Hidden Arsenal 7 Preview: Daigusto Emeral
April 20th, 2013
Some of the best Xyz Monsters yet are in Hidden Arsenal 7: Knight of Stars, and Daigusto Emeral is one of the best! A splashable Rank 4 that can be played in almost anything, it’s got two effects that can power up your hand, or your field. Check it out…
Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to activate 1 of these effects.
●Target 3 monsters in your Graveyard; shuffle all targets into the Deck, then draw 1 card.
●Target 1 non-Effect Monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target.
Since there are no restrictions on the Materials you use to Xyz Summon Daigusto Emeral, you can play it in almost anything. But to make the most of it, you’ll want to fill your Graveyard quickly so you can use its effects early and often. Not all Decks are going to be able to use Emeral’s Special Summon ability, but everything can use that draw effect.
The effect’s a lot like Pot of Avarice, with one big difference: it’s way easier to Xyz Summon a Rank 4 monster than to wait around and draw a Limited Spell Card. You only need to shuffle back three monsters to get an extra card with Emeral, too, instead of five like Pot of Avarice. And if you protect Emeral, you can use that effect twice.
Some of the most popular Decks today have cards that can land three monsters in your Graveyard almost singlehandedly.
Each of these cards has an ability that Summons another monster from your Deck, and each allows you to make an immediate Xyz or Synchro Summon when you do. Once the Xyz or Synchro is destroyed, you’ll have three monsters to shuffle back with Daigusto Emeral.
Monsters like The Agent of Creation – Venus and Noble Knight Medraut have similar Special Summon abilities that can easily load your Graveyard. Cards like Reborn Tengu, Armageddon Knight, and Dust Knight can help as well.
Once your Graveyard’s ready, you’ll want to Xyz Summon Daigusto Emeral with as few cards from your hand as possible. Flamvell Firedog, Rescue Rabbit, and Advanced Heraldry Art all Special Summon two Level 4 monsters with just a single card from your hand, so you can Summon Emeral and then instantly draw a free card. Since you gave up just one card to bring Emeral into play, that first draw is pure gravy.
Star Drawing gets you an extra draw when you use it for an Xyz Summon, so it’s another good option. You can bring it out with Summoner Monk, or use Monk to Summon Sacred Crane and get a draw that way.
While most Duelists will use Daigusto Emeral just for its draw effect, some strategies can use that Special Summon effect to their advantage. A Gem-Knight Duelist might want to Special Summon back Gem-Knight Garnet to Fusion Summon Gem-Knight Ruby, while a Dragon Deck could Special Summon back Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Remember, Daigusto Emeral isn’t limited to Normal Monsters: the effect specifies “non-Effect Monsters.” There’s a wealth of Xyz, Fusion, and Gemini Monsters you can Special Summon. Gem-Knight Pearl, Gem-Knight Zirconia, and Giga-Plant are all valid targets.
Generally, you’ll Summon Emeral for its draw ability. But when it sticks around and you want to put more pressure on your opponent, it can be worthwhile to use its second Xyz Material for a Summon. You’ll even see Rescue Rabbit players do it on occasion, bringing back Sabersaurus or Gene-Warped Warwolf when they just need more damage to clinch the Duel.
Daigusto Emeral is an incredibly useful card that has a huge impact if you can protect it. With the right set-up and a bit of planning, it can get you two extra cards really quickly. You can play it in almost anything, so give it a shot yourself and see what it can do for your Deck!
Hidden Arsenal 7: Knight of Stars hits shelves April 26th