Latest Card Rulings Update

Hey, guys! I'm back and today I will share some latest rulings regarding several cards. I think most of you have thought of this kind of question before, however, you might not be able to found the actual answer in Yugioh Wikia. As a result, I will share it with you guys here.

Waboku
Q: Is this card's effect targeted player or monster card?(Would the monster card which applying effect such as Forbidden Lance or etc have no battle damage? Furthermore, the monster card which applying effect such as Forbidden Lance or etc can be battle destroyed or not?)
A: This card's effect neither targeted player nor monster card. Thus, the monster which applying effect such as Forbidden Lance or etc will have no battle damage and prevent from battle destroyed.
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Monster Gate
Q: The monster that special summon via the effect of Monster Gate is considered special summon from what location?
A: It is special summon from the deck.

Q: If Metaion, the Timelord was revealed, would the special summon proceed as normal?
A: No, special summon will not be proceed, in this case, Metaion, the Timelord will be send to graveyard along with other revealed cards and the resolve of effect end here.
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Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction
Q: This card was turned face-down when its effect is resolving during my Standby phase, do I need to detach its Xyz material?
A: Yes, you still need to detach its Xyz material.
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High Medallion Arts
Q: When Summon Limit is face-up on the field and I have perform Summon, can I activate it?
A: No, you can't.

Q: When Scary Moth is on the field, can I activate it?
A: No, you can't.

Q: Can I activate Black Horn of Heaven to negate the Xyz summon?
A: Yes, you can activate it right after 2 of the targeted monsters was special summoned and Xyz summon is performed.

Q: Would this Xyz summon affected by the effect of Stygian Dirge?
A: Yes, it does and the monsters special summoned by this card's effect will reduce 1 level.  Eg, when 2 level 4 Heraldic monsters was special summoned and their level were level 4, thus you must Xyz summon rank 3 Xyz monster.

Q: When this card is activate and Stygian Dirge is chain to its activation(this caused the level of monster change) and I don't have any Xyz monster that can Xyz summon with those monsters, how should it resolved in this case?
A: The targeted monster will be special summoned, in this case, Xyz summon will not be performed and those monsters remains on the field.

Q: If opponent control Stygian Dirge on the field and I don't have rank 3 Xyz monster in the extra deck, can I activate this card to target 2 level 4 Heraldic Beast monster?
A: Yes, you can activate it. In this case, the selected monsters will remain on the field.

Q: If opponent control Stygian Dirge on the field, I don't have rank 4 Xyz monster but contain rank 3 Xyz monster in the extra deck, can I activate this card to target 2 level 4 Heraldic Beast monster?
A: No, you can't activate it.

Q: During card resolution, if either one of the targeted monster left the graveyard, how does it resolved?
A: In this case, no monster will be special summon.
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Mermail - Gaioabyss
Q: After the effect of negating monster effect is applied, the monster that opponent summon afterward which have ATK point lower than it would be negated or not?
A: No, this card can only negate the face-up effect monster's effect that remain on the field when it is resolving. The monster that summon after the applied of Gaioabyss's negate effect will not be negate. In simple term, it will negate the effect monster's effect that activate on the field no matter the monster's effect is resolved at where once this card's effect is applied.
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Okay, that's all I want to share with you guys. Thanks for your precious visit and wish you guys have a bless day. Please stay tuned for my next post. If you still have any question or suggestion, kindly leave your comment(s) and I will reply as soon as possible.

New Format will kill the current META?

Hey, guys! Since the real ban list have been revealed, I think most of you guys may think that the current March 2012 META decks may fully retired from tier 1 to tier 2. However, the truth is such thing may not happen for current META decks. Before I proceed to the discussion point, let's have a look of the current META decks.

Current tier 1 consists of Inzektor, Hieratic, Chaos Dragon, Gadget variant, Rabbit Laggia, Wind-Ups, Six Samurai while tier 2 consists of Dark World, Agents Fairy, Mermails/Atlanteans, Karakuri variant, Scrap, Junk Doppel, Hero variant and etc. META decks are powerful due to the number of power cards or key cards in their deck. Most of the time, they have built-in search and destruction engine. As a result, they can have arise to be tier 1.

By referring to the tier 1, the September 2012 ban list does not kill the deck while it emphasize on the skill play nowadays. Eg, Inzektor have lost 2 Hornet and 2 Dragonfly thus they need to play the deck much more carefully to avoid their key cards from being destroyed whereas Wind-Ups still can wipe up at least 4 of your opponent hand cards. As a result, I don't see the current META will drop down from the front line although number of players for current META deck will drop.

Apart from that, Konami have made a great decision for bringing up previous META deck back to the stage and this will cause the card game environment much more competitive and interesting. However, please beware that Mermails/Atlanteans, Madolche and Prophecy Beat may replace the current META decks as tier 1 soon. You might not see the arise of them now but somehow I can see how potential they are.

Currently, I am trying different build for current META decks and they are still alive. If you build them solidly, I pretty sure they still can topping in most of the tournaments. As I expected, the next SD gonna be Fire attribute deck and this SD gonna be a major boost for current Fire-themed deck. I think they will reprint some of the Laval cards in this SD and this SD might have new cards that built-in destruction effect.


Next month Extra Pack 2012 (EP12) gonna released at OCG and this will drastically affect META deck build. As a result, we might see new archetype of decks soon. I think I will collect a few pieces of Reborn Tengu and Tour Guide of Underworld. However, their price should be quite expensive due to their rarity. Okay, that's all I wanna share to you guys today! Thanks for dropping here from time to time and wish you guys have a great day! Please stay tuned for my next post.

THE FINALIZED SEPTEMBER 2012 BAN LIST

Hey, guys! Today I will share a short post regarding the finalized September 2012 ban list from Konami. You guys may doubt this list whether real enough, however, what I can say is this list will be applied on 1st September 2012.

Picture taken from Dueling Days

Forbidden/Banned List(Not allow to include any single copy at all):
Brionac, Ice Barrier Dragon
Future Fusion

Restrict/Limit List(Can put at most 1 piece):
Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity
Evigishki Gustkraken
Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon
Inzektor Dragonfly
Inzektor Hornet
Spore
Chaos Sorcerer
Tsukuyomi
Ultimate Offering

Semi-Restrict/Semi-Limit List(Can put at most 2 pieces):
Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow
Rescue Rabbit
Debris Dragon
Agent of Mystery - Earth
Tour Guide from the Underworld
Emergency Call
Reasoning
A Hero Lives
Hieratic Seal of Convocation
Pot of Duality
Mirror Force

No Longer Restricted/Unlimited List(Can put at most 3 pieces):
Necro Guardna
Marshmallon
Destiny Draw
Emergency Teleport
Level Limit - Area B
Swords of Revealing Light
Magic Cylinder

Based on the new ban list, I can see that many Inzektor or Wind-Up players will quit the game or update their current META according to the list. Anyway, this list does not kill most of the decks while it allow you to play with your skill more than playing bluffly. Btw, we may see Black Rose Dragon appear in the game more often now.

With this list, the old META(META of 2011) will join the game together and this will create a more competitive environment. Hopefully we can see this situation last for a long time so that everyone can have almost equal chances of winning the top spot but not only a deck that topping among all decks. Is time for me to play back my Debris Plant now. Hahaha!

Okay, that's all I wanna share to you guys today! Thanks for your attention and wish you guys have a great time! Please stay tuned for my next post.

Inzektor Dominate the World

Hey, guys! Sorry for letting you guys wait so long for my new post. Finally, I'm back to share some news with you guys. Yugioh World Championship 2012 just ended few days ago and the new ban list gonna reveal within these few days. Let us congratulate Akikazu Saito for winning the Yugioh World Championship 2012 Expert Champion Title and Japan again holding the world title in their hand.

So far, this world championship is quite interesting because we have variety of decks competed in this championship. However, Inzektor is dominance at OCG land and it is far more consistent compare with other META decks. As a result, we can expect the major occurrence of Inzektor players and win the world title.

At here, I would like to point out the mistake where my country champion, Tan Sung Lee had did during the championship. During Day 1 Swiss round 5, I found that he made a misplay for his 2nd game. He had made extra normal summon for his Zephyros during the late part of the 2nd game and this issue has brought some conflict among the Yugioh Community.

For those whose haven't watch the replay, you guys may watch it now. Below is the match where Malaysia Champion, Tan Sung Lee versus Thailand Champion, Santi Phromduangsri during the Swiss round 5 Table 1. Both of them are playing Chaos Dragon and the misplay was made during the late part of 2nd game.

At here, I would like to represent Sung Lee apologize to Thailand champion, Santi Phromduangsri for his misplay during the 2nd game. Although Sung Lee had represented Malaysia to play in YGO major events for numeral of times, he is still a normal human, therefore he may misplay due to nervousness. Hopefully, Santi would forgive Sung Lee's misplay.

Not long ago, many players still doubt regarding activation of Atlantean monster effect if they were discarded due to Mermail - Megaloabyss effect. The actual answer is Atlantean monster effect CAN BE TRIGGERED if they were discarded due to Megaloabyss effect. I know you guys have another question in your mind and the question would be "Discarded 2 Water-attribute monster to SS Megaloabyss is a summon condition but why it would trigger the effect of Atlantean monster?"

To make the thing clearer, let us check the effect description of Machina Fortress and Mermail - Megaloabyss. Both of the SS effect is quite similar thus we can notice the difference. In this case, I will just take the 1st part of effect description to do the comparison.

Machina Fortress Japanese effect description:
このカードは手札の機械族モンスターをレベルの合計が８以上になるように捨てて、手札または墓地から特殊召喚する事ができる。
Translation:
You can discard Machine-Type monster(s) whose total Levels equal 8 or more, then Special Summon this card (from your hand or Graveyard).

Mermail - Megaloabyss Japanese effect description:
自分のメインフェ イズ時、手札からこのカード以外の水属性モンスター２体を墓地へ捨てて発動できる。このカードを手札から特殊召喚する。
Translation:
During Your Main Phase: You can activate this card's effect by discarding 2 Water Attribute monster except this card to the graveyard, then Special Summon this card (from your hand).

In a simple manner, Megaloabyss is chainable special summon or effect that special summon. As a result, you CANNOT ACTIVATE Solemn Judgment, Black Horn of Heaven, Thunder King Rai-Oh and Steelswarm Roach effect to negate its special summon. Thus it can trigger the 2nd effect of Atlantean monster(Marksman, Armed Soldier, Dragon Rider).

Apart from that, a new ruling regarding Mermail - Abyssturge was just released not long ago. The FAQ is as below:
Q: If I activate Abyssturge effect to discard Mermail - Abyssgunde or Atlantean Armed Soldier and added either one to my hand, can I activate Abyssgunde or Atlantean Armed Soldier's effect?
A: If you discard and target Atlantean Armed Soldier, then its effect can be activate. If you discard and target Abyssgunde, then the result is unconfirmed.(Unconfirmed = you are forbid to activate its effect now until the exact answer is provided)

Okay, that's all I wanna share to you guys today. Thanks for dropping by and wish you guys have a nice day. Let us await for the real ban list to reveal. Please stay tuned for my next post.

Revise of Damage Step

Bull Blader

Hey, guys! Today I will share with you guys regarding the whole flow and what cards that you capable to activate during Damage Step. Bull Blader is a GB support card whereby it can help GB monster to clear the high attack monster. GB always face the problem of hardly to get rid of high attack monster. As a result, Bull Blader is needed. Bull Blader's effect will be resolved After Damage Calculation which is different from Ally of Justice Catastor.

First of all, Damage Step is a step in the Battle Phase whereby Battle Phase will be divided into Start Step > Battle Step > Damage Step > End Step. Start Step is the step where you would prepare to declare for entering Battle Step. Battle Step is the step where you would declare attack and select attack target. Damage Step is the step where you and your monster may or may not destroy by battle or card effect. End Step is the step where you would declare to end your Battle Phase.

In Damage Step, we can further categories it into 6 major sub-steps which is Start of Damage Step > Before Damage Calculation > Damage Calculation > After Damage Calculation > Result of Battle, Resolve of flip/trigger effect > End of Damage Step. Every monster will enter Damage Step once their battle are succeed. If there is chain link occur, the chain link will be arranged according to turn player priority.

Generally, we are forbid from activate any spell speed 2 or below cards EXCEPT spell speed 2 cards that can alter the monster ATK or DEF point and counter trap card in Damage Step. All face-down monster that being attacked will flip face-up unless card effect that caused it not to flip face-up. All face-down flip/trigger effect monster that flip face-up due to attack will activate and resolve right after Damage Calculation. If this monster is destroyed by battle, then it cannot choose itself as the target of its effect.

1) Start of Damage Step (before flipping up the face-down monster)
At this timing, you can activate quick effect/card that can alter the ATK or DEF point of monster and the face-down monster being attacked will not be flip face-up at this point. During this timing, trigger monster effect that apply before flipping the monster face-up will activate and resolve at this timing. All continuous monster effect that apply before flipping the monster face-up will resolve at this timing too. MULTIPLE CHAIN LINK can be occur at this timing.

*Note: All continuous monster effect will not have activation timing and it will automatically apply once the condition is fulfilled, therefore, no chain will be started at this point.

Eg of continuous monster effect that activate during Start of Damage Step is Jain, Lightsworn Paladin, Steamroid, Rampaging Rhynos and etc. Eg of trigger monster effect that activate during Start of Damage Step is Neos-Spacian Grand Mole, Mystic Swordman, Sasuke Samurai and etc will start a chain at this timing due to they will not flip face-up the attacked monster.

2) Before Damage Calculation (after flipping up the face-down monster)
At this timing, the face-down monster that being attacked will be flip and monster effect that activate when it is flip will not activate and resolve now. Eg of continuous effect that will apply Before Damage Calculation is Gaap the Divine Soldier, Level Limit - Area A, Level Limit - Area B and etc. Eg of trigger monster effect that activate Before Damage Calculation is Reflect Bounder, Blast Sphere, Drilldroid and etc.

Once again, you are allow to activate quick effect/card that can alter the ATK or DEF point of monster and MULTIPLE CHAIN LINK can be occur at this timing. Card effect that have the card text of "Without Applying Damage Calculation" having the same meaning with the card text of "Before Damage Calculation" and the Damage Calculation sub-step will be skipped. However, the remainder of sub-step in Damage Step (After Damage Calculation) will proceed as normal.

3) Damage Calculation
At this timing, you can only activate cards that have "During Damage Calculation" in the card text description such as Defense Draw, Kinetic Soldier, Honest, Injection Fairy Lily, Psychic Commander and etc. You are not allow to activate card that can alter ATK or DEF point of the monster except it have "During Damage Calculation" in the card text description. Eg, Shrink, Rush Recklessly and etc.

You can only have A CHAIN LINK in this timing thus if you miss this chance then you are not allow to play any cards that can activate in this timing. Once the chain of card effect that can alter ATK or DEF point of monster finish resolved, then only continuous effect will be applied. Eg, once the effect of The Wicked Avatar, The Wicked Dreadroot and etc have been applied then Damage Calculation will only perform.

Damage Calculation will go through in such sequence: Confirmation of ATK/DEF point > Damage Point Confirmation (apply of piercing or battle destroy effect) > Occurrence of Battle Damage (reduction of Life Point) > Confirmation of Battle Destroy (apply of continuous effect). During Confirmation of Battle Destroy, which monster that battle destroy will be confirmed here. During this timing, Spirit Reaper that targetted by card effect, Giant Kozaky or Thunder Nyan Nyan that flipped up will be destroy by its own effect.

*Note: Some judges clarify that Spirit Reaper self-destruction effect will start a chain is TOTALLY FALSE and self-destruction of Spirit Reaper will NOT START A CHAIN.

4) After Damage Calculation
Trigger effect that activate after receiving battle damage will activate and start a chain link at this timing. Eg, Gorz The Emissary Darkness, Tragoedia, Airknight Parshath and etc. After Reflect Bounder have applied its effect that inflict opponent battle damage Before Damage Calculation, it will activate its self-destruction effect at this timing.


5) Result of Battle, Resolve of flip/trigger effect
All chain of flip/trigger effect that should be activate during Before Damage Calculation will be delayed till this timing then it will activate and resolve it. Eg, Snowman Eater, D.D. Warrior Lady, Divine Knight Ishzark and etc will activate at this timing. The monster effect that activate at this timing is treated as activate on the field thus Destiny Hero- Plasma, Skill Drain, Rainbow Veil and etc can negate the monster effect.

6) End of Damage Step
At this timing, the battle destroyed monster will leaving the field and card effect such as Banisher of the Radiance, Dimensional Fissure, Macro Cosmos and etc will resolve here. Trigger card effect such as recruit monster(SS monster from the deck), Coffin Seller and etc that will be activate during this timing. Card effect that prevent the equipped monster from battle destroy such as Relinquished, Machina Gearframe and etc will also resolve at this timing.

Okay, that's all I wanna share to you guys today! Thanks for your precious time and wish you guys have a nice day. Please stay tuned for my next post. If you guys have any issue regarding the card, please leave your comment here. I will try to reply as soon as possible.

Forecast of September 2012 Ban List

Hey, guys! Left with 1 more month then the September 2012 ban list will be released. Similar with previous years, I will do ban list prediction as well. Current existing META decks such as Inzektor, Hieratic, Chaos Dragon, Wind-Up, Rabbit Laggia and etc might be affected by the latest ban list.

Forbidden:
Brionac, Ice Barrier Dragon
Future Fusion
Mind Control

Limit:
Goyo Guardian
Hieratic Dragon King of Atum
Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity
Dark Magician of Chaos
Inzektor Hornet
Wind-Up Hunter
Ultimate Offering

Semi-limit:
Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow
Debris Dragon
Gladiator Beast Bestiari
Rescue Rabbit
Scapegoat
Mirror Force

No longer limit:
Marshmallon
Snipe Hunter
Tragoedia
Destiny Draw
Emergency Teleport
Level Limit - Area B
Swords of Revealing Light
Ojama Trio
Magic Cylinder

For the forbidden list, I think that Brionac deserve to have a rest at here due to it can be combo with variety of decks to do unlimited loop. Future Fusion is one of key card that can helps Chaos Dragon to perform OTK easily and Mind Control is so broken due to it is costless and almost guarantee a win for you if you draw it on time.

For the limit list, I think that Hornet, Carrier Zenmaity, Hunter should be included in this slot due to the whole deck combo basically work with these cards. The return of BLS also signify that DMOC may return to the game again. Mind Control is too evil especially in this environment because it can grab any monster costless and push the game back from there. Ultimate Offering is too good to play in Geargia and Gadget and with it, they can instantly OTK or control the game.

We have been a long time for not seeing Blackwing topping in major event and the main weak point is due to the number of Kalut in their deck. With the semi-limit of Kalut, their deck can be much more competitive. I personally wish that Debris Dragon return to semi-limit because synchro theme deck is rarely to play nowadays. Gladiator Beast deck is too slow and hardly to regain advantage thus Bestiari may return to semi-limit.

Semi-limit of Rescue Rabbit for sure won't kill the deck but its play will be a bit slow compare with current build. Scapegoat hardly to play nowadays due to the overwhelming of Xyz version of Gaia and Xyz summon don't even required of it. Most importantly, Spore and Glow-up Bulb is still in the forbidden list. Mirror Force may also return to 2 due to it is hardly to play nowadays due to too many destructive cards in the game.

For those new unlimited card list, most of them are hardly to be seen in the game nowadays and some of them not effective to be play in current environment. Therefore, Konami may unlimit them in the September ban list. If Konami really unlimit Destiny Draw, I pretty sure HERO engine will be splash into almost any deck and variant of Tele-DAD may rise from there. Anyway, hopefully this forecast ban list will become true.

Abyss Rising(ABYR) is going to release by this week and the full card list have been revealed. Among those cards, I strongly recommend you guys to collect Bull Blader, Mogumole, Gagaga Gunman, Forbidden Gorment, Magic Deflector and Memory of a Rival. Gagaga Gunman and Forbidden Garment will be the main attraction in this booster and they are splashable into any deck. By the way, the art of Mogumole is damn cute!

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

Heroic Challenger would it be the X-Saber descendant?

Heroic Champion - Excalibur

Hey, guys! Today I will share about my opinion for cards that will be printed in Abyss Rising(ABYR) booster pack. Heroic Challenger and Magical will have their new support cards soon. Based on my observation, Heroic Challenger series is much like the variant of X-Saber and most of them are Earth attribute as well.

Somehow, they are all Warrior type but their effect still not extremely good enough. Most of their monster effect are not too supportive except Double Lance that allow you to Xyz summon easily. Anyway, they can fully fit with the Earth Spirit God - Grand Soil to have Xyz summon or beat down your opponent more easily. One of the bad part of the deck is they lack of level 3 monster to act as support or defense.

With the support of level 3 monster, we can Xyz rank 3 monster easily or combo with M-X-Saber Invoker to SS Warrior-type monster to perform additional Xyz summon. Apart from that, Card Trooper is plenty useful in this deck because it can help to fill up the graveyard and you won't lost your advantage if it is destroy by battle or card effect. The most important part is it is an Earth monster as well. T.G monster also allow you to stall on the field for a while too.

Gogogo Golem also act as the stall monster and it can combo with Gogogo Giant so that you can Xyz summon rank 4 monster easily. This build will have many Earth monster and consists of 9 Warrior-type monster in the main. Instant Fusion can also added so that you can have more option of synchro or Xyz summon. This deck basically is a bit competitive and the only problem with it is just lack of some speed and stability. Anyway, this deck is good for newbie to learn to play combo deck.

I would named this deck as Earth Beat Down deck. The whole deck surround with 14 Earth-attribute monster and without Effect Veiler at all. Thus this deck required a lot of strategy planning and how you gonna play around with your opponent's Effect Veiler. In a nutshell, this deck will improve your skill and you will be practice to think further before you perform any of the combo.

Monster(19):
Bull Blader x1
Card Trooper x2
Earth Spirit God - Grand Soil x1
Gagaga Gardna x1
Gogogo Golem x2
Gogogo Giant x2
Heroic Challenger Double Lance x3
Photon Slasher x2
T.G Striker x1
T.G Rhino x1
T.G Warwolf x2
Tasuke Warrior x1

Spell(14):
Book of Moon x1
Dark Hole x1
Foolish Burial x1
Forbidden Chalice x1
Heavy Storm x1
Instant Fusion x1
Mind Control x1
Monster Reborn x1
MST x3
Pot of Duality x2
RoTA x1

Trap(7):
Compulsory Evacuation Device x2
Solemn Judgment x1
Solemn Warning x2
Torrential Tribute x2

Extra deck:
Blade Armor Ninja x1
Brionac, Ice Barrier Dragon x1
Fairy King Alverd x1
Fusionist x1
Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger x1
Heroic Champion - Excalibur x2
Karbonala Warrior x1
M-X-Saber Invoker x1
Maestroke the Symphony Djinn x1
Number 17: Leviathan Dragon x1
Number 39: Utopia x1
Photon Papilloperative x1
Wind-Up Zenmaines x1


Besides this deck, I had play with SD23: Roar of the Sea Emperor which build by my friend. This deck is not bad and it allow you to easily Xyz any rank 2 or 3 monster easily. The whole deck rely on the effect of Deep Sea Diva and an Effect Veiler can spoil the whole deck combo. However, with the release of Mermail in ABYR, I can see that this deck will be competitive during that time. Thus Effect Veiler may no longer as the major threat for this deck.

For those whose haven't understand how the Mermail combo works around, please learn it now because I can see that their deck will be found anywhere at the local once ABYR is officially released. This deck can perform many of the OTK stuffs, however, I won't discuss any of the Mermail combo since many bloggers had shared their ideas. For those whose interested with the Mermail combo, you may check it from here.

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