Is it okay to admit that, in part, we buy the Yu-Gi-Oh! video games for the promo cards?
It’s never really a bad combination. You get a new game to play and a few new cards to experiment with. Sometimes the cards tie into the theme of the game (like the winking Winged Kuriboh), add to an existing theme (like Magician’s Circle), or create brand new ideas.
This week we examine the three promotional cards included with the new Yu-Gi-Oh! GX game, Spirit Caller. They include an Insect with a grave robbing effect, an evasive Owl, and a mean little masked fighter. Each monster offers its own special risks and rewards, and understanding how each works will help you to construct your deck accordingly.
Gets in your Head
Brain Crusher is a level 7 Insect monster that steps into battle with 2400 ATK. This may seem a bit low for a level 7 monster, but that opinion will change when its effect kicks in.
“Once per turn, if this card destroyed an opponent’s monster by battle and sent it to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 of those destroyed monsters from the Graveyard during the End Phase.”
In order to use its effect, Brain Crusher must first destroy at least one monster in battle during the turn. After you achieve this goal, you can (during your end phase) choose one of the monsters Brain Crusher destroyed in battle and special summon it onto your side of the field. This assumes, of course, that the monster in question can legally be special summoned.
Some monsters have restrictions that can prevent them from being special summoned and this is of concern to Brain Crusher. If it destroys an Elemental Hero Fusion monster in battle, it will have no way to special summon the monster, because the Elemental Hero Fusions can only be special summoned by a Fusion summon. Brain Crusher also needs to make sure it will have room for the monster it plans to special summon or its effect won’t amount to anything. Fortunately, these situations don’t occur often.
Brain Crusher’s text makes one distinction that may initially sound quite strange. It mentions selecting “1 of those destroyed monsters.” This text is intended to handle situations in which Brain Crusher might be able to destroy multiple monsters in battle by using cards like Double Attack. In this case, during the end phase, you will choose which monster you will special summon from among the monsters Brain Crusher destroyed in battle.
Don’t Ask Mr. Owl
Hunter Owl starts off with only 1000 ATK, but its effect amends this very quickly.
“This card gains 500 ATK for each WIND monster on your side of the field. While there is another WIND monster on your side of the field, your opponent cannot select this card as an attack target.”
Straight off, Hunter Owl’s effect increases its ATK to 1500 because it does not ignore itself in the equation. From here it needs only one other Wind monster in play to boost its ATK up to 2000, or even higher with additional Wind monsters. Alongside this helpful ATK increase is an effect that makes the Hunter Owl quite evasive.
As long as you have another Wind monster on your side of the field, your opponent cannot select to attack your Hunter Owl. Your opponent is forced to rely on card effects or slowly fight his or her way through the ranks of every other Wind monster you have at your disposal. And Hunter Owl won’t make things easy for him or her in the meantime. Those ATK increases allow it to pick off the opponent’s monsters, keeping the flow of battle shifting back and forth.
Mist Body is certainly a good friend for Hunter Owl. Just when your opponent finally works his or her way past your other Wind monsters and can finally attack your Hunter Owl, it won’t even be destroyed in battle. Even protecting another Wind monster with Mist Body will suffice, giving you two very annoying monsters. Give this protection to Blade Fly and watch your Hunter Owl jump to 2500 ATK. Blade Fly won’t be destroyed in battle and Hunter Owl will tear even Monarchs apart. With the right support, the Owl can easily live up to its namesake.
Little Meanie
Our final card isn’t much to look at on his own, but the little Masked Chopper can get real mean when given the right support.
“If this card destroys an opponent’s monster by battle, inflict 2000 damage to your opponent.”
Masked Chopper’s printed ATK of 100 is your main hurdle to overcome. It requires the use of support cards to strengthen it for battle. Overcoming this hurdle allows Masked Chopper to flex its muscle and deal a powerful blow with its effect every time it destroys a monster in battle. While it seems straightforward, the text for this card is actually a bit more lenient than you would expect.
Destroying your opponent’s monster in battle does not have any additional provisions. The monster doesn’t have to be “sent to the graveyard,” as many effects of this variety state. This means that if your opponent’s monster is removed from play, you will still inflict your damage. It also means that you can destroy monster tokens and still deal the damage. Sheep tokens will be running scared.
Masked Chopper’s low ATK value tends to rely on offensive strategies, but with the right amount of treachery you can actually use it defensively as well. Cards like Shrink and Mirror Wall that can slash a monster’s ATK in half make your work boosting Masked Chopper’s own power easier, but the trap card Fairy Box leads to an even more interesting situation. With Fairy Box you may or may not succeed in draining the ATK of your opponent’s attacking monster to 0, but the threat of it is worsened by the effect of Masked Chopper. It’s one thing to risk losing your monster, but losing your monster and 2000 life points?
Sure it’s harsh. That’s just the kind of guy Masked Chopper is.
Until next time, send all comments and questions to Curtis@Metagame.com