YGO Card Reviews & Tips

The Granddaddy of all Archfiends! With a 2500 ATK, he was (and still is, though tied with others) the highest 1 Tribute Monster in the game. Given that most 1 tribute monsters are rated based on the "Jinzo"-scale (2400 ATK), "Summoned Skull" can take them all down and then some. He's a normal monster. While most people would view that as a negative, normal monsters have received more support in the recent sets. This is one of my all-time favorite cards. He's relatively easy to get out and provides sheer total beatdown joy. Go "Old School" with this powerhouse and bust through just about anything your opponent could try to throw at you.

Never before has there been such a versitile card such as this one. It's stats make it searchable by everything in the game, regardless of the format. 3 Stars makes it able to slip under most stalling cards like "Gravity Bind" and "Level Limit - Area B". Combo this with DNA Surgery ("Machines") and you'll be able to get THREE out on the field with "Machine Duplication". Since it's a FIRE and Pyro type monster, "Burning Algae" can work well with decks that support those types. He works well in the "Horus the Black Flame Dragon" because the do match FIRE types. He's absolutely great support for "Exodia" themed decks because your opponent will likely alter his plans while trying to figure out what you are doing. Meanwhile you're able to...

-- Couldnt find an image anyware sorry guys and girls -- FET-JP040 Lightning Vortex Magic - Normal Discard one card from your hand, destroy all opponent's face-up monsters on the field. Super Rare/Ultimate Rare thats the text i got from the Flaming eternity thread: http://nforums.netrep.net/index.php/topic,1267.0.html and original source from : http://dmcomet.vzz.net and http://98.to/ocg This card will be not "broken" to say as Annoying. With konami finally dumying down what Thunder Bolt (raigeki) should have been in the first place, this card will be yet another staple in the series of staples we currently have. BUT that doesnt mean that it wont be restricted OR make that nasty Killer snake (sinister serpent) finally leave the...

Hi there everybody, Dan here with the first of hopefully many reviews to come. For this particular article, I am going to take a look at quite a powerful Machine-type monster when it comes to defense, Gear Golem the Moving Fortress. Here's the lowdown on it: AST-018 Gear Golem the Moving Fortress Earth/Machine/4/800/2200 Pay 800 Life Points. This card can attack your opponent's Life Points directly this turn. Ultra Rare Now then, on a basic level, Gear Golem has an incredibly high DEF stat for a level 4 monster, especially considering the fact that there's no drawback to that DEF, so even if you're just looking for a decent defender for your deck, this is the card to look out for. But when you delve a little deeper into the machinery...

Lesser Fiend Level 5 Dark/Fiend ATK: 2100 DEF: 1000 As long as this card remains face-up on the field, monsters destroyed by this monster as a result of battle are removed from play instead of being sent to the Graveyard. Pros: * Monster Removal, removes monsters so they can't come back and bite you on the behind. * Stops Effects that require the card to hit the Graveyard (ie. "Sangan" and "Witch of the Black Forest") * Other effects cannot usually override "Lesser Fiend" Cons: * Does not stop flip effects like "Cyber Jar" or Trigger Effects like "D.D. Warrior Lady" or "D.D. Assailant" * Does not remove "Relinquished" from play if attacking.

From the Netrep Card Regstry: Card Name: Dark Driceratops Card Type: Effect Monster Monster Type: Dinosaur Attribute: EARTH Level: 6 Attack: 2400 Defense: 1500 Card Text: When this card attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. Truely this is a powerful tribute card. It's an Obvious must for Trample Decks (a more popular advanced format theme). It can also fit into Earth Decks well being 2400 atk, which is average for most played tributes today. It can break defense monsters that normally Airknight can't kill such as Gear Golem or Charcoal Impachi. This hasn't seen much play and I've been curious why. Any...

Happy New Years all! This is going up a little early since by Midnight I hope to be... well... figuring out what to replace "Morphing Jar" with in my deck since thanks to the USPS it needed to be signed for and I won't be able to get it now til Monday. Darn it. So here's a machine with a name that gets you worried, until you see the "#7" at the end. Actually, he's not so bad of a card esp. with the machine support in "Rise of Destiny". "Jinzo #7" can attack directly. That's a nice thing. 500 ATK means "Machine Duplication" can bring all 3 to the field. Nice. "Limiter Remover" or 2? Well, we have 3000-6000 of direct damage goodness. "Jinzo #7" really is only good in combos, but has a definate niche in a machine deck.

Here's the big one. The one Field Spell that can lock down most duels as well as provide excellent strength for the Gravekeepers. While "Necrovalley" is in play, Graveyards are off limits for the most part. Monsters can not be targeted in there for removal or reborn. Spells and traps cannot be retrieved. "Fiber Jar" is completely negated. It completely kills the ability to summon Chaos monsters. It makes Gravekeepers 500 ATK/DEF stronger, boosting most to surpass most commonly played cards. You don't need a Gravekeepers' themed deck to take advantage of "Necrovalley". Like all field spells, it will work for/against you as well as your opponent. With some careful planning though, "Necrovalley" is one of the strongest cards...

Mysterious Guard LOD-021 Mysterious Guard Attrib: Spellcaster/Effect Group: Earth Level:3 Atk: 800 Def: 1200 FLIP: Return 1 face-up monster on the field to the top of its owner's Deck. At the same time, if there is a face-up Warrior-Type monster on your side of the field, you can return another face-up monster to its owner's hand. One of the most overlooked card, when it should be over abused, Is Mysterious Guard. At first glance this card isn't that great, it sends a monster back to the top of your opponents deck, so what? Not to mention it only works on face up monsters. Also, what are the chances of using the second part of it's effect? Stop and think about this effect for a second, sending the monster from the field to...

I say why not? It's a great effect yet with a very high condition you have to deal with, your opponent gets special summon ANY monster in his graveyard in attack or defsense position. There always a way around a card, and my whole dueling career, that's what dueling to me has been all about. That's right ladies and gentleman, getting around card effect or using a card effect to perform the craziest combos ever. Examples like Jowgen+Last Turn, Magical Scientist+Catapult Turtle, etc. Back to Gilasaurus. Why play this card? Becuase it's effect is just to good to pass up, - Works good in Necrovalley decks, your opponent can't benefit from the effect of your newly Special Summoned Gilasaurus. - Special Summon Gilasaurus, your opponent...

Now this is more like it. Everytime your opponent discards a card, they take 500 damage per card discarded. "Morphing Jar" them... they'll take damage. "Card Destruction" them... they'll take damage. "Card Destruction" them after flipping a "Morphing Jar" and Chain "Serial Spell", they'll take a MESS of damage. If the card is already active and they discard a card as part of a cost to activate a spell/trap, they'll take damage. Couple this card with "Greed" and watch Deck-out decks (aka "Wormjar") take out most people within a few turns.

Any pointers on how to maximise the usage of this card? Please advice

Here's a card whose potential was greatly overlooked by most when the set list for "Rise of Destiny" was originally released, but whose comboability makes him a very powerful monster. He's a 7 Star, 2800/2000 creature. Not that bad for only a 7 Star, though 2 tributes can hurt if you normal summon him that way. His effect however lets you normal summon him without any tribute, though he becomes a 1400/1000 creature. Ok, that could hurt on it's own but let's see how to make this no tribute side of him a complete powerhouse: Book of Moon: the effect disappears, you have a 2000 defender or after he's flipped back to attack position, a free 2800. Skill Drain: normal summon him, his effect is negated so he stays 2800/2000 Megamorph...

Ah, the last of the Ultra Rare TP cards and the most overrated of the lot. "Mechanicalchaser", though dated, was a great card for its time and still is useful in Machine decks. "Morphing Jar" and "Needle Worm"... we know they were great. "Luminous Soldier"... ok... we at least knew he was rotten. "Royal Decree" on the other hand... This card negates the effects of all other trap cards while it is face-up on the field. Trap version of "Imperial Order"? Almost. Trap version of "Jinzo"? It wishes. What made "Imperial Order" so highly used and abused was the fact that you could use it for 1 turn and screw up your opponent whenever he activated a spell, not pay the maintenance costs, and then you could fire back with your own...

Well well, the "premier" card of the latest Tournament Pack series. When the best you can say is that it's a poor version of "Penumbral Soldier Lady", you know we're not talking about that great of a card (much less one that is supposed to be highly sought after like the TP Ultra Rares Usually are). 2100 Light monster that gains 500ATK when battling a Dark monster. Oh. Boy. It can kill Jinzo. Yippee. It can take out Summoned Skull. I'm shaking now. It dies to Goblin Attack Force. The best thing I can say about this card is at least I'll have better odds on pulling "Needle Worm", "Big Shield Gardna", and "Magical Thorn" from the set. Pass.

Array of Revealing Light Field Spell Declare 1 Type of monster. Any monster of the selected Type cannot attack during the turn it is Summoned (including Flip Summon and Special Summon). An oft-overlooked card, it can play havok on most themed decks. The effect is very straightforward and simple. You play it, call 1 monster type (like Warrior or Spellcaster) and it can't attack the turn it was summoned. While I wouldn't main deck this card (unless I'm running a "Pyramid of Light" theme) it easily fits nicely in a side deck. Considering the strength of most theme decks such as Warriors or Zombies is to get many monsters on the field in 1 shot and all attack, this can effective stall them out so you can mount a better...

Harpies' Hunting Ground Field Spell When "Harpie Lady" or "Harpie Lady Sisters" is Normal Summoned or Special Summoned to the field, destroy 1 Spell or Trap card on the field. Increase the ATK and DEF of all face-up Winged Beast-Type monsters on the field by 200 points. One of the newer cards and one that helps give some strength to Harpie decks. The ATK/DEF boost is good and coupled with "Harpie Lady 1", your Wind based Winged Beasts will be quite potent. The second effect is nicer where you get to destroy 1 Spell or Trap on the field. Keep in mind though that if there are no other Spell/Trap cards on the field, then you must destroy "Harpies' Hunting Ground". All and all, a fairly solid card in a Harpie deck that will...

Here's a handy little guy that is greatly overlooked by most players. Why? Cause he's a 1 tribute 5 Star monster with only an 1800 ATK, meaning he's not going to be staying around for too long. His effect however can really make it worth while. He is the "Jinzo" for Spell Cards. While he's on the field, no spells can be activated and all others are negated. This would put a severe hurting on most people. He's also a WIND creature so surprisingly, he can fit in with the new Harpie themed decks that give bonus' to WIND creatures (and help him survive a bit longer). Ultimately in the end, he may not survive as long as "Jinzo" would, but in a Trap heavy deck with the right support creatures, watch as he will give your opponent fits trying...

Well, this may or may not be moved. Also, CotD will probably take a short hiatus while the boards are being moved so if you don't see one over the next couple of days, you know why. To finish up Machine week we have... Jinzo. Ok, he fits into about every possible deck that can be built because of that ability to negate the activation and effect of all traps. Plus he's a 1-Tribute, 2400 Attacker, so he can hold his own against most monsters as well. Is there anyone who doesn't know the power of Jinzo? All I will say is enjoy him until he graces the next banned list, cause his effect on the metagame is that huge (and just imagine how much things will change without him as a playable card).

This is one of the "big" ones. Not only is he the newest Archfiend to hit Yu-Gi-Oh TCG, he is one of the most saught after cards in the game right now. At 2200/2500, the stats are decent for a 6 Star, though most people are not decking him for his stats. His effect, where after he is sent to the graveyard, he can come back to the field as an equip card and take 500 ATK of the monster he is equipped to. Now, let me preface this by saying, HIS EFFECT IS OPTIONAL. Therefore, like "Peten the Dark Clown", "Archfiend of Gilfer" being sent to the graveyard must be the last thing to occur in order to activate his effect (the 2 cards have the same timing issues). That said, play "Painful Choice", dump 3 in the graveyard... have all 3 come back...