CARD OF THE DAY Week 2: Monarchs

[New Era Outlaw]

So, howdy ho, nature fans, and welcome to "Monarch Week" here on Duelist Central's 'CARD OF THE DAY segment.
This week, I'm going to look at a group of cards that are really creating quite a stir in the game as of late- the Monarchs.
Ah, yes. The 1 Tribute, Grade A bastards that are just taking the dueling world by storm.
As each day goes by this week, I'm going to review a different Monarch, from the least powerful to the king of the heap.

So...let's kick things off, shall we?


TODAY'S CARD:
GRANMARG THE ROCK MONARCH




Card Breakdown:

EARTH/6 stars/Rock/Effect Monster/2400 ATK/1000 DEF
Card Number: FET-EN009
Effect: When this card is Tribute Summoned successfully, destroy 1 face-down card on the field.

Review

So, today, we look at our first Monarch, representing team EARTH, Granmarg the Rock Monarch.
A tribute monster, Granmarg boasts a respectable 2400 ATK (virtually the standard for 5/6 star monster cards set by Jinzo).
However, while th ATK is decent, the effect is what really comes into consideration for this card here. When you bring him out via a Tribute Summon, you'll get to nuke a face-down card on the field, which means that that Mirror Force or Sakuretsu Armor that your opponent was banking on to save him just went bye-bye. The same goes for face-down monster cards, as well, which is pretty nice.

Long story short, Granmarg, like all of his Monarch brethren, specialises in removing threats- in his case, his forte is nuking face-down cards before they become a problem.

So, 2400 ATK and a threat removal effect? What could be possibly be the downside to using such a card?

Well, to be perfectly honest, there are a few.

First of all, Granmarg's effect isn't optional- it's mandatory. So, if you have the ill fortune of having a face-down card on the field while your opponent has none when you summon Granmarg, guess what? Yup, Granmarg nukes it, no questions asked. Secondly, there's the little matter of the card actually having to be face down when Granmarg targets it-which means that if your opponent chains to the effect and finds some way to turn his target face-up, it won't get destroyed. Sucks, I know. And, finally, Granmarg's effect compared to the other Monarchs isn't all that great, when you think about it. Zaborg and Mobius kills things, no questions asked, and, now that we have Raiza, we have a card that can remove a threat AND screw your opponent out of a draw phase.

With that said, Granmarg has potential, but pales in comparison to his fellow Monarchs. The fact that you may or may not destroy something instead of outright killing it isn't something most duelists really like. If you want some proof in the pudding, walk up to duelists like Akil and Aaron Byron and ask them what they think about Snipe Hunter. Nuff said.

Rating:

Traditional: 1.5 (Poor)

It's not LIGHT, can't nuke commonly played cards like Mirage of Nightmare and Imperial Order, and is virtually outclassed by the likes of Raigeki, Harpie's Feather Duster, Dark Hole, the two Envoys and- aw hell. Just don't bother and run Zaborg instead.

Advanced: 3 (Average)

The best way to describe Granmarg here is that of an average Joe that has some potential- and promptly gets kicked in the face by his bigger brothers Zaborg and Mobius, with cousin Raiza giving him atomic wedgies. Serious douchebaggery going on there, I know, but when you think about it, it's an accurate description of just how much Granmarg is outclassed by his fellow Monarchs. I'd sooner splash Mobius than him, because, not only do you get a sure fire effect that you can choose not to go off, but it gets rid of a lot more than Granmarg. Granmarg has potential, though...but it's just not enough to run him over the others. Sorry. 

Monarch Deck Rating

Traditional: 1.5 (Traditional is a virtual quick draw of who can draw the most broken cards first. Chances are, you definitely WON'T run a card that is ruled over by mass destroyers five times over. Mobius, maybe, and Zaborg because he's a LIGHT, but Granmarg? Come on....)
Advanced 4 (Rated a little bit higher here since it's nice to have an extra Zaborg or Raiza here, and the deck is geared towards bringing him out a lot easier.)

Tips

-Treeborn Frog, Brain Control and Soul Exchange are your friends. I really don't need to say that much more than that, do I?

-Be warned that Granmarg nukes one of YOUR face-down cards if your opponent has none. Therefore, don't bring him out in a situation like that.

-Don't be a coward with this card. Monarchs are meant to cut away through defenses and attack, so get out there and ATTACK! Even if you run into a stray Sakuretsu Armor or Mirror Force in doing so, remember that it's better to force your opponent's cards out early on in the game that have it stare you in the face when even a mere sneeze can mean the difference between winning and losing.

Recommended for:

- Monarch Decks
- EARTH Decks

Not Recommended for:

- Exodia
- Burn
- Destiny Hero
- Demise OTK
- Sky Scourge

[New Era Outlaw]

Continuing in the grand scheme of things in 'Monarch Week' here on 'CARD OF THE DAY', let's take a swing at yet another Monarch, the king with the foot long 'fro:

CARD OF THE DAY:
ZABORG THE THUNDER MONARCH





Card Breakdown:

LIGHT/6 Stars/Thunder/Effect Monster/2400 ATK/1000 DEF
Card Number: TP6-EN006
Effect: When this card is Tribute Summoned successfully, destroy one monster on the field.


Review

So, today, we're looking at yet another Monarch, namely, Zaborg the hunder Monarch (I wonder where they come up with these names? Hmm.....)
Anyhoo, Zaborg's effect is simple enough for anybody to understand. You Tribute for him, and he blows a monster of the field to Kingdom Come. Short, sweet, and to the point. That's his effect in a nutshell, and it's a very good one, to boot. Monster clearance without any real drawbacks to it are welcome in the game, so, if a big monster (or a very troublesome one, at least) is staring you in the face, just bring out Zaborg and BAM. No more problem. On top of that, 2400 ATK, the standard fare for all Monarchs (and Jinzo), is nothing to sneeze at.....it only takes about 3 direct attacks from a Monarch to put your opponent in some severely hot water.

Are there any problems with this card? I mean, he blows up a monster, he's pretty strong, there shouldn't be a problem, right?

Oh, but there is.

You see, Zaborg, like Granmarg, possesses the 'if you don't give me something to blow up, I'mma gonna blow up on o' yers!!' syndrome.
If Zaborg is Tribute Summoned, you have to destroy a monster. You have no choice, you've got to. So, if your opponent has nothing and you offered up your only monster to summon Zaborg, guess what? He blows up himself! Likewise, he'll take one of your own down if you have monsters up the ying-yang, but your opponent has none. I can't recall just how many times I've seen people being forced to summon a Zaborg face-down because there's nothing but him to blow up on the field, and both players are topdecking for their lives.

With that said, 2400 ATK is impressive, but 1000 DEF is not. Book of Moon will sour up your day if you try to go head on with a rival Monarch. And that's when cousin Raiza will jump in and give it an atomic wedgie. Yes, he's a bit of a jerk.

So, Zaborg is a pretty good card, there's no doubts about that. In a Monarch deck, he's practically a staple, just because no monster (stand a few, such as Venominaga,) can look him square in the eyes and say, 'SCREW YOU!' without getting hit by a bolt of lightning. Just be careful how you use him, though.

Rating:

Traditional: 3.5 (Above Average)

Believe it or not, Zaborg does have some potential here. He's a LIGHT, can zap anything (including an Envoy) clear off of the field, and he's 2400 ATK. Nowhere near being as powerful as 3000 like the Envoys here, but he gives a bit of presence here, and that accounts for something.

Advanced: 4 (Good)

Zaborg is one of the reasons why Monarchs are running the game. Tag teamed with Raiza in a deck chock full of them, I'd be damn surprised if an opponent could summon safely ever again with them in reserve. Better side deck some 'Pulling the Rugs' against them, if you know what's good for you.

Monarch Deck Rating:

Traditional: 4.0 (Chaos food and a staple for this deck, although I'd really advise running anything but Chaos here.)
Advanced: 4.5 (Godly in his own deck. His rating drops a bit, because of Raiza's own effect.)


If you want my best advice for this card, see what I've recommended for Granmarg,since they both share similar traits. Just swap out the word 'EARTH' for 'LIGHT' and call it George.

[New Era Outlaw]

Whew. Sorry for missing yesterday's 'CARD OF THE DAY', but I was insanely busy at work yesterday, and I didn't even have time to think. So, to make up for it, you'll get not one, but two cards today. Whoo! 

Such fun.

So, without further ado:

CARDS OF THE DAY:
- THESTALOS THE FIRESTORM MONARCH
- RAIZA THE STORM MONARCH




Card Breakdown

Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch

FIRE/6 Stars/Pyro/Effect Monster/2400 ATK/1000 DEF
Card Number: SD3-EN011
Game Code: 26205777
Effect: When this card is Tribute Summoned successfully, randomly discard 1 card from your opponent's hand to the Graveyard. If the discarded card was a Monster Card, inflict damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the level of the Monster x 100 points.

Raiza the Storm Monarch

WIND/6 Stars/Winged Beast/Effect Monster/2400 ATK/1000 DEF
Card Number: FOTB-EN026
Game Code: 73125233
Effect: When this card is Tribute Summoned successfully, return one card on the field to the top of its owner's deck.

Review

So, since I'm pulling double duty today, I'm going to be brief about both cards.

First off, playing for the 'Flaming Pyros', we have Thestalos, the Firestorm Monarch.
Like his Monarch brethren, he is capable of costing your opponent at least one card, once he appears.
Unlike his fellow Monarchs, though, instead of tackling what's on the field, he goes right for your opponent's hand, discarding a single card there, and, quite possibly, removing something that could have been a problem during your opponent's next turn.

Such an effect is always a good thing, since the less options your opponent has available to him, the weaker his chances for winning are. On top of that, Thestalos comes with an additional side effect- if the card he manages to yank out happens to be a monster, he does what he does best and burns your opponent. Chances are, you'd get off between 300-600 damage with this effect alone. Not really much to talk about, but it's a nifty little bonus, considering the first part of the effect.

Thestalos is considered to be one of the the three best Monarchs in the game. The ability to wreck an opponent's strategy before it becomes a problem is always a good thing, and a 2400 ATK presence on the field is nothing to sneeze at, either. Just be wary of Dark World, because they laugh and then some at this card.


Next, we have the newest addition to the Monarch family, Raiza the Storm Monarch, quite possibly the second best Monarch we have right now.

At face value, his effect doesn't seem all that great. Instead of outright destroying a card on the field or wasting a card from your opponent's hand, Raiza simply bounces 1 card from either player's side of the field back to the top of their deck. So, given that, why is he considered to be the 2nd best Monarch in the game?

It's simple. Raiza, in fact, does take something away from your opponent- his Draw Phase. That card you've bounced back to the top of his deck not only removes a resource, but prevents a new card from being drawn for the next turn. Staring down a Jinzo or a fellow Monarch is virtually nothing now, because you can simply blow them back to the top of your opponent's deck, and have them draw that same card again. Also, heaven forbid if this is late in the game and both players are topdecking their a**es off, because Raiza notoriously SCREWS with topdecking people. That Mirror Force or Sakuretsu Armor that could have saved your opponent's life just got set back a turn, and, by the time your opponent puts it back on the field, I'm very sure you can prepare for it.

Take note that Raiza can also work for you, as well. That Premature Burial or Call of the Haunted that has been sticking your Treeborn Frog for a while can be bounced back on top of your own deck, clearing the way and allowing a second use of that card, come your next turn. However, be warned that if Raiza's the only card on the field when you summon him, he'll bounce himself back on top of your deck, so be careful.


So, Thestalos and Raiza? Staples for a Monarch deck. I consider Raiza to be particulrly powerful because of his ability to nerf critical draws. As for Thestalos, he is best friends with Soul Exchange, no doubt, and he does stop some strategies dead in its tracks. I would not, however, run him against Dark World. In other decks, though, I'd advise that you choose the next card of the day over them, because he's that good.


Ratings

Traditional: 1.5 (Poor)

Neither is LIGHT or DARK, and, while they do come with useful effects, we still have Delinquent Duo and Yata-Garasu in this format, which does a much better job in both aspects, and don't require constant sacking. So....no.

Advanced 4 (Good)

Both cards are immensely powerful in this format, especially in a 12-gauge Monarch deck. Raiza screws over defenses and draws, Thestalos screws with a player's hand and life points. What's not to like?


Recommended for:

- Monarch Decks
- FIRE Decks (Thestalos)
- Burn (Thestalos)
- Harpie Lady Decks (Raiza)
- Bounce Decks (Raiza)

NOT Recommended for:

- Exodia
- Stall

[New Era Outlaw]

It's Friday! And you know what that means!!


....that tomorrow's Saturday. Duh.

It also means that we've reached our last card for 'Monarch Week' here on 'CARD OF THE DAY'.
Today's card is, quite undoubtably, one of the best cards in the game, as well as the most versatile of all of the Monarchs.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give  to you:

TODAY'S CARD:
MOBIUS THE FROST MONARCH




Card Breakdown

WATER/6 Stars/Aqua/Effect Monster/2400 ATK/1000 DEF

Card Number: SOD-EN022
Game Code: 04929256
Effect: When this card is Tribute Summoned successfully, you can destroy up to 2 Spell or Trap cards on the field.

Review

So, here we have Mobius, quite possibly one of the most powerful Monarchs in the game, a touch above Raiza.
The effect of this card is pretty simple- summon him, and blast up to two Spell or Trap cards on the field.
And, it's pretty much a given that your opponent will have at least 1 or 2 Traps in his defense out on the field, so, like IHOP pancakes, anytime's a good time for Mobius.

On top of that, Mobius' effect is amazingly versatile, in that, you can select 2 cards, 1 card or even no cards at all to destroy on the field, which makes Mobius reign king over the other Monarchs because you don't have to destroy something if you don't want to. And, can't say this enough, but 2400 is powerful, and perfect for beating down opponents to a bloody pulp once you've cleared their defenses.

But what really makes Mobius the best Monarch out of the batch is that, unlike the other Monarchs, he's extremely splashable. He's not restricted to being just in a Monarch deck. Virtually everyone can benefit from Spell/Trap destruction, and, in my opinion, any deck that focuses on beating down opponents with as little hassle as possible should have at least 1 more card besides Heavy Storm and MST to tear down defenses. With 2400 ATK and the ability to double MST's effect over, Mobius is a very ideal choice.

Ratings

Traditional 2 (Not bad, but...)

We still have Harpie's Feather Duster and Breaker here. True, Breaker gets rid of less than Mobius, but, the key difference here is that Breaker's Chaos fodder, and Mobius is not. [/b]

Advanced 5 (Excellent)

A very versatile card with virtually no drawbacks to the effect, and a viable choice for Spell/Trap destruction. Definitely a staple in a Monarch deck, at least.


Recommended for:

- Monarchs (DUH)
- Legendary Ocean Decks (Huge support and powered up by ALO)
- Any deck that needs additional Spell/Trap destruction

NOT Recommended for:

- Burn
- Exodia