Subject: New PGD Tricks that will Kncok Your Socks Off-Draken
Hey all.  Draken here.  I'm in today to tell you about some of the best new tricks I've dug up from the new PGD (Pharonic Guardian) set.  This set seems geared more towards disruptive and tricky styles of decks than the last few sets have been.  Some of the best new cards include Sasuke Samurai, Barrel Behind the Door, Book Of Moon, Dark Designator, and a whole lotta cool Necrovalley stuff.  I decided to celebrate the reopening of CCG Strategies by sharing my treause hoard of new tricks with you, the masses ;-).  Let's start with my favorite, shall we?

DARK DESIGNATOR
Normal Magic Card
Reads: "Declare one Monster card name.  If your opponent has the named monster in his/her deck, add one copy of that monster card to your opponent's hand."

Looking at this card the first time I pulled it from a pack, I said to myself, "This has GOT to be the biggest waste of cardboard ever printed!   Who'd WANT to hand their opponent a monster card!?!"  Looking at this card a few days later, after completing the blueprints for my new Gravekeeper's Master deck, I said to myself, "This card is quite possibly the best card I've gotten out of PGD." And I've pulled good stuff (Mystical Knight of Jackal, anyone?).  The reason?  With this card, you can manipulate your opponent's hand and Deck, in order to get the most out of your Card Destruction, Delinquent Duo, and Royal Tribute cards.  Just play this, name "Yata-garasu!", play your Card Destruction, Royal Tribute, or (as a last resort, usually) Delinquent Duo.  See?  Now the opponent has no more Yata.  Or, if you've already blasted Yata, simply call: Jinzo, Injection Fairy Lily, Exiled Force, Fiber Jar, Cyber Jar, Witch of the Black Forest, or any other nifty little monster you want GONE before it even sees the light of play.  So, after reading this little section here, you should be saying to yourself, "I've got a Card Destruction in my deck, I oughta try that Dark Designator thing and see how it works.  Might be cool, killing Yata straight outta the deck!"  And if you don't have a Card Destruction in your deck, you dang well better have a good reason why!

And for seconds, we have:

SASUKE SAMURAI + BOOK OF MOON
Sasuke Samurai- Wind/Warrior/2(?)/500/800
Effect reads, "When this monster attacks a Face-Down Defense Position monster, the monster is immediately destroyed, without being flipped face-up and without doing any Damage Calculation"
Book of Moon-Quickplay Magic
Reads, "Flip one face-up monster on the field into Face-Down Defense Position."

Have the wheels started turning yet?  They should be.  These two cards were made for each other.  Sasuke Samurai instantly destroys any face-down defense card he attacks, and Book of Moon puts things into face-down defense.  Lots of people these days are trying out Bok of Moon already, as an anti-Yata countermeasure.  So why not add in a Sasuke Samurai or two (or three), and turn those BoM's into kill spells?  I only have one of each so far, but am looking forward to adding other copies to my deck.

Next up, Necrovalley fun!

You all know what Necrovalley does.  If you don't, go play a different game.  So, here's a good way of utilizing Necrovalley.

Play a puntload of Gravekeeper monsters.  This should be obvious.  The best ones are the Chief, Assailant, Spear Soldier, and Guard.  In that order.  Don't bother with Vassal or Curse.  Also, pop a Cannonholder in there for emergencies.  Loading up on these, instead of normal monsters, allows Necrovalley's true power to be used.

Next up, play as many Rite of Spirit and Royal Tribute cards as you can lay your hands on.  These cards, plus the Dark Designators from above, will give you complete board control.  Play a Designator to add a nice, juicy Jinzo or Yata to your opponent's hand, play a Royal Tribute to knock out, not only the Jinzo/Yata, but every other monster out of the opponent's hand, plant a Raigeki, and smack some heiny.  Plus, since Necrovalley's active, you don't have to worry about Jinzo being Reborned and biting you in the tail.  And if you have a Rite of Spirit or two ready, you can summon a hoard of Gravekeepers from the grave and go for a buttwhuppin'.  And if the opponent doesn't draw a monster, you've got another chance at his arse.  By the way, Non Aggression Area works well in here.  Try one.  It'll be a pain in the behind for your opponent.  Now how many anal references did I make in there?  A special prize for a correct guess!  (just kidding).

And finally, a last bit of advice on Barrel Behind the Door.

I know you've all heard all the combos about Barrel by now.  It's a big, nasty reflector card that can save major behind.  My advice: put one in your deck, even if you aren't planning on using it to combo yourself.  Every single Beatdown player worth his name will be playing Magic Cylinder and Ring of Destruction these days, and many of them play Ceasefire as well.  Not to mention the ocasional Burn deck or Dice Jar rogue deck.  Having a Barrel set at an opportune moment can turn a game-ending move for your opponent into a move that ends your opponent's game.  It may work, it may not.  If you get it at a bad time, you can always pitch it for Graceful Charity or Raigeki Break.

There you go!  A few nifty little combos to help all those stale Beatdowners out there come up with something new.  And a few cool ways of making those dishonorable  Yata-Garasu-playing invertebrates choke on their dirty birdy.  Let's see you win a REAL game, huh, Crow-keepers?

Got Questions?  Think I'm Out of My Gourd For Liking Dark Designator?  Mail me at shadowtimberwolf@wmconect.com and sing your heart out.  But if you flame me, you won't survive the consequences.  That Means YOU, Insulted Yata Player(s).  I don't want to hear word one about Yata being as 'honorable' as La Jinn.  And yes, I defeat the little booger on a regular basis with the tricks I've listed above, so I'm not just being petulant.  Apologies to Pojo, Proffpoke, Wartortle, and all of you honest players out there.  I'm really a nice guy, I just hate idjits who don't want to PLAY, they want to WIN.  So, have fun with your new combo ideas, and I'll read you later.