Spotlight: Kelbek

(Shining the light on the hidden gems within the game)

Kelbek
(Click the pictures to see bigger cards and read the text easier)

We have a very interesting and controversial card for you today.
Not only will it be good in our yugioh setting but it will be quite shocking to your opponent when they attack into it.

What is this controversial card? It's Kelbek; the middle road between the legendary jujitsu master and wall of illusion.

Today we'll try and show how Kelbek is the most versatile of the above three cards and thus the most useful.

First we'll get into a bit of the card history. This card was originally released as a common in the Dark Crisis set as the 78th card. It was then re-released in Dark Revelation 1 and most current copies will mainly exists of this type.

Now lets get to the real action and blow up Kelbek's card text:

A monster that attacks this card is returned to its owner's hand. Damage calculation is applied normally.


Card Rulings

A few rulings that might clear up some questions that arise:

• Kelbek's effect goes off even if it's face down

• If you attack Kelbek with a card that pierces (Does damage that is the difference between their attack and your defense) you will take that damage. Kelbek will then be sent to the graveyard and their monster back to their hand.

• According to Yugioh wikia, it's effect is a Trigger effect (Even though it seems like a continuous one). If this is the case, than you can Divine wrath/Chariot it's effect. If later on it's found out that this is not that case and it truly is a continous effect than you will not be able to Divine wrath/Chariot it.

• Kelbek's effect goes off even if it is in attack mode.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Legendary Jujitsu Master


The first thing that comes up is why people would choose kelbek over legendary jujitsu master.
Someone mentioned to me that kelbek was a minus and Jujitsu master should always be played instead of it.

That person failed to realise one thing and that was flexability.
The Jujitsu master is not flexible, it must always be in defense mode for it's effect to go off.

Even if it's effect is better than Kelbek's it will not go off in attack mode.



That raises a few problems:

1) What if i want to attack?

2) Will my opponent worry about destroying an attack mode jujitsu?

3) Will an attack mode jujitsu be defensive at all?


~~~~~~~~~~~

Attack mode: Where Kelbek Shines

Kelbek is very defensive in attack mode. Whatever monster they attack you with will go back to their hand.

You then have 2 dilemmas on your hand if you're an opponent.

• Do you kill kelbek and empty your field again?
• Or do you let him stay there?

If your life points are low, you CAN NOT afford to attack kelbek, because you're asking for them to attack for game.

But Kelbek's attack is 1500, and it will probably do away with your defense mode monster that you just set!!!!!!

In the above situation, most times you'll be forced to attack kelbek and leave yourself wide open again.

Can Jujitsu master do this? No way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Defense Mode

Glads

1800 defense is a beast, especially with 1500 attack. It's unheard of for a lot of monsters, ESPECIALLY with kelbek's amazing effect.

Every regular gladiator beast that attacks this thing, will be sent back to the hand and will not be able to tag.

It won't be your best answer to glads but it will help you along the way.
Don't forget also, that kelbek will be alive, and he'll be your wall for future attacks!

Synchros

Any synchro attacking into Kelbek will be sent back to the Extra deck. Think of Kelbek as a free compulsory.

You'll even be able to attack with Kelbek into an opponents monster and have a defense against their stardust attacking into you.

Your opponent's stardust will then stare at you, knowing if it comes too close, it'll get banished to where it came from.

Your opponent then started with 2 monsters and now has 1. They also know that stardust won't help them get your life points thanks to your very powerful Kelbek that stands in the way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flexability

This is the key to Kelbek and why it will be good in most decks. It's good in defense and good in attack.

If your deck only relies or heavily relies on defense mode monsters than go ahead and run Jujitsu, but most decks will have a balance of attackers and defenders.

In those balanced decks, why not have kelbek who can be both? He can swing with a good amount of strength and stand as a wall, protecting your life points VERY well.

It's a trade off, you're trading jujitsu's superior effect for flexability.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Overview

Pros

1) Defensive in attack mode. (Because of it's effect)

2) Large 1500 attack.

3) Defensive in defense mode.

4) Large 1800 defence.


Cons

1) Doesn't have jujitsu's greater effect

~~~~~~~~~

Final Analysis

As you can see, it's only downside is that it can't put a monster on your opponents deck, but it shines in many other areas.

Those areas give you the flexablity you need to play in any environment.

One day you'll be thankful you had Kelbek's effect go off while it was in attack mode.
You'll never be able to say that about jujitsu though.

As far as defensive cards go, jujitsu isn't even the best(Spirit reaper is king), so there remains room for Kelbek to shine.

Try putting Kelbek in attack mode, destroying an opponents monster, and showing the world how much of a plus he is!

He'll stand guard and any intrustion into your territory will be met with an equally powerful force!

Try Kelbek out especially if you're running a balanced deck that needs both attackers and defenders.