First off let me ask that you please answer ALL of my questions and be detailed... thank you.
I've been playing a Skill Drain deck for quite some time and am baffled that after reading the errata numberous times on Skill Drain, some monsters still get their effects even when they're NOT Graveyard effects like Sangan, Exiled, Nimble, Tomato, Rat, Turtle, etc...
Here are my biggest few rivals:
1. Snipe Hunter (most broken card in the game): Since Snipe Hunter's effect is NOT a cost like Card Trooper, how in the world does a Spell Speed 1 (trigger) effect monster get priority over a Spell Speed 2 (continuous trap) Skill Drain (already face-up)???
Because the official UDE rulings state: " "Skill Drain" will not negate an Ignition Effect or Trigger Effect if the Effect Monster is not face-up on the field when the effect resolves." Which means that if the monster IS still face-up on the field when the effect resolves (i.e. Snipe Hunter's effect of targeting a card), that it's effect WILL BE negated. Right?
2. Demise: same question even though Demise has a cost (which shouldn't matter because it will still be face-up after resolution of it's effect, right?)
3. Stratos: similar question, but just slightly different since it's a ignition effect... (still same spell speed)
(if all 3 monster questions have the same answer, then please just say so... thanks)
Also, is the calling of "priority" give it a higher spell speed than a card that's already face-up? (I doubt it, but have to ask)
And my last question.... if you chain Skill Drain to the summoning (normal, flip, special, tribute, ritual, fusion) of a monster, will Skill Drain always negate it (as long as it stays face-up on the field) because of the way that a chain resolves?
Answer:
Let me begin by saying that this statement: "how in the world does a Spell Speed 1 (trigger) effect monster get priority over a Spell Speed 2 (continuous trap) Skill Drain (already face-up)???"
is confusing... "get priority over [ it ]"? What you say afterwards condradicts your own statement. I think you are taking this situation and making it overly complicated.
"Skill Drain" has one sole purpose in life: it wants to negate the effects of effect monsters that are face-up on the field. When a monster is face-up on the field and activates its effect, if the monster is still face-up on the field when its effect attempts to resolve, the effect will be negated by "Skill Drain".
Perhaps you under the impression that "Skill Drain" has a Trigger Effect? It is a Continuous Trap Card with a Continuous Effect that is applied while "Skill Drain" remains face-up on the field. After resolving, its effect is continuously applied and no longer has any need for the Chain.
1) So "Snipe Hunter" is an Ignition Effect. It's face-up on the field and its controller decides to discard 1 card to activate its effect. (perhaps under the false assumption that this would somehow allow them to destroy a face-up "Skill Drain"?)
Whatever their reason, they decide to go for it anyways. The opponent, probably as confused as I am, decides not to respond.
So "Snipe Hunter" tries to resolve. At this point "Skill Drain" says "hold on a tick, your negated."
"Snipe Hunter" is still face-up on the field, and so is "Skill Drain". "Skill Drain" negates the effects of effect monsters that are face-up on the field, so "Snipe Hunter's" effect is negated.
"Skill Drain" never stops a player from activating a monster's effect. It does not have this ability. Thus "Snipe Hunter" was allowed to activate its effect, even though everything went horribly wrong when it tried to resolve.
2) When "Demise, King of Armaggedon's" effect attempts to resolve, it will be negated by "Skill Drain".
3) The effects of "Elemental Hero Statos" are optional Trigger Effects.
And in either case, no matter which of its effects are chosen, the effect will be negated by "Skill Drain" when it tries to resolve.
4) Priority isn't an issue here.
5) In such a case, the monster's effect is typically Chain Link 1 and "Skill Drain" is Chain Link 2. "Skill Drain" will resolve first and apply its effect. The monster's effect will next attempt to resolve, but get negated by "Skill Drain". [This assumes the monster that activated the effect is actually face-up on the field]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Curtis Schultz
Official UDE Rules Dude
CurtisSchultz_Netrep@Hotmail.com
