Welcome Readers!
To our post featuring the latest insight to the upcoming Weiss Schwarz release:
Log Horizon!
Log Horizon!
This latest release is based on a fun and well-loved anime series. With both a trial deck and an extra booster set, Meisters have the opportunity is play with their favourite characters from the series.
Both released in English on the 23rd October 2015, you were able to get building; with the trial deck acting as a great foundation. However, at the moment this is only an extra booster series so sadly you only have 2 colours to mess with: Red and Blue; with Shiroe cards in Blue and Akatsuki cards in Red. Along with Shiroe and Akatsuki, you also have the option to play with other loveable characters from the anime series: Nyan-tu, Naotsugu, Marielle, Rayneshia and many more!!
Trial Deck
Like every other Weiss Schwarz trial deck, the Log Horizon one is a 50-card pre-constructed starter deck that includes a rule sheet, deck manual, playbook and a paper playmat; perfect to get you stuck into the World of Weiss!
Bushiroad stated on their Weiss Schwarz website that this trial deck features well be featuring characters and card art from the first 4 episodes of the anime.
There are two types of exclusive RRR foiled cards as well as 1 SP gold hot-stamped signed card from Akatsuki's voice actress - Emiri Kato - that you have a chance at pulling from one of the six decks in a display case. The two cards that come in RRR are Akatsuki and Shiroe.
- Akatsuki ~ Level 0, 1500 power, 0 cost; [Auto][Put a marker from underneath this card into your waiting room] When this card attacks, if you pay the cost, choose one of your opponent's level 0 or lower characters in your centre stage and put is into your opponent's waiting room. & [Act]<Rest> this card to put a marker underneath her if there isn't one already.
Now I like this early game aggression character because with a cheap cost she sets herself up for the next turn and can easily aid in wiping out your opponent's centre stage defences.
- Enchanter, Shiroe ~ Level 3, 10000 power, 2 cost; [Cont] Gets +1500 power if you have five or more cards in your hand and also gains the following ability: [Cont] During this card's battle, your opponent cannot play "Backup" from hand. & [Auto] When this card is frontal attacked, look at the top card of your deck, and put it back on top of your deck or in the waiting room.
A pretty decent starting Level 3 character to play with as it has both aggressive and controlling traits: aggro ones consisting of gaining a power up and the control ones consisting of stacking a trigger check and not allowing your opponent to use "Backup" cards during his battle. He also comes in SR :D
- Enchanter's Support ~ Level 2, Event, 1 cost; Choose one of your opponent's Level 3 or lower characters and that character cannot <stand> in your opponent's next stand phase. Choose one of your characters and that character gains +2000 power until the end of turn.
I really, really like this event card. Personally it's difficult to find an event card that is 100% awesome, but to me, this card fills that quota. Despite being a Level 2 event card, it even allows you to target [change] or early game Level 3 characters on your opponent's stage and force it to be stunned which gives you more of an upper hand for a turn. And if that wasn't good enough, it gives any one of your characters and it gains +2000 power! I seriously cannot see a downside to this card; it gives you so much for barely any cost.- Crescent Moon Alliance Representative, Marielle ~ Level 2, 4000 power, 1 cost; [Assist] All characters in front of her get +1000 power. & [Act](1) Choose one of your <Weapon> characters and that character gets +1500 power until the end of turn.
Usually I'm not very fond of Assist cards that are above Level 0.... However, I do like this cards easy way of powering up your whole centre stage which is very handy to have. Also, if you don't have anything else to work with, you can push her forward to the centre stage and she can battle for you instead.
- Swashbuckler, Nyan-ta ~ Level 1, 5000 power, 0 cost; [Auto] When a card named "Sophisticated Cooperation" is placed in your climax area, if you have another character with "Shiroe" in its card name, this card gets +4000 power.
For a card that costs nothing to play and can take out Level 3 characters with the correct set up, I highly like this Level 1 combo card and pleased that something like this was made available in the trial deck.
For now, they are all the trial deck cards I wanted to specifically address in this post but there are a couple of others I liked the general look of that adds flare to the trial deck :)
Extra Booster Support
Released at the same time on 23rd October 2015, players have the immediate option to upgrade their newly purchased trial decks. Within this extra booster set of Log Horizon, there are 50 types of cards, with 50 parallels and 3 SP variants. Per booster there is 6 cards; 4 normal and 2 parallel, with 6 booster packs per display box. The 3 types of exclusive SP gold hot-stamp signed cards that are randomly inserted into packs are from the Japanese voice cast for the anime series: Takuma Terashima as Shiroe, Yumi Hara as Maryelle and Emiri Kato as Akatsuki like in the trial deck.
Here are a few of my favourites from both sides of Extra Booster; let us start with Blue seeing as Shiroe is the main character of Log Horizon!
Blue
- Log Horizon's Representative, Shiroe ~ Level 3, 3000 power, 2 cost; [Cont] You cannot take damage from your opponent's character's [Auto] effects. & [Assist] All of your <Weapon> or <Magic> characters in front of him gain X power. X is equal to 1000 times by that character's level. & [Auto](1)[<Rest> this card] During your turn, when another of your character's battle opponent becomes< reversed>, if this card is <stand> if you pay the cost, choose one of your characters in battle and that character gains "[Cont] The character in front of this card gets -2 soul" until the end of your opponent's next turn.
To start off with, yes he may only be 3000 power base, but his defencive and controlling qualities is amazing for any deck focusing or teching Blue cards in this series! I like how he effectively does what he does best in the anime and that is support it comrades in battle and guides them straight to victory by being one step ahead of their opponent!- Guardian, Naotsugu ~ Level 3, 9500 power, 2 cost; [Cont] This card gets +500 power for each of your other <Weapon> or <Magic> characters. & [Cont] Great Performance: When your opponent attacks, if this card is in the middle position of your centre stage and not <reversed>, your opponent frontal attacks this card instead.
Continuing with the theme of having half aggro and half controlling aspects. Easily being 11500 power without added assists, he also forces your opponent to frontal attack him when conditions are met which can screw with any plans they may have had in the beginning, forcing them to chance present tactics.
- Determination to Change the World, Shiroe ~ Level 1, 6000 power, 1 cost; [Auto][(1) <Rest this card] When you other character attacks, if a card named "Log Horizon" is in your climax area and this card is <stand>, if you pay the cost, until the end of turn that character gets +1500 power and the following ability: "[Auto] When this card's battle opponent becomes <reversed>, you may draw a card". & [Auto](1) At the beginning of your opponent's attack phase, if you pay the cost, choose one of your <Weapon> or <Magic> characters and that character gets +1500 power until the end of turn.
With this character, I like the ideas of the power gain during different phases of the game, both in your turn and your opponents and the option to draw a card when conditions are met.
- Log Horizon, Nyan-ta ~ Level 1, 4000 power, 0 cost; [Auto][(1) Put this card into your waiting room] When another of your characters is being frontal attacked, if you pay the cost, return that character to your hand. & [Act][<Rest> two of your <Magic> characters] Until the of your turn, this card's soul does not decrease by side attacking.Another defencive character here but continuing with the slight aggressive tendencies as you can "save" one of your characters that is being frontal attacked and gives you the option to pay the cost allowing you to side attack with no reduced soul damage.
- Field Monitor, Minori ~ Level 2, 8000 power, 1 cost; [Auto](1) When a card names "Simplified Full Control Encounter" is placed in your climax area, if this card is on your centre stage and you pay the cost, all of your characters gain +2500 power until the end of turn and the following ability: "[Auto] When this card's battle opponent becomes <reversed>, you may put that character on the bottom of your opponent's deck".
For costing a total of 2 stock and needing a specific climax, this card's ability is insane! As well as powering up your whole attacking team, it also allows you to remove any <reversed> opponent's from field and put them exactly when you know they will be; effectively allowing you to stack your opponent's damage/drive trigger checks.
- Nyan-ta ~ Level 2, 7000 power, 1 cost; [Auto] When another of your <Weapons> or <Magic> character attacks, this card gets +1000 power until the end of turn. & [Auto][(1) Put a card from your hand into the waiting room] At the beginning of your climax phase, if you pay the cost, choose one of your opponent's characters, <stand> that card and move it to another open position on your opponent's stage, and this card gets +1000 power until end of turn.
I quite enjoy this Level 2 character. As well as being able to stand up against Level 3 opponent characters with its power gaining effect, it also allows you to move one of your opponent's characters that may prove to be troublesome for you so long as they have an open position on stage; he then gains more power for doing so which helps you reconstruct your opponent's field and wipe out their characters.
Red
- Beach Angel, Marielle ~ Level 0, 500 power, 0 cost; [Cont] All of your other <Weapon> or <Magic> characters get +500 power. & [Auto] When this card is placed on the stage from you hand, you may put the top three cards of your deck into your waiting room. & [Auto] When this card is placed on stage by hand, put the top card on your deck into the waiting room. If that card is a climax, put this card into your stock.
The reason I like this card is simply because she is a good generic assist card that can be played in either a dual or mono colour build, with the additional option to thin out your deck if you wish for certain cards to be in your waiting room as quickly as possible so it aids in those [change] and [bond] abilities.- Lord's Ninja, Akatsuki ~ Level 3, 10000 power, 2 cost; [Cont] Cannot side attack. & [Auto] When this card is placed on stage by hand or by [change], you may put the top card of your clock into the waiting room. & [Auto] When this card attacks, if you have "Waltz for Two" in your climax area, until the end of turn, she gains +4000 power and the following ability: "[Auto] When this card's battle opponent becomes <reversed>, you may deal one damage to your opponent (damage may be cancelled).
This is the main Red Level 3 character card and she reminds me of a mixture of Mikasa cards from the Attack on Titan series. To start off with, she is unable to side attack. Secondly she is the Reds "healer" on this Weiss support as she saves you some time by putting the top card of your clock into the waiting room if you wish. The main ability I like is her climax-based one where she gains +4000 power and has the ability to deal your opponent if her battle opponent becomes <reversed> which can easily win you the game when played correctly.
- Maiden's Heart, Akatsuki ~ Level 2, 7000 power, 1 cost; [Auto] When this card is placed on stage by hand, reveal the top card of your deck and if that card is a <Weapon> or <Magic> character, put it into your hand and choose a card from your hand and discard it into the waiting room. & [Auto][Change][(2) Put this card and a card from your hand into the waiting room] At the beginning of your climax phase, if you choose to pay the cost, choose a card named "Lord's Ninja, Akatsuki" from your waiting room and place it on stage in the same position as this was.I always like the to get most out of specific Level 3 so running the [changer] than can transform itself into the main focus of your deck is usually a good decision to make. As well as changing into the Level 3 Akatsuki, she also allows you to draw into a new character card that you may need to set up your next combo; her draw-and-ditch effect allows you to set up her [change] ability rather easily.
- Silent Worker, Akatsuki ~ Level 2, 2500 power, 1 cost; [Auto](2) When this card is used as "backup", if you pay the cost, return all of your cards from your waiting room back into your deck and shuffle. & [Act][Counter] "Backup" +2500 power to a character that is being frontal attacked.
As most of you are properly aware by now, I don't usually run or like "backup" cards. However, ones with skills like this really takes my interest and is worth running in your deck, especially to fill in a decent Level 2 lineup. Used at the right time, you can refresh your deck without taking the "clock damage".
- Sorcerer, Rundellhaus ~ Level 2, 7500 power, 2 cost; [Cont] Gains +500 power for each of your other <Weapon> or <Magic> characters. & [Auto][(3) Put two cards from your hand into your waiting room] When this card attacks, if you pay the cost, deal your opponent five damage (damage may be cancelled).
Like the Level 2 Female Titan, he allows you to deal your opponent a lot of damage. Although you give your opponent a better chance of revealing a climax and thus negating the damage, it does thin out their deck for one, get rid of possibly wanted cards for two, and give them less chance at nullifying his attack damage for three. Yes his cost may be argued at steep (including his call cost) but he's overall an epic character and a very large threat to your opponent; forcing them to rethink what to target if they have little resources left to fight with.
- Rundellhaus ~ Level 0, 2500 power, 0 cost; [Auto][Change][(1) Put this card and a card from your hand into the waiting room] At the beginning of your climax phase, if you pay the cost, choose a card named "Adventurer, Rundellhaus" from your waiting room and put it on the stage position that this card was on.
Despite not being overly "wow", I quite like the concept of having a Level 0 changer that can superior call out a stronger unit and depending on whether you're only creeping up to Level 1, this is a nice edition to speed things along and allow you to remain early in the game but bring out some possibly better power than your opponent.
- Cleric, Marielle ~ Level 2, 8000 power, 1 cost; [Auto][(1) Put the top card of your deck into your clock] When this card attacks, if you have "Crescent Moon Alliance" in your climax area, if you pay the cost, choose up to two characters from your waiting room and return them to your hand, and this card gets +2000 power until the end of turn.
Finally, his beautiful character has the ability to take-on a Level 3 opposing character and return two wanted characters of any trait back to your hand, easily allowing next turn set up depending of what is in your hand so long as her conditions are met of course!
As I said before, there are so many more characters and cards that I wish to include in this blog post but these particular ones caught my interests the most and I hope you understand why. Be sure to check out the extra booster set support yourself if you want to uncover more of what this amazing set has to offer you!
As most of you are properly aware by now, I don't usually run or like "backup" cards. However, ones with skills like this really takes my interest and is worth running in your deck, especially to fill in a decent Level 2 lineup. Used at the right time, you can refresh your deck without taking the "clock damage".
- Sorcerer, Rundellhaus ~ Level 2, 7500 power, 2 cost; [Cont] Gains +500 power for each of your other <Weapon> or <Magic> characters. & [Auto][(3) Put two cards from your hand into your waiting room] When this card attacks, if you pay the cost, deal your opponent five damage (damage may be cancelled).
Like the Level 2 Female Titan, he allows you to deal your opponent a lot of damage. Although you give your opponent a better chance of revealing a climax and thus negating the damage, it does thin out their deck for one, get rid of possibly wanted cards for two, and give them less chance at nullifying his attack damage for three. Yes his cost may be argued at steep (including his call cost) but he's overall an epic character and a very large threat to your opponent; forcing them to rethink what to target if they have little resources left to fight with.
- Rundellhaus ~ Level 0, 2500 power, 0 cost; [Auto][Change][(1) Put this card and a card from your hand into the waiting room] At the beginning of your climax phase, if you pay the cost, choose a card named "Adventurer, Rundellhaus" from your waiting room and put it on the stage position that this card was on.Despite not being overly "wow", I quite like the concept of having a Level 0 changer that can superior call out a stronger unit and depending on whether you're only creeping up to Level 1, this is a nice edition to speed things along and allow you to remain early in the game but bring out some possibly better power than your opponent.
- Cleric, Marielle ~ Level 2, 8000 power, 1 cost; [Auto][(1) Put the top card of your deck into your clock] When this card attacks, if you have "Crescent Moon Alliance" in your climax area, if you pay the cost, choose up to two characters from your waiting room and return them to your hand, and this card gets +2000 power until the end of turn.
Finally, his beautiful character has the ability to take-on a Level 3 opposing character and return two wanted characters of any trait back to your hand, easily allowing next turn set up depending of what is in your hand so long as her conditions are met of course!
As I said before, there are so many more characters and cards that I wish to include in this blog post but these particular ones caught my interests the most and I hope you understand why. Be sure to check out the extra booster set support yourself if you want to uncover more of what this amazing set has to offer you!
Final Thoughts?
As you can see, although there is only two colours to play with in this set, in my opinion Bushiroad have taken feedback from previous English extra booster releases and truly taken it on board.
Disappointingly Angel Beats appeared to be missing some key "glue" support that would enable its colours to work to their full potential as I personally found that the characters were capable of much more and there could have easily released support for all four colours in the booster support. I do somewhat feel the same here with Log Horizon, but not to the same degree.
I was hoping for Bushiroad to do is to release support for all four colours as I believe different characters could have belonged to one of the separate four colours and they could have expanded on this, but I do think that this decision was purely due to the anime not having enough sufficient characters to divide them into the four colours and provide decent support for each colour; in doing so, by sticking to just Red and Blue, they hit the nail on the head by comprising the characters into these two chosen colours as greater support was able to be produced at a more consistent level instead of overstretching the characters and possible effects.
Although I don't think I will personally buy into this set as I'm only halfway through watching the anime (and the fact that I'm saving up for another upcoming Weiss set), I do encourage others to check this fantastic set out as it has a lot to offer players with such little released support. This set focuses on having flare everywhere it could fit it in, that allows the deck possibilities to be more enjoyable and it is awesome to see. I truly enjoy the look of this Weiss release and I'm sure you will too even if you've never watched the anime!
Oh yes! And be sure to enter into one of your local registered Weiss Schwarz tournaments to receive the special promo card: Minori, Apprentice Magician!!
She is a Level 1, 2000 power, 0 cost "Backup" (1000 power) character than if she is used as "Backup" from hand and you have a "Shiroe" on your stage, you may choose one of your characters in battle and give it an additional 1000 power.
Well, that's all for now readers! In the next blog post, we shall be looking some Log Horizon deck lists, so be sure to watch out for that one!
Take care everyone!
Moka x x
