Jinzo

Hello dueling fans! Coach here to talk about an old but popular card. I'm talking about Jinzo, one of the most intimidating monsters from back in the day. This Level 6 monsters has 2400 ATK and 1500 DEF. That's about right for a level 6 monster these days. His special ability to negate the effects of all Trap Cards really messed up a lot of duelists back then, myself included. Think of it as dueling with one hand tied behind your back. A lot of us do that now, depending on what we are up against.

Back then, when Jinzo popped up, you were almost certain that the duel was over. With popular cards such as Stardust Dragon, Jinzo would be that much more dangerous. In the old days, I used to use Man-Eater Bug to take out Jinzo. Sure, he's very weak in comparison, but his Flip Effect to destroy any one monster always got the job done.

Since then, other "Jinzo" cards have been created, each with their own use in a deck. Let's take a look at them. First up is Jinzo #7. Technically, this card existed before Jinzo, but I felt it deserved a mention. He is much weaker than his Level 6 counterpart, but his ability to deal direct damage still comes in handy. Weighing in with 500 ATK and 400 DEF, he seems pretty useless at first.

If you give him a couple of Equip Spell Cards, he can take some pretty healthy chunks out of an opponent's Life Points. Consider United We Stand or Axe of Despair. Both give really good boosts to ATK, and both could be used at the same time. Axe of Despair gives a 1000 ATK boost, and if it is sent to the graveyard, you can tribute a monster to put it on top of your deck and draw it on your next turn. Consider that option only if you have a monster to spare. Otherwise, let the card stay in the graveyard, or use a Spell Card to get it back in your hand. United We Stand gives your monster an 800 ATK and DEF boost times the number of monsters you have in play. This effect relies on you to have a group of monsters in play to boost the one this card is equipped to. Use some high DEF monsters if you want to protect yourself while letting Jinzo #7 build up power for a powerful attack.

Another member of the Jinzo clan is Jinzo - Returner. Like Jinzo #7, this card can also attack directly. You could use the combo we discussed before, and give him a major power boost to take your opponent down pretty quickly. His second ability allows him to Special Summon a Jinzo from the graveyard. The catch is it is destroyed at the end of the turn it is Special Summoned. This would be a good play for the win.

The last card in the Jinzo family to take a look at it Jinzo - Lord. This Level 8 monster has 2600 ATK and 1600 DEF. You can only Special Summon Jinzo - Lord, and for that to happen, you have to send a Jinzo you control to the graveyard. Not only does this card negate all face-up Trap Cards, it can destroy them and inflict 300 points of effect damage to your opponent for each card destroyed. That is a maximum of 3000 points of damage, and then it can attack on top of that. This is the heavy hitter of the Jinzo family.

There you have it duelists. I've broken down the Jinzo clan for you. Try making a nice Darkness Deck or a Machine Deck and give them a run at least once. Next time, we'll look at another monster family. Take care and keep on duelin'!

Card Spotlight: Colossal Fighter

Hello duelists! The Coach is back for your next dose of duel fuel. Today, I thought we'd take a look at a member of the warrior community. I'm talking about none other than the titan of terror, Colossal Fighter. This Level 8 master of disaster weighs in with a whopping 2800 ATK points. His DEF could be better, but you're not gonna see this guy in DEF mode that often with his special ability.

Gaining 100 ATK a pop from each Wariror-type in either Graveyard, his power can stack up pretty fast. Consider having at least 2 or 3 of this guy in your Extra Deck in order to make good use of his second special ability. When he is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon any Warrior-type from either Graveyard, including another Colossal Fighter. This effect would also be good for pulling any Fusion or Synchro monster back into play that might be your ace. Consider slipping this gem into an deck running Elemental Heroes, X-Sabers, or Six Samurais. In a future post, I'll share some tips on creating the Ultimate Warrior Deck. On that note, it's time to hit the showers. Until next time, this is Coach Muramasa saying keep on duelin'!

Magnet Warriors United

Hello duelists! The Coach is here to give you that daily dose of duel fuel. Today, we're gonna look at a group of cards that were made for each other. I'm talking about the Magnet Warriors. These three cards work well individually, as well as together when combined. Remember to take all metal objects out of your pockets before slipping these bad boys in your deck.

 First up is Alpha the Magnet Warrior. He's a Level 4 monster with 1400 ATK and 1700 DEF. His stats are moderate, but slip him a good Equip Spell Card, and he can command respect on the battlefield. (6/10)

 Next up is Beta the Magnet Warrior. He is the strongest of the trio, at 1700 ATK and 1600 DEF. He can wipe out a fair number of monsters if you slip him an Axe of Despair of a United We Stand.

 Now we come to Gamma the Magnet Warrior. This monster was build more for defense, at 1500 ATK and 1800 DEF. Keep his guard up with a good Field Spell or Equip Spell to keep him around for a few turns.

Combine Alpha, Beta and Gamma and you'll get Valkyrion the Magna Warrior. This behemoth of a Rock-type weighs in at 3500 ATK and 3850 DEF. He can only be Special Summoned, and that requires the tribute of Alpha, Beta and Gamma from your field and/or hand. On the flip side, if you have him on the field, you can tribute Valkyrion to summon his three parts of back to the field. This is a good option for a defensive stance if things aren't going too well, or for Tribute Summoning a Level 9 or higher monster.

There you have it dueling fans! The Magnet Warriors and their combination, Valkyrion. Stop by sometime soon for another dose of your dueling medicine. Keep on dueling!