Star Mote and the Astrosynths

[notcleverusername]

If it's in spoilers it's a wall of text. They're just design thoughts so feel free to skip, but if you're into that it should have some interest.
[spoiler=General]
The deck was designed to have you enter the summon ladder as quickly as possible, and then spend the rest of your resources on protecting the summon ladder so that it would generate plusses that would move you up. You would then finish on the level 9 Synchro with a burn effect for game. Each individual monster is fairly slow, to essentially force the player into playing defensively. All the monsters except Star Mote are Tuners, including the Synchros. The main archetype is the "Astrosynths", the Tuner monsters that make up Star Mote's Solar System. The Synchros are not part of this archetype but each correspond to a Tuner, and also depend on Star Mote.
 
The deck is hardly competitive. It is fairly slow and a Kaiju at any point would destroy its strategy. It depends on an outdated fortress strategy that I am nevertheless excessively fond of, and the Main and Extra Deck investment required for it to work would make it fairly inflexible, despite lacking xenophobia. Your plays are capped by the Normal Summon and what the Summon Ladder is giving you, and disruption of either kills the speed that you don't have. I did build in relatively strong effects on to the Synchros to make up for some of the weaknesses, but while they do disrupt the opponent's plays, they are ultimately compensating for a defensive playstyle in a game that does not reward playing defense.
 
To some extent this deck was built around the idea of Kaiser Colosseum existing, so that ban really sucked for these guys. The deck is meant to outgrind the opponent and to beat out 1v1 matchups, and Kaiser would help enforce 1v1s. Amusingly it's probably not that good at grinding anyways, since it has several weak links that become more vulnerable with every draw the opponent gets.

[spoiler=General Flavor]
There were a lot of things that mixed together while I was conceptualizing the archetype. It was a while ago, but I'm fairly sure one of the things I stewed on was that Synchro for some reason has a lot of space-themed cards, despite XYZ being the space-related mechanic. Related to this, XYZ has the musical djinns, despite Synchro being the typically musical mechanic. I wanted to use both, while some idea of "cosmic harmony" and "universal melody" hummed around in my own head's background noise.
 
I had already been considering a Psyframe-like deck revolving around a single non-Tuner, and eventually this came together with that to form the idea of a Rock Literal Star with the Tuners as its backup band. Each Synchro was designed to be a "Fusion" of Star Mote and a specific non-Tuner, and the naming scheme reflects that. Although the Synchros are technically generic, their better effects incentivize archetype use. During each Standby Phase, they "level up" by summoning Star Mote so that you can "add a level".
I believe I had originally made Star Mote the Tuner and everything else the non-Tuner. I forget why, now, but this ran into design complications and I went with this design in the end. It might have been a thematic complication, probably related to the Contest theme.
 
The naming theme is tied to the Attributes. Star Mote is, at first, an "underground" artist. As it levels up, he picks up speed until its momentum sends him, as Queen eloquently puts it, rocketing through the atmosphere, until its fame makes him as bright as a supernova (also actually a supernova). The Attributes are arranged to reflect this using Ancient Greek theories of the elements, starting with Darkness (not included in Grecian elemental theory, but representing the underworld), moving on to Earth, the heaviest element, followed by Water, Wind, Fire, and finally the buoyant Aether (represented by LIGHT).

[spoiler=Star Mote]
Star Mote was initially designed as a vanilla to make access to it easier, but I eventually felt the deckbuilding additions of Normal support would be unfeasible in a deck with built-in level, Type, and Attribute variance and no other Normal monsters. I also wanted to give the deck some resiliency in case the summon ladder was broken, which led to its effect. If the Synchro is destroyed and sent to the Grave, Star Mote can restart the summon ladder by summoning an Astrosynth of the same level as the destroyed Synchro, which will immediately thrust you back into the same rung of the summon ladder. This was intended to mimic, in a limited extent, the Pendulum Summon.
 
Thematically Star Mote is the "superstar" of this archetype, with the Astrosynths as his backup singers. It was one of the seeds of my idea for this archetype, the other being the "seed" Astrosynth. I got the idea from Level Eater personifying the level stars; the deck would literally add a Star to its monsters per turn in order to power up.

[spoiler=The Astrosynths]
I don't remember what names I went through before I settled on Astrosynths, but there were about 3-4. I think I started with a rock & roll theme at first, but I couldn't find one that flowed. Astrosynth sounds like a plausible instrument, so that's fun, and it also fits well into the Cosmic Background feeling I was aiming for.
Each Astrosynth is made to serve a specific consistency or protection role within the Deck. Although they all share a Star Mote summoning clause when Star Mote pulls them from the Deck, they were all given uses in case they were drawn. Their specific uses will be detailed further later on.
 
I tried to make all their names follow the pattern "Astrosynth [Descriptor][creature]". The Descriptor ties them to their respective Synchros, and the creature also shares an element with the creature portion of the Synchro's name. The way I imagined each Astrosynth was that Star Mote essentially wears them as a super armor when it turns into their respective Synchros. Each Astrosynth was given a "creature" Type (Insect, Beast, etc).
A large number of them are semi-generic, as I prefer. I tried to assemble the Types and Attributes in such a way that all of them, even the non-generically useful ones, could be tied to outside Decks, which was quite difficult.

[spoiler=The Synchros]
Each Synchro is also a Tuner, except for the level 9, and follows this effect structure: First, hard once per turn. Next, its standard effect, a disruption/protection effect. After that, during your Standby Phase, they allow you to Special Summon a Star Mote from the grave. Finally, they have a special effect, stronger than generic effects, that is only accessed if they are summoned using Star Mote as a non-Tuner.
 
Naming wise, they all follow the pattern: [Adjective] [Descriptor][class]star. The adjectives are supposed to represent, in some form, Star Mote's "musical experience" and its place in its musical career. The Descriptor is, as mentioned, the same as the Tuner that they're supposed to be made with, and the Classes relate to their Types and are tied to the Creature elements of the Tuner name by various wordplay. The Synchros are further tied to their Tuners by their stats. Each one increases their ATK and DEF by a set amount from the Tuners, which decreases as their levels get higher (from +1000 to each stat to +300 to each stat).
 
The Synchro effects are meant to assist keeping them alive so that you can level them up each turn. However, the non-locked ones also have generic defensive utility. Ideally, you will eventually level up into the Synchro 9, which will inflict a massive amount of burn (buffed in this thread) to either end the game or expedite its completion.

[spoiler=The Backrow]
There are 4 Spells of different Types, which are given the sub-archetype (technically series) of "Astrosynth Star". They do not have a unified purpose, but instead serve various niches for the Deck.

 
Main Deck:
Star Mote
Level 1 LIGHT Pyro
0/0
During the Standby Phase, if this card is in your Graveyard and a Synchro monster was destroyed and sent to your Graveyard since your last Standby Phase: You can target that Synchro monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Astrosynth" monster from your hand or Deck with the same Level as that target. You can only use this effect of "Star Mote" once per turn.
The core of the Deck. In the Graveyard, it grants pseudo-floating to your Synchros, which I had initially put on the Synchros themselves. It turned out way too unwieldy, this way worked out much better.
 
Astrosynth Darkseed
Level 1 DARK Plant Tuner
0/0
If this card is Special Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 "Star Mote" from your hand, deck, or Graveyard. You can only use this effect of "Astrosynth Darkseed" once per turn. During your turn, except the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard: You can banish this card and 0 or 1 other monsters from your Graveyard, then target 1 "Star Mote" or 1 "Astrosynth" monster in your Graveyard whose level equals the total level of the banished monsters: Special Summon it.
One of the first components I came up with. Special Summoning this is how you start your combo chain. Lonefire, One for One, and the next Astrosynth maximize access to it so you can quickly enter the ladder. Unlike the other Astrosynths, it Summons Star Mote from anywhere, no matter how it's Special Summoned. Its grave effect helps you re-enter the Synchro ladder in a Star Mote-ish fashion and is also one of the main ways you can start fielding multiple Synchros. The dark seed is the seed of success within the darkness of Star Mote's unconscious mind.
 
Astrosynth Gembeetle
Level 2 EARTH Insect Tuner
100/1000
If this card is Normal Summoned, while you control no other monsters: You can Special Summon 1 "Astrosynth Darkseed" from your Deck or Graveyard, then return this card to your hand. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of "Star Mote": You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.
Serves as an extra ladder entry. It only works if you haven't started the ladder, and it then returns to hand both to make it harder to skip ladder rungs and to give you a backup. Star Mote's music is still underground, like an innocuous, burrowing beetle, but it is a hidden gem of talent that will make itself known.
 
Astrosynth Undertrog
Level 3 EARTH Beast Tuner
800/1300
Once per turn: You can discard 1 "Star Mote"; draw 1 card. Once per turn, if "Star Mote" is in your Graveyard: You can target 1 "Astrosynth" monster you control; shuffle it into the Deck, and if you do, draw 1 card. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of "Star Mote": You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.
Undertrog helps to get rid of Star Motes, which aren't useful in your hand, and dig for the ladder. Its field effect is usually meant to return itself to dig further, but can also provide an additional grind element once you have entered the ladder. Star Mote is still working against difficult odds, and its music is still primitive--a classic undertrog story.
 
Astrosynth Wavemamba
Level 4 WATER Sea Serpent Tuner
1400/1400
Once per turn: You can shuffle any number of "Astrosynth" and/or Synchro monsters from your Graveyard into the Deck (min.1); you cannot Special Summon monsters using this card as a material for the rest of this turn, also add 1 "Astrosynth" monster from your Deck to your hand. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of "Star Mote": You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.
Because you have limited Extra Deck slots, and because a number of Astrosynths send themselves to the Graveyard for their own effects, this helps make sure that Star Mote retains summoning targets and that you can rebuild the Synchro ladder if needed. Star Mote is making waves as it snakes its way into the mainstream.
 
Astrosynth Airzard
Level 5 WIND Reptile Tuner
1700/1400
You can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard; add 1 "Astrosynth" card from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of "Astrosynth Airzard" once per turn. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of "Star Mote": You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.
To ensure that you continue to work the ladder, the level 5 is granted the strongest consistency effect. It also counts as another way to enter the ladder. Star Mote is taking to the skies. Its music is still built on reptilian instinct, but it's managed to leave the stormy ocean and arrive to fertile shores.
 
Astrosynth Rocketosaurus
Level 6 FIRE Dinosaur Tuner
2000/1500
You can discard this card; reveal any number of Tuner monsters in your hand (min.1) and shuffle them into the deck, then draw cards equal to the number of cards you shuffled into the deck +1. You can only use this effect of "Astrosynth Rocketosaurus" once per turn. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of "Star Mote": You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.
There are a large number of Normal Summons within the deck, so this card helps to mitigate that issue and dig for cards that can be used past the Normal. It can also be used generically to help adjust Tuner-heavy hands in general. Star Mote's popularity is rocketing into space, and although its technique is still rough, he's got the stage presence of a Tyrannosaurus.
 
 
Astrosynth Meteorine
Level 7 FIRE Wyrm Tuner
2300/2100
During either player's turn, if a face-up monster your opponent controls declares an attack or activates its effect while you control a Tuner monster: You can discard this card; negate that attack or effect, and if you do, change that monster to face-down Defense Position. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of "Star Mote": You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it.
A protection element to help maintain the ladder, also semi-generic. Star Mote has truly grown into its own, and is on a hot streak through the atmosphere. His music is becoming more refined, and is midway through its transition into a legendary style.
 
Astrosynth Novadragon
Level 8 LIGHT Dragon Tuner
2500/3000
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. If this card is Special Summoned: If it was Special Summoned by the effect of "Star Mote": You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; draw 1 card, then Special Summon that target (if any), and if you do, draw 1 more card. You can only use this effect of "Astrosynth Novadragon" once per turn.
The only superfluous main deck monster. It grants you lots of advantage for getting this far up the ladder, or you just tech it into random decks and have Return of the Dragon Lord self-replace when you go for Ultimaya. I've edited the text a little but the PSCT is bad either way. Star Mote's popularity has exploded across the universe with the force of supernovas. Its music is like a dragon: Regal, confident, and powerful.
 
Astrosynth Starrangement
Continuous Spell
Once per turn: You can activate 1 of the following effects.
1. Shuffle 1 "Astrosynth" monster in your Graveyard into the Main Deck; gain 800 LP, then you can return 1 Synchro monster in your Graveyard to the Extra Deck.
2. Reveal 1 "Astrosynth" monster in your hand and shuffle it into the Deck, then add 1 "Astrosynth" monster with a different original name from your Deck to your hand.
If this card is destroyed by your opponent's card effect: Draw 1 card.
"Arranges" your notes to build a score. The 1st effect is entirely for longevity, refreshing Star Mote targets and rebuilding the Synchro ladder. The LP gain eff is to help keep you out of range from XYZ sniping and also to allow continued use of the Solemns. The 2nd effect is obv for consistency, trading out notes you don't need for notes you do.
 
Astrosynth Starmonization
Normal Spell
Apply these effects, depending on the face-up monsters you control:
1. An "Astrosynth" monster: Special Summon 1 "Star Mote" from your Deck.
2. "Star Mote": Special Summon 1 "Astrosynth" monster from your Deck whose level is equal to the monster you control with the highest level, but its effects are negated.
You can only use "Astrosynth Starmonization" once per turn.
"Harmonizes" your notes on the field. Card is built to get you into the Synchro Ladder, but also can grab a backup Synchro to use next to your ladder, or even start a new ladder.
 
Astrosynth Starccato
Quickplay Spell
If you control "Star Mote", an "Astrosynth" monster, or a Synchro Tuner monster: Target 1 Spell/Trap card your opponent controls; destroy it. During the Standby or End Phases, if you control a card that was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material monster, you can activate this card from your Deck. You can only use "Astrosynth Starccato" once per turn.
A quick burst of notes that helps deal with backrow. Because the deck would be so vulnerable to disruption, I made this activate from the Deck so it would essentially grant an extra protection layer. I've made a few changes from the original. Since the Synchros aren't part of the archetype, they are now included in the activation condition, which also makes the Deck activation make more sense. The Deck activation has been changed to work only during Standby or End, which should theoretically make it more defensive.
 
Astrosynth Starchestra
Equip Spell
Equip only to a Synchro Tuner Monster. It cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects. During your Main Phase, if this card is in your Graveyard because it was sent there by an opponent's card effect: You can banish this card from your Graveyard, then target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. If this card is sent to the Graveyard because the equipped monster was used as a Synchro Material Monster: You can add this card to your hand.
Brings out the music from your Tuner+non-Tuner ensemble that can't be drowned out. When it's removed it can call out the lead act, and it follows the lead act to every new Starchestra. It's been buffed to provide immunity to effect destruction as well. I'm taking a risk by not putting a hard OPT on any of its effects but I think it's specialized enough to be fine.
 
Extra Deck
Primordial Darkweedstar
Level 2 DARK Zombie Synchro Tuner
1000/1000
1 Tuner + 1 non-Tuner monster
You can only use each of the following effects of "Primordial Darkweedstar" once per turn. During either player's turn, you can activate 1 Trap card from your hand. During your Standby Phase: You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. If this card was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material monster, it gains the following effect:
1. During either player's turn, if you control no other monsters: You can change all other monsters on the field to face-down Defense Position.
+1k/1k, Seed sprouts into Weed, becomes Primordial. The locked effect is one of the first I imagined for the Deck, essentially a way to 1 vs many to keep the ladder alive, as well as the idea of a seed sprouting in the primordial chaos.
 
Bestial Gemaniastar
Level 3 EARTH Beast-Warrior Synchro Tuner
1100/2000
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can only use each of the following effects of "Bestial Gemaniastar" once per turn. During each Battle Phase: You can target up to 1 card on each side of the field; return them to the hand. This card cannot attack during the turn you activate this effect. During your Standby Phase: You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. If this card was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material monster, it gains the following effect:
1. If this card is targeted by an opponent's card for an attack or card effect: You can negate that attack or effect, and if you do, banish that card.
+1k/1k, beetle mutates into a berserker warrior (hence "Mania"), also explains Bestial. The name for this one was hard to make within theme and it still doesn't fit well. Also, this edition fixes the text to use the final name. The effects were conceptualized early, but the bounce effect took some revisions (wasn't originally BP only, and I had to figure out how to include option of not bouncing on either side of field).
 
Primitive Wunderwarstar
Level 4 EARTH Warrior Synchro Tuner
1600/2100
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can only use each of the following effects of "Primitive Wunderwarstar" once per turn. During your opponent's turn, if your opponent controls 2 or more monsters: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; monsters your opponent controls cannot attack this turn, except for the targeted monster. During your Standby Phase: You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. If this card was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material monster, it gains the following effect:
1. During either player's turn, when a card or effect is activated that targets exactly 1 card (and no other cards): You can target another card that would be an appropriate target for that card/effect; that card/effect now targets the new target.
+800/800, under > wonder and trog > war representing warrior, hence primitive over bestial. I knew I wanted targeting redirection so it went here--note it also works for cards that target in grave. The attack limitation has been buffed to only require 2 monsters on the field to make it significantly more potent, and so that you can't work around it with basic 2 materials.
 
Adept Wavemancerstar
Level 5 WATER Spellcaster Synchro Tuner
2100/2100
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can only use each of the following effects of "Adept Wavemancerstar" once per turn. If your opponent activates a card or effect as Chain Link 2 or higher: Negate the activations of your opponent's cards or effects activated before this card in this Chain, except Chain Link 1. During your Standby Phase: You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. If this card was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material, it gains the following effect:
1. At the start of the Damage Step, if this card battles an opponent's monster: You can change that opponent's monster's ATK and DEF to 0, also negate its effects (even in the Graveyard).
+700/700, the mamba becomes a mage, adept indicates that it is becoming skilled in the craft. I didn't want a flat negation effect, especially on the generic half, so the Chain Link solution became how I limited it for niche use. This name and its corresponding Tuner took forever to figure out.
 
Ambitious Dairdevilstar
Level 6 WIND Fiend Synchro Tuner
2300/2000
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can only use each of the following effects of "Ambitious Dairdevilstar" once per turn. If this face-up card on the field would be destroyed by your opponent (by battle or by card effect), you can destroy 1 card your opponent controls instead. During your Standby Phase: You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. If this card was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material, it gains the following effect:
1. During either player's turn: You can negate the effects of all face-up monsters currently on the field, until the end of the Turn Phase.
+600/600, "Air" becomes "Dair" so I can make the daredevil pun, and ambitious is to indicate Star Mote taking to the skies. I've nerfed it so that it only works if your opponent is destroying. The effect negation only lasting a turn phase but being blanket was fun for me to make, despite being otherwise fairly basic.
 
Xcelerate PROcketstar
Level 7 FIRE Machine Synchro Tuner
2500/2000
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can only use each of the following effects of "Xcelerate PROcketstar" once per turn. If this card attacks or is attacked: It gains ATK equal to the highest ATK among monsters your opponent controls, until the next Standby Phase. During your Standby Phase: You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. If this card was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material monster, it gains the following effect:
1. If a monster(s) is Special Summoned: You can banish that monster(s), until the next Standby Phase.
+500/500, the rocket dinosaur becomes a PROFESSIONAL rocket (caps necessary). I believe I named this one fairly early which is why there's no "saurus" replacement, and I believe Xcelerate used to have deeper thematic ties which were lost. Made to give Synchros a generic beatstick option. Like many of the others it is effectively immune to battle destruction. Since it's nearing the endgoal, the locked effect is designed to stall your way through the next turn.
 
Streak Meteormastar
Level 8 FIRE Psychic Synchro Tuner
2700/2500
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You an only use each of the following effects of "Streak Meteormastar" once per turn. If this card battles an opponent's monster, after damage calculation: You can banish that monster, and if you do, look at your opponent's Extra Deck and Graveyard and banish 1 card from each. During your Standby Phase: You can target 1 "Star Mote" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. If this card was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material monster, it gains the following effect:
1. During either player's turn, except the Draw Phase: You can end the current Turn Phase.
+400/400, I get to make a "master" pun, and Star Mote's popularity and glamour is streaking through the atmosphere. This one's name took a little bit to get to, and I also forgot to fix the name in the text in my submission. The unlocked effect has been buffed to whenever it battles a monster, and now specifies that it looks in the Extra Deck. The locked effect is a generous reward for getting this far up the ladder and is the first time I've used such an effect.
 
Cosmic Supernovastar
Level 9 LIGHT Fairy Synchro
2800/3300
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can only use each of the following effects of "Cosmic Supernovastar" once per turn. During either player's turn, if your opponent activates a Normal Spell or Trap card: You can have this effect become the effect of that card. If this card was Synchro Summoned using "Star Mote" as a Synchro Material monster, it gains the following effect:
1. If this card is Synchro Summoned: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the number of Synchro monsters in your Graveyard that were sent there from the field x 800. Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to this effect's activation.
+300/300, and the nova becomes Super, and Star Mote is now the most universally beloved artist ever. The name and the locked effect were created early because I designed this end goal so I could figure out the deck direction. The unlocked effect was something silly I came up with to flesh the card out. I've buffed the burn to 800 per; it was 500 per before. It'll still probably lead to some janky Synchron FTK but ah well, I didn't feel like 3.5k burn (less if you had recycled the Synchros) was cutting it.