This is probably a very dumb question, but I am in a debate with my son about the card 'Thousand Needles'; he's telling me that the description/effect is pretty much pointless as it reads. The 'effect' is exactly what 'normally' happens when battling. Now, I asked him; then what good is the card? He says; there is no real value in the card at all. So, I am thinking; why issue the card in the first place? As I read the description/effect, it seems that this card might be used like this; when it is in ATTACK mode and is attacked, whereas you normally use the attack points of each to determine the winner, in this case, is it not the DEFENSE points being compared? This would make sense to me and give the card some sort of value and reason for being printed/created. Anyway, I'm certainly no expert, but I did wonder and thought someone here on this board would know. I appreciate your time in 'educating' me! Thanks in advance.


BrokenSword

The effect of Thousand Needles is only applied when he is in DEFENSE position, you won't be able to trigger his effect when its on ATTACK...................... I used to run him playing Staunch Defender + Mirror Wall to take out all my opponents monsters such as a Mirror Force...

The card comes with a built in destruction punch.

Normaly, lets just say, when celtic guardian attacks a monster with higher defence, the differance is subtracted from CG's controller. If CG's controller were to attack thousand needles, however, the differance is still subtracted, AND the attacking CG dies.

Effects like thousand needles and Destruction punch simply add the effect of destroying the attacking monster.

Well I think part of your confusion may be that Thousand Needles' effect isn't what normally happens when battling.

Normally when a monster attacks a monster in Defense Position the attacker merely takes damage, but the attacking monster in not destroyed by battle.

The only time this "normally" happens is when they are both in Attack Position and the defenders ATK points are higher.

Also note that Thousand Needles is destroying the monster using its effect and not as a result of battle.