Rusalka, Dominator of Storms

[宇佐見 蓮子@C94]

[spoiler=Effect]

3+ non-Token Monsters

If a monster is Summoned, or if a monster effect is activated: You can Banish 1 monster in your GY and target 1 monster on the field; Negate all other card effects that activate in the field or GY until end the end of this chain, also if the ATK of the target is less than 1000 higher than the ATK of the Banished monster, destroy it. If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect while it points to a monster: All monsters on the field lose 3000 ATK until the End Phase. Each effect of “Rusalka, Dominator of Storms” can only be activated once per turn.

 

Borreload sucks going first. Saryuja just overextends. Firewall needs to be co-linked. Feel like there's no generically good proactive Link-4 monster, so that's the idea behind this. It also helps you secure the rest of your plays for the turn because it can negate handtraps.

[Dova]

My first thoughts are that I like it. You certainly succeeded at your goal, and while this card isn't great compared to a going second Borreload or a co-Linked firewall, for basic spammy Decks that need a boss that end up going first. I don't have any Decks that I would use to go into this card, but some that I have tried in the past would definitely have wanted it. However, I don't really see its use in the handtraps department; if I am going into this card, that means that I don't have plays I want to keep making with Saryuja, and this is at least 3 monsters I'm putting in with no immediate benefit. Maybe if I have SS2 searches during my opponent's turn for Ash, or another monster I have to Ghost Ogre, but most of my cards/plays have gone into this card.

 

Any reason why "be activated" over "be used"? It's just the latter is standard for monster effects, although the former is used rarely. The first effect also does seem very convoluted, and could possible be partitioned into other effects. It activates on anything monster related, requires a monster to banish and to target, and negates first and foremost with the targeted monster potentially being destroyed in the sidelines. Not only that, but the only working until the last of the chain...it just seems really weird. I could sort of see it with just the card effect loss, but the attack loss/immediate undoing of said loss...eh. You could just do a check in the form of "then if the ATK of that target is less than 1000 ATK higher than the ATK of the banished monster, destroy it."

 

Love the flavour! Good to see Rusalkas getting love again.

[宇佐見 蓮子@C94]

Card's pretty solid in Lightsworn because you can make it pretty handily with Missus + any two monsters and gives you the green light to go and use Brilliant Fusion, provided you haven't used it yet. Also could be quite useful in negating floating effects or effects that activate on the GY, cards like Arima, BA, Shaddoll etc. She can target herself for her effect if there's nothing else on the field after all. It's a convoluted effect but in reality it's pretty simple. Your opponent summons something, or uses an effect, you banish a card and pop it, and its effects anywhere are negated. It has two different activation timings so you have more leeway in when you can use it, for example, against S39 or a Borreload.

 

I'm not sure I've ever seen "used" on a card. Also I guess your wording could work but like, that's way too long and complicated compared to just flat popping it. Originally the effect didn't target but I felt like quick monster negation on field and GY that also removed a monster is a bit powerful.

 

Also it stops Rei from floating. funk Rei.

[Dova]

I'm not sure I've ever seen "used" on a card. Also I guess your wording could work but like, that's way too long and complicated compared to just flat popping it. Originally the effect didn't target but I felt like quick monster negation on field and GY that also removed a monster is a bit powerful.

 

but my way is shorter :V

 

Negate all other card effects that activate in the field or GY, also reduce the ATK of that target by the ATK of the Banished monster, then if its ATK becomes 1000 or less, destroy it. 

 

Negate all other card effects that activate in the field or GY, then if the ATK of that target is less than 1000 ATK higher than the ATK of the banished monster, destroy it.

 

I just removed the ATK loss bit because as you're reverting it, its not permament.

 

Also, you're right. Used, despite being seen more than activate and activated combined, pales in comparison to use.

 

 

The difference here lies in the reactions with counter traps/things that negate the activation. If the activation is negated, then an effect mentioning activated once per turn isn't seen has having been activated, meaning you can use it again, whereas with use, even if you just tried to use it and its activation is negated, you still can't try to use it again.

[宇佐見 蓮子@C94]

Wording is fixed, I suppose. Functionally doesn't change the card at all.

[Darj]

Love the artwork. I have a thing towards girls wielding huge 2-handed swords with a single arm. Can I get the source please?

I find the WATER attribute a bit out of place, though. Since she is storm-themed, WIND would make more sense IMO. If it triggered stuff like the effect of the Atlanteans then I would understand the WATER attribute, but it doesn't. That would a cool thing to do, IMO, to allow the effect to either discard a monster, or banish it from the GY as it currently does.

Anyway, the card is good IMO, although I cannot really think of which decks would go for this. I mean, it's a good option to have for sure, but as for Link4s go, the aforementioned Borreload and Firewall are better options for the offense, and Sarjuya for follow ups, and I dare to say Troymare Gryphon is also a solid stun option. I'm not quite sure if I would devote 4 monsters for this in the first turn when, let's say, Needlefiber can be just as disruptive while requiring 2 monsters, albeit a Tuner among them. IDK, feels a bit too risky to invest on this on first turn. Saryuja and Firewall get away with is because their effects alow for follow-up plays, but this doesn't.

 

Maybe make it a Link5? That way, you can still use your Saryuja/Firewall combo plays, and then turn them into this before ending the turn. Then again, as Link4 you can do something similar already through Link3s like Summon Sorceress, instead of leaving the latter on the board as I see sometimes happens.

[宇佐見 蓮子@C94]

I was honestly thinking of making it do something on the turn you make her but I'm not perfectly sure what. The idea behind the card is admittedly Traptrix Rafflesia which was a fine R4 to sit on back in the day when R4 was a viable deck.

As for WATER, it's because WATER looks good on the link template. 

[Darj]

Hmm... how about a "mini Saryuja" hand fixing effect? Something minor like discard/shuffle 1 card into the Deck, draw 1. That way it offers a bit of play extending potential to the player without outclassing Saryuja.

If it's staying as WATER, then I encourage what I suggested above, to let it either discard 1 monster, or banish 1 from the GY for its first effect. That way it can trigger Atlanteans.

Still curious on from where you took the artwork. Is she a character from some game? inb4 CFV.