Stats                : Gilford the Lightning is a big Level 8 Light/Warrior.  This is a very nice Attribute/Type combination, though it isn’t likely to make its way into Chaos decks since it is a two-Tribute Monster.  Still, Warriors are probably the best supported Type, and Light does have a few nifty tricks of its own.

 

2800 ATK is solid for this big a Monster.  It isn’t the highest, but it is on par with most other Monsters that require two Tributes and exceeds all single and no Tribute Monsters.  The DEF of 1400 is a bit low, but at least is high enough that Tsukuyomi isn’t going to be able to get rid of Gilford on her own.  All in all not bad, but obviously it needs an effect or else it’s just sub par.

 

Effect(s)            : If you Tribute Summon Gilford using three Monsters instead of two, you destroy all Monsters on your opponent’s side of the field.  It’s a big cost, but for one of the best rewards in the game.  Normally an opponent can at best Summon one Monster a turn.  Setting them back up to five turns is pretty spiffy.  And if they used a short cut, like a Special Summon, that requires at least another cards worth of costs (using Call of the Haunted, for example).  Now, if this were on some little weakling, it might not be much, but on Gilford, this is indeed great effect: it requires enough effort that it can’t randomly turn the game around, but will give skilled players a fighting chance to turn around a losing game or in a game where they are winning, press for the kill.

 

Uses and

Combinations  : Anything to get legal to Tribute Monsters in play quickly.  Some prime examples are just about anything that can search something out when it is sent to the Graveyard (Shining Angel, Nimble Momonga, etc.), Kaiser Seahorse (who counts as two Tributes for a Light Monster), and cards like The Shallow Grave and Gilasaurus (who cares if they also get a Monster, Gilford will fry it anyway).  Together, all these cards make it reasonably likely you’ll get Gilford’s effect off.  You might even consider Ultimate Offering, though you risk depleting both your hand and Life Points that way.  Still, the look on your opponent’s face when you Summon Gilford during their Battle Phase and trigger his effect would be enjoyable.

 

Cards like Snatch Steal can also help, but also lessen the impact of Gilford: every Monster you “borrow” won’t be destroyed by Gilford’s effect (though the Tribute itself would get rid of them).  Of course, Snatch Steal is just useful in general.  Running it with Moisture Creature is a possibility, but probably not a wise one.

 

Ratings

 

Traditional       : 1/5-All that work, just to get nailed by all the Monster Removal?  Not thanks.  Besides, you probably won’t nail that many Monsters all at once anyway.

 

Advanced        : 3.65/5-Gilford the Lightning can be added to almost any deck, but will rarely be worth it.  However, in its own deck, it is quite electric.  Thus that is a composite score based on those different areas.

 

Limited            : N/A-Since it is a tin promo; it shouldn’t be showing up in Limited events.  For the sake of argument, if you and your friends decide to all buy a tin and some packs and do a limited event, this guy is pretty good.  If you’re winning, it makes going for the kill easier, and if you can successfully set up enough “walls” (Monsters to hard for the opponent to quickly destroy), it can be used to turn the game around.

 

Summary

This is what the game needs more of in my opinion: Monsters that need their own decks but are well worth dedicating the time to do so.  Gilford is so impressive in what it does, I think I shall borrow a term from Tranorix and dub this Monster Gilford the Rentsy.