Alchemist: All that Glitters is a Golden Potion [WRITTEN]

[Tinkerer]

Hello, fine peoples!

Dropping the next one from my list: The Alchemist archetype, as requested by Nyx.  This one was made on 9/9, and (as of yesterday), was the most recent addition to the list alongside its predecessor and its successor.

I didn't write up any kind of description for this archetype since I was still working out its design.  It is still a little all-over-the-place, but I hope you enjoy!

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SPELLS

Golden Potion
Quick-Play Spell
Gain 800 LP and draw 1 card, then, if you do not control an "Alchemist" monster, discard 1 card and take 800 damage.

Golden Transmutation
Quick-Play Spell
This card is treated as "Golden Potion" while on the field and in the GY.  Send 2 "Alchemist" monsters you control to the GY; change the names of all monsters your opponent controls to "Golden Idol" and make their Levels become 1, their original ATK/DEF become 0, and their effects become "Cannot attack. You take no battle damage from battles involving this card".  Draw 1 card for every 2 "Golden Idol" on the field.

Potion of Life
Quick-Play Spell
Target 1 "Alchemist" monster in your GY; Special Summon it, then gain 800 LP.  You can only activate 1 "Potion of Life" per turn.  If you control an "Alchemist" monster: You can discard this card; add 1 "Golden Potion" from your Deck or GY to your hand.  You can only activate 1 "Potion of Life" per turn.

Potion of Change
Quick-Play Spell
Target 1 monster your opponent controls; Special Summon 1 Token whose name becomes "Golden Idol" and whose type/Attribute/Level/ATK/DEF are the same as the target, then send the target to the GY, then, if you do not control an "Alchemist" monster, discard 1 card.  If you control an "Alchemist" monster: You can discard this card; add 1 "Golden Potion" from your Deck or GY to your hand.  You can only activate 1 "Potion of Transmutibility" per turn.

Le Chateau du Alchemie
Field Spell
When this card is activated: You can add 1 Field Spell from your GY to your hand.  If "Black Garden" is activated while this card is in the GY: You can discard 1 card; add this card from your GY to your hand.  You can target 1 Plant monster you control and up to 1 Plant monster in your GY with the same ATK or DEF as that target; send the first target to the GY, and if you do, Special Summon that second target.  The first time a Plant monster you control is destroyed by battle or your opponent's card effect this turn, gain 800 LP, then you can add 1 "Golden Potion" from your Deck or GY to your hand.  You can only use each effect of "Le Chateau du Alchemie" once per turn.

Lucrative Deals
Continuous Spell
The effects of Quick-Play Spells you control cannot be negated.  The first time each turn you draw a card by the effect of "Golden Potion", draw 1 card.  If you draw a card(s) by a card effect: You can discard 1 card; Gain 400 LP and inflict 400 damage to your opponent.  If you would discard a card(s) to activate a monster effect, you can send this face-up card you control to the GY instead.  You can only control 1 "Lucrative Deals".

MONSTERS

Gran Alchemist
WATER 10*
Plant/Effect
You can banish 2 Plant monsters from your GY to Special Summon this card from your hand or GY.  If Special Summoned from the GY by this effect: Discard 2 cards.  Once per turn, if you discard a card(s): You can add 1 "Golden Potion" from your Deck to your hand.  If you draw a card(s): You can discard 1 card and target 1 monster your opponent controls; its name becomes "Golden Idol", its Level becomes 1, its original ATK/DEF become 0, and its effect becomes "Cannot attack. You take no battle damage from battles involving this card".  You can only Special Summon 1 "Gran Alchemist" per turn.
3200/800

Silver Alchemist
LIGHT 6*
Plant/Effect
If you have gained LP this turn: You can Special Summon this card from your hand.  You can only use the following effects of "Silver Alchemist" once per turn.  If you draw exactly 1 card by a card effect: You can discard 1 card; draw 2 cards, then discard 1 card.  You can discard 1 "Golden Potion"; add 1 "Alchemist" monster from your Deck to your hand.
2400/800

Black Alchemist
DARK 5*
Plant/Effect
If you draw this card or if you draw another card while this card is in your hand: You can reveal this card; Special Summon it, and if you do, you can add 1 "Golden Potion" from your GY to your hand.  Once per turn: You can discard 1 "Alchemist" monster; add 1 Spell from your Deck to your hand that lists "Golden Potion" in its card text.  Each time you gain LP, inflict 400 damage to your opponent.  You can only inflict a maximum of 2000 damage to your opponent by the effect of "Black Alchemist" each turn.
2400/0

Ruin Alchemist
FIRE ****
Plant/Effect
You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; place 1 "Golden Potion" from your GY on top of your Deck, and if you do, halve that monster's ATK/DEF until the End Phase, then, if you targeted "Golden Idol", draw 2 cards, then discard 1 card.  During your opponent's End Phase: You can banish this card from your GY; Special Summon 1 "Alchemist" monster from your GY, but banish it when it leaves the field.  You can only use each effect of "Ruin Alchemist" once per turn.
1600/800

Synthetic Alchemist
EARTH ***
Plant/Effect
If this card is Normal Summoned: You can send 1 "Golden Potion" from your hand or Deck to the GY.  This card gains 400 ATK for each "Golden Potion" in your GY.  If this card battles "Golden Idol": destroy it at the start of damage calculation, then draw 1 card, then discard 1 card, and if you do, you can Special Summon 1 "Alchemist" monster from your hand.  If this card is sent from your hand or field to the GY to activate a card's effect; you can Set 1 "Golden Potion" from your GY, and if you do, gain 800 LP.
1600/0

Null Alchemist
DARK **
Plant/Effect
This card is not a DARK monster while on the field or in the GY.  If you control a field spell, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.  If this card is discarded: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; it loses 800 ATK/DEF and cannot be used as Material this turn.  (Quick Effect): You can reduce this card's DEF by 800; gain 800 LP.
800/800

Golden Alchemist
LIGHT *
Plant/Tuner/Effect
If this card is discarded: Add 1 "Golden Potion" from your Deck or GY to your hand.  You can return this card you control to the hand; Special Summon 1 Plant monster from your hand, except "Golden Alchemist".
800/0
 

I felt like I ran into too many gimmicks with this one.  Full disclosure, I made a couple edits before posting this one.  I realize I forgot a few OPTs.  We don't want any infinite Golden Potion loops now, would we?

Anyways, thanks for looking through this one, if you are interested at all in my thought process when designing these, you can read it below.

Cheers!

 

 

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Originally, I wanted to make a deck that focused around a draw spell that wasn't once per turn.  Multiple other cards in the archetype could be transformed into this spell, and the alchemists would take advantage of being able to recycle it multiple times for some benefit.  The LP gain was secondary, but I figured I'd be able to use 2 avenues (the draw and the LP gain) to trigger effects.

The plant thing happened because I remembered the existence of "Homunculus the Alchemic Being" (and I didn't remember the existing Alchemist monsters).  I then ran down the list of plant support cards and I remembered Black Garden's secondary effect.  I also knew "2400" is a number that plants can search and - since it was a multiple of 800 - I ran with both of those ideas.  Black Garden should be able to revive any of the monsters and I felt it was thematically appropriate for the tokens and the alchemists to be able to transform into other Alchemists.  A loop of eternal renewal.

Since I decided to use Black Garden, I made a generic plant support field spell to loop with it.  The French theming was a bit of compare/contrast between Akiza and Sherry, and I did intend to make a Synchro to go along with the deck, but I didn't quite go through with it.

For the most part, that was the direction.  I'd made the quick-plays, the boss monster, the mid-bosses, Golden Alchemist... but then I couldn't really think of appropriate effects for the level 3-4 ones and so I started emphasizing the "Golden Idol" gimmick.  To put a bigger emphasis on this, I ended up making Golden Transmutation and... well... now I feel like the deck has 2 disparate directions that don't really work together.