#stealthroid

Stealthroid

Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union ———————————————— "Truckroid" + "Expressroid" + "Drillroid" + "Stealthroid" When this card attacks, its original ATK is halved until the end of the Damage Step. During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent. Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can select 1 face-up monster on the field, except a Machine-Type monster, and equip it to this card. While equipped by this effect, this card can attack all monsters your opponent controls once each. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Gladiator's Assault (GLAS-EN041), Duelist League 3 (DL12-EN011)

While Fusion Monsters often won't require their materials on the field compared to other Extra Deck monsters, they can be tougher to make a build arround them due requiring specific monsters for their summon. Many Fusion Monsters might have an incredible pressence on the field with their stats and/or abilities, but some of their materials can be quite subpar to play along until we can Fusion Summon. Fortunately, with many monsters taking their place as well the various resources to ease Fusion Summons, some of the most expensive monsters won't be that tough to create a Deck just for their arrival.

"Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union" is the costiest Fusion Monster the Vehicroid archetype can offer, and although with a severe flaw can become quite dominant in battles. "Stealth Union" original ATK will become half each time it attacks, becoming 1800 during our turn and thus its 3600 ATK will have a more defensive purpose. Although this is a big negative for such expensive summon, "Stealth Union" compensates with other abilities to still have a strong pressence. The attacks of "Stealth Union" will deal piercing damage, each turn is able to equip on itself any face-up monster on the field (The Machine limitation is an errata in the TCG), and while with equipment by said effect it will be able to attack all monsters once per Battle Phase. In short, although "Stealth Union" might not take advantage of its base stats to its fullest, still can become a powerhouse as either equips strong enemies on itself as well wiping out whole fields afterwards.

"Stealth Union" is one of the most expensive Fusion Monsters by requiring four specific Vehicroids for its arrival. Fortunately, we can skip most of the process with a combination of "Chain Material" using the materials from our Deck or Graveyard, and "Vehicroid Connection Zone" protecting the Fusion for the Trap's negative effect. Not only that, but "Vehicroid Connection Zone" will be the main option to Fusion Summon with as makes "Stealth Union" much tougher to take down by granting invulnerability against destructive effects. There are many reliable methods to gather the four materials, going from "Gear Gigant X" and "Fusion Conscription" searching them in our Deck, to "Expressroid" and "Iron Call" retrieving them from the Graveyard. A cheaper alternative is by the use of "Future Fusion", a Spell which in two turns after its activation will Fusion Summon "Stealth Union" using the needed materials inside our Deck.

Might be a bit tricky to play along "Stealth Union" due its ATK being halved when attacks, but there are still methods to make it efficient. Although might not be able to defeat strong enemies due such flaw, the ability to equip monsters on the field allows it to easily take care of them as well easily counter menacing monsters such as "Stardust Dragon" or "Starving Venom Fusion Dragon" by going arround their abilities. Once with an equipped monster "Stealth Union" will easily deal tons of damage with the combination of piercing damage and multiple attacks, easily punishing fields with several small monsters to attack all at once. If we bring this monster by "Vehicroid Connection Zone" it will become even more effective as not only gains protection against opponent's destructive effects, but also from our own effects going from ignoring "Limiter Removal" negatives while doubling its ATK to surviving cards like "Torrential Tribute" to clear the field with. Don't forget that "Stealth Union" only halves its original ATK, so gaining stat boosts can easily solve its biggest problem as they won't be affected by such negative.

"Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union" can easily be underrated due its expensive Fusion Summon along losing half its ATK during our battles, yet can become a highly effective monster with its other abilities. Stealing monsters to be equipped with easily solves its main flaw so can take care of the opponent's monsters, and the combination of piercing damage and multiple attacks can deal devastating results despite only going with 1800 ATK. Not only that, but if we are able to bring it out by "Vehicroid Connection Zone" it becomes even tougher to confront besides its high stats walling against the opponent's turn. Together with most of its materials having a steady purpose during the Duel, "Stealth Union" might be easily overtaken by other Vehicroid options but has a potential purpose if managed properly.

Personal Rating: B+

+ Deals piercing damage against defensive monsters + Equips monsters on the field granting it multiple attacks + Gains protection against destructive effects if brought by "Vehicroid Connection Zone"

Stealthroid ———————————————— If this card attacks, destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card at the end of the Battle Phase if you control another "roid" monster. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Gladiator's Assault (GLAS-EN015)

Vehicroids are a mixed bags of effects and tools that barely work with each other. While they are well known for their Fusion Summons, when comes to their members they have such diversity of roles and effects that very few have sinergy to work together with. This is both good and bad depending of the perspective, as despite their lack of focus in a single goal compared to other archetypes they offer a variety of effects to cover any purposes or create different builds with.

"Stealthroid" is that kind of creature that compensates its low stats with an effective ability to depend on. When "Stealthroid" declares a succesful attack, at the end of our Battle Phase will destroy a Spell or Trap on the field if we control another Vehicroid. It might seem some stiff requeriments to simply destroy a card in a very late part of a turn, but is not that difficult to consistently manage so "Stealthroid" can achieve its attacks without many risks.

Fortunately, "Stealthroid" obtains an array of support cards to become available at the right occasion to use its effect. The effect of "Gear Gigant X" will immediately look for the Vehicroid in our Deck, while effects of "Fusion Conscription" and "Fusion Reserve" will search "Stealthroid" thanks to being part of a Fusion material. "Stealthroid" probably obtains the most assistance when comes to the Graveyard, as either is revived by "Iron Call" and "Masked Chameleon" to prepare all sorts of summons, or retrieved back to our hand with the help of "Expressroid" and "Dark Eruption".

Due its low ATK might seem difficult to pull out "Stealthroid" effect, but in reality is not that difficult. Since its effect requires another Vehicroid on the field (Which can include Speedroids as well monsters like "Magical Android"), we can easily bring a stronger creature to clear a path so "Stealthroid" can attack safely. If the opponent still has tough monsters to defeat, simply use cards like "Solidarity" and "Book of Moon" among several others to give "Stealthroid" the upper hand in battles. While "Stealthroid" ability might be a little too late depending of the situation, is still an effective way to deal with certain setups like face-up Spells or Traps with permanent effects as well Field Spells or Pendulum Monsters leading the opponent's strategy. Be careful that "Stealthroid" might destroy our own cards if the opponents doesn't own any Spells or Traps, but on the bright side we can use it to trigger effects like "Wonder Garage" or "Geartown" to bring other monsters, or "Blast with Chain" and the negative effect of "Safe Zone" to clear the opponent's field of any threats.

"Stealthroid" ability is indeed restrictive and slow compared to many other removal effects, most likely reducing its role in the archetype to Fusion Summoning "Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union". However, with many options to have the lead in battles and due requiring another Vehicroid we can setup a strong ally to accompany "Stealthroid", is not an effect impossible to pull out without risking its safety. "Stealthroid" might not be the best answer against Set cards since most likely will answer our own attacks, but becomes an effective option to disrupt Decks highly dependant of certain Spells or Traps work. Overall, although "Stealthroid" might not be the best option to deal with backrow is not a burden to pull out its ability succesfully.

Personal Rating: B-

+ Destroys a Spell or Trap at the end of a Battle Phase it attacked + Since requires another Vehicroid for its effect we can bring a strong monster to cover its shortcomings + Well supported in several aspects