Bill: Okay, so you set one card face down last turn. I’ll summon Breaker the Magical Warrior in attack mode. If you can’t chain, then I’ll remove Breaker’s spell counter to destroy that face down card.

Tom: Ugh . . . it was Mirror Force.

Bill: I figured as much. I’ll attack directly and end.

Tom: I’ll draw. I set a monster and two face down cards. That ends my turn.

Bill: I’ll draw. I sacrifice Breaker the Magical Warrior to summon Jinzo. This will negate those face down traps. I’ll now play Nobleman of Crossout to remove that face down monster from play.

Tom: This sucks . . . I swear, everybody plays Breaker and Jinzo. They may as well quit making new trap cards, as it’s pointless.

Bill: Come on Tom. It’s not that bad, since it’s situational to draw them. Besides, at least I don’t use a Yata that cost $100.

Tom: At least I didn’t drop my first edition Pharaoh’s Servant Jinzo into the paper shredder.

Bill: I attack, end my turn . . . DRAW ALREADY!

Tom: Hehe . . . looks like I hit a nerve. *grins*

Upon the release of Pharaoh’s Servant, Jinzo became a wildly popular card used by practically everyone who owned it. The card was destructive—a 2400 ATK Dark monster that stops the use of trap cards. This left duelists that enjoyed traps, or those who didn’t own Jinzo, at a serious disadvantage in tournaments. The release of Jinzo in a booster tin helped balance the number of people who owned the card.

Breaker the Magical Warrior has also become the desired object of many duelists. It’s either beatdown material at 1900 ATK when normal summoned, or spell and trap removal by reducing its attack strength back to its original 1600. It’s another card users of traps hate . . . but are these cards really necessary in every deck? Probably not, but you’ll still see both Jinzo and Breaker, the oppressors of trap cards, in almost every deck at a tournament.


The Breakdown

Jinzo is one of the strongest Machines in the Yu-Gi-Oh! card pool. Its ATK is 2400, which dominates almost every monster used in Regional tournaments (of course being lower than the Chaos monsters). Jinzo’s ability is pretty self-explanatory as well. While this Machine is face up on the field, it negates all traps that are already active and prevents either player from activating trap cards. Basically, Jinzo can negate the annoying Imperial Order while it’s out on the field, and it keeps your monsters safe from attacking straight into a Mirror Force trap. Though its defense may become a weakness in the face of certain cards, such as Tsukuyomi, it makes Jinzo a little more versatile, as it can be searched and added to your hand from your deck through the effect of Witch of the Black Forest. It’s no wonder this card is popular.

Breaker the Magical Warrior is also quite popular. When it’s successfully normal summoned, which means it’s summoned to the field and there is nothing that will negate the summon, you can add one spell counter to it. While this spell counter is on Breaker, its attack power will be 300 ATK higher, making it a decent 1900 ATK, level 4 monster. During your main phase, you can discard that spell counter from Breaker to destroy one of your opponent’s spell or trap cards. This isn’t bad if it means you’re destroying a Mirror Force or Swords of Revealing Light, but what about Ring of Destruction, Waboku, or Torrential Tribute? Breaker’s effect, unlike Mystical Space Typhoon, is only spell speed 1. This means it cannot be chained onto anything like Ring of Destruction. In fact, the opponent can destroy Breaker before it even has the spell counter placed on it, meaning you can’t simply claim priority when you summon Breaker to destroy one of your opponent’s spell or trap cards, like Exiled Force and Cannon Soldier.


The Cards in the Metagame

Jinzo has been a popular card in the metagame since its release back in late 2002. This thing was a godsend to duelists who were lucky enough to pull or buy one, and it meant high amounts of tournament losses to those who were unfortunately unable to obtain it. In the current metagame, fewer traps are used, but Jinzo still runs rampant in decks. It’s usually the only high level monster in many Control decks, and the Machine still single handedly shuts down any and all traps that might give your opponent the slightest chance at victory.

Breaker the Magical Warrior has also seen constant play since its release . . . and frankly, I don’t undrestand why. This card is certainly great for generic Beatdown, though I hardly condone using random monsters with good attack strength. Its spell and trap destruction effect is also a nice bonus. However, many tournament duelists forget that Breaker can only be normal summoned to get that initial spell counter, and that this comes after your opponent responds to Breaker in any way. This means your opponent can activate Torrential Tribute or Ring of Destruction on Breaker as soon as it hits the field, meaning it won’t get a counter. This effectively wastes your turn’s normal summon and your potential attack bonus with a destruction effect.


How to Use/Counter These Cards

Jinzo is a fantastic high-level monster. For only one tribute, you can summon a 2400 ATK trap-negating killer onto the field. Since Jinzo is a Machine-type monster, there’s quite a bit of support to back it up. Limiter Removal works wonders with this card. Most of the time, your opponent won’t waste spell and trap removal while Jinzo is on the field, since they’ll figure your set cards are just useless traps. If your opponent manages to overcome Jinzo’s attack strength with another monster, activate a set Limiter Removal or two to boost Jinzo up into gargantuan proportions. Your opponent will be left on the scrap heap after such a counterattack. If you’re on the receiving end of Jinzo’s effect, then your best hope is to take it down as soon as possible with any monster removal, such as Dark Hole. Control cards like Snatch Steal work well too, and controlling Jinzo can easily change the opponent’s advantage to your victory. Negating its summon works too, using counter traps such as Horn of Heaven or Solemn Judgment, which respond to Jinzo’s actual summon. Using these counter traps, Jinzo never hits the field and is destroyed quickly and effectively.

As a bonus, the use of Jinzo makes a one-turn kill deck very powerful. If you have the life points, and your opponent has nothing else on the field that can destroy your monsters (make sure all your opponent’s monsters are face-up in attack mode), summon Magical Scientist. Pay 3000 life points to special summon three Dark Flare Knights from your deck. Have all three Dark Flare Knights attack Jinzo. You’ll take no damage through Dark Flare Knight’s effect, and because of their kamikaze battle, you can special summon three Mirage Knights from your hand or deck to the field. Using Mirage Knight’s effect, you’ll deal 2800 damage every time Mirage Knight successfully attacks and destroys an attack mode monster in battle, unless your opponent activated Waboku or Kuriboh during the turn. Using all three Mirage Knights, the total damage you’ll deal is 8400, excluding Magical Scientist, which is the same amount that is dealt using the Dark Magician of Chaos one-turn kill in the previous article on chaos monsters.

Breaker the Magical Warrior is, without a doubt, best suited to Spellcaster decks. Many cards in Magician’s Force help support Breaker, with Apprentice Magician being one of the most useful. By summoning Apprentice Magician, you’ll be able to refuel Breaker’s spell counter, allowing you to increase its attack or destroy another spell or trap on the opponent’s field. This allows for a quite a bit of spell and trap destruction, leaving your opponent with few options.

Breaker the Magical Warrior is also easy to shut down. Most of the time, Breaker’s effect will be used immediately to destroy one of your cards. Its attack goes back down to 1600, allowing most monsters to easily pummel it into the ground. If the opponent has chosen to use Breaker as an attacker by leaving the spell counter attached, try to take control of Breaker via Change of Heart or Snatch Steal. You’ll be able to use the spell counter this turn, and you’ll have an attacker, defender, or monster to tribute.


Are These Cards Over or Underrated?

Jinzo is a monster that deserves to be feared. Its effect can turn any duel into your favor, and it’s been proven as one of the most useful high-level monsters you can put into your deck. This monster, despite its obviously good effect and attack strength, shouldn’t be placed into every deck, though. However, this card certainly isn’t overrated, as its strength is pretty obvious. The power Jinzo possesses is remarkable, and many duelists want to use that power in a generic deck.

Breaker, on the other hand, is highly overrated. It’s easy to defeat, easy to counter, and easy to use to your own advantage. Perhaps if there were more decks to use Breaker’s attribute and monster type, I’d give this monster more credit, but frankly, there is no support for Breaker in most tournament-winning decks. The best thing you can use with Breaker is Apprentice Magician, and those aren’t very common at Regional tournaments. However, despite all of this, it’s a nice monster that will be useful occasionally, but not nearly as useful as something like Jinzo in a deck without a theme. Both trap oppressors easily kill the use of trap cards in a deck.

Didn’t think trap oppression was enough? I didn’t think so. Monster oppression is great, too, as that is the main guard between your defenses and your life points. Prepare for the analysis of the monster killers of the tournaments, Exiled Force and Tribe-Infecting Virus. They’ll be going under the overrated/underrated microscope soon.

As always, if you have questions, please send to them to me at Mrosenberg@metagame.com. I’m also taking card analysis requests, if you’d like an underrated card to be highlighted in hopes of it being used more. I’m always looking for ways to get out of choosing cards myself . . . er, I mean, I’m always looking to give people what they want.