Time to dust off the old Synchros. Hello Pojo Readers, Crunch$G here to tell you what you should know about the latest Yu-Gi-Oh core booster set: Dawn of Majesty. This set goes back to the 5D’s era by supporting Yusei’s Stardust/Synchron archetype while also upgrading the old Majestic Star Dragon. We also expand the Abyss lore with the Despia archetype taking center stage, alongside a few other cards to tell that story. Magikeys also make their debut in this set, which uses various summoning mechanics (as we see here and later in Burst of Destiny) and also gives us a rare Fusion Tuner and the first Ritual Tuner. We also have various old archetype receiving support and some new generic cards to boost various Decks. As always, there’s a lot to unpack with a set like this, so let’s get started and see what’s going on in Dawn of Majesty.
The Starlight Rares
As always, we get 5 Starlight Rares thrown into the set for somewhat of a chase lottery card, 4 that were already in the set and 1 reprint from a previous set to go with a recent theme in the set or elsewhere. The bonus Starlight in this set is Yusei’s classic Stardust Dragon, which now puts the card in every basic rarity and now goes well with Akiza’s Black Rose Dragon getting the Starlight treatment. Besides Stardust, we got The Iris Swordsoul, Antihuman Intelligence ME-PSY-YA, Protecting Spirit Loagaeth, and Shooting Majestic Star Dragon as the Starlights from the main set. Overall, a nice batch of Starlight Rares. Stardust and Shooting Majestic is good for Yusei/5D’s fanatics, and we get standard waifu Starlights both with Iris and Loagaeth. ME-PSY-YA is a fine choice as well, though it does become shocking the Live Twin card of the set isn’t Starlight.
Wish Upon A Star
As always with core sets nowadays, we start with the throwback archetype that was the cover for the set, which in this case was Stardust and Synchron stuff, with a little bit of Majestic retrains for good measure. Converging Wills Dragon is a Level 1 LIGHT Dragon Tuner who can only be used to Synchro Summon a Majestic Monster, but is treated as Majestic Dragon on the field or in the graveyard, and when you draw this card, you can reveal it to then Special Summon it from the hand and then if you have a Level 8 or higher Dragon Synchro on your field, you can summon a Level 1 Dragon from the Deck. Stardust Synchron is a Level 4 LIGHT Machine Tuner who can tribute a monster to revive itself from the graveyard, at the cost of banishing itself when it leaves the field and only being able to summon Synchros from the Extra Deck for the rest of the turn, and it lets you search any Spell/Trap that lists Stardust Dragon in its text from your Deck to your hand on summon. Stardust Trail is a Level 4 LIGHT Dragon who can be Special Summoned from the hand or graveyard when a monster you control is tributed, but it’s banished when it leaves the field, and it summons a Level 1 Stardust Token when used to Synchro Summon a Stardust, Synchron, or Warrior Synchro Monster. Shooting Majestic Star Dragon is a Level 11 WIND Dragon Synchro that needs Majestic Dragon and any number of non-Tuners, including at least 1 Dragon Synchro, must first be Synchro Summoned, can negate the effects of a monster the opponent controls once per turn, gains attacks equal to the number of Stardust Dragons or Synchros that list Stardust Dragon in their text that are in your graveyard, and has a once per turn Quick Effect to negate an opponent’s card or effect and banishes that card at the cost of banishing this card until the end of the turn. Arrive in Light is a Continuous Spell that puts a Level 1 Dragon on top of your Deck upon activation, prevents Stardust Dragon or a Synchro that lists Stardust Dragon in its text from returning to the Extra Deck by any player, and upon you Synchro Summoning a monster, you can either draw a card or summon a Tuner from your hand, but each effect can only be applied once a turn. Stardust Illumination is a Normal Spell that lets you send a Stardust monster from your Deck to the graveyard, or instead Special Summon it if you control Stardust Dragon or a Synchro that lists Stardust Dragon in its text, plus you can banish this card from the graveyard to increase or decrease the Level of a Stardust monster you control by 1 for the turn. Majestic Absorption is a Normal Spell that can target a Stardust Dragon or Synchro that lists Stardust Dragon in its text and then apply the effect to equip a face-up monster the opponent controls to that target, let it attack directly that turn, or burn the opponent for the ATK of the monsters your targeted monster destroys in battle that turn. Finally, Majestic Mirage is a Continuous Trap that if a face-up card you control leaves the field by your card effect, or by the effect of your card, and that card was Stardust Dragon or a Synchro Monster that lists Stardust Dragon in its text, you can apply one of the following effects, but you can not apply the same effect in the same turn: Special Summon one of those monsters, banish a monster from the opponent’s field or graveyard, or have any damage you take this turn become halved.
The Abyss Take to the Stage
Now we get to the Abyss lore of the set, headlined by the new Despia archetype full of Fairies built on Fusion Summoning. There’s also a few other cards, including a new form of Fleurdelis from the Dogmatika archetype. Despian Comedy is a Level 1 DARK Fairy who can be discarded as a Quick Effect to negate an opponent’s effect that targets a Despia monster you control, and you can tribute a Fusion Monster as a Quick Effect to revive this monster from the graveyard. Despian Tragedy is a Level 1 DARK Fairy who if sent to the graveyard or banished by a card effect lets you search for any Despia monster that isn’t another Tragedy, and it can be banished from the graveyard to set a Branded Spell/Trap from your grave to your field. Aluber the Jester of Despia is a Level 4 DARK Fairy who can search for any Branded Spell/Trap upon Normal or Special Summon (NOTE: European versions of the card state Despia Spell/Trap instead, but the database states Branded like the US versions of the card, so that’s officially how the card works), also if a face-up Fusion Monster you control is destroyed in battle or leaves the field by an opponent’s card effect, you can target an Effect Monster your opponent controls to Special Summon this monster from the graveyard and negate the targeted monster’s effects. Dramaturge of Despia is a Level 8 DARK Fairy that can target and negate the effects of an Effect Monster on field if a Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, or Link Monster is Special Summoned, also you can Special Summon this card if it was used as a Fusion Material in the hand or field and was sent to the graveyard or banished. Albion the Shrouded Dragon is a Level 8 DARK Dragon whose name becomes Fallen of Albaz on the field or in the graveyard and while in the hand or graveyard can let you send a Fallen of Albaz or Branded Spell/Trap from your hand or Deck to the graveyard while this card is in your hand or graveyard and then applies the effect based on where the card was sent from with the hand letting you Special Summon this monster and Deck letting you put this card on the bottom of the Deck and then letting you draw a card if it was returned to the Deck from the hand. The Iris Swordsoul is a Level 8 LIGHT Spellcaster who has a Quick Effect during the Main Phase to Special Summon herself from your hand if a monster is on the field with its effects negated, and can apply an effect if the opponent Special Summons a monster depending on where it was from with hand letting you Special Summon a monster from your hand, Deck letting you draw 2 cards, and Extra Deck letting you destroy 1 of the monsters the opponent Special Summoned from the Extra Deck. Despian Quaeritis is a Level 8 LIGHT Fiend Fusion of any Despia monster and any LIGHT or DARK monster, has a Quick Effect during the Main Phase to debuff every monster on the field to 0 ATK that isn’t a Level 8 or higher Fusion until the end of the turn, and if this face-up card in its owner’s control leaves the field because of an opponent’s card effect, you can add to your hand or Special Summon a Fallen of Albaz or any Despia monster from your Deck. Despian Proskenion is a Level 11 LIGHT Fiend Fusion of any Despia monster, a LIGHT monster, and a DARK monster, can target a Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, or Link Monster in your opponent’s graveyard during the Main Phase as a Quick Effect to either let you banish or Special Summon the target from the graveyard, and when this card destroys an opponent’s monster in battle, you can inflict damage to them equal to the destroyed monster’s original ATK or DEF (whichever is higher). Despia, Theater of the Branded is a Field Spell that during your Main Phase lets you Fusion Summon any Level 8 or higher Fusion from the Extra Deck by using monsters in your hand or field as material, also if your face-up non-Fusion Fairy is destroyed by battle or leaves the field because of an opponent’s card effect, you can revive any Level 8 or higher Fusion Monster from your graveyard. Branded Opening is a Quick-Play Spell that lets you discard a card to take a Despia monster from your Deck and either add it to your hand or Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position, but you can only summon Fusions from the Extra Deck for the rest of the turn, also if a Fusion Monster(s) you control would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you can banish this card from the graveyard instead. Branded Bond is a Normal Spell that lets you Special Summon a Fallen of Albaz that’s in your hand, graveyard, or banished, and during the End Phase if this card is in the graveyard because it was sent there to activate Fallen of Albaz’s effect, you can set it back to your field. Finally, Springans Interluder is a Continuous Trap that lets you return a Springans Xyz you control to the Extra Deck when the opponent activates a card or effect to either negate the activated effect or Special Summon a Level 8 monster from your graveyard, also if a face-up Xyz Monster you control leaves the field by a card effect, you can make all monsters your opponent currently controls lose 1000 ATK until the end of the turn.
Let the Key Guide the Way
Next up, we get to the new Magikey archetype, based around having various Attributes of Normal Monsters in the graveyard and using the main summoning mechanics we’ve known and loved for the longest with Ritual and Fusion in this set and Synchro and Xyz being the next set. The archetype is centered around Clavkiys, the Magikey Skyblaster, a Level 4 DARK Warrior with 1900 ATK and DEF and no effect. As for the rest of the cards, Magikey Mechmusket – Batosbuster is a Level 4 DARK Machine Ritual Tuner who can be Ritual Summoned with Magikey Maftea, upon Ritual Summon can let you search for any Magikey Spell/Trap directly from your Deck, and also has a once per turn effect when an attack is declared involving this card and an opponent’s monster with the same Attribute as a Magikey or Normal Monster in your graveyard, which allows you to return cards from your hand to the bottom of the Deck to negate the effects of the monster you’re battling, and then you draw cards equal to the number of cards you returned to the bottom of the Deck. Magikey Mechmortar – Garesglasser is a Level 8 EARTH Machine Ritual that can be Ritual Summoned with Magikey Maftea, gains 300 ATK for each different Attribute in your graveyard, when an opponent’s monster that matches Attributes with a Magikey or Normal Monster in your graveyard activates its effects and you Ritual Summoned this monster using 2 or more different Attributes of monsters, you can negate the activation and destroy that monster, also this Ritual Summoned monster being sent to the graveyard lets you search for any Magikey monster from your Deck. Magikey Beast – Ansyalabolas is a Level 4 DARK Beast Fusion Tuner that needs a Magikey monster and a Normal Monster that isn’t a Token to summon, if Fusion Summoned lets you add a Magikey Maftea from the graveyard to your hand, once per turn can target an Attack Position monster the opponent controls that has the same Attribute as a Magikey or Normal Monster in your graveyard to change that monster to Defense Position and have it lose 1000 DEF, also you banish any monster this destroys in battle. Magikey Dragon – Andrabime is a Level 8 WIND Dragon Fusion that needs any Magikey Effect Monster and any Normal Monster that isn’t a Token, prevents the opponent from activating cards or effects when Fusion Summoned, once per turn can target a Magikey or Normal Monster in your grave to destroy all monsters the opponent controls with the same Attribute, and once per turn if an opponent’s monster is destroyed in battle and has the same Attribute as a monster in your grave while you Fusion Summoned this monster using 2 different Attributes, you can draw a card. Magikey Maftea is a Normal Spell that lets you Fusion or Ritual Summon any Magikey monster by using monsters from your hand or field as material (Levels can exceed the Level of monster in the case of Ritual Summoning), and also if you control a Normal Monster you can use a Normal Monster in your Deck for material or tribute. Magikey World is a Field Spell that upon activation lets you add a Magikey monster from your Deck to your hand, prevents each non-Token Normal Monster from being destroyed by battle or card effect the first time they would be each turn, and during your Main Phase can let you add a Magikey Maftea from Deck to hand and then return a card from hand to the bottom of the Deck. Magikey Duo is a Normal Trap that can target a Magikey or Normal Monster in your graveyard and add it to your hand, and then can apply the effect to Fusion or Ritual Summon a Magikey monster. Finally, Magikey Unlocking is a Counter Trap that when the opponent activates a Spell/Trap Card while you control a Magikey Ritual Monster or a Magikey summoned from the Extra Deck, you can negate the activation and destroy that card, then declare an Attribute to have all face-up monsters the opponent controls become that Attribute for the turn.
A 4-Star Sushi Meal
Next up we get to an archetype that’s likely favorite for many already, the Suship archetype. This archetype is focused around Xyz Summoning using specific mosnters as materials, the main one being the Level 4 FIRE Aqua known as Gunkan Suship Shari, which is another Normal Monster with 2000 ATK and 0 DEF. Gunkan Suship Ikura is a Level 4 FIRE Aqua who can be Special Summoned from the hand if you control Gunkan Suship Shari, can only be summoned once per turn this way, and can let you excavate the top 3 cards from your Deck to summon or add to hand an excavated Gunkan Suship Shari wihle the other cards return to the Deck. Gunkan Suship Ikura-class Dreadnought is a Rank 4 FIRE Aqua Xyz who needs 2 Level 4s to summon, if Xyz Summoned can apply the following effects based on the monsters used as Xyz Material with Gunkan Suship Shari letting you draw a card and Gunkan Suship Ikura letting this monster make a second attack during each Battle Phase, also once per turn when your Gunkan monster summoned from the Extra Deck deals battle damage to the opponent, you can target a monster the opponent controls and destroy it. Gunkan Sushipyard Seaside Supper Spot is a Field Spell that once per turn if you Normal or Special Summon a Gunkan monster can let you place a Gunkan card from Deck on top of your Deck, also once per turn if a Gunkan monster you control summoned from the Extra Deck is sent to the graveyard by an opponent’s card, your opponent pays LP equal to the destroyed monster’s DEF, then you can apply the effect to Special Summon a Gunkan Suship Shari from your hand and then use it as material to summon a Gunkan Xyz from your Extra Deck. Finally, Gunkan Suship Daily Special is a Normal Trap that lets you reveal 3 Gunkan monsters from your Deck to have the opponent add one to your hand, or if you reveal Gunkan Suship Shari when you activate this card you can instead choose the monster, also if this card is in the graveyard during a turn it wasn’t sent there, you can banish this card from the graveyard to return 3 Gunkan monsters to the Deck and draw a card.
The Ancient City Returns
Next we now look at some legacy support, starting with the classic Chronomaly archetype from the Zexal era getting a full wave of support after a lone card back in Ignition Assault. Chronomaly Magella Globe is a Level 4 LIGHT Machine who can be tributed to summon any Chronomaly monster that isn’t another Magella Globe from Deck, also you can banish a Chronomaly mosnter from your graveyard while this card is in the graveyard during a turn it wasn’t sent there to add this card back to your hand. Chronomaly Acambaro Figures is a Level 5 EARTH Rock who can be discarded to protect a Chronomaly monster from destruction, also if this card is in your graveyard, you can pay 1000 LP to Special Summon this monster at the cost of only being able to Special Summon Chronomaly monsters the turn you use this effect, also it returns to the hand during the End Phase of the turn you use the second effect. Chronomaly Vimana is a Rank 5 LIGHT Machine who needs any 2 Level 5s to summon, can target a monster on the field once per turn as a Quick Effect, alongside a Chronomaly or Xyz Monster in your graveyard, to boost the ATK of the targeted monster on field by half the ATK of the targeted monster in the graveyard, then attach the monster targeted in grave to this card as material, also it has a Quick Effect once per turn when the opponent activates a monster effect to detach 2 materials to negate the activation. Chronomaly Temple – Trilithon is a Continuous Spell that if you control no monsters or only Chronomaly monsters, you can pay 500 LP to Normal Summon a Chronomaly monster, also you can send this card to the graveyard instead for 1 Xyz Material if you would detach a material to activate the effect of a Chronomaly or Number Xyz Monster. Finally, Chronomaly Esperanza Glyph is a Normal Trap that during the Main Phase can let you target an Xyz Monster you control or in your graveyard to Special Summon 2 Chronomaly monsters from hand, Deck, or graveyard who have 1 Level higher than the target’s Rank, but the summoned monsters have their effects negated and then you immediately Xyz Summon a Chronomaly Xyz by using the summoned monsters as material.
The Gizmek Legends
Finally we have the newest Gizmek monsters for the archetype, finally giving it monsters from Levels 1 to 10, and focusing on Machines with equal ATK and DEF. Gizmek Inaba, the Hopping Hare of Hakuto is a Level 1 WIND that on Normal Summon can let you summon a Machine from your hand whose ATK equals its own DEF in Defense Position, also you can banish this card from the graveyard to target a Machine whose ATK equals its DEF to have it be the only monster that can attack this turn, but it also gains ATK equal to the ATK of all Machines you control whose ATK equals their own DEF. Gizmek Naganaki, the Sunrise Signaler is a Level 2 LIGHT who can tribute a Machine whose ATK equals its own DEF to summon another Machine from Deck whose ATK equals its own DEF with a lower Level than the tributed monster, also you can banish this card from the graveyard to add to your hand a Machine whose ATK equals its own DEF that’s banished face-down. Gizmek Taniguku, the Immobile Intellect is a Level 3 EARTH who on Normal or Special Summon can take a Machine from your Deck whose ATK equals its own DEF and place it on top of your Deck, also you can banish this card from the graveyard to revive a Machine from the graveyard whose ATK equals its own DEF. Gizmek Arakami, the Hailbringer Hog is a Level 4 WATER who can be Special Summoned from the hand if you control a Machine whose ATK equals its own DEF, also you can banish this card from the graveyard to target a Machine you control whose ATK equals its own DEF, send a Machine whose ATK equals its own DEF from Deck to grave with a lower Level than the targeted monster’s, then the monster you control gains 100 ATK and DEF times the Level of the sent monster. Finally, Sacred Scrolls of the Gizmek Legend is a Field Spell that during your Main Phase lets you excavate the top 3 cards of your Deck to add to your hand one of the excavated monsters that’s a Machine with ATK equal to its own DEF while the rest of the cards are banished face-down, gains a counter each time a Machine whose ATK equals its own DEF is summoned, and when this card has 10 counters on it, monsters whose ATK don’t equal their own DEF cannot activate their effects on field.
Buzz the Battlefield
Finally for the full waves of archetypes, we get the latest TCG Exclusive archetype, the Beetroopers. This archetype is full of Insects who swarm the field to make Link Monsters, they’re basically what I assume to be bees riding other insects for the most part. Beetrooper Scout Buggy is a Level 3 WIND who prevents you from Special Summoning non-Insect monsters, but on Normal or Special Summon will let you summon another Beetrooper Scout Buggy from your hand, Deck, or graveyard. Beetroooper Scale Bomber is a Level 3 FIRE who can be Special Summoned from hand if another Insect is Normal or Special Summoned, and when the opponent’s monster they control activates its effect, then you can tribute an Insect you control as a Quick Effect to destroy that monster. Beetrooper Sting Lancer is a Level 7 WIND who during the Main Phase as a Quick Effect can target an Insect in your graveyard and a monster in the opponent’s graveyard to Special Summon this card from the hand and place the targeted monsters on the bottom of the Deck, also upon Normal or Special Summon you can search a Beetrooper Spell/Trap from your Deck. Beetrooper Armor Horn is a Link-2 EARTH with Up and Down arrows, needs 2 Insects to summon, prevents you from Special Summoning non-Insect monsters, lets you Normal Summon an Insect monster immediately, and can banish 3 Insects from the graveyard to revive itself from the graveyard, but it’s banished when it leaves the field. Giant Beetrooper Invincible Atlas is a Link-4 EARTH with arrows pointing Upward and all three downward arrows, needs 2+ Insects to summon, prevents you from Special Summoning non-Insect monsters, cannot be targeted or destroyed by the opponent’s card effects if this card was Link Summoned and has 3000 or less ATK, and it can tribute a Insect you control to either Special Summon a Beetrooper monster from your Deck or have this monster gain 2000 ATK until the end of the turn. Beetrooper Formation is a Field Spell that lets you revive a Beetrooper monster from your graveyard, but it cannot attack the turn it is revived and you lose LP equal to the revived monster’s ATK, also if a face-up Insect you control is destroyed by battle or card effect, you can summon a Level 3 EARTH Insect Beetrooper Token. Finally, Beetrooper Fly & Sting is a Counter Trap that can negate and destroy an opponent’s monster who activates its effect while you control a Beetrooper monster, and you can set this card back to the field during your End Phase if you control an Insect monster with 3000 or more ATK by banishing an Insect monster from your graveyard.
Archetype Assists
Now we get to the big batch of archetypes that recieved 1-3 cards as support in this set, which in this case includes Gusto, Amazement, Aliens, Mystical Beasts/Spirits of the Forest, Solfachords, Live☆Twins, Triamids, Chemicritters, Dinowrestlers, Tindangles, Trickstars, and Gouki. Gusto Vedir is a Level 3 WIND Winged Beast Tuner who can be Special Summoned from your hand if a face-up Gusto you control is destroyed by battle or sent to the graveyard, and on Normal/Special Summon can let you send a Gusto monster from Deck to grave and then you can summon a Gusto monster from your hand. Daigusto Lapalampilica is a Level 6 WIND Psychic Synchro that needs any Tuner and any non-Tuner Gusto(s), can only be Special Summoned once per turn, upon Synchro Summon can let summon a Gusto from your hand and a Gusto from your Deck with their effects negated to immediately Synchro Summon a Gusto by using the summoned mosnters as material and then locks you to Special Summoning only WIND monsters for the rest of the turn, and this monster prevents your opponent from targeting other Gusto Synchros you control with card effects. Tailwind of Gusto is an Equip Spell that can equip to any Gusto Monster, gives the monster protection from being destroyed by card effects, can be banished from the graveyard alongside discarding a WIND monster to search for any Gusto Spell/Trap from your Deck, and can apply an effect depending on the Level or Rank of the equipped Gusto with 4 or lower letting you summon a Gusto from Deck with a different Type from the equipped monster and 5 or higher letting you summon a Level 1 Tuner from Deck. Amazement Assistant Delia is a Level 4 LIGHT Machine who can be Special Summoned from hand by revealing an Attraction Trap from your hand, and has the effect to send an Attraction Trap from your hand or face-up field to the grave to set an Attraction Trap from Deck to your Spell/Trap Zone. Amaze Attraction Viking Vortex is a Normal Trap that equips to an Amazement monster you control or a monster the opponent controls and gains an effect based on controller of the monster it’s equipped to with your monster letting you once per turn negate an attack and then switch control of the equipped monster until the end of the Battle Phase and an opponent’s monster making said monster be bounced to the hand if it activates its effect. Alien Stealthbuster is a Level 4 LIGHT Reptile who if sent to the graveyard can then target a face-up monster on the field and place 2 A-Counters on it, also it can be banished from the graveyard during a turn it wasn’t sent there to target a face-up monster on the field with an A-Counter and destroy it. Cosmic Slicer Zer’oll is a Link-3 LIGHT Reptile with Up, Bottom Left, and Bottom Right arrows, needs 2+ Reptiles to summon, changes all monsters the opponent controls with A-Counters to face-up Defense Position and prevents them from activating their effects, upon Link Summon lets you add a card from Deck to the hand that places A-Counters, and you can remove 2 A-Counters from anywhere on the field to immediately Normal Summon a Reptile monster. Carpiponicia, Mythical Beast of the Forest is a Level 7 EARTH Beast who if sent from the hand or field to the graveyard can target 2 other Beast, Beast-Warrior, Winged Beast, Insect, or Plant monster with different Types in your graveyard to return them to the Deck and Special Summon this card, also upon Normal or Special Summon can let you search for any Mystical Beast of the Forest or Mystical Spirit of the Forest from the Deck that isn’t another Carpiponicia. GranSolfachord Musecia is a Link-2 LIGHT Fairy with Bottom Left and Bottom Right arrows, needs 2 Pendulum Monsters to summon, during your Main Phase lets you add a Pendulum Monster from your hand to the Extra Deck face-up to then add to your hand a Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck with an odd Scale if the monster you put in the Extra Deck had an even Scale and vice versa, also when you Pendulum Summon a Solfachord monster(s), you can target one of those monsters to add a Solfachord monster from Deck to hand whose Level equals the Scale of the targeted monster. Live☆Twin Sunny’s Snitch is a Continuous Spell that upon activation lets you add a Live☆Twin monster from Deck to hand and while you control an Evil★Twin monster, each time the opponent Normal or Special Summons a monster, you gain 200 LP and they lose 200 LP. Triamid Loading is a Continuous Spell that if a Field Spell is placed face-up in the field zone, you can add from Deck to hand any Triamid Spell/Trap that isn’t another Triamid Loading, also if a face-up Rock monster(s) you control is destroyed by battle or opponent’s card effect, you can Special Summon a Triamid monster with a different name from your Deck. Dimer Synthesis is a Normal Spell that upon activation can let you add a Catalyst Field from Deck to hand or add a Chemicritter monster and a Burnout from Deck to hand, also you can banish this card from the graveyard to target 2 face-up monsters you control, including a Gemini monster that’s treated as an Effect Monster, until the end of the turn one of the targeted monster’s ATK becomes 0 and the other one gains ATK equal to the original ATK of the other monster until the end of the turn. Dinowrestler Iguanodraka is a Level 6 EARTH Dinosaur who can be Special Summoned from your hand by discarding another Dinosaur monster and can tribute a Dinosaur monster you control to revive a Dinowrestler monster in Defense Position with a different original name from the tributed monster. Tindangle Jhrelth is a Level 3 DARK Fiend with a FLIP effect to take a FLIP Monster from your Deck and either add it to your hand or send it to the graveyard, also if this card is in your hand, you can discard another card and send a Tindangle monster that isn’t another Jhrelth from Deck to grave to Special Summon this monster in face-down Defense Position. Trickstar Festival is a Normal Spell that Special Summons 2 Trickstar Tokens (Fairy/LIGHT/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0), prevents you from Normal or Special Summoning non-Trickstar monsters the turn you activate this card, and it can be banished from the graveyard to protect a Trickstar monster(s) you control summoned from the Extra Deck from being destroyed. Finally, Gouki Finishing Move is a Normal Spell that targets a Gouki Link you control to have it gain 1000 ATK times its Link Rating and also lets it deal piercing that turn, but you can only attack with Gouki monsters the turn you activate this card.
Generic Goodies
Now it’s time for the part where some of the best cards of a set usually come from, the generic cards that most to all Decks could use if they wanted to and are designed to do so. Antihuman Intelligence ME-PSY-YA is a Level 8 Scale 0 LIGHT Cyberse Pendulum with a Pendulum Effect to banish all non-Monster Cards that would go to the graveyard and a Monster Effect where it can be Special Summoned from the hand by revealing it and placing a Pendulum Monster from your hand or in your Pendulum Zone to the owner’s Extra Deck, and if another monster is Normal or Special Summoned while you control this card, send the summoned monster to the grave during the End Phase. Protecting Spirit Loagaeth is a Level 7 LIGHT Fairy who if on field and is destroyed by battle or card effect, you can target a monster on field to have it unable to be destroyed by battle or card effect that turn, can be Special Summoned from the hand if the effect of a Fairy monster you control was activated, and it can target an Attack Position monster you control and a face-up card you control to banish the opponent’s card and switch your monster to Defense Position. Konohanasakuya is a Level 3 EARTH Fairy Spirit who cannot be Normal Summoned or Set and must be Special Summoned from the hand by controlling a Spirit Monster, reutrns to the hand during the End Phase of the turn it was Special Summoned, and during the End Phase can be banished from the graveyard to target a face-up Sprit Monster to prevent either player from activating that monster’s effects for the rest of the turn. Slower Swallow is a Level 1 WIND Winged Beast who can be Special Summoned from hand if you control 2 or more monsters with the same Level and can be tributed to let you draw 2 cards during your next turn’s Draw Phase instead of 1. Saambell the Star Bonder is a Level 3 Scale 7 WIND Spellcaster with a Pendulum Effect where if you have a monster in your other Pendulum Zone with the same Level as this monster, you can destroy that other card and Special Summon this monster, and it has a Monster Effect where if a monster is Special Summoned to your field while you control this monster, you can Special Summon a monster from your hand with the same Level as this monster. Allvain the Essence of Vanity is a Level 2 DARK Fairy Fusion Tuner that needs 2 Normal Monsters to summon. Stellar Wind Wolfrayet is a Level 9 WIND Beast Synchro that needs any Tuner and non-Tuner(s) to summon, you can only control 1 of, gains 300 ATK each time another monster’s effect is activated, and as a Quick Effect while this has 4000 or more ATK, you can return this card to the Extra Deck and shuffle all monsters the opponent controls into the Deck. Gaiarmor Dragonshell is a Level 6 EARTH Dragon Synchro that needs any Tuner and non-Tuner(s) to summon, can tribute itself to return 3 other Synchros in your graveyard to the Extra Deck, and can equip itself from grave to a monster Special Summoned from the Extra Deck to give it an effect where it lets you draw a card when the monster declares an attack. Voloferniges, the Darkest Dragon Doomrider is a Rank 7 DARK Dragon Xyz that needs 2 Level 7s to summon, can detach 2 materials from itself once per turn to target a face-up card on the field and destroy it, then if you destroyed a monster, a monster you control gains 300 ATK/DEF times the orignal Level/Rank of the destroyed monster until the end of the next turn, also this card cannot attack the turn you use this effect and it becomes a Quick Effect that cannot be used in the Damage Step if this has a Dragon monster as material. Dragonlark Pairen is a Rank 6 WIND Wyrm Xyz that needs 2 Level 6s to summon, cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect while a monster that isn’t Dragonlark Pairen is on the field that was Special Summoned from the graveyard, and during the Standby Phase can detach a material from itself to revive a Level 5 or lower monster from your graveyard. High Ritual Art is a Ritual Spell that lets you Ritual Summon any Ritual Monster from your Deck by using Normal Monsters from your hand whose Levels equal the Level of the Ritual you want to summon, but the monster summoned returns to the Deck during the opponent’s End Phase. Ready Fusion is a Normal Spell that lets you pay 1000 LP to Special Summon a Level 6 or lower non-Effect Fusion from your Extra Deck, but it cannot attack and it’s destroyed during the End Phase. Synchro Overtake is a Normal Spell that lets you reveal a Synchro in your Extra Deck to choose 1 of the Synchro Materials specifically listed on that card and either add to your hand or Special Summon the monster chosen by this effect from your Deck or graveyard, but you can only summon Synchros from the Extra Deck during the turn you activate this effect. Pendulum Treasure is a Normal Spell that places a Pendulum Monster from your Deck into your Extra Deck face-up. Monster Assortment is a Normal Trap that reveals 1 Normal Monster and 1 Effect Monster from your Deck with the same Type, Attribute, and Level to have the opponent randomly add 1 to your hand and return the other to the Deck. Stall Turn is a Counter Trap that negates a Spell/Trap Card or monster effect that would negate a summon by banishing the top 3 cards of your Deck face-down and then shuffling the negated card into the Deck. Baby Mudragon is a Level 1 DARK Dragon Tuner who can be treated as a non-Tuner for a Synchro Summon and if it is sent to the graveyard as Synchro Material, you can target a Synchro you control and declare a Type or Attribute to change the targeted monster to the declared Type or Attribute for the turn. Pazuzle is a Level 1 Scale 1 DARK Fiend Pendulum with a Pendulum Effect to target a card in your other Pendulum Zone to have this card’s Scale become the Level of the targeted card in your other Pendulum Zone and a Monster Effect to prevent your Pendulum Summons from being negated. Night’s End Adminstrator is a Level 6 LIGHT Spellcaster Synchro who needs Night’s End Sorcerer and any non-Tuner(s) to summon, if Special Summoned or another Spellcaster is Special Summoned to your field, you can target and banish a card from the opponent’s graveyard, and if this monster is destroyed by battle or by card effect while in the owner’s Monster Zone, you can revive a Level 4 or lower Spellcaster from your graveyard. Ra’ten, the Heavenly General is a Link-3 EARTH Warrior with arrows pointing Up Left, Bottom Left, and Bottom Right, needs 2+ monsters with the same Type to summon, once per turn, during the Standby Phase lets you target a face-up monster this card points to in order to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower monster from your hand in Defense Position to a zone this card points to with the same Type as the targeted monster, also at the start of the Battle Phase you can target a card the opponent controls and destroy it. D.D.D. – Different Dimension Derby is a Normal Trap where if you control a Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, or Link Monster summoned using a Normal Monster as material, you can target a card on the field and banish it. Link Apple is a Level 1 FIRE Cyberse who can be revealed in the hand and then banish a monster randomly from the Extra Deck that’s face-down and then you can Special Summon this card if you banished a Link Monster with this effect, otherwise discard this card and draw a card. Shinobi Insect Hagakruemino is a Link-2 WIND Insect with Up Left and Down arrows, needs 2 monsters with different names to summon, cannot be targeted for attacks while it points to a monster, and if a monster(s) this card points to is destroyed by battle or card effect, you can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Insect from your hand or graveyard, but it’s banished when it leaves the field. Finally, Two Toads with One Sting is an Equip Spell that targets a monster in the opponent’s graveyard and Special Summons it to their field with its effects negated, the equipped monster is destroyed if this card leaves the field, the equipped monster cannot attack or be targeted for an attack, and if the opponent uses the equipped monster for a Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, or Link Summon, you can take control of the summoned monster.
In Conclusion
Overall, I think this is a pretty good set. The meta impact might not be insane outside a few generic cards and some rogue Despia tops, but there’s a lot of fun stuff. The Synchron Deck got some good updates alongside a ton of old archetypes, including Chronomaly and their new Rank 5 that can be good as a generic monster outside the archetype. The Spells in this set are interesting since we got one to support almost all the summoning mechanics, with Links and Xyzs being the excpetions. Magikeys look like fun and could be used in some Drytron variants as well. There’s certainly a lot of good stuff here to keep a look out on. So far, as of writing this, the set seems pretty underlooked with how lackluster the last 2 sets kind of been and how good Burst of Destiny is going to be and how we’re now in the period where we are starting to get good sets again this year, that this might be the worst of the second half of the year, which shouldn’t at all suggest this is a bad set.
