[Leaderboard] Season 18 Postseason (Match A-2)

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

Contest Rules

 

- Whoever gets 3 votes or most by deadline wins.

- Voters must explain their choices and elaborate on both cards; otherwise will be rejected.

- Card C votes are permitted.

- System of vetoes listed in section rules shall apply.

- Members will get a like for voting.

- Rules to be added as necessary (but I doubt this will be the case)

 

Theme

 

Make a WATER Beast Link.

 

Deadline

 

June 20th, 2018 @ 2:45 pm HST

 

 

Card A 

 

 

Niseag, Cryptid of the Ice Barrier

WATER | Link 2 | Beast | Link | Effect Monster

1800

W SW

Lore: 2 WATER monsters with different original Types whose total Levels exactly equal 6
When this card is Link Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 6 or lower WATER monster from your hand or GY that cannot be Normal Summoned/Set, ignoring its Summoning conditions. Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can pay 2000 LP; Fusion or Synchro Summon 1 WATER Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters on either field as materials, including a monster this card points to. You can only use each effect of "Niseag, Cryptid of the Ice Barrier(s)" once per turn.

 

Card B 

 

Huge Mouth Hippo

WATER | Beast | Link 3 | Link | Effect

2200

E SE SW

2+ Beast monsters, or "Huge Mouth Hippo"

You can only Link Summon this card using "Huge Mouth Hippo" once per turn. This card gains the following effects, based on how many cards were used for this card's Link Summon:

• 1: This card gains 500 ATK.

• 2 or more: Each time a monster is destroyed, this card gains ATK equal to half that card's original ATK. 

• 3: When this card is Link Summoned, target 2 Beast monsters in your GY; add them to your hand.

[Dova]

Card A seems odd for an Ice Barrier monster. The first effect only has two in-archetype targets, both of which are Synchros meaning you're only getting them from the GY, and most of the main Deck other water targets aren't great by any means. That only leaves the other ED monsters, of which there are about 8 not including the aforementioned Ice Barriers. None of them are really any decent for laddering, except perhaps Coral Dragon, which is a pretty generic and powerful card in its own right. But, assuming you are laddering with this card from a Synchro you've just sent to the GY, it seems odd that the card then tries to ladder again with its second effect. Non-targeting removal is great, but (ignoring for the moment that it can only Summon Fusion Monsters with its effect), unless your opponent happens to have the Level you need, you're then left with their probably many Links, and potentially Xyzs as well, so that knocks out Synchro Summoning. Considering how much effort you've taken to get into this card, the chances of you having exactly the card you need is slim. In terms of Fusion Monsters, its such a shame the new Trishula Fusion doesn't work with this card, but I guess that would've been a tad too powerful. Norden is banned, so perhaps the best generic option you're left with is Mudragon? Everything else requires specific monsters or archetype dedication, of which there are much better options to go into than this easily removed monster, especially with such stringent Summoning requirements.

 

So, Card B can ladder into itself. Why? Not really a clue, save for perhaps replacing it in its Linked Zone? There's no effect to take advantage of, with it becoming worse if you properly Summon it then use it to ladder into its big boss. There's a wide range of effects to use here, and I guess the last effect allowing you to do a Beast Salvage is pretty neat, but it doesn't really capitalize on it. The secondary effect is sort of just there, but I guess I could potentially work for Fire Kings, if you chucked a few more Beasts in there other than Kirin? Seems like a long shot. Simple card, but I barely see any utility. A little fun though.

 

Both cards are rather weak, restricted, and seem a little random at times. Was really tempted to go vote for C, but something about B just sticks in my mind. It seems a little more...cohesive, and interesting. I like it more, more from a design than a pure balance standpoint. I really cannot see the mindset behind A.

 

Vote for Card B.

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

1-0 card B; thanks for voting.

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

Card B wins this 1-0, and that's Krashkube's card. 

 

To be fair to both competitors, I'll give a quick analysis on the entries.

 

A

 

This card technically isn't restricted to Ice Barriers, but as-is, I really don't see them using this. Looking at the Level 6 and under monsters that cannot be Normal Summoned/Set, they generally suck. As for the Fusion effect, the targets you want to Summon with this are very limited, taking into consideration the banlists and well, their overall effects. Yeah, it would've been nice if the new Fusion Trish didn't require you to use your own monsters only for its summoning, but take it up with the designers in OCG, I guess. Mudragon's about the only generic option left, unless you're legitimately nuts enough to try summoning Theseus with 2 Tuners and hope both of you got one. 

 

Yeah, not sure where this would be seen. 

 

B

 

Aside from it being a Beast Link (yes I know I made that the theme, but never said it literally had to support Beasts), not much to say about it. Salvage effect is fine if you can devote 3 monsters to it [can use Scapegoat for fodder now *shot*]. Other effects are just power boosting for the most part; 2700 ATK isn't terrible, but without protection, yeah. 

 

At least you can Link Summon with another copy (totally not Reincarnation Link Summoning), but that's about it, I suppose. No issue with it just getting massive ATK if it continues to kill stuff. 

 

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I would also give it to B for technically being usable, even if Beasts aren't really doing much nowadays and the effects itself, barring maybe the 3 monster one and maybe the first for a small boost. With A, it's very restricted in what it can do as far as the current pool goes. There are Decks that can meet the requirements, but they got better things to do.

 

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I will announce the Round 2 theme in a little bit.