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Post by Shizuma Matsuna on Sept 29, 2008 10:37:21 GMT -5
As we all know, San Melina allows it's players to become more creative than just creating a character and a deck. We also allow you to create some of the fantasy cards you have dreamed of wielding via the custom card system. So starting today, with the help of some of the wonderful staff here, I'll be reviewing some of these cards to give you all some insight into them. Now there are some rules to this so let me go ahead and get through them now. 1) First and foremost, no Flaming. I cannot stress that enough it's already in the basic rules and I ask that it be followed here. 2) Once the card of the day is posted, feel free to give your own reviews and opinions of today's featured card. 3) Only cards posted by myself and other custom card reviewers are allowed to be posted. Posting one of your own will get the post deleted, if you wish to become a card reviewer feel free to contact The Academy with your request. Now that all the legalities are out of the way, I'll open up with today's Card of the Day... Ragtime Mouse I
MRVY-EN027
EARTH
Beast-Warrior/Effect
********
ATK: 0
DEF: 0
This monster cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This monster may only be Special Summoned if there are no cards on your field. You may ask your opponent what the monster with the highest ATK in your Graveyard is. If your opponent answers correctly, end your turn. If your opponent answers incorrectly, this card’s Original ATK and DEF become the same as the highest ATK and DEF in your opponent’s Graveyard.
Ultra Rare/Ultimate Rare This card is brought to us by Andromeda LeFay from Materializer's Victory. Now as far as I'm concerned, this card is one of the more interesting emergency cards I have ever seen. It's summoning requirement means that you have to be down to bare bones before you can summon out this little guy. Now like Question, this card requires that your opponent pay attention to what has been happening this duel, if even one detail is forgotten or missed, this card can become very powerful or a perfect defender. There is however, another good use for this mouse, if you have a single tribute monster in your hand no matter if you ask or not you can tribute this mouse to call on another more powerful monster. Or you can set another monster in your hand if you have one by the time you play this and add on another defender. This card is not without it's risks however as if you ask the question and your opponent is right...then you can do no more this turn, which can be devastating by the time you'll need to summon this guy. Overall, I'll give this card a 3.75 out of 5...it has great use but as a gamble card, it's not always going to prove usefu. Okay, I've said my peace on this card, now let me hear what you think of Ragtime Mouse I, I'll be back tomorrow with another card of the day, Ja Ne! |
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Post by mora on Sept 29, 2008 11:33:33 GMT -5
The Ragtime Mouse, an irritatingly deadly little critter if proper attention isn't paid, but if it is, could spell doom for the user.
The Ragtime Mice (yes, there is more than one) are like a form of Question, slammed into a monster, and on some serious drugs. This has not, however, put a damper in their potancy. The general design of a Ragtime Mouse is this: Whenyou have nothing left, summon it, it asks your opponent a question about the duel at hand, and if your opponent can't answer, or answers incorrectly, it gains some major boost and/or killer ability.
The dangers come in a variety of flavors. Everything granted Ragtime Mouse from its effect is by it's effect, so if that can be negated, you're left with 0 ATK and probably in Attack Mode. The same thing happens if your opponent is right. And odds are if you're that far gone in terms of field control, the margin for error is slim.
Also, with this particular Ragtime Mouse, it requires the opponent to have something in their grave with enough brute force to change the tide of the duel.
Ragtime Mice in general are good last-ditch efforts, and while not useful as a Plan A, prehaps a Plan C or D?
I give Ragtime Mouse three slices of cheese out of five.
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Post by tamba on Sept 30, 2008 7:40:32 GMT -5
I must say I find myself attracted to this card but then again I found myself attracted to Cloudians so... I'll have to agree with both of you on it being a last ditch effort. My dueling style more revolves around keeping the duel under my own control and OHK'ing with a Dark Bribe in the background.
Another little issue I have with this card is it's unreliability on site dueling. Whats to stop people going back over their posts to find the bottom card of their deck. I know thats out of context though, just my opinion.
In conclusion, it's a card I quite personally find too risky. It's a better version of something like White Hole or Anti-Raigeki, relying too much on the opponent for my liking. 2 3/4 out of 5.
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Post by lynn on Sept 30, 2008 10:31:44 GMT -5
Speaking of last-ditch efforts... Heart Reborn
AOA-EN057
Trap, Counter
You can only activate this card when your Life Points reach zero. Discard your entire hand. Your Life Points become 2000.
Ultimate Rare This card comes from our oldest set, Awakening of the Ancients by Katsu Lantash. How it basically works is this: you lose from life-point-death, you activate this baby, and you're back in the game. Sure, the cost is losing your hand, but that beats losing the game, right? This card is the ultimate second chance. The 2000 Life Points gives you, I figure, about one turn to turn things around, and if you can't, you were on borrowed time anyway. It's a great stop-gap measure to prolong a duel, too. But more deadly would be a combination of this card and Self-Destruct Button. The main issue, since this card is limited to one, would be timing, as it would be in any deck. But HR and SDB would create an instant win combination, rather than playing to draw as SDB decks had until now. By my reckoning, this card really ought to border on a staple, only hindered, really, by the inherent problems with traps in the metagame. Heart Reborn gets five Ankhs out of five. |
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Post by Shizuma Matsuna on Sept 30, 2008 10:35:33 GMT -5
Now I have heard it said that this can very easily become a staple in most decks and at this point I can see why. This card is something I like to call "The Second Chance". Heart Reborn gives duelists one last chance to pull out the victory if they have been taking a pounding. Now, the cost of this card is very very steep, the loss of your entire hand makes for this card being very high risk because then you are top decking.
There is ways around this as in setting the cards you want in your hand before you feel you have to play this card. However, again, if your opponent hits Heavy Storm and you have no counter, this card will end up lost to you and your second chance is gone. Another issue to watch for is Solemn and Dark Bribe with this card, if your opponent set one, or has Jinzo on the field the duel is already over. Also it has been limited to one, so players are only going to get one Second Chance.
This trap I believe is a great card in spite of it's weaknesses and risks and should definitely be looked at as a staple. But again I warn duelists to prepare ahead of time if they can for when they have to use this card. So all in all I will give Heart Reborn....5 out of 5 it is a greatly balanced card and can be used in just about any deck.
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Post by tamba on Sept 30, 2008 19:15:17 GMT -5
Being a Cloudian fan I must say this card has massive appeal for me, I find that due to my main focus behind building up field advantage and not hand advantage this card is a certain implementation into my next tweaking.
It must be noted however that the card is certainly a last ditch effort but it still needs to be played well. If you don't have a card in your hand, you can't activate this and your gone from the duel.
However I will still say that this card holds massive appeal for me. If my opponent can get rid of a Sanctuary or Spirit Barrier and throw in some massive attacks then Iv'e got this to back me up until my next turn when I can use the Fog Counters I should have been setting up to clear their field and hopefully draw another Sanctuary or Spirit Barrier, considering I deck 6 of them in a 42 card deck.
All in all, asides from the minor issue regarding smart play, which I don't mind. 4.5/5
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Post by Shizuma Matsuna on Oct 1, 2008 12:55:07 GMT -5
Now we go from Emergancy Cards to something a little different with today's Card of the Day.... Angel Wings
FCE-EN060
Trap
Pay 2000 Life Points. This card cannot be removed from the field until your third Stand-by Phase. While this card remains face-up on the field, each time you activate a Normal or Quickplay spell card, activate it twice. Negate any cost of Normal or Quickplay spell cards. After the third turn, remove all Spell Cards in your Graveyard from play.
Ultra Rare/Ultimate Rare This card is brought to us by Katsu Lantashfrom Force of the Elements. This trap brings back some great Memories of Final Fantasy 8, and Rinoa's Angel Wing Limit Break. Anyway Nostalgia aside, this card costs a lot and looks great on print...but in a duel, you have to excercise the utmost caution. While you negate any costs having to come from cards like My Body as a Shield or Brain Control, the fact that you have to activate it twice can backfire quickly for the copy effect is not an option. For Example, if one were to use Mystical Space Typhoon while your opponent only has one S/T on the field, you can destroy the first one...but then you have to destroy one of your own cards. Another example is one I got from Linnis recently, she used this in a duel and copied Magical Dimension...she was forced to give up her Dark Magician Girl only to be left with an Old Vindictive Magician, a huge downgrade from Dark Magician Girl. The cost to use this is 1/4th of your life points, that's pretty steep but the effects of this card can cause great devistation too. For Example, a drawing card like Destiny Draw or Allure of Darkness can be used to cycle even more quickly than before, but again caution must be taken especially if you are playing this late in the duel. Also Brain Control can be used to grab two possible Tribute Fodders for a more powerful monster. So this card is far without it's merit. This card is Limited and for good reason, the copy effect of this card can be devistating if used right, but again the risks can be high for this card... So at the end of the day I think I'll give Angel Wings, a solid 4.25 out of 5. |
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Post by mora on Oct 1, 2008 17:44:30 GMT -5
Anything that isn't an elective effect is a risk. An effect that copies an earlier effect, doubly so. But this can be used to extreme advantage too.
Shizuma posed situations where problems could arise, but thinking of more specific deck types, Spellcasters, Burn decks, and Otome decks can make a lot of use of this handy little trap. It all comes down to strategic play, and intelligent players. And as we'll see with "Nyoro~n" on Saturday, even mistakes can be dealt with effectively.
Angle Wings, like the limit break it was named for, grants you a sort of spellcasting berserk, where your potency is greatly increased, but your discrimination of target is a little less so. So, all you really need to make maximum use of Angel Wings is preparedness.
Angel Wings gets four little white feathers out of five.
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Post by lynn on Oct 2, 2008 2:03:55 GMT -5
Here's something interesting... Servant – Caster
DotT-011
****
Dark Attribute/Spellcaster/Effect
ATK: 1900/DEF: 1500
Effect: While this monster is face up on the field, once per turn you may discard one spell from your hand to use the effect of one spell card in either player's graveyard. If you use this effect, you must wait one turn before the effect of the spell’s effect resolves during the start of your next Standby Phase, and you may not activate this effect until the selected spell resolves. This card comes from CCotD Reviewer Shizuma Matsuna and is arguably the most versitile card in his Defenders of the Twilight set. While it has strengths, it also has weaknesses, making this an interesting and well-balanced card. The wording makes several things about Caster unique. First of all, it takes the Diamond Dude concept and throws it for a spin of targeting the Graveyard. Now, to prevent spamming this for a Monster Reborn a turn, there's something of a quid pro quo effect, requiring you dump a spell before using Caster's effect. I'd have to check the comparison between her wording and Diamond Dude's, but I'm fairly sure that because the spell is activated by her effect, and not it's own, costs of the spell and preconditions are negated, but Equip and Continuous Spells aren't valid targets for her effect. That's pretty potent, and earned her her spot as a restricted (to 2, if I'm not mistaken) card. But there's another aspect to her that invokes an element of strategy. Whatever spell's effect is activated by her doesn't resolve until the user's next Stand-By Phase. Now, given her wording, the spell still resolves even if she's destroyed before then, but it's hard to determine the conditions of the game a turn in advance, so it's hard to foresee what you'll need. I'm personally wondering what she's REALLY capable of, and eager to see her in play. Four magic wands out of five. |
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Post by harpie on Oct 2, 2008 2:13:28 GMT -5
This card certainly has a lot of appeal, a Dark Attribute, a level 4 monster with Better than average attack and an effect that can change the face of a duel rather easily. An easy summon of something like Water Dragon which otherwise may seem pointless is attractive to me because of Water Dragon's aftermath effect.
It's a risky card though and one can lose a hand advantage quickly enough if they aren' careful
enough when it comes to the discarding cost.
On another note, could this card be used in conjunction with Angel Wings or can't it? I'm not exactly sure but that could prove a rather devestating combination in almost any situation considering that this card is only Semi-Limited.
3.5/5
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Post by The Academy on Oct 2, 2008 2:47:15 GMT -5
Ruling!
It cannot. The Spell Card itself isn't activated, it's effect is a product of Caster's effect, therefore, it is not treated as an activated Spell Card, and does not count toward the effect of Angel Wings. Besides, talk about risky and unpredictable.
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Post by tamba on Oct 2, 2008 2:51:33 GMT -5
Thanks for clearing that up. I still say it's a revolutionary card but perhaps not enough to break through in any of mine decks. Good luck with it's use everyone.
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Post by Shizuma Matsuna on Oct 2, 2008 13:31:28 GMT -5
This happens to be one of the cards I made images for so here you go everyone....  Now aside from how sweet looking she is...now it's time for me to review my card. I find that Caster has good balance and her effect and ATK can make her useful in almost any deck but especially Spellcaster and Servant decks. The main issue with her is the fact that in order to use her effect you just cant drop any card it must be a spell and depending on what deck she's in those could be precious. All the while, though, she can also be a toolbox in herself being able to copy spells in the grave. Though like Linnis said, the trick with her effect is to predict the duel conditions by the time your turn comes again. If you chose Brain Control and your opponent has no Face-Up monsters you just wasted this effect and the spell you discarded for it. Now there is another deck that finds some use from Caster...Exodia Decks. Even when you've used your Drawing Cards, you can still use them with Caster on the field copying the effects of those drawing cards. Like Linnis as well, I want to see Servant - Caster in action, so hopefully we'll get that chance in the near future. I give Servant - Caster a 4 out of 5 |
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Post by Shizuma Matsuna on Oct 3, 2008 17:23:35 GMT -5
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Post by lefay on Oct 3, 2008 23:07:30 GMT -5
I'm gonna pretend it's still yesterday.
Fire-Sting is a little tricky to assess. First glance makes you worry, since it requires a card in it's grave to initiate it's effect... the flipside, though, is that the card it needs in the grave has the effect of adding it to your hand. So, it's actually way more playable than the effect suggests.
Moreover, with an Otome support structure in your deck, there are a variety of cards allowing you a Special Summon of a monster added to your hand by the corresponding GeEM, and with the GEM being quickplay, there's no doubt that Fire Sting works best in a deck that's designed to support Otome.
But not only does she fit well in any deck as Shizuma pointed out, or in Spellcaster and Otome decks as I explained, she can actually be the heart and soul of a deck, with support cards just for her like "Fire Sting Child Kagatsuchi" and "Element Weapon - Fire Rings". Otome monsters are typically like that, and two or three put together can make an interesting deck indeed.
Because of the many ways in which to integrate Ruby into play, she should definately get a first and second glance.
I give her four ruby earrings our of five.
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Post by lynn on Oct 3, 2008 23:40:08 GMT -5
Nyoro~n
MRVY-EN060
Trap, Counter
Negate one of your own Spell, Trap or Monster Effects.
Rare/Ultimate Rare One of the last cards I posted as Andromeda LeFay before Sondra took the account back yesterday. "Nyoro~n" hails from Materializer's Victory and looks a little confusing at first glance. "How is that good?" Well, hypothetical person I invented for this post, the answer is simple. Remember those other Cards of the Day we posted? "Well, that card's risky, but worth the reward!" What do you think could help quell the risk. "Negating the effect of your own card" you say? True enough, that with the right combination of cards, you can probably negate everything. But nothing provides such a quick and easy recall of a mistake for free. That's right, hypothetical person, I said free. And unlimited. The issues here are also pretty straight-forward. One, there are cards out there that might force this card's activation. Not many, but they exist. The more problematic issue is that not every duel will need to have something taken back. And generally, the ones that do, it's hard to time the error so Nyoro~n cna fix it. Which brings us to another use of Nyoro~n. Ever get tired of monsters with self-destructive effects, orspells and traps that take the targeted monster to the grave with it? Nyoro~n doesn't only negate things following their activation. It can target any of your cards. And Nyoro~n is a lot more focused and targeted than, say, Skill Drain. It can be used in most side or main decks, and can help in a lot of situations. Plus, and I'll edit the picture in later if Shizuma doesn't find it first, this card is freaking adorable. For these reasons and so many more, Nyoro~n gets five adorable smiles (:3) out of five. |
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Post by lucasgemini on Oct 4, 2008 0:08:19 GMT -5
 This card is freaking adorable, I must say and quite the bail out card too. Linnis did mention the inherent risks of this card and let's face facts how are we going to know when we are going to mess up or want to negate a negative effect. But there are some other good uses, I know skill drain decks will love this card because it can negate the effects of some key monsters like Chainsaw insect or Goblin Attack Force. Also on the chance you have set this card and you do make a mistake, it is the legal way to take it back which is in my opinion pretty nice. And plus it's so darn cute you just want to pick it up and take it home. For it being your basic insurance card, I think I'll give Nyoro~n a 5 out of 5 too, the risks make it balanced just right. |
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Post by dawncascada on Oct 4, 2008 10:44:33 GMT -5
Nothing to say that hasn't already been said, really. Though I'm wearing my "Nyoro~n" shirt right now. Stars and stones, there might be cuter cards, but not many.
4.5/5
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Post by Shizuma Matsuna on Oct 5, 2008 12:11:20 GMT -5
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Post by lynn on Oct 6, 2008 9:50:35 GMT -5
Not much to say on yesterday's, but today, we're in league with Nyoro~n in the "cute and deadly" game. Teddy Bear - Bear
KR-EN032
Earth
Beast/Effect
**
Attack: 500
Defense: 200
You can tribute this card to destroy 1 Monster on the field. During your 2nd Standby Phase, after you've used this effect, when this card is in your Graveyard you may Special Summon this card from your Graveyard to the field in face up Attack Position.
Common A cute bear that'll cut you! This comes from the mind of Marvelo Namaguchi in his Knight's Revolution. One thing Custom Cards do is bring us new aspects of play, like the controversial Heart Reborn, or Angel Wings, which will probably also get me flack sooner or later. It's my system, put up or shut up, Miyama. You don't like it, make your own damn cards. The other thing Custom Cards do is reimagine old ways of doing things. This adoreably little bear is a hybrid of Exiled and Treeborn, and now that I've seen it, is probably going ot get minimally Semi-Limited. Offer, wait, offer again. It's like Exiled with less of a hassle and in a cuter package. The downside is, the stats. Pretty lame, and if hit with Skill Drain or played at an inopportune time, could mean serious LP damage to the user. While not as risky as Ragtime Mouse, it also is a little less rewarding. If predicting conditions a turn in advance is hard, like we said with Caster, than this little guy needs to be played pretty smart too. A case could be made here for a slightly broken effect, since it regenerates your cost, but I think that the waiting period balances enough to justify semi-limitation. Of course, like many cards, we'll know when we see it in the game. 4 plushe pets our of 5 |
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