From: Shadow Master [mailto:darkdestructionv30@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 8:25 PM

Subject: Useless card with a new twist! - Master of Shadows

Hello, all! Master of Shadows here with another tip. It's been a while since I've sent in a tip or something. I had the time, so here it is!

Remember that old Spellcaster from MFC, Great Phantom Thief? Let me recap his stats and effect for you:

Level 3, ATK 1000, DEF 1000, Earth, Spellcaster, Effect: When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points, declare 1 card name. Then check your opponent's hand for any copies of the declared card and send all copies of the declared card to the graveyard.

It's something to that tune. Let's take a look at it.

Pros:

- Free look at opponent's hand.

- Effect of Mind Crush with no drawback.

- Can take out multiple copies of a card.

- Can choose which card gets sent to the graveyard, to some extent.

Cons:

- Weak Attack power.

- Must know what's in your opponent's hand.

- Usually must deal damage at least once to get the full effect of the card.

Can't think of any other pros or cons right now. In a way, it's an Earth / Spellcaster / Don Zaloog type of monster if you look at it. With the right build for him, he could become a deadly weapon. I'm in the process of building a deck for him now. It would center around clearing the field for him to deal damage, giving him more power to make him deadly, and getting looks at my opponent's hand before dealing the damage to get the full extent of the effect. Being Earth and Spellcaster, he has plenty of support.

The Great Phantom Thief could have an obscure Hand Control deck built for him. Let's take a look at some cards that could help out here.

Mind Crush

Normal Trap

Effect same as Great Phantom Thief except that if you call wrong, you lose a random card from your hand.

Once you get that peek at your opponent's hand, that's where Mind Crush comes in. You get to punish your opponent's hand even more. If you're using Great Phantom Thief, then why not a card based on him, Mind Crush?

Fengsheng Mirror

Normal Spell

Look at your opponent's hand. Select and discard one Spirit monster from their hand if Spirit monsters exist in their hand.

The latter portion of that card's effect isn't really important. What's important is the peek at your opponent's hand that Fengsheng Mirror gives you. If your opponent happens to have a Spirit monster in their hand (Tsukuyomi, for example), then that's a bonus.

Confiscation

Normal Spell

Pay 1000 Life Points. Look at your opponent's hand. Select and discard one card from their hand to the graveyard.

Enough said about it. A look at your opponent's hand. Discard off the bat. Not bad. Definitely needed.

Conscription

Normal Trap

Pick up the top card of your opponent's deck. If it's a monster that can be Normal Summoned, Special Summon it to your side of the field. Otherwise, add the card to your opponent's hand.

Basically, if it's a monster, you just took control of it. If not, you get to discard it via Great Phantom Thief / Mind Crush. Enough said.

Bouncers

Cards that return cards on the field to the owner's hand.

Return your opponent's cards to their hand. Not only do you get to remove a potential threat, if you know what was sent back, then you get to discard it via Mind Crush / Great Phantom Thief. If not but the field's clear, then attack with Great Phantom Thief and get a look at their hand for Mind Crush later.

Trap Dustshoot

Normal Trap

You can only activate this card if there are 4 or more cards in your opponent's hand. Look at your opponent's hand and select and discard one monster in their hand to the graveyard.

See Confiscation. Everything said there just about applies here.

Mind on Air

Dark/Spellcaster/Level 6/1000/1600

As long as this card remains face up on the field, your opponent must play with their hand face up.

Free look at their hand, but at what cost? A monster? Duelist discretion advised.

Ceremonial Bell

Light/Spellcaster/Level 3/0/1850

As long as this card remains face up on the field, you and your opponent must show your hands to each other.

Again, free look at their hand. Enough defense to defend against most Cookie Cutter monsters these days. Only thing you have to worry about is your own hand since they can see what you have.

Respect Play

Continuous Trap

Cut and paste everything I said about Ceremonial Bell. Effect and comment.

A Cat of Ill Omen

Dark/Beast/Level 2/500/300

FLIP: Select 1 Trap Card from your deck. Shuffle your deck and place that Trap Card on top of your deck. If "Necrovalley" is face up on the field, add the selected card to your hand.

This cool cat can search out your essential Traps to making this deck work. Searching out essential Traps is always a good thing. Especially since the Traps here are very essential.

That's all I can think of. If you have anything else to add, just e-mail it to me at darkdestructionv30@yahoo.com.

***Hope this helped all of you who are looking for an original idea! If you're looking for more original ideas, just look through all your cards. There's bound to be some effect in there that you want to build a deck around.***