Game Enders: Caius the Shadow Monarch

Hello everyone.

Today, I will be discussing some things about Caius the Shadow Monarch, and what allows it to be a game ender, but also whats keeping it from doing so.

First off, Stats.

Like all other monarchs, Caius is level 6, has 2400 attack, and 1000 Defence.

What sets it apart is its Type and Attribute.

Like all Monarchs, Caius has been one of the defining factors of the "Monarch Line", 2400 Attack, something that most deckbuilders take into account almost subconsciously when selecting cards. 3 Swings will give you nearly game, and its definitely bigger than most single card monsters can handle by themselves.

The 1000 DEF means that Monarchs are weak to Ojama Country, Level Limit B, and other forms of shifting monsters to DEF. Well, your forgetting that Monarchs tend to get rid of these really well.

Being Dark means that unlike other monsters of its caliber, Caius can be fed to Dark Armed Dragon and other similar monsters, as well as being able to pull upon Allure of Darkness. Meaning that Caius, unlike other monsters, is suprisingly available to many decks.

Fiend: More of the Above. Means Feind Decks can run this too! Wow!

Now, onto the effect.

Monarch Effect: Remove from Play one card on the field. Deal 1000 Damage to the opponent of the removed from play monster was DARK.


So, what makes THIS monster a Game Ender?

A game ender does one or more of the following, often some better than the others:

Paves a way for a massive swing
Puts some huge damage on the field
Ensures the enemy has no way of fighting back
Secures your special victory(very rare)
Gives you great presence on the field.

Like I stated before, most "Game Ender" class monsters tend not to care about their own future.

Whilst compared to other possible Game Enders, Caius tends to not do the things very well, but he does it very well for his relatively low cost.

While removing cards on the field that stand in your way and fight for the enemy, he deals a potential direct 3400 Total Damage, all by almost himself, leaving a 2400 Beater on the field.

With the utility of one card alone, you put a 3400 Damage wedge in the opponent's life. In many situations, this 3400 Damage is enough to end the game, or effectively end the game.

Caius's effect isnt only for getting direct attack, though.

Caius can end games effectively by breaking the combo before it finishes, with his ability to target any card on the field, with few cards capable of stopping him.

While RFP is a place where you can still pull upon for resources, it is significantly less beneficial than being in the graveyard most of the time.


The last part of the effect, the 1000 Burn, is really something that sticks out, compared to other cards.

Most 1000 Burn cards are looked down upon, but this 1000 burn coming as a bonus is really something to be reckoned with.

While 1/8 of one's life isnt usually something people care about, towards the end of the game, 1000 Damage is something that will eat out more than half of your life.

What is the real thing that makes this the game ender is the ability to use this to your advantage, in main phase 2.

If the opponent is below 1000 Life, simply pulling this out and targeting itself is one way to rip out 1000 damage.

Whilst most people never consider it, Caius can be seen as a 1000 Burn card.

I hear the phrase "Wow I never saw Caius as a 1000 Burn Card Before" too often

It is important to always open your eyes to various ways to play different cards.



So why isnt it used more often?

The thing with very splash able cards is that they are also the type of cards to be cut first for space.

Look at Swords of Revealing Light, or maybe Giant Trunade. Both are considered highly splashable cards, yet, when building decks, to cut down on size, it is not uncommon to cut these.

Caius falls into a similar spot.

Whilst drawing Caius as a topdeck to end the game is not unheard of, Topping a Monarch type monster is next to horrible, in most people's opinions.

Teching one or two into an already DARK based deck would be great, but most either already use three, or cant find the space to do so.

There are people who pack one into every deck they can, just for the potential.

But then again, Caius at that stage simply boils down to a personal choice.

So?

The thing thats keeping this from being a more widely used card?(Not that it isnt already. Sales show that the Monarch structure deck is one of the most sold.)

The fact that 2400-3400 Damage simply isnt enough in all points in the game.

While 3400 is painful in late game, in early game, it can be shaken off.

And when you tend to get your 1000 Burn + Direct Swing is usually in the early game.

Thats all for today.