Fimbulwinter (Nordic Support/Anti-Support Archetype) [WRITTEN]

[Tinkerer]

Hello, fine peoples!

Here's a bit of background for this set.  Fimbulwinter is the final winter before Ragnarok in Norse mythology (Ragnarok being the final battle between the Norse gods and the frost giants).  I wanted to therefore build a set that encompasses the winter aspect (Ice Counters) while also touching on the existing Norse archetype in the game (Nordics/Aesir).

In the end, I made an archetype that is generally about creating a lockdown using Ice Counters while also going into Synchro monsters to make the offensive push.

I wanted to make the archetype with a mix of GX and 5Ds mindset.  Some design decisions include:

• The general idea of using counters (GX)
• An impractical Dragon boss monster (GX)
• Cards that conflict with each other for no real reason (GX)
• Excessively bloated archetype - over 15 members (GX)
• Synchro laddering (5Ds)
• Spam (5Ds)
• Lots of recycling (rather than searching) (Both)
• General lack of HOPTs (Both)

That last one is pretty dangerous and - combined with the general spam effects - it would end up being broken without a lot of restrictions.  I forced the deck into Synchros exclusively but left the deck open to go into other generic Synchro plays (and even allowed the archetype to go into the Aesirs).  This design idea is more from the modern era, but I doubt you could mix the archetype super effectively with other strategies.

Enough background!  Let's get into the cards!

 

 

Fimbulwinter Warg
WATER **
Beast/Tuner/Effect
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon "Fimbulwinter" monsters from your Deck up to the number of monsters with Ice Counters your opponent controls.  Those monsters have their effects negated and they cannot attack directly, also you cannot Special Summon monsters from your Extra Deck the turn you activate this effect except Synchro monsters.  If this monster is destroyed by battle with a monster that has an Ice Counter: You can Special Summon 1 "Fimbulwinter" monster from your Deck in defense position.
100/900

Fimbulwinter Wulf
WATER **
Beast/Tuner/Effect
If this card is Special Summoned: Declare "Nordic Ascendant", "Nordic Beast", or "Nordic Alfar"; this card is treated as the declared card.  If you control 2 or more non-Tuner "Fimbulwinter" monsters; you can Special Summon this card from your hand or GY, but banish it if it leaves the field.
500/500

Fimbulwinter Jotunn
WATER **
Beast-Warrior/Effect
This card is unaffected by the effects of Field Spells.  You cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck except Synchro monsters.  (Quick Effect): You can send this card from your hand or side of the field to the GY and target 1 monster on the field; place 2 Ice Counters on that target.  If you place an Ice Counter on this card: You can Special Summon 1 "Fimbulwinter" monster from your hand, and if you do, you can increase this card's Level by 1.  You can only use each effect of "Fimbulwinter Jotunn" once per turn.
1000/0

Fimbulwinter Thrym
WATER ****
Beast-Warrior/Effect
If this card is Special Summoned: You can target 1 monster on the field; place 1 Ice Counter on it.  If the target already had an Ice Counter on it, destroy it instead.  During damage calculation, if this card battles an opponent's monster with an Ice Counter on it (Quick Effect): You can halve that monster's ATK/DEF during that damage calculation only.
1850/600

Fimbulwinter's Lord of Tricksters
WATER ****
Beast-Warrior/Tuner/Effect
This card is unaffected by the effects of Field Spells.  You cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck except Synchro monsters.  If you place an Ice Counter on this card: You can target 1 "Fimbulwinter" monster in your GY; Special Summon that target but banish it when it leaves the field, and if you do, you can reduce this card's Level by 1.  While this card has an Ice Counter, it is treated as a "Nordic Ascendant", a "Nordic Beast", and a "Nordic Alfar" monster.
1600/1000

Fimbulwinter Helinheim
WATER ****
Beast-Warrior/Effect
You can discard this card; add 1 "Fimbulwinter Expanse" from your Deck to your hand.  If you Normal Summon a monster while your opponent controls more monsters than you do: You can Special Summon this card from your GY, but banish it when it leaves the field.
1200/1800

Traitorous Norn of Fimbulwinter
WATER ****
Beast-Warrior/Effect
If this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon "Fimbulwinter Beast Tokens" (Beast/WATER/Level 2/ATK 1000/DEF 1000) up to the number of monsters your opponent controls with Ice Counters, then place 1 Ice Counter on all your "Fimbulwinter Beast Tokens".  You cannot Special Summon monsters the turn you use this effect except Synchro monsters.  Once per turn: You can Tribute 1 monster with an Ice Counter; Special Summon 1 "Fimbulwinter" Tuner monster from your hand.
1800/1000

Naglfar, Ship of Fimbulwinter
WATER 6*
Aqua/Effect
You can place 2 Ice Counters on 1 monster you control; Special Summon this card from your hand.  Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can target 1 Special Summoned monster your opponent controls; place 1 Ice Counter on that target.  You can discard 1 card and reduce this card's Level by 2; Special Summon 1 "Fimbulwinter Soldier Token" (Beast-Warrior/Tuner/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1800) in defense position, but you cannot Special Summon monsters from your Extra Deck for the rest of the turn except Synchro monsters.
2000/1000

Fimbulwinter Jormungardr
WATER 10*
Dragon/Effect
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set.  Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by sending any number of face-up Spell/Trap cards you control to the GY, and if you do, place 1 Ice Counter on this card for each.  This card's ATK becomes equal to the number of Ice Counters on it x 1000.  This card is unaffected by your Spell/Traps while it has Ice Counters on it.  If this card would leave the field by battle or by a card effect, you can remove 1 Ice Counter from this card instead.
?/3000

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Fimbulwinter Expanse
Field Spell
Monsters with Ice Counters cannot activate their effects.  Once per turn: You can discard 1 card; place 1 Ice Counter on 1 face-up monster your opponent controls.  Synchro monsters you control are unaffected by the effects of Spell Cards.

Fimbulwinter Night
Continuous Spell
When this card is activated: You can place 1 Ice Counter on up to 2 face-up monsters on the field.  Monsters with Ice Counters cannot be Tributed or used as Material except "Fimbulwinter" monsters.

Flash Freeze
Quick-Play Spell
Activate 1 of the following effects.
- Place 1 Ice Counter on all face-up monsters your opponent controls.
- Add 1 "Fimbulwinter" card from your GY to your hand, and if you do, place 1 Ice Counter on 1 face-up card on the field.

Fimbulwinter Circle
Continuous Trap
When your opponent Summons a monster(s) with a different Level/Rank/Link Rating than all monsters they control, Place 1 Ice Counter on each of them.  Once per turn: You can target 1 monster with an Ice Counter and 1 monster you control; return that first target to the hand, and if you do, place 1 Ice Counter on the second target.

Fimbulwinter Glacier
Continuous Trap
All monsters with Ice Counters lose 300 ATK for each Ice Counter on them.  Once per turn: You can banish up to 2 "Fimbulwinter" monsters from your GY; place an equal number of Ice Counters on face-up monsters on the field.

Fimbulwinter Blizzard
Continuous Trap
Monsters with Ice Counters cannot attack the turn they are Summoned.  Once per turn, if your opponent Summons a monster(s) from their hand: Place 1 Ice Counter on each of them.

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Fimbulwinter Skoll
WATER 6*
Beast/Synchro/Tuner/Effect
1 WATER Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can activate 1 "Fimbulwinter" Field Spell or Continuous Spell from your Deck.  You can reduce this card's Level by 2, and if your do, Special Summon 1 "Fimbulwinter Beast Token" (Beast/WATER/Level 2/ATK 1000/DEF 1000).  You cannot Special Summon monsters from your Extra Deck for the rest of the turn except "Fimbulwinter", "Nordic", or "Aesir" monsters.  You can only use each effect of "Fimbulwinter Skoll" once per turn.
2000/2000

Fimbulwinter Hati
WATER 6*
Beast/Synchro/Effect
1 WATER Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can activate 1 "Fimbulwinter" Continuous Trap from your Deck.  You can reduce this card's Level by 4, and if your do, Special Summon 1 "Fimbulwinter Soldier Token" (Beast-Warrior/Tuner/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1800).  You cannot Special Summon monsters from your Extra Deck for the rest of the turn except "Fimbulwinter", "Nordic", or "Aesir" monsters.  You can only use each effect of "Fimbulwinter Hati" once per turn.
2000/2000

End of Fimbulwinter, Jotunn Surt
FIRE 7*
Beast-Warrior/Synchro/Effect
1 "Fimbulwinter" Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned: Place 2 Ice Counter on all face-up monsters on the field.  This card is unaffected by Spell/Traps effects while it has an Ice Counter.  (Quick Effect): You can remove 1 Ice Counter from this card; Change the battle positions of all other monsters the field.  Attack position monsters your opponent controls must attack if able.
2750/1500

Fenrir, the Lord of Fimbulwinter
WATER 10*
Beast/Synchro/Effect
1 "Fimbulwinter" Tuner + 2+ WATER monsters
(Quick Effect): You can Special Summon 1 "Aesir" monster from your Extra Deck to your opponent's side of the field in Defense Postion and place 1 Ice Counter on it (this Special Summon is treated as a Synchro Summon).  While your opponent controls an "Aesir" monster, they cannot activate the effects of monsters they control except "Aesir" monsters.  Cannot be destroyed by battle while your opponent controls an "Aesir" monster.  This card can attack a number of times up to the number of Ice Counters on monsters your opponent controls.
4000/4000

Fimbulwinter Valkeria
WATER Link: SE
Fairy/Link/Effect
1 Monster with an Ice Counter
Monsters you control with Ice Counters are unaffected by the effects of Spell/Trap cards on the field.  When a monster declares an attack, place 1 Ice Counter on it at the end of the Damage Step.  While this card points to a Synchro monster, your opponent cannot target this card for an attack.
800/LINK-1
 

[Tinkerer]

Bump: Added "Fimbulwinter Valkeria"

@Rayfield Lumina

[Pommelo]

@Mr MelonI'm pretty lousy at analyzing large archetypes, but I would say these friends are scary as freezing hell xD. Probably my concerns began to arise when I reached the Spell/Trap Section. The ease in which you can place Ice Counters all over the place combined by their devastating effects is rather terrifying, imo. I imagine having someone like Loki/Thor can further help with the lockdown. Of course, you cannot depend on so many Continuous Spell/Traps, and I'm not seeing anything that prevents background destruction, just protection for your mobs, so there's that. I wish the archetype had a method for bouncing Spell/Traps to hand, because Fimbulwinter Night would be rather happy with it. I see what you mean with conflicting effects with "Glacier", tho. Despite that little problem, I wish there were more general methods to place IC on your own monsters to promote the protection effects from Jormungardr, Surt and Valkeria, as well as more searching power, though I understand it's not present due to the design process you mentioned in the introduction. Oh! And I know you said the deck is mostly Synchro Focused, but you can't say no to a nice and friendly Snowdust Giant for further IC placing!

p.d. Play Valkyrie Profile for PS1 if you can xD.