Mystical Elf / Dark Elf Archetype Support

[gmaster1991]

As the very first Light/Dark counterparts to ever exist in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, I've occasionally wondered why Mystical Elf and Dark Elf weren't expanded on. It's probably because they suck now, so naturally I made a whole archetype around them. Card art is not mine. The play style is meant to be a Control Deck. It revolves around getting both Elves on the field, generating card advantage, and using your Elven cards to limit your opponent's moves.

Strengths:

• Some of these cards have extremely potent effects comparable to Limited cards, and they're extremely easy to set up.
• A typical opening move isn't vulnerable to Nibiru or Sphere Mode because you really only need 2 monsters on your field.
• Mystical Elf can be searched with Unexpected Dai and other "Normal-only" support, if necessary.
• Hand traps like Infinite Impermanence or Effect Veiler are virtually useless against this archetype. Other hand traps like Ash Blossom don't slow it down that much.
• The archetype allows for some flexibility with your monster choices. You could use Summoner Monks with other Rank 4s, or hand traps with some Level 7 Synchros, or just some generic Link-2s.

Weaknesses:

• You have to use a vanilla Level 4 and a 2000 beater with a negative effect to actually play these cards. Yeah.

Acolyte Elf

(Quick Effect): You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 "Mystical Elf" or 1 "Dark Elf" from your hand or Deck, then apply the following effect based on the monster Summoned:
*"Mystical Elf": Draw 1 card.
*"Dark Elf": Your opponent discards 1 card.
You can only activate the effect of "Acolyte Elf" once per turn.

This is your usual opening play. You search out either Elf, then gain a +1 or make your opponent -1 depending on the situation. The fact that she's a quick effect lets you potentially revive it on your opponent's turn, then summon another Elf to generate more advantage. It's simple, but it works.

Cosmic Insight

Target 1 "Elf" monster you control; Special Summon 1 "Mystical Elf" or "Dark Elf" from your hand or Deck with a different Attribute, but you cannot Special Summon monsters, except "Elf" monsters, for the rest of this turn. During your opponent's turn, if this card is in your GY: You can banish this card; activate 1 "Elven" card from your Deck. You can only activate 1 effect of "Cosmic Insight" per turn, and only once that turn.

The idea is to summon one Elf, then use this to summon the other. It's easy enough since they're both Level 4s. You activate one of the Elven cards from your Deck (listed below) during your opponent's turn, depending on what you need. Simple.

Elven Incantation

Apply the following effects based on the monster(s) you control:
*"Mystical Elf" monster(s): Gain 1000 LP during each of your opponent's End Phases. Once per turn, when a card you control is targeted by an attack or card effect: You can negate that attack or effect, and if you do, change the battle position of 1 "Mystical Elf" monster you control.
*"Dark Elf" monster(s): Negate the effects of all face-up monsters while they are face-up on the field (but their effects can still be activated). Once per turn, when a "Dark Elf" monster you control declares an attack, your opponent loses 1000 LP.
You can only control 1 "Elven Incantation".

This is basically what makes the whole archetype remotely competitive. It's Skill Drain on 'roids, and that's putting it nicely. All you need on your field is a Dark Elf; a monster with an effect you would want negated anyway, and you can shut down so many Decks. The fact that it punishes your opponent instead of you when Dark Elf attacks is just icing on the cake. Of course, the Skill Drain rules apply. Activating a monster effect on the field by doing something to remove it as a cost can get around Elven Incantation (more on that below).

The Mystical Elf effects are also neat, but not nearly as meta. It's mostly there to keep your opponent from going after Mystical Elf's weak 800 ATK if you're forced to Normal Summon her face-up. The targeting protection can also useful, if your opponent uses something like Mystical Space Typhoon on this. It should be noted that this only provides single target protection. If your opponent uses something like Twin Twisters, then Elven Incantation can't protect itself.

Elven Barrier

Apply the following effects based on the monster(s) you control:
*"Mystical Elf" monster(s): All monsters you control gain 800 DEF. Once per turn, if a card(s) you control would be destroyed by a card effect, it is not destroyed.
*"Dark Elf" monster(s): All monsters you control gain 800 ATK. Once per turn, when your monster inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, you can destroy 1 card on the field.
*Xyz Monster(s): All monsters you control gain 400 ATK/DEF. Once per turn, when your opponent activates a monster effect in the hand or GY: You can negate that effect.
You can only control 1 "Elven Barrier".

This isn't as powerful as Elven Incantation, but it can be effective at protecting it and your Elves. The fact that Cosmic Insight can activate it from the Deck spares you from the whole "wait a turn after setting it" thing. The ATK/DEF boosts can be useful, but you really use this for its other effects. Depending on the monsters you control, this can be a reusable My Body is a Shield (minus LP cost), Sky Dragoons of Draconia (minus Normal Monster limitation), or Debunk (minus banishing the opposing card).

Mystical Elf of Dawn

2 Level 4 monsters
(Quick Effect): You can banish this card until the End Phase; if this card had Xyz Material(s), you can Special Summon 1 monster from either GY whose Level is equal to or lower than the combined original Levels of the Xyz Material(s).

So this is basically a splashable Monster Reborn for any Level 8 or lower monster. Obviously, it doesn't revive Xyz or Link monsters, so the usefulness is somewhat limited. Having this on the field with Elven Barrier gives you a 3600 DEF shield that can banish herself to either protect herself from a field wipe or revive a monster. Note the semi-colon after the words "End Phase." That means that banishing herself is a cost, so Elven Incantation won't stop this because she won't be on the field when the effect resolves. If she doesn't have Xyz Materials, you can basically make her banish herself for no effect.

Dark Elf of Dusk

2 Level 4 monsters
If this card declares an attack, both players lose 1000 LP x the number of Xyz Materials attached to this card.

Another generic Rank 4. The effect sucks on purpose because it's meant to be negated by Elven Incantation anyway. If it's not, then you could potentially try to go for a pre-errata Ring of Destruction win if your opponent has 2000 or less LP before she attacks. If you don't want to use her effect (or it's just negated), you could just use Xyz Gift to draw 2 cards with no real drawback. With Elven Barrier on the board, she becomes a 3600 beatstick; just enough to get over Ultimate Conductor Tyranno.

 

[gmaster1991]

Bump.