Somehow I missed noticing this card until it was used against me in a battle, and then I said something intelligent like, “What dat?”, you know, really showing off my genius.  Well I managed to win that battle, but I still feel that this card is worthy of talking about.  It’s impressive!

Maybe I ignored Barricade because the text on it is short, so the card seems simple, but it can really be a powerful asset to a deck.  When you play Barricade to a land, targets in that land can’t be damaged until the end of your next turn.  That means your opponent won’t be able to hurt targets in that land on their next turn.  There’s an extra bonus if your own attacks would normally cause you damage (like Roy Koopa), since now those attacks will be harmless to you for the next two times you attack.

How good is this card?  Well it bought the opponent who used it against me an extra turn because I had no target that I was allowed to attack since all their Minions were in the one protected land.  Oftentimes, when Minions are scattered across many lands, this won’t be quite as effective, but it is still a valuable card.

Barricade can be an important aid in a SMAAASH attack deck.  These decks often have fragile unevolved Minions that need to be protected until they become stronger.  Even if the basic forms are sturdy a player will want to keep them fresh because if they get damaged then the evolved Minion, which has many cards invested in it, will be easier to knock out.  Barricade can protect these unevolved forms even if they are in a land that your opponent can reach.

Barricade is also a valuable part of a defensive deck.  Why worry about reducing damage or healing it when you can just avoid it for a while?  It’s also a great way to hold a land.  Get into Dark Land, then keep barricading the place so that when the game is over you have three points from that important land.

Opponents get mad when they can’t attack because of a Barricade, though the owner can attack through it. It’s a common card so you could put a lot in your deck and create general havoc.  One precaution though- attacks that have effects other than just damage can still be used, since the card only nullifies damage.  But big deal!  Put Barricade in your deck.  You won’t be sorry.

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