Before the release of “Legacy of the Valiant” in Japan, let’s look at one of the more surprising cards included in the set: “Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force”, the fourth card in the Rank-Up-Magic series, and probably one of the most bizarre
Some Background First
Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force is a card that originates from recent episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, currently airing in Japan, that the U.S. and the rest of the world are at least 40 episodes behind. The card is the key Spell Card in the deck strategy of the character Eliphas, a character who serves as basically the will (read: Leader) of the Astral World, and a temporary antagonist to Yuma, later turned ally. The card is repeatedly used by him to transform a Rank 4 Xyz Monster known as “New Orders 4: Etheric Anubis” ultimately into the unprecedented Rank 13 Xyz Monster “New Orders 13: Etheric Amon”.
These “New Orders” Xyz currently doen’t exist in the actual card game in either territory, as of the writing of this article, but Astral Force does. And it can open some rather interesting strategies by transforming your Xyz into new, bigger, and more powerful options.
So what is this Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force thing anyways?
Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 face-up Xyz Monster you control with the highest Rank; Special Summon from your Extra Deck, 1 Xyz Monster with the same Type and Attribute as that monster you control but 2 Ranks higher, by using it as the Xyz Material. (This Special Summon is treated as an Xyz Summon. Xyz Materials attached to that target also become Xyz Materials on the Summoned monster.) During your Draw Phase, instead of conducting your normal draw: You can add this card from your Graveyard to your hand. You cannot Special Summon any monsters, except with “Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force”, the turn you activate this effect.
Let’s focus on its return to the hand effect first, and clear something up, that you guys might get confused on: You’re only barred from Special Summoning monsters with anything other than “Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force” when you return Astral Force to your hand. Using Astral Force to Rank-Up won’t impede your other Summons for the turn.
The other effect is fairly self explanatory, and players should have experience with “Rank-Up-Magic Numeron Force” and “Rank-Up-Magic Limited Barian’s Force” (and possibly “Rank-Up-Magic Barian’s Force). To put it simply, these Spell Cards let you Xyz Summon a bigger Xyz Monster on top of your current one, and Astral Force follows this idea.
So who can you make with these cards? Well, let’s find out with this dinky list!
SPELLCASTER-TYPE
DARK
RANK 4
Alchemic Magician
Downerd Magician
↓
RANK 6
Magi Magi☆Magician Gal
RANK 5
Number C104: Umbral Horror Masquerade
↓
RANK 7
Number 11: Big Eye
Hierophant of Prophecy
Legendary Magician of Dark
LIGHT
RANK 4
Number 104: Masquerade
↓
RANK 6
E☆HERO Pit Boss
Norito the Moral Leader
RANK 5
Empress of Prophecy
↓
RANK 7
CXyz Simon the Great Moral Leader
DRAGON-TYPE
LIGHT
RANK 4
Number 91: Thunder Spark Dragon
↓
RANK 6
Hieratic King Dragon of Atum
↓
RANK 8
Thunder End Dragon
Hieratic Sun Dragon Overlord of Heliopolis
Number 46: Dragluon
Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon
Neo Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon
Legendary Dragon of White
FIRE
RANK 4
Evolzar Laggia
Evolzar Dolkka
Number 57: Tri-Head Dust Dragon
↓
RANK 6
Evolzar Solde
ZOMBIE-TYPE
DARK
RANK 3
Ghostrick Alucard
Number 48: Shadow Lich
↓
RANK 5
Crimson Knight Vampire Bram
WARRIOR-TYPE
LIGHT
RANK 4
Number C39: Utopia Ray
Starliege Paladynamo
Starliege Lord Galaxion
Artorigus, King of the Noble Knights
Number S39: Utopia ONE
One-Eyed Skill Gainer
Number 10: Illumiknight
Number 39: Utopia
Heroic Champion – Excalibur
Photon Alexandra Queen
Photon Papilloperative
↓
RANK 6
Photon Strike Bounzer
↓
RANK 8
Divine Dragon Knight Felgrand
EARTH
RANK 4
Gagaga Cowboy
Comics Hero King Arthur
Zubaba General
Heroic Champion – Gandiva
Heroic Champion – Kusanagi
Shadow of the Six Samurai – Shien
↓
RANK 6
Gauntlet Launcher
Sword Breaker
RANK 1
Number 54: Lion Heart
↓
RANK 3
M-X-Saber Invoker
↓
RANK 5
CXyz Comics Hero Legend Arthur
Number 12: Crimson Shadow Armor Ninja
FIRE
RANK 3
Battlin’ Boxer Cheat Commissioner
Lavalval Ignis
↓
RANK 5
Number C105: Battlin’ Boxer Comet Cestus
BEAST-TYPE
EARTH
RANK 2
Number 64: Ronin Raccoon Sandayu
↓
RANK 4
Diamond Dire Wolf
FIEND-TYPE
DARK
RANK 2
Number 65: Djinn Buster
Number 96: Dark Mist
↓
RANK 4
Steelswarm Roach
Evilswarm Thanatos
Evilswarm Nightmare
Maestroke the Symphony Djinn
Number 85: Crazy Box
RANK 1
Ghostrick Dullahan
↓
RANK 3
Number C65: King Overfiend
Number C96: Dark Storm
↓
RANK 5
Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon
Number 53: Heart-eartH
FAIRY-TYPE
LIGHT
RANK 2
Herald of Pure Light
↓
RANK 4
Vylon Disigma
Number 16: Shock Master
Number 102: Star Seraph Sentry
Fairy Cheer Girl
Princess Cologne
RANK 1
Number 63: Shamoji Soldier
↓
RANK 3
Mechquipped Angineer
↓
RANK 5
Tiras, Keeper of Genesis
↓
RANK 7
Number 7: Lucky Stripe
INSECT-TYPE
DARK
RANK 4
Number 66: Master Key Beetle
↓
RANK 6
Inzektor Exa-Beetle
DINOSAUR-TYPE
FIRE
RANK 3
Grenosaurus
↓
RANK 5
Number 61: Volcasaurus
AQUA-TYPE
WATER
RANK 5
Number C101: Silent Honor’s Dark Knight
↓
RANK 7
Mermail Abyssgaios
PYRO-TYPE
FIRE
RANK 4
Infernal Flame Vixen
↓
RANK 6
Hazy Flame Basilitrice
ROCK-TYPE
EARTH
RANK 2
Gachi Gachi Gantetsu
↓
RANK 4
Gem-Knight Pearl
Number 106: Giant Hand
RANK 3
Soul of Silvermountain
Giant Soldier of Steel
↓
RANK 5
Number C106: Giant Hand Red
PLANT-TYPE
LIGHT
RANK 6
Queen Nereia the Silvercrown
↓
RANK 8
Shinra no Morigami Alsei
EARTH
RANK 4
CXyz Battleship Cherry Blossom
Fairy King Albverdich
↓
RANK 6
Fairy Knight Ingunar
MACHINE-TYPE
LIGHT
RANK 4
Constellar Praesepe
Number 36: Chronomaly Fork Hoyuk
↓
RANK 6
Constellar Ptolemy M7
Number 6: Chronomaly Atlandis
Number 25: Force Focus
↓
RANK 8
Grandopolis, The Eternal Golden City
↓
RANK 10
Super Dimensional Robo Galaxy Destroyer
EARTH
RANK 8
Googly-Eyes Drum Dragon
↓
RANK 10
Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Gustav Max
RANK 3
Geargiagear X Gigant
↓
RANK 5
Digvorzhak, King of Heavy Industry
WIND
RANK 5
Wind-Up Arsenal Zenmaioh
↓
RANK 7
Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack
Number 42: Starship Galaxy Tomahawk
PSYCHIC-TYPE
LIGHT
RANK 3
Chronomaly Crystal Chrononaut
↓
RANK 5
Number C69: Heraldry Chaos Crest
