Friday Stride: Rain Element, Madew

For the first few years of the game's existence, Vanguard allowed clan mixing, although it wasn't encouraged outside of a couple of specific decks. Then Clan Fight was introduced, eliminating all mixed decks but those two decks designed around it, which saved text space but prevented the use of cards from other clans in most decks. However, just two sets later Vanguard G began, and alongside some new mechanics it brought Cray Elementals into the game. The Cray Elementals are vanguard's generic cards, allowing every clan to be given access to specific cards. Though currently few in number, most of them provide some interesting support which can benefit most if not all clans, and helpfully enough the most recent set just reprinted one of them - Rain Element, Madew.

Unlike cursed rain, which causes flooding.

Madew was first released in that mine of G units known as the fighter's collection, but it was so widely useful and in demand that it apparently deserved a reprint just a few months after it's first print - in fact this is one of a very few cards to be in print in multiple packs at once, and unlike most of the others this isn't due to having multiple artworks. It's skill is simple enough - on stride, if you have a heart with 10000 power or less you can recover a grade 3 from the drop zone - but it opens up a huge range of options for a wide range of decks.

Although most grade 3's which are currently relevant have 11000 power base, a few older 10k units still see use, generally because the newer support allows them to function. Although most have clan-specific options, sometimes they won't be usable, and Madew functions as a free stride, boosting up the lower power of these units whilst not losing stride fodder for the next turn.

Probably the most significant card Meta-wise is Machining Stag Beetle, the original machining boss and the most cost-effective way of gaining enough rear-guards for the subclan's own G unit. Megacolony have enough options that Madew only has a small window where it's the best option, but given the power of their G zone having the ability to stride for free might just be useful.

Alongside Machinings, Musketeers also received a G unit, but oddly it was limited to "Cecilia", thus making it exclusive to White Lily Musketeer, Cecilia. Musketeer's first boss, she carried the build until the Legion bosses arrived, and with her new stride she gained more effective mid-game plays. Musketeers have always had an issue getting two boss units in a single deck, and boosting the aging Cecilia back up displaced Martina (a legion which really only shone in specific match-ups) and finally gave the deck a solid all-round grade 3 line-up of Cecilia & Vera. Cecilia's stride changes cards and plusses, whilst her base form gets around grade 2 gaming opponents. However, since all of Cecilia's skills are field manipulation based, if your setup doesn't need changing not losing a grade 3 you may want later is a handy option, especially as Musketeers can't afford to run the grade 1 stride fodder unit.

Unlike the above two cards, the resurgance of Leading Jewel Knight, Salome wasn't due to G units. It began with the Limit Break enabler, which as per standard pattern for those cards, was a Jewel Knight. Unlike (almost) every other Limit Break unit, Salome could call it from the deck without already having Limit Break, turning on her bonus crit even before the opponent reached grade 3. That early critical pressure made her threatening, but combined with Jewel Knight's rush potential makes a dangerous deck to face. Though not essential to the deck, Salome is a strong option especially if you can't afford Swordmy, and Madew helps grant more power for no real cost once the opponent is at five damage and her critical isn't needed.

What also helps sell Madew to these decks is that all three can pair up with a Legion, which Madew can also work with. Since all grade 2 mates meet the criteria, striding Madew over a legion can net you a grade 3 back even if you take the name and power of an 11k legion leader. Notable legions to benefit from this trick - besides any with on-legion skills which want to re-ride - are Bluish Flame Liberator, Prominence Glare and Brawler, Big Bang Knuckle Buster, both of which require other grade 3 units as part of the cost of their own skills. Being able to stride without losing (or in some cases gaining) fuel for these skills is a huge bonus.

Revival legions with 10k mates can also do the same thing. Of the ten revealed at time of writing, six of these meet the criteria, and those with specific advantage we'll come back to later.

It's worth noting that Madew checks the printed power of the unit, which means anything which has 10000 printed but has a higher power due to skills can still apply the effect. This means every ride chain outside Tsukuyomi and Galahad can also use Madew's effect, as well as Majesty Lord Blaster. The ability to stride for free whilst maintaining full defensive power is no bad thing, especially on any turn you weren't planning to use your vanguard's own skills.

The last area I'll talk about today is persona blasts. Stride doesn't sit well with these, as both mechanics suck up the same grade 3s, and whilst the Dragonic Overlord and Maiden revival legions make these workable by searching out more copies that doesn't help the rest of them. However, since many of them are 10000 power, Madew can either salvage them back or functionally provide trade of another grade 3 or stride enabler for a used persona, in much the same way as the legion examples above. The grade 3s able to use this trick include several revival legions - both the early Top Idol, Riviere and the more recent Thundering Ripple, Genovious have persona blasts, and whilst King of Knights' Vanguard, Ezzell is an 11k unit, his mate - King of Knights, Alfred - is not, and so can allow either unit to be recovered for future use.

Thus, we reach the other reason why Madew is in Vanguard and Deletor - the Royal Paladins are mostly focussed on Alfred units, and all royal Alfreds are 10k base or legion with a grade 2, making Madew highly useful for such builds.

There's even more Madew can do, but I've gone on long enough, and even if I did go through every possible trick there'll be another one sooner or later. It should be clear this is a solid card, and even if you don't need it now it's not a bad idea to pick it up, just in case you change decks or your favourite clan gets support for a 10k grade 3.