Rock and Load

[Guest BGMCANN0N]

Rock and Load
[Normal Spell]

Activate only if you control a Rock monster. Send 1 Rock monster from your Deck to the GY, then draw 1 card. You can only activate 1 "Rock and Load" per turn.

 

[spoiler=Word Play]Rock + "Lock and Load"

 

 

[spoiler=Notable Targets]http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Revival_Golem

http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tackle_Crusader

http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Block_Dragon

http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Sentry_Soldier_of_Stone

 

 

[Darj]

I don't think it's too good, at least not at the moment. Rewarding with a +1, yes, but depending on having a Rock on the board, that can make it deceptively dead-draw-ish. Kind of like when you have a hand with Allure of Darkness and no DARKs to discard. It would be less of an issue if there was more support or effective Rock archetypes to back this card up, but at the moment can't think of any Rock deck that doesn't rely on previous milling or the Normal Summon to get a Rock on board. Then again, all you need is said Rock archetype/support and this card gets better, so from that perspective it's good, just a bit ahead of its time, hopefully.

Ironically, this helps with the milling that they like and want, but that requirement of a Rock on the field holds it back.

[Guest BGMCANN0N]

I don't think it's too good, at least not at the moment. Rewarding with a +1, yes, but depending on having a Rock on the board, that can make it deceptively dead-draw-ish. Kind of like when you have a hand with Allure of Darkness and no DARKs to discard. It would be less of an issue if there was more support or effective Rock archetypes to back this card up, but at the moment can't think of any Rock deck that doesn't rely on previous milling or the Normal Summon to get a Rock on board. Then again, all you need is said Rock archetype/support and this card gets better, so from that perspective it's good, just a bit ahead of its time, hopefully.

Ironically, this helps with the milling that they like and want, but that requirement of a Rock on the field holds it back.

Yeah.. I actually didn't know what kind of restriction to use to make sure it isn't too splashable. Best thing I can think of is it supports Magnet Warriors... And if you haven't seen how ridiculous Block Dragon is, and you see it now:  you would think that target in itself is a sleeper for abuse. I maen all you have to do is use it as Link material and you get a +2 right off the bat.

[Darj]

Yeah, I know Block Dragon + Rock techs is potent in mostly any EARTH deck, but that still doesn't get Rocks on the board too often AFAIK, and Block Dragon needs a GY first to work, which means this card can end up stuck in your hand for a couple of turns.

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

To alleviate the bricking problem, you could just turn it into a Rock equivalent of Foolish Burial (but keep the hard OPT on activation). You would at least give them some speed and needed drawing power without requiring field presence. 

 

Though yeah, Foolish got hit for a reason for being generic, even without draw power, so you cannot just do that. As Rocks are at present, they shouldn't end up doing stupid things (we got, what, Magnet Warriors, Triamids; both with a side of Block Dragon). Yeah, neither of these options are really "good" right now, but they're somewhat passable. Though, main point would probably be dumping Block and doing whatever. 

 

As for any limiting effects that could be added if you opt to remove the Rock on field thing when activating, you could probably try locking Special Summons to Rock monsters only that turn. You'd still get access to Block Dragon and all, but no Link spamming). Then again, a handful of them aren't exactly great right now, so...it may be counterproductive.

 

(If the issue is Block Dragon, then yeah, you still need 3 EARTHs to banish from hand and/or GY first, and its second effect searches them. So, it kinda makes Block easier to summon [you can use the hand too] and make use of getting field presence, but how often are you getting multiple copies out and/or having enough EARTHs to banish. Two of them are harder to remove, but that's on it; not this card.)

 

Card is fine, but until Rocks get a more viable Deck of their own to work with, yeah. 

 

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(I had this saved for the last couple days, but just didn't get around to posting it due to other things)

[Darj]

The card it's fine, it's just ahead of its time. For example, it's akin to Wonder Wand, which has been around for a while but there wasn't any deck or archetype that could use it effectively until Wind Witches and Aleister arrived. Although it was arguably outclassed by Spellbook of Knowledge shortly after, that's a different matter.