Chapter 152. Zoodiac Engine Exposed! A Breakdown of the Former Meta-Warping Super Tier!
The whole process!
The Ancient Gear Duelist simply refused to surrender!
He kept watching as the thousand-year-old Exodia enjoyer on screen used Yata-Garasu to peck away turn after turn!
After that came one sealed piece being retrieved after another!
Duelists across every Duel World couldn't bear to keep watching!
How was this a Duel?
This was pure torture!
Too torturous!
The key is!
Even with all this torture, that guy still wouldn't surrender!
He actually kept waiting it out!
Is this…the pride and defiance of a Duelist?
Duel Monsters World.
Yugi Muto and Solomon Muto both felt their vision go dark!
In their wildest dreams, they never imagined!
That the last step to assemble all five pieces of Exodia would be—
Using Yata-Garasu's effect to lock resources and draw!
Good grief!
There really is a method for everything!
Before, there was high-roll drawing into Exodia.
Now, there's hard-stalling with Yata-Garasu to piece together Exodia!
The equation for assembling Exodia is getting more and more fancy!
And the craziest part—this ultra-low-probability win condition actually succeeded!
After all, the opponent needs to have no resources and no cards in hand!
Only then can the Yata-Garasu combo be established!
If it's not a specialized build, pulling this off really isn't easy!
ZEXAL World.
Yuma Tsukumo and Astral both twitched at the corners of their mouths.
The two looked on with complicated expressions at the final Exodia board state in the short video!
If the earlier "one card answers the Number" could tilt you…
Then being peck-locked by Yata-Garasu until your opponent assembles all five pieces of Exodia—
That would absolutely shatter your mental state!
"This hurts worse than losing in my bold, bold, bold straightforward Dueling!"
"He's got guts too!"
"He actually wouldn't surrender and insisted on letting the opponent complete Exodia!"
Yuma Tsukumo muttered.
His words were full of confusion.
Are there really people who, knowing they can't come back, still refuse to surrender just to let the opponent have their fun?
Main World.
While Duelists in every world were still replaying that Yata-Garasu into Exodia sequence,
Sei Yuki had already pulled his focus back.
He immediately started searching for the next short video to play!
After a round of searching!
Sei Yuki locked onto the Zoodiac and Crystron deck engines.
"Zoodiac, huh?"
"By the way, a few of those cards are still locked away on the Forbidden/Limited List even now, right."
"It used to be a super-tier deck!"
"Choosing this one to explain right now seems pretty good too?"
"..."
After some thought,
Between Crystron and Zoodiac, Sei Yuki settled on the Zoodiac engine!
First, Sei Yuki wasn't very familiar with Zoodiac.
He wanted to use this chance to understand what that former super-tier Zoodiac was all about.
At the same time,
Since Zoodiacs are an Xyz-based engine, for the ZEXAL World,
It should draw quite a lot of attention.
Selection made.
A brand-new title appeared in the short video!
"Meta-Warping Super Tier 'Zoodiac'! One Video to Understand It All!"
At the same time,
The title also appeared across every Duel World.
All Duelists' eyes immediately shifted to the keywords on screen!
Zoodiac!
Super tier?
Another super-tier engine?!
Not a few Duelists' faces changed!
They had all witnessed the strength of the earlier "Dragon Ruler" super tier and "Tearlaments" super tier!
And now another super tier shows up!
No doubt this "Zoodiac" is absolutely no joke!
In the short video.
The content creator—a Zoodiac player—quickly began exposing and explaining the Zoodiac engine!
Zoodiac Player: "Thanks for clicking, fellow card-sharks!"
Zoodiac Player: "Today's episode brings you an explanatory breakdown of the Zoodiac engine."
Zoodiac Player: "I believe most of you have at least heard the Zoodiac name!"
"Stuff like Zoodiac Barrage lines, Ratpier lines, Drident, Broadbull, etc.!"
"So here's the question—do you really understand Zoodiac?"
"For each Zoodiac Main Deck monster, and each Zoodiac Xyz Monster—do you actually understand them?"
"Those who lived through it naturally get it, but those who didn't are probably full of question marks."
"If you want to understand Zoodiac's history and combos!"
"We've got to first meet—what 'Zoodiac' is."
"First of all, Zoodiac is an engine modeled after the twelve zodiac animals!"
"Small core, no hard self-locks, and one-card starters—those are its traits!"
"All Zoodiacs are EARTH Beast-Warriors. Let's start with the Zoodiac Xyz Monsters' shared traits!"
"Point 1: Each Zoodiac Xyz Monster can be Xyz Summoned by using 1 'Zoodiac' monster you control with a different name as material and stacking on top of it."
"In other words, you can play stack-and-climb very easily."
"Point 2: Because the Zoodiac Xyz have ? ATK/DEF, their ATK/DEF become the corresponding values of the 'Zoodiac' monsters attached to them as materials."
"Once you get that!"
"The Zoodiac Xyz plan is clear!"
"Next, let's look at what unique effects each Zoodiac Xyz has!"
Card #1! Zoodiac Broadbull!
Rank 4 Xyz, once per turn.
You can detach 1 material from this card; add 1 Beast-Warrior that can be Normal Summoned/Set from your Deck to your hand.
Card #2! Zoodiac Tigermortar!
Rank 4 Xyz, once per turn you can detach 1 material.
Target 1 Xyz Monster you control and 1 "Zoodiac" monster in your Graveyard; attach that "Zoodiac" monster to that Xyz Monster as material.
Card #3! Zoodiac Drident!
Rank 4 Xyz, once per turn you can detach 1 material.
Target 1 face-up card on the field; destroy it. This is a Quick Effect you can use on your opponent's turn.
Card #4! Zoodiac Hammerkong!
Rank 4 Xyz; while it has material and is in the Monster Zone, your opponent cannot target face-up "Zoodiac" monsters you control, except this card, with card effects.
During each End Phase (yours or your opponent's), detach 1 material from this card.
Card #5! Zoodiac Chakanine!
Rank 4 Xyz, once per turn you can detach 1 material.
Target 1 "Zoodiac" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.
A monster Special Summoned by this effect has its effects negated and cannot be used as Xyz Material this turn.
Card #6! Zoodiac Boarbow!
Rank 4 Xyz; this card can attack directly.
If this card has 12 or more materials and inflicts battle damage to your opponent:
send all cards in your opponent's hand and on their field to the Graveyard, then this card is changed to Defense Position.
All six Zoodiac Xyz have now been revealed!
After Duelists across every world finished watching!
They immediately developed a basic understanding of the Zoodiac in-archetype Xyz bosses!
There's search, there's removal, there's direct attack, there's a protective aura!
Just looking at these!
Duelists realized this engine seemed fairly well-rounded!
At the very least, the Xyz each have their uses!
But it still wasn't obvious where the power was?
With just these Xyz, what kind of waves could it really make?
ZEXAL World.
Being more familiar with Xyz engines,
They quickly spotted a unique flashpoint!
These Xyz monsters—can chain-stack like crazy!
That's right!
As long as you have a single Zoodiac Main Deck monster!
You can stack into Bull! Bull can stack into Boar!
Boar can then stack into something else!
Thinking of that—
Yuma Tsukumo and Astral's faces grew solemn!
Zoodiac—might not be as simple as it seems!
We still have to keep watching!
At least this Xyz trait—is very interesting!
Zoodiac Player: "Having seen the Zoodiac Xyz—"
Zoodiac Player: "Let me flag an info point first!"
Zoodiac Player: "First, Zoodiac Broadbull is Forbidden."
"Zoodiac Drident is also Forbidden!"
"You can think about the reasons for these two bans first!"
"I'll explain later! Next, let's look at the Zoodiac non-Xyz cards!"
"The Zoodiac Main Deck monsters share one trait!"
"That is: when used as material for a Beast-Warrior Xyz Monster, they grant an additional effect!"
"How exactly? You'll see in a moment."
Card #1! Zoodiac Ratpier!
Level 4, 0/0.
Effect 1: If this card is Normal Summoned, you can send 1 "Zoodiac" card from your Deck to the Graveyard.
Effect 2: If this card is attached to a Beast-Warrior Xyz Monster as material, it grants that monster the effect: once per turn, you can detach 1 material; then Special Summon 1 "Zoodiac Ratpier" from your hand or Deck.
Card #2! Zoodiac Bunnyblast!
Level 4, 800/800.
Effect 1: If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect: add 1 "Zoodiac" card, except "Zoodiac Bunnyblast," from your Graveyard to your hand.
Effect 2: If attached as material to a Beast-Warrior Xyz Monster, it grants the effect: when a Spell Card or effect that targets this card is activated, you can detach 1 material; negate that activation.
Card #3! Zoodiac Whiptail!
Level 4, 1200/400.
Effect 1: You can target 1 Beast-Warrior Xyz Monster you control; attach this card from your hand or field to it as material. This can be done during your opponent's turn.
Effect 2: If attached as material to a Beast-Warrior Xyz Monster, it grants the effect: after damage calculation, if this card battled an opponent's monster—banish that opponent's monster.
Card #4! Zoodiac Thoroughblade!
Level 4, 1600/0.
Effect 1: If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: you can discard 1 "Zoodiac" card; draw 1 card.
Effect 2: If attached as material to a Beast-Warrior Xyz Monster, it grants the effect: when attacking a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage.
Card #5! Zoodiac Ramram!
Level 4, 400/2000.
Effect 1: If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect: target 1 "Zoodiac" monster in your Graveyard, except "Zoodiac Ramram"; Special Summon it.
Effect 2: If attached as material to a Beast-Warrior Xyz Monster, it grants the effect: when a Trap Card or effect that targets this card is activated, you can detach 1 material; negate that activation.
Card #6! Zoodiac Kataroost!
Level 4, 800/1200.
Effect 1: If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect: shuffle 1 "Zoodiac" card, except this card, from your Graveyard into the Deck.
Effect 2: If attached as material to a Beast-Warrior Xyz Monster, it grants the effect: when a monster effect that targets this card is activated, you can detach 1 material; negate that activation.
Once the remaining six Zoodiac Main Deck monsters were revealed!
Duelists of every world finally saw it clearly!
These Zoodiac Main Deck monsters—
Besides their printed effects,
The main point is the effects they grant when used as Xyz material!
And these granted effects are all quite solid!
Very comprehensive! Combined with the Zoodiac Xyz!
They can indeed put out some very strong pressure and combo lines!
But even so!
Where's the "broken"?
Duel Monsters World.
Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba wore thoughtful expressions.
They grasped Zoodiac a little.
But they still couldn't see it.
With effects like these,
How could this possibly be a super-tier presence?
"How odd. This time the 'super tier' actually has me confused!"
"Do Zoodiacs even have that much power?"
"At most they can quickly stack into their in-archetype Xyz."
"But in terms of ATK, those low-level grunts!"
"How can that be strong?"
Seto Kaiba immediately voiced his doubts coldly.
And for the moment, the other Duelists had no way to answer.
ZEXAL World.
Yuma Tsukumo and Astral held a completely different view from the first-gen old guard.
"Interesting. This Zoodiac engine can stack off just 1 Main Deck monster."
"The low-level lineup is highly synergistic! I think I'm starting to get it!"
Tori Meadows blinked at the Zoodiacs.
But Kite Tenjo only gave a faint smile and didn't pay too much mind to the Zoodiacs before him.
Yuma Tsukumo and Astral maintained a neutral stance.
For now they'd only understood the engine.
They didn't yet know the combos and lines.
They still had to wait and see what came next.
Zoodiac Player: "Alright, we fully understand the Zoodiac monster lineup."
Zoodiac Player: "So next we enter today's main course!"
Zoodiac Player: "Namely, the history of how Zoodiac became super-tier, plus some famous combos and lines!"
"Among the Main Deck monsters, the key card is Zoodiac Ratpier!"
"Among the Spells, the key card is Zoodiac Barrage!"
"Tie that back to the keywords I opened with!"
"The whole Zoodiac construction focuses on just these few cards!"
"Knowing that, let's look at Zoodiac in history!"
"In September 6102, Zoodiac info leaked, confirming an Xyz engine."
"At the time, the reveal of Zoodiac Drident caused quite a stir!"
"Speed 2 pop, free timing, usable before or after."
"And that was just the appetizer. When they saw the Main Deck monster Zoodiac Ratpier, players realized something was off!"
"Because Ratpier, as material, can pull a second Ratpier."
"The second Ratpier, as material, can fire again; or you can use Zoodiac Tigermortar to attach a used Graveyard Ratpier back on and keep going."
"That way we can bring out a third Ratpier."
"Hence, 'Ratpier Duplication Technique'."
"And the rat…also dumps to the Graveyard!"
"So back then, the Ratpier-line combo was all the rage!"
A hush of respect!
Universal respect!
Duelists around the worlds who hadn't clocked how fake-looking Ratpier's effect was—
All at once grew serious, faces turning grim!
They had overlooked it!
Overlooked it big time!
Looked at this way—Ratpier
Was kind of busted—downright ridiculous!
One pulls two, two pulls three!
This resource snowball—off a single Ratpier alone!
That's a little disgusting!
And what's more disgusting! It also mills the Graveyard!
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