using Mathematician.

As the examples of how Mathematician could be useful for you would be able to form a list almost as long as Santa’s Naughty and Nice list (have you been nice?) I’ll have to leave it up to you to discover all of the ways in which this card can be an asset for what you are playing… Rarely however will there be a better option than this, especially when the requirement is in sending specific cards to the Graveyard.

This is one card that I expect to see used for a very long time to come, and currently it is Trading for a reasonable and well deserved price.

If you are still opening packs of Dragons of Legend, which is IMO the best set released during the year, this is certainly a card that you’ll hope pull.

A valuable addition to many Decks.

Rating: 4. Can send a select card to the Graveyard and allows for you to Draw a card when destroyed by battle as well as a decent enough attack all in one card… All makes this card not just good, but great.

Hello Pojo Fans,

Today starts the Top 10 cards of 2014. While we'll review #10 thru #6 this week, the others will be scattered due to the holidays. Today is #10: Mathematician

This card has been anticipated since its appearance in GX. Searcher stats good, attribute alright (would've been better if it were a DARK). A 1-for-1 when it is destroyed by battle, allowing you to draw a card. It's first effect is what players like the most. A Foolish Burial effect upon its Normal Summon, this sets up your graveyard for plays this turn or future plays. Get a needed LIGHT or DARK for BLS or Sorcerer, or, in the case of the deck it's seeing the most play in, send ANY Shaddoll to the grave and immediately plus off of that monster.

This card isn't going to hold its own with its DEF, but that isn't a bad thing when you wouldn't mind it being destroyed by battle. Being an EARTH attribute does hurt Mathematician somewhat, as being a DARK would have been more suitable for this Spellcaster. The biggest downside to Mathematician is it's Foolish Burial effect only happens when you Normal Summon him. Unless you have a way of bringing him back to your hand or deck, he won't be activating that effect again.

This card is splashable in many decks. If you need a decent attacker that can put something in the graveyard for later, then give you a card upon its destruction in battle, this is a good card for you. It would've been even more flexible had it been a DARK.

Advanced- 3/5
Art-3.5/5

Until Next Time
KingofLullaby

Today marks the beginning of our countdown of the Top 10 Cards of 2014. This year brought a large amount of game changing sets, including Legacy of the Valiant, Dragons of Legend, and Duelist Alliance; condensing a list of 10 cards was not easy by any means.

Along with reviewing the cards on the average list among the CotD reviewers, I will also mention a card’s placement on my own personal Top 10 List (assuming it is on my list), and when all is said and done and we get through all ten, I will likely publish my list with my reasoning.

Without further ado, we start off with #10 on the list: Mathematician.

Position on my list: #8

Mathematician was one of the many formerly anime-exclusive cards released in Dragons of Legend, and its effect is very powerful. Serving as a generic Armageddon Knight for any Level 4 or lower monster, Mathematician provides a lot of utility for many Decks. Its ability to replace itself with another card upon dying in battle allows the player to stay ahead in the game even easier.

Mathematician’s potential was seen pretty early on after its announcement, but the card wouldn’t really find its use in the metagame until Duelist Alliance, which released not one, but two Decks that could make the most of the card; Shaddoll and Burning Abyss. Both Decks thrive off of their monsters going to the Graveyard, and Mathematician pulling them straight out of the Deck accelerated their strategies dramatically. Initially, Mathematician battled with Armageddon Knight and Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn as to which was the superior choice in Shaddoll; eventually Mathematician won out. In Burning Abyss it was always seen as the best option, although with Burning Abyss gaining more support in The New Challengers the card became unnecessary and was dropped.

It took a while for Mathematician to reach the height of its popularity, but it is an extremely solid card that can see good use in almost any Graveyard-oriented Deck.

Advanced: 4/5

Our top 10 cards of 2014 starts off with a favorite of mine, The Mathematician. A level 3 EARTH/Spellcaster with 1500/500 for ATK and DEF. When Mathematician is normal summoned, you can send one level 4 or lower monster from your deck to the grave, and when this card is destroyed by battle and goes to the grave, you can draw 1 card. This number cruncher can do so much when used right. As you can send what monster you need to the grave. Anything from whatever Lightsworn monster you need, White Stone of Legend, Plaguespreader Zombie, Peten The Dark Clown.....whatever and im sure it will generate some kind of instant advantage for you. And if it is destroyed by battle and sent to your grave, you get to draw a card. It also works well with Wonder Wand. I love this card, and so should you.

Traditional: 2
Advanced: 4