Wednesday, November 28^th, 2007

Breaking off from the Gladiator Beast theme, we take a look at a card that people have been raving about and wanting for the past………..ummm….I don’t know…….a LONG time!

Light and Darkness Dragon

Level 8

Light-Dragon

2800 atk 2400 def

This card cannot be Special Summoned. While this card is face up on the field, it attribute is also treated as Dark. When a Magic or Trap card or effect monster’s effect is activated, its effect is negated, and this card loses 500 atk and def points. When this card is destroyed, select 1 monster in your Graveyard, and destroy all cards you control, and Special Summon that monster.

Hopefully I don’t butcher the rulings on this card as I write this.

Obviously, this is one powerful monster.  Let’s break it down! 

Level 8 – two tribute = bad (but a necessity for a card like this)

Light and Dark = nifty for metas with Chaos monsters

2800 attack and 2400 defense = huge! Great!  Not gonna die (least for a turn or two)

This card can’t be special summoned.  Another precaution that had to be taken, otherwise this card would be way to easy to use (and mis-use).

The next effect is huge!  If an effect is activated, negate it by paying 500 attack and defense on this card.  Take notice: this effect is NOT optional, and will negate any effect on either player’s side of the field.  Also, this effect is NOT able to be activated more than once in the same chain.  I have heard SO many people argue this.  The reason for it is simple.  If it were capable to do this, it would also imply that it HAD to keep on activating, which would mean that when it would activate its effect to negate another effect, it would activate AGAIN to negate its own effect, which would then repeat itself.

This is where those facing this beast can get rid of it.  If you have two cards that can destroy it, say for example, Torrential and Bottomless, you can activate one, say Torrential when it is summoned, then its effect will be forced to activate to negate Torrential, you then chain with Bottomless and it won’t be able to stop it! Also, if this card can’t pay attack and defense, then it can’t activate its effect. Finally, this effect is a Spell Speed Two.  It can NOT negate Solemn Judgment and other spell speed three traps. 

The final effect is icing on the cake, sometimes.  In the event this card dies, you get to special summon another monster from your graveyard (though you do lose all cards you control, which could be bad)

This guy is a beast!  It will be interesting to see what decks based around this card will come out of the woodwork (and have already come out).

Traditional: 4/5

Advanced: 4/5 (Not invincible, but certainly a force to be reckoned with)

Art: 3.5/5

Light and Darkness Dragon

Level 8

Light-Dragon

2800 ATK/ 2400 DEF

This card cannot be Special Summoned. While this card is face up on the field, its attribute is also treated as Dark. When a Magic or Trap card or effect monsters effect is activated, it's effected is negated, and this card loses 500 ATK and DEF points. When this card is destroyed, select 1 monster in your Graveyard, and destroy all cards you control, and Special Summon that monster. 

            And this is the bomb. 

            Until now, there were very few Level 7+ monsters used competitively.  Dark Magician of Chaos definitely was at its supreme during the era of DDT, Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys upon its release, and Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi with Mausoleum of the Emperor all have been seen with explosions.  Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest was powerful.  However, arrival of Light and Darkness Dragon changed everything. 

            With the release of Trade In and Foolish Burial,  it is much more easier to dump Treeborn Frog, Destiny Hero – Dasher/Disk Commander/Malicious, Volcanic Shell (I wish I kept all 3 Volcanic Rockets), and other high Level monsters to revive. Because Light and Darkness Dragon cannot be Special Summoned, it is not as simple as using Premature Burial on the Dragon in the Graveyard.

            Or is it?  Herald of Creation allows you to grab that Dragon you just dumped at the cost of simply discarding a card from hand.  Easier and easier it gets.  Spell Striker, Cyber Dragon, Brain Control, Soul Exchange, and other cards allow easier summoning of the Dragon.  Well, how good is it when it hits the field?

            2800 ATK definitely destroys Green Baboon and Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys.  It also can kamikaze into Dark Magician of Chaos.  However, its tricky effect lowers 500 ATK and DEF each time the effect resolves.  Let me clear that up.

            Whenever a Spell, Trap or effect of a monster is activated, Light and Darkness Dragon will activate its own effect, immediately increasing Chain Link by 1.  Losing 500 ATK and DEF is not a cost; it is part of the effect.  However, if ATK OR DEF is lower than 500, the negation part of the effect will be negated, meaning the Dragon will only be able to negate effects four times without any boosts.  Flipping LaDD (shorthanded!) face-down and up will restore the ATK and DEF back to original state, but remember that LaDD will try to negate Book of Moon.

            Light and Darkness Dragon also can only activates its effect once during a chain.  So if Bottomless Trap Hole is activated in response to the summon of LaDD, LaDD will try to negate the Trap.  Then, if Torrential Tribute is chained to LaDD’s effect, LaDD will not be able to activate its effect again.

            Treeborn Frog kills Light and Darkness Dragon because it can be activated multiple times during the same turn.  LaDD will negate the Frog, but will not stop it from attempting to hop back to the field.  LaDD, forced to activate its effect, will eventually run out of DEF (unless altered by other cards).

            Light and Darkness Dragon will always require 2 Tributes to bring out, but at the cost of 3 cards (which can be eased), it will negate up to opponent’s 4 cards.  Negating whatever opponent is trying to do is good, and with all Spells and Traps negated, the opponent is often forced to waste some cards then use a monster to destroy LaDD through battle. 

            It simply puts opponent in a difficult position.  Waste cards, or take damage.  And that is what most decks are trying to make opponents do by getting rid of options. 

Traditional:  3.8/5                                 It will negate everything!

Advanced: 4/5                                      It is competitive and powerful.  Simple.