SOD-JP008 BLACK FLARE DRAGON OF HORUS LV8 Fire/Dragon/8/3000/1800 This card can't be Normal Summoned. This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of a [Black Flare Dragon of Horus LV6]. While this card is face-up on your Field, you can negate and destroy the activation and effect of Magic. ULTRA RARE / ULTIMATE RARE

Here's the fifty-third card of the week for Edo's Yugioh Page.

Hot off the presses of the Japanese Soul of the Duelist (SOD) set, the Black Flare Dragon of Horus series has been causing a bit of a stir lately.

In the SOD set, a new LV mechanic has been introduced, where Monsters get to increase their Level by certain tasks, and thereby increasing their power and abilities.

Arguably, the Horus series is the one that deserves the most attention. Though our card of the week talks about the Level 8 version of the card, the lower levels also deserve mentioning.

LV4: Not too shabby. An above-average attack strength, coupled with the ability to not be able to change control. It looses a little bit of effectiveness with Change of Heart being banned, but it stops those control cards that were introduced into decks simply to replace Change of Heart. It has to destroy a Monster as a result of Battle to get to the next step, but that's fine when adding an Equipment card or two. Searchable, with the Witch, too.

LV6: We add a Legendary Fisherman "can't be affected by Magic" effect to this guy, but he loses the ability to not be controlled. There aren't many Monsters or Traps that people use to control Monsters, so that's not much you have to worry about. You also have to destroy a Monster as a result of Battle to get to the next version, but with a 2300 attack strength, that's not too hard. For those who are wondering, as of the writing of this card of the week, it's still under investigation whether or not LV6 can be affected by "Level Up!", but the answer will probably be "Yes, you can use it with LV6."

That takes us to the Level 8 version. This is the one everyone has been clamoring (and complaining) about. Its attack strength is a massive 3000, enough to take down a Blue Eyes and itself.

But forget just about everything else: that "I can negate the activation of Magic card whenever I want" is just brutal. LV8 can't stop Magic cards that are already on the Field before it appear (such as Equipment Magic cards), and it can't stop the "use" of face-up Magic cards like Wave Motion Cannon. LV8 can only stop the initial "play from your hand" or "turn face-up in the Magic/Trap Zone" activation. Yes, LV8's effect is a Multi-Trigger, and is basically the Black Paladin's effect without the discard cost.

For those of you who are wondering, no, LV8 can't be brought back with Raise Dead, so when it's there, it's there. You can use Focal Point of Four Dimensions to shuffle it back into your deck for more scrumptous beatings.

What makes LV8 even more brutal is the speed at which it can get to the Field. Dump a LV6 into your Cemetery with Foolish Burial (or Distressing Choice, if you want to use banned cards), revive LV6, then use "Level Up!" (since it ignores summon requirements). You got LV8 to the Field in one turn. This means that EVEN BEFORE YOUR OPPONENT HAS TAKEN HIS OR HER FIRST TURN, you can stop your opponent from playing Magic cards. Scary, isn't it?

I would count on LV8 being restricted here in the near future, to one per deck. Hell, if Imperial Decree was restricted to one per deck, think of what will happen to this poor guy. If it wasn't for "Level Up!", I don't think it would be.

Edo's Rating: 4 out of 5. LV8 is a great card, and screams "Build a deck around me." Negation of Magic in this game is key, since not many use a large amount of Trap cards to deal with things that their Magic cards already do. It's not as if Horus is invincible -- you still have to watch out for Traps and Monster Effects.