Card Review: Destiny Hero - Defender

Most of the cards that I have reviewed had dealt with being strong in offense, but offense alone is not the only way to win. Sometimes you just need to rely on a defensive tactic especially to play it safe. Other times, it is just really amusing to watch your opponent rush into an attack only to find that they crashed into a huge wall of defense. Right at the start of the game, a great card to start out with as a defensive tactic is to Set, or to play a Monster Card from your hand into face-down Defense Position. Destiny Hero - Defender is a an effective guard for your life points.

So let's examine this grand guardian. Destiny Hero - Defender is a Level 4, DARK Attributed, Warrior/Effect-Type Monster intercepting enemies with only 100ATK and a whopping 2700DEF! That is a really high Defensive Stat. Sometimes I cannot believe that I had not used this card when I had gotten it sooner. It wasn't until my friend's younger brother picked up this card from my collection to inspect it and noticed its stats. "Holy Cow! That is a lot of defense!" And indeed it was. Now, since this monster is a Warrior/Effect-Type monster, it is a Monster Card that has an ability of its own. (It's primary type is Warrior, its Sub-Type is Effect. Unlike Relinquished however, this monster has no Second Sub-Type.) Since it is an Effect Monster, that means that its ability will benefit the player using it, right? Well, not exactly. Some cards are so potent in a certain aspect of the game that their effects solely exist to burden the user in order to balance the game more. Destiny Hero - Defender is one of those cards. In this case, Destiny Hero - Defender can supply the opponent with more resources by allowing them to draw. If it wasn't for this effect, Defender would be added to most decks just like anything else. 

What makes Defender so great to use though is that it has a DEF stat high enough to stop high Level Monsters, yet it is a low Level Monster itself. Being only Level 4 it requires no Tributes to be Normal Summoned or Set. To take advantage of Destiny Hero - Defender, the user must Set the card. (Only Summoning Monsters in Face-Up Defense Position exists in the shows, Duel Monsters, GX, and 5D's) Since Defender will be Set, the opponent will not be expecting such a strong shield to be in place. Typically, the strongest most Level 4 Monsters will be is 1900ATK or 1800ATK Points strong. Often, I have been able to make my opponent take on average of 800 Points in Battle Damage due to a failed attack to defeat this guard.

As a line of Defense, and I literally mean defense, Destiny - Hero is an ideal card. Typically only one is needed in a deck, but unless the build absolutely needs it then more can obviously be used. It is a fun trick to play against your opponents. (Easiest way to intimidate your opponent with a Monster Card with only 100ATK.) Despite its draw back effect, this card can still be used in quite a few clever combos; even the effect can be abused to benefit the controller of the card more than the enemy. As a card on its own, it protects your Life Points, but it can be put to great use in different combos. One day, I will share more information on this card.

Card Trivia: This card is used in the anime Yu-Gi-Oh! GX by Aster Phoenix.