10 - Level Eater
Starting the countdown is Level Eater. The power of this monster lies in its ability to generate tribute fodder without losing card advantage. If this card is in the graveyard, you can activate its effect by selecting 1 level 5 or higher monster you control. Then decrease the level of the selected monster by 1 and special summon this card from your graveyard. You can tribute the Level Eater for a level 5 or 6 monster. Next turn, you can reduce its level to special summon Level Eater again and repeat the process. Level Eater’s ability is especially useful when combined with the tricky. Discard level eater to special summon the tricky. Then reduce the tricky’s level to special summon level eater. You now have two monsters you can use for the summon of a level 7 or higher monster. Level Eater’s effect isn’t limited to just once per turn either. For example, you can reduce scrap dragon’s level and special summon level eater, then use scrap dragon’s effect to destroy level eater and one card your opponent controls. Finally, reduce scrap dragon’s level again and re-summon level eater, basically destroying one of your opponent’s cards for free. It should be noted that Level Eater cannot be tributed unless it’s for a tribute summon. But rarely does one tribute a monster other than for a tribute summon making this drawback almost meaningless.
9 - Cyber Valley
Level 1 monsters are generally weak in atk and def, and this card, in terms of atk and def, are about as weak as they get. With 0 atk and def, this card may seem weak, but it has a powerful effect, or more precisely, 3 powerful effects. It’s first effect works to stall the opponent. When cyber valley is attacked, you can remove it from play to draw 1 card and end the battle phase. It’s second effect focuses on drawing. By removing it and another monster you control from play, you can draw 2 cards. It’s final effect is graveyard recovery. By removing it and 1 card in your hand from play, you can add 1 card from your graveyard on top or your deck. These effects are very helpful in an exodia deck as stalling, drawing, and graveyard recovery (recovery lost exodia pieces) are all a part of the basic strategy of such decks. However, they can be used with other decks as well, and with 3 different effects, cyber valley has the potential to be helpful in any situation.
8 - Tuningware
If Level Eater is excellent tribute fodder, then tuningware is an unmatched synchro material monster. Called tuning supporter in japanese, it lives up to that name because of its two effects. First, if tuningware is used for a synchro summon, you can treat its level as 2. Note the word “can”. You can use 1 without the effect for a total of one level, or use 3 with their effects for a total of 6 levels, and anything in between is also fair game. Thus, you can summon just about any generic synchro monster in the game (and most of the best ones are generic). Being a level 1 machine-type with 100 atk also makes it incredibly easy to get 3 out. 1 option is to use machine duplication which will special summon 2 more from your deck. Another option is to use inferno reckless summon which can summon 2 more from your deck, hand, or graveyard if tuningware was special summoned and your opponent controls a face-up monster. There are numerous ways to special summon tuningware for inferno reckless summon. Some ways include junk synchron, debris dragon, magnet circle lv2, one for one, and of course, monster reborn. So it really depends on whether your opponent has a face-up monster. Tuningware isn’t just for getting the level you want either. When tuningware is sent to the graveyard for a synchro summon, you get to draw 1 card. if you used 3, you get to draw 3 cards. Use de-synchro and you get to draw 6 cards, replenisihing your hand and maybe even increasing in hand advantage.
7 - Turbo Booster
Lots of monsters can special summon themselves these days, and turbo booster is about the easiest one to summon. All you have to do to special summon this is to normal summon this turn. You don’t even have to special summon turbo booster right after you normal summon. You can normal summon during your Main Phase 1, attack, and then special summon this during your Main Phase 2, which is probably better for using its effect. By tributing turbo booster during your Main Phase 2, you can destroy 1 monster your opponent controls that battled one of your monsters that turn. This works especially well with monsters like massive warrior or Yubel which take no battle damage. Even better is amazoness swords woman which not only prevents any battle damage to you, but also makes your opponent take the damage. If you normal summon a tuner monster, you can also use this for a synchro summon, especially if you have some non-tuners on the field as well.
6 - Treeborn Frog
Coming in at number 6 is another monster known for its ability to generate tribute fodder for free. During your standby phase, if you control no spell or trap cards, you can special summon this card from your graveyard. One reason this is better than level eater is because it can be tributed for anything, not just for a tribute summon. This means that you can special summon treeborn frog, tribute it for enemy controller, AND special summon treeborn frog during the same standby phase. Plus, unlike level eater, you wouldn’t need a monster that’s level 5 or higher, meaning you can suddenly get out a level 5 or 6 monster even if your opponent cleared your field of monsters last turn.
5 - D.D. Crow
This monster is more suited for the side deck than your main deck, but it’s still useful nonetheless. During either player’s turn, you can discard this card to remove from play 1 card in your opponent’s graveyard. Although it’s a simple effect, timing it correctly can effectively stop your opponent’s plan in its track. You can remove from play a judgment dragon they tried to add back to their hand with beckoning light, a level 4 or lower blackwing they tried to summon with blizzard the far north, or a monster they tried to add to their deck using pot of avarice. D.D. crow is also one of the few ways to stop the powerful Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode by removing it from play after it’s used its effect. Being a DARK monster also makes it easy to recycle with the spell card Dark Eruption, as well as other more generic methods.
4 - Effect Veiler
Effect Veiler is another card whose effect activates in your hand. During your opponent’s Main Phase, you can discard effect veiler to negate the effect of one of your opponent’s monsters until the end phase. It’s number 4 on the list because it can stop many combos these days, seeing as how many combos rely heavily on monster effects. Some annoying cards you can use this on include Dark Armed Dragon, Brionac, naturia bamboo shoot, and even stardust. That’s right, effect veiler can even work on stardust dragon because even though stardust won’t be on the field when its effect resolves, its effect activated on the field. Just make sure you use effect veiler before stardust activates its effect, because if the monster isn’t face-up when effect veiler resolves, the effect won’t be negated. Once you’ve used its effect, you can revive it using magical exemplar, kinka-byo, limit reverse, graceful revival, etc. to use it for a synchro summon.
3 - Battle Fader
OTKs have become increasingly popular the last couple of formats. Therefore, cards that can stop an otk have also become increasingly popular, and this card is one of the best. When your opponent declares a direct attack, you can activate battle fader’s effect to special summon itself from your hand and end the battle phase, saving you for at least another turn. Next turn, you can tribute battle fader for a powerful level 5 or 6 monster, like a monarch. Or you could use it for a synchro summon. Worst case scenario, battle fader can save you a little damage by taking one of your opponent’s attacks (unless your opponent’s monster inflicts piercing damage).
2 - Swift Scarecrow
Swift Scarecrow might as well be Battle Fader’s twin. They have nearly identical effects and even look similar. Swift Scarecrow also ends the battle phase when the opponent declares a direct attack, but instead of special summoning swift scarecrow, you discard it to the graveyard. Because of this, it’s slightly better than battle fader, as it’s not prone to being negated by your opponent’s royal oppression or, the now more common, solemn warning. In addition, there are many cards you can use to recycle this, including pot of avarice, monster reincarnation, and probably best of all, drill warrior. Attack directly with drill warrior, then remove it from play. If your opponent attacks you directly, discard swift scarecrow. Then you can add it back to your hand when drill warrior returns to your side of the field during your next standby phase.
1 - Glow-up Bulb
And our number 1 Level 1 monster is… *Drum Roll* … Glow-up Bulb! In a meta with powerful synchro monsters, it’s only natural for the best level 1 monster to be a tuner monster, and this card is the best level 1 tuner in the game. Even though it’s a plant-type monster, it doesn’t have to only be used in a plant deck. It’s effect, which special summons it from the graveyard once makes it the most generic level 1 tuner. The only cost is one card from the top of your deck, meaning the cost doesn’t decrease your card avantage at all. In addition, in the current meta, sending one card from the top of your deck to the graveyard is more a benefit than a cost. You thin your deck, send a card to the graveyard that you could possible recycle later, and special summon a tuner. What more could you ask from a level 1 monster?
originally posted on yugiohblog.com
STX's List For Lulz:
10. Blackwing - Vayu
9. Cyber Vally
8. Fishborg Blaster
7. Spore
6. Level Eater
5. Treeborn frog
4. Glow Up bub
3. D.D. Crow
2. Effect Veiler
1. Mystic Lamp << LAWL but really ..... Substitoad, pro shit.
