PSYchic Series: Link Joker Analysis (Pre-BT13)

Now then~ I’ve been playing Link Joker for quite some time now, and I’ve decided to do an analysis of the its current, pre-BT13 support :) I’ll be covering bosses and support cards like Demonic Claw Star-Vader,Lanthanum and Furious Claw Star-Vader, Niobium.

First, the bosses.

シュヴァルツシルト・ドラゴン Schwarzschild Dragon

Card Effect:
[ACT] (VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (3) & Choose a card named "Schwarzschild Dragon" from your hand, and discard it] Choose up to three of your opponent's rear-guards, lock them, and this unit gets [Power]+10000/[Critical]+1 until end of turn.
(Locked cards are turned face down, and cannot do anything. Turn them face up at the end of its owner's turn)
[AUTO]:[Counter Blast (1)] When this unit is placed on (VC), you may pay the cost. If you do, look at up to five cards from the top of your deck, search for up to one card named "Schwarzschild Dragon" from among them, reveal it to your opponent, put it into your hand, and shuffle your deck.
[CONT]: If you have a card named "Gravity Collapse Dragon" in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+1000.

Now, this card is quite strong, a Persona Blast for 10k and a crit, plus a triangle lock. When timed right, it can be extremely devastating, especially if you have cards like Demonic Claw Star-Vader, Lanthanum and Furious Claw Star-Vader, Niobium on the field.

Let’s do some Math:
Schwarzschild’s LB activates, triangle locked successfully.
Niobium: 9k + 6k = 15k
Lanthanum: 7k + 6k = 13k
If you have a column of them you’ll get 15k + 13k = 28k worth of attacking power, which can force 20k guards from Crossrides. In addition, Schwarzschild gets +10k +1 critical.

The main problem about this cards is that it’s Limit Break has a counterblast cost of 3, so you’ll have to hope to activate a Heal Trigger and not use any other skills that require a counterblast cost, like Schwarzschild’s searching skill. Another thing is that it is a ride chain, although it is similar to Genovious’, you may not get all the pieces of the chain in time. Also, it is not a Star-Vader, which means that you cannot make use of Radon’s and Neon’s power gain skills.

Overall, this card is a nice… final turn card (due to the power gain and crit), however, if your opponent does damage control, or kanzens your Vanguard and is able to guard your rearguard columns, you better hope for a Heal Trigger, or you’re probably going to be vanilla for the rest of the game.

星輝兵 インフィニットゼロ・ドラゴン Star-Vader, Infinite Zero Dragon

Card Effect:
[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When a «Link Joker» rides this unit, choose one of your opponent's rear-guards in the front row and back row, lock them, and choose your vanguard, and that unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of turn.
(Locked cards are turned face down, and cannot do anything. Turn them face up at the end of its owner's turn)
[AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+2000 until end of that battle.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

This is Link Joker’s breakride unit. It is one of the better breakride units, in my opinion. Aside from the usual +10k, you get to lock a front row and a back row unit, and when combined with Dust Tail Unicorn, you get a nice Triangle Lock. If you have Niobium and Lanthanum on the field, you get their power boosts too.

If you’ve locked a Vanguard booster and one front row rearguard, you should be able to 10k 1 pass/no pass your opponent’s Vanguard, possibly prevent him from Intercepting (if you locked a Grade 2 front row rearguard) and save 5k-15k worth of shields for one rearguard column. Know what this means? HANDSIZE.

All in all, this is a good unit that instantly saves you 4-5 cards in hand, provided that you breakrode successfully.

星輝兵 ネビュラロード・ドラゴン Star-Vader, Nebula Lord Dragon

Card Effect:
[CONT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):During your turn, all of your «Link Joker» in your front row get [Power]+3000 for each of your opponent's locked units.
[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2)] Choose one of your opponent's rear-guards in the back row, and lock it.
(Locked cards are turned face down, and cannot do anything. Turn them face up at the end of its owner's turn)
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Things are getting interesting~ Some people consider Nebula Lord a finisher, breakriding him on Infinite Zero, and using his Counterblast along with Dust Tail’s to lock 5 rearguards, granting all units in the front row a +15k each. I, however, prefer to use it for consistent hand conservation and consistent power-ups. Combined with Niobium and Lanthanum… this combination can hit a maximum of 51k for each column.

More Math:
Breakridden on Infinite Zero, Nebula Lord’s Counterblast used twice, Dust Tail’s used once, all 5 rearguards locked.

Niobium: 9k + 10k + 15k = 34k
Lanthanum: 7k + 10k = 17k
So, an existing Niobium-Lanthanum column can hit 51k with this combo.

In terms of consistency, Nebula is much more consistent than Schwarzschild, unless you plan to spam its skill on your Final Turn… Also, it’s really useful against Aqua Force, locking the swappers to prevent a fourth attack, and against Nova Grappler, minimizing the attacks by locking their attackers/boosters, and to ensure that they do not stand high-powered rearguards.

Now, let’s look at some of the support Link Joker receives~

魔爪の星輝兵 ランタン Demonic Claw Star-Vader, Lanthanum

Card Effect:
[AUTO] (RC): When your opponent’s rear-guard becomes locked due to any of your card's effect, if you have a «Link Joker» vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+2000 until end of turn.

凶爪の星輝兵 ニオブ Furious Claw Star-Vader, Niobium

[AUTO] (RC): When your opponent’s rear-guard becomes locked due to any of your card's effect, if you have a «Link Joker» vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+2000 until end of turn.

(I think someone mixed up the skills on the Wiki...)

Anyway, these cards let you hit magic numbers, and like I mentioned, let you hit a maximum of 51k for their columns, provided that they are on the field when you Lock.

I think I’ll end this off here… I’ll do a review of the BT13 support soon~ Stay tuned for more articles ^~^

~Eclipse

PSYchic Series: EB06 Boss Review

Here’s my thoughts on the EB06 mains, including PR♥ISM-I Vert as she is a Break Ride unit. (I’ve played all of these cards at least once).

Aura Star, Coral (Series)

Bermuda △’s second ride chain. Her ride chain is similar to Genovious in the sense that her Grade 1 form, Fresh Star Coral, lets you search for her Grade 2 form, Shiny Star Coral.

Shiny Star Coral lets you bounce one unit in the front row, and if Fresh Star Coral is in the soul, a unit in the back row as well, provided that her attack hits.

Aura Star Coral’s Limit Break allows you to Soulcharge 1 and return one Bermuda △ rearguard back to your hand, after Counterblasting 2 when she attacks. The Soulcharge is useful for units like PR♥ISM-I Clear and PR♥ISM-P Celtic.

Her other skill makes her an 11k base if Shiny Star Coral is in the soul.

Overall, Coral is an okay card, her weakness, like all ride chains, being not getting a good ride. Also, her Limit Break can be used at most twice, thrice if you get a lucky heal.

Eternal Idol, Pacifica

She’s Top Idol, Pacifica’s crossride. Like all crossrides, she gets +2k when Top Idol, Pacifica is in the soul, making her a 13k base.

Her Limit Break lets you return two Bermuda △ rearguards back to your hand, and superior call another one from your deck.

For offence, you could superior call Mermaid Idol, Flute since she gets +3k during that turn if you have four or more Bermuda △ rearguards.

For defence, Diva of Clear Waters, Izumi is a must. S-Special Intercepts save lives.

After playing her for about a month, I feel that her main weakness is her Limit Break consistency. It is a one-time thing only, unless you get a heal trigger after using it or something. Therefore, you must time her Limit Break right, or run a backup Vanguard.

PR♥ISM-I Vert

This is Bermuda △’s Break Ride unit. Like all break ride units, she adds 10k to your Vanguard. Also, you get to draw a card and return two Bermuda △ rearguards back to your hand. She’s good, especially when combined with PR♥ISM-P, Labrador. She let’s you perfect your attack formation, and clear your field for PR♥ISM-P, Labrador’s Limit Break.

PR♥ISM-I, Vert can be run in most, if not all Bermuda △ builds, as she gives you an instant +1. In my opinion, she’s one of the better Break Ride units (What was Bushi thinking when they made Ashlei?! No offence).

PR♥ISM-P, Labrador

It’s the boss of the PR♥ISM archtype~

Labrador reminds me of Phantom Blaster Dragon, except that her Limit Break requires you to call 3 PR♥ISM units from your hand, not sacrifice them, in order to gain the +10k +1 crit. To successfully pull this off, you need to bounce your rearguards.

With an S-Special Counterblast, you can return one PR♥ISM unit back to your hand. This helps clear the field for Labrador’s Limit Break.

In my opinion, Labrador is a strong archtype boss, with decent support, especially with PR♥ISM-I, Vert. However, her main weakness is that if she is unable to successfully clear her rearguard circles, she cannot gain the power and critical. Meaning that if 3 of your rearguard circles have been locked, her Limit Break cannot be activated. Plus, your opponent may retire key units like PR♥ISM-I, Clear and PR♥ISM-P, Celtic. This may force you to call out triggers, which will severely affect your attack formation. Also, her Limit Break only lasts for about 2-3 turns, until she uses up all her Counterblasts, and is unable to clear her rearguard circles.

This concludes my analysis of the EB06 bosses. I hope it helps~ ^^

~Eclipse