Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite

This is another card that has been around in circulation without ever being reviewed.

This card was first released in “Duellist Pack: Crow” in 2011 and has been re-printed a further 4 times since then with the latest one being from the “Realm of Light” Structure Deck at the end of June last year.

But maybe the real reason that Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite has never actually been reviewed is because of the fact that while quite often it does come in useful, it never does anything game breaking, it simply contributes to those Decks that it can be used in, or the more correct term of “Tech” card could simply be used instead.

Many Decks have a card or cards that benefit from being recycled, Fiendish Chain is the first card that comes to mind here as often enough a monster effected by Fiendish Chain is able to be used for an Xyz Summon or is removed from the field without destruction, leaving that Fiendish Chain there doing nothing. Enter Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite, now not only can you Summon it for a very small amount of damage (400), but you can also reuse that Fiendish Chain. Zephyros has also regularly contributed to one being able to reuse Call of the Haunted as well.

And Decks that tend to use a higher amount of Continuous type Spell and/ or Trap cards as a part of their general strategy are also at least essentially able to include Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite as returning a card like Supply Squad to your hand means nothing since you can then simply reactivate it again immediately.

And obviously Zephyros has, does and will probably always see play in Blackwings, it is a Blackwing after all!

Currently Zephyros is circulating in a few Decks, Clown Blade and Lightsworns primarily however it is being Special Summoned a little different of that from past uses where it would be used to return a Spell or Trap, now it is more commonly Special Summoned from the Graveyard by returning a monster that has been Special Summoned because of a field requirement being met, for example a Performage Hat Tricker that has been Special Summoned because there are 2 or more monsters on the field, a Jigabyte that has been Special Summoned because there is a Spellcaster on the field or as always, as a way to recover and reuse a monsters on Summon effect who’s effect was/ is Negated.

And in the case of returning Performage Hat Tricker or Jigabyte, they can then be simply resummoned.

Additionally, because damage is caused to you once you have Special Summoned Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite from the Graveyard, you will also be able to then Special Summon Heroic Challenger – Thousand Blades from your Graveyard as well, ensuring that at the very least you’ll be able to make 1 Rank 4 Xyz here.

Rating: 3.5. This card is useful as a “Tech” and the fact that it may help to contribute to creating Rank 4 Xyz’s or Synchro monsters easier make this card still niche useful. And that monsters now exist that can be Special Summoned from the hand with minimal effort, and multiple times if required, Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite is realistically easier and more practical than ever to Summon from the Graveyard… But being a Level 4 monster is what really makes it worthwhile.

Show of hands, how many of you have played the game long enough to remember when Blackwings were Tier 1?  I'm guessing not many of you.  Blackwing--Zephyros the Elite is not just good for the Blackwing theme, but Winged Beasts as a whole.  Level 4, though one might wish the Dark were Wind, and 1600 attack isn't bad (about as low as I'd like) for a Level 4.  Being able to Special Summon from the Graveyard is good.  You return a face-up card you control from your Field to the Hand to do so, so it's an even trade there.  Bouncing is a fairly solid mechanic to Blackwing, and even bigger for Winged Beast, and the 400 Damage you take by doing this is next to nothing.  You can only do this once per Duel take note.  It adds some speed, namely in Summoning an XYZ or Synchro Monster, and he's fairly powerful in his own accord.
 
Rating:  3/5 
Art:  5/5

Allows you to recycle floater Spell/Trap cards atop being a monster for tributing, attacking and Rank-4 XYZ summoning.

3.5/5

Zephyros is one of those cards that, like Birdman, will always have a way to sneak back into the main deck. Use Zephyros for anything: attacking, tribute fodder, Xyz or Synchro Summoning, then bring him back to the field at the small cost of 400LP. A face-up card you control isn't much of a cost, especially if it's a monster you can Special Summon without much problem anyway. Return a face-up s/t and replay it to gain its effect again or complete or Pendulum Zone. Zephyros is best in Blackwings, as his days in several decks has passed. He can be found in decks that aren't Tier 1, but any dedicated archetype build won't have him.
 
Advanced-3/5
Art-3.5/5
 
Until Next Time
KingofLullaby

Once per duel!?! Anyway, Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite is yet another option in the generic "I need to Special Summon Level 4 monsters every turn." Zephyros is a Level 4 Dark Winged-Beast type monster with 1600 Atk and 1000 Def. Obviously, we consider Level 4 to be the best of levels. The Atk for a Level 4 is low, but ok. Dark has tons of support and so do Blackwings. But it's really the Level 4 stat and the effect that make this card worth running.
 
The effect is a once per duel Special Summon from the Graveyard effect at the cost of returning one face-up card you control to the hand. You also take 400 damage. The damage is actually useful because of Performage Damage Juggler. Taking the 400 damage to summon Zephyros and then destroying it to put Damage Juggler in your Graveyard could make for a great swarm. However, all of this can potentially suck because this effect can only activate once per duel.
 
 
Score: 3/5 Strong enough and an easy Special Summon.
Art: 3/5
 
-WarlockBlitz