Test Tiger ———————————————— If you control a face-up "Gladiator Beast" monster, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). You can Tribute this card to target 1 face-up "Gladiator Beast" monster you control; shuffle that target into the Deck, then Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" from your Deck, and treat it as if it was Special Summoned by the effect of a "Gladiator Beast" monster. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Gladiator's Assault (GLAS-EN082), Gold Series 2009 (GLD2-EN029), Legendary Collection 2: The Duel Academy Years Mega Pack (LCGX-EN242), Ra Yellow Mega Pack (RYMP-EN098)
Gladiator Beasts uses a tag system to obtain their abilities one after another. Mainly requiring to enter into battle, the archetype replaces its members with ones in the Deck to obtain the right effect for the right situation. With also Fusion Summons requiring to shuffle back Gladiator Beasts back to the Deck, is a build that keeps a solid offense and gain the right effects to stay on the lead.
"Test Tiger" is that kind of small monster with an ability more than capable to assist entire Decks with. If we control atleast one Gladiator Beast, "Test Tiger" can be Special Summoned form our hand. Once on the field, will be tributed to trigger the main ability of these monsters by returning a Gladiator Beast in our Deck to summon a new one with their effect(s) met. In resume, "Test Tiger" is a safe option to obtain specific members so we can either rush certain setups or safely obtain advantages without risking entering the Battle Phase.
Unfortunately, the majority of supporting tools involving "Test Tiger" are outside the archetype, so unless we play in a mixed theme is not recommended to go along cards like "Super-Nimble Mega Hamster" and "Rescue Cat". On the bright side, as soon "Test Tiger" is in our hand thanks to its own effect we can immediately obtain its assistance with its Special Summon. All we have to do is summon any Gladiator Beast including Fusion Monsters, and as alternative use the effect of "Elemental HERO Prisma" to replace one of their members if needed. And although the archetype doesn't offer many options after its main purpose, we can play along copies of "Crane Crane" to keep reviving "Test Tiger" and use it as material for other kinds of summons, or "Call of the Haunted" so we can keep using its effect in late game.
Gladiator Beasts are highly dependant of the Battle Phase to obtain their goals, and "Test Tiger" completely skips that step once brought in our Main Phase. Pretty much any Gladiator Beast residing the Main Deck is a valid target to be brought by its effect, going from "Gladiator Beast Murmillo" and "Gladiator Beast Bestiari" arriving with removal effects to "Gladiator Beast Darius" and "Gladiator Beast Augustus" summoning other members in the process. This ability can also help us to prepare their Fusion Summons, replacing a Gladiator Beast with the right material to bring monsters like "Gladiator Beast Gyzarus" and "Gladiator Beast Heraklinos". Keep on mind that "Test Tiger" has no restrictions whatsoever to summon several copies from our hand and/or use its effect, so although not often recommended we can stack several Gladiator Beasts' effects in a single turn.
Despite the high efficiency of Gladiator Beasts over the years, their effects being limited to the Battle Phase makes them take many risks in a game where huge monsters and disruptive effects are quite easy to bring out. "Test Tiger" solves this problem, allowing the archetype to take a shortcut and obtain their abilities out of danger. Pretty much let us use their effects and Fusion Summons right before our Battle Phase starts, so we can obtain the archetype's best effects immediately rather hoping for our attacks to hit and/or rely on defensive effects like "Waboku". To compensate all the advantages it offers, "Test Tiger" is quite scarce in supporting options to be quickly available, often relying in luck to be drawn or some late game tools to be revived. But with many scenarios where the opponent might have a huge lead to enter blindly into battle, "Test Tiger" is a reliable assistant to obtain the main mechanics of the archetype immediately.
Personal Rating: A
+ Special Summons itself from our hand if we control a Gladiator Beast + Tributes itself to replace a Gladiator Beast with another and obtain its effect + Shortcut for the main mechanics of the archetype as well avoiding some risks
- Very scarce support options
