A good Rank 1 Xyz Monster?

[The Nyx Avatar]

 

LORE:2 Level 1 monsters
This card is unaffected by your opponent's Trap effects the turn it is Xyz Summoned. This card gains 1000 ATK and DEF for each Xyz Material attached to this card. Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; destroy 1 card on the field. When this card is destroyed by battle, you can banish the top card of your opponent's Deck.

[AGATHODAIMON BANGTAIL COW]

So, it avoids Traps the turn it hits the field, has 2900 ATK (at least initially), and a destruction effect with a wider range of targets than most Rank 4 or lower monsters, and technically doesn't target (not sure if this is intentional or not)?

 

The current pool of 2-mat Rank 1s are (checking via YGOpro, so I'll probably miss something, and I'm skipping #13&31 since that's essentially a 4mat play) Sylvan Princessprite, Ghostrick Dullahan, Utopia Roots, Slacker Magician, and Shamoji Soldier. Princessprite is a potential draw generically, and a Monster Reborn for Sylvans. Dullahan practically has 1200 ATK and comes with a Shrink effect for generic use, along with a TWRA for other Ghostricks upon death. Utopia Roots is an attack negator with Decoy Dragon Syndrome which could gain ATK upon negating an Xyz's attack. Slacker Magician is an anti-targeting wall. Shamoji Soldier is an overly fair card that gives both players a draw (and in a way where your opponent benefits first) or acts as Rain of Mercy.

 

There are no removal effects within the Rank 1 2mat pool whatsoever, so a removal effect would be welcome. However, this card also has a ton of ATK. While it has at least one Xyz Material, it's the strongest Rank 1 of the 2mat pool, outclassing Princessprite (1800 ATK) and Dullahan (practically 1200 ATK). Using its Shrink effect, Dullahan can tie with any monster with 2400 ATK while defeating anything with less than that in battle. This card with both of its materials still intact can tie with anything with 2900 ATK, while defeating anything with less than that in battle. Also, since it has 2900 ATK, it's pretty easy to attack first and pop a card in the Main Phase 2; if you pop in the MP1 you're still left with 1900 ATK. Its ATK-gaining effect causes it to outclass Dullahan in its primary generic purpose in most cases, and that isn't even this card's (only) niche.

 

Now, back to its destruction effect. There are currently no removal in the Rank 1 pool. Even the 3mat monsters and the 13-31 combo don't kill a thing with an effect. So, when this card comes with the ability to just pop any single card on the field once per turn, no restrictions, no cost (aside from materials), and might not even target, it seems a little suspicious. The only Rank 4 or lower monsters (off the top of my head) that can even remove any card on the opponent's field require that you have to destroy one of your cards as well. In fact, even the higher ranks tend to not have this effect either. Rank 5 has Tiras, but Tiras has to attack first (Adreus can only hit face-up cards, and Volca only face-up monsters). Rank 6 has Gauntlet Launcher, which can't hit backrow. Rank 7's Dracossack can't attack if it Tributes a Token to kill something. In Rank 8, Heliopolis has to Tribute monsters to kill, #40 has to wait for the opponent's EP, and #23 has to attack (and even then, Lancelot can only kill face-up monsters). I was trying only to count 2-mat generic monsters, but I might have still missed something.

 

Since most of these monsters also have other effects and quirks that make them good for more than killing stuff, a high-rank monster that can detach a material to kill any card, face-up or face-down, frontrow or backrow, whatever, once per turn, would probably end up ok. This isn't Rank 7 or 8, however, it's Rank 1. You got cards like Kinka-Byo, One for One, and Level Eater which can very easily Summon this card.

[The Nyx Avatar]

So, it avoids Traps the turn it hits the field, has 2900 ATK (at least initially), and a destruction effect with a wider range of targets than most Rank 4 or lower monsters, and technically doesn't target (not sure if this is intentional or not)?

 

The current pool of 2-mat Rank 1s are (checking via YGOpro, so I'll probably miss something, and I'm skipping #13&31 since that's essentially a 4mat play) Sylvan Princessprite, Ghostrick Dullahan, Utopia Roots, Slacker Magician, and Shamoji Soldier. Princessprite is a potential draw generically, and a Monster Reborn for Sylvans. Dullahan practically has 1200 ATK and comes with a Shrink effect for generic use, along with a TWRA for other Ghostricks upon death. Utopia Roots is an attack negator with Decoy Dragon Syndrome which could gain ATK upon negating an Xyz's attack. Slacker Magician is an anti-targeting wall. Shamoji Soldier is an overly fair card that gives both players a draw (and in a way where your opponent benefits first) or acts as Rain of Mercy.

 

There are no removal effects within the Rank 1 2mat pool whatsoever, so a removal effect would be welcome. However, this card also has a ton of ATK. While it has at least one Xyz Material, it's the strongest Rank 1 of the 2mat pool, outclassing Princessprite (1800 ATK) and Dullahan (practically 1200 ATK). Using its Shrink effect, Dullahan can tie with any monster with 2400 ATK while defeating anything with less than that in battle. This card with both of its materials still intact can tie with anything with 2900 ATK, while defeating anything with less than that in battle. Also, since it has 2900 ATK, it's pretty easy to attack first and pop a card in the Main Phase 2; if you pop in the MP1 you're still left with 1900 ATK. Its ATK-gaining effect causes it to outclass Dullahan in its primary generic purpose in most cases, and that isn't even this card's (only) niche.

 

Now, back to its destruction effect. There are currently no removal in the Rank 1 pool. Even the 3mat monsters and the 13-31 combo don't kill a thing with an effect. So, when this card comes with the ability to just pop any single card on the field once per turn, no restrictions, no cost (aside from materials), and might not even target, it seems a little suspicious. The only Rank 4 or lower monsters (off the top of my head) that can even remove any card on the opponent's field require that you have to destroy one of your cards as well. In fact, even the higher ranks tend to not have this effect either. Rank 5 has Tiras, but Tiras has to attack first (Adreus can only hit face-up cards, and Volca only face-up monsters). Rank 6 has Gauntlet Launcher, which can't hit backrow. Rank 7's Dracossack can't attack if it Tributes a Token to kill something. In Rank 8, Heliopolis has to Tribute monsters to kill, #40 has to wait for the opponent's EP, and #23 has to attack (and even then, Lancelot can only kill face-up monsters). I was trying only to count 2-mat generic monsters, but I might have still missed something.

 

Since most of these monsters also have other effects and quirks that make them good for more than killing stuff, a high-rank monster that can detach a material to kill any card, face-up or face-down, frontrow or backrow, whatever, once per turn, would probably end up ok. This isn't Rank 7 or 8, however, it's Rank 1. You got cards like Kinka-Byo, One for One, and Level Eater which can very easily Summon this card.

It could be intentional, considering there's cards like Sky Iris, Majespecter (wait; this wouldn't work anyways), Kozmo (even though they trigger their effects in response) and a few other cases. Though, I originally made this card prior to any of those. AS for its ATK, it is to make up for the fact that Rank 1 Xyz Monsters have little to no offense.

[The Nyx Avatar]

Bump.

[mitchermitcher]

The last effect seems kinda redundant and overkill while offering little strategic variety. Most of the time neither you or your opponent will know the top card of the deck and removing that from play doesn't drain the opponent of their active resources. It might potentially sack an important part of a combo away but most of the time it just seems too luck-reliant and inconsequential to have as a side-effect. There's little reason to not use the effect, unless the current meta's not as I know it and knowing the top card of your opponent's deck isn't that strange and rare.

 

EDIT: Suppose the effect isn't to banish, but to reveal, that actually is a better effect. Knowing what your opponent will draw offers much more value than knowing what they could've drawn but now probably won't.

 

I do think it should have enough ATK to surpass the golden 2500 number, but 2900 feels like overkill. And it still has a removal effect despite being strong enough to overcome boss monsters. The removal effect doesn't warrant outright changing but if you do, I say make it an effect that boosts level 1 decks more instead, like a special summon from the grave or the hand or so.

[The Nyx Avatar]

The last effect seems kinda redundant and overkill while offering little strategic variety. Most of the time neither you or your opponent will know the top card of the deck and removing that from play doesn't drain the opponent of their active resources. It might potentially sack an important part of a combo away but most of the time it just seems too luck-reliant and inconsequential to have as a side-effect. There's little reason to not use the effect, unless the current meta's not as I know it and knowing the top card of your opponent's deck isn't that strange and rare.

 

EDIT: Suppose the effect isn't to banish, but to reveal, that actually is a better effect. Knowing what your opponent will draw offers much more value than knowing what they could've drawn but now probably won't.

 

I do think it should have enough ATK to surpass the golden 2500 number, but 2900 feels like overkill. And it still has a removal effect despite being strong enough to overcome boss monsters. The removal effect doesn't warrant outright changing but if you do, I say make it an effect that boosts level 1 decks more instead, like a special summon from the grave or the hand or so.

By revealing the top card, you don't really gain much. Also, its ATK is to offer a beater that Level/Rank 1 hardly has. If you use its effect to destroy, you're still left with 1900. Plus, a Level 1 Deck usually revolves around easy Summons. What I think would boost them more would be protection, not a Summoner.

 

Also, I didn't know you made/reviewed cards.

[mitchermitcher]

I don't regularly do it but it's not like I've never done it. If the thread title was interesting enough to make me click it then I'd at least think about the card and sometimes comment on it, like this one.

 

It's a fair point about having a 1900 beater after using its effect once. 2900 still feels a bit too high but either way it has the stats to be a beater so I don't really mind.

 

However, whether you reveal the top card of your opponent's deck or banish it, you don't gain much if at all. With revealing, you can at least see whether your opponent draws a sacky card next turn and then find some way to prevent or prepare for it. With banishing, you potentially remove a threat but then you don't know what'll be drawn next. It's both a more devastating and a less strategic choice and I feel revealing works better as an effect tacked on at the end.

[Darj]

A maximum of 2900 ATK feels too high for me as well. I understand your goal is to give Rank 1 decks more offensive power, but the way I see it, they are not meant to have it, in a similar way the Rank 2 pool lacks ATK power as well: for instance, the strongest generic Rank 2 Xyz Monster I can think of is Centaurea, and it has 2000 ATK, which is still weaker than the average Rank 4 Xyz Monster. Not to mention that this card is already offering the Rank 1 pool a card remover, and one that doesn't target at that.

Actually, even after using its effect once, a 1900-ATK monster with an additional non-targeting destruction removal effect seems more than good enough to me, considering it is a generic Rank 1 Xyz Monster.

 

If you want to give the Rank 1 pool a beater, then it shouldn't have a card-advantage effect in my opinion (removal, card drawing, etc.), if not any effect at all (e.g. Gem-Knight Pearl, Diamond Crab King, Acid Golem). But being able to be both a beater and a card remover feels a bit on the unfair side to me.

 

Regarding the last effect, personally I don't mind it: it's more of a cute bonus with the chance of getting rid of an strong card from the opponent's deck.