Advanced Ice Barrier: The comeback of Ice Barriers

[Luna874]

Advanced Ice Barriers are to the Ice Barrier archetype what Neo Flamvells were for Flamvells: additional support for them, but still Ice Barriers nonetheless.

Advanced Ice Barriers are less about stalling or lockdowns, and more about powerful effects, some being Anti-Meta cards in their own right.

This was mainly done after Trishula got banned, meaning one of the heavy hitters for Ice Barriers, and decks in general was removed. This meant Ice Barriers mainly used Bironac who was limited, or some staple card like Black Rose Dragon, Utopia, etc

[img]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2089/ninjaoftheadvancediceba.jpg[/img]
Lore: This card can attack your opponent directly. If this card is destroyed by battle, both players draw 1 card.

A fairly weak card. Even attacking directly ain't going to do much. The last effect can help the opponent so this card may or may not hinder the user. It's level 2 so it cannot really be used for Xyz material.

[img]http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/8682/crystalwyvernoftheadvan.jpg[/img]
Lore: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the graveyard, you can special summon 1 level 4 or below "Ice Barrier" monster from your deck.

An Ice Barrier version of Masked Dragon / Mystic Tomato / Violet Witch / etc. Ice Barrier decks needed a card like this for a while, and here it is. Can't beat many monsters ATK-wise but that is not the point of it.

[img]http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/1391/countermaidenoftheadvan.jpg[/img]
Lore: While this card is on the field, neither player can special summon level 2 or below monsters. When your opponent summons a level 4 or lower monster, you can banish this card from your hand to special summon 1 level 3 or below "Ice Barrier" monster from your deck. When your opponent special summons a level 5 or higher monster, you can banish this card from your hand to special summon 1 level 5 "Ice Barrier" monster from your graveyard.

It's has three effects: One is somewhat anti-meta at those who spam level 2 or below monsters, like decks which use SSD or Quasar. The second lets you get access to a level 3 or below monster, which most of them don't have much ATK compared to the level 4 ones. Final effect is mainly used near the endgame to bring back any level or higher "Ice Barrier" monster. Remember that it clearly says level, so these Ice Barrier Xyz monsters cannot be targeted by those effects.

Either that or you just set it and stall while screwing over anyone who special summons level 2 or below monsters, such as Plant decks or decks that just like Token monsters. If this card, or a similar card was made, I think it would be at the very least semi-limited.

[img]http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/4198/whitedragonoftheadvance.jpg[/img]
Lore: 3 level 4 "Ice Barrier" monsters
When your opponent draws cards outside of their draw phase, or adds a card from their deck to the hand, you can detach 1 Xyz material from this card to draw 2 cards and then your opponent cannot special summon on that turn.

Much like Thunder King Rai-Oh, it will cripple the opponent if used right. But let's be honest here, how many of us use Xyz monsters which need 3 or more Xyz materials? Utopia Ray does not count because it has an alternate summon condition. Point is, there may not be enough space for this card.

[img]http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/307/magicknightoftheadvance.jpg[/img]
Lore: 2 level 4 "Ice Barrier" monsters.
You can banish 1 Xyz Material to special summon 1 "Ice Barrier" monster from your graveyard with less ATK then this card with it's effects negated. Monsters summoned by this effect cannot be used as Xyz material.

Sounds broken at first since you could potentially summon a synchro monster in one turn with this card, such as Bironac, but it can be run over by other Xyz monsters like Utopia, Number 17: Leviathan Dragon if it used an Xyz material and many more. Even non-Xyz monsters like Stardust, Grapha, REDMD, GEPD, etc. can easily destroy this card.

[img]http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/9851/leviathandragonoftheadv.jpg[/img]
Lore: 2 level 3 "Ice Barrier" monsters
Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz material from this card; During this turn, when this card attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's defense position monster, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.

Supposed to be based off the other, more overused Leviathan Dragon but this card has no drawback of not being able to attack directly and can inflict piercing damage, which is a lot coming off a 2500 monster. May or may not be outclassed by the true Leviathan Dragon because it can be summoned by any level 3 monsters whereas this card specifically wants Ice Barrier monsters.

[img]http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/8677/numberc47mercuryhuntero.jpg[/img]
Lore: 3 level 4 "Ice Barrier" monsters
You can also Xyz Summon this card by using a WATER attribute Xyz monster you control as the Xyz material. (Xyz materials attached to that monster also become Xyz materials on this card.) Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to reduce the ATK and DEF of this card by 1000 until the end phase; This card can attack twice during this battle phase.

It had a Number symbol on it, so I just made it a Number purely for that reason. Like C39, it can be summoned by other means but this means it can be used in any deck, not just Ice Barrier decks. But other decks have other cards needed in the extra deck as a staple for them, like SSD, Quasar, Red Nova Dragon, Utopia, Leviathan Dragon, Wind Up Xyz monsters, Inverz Xyz monsters, Hieratic Dragons Xyz monsters, etc. Attacking twice with a 1600 ATK monster is almost useless unless your opponent has no monsters, or really weak ones like tokens.

This effect only lasts for that particular battle phase, so you can't detach 1 Xyz material and expect to attack twice per turn every turn after. In theory, you only get the double-attack effect on at the most, three turns.


[img]http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/7369/novarayoftheadvancedice.jpg[/img]
Lore: 1 tuner monster + 1 or more non-tuner "Ice Barrier" monsters.
This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the number of "Ice Barrier" monsters in your graveyard x100. When this card destroys a monster by battle, your opponent sends 1 spell or trap card from their deck to the graveyard.

Basically starts out with at least 2200 ATK and although it is low compared to other monsters, this monster is a level 5 so it is understandable and it's effect more or less makes up for that since the less spell/trap cards means the less effects to stop you from attacking or special summoning.

[img]http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/8817/aquaticterroroftheadvan.jpg[/img]
Lore: 1 tuner monster + 1 or more non-tuner "Ice Barrier" monsters.
If you have more cards in your hand then your opponent, this card gains ATK equal to the difference x300. If this card would be destroyed by a card effect, you can discard 1 "Ice Barrier" monster instead.

If your opponent uses an Infernity, they are utterly screwed since this card will have an ATK between 2500 and 4000 depending on the situation and even at it's lowest possible ATK of 2200, it can still deal damage. Not to mention it's effect basically renders it immune to almost all card effects. Not bad for a level 5. I suspect this card could be OP, so should I change the summoning conditions and/or level?


[img]http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/6878/glacierflamedragonofthe.jpg[/img]
Lore: 1 tuner monster + 1 or more non-tuner "Ice Barrier" monsters.
This monster is also treated as a FIRE attribute monster while on the field or in your graveyard. You can discard any amount of cards from your hand to increase or decrease this monster's level.

Only reason I added the first effect was because it was breathing fire, not that the effect makes much difference anyway. This card can become almost any level so it can bypass cards like Gravity Bind and Level Limit Area B. 2100 ATK is low for a level 7, but incredible for a level 3 beatstick that can counter stall decks to an certain extent.

[img]http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/3539/shinningdragonoftheadva.jpg[/img]
Lore: 1 tuner synchro Monster + 2 or more non-tuner "Ice Barrier" synchro monsters.
You can send 1 card from your hand to return 1 card on the field to it's owner's hand. Once per turn, you can banish up to one card each from your opponent's hand, field and graveyard. When this card is removed from the field, special summon 1 "Ice Barrier" monster from your graveyard.

The Quasar of Ice Barrier decks. This card is basically it, Trishula and Bironac thrown into one powerful card. Sounds broken with those effects but how likely would it be to summon Formula Synchron, and then 2 Ice Barrier synchro monsters. If your opponent let you keep two synchro monsters on the field, you should be winning the duel anyway. Not to mention it only has 3000 ATK, which is pathetic compared to any level 9 or higher monster that does not have 0 ATK and DEF.

[img]http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/7003/absolutezerooftheadvanc.jpg[/img]
Lore: The activation of this card cannot be negated by a spell, trap or monster effect. Activate when you control an "Ice Barrier" synchro monster; Destroy all cards on your opponent's side of the field. You cannot conduct your battle phase on the turn this card is used.

Special support for the synchro monsters, because Ice Barrier's have enough spell/trap support as it is. It's very similar to Burst Stream of Destruction and cannot be negated by Solemn, or Dark Bribe or anything else.

[Luna874]

bump

[Icy]

[list]
[*]Ninja is nice and all, but I'd bump it's level down by 1 just to be a bit on the safe side.
[*]Crystal Wyvern is much needed if far too slow for the current game.
[*]Counter Maiden is already surpassed by the current Level 2 Special Summoner in their set. Preacher, iirc.
[*]Absolutely love Ice Dragon... Just not sure on the balance at all.
[*]Magic Knight all depends on if Preacher's effect classifies as a cost or effect, or if it isn't, that we change it to that to a BYCMSS. Otherwise itd appear like you'd be better synching off into something, or Xyz'ing into something else.
[*]If I'm reading it right, Mercury might be a bit seriously overpowered.
[*]Ab0otIB seems a bit... ._."...
[/list]

Yeah... Not sure how else to put it for now, just doing my rounds and felt the need to comment, and give these cards a bit of a jump. Toodles.

[Luna874]

Changes:[list]
[*]Reduced Ninja's level to 2
[*]Counter Maiden is more or less superior to Preacher. Mainly done since it is double Preachers level, so by that logic, it should have a more powerful effect. Increased DEF from 1200 to 2000 and drastically changed the effects.
[*]Shinning Dragon's ATK and DEF was reduced from 3700 ATK and 3000 DEF, to down to 3000 ATK and 2500 DEF.
[*]Magic Knight banishes Xyz materials rather then just detaching them.
[/list]
[quote name='Icy' timestamp='1334348180' post='5912567'][list]
[*]Absolutely love Ice Dragon... Just not sure on the balance at all.
[*]If I'm reading it right, Mercury might be a bit seriously overpowered.
[/list]
Yeah... Not sure how else to put it for now, just doing my rounds and felt the need to comment, and give these cards a bit of a jump. Toodles.
[/quote]


If by Ice Dragon you mean Shinning Dragon who had 3700 ATK, then it's ATK and DEF was lowered.
As for Mercury, once it lowers it's ATK, It is basically Boomboxen with 400 more ATK for the turn. 1600 ATK ain't exactly enough to run over common cards in Dino-Rabbit decks.

If you meant it's alternate summoning conditions like C39, then there are not many water attribute Xyz's that people would use in Ice Barrier decks...unless you run Tour Guide and even then, that is two cards in the deck which could be used for other Ice Barrier monsters. Leviathan Dragon, and any Xyz used in BaniSharks are all I can think that people would use.