Self-Destruct Button

I guess this is good-bye, sadly.

As you may have noticed, I'm having enough problems finding free time to update this blog. Coupled with that, I'm having some issues myself other than time. And so, I'm afraid I can no longer keep up with this blog. Which probably saddens me more than you. I really wish I had at least completed previous sets before closing this.



May consistency protect you in your neverending quest for rulings.

STOR Part 2: By Odin's Spear

Wow, it's been over a month, sorry -_____-

 Let's start with some Nordics already, first we have Tanngrisnir of the Nordic Beasts:

When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon 2 "Nordic Beast Tokens" (EARTH/Beast-Type/Level 3/ATK 0/DEF 0).

Tanngrisnir has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. You activate it at the End of the Damage Step. If you don't have room for two Tokens, then the effect isn't activated.

Next, we have Guldfaxe of the Nordic Beasts:

If your opponent controls a Synchro Monster and you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.

Guldfaxe has a Summoning Condition that gives it an Inherent Special Summon. Not much else.

Then, we have Garmr of the Nordic Beasts:

If this card battles with a Level 4 or lower monster, you can return that monster to the hand after damage calculation.

Garmr has an Optional Trigger Effect. You activate it at the Inflict Damage Sub-Step of the Damage Step, with the same timing than X-Saber Airbellum or Gorz the Emissary of Darkness. You can activate this effect even if Garmr was destroyed in battle, but not if the opponent's monster was destroyed in battle.

And finally, the last Nordic Beast is Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts:

When a monster you control is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn, when this Defense Position card is changed to face-up Attack Position, you can Special Summon 1 "Nordic Beast" monster from your Deck, except "Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts".

Tanngnjostr has two Trigger Effects. The first is an Optional Trigger Effect that you activate at the End of the Damage Step. You cannot Special Summon more than 1 Tanngnjostr off the same battle with this effect. The second effect is also an Optional Trigger Effect activated when this Card's Battle Position changes to face-up Attack Position. It doesn't target the monster that you will Special Summon. This effect also works if Tanngnjostr was in face-down Defense Position.

Then, we have the Nordic Alfar monsters, starting with Ljosalf of the Nordic Alfar:

When this card is Normal Summoned, you can select 1 face-up monster you control except this card. Special Summon 1 "Nordic" monster from your hand with a Level less than or equal the selected monster's level.

Ljosalf has an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Normal Summon. It targets a face-up monster you control and it can be negated by Pulling the Rug. At resolution, it Special Summons a monster with equal or less Level than the targeted monster.

Next, we have Svartalf of the Nordic Alfar:

When this card is Normal Summoned, you can select 1 "Nordic" monster in your Graveyard and add it to your hand.

Svartalf has an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Normal Summon, so it can be negated by Pulling the Rug. It targets a Nordic Monster in your Graveyard.

And finally, we have Dverg of the Nordic Alfar:

During the turn this card is Normal Summoned, you can Normal Summon 1 "Nordic" in addition to your Normal Summon or Set. (You can only gain this effect once per turn.) When this face-up card on the field is sent to the Graveyard, select 1 "Nordic Relic" card in your Graveyard and add it to your hand.

Dverg's first effect is a Continuous Effect. You can only use it while Dverg is face-up, but you can tribute Dverg for an additional Tribute Summon. The second effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It targets a "Nordic Relic" Card in your Graveyard.

We then have the Nordic Ascendant Monsters, one is Valkyrie of the Nordic Ascendant:

When this card is Normal Summoned, if your opponent controls a monster and you control no other cards, you can remove from play 2 "Nordic" monsters from your hand to Special Summon 2 "Einherjar Tokens" (Warrior-Type/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1000) in face-up Defense Position.

Valkyrie has an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Normal Summon, so it can be negated by Pulling the Rug. Removing 2 Nordic Monsters from Play is a cost. The requirements on how many Cards each player controls are only activation requirements, so if they are not correct at the time of the resolution, the effect still resolves properly.

Then we have Mimir of the Nordic Ascendant:

Once per turn, at the start of your Standby Phase, if you control a face-up "Nordic" monster, you can send 1 Spell Card from your hand to the Graveyard to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard.

Mimir has an Optional Trigger Effect. Sending a Card to the Graveyard is a cost. Much like Cold Wave's Main Phase 1 requirement, activating Mimir's effect must be the first action you perform during your Standby Phase.

The last Nordic Ascendant monster is a TCG exclusive, Vanadis of the Nordic Ascendant:

You can substitute this card for any 1 "Nordic" Tuner monster for a Synchro Summon. If this card is used as a Synchro Material Monster, all other Synchro Material Monsters must be "Nordic" monsters. Once per turn, you can send 1 "Nordic" monster from your Deck to the Graveyard to change this card's Level to the Level of the monster you sent to the Graveyard, until the End Phase.

Vanadis' substitution for any Nordic Tuner, and the obligation to use other Nordic monsters as Synchro Materials are Conditions that cannot be negated or get rid of. Other than that, Vanadis has an Ignition Effect. Sending a Nordic Monster to the Graveyard is a cost. You can send a monster that is of the same Level as Vanadis.

Finally, we have Tyr of the Nordic Champions:

Your opponent cannot select a "Nordic" monster as an attack target, except "Tyr of the Nordic Champions". If there is no other face-up "Nordic" monster on the field, destroy this card.

Both of Tyr's effect are Continuous. If you control two copies of Tyr, your opponent can still attack either copy of Tyr. Tyr's second effect can be negated by Cards like Skill Drain, and it won't be destroyed as a result.

As for Spell Cards, first we have Nordic Relic Draupnir:

Equip only to a "Aesir" or "Nordic" monster. It gains 800 ATK. If this face-up card is destroyed by a card effect, you can add 1 "Nordic Relic" card from your Deck to your hand.

Draupnir has a Continuous Effect that provides an ATK boost. Other than that, it has an Optional Trigger-like effect activated when Draupnir is destroyed by a Card effect. You cannot activate it if Thunder King Rai-Oh is on the Field.

Next, we have Gotterdammerung:

Select 1 face-up "Aesir" monster you control. Give control of that monster to your opponent. During your opponent's next End Phase, destroy the selected monster. Then, remove from play all cards your opponent controls.

Gotterdammerung targets an Aesir monster. When it resolves, it sets a Condition that will destroy that monster and Remove from Play your opponent's Cards if it succeeds in that destruction. We'll talk about the Aesir monsters in a second, but they all have an effect to Special Summon themselves if destroyed by an opponent's Card effect. Since Gotterdammerung is your effect, you cannot activate the effect of the Aesir monsters.

And finally, we have March Towards Ragnarok:

Select 1 face-up "Aesir" monster you control. Until the End Phase, it is unaffected by the effects of other Spell/Trap Cards but its effect(s) are negated.

March targets an Aesir Monster. It then sets a Condition on the Aesir monster that makes it unaffected by other S/T Cards, and negates the effect of the Aesir monster. If the Aesir monster is flipped face-down or is Removed from Play temporarily, it will be vulnerable to Spell and Trap Cards again and its effects will no longer be negated. The negation only stops effects activated or applied on the Field.

A fourth Spell Card was introduced as a TCG exclusive, The Nordic Lights:

"Nordic" monsters on the field cannot be destroyed by battle. When this card on the field is destroyed, destroy all face-up "Nordic" monsters.

The first effect is a Continuous Effect that Nordic Monsters on either side of the Field from being destroyed in battle. The second effect is a trigger-like effect. It's activated when The Nordic Lights is destroyed, be it by a Card effect like Icarus Attack or Eradictor Epidemic Virus, or by Game Mechanics such as being replaced by a new Field Card. It destroys all face-up Nordic Monsters on either side of the Field.

As for Trap Cards, first we have Divine Relic Mjollnir:

Select 1 face-up "Aesir" monster you control. It can attack twice during each Battle Phase this turn.

Mjollnir targets an Aesir monster, and grants it with the ability to attack twice.  If Mjollnir has already resolved, and Royal Decree is activated, or the monster becomes unaffected by Trap Cards, the monster can still attack twice during the Battle Phase.

Next, we have Solemn Authority:

Select 1 face-up "Aesir" monster you control. While this card is on the field, that monster cannot be targeted by other card effects. Send this card to the Graveyard during your 2nd Standby Phase after activation.

Authority targets the Aesir monster and protects it from being targeted by other Card effects. If you chain it to a targeting effect, the targeting effect has already targeted the Aesir monster, so Authority will not stop it. Sending this Card to the Graveyard is not part of its effect, and cannot be negated.

Then, we have The Golden Apples:

Activate only when you take Battle Damage while you control no monsters. Gain Life Points equal to the Battle Damage you took, and Special Summon 1 "Malus Token" (Fiend-Type/DARK/Level 1/ATK ?/DEF ?). Its ATK and DEF are each equal to the amount of Life Points you gained by this effect.

You activate The Golden Apples at the "Inflict Damage" Sub-Step of the Damage Step. You must take at least 1 point of Battle Damage to activate this Card, and you must be able to Special Summon the Malus Token. You must also be able to recover your Life Points, so if Bad Reaction to Simochi is active, you cannot activate The Golden Apples either. Gaining Life Points and Special Summoning the Malus Token is considered to be simultaneous. The Original ATK and DEF of the Malus Token are equal to "?".

Moving on, we have Odin's Eye:

Once per turn, during each player's Standby Phase, you can select 1 face-up "Aesir" monster you control. Negate its effect(s) until the End Phase, and look at all cards in your opponent's hand and all Set cards they control. Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to this effect's activation.

Odin's Eye has a Quick-like effect. It targets an Aesir monster you control. The effects of the Aesir monster that are activted or applied on the Field are negated, and you get to check every Set Card your opponent controls as well as the Cards in their Hand when the effect resolves. You can activate this Card and its effect in a single chain link, and the opponent would be unable to respond to its activation.

And then, we have Gleipnir, the Fetters of Fenrir:

Add 1 "Nordic" monster from your Deck to your hand.

Gleipnir simply adds a Nordic Monster to your Hand. It does not target, and you cannot activate it if Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up on the Field.

Now, we have some Nordic Relic Trap Cards left, starting with Nordic Relic Brisingamen:

Select 1 face-up monster you control and 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. The ATK of your monster becomes equal to the original ATK of your opponent's monster; this change lasts until the End Phase.

Brisingamen targest two monsters. The ATK of your monster is forced to become a value equal to the Original ATK of the opponent's monster. Both monsters must remain face-up in order for this effect to resolve properly.

Next, we have Nordic Relic Laevateinn:

Select 1 face-up monster on the field that destroyed a monster by battle this turn. Destroy the selected monster. Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to this card.

Laevateinn targets a face-up monster on the Field that has destroyed a monster in battle in order to destroy it. Neither player can respond to the activation of Laevateinn, but its activation or effect can still be negated by Continuous Effects.

And  then, we have Nordic Relic Gungnir:

Remove from play 1 face-up "Aesir" or "Nordic" monster you control to select 1 card on the field. Destroy that card. During your 2nd End Phase after activation, the monster you removed to activate this card returns to the field in face-up Attack Position.

This Nordic Relic Removes from Play an Aesir or Nordic Monster as a cost, and targets a Card on the Field. The Card is destroyed. Then, it sets a Condition that will return the monster that was Removed from Play to the Field during your second End Phase, regardless of whether you succeeded in the destroying the targeted Card or not. If the activation or effect of this Card is negated, then this Condition cannot be set, so the monster will not return.

The last Nordic Relic is a TCG exclusive, Nordic Relic Megingjord:

Select 1 face-up "Aesir" or "Nordic" monster you control. Its ATK/DEF become double the original ATK/DEF, until the End Phase. That monster cannot attack your opponent directly this turn.

Megingjord targets an Aesir or Nordic monster on your side of the Field. It forces an ATK/DEF value that is the double of the Original ATK/DEF value respectively. This new value is not the Original ATK or DEF of the monster, much like how Shrink isn't an Original ATK value either. The targeted monster cannot the opponent directly, but it can still inflict Battle Damage.

Finally, let's take a look at these Aesir Monsters, the first one being Thor, Lord of the Aesir:

1 "Nordic Beast" Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, you can negate the effects of all face-up monsters your opponent controls, until the End Phase. During the End Phase, if this face-up card on the field was destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect) and sent to the Graveyard this turn, you can remove from play 1 "Nordic Beast" Tuner monster from your Graveyard to Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. When it is Special Summoned by this effect, inflict 800 damage to your opponent.

Thor's first effect is an Ignition Effect. It does not target, and it affects all of your opponent's face-up monsters at the time this effect resolves. Any effects that are activated or applied on the Field will be negated, even if the monster is not on the Field when it resolves, much like Forbidden Chalice. This does not affect the monsters that were not face-up when Thor's effect resolved. Thor then has an Optional Trigger Effect. If it was destroyed while face-up this turn, during the End phase, you can Remove from Play a Nordic Beast Tuner in your Graveyard as a cost to Special Summon Thor. If this effect's activation is negated, you can activate the effect again, but if only the effect is negated (such as with Royal Oppression), then you don't get to activate it again. Finally, if you succeed in resolving this effect, Thor has a third effect, which is a Mandatory Trigger Effect that inflicts some Effect Damage. It's activated upon its successful Summon, so it can be negated by Swallow Flip.

Next, we have Loki, Lord of the Aesir:

1 "Nordic Alfar" Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner monsters.
Once per turn, when your opponent activates a Spell/Trap Card during your Battle Phase, you can negate its activation and destroy it. During the End Phase, if this face-up card on the field was destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect) and sent to the Graveyard this turn, you can remove from play 1 "Nordic Alfar" Tuner monster from your Graveyard to Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. When this card is Special Summoned by this effect, you can select 1 Trap Card in your Graveyard, and add it to your hand.

Loki's first effect is a Quick Effect. You chain it to the activation of a Spell or Trap Card activated by your opponent during your Battle Phase in order to negate its activation. Loki then has the same Optional Trigger Effect that Thor has to Special Summon itself, only that you Remove from Play a "Nordic Alfar" Tuner Monster. When you succeed in this Special Summon, Loki has an Optional Trigger Effect that can be negated by Swallow Flip. It targets a Trap Card in your Graveyard in order to add it to your Hand.

And finally, we have Odin, Father of the Aesir:

1 "Nordic Ascendant" Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can activate this effect to have this card become unaffected by the effects of Spell/Trap Cards until the End Phase. During the End Phase, if this face-up card on the field was destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect) and sent to the Graveyard this turn, you can remove from play 1 "Nordic Ascendant" Tuner monster from your Graveyard to Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. When this card is Special Summoned by this effect, you can draw 1 card.

Odin's first effect is an Ignition Effect. When it resolves, Odin becomes unaffected by S/T Cards until the End Phase. Any S/T Cards chained to this effect will still affect Odin as usual, and being an Ignition Effect, you cannot chain it to the S/T Card that you don't want affecting Odin. Odin also has the same Optional Trigger Effect that Thor has, Removing from Play a "Nordic Ascendant" Tuner Monsters. Finally, if you succeed in this Special Summon, Odin has an Optional Trigger Effect that allows you to draw a Card, which can be negated by Swallow Flip.

That covers the Nordic Monsters from STOR. Stay tuned for more, hopefully sooner Q_Q

STOR Part 1: Six Pizza Cats

Who would have though there would be such a huge delay -_-

Anyway, the most prominent theme in Storm of Ragnarok is probably the new Six Samurai monsters, which are the original versions of the Six Samurai monsters released in the earlier set Strike of Neos. Let's check the older ones first.

First, we have The Six Samurai - Irou:

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, if this card attacks a face-down Defense Position monster, destroy the monster immediately with this card's effect without flipping it face-up or applying damage calculation. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

The Samurai monsters from Strike of Neos share a common pattern. They have an individual effect that requires another Six Samurai monster to be activated or applied, and they also have a Continuous Effect to prevent destruction. Irou's individual effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect. You activate it at the Start of the Damage Step, and it doesn't target. The second effect is the common Continuous Effect. It also doesn't target, and you apply it during an effect's resolution (or at the Damage Step when Irou would be destroyed in battle). You cannot destroy a Six Samurai monster that would be destroyed by the same effect.

Next, we have The Six Samurai - Kamon:

Once per turn, while you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, you can destroy 1 face-up Spell or Trap Card. This monster cannot declare an attack during the turn this effect is used. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

And The Six Samurai - Yaichi:

Once per turn, while you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, you can destroy 1 Set Spell or Trap Card. This monster cannot declare an attack during the turn this effect is used. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

Both of these monsters have an Ignition Effect to destroy a Spell or Trap Card, and they only differ in whether they target must be face-up or face-down. This Ignition Effect targets, and the targeted Card must remain in the position that your Samurai requires (face-up or face-down), or otherwise this effect would resolve without effect. You also need your other Six Samurai monster with a different name to remain face-up until the resolution of the effect. Aside from that, both have the common Continuous Effect to prevent their destruction.

Then, we have The Six Samurai - Nisashi:

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, this card can attack twice during the same Battle Phase. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

Nisashi has a Continuous Effect that allows it to attack twice. Your other Six Samurai monster(s) with a different name must remain face-up before and during the second attack, or otherwise you won't be allowed to attack a second time. It also has the common Continuous Effect to escape destruction.

 And similar to Nisashi, we have The Six Samurai - Yariza:

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, this card can attack your opponent directly. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

Yariza also has a Continuous Effect, only that its effect allows it to attack directly. Once again, you must control your other Six Samurai monster(s)  throughout the attack, or otherwise the attack will stop. Yariza also has the Continuous Effect to destroy another Six Samurai monster.

The last of the Six Samurai in Strike of Neos was The Six Samurai - Zanji:

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, destroy any monster this card attacks at the end of the Damage Step. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

Zanji has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It's activated at the End of the Damage Step if Zanji attacked a monster and didn't destroy it in battle. The effect doesn't target. Zanji doesn't need to remain face-up in order for this effect to resolve properly, but your other Six Samurai monster(s) do. Zanji also has the Continuous Effect to substitute itself in case of destruction.

Then, we have the leader of the Six Samurai, Great Shogun Shien:

If you control 2 or more "Six Samurai" monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Your opponent can activate only 1 Spell/Trap Card each turn. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy a "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

Shien has a Summoning Condition that grants it an inherent Special Summon. It also has a Continuous Effect that restricts your opponent to activating only 1 Spell or Trap Card during each turn. Shien needs to be face-up throughout the turn to cause this restriction, so if your opponent has activated Cards earlier during the turn, and later you Special Summon Shien, your opponent can still activate 1 more S/T Card. If your opponent activates a S/T Card, and it has its activation negated, your opponent can activate 1 more S/T Card, but if your opponent activates a Card, and you chain an effect that would negate its activation, your opponent cannot activate a second S/T Card as chain link 3 due to Shien's restriction. Notice that this effect restricts Spell and Trap Card activations, and not their effects, so a player could activate the effect of a Card like Royal Oppression or Ultimate Offering as many times as s/he chooses to. Shien also has the common Continuous Effect of the Six Samurai to avoid destruction.

Strike of Neos also included Shien's Footsoldier:

When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Level 3 or lower "Six Samurai" monster from your Deck.

Footsoldier has an Optional Trigger Effect. It's activated at the End of the Damage Step, and it's your usual recruiting effect.

The Six Samurai also had the privilege of introducing one of the first TCG exclusives, Grandmaster of the Six Samurai:

You can only control 1 "Grandmaster of the Six Samurai" monster. While you control a face-up "Six Samurai" monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. When this card is destroyed by your opponent's card effect, add 1 "Six Samurai" monster from your Graveyard to your hand.

Grandmaster has a Condition that stops you from controlling more than 1 Grandmaster, similar to that of Gravekeeper's Chief. It also has a Summoning Condition that grants it an Inherent Special Summon. Finally, it has a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated upon its destruction. It targets one Six Samurai monster in your Graveyard. Grandmaster doesn't need to be sent to the Graveyard, it can be destroyed and Removed from Play. It can also target itself if it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard.

There's also some support in Strike of Neos, like Legendary Ebon Steed:

Equip only to a "Six Samurai" monster. It gains 200 ATK and DEF. If it would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.

Steed has two Continuous Effects. One is a small ATK/DEF boost, and the other is an effect similar to that of the Six Samurai that prevents destruction. Steed's effect supersedes the effect of the equipped Six Samurai monster to prevent destruction. If a monster is equipped with multiple copies of Steed, all are destroyed at the same time.

And another Spell Card is Shien's Castle of Mist:

When a "Six Samurai" monster is attacked, the attacking monster loses 500 ATK during damage calculation only.

This Field Spell Card has a Continuous Effect. It's applied during Damage Calculation, and it doesn't target.

As for Trap Cards, we have Swift Samurai Storm!:

Each turn, after the first time a "Six Samurai" monster you control battles, all "Six Samurai" monsters you control gain 300 ATK until the end of this turn.

Samurai Storm has a Continuous Effect. It's applied at the End of the Damage Step after the first battle of one of  your Six Samurai monsters. All Six Samurai monsters gain 300 ATK, and can only gain 300 ATK at a time for each copy of Samurai Storm.

The last Card in Strike of Neos is Return of the Six Samurai:

Special Summon 1 "Six Samurai" monster from your Graveyard. Destroy it at the end of this turn.

Return targets a Six Samurai monster in the Graveyard and Special Summons it. Then, it sets a Condition that will destroy that Six Samurai monster at the end of the turn. You can use the Samurai's effect to save it from this destruction.

Following that, we have some support in Gladiator's Assault. First we have Enishi, Shien's Chancellor:

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by removing from play 2 "Six Samurai" monsters from your Graveyard. Once per turn, you can destroy 1 face-up monster on the field. If you activate this effect, this card cannot attack this turn.

Enishi has a Summoning Condition with an Inherent Special Summon. It also has an Ignition Effect that targets a face-up monster in order to destroy it. As usual, you can't attack and later activate its effect.

Then, we have Spirit of the Six Samurai:

Once per turn, you can equip this card to a face-up "Six Samurai" monster you control, OR unequip it and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. When equipped to a monster by this card's effect, that equipped monster gains 500 ATK and DEF. When the equipped monster destroys an opponent's monster by battle, draw 1 card. (A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.)

Spirit is an Union Monster. It has the usual Ignition Effect to equip itself to a monster, and an Ignition-like effect to unequip itself. While equipped, it has a Continuous Effect that provides an ATK/DEF boost, a Trigger-like effect to draw Cards activated at the End of the Damage Step, and a Continuous Effect to prevent the equipped monster's destruction. Much like Legendary Ebon Steed, its effect takes precedence over the effect of the Six Samurai to prevent destruction. If both Steed and Spirit are equipped, both are destroyed.

There's also one Spell Card, Cunning of the Six Samurai:

Send 1 face-up "Six Samurai" monster you control to the Graveyard. Special Summon 1 "Six Samurai" monster from either player's Graveyard.

Cunning sends a monster to the Graveyard as a cost and targets a monster in either player's Graveyard. Being a cost, you cannot activate it if Macro Cosmos is active. You can Special Summon the same monster you send to the Graveyard but only if there was a valid target in the first place.

As for Trap Cards, we have Swiftstrike Armor:

During your Draw Phase, if you draw a "Six Samurai" Monster Card, you can Special Summon it.

Swiftstrike Armor has a Trigger-like effect. You reveal the drawn Six Samurai monster, and Special Summon it when the effect resolves. If Armor is destroyed in a chain to its effect, it resolves without effect.

Then we have Double-Edged Sword Technique:

Select 2 "Six Samurai" monsters from your Graveyard, and Special Summon them in face-up Attack Position. Destroy them during the End Phase of this turn and take damage equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster(s).

Technique targets two Six Samurai monsters in the Graveyard, and sets a Condition to destroy them during the End Phase. If there's only one target at the time the effect resolves, you still Special Summon the other target. If there's only one of the monsters face-up during the End Phase, you destroy that monster. The damage inflicted is equal to the ATK of the monster while in the Graveyard. If the Special Summoned monster is no longer face-up or is no longer a monster (such as if you Special Summon Spirit of the Six Samurai and then equip it to a monster), then it's not destroyed and you take no damage.

Following that, Samurai monsters received more support in Force of the Breaker with Backs to the Wall:

Pay Life Points so that you only have 100 left. Special Summon as many "Six Samurai" monsters from your Graveyard as possible. You cannot Special Summon more than 1 monster with the same name, or a monster that has the same name as a monster you already control.

Backs to the Wall pays Life Points as a cost. The Special Summon doesn't target.

It also has the Trap Card Breakthrough!:

Select 1 "Six Samurai" monster you control. If the selected monster destroys an opponent's monster by battle, "Great Shogun Shien" and all "Six Samurai" monsters you control can attack your opponent directly during the Battle Phase of this turn.

Breakthrough targets a Samurai monster you control. After that, once that monster destroys a monster in battle, all Six Samurai monsters and Great Shogun Shien you control can attack directly. You must control these monsters at the time of the destruction in battle. Newly Summoned Samurai after the battle won't receive this bonus.

Some time later, Phantom Darkness provided some more support with Six Samurai United:

When a "Six Samurai" monster is Normal Summoned or Special Summoned, place 1 Bushido Counter on this card (max. 2). By sending this card to the Graveyard, draw a number of cards from your Deck equal to the number of Bushido Counters on this card.

Placing Bushido Counters doesn't start a chain, and you will place them even if the Samurai monster is no longer face-up once its Summon is successful. You just can't place them if the Samurai has its Summon negated. When more than one Six Samurai monster is Special Summoned, you only place 1 Bushido Counter. If Six Samurai United has its effect negated, it will lose all of its Bushido Counters. This Card also has an Ignition-like effect. Sending it to the Graveyard is a cost, so you cannot activate this effect if Macro Cosmos is active.

Even later, The Duelist Genesis provided more support with Hand of the Six Samurai:

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster, you can Tribute 1 "Six Samurai" monster to destroy 1 monster on the field.

Hand has an Ignition Effect. Tributing a Samurai monster is a cost, and it targets an opponent's monster.

Eventually, Stardust Overdrive provided even more support with Gateway of the Six Samurai:

Each time a "Six Samurai" monster is Normal or Special Summoned, place 2 Bushido Counters on this card. You can remove Bushido Counters from your side of the field to apply the following effects. ● 2 Counters: Until the End Phase of this turn, 1 face-up "Six Samurai" or "Shien" Effect Monster gains 500 ATK. ● 4 Counters: Add 1 "Six Samurai" monster from your Deck or Graveyard to your hand. ● 6 Counters: Special Summon 1 "Shien" Effect Monster from your Graveyard.

Gateway's Continuous Effect to place Bushido Counters works exactly as Six Samurai United's, only that this one places two at the time. Gateway has three Ignition-like effects, and being of that type, none can be activated during the Damage Step. The first effect targets a Samurai monster you control. The second effect doesn't target, as it can add Cards from the Deck too. The third effect targets a monster in the Graveyard.

The last Card before Storm of Ragnarok comes in Crimson Crisis and it's Six Scrolls of the Samurai:

Tribute 2 face-up "Six Samurai" monsters. Special Summon 1 "Great Shogun Shien" from your Deck.

Tributing the Samurai monsters is a cost. This effect doesn't target.

 And we then arrive to our final stop, the Cards from Storm of Ragnarok. First we have Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan:

If you control a face-up "Six Samurai" monster other than "Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan", you can Special Summon this card from your hand. While you control 2 or more other face-up "Six Samurai" monsters, this card gains 300 ATK and DEF.

Kizan has a Summoning Condition which grants it an Inherent Special Summon. Additionally, it has a Continuous Effect that boosts its ATK and DEF.

Next, we have Legendary Six Samurai - Enishi:

During either player's turn, if you control another face-up "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, you can remove from play 2 "Six Samurai" monsters from your Graveyard to select 1 face-up monster on the field and return it to the hand. You can only use this effect once per turn. While you control 2 or more face-up "Six Samurai" monsters other than "Legendary Six Samurai - Enishi", this card gains 500 ATK and DEF.

Enishi has two effects. The first is an Optional Quick Effect. Removing Six Samurai monsters from Play is a cost, and this effect targets a face-up monster. It cannot be activated during the Damage Step. The second effect is a Continuous Effect, which much like Kizan, it boosts ATK and DEF.

Then, we have Legendary Six Samurai - Kageki:

When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Six Samurai" monster from your hand. While you control another face-up "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, this card gains 1500 ATK.

Kageki has an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its Normal Summon. It can be negated by Pulling the Rug. It Special Summons a Samurai from your Hand. This effect doesn't target. Additionally, it has a Continuous Effect to increase its ATK.

And then, we have Legendary Six Samurai Shinai:

If you control a face-up "Legendary Six Samurai - Mizuho", you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is Tributed, select 1 "Six Samurai" monster in your Graveyard, and add it to your hand, except "Legendary Six Samurai - Shinai".

Shinai has a Summoning Condition which grants it an Inherent Special Summon. The Mizuho you control can also be treated as an Equip Spell Card. Other than that, Shinai has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It targets a Samurai in your Graveyard.

As for this Legendary Six Samurai - Mizuho, here it is:

If you control a face-up "Legendary Six Samurai - Shinai", you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn, you can Tribute another "Six Samurai" monster to select and destroy 1 card on the field.

Mizuho also has an Inherent Special Summon, only that it works the opposite of Shinai's. Mizuho has an Ignition Effect that tributes a Samurai as a cost. It targets a Card on the Field and destroys it.

Other than the Six Samurai monsters, we have Kagemusha of the Six Samurai:

When (exactly) 1 face-up "Six Samurai" monster you control is targeted by a Spell Card, Trap Card, Spell/Trap effect, or Effect Monster's effect, you can change the target to this face-up card on the field, instead.

Kagemusha has a Quick Effect. You chain it to a targeting effect that selected one of your Samurai as a target, and changes its target to Kagemusha. In order to do this, Kagemusha must be a legal target for the effect. For example, if one of your Six Samurai monsters is targeted by Soul Exchange, you can redirect Soul Exchange to Kagemusha, as Soul Exchange's target can be any monster you control. However, if you attack with a Six Samurai monster, and your opponent activates Dimensional Prison, you cannot activate Kagemusha's effect, as Kagemusha is not an attacking monster. This effect also cannot be activated during the Damage Step.

Then we have Shien's Squire:

If a "Six Samurai" monster you control battles, during damage calculation you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard . That "Six Samurai" monster cannot be destroyed by battle during this turn.

Squire has an Optional Quick Effect. You activate it during Damage Calculation. Sending Squire to the Graveyard is a cost, so you cannot activate this effect if Macro Cosmos is active. The effect doesn't target, and it protects the Samurai from being destroyed in battle.

STOR also brings a TCG exclusive monster as an additional servant to Shien, Shien's Daredevil:

When this card is Normal Summoned, place 1 Bushido Counter on it (max. 1). This card gains 300 ATK for each Bushido Counter on it. Once per turn, you can remove 1 Bushido Counter from this card to select 1 face-up card on the field that you can place a Bushido Counter on, and place 1 Bushido Counter on it.

Daredevil's first effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It places a Bushido Counter on itself. Daredevil also has a "hidden" Continuous Effect that allows it to hold these Bushido Counters. If it has its effects negated, the Bushido Counters are removed. Its second effect is a Continuous Effect that gives an ATK bonus while it holds Bushido Counters. Finally, it has an Ignition Effect. It removes a Bushido Counter from Daredevil as a cost, and moves it to another Card, which is targeted by this effect. 

We have some Spell Cards, one being Shien's Smoke Signal:

Add 1 Level 3 or lower "Six Samurai" monster from your Deck to your hand.

Smoke Signal adds Cards from the Deck to the Hand, so it cannot be activated if Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up on the Field. It also doesn't target.

Then, we have Six Strike - Triple Impact:

If you control 3 or more face-up "Six Samurai" monsters, you can activate 1 of these effects:
●Destroy all face-up monsters your opponent controls.
●Destroy all face-up Spell/Trap Cards your opponent controls.
●Destroy all Set Spell/Trap Cards your opponent controls.

Triple Impact requires you to control three Samurai in order to be activated .If you activate its effect with Diamond Dude's effect, you can skip this requirement. You choose which effect to activate when you activate this Card. None of these effects target.

Moving on, we have Asceticism of the Six Samurai:

Select 1 face-up "Six Samurai" monster you control. Special Summon 1 "Six Samurai" monster from your Deck with a different name but equal ATK to the selected monster. During the End Phase of this turn, destroy the selected monster.

Asceticism targets a Samurai you control. It then Special Summons another Samurai from the Deck, which isn't targeted while doing so. Finally, it sets a condition to destroy the targeted monster during the End Phase, even if you didn't manage to Summon a second Samurai in the first place.

The last Spell Card is a Field Card, Temple of the Six:

Each time a "Six Samurai" monster is Normal or Special Summoned, place 1 Bushido Counter on this card. Face-up monsters your opponent controls lose 100 ATK for each Bushido Counter on this card.

Temple has two Continuous Effects. One places Bushido Counters each time one ore more Samurai are Normal or Special Summoned. The other reduces the ATK of the opponent's monsters according to the Bushido Counters on Temple. It also has a "hidden" effect that allows it to hold Bushido Counters, which means that if it has its effects negated, all Bushido Counters are gone.

As for Trap Cards, we have Musakani Magatama:

Activate only if you control a face-up "Six Samurai" monster when your opponent activates a Spell Card, Trap Card or Effect Monster's effect that would destroy a card(s). Negate the card's activation and destroy it.

Magatama negates activations of effects that would destroy Cards. Negating activations means it cannot negate the effects of already active S/T Cards like Royal Oppression or Blaze Accelerator. Notice how it doesn't specify the location of the Card, so it can also negate the activation of effects that would destroy Cards outside of the Field, like Solemn Warning negating a Normal Summon or an Inherent Special Summon.

Next, we have Shien's Scheme:

Activate only when a "Six Samurai" monster you control is destroyed by battle. Special Summon up to 2 "Six Samurai" monsters from your hand.

Scheme is activated at the End of the Damage Step. It doesn't target the Samurai monsters in your Hand.

Additionally, a TCG exclusive Trap Card was made, Six Strike - Thunder Blast:

Remove 1 Bushido Counter on the field to activate one of the following effects:
●Select 1 monster your opponent controls, and destroy it.
●Select 1 card your opponent controls, and return it to the hand.

Removing a Bushido Counter is a cost. Both effects target.

The last Card is obviously the last of the original Six Samurai, Legendary Six Samurai - Shi En:

1 Warrior-Type Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner "Six Samurai" monsters
Once per turn, when your opponent activates a Spell/Trap Card, you can negate it's activation and destroy it. If this face-up card on the field would be destroyed, you can destroy another face-up "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

Shi En isn't actually a "Shien" Effect Monster, so you cannot use it for effects that refer to that name, such as Gateway of the Six's third effect. Shi En has an Optional Quick Effect that negates the activation of a Spell or Trap Card. It can be activated during the Damage Step, as it negates activations, but it cannot negate the effects of already active S/T Cards for the same reason. Shien also has the Continuous Effect of the Strike of Neos Six Samurai to destroy a different Six Samurai to protect itself from destruction.

And that's all for Samurai so far. Stay tuned for more STOR. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

A Certain Forbidding Card

The Forbidden and Limited Cards Lists start being effective today, March 1st. Quite a convenient day to actually write a new article, the one I've been delaying about Prohibition and Psi-Blocker.

Let's look first at Prohibition:

When you activate this card, declare 1 card name. Cards with that name and their effects cannot be used. Cards on the field before this card was activated are not affected (including face-down cards).

Prohibition's rulings based solely on its text are very simple. You declare a Card name upon activating Prohibition (before either player can respond to its activation), and once it resolves, the declared Card cannot be used. What "cannot be used" implies is a whole different story. Other than that, being a Continuous Spell Card, Prohibition needs to remain face-up to keep prohibiting the declared Card from being used. As for declaring a Card, declaring the full name of the Card is advised, but if you don't remember it completely, you can use further details about the Card (its ATK/DEF, its effects, its picture, etc.).

Much like Necrovalley, Prohibition has a fun ruling history. For years, Prohibition was a very overlooked Card, and without players asking questions, official rulings aren't issued as frequently. This Card had no more than 4 rulings or so through most of its history, and they addressed very individual situations, without explaining how the Card worked in general.

Eventually, Prohibition became extremely popular. At first, no one really knew why, but eventually, people found an apparently better use for Prohibition other than stopping D.D. Scout Plane as its rulings suggested. The general consensus of judges gave some new rulings to Prohibition which no one have ever heard about, making it much more powerful than before. OCG rulings suggested that Prohibition mainly stopped effects and attacks from the declared Card, but these new rulings basically invalidated the Card completely. You weren't able to place it on the Field by any means (not even effects), or use it as a cost. The prohibited Card basically became a brick inside your Deck. People were mainly concerned about Gladiator Beasts at the time, and by prohibiting Gladiator Beast Bestiari with these rulings, you would invalidate their easiest form of S/T removal, the Special Summon of Gladiator Beast Gyzarus,  and some other moves.

While people were enjoying a Card that essentially stopped Gladiator Beast Decks dead in their tracks, this consensus about the definition of "cannot be played" was never official. Things like this happen sometimes, with judges needing answers faster than they are issued. Oh well. Eventually, official rulings and an errata were issued. The errata pretty much changed "cannot be played" with "cannot be used" and made some small clarifications, but the rulings finally gave a detailed explanation of how Prohibition worked. Most importantly, it defined what "cannot be used" means and its extent. The moral of the story being, definitions are extremely important.

So, to finally get into business, Prohibition works like this:

-"Cannot be used" prevents the Card from being manually placed on the Field. So you cannot activate a prohibited Spell Card from your Hand, you cannot set a prohibited Spell or Trap Card in your S/T or Field Card Zone, you cannot Normal Summon or Set a Monster from your Hand, and you cannot initiate an Inherent Special Summon of a monster (Cyber Dragon, Machina Fortress, Gladiator Beast Heraklinos, Synchro Summons, etc.).

-Prohibited Cards can be placed on the Field by Card effects. So you can Special Summon Gladiator Beast Bestiari with Gladiator Beast Laquari's effect. You can also move prohibited Cards from one place to another by Card effects (from the Deck to the Hand, Remove them from Play, etc.).

-Prohibited Monster Cards placed on the Field cannot attack or change their battle position manually.

-A prohibited Fusion Monster cannot be Fusion Summoned. A prohibited monster cannot be used as a Fusion Material.

-A prohibited Synchro Monster cannot be Synchro Summoned. A prohibited monster cannot be used as a Synchro Material.

-A prohibited Ritual Monster cannot be Ritual Summoned. A prohibited monster CAN be tributed for a Ritual Summon.

-Prohibited Cards cannot activate their effects, regardless of where they activate. So you cannot activate the effects of Honest, Zombie Master, Sangan, D.D. Survivor, Serpentine Princess, or Elemental Hero Absolute Zero returning to the Extra Deck. Continuous Effects of the prohibited Card cannot be applied either.

-You can use a prohibited Card as a cost for an effect. You can also tributed a prohibited monster for a Tribute Summon.

And finally, we have the last line of Prohibition, which is very important. Cards that were already on the Field before Prohibition's effect resolves are not affected. This means that if the declared Spell or Trap Card is set on the Field when Prohibition resolves, you can activate it, and if it's face-up, you can activate or apply its effects. Prohibited monsters that were already on the Field when Prohibition resolves don't face any of its restrictions either, and won't be affected either if they are sent to the Graveyard or Removed from Play. Once they return to the Hand, Deck, Extra Deck, or to the Field, they'll be affected by Prohibition's effect.

Let's not forget our other Card for today, Psi-Blocker:

Once per turn, you can declare 1 card name. Cards with that name, and their effects, cannot be used until the End of your opponent’s next turn.

Psi-Blocker has an Ignition Effect. Unlike Prohibition, Psi-Blocker doesn't need to remain face-up in order to apply its effect. It works exactly like Prohibition, but with a bonus. Cards on the Field WILL be affected. This allows you to prohibit Cards that are already on the Field, which will cause the same result as placing them of the Field after Prohibition resolved.

And that's all for today. Enjoy the six months of these Forbidden and Limited Lists. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

Final Justice

Duelist Pack: Yusei 3 brings us 8 new Cards used by the main character of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. Let's take a look.

First, we have Boost Warrior:

If you control a face-up Tuner monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand in face-up Defense Position. All Warrior-Type monsters you control gain 300 ATK.

Boost Warrior has a Summoning Condition that allows you to Summon it through an Inherent Special Summon if you control a face-up Tuner Monster. Other than that, it has a Continuous Effect that provides an ATK boost to Warriors on your side of the Field.

Next, we have Justice Bringer:

Once per turn, when a Special Summoned monster your opponent controls activates its effect, you can negate the activation.

Justice Bringer has an Optional Quick Effect. It negates the activation of a Monster Effect. The effect must have originated from a monster your opponent controlled, and that monster must have been Special Summoned to the Field. This effect doesn't target and it can be activated during the Damage Step. It can only negate effects activated on the Field, so even if your opponent Special Summoned Sangan, its effect activates in the Graveyard, so Justice Bringer can't negate it. However, Justice Bringer can negate effects that activate on the Field even if the opponent's monster is no longer on the Field by the time the effect is activated, for example, if your opponent controls a Special Summoned Exiled Force and activates its effect.

Then, we have Bri Synchron:

If this card is sent to the Graveyard as a Synchro Material Monster, until the End Phase of this turn, the Synchro Monster that used this card as a Synchro Material Monster gains 600 ATK but its effects are negated.

Bri Synchron has a Continuous Effect. You simply apply it as soon as the Synchro Monster is face-up. Using multiple copies of Bri Synchron gives more ATK to the monster. The effect negation lasts until the End Phase, and it negates any effects activated on the Field. Flipping the monster face-down gets rid of the ATK bonus but also gets rid of the negation.

And then, the last monster is Big One Warrior:

During your Main Phase, you can send 1 Level 1 monster, except this card, from your hand to the Graveyard to Special Summon this card from your hand.

Big One Warrior has an Ignition Effect. Sending a monster to the Graveyard is a cost, so it can't be activated if Macro Cosmos is face-up on the Field.

As for Spell Cards, we have Battle Waltz:

Select 1 face-up Synchro Monster you control. Special Summon 1 "Waltz Token" with the same Type, Attribute, Level, ATK and DEF as that monster. Players take no Battle Damage from battles involving this Token.

Battle Waltz targets a Synchro Monster on your side of the Field to Special Summon a Token with the same Type, Attribute, Level, ATK and DEF. If the target is missing at the time of this Card's effect's resolution, you don't Special Summon the Waltz token. The ATK and DEF are considered to be the token's Original ATK and DEF.

The other Spell Card is Synchro Gift:

Select 2 face-up monsters you control (1 Synchro Monster and 1 non-Synchro monster). Until the End Phase of this turn, reduce the ATK of the Synchro Monster to 0, and the other monster gains ATK equal to the Synchro Monster's original ATK.

Synchro Gift targets two monsters you control. It sets the ATK of the Synchro Monster to zero, and the non-Synchro Monster gains ATK equal to the Original ATK of the Synchro. Notice the terminology used in the ATK variations. Furthermore, if the non-Synchro monster is no longer face-up by the time Synchro Gift resolves, your Synchro Monster still has its ATK reduced to zero.

And then, we have two Trap Cards, one is Card of Sacrifice:

Draw 2 cards, if the combined ATK of all your face-up Attack Position monsters (minimum 2) is less than the ATK of your opponent's face-up monster with the lowest ATK. You cannot Summon or change Battle Position the turn you activate this card.

Card of Sacrifice basically has a ton of requirements for you to draw Cards. If you already performed a Summon or if you changed the Battle Position of a monster manually during this turn, you cannot activate it. If you have less than 2 monsters, their total ATK is higher than the opponent's monster, or the opponent no longer has monsters, you don't draw 2 Cards. This Card doesn't target.

The last Card for today is Synchro Material:

Select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. If you Synchro Summon this turn, you can use the selected monster as a Synchro Material Monster. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase during the turn you activate this card.

Synchro Material targets an opponent's monster. It doesn't perform a Synchro Summon by itself, so if you are outside of your Main Phases, you'll need another Card's effect to perform the Synchro Summon. If you target your opponent's Formula Synchron, you cannot activate its effect to perform a Synchro Summon, but if you control Formula Synchron during your opponent's Main Phase, and you activate Synchro Material, you can later use Formula's Quick Effect to perform a Synchro Summon with that monster. If the targeted monster is flipped face-down, you can no longer use it as a Synchro Material. If you target your opponent's Tuningware, you can treat it as a Level 2 monster, but it will be your opponent who draws a Card.

That's all for this Duelist Pack. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

STBL Part 6: Terminal Star

And to finish Starstrike Blast already, we have the last batch of exclusive Cards, imports, and the Ice Barrier theme support.

Let's start with the Ice Barrier support. First we have Medallion of the Ice Barrier:

Add 1 "Ice Barrier" monster from your Deck to your hand.

Pretty self-explanatory. Do note that you can add any Ice Barrier monster without a Level limit. You can't activate this Card if Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up on the Field.

Next, we have Mirror of the Ice Barrier:

During this turn, each time a card(s) is removed from play from your hand, your side of the field, and/or your Graveyard by the effect of an opponent's Effect Monster: ●If a card in your hand is removed from play, remove from play up to 2 random cards in your opponent's hand. ●If a card you control is removed from play, remove from play up to 2 cards your opponent controls. ●If a card in your Graveyard is removed from play, remove from play up to 2 cards in your opponent's Graveyard.

Mirror of the Ice Barrier sets a Condition that lasts during the entire turn in which you activate it. It only works against effects that use the chain, and you apply Ice Barrier's effect after the effect that Removed your Cards from Play is done resolving. No matter how many Cards are Removed from Play from a single location, you only get to Remove from Play up to two of your opponent's Cards. Finally, if an effect like Macro Cosmos is active, and your opponent uses an effect like Dark End Dragon's or XX-Saber Gottoms, you can't apply the effect of Mirror of the Ice Barrier, because these effects don't Remove Cards from Play by themselves (and Macro Cosmos doesn't use the chain).

Ice Barriers also received an OCG import, Royal Knight of the Ice Barrier:

When this card is Tribute Summoned, Special Summon 1 "Ice Coffin Token" (Aqua-Type/WATER/Level 1/ATK 1000/DEF 0) in Attack Position to your opponent's side of the field. This Token cannot be Tributed for a Tribute Summon.

Royal Knight has a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Tribute Summon. It can be negated by Pulling the Rug. It Special Summons a Token on the opponent's side of the Field. You still own this token for purposes of Remove Brainwashing and similar Cards.

Later, we have some Ally monsters, one being  Ally Salvo:

When this card is destroyed by battle with a LIGHT monster and sent to the Graveyard, select 2 cards on the field and destroy them.

Ally Salvo has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. You activate it at the End of the Damage Step. It targets two Cards on the Field.

Next, we have Ally of Justice Thousand Arms:

This card can attack all face-up LIGHT monsters your opponent controls once each. If this card battles a non-LIGHT monster, destroy this card before damage calculation.

Thousand Arms has a Continuous Effect that allows you to attack all LIGHT Monsters your opponent controls. If you attack a non-LIGHT monster or a face-down LIGHT monster, or attack directly, you cannot choose to activate this effect. Furthermore, Thousand Arms has a Mandatory Trigger Effect activated Before Damage Calculation if it battles a monster without the LIGHT Attribute.

And finally, we have Ally of Justice Unknown Crusher:

When this card battles a LIGHT monster, remove that monster from play after damage calculation.

Unknown Crusher has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. You activate it when you Resolve Effects after Damage Calculation, similar to D.D. Warrior Lady. It doesn't target, and it will still activate even if Unknown Crusher is destroyed in battle by the LIGHT monster.

We then have some Genex Ally monsters, one being Genex Ally Duradark:

Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can select 1 face-up Attack Position monster your opponent controls with the same Attribute as this card, and destroy it. This card cannot attack the turn you activate this effect.

Duradark has an Ignition Effect. It targets a face-up Attack Position monster with the same Attribute as itself. It has a similar restriction to Chaos Sorcerer, in which Duradark can't attack during the turn in which its effect is activated. Both Duradark and the targeted monster must remain face-up and with the same Attribute in order for the effect to resolve properly (and the opponent's monster must keep its Battle Position too).

And we also have Genex Ally Axel:

1 "Genex" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, you can discard 1 card to select 1 Level 4 or lower Machine-Type monster from your Graveyard, and Special Summon it. The ATK of that monster is doubled until the End Phase, but it cannot attack your opponent directly. Remove that monster from play during your End Phase.

Axel has an Ignition Effect. Discarding a Card is a cost, and it targets a Machine-type monster in the Graveyard. The monster's ATK becomes twice that value until the End Phase, and is restricted from attacking directly as long as it remains face-up. Additionally, it will try to Remove itself from Play while face-up on the Field during each of your End Phases. Flipping the monster face-down or Removing it temporarily from Play will get rid of all of these bonuses and restrictions.

Then, we have a Fabled Monster, The Fabled Rubyruda:

When this face-up card you control is selected as an attack target, you can discard 1 "Fabled" monster to negate the attack.

Rubyruda has an Optional Trigger Effect activated when it's selected as an Attack Target. It must be face-up at that time, and it works if it's selected via a replay. Discarding a Fabled Monster is a cost, and it does not target.

And finally, we have two Dragunity Knight monsters, one being Dragunity Knight Vajrayana:

1 Dragon-Type Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Winged Beast-Type monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can select 1 Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type "Dragunity" monster in your Graveyard and equip it to this card as an Equip Card. Once per turn, you can send 1 Equip Card equipped to this card to the Graveyard to double this card's ATK until the End Phase.

Vajrayana has an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Synchro Summon. It can be negated by Swallow Flip. It targets a monster in your Graveyard, and treats it as an Equip Card, to equip it to itself. Its second effect is an Ignition Effect. It sends an Equip Card to the Graveyard as a cost, and sets the current ATK of this Card to its double. You can also use Equip Cards controller by your opponent equipped to this Card to pay the cost.

The other Dragunity Knight is Dragunity Knight - Gae Dearg:

1 Dragon-Type Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Winged Beast-Type monsters
Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can add 1 Level 4 or lower Dragon-Type or Winged Beast-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. Then discard 1 Dragon-Type or Winged Beast-Type monster.

Gae Dearg an Ignition Effect. It adds a monster to your Hand, and then discards a monster from your Hand. The monster you discard can be any Dragon or Winged-Beast monster, not just a Level 4 or lower. You cannot activate this effect if you don't have Cards to add to the Hand or if Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up on the Field.

As for the TCG exclusives, first we have Archfiend Empress:

If (exactly) 1 face-up DARK Fiend-Type monster on the field, except this card, would be destroyed, you can remove from play 1 DARK Fiend-Type monster from your Graveyard, instead. When this card is destroyed and sent from the field to the Graveyard, you can select 1 Level 6 or higher DARK Fiend-Type monster in your Graveyard, except "Archfiend Empress", and Special Summon it.

Archfiend Empress has two effects. The first one is a Continuous Effect. You apply it if only one DARK/Fiend monster would be destroyed, during the resolution of the effect that would destroy it, or during Damage Calculation while it is destroyed in battle. The second effect is an Optional Trigger Effect. It targets a DARK/Fiend type monster and Special Summons it.

Next, we have Skull Meister:

During either player's turn, when a card effect is activated in your opponent's Graveyard, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to negate the effect.

Skull Meister has an Optional Quick Effect. You need to chain it directly to an effect activated in your opponent's Graveyard. Sending Skull Meister to the Graveyard is a cost, and it doesn't target. Furthermore, it only negates the effect to which it responded to. It doesn't keep the monster's effect negated, so if you negate Treeborn Frog's effect, it can still activate its effect once again.

Then, we have Droll & Lock Bird:

If your opponent adds a card(s) from their Deck to their hand, except during the Draw Phase, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard. For the rest of this turn, neither player can add card(s) from their Deck to their hand. (Drawing cards is also considered as "adding a card to the hand.")

Droll & Lock Bird has an Optional Trigger Effect which cannot miss the timing. You respond to your opponent adding a Card to his/her Hand (or respond once the chain in which your opponent added Cards to his/her Hand is over). During that turn, Cards cannot be added to the Hand. Note that since you respond to a Card being added to the Hand, you can't actually prevent that Card from being added to the Hand. This effect cannot be activated during the Damage Step.

Moving on, we have Spellstone Sorcerer Karood:

Once per turn, when another Monster Card's effect is activated while there is no Spellstone Counter on this card, place 1 Spellstone Counter on this card (max. 1). This card gains 300 DEF for each Spellstone Counter on it. Once per turn, you can remove 1 Spellstone Counter from your side of the field to select 1 card in your opponent's Graveyard, and remove that card from play.

Karood has a Continuous Effect to place Spellstone Counters on itself. You apply it once another Monster's Effect is done resolving. Karood must be face-up both at the activation and resolution of the other effect. Karood also has a "hidden" Continuous Effect that allows it to hold Spellstone Counters, so if it has its effects negated, its Spellstone Counter is removed. Additionally, it has a Continuous Effect that lets it gain DEF with Spellstone Counters. Finally, it has an Ignition Effect. It Removes a Spellstone Counter from your side of the Field to target a Card in the opponent's Graveyard to Remove it from Play.

Then we have Gravekeeper's Recruiter:

When this card you control is sent to your Graveyard, add 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster with 1500 or less DEF from your Deck to your hand.

Recruiter has a Mandatory Trigger Effect. It adds a Gravekeeper's Monster to your Hand, so Thunder King Rai-Oh would cause it to resolve without effect. Notice that you must control Recruiter, so if it switches control, neither player will get the effect.

And then, we have Koa'ki Meiru Wall:

During each of your End Phases, destroy this card unless you send 1 "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" from your hand to the Graveyard or reveal 1 Rock-Type monster in your hand. You can Tribute this card to negate the activation of an opponent's Spell Card and destroy that card.

Much like the majority of Koa'ki Meiru Monsters, Wall has a Maintenance Cost revealing a Card in your Hand or sending Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru to the Graveyard. If your Hand is being revealed by an effect, or if Macro Cosmos is active, you have to choose a different payment or destroy Wall. It also has a Quick Effect which engates the activation of an opponent's Spell Card. Tributing Wall is a cost.

And the last Card is a Trap Card, Mischief of the Yokai:

Each face-up monster on the field loses 2 Levels, until the End Phase. You can remove from play this card from your Graveyard to select 1 face-up monster and reduce its Level by 1, until the End Phase. This effect cannot be activated the same turn this card is sent to the Graveyard.

Yokai reduces the Levels of face-up monsters when it resolves. This effect doesn't target. Additionally, it has a Quick-like effect that Removes Mischief from Play and targets a monster to further reduce its Level.

And with that, we have covered every STBL Card, except Psi-Blocker, which means I basically owe you a Prohibition article. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

STBL Part 5: Happy New Delay!

So yeah...a delay was probably expected due to the holidays, but things got out of hand more than I would have expected -_- Let's get to work. We'll look at the Duel Terminal themes and exclusives later.

First, we have Chain Dog:

This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster, except for the Synchro Summon of a Beast-Type monster. If you control 2 face-up Beast-Type monsters, you can Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. If this card is Special Summoned this way, remove it from play when it is removed from the field.

Chain Dog has a Condition that prevents its use as a Synchro Material in certain cases. Other than that, it has an Ignition Effect Controlling the two Beast-type monsters isn't just an activation requirement, they must remain on the Field until the effect resolves. After that, it sets a Condition on itself that will Remove it from Play once it leaves the Field, much like Plaguespraeder Zombie. This Condition can be removed by flipping Chain Dog face-down.

Next, we have Wightmare:

While it is in the Graveyard, this card's name is treated as "Skull Servant". You can discard this card to activate 1 of the following effects: ● Select 1 of your removed from play "Skull Servant" or "Wightmare", and return it to your Graveyard. ● Select 1 of your removed from play "The Lady in Wight" or "King of the Skull Servants", and Special Summon it.

Wightmare has a Continuous Effect to change its effect while in the Graveyard, similar to Harpie Lady. If it is negated by Wattsquirrel, its name will be Wightmare in the Graveyard. Then, it has two different Ignition Effects, and both discard this Card as a cost. The first effect targets one of your Removed from Play monsters and returns it to the Graveyard. Remember this isn't considered to be "sending" them to the Graveyard. The second effect targets one of your Removed from Play monsters and Special Summons it.

Then, we have Anarchist Monk Rashin:

When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard by your opponent's card (including by battle, card effect, or by being destroyed), select 1 monster in your opponent's Graveyard and remove it from play.

Rashin has a Mandatory Trigger Effect that you activate when it's sent to the Graveyard by your opponent. It targets an opponent's Monster Card in the Graveyard.

And then, we have Delg the Dark Monarch:

When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, you can select up to 2 cards in your opponent's Graveyard, remove them from play. Then send the same number of cards from the top of their Deck to the Graveyard. During the turn it is Normal or Special Summoned, this card cannot attack.

Delg first has an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Summon. It can be negated by Pulling the Rug or Swallow Flip accordingly. It targets up to two Cards in the opponent's Graveyard. Then, it sends the same number of Cards from the top of the opponent's Deck to the Graveyard. These two actions are not considered to be simultaneous, so an effect like Cyber Ouroboros would miss the timing. Also, Delg has a Continuous Effect that prevents it from attacking during the turn it's Summoned. Being a Continuous Effect, this can be negated.

We then have two more Fusion Monsters that use Synchro Monsters as their Fusion Materials, one is Supreme Arcanite Magician:

1 Spellcaster-Type Synchro Monster + 1 Spellcaster-Type monster
This monster can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon (from the Extra Deck). When this card is Fusion Summoned, place 2 Spell Counters on it. This card gains 1000 ATK for each Spell Counter on it. Once per turn, you can remove 1 Spell Counter from your side of the field to activate one of the following effects:● Select 1 card on the field, and destroy it.● Draw 1 card.

Arcanite has a Summoning Condition that restricts you from how to Summon it from the Extra Deck. Then, it has a Mandatory Trigger Effect to place two Spell Counters on it, much like the Synchro version of Arcanite Magician. This effect is activated upon its successful Special Summon, so it can be negated by Swallow Flip. It then has a Continuous Effect that gives it an ATK bonus. Furthermore, it has two Ignition Effects, of which you can only activate one per turn. Removing a Spell Counter on your side of the Field is a cost to activate it. The first effect targets any Card on the Field and destroys it. The second effect allows you to draw a Card.

The other Fusion Monster is Gaia Drake, the Universal Force:

1 "Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth" + 1 non-Effect Synchro Monster
This card cannot be targeted by, or destroyed by, the effects of Effect Monsters.

Gaia has two Continuous Effects. One prevents it from being targeted by Monster Effects, and the other prevents it from being destroyed by Monster Effects. It's self explanatory, mostly. A common question about Gaia is its interaction with Summoner of Illusions. If Summoned by that monster's effect, Gaia will not be destroyed during the End Phase.

Now let's look at some Spell Cards, starting with Koa'ki Ring:

Reveal 1 "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" in your hand to select 1 face-up monster on the field. Destroy that monster, and both players take 1000 damage.

Koa'ki Ring reveals an Iron Core as a cost and targets a face-up monster. Then, it destroys the target monster and inflicts 1000 points of damage. The destruction and the damage is simultaneous, similar to Ring of Destruction.

Next, we have Darkworld Shackles:

The equipped monster cannot attack, and its ATK and DEF become 100. During each of your Standby Phase, inflict 500 damage to the controller of the equipped monster.

Shackles has two Continuous Effects, one prevents the equipped monster from attacking, and the other forces the ATK/DEF values of the monster to become 100. Additionally, it has a Trigger-like effect that inflicts damage to the controller of the monster.

Then, we have Axe of Fools:

The equipped monster gains 1000 ATK and its effect(s) is negated. During each of your Standby Phases, the controller of the equipped monster takes 500 damage.

Axe of Fools has two Continuous Effects. One provides an ATK bonus, and the other negates the effects of the equipped monster. You can equip this Card to a Normal Monster or a Monster whose effects are already negated by Forbidden Chalice or a similar Card. You can also equip this Card to Gearfried the Iron Knight and it wouldn't be destroyed. Much like Darkworld Shackles, it also has a Trigger-like effect to inflict damage.

Moving on, we have Cursed Bill:

When the equipped monster is destroyed and this card is sent to the Graveyard, inflict damage to the player who controlled the equipped monster, equal to the monster's original DEF.

Cursed Bill has a Trigger-like effect activated when the monster is destroyed, and this Card is sent to the Graveyard as a result. It inflicts damage. It's a simple effect.

Then, we have Tokkosho of Ghost Destroying:

When the equipped monster inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, you can select up to 2 monsters in your opponent's Graveyard, and remove them from play.

Tokkosho has a Trigger-like effect that you activate at the time you inflict Battle Damage After Damage Calculation. It targets the monsters that it will Remove from Play.

And then, we have Heat Wave:

This card can only be activated at the start of Main Phase 1. Neither player can Normal or Special Summon an Effect Monsters, until your next Draw Phase.

Heat Wave has the same activation timing as Cold Wave, at the beginning of your Main Phase 1. In order to activate its effect with Diamond Dude, you would also need to activate it at that time. Neither player can place these monsters on the Field manually. Effect Monsters become illegal targets for Effects that would Special Summon them to the Field, and cannot be Normal or Special Summoned with Effects that don't target them either. You can still Set them from your Hand manually or Flip Summon them. Gemini Monsters cannot be Normal Summoned from the Hand or while already on the Field, but they can be Special Summoned from the Graveyard (as they are Normal Monsters there).

The last Spell Card in the set is White Elephant's Gift:

Send 1 face-up non-Effect monster you control to the Graveyard to draw 2 cards.

Sending a monster to the Graveyard is a cost, so you cannot activate Gift if Macro Cosmos is active. You also can't pay this cost with Tokens, as Tokens cannot be sent to the Graveyard as a cost. If you activate this Card's effect via Diamond Dude, you don't need to send a monster to the Graveyard.

As for the Trap Cards, we have Vanity's Emptiness:

Neither player can Special Summon monsters. Destroy this card when a card is sent from the Deck or the field to your Graveyard.

Emptiness has a Continuous Effect that prevents Special Summons. Additionally, it has a Trigger-like effect that will destroy Emptiness once a Card is sent to the Graveyard. If Vanity's Emptiness is activated in the middle of an Inherent Special Summon being negated (such as, in a chain to Royal Oppression while Cyber Dragon is Special Summoned by its Summoning Condition), Emptiness won't prevent the Special Summon from happening, as it was already initiated. But if you chain it to an effect that Special Summon, the Special Summon will be prevented.

Next, we have Different Dimension Ground:

This turn, any monster sent to the Graveyard is removed from play instead.

Ground sets a Condition that Removes from Play monsters that are sent to the Graveyard. Nothing too complicated. It follows the same rules as Dimensional Fissure

Then, we have Powersink Stone:

Each time a monster effect is activated, place 1 Spellstone Counter on this card (max. 2). While this card has 2 Spellstone Counters, face-up monsters on the field cannot activate their effects, and their effects are negated. During each End Phase, remove all Spellstone Counters on this card.

Stone has a Continuous Effect that allows it to gain Spellstone Counters, and a Continuous Effect that allows it to hold them. Spellstone Counters are gained after the Monster Effect resolves, but Stone has to be face-up upon its activation and resolution. If Stone has its effects negated, it will lose all Spellstone Counters on it. It has a third Continuous Effect that prevents effects from being activated and negates Continuous Effects. Finally, it has a Trigger-like effect that removes all of the Spellstone Counters on the Card.

Moving on, we have Tyrant's Temper:

Tribute 1 monster to activate this card. All face-up monsters on the field that you own are unaffected by other Trap Cards.

Tributing a monster is a cost to activate this Card. Temper will protect all monsters on the Field that you won from the effects of Trap Cards. Notice that monsters that you own, but which your opponent has taken control of will also be protected.

And finally the last Card for today is Dark Trap Hole:

Activate only when your opponent Special Summons 2 or more monsters face-up. Send all of those monsters to the Graveyard. Then, send all monsters in the opponent's hand and Deck to the Graveyard that have the same name as either of those monsters.

Dark Trap Hole responds to a successful Summon of 2 or more monsters that were Summoned simultaneously by the opponent. It sends the Summoned monsters to the Graveyard, then it sends all of the copies of those monsters in the Hand, Deck and Extra Deck to the Graveyard. These actions are not considered to be simultaneous. If only one monster is on the Field when this Card resolves, then that monster is still affected by this Card.

Well, that's all of Starstrike Blast for today. Hopefully we'll be done soon Q_Q If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.