PH-15 SEVERING SAMURAI Air/warrior/4/500/800 If this Monster attacks a Monster in face-down defense mode, don't go to the Damage Step, and the Monster is destroyed while in face-down defense mode.

Thirty-sixth card of the week. This time is the little-known Severing Samurai.

The Samurai was used in a number of decks when it first was released in the Pharaonic Guardian. Sort of cool looking, it also boasted an effect of destroying face-down Monsters.

It's effect is everything to this card. What the effect means is that if you attack a Monster in face-down defense mode, you totally skip the Damage Step, and you destroy the Monster while face-down.

Since you skip the Damage Step, there are three repercussions to this. One, you don't calculate damage at all. This means that if the Samurai runs into a face-down Holy Elf, you won't receive any Battle Damage. Two, the Monster that is being attack is NOT turned face-up. In other words, if you attack a face-down Monster that has a Reverse Effect, it will NOT be activated. Three, this effect is NOT considered "as a result of Battle." So, Shine Angel, Killer Tomato, and all of those Monsters that require it to be destroyed as a result of Battle will NOT be triggered.

Edo's Rating: 3 out of 5. The Severing Samurai is a technical card. This means that it's useful against certain types of decks. The problem is that most decks are considered offensive, and few cards will be Set. Against those kinds of decks, the Samurai is just a 500/800 Monster, which is dead weight. You could use a removal card instead, which will allow you to play a stronger Monster and commence with the attack. Though it's not worth putting three in your deck (unless you REALLY hate Reverse Effect Monsters), it's worth putting at least one in your deck to see how it pans out.