Joey Wheeler’s Blue Flame Swordsman finally leaps off the TV screen and onto the table, in Legendary Collection 4: Joey’s World.  While Joey used Blue Flame Swordsman to combo with his regular Flame Swordsman, the real-world version can do that and so much more.  Check it out!

Once per turn, during either player’s Battle Phase: You can target 1 other Warrior-Type monster you control; this card loses exactly 600 ATK, and if it does, that monster gains 600 ATK. When this card you control is destroyed by your opponent’s card (either by battle or by card effect) and sent to your Graveyard: You can banish this card from your Graveyard, then target 1 FIRE Warrior-Type monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target.

If you think, “Hey, there are probably a lot of FIRE Warrior-Types out there,” you’re correct.  Blue Flame Swordsman can revive over forty different monsters, from Battlin’ Boxers to Boost Warrior and Brushfire Knight.  But not all monsters are created equal, so today we’ll talk about some of the best cards and strategies to help you put Blue Flame Swordsman to work.

Clocking in at 2800 ATK, Phoenix Gearfried is one of the biggest monsters you can Special Summon with Blue Flame Swordsman.  But raw power’s just the beginning: Gearfried’s a Gemini Monster, so you can Normal Summon it to unleash its effect.  Normally you’d have to Tribute Summon Phoenix Gearfried, then keep it alive for a turn to Normal Summon it again.  But with Blue Flame Swordsman all you have to do is get Gearfried to the Graveyard and bring it back.

Normal Summon Gearfried for its effect, and whenever your opponent activates a Spell Card you can Special Summon another Gemini monster from your Graveyard.  Phoenix Gearfried also lets you negate Spells or Traps that target a monster on the field, by sending one of your face-up Equip Cards to the Graveyard.  By Special Summoning Phoenix Gearfried with Blue Flame Swordsman you unlock more Special Summons.

That’s good news for Evocator Chevalier, a 1900 ATK Gemini that you can Special Summon with Gearfried or Blue Flame.  Give it a second Normal Summon and Chevalier lets you send Equips to the Graveyard to destroy your opponent’s cards.  Combo these three monsters for a ton of free Special Summons and Gemini effects.

Speaking of free Special Summons, you can set off a whole string of them with the right FIRE Warriors.  When Blue Flame Swordsman’s destroyed, you can banish it to Special Summon back the 1900 ATK Valkyrian Knight.  When Valkyrian Knight’s destroyed, you can banish it along with another Warrior to revive any Level 5 or higher Warrior from your Graveyard.  Or, bring back Knight of the Red Lotus and it can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from your Graveyard every turn.

And remember – Geminis like Evocator Chevalier?  They count as Normal Monsters in your Graveyard; fair game for Knight of the Red Lotus.  You can build an entire Blue Flame Swordsman Deck around Special Summon tricks.

Don’t want to take it that far?  You’ve still got some amazing options.

Crimson Blader’s one of the most fearsome Synchro Monsters in Dueling today.  With an effect that stops your opponent from Special Summoning, it can end games in one attack.  Most Duelists only run one copy, but with Blue Flame Swordsman you can keep bringing Crimson Blader back.  Great Shogun Shien stops your opponent from activating more than one Spell or Trap each turn, and if they destroy it to escape your lock, Blue Flame gets things back under control.  You can even revive Nitro Warrior, which can win Duels for off-the-wall decks like Quickdraw Ojamas.

There are a lot of different ways to play Blue Flame Swordsman.  For hardcore Joey fans, the original Flame Swordsman is just an Instant Fusion away.  But you can take that strategy and run with it, building your whole Deck around Joey’s famous monster.  Get your Blue Flame Swordsman in Legendary Collection 4: Joey’s World!