Underplayed: [Revolution] Throw into the Ring Ropes
by Ryan “The GOAT” O’Donnell

“Welcome back to all our fans watching at home! We’re ready to begin the fourth round of action here in our main event, and boy has it been exciting up until this point. *DING DING DING* And there’s the bell, and we’re off to a quick start here folks! The challenger closes the gap quickly and he throws his opponent into the ring ropes!”

Okay, so maybe its no Heavyweight Title Fight, but it is the latest edition of Underplayed, the fourth edition to be exact. And this time I’ve got something a little different in mind. Typically I sit here browsing Comicimages.com to look for a card to write about, but this time I went out and asked other players online for a card that they thought I should delve into. By and large, the majority of respondents wanted to read about “those 5/1 Antics from Revolution 1.” For those of you not down with the lingo, they were interested in hearing about [Revolution] Snatch & Lift, [Revolution] Cinch It In, and [Revolution] Throw into the Ring Ropes. Taking their advice, I’ve decided to focus this article on [Revolution] Throw into the Ring Ropes, as trying to write about all three cards at once would give me a massive headache. So, as always, here is our star of the day:

Throw into the Ring Ropes
Antic: Follow-up: Maneuver / Reversal: non-unique Follow-up
Antic: if your next card this turn is an Assault, it has Momentum.
Reversal: discard 1 card and if your first card on your next turn is an Assault, it has Momentum.
F:5 D:1

Why doesn’t it see play?

I know, I know, I always go right for the numbers. But, here I’m going to throw you a curve ball. I have nothing bad to say about the numbers on this particular card. So, lets save that discussion for later.

The biggest problem we have with this card is the benefit associated with the cost. We get an Assault with Momentum, that’s our benefit. The cost is successfully playing a maneuver, having it not reversed on the overturn, banking on our opponent not reversing our Antic, and hoping they don’t have a Momentum Reversal or Restricted Use in this Area. I think you see my point.

So, our big problem becomes successfully playing this card and making it do what it is supposed to do.

Will it ever be more popular?

Absolutely. As a matter of fact, I think this card and its two similar companions will see a lot of play between now and the release of Revolution 3: Judgment Day, and depending on the contents of that set, may even see more play as more sets are released.

The release of more Assaults will make this card instantly more viable, as it will be able to affect more cards than it already does. Also, as more cards are released with Momentum or that grant Momentum, the overall theme will see increased play which will undoubtedly bring this card back into popularity.

Also, the advent of Follow-up Maneuvers makes this card a fantastic reversal as well.

How do I make the most out of this card?

In any format you choose to play, the key to making this card work well for you is to include it in a deck with a heavy Momentum theme. As your opponent can only possibly play 3 non-Unique Reversals and 2 Unique Superstar-specific Reversals to your cards with Momentum, this strategy will likely meet with much success.

One of the best ways to use this card is to bridge into [Revolution] Flying Kick. Since you need to play a card prior to playing [Revolution] Flying Kick anyway, you might as well play one that gives it Momentum. Paired with [Revolution] Workin’ on the Knee, you can keep up the Momentum theme rather easily.

One of the strongest aspects of this card came to light when Revolution 2: Extreme introduced us all to non-Unique Follow-up Maneuvers. While these maneuvers all have good effects, great Fortitude to Damage ratios, and the ability to be packed in numbers greater than 3 per deck, they also happen to be reversible by [Revolution] Throw into the Ring Ropes.

Even better, once you’ve reversed with [Revolution] Throw into the Ring Ropes, you are given the chance to play an Assault against your opponent and give it Momentum. This takes out about half of the issues I had with this card, instantly raising its stock.

Why should I play it?

Momentum is a royal pain in the backside to deal with.

In Revolution format, it is easier to grant your cards Momentum, but there is no way to remove the Momentum from your opponent’s cards. While reversals to Momentum will be more abundant in this format, they are neither easily found nor accessible.

In All Axxess and Afterburn, most people are not prepared for an over abundance of Momentum, if they have prepared for it at all. Most of the time, it you’ve given your card Momentum, your opponent will not reverse it from their Hand or Backlash, and might overturn [Revolution] You Telegraphed It while applying damage.

[Revolution] Throw into the Ring Ropes is one of the easiest ways to give Momentum to your Assaults and you can pack an unlimited number in your Arsenal (as long as you still follow other arsenal construction rules). While in a given game, you might not see a particular card if you only have 3 copies, packing 6 doubles your chances, and packing 9 triples your chances!

What superstar should I play it in?

This particular card gives great benefits to Assaults. Its two counterparts benefit Holds and Throws, and as such are more beneficial in other superstars. Those superstars who have synergy with Assaults are a good choice to utilize our card in question. [Revolution] Rey Mysterio, [Revolution] Sabu, [Revolution] Jeff Hardy and [Revolution] Randy Orton could all make good use out of this card due to their Abilities and Supestar-specific cards.

Other superstars who might have success utilizing this card are:

The People’s Champion – Since your opponent cannot reverse your maneuvers from his Backlash deck, chances are greater than you will be able to successfully play the requisite maneuver prior to this card.

Smackdown! GM Theodore Long – Since [Revolution] Throw into the Ring Ropes is a hybrid Reversal card, Teddy can use his ability to nab it out of his Arsenal.

The Boogeyman – One of the few Antics available to the Boogeyman, it can easily help him stave off annoying Follow-up Maneuvers.

Rob Van Dam / Mr. Pay-Per-View – Since he has a nigh irreversible Mid-match Maneuver (Mr. Monday Night) that grants him 5F, this card is a perfect fit for The Whole Dam Show.

A distant cousin of the now ancient relic known as Irish Whip, [Revolution] Throw into the Ring Ropes offers some distinct advantages to those who can unlock its potential. Don’t be surprised if you see this card popping up on many deck lists over the next few months.