[Written] Helvise (20/20)

[towitori]

Helvise would be included in a series of archetypes in a universe similar to Duel Terminal. I'm calling it "Luxverse". They are the complete opposite of Heavensphere.

 

Helvise Prince is an group of FIRE Synchro Monsters based from the Seven Deadly Sins. They are all selfish monsters, thus, their effects only benefit themselves. Since they are detached from the archetype, they can function even without archertypal support. Meanwhile, Helvise Servant is a group of FIRE monsters that support these Synchro monsters. They have a common effect that sends themselves to the grave from the deck instead of drawing their cards during the draw phase. Their effects focus on getting fast Level 8 Synchro monsters, which is the level of all Helvise Prince, except for the boss. They can also do Rank 4 play.

 

[spoiler=Main Deck Monsters (5/5)]

[spoiler=Helvice Servant Gargoyle]

Helvice Servant Gargoyle

FIRE / * 4

Rock / Effect

ATK / 1000 DEF / 2000

During your Draw Phase: You can activate this card in your Deck; send it to the Graveyard instead of conducting your normal draw. If a monster your opponent controls attacks directly: You can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. You can only use this effect of "Helvice Servant Gargoyle" once per turn. Once per turn: A "Helvice" monster you control cannot be destroyed by battle.

[spoiler=Helvice Servant Necromancer]

Helvice Servant Necromancer

FIRE / * 4

Spellcaster / Effect

ATK / 1500 DEF / 1000

During your Draw Phase: You can activate this card in your Deck; send it to the Graveyard instead of conducting your normal draw. If this card is in your Graveyard: You can banish 1 "Helvice" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. You can only use this effect of "Helvice Servant Necromancer" once per turn. Once per turn: You can discard 1 card; Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Helvice" monster in your Graveyard, and if you do, destroy it during the End Phase.

[spoiler=Helvice Servant Fallen]

Helvice Servant Fallen

FIRE / * 4

Fairy / Tuner

ATK / 1900 DEF / 800

During your Draw Phase: You can activate this card in your Deck; send it to the Graveyard instead of conducting your normal draw. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict Piercing Battle Damage to your opponent. If this card that was Special Summoned from the Graveyard inflicted Battle Damage to your opponent: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower "Helvice" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that monster. You can only use this effect of "Helvice Servant Fallen" once per turn.

[spoiler=Helvice Servant Soul]

Helvice Servant Soul

FIRE / * 2

Zombie / Tuner

ATK / 300 DEF / 200

During your Draw Phase: You can activate this card in your Deck; send it to the Graveyard instead of conducting your normal draw. If this card was Special Summoned from the Graveyard: You can discard 1 card and target 1 Level 4 or lower "Helvice" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that monster. You can only use this effect of "Helvice Servant Soul" once per turn.

[spoiler=Helvice Servant Abaddon]

Helvice Servant Abaddon

FIRE / * 6

Dragon / Effect

ATK / 2400 DEF / 0

During your Draw Phase: You can activate this card in your Deck; send it to the Graveyard instead of conducting your normal draw. While this card is face-up on the field, it is treated as a Synchro Monster. If this card is in your Graveyard: You can banish this card and 1 Level 2 Tuner monster from your Graveyard: Special Summon 1 Level 8 "Helvise" Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck. You cannot activate this effect the turn you Special Summon a monster from the Extra Deck. You can only use this effect of "Helvice Servant Abaddon" once per turn.

[spoiler=Extra Deck Monsters (7/7)]

[spoiler=Helvice Prince Luxuria]

Helvice Prince Luxuria

FIRE / * 8

Beast / Synchro / Effect

ATK / 2400 DEF / 1600

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; its original ATK becomes 0, then, this card gains ATK equal to that monster's original ATK. You can only use this effect of "Helvice Prince Luxuria" once per turn. If this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Spell/Trap cards until the end of the Damage Step.

[spoiler=Helvice Prince Gula]

Helvice Prince Gula

FIRE / * 8

Insect / Synchro / Effect

ATK / 2000 DEF / 2500

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: Send any number of cards in your hand to the Graveyard; gain 1000 Life Points for each of those cards. You can only use this effect of "Helvice Prince Gula" once per turn. While you Life Points are higher than your opponent's, this card gains ATK equal to the difference.

[spoiler=Helvice Prince Avaritia]

Helvice Prince Avaritia

FIRE / * 8

Beast-Warrior / Synchro / Effect

ATK / ? DEF / ?

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: Draw cards until you have 5 cards in your hand. You can only use this effect of "Helvice Prince Avaritia" once per turn. This card gains 600 ATK and DEF for each card in your hand.

[spoiler=Helvice Prince Acedia]

Helvice Prince Acedia

FIRE / * 8

Fiend / Synchro / Effect

ATK / 1500 DEF / 3000

1  Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: While it is in the field in face-up Defense Position, negate the attack of any monster that attacks this card, and change its battle position to face-up Defense Position. Monsters changed to Defense Position by this effect cannot change their battle position, until the end of your opponent's next turn.

[spoiler=Helvice Prince Ira]

Helvice Prince Ira

FIRE / * 8

Reptile / Synchro / Effect

ATK / 3000 DEF / 600

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: Destroy all Special Summoned monsters on your opponent controls, and if you do, this card's maximum number of attacks per turn equals the number of monsters destroyed by this effect. You can only use the effect of "Helvice Prince Ira" once per turn.

[spoiler=Helvice Prince Invidia]

Helvice Prince Invidia

FIRE / * 8

Sea Serpent / Synchro / Effect

ATK / 2800 DEF / 2000

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: Activate 1 of the following effects.

* Take control of 1 monster your opponent controls.

* Add 1 random card from your opponent's hand to your hand.

You can only use the effect of "Helvice Prince Invidia" once per turn. Once per turn, if this card would be destroyed: You can destroy 1 other card you control instead.

[spoiler=Helvice Prince Superbia]

Helvice Prince Superbia

FIRE / * 10

Warrior / Synchro / Effect

ATK / 3500 DEF / 2500

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Synchro monsters

Must be first Synchro Summoned. When this card is Special Summoned: All monsters currently on the field loses 500 ATK and DEF except this card, then, this card gains 500 ATK for each of those monsters. You can only use the effect of "Helvice Prince Superbia" once per turn. If this attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict Piercing Battle Damage to your opponent. If this card was Synchro Summoned using only "Helvice" monsters as Materials, it can attack all monsters your opponent controls each.

[spoiler=Spell Cards (5/5)]

[spoiler=Viseland]

Viseland

Spell / Field

When a card(s) from your Deck is sent to the Graveyard: You can return 1 card from your hand to the bottom of the Deck; Draw 1 card. "Helvice" monsters on the field gain 400 ATK for each "Helvice" Synchro Monsters in your Graveyard.

[spoiler=Worship of Avaritia]

Worship of Avaritia

Spell / Normal

Activate only if you control no cards. Banish 1 "Helvise" Synchro Monster in your Graveyard; Draw cards until you have 5 cards in your hand. You can only activate 1 "Worship of Avaritia" per turn.

[spoiler=Aria of the Soul]

Aria of the Soul

Spell / Quick-Play

Discard 1 card; Special Summon 1 "Helvise" Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck, and if you do, return it to the Extra Deck at the end of the Phase it was Summoned. You can banish this card in your Graveyard; Send 1 "Helvice" monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. You can only activate 1 effect of "Aria of the Soul" once per turn, and only once that turn.

[spoiler=Cadenza of the Fallen]

Cadenza of the Fallen

Spell / Quick-Play

Return 1 card from your hand to the bottom of the Deck; Special Summon 1 "Helvise" Synchro Monster from your Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. You can banish this card in your Graveyard; Send 1 "Helvice" monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. You can only activate 1 effect of"Cadenza of the Fallen" once per turn, and only once that turn.

[spoiler=Hymn of the Prince]

Hymn of the Prince

Spell / Quick-Play

Banish 1 "Helvise" Tuner and 1 non-Tuner "Helvise" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Helvise" Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck. You can banish this card in your Graveyard; Send 1 "Helvice" monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. You can only activate 1 effect of "Hymn of the Prince" once per turn, and only once that turn.

[spoiler=Trap Cards (3/3)]

[spoiler=Gates of Viseland]

Gates of Viseland

Trap / Normal

Special Summon 1 non-Synchro "Helvise" monster from your Graveyard. If you control a face-up "Helvise" Synchro Monster, you can activate this card from your hand. You can only activate 1 "Gates of Viseland" per turn.

[spoiler=Circles of Viseland]

Circles of Viseland

Trap / Continuous

When this card is activated: Place 9 Vise Counters on this card (max. 9). Each time a card(s) from your Deck is sent to the Graveyard, place 1 Vise Counter on this card. Once per turn: You can remove Vise counters from this card, then activate an appropriate effect depending the number of Vise Counters removed;

*2 Counters: All "Helvise" monsters you control gain 200 ATK for each Vise Counters on this card.

*4 Counters: Draw 1 card.

*6 Counters: Take control of 1 monster your opponent controls, until the End Phase.

*8 Counters: Special Summon 1 "Helvise" Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck but destroy it during the End Phase of the turn it was Special Summoned.

If this card would leave the field, remove 1 Vise Counter from this card instead. You can only control 1 face-up "Circles of Viseland"

[spoiler=River of Viseland]

River of Viseland

Trap / Normal

Target 1 "Helvise" Synchro Monster you control; Return it to the Extra Deck, then, Special Summon 1 "Helvise" Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck with a different name. If the only monster you control is a "Helvise" Synchro Monster, you can activate this card from your hand. You can only activate 1 "River of Viseland" per turn.

[towitori]

Added 2 Main Deck monsters

Added 3 Extra Deck monsters

Added 1 Spell Card

[towitori]

Archetype finished

Made changes to some cards and small OCG fixes.

[Major's Shadow]

Review times, oh joy~

 

Like usual, I'll dive into each card individually, then conclude the review with my overall impressions of the archetype. Again, due to the number of cards, I'll keep things concise. Here we go!

 

Monsters:

Helvice Servant Gargoyle: FIRE Rock, not a combination you see often. Sending to the deck gimmick is pretty poor, considering non-archetype based cards are desirable to draw into, since they can't be searched. Sending 1 monster as a trade-off doesn't seem worth it, also considering that there are no mechanics in the game to activate in-deck. OCG is also kinda sloppy w/ the anti-destruction effect. Why not just have a prevention effect be OPT too?

Helvice Servant Necromancer: Seems they all have this dumping mechanic, so I might be wrong about it, considering the rest of the support. Seems like potentially the more significant card in the archetype, being able to recycle itself and discard to SS from Grave. Could open Xyz and Synchro options (if the deck has Tuners).

Helvice Servant Fallen: Yeah, pretty mediocre overall. Not enough mechanics in the archetype from what I've seen to utilize SSing it from the Grave. Honestly not sure why it can't just SS in Defense Position or something after dealing piercing, so it has some more utility. It is a Tuner though, so that's nice

Helvice Servant Soul: Doesn't Necromancer already do this better? I guess it combos, cause each one is hard OPT, but seems rather redundant. Half the archetype base monsters are Tuner monsters, so it's definitely centered around Synchro plays. It is Level 2, so could open some interesting combos and Synchro options.

Helvice Servant Abaddon: So, why not make this a Synchro then? This seems ridiculously powerful for the archetype, considering the restriction only applies if you used the Extra Deck BEFORE the Special Summon effect. too easy to abuse in its current state.

 

Extra Deck Monsters:

Helvice Prince Luxuria: Pretty powerful option, considering its a Beast FIRE that's 2400 + 1 monster your opponent controls. It also has an armades-style effect, preventing Spell/Trap removal on declaration of attack. Super solid, but it can potentially seal out games w/ a single attack under certain circumstances, and it being generic could see OTK abuse w/ it.

Helvice Prince Gula: *Whistles slowly* this is awful. Why cost? You're discarding your whole hand, just to maybe gain some LP's? The deck, or other archetypes that can make this, don't even have direct synergy with their LP's, and hand advantage is significantly more important. Luxuria is just better overall.

Helvice Prince Avaritia: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... 

Nuff said.

Helvice Prince Acedia: Ehh? I guess it works. Doesn't really have any affect on the board, considering the 3000 DEF is more than enough to block a majority of attacks, and it doesn't force your opponent to attack anyways. It's already a downside for your opponent to attack into it, so they'd have no motivation to attack it regardless. 

Helvice Prince Ira: Can I quote my review for Avaritia, except with some less "h"?

Helvice Prince Invidia: Okay, that makes 3 ridiculously broken cards. Why do these all have to be generic Level 8 Synchros? They feel like broken boss monsters with impossible summoning conditions, except they can be summoned by a ton of decks. I'm just gonna quote my review of Prince Avarita and Ira for this one.

Helvice Prince Superbia: Alright, so it can't be SS'd by Abaddon. That's fine, but it's not even necessary, considering you'd be going for with all the broken 8's available. Effect is, again, insane for a generic. As an archetype-exclusive monster however, it'd be more reasonable. 

Also, why is there no Level 6 Synchro in the archetype?

 

Spells:

Viseland: It's fine I suppose. Don't like that returning a card is cost, but everything else seems tame enough. You'd have to get into a very late state in the game where the ATK boost becomes viable, but it could be devastating in combination w/ Superbia.

Worship of Avaritia: Yeah no, let's not create a 1-card comeback mechanic that requires barely any setup, please and thank you.

Aria of the Soul: So Quickplay SS any Helvise, get its on-summon effect, and then dump 1 afterwards? Welp, didn't think they could get anymore broken, but now they're Quickplay

Cadenza of the Fallen: This card is actually fair, considering its cost doesn't actually end up benefiting the deck, and it also requires you to set up board for it, and the effects of the Synchros don't trigger. Makes the additional grave effect actually warranted in the card's design. Also, based on the mechanics of your deck SSing from Extra instead of Synchroing most of the time, it makes this card's effect much more difficult to legally activate.

Hymn of the Prince: Doesn't require levels for the monsters? Seems pretty overkill at that point. Again though, it's mostly the targets to summon that make this broken, not this card itself.

 

Traps:

Let me just say this archetype doesn't need traps. It already turbos into super powerful synchros w/ Quickplay mechanics. I'm not sure what you're going to do with this, but I can't imagine it being more broken than the rest of the core.
Gates of Viseland: Again with repeating effects. Yes, this one doesn't have a cost and is a trap, but there already is a card for it, and it's far more balanced and versatile.

Circles of Viseland: I'm fine with the counter systems being implemented into an archetype (although it's not consistent here), but to give all the counters straight-up, making this a potential SS from extra, or Draw 2 cards (1 for each turn, if not removed), or a Mind Control w/ no cost. Again, just a poorly designed card.

River of Viseland: If the on-summoning effects were not so broken, then this'd be a fine card. Right now though, again, incredibly broken.

 

Overall: This whole archetype is poorly designed. Everything from the Synchros being generic Level 8's with insane effects, to the traps giving generic multi-card utilities, to cards having the same effect plastered on multiple times, to cards within the archetype being either overkill or underkill to the nth degree. This was a depressing attempt at an archetype, and feels more like "What other insanely broken effect can I use next?" in a generic pool of fake cards little timmy made on printouts to beat his big brother's deck. Perhaps that's too harsh, as there are some creative ideas in here. It's just none of it flows, and only functions off the insanely broken Synchros, which don't even need the Main Deck monsters to function (you can just run Turbo Synchros, and immediately win games). Spell & Traps have "Vise" in the name, but the tag is never used. The monster dumping clause doesn't make sense, since they can't trigger. It's also a OPT on each name, so you can send multiple monsters instead of conducting your Draw Phase, which is also insanely broken.
 

As an Archetype, there is almost nothing salvageable about this effort. However, some neat generic cards could come out of this with some more refinement and balance tweaking. Remember: Quantity < Quality, always.

 

- YugsterMajor

[towitori]

Thanks for the review! :D

 

I expected that kind of review. I think I rushed this archetype too much. I got too excited from the idea for this archetype. I just found it too cool.

 

I'll be fixing this archetype then will ask for a review again.