[Finished]Everybody Hates Pendulums! [Judging Completed]

[Major's Shadow]

Could you please explain the OCG errors? (other than the part about accidently calling cards in P. zones "monsters")

The original text of the card was "Choose a number from 1 to 3, increase the Pendulum scales of all Pendulum monsters on the field by this number until the End Phase. During either player's turn: You can banish this card from your Graveyard, destroy all Pendulum monsters on the field, then your opponent takes 500 damage for each. You can only activate each effect of "Pendulum Bomb" once per turn."

 

The corrected text should have been "Declare a number from 1 to 3; Increase the Pendulum Scales of all cards in the Pendulum Zones by this number, until the End Phase. During either player's turn: You can banish this card (from your Graveyard); destroy all Pendulum Monsters on the field, then, inflict 500 LP damage to your opponent for each monster destroyed by this effect. You may only activate each effect of 'Pendulum Bomb' once per turn."

 

Again, not exact, but hopefully enough to get across my point.

Didn't expect a second place, that's nice. Wow Egmoedeus , only ONE point away from the top 3.  It was a fun contest.

 

Just asking though - what's the correct OCG here - 'When this card is Summoned' , or 'When Summoned' ? I had the impression that the later is more correct than the former, but I guess I was wrong on that one? ( I deserved what was coming for me on that second effect , that was just bad, now that I see it. ) 

 

( I have a feeling I'll never get the capitalization done right... )

It is "When this card is Summoned", because otherwise it does not specify which card has to be summoned to trigger its effect. Capitalization is tricky, but just look up modern OCG to get a better idea of it. And congrats on 2nd place!

 

Thank all of you for the stellar competition, and congrats on those who made it to top 3. And thank you Yugster for the competition, and your judging. T'was all fun. :)

 

I almost shed a scale... I mean tear!

It was a real tough choice, I'm gonna be honest. You did a good job though, thanks for being one of the 1st to enter ^-^.

[Yuuji Kazami]

[spoiler=Psychics: The Hero YuGiOh Needs]

*Poorly Photoshopped joke, inserted (marks checklist)*

 

 

So, it seems Psychics were the fan favorite for this competition's anti-pendulum hate! Not surprising, since Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, alongside Kozmos, are fairly heavy as a counter this format. Any-who, it was an absolute pleasure judging these entries! I'll be giving you all some time before the forum post is locked, so be sure to let me know what you think! Any feedback will help and is greatly appreciated in advance. Without further ado, here are the results!

[spoiler=Rubric]

100/100 Total Possible

60/60 Balance/Utility/Mechanic

30/30 Creativity/Flavor

10/10 OCG

 

 

 

[spoiler=egotisticalghost, Scales of Corruption]

[spoiler=Submission]Scales of Corruption

Trap

Activate when your opponent controls 2 cards in their pendulum zones. Destroy them, then place 1 "Brute Token"(Fiend/DARK/Level 1/Scale 1/ATK: 0 DEF: 0) and 1 "Savage Token"(Fiend/DARK/Level 1/Scale 6/ATK:0 DEF: 0) in your opponent's pendulum zones. Both tokens gain the following pendulum effect:

"If you pendulum summon monsters, you lose 500 LP. Any monster pendulum summoned has its effects negated this turn."

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (20/60): I understand the idea behind this, but the card is just… underpowered. Why would I want to put Pendulum Monsters into my opponent’s face-up Extra Deck, just to give them scales to Pendulum Summon them back (so long as the monsters are lvl. 2 - 5, which most of them are)? The burn is decent, but negating the monster effs doesn’t hurt too badly, considering they can be used for other options (Synchro, Xyz, Fusion, Tribute, etc. Also, the floodgate hurts your own Pendulum Summons too). While I understand the idea of the card, it doesn’t make the mechanics correct. When a Pendulum Monster is placed in the Pendulum Zone, it is treated as a continuous spell card, not a monster. Tokens can only be used in the Monster Zones, and be treated as monsters.

Flavor/Creativity (20/30): I’ll give you props, the effect is interesting. The token names kinda fit the theme of “Fiends” and “Corruption”, alongside the burning and negation only happening when you use said scales.

OCG (7/10): Capitalization and issues illustrating condition for the eff. If placing tokens would be possible, then the OCG would probably be correct for that.

Total (47/100)

 

 

[spoiler=Protodax, Tipping the Scales]

[spoiler=Submission]

If your opponent controls 2 cards in their pendulum zones, you can banish one card in your opponent's pendulum zone. During your third standby phase after this card's activation, if your opponent has one card in their pendulum zone, then the card banished by this card's effect returns to the pendulum zone (if your opponent has two cards in their pendulum zones, the banished card doesn't return). During your turn, except the turn this card was sent to the graveyard: Special-summon one card from your opponent's pendulum zone to your side of the field.

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (35/60): The mechanic of banishing against Pendulums is incredibly powerful, and this card has an interesting twist on MST. It works in a similar way, by removing it from play, and re-introducing the card 3 standby phases after, but lacks the utility as a trade-off. I can understand why you had it return, but it's irrelevant after that many turns, and could have been left out altogether. The issues stem from its 2nd eff, being able to Special Summon monsters from your Opponent’s Pendulum Zones. It’s easily abusable in mill decks, has no restrictions or cost, and enables those monsters to be used as materials for summonings of your monsters (Xyz, Synchro, Tribute, Fusion, etc).

Creativity/Flavor (19/30): I feel split on this card. While it’s effect is rather unique, the theme has been done to death. Yes, Pendulums are paralleled to actual Pendulums, but there are only so many original concepts that can come from that. Still giving more credit for the amount of effort put into the card’s effect.

OCG (4/10): Issues with capitalization, conditions of eff to activate, clunky wording and wording can be unclear sometimes (Ex: “then the card banished by this card’s effect returns to the pendulum zone”. Doesn’t specify which Pendulum Zone, Pendulum Zone should be capitalized, the wording “this card’s” could be shorted to just “this”, and I believe the wording of “returns” only applies to monsters that have been removed by effect, not Spell/Trap cards, since they’re treated as such in the Pendulum Zones).

Total (58/100)

 

 

[spoiler=JuanoGS11, Unbalanced Scales]

[spoiler=Submission]

 

Basically a solemn card for the pendulum mechanic

 

When a monster(s) would be Pendulum Summoned, OR when a card or effect is activated in the Pendulum Zone: Pay 1000 LP; negate the Summon or activation, and if you do, destroy that card. You can only activate 1 "Unbalanced Scales" per turn.

 

Unwavering Bonds Partner in crime, Bonds was made to counter pendulum cards, it doesnt matter if they are in Pend Zone or monsters, This card was made to counter the pendulum mechanic, so thats why pend monsters effects are off this card's scope, they are still just monster effects.

 

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (39/60): This card is really solid, but perhaps too solid. Having this card exist can define an entire metagame, considering its low cost and easily splashable. It’s stupefyingly good how much value you can gain out of this card, which makes it one of the best sideboard options in the game. Paying 1000 life points for an entire board wipe from a Pendulum Summon or negating ANY scale activation or effect is crazy good. Perhaps if it struck one or the other (hitting only scales to make its name more accurate to the effect), then it would be a more interesting card. In its current state, however, I can see this as a card that could actually be released by Konami, but not one that counters Pendulums in an interesting or unique way.

Creativity/Flavor(11/30): The flavor of the card image/name is nice, and it’s effect fits well, but it's just Solemn Warning for Pendulums. It's exactly that, and nothing more.

OCG (10/10): I’d be surprised if the OCG wasn’t correct, considering this came straight off of Solemn Warning’s OCG.

Total (60/100)

 

 

[spoiler=Egmoedeus XVII, Scaleless Serpent]

[spoiler=Submission]

 

Scaleless Serpent

 

Lv: ✪

[ Wind/Reptile ]

ATK: 250 DEF: 300

 

When this card is Summoned: Change this card to Defense Position. Once per turn, you can equip all your opponent's cards

in the Pendulum Zones to this card. While equipped with Pendulum Monsters, you apply the following effects:

 

This card is unaffected by the effects of Pendulum Cards.

If this card would be destroyed (either by battle or card effect), send 1 Pendulum Monster equipped to this card to the Graveyard instead.

 

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (41/60): Well, this is obnoxious to deal with. The mechanic behind equipping the cards in the Pendulum Zones means when those Pendulum Monsters get removed from the equipped monster, they are sent to the Graveyard. It’s a One for One target that’s also splashable with King of the Feral Imps. Making it a non-tuner helps balance out the card, preventing any equipping into Synchro shenanigans. It’s also not impossible to stop (although it’s depressing when you have to, considering there could be better things to hit) and it’s difficult to exploit (being a Lvl. 1). It’s not a card that would float around the competitive scene too often, but when it shows up, it’d definitely makes the game state all the more interesting.

Creativity/Flavor(24/30): I can see the ideas behind this, and there was definitely some thought put into it. The effect uses the scales as… well… “scales” (very clever of you), while also using the framework of another card existing in the game.

OCG(8/10): Some capitalization issues and phrasing w/ the effects (instead of “you apply the following effects”, it should have been “this card gains the following effects”, since it's not player mechanic, its card mechanic).

Total(73/100)

 

[spoiler=Talim Rave, No More Reruns!]

[spoiler=Submission]

Type: Continuous Spell

 

Effect: (This is always treated as a "Toon" card.)

 

While this card is face-up on the field, Pendulum Monsters are sent to the Graveyard instead of the Extra Deck when destroyed.

 

 

 

Explanation: Well, from a cartoon standpoint, seeing the Pendulums coming back to the field from the Extra Deck repeatedly would be similar to seeing a particular cartoon episode for the umpteenth time, aka a rerun. This stops the 'rerun' effect that Pendulums have that allow them to keep coming back after you spent so much to get them off the field the first time around.

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (19/60): “Yeah, whatever.” This card is pretty bad. There’s a chance a Pendulum Deck can abuse the Peformage Plushfire mechanic of “Pop this card, get another from deck, etc.”, but there are cards already in the game that work better to counter that. Most of the time, Pendulums hardly ever get destroyed, and are instead used for Extra Deck Summonings. Having this card on the Field does not hinder their gameplay whatsoever. It’s a decent card in combination with other destructive cards (Raigeki, Dark Hole, Torrential, etc), but it’s purely a combo card. At that point, you’re better off running cards that straight-up negate summonings so they never hit board the 1st or 2nd time around. The Toon synergy is kinda funny, since you can run it in Toon decks or search it using Toon Tables of Contents, but it’s just not worth it. Perhaps if it was just in-general they go to grave, then it’d be a far more effective card.

Creativity/Flavor (21/30): Heh, references are always fun. It’s a novel idea to give Pendulums more restrictions in this fashion, and making this card a toon card just makes too much sense.

OCG(9/10): Good for the most part, except the phrase (This is always treated as a “Toon” card.), should be (This card is always treated as “Toon” card).

Total(51/100)

 

 

[spoiler=Yuuji Kazami, Hypnoprincess]

[spoiler=Submission]

Effect:

This card cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects during the turn it is Summoned. When this card is Summoned: You can pay 1000 Life Points; Set 1 "Wavering" Spell/Trap Card directly from your Deck, and it can be activated this turn. You can only use this effect of "Hypnoprincess" once per turn. During the turn you activate this effect, you cannot Pendulum Summon monsters from the hand or the Extra Deck.

 

Lore:

 

Inspired off of Hypnosister, Guiding Ariadne, Night Wing Sorceress, and Watch Dog. Created a search monster that can be used with Emergency Teleport in order to add a counter and get a Tuner out, so I guess Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit played a minor role in inspiring that part as well.

 

Being a Tuner was a bonus because I thought it would make an easy Black Rose in order to nuke the field. If this card's in grave, you can Elder God Norden it back, even though it loses its search, but you can still make Black Rose. Same as summoning a Level 4, E-Tele out Hypnoprincess, and make a Black Rose, although it also limits the search.

 

However, this gives you more options to decide your next course of action, since she can't be destroyed by battle or by card effects during the turn she is Summoned. If you E-Tele on your opponent's turn, it provides a good wall to protect yourself. Coth can also be used, although she will be forced into Attack mode if you try to bring her back that way.

 

Aside from Wavering Eyes, Unwavering Bonds will be coming out soon, which was another part of my main focus for this card: http://yugioh.wikia....nwavering_Bonds

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (16/60): This card is absolutely insane. It’s Rank 3 fodder that also gets you a “Wavering” Spell/Trap Card, while also being an E-tele target, and it can prevent its own destruction for an entire turn. It’s also viable as a Synchro option, so it inherently gains a +1, while also enabling synchro plays. Imagine this: Your opponent starts their turn and you activate a set E-tele summoning Hypnoprincess, which in the next chain, triggers her effect and set a Wavering card. Considering you have no other cards on the board and just that 1 set, what has this card done for you? 1) You paid 1000 life points to plus 1. 2) You have a body on the board that won’t die for the rest of the turn, unless your Opponent forces removal (and even if they negate her effects, the destruction prevention is condition). 3) You have an active Trap or Quick-Play Spell that directly counters Pendulums, and if you run Pendulum monsters yourself, can initiate another plus (if you successfully resolve the 2 effect on Wavering Eyes). If there is one thing fair about this card, it’s that the search effect only triggers as a “When” condition, meaning it's required to be Normal Summoned or Special Summoned on the 1st chain link. This prevents you from activating E-tele in response to an Opponent’s effect(s) if you want the search (which, for 1000 life points, is pretty much a guaranteed yes). Also, I respect the Pendulum Summoning restrictions set on this card post-edit, but it’s just not enough when playing as a non-pendulum deck. Regardless, this card is too insanely good to exist with E-tele at 3.

Creativity/Flavor (28/30): The stylistic and creative choices put into this card are stellar. The artwork perfectly represents the style of card this inherits, along with its effect and typing (although WIND is an odd attribute choice). I could imagine this card being drawn in some of the future Wavering cards, if it was an official Konami card. Well done on that.

OCG (9/10): The Pendulum Summon restriction could be worded differently (since Hand or Extra Deck are the only places you really can Pendulum Summon) and the life point cost should be worded “Pay 1000 LP” instead of “Pay 1000 Life Points”.

Total (53/100)

 

 

[spoiler=cr47t, Nopen Blanter, the Scale Stopper]

[spoiler=Submission]

Psychic / Tuner / Level 3 / LIGHT

Lore: Monsters cannot attack the turn they are Pendulum Summoned. Once per turn, during either player's turn, when either player activates the effect of a Pendulum Summoned Monster or of a Pendulum Spell Card; You can target that card; send 1 other card you control to the Graveyard, and if you do, shuffle that target into the Main Deck. You can only control 1 "Nopen Blanter, the Scale Stopper".

ATK 300 / DEF 1800

 

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (46/60): It’s a pretty decent little tech. It’s a floodgate attack prevention w/o trigger, while also being able to shuffle a card into the deck. I can see this being thrown into Phantom Knights, or other decks that can recycle cards being on the field. This card is distinctively weak,  however, in that its removal is shuffling. Most pendulum decks are so search reliant anyways, that it’s difficult to justify putting a card back into their Deck for them to search again. At that point, direct removal or effect negation is probably better, since this requires you to send a card you control to shuffle anyways. This shuffling mechanic would be good against anything except Pendulums, which just goes to show how ridiculous the mechanic can be. It’s got enough of a toolbox to justify running it, being a tuner Lvl. 3 Psychic, so I’d say it's well done.

Creativity/Flavor (21/30): It couldn’t have been that difficult to find an original image; just seeing the new wavering card with inverted colors doesn’t scream “Original” to me. However, the rest of the card is nice, with a unique title and effect.

OCG (7/10): Some incorrect wording, capitalization and incorrect condition/cost/effect breakdown on the 2nd effect.

Total (74/100)

 

 

[spoiler=Royal Paladin, Trojan Core]

[spoiler=Submission]

Trojan Core

Level 4

DARK

Machine/Effect

ATK/1900 DEF/1500

(1) When Summoned: Switch the Battle Positions of all Pendulum Monsters your opponent controls.

(2) Once per turn, during either player's turn, if a card(s) would be sent to your Opponent's Extra Deck from their field or Graveyard: You can send 1 card from your Extra Deck to the Graveyard; Send all those cards to your Extra Deck instead, and if you do, you can Destroy 1 face-up Spell card on the field.

(3) When your Opponent Special Summons 2 or more Monsters at the same time: You can Discard 1 card and Tribute this card; Take control of all those Monsters. After this effect of "Trojan Core" is activated, it cannot be used again until your next turn's End Phase.

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (47/60): This card is well designed. I’ll break down this review into each of the effects:

Effect 1): This could be absolutely insane with Pendulum Summoning, Special Summoning, or other forms of summoning during your opponent’s turn. However, it’s not by any means broken, since it only hits the Pendulum Monsters. I also like how it’s mandatory, so it forces you to consider when you should Summon it. Minor aspect of the card in the long run, but nice nevertheless.

Effect 2): I like the idea of this effect, but the mechanic is incorrect. It’s impossible to prevent the monsters being sent, since this is mechanic of the game, and there isn’t a point that this effect can trigger to prevent them going to the Extra Deck (Example: your opponent Synchro Summons with a Luster & 1 other Pendulum Monster, and both of those monsters go to the face-up Extra Deck. You can only respond to the summoning of the Synchro monster, not before the materials are sent, since it’s all simultaneous). Perhaps if the effect responded to the cards BEING sent, rather than if they WOULD be sent, then this would work. The whole cost, as well as the additional Spell/Trap destruction, is overkill however, since the cost isn’t really anything significant.

Effect 3): This is an… odd one. Mostly because it does more than counter Pendulums, since there are inherent mechanics, or card effects on CL1, that can summon more than 1 monster at a time (albeit rare). This has the potential to be a very broken mechanic.

This card is very powerful, but fits a specific niche. It’s splashable enough to run in other decks, but unless you can summon it off other means, it’s usually not worth your single normal summon for the turn. Oddly enough, it benefits Pendulum Decks siding this card against other Pendulum Decks more than anything, due to it being easy to summon, and only affecting their opponent’s Pendulum Mechanics, while also benefitting yours! However, it’s very balanced for the niche it's trying to fill, so I appreciate this card immensely.  

Creativity/Flavor (26/30): Went ahead and looked up “The Trojan Horse”, and yeah… don’t see the resemblance (besides, ya know, the obvious). However, even without that framework, this card is really awesome! It’s something I could imagine being in the game, as the next “step up” from another card, while also having its own unique flare. The effects all do a great job representing this theme, and the imagery is pretty neat too.

OCG (7/10): I’m not docking off based on the (1), (2), (3) format, because that’s an official format used in the OCG, but there are still issues. The format you used should be structured by placing the numbers in front of each effect, while still retaining the same TCG layout (Ex: “(1) Effect 1. (2) Effect 2.” instead of making the (1) and (2) on separate lines). Some capitalization issues and some improper OCG (“When Summoned” instead of “When this card is Summoned”)

Total (80/100)

 

 

[spoiler=Chivalry, Midnight Dread]

[spoiler=Submission]

Cannot be destroyed by battle. If your opponent Pendulum Summon(s) a monster: You can target one of those monsters; take control of it, and if you do, its effects are negated and is unaffected by other card effects until the end of this turn.

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (51/60): This is, perhaps, one of the most interesting entries. It’s easy enough to get around, but it also forces your Opponent to play around it. Your opponent is either forced to invest into the board heavily with one Pendulum Summon, in which you gain a free monster, and they don’t heavily loose advantage (but are at higher risk of floodgates, summon negations, or board clears), or they can go into other mechanics besides Pendulum Summoning to work around losing a monster, but lose more advantage. It influences the way your Opponent plays the game, and can benefit your deck if you play a more control-oriented style. However, it requires you to leave it on-board in order to gain any advantage, so it usually isn’t worth Normal Summoning, unless the deck can gain additional benefit for summoning it (Fire Fist, Pendulums, DARK decks, etc). If it was in the vein of Drool & Lockbird, Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, then perhaps this effect could have benefitted as a hand trap instead, to make it more splashable. However, in its current incarnation, it’s a very unique and interesting mechanic that proves simplicity is sometimes golden, albeit slightly underpowered.

Creativity/Flavor (27/30): 1st off, may I say I absolutely ADORE the artwork for this image. This fits in the same vein as the short printed hand traps, which are some of my favorite cards in the game. The typing, attribute, and effect are all appropriate for the artwork, and very original. The only thing that lacks is the name, which is fairly bland and interchangeable for an otherwise creative card.

OCG (9/10): Small error with “Summon(s)”, which should have been “Summon a monster(s)”.

Total (87/100)

 

 

[spoiler=Excalibur the Divine, Pendulum Bomb]

[spoiler=Submission]

Pendulum Bomb

Normal Trap

Choose a number from 1 to 3, increase the Pendulum scales of all Pendulum monsters on the field by this number until the End Phase. During either player's turn: You can banish this card from your Graveyard, destroy all Pendulum monsters on the field, then your opponent takes 500 damage for each. You can only activate each effect of "Pendulum Bomb" once per turn.

 

 

Balance/Utility/Mechanic (9/60): This card is polarizing. Since some of the OCG was incorrect on this, I’m going to make the assumption that you wanted the scales to affect the Pendulum Monsters while they were in the Pendulum Zones (in which case, they are no longer monsters), so we’ll go off that assumption. 1st off, it’s chainable at any instance, and can prevent your Opponent from Pendulum Summoning ANY low level monsters (just call 3, and they never summon lvl. 2 - 4). It does not apply to the scales currently active, but rather, any scales placed for the rest of the turn (which is nutty). Since its a trap card, it rarely affects your own deck if you Pendulum Summon too. 2nd, it’s grave effect gives ANY deck a scattershot effect. While it is a full board nuke, it can intentionally burn your Opponent for game (leave 5 pendulum monsters up, and wait for your opponent to do anything before burning them for a guaranteed 2500). Not to mention it’s insane in mill decks, as it can be used the instance it hits the grave. So in 1 turn, it can prevent Pendulum Summons for Lvl. 2 - 4 monsters, and if your Opponent somehow finds a way to summon ANY Pendulum Monsters, you can nuke and burn them during that same turn. It’s polarizing and unfair to play against, which does not follow the criteria for this competition.

Creativity/Flavor (15/30): I can see this being a “Pendulum Bomb” kind of effect, as it ticks the counters on the scales and destroys all the Pendulum Monsters. It works, but nothing outstandingly creative about the effect.

OCG (6/10): Capitalization issues, incorrect wording, incorrect usage of Condition/Cost/Effect.

Total (30/100)

 

 

 

[spoiler=Results]

1st Place: Chivalry

2nd Place: Royal Paladin

3rd Place: cr47t

 

 

And I thought that I had done well this time. Now I'm getting too overboard with the power, God. ;_;

[Major's Shadow]

And I thought that I had done well this time. Now I'm getting too overboard with the power, God. ;_;

I saw the attempts to balance it, and I appreciate that self-awareness. The rubric put your card in a sour light, mostly because I judge most seriously the Design & Balance of a single card. If it was based on artwork, you'd be close to 1st ^-^. Keep trying though, you were close.

[Major's Shadow]

Sakura, if you're free, then I'd appreciate this thread being locked & moved to the completed section. The points will be awarded to the winners today, which brings this competition to a close. Again, congrats to the winners, and I look forward to the next time. If there is anything else I can help with, just PM me.

 

-YugsterMajor