Today’s CotD is Machina Peacekeeper, a Level 2 Earth/Machine/Union Monster.  Our last Machina monster this week enjoys the standard benefits: solid Earth support, great Machine support, the bonus of Machina support, and even Union support.  Its miniscule 500 ATK and 400 DEF means it won’t last long but is small enough to search and/or Special Summon with the usual choices (plus Machine Duplication) and I’ll come back to that.  Its effects allow it to attach to another Machine monster that doesn’t already have a Union monster equipped and if the Monster it is equipped to would be destroyed, die in its place.  It also has an effect that when it is on the field, destroyed, and sent to the Graveyard, you can add one Union Monster from your deck to your hand.  The wording shows they are learning: it has to be destroyed, and it has to be in play.  No super-special awesome discard, Tribute, or Synchro fodder.  It is important to note that it can search for itself: it’s a small benefit but much better than not being able to.

 

If you just glance at this card, you’ll probably miss what makes it pretty good… combos.  First it’s a potential tag-team partner for Machina Gearframe, whose effect can’t search for itself, but would let it snag Peacekeeper (and again keep your card count up).  That might be enough to sneak into decks that have to worry about card advantage a lot, and or want to blow up their own field (since they’d replace each other).  Second we come back to my comment about Machine Duplication.  Combine that with a card like Giant Trap Hole or Needle Ceiling.  Add three copies of Machina Gearframe while clearing the field and have enough discard fodder to Special Summon Machina Fortress.  How do you get Machina Fortress to your hand?  If you didn’t Normal Summon that first Peacekeeper, just use Gearframe and you can still do it all in one turn. You can also space it out, since a two card combo (Machine Duplication and Peacekeeper) is easier, and pace yourself.  Wish I could take credit but this tip is already on the Yu-Gi-Oh Wikia.  Third thing to note is that this doesn’t have to be kept strictly to Machina: you can search out any Union monster, so a few might even sneak into other Union decks.  Unfortunately it works best with the already crowded VWXYZ decks.

 

Ratings

 

Traditional: 2/5 – It does replace itself and this is the format of blowing stuff up.

 

Advanced: 3.5/5 – Not quite as good as Gearframe, but it has a place in the deck and maybe beyond.