We have a bunch of Megacolony stuff today. I'll first go through the ‘Darkface’/Dark Device stuff, and then the ‘Machining’. First up we have the RRR Grade 3, ‘Intimidating Mutant King, Darkface Alicides’. Which I'm sure is going to be changed to ‘Alcides’ when the set is released. His first skill is “[AUTO]:[Counter Blast (1) & Soul Blast (1)] When this unit is placed on (VC) or (RC), you may pay the cost. If you do, choose a column, [Rest] all of your opponent's rear-guards in that column, and those units cannot [Stand] during your opponent's next stand phase.” This is great accompanying ‘Gredora’ when placed on RC, and luckily he is able to keep the ability of Resting Units. His second ability is “[CONT](VC/RC) Generation Break 2 Dark Device:During the battle that this unit attacked, this unit gets [Power]+10000, and your opponent cannot intercept.” This is an amazing Power buff for something like Megacolony, especially as Power was one of the big things holding them back. Having him on his own is an easy 21k Power rear-guard. If you could get a 10k booster behind him, then he will be devastating for your opponent as the ability is so reliable. He serves as an amazing backup Grade 3 for both ‘Gredora’ and the original ‘Darkface’.
In case you were worried about losing out on draw Power, the GR fills that gap. She is ‘Toxin Sickle Mutant Deity, Overwhelm’ and her first skill is “[ACT](VC)[1/Turn]:[Counter Blast (1) & Choose a face down card from your G zone, and turn it face up] Draw up to the same number of cards as the number of your opponent's rear-guards in [Rest], and if the number of your opponent's rear-guards in [Rest] is one or less, this unit gets [Critical]+1/Drive+1 until end of turn.” Whether your opponent has a small or big field, this card makes it a win-win situation for you. The fact that this can also be used first Stride is amazing. She also has “[CONT](VC) Generation Break 3 Dark Device:All of your units get [Power]+2000 for each face down card in your opponent's damage zone.” This may not seem like a big buff, but it does have the potential of giving all your Units +10k Power, and not only that, you can also help speed up your opponent's Counter Blasting with ‘Gredora’. Using this early will be nice for a big surge of defence, then using it late in the game will give your columns huge buffs.
‘Light Horn Mutant, Dangerous Horn’ is a 10k Grade 2 with “[AUTO]:When this unit is placed on (VC) or (RC), choose a card from your hand, and you may reveal it. If the revealed card or your vanguard is not a card with "Darkface" in its card name, this unit gets [Power]-5000 until end of turn.” So this a clone of the previous 10ks in recent sets, but he also has “[CONT](RC):If you have a grade 4 vanguard with "Darkface" in its card name, and the number of your opponent's rear-guards in [Stand] is one or less, this unit gets [Power]+6000.” It's a simple effect, but definitely effective. It's good that you get the Power even if your opponent is trying to play around Dark Device by keeping a unit stood, or that they get a lucky Stand Trigger. Having a reliable 16k beater is something Megacolony did need.
‘Black Spear Mutant, Bolg Wasp’ is another Grade 2, this time with “[AUTO] Generation Break 1 Dark Device:When this unit is placed on (RC), until end of turn, this unit gets [Power]+2000, then, if the number of face down cards in your opponent's damage zone is two or more, [Rest] all of your opponent's units, and this unit gets [Power]+5000.” So this is only 16k for one turn, but does help if your opponent is keeping units stood. What would make this fantastic is if there was a way to call him during your opponent's turn. ‘Seal Dragons’ are not going to have a good time against this guy.
Onto the ‘Machining’ cards, we have the Grade 3 ‘Machining Beat Atlas’. The first skill is “[AUTO](VC):[Counter Blast (1)] When your G unit with "Machining" in its original card name Stride, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to two grade 1 or greater cards with "Machining" in their card names from your soul, and call them to separate (RC) as [Rest].” Now this skill proves useful for the Stride to come, but before we go onto that, we also have the skill of “[AUTO](VC) Generation Break 2:At the end of your turn, choose up to two cards with "Machining" in their card names on your (RC) and hand in total, and put them into your soul. If one or more cards were put, draw a card, and if two cards were put, Counter Charge (1) this is a really nice way to get rid of things like Draw Triggers from hand, and also lets you keep important Units in your Soul to protect them from Retire effects, and then have them come back out again the next turn.
The Stride for ‘Machining’ is ‘Oppression Mutant Deity, Machining Despot’. He has “[ACT](VC)[1/Turn]:[Counter Blast (1) & Choose a face down card from your G zone, and turn it face up] If you have a heart card with "Machining" in its card name, choose the same number of your units as the number of face up cards in your G zone with "Machining" in their card names, and [Stand] them. Your opponent chooses two of his or her [Rest] units for each unit [Stand], and they cannot [Stand] during your opponent's next stand phase.” This is pretty horrible to go against, especially if you have a mirage deck, or you use a lot of Resist Units, as this can easily Paralyze a Vanguard. Suddenly the Grade 2, ‘Machining Dive Beetle’, the Unit that can't Stand back up during the Stand Phase actually has a much bigger use, now that he's the perfect target for ‘Machining Despot’. I do like how ‘Machining’ and ‘Darkface’ are very different now, one almost purely focused on keeping the Vanguard and Rear-Guards Paralyzed, and one taking full advantage of your opponents Rested Units, gaining Power and skills.
‘Blooming Together Maiden, Cela’ is a new RRR Grade 2 for Neo Nectar. She has “[CONT](RC):If you have a vanguard with "Ranunculus" in its card name or the bloom ability, this unit gets [Power]+1000, and "[CONT](RC):Resist".” That Resist definitely helps, as Neo Nectar aren't too good with hand size, and preventing your Units from being easily Retired definitely helps. She also has “Bloom-[AUTO](RC)[1/Turn] Generation Break 1:When your other unit with the same card name as this unit is placed on (RC), this unit gets [Power]+10000 and "Boost" until end of turn.” This can become a very nice 20k Booster, and with all the other power ups Neo Nectar get, I can quite easily see her column going into the 30s or 40s. I quite like this idea of giving Neo Nectar 1/turn effects, but giving them bigger buffs, as it makes the deck a lot more flexible, and gives you more consistent buffs throughout the game.
Neo Nectar didn't only get Bloom support this week, they also had a good bit of ‘Musketeers’. Their new Grade 3 is ‘Lantana Musketeer, Rozeeta’. His first skill is “[AUTO](VC):When your G unit with "Musketeer" in its original card name Stride, look at four cards from the top of your deck, call up to one card with "Musketeer" in its card name from among them to (RC), and shuffle your deck.” This is a simple plus that can start a nice chain reaction when bringing out the right cards. He also has “[CONT](VC) Generation Break 1:You may pay "Counter Blast (1) & Choose two normal units with "Musketeer" in their card names from your drop zone, and put them on the bottom of your deck in any order" as the cost for Stride of your G unit with "Musketeer" in its card name.” This is not much of a cost, especially with the free Calling ability, and can start to slow down the deck thinning, which helps quite a bit when you're Superior Calling all the time.
‘Black Rose Musketeer, Verneri’ is a Grade 1 with “[CONT](RC) Generation Break 1:If you have a vanguard with "Musketeer" in its card name, this unit gets [Power]+1000 for each of your other units with "Musketeer" in their card names.” At a maximised field he becomes a 12k Booster, or 13k if you are in Legion, which does make a big difference when Boosting most Grade 2s. It's nice to have the consistent and powerful buff.
The last Clan to talk about this week is Great Nature. We have a new ‘Bigbelly’ Grade 3 ‘Astute Professor, Bigbelly’. He has success and “[AUTO](VC)[1/Turn]:When this unit is placed on (VC), or when your G unit Stride, choose up to one card from your hand, call it to (RC), and it gets [Power]+4000 until end of turn. If you called a card, at the end of that turn, draw a card, and retire that rear-guard.” So unlike the previous form, you don't have to Call a Success Unit, but you have to give the Called Unit +4000 Power, though that shouldn't be a problem when you're Retiring your Units all the time. Then he has “[AUTO](VC/RC)[1/Turn] Generation Break 1:[Counter Blast (1)] At the end of the battle that this unit attacked, if this unit is successful, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose one of your other rear-guards, [Stand] it, and it gets [Power]+4000 until end of turn.” This is no replacement for ‘Crayon Tiger’, but it definitely makes ‘Crayon Tiger’ a lot better, as they can Stand each other up.
‘Bigbelly’ also gets ‘Correction Scientist, Delibelly’ who is a Perfect Guard that works from hand, and has “[AUTO] Generation Break 1:[Soul Blast (1)] When this unit is retired from (RC) or (GC), if you have a vanguard with "Bigbelly" in its card name, you may pay the cost. If you do, draw up to one card, and Counter Charge (1).” This is such a handy card to have. Not having to draw helps a lot too, as if you have a big hand size and your deck is looking a bit thin, it can be best to just not draw any more.
‘Honorary Professor, Chaverite’ is a new Grade 3 with “[AUTO]:[Choose one or more cards with the sum of their grades being 3 or greater from your hand, and discard them] When this unit is placed on (VC), you may pay the cost. If you do, search your deck for up to two cards with "Honorary Professor" in their different card names, put them into your hand, and shuffle your deck.” This not only gives you Stride fodder, but also allows you to get the perfect components for the Break Ride combo with ‘Chatnoir’ and ‘Chatsauvage’. Then this Unit also has “[AUTO](VC):[Counter Blast (1)] When your G unit with "Honorary Professor" in its original card name Stride, you may pay the cost. If you do, search your deck for up to one grade 3 card, put it on your (VC) as a heart, shuffle your deck, and if you put a card, return this card to your hand.” This again helps with the Break Ride combo and is especially good for the new Stride.
The new Stride being ‘Super Honorary Professor, Meilleur Chatnoir’. It has “[AUTO](VC) Generation Break 2:[Counter Blast (1) & Choose three cards from your hand, and discard them] At the end of the battle that this unit attacked, if you have a heart card with "Honorary Professor" in its card name, you may pay the cost. If you do, put this unit into your G zone face up, choose up to one grade 3 card with "Honorary Professor" in its card name from your hand, and ride it as [Stand]. If you rode a card, choose all of your rear-guards, they get [Power]+4000 until end of turn, and at the end of that turn, retire them.” This is just such a nice combo with the original ‘Chatnoir's’ Break Ride effect, and with ‘Chatsauvage’ you are able to Stride a second time with his on-Ride ability, and keep this Unit's buffs and the Break Ride's buffs.
