Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force – Yu-Gi-Oh! Throwback Thursday (2014)

Alex
Searcy

Here we are again with a Throwback Thursday that’s never been reviewed, though released originally in 2014, and has been reprinted five times (most recently in Infinity Chasers earlier this year).  But our card here is Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force, and this is a Normal Magic card.  Lots of text on this one.  So, in the semi-short version of all that print:

You Target an XYZ Monster you control, and Special Summon one from the Extra Deck two Ranks higher, as long as it is of the same Type and Attribute.  Said Monster you choose originally is used as XYZ Material for the new Monster you select from your Extra Deck.  This card can also cycle back from your Graveyard to your Hand during your Draw Phase, if you so choose to do so.

If you do, you can’t Special Summon that turn outside the effect of this card, but whatever.  It doesn’t say you can only activate one per turn, so I don’t see why (assuming you had another) you couldn’t/wouldn’t just do so.  This fits the Infinitrack theme rather splendidly though, and I’d use one, (a second might help but maybe not), just to add even more speed to an all ready dangerously quick theme.  

Rating:  3.75/5  It could be a dead Draw at times, but easy to use, and can be used multiple times.  

Art:  Meh/5 equating to 3/5…Never cared for Zexal and Yuma is a terrible character, that voice makes me cringe.  Therefore, I don’t care for the pendant.  The background is pretty though.

WarlockBlitz

Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force is a free Normal Spell Card that isn’t even once per turn. It’s an excellent choice for Throwback Thursday because it works with Infinitracks, but it also works in decks that use Guardragons, Burning Abyss, or some future XYZ build. Just Special Summon an XYZ Monster that is the same Attribute, Type, and 2 Ranks higher than your highest Rank XYZ Monster. As a bonus effect, if Astral Force is in the grave, you can add it to your hand instead of drawing a card during your Draw Phase. However, you can only Special Summon with its effect for the entire turn if you do that. I like it. It only works with decks that run XYZ Monsters, but it can really have a nice surprise factor. Certainly run at least one in Infinitrack. 

Score: 4/5     Art: 3/5 That’s no Millennium puzzel. 

Crunch$G

Since the Xyzs in the Infinitrack archetype are Ranks 5, 7, and 9, I thought Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force was the perfect Throwback Thursday.

Astral Force is a Normal Spell that targets the Xyz Monster you control with the highest rank (your choice if there is a tie) and summons an Xyz with the same Type and Attribute as the targeted Xyz, but two Ranks higher, from your Extra Deck (treated as an Xyz Summon and the materials from your monster go to the new one of course). Very versatile in your options here, I remember early builds of Burning Abyss used this to get Dante into Constellar Pleiades, Grenosaurus into Number 61: Volcasaurus, and Ghostrick Alucard into Crimson Knight Vampire Bram. You got other options to as the Infinitracks have Ranks of 5, 7, and 9 to get your River Stormer into Mountain Smasher and Mountain Smasher into Earth Slicer. Number 39: Utopia can also turn into Number 39: Utopia Beyond with this. Those are just a few examples I can think of. During your Draw Phase, if this card is in your graveyard, then you can add it back to your hand instead of drawing, but you can only Special Summon via the effect of Astral Force if you do this that turn. Having the option to get this back is nice, even if it won’t come up too often. I’m sure that effect as well as the summoning an Xyz with two Ranks higher is why this is the preferred option for Utopic ZEXAL ever since Argent Chaos Force was banned. Astral Force is a solid card, but never a staple in any deck, just those that can find a use for its niche.

Advanced Rating: 3.5/5

Art: 4/5 Yuma’s pendant looks great and I love the background.