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Hidden Hope : Frozen Hope

22-019C – Ice Bomb

I Need More Bombs!

And, this one is pretty good on my opinion.

During your turn, Ice Bomb becomes a Forward, and whenever it attacks, you can Freeze one of your opponents Forwards.
And, if you already have received 3 points of damage, Ice Bomb will also Dull that Forward, thus making said Forward unavailable for your opponent’s next turn.

I’ll take 3, and put them in the Bomb deck.

22-020R – Vallaide

Who would have thought that Green Mages have these kind of abilities. And, what is a Green Mage anyway? I thought they were Red Mages.

Whatever it is Vallaide has a pass, because he’ll kick some …

It’s true. Just use his ability on a Forward, and whenever that forward is dealt damage, it breaks. Just like that.

Sure, you’ll need another way to deal a little bit of damage to said Forward, but that should be easy enough to figure out.

22-021R – Emina

This is what everyone likes. A Backup that searches for a card.

Sure, the card needs to be an Ice Character that costs 2CP or less, and I’m sure there are plenty of good cards to grab.

This technically makes Emina a 2 cost Backup as well.

Search and Play.

 

22-022R – Quistis

Do you remember Opus I Jihl Nabaat?

Well Quistis here, does a much better job than what Jihl Nabaat did.

Of course you’ll have to be playing a FFVIII themed deck, but with a card like this, and plenty of other great FFVIII cards that won’t be hard to do.

Now, what does Quistis do?

Depending on how many FFVIII Forwards you have on the field, you can dull that many of your opponent’s Characters. And if you have 3 or more, you’ll also Freeze them.

And, the artwork? It looks great. Can’t go wrong with a good looking card with a great ability.

22-023C – Bard

Bard, a low cost Backup that will dull a low cast Forward.

And, if you have another Bard (22-023C) on the field, you can use Bard’s other ability and Break that Forward.

Is it worth the price?

Depends on what you’re Breaking.

You can’t go wrong with a 2 cost Backup, that has a couple of decent abilities. Unless your opponent isn’t playing low cost Forwards. Then you might be out of luck.

22-024L – Kurasame

At 7CP, Kurasame is a quite expensive, but he can be worth it depending on how many Ice Backups you have on the field when Kurasame enters.

Go ahead count your Backups.

I’ll wait.

5 Ice Backups, well that is perfect. You shall either Dull and Freeze, 5 of your opponents Characters. Backups? Forwards? Monsters? Yep. Yep and yep.

Or, you can have your opponent discard a card for each Ice Backup that you have.

We said 5, right?

Well your opponent is discarding 5 cards from their hand. And, what was that card that was just released in the Anniversary Collection Set 2024? I don’t have the card in front of me, but I think it said, deal 5000 damage to a Forward every time your opponent discards a card, due to your Summons or abilities.

Now, at that point I’d say it’s very well worth playing Kurasame, as it will put you in a winning position. If you can’t beat your opponent when you made them discard their hand and laid waste to their front line, I think it’s time for you to pick up another game.

I like it.

22-025C – Cloud of Darkness

This is a decent card, for a Common.

Cloud of Darkness comes in, and since you’ll already be playing Discard because you’re already playing Ice, your job will be to have your opponent have as little cards as possible in their hand before you play Cloud of Darkness. Cause when Cloud of Darkness comes in and your opponent has only 2 cards, or less, in their hand, they will send one of their Forwards into the Break Zone.

And, that is pretty much it.

 

22-026C – Seymour EX

Almost like a Summon. Seymour comes in and breaks a dull Character.

After that Seymour will just hang out on the field producing a single Ice CP once per turn.

Good thing is that this ability can come off of an EX Burst as well.

Now, where did I put that card that gets rid of my Backups.

 

 

22-027R – Shiva

Let’s talk about Ice.

It’s so cold, that it will make all of your abilities stop working. Nothing moves, and your opponent’s Characters reset to 0.

No Haste, No First Strike, No Brave, no buffs no nothing.

Plus you get to draw a card if you only paid the cost with your Backups.

The twins are your best bet at starting a frozen empire.

22-028H – Cissnei

The Turks just got a little bit better with Cissnei.

She might not look like much, but in a Turk heavy deck, she’ll be lying in the shadows waiting to attack. And she can attack twice.

Sure, Cissnei comes in dull, but she also comes in with Haste. All you need to do is activate her and she’s ready to go. Luckily, The Turks are here to give a helping hand. (And you thought that they were the bad guys.) Every time a Member of the Turks attacks, you will activate Cissnei.

Here is the battle plan, Cissnei comes in, Reno attacks, Cissnei activates, Cissnei attacks, Rude Attacks, Cissnei activate and attacks again.

For 2CP, you get a 6K body that dual wields Shurikens.

I’ll take it.

22-029R – Jihl Nabaat EX

It’s Jihl, but which Jihl will you like to play?

Is PSICOM going to become a great deck to play? Who will be in it? How many PSICOM cards are there? Why are there so many questions?

After looking up all of PSICOM there are a total of 3 Characters with that Job, One which is Jihl Nabaat. The other 2 are Rygdea and Yaag Rosch.

“Who you gonna call?”

Not the Ghostbusters, that’s for sure. You can flip a coin and see which one you’ll get.

But, at 3CP you get a Forward with 7000 Power, and you get to search for a member of PSICOM.

I’m guessing they’ll be adding more PSICOM members in the next set, Especially since Lightning is on the box.

22-030C – Shinryu Celestia

This is nice, a decent 2 cost Backup that will give one of your Forwards +4000 power.

Sure, you can only use this ability if you have 5 Backups on the field, but you should be trying to get to 5 Backups as soon as you can. Because Backups equals more CP.

Now, if you can find a way to activate Shinryu Celestia after she used her ability, then you can use it again, giving another Forward, or the same Forward, another +4000 power.

 

 

22-031H – Squall

How is Squall just a Hero?

Because he is a Hero. Just play Final Fantasy VIII to see why.

At 4CP/8000 Power, Squall becomes even more powerful, if you have 4 FFVIII Characters on the field. Not only that, but he is protected from your opponent’s abilities that deal damage.

And if you need to get more Final Fantasy VIII Characters on the field, Squall will help you with that as well. During the beginning of each of your Attack Phases, you will be able to play a Final Fantasy VIII Forward from your hand onto the field. Just as long as that Forward costs 4CP or less.

You can get the four Final Fantasy VIII Forward on the field, by the beginning of your next turn, If you play Squall right away. After that, it’ll be easy sailing.

22-032L – Sephiroth

The card that everyone is looking for. Not the one you see, but the one with the Gold Stamped Signature. It is a good looking card.

Now, lets talk about the card itself.

At 3CP with 7000 power, you would think that this card is undeserving of the Legend status. Well, we’re here to tell you that it is. And, that we can see why Squall is just a Hero.

Whenever Sephiroth is in your hand, you can pay 3CP and break one of your opponent’s dull Forwards. Which in itself is a great ability to have. Although you’ll have to remove Sephiroth from the game.

But, that doesn’t mean that Sephiroth is lost, he just went into the Lifestream like he usually does. Once he is in the Lifestream, and only during the turn that he entered the Lifestream, you may play Sephiroth onto the field for his cost. And, once Sephiroth enters the field, your opponent will discard a card from their hand.

Sephiroth will cost you a total of 6CP to play this way. There are a couple of Summons that will Break a dull Forward. One is Titan (21-071H) who will break a dull Forward for 3CP, and Hades (6-038R) who will break it, and have your opponent discard a card from their hand for 5CP. The difference is that Sephiroth stays on the field as a body.

22-033C – Time Mage

Time Mage is a simple 2 cost Standard Unit Backup that is actually pretty good.

Time Mage enters the field, and will Dull/Freeze a Forward, and if you have one more Standard Unit Backup on the field, Time Mage will Dull/Freeze a Character as well.

If you have 3 of these in your hand you can Dull/Freeze up to 6 Characters, and at 2CP each, it will only cost you 6CP or 1P per Character.

That sounds like a steal to me.

22-034H – Medusa

We finally have a new spell. Stone has arrived to Final Fantasy TCG. They’re just calling them Petrification Counters.

Medusa comes in and casts Stone on a Forward. Once that Forward has turned to stone, they cannot attack or block. And they will not be able to turn back to normal once Medusa is gone.

Nope, they will have to use a Gold Needle, and the price for that Gold Needle is 5CP.

This will put a cog in your opponents plans.

22-035C – Yuke

Simple, basic and straight to the point.

Yuke comes in for 1CP and allows you to look at the top card of your deck. If you like it you can keep it there. If not send it to the bottom of your deck.

It does have plenty of benefits.

Depending on what you see there, your game plan will change for this turn.

Do you see an EX Burst that will cause plenty of damage to your opponent. Leave it there and take a point of Damage. Do you see the card you need to put your plan into motion, play that card that allows you to draw a card.

Worst case is that you don’t like the card, and you can just recycle it to the bottom.

22-036C – Rinoa

Final Fantasy VIII, has had some great cards showing up. And, we still haven’t had a Starter Set made for 8.

Good thing is that, we already have plenty of cards to make a great deck. Is Rinoa a good card to add?

Probably not. There are far better Rinoas in other sets, so, I don’t really see you playing this one, unless you’re playing a Discard deck. Or, you just like the art and you’ll just throw it in your FFVIII deck, just to show off with the Full Art. I know I’ve done that before.

If Squall is already on the field when you play Rinoa, her cost goes down to 2CP from 3CP, which makes this card more affordable, and her ability forces your opponent to discard 2 cards.

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Crystal Dominion – Opinion on Water

15-106C – Atomos

Easy way to get rid of a Forward. Doesn’t matter which one, you’ll still get rid of one.

Add a Crystal and only pay 1CP for Atomos.

Not bad, not bad at all.

 

 

15-107H – Umaro

1CP/9K Power

That is one hell of a trade. But, you’ll also pay 1 Crystal. At least you’ll get it back when Umaro is put into the Break Zone.

That is, if he ever makes it to the Break Zone.

 

 

15-108C – Dancer

I would have never thought that they would make a card like this.

All of a sudden that 1 Forward loses all it’s abilities and Categories and wait … does Job count as a Category? What about Element? I’ll have to check on that. … But even if it’s only Category it will still put a dent in some decks.

Now, Imagine if they had a card that would do this to the whole board.

 

 

15-109R – Ultros

The card with the best art this set. I don’t care what anyone says. This is the Chase Card.

Ultros being Ultros.

As of this moment you can have up to 12 Ultros in your deck. That means you’ll most likely hit an Ultros if you reveal the top 5 cards of your deck.

Each Ultros has the ability to find you another Ultros if it gets chosen or broken.

This will be the card I am making a deck out of this set.

Thank you, I’ll take 3.

Shiny Holo Full Art.

15-110C – Gau EX

“Gau’s a Wild Child,
come and love him,
He wants yoooouuuuuuu, ooooo”

I wonder if Gau is a WASP fan. He and Blackie Lawless can form a band and gain a Chris “tal” Holmes when he enters the field. Get it? XD No?

At least I didn’t quit my day job. Yet.

Any who, for 2CP you’ll gain a Crystal and at 3 points of Damage, Gau gains 3K power.

15-111C – Keiss

See, Gau and Blackie Lawless would have been perfect for this card.

Keiss is just a Free card that can generate double the CP for you. If you got a party going that is.

Simple as that.

 

 

15-112R – Shinryu Celestia

Expensive card, if you want to se her on entry ability. It’s almost like paying 6CP for it.

But, if you’re playing Cadets, it might be worth it. For, every time one is sent to the Break Zone, one of your opponents Forwards will lose 3000 Power.

 

 

 

15-113C – Strago

Pay a Crystal, get rid of a pesky Forward that’s been bothering you for a bit, and draw a card.

I hope that Forward doesn’t have an on entry ability cause he only went as far as his owner’s hand.

But, you still get a card.

 

 

15-114C – Dracoknight

Self-reviving Forward.

3CP/7K will recycle for you and then you can play Dracoknight again the next turn. Or even the same turn if you have the CP.

 

 

 

15-115H – Penelo

If you’re playing Sky Pirates, you’re playing this Penelo.

You will be paying 0CP for her ability.

Protect a Forward, Weaken a Forward, or Draw a card.

The option is up to you.

 

 

15-116C – Hilda EX

Technically you’re paying 2CP for Hilda, and if you play her late game, it might even be free. because at 5 points of Damage you can play a 3 cost Forward or less from the Break Zone onto the field. And if that card is a Viking, You are drawing 1 more card.

 

 

 

 

15-117R/9-113H – Famfrit

Reprint from opus IX.

Nothing to see here, move along.

Well, Famfrit used to be a Hero, now he’s just a Rare.

Put 2 Forwards or Monsters in the Break Zone.

 

 

15-118C – Blue Wyrm

Draw a card, and cash out when you need a Forward with 6000 Power.

Do or Die, or Do and Break.

 

 

 

 

15-119L – Porom

Porom here, getting an EXP Counter Every turn. And Every turn you can choose 1 Forward of 5CP or less and it loses all abilities. And at 3 EXP Counters it’s power becomes 1000.

After that you just use Palom (15-011L) and finish that Forward off. Just Like that.

It’s called Twincast.

 

 

15-120H – Mind Flayer

Mind Flayer is Lani’s (12-018H) Water Summon form.

Grab one of the top 2 cards of your opponents deck and cast it without paying the cost. But, only this turn. Lani would allow you to keep the card and cast it whenever you would like. But, you would pay the cost.

I’ll take it.

Let me grab that Sophie of the top of your deck. Opus 1 Shantotto? I think I’m ready for a board wipe.

15-121R – Mayakov

A forward that dances the effects of your opponents abilities away. Mayakov has the 4CP/8K Power we all have come to know, but it’s his ability that makes him stand out. Plus playing a Dancer from your hand onto the field, also lowers his cost to 1CP.

How many Dancers do we have?

 

 

 

15-122L – Mog (VI)

Hmm, this is interesting.

Pay a Crystal, draw some cards, and hopefully Break one of your opponents Forwards, or your own, if that’s what you’d like. Or just return them to their owner’s hand.

Either way Mog, has the ability to draw even more cards, with Water Harmony, only this time you don’t need to discard any cards.

 

 

15-123C – Oracle

I had a plan with Oracle. And then I realized that it wouldn’t work.

So, scratch that.

Oracle will give you a crystal every time she enters the field. You can dull, and put her in the Break Zone to reduce damage to one of your Forwards and grab her back with Robel-Akbel.

Oracle’s use will be determined by the abilities that revolve around Crystal use.

 

15-124H – Relm

Like Relm here. Oracle will give you the Crystals for Relm to search for Monsters to play onto the field.

And there are plenty of 5 cost Monsters that will do some damage. Some Monsters will even let you grab Characters from the Break Zone.

Build your own Army of Monsters, all you need to do is protect Relm.

 

 

15-125R – Lunafreya

At 1CP/7K Power, Lunafreya is only here to protect a XV Forward.

Which one you chose is up to you. But, you will need Noctis if you plan on attacking with Lunafreya. Or block for that matter.
Other than that, you can just cast Lunafreya and keep her like a Monster. Just standing in her own Zone. Not blocking, not attacking. Just a constant 2K buff to your XV Forward along with a veil of Protection against Summons and abilities.

 

 

15-126R – Lenna

Here’s another use for Oracle.

Lenna will allow you to grab a Forward from the Break Zone and play it onto the field. 2CP or 3CP, depending on how many Crystals you use to pay.

There are plenty of 2 cost and 3 cost Forwards that you can play. They don’t even need to be Water Forwards. Any element will do. Like that sneaky Zidane from Opus III.