Half-Fare Metrocard

When I was in grammar school, I commuted by bus. Back in those days, bus fare was $1.50. Only those who lived at least a mile from the school were allowed a bus pass. If they lived more than 1.5 miles from the school, they would receive a full-fare MetroCard. This special card allowed one to bypass the bus fare. However, if you lived between 1 and 1.5 miles from the school, you would only receive a half-fare MetroCard and would still have to pay 75 cents. I lived 1.2 miles from the school and so received a Full-Fare MetroCard. The promo card Half-Fare MetroCard is has its roots in this story.

I think the artwork is very good at representing the MetroCard. The orange student passes were given to students in grades K-6. I actually drew the artwork myself on Microsoft Paint all from memory. It definitely was a better job than Ingarfieldthe. However, it is not as detailed as it could be. An actual MetroCard has the word "MetroCard" in block letters viewed at an angle and casting a shadow, with the phrase "Student Pass" further to the right and also at an angle. There also should be a circle containing the MTA logo in the upper left corner. A real MetroCard also has a small hole on the left side directly over the magnetic strip. And the part under the magnetic strip is also wrong. However, it is good enough to be humorous, and the yellow background is a nice touch.

The overall card layout is not that good either. This card was made on Paint, much like the promos of Jofuf Juftuf (such as Silver Skull and Triyant Nightmare), but it was made by Niki Moto and therefore less crappy. However, the card title should not be black but white (or silver, gold, or rainbow, depending on the rarity). The continuous icon is not used; instead, the card says simply "CONTINUOUS TRAP CARD." The card is red instead of purple, and the text box should be a lighter version of the main card's color. Also, the text box's border should be thinner.

Anyway, this card is pretty average. It is a continuous trap card, making it very vulnerable to removal cards and to other threats such as Jinzo. Because of that, mainstream decks will not even consider this card. However, if those things are avoided, you can make use of this card for as long as you have it to be used.

The effect is very situational. That also will cause decks to steer away from this card. The only mainstream card that can be combined with this is Premature Burial, but no one really cares about paying 400 extra anyway.

However, there are possibilities in an Injection deck. 2000 is a hefty cost. However, people pay 1000 all the time and think nothing of it, with cards like Delinquent Duo and Confiscation. Reducing the cost to 1000, it also allows one to pump many more times without really worrying about it. You could even be the next James Corbett, who "was pumping and pumping harder than Arnold Schwarzeneggar." Injection decks usually also contain many life-recovery cards already, and this card will make it much easier to retain the life-point advantage.

This card is meant for combos. It is very versatile if you pay a lot of life points, but if you don't, it becomes a useless card on your field or a dead draw. And once it's on your field, you usually can't get rid of it without wasting m/t removal. This card, alone, is useless, especially as a topdeck.

Artwork: 8/10
Stats: 6/10
Effect: 6/10
Ease of Use: 4/10

Card of the Day #2 is the Continuous Trap known as Half-Fare Metrocard. The artwork on this card is very...metrocard-y. What else could one expect from a metrocard? Glitter, cupcakes and smurfs? Trap Cards like this don't really have stats, but continuous-ness could be considered one. Continuous Traps can be very handy at times such as Royal Decree, Skill Drain, Curse of Darkness, Chain Burst, etc. Half-Fare Metrocard's effect is situational but good for decks that use many cards that deplete the user's LP. Cards like Confiscation, Dimension Fusion, Cyber-Stein, Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End, Autonomous Action Unit, Exchange of the Spirit, Final Countdown, Injection Fairy Lily, Messenger of Peace, Shifting Shadows and Weed Out. Being a Trap card, it really isn't that easy to use because of its vulnerability to evil cards like Mystical Space Typhoon and Dust Tornado. Jinzo and Blowback Dragon completely school this card. Though, once used, it becomes a worthy asset.

Stupid Combo

Your Half-Fare Metrocard is already active. The opponent has no cards in his hand and one face down spell/trap. They topdeck a Cybernetic Cyclopean and they attack you directly bringing your LP to a sparse 3501. You draw the mighty Cyber-Stein. First, you RFG Cyber End Dragon and Skull Knight to whip out Chaos Sorceror. They activate Offerings to the Doomed in response. Then, you play Dimension Fusion to whip out Cyber End Dragon and Skull Knight. Your opponent is not able to summon anything. Cyber-Stein is now played and his effect gets out a second Skull Knight. Note: You have 1 LP left. Two of your face-down cards are now activated and they are Curse of Darkness and Royal Decree. You destroy your own three continuous traps to bring out Uria, Lord of Searing Flames (and because you have 12 continuous traps in your graveyard it has 12000 ATK and 0 DEF). You then inflict pain on your opponent's LP equal to 19600.

Artwork: 6/10
Stats: 3/10
Effect: 6.21025/10
Ease of Use: 4/10