Now that all the cards are released about New World Chaos and it's going to come out tomorrow, I figured it would be a great time to review the Katana World cards of this set. This set is definitely has its fair share of the good, the bad and the ugly.
There are a few Katana World reprints in this set and even more reprints in the overall set. I won't be reviewing the reprints since it should be obvious by now what decks would need them and how they're used. Without further ado, let's jump right in!
SPs:
 |
| I love this SP's art. |
We're starting with the new Ibuki SP. It's on enter ability can be flexible for both offensive and defensive purposes and it doesn't have to enter by ambush. In fact, it doesn't have any additional ability that goes off when it enters by ambush which ultimately is fine.
When it enters during your main phase, it will probably be used offensively and if it enters during the opponent's turn, it'll be defensively. I think it's better offensively considering it has Double Attack for just one gauge.
This should help against Prism Dragons and breaking down Athora. This won't help too much with Battz since the size 3 has infinite power and the size 2 has 13,000 power which would reduce him down to 7,000 and he can still hit Ibuki and Geargod might as well laugh at -6000 to his power. Although, reducing Geargod's defense could have its uses.
The Overkill is great. By discarding 1 card from hand during your opponent's turn, you can put 3 cards from your deck face down into his soul so it's a +2 in advantage. This gives you the ability to properly set up a counter to whatever would work against your opponent. I can't tell if I like this one's Overkill or the
Oni-Devouring Oni, Kid Ibuki "Arabone" Overkill more. My only gripe with Arabone is there's a lot of cards that can overlap their "can't be destroyed by card effects" ability to other cards to protect key monsters that would be otherwise susceptible.
Secret Rares:
 |
| Can't touch this |
5 World Build Masters (5WBM) finally comes out for english in this set! In case anyone didn't know, there was a set released in Japanese called 5 World Build Masters about 6 months ago (from writing this) that had some good cards for Katana World but Bushiroad decided to not announce when it would come in english. It's finally being released within this set.
I've been waiting too long for this card. It's a great Ninja Arts recovery card from drop for just one gauge. Need extra gauge with
Clear Serenity? Need a certain monster from the drop? Grab
Fuuton, Sweeping Whirlwind. Need a size 2 or greater monster from deck? Grab
Searchlight. It's a cheap card with good, standard ninja stats that is very flexible.
 |
| Talk about strong headwinds |
This card is pretty lack luster. I see where they're going with the card. Nullify an attack to you and you can either bounce a size 1 or less monster on your opponent's field or save a monster on your field to replay during your turn.
Currently, there's not a lot of threatening size 1 or less especially with CHAOS and Thunder Empire being so hard hitting with Size 3s. Sure you can bounce a size 2 or 3 monster that may have had it's size reduced by a card effect but they're not too prevalent at the moment.
Most Katana World decks are closed center (besides Blade Beasts usually) so almost no deck has a real use for this other than the occasional death/shadow dive deck. Kinda weird that out of all the 5WBM cards, they would print this as a Secret Rare.
Triple Rares:
 |
| Boy his flavor text is just... bad |
This Kid Ibuki is also from 5WBM and it has its flexible uses. When it enters the field, you can return any card on the field back to the owner's hand. The obvious use for this is to bounce cards on the field that can't be destroyed by card effects (like GearGod or Batzz) but if you want to save a card on your field to replay as well, the option is there. It's [Act] ability lets you easily set it up without having to waste
House of Assassins, Oni Convoy or it lets you be more aggressive by calling him out with
Oni Castle of Contraptions.
My only issue with the card is it's 2 gauge to call which isn't bad but it doesn't have Double Attack like many Kid Ibukis. Sure it has 3 critical instead of 2 but that isn't better than Double Attack to me. Then again, the bounce could be seen as a form of double attack but I digress. It's not a great card but it's not bad at all. At least you can bounce
Death Count ~Requiem~.
 |
| Don't get too triggered ;) |
I'm more excited for this card's counter ability than it's "ambush" ability. The counter ability is a nice way to take back control of the field from the massive board spam that Chaos can do these days. It helps push for game as well. You can attack with your current field, call out a Kid Ibuki or a 2 size which could call out a size 1 and attack with them after destroying monsters on the field. It ultimately sacrifices the flexibility of Underhanded Means, Sneak Attack to board wipe the monsters on the field.
The only decks I can think of that the second effect would be great for is Black Dragons or Prism Dragons but they have items and monsters that help protect their set spells from destruction. Otherwise, it would be the occasional rogue deck that has 1 set spell it would use and in which case, I would rather use
Grudge Fiend, Hannya.
 |
| Falcon Paaawwwwch! |
Next is my main main Ziun from back in season 2. His abilities are a mix of
First Omni Beast Lord, Ziun and
INV Kage Ziun. His abilities are similar to the former with having the stats of the later. What's nice is the gauge cost to increase his power and give penetrate isn't once per turn so his attack can go up really high if you need them to and you have the gauge. You could also use
First Omni Beast Messenger, Goishi Goma to reduce his call cost to a mere life.
Overall, this card isn't great at all. Sure it will obviously fit in a size 3/0 Skull Warrior rush deck and use
Boy Transformation, Yamigitsune on him to deal 7 damage overall but that's about it. It's nice to see Omni Lords get new cards though.
Rares:
Chaos Brand Dimensional Sword
 |
| I wonder if Chaos would ever use this weapon |
Next is the first of two new Oni Assassin Weapons. Both weapons in this set support more of a closed center Oni Assassin deck by allowing the weapons to attack through center. This card is great in its soul removing flexibility. It can remove a soul out of ANY card on the field after it battles and you gain a gauge.
This could be for removing a soul on your field to continue ambushing, or soul sapping your opponent's monsters, or you could keep soul removing Death Count ~Requiem~ to slow down Black Dragons. It probably won't stop them completely but it may give you another couple turns to try to win.
Evil Ocular Arts, Yamigitsune
 |
| Eye'm watching you~ |
Moving on, we finally have a new Yamigitsune form and a good one at that! For a measly life, you can call any size 1 or less Skull Warrior monster by paying their call cost. For all intents and purposes, it's essentially a better Snake Princess, Setsuna.
The problem with Setsuna was the gauge cost you always would have to pay to call anything a long with having the pay the call cost of whatever you're calling and her stats are pretty bad. Yamigitsune has better power and critical and doesn't die at the end of the turn. Plus, you can use Return to the Underworld to call this Yamigitsune without paying the life and then call a size 1. Setsuna would require a gauge from Return to the Underworld, and then another gauge to call a size 1 a long with the call cost. It helps reduce the gauge cost.
The only minor downside is that the ability is named once per turn but ultimately that's fine if it means a better resurrection ability and stat monster.
I would probably run it as a 3 of. I wouldn't make it buddy since if you're at 1 life, you can't call this and it'll be a dead card. It's overall a welcomed monster in the Size 1/3 Skull Warrior build.
Hairpin Blade, Hoozuki
 |
| Where has this card been all my life? |
This card has been away from my grasp for far too long. Not only is this card going to be obviously really good in Oni Assassins but with how it's worded, it'll be a perfect weapon for Skull Warriors. This works because it's worded as "When a monster enters your field from the drop zone" instead of "When a monster enters your field by Ambush".
Onis can plus off it easier because they can be called from drop during either player's turn but Skull Warriors can get consistent draw and have a viable weapon with a closed center. I do give kudos to Bushiroad for trying to make one card viable in more than one deck in this case.
Hundred Mechs General, CHAOS Gishingyuki
 |
| Could we put more stamped icons on a card? |
Speaking of cards being viable for more than one deck, we have the return of the Hundred Demon Generals in their Chaosified forms. In this case, we're talking about Gishingyuki. This is a solid beat stick card for several decks. The most notable two are Hudred Demons and the Size 1/3 Skull Warrior build but it can also work in Water since Heavenly Vengeance, Full-equip Kannon is a size 3 Skull Warrior.
He does have one less critical than his original form but that's fine. This card has given Skull Warriors an answer to high defense decks. They struggle with big walls like Athora and their 9k/10/k defense.
It's named ability is a better version of his original form's [Act] ability. Since it's counter, you can push for game by calling over a self-destructing Skull Warrior or sacrifice a Skull Warrior on the side and call him to the center to cover yourself. Then, you can use Hairpin Blade, Hoozuki to draw a card!
Commons:
CHAOS Lament Oni
 |
| I wonder what his non-chaosified version is |
Starting with the commons, we have this... uh... Oni. Ok not going to lie. The commons are a little rough. This isn't a great card because it's such a niche ability. I suppose in the random pinch situation that you don't have gauge, don't have Oni Boss, Kid Ibuki and need to destroy a size 2 or greater, this is your man. I guess if the meta ever goes back to size 2s and 3s that can be destroyed by card effects, this guy is an option. Man it feels weird just trying to justify a situation where he's useful.
CHAOS Unzen
 |
| Whatever he's smoking must be pretty dank |
Moving on to another not so great card. I don't have much to say to justify using this card. It's a size 3 so he's useless with
Heavenly Vengeance, Full-equip Kannon since he'll still size rule out. His abilities are lack luster for every deck he's viable in. Ninjas run size 1s, Chaos has much better options and they don't need shadow dive and like I mentioned before, he doesn't fit in the preferred Water build. It's a passable card.
Godspeed Sword Draw, Mikazuki Munechika
 |
| Omae wa mou shindeiru |
Even though this card is a common, it's a good card. It top decks a card for soul to help with getting Japenese Blades in the drop. I can use the soul for
Hiding Oni in my deck and it gains you back some resources when it moves to the center. A pretty solid card for Blade Beast in general. Plus when you cast
Sword Skill, Zanteisettetsu, he gets destroyed but remains on the field so it's a free life and gauge. I wish it had penetrate or double attack but this one is a more defensive Mikazuki Munechika.
Ninja Arts, Vapor Crow
 |
| Unzen's "blazing" a path with his vapor crow |
And finally is this nice spell. The damage reduction is ok but I like the size 3 bounce effect more. In Water, you can return Heavenly Vengeance, Full-equip Kannon if he's going to be destroyed. The nice thing to note is that against Chaos, you can bounce any card in their line up and it'll be fun to bounce any form of Azi Dahaka which will force your opponent to spend gauge and send monster to the drop to recall him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
And that's about it from this set. Let me know if you have any thoughts on the cards. I will be at Toronto this coming weekend so feel free to say hi and I have Katana World Gym Badges to anyone who wants to fight me for one. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed!
