Sky Cavalry Centaurea

For a Rank-2 XYZ, 2000 ATK is great, protection from battle is very good and being able to bounce an opponent's monster is practical.  LV2 monsters have very little XYZ support and this may be the best one right now.  Since LV2 Extra Deck space is loose there's no downsides for a proper deck (like Frogs) running it.  Right now there are no competitive decks that will use it, but there may some in the future that splash it.

Unfortunately, Konami made this would-be gem a little too late.  Just as XYZ's are fading out the door. 

2.5/5

Sky Cavalry Centaurea is a little XYZ Monster, at Rank 2, but he does some pretty big things.  Light attribute is great, Beast-Warriors have plenty of support, and 2000 attack, while low, isn't bad for a Rank 2.  Nice generic XYZ requirement of only two Level 2 Monsters.  The 0 defense sucks, but given it's effect isn't a huge problem either.  For an immediate plus, this card can't be destroyed by Battle while it has XYZ Material.  That's a wonderful effect, even if it means it's still vulnerable to other means of destruction, ie Magic, Trap, or effect.  You still take Damage, but maybe not a great deal, with 2000 attack, OR keep it in defense mode, take no Damage, and force your opponent to use a card or effect.  For another big plus, it doesn't have to discard an XYZ Material when it isn't destroyed by Battle.  Additionally yet, if this cards Battles an opponent's Monster, you can detach an XYZ Material from this card to return that Monster to the Hand.  So now it's not so bad it's not that strong is it?  Take a little Damage but your Monster survives, or your opponent is wasting a card to protect it's Monster to stay on the Field.  I like it
 
Rating:
3.25/5
Art:  5/5

Sky Cavalry Centaurea

Finally Rank 2’s get an extremely useful and generic Rank 2 option, and one that has not only a decent attack but also has a couple of very handy effects… The only downside is that both of its effects only apply during the Battle Phase. 

While Sky Cavalry Centaurea will have to run the gauntlet of cards such as Mirror Force or Dimensional Fissure (for example) first during the Battle Step, at the end of the Damage Step (after Damage Calculation) you have the option of detaching an Xyz material from this card in order to return the just battled monster to the Hand… Although in the case of an Extra Deck monster, it will of course return there instead. 

This makes Sky Cavalry Centaurea most useful against Extra Deck monsters, Ritual monsters or even monsters that have specific Summoning requirements.

Using this against Burning Abyss or Shaddoll will prevent them from being able to reclaim the cards from the Graveyard as they would normally expect to be able to do so, thus making it harder for them to keep hand advantage or natural momentum.

Normally only Compulsory Evacuation Device or Neo-Spacian Grand Mole would be able to do such, and essentially they are one use only cards, Sky Cavalry Centaurea can be used as often as you can Summon it… 

This card also forces your opponent to either destroy/ remove it by an effect or waste negation on it, or they may need to alter their strategy slightly to play around it.

While most likely you’ll only ever get it’s effect once before it is destroyed/ removed, that you have the potential to use its effect twice makes such a difference. 

Sadly, Decks that can Summon Rank 2’s easily are very small, the best option for doing so would be Frog Lancer since it can consistently Summon 2 Rank 2’s per turn.

Any other Deck that would normally fit in just 2 or 3 Rank 2 options will also find it very easy to slot 1 or even 2 of this in. 

RATING: 3.75. Battle effects are always potentially risky to pull off, however the truth is that it is worth the risk, especially when used against Extra Deck monsters, or monsters that would gain additional effects when sent to the Graveyard. Most of the time, you’ll be taking some damage in order to activate this cards effect, so use wisely!