In Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Links, one of the archetypes that a lot of people would say is high-tier is Fur Hires (otherwise known as Skyfang Brigade in the OCG), released just 3 months ago. Very few archetypes have as much monster synergy as this one does.
Here's a brief overview of just the monsters. (Literally, just the monsters.)
Here's a brief overview of just the monsters. (Literally, just the monsters.)
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Alright, here's what they can do:
Look crazy? That's because it is. What we're going to look at today is Wiz, Sage Fur Hire.
- Can heal your LP, can negate Spell/Trap cards or effects once per turn by discarding 1 'Fur Hire' card (Wiz)
- Can excavate a certain number of cards and add 1 'Fur Hire' to the hand, can negate monster effects once per turn by discarding 1 'Fur Hire' card (Rafale).
- Can banish cards from opponent's GY, directs enemy attacks towards itself (Dyna)
- Can inflict burn damage, prevents targeting Fur Hires via card effects (Sagitta)
- Can search for a 'Fur Hire' monster (Beat)
- Can destroy face-up cards (Donpa)
- Can destroy face-down cards (Recon)
- Can bring 'Fur Hire' monsters back to the hand from the GY (Seal)
- Can increase both ATK/DEF by 500 until the end of the turn for all your Fur Hires (Bravo)
- Can draw a card by discarding 1 'Fur Hire' card (Helmer)
Look crazy? That's because it is. What we're going to look at today is Wiz, Sage Fur Hire.
What makes this card good?
Its stats are great. The ATK isn't bad, but its DEF is pretty high, making it ideal to Special Summon Wiz in Defense mode. In Duel Links, you'd often do so as a safe starting move, typically via the effect of Beat, Bladesman Fur Hire to leave Wiz ready to negate any Spell/Trap card or effect activation.
Because Beat searches the Deck for any 'Fur Hire' monster upon the summon of Wiz, and Seal brings back destroyed Fur Hires to the hand, even though the negation is once per turn, the cost is very easy to satisfy, especially because it does not require the cost to be a monster (there's 1 Spell and 1 Trap that I didn't show).
You can just build your deck with a bunch of monsters, and if Wiz is on the field, that's likely a free negation.
You can just build your deck with a bunch of monsters, and if Wiz is on the field, that's likely a free negation.
How do I get around it?
As you can tell, the negation is the most bothersome aspect of Wiz, as it forces duelists to play around it. Here are some ways that come to mind to successfully activate a Spell/Trap against Wiz, using cards that are available in Duel Links (you know, besides just carrying 2 copies of the same card in your hand!).
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- Turn off the monster effect of Wiz using another monster's effect (it must be a monster that does this, not a Spell or Trap if you start a Chain).
Alector, Sovereign of Birds allows you to target any face-up card on the field, then negate its effects until the end of the turn. Because Wiz only negates Spell/Trap cards and effects, it cannot respond. That gives you that turn to defeat it, so you'd better have a follow-up plan! - Turn off the monster effect of Wiz using a Spell/Trap effect in Chain Link 3 (in response to a negate).
Forbidden Chalice is a great choice for this, because Wiz is often in Defense, which means the ATK boost tends to not matter. Now, since Wiz can only negate once per turn, that means Wiz cannot negate this card too, if you respond to the initial negation with it. Then, your first card that you wanted to use will resolve normally. - Negate Wiz's LP healing effect that triggers upon its Special Summon using a Counter Trap (Spell Speed 3), like Divine Wrath, Ultimate Providence, etc., and destroy it.
Wiz's negation effect is a monster's Quick Effect, which is Spell Speed 2, and not the highest priority. That means a card with a higher priority, namely, Spell Speed 3 (Counter Traps), will be able to respond to the effect that triggers upon its summon, but cannot be further responded to by Wiz's negation effect.
Can this card get any more broken?
Ooh boy... yes, it can. In Duel Links, you can play as Mako Tsunami, and one of his skills is to place Umi on the field at the start.
Then the tech card that really provides a lot of protection is Sea Stealth Attack.
Um, you know the ways I just mentioned to counteract Wiz's negation effect? Yeah, 2 of those are down the drain when Sea Stealth Attack and Umi are both in play. Here's what is added...
- If Wiz is attacked or attacks, the monster it battles is destroyed at the start of the Damage Step.
That means Wiz can now attack and get over practically any monster, except ones that are unaffected by Traps (like Tenkabito Shien and Elemental Hero Wildheart).
- Sea Stealth Attack can banish Wiz if it is targeted by any card effect, preventing the destruction of any Spell/Trap cards on that side of the field.
That means you can't destroy Umi or Sea Stealth Attack, nor can you target Wiz for that turn. So, Alector and Forbidden Chalice are out of the question. (Divine Wrath still works, because it's Spell Speed 3.)
The benefit here for you is that you can potentially attack directly, or attack another monster to deal damage if possible.
- If you destroy Umi, the key card holding this strategy together, a newly-activated Sea Stealth Attack brings it right back.
To get around this, you have to banish Umi instead. Cards like Cosmic Cyclone and Black Luster Soldier - Sacred Soldier could potentially do this... although the former can easily be negated by Wiz because it's a Spell.
(A misplay would be to try to banish Wiz instead of Umi. The latter banishing card targets, so the target would be gone if Sea Stealth Attack banishes Wiz.)
But why? Why would you do this???
Can anything stop this setup?
In principle, yes... you can get around it, or avoid it early on. Here are some inconsistent or temporary solutions.
- If you happen to go first, or if the opponent hasn't drawn Sea Stealth Attack yet, try Cosmic Cyclone (if you draw it) to banish Umi early, and hope the opponent doesn't have a backup copy, and that Wiz cannot negate this.
- Target Wiz with a dangerous card when your opponent has no cards in the hand (so that Wiz can't negate), like Vision Hero Witch Raider to destroy all Spell/Trap cards they control, or Gilford the Lightning to destroy all monsters they control. They must then banish Wiz to protect it.
Then, attack the remaining monsters or attack directly if possible, to deal damage. Masked Heroes have the greatest opportunities to do so.
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If your opponent already has all three cards set up (Wiz, Sea Stealth Attack, Umi), here are some other, better solutions.
- Use a monster effect to banish Umi (like BLS - Sacred Soldier), and hope that your opponent has nothing else to negate that effect, like Divine Wrath or Solemn Scolding. There is nothing that can be done by the opponent in response, if they cannot do that.
- Force the opponent to banish Wiz by trying to destroy it with a monster effect (like Atlantean Heavy Infantry), then afterwards, banish Umi with Cosmic Cyclone, assuming the opponent could have negated it earlier, but now cannot.
- Attack with a monster that does not allow activation of cards or their effects until the end of the Damage Step, like U.A. Mighty Slugger or Gem-Knight Citrine.
Then Sea Stealth Attack can't even activate its effect to destroy.
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Final Remarks
Wow, this card can just do so much... With the proper support, it is nearly invincible. We did find ways to get over it, but they're not foolproof. Of course, nothing is, but as Yami Yugi once said, "every card has its weakness, and I'll find yours!".
Indeed, that's quite true. Otherwise the card should be banned. Maybe someday we'll get support that more consistently deals with this card. For now, in Duel Links, that's what we have to work with. C'est la vie.
Indeed, that's quite true. Otherwise the card should be banned. Maybe someday we'll get support that more consistently deals with this card. For now, in Duel Links, that's what we have to work with. C'est la vie.