Article #80: Rise and Shine

Wow, it seems like it had been forever since I actually sit down and have time to write a new article. I must apologize right now for anyone that used to follow my site but not anymore due to the lack of any updates. Oh well, too much stuff going on in my life.

Since I have like 5 articles to catch up, I may as well write the first one on the latest set, Shining Darkness.

Card Trends and theme:
There are not really a single theme in this set. On the other hand, this set does contained 37 different anime cards out of the allotted 80. Otherwise, the set does contain support cards for Duel Termainl themes, specifically AOJ, Ice Barrier, and Worm monsters. As for existing themes from previous set, Black Feather, Deformer, Batteryman, Core Chimail, and Gaeru all get new monsters, Infernity gets a big boost, and there are a lot of Thunder type support. At last, as usual of the 8th set, there are a lot of "Meta card" and Light Attribute related cards.

Deck Types:
Here are some of the new deck types that I think people could create after this set, competitive or not.
- EleCTrIcK
- Chaos Goddess

For deck types that get boosts:
- Black Feather
- Infernity
- Plant
- Thunder/Batteryman
- Machine (??)
- Gaeru
- Angel type
- AOJ
- Ice Barrier
- Worm/Reptile

Useful cards :
As usual, I will write down a list of cards that I think that can help some deck. Of course, some of the cards on this list may be limited to be good in one or two deck. In addition, I would not say I make the best judgment when looking at cards on paper without much playtesting done at all.

- Black Feather - Gust of Against Wind
- Black Feather - Breeze of Gentle Wind
- Dread Dragon
- Trust Guardian
- Infernity Mirage
- Infernity Revenger
- Deformer Cleanen
- Rose Bird
- Spore
- Bio-Falcon
- Petit Tomaboo
- Magidog
- Elekirin
- Elekitsune
- Core Chimail Sandman
- Trigon
- Ikikaeru
- Batteryman - AAA
- Darkness Hunter
- Perfect Declarer
- Blackfeather Dragon
- Demon Chaos King (ehh...at least useful?)
- Infernity Death Dragon (situational, I know...)
- Splendid Rose (splendid attacking effect...although 2200 also low attack to begin with)
- Black Feather Treasure (now THEY got their own draw, at least they somehow balance it a little bit)
- Zero-Max (mass destruction #1)
- Infernity Gun (seriously, Infernity OTK)
- Jamming Wave (hose card #1)
- Pyramid of Miracle (good effect, although not really un-deadly...and there is [Tribe United[)
- Spring of Sky
- Dragon Laser (not good card, situational, but mass destruction #2)
- Worm Call
- Steel Core Initialization (Core Chimail theme still sucks, but this is actually need and at least this helps)
- Graveyard Seal (hose card #2)
- Black Feather - Backflash (mass destruction #3)
- Infernity Reflector (?)
- Damage Gate (Graveyard Damage Condenser)
- Infernity Inferno
- Barrier of Core Chimail (mass destruction #4)

Now, of course, my choice of worst card in the set...and it is?

Chaos Hole - It is not completely useless, it is the crazy life point cost. Most of the time, [Bottomless Pit Trap] does the same job (of course, negating is better than summoning, but one is free the other is not). It may be useful with Declaration restricted, but limited to Light/Dark attribute does not help either.

Last word: this set is really, to me, Infernity and a lot of "hosers" plus mass destruction cards (or destruction card). Konami seems to be running out of idea of support cards of theme, and themes kind of lost their own theme, literally.

So, there it is, another short first from-brain impression article from Baron.

Coming next, maybe tomorrow or in few days? 3/1/2010 Ban List article, Fortune Lady still not done...plus wanting to talk about other stuff....my super super late year in review article....AHHHHHH

- Baron, 2/25/2010

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