Darmuth The Devourer

[Dtwist11]

 

Darmuth The Devourer

DARK

******** (Rank 8 XYZ)

Fiend-Type

2950ATK

3000DEF

2 or more Level 8 DARK Monsters

Cannot be targeted for effects. You can detach one XYZ Material from this card, then select one empty Zone your opponent controls. As long as this card or a Level 8 DARK Monster is on the field, your opponent cannot use that Zone.

 

This card is a support for Fiend-based Decks or builds but is also a powerful card for Rank 8 ability. It cannot be targeted for effects so cards such as Magic Cylinder, Dimensional Prison would not affect him. With Link Monsters now a common thing to run, selecting an Extra Monster Zone or a Zone pointed to by a Link Monster could prove a viable shutdown strategy. It could also stop your opponent from activating Field Spells by negating the Field Spell Zone, shutting down some Invoked Decks or Ritual Decks. If your opponent is unlucky enough to be playing DARK Monsters, Darmuth The Devourer does not specify who needs to control the Level 8 DARK Monster. And there is no "once per turn" clause so you could potentially block off two or more Zones instantly.

 

The drawbacks to this card are that it cannot be targeted by your own effects either, and other than that is easily removed from the field by Raigeki, Dark Hole, or even Mirror Force. And once that card is gone and there are no Level 8 DARK Monsters left, the effect is nonexistent.

 

Thoughts?

[Dova]

The only real consistent Rank 8 DARK Spam is Gimmick Puppet, and potentially Dark World. Unfortunately, despite the former able to get out a decent amount of monsters, they're still very bad, and most of their effects limit themselves to Gimmick Puppet Xyz monsters. Dark World, despite having only 1 Level 8, is rather easily able to get it out, so this could very well be a target. So, since Dark World barely has any restrictions on what they can Summon, let's have a look at what other Xyzs provide that this one doesn't.

 

Zombiestein provides a 4.5k beater, but that doesn't really overshadow this card's utility, and unfortunately, most of the R8 pool deal with your opponent's field immediately like this card. Darmuth, on the other hand, would work best if you go first/your opponent doesn't have a field, as it has decent protection, stats, and restricts your opponent, so it's a good "pass" monster. The only other monsters I can think of that really delve into this territory are Aegaion and Number 68. The former provides some ED monster removal, but doesn't work on Links, and besides, destruction is so GX. Number 68 , rather than limiting your opponent's Zones, limits their GY plays, and can't be destroyed by cards or effects, which mirrors this card; locks and has self-protection. However, due to their different niches, I think one could potentially run both.

 

It's not a great card, but due to neat little touches like the no real Xyz Limit, it might be played of at 1 in a few decks. However, I would suggest that you be unable to target the Extra Monster Zone, as that would completely lock out your opponent's ability to Summon from the Extra Deck.