Number 16: Shock Master ———————————————— 3 Level 4 monsters Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to declare 1 card type (Monster, Spell, or Trap); that type of card (if Spell or Trap) cannot be activated, or (if Monster) cannot activate its effects, until the end of your opponent's next turn. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Collectible Tins 2012 Wave 2 (CT09-EN014), Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha April 2012 (JUMP-EN060)

In a card game where even the simplest plays can lead to powerful setups, negation effects are of big importance to stop them before is too late. A Deck with the proper hand and resources can easily achieve their best outcomes from the very first turn, going from summoning powerful creatures to achieving an OTK. Negating effects and other actions is the best way to deal with most strategies, stopping vital cards of the opponent's plans so we can be on the lead afterwards as they try to recover from the losses or restrictions.

"Number 16: Shock Master" was the first Xyz Monster to gain a banned status in the Forbidden List, as the card alone is able to shut down entire builds with its mere pressence on the board. By detaching a material "Shock Master" allow us to declare a card type, and until the oponent's next turn the chosen targets will be unable to use their effects. This goes from nullifying the activation of Spells or Traps, to negating the use of monster effects no matter what player is using them. So overall "Shock Master" will most likely aim towards the opponent's cards even though affects our own, allowing us to perpetually restrict the use of a particular type of card and thus efficiently stop entire strategies at cost of a single material detached.

The only true obstacle "Shock Master" has to deal with is that requires three materials for its arrival, but as a Rank 4 monster there's really no much difficulties to be summoned right from our very first turn thanks to the many Level 4 creatures with very simple summons of their own. "Photon Thrasher" Special Summons itself if our field has no monsters becoming a great way to start the setup, "Tin Goldfish" comes to the field along another monster from our hand, and "Kagetokage" summons itself when a Normal Summon happens. Other cards like "Summoner Monk" and "Rescue Rabbit" instead summons monsters from our Deck with their effects, only requiring a third material afterwards. There's also other options which allow us to swarm the field with materials, going from Pendulum Summon monsters from our hand or Extra Deck to cards like "Soul Charge" bringing several monsters at once from our Graveyard. Some archetypes have it even easier to bring "Shock Master" on time, like Harpies assisted by cards like "Harpie Channeler" and "Hysteric Party", to Six Samurai gathering together as Special Summon each other without any difficulties. In resume, despite its slightly expensive Xyz Summon, "Shock Master" has more than enough opportunities to be on the field without much effort required.

All the work "Shock Master" needs to do is to predict the opponent's cards at the moment to completely stop any options until our next turn. Even though the opponent is still able to summon monsters and use permanent effects, shutting down cards' effects of a particular kind can and will completely cripple entire Decks and allow us to play freely without any counters for as long "Shock Master" is on the field. In most circumstances we will choose Spells and Monsters as they are more prominent for all sorts of purposes, but if the opponent's field has a heavy backrow choosing Traps will place us in a safe position once we need to finish them off. Obviously "Shock Master" effect will affect ourselves, but in most circumstances we will activate it once we played our own cards and shut down the opponent's turn until our next turn starts, or play along continuous effects like "Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo" and "Imperial Order" as they won't be affected by the Xyz Monster. Be aware that since the opponent is still able to summon freely might be able to bring out a stronger monster than "Shock Master", so try to have countermeasures like "Compulsory Evacuation Device" or "Honest" depending of the type of card we choose to negate its effects.

With a slightly expensive yet easy to obtain Xyz Summon, "Number 16: Shock Master" comes to the field without any difficulties yet with three materials able to stop entire Decks for atleast three turns. Even though stops our own cards there's really no problem if we play normally and use "Shock Master" afterwards, making the opponent struggle for their whole turns as we repeat the cycle for as long this monster has materials. With several materials gathering together for its summon and the high potential to ruin entire strategies as soon we know the opponent's Deck, "Shock Master" has all the reasons to remain banned from the game.

Personal Rating: S

+ Negates the effects of a type of card until our next turn + Very easy to summon + Able to shut down entire Decks with the correct choice