DREV Part 3: Revolt Tackle

Watt monsters return in Duelist Revolution to support their low-ATK Thunder Monster archtype. Let's take a look starting with Wattbetta:

When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent by a direct attack, your opponent discards 1 card of their choice.

Betta has a Mandatory Trigger Effect that you activate at the After Damage Calculation Sub-Step. Notice some small details in the text: The attack must be a direct attack (much like Spirit reaper or X-Saber Airbellum), and it is your opponent who chooses which Card to discard.

Next, we have Wattlemur:

If this card is destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect), they cannot conduct their Battle Phase during their next turn.

Lemur has a Mandatory Trigger Effect, with a similar requirement to Wattfox. Not much else to say Q_Q

Moving on, we have Wattpheasant:

This card can attack your opponent directly. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent by a direct attack, select 1 face-up monster on the field and remove it from play until the End Phase of this turn.

Pheasant has a Continuous Effect that allows it to attack directly. It also has a Mandatory Trigger Effect with a similar requirement to Wattbetta. This effect targets a face-up monster, and that monster is Removed from Play, where a Condition is set on it to return to the Field at the End Phase. Note that if Wattpheasant is the only monster on the Field, it must Remove itself from Play.

The only Watt Spell Card in this set is Wattcure:

When a Thunder-Type monster you control inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, gain Life Points equal to the damage inflicted.

Wattcure has a Trigger-like effect that is activated at the "After Damage Calculation" Sub-Step. Once again, not much else to say Q_Q

The only Watt Trap Card in the set is Wattcannon:

Once per turn, when a Level 4 or lowe Thunder-Type monster(s) is Normal or Special Summoned to the field, inflict 600 damage to your opponent.

The last Watt Card in the set is the mandatory Synchro Monster, Wattchimera:

1 "Watt" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Thunder-Type monsters.
This card can attack your opponent directly. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent by a direct attack, place 1 random card from your opponent's hand on top of their Deck.

Chimera is similar to Wattpheasant: It has a Continuous Effect that allows it to attack directly, and a Mandatory Trigger Effect that is activated upon a successful direct attack. The effect now places an opponent's Card on top of the Deck.

And that's all for Watts in this set. Who wouldn't love all Cards were this simple?

DREV Part 2: Crushed Pelvis

Amazoness were introduced back in Magician's Force. That's...around when I began playing, and they sure do bring memories. Duelist Revolution has now brought them back to life, with Gold Series 2 reprinting the old amazons from several years ago. Amazoness are also based around the EARTH Attribute, with most monsters being of Warrior-type, and most of their effects are related to or used for battling.

The first Amazoness wasn't actually named by the theme's name and was simply known as "Amazon Archer". It has now been renamed to Amazoness Archer since Gold Series 2:

You can Tribute 2 monsters you control to inflict 1200 damage to your opponent.

A simple Ignition Effect. Tributing two monsters is a cost, and you can tribute Archer itself.

We then go into Magician's Force and find Amazoness Blowpiper:

Select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls during each of your Standby Phases. It loses 500 ATK until the end of this turn.

Blowpiper has a Mandatory Trigger Effect that activates upon your Standby Phase. It targets an opponent's monster. The ATK reduction does not depend on the existence of Blowpiper on the Field.

Next, we have Amazoness Fighter:

You take no Battle Damage from battles involving this card.

This is a Continuous Effect that you would apply immedialy before taking Battle Damage. We have reviewed many similar Cards already, but back in the day, this wasn't such a common effect. And since errata seems to chase the amazons all around, some copies of the MFC Amazoness Fighter read that it has 1300 ATK, when its ATK is actually 1500. They even issued a ruling about it Q_Q

Moving on, we have Amazoness Paladin:

This card gains 100 ATK for each "Amazoness" monster you control.

A simple ATK gain effect that is a Continuous Effect. The only thing one can add is that Paladin counts itself for its effect.

And finally, we have Amazoness Swords Woman:

Your opponent takes all Battle Damage that you would have taken from a battle involving this card.

This is also a Continuous Effect, similar to Amazoness Fighter's effect. Instead of reducing the Battle Damage to zero, the damage you take is inflicted to the opponent. This effect is different from Relinquished's: It redirects the Battle Damage you would take. So if you were to take 1000 points of Battle Damage and lose the Duel, those 1000 points are inflicted to the opponent instead, and you take no damage (with Relinquished, you would lose the Duel). It is also important to stress that this is Battle Damage, so Cards like Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste won't prevent it.

Magician's Force also provided the only non-Warrior Amazoness monster: Amazoness Tiger:

You can only control 1 "Amazoness Tiger". This card gains 400 ATK for each "Amazoness" monster you control. Your opponent cannot attack another "Amazoness" monster.

Tiger has three effects. The first one is a "Highlander Clause", which we have mentioned a few times. The second is a Continuous Effect, being an ATK increase. Much like Amazoness Paladin, Amazoness Tiger counts itself for its effect. The third effect is similar to Dupe Frog's effect. Your opponent can still attack face-down monsters (even if they are Amazoness monsters), or attack directly with a monster that can do so like an Earthbound Immortal.

As expected of Magician's Force, we also have a Normal Spell Card as support, being Amazoness Spellcaster:

Until the end of this turn, switch the original ATK of 1 face-up monster on your side of field that includes "Amazoness" in its card name or is named "Amazon Archer", with the original ATK of 1 face-up monster on your opponent's side of the field.

Spellcaster targets two monsters on the Field.They both need to be face-up when it resolves. A key note here is that, unlike Shrink, Spellcaster does actually modify the Original ATK of the monsters. For example, if you target King of the Skull Servants, your Amazoness' Original ATK will be the pile of Skull Servants in the opponent's Graveyard, while the King's Original ATK will be reduced to a mere 1500 or so.

Then, we have two Trap Cards, the first one being  Dramatic Rescue:

You can only activate this card when a card is activated that targets a monster on the field that includes "Amazoness" in its card name, or is named "Amazon Archer". Return the targeted monster to its owner's hand and Special Summon 1 other monster from your hand.

Rescue itself doesn't target the Amazoness monster. It is the owner of the returned monster that Special Summons a new monster, and the Amazoness monster must return in succeeding in order to perform the Special Summon. Note that the text asks you for "1 other monster", so you cannot Special Summon the same monster that you just returned to the Hand (and this also means you must have a valid monster to Special Summon in order to activate this Card in the first place).

The last Card from Magician's Force is Amazoness Archers:

Activate only when your opponent declares an attack while you control an "Amazoness" monster. All monsters your opponent controls are changed to face-up Attack Position (Flip effects are not activated), and lose 500 ATK as long as they remain face-up on the field. Your opponent must attack with all of their monsters.

Archers does not target any monsters. Face-down monsters are flipped face-up, as hinted. The prevention of FLIP Effects does not affect monsters like Snowman Eater. The effect that forces all monsters to attack is similar to Battle Mania, which we just reviewed (or at least tried to) not long ago.

Many years later, we recieved Amazoness Chain Master as the first Sneak Preview Promo Card:

When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can pay 1500 Life Points to look at your opponent's hand, select 1 Monster Card in it, and add that card to your hand.

Chain Master has an Optional Trigger Effect that you activate at the End of the Damage Step. Paying 1500 Life Points is a cost, and it does not target. You can use the stolen monster for any purpose. Once it is sent to the Graveyard, it will go to the opponent's Graveyard, much like any Card that takes control of the other player's Cards.

We finally reach the Duelist Revolution Cards, the first one being Amazoness Sage:

If this card attacks, select 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls and destroy it at the end of the Damage Step.

Sage has a Mandatory Trigger Effect that you activate at the End of the Damage Step, and it targets the S/T Card. Its requirements, however, are a little confusing. First, Amazoness Sage must be the attacking monster. It must enter the Damage Step, and survive through the entire Damage Step in order to destroy the S/T Card. It is not necessary for it to be involved in Damage Calculation, but it won't activate if Sage is destroyed before it can activate its effect.

Next, we have Amazoness Trainee:

Monsters destroyed by battle with this card are returned to the bottom of the owner's Deck instead of going to the Graveyard. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, this card gains 200 ATK.

The first effect is a Continuous Effect. Since it doesn't use the chain, monsters are never sent to the Graveyard, so a monster like Sangan can't activate its effect. Even if Macro Cosmos is active, the monster is still sent to the Deck. The second effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It activates at the End of the Damage Step. Trainee doesn't need to send the destroyed monster to the Graveyard in order to activate this effect (hint hint: Otherwise its two effects would conflict with each other).

And then, we have the main monster: Amazoness Queen:

"Amazoness" monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle.

Simple enough, Queen has a Continuous Effect that prevents destruction in battle. Much like other effects we have mentioned, Queen also affects itself with its effect.

The TCG received an exclusive Monster Card, being Amazoness Scouts:

During either player's turn, you can Tribute this card. If you do, during this turn, face-up "Amazoness" monsters you control cannot be targeted by Effect Monsters' effects and cannot be destroyed by the effects of Spells, Traps or Effect Monsters.

Scouts has a Quick Effect. It doesn't target, and it will only affect the Amazoness monsters that are face-up when the effect resolves. Note that if you chain the effect to a Monster Effect that targets, the amazon has already been targeted, so Scouts' effect won't prevent the targeting. It will, however, prevent destruction.

Let's move into the Spell Cards, starting with the Field Spell Card Amazoness Village:

All face-up "Amazoness" monsters on the field gain 200 ATK. Once per turn, when an "Amazoness" monster is destroyed by battle or by a card effect and is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 "Amazoness" monster from your Deck with a Level less than or equal to that of the destroyed "Amazoness".

The first effect is a Continuous Effect, and it is applied to every face-up Amazoness on the Field. The second effect is a Trigger-like effect that can only be activated by the player that controls Village itself, and it doesn't target. It can be activated during the Damage Step too. The monster is checked on the Graveyard, so you refer to its Original Level, and if a monster like Phantom of Chaos gained the name of an amazon, the effect can't be activated, because it would have lost the name by them. Note how it doesn't require that the Amazoness monster is on the Field, so if it has its Summon negated by Solemn Warning, or it is destroyed in the Hand by Deck Devastation Virus, you can still activate Village's effect.

Next, we have Amazoness Fighting Spirit:

If an "Amazoness" monster attacks a monster with higher ATK, the attacking monster gains 1000 ATK during damage calculation only.

Fighting Spirit's text is highly unreliable for almost everything it does Q_Q First, it only applies to its controller's Amazoness, despite the text suggesting that it works for both players (much like Skyscraper). Also, controlling more than one copy of it will NOT increase the ATK by 1000 points again. The effect itself is a Continuous Effect that will be applied immediatly when the opponent's monster has higher ATK than the amazon.

There's also a TCG exclusive Spell Card, Amazoness Heirloom:

Equip only to an "Amazoness" monster. Once per turn, that monster cannot be destroyed by battle. When the equipped monster attacks, after damage calculation, destroy the attack target.

Heirloom is restricted only to Amazoness monsters.  The first effect is a Continuous Effect. You don't get to choose when to apply it, so the first time the Amazon would be destroyed in battle, it won't be destroyed (if, for any reason, you wanted to destroy it). The second effect is a Trigger-like effect, similar to Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode's effect. 

While not exactly an Amazoness Card, Duelist Revolution brings Desperate Tag Change:

During damage calculation, when a face-up Attack Position monster on your side of the field is destroyed by battle, the Battle Damage you receive from that battle becomes 0, and at the end of the Damage Step you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your hand.

Tag Change has a Trigger-like Effect that you activate at Damage Calculation, after deciding if you would take Battle Damage, but before actually taking it. In order to activate the effect, you must be able to perform both actions.

Back to Amazoness, their first Trap Card in DREV is Amazoness Willpower:

Select 1 "Amazoness" monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it in Attack Position. It cannot change its battle position and must attack if able. When this card is removed from the field, destroy that monster. When that monster is destroyed, destroy this card.

Willpower is very similar to Call the Haunted: It targets, and keeps targeting. If the monster is flipped face-down, all the conditions are gone (remember that it is only forbidden from changing its position manually). The "must attack" part is exactly the same as the Battle Mania issue in the previous article.

Next, we have Queen's Pawn:

Activate only when an "Amazoness" monster you control destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard. Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Amazoness" monster from your Deck.

A simple effect. You activate this Trap Card at the End of the Damage Step, and Summon an amazon from your Deck. This effect doesn't target.

The last Trap Card for today is the TCG exclusive Amazoness Shamanism:

Destroy all face-up "Amazoness" monsters you control. Then, you can Special Summon any number of Level 4 or below "Amazoness" monsters from your Graveyard in face-up Defense Position up to the number of monsters destroyed by this effect.

Destroying your monsters is not a cost, and this effect doesn't target. Special Summoning is optional, and you can activate this Card even if you had no monsters to Summon by its effect in the first place. So, for example, if your opponent targets 3 of your amazons with Mist Wurm, you can chain this Card to destroy the targeted amazons, and Summon them back in Defense Position. Count the monsters to Summon after this Card succeeds in destroying them.

Well, this covers all Amazoness Cards Q_Q

DREV Part 1: That Metal Sheet

The recently released set Duelist Revolution introduces the Scrap theme, which is based around on EARTH Monsters that recycle themselves and promote bad puns related to feces.

Let's start with Scrap Chimera:

This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster, except for the Synchro Summon of a "Scrap" monster, and all the other Synchro Material Monsters must also be "Scrap" monsters. When this card is Normal Summoned, you can select 1 "Scrap" Tuner monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it.

Chimera has a Condition that restricts its use as a Synchro Material. This Condition cannot be negated, similar to Debris Dragon. It also has an Optional Trigger Effect that activates upon its Normal Summon (which means it can be negated by Pulling the Rug). This effect targets a monster in your Graveyard.

Next, we have Scrap Goblin:

This card cannot be destroyed by battle. 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 Goblin", and add it to your hand.

The first effect is your usual battle immunity, a Continuous Effect. Next we have a Mandatory Trigger Effect that destroys Scrap Goblin at the End of the Battle Phase in which it's chosen as an attack target. As long as Goblin was chosen as the target, it will be destroyed, even if the attack is negated (Magic Cylinder, Necro Gardna, etc.) or stopped (Gravity Bind, Enemy Controller). If you switch the attack target to a different monster, such as with Dreamsprite or Shift, Goblin won't destroy itself. More importantly, Goblin has to remain face-up until the End of the Battle Phase in order to activate this effect, so if you flip it face-down before it activates, it won't activate. If your opponent attacks Goblin with a few Gladiator Beasts, the opponent can activate the effect of the Gladiator Beasts before you activate Goblin (so that s/he has a legal target for Murmillo or any other excuse). The third effect is an Optional Trigger Effect that can't miss the timing. It targets a monster in the Graveyard, and of course, being destroyed by the second effect can trigger the third one, as Scrap Goblin is a Scrap Card itself.

And very close to Goblin, we have Scrap Beast:

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 Beast", and add it to your hand.

Needless to say, Scrap Beast has the same two effects as Scrap Goblin, so it works exactly the same Q_Q

Then, we have Scrap Hunter:

Once per turn, you can select 1 face-up "Scrap" monster you control, except this card. Destroy it and send 1 Tuner monster from your Deck to your Graveyard.

Scrap Hunter has an Ignition Effect which targets. At resolution, it is destroyed and you send a monster from the Deck to the Graveyard. The target must be face-up when it resolves. This effect can be activated if Macro Cosmos is active. The destruction and the dumping are considered to be simultaneous, so you can activate something like Chain Whirlwind after this Card resolves. If you fail to destroy the target, then you do not send a monster to the Graveyard.

Moving on, we have Scrap Golem:

Once per turn, you can select 1 Level 4 or lower "Scrap" monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it to either player's side of the field.

Scrap Golem has an Ignition Effect, which targets. And as its rulings point out already, the decision on the side of the Field is performed when it resolves. Not much else to say, it's a simple effect.

Speaking of simple Cards, let's begin with the Spell Cards with the simple Scrapyard:

Add 1 "Scrap" Tuner monster from your Deck to your hand.

Your average Reinforcement of the Army clone. As usual, this effect doesn't target, and you can't activate if Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up.

We then have Scrapstorm:

Select 1 face-up "Scrap" monster you control. Send 1 "Scrap" monster from your Deck to the Graveyard, then draw 1 card. Then, destroy the selected monster.

Scrapstorm targets a monster on your side of the Field. The three other actions are not considered to be simultaneous, so for example, your opponent can't respond with Drastic Drop Off to it. The actions are dependant of each other, so if you can't send a monster to the Graveyard (because of Dimension Fortress Weapon), you don't get to draw or destroy your monster. However, if you can't destroy your monster, you can still dump a monster and draw a Card.

And the last original Spell Card was Scrap Sheen:

Select 1 face-up "Scrap" monster you control and destroy it. All face-up "Scrap" monsters you control gain 1000 ATK until the End Phase.

Sheen targets a monster you control, which is destroyed at resolution. The ATK gain does not target. The ATK gain is a consequence of the destruction, but they are considered to happen simultaneously. Since the ATK gain depends on the destruction, you cannot activate this Card during the Damage Step.

A TCG exclusive Spell Card was introduced for this theme: Guts of Steel:

Select 3 "Scrap" monsters in your Graveyard. Your opponent picks 1 of them, you Special Summon it to either player's side of the field, and remove the others from play.

Guts targets 3 monsters in your Graveyard. The opponent selects one when the effect resolves, and this selection does not target. Much like Scrap Golem, you choose which side of the Field to place the monster on when the effect resolves.

The only Trap Card in this set for Scraps is Scrap Rage:

Activate during damage calculation if a face-up Defense Position "Scrap" monster on the field is attacked. The attacked "Scrap" monster gains 2000 DEF, and is destroyed at the end of the Battle Phase.

As the description points out, Rage can be activated during the elusive Damage Calculation Sub-Step. It does not target the attacked monster. If the monster stops being face-up, it won't be destroyed at the End of the Battle Phase, but it would lose the gained DEF. It also follows the same rules as Goblin regarding the destruction (Gladiator Beasts and the like). You can choose to destroy Goblin or Beast by their own effect or by this Card's effect, as you like.

And finally, we have the mandatory Synchro Monster: Scrap Dragon:

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, you can select 1 card you control and 1 card your opponent controls. Destroy them. 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.

Dragon has an Ignition Effect that targets two Cards. If one of the targets cannot be destroyed for any reason, the other one is still destroyed. Its second effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect that activates when Scrap Dragon is destroyed (even if it has its Summon negated). This one targets too. Much like Vampire Lord, Scrap Dragon has to be controlled by its owner in order to account which Cards that destroy it are actually the opponent's Cards.

Well, that covers the Scrap monsters. Stay tuned for more Duelist Revolution Cards!

Do Not Back Up

In case you were keeping track, last time we were talking about Yusei's Monster and Spell Cards. So let's move on into the Trap Cards, which are the largest type of Card used by him. Most of them are simple, but some have some annoying extra effects that cause some annoying rulings of course.

Let's start with Defense Draw:

Activate only during damage calculation during your opponent's turn. The Battle Damage you would receive becomes 0. Draw 1 card.

In order to activate Defense Draw, you must be about to take Battle Damage, and you must be able to draw Cards. Defense Draw is activated at the "Damage Calculation" Sub-Step. In order to determine if you are going to take Battle Damage, Defense Draw is activated after comparing the ATK of the monsters battling (and determining the Battle Damage), but before inflicting the Damage and moving into the "After Damage Calculation" Sub-Step. This means that if your Tragoedia is attacked, activating Defense Draw won't increase its ATK and help it win the battle.

Next we have Remote Revenge:

Activate only when a monster you control is targeted by a Spell, Trap, or Effect Monster's effect that destroys 1 monster on the field. Switch the target to an appropriate monster your opponent controls.

Remote Revenge basically re-targets a monster that is going to be affected by another effect. This, of course, means that Remote Revenge itself targets. Since Remote Revenge asks that the effect destroys "1" monster, the effect cannot target more than one Card (not even Spell and Trap Cards). An additional burden is that the target must be appropriate. For example, if your opponent uses Nobleman of Crossout on your face-down Defense Position monster, then you must target a face-down monster your opponent controls  (because Nobleman can only destroy face-down monsters). Remote Revenge also cannot be activated during the Damage Step against effects like Man-Eater Bug.

As a quick break, let's look at the simple Graceful Revival:

Select 1 Level 2 or lower monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it in Attack Position. When this card is removed from the field, destroy that monster. When that monster is removed from the field, destroy this card.

Graceful Revival is very similar to Call of the Haunted: It targets a monster in the Graveyard, and continues targeting it once it has been successfully Summoned. It also has the classic "doom clauses" of Removing either Card from the Field will destroy the other one. Flipping the monster face-down will stop the targeting, so if one Card is gone, the other one will stay.

Now, let's take a look at Equip Shot:

Activate only during the Battle Phase. Select 1 Equip Card equipped to a face-up Attack Position monster you control, and select 1 face-up Attack Position monster your opponent controls. Equip that monster with the selected Equip Card. Then, conduct battle between your previously equipped monster and the selected monster (other effects cannot be activated during this battle).

Equip Shot has many small details that may end up being overlooked. First, it can only be activated during the Battle Phase, but only outside of the Damage Step. You then target an Equip Card you control and an opponent's monster (which must be a legal target for the Equip Card). The Equip Card is re-targeted to the opponent's monster. You then have both monsters battle each other. 

This battle is not your usual attack. Instead, you immediately move into Damage Calculation and begin comparing the ATK of the monsters. This disrupts most effects that activate while battling (Ally of Justice Catastor, Mirror Force, etc.) because no monster is declaring an attack. This is also a loophole that allows you to attack while you can't declare an attack. For example, if you have just used the effect of Chaos Sorcerer, you can enter the Battle Phase, and use Equip Shot to have Chaos Sorcerer battle a monster. Additionally, since this doesn't count as declaring an attack, the monster can perform it's usual once-per-turn attack aside from this battle.

Next, we have Synchro Strike:

Target Synchro Summoned monster gains 500 ATK for each Synchro Material Monster used to Summon it, until the End Phase.

Synchro Strike targets a Synchro monster on the Field. It can be activated during the Damage Step, before Damage Calculation. If the Synchro monster stopped being face-up after it was Synchro Summoned, then it will "forget" how many Synchro Materials it has used, so you cannot use Synchro Strike on it. Also, note that if you use a Synchro Monster as a Synchro Material for a new Synchro, then Synchro Strike won't count the first materials for the ATK bonus. That is to say, if you use Junk Synchron and Speed Warrior for Junk Warrior, then use Junk Warrior and Nitro Synchron for Nitro Warrior, when you target Nitro Warrior with Synchro Strike you would only count two Synchro Materials: Junk Warrior and Nitro Synchron. Do not count Junk Synchron and Speed Warrior.

Moving on, we have Urgent Tuning:

Activate only during the Battle Phase. Synchro Summon 1 Synchro Monster. (Send the appropriate Synchro Material Monsters to the Graveyard.)

Urgent Tuning is one of those Cards we all know and love: Short text, long implications. As its text suggests, you activate it during the Battle Phase (outside of the Damage Step) and then you Synchro Summon a Synchro monster. However, this follows all of the other rules of Synchro Summoning: You must use the appropriate Synchro Materials, they must be face-up, they are sent to the Graveyard, etc. The Synchro Summon is performed when Urgent Tuning resolves. If Urgent Tuning is link 2 or higher, then neither player can respond to the Summon with Cards like Torrential Tribute or Bottomless Trap Hole. Finally, since this is a proper Synchro Summon, the Synchro Monster can be Special Summoned later with effects like Monster Reborn and the like.

Now, let's look at Battle Mania:

Activate only during your opponent's Standby Phase. All face-up monsters your opponent controls are changed to Attack Position, and cannot change their battle positions this turn. All monsters your opponent currently controls must attack this turn, if able.

Battle Mania first switches your opponent's face-up monsters to Attack Position. Then, it sets a number of Conditions on them, forcing them to battle this turn and making them unable to switch positions (even if they already were in Attack Position). Monsters that appear face-up on the Field after Battle Mania resolves are not affected by it. If you control a monster affected by Battle Mania, it simply means that you cannot end your turn without attacking with it. If the monster is not able to attack (due to Swords of Revealing Light or similar), then this is void, of course. The monster's position can still be changed by Card effects.

Then, we have Confusion Chaff:

Activate only when your opponent declares a second direct attack during the same Battle Phase. Conduct battle between the attacking monster and the first monster that attacked directly (other effects cannot be activated during this battle).

Chaff is activated upon attack declaration. It forces two monsters to battle each other, similar to Equip Shot (moving into Damage Calculation immediately as well). If a monster has its attack negated, it is not considered to have attacked directly, but if the attack is stopped (Book of Moon, Gravity Bind, etc.), then the monster is eligible to battle with the other one.

Backtracking a lot, we have Scrap-Iron Scarecrow:

Activate only when an opponent's monster declares an attack. Negate the attack, and Set this card face-down again instead of sending it to the Graveyard.

Scarecrow is activated upon Attack Declaration and it targets (because of its Japanese text). It negates an attack, and after activation, it sets itself on the Field again. Like all Trap Cards, it cannot be activated during the turn it is set on the Field, so you cannot activate the same copy of Scarecrow more than once per turn. In order to set itself on the Field, Scarecrow itself must remain on the Field until it resolves. If it is destroyed by Dust Tornado or similar, it will stay in the Graveyard.

Now, let's look at Give and Take:

Special Summon 1 monster from your Graveyard to your opponent's side of the field in Defense Position, and increase the Level of 1 monster you control by the Level of the Special Summoned monster, until the End Phase.

Give and Take targets two monsters, one in your Graveyard, and one on your side of the Field (which must be face-up). You Special Summon the one in the Graveyard, and increase the Level of the one on the Field, only if the Summon is successful. These two actions are considered to be simultaneous, so either player can respond to the Summon. The Summon is considered to be performed by the player activating Give and Take, so his/her opponent can use Bottomless Trap Hole on the Summoned monster, even if the Summoned monster is on the same side of the Field as BTH.

We then have Limiter Overload:

When this card is sent to your Graveyard, Special Summon "Speed Warrior" from your hand, Deck or Graveyard.

Overload has a Trigger-like effect that is activated at the Graveyard, when it's sent to the Graveyard by any means from any location. Overload itself cannot be "activated" like a regular Normal Trap Card. It must meet its trigger. This effect doesn't target, as it can Summon a Speed Warrior from the Hand and Deck. Overload cannot activate its effect under Cold Wave. Overload can activate its effect during the turn it is set, because you aren't activating the Trap Card itself (much like Dark Coffin).

Let's go with CRMS now, starting with Shining Silver Force:

Activate only when your opponent activates a Trap Card that inflicts damage. Negate the activation of that card and destroy it and all face-up Spell and Trap Cards your opponent controls.

Force  must be chained directly to the activation of a Trap Card that will inflict effect damage when it resolves. Its rulings list pretty much everything it cannot respond to (uncertain damage and no damage when it resolves). It also cannot negate the effect of an already-active Trap Card like Backfire. Silver Force can be activated during the Damage Step.

We then have Spirit Force:

Activate only during damage calculation during your opponent's turn. You take no Battle Damage from that battle. Then, you can add 1 Warrior-Type Tuner monster with 1500 or less DEF from your Graveyard to your hand.

Spirit Force is very similar to Defense Draw, only that instead of drawing a Card, you search for a monster. This search is optional, so Force can be activated even if you can't perform it (such as if Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up on the Field).

Now, let's look at Descending Lost Star:

Select 1 Synchro Monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position. Its effect is negated, its Level is reduced by 1 and its DEF becomes 0. Its battle position cannot be changed.

Lost Star targets a Synchro Monster. Then, it sets a pile of conditions on the monster, negating any effects that activate or are applied while on the Field (much like Forbidden Chalice), reducing its Level, setting its DEF to 0, and preventing it from changing positions. Flipping it face-down or Removing it from the Field will get rid of all of these conditions.

Raging Battle brings us Miracle Locus:

Select 1 face-up Attack Position monster you control. Your opponent draws 1 card. The selected monster gains 1000 ATK until the End Phase and can attack up to 2 monsters during this turn's Battle Phase. When it attacks or is attacked this turn, your opponent takes no Battle Damage.

Locus targets one of your monsters. When it resolves, your opponent draws a Card, your monster gains 1000 ATK, and the ability to attack two monsters, but becomes unable to inflict Battle Damage to your opponent. Locus can be activated during the Damage Step before Damage Calculation. Being able to attack two monsters is similar to the effect of Chimeratech Overdragon or Asura Priest: You can attack multiple monsters, but you cannot proceed to attack directly afterwards.

Ancient Prophecy brings us Reinforce Truth:

Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your Deck. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase the turn you activate this card.

Reinforce Truth doesn't target. Other than that, you cannot "cheat" its activation requirement by conducting your Battle Phase and activating it later, as usual. You can, however, activate it during your opponent's turn.

Then we have Skill Successor:

Select 1 face-up monster you control. It gains 400 ATK until the End Phase. You can remove from play this card in the Graveyard to give 1 face-up monster you control 800 ATK until the End Phase. This effect cannot be activated the turn this card is sent to the Graveyard, and can only be activated during your turn.

Both of these effects target and both can be activated during the Damage Step before Damage Calculation. The second effect is a Quick-like effect. If you are under the effect of Cold Wave, the second effect cannot be activated.

Stardust Overdrive brings us Slip Summon:

Activate only when your opponent Summons a monster. Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower monster from your hand in face-up Defense Position. Return it to the owner's hand during the End Phase.

Slip Summon responds to the successful Summon of an opponent's monster. Then, it sets a condition on the monster that returns it to the Hand without using the chain. If the monster is no longer face-up, then it won't return to the Hand.

Then, we have Synchro Barrier:

Tribute 1 Synchro Monster you control. You do not take any damage until the End Phase of the next turn.

Synchro Barrier tributes a Synchro Monster as a cost. Then, you do not take any Battle Damage or Effect Damage for two turns. Other than that, this Card works very similarly to Hallowed Life Barrier.

The now not-so-recent Starter Deck brought us Wild Tornado:

Select 1 face-up card in the Spell & Trap Card Zones and destroy it. The controller of the destroyed card can then Set 1 Spell or Trap Card from their hand. If this Set card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, select and destroy 1 face-up card on the field.

Both of Tornado's effect target. The first effect has an additional clause in which a player can set an additional S/T Card, which is completely optional. The second effect is a Trigger-like effect that will activate even if Tornado is destroyed during the turn it is set (much like Limiter Overload).

Finally, the Duelist Pack Yusei 2 brings us two more Trap Cards. First we have Scrubbed Raid:

During the Battle Phase, you can send 1 card you control to the Graveyard, except this card, to end the Battle Phase.

This Continuous Trap Card has a Quick-like effect. Sending a Card to the Graveyard is a cost. You can send a Normal Trap Card or Quick-Play Spell Card that you have just activated to the Graveyard in order to activate Raid's effect. However, you cannot use a Card that cannot go to the Graveyard as a cost, such as a Battle Fader or Plaguespreader Zombie that were Summoned through their effects, or an Archlord Krystia. This obviously means that you cannot pay this effect's cost if Macro Cosmos is active. Being a Continuous Trap Card, Scrubbed Raid must remain face-up in order to resolve properly. Raid cannot activate its effect during the Damage Step, but it can be activated during either player's Battle Phase. If you end the Battle Phase in response to an attack, the attacking monster is no longer considered an attacking monster for the purpose of Cards like Dimensional Prison or Magic Cylinder (so it becomes an illegal target).

The last Card for today's article is Tuner's Barrier:

Select 1 face-up Tuner monster you control. That monster cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects, until the End Phase of the next turn.

A simple effect. It targets a Tuner monster, and that monster receives a condition that prevents its destruction for about two turns. If the monster is no longer face-up, this condition is removed. This protection does not save the monster from being destroyed by Game Mechanics such as not paying a Maintenance Cost.

Well, that's all for today. A very long article after a very long wait Q_Q

Surviving The Different Dimension

Turns out I'm actually still alive. Who knew?

So yeah, I know I promised I would be away for about a week, and I vanished for more than two months. I'm definately sorry about that. A lot of stuff piled up and I couldn't manage to find any regular intervals of free time to update this blog.


I'll start writing new articles again, even if I can't get them up as regularly as I wish Q_Q