GILFAR DEMON Type: Effect Monster Dark/Demon/6/2200/2500 Effect: If this card is put into a Cemetery, you may change it to an Equipment card, and equip it to a monster on the Field (decreases that monster's attack strength by 500.)

Nineteen cards of the week. We're approaching the second tenth anniversary of the card of the week. You know what kind of special contest we're holding? None, actually. The poll from the message board states that we're going with Gilfar Demon, Chaos Pod, White Thief and then Don Zaruug. Let's get cracking on this card which was originally a promo, but was reprinted in non-foil form in the Yugi Structure Deck.

The Gilfar Demon first appeared in the tag-team duel that Yugi had with Kaiba against Light and Dark Mask. Yugi couldn't play it as a Monster, but it was discarded from his hand due to Hand Obliteration (e. Card Destruction), and helped Kaiba's Blue Eyes destroy the Masks' deadly Masked Hellraiser

The Gilfar Demon's statistics are somewhat respectable for a level 5 or 6 Monster. Generally, if you can get 2000 or more attack strength out of a level 5 or 6 Monster (thus, one Monster sacrifice), you are "breaking even" on the attack and defense strengths. Gilfar's abilities at 2200/2500 are a little bit above breaking even, so it's okay if you wanted to play it as a Monster. Whether you play it as a Monster or not, it's ability is what makes it an interesting card.

Once the Gilfar Demon hits the Cemetery, you can choose to turn it into an Equipment card, and Equip it on a Monster on the Field (taking up one of your Monster slots). So, if it's destroyed while a Monster, you can reduce a Monster's attack strength. If it goes to the Cemetery from your hand or your deck, you can activate it.

Seems like a great card. You could discard it from your hand in a Magic Jammer, and activate it. You could discard it from your hand in a Welcome For The Dead, and activate it. You could chuck it through a Hand Obliteration and activate it. You could discard it through a Thunder Break, and activate it. Use it in a Sacrifical Summon. Use it in a Ritual Summon. Right?

Wrong.

"What do you mean 'wrong'?" I know you're asking. "You just said that if it goes to the Cemetery, its effect is activated." Yes, I know what I said. So, I want you to sit back in your chair and prepare for another crazy-ass ruling from Konami of Japan. You thought Emissary of Harmony's (e. Waboku) ruling was crazy (and some of you STILL don't believe it or get it)? Try THIS one. And YES, it's an OFFICIAL ruling. And no, I didn't make this ruling; I am only relaying it. Then I'll tell you WHY Konami made this ruling.

The Gilfar Demon's effect isn't activated if it goes to the Cemetery in the middle of a series of immediate events.

I know this is a bit confusing and hard to swallow, but let me elaborate. Each card with an effect in duel Monsters can be broken up into "instructions." For example, Deck Destruction Virus of Death is broken up into these instructions, which are "things to do.":

Sacrifice a Dark Main-Type Monster with an attack strength of 1000 or less.

Destroy all of your opponent's Monsters on the Field and in his or her hand with an attack strength of 1500 or more.

For the next 3 turns, destroy any Monsters with an attack strength of 1500 or more that your opponent draws.

Here are some examples of usage of the Gilfar Demon. Note that the ones in cyan are INCORRECT uses.

Sacrifice a Gilfar Demon in play for a Sacrifice Summon (e. Tribute Summon). (Goes To Cemetery >> Summon)

Sacrifice a Gilfar Demon in play to a [Cannon Soldier], or other Magic, Trap or other effects. (Goes To Cemetery >> Effect Resolution)

Sacrifice a Gilfar Demon in play (or hand) for a Ritual Summon. (Goes To Cemetery >> Special Summon)

Destroyed in play by a [Cyber Pod]. (Goes to Cemetery >> 5 Card draw and place)

Destroyed in an attack. (Goes to Cemetery)

The Equipped Monster is destroyed. (Goes to Cemetery)

Sacrifice for a cost like [Friendslayer Knightess]. (Goes to Cemetery)

Destroyed by a [Cyclone]. (Goes to Cemetery)

Discarded via an [Angel's Gift]. (Draw >> Discard)

Discard it for the [Magic Jammer]'s cost. (Discard >> Negate)

Discarded via [Metamol Pot] or [Hand Obliteration]. (Discard >> Draw)

Destroyed by a [Deck Destruction Virus of Death]. (Goes to Cemetery)

Discarded from your deck by a [Needle Worm]. (Goes to Cemetery)

Discarded from your deck by a [Distressing Choice]. (Goes to Cemetery)

Yes, the ruling is somewhat hard to understand (I'm not fully sure in which situations the card can be activated). The best way to understand it is probably:

If anything happens IMMEDIATELY after an effect or card, Gilfar Demon's effect can't be activated.

Okay, go get a soda or some water. Drink it. Scream if you want for such a strange ruling. Come back when you're done, because we're NOT FINISHED YET.

As promised, I will tell you WHY this card was changed. Yes! There is meaning to the madness! Konami just didn't decide to change the way this card was used without some sort of reason.

Well, this one's going to be a little interactive. Go back to the main page, and you're going to look in the translation lists for a card. The big hints are: a) the card is in Mythological Age, and b) it has to do with Equipment Cards. Go ahead. I'll wait. When you're done, come back here and scroll down.

If you found it or not, the card is Leaf Faerie. Some of you don't get what would happen, so I'll illustrate. The following would have happened if Gilfar Demon's ruling WASN'T changed:

1. Play the Leaf Faerie.
2. Get the Gilfar Demon into your Cemetery in some way.
3. Since the Gilfar Demon has hit the Cemetery, Equip it on the Leaf Faerie.
4. Use the Leaf Faerie's effect to destroy the Gilfar Demon, and do 500 damage to your opponent.
5. Repeat from 3.

As two bits of trivia, when Gilfar Demon was first release in Weekly Jump as a promo card, it actually gave examples of discarding it via Magic Jammer and Welcome For The Dead, and activating its effect! That was way before Leaf Faerie came out, though. I think that was even before Labyrinth of Nightmare came out, but I'm not so sure.

The second bit of trivia is that Gilfar Demon works in its "original" way in Duel Monsters 6 for the Gameboy Advance. But then, the Leaf Faerie isn't in that game...

Edo's Rating: 2 out of 5. How. That was a long card of the week, wasn't it? I originally liked Gilfar Demon a lot. I was going to use it in a Ritual Deck. But I read a post on Kelvin Koh's Duel Monsters Central message board that had me look up the ruling on the Expert Rules Page. And that sort of flushed my respect for Gilfar Demon down the drain. Though I do understand why the card had to be changed.