Black Luster Soldier - Envoy Of The Beginning (IOC-025)

Card:  IOC-025
Card Name:  Black Luster Soldier - Envoy Of The Beginning
Attribute:  Light
Level/Rank:  8
Type:  Warrior/Effect
ATK:  3000
DEF:  2500

Card Text:
This card can only be Special Summoned by removing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster in your Graveyard from play.  Once during each of your turns, you can select and activate 1 of the following effects:
* Remove 1 monster on the field from play.  If you activate this effect, this card cannot attack during this turn.
* If this card destroyed your opponent's monster as a result of battle, it can attack once again in a row.

Personal Comment:
Not only is this card one of the most powerful, but it is also one of the easiest to special summon onto the playing field.  The effects are devastating in a duel and can lead to an easy victory.  Since being removed from the banned list, this is one of the most sought after cards out there.  Right now Black Luster Soldier - Envoy Of The Beginning is the best possible card to build a dueling deck around in the Advanced Dueling Format (The Traditional Dueling Format is still ruled by Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy Of The End).  Sure there are more powerful cards (which is questionable) such as Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare or Obelisk The Tormentor.  However, when dueling it is all about getting your best monster out before your opponent does.  There is no card easier to bring out with 3000 ATK and game changing effects like Black Luster Soldier - Envoy Of The Beginning.  On top of that, building a Dark/Light deck to support this card is one of the most flexible options out there.  The combinations are nearly endless with all the great Dark and Light monster cards.  So if you decide to duel in a tournament I highly recommend making this card your focal point.  Looking for more destruction and power?  Add in Honest and Dark Armed Dragon (both of which compliments a BLS deck perfectly) for some serious back-up.  If you decide not to use Black Luster Soldier - Envoy Of The Beginning, be prepared to go up against him because everybody else will be.

Rulings For This Card:
- This card is treated as a different card from "Black Luster Soldier".
- It can remove itself using its first effect.
- The first effect can be used during your main phase 1 or 2.
- The second effect can be activated during the damage step in your battle phase and can be chained.
- When a card is removed from play by the first effect, it is removed face-up.
- The second attack must come consecutively after the first attack (another monster's attack can't come in between).

Personal Rating:
Artwork - 10/10
Power - 9/10 (if he was 10/10 he would still be on the banned list)
Easy To Play - 10/10
Collectable - 10/10
Overall Score - 9.75/10