Verz Bahamut Archtype - 'Crippler' AND 'Mourning' Promos

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Hello? Hello? Is there anyone out there.

Matt here, coming to this section with my usual custom archtype. Except... well, I have two. And I don't know which one is best and should be expanded on and 'released' in my next set. So... I kinda need some help deciding by you guys commenting on which you think is more interesting, has more potential, or you just happen to prefer from these examples.

Do NOT post one word replies simply saying 'Cripplers' or 'Mourning'! You have been warned...

[color=#ff0000][b]Archtype 1 - Cripplers[/b][/color]

[b]Bay for the enemies blood with a high risk, high speed assault!![/b]

The Cripplers are a range of EARTH Attribute Beast-Warriors that resemble savage beasts with heavy weapons and little armour. Fierce in battle, they rely on high ATK, and often have piercing or multi-attack effects. These effects come at a heavy cost however, of halving the players life points to activate. This drastic measure can be offset by the Field Spell of the set, as well as many of the lower level monsters having the ability to reduce the battle damage they take. They will fight for bloody victory!

The name Cripple comes from a Final Fantasy Berserker ability, which halves an enemies life points (similar to the better known Demi). The monsters names are taking from various attacks and techniques from the games various sword-swinging heroes.

[spoiler=Example Cards]
VBC-020[b] Crippler Braver[/b]
[color=#8b4513][b]EARTH[/b][/color]
***
Beast-Warrior/Effect
All Battle Damage you take in battles involving this card is halved. During your Main Phase: Halve your Life Points; This card gains 800 ATK and can inflict Piercing Damage until the End Phase.
ATK 1400 / DEF 100

VBC-021[b] Crippler Cross-Slash[/b]
[color=#8b4513][b]EARTH[/b][/color]
****
Beast-Warrior/Effect
All Battle Damage you take in battles involving this card is halved. During your Main Phase: Halve your Life Points; This card can attack twice this turn.
ATK 2000 / DEF 400

VBC-022[b] Crippler Renzokuken[/b]
[color=#8b4513][b]EARTH[/b][/color]
*******
Beast-Warrior/Effect
You can Normal Summon this card without Tribute by halving your Life Points. If this card destroys a monster by battle; destroy 1 card your opponent controls.
ATK 2500 / DEF 600

VBC-045[b] Crippler Omni-Slash[/b]
[color=#8b4513][b]EARTH[/b][/color]
*******
Beast-Warrior/Xyz/Effect
2 Level 7 Monsters
While this card has Xyz Material: It inflicts Piercing Damage. When this card destroys a monster by battle: Detach 1 Xyz Material; this card can attack again. During your End Phase: If there are no Xyz Material on this card; halve your Life Points.
ATK 2800 / DEF 1000

VBC-056 [b]Battlefields of Glory[/b]
[color=#008080][b]SPELL[/b][/color]
Field Spell
During each of your Standy Phases: Gain Life Points equal to half of the total Life Points you lost due to the effect of 'Crippler' monsters during your last turn. Once per turn: If a Spell or Trap card is activated in response to an attack from a 'Crippler' monster; You can halve your Life Points to negate and destroy that card.

VBC-072 [b]Crippler Block[/b]
[color=#800080][b]TRAP[/b][/color]
Normal Trap
Halve your Life Points: 'Crippler' monsters cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects this turn.
[/spoiler]

[color=#000080][b]Archtype 2 - Mourning[/b][/color]

[b]Inflict the torment of your sorrows on the enemy as penance for every lost soul!![/b]

The Mourning are a set of DARK Fairy-type monsters that resemble various stone statues that cover their face as if consumed with grief. Each monster's DEF is higher than its ATK, as might be natural for a statue like being. The Mourning playing style revolves around countering destruction, as each monsters effects trigger in repsonse to any monster being destroyed in any way, once during either turn, to overcome through numbers and drown the enemy in a sea of sorrow!

The Mourning cards appearance are based on The Weeping Angels from Doctor Who, by which they were originally inspired, and The Mourners' statues from the Court of Burgundy later researched. Yet to come up for fitting names for each individual though.

[spoiler=Example Cards]
VBC-023[b] Mourning Caller...[/b]
[color=#4b0082][b]DARK[/b][/color]
***
Fairy/Effect
Once during either players turn: When a monster on the field is destroyed; You can add 1 'Mourning' card from your Deck to your hand.
ATK 700 / DEF 1500

VBC-024 [b]Mourning Deacon...[/b]
[color=#4b0082][b]DARK[/b][/color]
****
Fairy/Effect
Once during either players turn: When a monster on the field is destroyed; Special Summon 1 'Mourning' monster from your Graveyard.
ATK 1400 / DEF 2000

VBC-025 [b]Mourning Wraith...[/b]
[color=#4b0082][b]DARK[/b][/color]
****
Fairy/Effect
Once during either players turn: When a monster on the field is destroyed; Destroy 1 face down Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls.
ATK 1000 / DEF 2000

VBC-046[b] Mourning Angel...[/b]
[color=#4b0082][b]DARK[/b][/color]
****
Fairy/Xyz/Effect
2 Level 4 Monsters
'Mourning' monsters you control gain 500 ATK. Once during either players turn: Detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to Target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy it.
ATK 2000 / DEF 2400

VBC-057 [b]Mourning Star[/b]
[color=#008080][b]SPELL[/b][/color]
Normal Spell
Activate only if you control a 'Mourning' monster; destroy 1 monster on the field. You can only activate 1 'Mourning Star' per turn.

VBC-073 [b]Mourning Ceremony[/b]
[color=#800080][b]TRAP[/b][/color]
Normal Trap
When a 'Mourning' monster is destroyed, Special Summon 1 'Mourning' monster from your hand or Deck and activate its effect.
[/spoiler]

Let battle begin!

[Cray-Crow]

It seems to me that the paying half your life points for every crippler is far too drastic. it could be sufficient with just paying, say, 1000 life points. or you can make it, like, a congruent effect. each monster having "During your Main Phase, you can pay half of your Life Points. During your turn, if you've payed half of your Life Points, this card gains the following effect(s) until the End Phase: etc etc etc.". that way, every crippler would gain its effects just from that one payment. but even then, i still think that's pretty drastic, though an improvement.

if that's what you meant, the wording didn't really come across that way. to me, at least.

The mourning archetype is good and all. well connected with each other, and all have legitimate effects. but that makes them sort of bland in comparison to the cripplers.

i have to say I'd rather see more of the cripplers. extremely interesting. you certainly can add some life gaining cards, and maybe some attack negating cards.

[Not-so-Radiant Arin]

It seems we have a semi-battle that is about to ensue on our hands. I, for one, would like to see more of the Mourning Cards, because destruction effects, especially in a meta such as this, are really good to have and they would help keep a steady progress on the game. But there are a couple of fixes that should be mentioned on some of the Mourning cards: You say Special Summoning a "Mourning card", which entails that you can Special Summon the Spells and Traps too.

WUT?

Anyways, I feel like that should be looked into. I'd like to see more from the Mourning sets. The Crippler Set just seems incredibly bland to me.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

@Salsee: I know its drastic, that's why I'm (supposed to be) making them more powerful for their levels, as in with their theme of all out attacking and high risk. Paying set life points has been done, by Psychics especially.

@Xiahou: Deacon's effect fixed. Thanks for the spot.

Thank you for your comments both of you. 1-1

[Daigusto Sphreez]

The Cripplers as of now, don't seem to offer supreme power compared to other archetypes yet cost Life Points which would make it suicidal against burn decks, a nice idea which could have some more interesting cards to offer.

Mourners have a nice chain-effect ability, perhaps slightly bland in comparison, but quite usable compared to the Cripplers.

Interesting = Cripplers
Potential = Mourners
Prefer = [b][u]Cripplers[/u][/b]

Although perhaps less usable as they stand, I'm very curious at what cards could follow, since its an interesting concept, compared to the mourners.

[.Rai]

FAAAAAAAAACKK. The number of times I've seen 'Mourning Star' as a name is ungodly in Written Cards. I know because I've used it myself.

Cripple Braver and Renzokuken are pretty good simply because they're amazingly fast beatsticks. I can't help but think that Cross-Slash is kinda bad. Just compared to the other two, it has limited playability. It's a strange mix of Susa Soldier and Asura Priest that doesn't work that well. I'd very happily boost its ATK to 2200. Oh, and remove the half damage clause from Braver. Doesn't need it at all. Omni-Slash is just a really amazing beatstick, somewhat equivalent to a Acid Golem for Rank 7s. I'd use it since it is basically on par with Big Eye. Crippler Block? Looks good on paper, probably horrible in practice. It's the same reason why no-one uses Aegis of the Ocean Dragon Lord because it's just not really that useful. It's even less useful here just because they have tons of field presence already.

I'll rate the Mournings later.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

@Thermatic: Hmm... its getting the balance write that is the key. Their whole point is supposed to be super powerful effects for huge cost, but at the minute they're probably not super powerful enough.

Thanks for the look.

@Rai: Awesome review, thank you. I'm not as up on those things so appreciate it.

There doesn't seem to be that many multi attackers in the game, so I might have over-estimated the strength of the ability.

Scores currently stand at 2-1, awaiting Rai's verdict.

[Bringerofcake]

DGGGH...

I want to say yes to both. Both have interesting mechanics behind them that I want to see brought to fruition, with the sheer beatsticking power of the Cripplers and the splashability that the Mourning monsters bring to the table. Seriously, you could do a lot with 2 Deacon.

Why not just do one, then the other later?

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Only one can make my next set Cake, I'm struggling for space as is.

Any more for any more?

[.Rai]

Mourning monsters genuinely should say:

'Once during either player's turn in which a monster on the field was destroyed: blahblahblaheffect.'

It just means that instead of having to make it trigger after a monster is destroyed, you can pretty much chain it to most things and it prevents about 9/10s of all current Missing the Timing issues.

After a quick look over them, they look vaguely competitive but quite generic.

Nevertheless, I'd want you to expand on Mournings because they're really interesting, and a couple of unique concepts are easily added.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Thanks for fix. Will edit in later once the set is decided on.

I see. But with that change, would they all trigger to the same monster being destroyed all at once? Because I can't imagine being three Mournings off with one Fissure can be considered terribly fair. Creative effects and power are just so hard to get both right at the minute.

2-2... damn...

[~Tico~]

Well, maybe I'll be the tie breaker then. Cripplers...They're interesting enough, but overall the Mourning show much more potential to be expanded on and I'd really like to see more of them. I mean, there's only so much you can do by crashing high ATK point monsters into your opponent over and over. Plus the Cripplers cut your life in half, so one misplay or lucky topdeck from your opponent, and you're screwed. Destruction countering on the other hand...much more versatility with how effects turn out, and useful in general. So cast my vote for them Mournings.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Currently 2-3 to Mourning.

Well I'm going to even it up for Cripplers, simply on the basis of:

-They are EARTH, and not DARK
-They are BeastWarrior, and not Fairy
-I have names for them, and not Mournings.

So, next vote wins anyone?

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Still need somewhere to break the tie here please.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Systematically bumps for the tiebreaking vote...