Hello again to Pojo and Yugioh fans one and all!  Yes, I have returned, and am writing an article!  Cue the music!  Seriously, open the champagne bottles!  I have NO excuse, not anymore any way, for my disapperance away from the Earth.  However, college and exams are over (one year left, class of 2009!) so I finally have time to write!

Anyway, today I'm continuing my State of the Current Metagame series discussing the Dark powerhouses from Phantom's Darkness against some of the new Light monsters from Light of Destruciton. 

Let's review our favorite Dark monsters from Phantom's Darkness.

Dark Armed Dragon

Level 8

Dark-Dragon-Effect

2300 atk 1000 def

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by having exactly 3 DARK monsters in your Graveyard.

You can remove from play 1 DARK monster from your Graveyard to destroy

1 card on the field.

Darknight Parshath

Level 5

Dark-Fairy-Effect

1900 atk 1400 def

When this card destroys an opponent's monster, you can remove from play

1 DARK monster from your Graveyard to draw 1 card. This card gains 100 ATK for each DARK monster in your Graveyard.

Dark Nephthys

Level 8

Dark-Winged-Beast-Effect

2400 atk 1600 def

If this card is in your hand and there are 3 or more DARK monsters in your Graveyard, you can remove from play 2 of them to send it to the Graveyard. If this card is sent to the Graveyard by this effect, Special Summon it during your next Standby Phase. When this card is Special Summoned, destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card.

Darklord Zerato

Level 8

Dark-Fairy-Effect

2800 atk 2300 def

If there are 4 or more DARK monsters with different names in your Graveyard, you can Tribute Summon this monster by Tributing 1 DARK monster. You can send 1 DARK monster from your hand to the Graveyard to destroy all monsters your opponent controls. If you activate this effect, destroy this card during the End Phase of this turn.

As everyone is aware, these Dark monsters are easy to summon, have an excellent and solid attack, with game-breaking effects that allow

(continuous) destruction simply by removing or discarding cards to devestate your opponent.

Now, let's look at some of the new Light monsters from Light of Destruction.

Guardian of Order

Level 8

Light-Warrior-Effect

2500 atk 1200 def

If you control 2 or more LIGHT monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. You can only control 1 "Guardian of Order".

Honest

Level 4

Light-Fairy-Effect

1100 atk 1900 def

During your Main Phase, you can return this card from the field to its owner's hand. During either player's Damage Step, when a face-up LIGHT monster you control battles, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to have that monster gain ATK equal to the ATK of the opponent's monster it is battling, until the End Phase.

Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress

Level 4

Light-Spellcaster-Effect

1700 atk 200 def

You can change this card from face-up Attack Position to face-up Defense Position and destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls. If you activate this effect, this card's battle position cannot be changed until the end of your next turn, except with a card effect. During each of your End Phases, send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.

Celestia, Lightsworn Angel

Level 5

Light-Fairy-Effect

2300 atk 200 def

When you Tribute Summon this card by Tributing a "Lightsworn" monster, you can sedn the top 4 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard to destroy up to 2 cards your opponent controls.

Phantom Dragon

Level 8

Light-Dragon-Effect

2300 atk 2200 def

When your opponent Special Summons a monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. 3 of your Monster Card Zones cannot be used.

Arcana Force EX – The Dark Ruler

Level 10

Light-Fairy-Effect

4000 atk 4000 def

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by sending 3 monsters you control to the Graveyard.

When this card is Summoned, toss a coin:

•Heads: This card can attack twice during the same Battle Phase. If this card battles twice using this effect, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. This card's battle position cannot be changed until the end of your next turn, except with a card effect.

•Tails: If this card is destroyed, destroy all cards on the field.

Judgment Dragoon

Level 8

Light-Dragon-Effect

3000 atk 2600 def

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by having 4 or more "Lightsworn" monsters with different names in your Graveyard. You can pay 1000 Life Points to destroy all other cards on the field. During each of your End Phases, send the top 4 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.

Special Notes:  Judgement Dragon is definately (or would seem to be) the counterpart to Darklord Zerato.  While Zerato only destroys monsters, Judgement Dragon destroy all cards on the Field (except

himself) for 1000 Lifepoints.  So a CED type effect without the burn. 

Easy to Special Summon, and stronger than Dark Armed Dragon, Light and Darkness Dragon, and Dark Magician of Chaos.

Ehren, Lightsworn Monk

Level 4

Light-Warrior-Effect

1600 atk 1000 def

If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, return that monster to its owner's Deck without applying damage calculation. During each of your End Phases, send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.

Tualatin

Level 8

Light-Fairy-Effect

2800 atk 2500 def

If you controlled 2 or more monsters at the start of your opponent's Battle Phase, and all of them were destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon this card from your hand during that Battle Phase. If you do, declare an Attribute and destroy all face-up monsters with that Attribute. Your opponent cannot Normal or Special Summon monsters with that Attribute.

Angel O7

Level 7

Light-Fairy-Effect

ATK/2500 DEF/1500

When this card is Tribute Summoned, it gains the following effect:

•The effects of Effect Monsters cannot be activated.

Arcana Force XXI – The World

Level 8

Light-Fairy-Effect

3100 atk 3100 def

When this card is Summoned, toss a coin:

•Heads: During your End Phase, you can send 2 monsters you control to the Graveyard to skip your opponent's next turn.

•Tails: During your opponent's Draw Phase, add the top card of their Graveyard to their hand.

Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter

Level 2

Light-Beast-Effect

200 atk 100 def

Flip: You can destroy 1 card on the field. Send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.

Wulf, Lightsworn Beast

Level 4

Light-Beast-Warrior-Effect

2100 atk 300 def

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. When this card is sent from your Deck to the Graveyard, Special Summon it.

LODT-EN095

Helios Trice Megistus

Level 8

Light-Pyro-effect

? atk ? def

You can Special Summon this card by Tributing 1 "Helios Duo Megistus".

This card's ATK and DEF are each equal to the number of removed from play monsters × 300. After this card attacks, it can attack once more if your opponent controls a monster. If this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon it during the End Phase and it gains 500 atk and def.

Remember those Video Game Promos from yesteryear?  They may be worth something after all :)

However, there are still some Dark monsters from the new set that can help you who still choose to play the Dark monsters instead:

Destiny End Dragoon

Level 10

Dark-Warrior-Fusion-Effect

ATK/3000 DEF/3000

"Destiny Hero – Plasma" + "Destiny Hero – Dogma"

A Fusion Summon of this monster can only be conducted with the above Fusion Material Monsters. Once per turn, you can destroy 1 monster your opponent controls and inflict damage to your opponent equal to its ATK.

If you activate this effect, you cannot conduct your Battle Phase this turn. During your Standby Phase, if this card is in your Graveyard you can remove from play 1 "Destiny Hero" card from your Graveyard to Special Summon this card.

Dark General Freed

Level 5

Dark-Warrior-Effect

2300 atk 1700 def

This card cannot be Special Summoned. Negate the effect of any Spell Card that targets a DARK monster you control and destroy it. You can add 1 Level 4 DARK monster from your Deck to your hand instead of conducting a normal draw in your Draw Phase.

Well, we got a nice array of different solid and powerful Light monsters through the Arcana Force and the Lightsworns.  The Lightsworn monsters are definately a viable decktype, and will be able to hold their own against the Dark monsters.  However, I believe the Dark monsters to be quicker than the Lightsworns, and that will be a nice competitive edge.

That does it for today, and I hope you enjoyed it!  Again, accept this apology and know that it won't be months between articles from here on.

 If you need to contact me, please feel free to do so @ tsearcy@lssu.edu

You stay classy, Planet Earth :)

~Dark Paladin~