IMPERIAL DECREE Type: Permanent Trap Effect: While this card is face up on the Field, the effects of Magic cards are negated. During your Standby Phase, pay 700 Life Points or destroy this card.

And here we are with the seventh card of the week for Edo's Small Yu-Gi-Oh! page that I know that you are drooling for. Here we'll take a look at an almost free Magic Jammer, the Imperial Decree. Yes, decree. Literally, a standing order.

This little gem of the Curse of Anubis expansion helps those who want to negate some of the more powerful Magic cards that are present in many tournament level decks. Most people favor this little one over the Magic Jammer, because with the Jammer, you have to discard a card from your hand. With this Decree, it's free, and you don't have to pay for the upkeep if you don't want.

There is something that we have to understand about Imperial Decree, however. It does NOT destroy Magic cards. On the other hand, Magic Jammer does. I know that some of you are saying "Well, if someone plays a Jar of Greed, and I activate an Imperial Decree, it's negated, but it also destroys the card." Not so, actually. Imperial Decree simply negates the effect of the Magic card. It's part of the rule that when a Magic card is played, unless it's permanent, equipment or Field Magic, it is discarded from play automatically.

That is what makes Imperial Decree a little lower on the scale than Magic Jammer. If your opponent has Equipment Magic cards on the Field, they will be negated so long as Decree is on the Field. However, when the Decree leaves play, the effects are once again active. So, the best use for Imperial Decree is for those normal and instant Magic cards. This card is usually saved for game-breaking cards such as Thunder Bolt, Black Hole and Raise Dead, among others.

Imperial Decree is also key in a lot of "lock" decks. For example, if you have this card in play, and an Android Psycho Shocker out, you and your opponent are effectively "locked": neither player can activate Magic nor Trap cards. So long as you are in the lead during that time, the game might as well be over.

Edo's Rating: 4 out of 5. My opinion is that it belongs in every deck. It's useful in almost any situation, but its knocked down a little on the rating because of 1) it doesn't destroy the Magic cards, and 2) it has kind of a hefty upkeep. Almost 1000 Life Points to keep it in play. However, that kind of upkeep is minor compared to the benefit.

(No decks can be based around Imperial Decree. Toss it in your deck for a "free" Magic Jammer.)