Today we again look at Arcanite Magician, Supreme Wizard the officially christened Supreme Arcanite Magician, which was originally reviewed under an approximation of its Japanese name. I just have not time to play or even buy Yu-Gi-Oh stuff lately, so consider this review an “outsider’s” perspective or chance for a good laugh at my expense. ;)

 

Let us start with the basics: this is a Fusion monster.  Fusion monsters have so many tricks and shortcuts available but their basic shtick was stolen and improved upon by Synchro Monsters.  Synchro Monsters eat up valuable Extra Deck slots making dedicating main deck slots to Fusion materials and Polymerization (or substitutes) even less desirable than in the past.  It helps that the Fusion materials are semi-generic: a Spellcaster-Type Synchro monster and a Spellcaster-Type monster.  Too specific for just any deck, but within reason for Spellcaster decks.  There aren’t that many Spellcaster Synchro monsters available, but I like what I am seeing: besides the well known Arcanite Magician there is also Explosive Magician and Tempest Magician.  Sadly, all are burdened by requiring the non-Tuners for the Synchro summon be Spellcasters, making it unlikely Supreme Arcanite Magician can show up anywhere else.  Two more are on the horizon, and one (j. Tech Genus Hyper Librarian) looks promising for a Synchro Swarm deck.  Plus it is a completely general Synchro Summon.

 

Supreme Arcanite Magician can only be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck by Fusion Summon.  Mildly disappointing but at least it allows you to Special summon it from the Graveyard and removed from play area provided it was Fusion Summoned it properly in the first place.  Being Level 10 would be irrelevant exception a lower level might have allowed it to be Synchro fuel.  As we get further into the card, you’ll see why that would be a nice option.  It is Light (good) and of course a Spellcaster (good considering you all but have to run it in a Spellcaster deck anyway).  For all the work of getting it out, you get a 1400 ATK/2800 DEF monster.  Kind of small, but the effect fixes that.

 

When Fusion summoned, you place two Spell Counters on it.  Supreme Arcanite Magician boosts itself by 1000 ATK for each Spellcaster, so usually it’ll clock in at a beefy 3400 ATK.  Once per turn you can remove a counter from one card you control (not just this monster) and get one of two effects: drawing a card or destroying a card on the field.

 

Good effects, but they’d be better if you could use them more than once per turn or at least each effect at once per turn.  One can only assume it was a balance issue, since a dedicated deck can generate a lot of Spell Counters quickly: Royal Magical Library OTK was a real deck, after all.  On its own, the classic Fusion formula would make it too expensive an investment.  Fortunately there are ample shortcuts, a few of which are actually quite good.

 

Miracle Synchro Fusion follows a classic Fusion cheat seen on similar cards for other themes, allowing you to use monsters from the Graveyard as Fusion materials at the cost of all Fusion materials involved being removed from play instead of being sent to the Graveyard.  This basically allows you to build a Spellcaster/Synchro deck and slap in Miracle Synchro Fusion (with today’s card) as a nasty insta-boss monster.  Obviously it’ll be a dead draw those first few turns, but the described deck should bring out a Synchro Spellcaster so fast and reliably that by your third turn, it’s ready to be dropped.  Even without the Graveyard aspect, it can allow you to burn through something like the original Arcanite Magician then trade it in for the Supreme Wizard version.  Something I didn’t count on was some solid Spellcaster decks arising.  Between that and possibly tricks to force your opponent into running Spellcasters (Creature Swap or DNA Surgery) can use Super Polymerization to rob your opponent of resources while getting a fatty.  It might be worth clearing a little room in your Side Deck for decks “friendly” to this build.

 

Ratings

 

Traditional: 1/5

 

Advanced: 3.5/5

 

Summary

This looks like a large, fun card to play, and if the format favors, it might even be something to win big with.  That’s a nice present, right?  Even if it doesn’t pan out, it has enough going for it that future releases hold potential promise.

 

I am still selling my former collectables on eBay.  For those looking for last minute Christmas gifts, if Transformers are you thing click here for a listing of my current auctions.  The big piece in my collection sold the same night it was listed and Christmas is nearly here, so I wouldn’t delay!  Okay, I would, because I am broke and feel I’ve become too materialistic.  If you’re not in that situation though, take a look at some of my favorite things!