Cardfight!! Vanguard – Booster Set 10: Triumphant Return of the King of Knights – Card Review
After a long, long wait, Bushiroad finally released the long awaited 10th booster set of Cardfight!!Vanguard. In order to avoid the over-playing of decks that could happen thanks to this set, set 11 was released beforehand. And now, on the 13th of December 2013, the proud and noble King of Knights Alfred, clouded in a new golden armor, makes his triumphant return on the battle fray.
Rarity
As in every other normal booster set, this one consists of a total of 102 different and new cards (8 RRR, 12 RR, 22 R and 60 commons) accompanied by 12 parallel SP.
Clan-breakdown
This set includes a lot of support for previous clans as Gold Paladin, Royal Paladin, Narukami, Spike Brother and Nova Grapplers. Aside of these existing clans, a completely new clan has been introduced: Genesis. This clan sets its focus on the soul, which you build up and use to your advantage. Finally one of the first clans, Royal Paladin, gets new fresh support since booster set 5: Awakening of Twin Blades.
A new ‘system’ has been introduced in this set. From now on every clan will get a sub-clan, which consists of cards that have specific words in their cardname, e.a ‘Jewel Knight’ for the Royal Paladin clan, ‘Eradicator’ (Eraser in Japanese) for the ‘Narukami’ clan and ‘Liberators’ for the Gold Paladin clan.
This set serves as the expansion for the newly released Trial Decks: TD08 Liberator of the Sanctuary and TD09 Eradicator of the empire.
Cards to get
Pure Heart Jewel Knight, Ashlei
[AUTO] Limit Break 4(This ability is active if you have four or more damage): When a «Royal Paladin» rides this unit, choose your vanguard, and that unit gets [Power]+10000/[Critical]+1 until end of 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)
Ashlei serves as the new and first Break Ride for the «Royal Paladin» clan. Not much is to be said for this card, since it is pretty straight forward. She can be a staple in every «Royal Paladin» deck. Her skill allows you to get rid of a lot of cards in your opponent’s hand thanks to the extra critical. She also works well together with the next «Royal Paladin» that we will be talking about.
Her being a “Jewel Knight” is probably her most useful aspect, since her break ride isn’t that impressive compared to others. Still, it would be a good investment to get a couple of copies of her when she is cheap, since in booster set 14: Brilliant Strike a ‘Reversed’ version of her will be released.
Leading Jewel Knight, Salome
[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 ( This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When this unit attacks, if the number of rear-guards you have with “Jewel Knight” in its card name is four or more, this unit gets [Power]+2000/[Critical]+1 until end of that battle.
[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2)-card with “Jewel Knight” in its card name] Search your deck for up to one card with “Jewel Knight” in its card name, call it to (RC), and shuffle your deck.
This card is one of my most favorite cards in the whole game, art-wise and skill-wise. She is the ace for the “Jewel Knight” sub-clan for «Royal Paladin». Her secondary skill allows the player to search for ANY “Jewel Knight” in the deck, which makes her one of the most consistent cards in the game, if not THE most consistent. Being able to superior call any “Jewel Knight” for the mere cost of 2 especial counterblast, helps you against decks like «Kagero» and «Narukami», who usually blow up your field, while toolboxing for whatever you need to win. It also helps her achieving her Limit Break ability, which can really help you get rid of cards in your opponent’s hand or even winning you the game.
There is one demerit to using this card, being her 10k base which really puts you in a though spot against the many 11k base vanguards that got released. If your opponent has 12k attackers on the field, I would advise you to get rid of them as soon as possible, as they can hit 20k with a 8k boosters behind it.
Liberator of the Round Table, Alfred
[CONT](VC) Limit Break 4(This ability is active if you have four or more damage):During your turn, this unit gets [Power]+2000 for each rear-guard you have with “Liberator” in its card name.
[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2)-card with “Liberator” in its card name] Look at the top card of your deck, search for up to one «Gold Paladin», call it to an open (RC), and put the rest on the bottom of your deck.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)
This card is the new ace for every current deck that consists of “Liberators”, the sub-clan for «Gold Paladin». His Limit Break nets you an amazing power boost for every “Liberator” on your field. The fact that this is now a Limit Break ability, unlike its previous incarnation King of Knights, Alfred, is this card’s weakness. The reason being that it is not only a Limit Break, but also a Continuous skill, for which it has the potential to lose the massive boost in case of checking a heal trigger at 4 damage, bringing you back to 3 damage and not meeting the condition of a Limit Break. Though this usually isn’t the case, so you shouldn’t really worry about it too much.
Its secondary skill is also pretty good, netting you a solid +1 for the cost of 2 especial counterblast. This skill isn’t as good as Leading Jewel Knight, Salome’s but it fits the image of «Gold Paladin» perfectly. You can combo it with a lot of cards that activate when they get called from the deck, like Lop-ear Shooter of Listener of Truth, Dindrane. Though keep in mind that its Limit Break requires “Liberators” on the Rear-guard.
Oracle Queen, Himiko
[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When a «Genesis» rides this unit, choose up to two of your «Genesis» rear-guards, those units get [Power]+5000 until end of turn, and choose your vanguard, and until end of turn, that unit gets [Power]+10000 and “[AUTO](VC):[Soul Blast (3)] When this unit attacks a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, draw a card.”.
[AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, Soul Charge (1), and this unit gets [Power]+1000 until end of turn.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)
As any other break ride unit, she gives a power boost to a grade 3 that rides this unit, whilst giving other advantages. Her break ride is one of the more useful ones, since you can keep on riding her on top of herself without minus-ing yourself too much. Her secondary skill differs a bit from the other break rides since instead of a +2k power boost, she lets you Soul Charge, which is a good thing rather than a bad thing. Reason being that «Genesis» is a clan that makes use of the Soul, so the Soul Charge should benefit yourself more than the extra +1k that you would be getting otherwise.
The extra power that your rear-guards get can help you to burn away a lot of card in your opponent’s hand. The skill that the newly ridden vanguard gets can also burn away even more cards in your opponent’s hand, or net you a nice +1.
Thanks to the support the clan got in booster set 11, you can combo her Soul Blast ability with both Witch of Ravens, Chamomile and Witch of Frogs, Melissa. They can be superior called from your soul when you use them to soul blast, and possibly give you more attacks since you can call them to an occupied rear-guard.
Eternal Goddess, Iwanagahime
[ACT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Soul Blast (6)] Retire all of your opponent’s rear-guards in the front row.
[ACT](VC):[Soul Blast (3)] This unit gets [Power]+5000 until end of turn
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)
Aside of the break ride for the Genesis clan, we get a powerful grade 3 that can be splashed in every «Genesis» build. This card is pretty self-explanatory: killing the front row units of your opponent for a ‘mere’ cost of 6 soul blast (which is achieved easily in «Genesis») can either get rid of intercepts or possibly help you surviving until your next turn by simply getting rid of units that could attack you when it’s your opponents turn.
Its secondary skill allows you to overwhelm your opponent with high attack power.
Just as every other «Genesis» boss card, you can use the Soul Blast to your advantage by Soul Blasting both Witch of Ravens, Chamomile and Witch of Frogs, Melissa, Melissa.
Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1) & Choose three cards with “Eradicator” in its card name from your hand, and discard them] At the end of the battle that this unit attacked, if the attack did not hit during that battle, you may pay the cost. If you do, [Stand] this unit, and this unit gets [Critical]+1 until end of turn. This ability cannot be used for the rest of that turn.
[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast (2)-card with “Eradicator” in its card name] This unit gets [Power]+5000 until end of turn.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)
This card can be used in either its own build, or any other ‘Eradicator’ deck. Its secondary skill allows you to perform a boosted attack that allows you to hit over 20k power, while also powering up its Limit Break effect. This card is a tough one to fight against, since you have to either have a lot of guard in your hand, or being forced to no-guarding. This puts a lot of pressure on your opponents, which is often enough to win you the game.
Be wary though, whilst being a really powerful card, it might also leave you in a tough spot. Ditching 3 units from your hand is no mere disadvantage. Use it only when you feel that it will finish off your opponent.
Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon
[AUTO](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage): When your opponent’s rear-guard is put into the drop zone due to an effect from one of your cards, this unit gets [Power]+3000/[Critical]+1 until end of turn.
[ACT](VC):[Counter Blast(2)-card with “Eradicator” in its card name] Your opponent chooses one of his or her rear-guards, and retires it.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)
This card works amazingly well in an ‘Eradicator’ deck, because it gives you bonuses for blowing up your opponent’s rear-guards. The extra +3k and critical for every retired rear-guard of your opponent could either eliminate hands like crazy, or score you the win. It’s secondary skill also allows you to achieve your Limit Break, though the fact that your opponent can choose what to card to retire makes it less threatening. The effect is rendered useless against Stamp Sea Otter, but that shouldn’t really be a problem since the deck has access to other cards that allow you to retire an opponent’s rear-guard.
This cards also combos well with the break ride introduced in TD09: Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon. By making use of the free break ride skill, Gauntlet gets his Limit Break for free.
If you plan on building a deck based on this card, keep in mind that retiring an opponent’s rear-guard usually costs counterblast, so using cards like Fiendish Sword Eradicator, Cho-ô could benefit you greatly.
Beast Deity, Ethics Buster
[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When a «Nova Grappler» rides this unit, choose your vanguard, and until end of turn, that unit gets [Power]+10000 and “[AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, [Stand] all of your «Nova Grappler» rear-guards in the front row.”.
[AUTO](VC):When this unit is boosted by a «Nova Grappler», 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)
For our last RRR, we have the break ride for «Nova Grapplers». This cards functions perfectly with the play style of the clan, allowing your rear-guards to stand and attack once again. Being able to stand your units, helps you burn away cards in your opponent’s hand, or kill their rear-guards. Standing only your front row units might not seem that powerful on its own, but cards like Beast Deity, Riot Horn or Beast Deity, Golden Anklet can use their skills to power up their columns for even more powerful attacks.
In booster set 13: Catastrophic Outbreak (which hasn’t yet been announced for the English TCG) this card will get 2 cross-break rides, Beast Deity, Ethics Buster ‘Extreme’ and Beast Deity, Ethics Buster ‘Reverse’. Both of these cross-break rides might be the end for your opponent, because the more you attack, the more cards you burn out of the opponent’s hand and the closer you are to achieving that well earned victory.
Dogmatize Jewel Knight, Sybill
[AUTO]:[Counter Blast (2)] When this unit is placed on (VC) or (RC), if you have a «Royal Paladin» vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, search your deck for up to one grade 1 or less unit with “Jewel Knight” in its card name, call it to (RC), and shuffle your deck.
Her effect allows you to get early card advantage by filling up you rear-guards without making use of your hand. Being able to call any grade 1 “Jewel Knight”, allows you to either fix your hand by calling Jewel Knight, Prizmy or giving you an attacker like Stinging Jewel Knight, Shellie. There aren’t that many Jewel Knights out yet, so you don’t have that many different kinds of “Jewel Knights” to choose from, but even with the limited amount, you can get yourself a lot of advantage early on.
Note that Sybill’s counter blast does not have to be “Jewel Knights”, so if you run cards like Toypugal, or Knight of Silence, Gallatin, you can use them to superior call from your deck. This is not possible for Salome, which makes use of especial counterblast.
Liberator of the Flute, Escrad
[AUTO](VC/RC):[Counter Blast (1) – Cards with “Liberator” in its card name] When this unit’s attack hits a vanguard, if you have a «Gold Paladin» vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, look at the top card of your deck, search for up to one «Gold Paladin» from among them, call it to an open (RC), and put the rest on the bottom of your deck.
The next RR that should be mentioned is a Player of the Holy Bow, Viviane clone: Liberator of the Flute, Escrad. This card isn’t just a clone of Viviane, it works even better than her in a ‘Liberator” deck. Whilst Viviane needs to be boosted when hitting the vanguard, Escrad doesn’t, which makes its skill easier to achieve.
Being able to superior call a “Liberator” for 1 especial counterblast, allows you to build up advantage easily by filling your rear-guards in an instance.
It’s demerit is the same as Vivian’s, or other «Gold Paladin» units: you do not have control over what you superior call, so it often happens that you superior call a trigger.
This card is also limited to a ‘Liberator’ deck, because of its especial counter blast. So if you are using a non-‘liberator’ «Gold Paladin» deck, you would be better off using Viviane.
Battle Deity of the Night, Artemis
[AUTO](VC) Limit Break (This ability is active if you have four or more damage): [Soul Blast (3)] When this unit attacks a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, draw two cards, choose a card from your hand, put it into your soul, and this unit gets [Power]+5000 until end of that battle.
[CONT](VC):If you have a card named “Twilight Hunter, Artemis” in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+1000.
Artemis is part of the Artemis ride chain, which focuses on free Soul Charging to build up your soul for later use. Her Limit Break is pretty under costed, only 3 soul blasts, making her a reliable vanguard to build around. She allows you to draw one extra card while refueling herself through the same effect. On top of that, the power boost of 5k allows you to hit consistent numbers on either crossrides, or 11k vanguards.
By using cards like Battle Maiden, Sahohime, you can build up a lot of Soul so that you can use Artemis’ skill every single turn.
Bad End Dagger
[AUTO] Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):When a «Spike Brothers» rides this unit, choose your vanguard, and until end of turn, that unit gets [Power]+10000 and “[AUTO](VC):When one of your «Spike Brothers» rear-guards attacks, that unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of that battle, and at the end of that battle, put that unit on the bottom of your deck.”.
[AUTO](VC):When this unit is boosted by a «Spike Brothers», 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)
Bad End Dagger serves as the break ride for the «Spike Brothers» clan. Aside from the generic +10k, this break ride gives a huge power boost to 2 «Spike Brothers» rear-guards at the cost of putting them back into the deck. This card can be combo’d with Juggernaut Maximum, which on its own gets a power boost of 5k at the cost of returning them to the deck.
This card has a good synergy with most of the «Spike Brothers» units, including the next new card that I will be talking about.
Grateful Catapult
[AUTO] (VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (2) & Choose a card named “Grateful Catapult” from your hand, and discard it] When this unit attacks a vanguard, you may pay the cost. If you do, search your deck for up to two «Spike Brothers», call them to open (RC), and shuffle your deck.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit without a same Clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)
As for the final card to talk about, we have a new ace unit for «Spike Brothers»: Grateful Catapult. At the cost of 2 counter blast and discarding a copy of itself, you may search your deck for up to two «Spike Brothers» units and superior call them. Usually you would be going for Juggernaut Maximum. By attacking with your two rear-guards first, you can replace them with 2 new ones (or even the same) after they have been returned to the deck. Combo this with the previously discussed Bad End Dagger and you can overwhelm your opponent in one single turn by making use of highly powered units.
Conclusion
After the long wait, Triumphant Return of the King of Knights delivers quite some new builds to various clans, while even introducing a new one. This set has set a new standard in the Cardfight world with the introduction of break rides and sub-clans.
Next up we will have booster set 12: Binding force of the Black Rings, which will be released in February 2014. This set will also introduce a new clan that will strike the fear in all those that stand in their way. So be sure to check it out when the time comes!
Cardfight!! Vanguard - Booster Set 10: Triumphant Return of the King of Knights - Card Review,
No Comments