STBL Part 4: That's no moon...

Like any set, Starstrike Blast includes some Cards used in the anime. Let's take a look:

First, we have Swift-Attack Scarecrow:

When your opponent's monster declares a direct attack, you can discard this card to negate that attack and end the Battle Phase.

Scarecrow has an Optional Trigger Effect that you activate upon Attack Declaration. Discarding it is a cost. This effect doesn't target, and you can only activate one Scarecrow in response to the attack.

Next, we have Mirror Ladybug:

If you control at least 1 face-up monster and have no monsters in your Graveyard, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. When this card is Special Summoned this way, this card's Level becomes equal to the total Levels of all other monsters you control. If the Level of this card is higher than 12, destroy this card.

Ladybug has a Summoning Condition that gives it an Inherent Special Summon. Then, it has a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Special Summon using that method, which can be negated by Swallow Flip. This effect counts the Levels of the other monsters you control when it resolves. Finally, it has a Continuous Effect which will destroy Mirror Ladybug if its Level ever exceeds 12. This isn't limited to its own Trigger Effect. Anything that would cause its Level to be too high will result in Mirror Ladybug being destroyed.

Then, we have Reed Butterfly:

If your opponent controls a face-up Synchro Monster(s) and you control no face-up Synchro Monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.

Reed Butterfly's Summoning Condition gives it an Inherent Special Summon. It has no further Monster Effects.

Moving on, we have Needle Soldier:

If this card is used as a Synchro Material Monster for a Synchro Monster, during battle between that Synchro Monster and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of that Synchro Monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent.

Needle Soldier has a Continuous Effect. It is applied as soon as the Synchro Summon is successful, and it doesn't depend on Soldier remaining in the Graveyard (or wherever it's sent after the Synchro Summon). It sets a Condition on the Synchro Monster which gives it a trampling effect that doesn't use the chain. If the Synchro Monster is flipped face-down or is Removed from the Field, it will lose this effect.

Then, we have Necro Linker:

You can Tribute this card to select 1 "Synchron" Tuner monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon that monster. It cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster during the turn it is Special Summoned by this effect.

Necro Linker has an Ignition Effect. You tribute Linker as a cost, and it targets a monster in your Graveyard. Then, it sets a Condition on the Summoned monster, preventing it from being used as a Synchro Material this turn. Flipping the monster face-down will get rid of this Condition.

The last regular Yusei monster is Rescue Warrior:

You take no Battle Damage from battles involving this card. If this card is destroyed by battle, select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls that you own, and take control of it.

Rescue Warrior's first effect is a Continuous Effect that prevents Battle Damage. Then, it has a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated at the End of the Damage Step when Rescue Warrior is destroyed in battle. It targets a face-up monster that you originally own, and that your opponent has taken control of. This will override the effect that gave control of that monster to your opponent, so even if your opponent has used Creature Swap, Snatch Steal or Mind Control, you will regain control of your monster "permanently" (or at least until another effect takes control of it). Note that you must target a face-up monster, so if your opponent controlled your monster and turned it into a Spell Card (such as an Equip Card with Relinquished, or a Continuous Spell Card in the case of a Crystal Beast), then you cannot target it.

Now let's look at Jack's Cards, starting with Power Giant:

You can send 1 Level 4 or lower monster from your hand to the Graveyard to Special Summon this card from your hand, and decrease this card's Level by the Level of that monster. If this card attacks or is attacked, until the end of the Damage Step any effect damage you take becomes 0.

Power Giant's Summoning Condition gives it an Inherent Special Summon. You must send the monster to the Graveyard, so you cannot Special Summon Power Giant if Macro Cosmos is active. Modifying Power Giant's Level is part of this Inherent Special Summon, and so, it doesn't start a new chain. If Power Giant has its effects negated, its Level will return to normal. In addition, Power Giant has a Continuous Effect that starts applying since Attack Declaration, which will reduce any Effect Damage you take to 0.

Then, we have Vice Berserker:

If this card is sent to the Graveyard as a Synchro Material Monster, inflict 2000 damage to the player that Synchro Summoned, and the Synchro Monster that used this card as a Synchro Material Monster gains 2000 ATK until the End Phase.

Vice Berserker has a single Mandatory Trigger Effect activated upon the successful Synchro Summon of the Synchro Monster. It inflicts Effect Damage to the player that used it as a Synchro Material, and gives an ATK increase to the Synchro Monster. If the player doesn't receive the Effect Damage, such as if that player controls Black-Winged Dragon, then the ATK increase is still applied. If the Synchro Monster is flipped face-down, the ATK increase is lost.

Next, we have Lancer Archfiend:

Once per turn, when a monster you control declares an attack targeting a Defense Position monster your opponent controls, you can activate this effect. If you do, during this battle, if the ATK of the attacking monster is greater than the DEF of the Defense Position monster it battles, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent.

Lancer Archfiend has an Optional Trigger Effect. You activate it upon Attack Declaration. When the effect resolves, it sets a Condition that will grant the attacking monster the ability to trample during this battle. This effect doesn't target.

Moving on, we have Power Breaker:

When this card is destroyed by your opponent's attack or card effect and sent to the Graveyard, select 1 face-up Spell/Trap Card your opponent controls, and destroy it. If this card attacks, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Damage Step.

Power Breaker's first effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect. You activate it at either the End of the Damage Step after it's destroyed in battle, or after the chain in which it was destroyed by a Card Effect. It targets the opponent's Card that you will destroy. Much like other monsters that depend on the opponent destroying this Card, if your opponent controls Power Breaker and it is destroyed, then it can't activate its effect. Its second effect is a Continuous Effect.

Then, we have Extra Veiler:

When your opponent Special Summons a monster(s), you can Special Summon this card from your hand. During the turn this card is Special Summoned by this effect, your opponent takes any effect damage you would have taken from their card effects, instead.

Veiler has an Optional Trigger Effect to Special Summon itself from the Hand in response to the successful Special Summon of an opponent's monster. You cannot activate this effect during the Damage Step, and you cannot Special Summon more than one Veiler off a single Special Summon. When this effect resolves properly, Veiler sets a Condition that will reflect all Effect Damage you take this turn from your opponent's effects. This Condition doesn't depend on Veiler, so if Veiler has its effects negated or it's no longer face-up before the End Phase, your opponent will still take the reflected damage.

Next, we have Synchro Soldier:

Once per turn, during your Main Phase 1, you can select 1 face-up Synchro Monster you control. Remove that face-up Synchro Monster you control from play and inflict 600 damage to your opponent. If you use this effect, during your next Standby Phase the removed from play monster returns to the field.

Synchro Soldier has an Ignition Effect. It targets one of your Synchro Monsters. Removing the Synchro Monster from Play and inflicting damage are considered to be simultaneous events. If you cannot Remove the Synchro Monster from Play, damage isn't inflicted. Returning the monster to the Field doesn't use the chain, and doesn't depend on Synchro Soldier remaining on the Field.

And finally, some Tuners, one being Creation Resonator:

If you control a face-up Level 8 or higher Synchro Monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.

Creation Resonator's Summoning Condition gives it an Inherent Special Summon. Nothing else.

The other Tuner being Attack Gainer:

If this card is sent to the Graveyard as a Synchro Material Monster, select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. The selected opponent's monster loses 1000 ATK until the End Phase.

Attack Gainer has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It activates upon the successful Summon of the Synchro Monster, and it targets an opponent's monster.

Now, let's look at some of Crow's Cards, starting with Blackwing - Etesian of Two Swords:

If a "Blackwing" monster you control battles an opponent's monster, and that opponent's monster is still on the field at the end of the Damage Step, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to inflict 1000 damage to your opponent.

Etesian has an Optional Trigger Effect that you activate at the End of the Damage Step. Sending this Card to the Graveyard is a cost, so you can't activate this effect if Macro Cosmos is active. Your Blackwing monster doesn't need to remain on the Field, but your opponent's monster must.

Next, we have Blackwing - Aurora the Northern Lights:

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by removing from play 2 face-up monsters you control (1 "Blackwing" Tuner and 1 non-Tuner). Once per turn, you can remove from play 1 "Blackwing" Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck. This card's name, ATK, and effects become the same as that monster's, until the End Phase.

Aurora has a Summoning Condition which gives it an Inherent Special Summon. Then, it has an Ignition Effect. Removing from Play the Blackwing Synchro Monster for this Ignition Effect is not a cost. If Aurora has its effects negated after gaining the effects of the Synchro Monster, only the effects of the Synchro Monster will be negated, and it will keep the ATK and name of that monster. Having an ATK of "?", Aurora cannot be added to the Hand via Black Whirlwind or Against the Wind.

And finally, we have Blackwing - Abroholos the Megaquake:

This card cannot be Special Summoned. Any monsters that battles with this card is not destroyed by that battle, and returns to the hand after damage calculation. Once per turn, during your Main Phase 1, you can have this card lose 1000 ATK, and return all cards in your opponent's Spell and Trap Card Zone to the hand.

Abroholos has a Summoning Condition that prevents it from being Special Summoned. Then, it has a Continuous Effect that prevents the monsters it battles with from being destroyed in battle. It also has a Mandatory Trigger Effect that will return any monster it battles with to the owner's Hand After Damage Calculation, even if Abroholos is destroyed in battle. Additionally, Abroholos has an Ignition Effect. Reducing its ATK is part of the effect, and if Abroholos isn't face-up at the time of the resolution, the effect resolves without effect, as Abroholos cannot reduce its ATK. Note that Abroholos cannot return Field Cards to the opponent's Hand. The ATK loss remains as long as Abroholos remains face-up.

And the last regular monster is one of Aki's mosters, Glow-Up Bulb:

You can send the top card of your Deck to the Graveyard and Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. Each player can only use the effect of "Glow-Up Bulb" once per Duel.

Bulb has an Ignition Effect. Sending the top Card of the Deck to the Graveyard is part of the effect, so you can activate this effect even if Macro Cosmos is active. If Bulb isn't in the Graveyard at the time the effect resolves, you still send the top Card to the Graveyard, but if you run out of Cards to send to the Graveyard, Bulb isn't Summoned. Sending the Card to the Graveyard and Special Summoning Bulb isn't considered to be simultaneous, so a monster like Jinzo - Returner will miss the timing.

Bulb's effect has a restriction of only being able to activate its effect once per Duel, similar to Spore. And similar to Spore, even if the activation of this effect is negated, the effect is negated, or if Bulb leaves the Graveyard and later returns, you still cannot activate this effect more than once per Duel. Lately, a common question regarding both Spore and Bulb is about the wording of their restriction. "Each player" means that a single player can only activate the effect of these monsters once per Duel. Activating the effect of your Bulb won't prevent the opponent from activating the effect of his/her Bulb.

There's only one Spell Card from the anime, and that is Tuning:

Add 1 "Synchron" Tuner monster from your Deck to your hand. Then send the top card of your Deck to the Graveyard.

Tuning adds a monster from your Deck to your Hand, so it doesn't target. Sending the top Card to the Graveyard is not considered to be simultaneous with adding the monster to your Hand. Also, sending the top Card to the Graveyard is part of the effect, so you can activate this Card while Macro Cosmos is active. If you fail to find a monster to add to your Hand, you do not send the top Card to the Graveyard.

Now, let's look at some Trap Cards, starting with D2 Shield:

Select 1 face-up Defense Position monster you control. Its DEF becomes double its original DEF.

D2 Shield targets a monster you control. It can be activated during the Damage Step, before Damage Calculation. It works similarly to Shrink, only that it doubles the value instead of halving it (and it works with DEF). Unlike Shrink, this modification lasts as long as the monster remains face-up. Much like Shrink, activating multiple copies of D2 Shield won't double the DEF twice. It will only set the DEF at a value equal to the original DEF's double, twice.

Next, we have Red Screen:

Your opponent's monsters cannot declare attacks. This card's controller must pay 1000 Life Points during each of their End Phases (this is not optional), or this card is destroyed. If "Red Dragon Archfiend" is face-up on the field, you can select 1 Level 1 Tuner Monster in your Graveyard, then destroy this card and Special Summon that monster.

Red Screen has a Continuous Effect that stops your opponent's monsters from declaring attacks. It has a Maintenance Cost that forces you to pay 1000 Life Points during your End Phases. Finally, it has an Optional Quick-like Effect that you can activate if either player controls a Red Dragon Archfiend, which doesn't need to be a monster (it could be equipped to Relinquished or similar). This effect targets a Tuner in your Graveyard, and Red Screen is destroyed as part of the effect. This effect cannot be activated during the Damage Step. You also cannot activate this effect if you don't have the Tuner monster in your Graveyard (to avoid losing Life Points) or if Imperial Custom is face-up.

Then, we have Blackback:

Activate only during your turn. Select 1 "Blackwing" monster with 2000 or less ATK in your Graveyard, and Special Summon it. You cannot Normal Summon or Set the turn you activate this card.

Blackback targets a monster in your Graveyard. As usual, you cannot Normal Summon/Set, and then activate Blackback later during the turn.

Moving on, we have Defenders Intersect:

Activate only during the Battle Phase. Defense Position monsters your opponent controls are changed to face-up Attack Position, and their effects are negated.

Intersect can be activated during the Battle Phase, outside of the Damage Step. It only affects the monsters that your opponent controls when this Card resolves, not those placed on the Field afterwards. The effect negation is only applied for effects that are applied on the Field, so it won't negate the effect of Sangan and similar monsters.

Next, we have Gravity Collapse:

Activate by sending 1 face-up Synchro Monster you control to the Graveyard when your opponent Summons a monster. Negate the Summon and destroy that card. Your opponent cannot Summon a monster until the End Phase of this turn.

Gravity Collapse sends a Synchro

Then, we have Blackwing  - Boobytrap:

When this Set card is destroyed by your opponent's card effect while you control a face-up "Blackwing" monster, inflict 1000 damage to your opponent and draw 1 card.

Boobytrap has a Mandatory Trigger-like effect that is activated when it is destroyed while face-down. You cannot activate this Trap Card like other Normal Trap Cards, you must meet its triggers. You must control the Blackwing Monster upon this effect's activation and its resolution. The damage and drawing a Card are considered to be simultaneous events, but if you cannot inflict the damage to your opponent, you do not draw a Card.

Moving on, we have Star Siphon:

Activate only when a Synchro Monster is Special Summoned, by selecting it. Special Summon 1 "Siphon Token" (Spellcaster-Type/DARK/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0). Its Level is that of the selected monster, and the selected monster is now Level 1.

Siphon is activated upon the successful Special Summon of the Synchro Monster, and it targets that monster. A Level 1 token is Special Summoned, and it has its Level modified to become the Level of the target Synchro Monster, while the target Synchro Monster has its Level reduced to 1. It the Synchro Monster is no longer face-up by the time this effect resolves, the token remains a Level 1 monster, and the Synchro Monster never has its Level modified by this effect. Siphon cannot be activated during the Damage Step.

And finally, we have Half Counter:

Activate only during damage calculation if a monster you control is being attacked. The attack target monster you control gains ATK equal to half the original ATK of the attacking monster, until the End Phase.

Half Counter is activated during Damage Calculation. It only targets your monster.

Now, let's look at the Synchros, starting with Red Nova Dragon:

2 Tuners + "Red Dragon Archfiend"
This card gains 500 ATK for each Tuner monster in your Graveyard. This card cannot be destroyed by the effects of your opponent's Spells, Traps, or monsters. When your opponent's monster declares an attack, you can select it, then remove this card from play and negate the attack. During the End Phase, Special Summon this card that was removed from play by this effect.

Red Nova Dragon uses exactly 2 Tuners along with a specific monster. You can use a monster that has gained Red Dragon Archfiend's name, but you must still add up its 12 stars with the Synchro Materials. Nova's first effect is a Continuous Effect that gives it an ATK boost. Then, it has a second Continuous Effect that prevents it from being destroyed by your opponent's effects, but it still can be destroyed by yours (like your own Dark Hole). Its third effect is an Optional Trigger Effect that you activate upon Attack Declaration. It allows you to negate one attack by Removing from Play Nova Dragon as part of the effect. This effect targets the attacking monster. Even if the attacking monster is Removed from the Field before this effect resolves, Nova is still Removed from Play. Finally, it has a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated at the End Phase that Special Summons Nova back to the Field if you Removed it from Play with its own effect.

Next, we have Formula Synchron:

1 Tuner + 1 non-Tuner Monster
When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can draw 1 card. During your opponent's Main Phase, you can Synchro Summon using this face-up card you control as a Synchro Material Monster.

Formula Synchron is the first Synchro Monster that is also a Tuner Monster (and vice-versa). It is also an Effect Monster, even though it's not listed as one and it lacks the characteristic orange border. It has an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Synchro Summon that allows you to draw a Card. It can be negated by Swallow Flip. Other than that, it has an Optional Quick Effect that you can activate during your opponent's Main Phases. It allows you to perform a Synchro Summon with this effect, much like Urgent Tuning. You must still meet all the requirements for a Synchro Summon, so the Levels of the monsters must add up those of an eligible Synchro Monster in your Extra Deck. Since the Synchro Summoned is performed when the effect resolves, sending the Synchro Materials to the Graveyard is not performed while activating the effect, and you don't have to announce which Synchro Monster you are Summoning or which Synchro Materials you will use while activating the effect. Once the effect is activated, you must perform a Synchro Summon as long as you have eligible Synchro Materials, even if it is no longer possible to Summon the Synchro Monster you intended to Summon (for example, if you wanted to Synchro Summon Arcanite Magician and your Spellcaster-type non-Tuner monster disappears, but you still have other face-up monsters).

Regarding its activation timing, you can activate it when your opponent wants to end the Main Phase (and proceed to the Battle Phase or End Phase), but this doesn't force your opponent to proceed to the next Phase. You can chain Formula's effect to any Spell Speed 2 or lower effect, but you cannot activate Formula's effect more than once per chain. This is because otherwise you would be able to chain Formula's effect to itself infinitely.

The last Card for today is the cover Card of the set: Shooting Star Dragon:

1 Tuner Synchro Monster + "Stardust Dragon"
Each of these effects can be activated once per turn: ● Reveal the top 5 cards of your Deck. Shuffle them back in, and this card's maximum number of attacks this turn is equal to the number of Tuner monsters revealed. ● Negate the activation of an effect that would destroy a card(s) on the field, and destroy that card. ● When your opponent's monster declares an attack you can select it, then remove this card from play and negate the attack. During the End Phase, Special Summon this card that was removed from play by this effect.

Much like Red Nova Dragon, Shooting Star Dragon asks you to use a monster named Stardust Dragon, but you can also use a monster that has gained Stardust's name. You can also use a Synchro Monster that has been turned into a Tuner Monster by a Card Effect. In either case, you have to add up Shooting Star Dragon's 10 stars while Synchro Summoning it. As for its effects, note that the first sentence sets a restriction for each individual effect, meaning  all three effects can be used in a single turn, but each can only be used once.

The first effect is an Ignition Effect. Revealing 5 Cards is part of the effect. Being an Ignition Effect, this effect is completely optional. That is to say, you don't need to activate it in order for Shooting Star Dragon to attack. You only activate it to try to obtain more attacks. If you don't activate it, Shooting Star Dragon can attack once like any regular monster. This effect determines the maximum number of attacks that SSD can perform this turn, so if you reveal 0 Tuner monsters, SSD cannot declare any attacks, even if it gains the ability to attack twice with another Card's effect like Wonder Clover. Similarly, if the maximum number of attacks gained by SSD's effect is 3 or higher, an effect like Wonder Clover won't override it: It's already able to attack twice, and even more times.  You cannot activate this effect if you don't have at least 1 Tuner Monster in your Deck or 5 Cards to reveal, but if you don't meet either requirement when the effect resolves, you resolve the effect as much as possible, trying to reveal 5 Cards on the top of your Deck. You do the same if SSD is no longer face-up too.

The second effect is an Optional Quick Effect. It's similar to the Quick Effect of Stardust Dragon, only that it doesn't have a cost. Much like Stardust Dragon, it cannot negate effects that aren't certain to destroy a Card on the Field like Snipe Hunter. The third effect is an Optional Trigger Effect, and it works exactly as that of Red Nova Dragon's. And much like Red Nova, it also has a fourth effect that is a Mandatory Trigger Effect that Special Summons SSD after the third effect Removes it from Play.

That's all we have on STBL for today. Stay tuned for more Starstrike Blast!

STBL Part 3: Biofuel

Starstrike Blast also brings some support for Watt and Naturia monsters. Let's take a look.

Regarding Watts, let's look at the monsters first, starting with Wattkiwi:

“Watt” monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle while they are attacking.

Much like most battle protection effects, this is a Continuous Effect that you simply apply when the monster will be destroyed in battle. Note that the Watt monster must be attacking, it doesn't work in every type of battle.

Next, we have Watthopper:

Your opponent cannot select another face-up "Watt" monster on the field as an attack target, or target them with card effects.

Watthopper has two Continuous Effects. One prevents other Watt monsters from being selected as an attack target. If you control two or more Watthopper, no Watt monsters can be selected asn a attack target, and neither player can attack directly "over" them. The other effect prevents Watt monsters from being targeted by Card Effects. If they have already been targeted, and Watthopper is Special Summoned in response, Watthopper won't affect the targeting effect.

Then, we have Wattdragonfly:

If this card is destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect), you can Special Summon 1 "Watt" monster from your Deck.

Wattdragonfly has an Optional Trigger Effect that can't miss the timing. It can be activated even if Wattdragonfly is destroyed outside of the Field.

The last Watt monster in this set is Wattsquirrel:

This card can attack twice during each Battle Phase. If this card battles, negate the effects of the monster it battled after damage calculation (including in the Graveyard).

Squirrel's first effect is a Continuous Effect that allows it to attack twice during the Battle Phase. The second effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated After Damage Calculation. It sets a Condition on the monster that negates its effects while on the Field and in the Graveyard, similar to the one set by Dark Ruler Ha Des.

We then have two Spell Cards, one being Wattcastle:

Any monster that attacks a "Watt" monster loses 1000 ATK after damage calculation.

Wattcastle has a Continuous Efffect that you apply After Damage Calculation, meaning that battle has already been carried out. Unlike Black Garden, this ATK reduction depends on Wattcastle remaining on the Field with its effect active.

And the other Spell Card being Wattjustment:

Equip only to a Level 3 or lower Thunder-Type monster. It gains 800 ATK and its effects are negated. Each time it inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, draw 1 card.

Wattjustment has two Continuous Effects, one that gives an ATK increase, and one that negates the effects of the equipped monster that are applied on the Field. Additionally, it has a Mandatory Trigger-like effect that you activate after Damage Calculation when Battle Damage is inflicted.

The last Card for the Watt theme in this set is the Trap Card Wattkeeper:

Select 1 Level 4 or lower "Watt" monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon that monster from the Graveyard. Destroy it during the End Phase.

Wattkeeper targets a monster in your Graveyard. Then, it sets a Condition that will destroy the monster during the End Phase. If the Summoned monster stops being face-up, it's not destroyed.

Now, let's take a look at the Naturia Cards. Let's start with the first monster, Naturia Cherries:

If this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard by your opponent's card (including by battle, card effect, or by being destroyed), you can Special Summon up to 2 "Naturia Cherries" from your Deck in face-down Defense Position.

Cherries is similar to Wattdragonfly. It has an Optional Trigger Effect that can't miss the timing, but unlike dragonfly, it can only be activated if Cherries is sent from the Field to the Graveyard.

Then, we have Naturia Pumpkin:

When this card is Normal Summoned, if your opponent controls a monster, you can Special Summon 1 "Naturia" monster from your Hand.

Pumpkin has an Optional Trigger effect activated upon its successful Normal Summon. It can be negated by Pulling the Rug. It doesn't target, but you must have a Naturia Monster in your Hand at the time of the activation.

The last Naturia Monster is Naturia Stag Beetle:

Once per turn, during the Battle Step or Damage Step of this card's attack, when your opponent activates a card or effect, you can select 1 "Naturia" monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon that monster from the Graveyard.

Stag Beetle has an Optional Quick Effect. It's activated in a chain to the activation of a Card or the activation of a Card's effect, and it targets a monster in your Graveyard.

As for the Spell Cards, we have Barkion's Bark:

Activate only if you control a face-up "Naturia" monster. Your opponent cannot activate Trap Cards this turn.

Controlling a Naturia Monster is only an activation requirement. This Card's effect will resolve properly if that Naturia Monster is no longer face-up when this effect resolves. If you activate this Spell Card's effect via Diamond Dude, you don't need to control a Naturia Monster.

Then, we have Leodrake's Mane:

Select 1 face-up "Naturia" monster you control. Its ATK becomes 3000, and its effects are negated, until the End Phase.

Mane targets a monster you control. The ATK value becomes 3000, so it overrides any ATK modifiers currently being applied to the monster. Only the effects that are applied on the Field are negated.

The last Card for today is the only Trap Card for the Naturia theme in the set: Extrio's Fang:

Activate only if you control a face-up "Naturia" monster and have at least 1 card in your hand. Negate the activation of an opponent's Spell/Trap Card and destroy it. Then, send 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard.

Fang negates the activation of a Spell or Trap Card, so it can't negate the effects of an already-active S/T Card.

Well, that's all for Naturia and Watt monsters. Stay tuned for even more STBL! If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

STBL Part 2: Chocolate Starfish

Scrap monsters return in Starstrike Blast with some new support Cards, as well as a brand new Synchro Monster. Let's take a look:

First, we have Scrap Soldier:

This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster, except for the Synchro Summon of a "Scrap" monster. If this face-up Defense Position card is selected as an attack target, destroy this card at the end of the Battle Phase. If this card is destroyed by the effect of a "Scrap" card and sent to the Graveyard, you can select 1 "Scrap" monster in your Graveyard, except "Scrap Soldier", and add it to your hand.

The first line is a Condition that prevents Soldier from being used as a Synchro Material monster in certain cases. It can't be negated by Skill Drain or similar Cards. The second sentence is a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated at the End of the Battle Phase, very similar to that of Scrap Goblin. The third effect is an Optional Trigger Effect that can't miss the timing, which is the common "recycling" effect of most Scrap Monsters, and as expected, it targets a monster in the Graveyard.

Then, we have Scrap Searcher:

When a "Scrap" monster you control, except "Scrap Searcher", is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard while this card is in the Graveyard, you can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. When this card is Special Summoned, destroy all face-up monsters you control, except "Scrap" monsters.

Scrap Searcher is interesting. People are used to avoiding timing issues with most Scrap Monsters, but Scrap Searcher's first effect is actually affected by timing issues, if only a little. The effect itself is an Optional Trigger Effect, and the destruction of the Scrap monster must be the last thing to happen. It can't be activated during the Damage Step, and the Scrap Monster must be face-up at the time of the destruction (and must remain a "Scrap" monster while in the Graveyard). You can Special Summon multiple copies of Scrap Searcher in response to the destruction of a single Scrap monster. In most cases, you won't miss the timing for this effect, as the self-destructive effect of Scrap Monsters is link 1 of the chain most of the time.

The second effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated upon Searcher's successful Special Summon, even if it's not by its own effect. It can be negated by Swallow Flip.

Scraps also received a TCG exclusive monster, namely, Scrap Mind Reader:

Once per turn, while this card is in your Graveyard during your Main Phase 2, you can select 1 face-up "Scrap" monster you control, except "Scrap Mind Reader". Destroy that monster and Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. If you do, remove this card from play when it is removed from the field. If this card is used as a Synchro Material Monster, all other Synchro Material Monsters must be "Scrap" monsters.

Mind Reader has an Ignition Effect. It targets a monster on your side of the Field. The destruction and the Special Summon is simultaneous. Then, it sets a Condition on itself that will Remove itself from Play when it's Removed from the Field, similar to Plaguespreader Zombie. If flipped face-down, this Condition is Removed. Furthermore, the last sentence provides another Condition, which restricts the type of Synchro Materials it can be paired with, much like Scrap Chimera.

There's only one Spell Card for Scraps in this set, which is Scrap Lube:

Select 1 "Scrap" monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon that monster from the Graveyard. Its effects are negated. When this card is removed from the field, destroy that monster. When that monster is removed from the field, destroy this card. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase the turn you activate this card.

Scrap Lube targets a Scrap Monster in the Graveyard. The effects of the targeted monster that apply on the Field are negated. Scrap Lube is a Continuous Spell Card only because it must target the Summoned monster with its doom clause (if either Card leaves the Field, the other is destroyed). You cannot keep Summoning monsters with Scrap Lube during this, or any other further turns. Note that Lube is a Card with "Scrap" on its name, so if Lube is Removed from the Field, the Summoned monster will be destroyed by the effect of a "Scrap" Card, and any "recycling" effects will activate. During the turn Scrap Lube is activated, you cannot conduct your Battle Phase, and you cannot activate Lube during your Main Phase 2 either. If Lube has its activation negated, you can conduct your Battle Phase, but if only its effect is negated, the restriction is applied. The restriction doesn't depend on Lube's existence on the Field.

And then, the only Trap Card on the set for Scraps is Scrap Crash:

Activate only when a "Scrap" monster you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. Destroy all face-up Spell/Trap Cards on the field.

Scrap Crash has the same timing as Scrap Searcher, and has the same timing problem as Searcher too. It can't be activated during the Damage Step either. Other than that, it doesn't target.

Finally, we have the new Synchro Monster, Scrap Twin Dragon:

1 "Scrap" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, you can select 1 card you control and 2 cards your opponent controls. Destroy the one you control and return the two your opponent controls to the hand. When this card is destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect) and sent to the Graveyard, select 1 non-Synchro "Scrap" monster in your Graveyard, and Special Summon it.

Twin Dragon has an Ignition Effect. It targets three Cards. The destruction and the bouncing are simultaneous, however, the bouncing depends on the successful destruction of your Card. If your targeted Card is no longer on the Field, then no Cards are returned to the Hand, unlike the original Scrap Dragon. Speaking of the original one, Twin Dragon also has the Special Summoning effect of its predecessor, which is still a Mandatory Trigger Effect that targets.

That's all for the return of Scrap monsters. Stay tuned for more STBL. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

STBL Part 1: Like Toy Soldiers

The new set Starstrike Blast introduces a new theme called Karakuri. It's composed of Machine-Type monsters of EARTH Attribute who base their effects on Battle Position changes. Let's take a look.

Most Karakuri Monsters have the following effect in common:

This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card on the field is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position.

The first sentence is a Continuous Effect. This effect forces the player to enter the Battle Phase, and the player cannot end it without the Karakuri Monster declaring an attack. A Karakuri monster that cannot attack due to a Card effect such as Swords of Revealing Light or Fiendish Chain, or one that is in face-up Defense Position will not force the player to attack with it, because attacking is not possible.

The second sentence is a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It's activated upon Attack Declaration, when the Karakuri Monster is selected as an attack target. It will be activated in the case of a replay as well.

With that covered, let's look at the monsters. The first one is Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 “Nisamu”:

This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card on the field is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Karakuri" monster from your Deck in face-up Attack Position.

Aside from the common effect to Karakuri monsters, Nisamu has an Optional Trigger Effect. It's your usual recruiter that activates at the End of the Damage Step.

Then, we have Karakuri Merchant mdl 177 “Inashichi”:

This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card on the field is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is Normal Summoned, you can add 1 "Karakuri" card from your Deck to your hand.

Aside from the common effect, Inashichi has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It's activated upon its Normal Summon, so it can be negated by Pulling the Rug. Note that it can search any Card with "Karakuri" in its name, not just Monster Cards.

Moving on, we have Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi”:

This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, select 1 monster on the field and change its battle position.

Aside from the common effect, Nishipachi has Mandatory Trigger Effect. It's activated upon its successful Normal or Special Summon, and so, it can be negated by Pulling the Rug or Swallow Flip accordingly. This effect targets.


Next, we have Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 “Sazank”:

 This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is flipped face-up, select 1 face-up monster on the field, and send it to the Graveyard. During the turn this card is flipped face-up, it can attack your opponent directly.

Barring the common effect again, Sazank has two more effects. Its first additional effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect that activates when Sazank is flipped. Much like Snowman Eater, this isn't a FLIP Effect, but functions in the same way as those effects. It targets a face-up monster on the Field. The second effect is a Continuous Effect that allows Sazank to attack directly.

The last Karakuri Monster in the original set is Karakuri Bushi mdl 6318 “Muzanichiha”:

This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card on the field is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. If another "Karakuri" monster on the field is destroyed, this card gains 400 ATK.

Along with the common effect, Muzanichiha has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It provides an ATK boost each time a Karakuri monster on the Field is destroyed. The Karakuri monster must be face-up at the time of its destruction in order to activate this effect.

We then have some Spell Cards, starting with Karakuri Showdown Castle:

When a face-up "Karakuri" monster you control selects an opponent's face-up monster as an attack target, you can change the target's battle position. When this face-up card on the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can select 1 Level 4 or higher "Karakuri" monster in your Graveyard, and Special Summon it.

This Field Spell Card has two effects. The first is an Optional Trigger-like effect that can be activated upon Attack Declaration. It targets the attacked monster. The target monster must remain face-up and on the opponent's side of the Field in order for this effect to resolve properly. Only the controller of this Field Spell Card can activate this effect. The second effect is an Optional Trigger Effect too. It's activated when this Card on the Field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, similarly to Morphtronic Map. It targets a Karakuri monster in the Graveyard. This effect can miss the timing if the destruction of Showdown Castle isn't the last thing to happen, so if Mystical Space Typhoon is chained to Castle's activation, or if it's destroyed by the activation of your own new Field Card, you won't be able to activate the effect. Much like Geartown, the proper way to activate this effect by replacing it with a new Field Card is to SET the new Field Card, not to activate it.

Then, we have Golden Gearbox:

Select 1 face-up "Karakuri" monster on the field. It gains 500 ATK and 1500 DEF, until the End Phase.

Gearbox targets a face-up Karakuri monster on either side of the Field. It provides an ATK/DEF boost. Not much elseto say.

The last Karakuri Spell Card is Karakuri Anatomy:

 Each time a "Karakuri" monster's battle position is changed, place 1 Karakuri Counter on this card (max. 2). You can send this card from the field to the Graveyard to draw 1 card for each Karakuri Counter on this card.

Anatomy has a Continuous Effect that causes it to gain Karakuri Counters each time a Karakuri monster changes its Battle Position. The Karakuri monster must be face-up at the time it's done changing its position for this Card to recognize it, so if Book of Moon is used, no Counters will be gained. Remember that flipping a face-down Monster face-up with a Card like Swords of Revealing Light doesn't change its Battle Position. The Monster Card must change from Defense to Attack Position, or vice-versa. Anatomy's second effect is an Ignition-like effect.. Sending the Card to the Graveyard is a cost, so if Macro Cosmos is active, this effect cannot be activated.

We then have two Trap Cards, the first one being Karakuri Trick House:

Activate only when the battle position of a face-up "Karakuri" monster you control is changed . Select 1 card on the field, and destroy it.

Trick House responds to a Battle Position change, which must be the last thing to happen. The Karakuri Monster must be face-up before and after changing its position for this Card to recognize it. The destruction effect targets a Card on the Field.

The other Trap Card is Karakuri Clock:

Activate only when a face-up Defense Position "Karakuri" monster is selected as an attack target. Destroy all face-up monsters your opponent controls.

Clock is activated at the time of Attack Declaration. The Karakuri Monster can be on either side of the Field. This effect doesn't target.

An OCG import Card for the Karakuri theme is included in this set, being Karakuri Spider:

If this card attacks a DARK monster, destroy the attack target after damage calculation.

Spider has a Mandatory Trigger Effect that is activated before the End of the Damage Step, at the same timing FLIP Effects or D.D. Warrior Lady activate their effects. It doesn't target. It activates even if Karakuri Spider is destroyed in battle. Note that it will only activate if Karakuri Spider is attacking, not if it is attacked.

There's also a TCG exclusive for the Karakuri theme, being Karakuri Barrel mdl 96 “Shinkuro”:

 This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card on the field is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed by battle.

Shinkuro has the common effect once again. Additionally, it has a Continuous Effect that prevents its destruction in battle once per turn.

The final monster for the theme is a Synchro Monster: Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei”:

 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Machine-Type monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 "Karakuri" monster from your Deck. Once per turn, you can select 1 monster on the field, and change its battle position.

Burei's first effect is an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Synchro Summon. It can be negated by Swallow Flip. Its second effect is an Ignition Effect. It targets a monster to change its Battle Position.

Well, that's all for the Karakuri monsters. Stay tuned for more STBL. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

SDMA Part 3: Death, Escape, That's Why Boneyards Have Fences

In this last review of Marik's Deck, we'll look at the last batch of Cards of the Structure Deck. Most are common-use Cards like Book of Moon and similar that have very few rulings on themselves, and they actually shine when used in other scenarios involving more Cards. Not to mention being Cards that Marik has never used himself. Still, it doesn't hurt to know how they work either.

Let's start with Mystical Space Typhoon:

Select 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. Destroy it.

A basic S/T removal Card. It targets a S/T Card on the Field. It cannot target itself, ever.

Next, we have Nightmare's Steelcage:

This card remains face-up on the field for 2 of your opponent's turns. No monsters can attack. Destroy this card during your opponent's 2nd End Phase after this card was activated.

Steelcage is a Normal Spell Card that is allowed to remain on the Field. It's not treated as a Continuous Spell Card or any of the other types of Spell Cards that remain on the Field by themselves. This ability cannot be negated, so even if Imperial Order is active, Steelcage would remain on the Field. After two of your opponent's turns, it's destroyed by Game Mechanics. It has a Continuous Effect that stops monsters from attacking. If you activate this Card's effect via Diamond Dude, it would try to apply its effect, but since it's not on the Field, monsters can attack as usual.

Then, we have Creature Swap:

Each player chooses 1 monster they control and switches control of those monsters with each other. Those monsters cannot change their battle positions for the rest of this turn.

Creature Swap forces players to switch control of one of their monsters as long as they remain on the Field. Once the monsters switch control, if another effect takes control of the swapped monster temporarily, control reverts to the controller that Creature Swap has set. For example, if you use Creature Swap and give away a Sheep Token to your opponent, then take control of it with Mind Control, at the end of the turn, Mind Control would return the Sheep Token to your opponent. This is because Creature Swap determines a new controller for the monster, but it's very different from Cards like Change of Heart or Brain Control. 

Creature Swap's effect doesn't target, and so, the monsters are chosen at resolution. The position of the monsters can be changed manually before activating Creature Swap. Monsters that cannot switch control are not a valid choice for Creature Swap, but monsters that are unaffected by Spell Cards are. If all of the eligible monsters are unaffected by Creature Swap or there are no more monsters on one side of the Field at the time it resolves, then Swap resolves without effect.

Moving on, we have Book of Moon:

Select 1 face-up monster on the field and flip it into face-down Defense Position.

Book of Moon targets a face-up monster on the Field. A very basic effect to flip monsters face-down.

Then, we have Dark Room of Nightmare:

Each time your opponent takes damage from a card effect, except "Dark Room of Nightmare", inflict 300 damage to your opponent.

Dark Room of Nightmare has a Trigger-like effect. It start a chain after the chain in which your opponent took Effect Damage resolves. Being a Continuous Spell Card, Dark Room must remain face-up until that chain resolves and until its own effect starts resolving in order to inflict the damage.

Moving on, we have Foolish Burial:

Send 1 Monster Card from your Deck to the Graveyard.

Burial sends a monster from the Deck to the Graveyard as part of its effect. It doesn't target, and it resolves properly even if Macro Cosmos is active. It's important to emphasize how it doesn't target: You don't need to declare which monster you are sending to the Graveyard upon activating Foolish Burial.

And then, we have Magical Stone Excavation:

Discard 2 cards to select 1 Spell Card from your Graveyard. Add it to your hand.

Discarding two Cards is a cost, and this effect targets a Card in the Graveyard. If this Card's effect is activated via Diamond Dude, you don't need to discard, but the effect would still target a Card in the Graveyard.

The last Spell Card for now is Allure of Darkness:

Draw 2 cards, then remove from play 1 DARK monster from your hand. If you do not have any DARK monsters in your hand to remove, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.

Allure of Darkness has no cost. All of its actions are part of its effect. Removing a DARK monster from Play happens after you draw two Cards, that is to say, non-simultaneously. Not only this means that a player cannot respond with Cards like Drastic Drop off, but also, it means that you can activate Allure of Darkness without holding a DARK monster in your Hand or even the certainty of drawing into one of those monsters.

If Imperial Iron Wall is active, you cannot activate Allure of Darkness. However, if Iron Wall is chained to Allure, then you proceed as usual. First draw two Cards, then, if you have a DARK monster, simply reveal it to your opponent and keep it in your Hand. This revealing confirms that you are trying to perform the first part of Allure's effect (you DO have a DARK monster, you just can't Remove it from Play). If you don't have a DARK Monster, then of course your entire Hand is sent to the Graveyard.

As for the Trap Cards, let's start with Acid Trap Hole:

Select 1 face-down Defense Position monster and flip it face-up. If the monster's DEF is 2000 or less, destroy it. If the monster's DEF is more than 2000, flip the monster to face-down Defense Position.

Acid Trap Hole targets a face-down monster. It must remain face-down until Acid Trap Hole resolves. If the monster has a FLIP Effect or an effect that activates when it's flipped, it will start a new chain after Acid Trap Hole resolves. If a Continuous Effect of other Cards on the Field would increase the DEF of the targeted monster if it was face-up, then you must take it into account when Acid Trap Hole resolves. However, do not apply any Continuous Effects of the targeted monster, such as immunity to Trap Cards.

Then, we have Mirror Force:

Activate only when an opponent's monster declares an attack. Destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls.

Mirror Force is activated upon Attack Declaration. It destroys all of your opponent's monsters that are in Attack Position when it resolves. Since a lot of people have the MRD Mirror Force, note that the text is heavily outdated and Mirror Force doesn't actually negate attacks. So if a monster like Koa'ki Meiru Valafar that can't destroyed by Trap Cards attacks, the attack would still go through.

Moving on, we have Skull Invitation:

Each time a card(s) is sent to the Graveyard, inflict 300 damage to its owner for each card sent.

Invitation has a Continuous Effect. You apply it right after the Cards are sent to the Graveyard. If you are in the middle of a chain, apply it when the corresponding chain link is done resolving.

Then, we have Coffin Seller:

Each time a Monster Card(s) is sent to your opponent's Graveyard, inflict 300 damage to your opponent.

Coffin Seller is similar to Skull Invitation, only that it counts Monster Cards sent to the opponent's Graveyard and that it has a Trigger-like Effect instead ofa Continuous one. But most importantly, Seller always inflicts 300 points of damage, regardless of how many Cards are sent by a single event. So for example, if you use Dark Hole and destroy 3 of your opponent's monsters, you only inflict 300 points of damage.

Other Trap Cards used by Marik also include Nightmare Wheel:

Select 1 monster your opponent controls. It cannot attack or change its battle position. When it is removed from the field, destroy this card. During each of your Standby Phases, your opponent takes 500 damage.

Nightmare Wheel targets a monster upon activation and after it resolves. It also has a Trigger-like effect that inflicts Effect Damage during your Standby Phase.

We also have Metal Reflect Slime:

After activation, Special Summon this card in Defense Position: it is treated as an Effect Monster Card (Aqua-Type/WATER/Level 10/ATK 0/DEF 3000). This card cannot attack. (This card is still treated as a Trap Card)

Metal Reflect Slime is considered to perform a Special Summon. It occupies a S/T Card Zone and a Monster Card Zone. If Slime has its effect negated, it returns to the S/T Card Zone and never becomes a Monster Card again (because it's not being activated again), remaining on the Field meaninglessly. If flipped face-down, it returns to the S/T Card Zone face-down (and is considered to be Set during that turn, so you cannot activate it during that turn). Its Original ATK and DEF are 0 and 3000 respectively. While Slime isn't face-up on the Field, it's only considered to be a Trap Card, such as while in the Deck or when sent to the Graveyard.

Then, we have Malevolent Catastrophe:

Activate only when your opponent's monster declares an attack. Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field.

Catastrophe is activated upon Attack Declaration. It doesn't target neither the attacking monster or the Cards that it will destroy.

The last Trap Card in the Deck is Dark Illusion:

Negate the activation of a Spell Card, Trap Card, or Effect Monster's effect that targets a face-up DARK monster, and destroy that card.

Dark Illusion doesn't target. It the Card that it intends to negate is targeting other Cards aside from the DARK monster, you can still negate its activation with Dark Illusion. This Card cannot be used in response to the effects of already-active S/T Cards.

Finally, the Deck introduces some really classic Cards used by Marik, albeit indirectly. The first one is Mystical Beast of Serket:

Destroy this card if you do not control "Temple of the Kings". Each time this card destroys a monster by battle, the destroyed monster is removed from play, and this card gains 500 ATK.

Serket has a Continuous Effect that destroys it if you don't control a Card named "Temple of the Kings". It can be negated by Skill Drain. Then, it has a Continuous Effect that Removes from Play any monsters that this Card destroys in battle. Finally, it has a Trigger Effect that you activate at the End of the Damage Step, which increases Serket's own ATK.

The last Card from the Deck is Temple of the Kings:

The controller of this card can activate Trap Cards the same turn they are Set. If you control "Mystical Beast of Serket" and this card, you can send both to the Graveyard to Special Summon 1 monster from your hand, Deck or Extra Deck.

Temple of the Kings has two effects. The first one allows its controller to activate Trap Cards during the same turn that they are Set. Even though this virtually means that you can activate Trap Cards from your Hand, notice that you MUST set them first. So for example, if Dark Simorgh is face-up, you won't be able to use Trap Cards with this effect. The second effect is an Ignition-like effect. Sending the Cards to the Graveyard is a cost. You can Special Summon a monster from your Hand, Deck or Extra Deck. Monsters in the Hand or Deck aren't too complicated, as you can only Special Summon monsters that aren't Special Summon-only monsters or Nomi monsters. However, the Extra Deck is more interesting. You can Special Summon any Fusion or Synchro Monster that doesn't have any restriction on its Special Summoning. So you can Special Summon a monster like Ally of Justice Catastor or Ojama King, but you cannot Special Summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus or Trident Dragion.

Note that Temple of the Kings has been added to the Forbidden Card List upon its release.

As a bonus track, let's look at a key Marik Card that wasn't included in the Structure Deck. I'm talking about Makyura the Destructor:

During the turn this card is sent to the Graveyard, the owner of this card can activate Trap Cards(s) from his/her hand.

One of my favorite Cards. Makyura has an unique effect, with an even more unique classification. Its effect is actually Continuous, but doesn't rely on Makyura staying in the Graveyard at all. As soon as Makyura is sent to the Graveyard, its effect "starts working", without using the chain. That means that if you send Makyura to the Graveyard as a cost for some effect, you can already start chaining Trap Cards from your Hand to that effect. Furthermore, if Makyura is removed from the Graveyard, such as with D.D. Crow, its effect still works. Makyura's effect is superior to that of Temple of the Kings, so it stays side by side to it in the Forbidden Card List.

Well, that covers all of Marik's Cards. Stay tuned for some Starstrike Blast Cards. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

SDMA Part 2: Children Of The Grave

The Structure Deck: Marik includes most of the Gravekeeper Monsters along with their key Field Spell Card Necrovalley. They are all DARK, Spellcaster-type monsters. Gravekeeper monsters were first introduced in Pharaonic Guardian, and received some additional support through the years. While Marik didn't actually play with Gravekeeper Monsters, his job in Ancient Egypt was being a grave keeper himself. Some of the Gravekeeper Cards are not actually included in the Deck, but let's just review them all in this article.

Let's start with Gravekeeper's Spy:

FLIP: Special Summon 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck.

Spy has a Flip Effect. It doesn't target.

Next, we have Gravekeeper's Curse:

When this card is Summoned, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.

Curse has a Trigger Effect that activates upon its successful Summon. It can be negated by Pulling the Rug or Swallow Flip accordingly.

Then, we have Gravekeeper's Guard:

FLIP: Select 1 monster your opponent controls and return it to the hand.

Guard has a Flip Effect too. This one does target an opponent's monster.

Moving on, we have Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier:

During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Batte Damage to your opponent.

Your usual trampling effect. It's a Continuous Effect.

Then, we have Gravekeeper's Cannonholder:

You can Tribute 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster, except "Gravekeeper's Cannonholder", to inflict 700 damage to your opponent.

Cannonholder has an Ignition Effect. It tributes a monster as a cost. Note that you cannot tribute ANY Gravekeeper's Cannonholder you control, not just this one. You can't even tribute a face-down Cannonholder.

And then, we have Gravekeeper's Assailant:

If "Necrovalley" is on the Field when this card declares an attack, you can select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls and change its battle position.

Assailant has an Optional Trigger Effect that you activate upon Attack Declaration. It targets a face-up monster your opponent controls, but it can be a different monster than the Attack Target.

Outside of the Structure Deck, we also have Gravekeeper's Vassal:

Battle Damage this card inflicts to your opponent is treated as Effect damage instead.

Vassal has a really unique Continuous Effect. Much as its text explains, instead of inflicting Battle Damage, this damage is treated as Effect Damage instead. This has some useful implications. For example, since inflicting Battle Damage is an event without Spell Speed, Cards that need to be chained to Effect Damage like Barrel Behind the Door cannot respond to this effect. Waboku cannot prevent a player from taking damage when Vassal would inflict Battle Damage to them. It's also worth mentioning that if an effect restricts Vassal from inflicting Battle Damage, such as Union Attack, then Vassal would still inflict Effect Damage to your opponent. For example, if Phantom of Chaos copied Vassal's effect, then you could damage your opponent with Phantom, even though it can't inflict any Battle Damage.

And another missing Gravekeeper is Gravekeeper's Watcher:

When your opponent activates an effect whereby your opponent discards a card(s) from his/her hand, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to negate the activation of the effect and destroy it.

Watcher has an Optional Quick Effect. Sending this Card from the Hand to the Graveyard is a cost, so the effect can't be activated if Macro Cosmos is active. It negates the activation of an effect that includes the effect of discarding Cards from your opponent's Hand. Since effects are not costs, it cannot negate Cards like Raigeki Break or Phoenix Wing Wind Blast (more importantly, your opponent would have already discarded the Cards already). Also, since it negates activations, it doesn't target. It cannot negate the effects of an already-active S/T Card like Depth Amulet.

Back to the Deck, the last of the PGD batch of Gravekeepers is Gravekeeper's Chief:

You can only control 1 "Gravekeeper's Chief". Cards in your Graveyard are unaffected by "Necrovalley". When this card is Tribute Summoned, you can select 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it.

The first line is a highlander clause, which we have already reviewed before. Then, it has a Continuous Effect that stops Necrovalley from affecting your Graveyard. We'll deal with Necrovalley in a minute, but pretty much it means exactly that: Everything that Necrovalley stops doesn't count for your Graveyard. The last sentence is an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon this Card's successful Tribute Summon, so it can be negated by Pulling the Rug. It targets a Gravekeeper in your Graveyard.

Straying from the Deck once again, we have two monsters that are related to Necrovalley that are also from PGD, one being A Cat of Ill Omen and the other being An Owl of Luck:

FLIP: Select 1 Trap Card from your Deck and place it on top of your Deck. If "Necrovalley" is active on the field, you can add the selected card to your hand instead.

FLIP: Select 1 Field Spell Card from your Deck and place it on top of your Deck. If "Necrovalley" is active on the field, you can add the selected Field Spell Card to your hand instead.

Both Cards work exactly the same rulings-wise. Both have a Flip Effect that helps you getting a specific Card from your Deck faster, and they only differ in which Card they can search. This effect doesn't target. The effect only requires "Necrovalley" to be on the Field to add the Card to the Hand, it doesn't need to have its effect active. So even if Gravekeeper's Chief or Imperial Order are disrupting Necrovalley's effect, you can choose to add the Card to the Hand. If Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up, the Card must be placed on top of your Deck. You are unable to choose in that case.

We also have Charm of Shabti:

Discard this card from your hand. Until the End Phase, make the Battle Damage to monsters that include "Gravekeeper's" in their card name 0.

Charm has an Optional Quick Effect. Discarding it is a cost. While its wording is a little ambiguous, it means that your Gravekeeper monsters are not destroyed in battle, but you still take any necessary Battle Damage. This effect doesn't target, and it will affect Graveekeper monsters that were Summoned after the effect resolves or that were face-down. Note that the effect also affects your opponent's Gravekeepers.

As for some old Gravekeeper Spell Cards, we have Gravekeeper's Servant:

Your opponent cannot declare an attack unless they send 1 card from the top of their Deck to the Graveyard.

Servant is an interesting Card. By itself, it doesn't mean much to today's Cards' standards, but it has two funny rulings. The first one is that, despite being a Continuous Spell Card, it counts as a Gravekeeper Card due to its name, and if you Summon it with Magical Hats, it can benefit from the Gravekeeper support Cards. This was one of the first Cards with this loophole, even though nowadays it's a little more common. The other ruling involves more about the Card's effect. Basically, Servant places a cost on declaring an attack. This doesn't use the chain, and is required to start declaring an attack. If your opponent doesn't have enough Cards in the Deck, s/he can't declare any attacks. The other funny ruling comes here. If Macro Cosmos is active, then the cost to declare an attack cannot be paid, as the Cards cannot be sent to the Graveyard, and so, if both Macro Cosmos and this Card are active, the opponent can't declare any attacks no matter how many Cards are left in his Deck.

We also have Royal Tribute:

Activate only when you control "Necrovalley". Both players discard all Monster Cards in their hands.

Controlling Necrovalley is only an activation requirement, so even if it is destroyed, the effect still resolves properly. If activated via Diamond Dude, you don't need to control Necrovalley. At least 1 player must control Cards in his/her Hand in order to activate Royal Tribute, but you can activate it with no Monster Cards in your Hand or no Cards at all. Both players must also reveal their Hand to verify that there are no more Monster Cards in their Hand.

And to finish with the nostalgia, the last PGD Card for Gravekeeper's is Rite of Spirit:

Select and Special Summon 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster from your Graveyard. This effect cannot be negated by the effect of "Necrovalley".

Rite of Spirit targets a Gravekeeper in your Graveyard. It's only bonus is that it's not negated by Necrovalley.

A few years later, we have Gravekeeper's Commandant:

You can discard this card to the Graveyard to add 1 "Necrovalley" from your Deck to your hand.

Commandant has an Ignition Effect. Discarding it to the Graveyard is a cost, so if Macro Cosmos is active, the effect can't be activated. It adds a Necrovalley to your Hand, and it doesn't target. If Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up, you can't activate this effect.

And back to 2010, we have Gravekeeper's Priestess:

The field is treated as "Necrovalley". If there is a face-up Field Spell Card, this effect is not applied. All face-up "Gravekeeper's" Monsters gain 200 ATK and DEF.

Priestess has two Continuous Effects. The first one treats the Field as if Necrovalley was active. Note that you don't get ANY of Necrovalley's effects by merely controlling Priestess, so your Gravekeeper's won't gain 500 ATK/DEF and the Graveyards are NOT protected, ironically. The purpose of this effect is to "pretend" that there is a face-up Necrovalley Card, so that Cards like Gravekeeper's Assailant and An Owl of Luck can benefit from it. The restriction while there is a Field Spell Card refers to this effect, not the second one. The second effect is simply an ATK/DEF increase.

Then, we have Gravekeeper's Descendant:

You can Tribute 1 face-up "Gravekeeper's" monster you control, except this card, to destroy 1 card your opponent controls.

Descendant has an Ignition Effect.Tributing a Gravekeeper is a cost, and the effect targets an opponent's Card.

The last Gravekeeper monster is Gravekeeper's Visionary:

You can Normal Summon this card by Tributing 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster. This card gains 200 ATK for each "Gravekeeper's" monster in your Graveyard. If this face-up card on the field would be destroyed, you can discard 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster instead.

Visionary has a Summoning Condition that allows you to Summon it with only one tribute. Then, it has a Continuous Effect that provides it with an ATK increase. Finally, the last effect is a substitution effect. It's a Continuous Effect that discards a Gravekeeper monster when Visionary would be destroyed (when the effect that destroys it resolve, or during the Damage Step if it's about to be destroyed in battle).

The last support Card before reviewing  Necrovalley is Gravekeeper's Stele:

Select 2 "Gravekeeper's" monsters in your Graveyard and add them to your hand. This effect cannot be negated by the effect of "Necrovalley".

Stele targets two Gravekeepers in your Graveyard. If one of the targets is no longer in the Graveyard by the time the effect resolves, you still add the remaining one to the Hand. It also has the bonus of being unaffected by Necrovalley.

And finally, we have the most infamous Spell Card, Necrovalley:

All "Gravekeeper's" monsters gain 500 ATK and DEF. Cards in either player's Graveyard cannot be removed from play. Cards in either player's Graveyard cannot be affected by card effects, except for their own effects.

Necrovalley has three Continuous Effects. The first one is an evident ATK/DEF increase which isn't exactly problematic.

The second effect prevents Cards in the Graveyard from being Removed from Play. This covers every possible way to do this, be it an effect, or a cost. If it involves Removing Cards from Play, then the Card cannot be activated, and if it's necessary to perform a Summoning Condition, then the Summon cannot be initiated. This means that effects like D.D. Crow, Spore, or Gladiator Beast Retiari cannot be activated, Cards like Soul Release or Book of Life cannot be activated, and monsters like Chaos Sorcerer's or Enishi, Shien's Chancellor cannot be Special Summoned by their Inherent Special Summon. If Gravekeeper's Chief is face-up, you can Special Summon these monsters, but your opponent can Remove from Play Cards from your Graveyard as well.

However, the last effect is more meaningful. Through the years, this effect's rulings have been reversed back and forth just too many times. Thanks to the last reversal caused by its reprint in the Marik Structure Deck, Necrovalley has returned to its actual glory, and most importantly, can be summed up briefly.

The third effect negates the effects of Cards that affect Cards in the Graveyard. What does "affect" cover here? It involves effects that try to take out Cards out of the Graveyard other than Removing them from Play (which the second effect already covers). That is to say, this effect negates effects that Special Summon monsters from the Graveyard (Monster Reborn), effects that add Cards from the Graveyard to the Hand (Salvage, Gladiator Beast Equeste), effects that return Cards from the Graveyard to the Deck or Extra Deck (Pot of Avarice), and other effects that simply try to take a Card out of the Graveyard. A key exception to this is mentioned in the text, and that is a Card whose own effect moves it out of the Graveyard. For example, effects like Stardust Dragon's Trigger Effect, Plaguespreader Zombie's effect, or Sinister Serpent's effect.

Notice how the third effect only deals with effects, not costs, so you can take out Cards out of the Graveyard as a cost. This means you can activate the effect of Scrap Recycler by returning Cards from the Graveyard to the Deck, and you can also Special Summon Exodius the Ultimate Forbidden Lord by its Summoning Condition.

Finally, the third effect is only restricted to taking Cards out of the Graveyard. If an effect only counts or refers to Cards in the Graveyard, Necrovalley won't negate it. For example, Necrovalley will not negate the effects of Gravekeeper's Visionary or Totem Dragon, even though they need to know if certain Cards are in the Graveyard. Similarly, Necrovalley will not negate the effects of Tragoedia or The Tyrant Neptune, even though they target a monster in the Graveyard to modify some of their statistics. None of these effects try to take Cards out of the Graveyard.


Well, that's all for the Gravekeeper monsters and the dreaded Necrovalley. Stay tuned for the final batch of Cards of the Marik Structure Deck.