Apr 9, 2011
The 2011 Duelist Pack Collection Tin was released on Tuesday, meeting with great enthusiasm from Duelists! It has 3 packs of Duelist Pack – Yusei 3, 1 pack of the ever popular Duelist Revolution, and it also comes with 4 Synchro Monsters used by Yusei’s adversaries from the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Animated Series. Three of these monsters are very hard to get, one of which was never available outside of the United States until now, and one of them is a completely new Secret Rare card that has never before been seen in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME!
Zeman the Ape King was only previously released as a Secret Rare card in the Absolute Powerforce booster set. The Ape King is a Level 7 Synchro Monster that is Synchro Summoned using a DARK Tuner and a non-Tuner Beast-Type monster. Many of the best Tuner monsters in the game are DARK, like Plaguespreader Zombie and Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind, the first half of this requirement is easily met. The second half can also be easily figured out if you think for a moment. In any Deck using Super-Nimble Mega Hamster you can combine it with a Level 3 DARK Tuner and instantly summon this powerhouse.
In a Nordic Deck, you can combine Vanadis of the Nordic Ascendant with Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts or Tanngrisnir of the Nordic Beasts to summon Zeman the Ape King quickly and easily. With 2500 ATK and the ability to stop your opponent from activating any Spells or Traps while it’s attacking, this Synchro Monster is good from the get-go. Add in its second effect and it’s just gravy on the mashed potatoes of Synchro Monster stardom. When an opposing monster declares an attack, you can send one monster from your hand or field to the Graveyard to negate the attack. Think about how many decks there are these days that love monsters being in the Graveyard and you can guarantee you’ll find a use for this card.
Underground Arachnid, was previously released in the same way as Zeman: as a Secret Rare in Absolute Powerforce. Also in the same vein, it can only be summoned using a DARK Tuner. To Synchro Summon the Arachnid, however, you need to send a Non-Tuner Insect-Type monster alongside the Tuner. The Arachnid’s effect also shares a striking similarity to Zeman the Ape King, whenever the Arachnid attacks, your opponent can’t activate any Spells or Traps in response. This makes the always popular Mirror Force and Dimensional Prison useless against it as well.
As a Level 6 Synchro Monster with 2400 ATK, it has a little less ATK than the Ape King, but its effect more than makes up for it. Once per turn, you can select one face-up monster your opponent controls and equip it to your Arachnid as an Equip Card. Then, if your Underground Arachnid would be destroyed in battle, you can destroy the equipped monster instead. This eliminates an opposing monster, no matter how big or scary it is, and allows you to protect your Arachnid. The best part is, if your opponent does manage to attack over your Arachnid and destroy the card you equipped to it, you can simply equip that monster to your Arachnid next turn, starting the process all over again. Considering the Arachnid is as simple to summon as any Level 3 Dark Tuner + XX-Saber Emmersblade, you can be sure X-Saber Duelists who don’t already use it will be taking another look at it now that’s so easy to get.
Any Duelist who’s kept an eye on the tournament scene over the past year or so knows all about Hundred Eyes Dragon. An integral part of the most recent Infernity Decks, Hundred Eyes Dragon was only previously released in SHONEN JUMP Magazine making it difficult to get. It’s a Level 8 Synchro Monster that you Synchro Summon using a DARK Tuner and non-Tuner Fiend-Type monsters. With 3000 ATK, itsstrength alone is only rivalled by some of the most powerful monsters in the game, and his effect is just as strong.
Once per turn, you can you can remove from play a Level 6 or lower DARK effect monster from your Graveyard. Until the End Phase, Hundred Eyes Dragon changes its name and effect to be the same as the monster you removed. This means that this card can literally take the name and effect of almost any Infernity monster you like, while still keeping its massive ATK and DEF. Better yet, if you’re using an Earthbound Immortal Deck, when this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can add an Earthbound Immortal of your choice from your Deck to your hand. With such a powerful effect and so many great uses, this Dragon is definitely one you’ll want to get your hands on.
Last but certainly not least, Frozen Fitzgerald is an all-new never before seen Synchro Monster! It’s a Level 5 Synchro Monster with 2500 ATK and 2500 DEF, making it one of the most powerful Level 5 Synchro Monsters in the game. Just like its buddies Zeman the Ape Kingand Underground Arachnid, when this card attacks, your opponent can’t activate any Spells or Traps until it’s finished. Also just like the Ape King and the Arachnid, Frozen Fitzgerald’ssecond effect is incredible: whenever your opponent manages to take Fitzgerald down through battle while you control no other monsters, you can simply discard one card from your hand to the Graveyard to Special Summon back in face-up Defense Position. Fitzgerald is Synchro Summoned using a DARK Tuner and a non-Tuner Beast-Type monster. Summon this monster once, and it’ll work to continuously wreak havoc on your opponent until he simply can’t take it anymore.
With so many great cards and packs included with every 2011 Duelist Pack Collection Tin, there’s no reason not to pick at least one up. Make sure to check it out!
