Malaysia WCQ is coming to the corner!

Hieratic - another META other than Inzektor in OCG format

Hey, guys! I'm back. Sorry for not updating so frequently. This is due to I'm too busy with my current job and I have spend more than 48 hours per week just for completing the task on time. Anyway, I will still spend my time for sharing my thoughts and knowledge with you guys.

So I will join WCQ 2012 this time due to I didn't join the ACS 2012 during last time. Although this is my 5th time(including this time) for joining this event, I still have the feeling of nervousness during the tournament. Hopefully, I can overcome this feeling and perform well during the event.

Many of the Yugioh players keep on quitting from Yugioh and kick-start at Card Fight!Vanguard especially those that just learn to play Yugioh not long ago. Yugioh is a TCG where you would need a lot of skill and knowledge plus some luck, CFV is much more straight forward compare with Yugioh because they more focus on luck and some skill play.

The biggest difference among Yugioh and CFV is Yugioh allow you to play mind/strategy game whereas CFV lack of it. Many of the players blame on the inflation of Yugioh but they haven't realize the inflation of CFV also increase drastically. Many of the players still thought CFV is cheap card game but the truth is the price of building a CFV deck is started increasing nowadays.

In Yugioh, most of the useful card is harder to pull out from the booster. The same thing is happening on CFV now. Thus please don't be surprise if you feel that CFV also applied the same business strategy as Yugioh because they also want to increase the sales. I'm not bias with CFV but all these conclusion are made after I have analyzed the Bushiroad marketing strategy.

Most of the time, only certain deck in Yugioh would have the same engine while most of the CFV deck would have the same engine. As a result, CFV less emphasize on the skill play while Yugioh players need to emphasize on the skill play due to some decks lack of the engine to work around. Yugioh allow player to play psychology game as well. These are the uniqueness of Yugioh.

For those whose plan to join WCQ, please bear in mind that have enough of rest before the day of event and play test your deck as much as possible before you join the event. Those whose not qualified in top 16 including myself would find difficulty into the other top 16 spots due to the tournament format is single-elimination. Therefore, please prepare yourself as confident as possible.

Before I ended my post, I would like to share a ruling regarding Inzektor Hornet/Gruf. They are treated as EQUIP SPELL card when it is send from the field to the graveyard and the effect that apply when they are treated as equip card(Increase level and 500 atk point) is treated as EQUIP SPELL card effect. Thus Forbidden Lance also can't drop them off from the equipped monster.

When they are send from the field to the graveyard to activate their effect(destruction/increase level), the effect is an cost and treated as EQUIP SPELL card effect thus even Divine Wrath or Herald of Perfection also can't stop it. Their effect are activate from the field thus Soul Drain can't prevent their effect from activate.

Okay, that's all I gonna share today. Thanks for your precious time and wish you guys good luck in preparing the WCQ that gonna held next Sunday. Please stay tuned for my next post.

Are you kidding with me again, Konami?

Hey, guys! Today I will share the news regarding the upcoming SD, SD23 that will be released in OCG within 2 more weeks. The new SD is surrounding with the theme of Sea-Serpent and many rare cards is reprinted in this SD. Eg, Abyss Soldier, Snowman Eater, Pot of Avarice, Chain Disappearance and etc.

This SD also have a TCG exclusive card which is Lost Blue Breaker and it is firstly reprint in this SD for OCG. Therefore, it is a good combo for Deep Sea Diva to destroy the set card of your opponent. It can also enable you to synchro summon level 5 monster with the help of Deep Sea Diva.

This SD is totally focus on the effect of Deep Sea Diva and those Atlantean monster. However, I still can't figure out its cover card, Atlantean Dragon Poseidra can generate what kind of advantage compare with the previous SD cover cards. Besides that, it also not easy to SS compare with previous SD cover cards because it requires 3 level 3 sea-serpent to SS from the hand or graveyard.

The upcoming booster pack, Abyss Rising(ABSY)'s Mermail is a boost to this SD and it can combine with this SD easily. Hopefully, you guys will try to combine and play it because I can see that the mechanism of the Mermail can combine with this SD although they are belong to 2 different types. Anyway, please try it before you conclude the play style of this SD.

The discussion for the SD will be ended here and I will continue with my strategy play here. Basically, if I were to play any of the deck, I will try to find out the key card(s) and how the combo works around. If I haven't figure it out, then I will not compete in any of the events because I want to make sure myself is fully understood of my build so that I can generate huge advantages from the play.

However, I will play test my deck every time in DN or real life so that I can have the feel of the deck build. Anyway, I won't believe the result of play test in DN because the result is not as accurate as the life time duel. Always try to spend your time and play your deck face-to-face with you friends so that you can learn from the play and correct your play as time go by.

Apart from that, do observation on your friend's play and always figure several times for your next move before you decide to play the move. You need to think wisely what is the move that enable you to generate huge advantages. With this thought, you will able to play your game wisely and a step forward from your opponent.

Besides that, always observe the way your opponent play the game. Through the observation, you can know how to slow it down or disturb the tempo. You should also practice have no facial expression when you are dueling. This is to avoid your opponent can know how bad situation you are facing now. Many of the top players will have this attitude and you may thought it as arrogant.

Okay, that's all I gonna share to you guys today! Thanks for your time and wish you guys have a nice day! Please stay tuned for my next post and don't hesitate to leave any comments here.

Headache for siding cards?

Hey, guys! Sorry for long time not updating my blog due to I'm too busy with my current job. Today I'm back for posting some side deck recommendation to you guys so that you guys can have some preparation for the WCQ that almost comes to the corner.

Before I proceed to the main topic of this post, I would like to re-answer how does Soul Drain can stop the Rabbit Laggia combo. I have make a wrong answer regarding this question and I apologize based on the wrong answer that provided by me previously. Soul Drain can't stop the effect of Rescue Rabbit from activate due to its effect is activate from the field.

Now we left with 4 more weeks to prepare for the World Championship Qualifier at Malaysia. Hopefully, everyone will think of their side decks carefully and many Tier 1.5 or 2 decks will compete in this event thus please over-rated of the Malaysia's environment. I can predict that TG Agent Fairy, Six Samurai, Gravekeeper, Dark World, Machina Geargia and etc will enter the top 16 due to many players will not well prepare for their side to against these decks.

Okay, let's me introduce some OCG Official side cards that can be used to against most of the META decks.
1. Overworked/Compulsory Evacuation Device
With the overwhelmed of Inzektor and some Heroic OTK deck, you can shut them down instantly with Overworked. CED can be included in your side if you lack of Forbidden Lance and it is good to get rid of most of the Synchro or Xyz monster.

2. Chain Disappearance/Mischief of the Yokai
Chain Disappearance is one of the best cards that should be included in your side deck to against most of the META deck such as Rescue Rabbit, Inzektor and etc. Apart from that, it can help to combo with Mind Crush. Mischief of the Yokai can be used to interrupt most of the META decks so that they can't Xyz or Synchro summon so easily. Eg, Inzektor, Rabbit Laggia, Hieratic, Wind-Up and etc.

3. D.D Crow/Maxx C/Effect Veiler
D.D Crow is a must for almost every deck and this card can be put in side at almost any format. Useful against Dark World, Machina, Inzektor and etc. Maxx C is useful when you meet with Wind-Up, Hieratic, HC OTK, Machina or etc deck that heavily rely on OTK/FTK whereas Effect Veiler is extremely useful in this environment because you can shut down almost any monster effect that activate on the field.

4. Royal Decree/Trap Stun
Many of the META decks will focus on the amount of traps in their deck and this card can shut the trap plays for several moments.

5. Forbidden Lance/Forbidden Chalice
Most of the time when you enter 2nd match, your opponent will side in a lot of spell/trap and you can stop those spell/trap by using Lance. In order to shut down yours or your opponent monster effect, you can use Chalice to temporary shut it down.

6. Cyber Dragon & Chimeratech Fortress Dragon
Cyber Dragon is one of the machine monster that almost can be fill into any deck so that you can get rid of Machina Fortress, Geargiganto X, Wind-Up Zenmaines and etc machine-type monster easily with the fusion summon of Chimeratech Fortress Dragon.

7. My Body As Shield/Safety Zone
A cheaper substitution card for players that lack of Forbidden Lance since so many cards capable to destroy your monster nowadays. Eg, Dark Hole, Torrential Tribute, BTH, Lair Wire and etc.

8. Soul Drain/Skill Drain
With Soul Drain, you can against most of the META decks because some of the META deck monster effect is activate from the graveyard or banish zone. Eg, Hieratic, Dark World, Madolche and etc. Skill Drain can help you to lock down most of your opponent's monster effect from resolving and with protection of traps you able to generate advantages.

9. Snowman Eater/Ryko
Both of them capable to destroy any monster on the field or slow down the tempo. Useful when you meet with Rabbit Laggia, Machina and etc.

10. Puppet Plant/Electric Virus
Both cards capable to steal your opponent monster for a turn. However, due to the increase of OTK in the OCG environment, both cards may not be as effective as we thought now.

11. Morhing Jar 2/Neos Grand Mole/Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon
Morphing Jar 2 capable to shut down the OTK of Hieratic or Machina Geargia, I think Hieratic player will feel pain when they saw this card during the 2nd game. Neos Grand Mole is a card that can beat any monster that have higher attack than it whereas Galaxy-Eyes is almost flawless & undead during the Battle Step.

12. Swift Scarecrow/Battle Fader/Tragoedia
These cards are useful when you meet with Hieratic, Machina, HC OTK and etc. They can save your life on time. However, Japanese more prefer Swift Scarecrow because it won't occupy your monster zone thus you can have 1 more monster slot to do your combo. Tragoedia is a bit risky to be used in most of the decks because it rely on the number of hand that you are controlling.

13. The Transmigration Prophecy/Fiendish Chain
This card can slow down the play of Hornet, Hieratic, Wind-Up or Grapha and most important part is it is chainable thus it can be used to bait MST, Grapha, Heavy Storm, Raigeki Break and etc. Fiendish Chain may be included to against most of the META deck especially Wind-Up, Inzektor, Machina and etc.

14. Mind Crush/Macro Cosmos/Banisher of the Radiance
Mind Crush is best card for Dark World because they can use to combo DW monster or stop their opponent play for a while. Nowadays, most of the META decks will show their hand through the effect of searcher such as ROTA, Sangan, Centipede, Snoww and etc thus you will less having blind activation anymore. Macro Cosmos and Banisher of the Radiance can banish any card that is sent to the graveyard so that some of the combo can't be play normally.

15. Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror/Light-Imprisoning Mirror
Most of the META decks are surrounded with the Light or Dark attribute monster thus this card can negate their effect and slow down their play. Some time, it may even cause your opponent lose the game.

16. Summon Limit/Mask of Restrict
As recommended by LGQ, this card is quite useful to against current META such as Hieratic, Rabbit Laggia, Gadget Offering, Machina Geargia, Wind-Up, Six Sam and etc. Mask of Restrict is one of the card that can stop the combo of Hieratic, Frog Monarch and any decks that heavily rely on releasing monster so that can gained the effect of the monster.

17. Tribe-Shocking Virus/Gozen Match
Tribe-Shocking Virus is useful when you are having mirror match and nowadays many of the META decks surround with the same type of monster. Gozen Match useful to against Six Samurai, Rabbit Laggia, Wind-Up and etc.

18. Raigeki Break/Phoenix Wind Wing Blast/Lair Wire
These few cards quite important and can be see in almost many deck today because it is chainable and can target any card on the field with little or no cost due to the effect of CardCar D. Lair Wire is quite helpful in Inzektor due to it can helps to banish your Dragonfly so that Leviair combo can be perform and destroy your opponent monster on the field instantly.

Besides that, I will share a latest ruling from Konami. The latest ruling regarding Number 25: Focus Force have been updated not long ago and its effect cannot be activate during the Damage Step thus it is a much more weaker version of Photon Streak Bounzer. Apart from that, I can see the rise of a new force that runs the same engine as Junk Doppel after the applied of September 2012 ban list. Thus please be ready for it.

Okay, that's all I wanna share for today. Thanks for your precious time and wish you guys have a nice day. Please stay tuned for my next post.

TCG finally synchronize with OCG? Yes, no doubt!

Hey, guys! Finally TCG is synchronize with the OCG and we no longer have the priority for activate the Ignition monster effect. In OCG, we have explain the whole thing very clearly and completely. However, TCG explanation is a bit complex but still follow the rules of OCG. This is the most great news to all OCG players because we have practicing it for 1 year above. The number of Rabbit Laggia and Wind-Up players may drop drastically while Inzektor, Hieratic and Dark World players may increase drastically.

Effect Veiler will become much and much expensive after this in TCG and TCG players will find difficulty to pull the SCR Card Car D from GAOV. However, this situation may not last for a long time because as I predicted Konami will reprint them in the tin box soon(TCG). Oops! TCG have reprinted Effect Veiler in the Order of Chaos: Special Edition. Besides that, the new structure deck that gonna released in OCG is a deck that oriented with Deep Sea Diva combo and it is similar with the SD22 that oriented with the REMDD combo.

I can foresee that the deck will have a field spell that can add 1 level 4 or below sea-serpent monster from the deck and mill 1 sea-serpent from the deck with the cost of banish a sea-serpent from the graveyard so that we can search the Deep Sea Diva much more easily. By just looking at the effect of the cover card of SD23, I can see that its 2nd effect is used to combo with its field spell so that players can re-use of its effect again. I also hope that its new trap will be far more useful than previous trap card in other SD. Hopefully Konami will make this deck as the Tier 1.5 materials so that more players can join the joy of duels.

Hieratic will be officially released in TCG and let us see how far can this deck dominate OCG and TCG. Soon we will see Inzektor, Hieratic, Wind-Up, Dark World, Rabbit Laggia at least in the semi-final list of World Qualifier Championship 2012 and I can feel that the final of World Championship 2012 will be interesting because variety of decks is competing in the event. Although many players may not agree the act of Konami for releasing theme cards such as Inzektor, Hieratic and etc, I still want to thanks it for providing the fair skill play in the game although you guys might feel that most of the decks seems like auto-piloting.

Even the deck have the auto-pilot engine, you still required skills so that you can bait your opponent to enter your comfort zone. Comfort zone is an environment where you will enjoy yourself and do the thing according to your like or an environment where you would feel familiar and allow you to do usual stuffs easily. You might think that comfort zone as the strategy/tactic of the game but it does included your tempo, sensors(including your six sense) and whatever that you would have/feel during the duel. With comfort zone, you can unleashed your deck power easily and can owned your opponent when the time is right.

Many of the players haven't see the important of comfort zone and tends to rush when their opponent is in the comfort zone. In order to take control of the game, always remember to create your own comfort zone when the time is mature. Some of the players like to listen to their favorite music when they are dueling and this is an act to create their own comfort zone. No matter you are playing MTG, Yugioh, Gundam or any trading card game, you still need to create comfort zone. This is the basic of playing trading card game.

Apart from the comfort zone, you also required to have understanding towards your extra and side deck. Many of the players did not plan well for the side deck and this stuff have been mentioned by K'yde Ren in Digital Mortal thus I won't discuss it anymore. You also required to fully utilize of your side deck. Never ever forget your extra deck's monster especially during critical period and do check your side deck if you have forget what else extra monster left in your extra deck.

Eg, you have Monster Reborn and Pot of Duality in your hand while you have no monster on field and left with 2500LP. Your opponent have 1  Maestroke the Symphony Djinn with 1 Xyz material overlay on it and he have no set card and no hand card and left with 1000LP. Your graveyard have 1 Blade Armor Ninja(being negated by Warning), 4 level Vanilla monster, 1 Heroic Champion Excallibur, 1 Photon Slasher, 1 T.G. Striker, 1 Number 39: Utopia while your opponent graveyard have only 1 Card Car D and 1 Hornet. Thus what is best solution for you to stay longer if you have 1 Number C39: Utopia Ray, 1 Maestroke the Symphony Djinn, 2 Heroic Champion Excallibur and 1 Brionac?

For me, I would choose to reborn Utopia but not Striker because I still can use Utopia to Xyz summon Utopia Ray and use it to stay for longer period. If you prefer to use POD then you may face the problem of without monster on the field(no Reborn Tengu at all). Furthermore, Utopia Ray can be used to reduce the Xyz material of Maestroke so that he can't win you instantly. Anyway, the situation may vary according to your experience and your strategy to create the comfort zone.

Okay, that's all I gonna share today. Thanks for your precious time and wish you guys have a nice day. Please stay tuned for my next post.

Dark World for OCG and TCG

Army of Dark World

A good day to every duelists! Today I gonna share about Dark World game play and counteract to against Dark World. Recently, Dark World has topping in the OCG's Hong Kong Asian Championship and TCG's Yugioh Championship Series. This shown that the deck is powerful enough to against most of the META decks.

Basically, Dark World is a deck focus on all kind of spell or trap that able to discard the monster with its effect but not for cost. Almost all DW monster effect is activate from the graveyard except 2nd effect of Ceruli, Guru of Dark World and Brron, Mad King of Dark World. As a result, without the graveyard, they can't do their combo. Besides that, players can arrange their DW monster effect in any chain link order as they like because all DW monster effect is mandatory effect, thus no miss-timing will occur in DW monster.

Currently, DW deck can have several types of play style but the most popular one would be Control style or Beat Style. DW deck that using control style is focus on the usage of viruses which is Deck Devastation Virus and Eradicator Epidemic Virus. With these viruses, they can kill most of the decks such as Inzektor, Chaos Piper, Rabbit Laggia(in TCG), Wind-Up and etc. However, this build is not too stable and its effectiveness might not be as good as you think.

Beat DW deck is the deck that surround with the theme to re-use of Grapha and keep on beating down your opponent with Grapha. This build is far more stable and quite consistent as long as you have enough of hand discarding cards. In OCG build, the deck will have more trap to cover the lack of Dark Smog(TCG exclusive). Besides that, OCG build will more emphasize on OTK whereas TCG will more emphasize on control and beat down opponent slowly. That's the biggest difference between OCG build and TCG build.

Anyway, both deck still runs their engine in the similar ways thus you can apply same strategy against both builds. In order to stop their engine from running, there are several method that you can perform. 1st, negate their cards activation with Gemini Imps, Dark Bribe, Magic Drain and etc. 2nd, banish them with Dimensional Fissure, Macro Cosmos or etc. Apart from that, you may choose Soul Drain which just released in REDU. With this card, you can chain to their card effects that will discard the DW so that even though they have discarded the DW, their effect still cannot be activate.
*Note, Soul Drain can only prevent the monster effect that activate in the graveyard or banish zone cannot be activate but not negate the monster effect.

3rd, negate the DW monster effect with Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror, Divine Wrath, The End of Anubis or etc. 4th, prevent their special summon with Bottomless Trap Hole, Solemn Warning, Void Trap Hole and etc.
By referring to these four options, you can solve most of the DW problems. In order to match up with Dark World deck, please try to put as much chainable cards in your main as possible. With enough of chainable cards such as MST, you can destroy their DW field spell before they can resolve the draw power.

Previously, anonymous ask me how can Soul Drain stop the Rabbit Laggia. Basically, Rabbit Laggia is a deck that focus on the effect of Rabbit to SS Laggia and Dolkka. If you able to set up Soul Drain and having those monster that able to stall for a long time eg, Snowman Eater, Ryko, Spirit Reaper or etc then you will not have big deal to overcome Rabbit Laggia. As a result, you can stop Rabbit Laggia by siding this card. Apart from that, Soul Drain can be used to against Dimensional deck.

Recently, I went to the local card shop to have some observation on the Malaysia Yugioh environment. Based on the observation, I can conclude that most of the players still lack of idea how to play their deck effectively and they are inexperience plus a bit over-look towards their opponent. They do play META deck but most of the time, they can't combo, control the situation or change their strategy as necessary. As a result, they having better chances to lose the game. Moreover, they also a bit weak in term of card rulings thus they can't use the advantages that generate by the card ruling to overcome their opponent.

Hopefully, Malaysia Duelists can learn their lesson based on the game play or deck testing and please always find someone that having better rulings, experience and good game play for improving your game play. Because they are the better players that can see the whole flow of your deck and can helps to point out your weakness especially in skill play testing. In order to learn skill play, I suggest you guys to play with this deck build, Nordic Diva deck. This is one of the deck that I personally feel you may required a lot of skill to master the whole flow of the deck.

Although this deck have a lot of staple cards but it still can cost you to lose the game easily because if you make a wrong step then you will lose the whole game due to this deck is a bit slow and hardly to perform OTK. Anyway, this deck is good for intermediate or above players that tends to improve their skills level and test whether how good is their skill level. Hopefully, you guys will enjoy using this deck although it may not good match with the Hieratic, Inzektor or Wind-Up deck.

Nordic Diva

Below is the deck build of my Nordic Diva:

Monster(20):
Atlantean Pointman x1
Deep Sea Diva x3
Effect Veiler x2
Guldfaxe of the Nordic Beast x3
Nimble Hamster x2
Photon Thrasher x1
Ryko Lightsworn Hunter x2
Sangan x1
Spirit Reaper x1
Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beast x2
Tanngrisnir of the Nordic Beast x1
Tragoedia x1

Spell(9):
Book of Moon x1
Dark Hole x1
Heavy Storm x1
Mind Control x1
Monster Reborn x1
MST x2
Pot of Avarice x1
Scapegoat x1

Trap(11):
Bottomless Trap Hole x2
Call of the Haunted x1
Compulsory Evacuation Device x1
Gleipnir, The Fetter of Fenrir x1
Mirror Force x1
Solemn Judgment x1
Solemn Warning x2
Torrential Tribute x2

Extra Deck(15):
Ally of Justice Catastor x1
Black Rose Dragon x1
Brionac, Ice Barrier Dragon x1
Gachi Gachi Gantetsu x1
Gaia Dragoon, the Force of Lightning x1
Leviair the Sea Dragon x1
Maestroke the Symphony Djinn x1
Number 39: Utopia x1
Number 61:Volcanosaurus x1
Number C39: Utopia Ray x1
Scrap Archfiend x1
Scrap Dragon x1
Stardust Dragon x1
Thor, Lord of Aesir x1
Wind-Up Zenmaines x1

Okay, that's all I gonna share with you guys today! Thanks for your precious time and wish you guys have a nice day. Please stay tuned for my next post.

Basic Rulings Part 2

A good day to all duelists! Today I gonna share another ruling article that can help you guys further understand the game play of Yugioh. Sorry for delaying in posting this article because I'm quite choosy and I have re-written this article for several times. Hopefully you guys can understand it much better now. Okay, let's back to the topic.

1st, what is inherent special summon? Inherent special summon is also known as built-in special summon or special summon that you cannot chain with its special summon effect. It is a kind of special summon where you would special summon a monster without using any card effect but its own effect and the special summon is not count as special summon by card effect. As a result, card that negate the activation of an effect can't stop this kind of special summon. Generally, the group of special summon that belong to this category is Synchro monster, Xyz monster and some of the effect monster(s). Eg of inherent special summon are most of the cover cards in Structure Deck series, Stardust Dragon, Wind-up Zenmaines, Dark Armed Dragon, Chaos Sorcerer, Lightpulsar Dragon(1st effect) and etc.

2nd, what is non-inherent special summon? Non-inherent special summon is also known as effect that special summon or special summon that you can chain with its special summon effect. It is a special summon where you would required to special summon a monster using an card effect. The group of special summon that belong to this category is Fusion monster, Ritual monster, Monster Effects/Spell/Trap that special summon the monster(s). Eg of non-inherent special summon is Gorz the Emissary of Darkness(SS token effect), Summoner Monk, Elemental Hero - Shining, Herald of Perfection, Monster Reborn and etc.

3rd, what is the biggest difference between inherent and non-inherent special summon? For inherent special summon, you cannot chain to the activation of effect for special summon the monster. Eg, when you discarding a Machina Force to the graveyard and target the Machina Fortress from your graveyard, your opponent cannot chain to the special summon of Machina Fortress with D.D. Crow. This is because the special summon of monster is resolve simultaneously with the discard of card(s).

For non-inherent special summon, you can chain to the activation of effect for special summon the monster.  Eg, when you activate the effect of Summoner Monk by discarding 1 Spell card from your hand as the cost for activate its effect, your opponent can chain with Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror to negate its effect from resolving. This case happen due to the discarding of spell is not happen simultaneously with the special summon of monster.

4th, how to differentiate whether the card can negate the inherent or non-inherent special summon? Most of the card effect that can negate a special summon eg, Thunder King Raioh, Solemn Judgment, Saber Hole, Horn of Heaven and etc can only negate the inherent special summon but not non-inherent special summon. Only 2 cards that capable to negate the inherent and non-inherent special summon which is Solemn Warning and Royal Oppression. For the case of negating the Ritual or Fusion summon of a monster, you can only negate its ritual/fusion spell activation before they started sends the monster/material(s) to special summon the ritual/fusion monster.

Once the ritual/fusion materials have been sent to the graveyard, the ritual/fusion summon no longer can be negate with any cards effect that can negate inherent or non-inherent special summon. I have seen this case happens for numerous times especially in DN. Hopefully players whose have read this article will not repeat this mistakes again. Besides that, synchro summon that perform by the effect of Formula Synchron / T.G. Wonder Magician can be negated by Solemn Judgment/Warning/Royal Oppression/Horn of Heaven right after the monster is sent to the graveyard if there only 1 chain existed during that time. For further understanding towards the synchro summon with card effect, please visit this article.

5th, long time ago, Konami did not set any rules for activate an card effect although the target or condition for activating the card effect cannot be achieved anymore. Eg, you can activate the effect of The Agent of Creation - Venus as long as you still have life point even though you don't have any Mystical Shine Ball in your deck or hand during those ages. However, Konami have made a rulings so that you are no longer allow to activate a card if you knew you no longer have the target or the condition for activating the card effect cannot be achieved. In simple term, you can't activate an card effect if you knew its condition cannot be achieved.

6th, many players especially new OCG players thinks that priority is not longer existed in OCG ruling. Hereby, I clarify that this statement is a false message and priority is still existing in OCG ruling. The only change that Konami have made on priority in OCG is the priority for activating an ignition monster effect when the monster is successfully normal summon/flip summon/special summon is not longer valid but not the priority for the others(including trigger effect, quick effect and etc).

7th, what is lingering effect? Lingering effect is an card effect where you cannot negate its effect once it has successfully resolve its effect. Its effect will be applied till its limit/condition has finish resolve. As a result, you can only negate its effect when it is activate but not after it has resolved its effect. Eg, Final Countdown, Last Will, Cold Wave, Gold Sarcophagus and etc. Besides that, token that have effect also categories in the group of lingering effect. Thus even Skill Drain, Effect Veiler also can't negate its effect.

8th, what is condition effect? Condition effect is also known as Rule effect(in OCG). It consists of 2 type of conditions which is an card effect will not treated as an effect thus cannot be negated by any card effect while the another one is it is treated as an effect and can be negated by Skill Drain or etc. Generally, it does not activate the effect and it is apply same like the case of continuous effect. Overall, monster effect that categorised under inherent special summon is belongs to condition effect. Eg, most of the SD series cover cards, Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, Cyber Dragon, Quickdraw Synchron and etc. Due to condition effect can be further categorised, thus I won't cover it in this article. For further details of condition effect, please visit here.

9th, what is replay and how does replay occur? Replay is the action where you would replaying an monster attack due to the number of target being changed during battle step. Replay will only occur if there is a change for the battle target(removed from the field) or new monster is summon to the field. If replay happens then you will not perform attack declaration again for the monster that have declare attack. Therefore, you can't activate cards that can only activate during the attack declaration if replay is happening. You have only 2 choices if replay occur which is continue attack or retrieve attack. Once you choose to retrieve attack, then the monster that have retrieve attack no longer can declare attack in this turn.

Many players thought that effect of Battle Fader is resolving on the field but this definitely is the wrong answer. It is an effect that activate and resolve from the hand. Thus, if you unable to negate its special summon or its effect activation then you will not be able to negate its effect for ending the Battle Phase. Furthermore, this special summon is non-inherent special summon thus you can only negate it with those cards that can negate the non-inherent special summon.

10th, what is the difference between destroy and sends to graveyard? Destroy is same as sends to graveyard but sends to graveyard is not the same as destroy. Destroy can only be done through battle destroy or card effect that destroy a card. The card effect with the DESTROY in text description can only destroy the card that on the field and in your hand. Cards that stay in the deck, extra deck or graveyard cannot be destroy by card effect. As a result, Gladiator Beast monster that return to the main or extra deck for special summon another GB monster from the deck cannot be destroy by the effect of Royal Oppression/Solemn Warning.

11th, what is trap monster? Trap monster is trap card that have the identity of monster and it occupy the monster zone and spell & trap zone. It is consider as a monster on the field but not in the graveyard or else where other than field. Trap monster can be used as synchro or Xyz materials whereas token can only be used as synchro material but not Xyz material. If trap monster is negated by Jinzo or Royal Decree, then it will return to the spell & trap zone as continuous trap card with no effect and it will remain the same even after Jinzo or Royal Decree have removed from the field.

12th, how does we know the card effect is targeting or non-targeting effect? Generally, a targeting effect will have the term of SELECT or TARGET in the effect description and normally its effect will only affect either one player's field, graveyard, banished zone or hand card but not both players. All equip card/equip spell also in the category of targeting effect. Eg, Icarus Attack, Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, Zero-Max(1st effect), Scrap Dragon and etc. For non-targeting effect, its effect description may consists of the term of SELECT but its effect will affect both player's field, graveyard, banished zone or hand card. Eg, Creature Swap, D.D. Warrior Lady, Number 39: Utopia, D.D. Warrior and etc.

Before I ended my post, let me share a news regarding the new booster, Return of the Duelist(REDU) that will be released on this coming Saturday. The full card list have been released and it can be view in Dueling Days. There is a lot of good cards in this booster. One of the cards that I feel good enough is the continuous trap, Soul Drain. Its effect is "paid 1000 life points to activate this card. While this card is face-up on the field, monster that are banished or in the graveyard cannot activate their effects." This card is the answer from Konami to against the Dark World, Rabbit Laggia and Hieratic deck. I bet this is the side for Inzektor to against to META deck. Thus I think this card will affect the whole OCG environment very soon.

Generation Force - Normal Spell
If you control an Xyz monster: Add 1 "Xyz" card from your deck to your hand.

Besides the Heroic Challenger(H.C) set that everyone looking for in this booster, OOParts, Madolche and Geargia which introduced in this set is really playable and their system is good enough to build a deck. Another card that I have seen in this booster, Generation is the new support card for Xyz deck and this card shows that Konami may introduce the Xyz series of monster very soon. Anyway, let us watch out what will happen to the Asian Championship Series tournament on this coming Sunday.

Ok, that's all I wanna share to you guys. Thanks for your time and wish you guys have a nice day. Next post I gonna discuss about Dark World and how should you counteract it. Please stay tuned for my next post.

Basic Rulings

Photon Streak Bouncer which getting popular in OCG environment

Hey, guys! A lot of players having ruling problems but they have no idea how to solve it, thus they will request help from the judge. Anyway, judges may not be totally available for answering the ruling questions. As a result, I will re-introduce some of basic knowledge that you guys might need to use during the tournament so that you guys can refer it whenever the judges are unavailable and understand why under certain circumstances you can or can't activate the card effect.

1st of all, what is cost? A cost is you need to paid/sacrifice something(monster, life point, hand card and etc) before the card effect can be activate and you can't gained back the cost/sacrifice that you have made if the card activation is negated. If you unable to pay the cost, then you are not allow to activate the card's effect. Eg, you have only 2 cards in your deck and you have Charge of the Light Brigade on your hand, you cannot activate it even though you knew your deck have level 4 or below Lightsworn monster due to you are unable to pay the cost. Cards that need cost to activate its effect: Card Car D, Rescue Rabbit, Summoner Monk and etc.

2nd, how to differentiate an effect that will only activate in the graveyard or elsewhere? An effect that will only activate in graveyard will have the GRAVEYARD term in the effect description as "When this card is sent to the graveyard" / "If this card is sent to the graveyard" / "Send this card to the graveyard" or etc. If the card unable to send to the graveyard then its effect will not be activate. Eg, Dandylion, Sangan, XX-Saber Darksoul and etc. If the card effect is without the Graveyard term in the effect description then its effect can be activate once its condition has been fulfilled no matter it is in the banish zone, hand, deck or graveyard(Only for Trigger Effect). Example, most of the Hieratic monster, Reborn Tengu, Dark Magician of Chaos and etc.

3rd, how to differentiate an effect is mandatory or optional effect? An mandatory effect will have the term of MUST or without the term of CAN in the effect description. Eg, Reborn Tengu, Light and Darkness Dragon, Elemental HERO - Absolute Zero and etc. An optional effect will have the term of CAN in the effect description. Eg, Dark Armed Dragon, Legendary Six Samurai - Shi En, Trishula, Ice Barrier Dragon and etc. Monster that have optional effect may MISS its TIMING to activate its effect in certain cases. The occurrence of MISS TIMING will be further explained later on.

4th, how to differentiate an effect is Ignition, Quick, Trigger, Flip and Continuous monster effect? Ignition, Trigger and Flip monster effect is Spell Speed 1 while Quick monster effect is Spell Speed 2 and Continuous monster effect did not have any activation timing because it will apply once the monster is face-up on the field. Most of the ignition monster effect will have the term of ONCE PER TURN in the effect description. Eg, most of the Inzektor monster, Road Warrior, Chaos Sorcerer and etc. Quick monster effect is effect that can be activate in either in player's turn. Eg, Legendary Six Samurai - Enishi, Number 25: Fullmetal Photoglide - Focus Force, Effect Veiler and etc.

Trigger monster effect is effect that CAN ONLY ACTIVATE after it has FULFILLED CERTAIN CONDITIONS such as "When this card is summoned" / "When this card is discarded" / "If this card is sent to graveyard" and etc. Example, Trishula, Ice Barrier Dragon, Mystic Tomato, Neo Galaxy-Eyes Dragon and etc. Flip monster effect is effect that have the term of FLIP at the initial of effect description. Eg, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Penguin Soldier, Night Assailant and etc. Continuous monster effect is effect that do not have activation timing thus you cannot chain with Divine Wrath to negate its effect and it will be applied as long as the card is face-up on the field. Eg, The End of Anubis, Revived King Ha-Des, Gachi Gachi Gantetsu and etc.

5th, when does miss timing occur? Miss timing will only occur when the card effect is an optional effect or there is card effect still resolving. Eg, you have Lightpulsar Dragon and Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon on the field, your opponent activate Card Destruction and throw all his Dark World monster which consists of 2 Grapha, 1 Snoww and 1 Beige. Your opponent arrange the chain link in this order: (1) Beige (2) Snoww (3) Grapha A (4) Grapha B. When the chain link is resolving, Grapha B will destroy REDMD then Grapha A will destroy Lightpulsar Dragon. Once Lightpulsar Dragon has been destroyed and has reach the graveyard, its effect can be trigger. However, Lightpulsar Dragon's 2nd effect can't be activate in this case due to there are other chain link that have not be resolved which is the effect of Snoww and Beige.

If the case is not as I mentioned in list number 5 then it is named Unable to Resolve. Eg. you activate Heavy Storm while your opponent have 2 back row and opponent chain it with Starlight Road; you chain it with MST and target it to Heavy Storm. In this case, Heavy Storm will be destroyed and sent to the graveyard due to MST effect then Starlight Road will negate the effect of Heavy Storm but due to Heavy Storm is already in the graveyard thus Starlight Road cannot destroy Heavy Storm. As a result, Stardust Dragon will not be special summoned from the Extra deck due to Starlight Road cannot destroy the Heavy Storm. In the end, effect of Heavy Storm is cancel and this is named as Unable to Resolve.

*Note, a card in the graveyard or deck cannot be destroy by card effect therefore you would never heard of card in the graveyard or deck can be destroy by card effect such as Divine Wrath, War Chariot and etc.

6th, what is negate? Negate is a term where you will stop a card effect from applying. If the negation have the effect description as "negate the activation of card" then the negation will cause the card seems like never activate before/no longer on the field. As a result, cards such as Stardust Dragon can't stop the negation effect of a card if the effect will be followed by destruction of the card. Example, you have a Shooting Quasar Dragon on the field while your opponent have a Stardust Dragon on his/her field. Your opponent activate Smashing Ground and you decided to activate Quasar Dragon effect to negate the activation of Smashing Ground. In this case, your opponent cannot negate Quasar Dragon effect with Stardust Dragon effect because Smashing Ground is no longer consider on the field/activate before.

7th, most of the card effect that can negate the activation of a monster effect will only apply for monster effect that is activate on the field. Example, Photon Streak Bouncer, Effect Veiler, Number 25: Fullmetal Photoglide - Focus Force and etc. If the monster effect is activate from the banish zone or graveyard, then the monster effect will not be negated even though cards like Effect Veiler's effect has been applied on the monster. Eg of card effect that will be negated if effect of Effect Veiler has been applied on it, Card Car D, Stardust Dragon(1st effect), Rescue Rabbit and etc. Besides that, if a card effect description will only activate when it is Tributed and did not mentioned where its effect will be activated, thus its effect will be resolved even though it is in banish zone or graveyard. Eg Hieratic, Card Car D, Exiled Force and etc.

8th, what is the difference between Return and Special Summon? Return means the card is put back to the field(consider as already on the field before this) and it will not trigger the condition for activating card such as Torrential Tribute and etc. Special Summon means the card just reach the field recently(never exist on the field before) and this may trigger the condition for activating card such as Torrential Tribute, Deep Dark Trap Hole, Bottomless Trap Hole and etc. Eg of card that have return in card effect description, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, D.D. Sprite(2nd effect), Dimensionhole and etc. Eg of card that have special summon in card effect description, Drill Warrior(2nd effect), Shooting Star Dragon(3rd effect), Red Nova Dragon(3rd effect) and etc.

Note, for the case of Drill Warrior, when it is special summon to your field on your next Standby Phase and you got monster in your graveyard, your opponent cannot activate Torrential Tribute, BTH, Deep Dark Trap Hole and etc due to your opponent will miss his/her timing for activate such kind of card. This case is happen due to its effect is resolve separately but not simultaneously. 1st, it will be special summoned to the field 1st then you only resolve its effect for adding a monster card from your graveyard to your hand. As a result, miss timing is occur because an effect is resolving now.

9th, what is the difference between discard and send to graveyard? Generally, discard is same as send to graveyard but send to graveyard is not same as discard. Discard is used to describe the action where you would send your card(s) from hand to the graveyard while Send to Graveyard is used to describe the action where your card(s) is send from your hand, field, banish zone or deck to the graveyard. As a result, there is a huge differences between this two terms. Eg of card effect that will activate when it is discard, most of the Dark World monster(s), Fabled monster(s), Dark World Dealing and etc.

10th, what is the difference between WHEN and IF? Most of the time the optional monster effect with WHEN in their effect description can caused Miss Timing while most of the time optional monster effect with IF in the effect description will not caused Miss Timing. Eg of optional monster with WHEN in the effect description, Lightpulsar Dragon(3rd effect), Peten the Dark Clown, Botanical Girl and etc. Eg of optional monster effect with IF in the effect description, Eclipse Wyvern(2nd effect), Doppel Warrior, Tuningware and etc.

Furthermore, many players including me thought that Night Shot is an upgrade version of MST. But after I refer to its latest ruling, the card that targeted by Night Shot effect can be activated on the same chain if you have activate another card to chain with the activation of Night Shot. Example, you activate Night Shot and target an opponent's trap card but your opponent got another trap beside the targeted trap then he/she can activate the other trap and then follow by activate the targeted trap. I Hope you guys will note this ruling well.

Apart from that, I gonna introduce a new Xyz monster that just released in OCG and I think this is a good tech card to against most of the Xyz-based deck. Drum Djinn Tenten Tempo is a good card that can be used to against the effect of Utopia from activate while increasing your Djinn Xyz monster atk point.

Drum Djinn Tenten Tempo

Rank 3

[Fiend/Xyz/Effect]

Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can detach 1 Xyz material from this card to target 1 Xyz monster your opponent controls; detach 1 Xyz material from that target and all face-up "Djinn" Xyz monster you currently control gain 500 atk.

With this card, you can detach a face-down or face-up Xyz monster's Xyz material and gain 500 atk for all "Djinn" Xyz monster that you currently control. In this case, face-down Djinn Xyz monster may even gain 500 atk due to this card's effect. As a result, you may perform OTK with this card plus other Djinn Xyz monster.

Okay, that's all I wanna share with you guys today. Thanks for your time for reading my article and wish you guys have a nice day. Please stay tuned for my next post.