#seven sword warrior

Seven Swords Warrior
————————————————
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, when an Equip Card is equipped to this card: Inflict 800 damage to your opponent. Once per turn: You can target 1 Equip Card equipped to this card; send it to the Graveyard. When an Equip Card equipped to this card is sent to the Graveyard (except during the Damage Step): You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; destroy that target.
————————————————
Can Be Found In: Star Pack 2013 (SP13-EN048), Shonen Jump December 2010 (JUMP-047)

Equip cards are in a particular situation in the game. Equip Spells are mainly seen on builds themed arround them like Noble Knights, others like Union Monsters will prioritize other roles unless a monster needs backup in their performance, while Trap Cards are mostly seen in a defensive purpose as any other. But despite their odd conditions in the card game given how vulnerable are against removal effects, some Equip cards gained reputation enough to become a staple choice in all sorts of builds over the years. They aren’t indispensable for a monster to win battles and other goals, but is undeniable the incredible potential they can provide under the right management.

“Seven Swords Warrior” is all about working along equipment of all sorts to keep the pressure going. Each time an Equip Card goes to  "Seven Swords Warrior" (Regardless of who played it), the opponent will take 800 damage in return. Once per turn “Seven Swords Warrior” can dispose of an Equip Card already equipped on it, which besides some very particular scenarios is also the main method to trigger its final effect when needed. If a card equipped on this monster goes to the Graveyard (Except in Damage Step), in return we will destroy a face-up monster on the opposite field. Obviously given how all three of its effects work, “Seven Swords Warrior” requires a big pool of cards to equip with to not only improve its overall stats and battle performance, but also keep using its abilities to deal damage and destroy enemies.

Although a Synchro Monster, “Seven Swords Warrior” shouldn’t take too much investment of our Main Deck so we can arrange our Equip Cards during a Duel. With recurring options to quickly gather materials like “Instant Fusion” as well Tuners suitable for any theme, is really up to personal preference how we want to reach the Level 7 of “Seven Swords Warrior”. However, given Equip Spells are often related to Warrior strategies, the Type gives us monsters like Noble Knights and Gemini Monsters to help us with both the Synchro Summon and the preparation of Equip Spells to work along this monster.

While “Seven Swords Warrior” must work along Equip Cards to be effective, we don’t have to be reckless and spend all our options on this monster alone. Its burn damage is solid and without special restrictions like its other two abilities, but will mostly be of great help to chip away the few Life Points the opponent will have in the final turns. On the other hand is its ability to destroy opponent monsters if one of the Equip Cards on “Seven Swords Warrior” goes to the Graveyard what makes it a dangerous creature, as if is the Equip Card is not destroyed by the monster itself it will also response to any other removal effects. This not only includes opponent’s cards to destroy our backrow, but also our own like “Release Restraint Wave” and “Evocator Chevalier” as they’ll provide their own removal effects to further disrupt the opponent’s game. But while the obvious choice is to go with Equip Spells given the assistance of cards such as “Hidden Armory” and “Knight Day Grepher” among others, any card that will be treated as an Equip Card will work the same on this Synchro Monster. Union Monsters and some Trap Cards will be treated as Equip Cards by their effects, monsters like “Vylon Tetra” and “Vylon Prism” can become valuable Tuners as they’ll be equipped on “Seven Swords Warrior” once Synchro Summoned, and even Equip Cards the opponent might use against us will count for all three of its effects.

“Seven Swords Warrior” goal is to either stack several effects from various Equip Cards, or destroy them each turn or by other causes to keep clearing the opponent’s field. While has the potential to corner the opponent even if they try to get rid of our backrow with one or more cards equipped on this monster, “Seven Swords Warrior” is undoubtly very resource heavy to become a lead card during a Duel. Its Synchro Summon fortunately doesn’t need much effort, yet to keep all its effects on motion we must assure that has a backrow to work with. Many years ago it could’ve worked along other strong monsters like “Power Tool Dragon” and “Armory Arm”, but due the current restrictions to the Extra Deck “Seven Swords Warrior” will need a strong build that constantly provides Equip Cards from early to late game.

Personal Rating: B

+Deals 800 damage when equipped with any kind of Equip Card
+ If a Equip Card on itself goes to the Graveyard will destroy an opponent’s face-up monster
+ Can destroy its own Equip Card(s) each turn to force its removal effect
+Solid support in both summon and performance

-Extremely dependant of Equip Cards to work
-Might require its own Deck