Wednesday
 
On the last day of this short week, we look at Shadow Vampire.  Aside from looking absolutely wicked, some might say Fiend like, I really don't care much for this card.  Like yesterday, you're looking at a Level 5, Dark attributed Zombie, with 2000 attack and 0 defense.  This card, also as you may have seen yesterday, this card lets you Special Summon a Dark attributed Vampire when Normal Summoned.  Note said Vampire can be from your Hand or Deck.  There's nothing at all wrong with that, but that Monster is the only one that can attack, at least for the duration of the turn.  Also you can only XYZ Summon using this card for the XYZ Summon of a Dark Monster.  Not really a big deal as you aren't likely using this or anything else we just went over except in a Vampire Deck anyway.  This is by far my least favorite Vampire of the week.  Have a great Thanksgiving all, and behave yourselves on Black Friday :)

~DP
 
Ratings:

Traditional:  1.5/5 
Advanced:   2.5/5 
Art:  5/5

Shadow Vampire is the main Zombie in a Vampire deck. It is what makes the deck good. Once you have your engine of Goblin Zombie and Vampire Sorcerer set up your field, you will be ready to make the big plays with Shadow Vampire.
 
Normal Shadow Vampire is easy. You can use Book of Life to resurrect a monster from your grave like Goblin Zombie and tribute summon Shadow. You can also use a recruiter like Pyramid Turtle to summon a monster like Goblin Zombie and tribute it for Shadow. The other was is to use a card we already reviewed, Vampire Sorcerer by banishing it from the grave to allow you to normal summon Shadow Vampire.
 
Once you normal summon Shadow Vampire, you can then special summon a Dark Vampire from your hand or deck. Ideally you would like to have Vampire Kingdom on the field and special summon yesterday’s card, Vampire Duke. Then use Vampire Duke’s effect to send a card to your opponents grave from there deck to get Kingdom’s effect to destroy one of your opponents cards.
 
Once you have your two level 5 Vampire monsters on the field, you can attack with the Duke which will be at 2500 attack with Kingdom on the field. Then Overlay Duke and Shadow for one of the 3 Rank 5 dark monsters that you can summon – Adreus Keeper of Armageddon, Shark Fortress, and Crimson Knight Vampire Bram with the latter being your main target. With Adreus you can then destroy one of your opponent’s face-up cards and with Bram; you can steal one of your opponent’s monsters in their grave. Not to mention that Bram becomes a 3000 attack monster with Kingdom on the field and has the ability to resurrect itself.
 
Traditional: 2/5
Advanced: 3/5

Hello everyone.  I'm sorry I missed yesterday's review; definitely a busy week here.  Anyway we wrap up the short week with Shadow Vampire, sort of a parallel of yesterday's card.
 
Dark/Zombie/ATK 2000/DEF 0
 
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 DARK "Vampire" monster from your hand or Deck, except "Shadow Vampire", but if you do, only that monster can attack for the rest of this turn. This card cannot be used as an Xyz Material for an Xyz Summon, except for the Xyz Summon of a DARK monster.
 
One thing should come to mind as soon as you read the first sentence:  This is stupid with Vampire Sorcerer.  You set your sorcerer, opponent destroys it, you get this, you summon it without tribute next turn.  Vampire Lord or Duke comes out from the deck, does something with an effect, and you turn it into Bram (Or Adreus or Shark Fortress, whatever).
 
After you do that?  Well, he loses a bit of his luster.  You can't reuse the effect with something like a Book of Life, though you CAN return him to the hand with Recurring Nightmare to do it again.  However, as soon as you've established your graveyard, Duke comes into play more.  You can get by with fewer high-level monsters by using Duke instead of more shadows, which will also let you use more deck-destruction effects.  Like I said Monday, zombies have too many good resurrection cards to not have an option available.  This will allow you to re-use Duke's effect just about as much as you want, working off a good graveyard instead of constantly pulling from the deck.  There are too many nasty side deck card effects that lock down the deck if you want to rely on that option, something we can thank Spellbooks and E-dragons for.
 
In closing, I'd run one, maybe two of these to set up your field and grave, then switch to using Duke.  I do believe that three sorcerers are necessary to keep the deck flowing, but that's about the only one.  With fewer high-level monsters, you're free to run the lower level zombie support, all of which is pretty awesome right now.
 
Traditional: 1.5/5, only thing going for it is it's dark
Advanced: 4/5 in his own deck, useless otherwise
Art: 3.5/5

Hello Pojo Fans,
 
First off, I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. Now, that my public service announcement is over with, lets get on with today's card: Shadow Vampire. Another “Vampire” archtype monster, Shadow Vampire is a lot like yesterdays CoTD: Vampire Duke. A Level 5 Dark Zombie, 2000ATK/0DEF, Shadow Vampire's effect is a little different. “When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 DARK "Vampire" monster from your hand or Deck, except "Shadow Vampire", but if you do, only that monster can attack for the rest of this turn. This card cannot be used as an Xyz Material for an Xyz Summon, except for the Xyz Summon of a DARK monster.”
 
Shadow Vampire has the same stats as Vampire Duke. It can be searched via Goblin Zombie and Vampire Sorcerer, or searched and Special Summoned by Pyramid Turtle. Vampire Sorcerer can be removed from the Graveyard to Normal Summon this card without needing a Tribute. Book of Life and removing Mezuki from the Graveyard can Special Summon Shadow Vampire from the Graveyard. It is also a target for Vampire Duke while in the Graveyard as well. Recurring Nightmare can return it to the hand to be recycled again. The real differences between Duke and Shadow are in the effect. Shadow Vampire Special Summons from the Deck or Hand instead of just the Graveyard. This gives Shadow Vampire more options to look for in the early game. Though you can only attack with the monster you Special Summon with Shadow Vampire's effect, you can activate this effect during your Main Phase 2, thus being able to attack this turn, then bring out Shadow and go into XYZ or Synchro Summons. As with Vampire Duke, the most likely monster you're going for will be Crimson Knight Vampire Bram.
 
Not being able to be Special Summon itself from the Hand or Deck is a big negative for Shadow Vampire. In the late game this card is bad if you have few choices in your Deck to choose from, while Vampire Duke will have a Graveyard full of monsters. It's identical stats to Vampire Duke make it a weak attacker on its own, unless helped by Vampire Kingdom. Only being able to attack with the monster Shadow Vampire Special Summons means even if you XYZ with this monster, that monster will not be able to attack. Like Duke, only being able to XYZ  into a Dark monster eliminate Volcasaurus and Tiras as options. Unlike Vampire Lord, Lady, and Duke before, Shadow Vampire has no discarding effect from the opponents deck when inflicting Battle Damage or being Special Summoned, which is a big negative if you are trying to eliminate resources throughout the game for your opponent. 
 
Shadow Vampire is a good card for the Deck...but Vampire Duke is better most of the time. You will be able to form more offense with Duke, while Shadow may be more suited for setting up a next turn in Main Phase 2.
 
Traditional- 1/5
Advanced- 1/5
Vampire Deck- 3/5
Art- 3.5/5- I am loving the red moon theme. The marking in the middle of its chest was supposed to be a cross, which would've looked pretty cool had they let it slide. Perhaps too much use of shadows in this one?
 
Until Next Time
 
KingofLullaby