Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game Article 25:
Bah!

Table of Contents:

::::: Giving Stuff Away | More Bans | Explanations | The Lost Millennium :::::

Giving Stuff Away

Sometimes I'm amazed at the amount of stuff that gets passed around here in Japan, among the players, that is. It seems that when someone usually needs something, it's almost given away. A lot of times, that might be rare cards or promos. For example, someone wanted a few [Avatar of Apophis], so another player pulled out two or three of them, and handed them over.

A few months ago, I was saying that a female friend of mine in Hawaii wanted some female-based cards, so a few of the players went through the binders and just started pulling out cards. Of course they were mostly cards that no one really uses, like [Guardian Angel Jeanue], [Law Guardian], [Prayer of Law], and few others, but the surprising one was that I was handed a couple of Limited Edition [Magician's Valkyria].

The same gentleman usually hands cards to several people, so I gave him the four-card English movie set (Shining, Hierophant, Pyramid and Watapon). So, after that, he goes into his binder and pulls out a version of a card I hadn't seen or known about, and hands it to me.

It was a [Toon Black Magician Girl]. Most of you wouldn't think it's odd; after all, most of you have seen that Secret Rare before.

The thing is, it wasn't Secret Rare -- it was SUPER Rare. Apparently, some of the earlier printings of that game had the Super Rare version included, instead of the "normal" Secret Rare version. Supposedly it's worth a bit more money, but it's an interesting find nonetheless.

More Bans

Well, the new ban list has hit Japan, and the effect has been felt.

  • Magical Scientist - Oh, NOBODY saw this one coming? If you didn't, pull off your sunglasses, and open your eyes. During December, a big Konami tournament was held a the Jump Festa event in Chiba City (the same prefecture I live in). I didn't get to go since my father was visiting for Christmas, but I heard from Japanese friends who DID go was that the tournament was filled with Scientist One-Turn-Kill decks. Konami snapped into action, and banned Scientist. Well, at least you can stop lugging around your 30+ card Fusion Deck...

  • Fiber Pod - Once again, the broccoli tree gets banned. I was tired of game resets, for either attacking or not attacking.

  • Change of Heart - Banned because it's a no cost control card. Konami is banning the original non-cost staples as they release newer, lower-powered versions of the card. With Change of Heart, you have the replacement in the sort-of balanaced [Brain Control] in The Lost Millennium Set.

  • Confiscate + Steadfast Guard = -Mischevious Demon Twins - Banning the prior two destroys most of a discard-deck archetype. So, if two are banned, the "less of three evils" (?!?!) gets unbanned. Confiscate and Guard allow you to look at your opponent's hand and destroy a specific strategy. The random element, plus your opponent's choice of discard is a "little" less cruel.

    The other cards on the list are meant to stop certain powerful deck types, such as Reversed Worlds, Frui-Eruma-Loops, and the plain annoying Mirage of Nightmares.

    On the flip side, a number of good cards have returned. Angel's Gift and Mirror Force are back, and made a lot of people happy, as did Critter. Another one that is good is Vampire Lord, which was pretty much brought back solely to give the Undead a boost in the form of Vampire Genesis. Restricted are the uber-annoyances, like Nefutisu, Marshmallon, and the stall cards.

    Overall, a shakeup that has left its mark on many decks. My Magician deck had to go over a bit of an overhaul.

    Explainations

    Having trouble understand the concept of Priority when it comes to being able to activate the effects of summoned Monsters? Think it's a crazy idea? Don't worry, so do a number of Japanese people.

    The strangest thing is, I actually explain rulings in Japanese as well as English -- well, in my bad Japanese, anyway. Some of the players that are friends are surprised that I can explain some technical aspects of the game. Most recently, we had a discussions about Priority, and being able to activate the effects of Monsters before they would be destroyed by the likes of Pit Trap, Bottomless Pit Trap, Destruction Ring, etc.

    I said that I would read through the Japanese Expert Rules Page to learn more about the game. Back when I needed a dictionary for everything in Japanese, it was DAMN hard to wade through the more-difficult rulings.

    I tell them that everything takes practice, and I tell them that about my years of learning Japanese. A lot of Japanese people want to "know" English. The thing is, almost all Japanese people have at LEAST six years of English study under their belt by the time they hit college: three in Junior High School, and three in High School. The problem is, even after all of that study, THEY CAN'T USE IT.

    Many want to go abroad, so even after they have learned for six years, they go into English "conversation schools" (which can cost a pretty penny), to get more practice.

    A Japanese friend that I hang out with quite a bit knows a lot more English than he lets on. Most of the time we speak in Japanese, but sometimes in English (Maybe 90%-10%). He has good listening comprehension, but is not "used" to speaking English, which is a problem that a lot of Japanese people have. With any foreign language, you have to keep using it to get it right. Even if you screw up royally, you have to keep going -- and you'll be damn sure not to mess up on that same item again.

    Anyway, I'm getting off track about this section. It's just surprising while there are a number of things that are different between the Japanese and English game, the players are the same in griping about Priority.

    The Lost Millennium

    The Lost Millennium has been released, marking a new step in the card game. It includes a number of cards from the animated series, with a couple of surprises.

  • Winged Kuribo - One of the sigature cards of the hero in the animated series, Winged Kuribo can be an annoyance. One combo to pull off is to have Winged Kuribo in your Cemetery and a set Cry of the Living Dead on the Field. If your opponent tries to destroy your Cry, Chain it and bring the Kuribo to the Field. Your opponent's effect will destroy the Cry, and with it, destroy the Kuribo. This triggered the effect, preventing Battle Damage from being done to you during that turn. The problem is, if Kuribo gets destroyed in an attack, it's effect won't trigger until after it gets sent to the Cemetery, so attack-mode damage and trample damage will still be done to you before Kuribo gets to stop it.

  • Antique Gear Golem - The next signature card of the series, this time from the teacher Chronus, is strong; there is no doubt about that. Mirror Force can't nuke it, Cylinder can't stop it. Add in trample, and that "Ultimate Pound" attack will run through your opponent's Monsters. The problem is getting that sucker onto the Field. You have to do it the old-fashioned way by sacrificing two Monsters, instead of being able to Special Summon it.

  • Antique Gear Beast - Unassuming, this guy is STRONG. Like the Antique Gear Golem, your opponent can't blast it with Mirror Force. However, for one sacrifice, it negates the effects of Monsters it destroys as a result of Battle. No Tomato, no Critter, no Apprentice Magician, no Reverse Effects. A nice side-deck card if your opponent is running annoying defense-mode Monsters.

  • Elemental Heroes - A nice, fun deck theme to play. The problem is, the normal Monsters are a little weak for competetive play right now. Almost everyone in my game group has voted that without Skyscraper, it's a slightly below-average deck.

  • Millennium Scorpion - I'm only mentioning this because there are some English players that will get this card in the next set. Those who are playing pseudo-Rishid Trap decks in the English game can use this as a replacement for Selket; the effects are slightly similar, and hell, the picture is similar.

  • Spirit Controllers - Not so good as cards, but the art is is incredible. I can't wait for the rest of them.

  • Doriard - Well, the old Monster from the booster series makes its re-entrance as a Ritual Monster. If you want to make an Elemental Monster deck (Soldier, Valkyrie, Devil, etc.), this one's needed. You need to protect it, though. I'm just thinking that its effect is going to be a nightmare to program in my PC Game...

  • Coins From Heaven - An American first, and a regular Super Rare in this set. Some ways that you can make use of this card are (a) If you have one or more Twilight Zone Survivors on the Field, (b) you have no other cards on the Field and few cards in your hand, (c) you've gotten control of one or more of your opponent's cards (such as with Brain Control and/or Theft), use this after you attack to remove the Monster from the game, and net you two cards in the process. Even with those three uses, it's still a crap rare.

  • Brain Control - Here's your Change of Heart replacement. 'nuff said.

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