|
Doomkaiser Dragon
Card# CSOC-EN043
Doomkaiser Dragon's effect isn't just for Zombie World duelists: remember that its effect can swipe copies of Plaguespreader Zombie, too!
Click here for more
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
| |
As the last weekend of February approaches, I’m sure that many of you are eager to go to a Flaming Eternity Sneak Preview event near you. After all, who isn’t excited when a new set comes out? Players look forward to discovering the possibilities that new cards present, and many of us are wondering how the new cards will affect the gaming environment. One of the deck types that Flaming Eternity will try to push to the forefront is the Beast archetype. Here’s a look at a card that supports this theme.
FET-EN015
Type: Beast/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 5
ATK: 2000
DEF: 1000
As long as this card remains face-up on the field, monsters on your opponent’s side of the field cannot attack during the same turn that they are Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned.
Yu-Gi-Oh! has many conditional mechanics, and the most restrictive is probably the condition of not being able to attack with a monster on the first turn that it’s summoned. This restriction usually dismays the player who summoned the affected monster. It is most likely this restriction that causes Toon decks not to be seen in higher-level competition, because you’re asking for a pounding when you summon a decent-sized monster and then end your turn without attacking. “Number 15” guarantees that your opponent will be faced with the prospect of not being able to attack immediately, so he or she will have to come up with new strategies to deal with the threat.
 Not being able to attack with a monster on the turn it’s summoned isn’t a new restriction. Aside from the Toon monsters I’ve mentioned, a card from the Labyrinth of Nightmare set puts a restrictive attacking condition on freshly summoned monsters—the continuous spell card Vengeful Bog Spirit. Unfortunately, Vengeful Bog Spirit affects all the monsters in play, including your own, which can wind up putting a crimp on your own strategies. In addition, because Vengeful Bog Spirit is a continuous spell card, it can be destroyed by the likes of Mystical Space Typhoon, Dust Tornado, and Heavy Storm.
Number 15 doesn’t have the Bog Spirit’s drawbacks. This Beast’s continuous effect only hits your opponent’s monsters, so your monsters can still attack on the turn in which they’re summoned. Plus, Number 15 has a respectable 2000 ATK, which means that it will have a longer life span while it’s on the playing field.
Beast decks excel in applying pressure on an opponent with the help of high-powered attack cards, like Mad Dog of Darkness and Berserk Gorilla. Number 15 adds to that pressure by reducing the opportunities an opponent has for dealing with the threats you set up on the field. Let’s face it, sometimes the best ways to get things done are the simplest ways, and the simplest way to deal with a monster is to attack it with a larger one. However, with “Number 15” in play, your opponent can’t do this. He or she will now be forced to find a different way to deal with your monsters, using valuable spells and traps that might be more useful in the later stages of a duel. But alas, your opponent needs to get rid of your monsters now, and summoning a Goblin Attack Force that can’t attack immediately won’t help the situation. Whether you force an opponent to use a copy of Smashing Ground or make him or her discard to activate Raigeki Break, you are setting the pace of the duel, and that will give you the edge in achieving victory.
 With an ATK of 2000, Number 15 really shines when it’s paired with King Tiger Wanghu. Having the ability to do damage even when the monster you’re attacking is in defense position is no laughing matter—especially when the monsters you’re slamming into are defense-position sheep tokens summoned by Scapegoat. Another great card to with Number 15 is Wild Nature’s Release, which takes Number 15’s 1000 DEF and adds that to its 2000 ATK for an intimidating attack total of 3000! With such a boosted ATK, Number 15 can easily hold out against the likes of Jinzo or even Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning. Nimble Momonga will also appreciate the one-turn protection of “Number 15”. The feral, life-gaining squirrels can be a nuisance to get rid of, and having Number 15 out and in play makes that task more difficult. Even if your opponent manages to attack your copies of Nimble Momonga, you’ll still be gaining life points, which is definitely a downer for your opponent.
Number 15’s only weakness is the fact that it’s a level 5 tribute monster, so it’s a horrible card to topdeck if you don’t have any monsters in play. As we all know, tribute monsters can slow down your momentum during a game, and Number 15 is no exception to this rule. Luckily, since Beasts are usually high-end attackers, they have a slightly better chance of survival. They tend to give you the opportunity to tribute them for a larger monster. Of course, you can still try the normal tricks for getting a tribute monster out quickly, such as playing Painful Choice, dumping Number 15 into the graveyard, and special summoning it with a card like The Shallow Grave, Premature Burial, or Call of the Haunted. In addition, Monster Gate is a great way to summon Number 15 from your deck, or you can use one of Curtis Schultz’s favorite traps, A Hero Emerges, when your opponent attacks and Number 15 is in your hand.
When you’re at the Flaming Eternity Sneak Preview, and you’re waiting for the judge’s signal to crack open your packs for the tournament, be sure that you don’t disregard Number 15 just because it’s a common card. Look at the card’s effect and its respectable ATK value, and keep in mind that there won’t be many cards in the Sealed Pack format that can get rid of it. Number 15 may wind up being pleasantly surprising.
I wish you all good luck when opening your packs at a Sneak Preview event this weekend. I’ll be head judging at the Sneak Preview in Pompano Beach, Florida, so if you’re going to be there, please don’t hesitate to come over and say hello. Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to thank your judges for all their hard work!
 |
| |
| Top of Page |
|
|
| |
|