Yugioh

You saw it coming. Hot off the Forbidden List, today we're going to be talking about the most hyped card of the September 2011 format so far - "Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning"!

Aninfamous monster, "Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning" first debuted all the way back in Invasion of Chaos, and what an invasion it was. Along with its equally infamous partner, "ChaosEmperor Dragon - Envoy of the End", this card was known as one of the pioneers of the annual Forbidden and Limited List, hitting Forbidden status in September 2005, where it would remain till the end ofthe game...

... That is, so we thought, until September 2011 rolled around. Whether you guessed it from an eyebrow-raising Gold Series 4 reprint, or were shocked beyond belief, prepare for thebeginning of a metagame centralized around this Envoy.

Firstly, let's take a look at why this card is held in such high regard: "BLS" is a LIGHT monster, bolstering a massive 3000 ATK and 2500 DEF. Beingat the forefront of the Chaos standard, this monster is Special Summoned by banishing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster in your Graveyard, making throwing this 3000 ATK beatstick onto the board a simplefeat.

But it doesn't end there! The first of "BLS"'s two devastating effects, similar to the more widely familiar "Chaos Sorcerer", is the power to banish any monster on the field, once per turn!Unlike "Chaos Sorcerer", this card can banish a monster that's face-up OR face-down, preventing "Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter" or "XX-Saber Emmersblade" from escaping its fury. Its second effect allows it tostrike twice each time it destroys a monster, making each attack from this behemoth a dangerous one!

Let's look at how this card is shaping the current game. With the addition of "Tour Guide Fromthe Underworld" to the TCG, this card becomes easier than ever to summon in virtually any Deck. By splashing 3 "Tour Guides" and a "Sangan" into a Deck that runs the popular "Effect Veiler", this card...