This review is going up late, and I apologize.  We had some nasty storms last nigh (which was actually a blessing since we need the rain), but that meant shutting the computer off and kicking the switch on the power strip so that lighting and power surges didn’t mess up said computer.  Yes, I could and should have done the review sooner.

 

Torrential Tribute is a well known power card.  If you haven’t caught it in previous reviews, I am using this term to replace what “most” people mean when they say “staple”, since that term is reasonably contestable; that is a “power card” is something where you get much more than you put into it, has been proven already as being useful in most mainstream decks, and that you basically must spend hours to find a reason to not use it in your deck.

 

I didn’t realize my view of the card was so radical until I read the rest of the CotD crew’s reviews.  So now I must ask myself: are they right or am I wrong.

 

…

 

Should be obvious, eh?  I mean, I’ve never attended, let alone won, a major event.  For that matter, I currently don’t attend any local tournaments (found a free one so that might change) and thus mainly play around online with friends and acquaintances who, like myself, favor offbeat decks that shun the popular path (Cookie Cutter) to the point that sometimes power cards are left out intentionally (usually to prove a point).  I now will thank the three people still reading this as I likely convinced everyone else to never listen to me on Yu-Gi-Oh matters again. *sigh*

 

Torrential Tribute is a card that I often use, and have often seen being used.  I was rather shocked so many people rated it so highly.  It is one of the few remaining field clearing cards, and it should be in any competitive deck.  However, that does not earn it a “five out of five” in my book.  That is more or less a “perfect” rating, and given how we score cards in Yu-Gi-Oh (based on their power, not on them actually being well made e.g. balanced and diverse), even without delving into the ridiculous, this card could be better.

 

How so?  It is a conditional Trap: it can’t be activated unless a specific condition is met: the Summoning of a Monster.  Recently, Nobleman of Extermination has begun seeing more play.  Well, that isn’t recent, but what is recent is that it’s finally seeing play and not being a colossal waste of time.  First, many Quick-Play Spells are much less of a problem when your opponent is forced to use them early or not at all (and have a copy removed).  Even if Nobleman of Extermination wasn’t seeing play, there are still several forms of Spell/Trap removal in main stream decks (just not as abundant as in the past).  I mainly brought up the lesser Nobleman to draw attention to it, as it might have been a better choice for this slot… but I digress, there is a lot that can nail a Trap like Torrential Tribute before it can go off.  Yes, that is the same for Ring of Destruction and Mirror Force, two other “power” Traps.  So, what is the difference?

 

Protection.

 

Torrential Tribute, like many cards, is often categorized incorrectly.  It is Monster removal first and foremost, and like any such removal, it then gains a secondary defensive use.  Maybe I am just bitter since it happens to me often enough: I have Torrential Tribute set, ready to go off with my opponent’s next Summon… and that summon never happens.  Usually, I hit a string of Monsters that can’t clear the field (e.g. they have bigger beatsticks) and/or don’t get any other removal while they do (Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning is out along with one other decent attacker, for example)… and yeah, most players I know will then just ride that train for as long as it’s good, not Summoning anything else since they fear… Torrential Tribute.

 

Confused yet?  Well, it wouldn’t surprise me since even I must work to follow my points.  Torrential Tribute is a great card that maybe one tournament worthy deck I can think of might get away without running (Cyber Jar Depletion, since it should go off first/second turn most of the time).  Everything else is much better off with it than without.  It just isn’t

 

Ratings

 

Traditional       : 3.5/5-You have better options for clearing the field on your turn, plus we still can use Harpies’ Feather Duster here.

 

Advanced        : 4.5/5-I just said it wasn’t at that “perfectly broken” level of play, not that is was bad.

 

Limited            : 5/5-Okay, here it is about as good as it gets. ;)