XX-Saber Darksoul

All TCG players can appreciate how much XX-Saber Darksoul does for X-Saber decks. It helps with the consistency problem that the deck has had since its release.

But, not everyone knows how XX-Saber Darksoul, by itself, impacts the way the game is played.

By existing, XX-Saber Darksoul makes people afraid to attack Set Monsters. There's this whole reasoning that if you attack a XX-Saber Darksoul (except with certain Monsters like Rai-Oh and Banisher), you're only helping your opponent put their OTK together.

That idea may have been valid last format, when that second XX-Saber Faultroll would ensure that you lose, but not so much this format. X-Sabers can't OTK nearly as easily without Rescue Cat.

Also, if you just leave XX-Saber Darksoul on their field, then they can easily drop any Tuners and/or Faultrolls in their hand to destroy you. Even if you let them search, it's better not to let them just have an X-Saber sitting on the field.

However, this type of reasoning with XX-Saber Emmersblade is much more understandable. If you attack their XX-Saber Emmersblade, then they get their XX-Saber Darksoul or their Tuner (whichever one they need at the moment), and they swarm you next turn. In this case, it's better to leave XX-Saber Emmersblade on the field, since it doesn't provide the +1 search when used for a Synchro Summon.

Because of these XX-Sabers, recruiters are much less useful. If you play recruiters, then your opponent will use the same mind-set that they use against X-Sabers. If that happens to be, "Don't attack Set Monsters," then that hurts your deck, especially if it depends on getting your Monsters killed in battle to abuse effects like Cherry Inmato or Infernity Avenger.

However, not everyone has that mind-set. Some people hesitate to attack Set Monsters if they know you play X-Sabers or recruiters. Others don't care, and believe that if they don't attack, then you'll just drop a Tuner for a Synchro anyway.

Sadly, this makes the deck-building process much harder, as you have to take into account that your recruiters will be useless against some players. If you watch X-Saber decks being played, you'd often see XX-Saber Emmersblade being rammed into an opposing Monster to search; while that may work for X-Sabers, it doesn't work for most other recruiters.

Regardless, it's better not to dedicate yourself to one mind-set or the other. It can make you too predictable, and it can allow your opponent to get away with silly things like setting a Gladiator Beast Laquari. The best advice would be to just use your best judgment. X-Sabers can't OTK quite as often as you would think...