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Carrotizer on YuGiOh
Carrot Analysis: 13, Black!
June 19, 2007 

Yay! 

School is almost over (7 days left), AP Euro’s done (had to do a 7 page research paper), SATII’s are over (Math II and Chem), and SUMMER IS COMING!!! 

            Unfortunately for us, Yu-Gi-Oh TCG (not my version of TCG…) has undergone drastic changes, and these alterations seem to be never ending.  Underrated cards pop up out of nowhere as brilliant techs, though most of the time, countless tries die out from metagame’s best friends.  Rarely, cards are overrated and never appear again, though Sky Scourge families have Nationals to prove their potentials. 

            I feel that it is crucial to know techs since ability to neutralize or counter such rogue cards are important.  Believe me, Raiza the Storm Monarch is good – extremely good.  It’s not the best, however. 

Roulette Barrel

Attribute: Light

Type: Machine/Effect

ATK: 1000

DEF: 2000

Effect: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can roll a six-sided die twice. Select one result and destroy 1 face-up monster on the field whose level is equal to the result. 

            When you look at a card, you’ll automatically think of it as good, okay, or bad.  Nevertheless these are all relative terms.  In terms of pure card advantage, nothing will defeat Thunder Dragon.  +1 for drawing a copy? That’s even better than Gadgets! Why such a broken card? 

            Obviously you know that card advantage isn’t everything, and Thunder Dragon can only get you so far.  You’d need Snipe Hunters and Card Traders to fully utilize these cards.

            Prickle Fairy was used by….a really good player as tech in one of Shonen Jump Championships.  I forget things, apparently.  T, was it? 2000 DEF, and Hydrogeddon will bust through awkwardly positioned monsters. 

            Roulette Barrel is a card that relies on luck.  Snipe Hunter also does, yet chance of  failing is 1/3, a probability that is not so favorable.  Our Barrel, on the other hand, mathematically and cost-wise, is more efficient. 

            While Dark Magician of Chaos appear in some decks, you won’t see a monster with more than 6  stars.  Considering that we can get up to 6 stars, upper Monarchial level, Roulette Barrel becomes a lethal gambling machine without any cost. 

            That’s right, no cost.  Going back to probability of failure, let’s say you only have the machine on your side, and opponent has a face-up Raiza the Storm Monarch.  Common situation.  One thing you must realize is that once you roll, you must choose a roll and destroy 1 face-up monster if you can.  You can choose a roll even if there is no monster with that level. 

            That indicates that you must roll 4 TWICE. Probability of that is 1/36, significantly lower than 1/3..  Probability of rolling 6 AT LEAST ONCE is 11/36.  This is approximately 1/3.  For a certain number of stars from 1 to 6, this will always be the probably for 1 monster. 

            6-stars: All Monarchs except Zaborg, Ryu Senshi, Destiny Hero – Malicious, Jinzo, Sky Scourge Invicil, The Fiend Megacyber…

            5-stars: Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, Dark Balter the Terrible, Cyber Dragon…

            4-stars: Strike Ninja, all 1400 ATK Searchers, Hydrogeddon, Exiled Force (though most likely Roulette will be blown up), D.D. Warrior family, Gadget…

            3-stars: Card Trooper, Sangan, Des Wombat…

            2-stars: Apprentice Magician, Hand of Nephthys, D.D. Scout Plane, Troop Dragon, Nimble Momonga… 

            If your opponent has more monster than you do, obviously your chance of success will go up since more diversity of stars will give you more number of successful rolls.  Drawback is that face-down monsters cannot be destroyed, and you can end up destroying your own. 

            Because dice rolling occurs at the resolution, Strike Ninja will not be able to dodge this one.  If you scare opponent enough, then he/she will be forced to save a monster by using a card such as Book of Moon in response to the activation of the effect. 

            Compared to Dice Jar’s probability (and possible penalties) and stats, Roulette Barrel is a searchable Machine through Sangan and Shining Angel (and UFOroid). Playing with this dude’s die has no penalties – I love freebies. 

            Because Snipe Hunter’s effect has a lot more possibilities however, with multiple usage per turn, Roulette Barrel can’t be used to its maximum extent with Perfect Circle (Destiny Hero Monarch) or Norleras Blowout.  Instead, use this as half the food for Freed the Brave Wanderer, and a proud Machine for Overload Fusion. 

            Snipe Hunter is a good card, 1/3 is a big chance to take.  Once out of every 9 tries, you will fail two times in a row – meaning if you had 3 matches consisting of 3 games each, you’d fail twice in a row.  Instant –2.  Assuming you weren’t targeting Treeborn Frog or Sangan… 

            Luck always plays a big roll (pun!) in YGO TCG.  You should never complain how you are unlucky and your opponent topdecks into Raiza and summons him with Treeborn Frog.  Befriend luck =).   Heart of the Cards, right? 

By Carrotizer – Paul Yeem @ paulyeem@gmail.com

P.S:  I lost the my list of decks for deck suggestions… I remember Ryan, Travis, and Jamie…