[Leaderboard] Dragon Sage vs Broken

[Northern Sage]

Rules:

-All Leaderboard rules apply.
First to 3 votes or most votes by the deadline wins.
All voters must elaborate on their votes.

Both contestants have the right to refuse votes, but must explain why they don't accept it.

-Written cards are allowed. (Must be in written format, cards with blank pictures are not acceptable)

-Cards must be PM'd to me.
-Remove any evidence of the card being made by you to ensure anonymity.
-In case a downtime happens, the deadlines may be extended.

 

Rewards:

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

 

Deadlines:
-The deadline for entries is June 14, 11:59 P.M. GMT+1.

-The contest ends on June 17, 11:59 P.M. GMT+1.

 

Requirement:

Make a pair of Pendulum Monsters for an Archetype that doesn't have any.

 

[spoiler=Set A:]

Uriel, Lightsworn Ascendent

LIGHT

*****

Fairy / Pendulum / Effect

<7 - 7>

Pendulum Effect: You cannot Pendulum Summon monsters, except LIGHT monsters. This effect cannot be negated. Once per turn: You can send 1 "Lightsworn" monster or "Judgement Dragon" from your Deck to your Graveyard.

 

Monster Effect: If this card is sent from your Deck to your Graveyard by the effect of a "Lightsworn" card: You can activate this effect; place this card in an empty Pendulum Zone you control. When this card is Normal Summoned: You can send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard, then target 1 monster your opponent controls; its current ATK becomes 0, and this card gains ATK equal to the amount lost until the end of your opponent's next turn. During your End Phase: Send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.

ATK: 2000 / DEF: 1800

 

Raphael, Lightsworn Ascendent

LIGHT

****

Warrior / Pendulum / Effect

<1 - 1>

Pendulum Effect: You cannot Pendulum Summon monsters, except LIGHT monsters. This effect cannot be negated. Once per turn: You can discard 1 "Lightsworn" card, then target 1 "Lightsworn" monster (with a different name than the discarded card's) or "Judgement Dragon" in your Graveyard; add it to your hand. You cannot Summon that monster this turn.

 

Monster Effect: If this card is sent from your Deck to your Graveyard by the effect of a "Lightsworn" card: You can activate this effect; place this card in an empty Pendulum Zone you control. When this card is Normal Summoned: You can send the top 2 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard, and if both of those cards are "Lightsworn" cards; you can add 1 "Lightsworn" monster from your Deck or Graveyard to your hand. During your End Phase: Send the top 2 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.

ATK: 1600 / DEF: 1500

 

 

[spoiler=Set B:]

 

You can only Special Summon EARTH monsters. All ”Gem-Knight” monsters you control gain 300 ATK and DEF. During your Main Phase, you can pay 800 Life Points, then reveal 1 ”Gem-Knight” Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck and target any number of your banished monsters listed as fusion materials on that monster; Return those targets to the Graveyard, then Special Summon the revealed monster. (This is treated as a Fusion Summon). You can only activate the effect of "Gem-Knight Lapidary" once per turn. You cannot Special Summon monsters, except with this card’s effect or by Pendulum Summon, during the turn you activate this effect.

When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can target 1 ”Fusion” Card that lists ”Gem-Knight” monsters in its effect in your Graveyard; Add that target to your hand. You cannot activate cards with that name during the turn you activate this effect. You can only activate the effect of ”Gem-Knight Lapidary” once per turn.

 

You can only Special Summon EARTH monsters. Fusion Monsters you control gain 500 ATK and DEF. If you Fusion Summon a ”Gem-Knight” monster using a ”Fusion” Spell Card, you can also banish materials from your Graveyard as fusion materials.

During your Main Phase: You can banish 1 ”Gem-Knight” monster from your deck; Special Summon 1 ”Jewel Token” (EARTH/Level 3/ATK 0/DEF 1400) with the same type as that monster. It cannot be used for a Summon, except for the Summon of a ”Gem-Knight” monster. If this face-up card is destroyed by your opponent’s card (by battle or card effect): You can target 1 of your banished ”Gem-Knight” monsters; Special Summon that target. You can only activate each effect of ”Gem-Knight Diamantaire” once per turn.

 

[The Warden]

Sure, why not? Let's dance.

[Northern Sage]

Sure, why not? Let's dance.

Exciting to see you here. Sure.

[Northern Sage]

Cards are up, voting may begin.

[Dova]

Set A:

 

Uriel's effect can either get a free Level 4 (wulf), a free Level 4 Tuner (Felis), a free other scale (raphael) and/or free fodder for lumina, and that's just free activating it from your hand. Unless your opponent pops it, you get free advantages each turn. In fact, you could send another Uriel to get a double mill each turn. Its main effect is somewhat lackluster compared to the first effect, as I would've much preferred you taking the new Pendulum Summoning and implementing it with the monsters, and in any case why would you want to tribute for just some ATK gain? 

 

Raphael's graveyard add is extremely useful, as you can easily get back your milled Lightsworn monsters, and it is very worth the cost. I must say both cards' pend effects do work well in the archetype, even if they are a bit powerful, except this time this card has a drawback. His monster effect is better than Uriel's, but I wish it again somehow worked with the pend aspect of the cards, and does limit the card's plays as it is even already limited by the double mill, however it actually does give a reason for it.

 

Set B:

 

Lapidary really threw me off, as the OCG for listed monsters made me think it wouldn't work at first. The first effect is really neat when combined with the rest of the archetype, and actually makes a reason to run the banish fusion monster, and even absorb fusion. The second effect is pretty powerful, as it combines well with the Pendulum Summoning. Main problem is with the fact that these cards kill Brilliant Diamond for no reason other than to be a tiny bit more generic. Seriously, just limit it to Gem-Knights.

 

Diamantaire negates the above need for absorb and that banish material in grave with its effect, and supports it even better with its token summoning (great method of getting out materials) and its ssing from banished zone. Lovely cards. I also remembered in the nick of time all the other ways gem-knights banish, such as their main fusion readd and their best gemini. And I don't get why the bunnies are Gem-Knights, but that's a small flavour issue so it doesn't matter.

 

 

Difficult to choose, but I'd have to go with A, as it is slightly less OTT and still leaves the field open for Lightsworn splashing. B is great, but it just limits a major card for no reason, and seems to try to do too much at once.

[Northern Sage]

1-0 Card A

Thanks for voting.

[Spinny]

It feels pointless pointing out what the cards do after Dova has already done so, one small thing i want to pick up on though:

 

why would you want to tribute for just some ATK gain? 

This ATK gain also puts them to 0, so by putting a Blue-Eyes to 0 you can attack over it for 5000, which is huge, and even if this attack gets stopped, the attack reduction never ceases, so you are underestimating "just some ATK gain" by quite a bit in my opinion, especially since it immediately mills 3, allowing you to summon more wulfs etc etc

 

Other than that, i agree, the first set of pendulums follow quite strict patterns and a simplistic structure with sentences that make it seems of higher quality design whereas the OCG on cards B is a bit thrown together and rushed and as a result the cards seem like they are trying too hard to push a mechanic. They should've done less in my opinion. 

Also i dont like how the first card in cards B restricts special summoning of sorts, and then has an on-special summoning effect. It couldve done without so many restrictions in the first place and a (and more balanced[being able to send the banished cards to the graveyard for later use and more plusses is way too good in my opinion]) cleaner effect. Also, the second card floats when only really the fusions float in the gem-knight archetype in general i think so i dont really think it fits in too well.

Both are very strong and suit their archetype well so, as Dova said, it is a hard decision, however set A just seems a lot crisper in structure and overall quality. What they do is quite simple but very effective, whereas cards B have alot of effects (ATK Boosts, lots of text on the 1st card in particular) and feel very pushed.

Sooo, it goes to card A, goodjob to both of you though.

[The Warden]

I just wanna point out that Felis can't be SSed due to Uriel's pendulum effect, as she only SSs herself if milled by a monster effect.

[Northern Sage]

Set A wins 2-0. In this case, Broken's.

 

GG.