Card Review – Evoltile Odonto

• Summons 4 Monsters from Photon Shockwave
  • Evolsaur Cerato
  • Evolsaur Diplo
  • Evolsaur Pelta
  • Evolsaur Vulcano
• Summons 2 Monsters From Order of Chaos
  • Evolsaur Elias
  • Evolsaur Terias

Overview:

Evoltile Odonto is a somewhat frustrating monster from the Evol Archetype that asks you to invest heavily onto the field. At present, with Photon Shockwave as the latest release, the climate is not quite temperate enough for starting a play with Odonto.

With 500 attack and 1200 defense, it is not a monster that anyone would want to summon or set without good reason. Since its effect leaves it vulnerable to attack, and therefore punishment, one would expect a reasonable return for such an investment. The results are somewhat worth the investment, let’s take a look.

Archetype Plays

Odonto’s playability is fairly situational. By playing it, one hopes accomplish one of the Evol’s good plays:

• Summon a Beater (Cerato)
• Xyz into a Rank 4 (Vulcano)
• Xyz into a Rank 6 (Elias)

Playing into Cerato
Odonto/Cerato gets you a 2100 beater/searcher. That is enough to back your opponent into a corner. They’ll either have to Synchro/XZY, allowing you to play any number of offensive traps. They could play 1 for 1 destruction (Smashing, Bottomless, D-Prison), which is acceptable because Cerato likes the graveyard so that it can be brought back (Vulcano) and overlayed for the Evolzars. And at the very least, they’ve wasted a card on a monster that is not a keystone in the Evolzar strategy.

Pulling off a Cerato search gives you some interesting options. Grab another Odonto if you want to use what’s in your hand or you’ve got a Fossil Dig. Unfortunately, there isn’t really an easier way to search Odonto into the hand. But, there are also quite a few plays with Creature Swap regarding some of the other Evotile Monsters you can search, though discussion on those is more appropriate in their own review.

If Odonto is left on the field, and you are running Genex Ally Birdman, you can:

Return Odonto to SS Birdman
Summon Odonto, SS Vulcano, SS a LV4 or LV6 Evolsaur
Rank 4 Xyz and Synchro for Level 5, or 7 (Like Genex Ally Triforce)

Playing into Vulcano
Vulcano is the ticket to Rank 4 XYZ in the Evol Archytype. The Odonto > Vulcano + LV4 Evolsaur = Evolzar Laggia or Evolzar Dolkka is so auto-play that it requires little explanation. Simply note the fact the Evolsaur monster that is special summoned by Vulcano cannot attack.

Since Evols don’t harass the opponent much, instead preferring a defensive playstile, your opponent will probably be saving their heavy offensive traps for plays that produce the Evolzars. Be very mindful of what your opponent might have face down. Expect to see disruption both before and after you XYZ. The Zars will allow you to invest further onto the field, as their negation effects shield you.

Playing into Elias
While Odonto/Cerato and Odonto/Vulcano just kind of happen, Odonto/Elias (Order of Chaos) requires a little set-up. It is true, that a card like Fossile Dig can make this combo happen frequently (and by extension, the other combos as well), this one requires two level 6 Dinosaur monsters in your hand.

Since you’ll want to summon Elias as a stepping stone to Evolzar Soldde (or any other LV6 XYZ), it is much appreciated that its stats are well set for the types of plays it will see. Summoning it as a defensive monster is viable since it has 2400 defense, and that works any time – even if it wasn’t SS by an Evoltile effect. With 100 attack (telling us to eventually overlay it), it allows us to add it to the hand with things like Sangan, revive it from the graveyard, and SS it from the deck with ease. It will be whereever you need it and you are not punished for having extra in your hand because of Elias’ effect.

There are, however, three other monsters Odonto can summon. I believe they do not achieve much of anything with Odonto:

• Summon a Beater with reduced attack (Terias)
• Destroy 1 Spell/Trap (Diplo)
• Set up a Defense (Pelta)

Playing into Terias
These monsters have their specific uses. Evolsaur Terias is alright, it gets you a 1900 ATK monster if it’s summoned as a result of an Evoltile effect, or a 2400 ATK monster if it comes out any other way (e.g. Vulcano). It’s main purpose is to be a LV6 monster with Evol in the name so that you can position it to be overlayed for Evolzar Soldde.

Playing into Diplo
Evolsaur Diplo is disappointing with its 1600 attack and the effect restriction doesn’t make things any better. While it’s not a good target for Odonto, it should be kept in mind in relation to some other Evoltile monsters since it can provide set up for an Odonto into Rank 4 Play.

Playing into Pelta
Lastly there’s Evolsaur Pelta. Like Diplo, it is not a good target for Odonto, it is probably the worst. Odonto will be sitting bare next to a 2500 DEF, battle recruiter. They’re not going to attack it, they’re going to attack Odonto and you’re going to take damage. The 2000 DEF that Pelta starts off with is enough to confidently set it face-down and save the Odonto for later.

With My Odonto Hanging Out
Most of the Odonto Plays involve him setting there at the end, just kind of being a cool little lizard-thing. It would be great if there were some really effective ways to make use of him after he was normal summoned, right? Fortunately, there are a few:

Alternatives

• Ultra Evolution Pill
• Alien Brain

Summary: Odonto’d

Odonto is a monster that allows straight forward and easy access to your extra deck. Though he is not ideal in terms of hand conservation, he does enable you to add monsters to the field that will pressure your opponent.

While Odonto’s weak stats and relative uselessness when he hits the field initially cause one to recoil, behind those cool-white, emotionless eyes lays a Fighting Spirit waiting to stink up your opponent’s field or be returned to your hand to fight another day. He is a core Evoltile monster that cannot be overlooked.