Evolzar Laggia ———————————————— 2 Level 4 Dinosaur-Type monsters During either player's turn, when a monster(s) would be Normal or Special Summoned, OR a Spell/Trap Card is activated: You can detach 2 Xyz Materials from this card; negate the Summon or activation, and if you do, destroy that card. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Photon Shockwave (PHSW-EN043), Collectible Tins 2012 Wave 1 (CT09-EN011), Duelist Saga (DUSA-EN088)
Many summons involving the Extra Deck might be limited to the specific materials some monsters will ask to. However, as long we can meet their requeriments is quite possible to fit those restricted summons in all kinds of builds. Thanks to the card game giving total liberty for players to mix all sorts of themes and mechanics, we can create a Deck that is able to work arround their main goals yet able to spare some cards to summon those particular creatures. And in many cases is quite worth it, as to compensate their limited conditions they often carry powerful abilities to reward those who summon them.
"Evolzar Laggia" is one of the boss monsters residing the Evol archetype, yet became a powerful Xyz Monster for any build capable to handle Dinosaurs of all shapes and forms. Despite being a Rank 4 monster "Laggia" provides a powerful ability in return, as by detaching two materials will negate and destroy a summon or the activation of a Spell or Trap Card. This effect might only have a single use due the mechanics arround Xyz Monsters, yet by covering several scenarios as well the cheap conditions for its summon makes "Laggia" a staple choice for all sorts of builds which either completely focuses arround Evol and/or Dinosaurs, or simply adds a few tools to summon "Laggia" without clogging the rest of our Deck.
Despite being limited to be summoned by using Dinosaurs, "Laggia" obtains a massive number of materials from not only its archetype but also any Deck that can play with a few monsters of this Type. The fastest method known by many competitive players is with the help of "Rescue Rabbit", a creature that banishes itself to summon two Normal Monsters from our Deck more than ready to summon "Laggia" from our very first turn. With further investment from cards like "Unexpected Dai" and "Swing of Memories", pretty much a Normal Monster Deck mainly involving Dinosaurs will make sure that "Laggia" and its copies are always prepared to be Xyz Summoned. But a Deck arround Effect Monsters won't have more problems in comparison, not just because they can simply add Normal Monsters to their strategy but also get further assistance from cards like "Miscellaneousaurus" and "Souleating Oviraptor" to gather materials in one way or another. If we wanna stay on theme and play arround Evol monsters not onyl they gain the support from the previously mentioned cards, but with the help of effects like "Evolsaur Vulcano" and "Evo-Force" we can assure momentum arround their summoning mechanics as we also prepare the arrival of "Laggia". Last but not least, we can start Duels by instead pressuring the opponent by attacks of monsters like "Hydrogeddon" and "Jurrac Guaiba" as they summon other Dinosaurs from our Deck in the process, allowing us to Xyz Summon them together during the Main Phase 2.
With a more than covered Xyz Summon, "Evolzar Laggia" shouldn't take too long to be on the board and be prepared to answer a big number of actions and threats. Even if the effect of "Laggia" only has a single use, dealing with virtually any summon during a Duel can completely ruin any potential setups or simply destroy any powerful enemies landing on the opponent's field. Not only that but "Laggia" has also an opportunity to negate and destroy several monsters summoned all at once, mainly coming from Pendulum Summons since any other source will be simply negated by this monster or any other countermeasures we can have. Spells and Traps won't be less of an exception when "Laggia" is on the field, as if is not countering all sorts of tools the opponent is relying to setup their strategies will protect our field from all sorts of dangers like "Raigeki" or "Cosmic Cyclone". As soon "Laggia" uses it effect it might seem that doesn't offer much than attacks, but it can actually have a second purpose as material for other monsters including Rank-Up summons to become an attached material on stronger Xyz Monsters like "Evolzar Solda" or "Number 61: Volcasaurus".
"Evolzar Laggia" quickly became a popular choice in any Deck that either focuses arround Dinosaurs or simply adds a few options like "Rescue Rabbit" to assure its immediate arrival. Its effect might only have a single use, but by covering all kinds of bases makes its effect very difficult for the opponent to pass by without damaging their summons and/or setups. The biggest problem arround Laggia is neither its limited materials or an effect with one opportunity to activate it, but rather the fact that cannot deal with monster effects as they become more and more prevalent than Spell and Trap cards. While this flaw made it lose popularity over alternatives like its Evol comrade "Evolzar Dolkka" working arround the same setups and mechanics, "Laggia" still remains a powerful choice for any Deck that can quickly bring out Dinosaurs for a Xyz Summon right from our first turn.
Personal Rating: A+
+ Negates a summon or the activation of a Spell or Trap Card + Greatly assisted for a very cheap Xyz Summon
- Due its effect's cost will mostly have a single use - Unable to deal against monster effects as they become more prevalent