When “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness” was first released, many Duelists saw it as the ultimate defense. When a Duelist had no cards on the field and took damage from an attack, Gorz would step in and Summon an “Emissary of Darkness Token” to defend the Duelist from more attacks. Almost a year later, Duelists started using “Tragoedia” with the same purpose. “Tragoedia” doesn’t Special Summon an additional token, but it’s easier to Summon than Gorz. A Duelist can Special Summon “Tragoedia” from his hand whenever he takes Battle Damage, even if he has cards on the field. Then, “Tragoedia” can defend the Duelist from other attacks that the opponent might be planning.
Starting March 1st, Gorz and “Tragoedia” are both Limited cards and Duelists are looking for new ways to protect themselves. Fortunately, Absolute Powerforce gives us a monster that puts up an even better defense than Gorz and “Tragoedia.” That monster is “Battle Fader.”
“Battle Fader” may not have the high ATK that Gorz and “Tragoedia” are famous for, but when it comes to putting up a defense, “Battle Fader” is the clear winner. Unlike Gorz and “Tragoedia,” “Battle Fader” doesn’t force you to take damage before you can Special Summon it to save you. Whenever you’re attacked directly, you can Special Summon “Battle Fader” and end your opponent’s Battle Phase, before you lose a single Life Point! This pretty much guarantees that you won’t lose the game in your opponent’s Battle Phase, as long as “Battle Fader” is in your hand and you control no monsters.
Neither Gorz nor “Tragoedia” can offer this much protection. It’s even more important late in the game. When your Life Points are low and you can’t afford to take any damage, you might not even be able to Summon Gorz or “Tragoedia.” “Battle Fader,” on the other hand, will protect you from a direct attack even if you’re down to your last few Life Points.
Unlike Gorz, “Battle Fader” doesn’t mind if you have Spell and Trap Cards on the field. While a face-down “Solemn Judgment” or a copy of “Icarus Attack” that you can’t activate will make it impossible for you to Special Summon Gorz from your hand, “Battle Fader” won’t let you get locked down by your own face-down Traps. Even if your entire Spell and Trap Zone is filled up with cards you can’t activate, you’ll be able to Special Summon “Battle Fader” to stop an opponent’s direct attack.
It’s Hard to Stop!
Sometimes, even having Gorz or “Tragoedia” in your hand isn’t a strong enough defense to protect you from your opponent’s cards. If your opponent has a big enough swarm of monsters, he can attack over Gorz or “Tragoedia” and finish you off with some direct attacks. He can also discard “Honest” or “Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow” from his hand to increase the amount of damage he deals during a turn that Gorz or “Tragoedia” is Special Summoned. However, Special Summoning “Battle Fader” from your hand won’t give your opponent the opportunity to battle at all.
Many Duelists have been adding “Enemy Controller” to their Decks to Tribute a monster and get an opponent’s Gorz or “Tragoedia” out of the way during the Battle Phase. Then, they can finish off their opponent as planned. But “Enemy Controller” can’t stop “Battle Fader” from protecting you. Since “Battle Fader” ends the Battle Phase when it’s Special Summoned, nothing your opponent does to it will change the fact that he can’t attack. Whether he steals it with “Enemy Controller” or turns it face-down with “Book of Moon,” your opponent still won’t be able to attack you. Since the effect of “Battle Fader” activates and resolves in your hand, “Skill Drain” and “Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror” can’t negate it either!
“Battle Fader” is a powerful card that can protect a Duelist using any Deck. But “Battle Fader” has other uses too! Once it hits the field, it can set up some big plays for your next turn, changing it from a defensive card to an offensive one. In my next article, I’ll discuss the Decks that can make the best use of “Battle Fader.”
