Lets Give Vampires Some New Support!

[xlArisenRoselx]

Ignore the fact that I've been absent for so long, and don't expect me to stick around after this

Alright! So, I've recently fallen in love with the Vampire archetype, from how it plays, to its little gimmicks and theme. The idea of using your opponents resources as though they were your own is really cool, and I've always liked the idea of an archetype that forces you to "bleed" yourself a bit to make a play, but then can later regain all that spent LP. That said, the deck... Could use some real help. Of course, you could play it as a blind second board-breaking deck, but it's only somewhat decent at that. You could play it as a way to turbo-out the Mayakashi trap that basically skips the opponent's turn (thanks Transaction Rollback), but so can any deck that consistently makes a Rank 6 (thanks Beatrice). I wanted to give them an in-archetype power-boost, to make you able to do better without that latter play.

Enter:

Vampire Duchess
DARK - Link 1 - Zombie/Link/Effect - 800/1
Arrows: South
1 non-Link "Vampire" monster
You can also Link Summon this card by using 1 Zombie monster you control that is owned by your opponent. If this card is Link Summoned: You can pay 500 LP; set 1 "Vampire" Spell/Trap card from your Deck. If the card set by this effect was a Trap Card or a Quick-Play Spell Card, it can be activated this turn. You can only use this effect of "Vampire Duchess" once per turn. If a Zombie monster(s) or "Vampire" card(s) you control would be destroyed by battle or card effect, you can banish this card from your GY instead.
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I know, I know "Another Link 1?! Konami learned their lesson with these accursed monsters, why are you reopening that wound?" And to that I say.... Konami did it first, with the new Genex stuff, but also this requires specifically a "Vampire" monster, and a non-Link one at that, so you can't use a spent Fascinator or Sucker for this on following turns. Kinda hard to splash in anything other than Vampires, and Vampires as an engine don't really work due to how... Heavy of a package you'd have to play in order to nearly guarantee you have names to discard/destroy for their effects.

The alternate summoning condition was added later on, just cuz I thought it was fun and on-theme with the "using your opponent's resources as your own" thing "Vampires" have.

Now for the real effects. On proper summon, you can pay 500 LP (standard for Vampire costs) and set an archetypal S/T from Deck, and if it's a Quick-Play or Trap, it can also be activated this turn too (followed by, of course, the HOPT). This provides a neat little synergy with the deck, since we have a couple ways to search and cheat out archetypal monsters from Deck, but only one S/T searcher in Retainer. If you need both Desires and Domain to play through something, you're straight out of luck - and heaven forbid you want to end on Domination if you're going first without opening Domain/Desires. This not only fixes that, but also allows us to utilize Domination on the opponent's turn to help us play through interactions a little better, since it can be activated the same turn. Alternatively, it also allows us to play a card Vampires don't typically play these days, in Vampire Awakening. This card is neat (summoning any Vampire from Deck as a HOPT), but is too slow to see any play. This effect can change that, giving a reason to run the 1-of as a combo extender. However... There currently are no Quick-Play "Vampire" Spells, so this is mostly added on as future-proofing in case Konami ever makes one (or, you know, if I decide to make one or two myself, which I'm not ruling out of the question).

And then the GY is just... A standard protection effect, a la Salamangreat Balelynx or something? I dunno, it seemed fine for a Link 1 that merely sets a S/T. Though, notably, I made it able to protect both "Vampire" cards and Zombie monsters, since Vampire have a lot of synergies with generic Zombies and Zombie World.

All in all, what do you think? Did I fuck up by making a Link 1? Is this the exception to the rule? Do you think is too strong? Too underpowered? Just right? Should I go ahead and make a Quick-Play Spell for them becuz they still need more help? I'd love your feedback!

Edited January 22 by xlArisenRoselx