#edgeman

Elemental HERO Bladedge ———————————————— If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Elemental Energy (EEN-EN007), Starter Deck 2006 (YSD-EN019), Duelist Pack: Jaden Yuki (DP03-EN002), Starter Deck: Jaden Yuki (EN018), Legendary Collection 2: The Duel Academy Years Mega Pack (LCGX-EN013), HERO Strike Structure Deck (SDHS-EN009), Mattel Action Figure Series 3 (MF03-EN005), Dark Revelation Volume 4 (DR04-EN067)

HERO Decks took quite a while to become as efficient as can be nowadays. The original Elemental HERO theme mainly consisted in Normal Monsters an support exclusive for each member, becoming a mess of options when their main premise were the diverse number of Fusion Summons. Meanwhile, Destiny HERO gained an immediate status in the competitive scene, while some Decks will mix prominent monsters like "Elemental HERO Prisma" and "Elemental HERO Neos Alius" in their strategies. Fortunately, with the introduction of Masked HEROs and more flexible Fusion Summons the Decks involving the original HERO archetype gained considerable improvements, but many of their debuting cards quickly became forgotten.

"Elemental HERO Bladedge" is probably the strongest Elemental HERO to reside a player's Main Deck, with an ATK slightly suprassing the iconic "Elemental HERO Neos" and a single yet efficient ability to take advatange of said stat. "Bladedge" only purpose is to attack and virtually assure damage with each hit, as by attacking defensive enemies it will deal piercing damage in return. Compared to current HEROs "Bladedge" might not offer much beyond a solid offense against most opponent's fields, but given the archetype's gamestyle arround Fusion Summons makes this HERO rarely become a dead draw due its high Level.

Although "Bladedge" won't replicate the massive supporting options of "Neos", is still capable of being a recurring monster on the field from early to late game. While usually high Level monsters will lack in some early game options, "Bladedge" has an assured position in our hand by archetype options like "E - Emergency Call" or "Elemental HERO Shadow Mist" searching effects, as well cards like "Fusion Conscription" if we work along some of the Fusion Monsters that will become its material for. A common setup is to dump a powerful monster so can be revived later among other uses in the Graveyard, easily achieved by either "Elemental HERO Prisma" taking its name to become a replacement for a Fusion Summon, or "Elemental HERO Blazeman" as replicates its stats to take down any threats on its own. If "Bladedge" is not mainly used as material of our Fusion Monsters, the Graveyard effects of HERO members like "Elemental HERO Necroshade" or "Destiny HERO - Dasher" will allow us to summon it without any need of tributes (Specially due how easy are to prepare with the mentioned milling options). Otherwise revival effects will do so as brings back "Bladedge" from the Graveyard, and in some cases "Elemental HERO Voltic" will summon it if banished by effects such as "Miracle Fusion" or "Elemental HERO Vyon".

In most cases "Bladedge" will become a material of other HERO monsters due the high chances of being a dead card in our hand, yet has the opportunity to lead the Battle Phases not only with its piercing attack but also other options to play along with. Its attacks are quite simple to explain, as will constantly deal damage to any targets no matter their battle position. However, by going further in our setups to work along "Bladedge", it can become the core monster of its own strategy. This will mainly involve the Fusion Monsters "Bladedge" can become part of, as while "Vision HERO Trinity" or "Elemental HERO Wildedge" potentially wipes out the opposite field with multiple attacks, or off-theme monsters like "Red-Eyes Slash Dragon" takes a more defensive approach by equipping monsters in our Graveyard, "De-Fusion" will bring back "Bladedge" along other materials in the middle of the Battle Phase to potentially end in an OTK. However, "Bladedge" on its own can achieve high damage input if working along is exclusive support "Edge Hammer", a Trap Card that will tribute the HERO but in return will destroy a monster as deals damage to the opponent.

"Bladedge" might not be the most prominent HERO out there, specially when its counterpart "Evil HERO Malicious Edge" has an easier summoning as well OTK setups of its own. However, is in an interesting situation where despite being overshadowed by the massive HERO card pool it has some great options to become the lead monster of its own strategy. With tools from early to late game along the setups involving "De-Fusion" or "Edge Hammer", "Bladedge" is one of the very few HEROs that can lead its own Deck. Due its effect's simplicity and high Level it might become dependant of other cards to work, yet with assured results from early to late game "Bladedge" went from a very basic attacker to a card with high finisher potential.

Personal Rating: B+

+ Deals piercing damage in battle + Well supported in several departments + High damage input arround OTK setups and/or "Edge Hammer"

Elemental HERO Plasma Vice ———————————————— "Elemental HERO Sparkman" + "Elemental HERO Bladedge" Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing Battle Damage to your opponent. You can discard 1 card to target 1 Attack Position monster your opponent controls; destroy that target. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Gladiator's Assault (GLAS-EN037), 2007 Collectors Tins (CT04-EN006), Legendary Collection 2: The Duel Academy Years Mega Pack (LCGX-EN066)

Originally Elemental HERO encouraged all sorts of combinations among their members to summon all sorts of Fusion Monsters, having one of the most diverse Extra Decks in the entire game. Unfortunately this was a few years before the Extra Deck was restricted to 15 cards or less, breaking the entire concept of the archetype and being replaced with Fusion Monsters with simpler summoning conditions. However this doesn't mean that the first generations of HERO Fusions are no longer useful, as many of them still carry on in their respective builds as long we can manage their materials properly.

"Elemental HERO Plasma Vice" is a powerhouse of its own as punishes both of the opponent's offenses and defenses. "Plasma Vice" deals piercing damage when attacking targets in Defense Position, while when it comes to Attack Position enemies can be easily destroyed at cost of discarding a card in our hand. Overall a Fusion Monster more than capable of leading Duels on its own with two abilities punishing whatever monsters the opponent summons, no matter if they try to defend themselves or bring stronger monster to face us.

Like various HERO Fusions "Plasma Vice" can only be Fusion Summoned, which isn't much of a problem due being the main focus of the archetype. While "Elemental HERO Bladedge" might have scarce searching tools like "E - Emergency Call" and "Fusion Conscription", "Elemental HERO Sparkman" on the other hand carries a big arsenal of resources to be easily obtained from early to late game. From looking for it in our Deck with cards like "Unexpected Dai" and "Reinforcement of the Army" to late game effects such as "The Warrior Returning Alive" and "Swing of Memories", we can easily replace "Bladedge" with a substitute like "King of the Swamp" and not damage the whole process. Both monsters however can get some shortcuts to further ease the arrival of "Plasma Vice", like "Elemental HERO Prisma" taking their name to become one of the needed materials, or "Miracle Fusion" banishing them from the Graveyard for the Fusion Summon.

"Plasma Vice" can pretty much steal games on its own with a combination of its two abilities. Even if the opponent has a powerful creature dominating the board, "Plasma Vice" can be easily summoned to immediately deal with the problem by discarding a card. This cost although requires some proper hand management has its uses, like discarding HEROs for effects like "Miracle Fusion" or "Fifth Hope", or gaining the Graveyard effects of "Elemental HERO Shadow Mist" or "Elemental HERO Necroshade" among other monsters we can add to the build. Piercing damage is self-explanatory, often reliable to punish defensive opponents even if they control Flip Monsters by dealing a good quantity of damage with each attack.

With pretty much battle damage assured by its two effects working together, "Elemental HERO Plasma Vice" easily becomes one of the most feared HERO Fusions of the original members. Although overshadowed by other Fusions, "Plasma Vice" not only is easy to summon but also can carry Duels on its own as constantly punishes the opponent no matter what battle position are their monsters brought to the field. From dealing with stronger monsters even than itself to breaking through stalling setups, "Plasma Vice" is a highly reliable HERO Fusion for all sorts of situations.

Personal Rating: A-

+ Deals piercing damage against defensive monsters + Destroys monsters in Attack Position + Easy to summon + Flexible against any kind of strategy

Looking down at my feet, too large to walk along such thin lines.                               With each unsteady step, with each severed tie,                                                I'm filled with questions. Why. Why. Lie. 

The sun sinks beneath the black horizon as the day goes on,                                 we slip into a mellow slumber, hand in hand with dawn.                                         Waking up to find drops of dew mapping our front lawns.                                      

The pain within my abdomen roaring so viciously at me,                                         begging for anything, begging for even a seed.                                                     

The force inside my soul,                             screaming for control.                                          Impossible. Impossible. Impossible. 

Looking down at our chubby feet, too large to walk along such thin lines.                 With each unsteady step, with each severed tie,                                                 We're filled with questions. Why. Why. Why.