[Striker] Weekend Contest #9

[Nathanael D. Striker]

Week 3 of 5 has finally arrived. I'm in a creative mood right now, probably because I'm doing this Joker event. Prizes have been increased too. You all should know the drill by now, so let the games begin again.

 

Series Standings
1. Eshai (10)

2. Jack Frost (6)

3. Dova (3)
4. BatMed (1)
Azure Wolf (1)
6. Dtwist11 (0)

[spoiler=Rules]
All YCM Rules Apply
In order to enter, just post your intention here.
Cards (and lore) may be posted within the thread when completed. Once posted, the specific card can be edited before the deadline but not replaced with another card.
Written Cards are accepted, but no pictureless cards.
The usage of Fake Types / Attributes, as well as DIVINE, Divine-Beast and Creator God is expressly forbidden.
You are expected to design a card that adheres to the current standards set by Konami (usage of the existing 24 legal Types + 6 Attributes).
While my judging is ultimately final, contestants are welcome to appeal with anything I may have missed in their card that would alter their score.
Deadline for entry/submission is December 18th at 11:59pm PST.
I have the right to add rules.

[spoiler=Card Requirement]
We are going into the VRAINS Format this week, but I don't think that'll make too much of a difference. This week, I feel like you all should make a card that has to do with the circus. It must be generic, so no direct Performapal support. Do note the slightly changed rubric for this contest. Have fun, kiddies~

[spoiler=Prizes]
1st: 5 Series Points, 10000 points, 3 Reps
2nd: 3 Series Points, 5000 points, 2 Reps
3rd: 1 Series Point, 2500 points, 1 Rep

[spoiler=Rubric]
Balance: /20

Creativity: /20

Playability: /10
Total: /50

[spoiler=Contestants]

 

[Dova]

Being generic just means that it musn't directly support an archetype by name, correct?

[Dtwist11]

Last place twice in a row. That's a little embarassing. But third time's the charm!

Esten, The Ringmaster

LIGHT

***** (5)

Psychic-Type

2150ATK

2450DEF

You can Special Summon this card (From the hand) if neither player controls a Monster. Once per turn, you may select one Effect Monster on the field, change that target to Defense Position. It cannot change its battle position except by card effect. When this face-up card is destroyed, destroy all Defense Position Monsters on the field.

[Nathanael D. Striker]

Being generic just means that it musn't directly support an archetype by name, correct?

 

Yes, my good sir.

[Eshai]

Count me in.

[Eshai]

Sword Swallow

EARTH - Level 5 - Winged-Beast/Effect - 1900 ATK/1600 DEF

You can only control 1 “Sword Swallow”. When a Continuous Spell/Trap is activated (Quick Effect): You can Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, equip it to this card as an Equip Spell. (Quick Effect): You can target 1 face-up Spell/Trap Card on the field; equip it to this card as an Equip Spell. You can only use this effect of “Sword Swallow” once per turn. Equip Spell Cards equipped to this card gain the following effect.

● The equipped monster gains 500 ATK.

 

 

Based on Sword Swallowers, but, you know, it’s a Swallow (a bird I mean). That technically counts right? As for why it’s EARTH, I usually make birds that can’t fly really high EARTH monsters since not only does it make sense, but also the typing is barely used.

 

This card looks weird from a first glance, but when you get it, it becomes a very high utility card.

• Using it in response to Normal Spell/Traps your opponent activates locks their Spell/Trap Zones.

• If this card is Equipped with your opponent’s Field Spells or Continuous Spell/Traps and they destroy this card, it destroys those cards that they control.

• You can equip Field Spells to this card (not silly at all).

• Activating Mystical Space Typhoon on a Normal Spell/Trap, and then activating this effect on that Spell/Trap will mean that the “when this card is activated effect (or just any field effect on a Normal Spell/Trap) get negated, which is REALLY funny.

• It has the same effect as Maho Valio with the potential of getting more than 5 Equips on board.

 

Balancing of the card was a bit of a challenge. A “You can only control 1” and a hard OPT is meant to stop the overwhelming annoyance that might come from having several, as well as with all of the Spell/Trap removal in the game. I have also noticed that if you use it on your own cards in tandem with Spell/Trap bouncing effects, so yeah hard OPT is pretty necessary.

The card seems good, but I’m never going to say the card is broken. Since your opponent probably doesn’t have a Continuous Spell/Trap, you’re probably going to have to run your own, meaning this card would probably see more use in stuff like Fire Fists, True Dracos, or Pendulums (pretty sure you can do that).

 

However, the card is pretty easy to destroy on its own, with no technical protection to speak of.

 

All in all, this is a really silly card for any meme Equip Decks. Now I didn’t expect to make a clown card, but this might as well be.

[Dova]

Inferno Rings

Continuous Spell

Activate only during your Main Phase 1. When a monster declares an attack: That monster's owner tosses a coin and calls it. If they call it incorrectly, they take 500 damage. When a Level/Rank 5 or higher or Link 3 or higher monster declares an attack: Destroy it, then place 1 Inferno Counter on this card. If this card has 5 or more counters, destroy it.

 

Had the idea out of nowhere, but realized I couldn't really take it any further. Couldn't really complicate things :P I feel the first restriction allows the last  activating effect to not be so broken. Counters are meant to represent the rings being knocked when a big monster fails to get through, and eventually falling over.

[Nathanael D. Striker]

Last place twice in a row. That's a little embarassing. But third time's the charm!

Esten, The Ringmaster

LIGHT

***** (5)

Psychic-Type

2150ATK

2450DEF

You can Special Summon this card (From the hand) if neither player controls a Monster. Once per turn, you may select one Effect Monster on the field, change that target to Defense Position. It cannot change its battle position except by card effect. When this face-up card is destroyed, destroy all Defense Position Monsters on the field.

 

Accepted.

 

Sword Swallow

EARTH - Level 5 - Winged-Beast/Effect - 1900 ATK/1600 DEF

You can only control 1 “Sword Swallow”. When a Continuous Spell/Trap is activated (Quick Effect): You can Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, equip it to this card as an Equip Spell. (Quick Effect): You can target 1 face-up non-Equip Spell/Trap Card on the field; equip it to this card as an Equip Spell. You can only use this effect of “Sword Swallow” once per turn. Equip Spell Cards equipped to this card gain the following effect.

● The equipped monster gains 500 ATK.

 

 

Based on Sword Swallowers, but, you know, it’s a Swallow (a bird I mean). That technically counts right? As for why it’s EARTH, I usually make birds that can’t fly really high EARTH monsters since not only does it make sense, but also the typing is barely used.

 

This card looks weird from a first glance, but when you get it, it becomes a very high utility card.

• Using it in response to Normal Spell/Traps your opponent activates locks their Spell/Trap Zones.

• If this card is Equipped with your opponent’s Field Spells or Continuous Spell/Traps and they destroy this card, it destroys those cards that they control.

• You can equip Field Spells to this card (not silly at all).

• Activating Mystical Space Typhoon on a Normal Spell/Trap, and then activating this effect on that Spell/Trap will mean that the “when this card is activated effect (or just any field effect on a Normal Spell/Trap) get negated, which is REALLY funny.

• It has the same effect as Maho Valio with the potential of getting more than 5 Equips on board.

 

Balancing of the card was a bit of a challenge. A “You can only control 1” and a hard OPT is meant to stop the overwhelming annoyance that might come from having several, as well as with all of the Spell/Trap removal in the game. I have also noticed that if you use it on your own cards in tandem with Spell/Trap bouncing effects, so yeah hard OPT is pretty necessary.

The card seems good, but I’m never going to say the card is broken. Since your opponent probably doesn’t have a Continuous Spell/Trap, you’re probably going to have to run your own, meaning this card would probably see more use in stuff like Fire Fists, True Dracos, or Pendulums (pretty sure you can do that).

 

However, the card is pretty easy to destroy on its own, with no technical protection to speak of.

 

All in all, this is a really silly card for any meme Equip Decks. Now I didn’t expect to make a clown card, but this might as well be.

 

Interesting interpretation, but accepted I suppose.

 

Inferno Rings

Continuous Spell

Activate only during your Main Phase 1. When a monster declares an attack: That monster's owner tosses a coin and calls it. If they call it incorrectly, they take 500 damage. When a Level/Rank 5 or higher or Link 3 or higher monster declares an attack: Destroy it, then place 1 Inferno Counter on this card. If this card has 5 or more counters, destroy it.

 

Had the idea out of nowhere, but realized I couldn't really take it any further. Couldn't really complicate things :P I feel the first restriction allows the last  activating effect to not be so broken. Counters are meant to represent the rings being knocked when a big monster fails to get through, and eventually falling over.

 

Accepted.

[Azure Wolf]

Well here hoping I do better this time around.

Suit Trick Magician

DARK/Level 4

Spellcaster/Tuner/Effect

If this card is sent to the GY as material for the Summon of a Synchro or Link monster: Target 1 monster you control; Special Summon 1 monster from you hand with the same Attribute, but a different Level, as the Attribute/Level of that monster. You can only activate the effect of "Suit Trick Magician" once per turn.

1600/500

[Northern Sage]

I hope this is acceptable. Magicians appear in circuses right?

 

If a monster would be Special Summoned by another monster's effect: You can pay 1000 LP; Special Summon 1 monster from your hand instead. You can only activate 1 "Disrupt Transmigration" per turn. 

[Nathanael D. Striker]

Azure Wolf and Jack Frost, accepted.

[Eshai]

Can I edit mine a bit or no? I feel there's a couple improvements I could make now knowing the technicalities of Pendulums and how they work with the card.

[Nathanael D. Striker]

You may. Edits are allowed as long as they don't drastically change the original entry or replace it with something else.

[Nathanael D. Striker]

 

[spoiler=Dtwist11]

Esten, The Ringmaster

LIGHT

***** (5)

Psychic-Type

2150ATK

2450DEF

You can Special Summon this card (From the hand) if neither player controls a Monster. Once per turn, you may select one Effect Monster on the field, change that target to Defense Position. It cannot change its battle position except by card effect. When this face-up card is destroyed, destroy all Defense Position Monsters on the field.

 

Special Summon condition reminds me of Cyber Dragon, but this card's condition is inferior as Cyber Dragon only requires you to not control a monster. Destruction effect seems slow to me if done solely using this card's effects, though it does leave little room to avoid it. However, destruction for a card being stuck in Defense Position intrigues me and is pretty creative. This card's best friend is Level Limit – Area B, which actually does make-up for this card's slowness a bit. Use that first, destroy this card to trigger its destruction effect, then enjoy the profit. Interesting casual combination to get you out of a jam, assuming all the pieces line up well. You may have something here, and I like it.

 

Balance: 16/20

Creativity: 18/20

Playability: 7/10

Total: 41/50

 

 

[spoiler=Eshai]

Sword Swallow

EARTH - Level 5 - Winged-Beast/Effect - 1900 ATK/1600 DEF

You can only control 1 “Sword Swallow”. When a Continuous Spell/Trap is activated (Quick Effect): You can Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, equip it to this card as an Equip Spell. (Quick Effect): You can target 1 face-up Spell/Trap Card on the field; equip it to this card as an Equip Spell. You can only use this effect of “Sword Swallow” once per turn. Equip Spell Cards equipped to this card gain the following effect.

● The equipped monster gains 500 ATK.

 

Your notes say that this card can be used to disrupt Normal Spell/Trap cards, but the first effect only deals with Continuous Spell/Trap cards while the second effect specifically says face-up, which I don't think can really deal with Normal Spell/Trap (i.e. the effect would still go through). That limits this card's use imo, and pretty much forces you do utilize Continuous Spell/Trap cards yourself, which you did mention. Going on that route, I don't think this card would mesh that well with Fire Fists. I ran them a bit myself in one of the Yugioh video games (the Xbox 360 version iirc), and I don't think I'd waste the Continuous Spell/Trap cards just to bring out what would essentially be a beater. I have no problem with beaters, but this card takes resources that I'd prefer to be used elsewhere. On second thought, I suppose the second effect can be used to get some use out of soon-to-be removed Continuous Spell/Trap cards, which does help this card's cause a little bit. Still, it relies a lot on what your opponent does, which I don't particularly care for. Pendulums fall in a similar reasoning to Fire Fists (assuming that they can be considered as face-up Spells, which I think they could very well be), and I'm not that accustomed to True Dracos to speak for them. Perhaps a similar reasoning for them as well. shrugs

 

Balance: 17/20

Creativity: 18/20

Playability: 6/10

Total: 41/50

 

 

[spoiler=Dova]

Inferno Rings

Continuous Spell

Activate only during your Main Phase 1. When a monster declares an attack: That monster's owner tosses a coin and calls it. If they call it incorrectly, they take 500 damage. When a Level/Rank 5 or higher or Link 3 or higher monster declares an attack: Destroy it, then place 1 Inferno Counter on this card. If this card has 5 or more counters, destroy it.

 

So, this card is supposed to persuade both players from attacking for a few turns? I wouldn't be too intimidated by this card, unless it was really late in the duel where LP start to matter. I mean, the attacks of Level/Rank 4 or lower and Link 2 or lower monsters still go through, even if the potential for 500 damage exists. Hell, Rank 4 or lower monsters still being able to swing makes the damage moot in most instances as the ATK of those things would leave a bigger punch than the possible damage would. Sure, it affects both players, but so what? This card looks like it's trying to be a modern-day Gravity Bind with a cute burn effect. I'm not completely sure what to make of this card. It feels weak considering I feel the condition at the beginning shouldn't exist and that this should be a Continuous Trap instead of a Continuous Spell.

 

Balance: 14/20

Creativity: 16/20

Playability: 5/10

Total: 35/50

 

 

[spoiler=Azure Wolf]

Suit Trick Magician

DARK/Level 4

Spellcaster/Tuner/Effect

If this card is sent to the GY as material for the Summon of a Synchro or Link monster: Target 1 monster you control; Special Summon 1 monster from you hand with the same Attribute, but a different Level, as the Attribute/Level of that monster. You can only activate the effect of "Suit Trick Magician" once per turn.

1600/500

 

This card sure loves Decks with varying Levels and same Attributes. Fire Fists qualify iirc as do a few other Decks. Hell, some Lightsworn builds (e.g. Twilight due to this card being DARK) could make use of this card. Nifty little card that helps maintain some field presence after a Synchro/Link Summon, which helps. I don't see much wrong with this card tbh as it fills a niche and does it well. Hell, this card fits right in with the VRAINS format as it can adapt depending on what stage the duel is in in terms of Link presence. Well done.

 

Balance: 18/20

Creativity: 19/20

Playablity: 9/10

Total: 46/50

 

 

[spoiler=Jack Frost]

If a monster would be Special Summoned by another monster's effect: You can pay 1000 LP; Special Summon 1 monster from your hand instead. You can only activate 1 "Disrupt Transmigration" per turn.

 

I assume you want little chance of this card's effect being negated? The pay 1000 LP cost reminds me of Seven Tools of The Bandit. Hell, this entire card gives me that vibe. Instead of negating a Trap, this card hijacks a Special Summon. Interesting. This card does appear to pose some issues, namely high Level monsters being Special Summoned as a result of this. And given this card is a Counter Trap, not much could be done. Though, I take it this card would be used to hijack the Special Summon to set up plays of your own. Interesting. It does worry me a bit given the lack of response that the opponent can pull (I mean, this card begs Solemn Warning or Seven Tools of The Bandit to go after it). Overall, nifty little thing that could go far.

 

Balance: 16/20

Creativity: 19/20

Playability: 10/10

Total: 45/50

 

 

 

Assuming no objections with my grading (objections are due by 11:59pm Thursday)...

 

1st: Azure Wolf

2nd: Jack Frost

3rd: Dtwist11 and Eshai

5th: Dova

 

Some cards here looked good at first glance, but further consideration did present problems. Other cards kept it simple, and did that job well. Overall, interesting group of cards that took the ball and ran with it as best they could.