Ok, Armityle might have been included with a little tongue in cheek factor, but honestly The Sacred Beasts really get no love. Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder might be garnering a little more attention these days because of his synergy with the Crystal Beasts, but in general the Sacred Beasts have been largely ignored. Originally viewed as the playable "God Cards" (at least in theory), they failed to capture any semblence of the original 3 Legendary cards (though to be honest, the effects the God Cards were given in the various video games were anything but gamebreaking). Enter this special 3-Pack review.
Dark Dreadroute
Dark/Fiend/10/4000/4000
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set except by Tributing 3 monsters. While this card remains face-up on the field, halve the ATK and DEF of all other monsters on the field.
Dark Avatar
Dark/Fiend/10/?/?
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set except by Tributing 3 monsters. When this card is Normal Summoned, your opponent cannot activate any Spell or Trap Cards for 2 of their turns. The ATK and DEF of this monster becomes the ATK of the highest face-up monster on the field excluding "Dark Avatar" plus 100.
Dark Eraser
Dark/Fiend/10/?/?
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set except by Tributing 3 monsters. The ATK and DEF of this card becomes the number of cards on your opponent's side of the field * 1000. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, destroy all cards on the field. You can choose to destroy this face-up card on your side of the field.
Where From: V-Jump Magazine Promos
Likely TCG Appearance: Shonen Jump Magazine
Now these 3 far represent the power of the God Cards far better than the Sacred Beasts ever could.
Dark Dreadroute represents Obelisk the Tormentor
Dark Avatar represents The Winged Dragon of Ra
Dark Eraser represents Slifer, The Sky Dragon
However, each of the Dark Gods have their own unique and powerful effects. With a 4000 ATK, Dark Dreadroute would easily overpower most every other monster in the game. Add in its ability to halve the ATK and DEF strength of all other monsters pretty much ensures that it will take down anything else in battle. Dark Avatar offers control measures by shutting down your opponent's S/T cards for 2 turns. Further, it too will usually be the strongest monster on the field as well. Dark Eraser becomes stronger with each additional card on your opponent's side of the field. Plus it can blow away all cards on the field.
On the downside though, each of the Dark Gods share the same 2 drawbacks: 1) They cannot be Special Summoned and 2) You need 3 Tributes. Because their summon is a Normal/Tribute Summon, you cannot take advantage of cards like Scapegoat or Normal Summon the 3rd monster you need and then Special Summon one of these like you could for Destiny Hero - Plasma (or Dogma). However they all are 10 Star Monsters so Metamorphosis into Cyber End Dragon is always an option too (though really, Koitsu is far easier to use).
Rumor has circulated that these cards will be available as Shonen Jump promos during the end of 07 / start of 08 issues of the magazine (though to be honest I'm more inclined to think that those rumors were more referring to the upcoming Limited Edition cards that we are getting, but we'll know definitely soon enough). Like Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, these monsters appear in the Yu-Gi-Oh! R Story arc, so there is optimism that Shonen Jump will finally bring that story over and the cards with them. Regardless, these 3 Monsters can finally give players a better (and legal) taste of what it would be like to run the God cards.
2 out of 5 in a competitive setting. The effects are very good and esp. Dark Avatar looks like it would be able to stick around on the field for awhile. However, the 3 tribute cost really is hard to overlook.
4 out of 5 on general principal though. As I've been told, Yu-Gi-Oh! is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than bringing out any of these Juggernauts? (Destiny Hero - Plasma, but that's besides the point.) Further considering that Fiend Themed-Decks have a cult following (pun not intended), the Dark Gods will be a very warm welcome to these players.
Dark Dreadroute
Dark/Fiend/10/4000/4000
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set except by Tributing 3 monsters. While this card remains face-up on the field, halve the ATK and DEF of all other monsters on the field.
Dark Avatar
Dark/Fiend/10/?/?
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set except by Tributing 3 monsters. When this card is Normal Summoned, your opponent cannot activate any Spell or Trap Cards for 2 of their turns. The ATK and DEF of this monster becomes the ATK of the highest face-up monster on the field excluding "Dark Avatar" plus 100.
Dark Eraser
Dark/Fiend/10/?/?
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set except by Tributing 3 monsters. The ATK and DEF of this card becomes the number of cards on your opponent's side of the field * 1000. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, destroy all cards on the field. You can choose to destroy this face-up card on your side of the field.
Where From: V-Jump Magazine Promos
Likely TCG Appearance: Shonen Jump Magazine
Now these 3 far represent the power of the God Cards far better than the Sacred Beasts ever could.
Dark Dreadroute represents Obelisk the Tormentor
Dark Avatar represents The Winged Dragon of Ra
Dark Eraser represents Slifer, The Sky Dragon
However, each of the Dark Gods have their own unique and powerful effects. With a 4000 ATK, Dark Dreadroute would easily overpower most every other monster in the game. Add in its ability to halve the ATK and DEF strength of all other monsters pretty much ensures that it will take down anything else in battle. Dark Avatar offers control measures by shutting down your opponent's S/T cards for 2 turns. Further, it too will usually be the strongest monster on the field as well. Dark Eraser becomes stronger with each additional card on your opponent's side of the field. Plus it can blow away all cards on the field.
On the downside though, each of the Dark Gods share the same 2 drawbacks: 1) They cannot be Special Summoned and 2) You need 3 Tributes. Because their summon is a Normal/Tribute Summon, you cannot take advantage of cards like Scapegoat or Normal Summon the 3rd monster you need and then Special Summon one of these like you could for Destiny Hero - Plasma (or Dogma). However they all are 10 Star Monsters so Metamorphosis into Cyber End Dragon is always an option too (though really, Koitsu is far easier to use).
Rumor has circulated that these cards will be available as Shonen Jump promos during the end of 07 / start of 08 issues of the magazine (though to be honest I'm more inclined to think that those rumors were more referring to the upcoming Limited Edition cards that we are getting, but we'll know definitely soon enough). Like Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, these monsters appear in the Yu-Gi-Oh! R Story arc, so there is optimism that Shonen Jump will finally bring that story over and the cards with them. Regardless, these 3 Monsters can finally give players a better (and legal) taste of what it would be like to run the God cards.
2 out of 5 in a competitive setting. The effects are very good and esp. Dark Avatar looks like it would be able to stick around on the field for awhile. However, the 3 tribute cost really is hard to overlook.
4 out of 5 on general principal though. As I've been told, Yu-Gi-Oh! is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than bringing out any of these Juggernauts? (Destiny Hero - Plasma, but that's besides the point.) Further considering that Fiend Themed-Decks have a cult following (pun not intended), the Dark Gods will be a very warm welcome to these players.
