[Leaderboard] lightdiversion vs KoolGoldfinch

[Nathanael D. Striker]

Rules:

All Leaderboard rules apply.
First to 3 votes or most votes by May 2nd, 11:59PM PDT wins.
All voters must elaborate on their votes.
Both contestants and myself have the right to refuse votes, but must explain why we don't accept it.
Written cards are allowed. (Must be in written format, cards with blank pictures are not acceptable)
Card C Votes are allowed. 3 Card C votes result in a tie. If the deadline passes with Card C leading, then it's a tie.

Create a Synchro Monster with an effect upon Summon and a OPT effect.

Rewards:
The winner gets a rep from the loser.
All voters get a rep for voting.

Card A

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner DARK monsters
You cannot Special Summon any other monsters during the turn you Synchro Summon this monster. When this card is Synchro Summoned successfully: You can discard 1 DARK monster from your hand and target 1 face-up opponent's monster with a Level equal to or lower than the discarded monster's; take control of that target (this card cannot declare an attack or change its battle position as long as you control the targeted monster). Once per turn: You can permanently lower this card's ATK by 300; increase the ATK of 1 face-up monster you control by 300 until your opponent's next End Phase.

 

Card B

1 or more Tuner + 1 DARK Dragon-Type monster

When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can destroy all other Defense Position monster(s) on the field, and if you do, negate their effect that activates in the Graveyard for the rest of the turn. Once per turn: You can banish 1  DARK Dragon-Type monster from your Graveyard; During this turn's Battle Phase, this card can make a second attack to an opponent's monster, also your opponent cannot activate Set Spell/Trap Cards or activate effect of cards that activate in their Graveyard. If this card on the Monster Zone leave the field by your opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Red Dragon Archfiend" monster from your Graveyard.

 

[Northern Sage]

Card A is kind of meh, I guess. Control effect comes with a huge lump of restrictions, like the no SS restriction which makes this very annoying to get out. On a card that needs a certain degree of specialization to get anything out of that effect, and an ATK transfer effect that only works during the Main Phase and not permanent, it's just ineffective.

Card B as an amped-up RDA is pretty cool. Takes resources, but you get a good beater in exchange. 

Vote for B.

[Nathanael D. Striker]

0-1 Card B

[Trebuchet MS]

Card A

We know that cards that take control of other cards need to have a lump of other restrictions on top of them to prevent abuse. Here, the restrictions are numerous. You need to tune with DARK monsters. You can't SS any further for the turn (which is fair enough, prevents you from using their monsters to put up further summons). What you can get is restricted to what you can discard - you'll need to toss, like, a LV8 to take most boss monsters. And this card can't attack or change battle position afterwards while you control that monster, but hey, there's nothing saying that you have to give it back. So if this card goes down you keep whatever you've taken. Like with Big Eye.

 

Unlike Big Eye this can't seize opposing Xyz Monsters, and of course you have to make a fairly significant investment to take something strong. Would be preferred if the restrictions were loosened a bit.

 

There's also an ATK-transferring effect, but that becomes completely insignificant seeing that this card is completely expendable once you have control of your target. Like it's tacked on as an afterthought.

 

Card B

Actually pretty nicely thematic, synergizes with Red Dragon Archfiend thematically. Defense Position boardwipe is an upgrade to the original-gen RDA, while it complements Hot RDA's effect very nicely. You don't even get locked into using either RDA at all - any DARK Dragon is all good.

 

OPT effect is good to push through and ensure a successful Battle Phase that goes hand-in-hand with the King's high-power beatdown strategy. It costs your DARK Dragon, usually the thing you used to Synchro Summon this card, so you have to think carefully whether you want to use it, if at all. If you don't, you do get to SS a RDA (Hot or original) from your Graveyard when this goes down, so it's a nice bonus.

 

The Verdict

I can literally taste the flavour in Card B. There's some in Card A, but it's all watered down with the restrictions that come with the ability to take control of things. Also, when the condition is centered on more than one thing, I feel it's best to have said things have equal parts of the spotlight and none overshadowing the other.

 

Card B gets the vote.

[Nathanael D. Striker]

0-2 Card B

[VCR_CAT]

Card A - Right away I notice that the wording on its first restriction is wrong. As it's worded right now, it's impossible to actually summon this monster unless you normal summon all the materials or wait a turn. I'll ignore this for the design because I know that's not the intended effect, but it's still something that stands out immediately. Unfortunately, this card is a much worse Tragoedia for its jacking effect; and the restrictions make a lot of other cards in both the level 5 synchro pool and in the monster-stealing pool just so much more worth it. I can see this card attempting to fill a niche, but ultimately it's overshadowed heavily by what already exists.

Card B - I love the flavor with this card and its similarities with Stardust Warrior. You looked at existing themes and went with them; nothing feels copied, but it feels like what would be a proper RDA Warrior. My one complaint is that this card doesn't take advantage of double-tuning in any way, but that's something I can ignore. It's very powerful, but definitely not unstoppable or game-breaking and overall it feels like a monster that Jack would really use.

 

Card B gets my vote. Its flavor is so prevalent and I really, really like the design in regards to existing Jack cards. Card A overall just feels really underwhelming, and doesn't look like something anybody would really use.

[Nathanael D. Striker]

0-3 lightdiversion