Monday

Well, it's a new week, and we're still reviewing new cards from Light of Destruction.  Carrying on from the end of last week, we have another Arcana monsters, Arcana Force Ex-The Dark Ruler, who is (ironically) a Light monster and a Fairy with 4000 atk and def.

Anyway, AFX (for short) can't be Normal Summoned or Set, and three monsters are required for a Special Summon.  However, these monsters aren't tributed, which is an interesting abilitiy.  Instead, the three chosen monster are simply sent from the Field to the Graveyard.

When summoned, as you may have noticed with these Arcana monsters, you flip a coin and get a different result, based on the result.  If Heads, AFX can attack twice in the same Battle Phase.  Furthermore, if AFX does attack twice via its own effect, it changes into defense position until the End of your next turn, unless by a Card Effect.

However, if the result of the coin toss is Tails, all cards on the Field are destroyed.  That's good, as it sends both players back to square one, so to speak.  Yet, that isn't something you want to backfire on you at the wrong time...which it can.

Ratings:

Traditional:  2.5/5  Not bad, but too slow, requiring three monsters.

Advanced:    3.5/5  Use with caution.

Art:  4.5/5

Monday:
Arcana Force EX - The Dark Ruler

This is one of those cards that appears to be much better than it actually is.  You've got a Plasma-like tributing condition (except the monsters have to hit the Graveyard).  Unlike most of the Arcana Force monsters, this one actually has two good effects.
A 4,000 ATK double attacker on a heads, and a Dark Hole/Heavy Storm on tails if it's destroyed.
To be fair, both of these are fairly good -- 8,000 damage in one battle phase can end a game if done directly, and wiping the entire field on destruction punishes your opponent for getting rid of it.

There are a few problems though;

*A 4,000 ATK doubleshot means nothing if it's destroyed by Sakuretsu Armor, Mirror Force, Torrential Tribute, etc.  Okay, maybe if your opponent uses Mirror Force you can chain Reversal of Fate and give it the opposite effect so it wipes the field, but that requires a fairly big setup and stroke of luck.

*An effect that's triggered if a card is destroyed is meaningless if it's REMOVED.  Okay...I summon Caius.  RFG, screw your big monster.  Bottomless Trap Hole, wave goodbye to all of your hard work.  Dimensional Prison, gg noob.

This card is not worth putting out three actual tributes for.

1.5/5

Arcana Force EX-The Dark Ruler
 
Well, here we are with a look at another of the Arcana Force cards. Actually, it is more similar to cards like The Wicked Dreadroute and Destiny Hero Plasma. You need to sacrifice 3 monsters to bring it out, but once it hits the field, your opponent will be very, very unhappy. See, this Arcana monster has TWO beneficial effects, not just one. So you don't actually mind getting heads or tails.
 
The heads effect lets it attack twice, and with 4000 ATK on a clear field that is game. Remember how devastating Cyber Twin Dragon was? Meet his big brother. The tails effect is so simple it's funny. He dies, he takes the whole field with him. Spells, Traps and monsters. This can clear the way for a Special Summon of Dark Creator, which you can use to then bring back a monster, and even set up for Dark Armed Dragon since the Dark Ruler is a Special Summon. You can even send exactly three monsters to the grave with it's summon, clear the field with DAD and then wack at them with a 4000 double attacker. With Scapegoats, Fires of Doomsday, Phantom Skyblaster and Evil Hero Infernal Prodigy, it is easier than ever to get 3 monsters on the field to bring out the Dark Ruler.  
 
In fact, I wouldn't even play this card in an Arcana deck. They generally work by snowballing into advantage, like monarch decks. This guy can clear the field in one swoop, which is more like the DARK deck and numerous OTK strategies. I fully expect someone to break this card, so hoard your copies! 

Traditional-1/5
Advanced-4.5/5

After a refreshingish weekend, we review arcana force ex, the dark ruler. The only card that's not part of the new [at least to me] lightsworn monsters for this week, this freaking rocks!

     From what I hear, D-hero plasma was really big. And for good reason. This card could get almost just as big, except for one problem = it's ten star, not eight. This means you can't trade-in it, and lowers it's value considerably. But it still rocks, with either attacking twice, or having a time bomb no one wants to set off.

2/5trad. too slow.

4.5/5 adv. almost perfect.