We wrap up our look at the Gemini monsters today with a feature on the individual Gemini monsters themselves.
Untapped Potential
After a Gemini monster is successfully “Gemini summoned,” its effects turn on and remain on while the Gemini monster is face up on the field. As soon as it leaves the field or is turned face down, the effects it was applying are turned off. The types of effects gained vary amongst the Gemini monsters, and each effect can have its own unique interactions.
Some Gemini monsters change specific card qualities, like their ATK, their DEF, or even their name. Goggle Golem and Dawnbreak Gardna each modify one of their stats to a new value, which then replaces the printed value. Goggle Golem replaces its 1500 ATK with 2100 ATK, and Dawnbreak Gardna switches out its 500 DEF for 2300 DEF. These modified values become the monster’s original ATK/DEF and will be used when another card’s effect asks you to refer to the monster’s original ATK/DEF.
For example, if you had fewer life points than your opponent and you equipped your Goggle Golem, in its effect monster form, with Megamorph, Megamorph would refer to Goggle Golem’s current original ATK of 2100. This 2100 ATK would be doubled to 4200 ATK, or halved to 1050 ATK when your life points become higher than your opponent’s. When the Goggle Golem is in the graveyard, however, its original ATK reverts back to the 1500 ATK value printed on the card.
Elemental Hero Neos Alius is the strangest of the Gemini monsters by far. He has no real effect to speak of. When he is Gemini summoned, his name changes to Elemental Hero Neos. This may seem somewhat useless, but it is actually a big help for the entire Neos-Fusion strategy. He also serves well as a beatstick for the Elemental Hero team, something they didn’t really have until Elemental Hero Stratos came along (and quickly became Limited).
This name change has no impact on deck construction because it is only true while Elemental Hero Neos Alius is face up on the field in his effect monster form. The name change is not applied at any other time. His name always reverts back to normal as soon he leaves the field or is flipped face down.
Combat Intensifies
Some of our Gemini monsters become imbued with additional talents reserved for battle, making battle easier or rewarding them when the battle succeeds. Arguably the meanest in this category is Chthonian Emperor Dragon, the 2400 ATK “I smack you twice” Dragon. He certainly received the most attention, but he has a close friend who isn’t that far off ATK-wise and can certainly do his fair share of bench-clearing.
The mean little Grasschopper isn’t too fond of opposing monsters and is a prime candidate for Insect Imitation. Once Grasschopper has been Gemini summoned, it gains the ability to attack every monster your opponent controls one time each. We’ve seen this effect before on monsters like Asura Priest and Ultimate Tyranno, and just like them, Grasschopper is not allowed to attack directly after it has attacked opposing monsters. Naturally if your opponent has no monsters and your Grasschopper has not yet attacked, it is allowed to attack directly. You just don’t get to after it has attacked monsters.
Phantom Dragonray Bronto gains effects that put it in same category as Goblin Attack Force. Its original ATK is modified to 2300, like Goggle Golem’s effect, but it also gains the “shift into defense position” penalty shared by the goblins. This may seem unnecessary, but you have to consider that this monster will be a Level 3 with 2500 ATK when A Legendary Ocean is active. When you consider how easy it is to special summon the Bronto with Mother Grizzly, this guy would be a menace.
Shadow Delver is a stealthier sort, preferring to give one of your level 4 or lower Dark monsters the ability to attack your opponent directly. When you activate Shadow Delver’s effect, you will need to select one face-up level 4 or lower Dark monster as your effect’s target. After you’ve selected your target, it won’t matter what happens to Shadow Delver. The Dark monster you chose will still be able to attack your opponent directly for the remainder of the turn.
Me and My Friends
Perhaps the most useful of the Gemini monsters are those that can special summon other monsters. Spending a normal summon to turn these Gemini monsters into their effect form is quickly offset by their ability to special summon another monster onto your side of the field, regardless of its level. Was your no-tribute normal summon going to bring out a level 8 monster? Probably not.
Doom Shaman and Il Blud each allow you to special summon one specific type of monster from your hand or both graveyards. The monsters special summoned by this effect become tethered to their “host” (Doom Shaman or Il Blud), and they are destroyed whenever their host is removed from the field. It’s a small price to pay for the ability to special summon strong monsters without any real cost.
Il Blud has the blessing of being easily special summoned by Pyramid Turtle, which makes it a breeze to Gemini summon and then use its effects to gain a friend. Zombies also have the spell card Call of the Mummy that can allow you to special summon Il Blud from your hand and then Gemini summon it afterward. Il Blud has so many ways to work its magic, it’s easy to see why it has been a subject of discussion.
Perhaps the best surprise given to the Gemini monsters was Blazewing Butterfly, which is capable of special summoning any Gemini from your graveyard. As if that wasn’t useful enough, the Gemini monster emerges in its effect monster form. The entire process of being a normal monster that is Gemini summoned is skipped. You can rely on UFO Turtle to help get Blazewing Butterfly into prime position to use its effect, but you always have Double Summon as a back-up plan.
Until next time, send all comments and questions to Curtis@Metagame.com