Blade: Sphinx Cowl

Weight: 32.6g (LOW END) - 33.1g (HIGH END)

• Design: 9-sided blade designed with a jagged shape with the goal of this blade being to deflect at any angle.

• Gimmick: Barrage Defense: To deflect an opponent at any angle.

•  Attack VS Attack performance: In an attack vs. attack (AVA) matchup, Sphinx Cowl is explosive but does not have much stamina, in an attack versus attack matchup it should do decent against other attackers.

• Attack VS Defense/Stamina: So long as you use a 70 height Sphinx Cowl can be pretty good as an aggressive attacker managing to KO or make other combos deplete in stamina.

• SphinxCowl on Stamina/Defense: When used on stamina or defence combinations, SphinxCowl is terrible, it loses stamina causing you to lose a point via being out spun or a spin finish.

Strengths:

• Strong Impact: Sphinx has a unique shape that can at times deliver massively strong blows to repel its opponents. 

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Weaknesses:

• Gap: Sphinx like any Beyblade with a gap is more susceptible to a Burst, it is recommended to be careful with your launch and use it at a 70 height. 

Overall:  This blade is a welcome addition to anyone's collection, it is not that crazy good and needs more releases of the 70 height and more bits to make it relevant. 

Gameplan: On setups with low height on any aggressive bit that has stamina so something like High Taper on 60 height. 

Combos:

Attack: Sphinx Cowl 3-60/9-60 HT

Ratchet: 9-80

Weight: 6.8g

• Design: 9-80 is a ratchet that has 9 sides and a tall height, the contact areas for the ratchet are 9 filled-out points.

• Stamina: It is as good as 5-80 and good compared to other other ratchets.

• Burst Resistance: It has the best resistance as it is incredibly hard to hit being small and rounded off.

Weakness:

• Tall Height: It is important to note that being tall in the case of 9-80 does not mean pure weakness however it means to be careful how you launch. 

Bit: Gear Needle  

Weight: 2g

• Design: Gear Needle is a Beyblade X bit with low burst resistance and a large gear cone shape with a tiny sphere like bottom. 

Strengths:

• Counter Movement: Due to the very nature of design the bit is focused on counter attack or counter defense where it will focus on the Xtreme Line and you will have a bit that won't go with out a fight. 

• Xtreme Dash: If launched correctly similar to a point Gear Needle is specialized in Xtreme Dash due to the nature of the gears.

Weaknesses:

• KO Risk: Due to shape not being something that can really grip the stadium it can easily be KO'd costing you big points.

• Gimmick failure?: Since the bit has low burst resistance and it is focused on fast movement it forces this bit to just die easily to Burst Finish and not be as consistent as you want.  Despite being a defense bit most of the use come at some wacky stamina hybrid combo where it can sometimes help beat a lot of stuff via destabilization but it is far too inconsistent. 

Gameplan:

• Somewhat tilted angle shoot and throw: To maximize the effectiveness of this Bit, you can employ a slight angle and throw the Beyblade on the opposing side from where you launch. This is to avoid knockouts and to conserve stamina. 

• Be aware of the top corners on the opposite side of where the Xtreme Finish is: Aim to try to KO with your movement.

• Needs a STRONG shoot to be consistent.