What would a set be without the generic powerful splashable card?  Brain Control in The Lost Millennium.  Lightning Vortex in Flaming Eternity.  Castel fits this bill! 

Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer

If we're having the conversation of best generic Rank-4 XYZ monsters, Silent Honor ARK and Evilswarm Exciton Knight are in the conversation.  This card won't replace them, but I would use it along with the other two to form the "holy trinity" of XYZ.

Castel is worth using if your deck has at least 5 LV4's, which many do.  While Diamond Dire Wolf is still worth running, Castel's removal effect doesn't require a tribute, so it can float.  Black Ship of Corn may be slightly stronger and may have some burn to it, but Castel is overall way more versatile.  These are two of numerous examples of how Castel beats out most of the competition.

Still, cards like Gagaga Cowboy, Rhapsody in Berserk and Abyss Dweller are unique enough to be irreplicable.  How many Castel to use?  If Synchros and/or Rank-5/6/7/8 XYZ's aren't competing for tight Extra Deck space, use 2 or 3.  If they are, then just use 1.

Assessments

Power – 4/5 ; This card is used in a sticky situation to set or spin a problematic card.  It also can help in general with grinding and beating down the opponent.  Perhaps, to help get in an attack or support a push.  2000 is average for XYZ, but is still good.

Versatility – 5/5 ; This is where it shines.  It takes out lots of threats, whether they are difficult monsters or difficult Continuous / Field-Spell / floodgate Spells and Traps.  It can also set a monster in face-down Defense mode so this card can run over it in battle and still have a second ability to spare.

Dependability – 4/5 ; Two LV4 monsters is a cost, though since he's in the Extra Deck, you won't have to draw into them.  That means the question is if he's as good as other Extra Deck options, and I'd say yes.

Card Advantage – 4/5 ; Typically, you would use floaters to summong this card, but once you activate it's 2^nd ability, it pays for itself.  But a crucial activation of the first ability can still help pay for it.  Overall, advantageous.

Speed – 4/5 ; Ignition effect on Main Phase 1.  Once the summon resolves, you can use it immediately.  As fast as you'd expect from an XYZ.

Ratings

Traditional – 1/5 ; Traditional hates XYZ's.

Advanced – 4.25/5 ; While this won't be super-groundbreaking as some may have thought at first, I expect this to see lots of play.  $20-30 super rare?  You bet!

Mechanic Design – 3/5 ; Balanced, slightly to the powered side.  Nothing bad but nothing super unique either.

Artwork – 3/5 ; Nice blue sky background.  The monster itself is standard.

Verdict

Quality generic rank-4 XYZ.  A staple in decks with enough LV4's.

Castel is an interesting new monster making its debut in Duelist Alliance. Another generic rank 4 xyz and he's worthy of a spot in the tight extra deck space. His first effect is really handy as he can let you set one of your own monsters to activate its effect again. This is something similar to, yet better than, Maestroke the Symphony Djinn, as it allows you to target your own monsters instead of just your opponents. Of course the versatility in the ability to use on either players monster really helps this first effect shine.

The second effect is where Castel really starts to pack a punch though, and it really helps to earn his merit in your extra deck. Detach both materials to target any other face-up card on the field; shuffle it into the deck. He can rid the field of problematic monsters in a pinch and put them back into the deck as opposed to the grave where their effects would surely activate. He can avoid nasty monster effects that are immune to destruction, regardless of whether they were normal or special summoned, or whether they are in attack or defense position. And he can clear out floodgates like Macro Cosmos, Dimensional Fissure, Soul Drain, Royal Decree, and of course Light and Shadow-Imprisoning Mirrors. He also has the ability to dump both of the materials at once to the graveyard which can help you immediately set up further plays in certain deck archetypes like Infernity's where previously your only option was to Diamond Dire Wolf in order to clear both simultaneously to the grave.

The utility Castel brings is truly the next step into the future for the rank 4 xyz engines, and is warmly welcomed among the likes of Number 101: Silent Honor Ark, Evilswarm Exciton Knight, and all the other staple monsters we love.

Ratings

Traditional – 1.5/5 

Advanced – 4.25/5 

Mechanic Design – 4/5 - Multifaceted abilities allow serious depth and utility, without serious power creep.

Artwork – 3.5/5 

Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer
 
“One for all and all for one
 Muskehounds are always ready.
 One for all and all for one
 Helping everybody”
 
Sorry couldn’t help, though my retro flashback might have worked better, if Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer was a Beast and a Dog rather than a Winged-Beast. Anyway Statwise Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer is a Generic 2 Material Rank 4 which is also a good thing, WIND/Winged-Beast another good combination with 2000 ATK and 1500 DEF but which aren’t great for a Rank 4.
 
Effectwise, Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer has two effects and depending on how many Xyz material you detach depends on which effect you can activate. By detaching 1 material you get a Book of Moon effect, it is a nice effect but lacks the speed Book of Moon gives you.
 
The second effect is the better effect which by detaching two materials sends a face-up card back to the deck.  Sending a card back into the deck is very nasty, even if you are you delaying it. Of course what also helps it can be any face-up card, so if the opponent has an annoying spell/trap you can’t get rid of, this helps out.
 
Overall, the effects a good and it is a generic 2 material monster but the low stats and the fact there are so many generic 2 material Rank 4 monsters already means that this probably wouldn’t see much play.
 
Traditional: 2/5
Advanced:  2.5/5

Hello Pojo Fans,
 
A watered-down version Silent Honor ARK, Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer has decent stats for a Rank 4 Winged-Beast. Detach one material to Book of Moon a monster on the field (not just your opponents) or detach two to send a card back to the deck. The second effect resembles Time Space Trap Hole, except that this one is singular and won't cost you Life Points. Dispatch troublesome monsters with protection effects or higher attacks with the second effect, or flip stronger monsters with weaker defenses face-down and destroy them. Flip your own monsters back down with this cards first effect to recycle their flip or flipped face-up effects. Attack with Castel and if your opponent drops a monster (like Gorz) detach both materials in Main Phase 2 to send it packing.
 
After Castel has used up all its materials it isn't going to hold up well against most monsters your opponent could be bringing out to the field. Silent Honor ARK's ability allows it to protect itself with the monster it absorbed, but Castel doesn't bare any restrictions like ARK has on its effect. In a Blackwing deck this card combos well with Icarus Attack, so it isn't completely unprotected after using up its materials. Wind decks may also be able to find some sort of protection for it, but for the average duelist, Silent Honor ARK may be a better pick.
 
Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer is worth play-testing. Much like Diamond Dire Wolf and Silent Honor ARK, Castel has potential to be a game-changing card.
 
Traditional-2/5- Put CED or BLS back into the deck
Advanced-3.5/5- More chances for it to be used effectively
Art-4/5
 
Until Next Time
KingofLullaby

Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer

I like this card, it's extremely versatile, and basically is a 101 for those that don't have 101s at 1/4th the value. Unlike 101 you get up to 2 uses of this card. Either detatch one and maestroke a monster facedown, and with 2000 attack it's easy to run over, or detatch 2 and return 1 faceup card on the field to the deck. Notice, it says card, any card, a continuous spell trap? returned. A field spell? gone! A monster? adios! So much can be done with this card that it's advised if you haven't gotten at least one by now, you do it before YCS Toronto is over!

Traditional 2/5
Advanced 4/5 - Will become the next Extra deck staple for anything that makes rank 4s! Mark my words

You thought Silent Honor ARK was bad?

Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer is the latest generic Rank 4 monsters to be released (like we really needed more of those), and it is arguably better than ARK. Castel has two effects. The first one flips any monster face-down at the cost of one Xyz Material; this is almost identical to Maestroke the Symphony Djinn’s effect, but can be activated more than once per turn.

But what truly makes Castel frightening is its ability to return any other face-up card to the Deck if you use up both of its Xyz Material. Any face-up card. If your opponent Special Summoned a monster in Defense Position to protect it from ARK, all you have to do is summon Castel instead, and the monster is dealt with. Any problematic Spell or Trap Card that you would have dealt with using Diamond Dire Wolf can now instead be taken care of with Castel, allowing you to keep a monster on the board. Castel is additionally helpful against Shaddoll, as returning either of the Fusion Monsters back to the Extra Deck is much more beneficial than taking it with ARK, as they would still get their effects when detached.

There are a few factors in which Castel falls short compared to ARK though. It has no built in protection like ARK does, and also has 100 less ATK. Additionally, being WIND instead of WATER, while admittedly extremely minor, means it does not have as much utility in Mermail Decks as ARK does.

Due to its ability to perform the jobs of three other Rank 4 monsters just as well if not better than them, Castel (in my opinion at least) completely outclasses every other Rank 4 in the game. If you add any Rank 4 monsters to your Deck, you should almost always add this guy first.

Traditional: 3/5
Advanced: 5/5