Star-vader, Chaos Breaker Dragon’s skills are finally revealed and also two new Star-vader units to go along with it! Let’s start talking about some tips in Standard when playing with Nightrose against it.
Star-vader, Chaos Breaker Dragon’s skills:
[CONT](VC/RC):During your turn, if your opponent has a locked card, this unit gets [Power]+10000.
[ACT](VC)1/Turn:COST [Counter Blast (1)], your opponent gets an Imaginary Gift:Force, you choose one of your opponent’s rear-guards, and lock it.
[AUTO](VC):When your opponent’s locked card is unlocked, COST [Soul Blast (1)], retire one of those unlocked units, you draw a card, your opponent removes a total of two markers from his or her circles or Protect from his or her hand, and you get an Imaginary Gift:Force for each marker or Protect removed.
So the lock mechanic is back! And interesting enough it can remove Gift markers/Protect as well! Furthermore, here are the skills of Bisection Star-vader, Zirconium and Star-vader, Craving Claw.
Bisection Star-vader, Zirconium’s skills:
[AUTO](VC/RC):When placed, if you have a vanguard with “Star-vader” in its card name, COST [Counter Blast (1)], your opponent looks at the top card of his or her deck, and puts it on an open (RC) as a locked card. If that locked card was put in the back row, you draw a card, and this unit gets [Power]+10000 until end of turn.
[CONT](RC):If your opponent’s vanguard is grade 3 or greater, and your opponent has a locked card, the original [Critical] of all of your vanguards becomes 2.
Star-vader, Craving Claw’s skills:
[AUTO](VC/RC):When its attack or the attack it boosted hits a vanguard, look at five cards from the top of your deck, reveal up to one card with “Star-vader” in its card name from among them and put it into your hand, and shuffle your deck.
[ACT](RC):If your opponent’s vanguard is grade 3 or greater, COST [put this unit into your soul], choose up to one of your opponent’s locked cards, and unlock it. If you unlocked a card, choose one of your opponent’s rear-guards other than the unlocked unit, and lock it.
Key Highlights
Early Game Flexibility
- Chaos is a G3 unit (so only becomes a problem at G3 turn)
- Zirconium locks from deck only (early as G2 turn)
- Craving Claw’s locking another unit skill is restricted to the opponent’s VG being G3
Going First Is Great For Us
Both Zirconium or Craving Claw cannot lock RGs before we ride to G3. So our Turn 1 and Turn 2 plays are safe still.
Zirconium is really the only card that puts a locked card onto our field. I recommend putting that locked card in the back row. Behind the VG should be fine since later on Nightrose gives herself +10k when the opponent has a G3 VG.
On our Turn 3, we’ll ride to Nightrose and the Link Joker player will still be on G2. We are able to do our multi attack turn and each of our RGs will self-retire due to Nightrose’s skill. Thus, we will have an empty field.
Navigator is still great to use early on! Especially, if we open with it on Turn 1. We can definitely get 10-15 cards in the drop zone and then make sure we clear our field on our Turn 3.
We get a Protect when we ride Nightrose. I recommend using it ASAP so the Link Joker cannot gain Force markers when Chaos resolves it’s SB1 skill. Remember, the CB1 skill requires to lock a RG in order to give us a Force gift. So if we don’t have ANY markers or Protects, the Link Joker player cannot generate any Force gifts.
In fact, you can use cards like Greed Shade to improve our hand quality such as grabbing PGs or Critical Sentinels. If needed, you can discard the Protect with cards like Greed Shade and Negrobone.
What If We Go Second?
Since they’ll ride to G3 first, Chaos will be a threat if we have any RGs. So I recommend NOT calling cards early on.
If you superior called Skull Dragon or Ghost Ship early on, that’s great! Their skills force them to self-retire at the end of the battle. The Colombard fetch and revive Ghost Ship play can be used as normal.
Once you ride Nightrose, then you can start calling RGs that will attack/boost so they can self-retire. Rinse and repeat until you win.
But What About When We Have A Locked Card?!
So perhaps the Link Joker player resolved 2 Zirconiums or you made a mistake by leaving a RG. So now what? Glad you asked! First, let’s mention what advantage the Link Joker gains.
- Craving Claw will be annoying by unlocking and locking between RGs
- Chaos can start generating advantage, Force markers, and gains +10k both VC/RC
- Zirconium’s Critical gaining skill will be active, making their VG Critical 2
However, the Link Joker player will have 2 options:
- Keep those RGs as locked cards in order to have those skills active
- Or retire them to start gaining hand advantage and gain Force markers
Hopefully your locked cards are in the back row. Otherwise, having a front row locked will hurt your multi attack turns.
If they start retiring those cards, then it can be an opportunity to make a comeback. However, make sure to NOT let it happen again. Otherwise, they’ll keep gaining more Force markers.
Zirconium Is Their Key Card
Since we retire our units, the only way for them to get a locked card onto our field is through Zirconium. Also worth noting, Zirconium’s lock skill is on place only. So that skill can only be done once by each copy.
If the Link Joker player doesn’t open up with Zirconium soon enough, they’ll have a really bland deck.
Watch Out For Colombard
Note: Credit to Ahmed Arslan Chaudhry since he mentioned this is worth pointing out!
During the battle phase we can revive a beater like Skull Dragon and Colombard to help extend to the 5th attack with a 2nd Skull Dragon.
The 4 Skull Dragon attacks turn is great to finish off the game, BUT make sure you can finish it! Otherwise, the Colombard will be left on the field since it cannot boost to get self-retired by Nightrose.
Another alternative play is to call Ripple Banshee behind Colombard. You can still extend to the 5th attack, SB1 to draw a card, and can still clear your field.
Other Key Highlights
- Due keep in mind cards that still bind your RGs. We still like to reuse our cards from the drop zone.
- You can deny damage early on to prevent Zirconium’s skill.
- This really hurts if they have to ride Zirconium too.
- If you end up with a Force gift to use, choose Force 2 and put it on a RG column.
- We can get twice the benefit with multi attack and cards swinging huge already like Skull Dragon and Ghost Ship.
- You can use a card like Clear Frame “Whirling Wash of Curse Cleansing” to help out with your turn.
- However, this card seems unnecessary if you know the matchup well.
Final Thoughts
At first when the skills were revealed, it seemed pretty daunting. However, thanks to our self-retire skills, we have a great matchup still!
I highly recommend on play testing and learn the matchup well! If you know any other tips, feel free to comment down below! Till next time amigos!
Rogue of the Seven Seas 