Hey there guys, my online name is Imagination (in real life; Ryan Peddle) of team Superfriends and I am going to be writing articles for you on Pojo.com about the format, which meta it creates for North America, why decks top8 SJC's with success, and how different cards work towards the meta given.

Today, I am previewing a card from the next set, thanks to Dark Paladin's spoiler. The card in style for me right now is having a monster than can be used both offensively and defensively to negate the damage calculation of any battle with an opponents monster. That means; life point damage, flip effects and graveyard effects such as Mystic Tomato can all be avoided? Yes it can, with Neospacian Ground Mole!

STON-JP005
Neospacian Ground Mole
Earth/Rock/3/900/300
When this card battles with an opponent's monster, you may return this card and that opponent's monster to respective owner's hand without doing Damage Calculation.
Rare

By using Ground Mole defensively, you create a series of problems for your opponent. First off, which monsters are used most in the meta? Let's see, we
have: Cyber Dragon, 2-3 of each Gadget, Sacred Pheonix of Neptyhys/Vampire Lord, Mobius the Frost Monarch, Snipe Hunter, Chiron the Mage, Breaker the Magical Warrior. These are only a few of the monsters many duelists are play testing and tampering with in and out of gadget decks.

Ground Mole being set on the field isn't a risky idea at all. What could they possibly have that Mole doesn't like to see? Okay, the most obvious card that comes to mind is Breaker; and no monster set on the field likes to see Nobleman of Crossout.
The next biggest danger is Cyber Dragon. Having a special summon Dragon and normal summon a gadget is a bit of danger. The mole can't handle a swarm of monster when its the only monster on the field. The Cyber Dragon doesn't mind too much to go back to the hand while clearing a path for their gadget.

Another free special summon that can be used for a tribute monarch/Jinzo, or most likely another gadget, if you attempt to clear first gadget. By their Dragon being bounced to the hand, it leaves you with cards like Smashing Ground and Fissure to waste upon the gadget that will -1 yourself. Then, the same thing will happen again next turn if you set the Mole again. Therefore cards like Sakuretsu Armor and Widespread Ruin are great with with Ground
Mole:
If the gadget is by itself, things will be alot different. Instead of the gadget generating both monster presence and hand advantage, attacking the Ground Mole adds the gadget right back into their hand leaving their field clear for the attack. But that's not the real reason why Ground Mole is effective.
You see, adding the gadget back to their hand does 2 things. First of all, if you are a gadget player, having 2 gadgets in your hand is a complete waste, whether or not it costed you a card. The point to gadgets is creating your field, while keeping your hand, but making more of your hand like Thunder Dragon doesn't do alot. You make still have the +1, but it won't take you anywhere. Second of all, you need the monster(s) to stay on the field to push lifepoints, and act as barriers of defense, just like gadgets do. Having a card like Ground Mole is great for your field, when you are defending or attacking, with or against gadgets.

The Ground Mole is another device against another deck, besides gadgets.
Both Zombies and anti-gadget builds are not friends with this monster either. How come?
Well, Ground Mole bounces back any monster that touches it through battle.
Therefore, your opponent after dropping Mobius or Sacred Pheonix arn't going to enjoy Ground Mole's anti-presence effect. I say this because they have to tribute summon their monsters back onto the field. Without the aid of Treeborn Frog (that is decreasing in play due to gadgets) or Hand of Nephthys. Mobius and other Monarchs, Jinzo, Vampire Lord and Sacred Pheonix all have to find there way on to the field, because there easy outs onto the field including Brain Control, Soul Exchange, Hand of Hepthyhs or Pyramid Turtle were all used to bring the heavy-hitters onto the field in the first place. Creating dead cards in your opponents hand just makes the Ground Mole more of a beauty. And you can do all of this without taking a single lifepoint of damage. Pretty amazing.

But the anti-gadget builds don't only use power house tributes to distort gadgets and the modified monarchs (shown in Mark Vazquez's build at SJC Orlando). They use cards like Gravekeeper's Spy and Don Zaloog face-down on the field and let your gadgets attack into them. But as long as you have Ground Mole to attack along with your gadgets, you never have to deal with Gravekeeper's Spy flipping or Don Zaloog's discard effect! You are immune to both Bottomless Trap Hole, Trap Hole, and Widespread Ruin with Ground Mole (due to its small size). Thye are all popular traps to fight against other anti-gadget builds and regulars in the format no matter the deck, but with Ground Mole, your opponent needs Ring of Destruction, Mirror Force (which might seem like a waste), or Sakuretsu Armor to destroy the little beast.

Forcing your opponent to destroy the Ground Mole on your turn using a trap can be very effective when they can easily destroy it through Fissure or another easy out. And if they are stuck for for cards like Smashing Ground or Widespread Ruin that can't target it because there is a bigger monster on your field, they will have to play Snipe Hunter earlier, ruining there chances at winning the game if they were waiting for a key card like Limiter Removal or Ulimate Offering.

This card may have alot of outs to be destroyed by your opponent on both yours and their turn may not seem like a great card. However, negating the damage calculation is simply amazing, and should not be ignored. Thanks for reading, catch you next time.

Imagination
Ryan Peddle

Email/MSN me at: imagination436@hotmail.com AIM me at: imageNation436