BC-00 GENERAL OF IMPENETRABLE DEFENSES Dark/Warrior/6/1550/2500 When this card is successfully Normal Summoned or Reverse Summoned, change it to defense mode. This card can attack while it is in defense mode. (Damage Calculation is done as normal.) Secret Rare

Well, here we are at number fifty-four. Let's get cracking. This time we're looking at the General of Impenetrable Defenses. This card was first an Ultra Rare promotional card that was release in the Japanese monthly video game magazine, called V-Jump. It was later re-released as a Secret Rare in the Booster Chronicle set.

This card didn't show up in the comic, and was in the animated series for a brief moment, during the Noa Story Arc. I think it had a cameo in another seen (unrelated to the Noa Story Arc), but I am not quite sure.

The General's first effect is simple: when you play it from your hand as a Normal Summon, or Reverse Summon it, it goes to defense mode. For those of you who want a face-up Warrior quickly, here he is. Please note that this effect doesn't trigger when Special Summoned. Though Special Summons are usually your choice of mode, some (such as Early Burial and Cry of the Living Dead) don't give you the choice, and put the Monsters into attack mode. Even if the General is brought back by those two cards in question, it will remain in attack mode until you are able to change its mode manually. (And remember that you can't manually change the mode of a Monster during the same turn it appeared on the Field...)

The General's second effect is what confuses a number of people, and I have to scratch my head at that. The effect is also simple: you can declare an attack with the General even while he is in defense mode. Normally, only attack mode Monsters can attack, but the General breaks that rule. The problem is, people are confusing just what happens in that attack.

All you do is resolve the attack exactly as normal. The General still uses his attack strength to compare to your opponent's relevant statistic. In other words, no, you don't use the General's defense strength to "stand in" for his attack strength when attacking from defense mode. Once again, the attack is resolve exactly as normal, and damage is calculated and applied like any normal attack.

There are some incidental rulings concerning this card and Mirror Force. If this is the only Monster you control and it attacks while in defense mode, your opponent CANNOT activate Mirror Force. This is because whenever you have the option to activate an effect, that effect must do something. Since Mirror Force wouldn't do anything in this instance, it can't be activated.

As for the English version of Mirror Force, I believe the text still states "negate the attack." When the General is released in English, Mirror Force could possibly be activated since it would negate the attack. At least, until the text for Mirror Force is clarified, or a ruling is released.

Getting back to the Japanese card, if you have this card on the Field in defense mode AND another card in attack mode, your opponent CAN activate Mirror Force. Though it wouldn't do a thing to the General, it is still able to destroy the other Monster, and thus is legal to be activated.

As for Dark Force, it could be activated. The General's in defense mode, after all.

Edo's Rating: 3 out of 5. I've given it an average rating, since the General has the drawback of needing support. When put into a Warrior deck complete with Command Knights, the General can be a rather nasty fellow. Without the Command Knights, you need to rely on an Equipment card, such as Demon Axe. With no support, the General is just an average Monster with 2500 defense. Since his attack strength is 1550, it's hard to make a dent in anything.