11 cards to look forward to in Abyss Rising

In OCG, the new Yu-Gi-Oh! Booster set is coming out. Its name is Abyss Rising and it gives an incredible amount of water support (as if it isn’t raining enough already).

In comparison to GAOV & ROTD, where most good cards were of the included archetypes, this set gives us decent/good cards that are not of an (included) archetype.

Effect monsters:

1. Nimble Angler: A Nimble support monster? There are still miracles occurring, I guess. Getting this guy to the grave gives you two free Nimble monsters from the deck (except this one). Nimble Sunfish, Momonga, Manta, Musasabi, or even Hamster! Due to this card being a water attribute card, I guess it will be used for Sunfish & Manta only.
2. Mechanical Sea Dragon – Plesion: More support for the Atlantean Structure deck. This guy can be normal summoned when a sea serpent is on the field and is a 2300 beat stick. Also, it can destroy a monster once per turn, by tributing a water monster (triggering the effect of cards like Atlantean Dragon Riders).
3. Small Penguin: Awwwwwh, how cute. This one is definitely the cutest card from the set. Oh… effect? When this card is flipped and sent to the graveyard, you can special summon or special set(!) a Penguin monster! Now this is a nice addition to the Penguin archetype.

XYZ monsters

1. One-Eyed Skill Gainer: Offering Gadgets has a new Rank 4 target. Detach one monster & copy the name and effect of another monster on the field… permanently! Whether or not it’s a Laggia, BLS or Dark Armed Dragon, this guy can copy the effect! Downside: You can only activate this effect once, so Effect Veiler puts a stop to this guys effect. 

Spell Cards

1. Different Dimension Trench: Wow, it’s been a while since we’ve seen a (decent) D.D. card. This is clearly one of them. Banish one card from your hand, grave or side of the field (preferably when the effect is negated), use your heavy storm/MST and get it back on the field! Having this card on the field will also make your opponent hold back on using Heavy Storm. Downside: Water attribute decks only. 
2. Forbidden Garment: The third card in the “Forbidden” Series. After Effect Negation & Spell/Trap Negation, this one reads: Negate destruction/targeting by effects. This is an ideal side-card when facing inzektors, since the target cannot be targeted for Card Destruction (nor can it be destroyed by card effect). It’s also a good thing to use this card if you don’t want your monster to be targeted by Effect Veiler. Downside: it loses 800 attack, so it’s an easy target for destruction by battle. 
3. Mental Corruption: The story of why Mist Valley Thunder Lord tore apart AoJ Catastor. It’s all Fabled Raven’s fault! This card is a copy of the secondary effect of Tragoedia. Discard 1 card to steal 1 card of the same level. The artwork shows which deck will benefit the most of this card: Fabled. Why should you consider this card? Two words: Mirror Matches, nuff said. 

Trap Cards

1. Bubble Bringer: Support card for water-attributes. A weaker version of Gravity Bind, but it allows for the special summon of 2 Lv. 3 or lower water attribute monsters (with the same name). This card is a great addition for Atlantean and Frog decks.  
2. Memory of a Rival: Now this is interesting. Letting your monster survive and stealing your opponent’s monster? This is hilarious! The cost might make this card a little risky (considering it takes another opponent’s turn before you actually get the card), but it might be worth the risk (getting rid of an opponent’s BLS or Zenmaines might be advantageous for you. Downside: Bad card to top deck if you’re low on life points (though the same goes for Solemn Warning). 
3. Magic Deflector: A costless Spell stun card that works versus nearly every spell card, safe Normal & Ritual Spells. This card reads Inzektor hate and Quick-play spell card hate (hint: the Forbidden Trio, Book of Moon, Enemy Controller and even MST). Combine this with cards like Royal decree to lock down your opponent! 
4. Retaliation: Chaos Dragons and other Lightsworn-engine based decks have a problem, which this card solves. Good staple spell and trap cards have a high chance of being sent to the graveyard by mill effect. Retaliation is a counter trap, which counters the activation of a spell or trap card that’s present in your graveyard and adds that card from the grave to your hand! 

Note: These names are the ones the OCG gives them. The actual TCG name might differ upon release in the TCG (in November).

Note2: Archetype cards not included in this list: Heroic, Mermail/Abyss, Madolche, Heraldic Beast, Prophecy/Spellbook & Gagaga

Next time, I’ll give a review of the archetype specific cards

V out.

Update on 23/07: High resolution pictures have become available. I uploaded them in this post.