The new set of Dice Masters that is to be released this week includes some pretty nifty mechanisms and other cool additions to the game, some of which are ones that I was really hoping we'd see at some point.

Even if you aren't a fan if Yu-Gi-Oh, there are some really cool things in this set, things that I absolutely hope that we see in future sets.

If you're on the fence about this one, give this and some of the other set coverage some consideration. You might get turned around. I did, so did Evan, and we're hearing the same from some others in the Dice Masters community.

If you were already sold, then start licking your chops.

Let's take a look.



New and Revitalized Mechanisms

Ritual: Allows you to substitute sacrificing a monster for paying a summoning (same as fielding) cost. You simply move the monster to the used pile.

Trample: We've seen it before, and we call it "Overcrush" now, or we will in DC, but monsters are coming with it, and we haven't seen that since Doc Ock.

Actions that don't go away at the end of the main step: We've sort of seen this with Cerebro or the shield, but those were attached to specific things. Actions like uncommon Millennium Puzzle are fielded and stay there until you use them.

Blocking punishment: Several cards say that when the character is blocked, but not KO'd, it deals damage equal to its attack to your opponent. We may have had this once or twice, but we see it more now.



Other Cool Wrinkles:

More energy-related synergy. Example: Black Luster Soldier's Common - When you only attack with fist monsters, this monster gets +1A

Die bounce. Example: Breaker the Magical Warden - Common - When summoned, you may move an action die from the field to its used pile.

Counterspells. Example: Doomcaliber Knight - Common - When an opponent uses an action die, you must cancel this effect and knock out this monster. 

Taunts. Example: Ring of Magnetism - Common - Play on a monster. All opposing sidekicks must attack while that monster is active. 

Punishment for doing good things. Example: Summoned Skull - Common - When your opponent summons a level three monster, do two damage to that opponent. 

Rewarding sacrifices. Example: Dark Magician Girl - Uncommon - At the start of the attack step, this monster gets +1A for each monster in your used pile.

Ability prevention: Example: Doomcaliber Knight - Uncommon - his global: Pay fist when you attack. Your monsters cannot be the target of action dice or card abilities.

Countering globals: Example: Doomcaliber Knight - Rare - If an opponent uses a global ability, you must spin this monster down one level to cancel the ability and prevent it from being used for the rest of this turn. 

New kinds of dice manipulation: Example: Harpie Lady - Rare - When summoned, until the end of the turn, you may place dice you buy into your bag.

Buffs based upon creature type: Example: Lord of D. - Rare - his global: Pay shield. Target "Dragon" gets +1/+1

* * *

I've been hoping for cards that could fuel stall strategies and countering abilities for some time, and we have that now. Also included in this set is a one-cost mask character with a TFC of 1. We have creature-type synergy, we have energy-type synergy, we have  the return of some old favorites, we have new stuff. There's plenty to like about this set, even if you need to look objectively to see it.