Dark Armed Dragon (PTDN-EN019)

Card:  PTDN-EN019
Card Name:  Dark Armed Dragon
Attribute:  Dark
Level/Rank:  7
Type:  Dragon/Effect
ATK:  2800
DEF:  1000

Card Text:
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.

Personal Comment:

Dark Armed Dragon has been a destructive force the moment he was released and one of the most sought after in the Yugioh card game.  For many duelists, Dark Armed Dragon is the weapon of choice for two specific reasons...easy to summon and the effect is one of the best available.  For all the damage this card dishes out, it is a relatively easy monster to play.  The summoning requirement of "exactly 3 DARK monsters in your Graveyard" will be more manageable if you have cards like Plaguespreader Zombie or Prometheus, King Of The Shadows that can manipulate the number of Dark Monsters in your Graveyard.  It only becomes difficult if you draw Dark Armed Dragon late in the game when the Graveyard might be full of Dark Monsters.  In such a situation, having a monster like Rainbow Dark Dragon in your hand will greatly increase your chance of winning and flushing out your Graveyard for a reset.  Once summoned, you can remove from play 1 Dark Monster (which you have 3 in your Graveyard) to activate his effect.  Why is this effect more useful than most?  It is because you can activate the effect multiple times during the same turn.  That is the epitome of destruction.  In addition, you can select ANY card on the field to destroy.  Your opponent's monster, trap, spell, or even one of your own card are all at your disposal.  This kind of flexibility lets you dictate the pace of the game on both sides of the field and allows a possible direct attack to their life points.  A definite Top 10 monster on anybody's list.  It is on mine.

Rulings For This Card:
- This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set.
- This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard.
- Removing from play 1 DARK monster is a cost to activate the effect which destroys a card on the field.
- The effect targets 1 card on the field.
- You can activate the effect which destroys a card on the field multiple times during the same turn.

Personal Rating:
Artwork - 9/10
Power - 9/10
Easy To Play - 8/10
Collectable - 9/10
Overall Score - 8.75/10

Black Rose Dragon (CSOC-EN039)

Card:  CSOC-EN039
Card Name:  Black Rose Dragon
Attribute:  Fire
Level/Rank:  7
Type:  Dragon/Synchro/Effect
ATK:  2400
DEF:  1800

Card Text:
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can destroy all cards on the field.  Once per turn, you can remove from play 1 Plant-Type monster from your Graveyard to change 1 monster your opponent controls to face-up Attack Position, and reduce its ATK to 0 until the End Phase.

Personal Comment:
Due to the non-restriction on the Synchro Summoning requirement (no specification of a plant monster), it isn't mandatory that you play Black Rose Dragon in a plant deck.  The ability to easily bring this dragon out and utilize the first part of the card's effect is a game changer when you are being overwhelmed by your opponent.  Once Synchro Summoned you get to clear the entire field of all cards.  But there's a catch.  If you decide to activate this effect Black Rose Dragon is also destroyed in the process (notice how the card text says "destroy all cards on the field").  That one downside shouldn't take away from how important this effect is when a duel isn't going in your favor.  While it isn't imperative to run Black Rose Dragon in a plant deck exclusively, having some plant monsters in the Graveyard to activate the second part of the effect would be a huge added bonus.  Simply put, some of the most powerful monsters in the game don't stand a change once they are switched to attack position and their ATK is reduced to 0.  So where does the full force of the 2400 attack go once you destroy their monster?  Yep, directly against your opponent's life points.  Easy to summon, capable of being played in most decks, game changing first effect, game changing second effect...what else do you expect from one of the best Synchro Monster card available?

Just to clarify.  It isn't madatory to use Black Rose Dragon in a plant deck...but it is mandatory to have Black Rose Dragon in any plant deck.  Understand the difference and you will understand how powerful this card can be.

Personal Rating:
Artwork - 8/10
Power - 8/10
Easy To Play - 8/10
Collectable - 8/10
Overall Score - 8/10

Gungnir, Dragon Of The Ice Barrier (HA03-EN030)

Card:  HA03-EN030
Card Name:  Gungnir, Dragon Of The Ice Barrier
Attribute:  Water
Level/Rank:  7
Type:  Dragon/Synchro/Effect
ATK:  2500
DEF:  1700

Card Text:
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner WATER monsters
Once per turn, you can discard up to 2 cards to the Graveyard to select the same number of cards your opponent controls.  Destroy the selected cards.

Personal Comment:
Gungnir is a great "Ice Barrier" card but still comes up short when compared to Trishula or Brionac due to one simple requirement.  In order to Synchro Summon this card easily your deck has to be built around WATER monsters (there aren't many great WATER monsters to choose from).  Otherwise, getting Gungnir onto the playing field can be a real chore if you only have a few WATER monsters in your deck.  However, once in play, this card's effect is one of the best in the game.  The ability to destroy 2 of your opponent's card (by discarding 2 of your own cards) per turn is a game changer.  Let me emphasize "PER TURN".  If your opponent isn't able to remove Gungnir from play quickly it will only get worse for them as the duel goes on.  So if you are looking to test your dueling skills, try building a WATER deck around this card.  If you're successful it will be a deck that can compete against some of the best.  But it isn't for the novice.

In addition to the "Ice Barrier" support cards, here are some WATER cards to consider:
Blizzard Dragon (Lv 4, 1800 ATK, 1000 DEF)
Dragon Ice (Lv 5, 1800 ATK, 2200 DEF)
Hydrogeddon (Lv 4, 1600 ATK, 1000 DEF)

Personal Rating:
Artwork - 7/10
Power - 8/10
Easy To Play - 6/10
Collectable - 7/10
Overall Score - 7/10

Garlandolf, King Of Destruction (ABPF-EN039)

Card:  ABPF-EN039
Card Name:  Garlandolf, King Of Destruction
Attribute:  Dark
Level/Rank:  7
Type:  Fiend/Ritual/Effect
ATK:  2500
DEF:  1400

Card Text:
This card can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card, "Ritual of Destruction".  When this card is Ritual Summoned, destroy all other face-up monsters on the field with DEF less than or equal to this card's ATK.  This card gains 100 ATK for each monster destroyed by this effect.

Personal Comment:
Right now one of the toughest decks to duel against are the ones with swarming capabilities.  They bring out lots of monsters onto the playing field and try to overwhelm you.  The weakness is that most of these swarming monsters are middle to lower tier (not very strong stats).  This is when Garlandolf is at his most destructive.  When played against a swarming deck the 2500 ATK will pretty much guarantee that you will destroy most (if not all) the swarming cards.  Not only do you have a chance to clear the field, but in doing so you can gain more ATK for a direct attack at your opponent's Lifepoints.  A fantastic card to have in any dueling deck.

Personal Rating:
Artwork - 10/10
Power - 8/10
Easy To Play - 8/10
Collectable - 7/10
Overall Score - 8.25/10

Barrel Dragon (MC1-EN002)

Card:  MC1-EN002
Card Name:  Barrel Dragon
Attribute:  Dark
Level/Rank:  7
Type:  Machine/Effect
ATK:  2600
DEF:  2200

Card Text:
Toss a coin 3 times.  If 2 out of 3 results are Heads, destroy 1 monster on your opponent's side of the field.  This effect can only be used once per turn during your Main Phase.

Personal Comment:
When this card first came out it was a menace to everybody.  Along with Blowback Dragon, they were destroying opponent monsters left and right.  Both are pretty much the same card.  Barrel Dragon has better ATK and DEF but Blowback Dragon gives you a better chance at destroying your opponent's monster card.  So if you are playing this card make sure you include Blowback Dragon.  Why?  Because it will then let you Fusion Summon Gatling Dragon.  That's another level of destruction.

Personal Rating:
Artwork - 8/10
Power - 8/10
Easy To Play - 7/10
Collectable - 8/10
Overall Score - 7.75/10

Dark Strike Fighter (CRMS-EN040)

Card:  CRMS-EN040
Card Name:  Dark Strike Fighter
Attribute:  Dark
Level/Rank:  7
Type:  Machine/Synchro/Effect
ATK:  2600
DEF:  1800

Card Text:
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can Tribute 1 monster to inflict damage to your opponent equal to its Level x 200.

Personal Comment:
One of the most powerful Synchro card available.  It's a shame (or not) that it will never get off the banned list.  Just by tributing Dark Strike Fighter you can get a 4000 hit to your opponent's life point...(ATK 2600) + (Level 7*200) = 2600 + 1400 = 4000.  If you have two Dark Strike Fighter in play the duel is all but done.  Although it's one of my favorite cards, I'm happy that they put him on the banned list.  A card this powerful with the ability to end a duel (even if you are significantly losing) takes away from the strategies and skills that are needed to win.

Rulings For This Card:
- Damage is based on the monster's level while it was on the field, not it's level in the Graveyard or removed zone.
- If you tribute a face-down monster, compute the damage based on the monster's original level printed on the card.
- Tributing a monster is a cost.

Personal Rating:
Artwork - 8/10
Power - 8/10
Easy To Play - 8/10
Collectable - 6/10
Overall Score - 7.5/10