Set 6 Preview: Burning Lion, Blonde Eisele

Introduction

With Set 6 nearing closer and closer, there has been more speculation on what the meta will become, both English and Japanese, once Golden Paladins and Narakumi are released. Continuing my Set 6 preview series is a look at one of the best cards that has been revealed for Golden Paladin: Burning Lion, Blonde Eisele. With a repeatable superior calling ability costing only 2 Counter-Blast and massive power boosting ability, this card looks to be the clan's ace card.

Alfred on Steroids

Before I go on, let's take a look at it's effect and card art:

Burning Lion, Blonde Eisele

Activate 【V】 [Limit Break (4)] {When you have four or more damage}: [Counter Blast (2)] Look at the top card of your deck. If that card is a 《Gold Paladin》, call that card to a [R] without an unit. If not, put that card to the bottom of your deck. This unit gets Power equals to the Power of that unit called by this ability until end of turn.

Continuous 【V】: This unit gets Power +1000 for each of your 《Gold Paladin》 rear-guards during your turn.

Reading through this cards effect can only remind someone of King of Knights, Alfred's similar abilities. Ability to superior call through Counter-blast and gaining power for other Rearguards seems to be the Royal Paladin's way of creating advantage, which shines in Gold Paladins. Eisele's superior calling skill costs 2 Counter-blast and Limit Break 4, guaranteeing the ability to superior call two units and gaining at least 10k power (if two triggers are superior called) and a maximum of 20k power (if two 10k units are called). At a 10k base, this will make Eisele hit for at least 20k, unboosted. Oh, did I mention it's second ability? It gains 1k power for every other Rearguard out. That adds an extra 2k power if you called two units, boosting it to 22k, if you had no other Rearguards out after Superior calling. Unboosted. This card is ridiculous. Call another 3 Rearguards, and suddenly you are hitting for 25k unboosted. Add an 8k booster, and this card is hitting for 33k, a magic number on even potential 13k Cross-rided Vanguards, forcing 30k in shield for one trigger. The advantage this card creates, both in field and hand make it one of the absolute best cards in Set 6 that has been revealed. The only potential downside is in what you superior call using it's ability, but no matter what you call, the guaranteed power boost Eisele gets makes it worthwhile even in the worst case scenario.

Superior Ride Chain

So what could possibly make this card any better? How about the ability to Superior Ride it from your deck, for the cost of your 8k and 10k vanilla units? That's exactly the case. But first, a look at the cards involved in the Superior Ride:

Crimson Little Lion, Kilif 

AUTO: When you ride another <Gold Paladin> onto this unit, you may call this card to (RC).

ACT [(RC)]: [Choose a "Crimson Little Lion, Kilif" and a "Knight of Fine Skill, Gareth" from your (RC), and move them to Soul] If you have "Knight of Divine Skill, Bohman" as your vanguard, search for up to one "Burning Lion, Blond Eisele from your deck, ride it, and shuffle your deck.

Knight of Elegant Skills, Gareth 

Knight of Superior Skills, Beaumains 

Let's analyze this ride chain. You require no amount of soul, no Counter-blast and no specific cards that take up deck space as you are using the vanilla units you would be running anyway. The end Grade 3 is also your ideal Grade 3 anyway, so once again, no extra deck space is taken up. Due to these reason, the superior ride is essentially free, and that's what makes it the best superior ride chain to date. It costs nothing and allows for guaranteed riding of one of the best Vanguards in the game, what's not to love?

Conclusion

The card is good. Really good. Too good. What this card proves is the power creep that is starting to occur in this game, which unfortunately becomes the downfall of many TCGs. Not only that, but since the English and Japanese versions are getting Set 6 at the same time, some current English decks will be left in the dust, borderline unplayable due to the power creep that the English version will experience without the options of the three other Japanese sets available. I also believe that the value of perfect guards will increase, seeing as how this clan will be hitting for high numbers, a maxed out amount of perfect guards looks to become the norm. As it stands, only time will tell if this card will be as gamebreaking as it sounds on paper.

-HerO