The “Masked HERO” monsters made their debut in Generation Force, and now two more HEROic Fusion Monsters will join the fight in the 2012 Premium Collection Tin!  Masked HERO’s are Summoned with the Quick-Play Spell Card Mask Change: target a HERO you control, send it to the Graveyard, and you can Special Summon a Masked HERO with the same Attribute from your Extra Deck.  Check out the newest super HERO monsters!

Both Masked HERO Dian and Masked HERO Acid pack powerful abilities that can change the shape of the Duel in a single move.  Acid wipes out your opponent’s Spells and Traps, and as long as its effect destroys at least one card, it even corrodes the ATK of your opponent’s monsters.  Dian is a team player that can set off big combos, and bring HERO after HERO into the fray.  Let’s talk about one of the most important parts of playing these cards: their secret identities!

To Special Summon Masked HERO Acid, you’ll have to transform a WATER “HERO” monster.  Your two best candidates are Elemental HERO Ocean, and Elemental HERO Absolute Zero.  Ocean has a great effect that lets you recover a fallen HERO from your Graveyard every turn, but it only has 1500 ATK, and it needs to survive until your Standby Phase to use its ability.  If Ocean comes under attack from a bigger monster, Mask Change lets you power it up into Masked HERO Acid, packing a much higher 2600 ATK!  Playing Acid and Ocean together lets you try and get back key cards, while still giving you a strong backup plan to keep your monsters safe.

But the best way to Summon Masked HERO Acid is to mask up Elemental HERO Absolute Zero.  Since Absolute Zero destroys all of your opponent’s monsters when it leaves the field, sending it to the Graveyard for Mask Change will trigger the demolition of your opponent’s forces.  And after Acid arrives, it’ll finish the job by destroying all of the Spells and Traps in its way.  With no defenses left, you’ll be able to strike for at least 2600 Battle Damage – more if you have another monster, or another copy of Mask Change.  Remember: you can send your first Masked HERO to the Graveyard to Summon another, all in the same Battle Phase.

Elemental HERO Wildheart is another powerful HERO with a great ability: Wildheart is immune to your opponent’s Trap Cards, but with 1500 ATK, it’s not immune to battle.  If your opponent tries to attack it, you can Mask Change it for Masked HERO Dian, evening the odds with 2800 ATK.

Masked HERO Dian lets you Special Summon a Level 4 or lower HERO monster from your Deck when it destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard.  With 2800 ATK, it can mow down almost anything.  If you’re up against something bigger, Summon Elemental HERO Gaia first.  Gaia’s effect cuts one opposing monster’s ATK in half, then gains the same ATK itself.  Normally, you’d just run over the weakened monster with Gaia, but since Dian’s effect is so powerful, it may be worth it to Mask Change first: especially if your opponent has a second monster to attack with Gaia anyways.  Score a shot with Dian, and you can Special Summon some awesome monsters:

-Bring out Elemental HERO Stratos from your Deck to search another HERO to your hand, or destroy your opponent’s Spell and Trap Cards.

-Special Summon Elemental HERO Voltic and attack with it: if it deals Battle Damage to your opponent, you can Special Summon a banished Elemental HERO and make a third attack!

-Summon Elemental HERO Ocean and use its ability to get a HERO back to your hand in your next Standby Phase.

-Or, delve into the darker side of the HERO ranks and Summon Destiny HERO Diamond Dude. Activate its effect in Main Phase 2, and you could wind up using the effect of a powerful Normal Spell without even having to draw that Spell.

The Masked HERO’s are swift, strong, and full of surprises.  If you’re a HERO Duelist, Masked HERO Dian and Masked HERO Acid can take your strategy to a whole new level!