opus 10

This could have been a real easy article to write. I could have just said let’s throw Zack into your AVALANCHE deck and call it a day. But, where’s the fun in that?

Although there might be a bunch of cards that are the same, we”re going to try and do this a bit different. A lot different that is.

We’re going to go with 2 different Zacks.

Zack (10-007H), just for the ability to ping damage here and there and at least a couple of time per turn. Pair that with a Summon that Breaks all the Forwards that have damage on them and you got yourself a wipe.

Zack (20-009L) Because it is just a great card, if you’re running anything SOLDIER related. And, we’ll be running at least a couple of Soldiers other than Zack.

We’ll start off with Zack’s mentor Angeal (3-0989R), not only is he a 7K body, but he also searches for Zack when he is sent to the Break Zone. That way you can just keep attacking with Zack and Angeal until they break, just so you can replay them once again.

Next we’ll be handing off the Buster Sword to Cloud (1-187S), and you’ll be saying that there are better Clouds than that, and we’ll say you’re right. But, this is Zack’s deck and Cloud is just helping out. Plus the good Cloud’s are Earth, and we don’t really feel like color fixing.

Time to find Zack’s girlfriend, Aerith (11-139S) this way we’ll be able to grab a couple of FFVII Forwards from the Break Zone.

And as I’m looking for Backups, there aren’t really any, that have anything to do with Zack. So, we’re going to change it. It shall be all Forwards. We might change this again later.

Cue the music.

Bum-Bum Bum-Bum Bum-Bum Bum-Bum

Sephiroth (11-138S), Dulls all the low powered Forwards every time Sephiroth attacks. You have to pay taxes to keep Sephiroth on the field, 3 cards from the Break Zone. You should have these in there, unless you’re opponent finds a way to remove all the cards from your Break Zone.

Roche (14-095H), we’re just grabbing any SOLDIER right now. Roche has always been a great card. You’ll always want to go first with Roche and just play him right away for no CP and swing for a point of damage.

We’re actually going to add a couple of Backups right now.

Class Second Moogle (10-016C) to help us with Ice CP.

Genesis (3-033L), I still love this card, even though I probably haven’t used it in years. Dull and Freeze a Character, and when Genesis deals damage, your opponent discards a card.

Next we’ll add in our generic SOLDIERs. SOLDIER : 3rd Class (10-009C) and SOLDIER : 3rd Class (20-02C). These 2 will search for each other when one enters the field, and when the other exits the field. SOLDIER : 3rd Class (20-032C) also gains a +1K buff for each SOLDIER : 3rd class that you have in the Break Zone.

We’ll add Johnny (20-096C), another Backup to help us grab a Character from the Break Zone, and we can use his ability to grab a FFVII Character from the Break Zone.

Hedgehog Pie (20-019C), just to get all 3 of the Hedgehog Pies out at the same time. After that they are ticking time bombs, that go off when you decide you want them to go off.

Duke Larg (1-057R), Lebreau (1-030R) and Lulu (1-150R). All three for the 1K buff they give to their respective element’s Forwards.

All we need is to throw in some Summons. Knights of the Round isn’t an option, so we’ll just go with Ramuh (15-101R), Shiva (8-032R), Phoenix (3-020H) and Bahamut (16-016C).

That’s pretty much what we have for Zack. Not the greatest.

Forwards

3x – Roche (14-095H)
3x – Angeal (3-098R)
3x – SOLDIER : 3rd Class (10-009C)
3x – Sephiroth (11-138S)
3x – Genesis (3-033L)
3x – Zack (10-007H)
3x – Aerith (11-139S)
3x – SOLDIER : 3rd Class (20-032C)
3x – Zack (20-009L)
3x – Cloud (1-187S)

Backups

3x – Class Second Moogle (10-016C)
3x – Lebreau (1-030R)
2x – Duke Larg (1-057R)
2x – Lulu (1-150R)
3x – Johnny (20-096C)

Summons

1x – Ramuh (15-101R)
1x – Phoenix (3-020H)
1x – Shiva (8-032R)
1x – Bahamut (16-016C)

Monsters

3x – Hedgehog Pie (20-019C)

Reporting for Duty.

We got a troop of Zack’s here. So, let’s just start off right at the beginning.

Zack (1-012R)

3CP – Fire
Forward
SOLDIER
Rare

“If you control [Card Name (Aerith)], Zach gains +2000 power.

When Zack enters the field, choose 1 Forward opponent controls. Deal it 2000 damage.”

Not much here. The first Zack might have been good back when Opus I came out, but not anymore.

If Aerith is on the field, Zack will have 8000 Power.

And, when he enters the field you can deal a Forward 2000 damage.

Zack (3-012L)

5CP – Fire
Forward
SOLDIER
Legend

“When Zack enters the field, all the Forwards you control gain +2000 power until the end of the turn.

When Zack is put from the field into the Break Zone, you may search for 1 Card Name Cloud of cost 4 or less, and add it to your hand or play it onto the field dull.”

Zack comes in and gives a 2K buff to all of your Forwards.

Sure, Zack costs 5CP, but when he is put into the Break Zone, you can search for Cloud, that costs up to 4CP, and either add it to your hand, or play it onto the field.

Technically, Zack will cost you nothing, because searching for a card to add to your hand is +2CP and playing that Cloud is another +4CP.

Zack EX (4-013C)

3CP – Fire
Backup
SOLDIER
Common

“EX BURST When Zack enters the field, choose 1 Card Name Cloud or Job SOLDIER in your Break Zone. Add it to your hand.”
Just a simple Backup that allows you to grab a card from the Break Zone. Either Cloud, or a SOLDIER.

Not much else to say, but this ability will also activate with an EX Burst.

Zack (10-007H)

4CP – Fire
Forward
SOLDIER
Hero

“When Zack or a Fire Forward enters your field, choose 1 Forward opponent controls. Deal it 2000 damage.

When Zack or a Category VII Forward enters your field, choose 1 Forward opponent controls. Deal it 2000 damage.”

Welcome to Ping City.

Zack enters the field, and deals 2000 damage x 2 to one of your opponents Forwards.

Combine that with another 2000 damage every time a Fire Forward enters the field, and anther 2000 every time a FFVII Forward enters the field.

And if that Forward that enters the field is a FFVII Fire Forward it’s another 2000 x 2.

Now I’m wondering why this card never made it. It’s actually a really good card.

But, what do I know?

Zack (11-007R)

1CP – Fire
Forward
SOLDIER
Rare

“At the end of each of your turns, choose 1 Forward opponent controls. Discard 1 card from your hand. If you do so, deal it 5000 damage.”

An 8k body for 1CP point? Sign me up.

You can just throw this card into any Fire deck, and you’ll have a great Meat Shield, that won’t break the bank.

And if you have a surplus of cards in your hand, you can just discard one at the end of each of your turns and deal 5000 damage to one of your opponents Forwards.

Yes, Yes!! I’ll take 3.

Zack (16-089H)

5CP – Lightning
Forward
SOLDIER
Hero

“If you control a Category VII Character of an Element other than Lightning, the cost required to cast Zack is reduced by 2.

When Zack is put from the field into the Break Zone, you may play 1 Category VII Character from your hand onto the field. If its cost is 5 or more, Zack deals you 1 point of damage.”

Let’s see what we wrote when Emissaries of Light came out.

“Zack looks like he’s ready to save Cloud once again.

He’ll come in take care of all the enemies and when he is ready to be sent to the Break Zone, Cloud will come in and finish the job.

It would have been nice if it was that easy.

But, still a pretty decent card for a FFVII deck.”

Well, maybe.

I mean Zack will most likely cost you 3CP, and with a 9000 body, you should have a great attacker.

Once Zack is broken or sent to the Break Zone, you can play any FFVII Character onto the field, regardless of cost. Although if the cost is over 5CP, Zack will deal you a point of Damage.

Zack EX (19-122C)

5CP – Fire/Lightning
Forward
SOLDIER
Common

“Warp 2 ― (F)(L)

EX BURST When Zack enters the field, choose 1 Forward. Deal it 7000 damage.

When Zack enters the field due to Warp, until the end of the turn, Zack gains Haste, First Strike, and Brave.”

At From Nightmares’s release we wrote,

“You will not play Zack unless you Warp him in.

First of all, it’s a 3CP difference. Paying 5CP to deal 7000 damage to a Forward is too much. You can do more damage with a well placed Summon.

Now, if you do Warp Zack in, he is worth every Crystal Point you pay. All 2 of them.

First off he will deal 7000 damage to a Forward, and when he enters the field, he has Haste, First Strike and Brave.

So, even if he just comes in and attacks. you will most likely deal your opponent 1 point of Damage. After that just keep Blocking until Zack is broken, just so you can Warp him in again.”

For 2CP this is a decent card. And, we’ll stick with what we said.

Zack (20-009L)

5CP – Fire
Forward
SOLDIER
Legend

“When Zack attacks, choose 1 Forward opponent controls. Deal it 5000 damage for each Job SOLDIER you control.

When Zack leaves the field, you may search for 1 Category VII Forward of cost 4 or less and play it onto the field.

Meteor Shots (S)(F)(D) : Deal 7000 damage to all the Forwards opponent controls.”

Dawn of Heroes just recently came out, so not much has changed since then, and we’ll just keep what we said.

“I remember reading somewhere. “Finally a Zack that can be played.” Or something along those lines. If you’re reading this and you are the one that said that, please let me know, so, I can add your name to the quote.

This one will fit right at home with AVALANCHE. You play Zack for 5CP, and every time he attacks you can deal a Forward 5K damage for each SOLDIER you control. Zack and Cloud, that’s 10k right there, and I’m sure you’ll be able to find a couple of SOLDIERs laying around somewhere.

When Zack leaves the field you can play a FFVII Forward of 4CP or less onto the field. With about 100 or so FFVII Forwards that cost up to 4CP there are plenty to choose from, Opus XIV Cloud, Tifa and Barret. If you’re still running AVALANCHE that’s an easy way to get them on the field.

And, let’s not forget Meteor Shots, where you can deal 7000 damage to all of your opponents Forwards.

Let’s keep an eye on this one.”

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