This time I'm posting a review on the Ellusionist Shadow Masters. I've handled and bent the crap out of these things for two weeks, so here's how they're holding up.
Box: Very nice. It's an eerie feeling, holding one of these boxes after seeing the Masters and regular Tallys for so long. The bar code reveal is something I always use. 10/10
Card Back Design: Something that people always seem to get wrong is that the Black Tigers are NOT the reverse image of Ghosts - the back designs are the exact same, just the borders are different. But the Shadow Masters are the TRUE reverse image of Ghosts - albeit quite pixilated, if you look closely. The pure black looks oustanding in a fan - looks like a blank deck. 9/10
Ace of Spades: Looks very nice, but i think there could have been more color on the Masters AoS, even though it is supposed to be an all-black deck. 9/10
Jokers: Best... Jokers... EVER. Especially the reveal on one of them, it gets me better reactions as Stigmata. And anyone who's performed Stigmata multiple times knows what I'm talking about. 10/10
Card Faces / Court Cards: This looks too much like the Viper court cards, even though it is silver-shadowed. The pictures on the website look much better. 8/10
Stock: Same as vipers. Pretty thick for a Bicycle deck, but since it's an E deck, I guess that's to be expected. 9/10
Fanning/Finish: These cards were... different. The first thing I do to test out a deck is to throw them across a surface and see how well they spread without me touching them... these things CLUMPED. BIG TIME. I was disappointed... until I opened the case again the next day and they fanned better than Ghosts the next day, Huh. 9/10
Flourishing: For a deck with the UV-500 finish, these things aren't slick when it comes to Sybling and the like. They are pretty good, albeit not as good as Wynns or even regular Tallys in terms of sticking together during complex cuts. 9/10
TOTAL: 73 / 80 = 91%
Looks are everything for this deck - for handling, Wynns still get my highest recommendation. I'll reserve Shadow Masters for fanning demonstrations and magic tricks only.
I'm off to blow people's minds with my version of the Joker reveals
Box: Very nice. It's an eerie feeling, holding one of these boxes after seeing the Masters and regular Tallys for so long. The bar code reveal is something I always use. 10/10
Card Back Design: Something that people always seem to get wrong is that the Black Tigers are NOT the reverse image of Ghosts - the back designs are the exact same, just the borders are different. But the Shadow Masters are the TRUE reverse image of Ghosts - albeit quite pixilated, if you look closely. The pure black looks oustanding in a fan - looks like a blank deck. 9/10
Ace of Spades: Looks very nice, but i think there could have been more color on the Masters AoS, even though it is supposed to be an all-black deck. 9/10
Jokers: Best... Jokers... EVER. Especially the reveal on one of them, it gets me better reactions as Stigmata. And anyone who's performed Stigmata multiple times knows what I'm talking about. 10/10
Card Faces / Court Cards: This looks too much like the Viper court cards, even though it is silver-shadowed. The pictures on the website look much better. 8/10
Stock: Same as vipers. Pretty thick for a Bicycle deck, but since it's an E deck, I guess that's to be expected. 9/10
Fanning/Finish: These cards were... different. The first thing I do to test out a deck is to throw them across a surface and see how well they spread without me touching them... these things CLUMPED. BIG TIME. I was disappointed... until I opened the case again the next day and they fanned better than Ghosts the next day, Huh. 9/10
Flourishing: For a deck with the UV-500 finish, these things aren't slick when it comes to Sybling and the like. They are pretty good, albeit not as good as Wynns or even regular Tallys in terms of sticking together during complex cuts. 9/10
TOTAL: 73 / 80 = 91%
Looks are everything for this deck - for handling, Wynns still get my highest recommendation. I'll reserve Shadow Masters for fanning demonstrations and magic tricks only.
I'm off to blow people's minds with my version of the Joker reveals
