[Written] EXO Gear / Frame [15/15]

[VCR_CAT]

I've had an idea for an archetype like this for some time, but I'll be danged if I ever find artwork for it that I actually like. So, written it is and here you go. Idea for this fusion archetype is combining machine parts for larger monsters that perform depending on the parts used for its making, with a focus on flexibility and being adaptive to different situations.

 

[spoiler=Monsters]

 

EXO Gear Weapon - Assault Repeater

FIRE / Level 2

Machine / Effect

When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 "EXO Gear" monster from your hand. An "EXO Frame" Fusion Monster that was Summoned using this card as a Fusion Material gains this effect:

● This card can make up to 2 attacks on monsters during each Battle Phase.

ATK / 1000  DEF / 800

 

EXO Gear Weapon - Marksman Rifle

FIRE / Level 3

Machine / Effect

If this card is Special Summoned: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy it. You can only use this effect of "EXO Gear Weapon - Marksman Rifle" once per turn. An "EXO Frame" Fusion Monster that was Summoned using this card as a Fusion Material gains this effect:

● If this card attacks a monster your opponent controls, your opponent cannot activate Spell or Trap Cards until the end of the damage step.

ATK / 1500  DEF / 700

 

EXO Core - Redundant Grid

LIGHT / Level 1

Machine / Effect

If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of an "EXO" card: You can add 1 "EXO" card from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of "EXO Core - Redundant Grid" once per turn. An "EXO Frame" Fusion Monster that was Summoned using this card as a Fusion Material gains this effect:

● Once per turn, if this card would be destroyed by battle, you can have this card lose 500 ATK and DEF until the end of this turn instead.

ATK / 0  DEF / 0

 

EXO Core - Recharge Grid

LIGHT / Level 1

Machine / Effect

If you control a face-up "EXO Gear" monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. You can only Special Summon 1 "EXO Core - Recharge Grid" this way per turn. An "EXO Frame" Fusion Monster that was Summoned using this card as a Fusion Material gains this effect:

● Once per turn, if this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, draw 1 card.

ATK / 0  DEF / 0

 

EXO Core - Fusion Grid

LIGHT / Level 1

Machine / Effect

If this card is Normal Summoned, you can: Immediately after this effect resolves, Normal Summon 1 "EXO" monster from your hand, except "EXO Core - Fusion Grid", but you cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck for the rest of this turn, except Fusion Monsters.

ATK / 500  DEF / 500

 

EXO Gear Armor - Point Defense

WATER / Level 2

Machine / Effect

When this card is Normal Summoned, you can target 1 Level 3 or lower "EXO" monster in your Graveyard: Special Summon that target, but you cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck for the rest of this turn, except Fusion Monsters. An "EXO Frame" Fusion Monster that was Summoned using this card as a Fusion Material gains this effect:

● Once per turn, if this card is targeted by an opponent's card effect: You can negate that effect.

ATK / 800  DEF / 1000

 

EXO Gear Armor - Shield Barrier

WATER / Level 3

Machine / Effect

If this card is Special Summoned: You can target 1 "EXO" card in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand. You can only use this effect of "EXO Gear Armor - Shield Barrier" once per turn. An "EXO Frame" Fusion Monster that was Summoned using this card as a Fusion Material gains this effect:

● Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed by a card effect.

ATK / 700  DEF / 1500

 

 

 

[spoiler= EXO Frame Fusions]

 

Reconnaissance EXO Frame

EARTH / Level 6

Machine / Fusion / Effect

1 "EXO Core" monster + 1 "EXO Gear" monster

This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the ATK and DEF of each Fusion Material Monster used for this card's Fusion Summon. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 "EXO Core" monster from your Graveyard. You can only use this effect of "Reconnaissance EXO Frame" once per turn.

ATK / 1000  DEF / 1000

 

Frontline EXO Frame

EARTH / Level 8

Machine / Fusion / Effect

1 "EXO Core" monster + 2 "EXO Gear" monsters with different names

This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the ATK and DEF of each Fusion Material Monster used for this card's Fusion Summon. If this card is and sent to the Graveyard: Inflict 1000 damage to your opponent. You can only use this effect of "Frontline EXO Frame" once per turn.

ATK / 1000  DEF / 1000

 

Assault EXO Frame

EARTH / Level 10

Machine / Fusion / Effect

2 "EXO Core" monsters with different names + 2 "EXO Gear" monsters with different names

This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the ATK and DEF of each Fusion Material Monster used for this card's Fusion Summon. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: Destroy 1 monster your opponent controls.

ATK / 2000  DEF / 2000

 

 

 

[spoiler=Spells and Traps]

 

EXO Factory

Continuous Spell

You can discard 1 card: Special Summon 1 "EXO" monster from your Deck. You can only use this effect of "EXO Parts Factory" once per turn.

 

EXO Hanger

Continuous Spell

Once per turn: You can Fusion Summon 1 "EXO Frame" monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your side of the field as Fusion Materials. Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed by your opponent's card effect.

 

EXO Recovery Team

Continuous Spell

Once per turn, if an "EXO Frame" Fusion Monster you control is destroyed by your opponent's attack or card effect: You can add 1 of its Fusion Material Monsters from your Graveyard to your hand. Once per turn, if an "EXO Core" or "EXO Gear" monster(s) would be destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: You can add 1 of those card(s) to your hand instead.

 

EXO Frame Overcharge

Normal Trap

Target 1 face-up "EXO Frame" monster you control: That card gains 1000 ATK and DEF and is unaffected by your opponent's activated card effects until the end of the turn, also send it to the Graveyard at the end of the turn.

 

EXO Surplus

Normal Trap

Discard 1 "EXO" monster from your hand: Draw 2 cards. You can only activate 1 "EXO Surplus" per turn.

 

 

[VCR_CAT]

Bumparooni

[VCR_CAT]

Bumparino

[VCR_CAT]

Once more, with gusto!

[leafbladie]

Well with Ancient Gears getting new legacy support, and these cards being focused on gears that fuse, it’s kind of funny to think about the two. Anyway, onto the cards.

Assault Repeater: A tried and true effect to help spam the field with monsters. I noticed you made many of the Levels of the monsters different to try and prevent this from being focused on Xyz, but you still left that possibility, which is cool. I really love the idea of giving effects based on materials used as Fusion, and I wish Konami would look at the idea more with cards like Beginning Knight. Anyway, the addition of piercing damage is an always appreciated effect, though again, making me think of Ancient Gears.

Marksman Rifle: Targeted destruction on Special Summon is a decent effect. It can make your opponent waste that negate, and is a sure fire way to bait them to activate card effects. Though that effect for being used as a Fusion Material is again giving Ancient Gear vibes.

Redundant Grid: Nice, a great way to restrict the plussing by having it linked to Special Summon. Giving it a HOPT was good to, so it couldn’t be abuse with Inferno Reckless Summon. The effect it gives to the Fusion Monster is great and well balanced, protection from battle and card effect once per turn should have a cost, meaning your opponent can use an effect to destroy it, and then possibly run it over with a monster that’s now stronger. I know it seems weird that I’m praising a weakness in your card, but I feel like it is a well designed one, that promotes more interactive play.

Recharge Grid: I’m not sure what the point is of this Special Summon. If it had an effect on the field that benefited other EXO monsters I think I’d be able to understand it more, but right now it’s just weird to me. That draw 1 effect for destroying monsters does not seem like a good idea. It’s netting you advantage for winning the game, which is generally poor design as shown by cards like “Card of Safe Return”. If you fuse into a multi-attacker monster you could be possibly netting yourself 2-3 cards per Battle Phase. Also, you should prevent this effect from being stackable, look at cards like “Beginning Knight” to see how you might go about doing so.

Fusion Grid: Bit of a strange restriction seeing as you didn’t include it on the other “Assault Repeater”. While I guess it can be any “EXO” monster, not just the Gears, it still seems a bit strange since it’s a Level 1, and would be less likely to give good Xyz spam. However, I’d just change it to be worded as so: “If this card is Normal Summoned, you can Normal Summon 1 “EXO” monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set this turn. (You can only gain this effect once per turn.)”

Speaking of, this effect would be something better suited for a field spell in all honesty.

Point Defense: I really don’t think you need to negate the effect of the “EXO” monster summoned, in fact it would be really good to allow it, because you’ll want to revive them for some recovery in most situations. That Fusion effect is pretty sweet, targeting protection once per turn is pretty nice.

Shield Barrier: This card is the perfect example of why it would be good if “Point Defense” didn’t negate the effects. When you SS from the Graveyard, you’ll recover another piece (or a Spell/Trap) sent there from a Fusion Summon. The Fusion Material effect isn’t anything to write home about, but it’s balanced by the good recovery this card offers. However, you might want to make it able to negate an attack on any monster you control, just so it’s more useful to possibly protect weaker gears left on the field.

Maybe give effects for being both Normal and Special Summoned.

Reconnaissance: At most you’re getting this thing to be a 2800 beater with “Marksman Rifle” and “Fusion Grid”, the latter of which won’t be giving any effect to it. I’d seriously consider buffing its stats a bit, and maybe giving it a floating effect to help you recover Gears, whether it’s adding them from the Deck or Graveyard to the hand, or Special Summoning 1 on death.

Frontline: I mean it’s the same issue as the previous one. You can get it up to a 3700 beater, that can deal piercing damage, with half an armades effect, but nothing else.

Assault: Well with the investment of 4 monsters you can get a 4100 beater. The non-targeting destruction on its death is fine, but I’d see it better fit to one such as Reconnaissance, if this thing dies on you, you’re going to want to recover resources fast, seeing how much it cost you.

Factory: This would probably be better on a Field Spell. Right now this card’s the only way to SS “Redundant Grid” to get off its effect, and “Redundant Grid” is the only way to search this card.

Hanger: That once per turn destruction negation is nice, seeing as this is what’s going to make your EXO Fusions able to be summoned for this archetype. However, it again feels like something better suited for a field spell, unless you make this archetype better at searching these Continuous Spells.

Recovery Team: I see this is your recovery. The first effect should just be an inherent effect of the “Frames” as they’re made up of multiple pieces, it would make sense for some of those pieces to survive despite the overall structure being destroyed. Recovery team could add further recovery in some sense, but I’d make the second effect such that you can add 1 “EXO” monster from your Deck to your hand instead. Also, as it’s limited to just the Fusion Monsters, it makes it less likely to be considered, you might as well run “Supply Squad” instead. I’d make this card such that when the Gears or Cores are destroyed, they might net you a search from the Deck. Also, maybe have it offer different effects based on whether it was an Armor, Gear, or Core destroyed. Like if it was an Armor: You can add 1 “EXO” monster from your Graveyard to your hand. Gear: You can add 1 “EXO” monster from your Deck to your hand. Core: You can add 1 “EXO” spell card from your Deck to your hand. Then you could have multiple possible effects for this continuous spell, that would be balanced by it being determined on which one is destroyed. Also, you might want to include ways to destroy your own “EXO” monsters so you can actually get the full benefits from this card.

Frame Overcharge: Since it’s only limited to the Fusions, it’s going to be bricky by nature. However the effect is still pretty good, and could be a Quick-Play instead of a Trap.

Surplus: Hey look, it’s the archetypal Trade-In. In all honesty, I’d make this card a Spell, you already have a HOPT on it, so it’s annoying enough already. I mean at best it might bait an MST, then you activate this and laugh a bit, but not much else. If you want it to stay a Trap though, I’d at least give it an effect that it can use in the Graveyard to help promote plays.

Overall: I really love the idea of having a deck based around the parts of huge robots that you build yourself, but the execution is a bit lacking. I’d focus the effects more.

The Cores seem to be the thinking pieces of the group, so I think it would make sense for them to have their effects on Normal Summon, as they’re slower, but better overall. These effects could be things like granting you a search of an “EXO” Spell Card, destroying an “EXO” monster in the hand or field to SS an “EXO Gear” from the hand, or add 1 from the Deck to the hanx, or maybe searching out another “Core” so you have monster that basically acts as a filler card to allow you to have more chances of getting your preferred “Core” to your hand (This would go great in conjunction with a Field Spell being able to Normal Summon 2 “EXO” monsters a turn).

The Gears on the other hand would suggest speed, but less versatility as Gear want to work with other Gears. Focusing the “EXO Gear Weapon” cards on SS effects that allow them to either destroy cards your opponent controls, SS “EXO Gear” monsters from the hand, or add them from the Deck to hand. Whereas the “EXO Gear Armor” cards would be focused on recovery, like SS from the Graveyard, or adding 2 “EXO” cards from the Graveyard to the hand. Also, while it makes sense for the Cores to be weak, the Weapons should be stronger, like 1600 to 1900 ATK. It seems a bit strong, but if you just make the ATK of the Fusions equal to the combined monsters it’ll be 3200-3800. Also, giving them effects while on the field would be good too, just in case you can’t go into fusions at the times. Like the armor cards prevent your “EXO’s” from being targeted, Core can’t be attacked while you control other “EXO” monsters, or Weapons being able to tribute themselves from the hand to buff EXO cards on the field.

Next, give the Fusions more effects, and hell, make more Fusions in general. I already mentioned how floating would greatly improve these cards, and fit lore wise, but beyond even that, I think that you should offer effects based on the cards used for the Summon. You only have 3 possible combinations of cards, but why not more? For example, have 1 that’s a combination of 1 Core and 2 Weapons, and it can attack all monsters your opponent controls. Or, you could make 1 that’s 1 Core, and 2 Shield, it cannot be targeted or destroyed by card effects, and your opponent cannot target cards other than it for attack. Have 1 Core with 1 Armor, that gives the sense of a desperate Core hiding, trying to find an out, and effect that would match, like when this card is destroyed by battle or card effect, you can add 2 “EXO” monsters from your Deck to your hand, so as to boost consistency. Make your Extra Deck a toolbox to deal with different adversities, or just stall for time.

Finally, consider condensing the Continuous Spell support, or just buff them in general. These seem like linchpins to help this deck go off more. As I mentioned before it’d be a good idea to have ways to destroy your own “EXO” monsters to take advantage of that continuous spell you made too.

If you want more inspiration for how to improve your archetype, look at the new “Ancient Gear” support, or the “Scrap” archetype. They have a lot to offer in the idea of recycling machines and making good boss monsters.

[VCR_CAT]

"Gear" as in "Equipment", not a mechanical gear -_- Please don't compare these to what is a completely unlike archetype.

 

Re: Monsters

I've shuffled around the stats and changed the distribution between how strong the fusions are inherently and how much they gain with stats. I've also added weaker ATK or DEF stats to the respective Offense or Defense monsters; partially to encourage more varied combinations of materials for the fusions, but also to bypass the BS of Machine Dupe and not need the "SS'd be an EXO effect" on all of them. With the stat reshuffle I've also boosted the given effects of the weaker material monsters, as to not make one inherently better than the other. The point of negating the effects of the monster on summon was to avoid massive plusses in a single turn, but considering the more limited access to Synchro or Xyz plays, the Fusion ones being more costly will require a stronger resource base.

 

Re: Fusions

Lo and behold it looks like I've actually nerfed the stats; but this was to keep in-line with the changed stats on the materials. With how their effects line-up, this will grant more freedom to use the materials that aren't strictly offense while still having some respectable stats to back up the different effects. I've also given float effects to Frontline and Recon. I will not, however, add more Fusions. The point of this archetype is the ability to customize the monsters your going into in terms of stats and effects; that's the point of the fusions gaining the stats of the monsters used as mats, and the mats granting different effects. Also, this archetype is already at 15 cards and even a reviewer shouldn't encourage makers to create archetypes of excessive size. You see only 3 "possible combinations", when really there's a 2-mat that could be one of 12 different monsters; and even more so for the other two. It's not about variety in numbers; but variety in customization. This also means that, with the added effects from the materials, having the fusions be as simple as possible not only benefits the archetype in its accessibility, but it keeps the individual fusions from being too strong.

 

Re: Spells/Traps

No changes made. Continuous spells is intentional, and none of them are meant to be fields (I don't want Terraforming as an additional consistency booster). Traps ditto; the deck would have enough search and plus power in its materials as-is; it doesn't need a faster draw-engine to catapult it into what would be a tier-1 position. Right now it's strong, but I need to real back the speed in some ways. Recovery is not meant to be pro-actively, so I will refrain from abusing that.

 

Overall, I do appreciate the criticism and it has helped make the changes I've made now for sure; however I feel like you kind of missed the point of what a lot of these cards do, and what the point of the archetype as a whole is.

[leafbladie]

Sorry, didn't realize it was supposed to be equipment, not mechanical gears. However It might be better to use a different term then. Something like "EXO Arsenal" or "EXO Armaments", it's partly hindered by the fact that there are no pictures to go aling with them. Gear just gives that impression.

 

Anyway, fair point about fusions, I shouldn't have been encouraging you to make more, but I wasn't encouraging you to make them of excessive size, like I imagined 6 maybe 7 fusions at the most, so you archetype would still have remained under 20. However I do think the point about inherent effects stands. I mean the way it is now, people will just want to find ways to make the strongest fusion combination possible through some means. Giving the weaker fusions interesting effects to help build field presence, or boost consistency would give more reason to go into them other than, "I can't make Assault EXO Frame right now." The material should be icing on the cake.

 

As for your want on continuous spells, I mean it's a fair thing to want. I actually have gotten tired of all the OP field spells Konami makes, just, you need more ways to search them out other Redundant Grid, which needs to be Special Summoned, and can only be Special Summoned within this archetype are by Point Defense and Hangar, and yes I looked them over, none of your cards would search out your Spells. I mean if you're a Fusion based archetype and you can't search out your archetypal based fusion consistently, you might as well run Poly, seeing as it can fuse from the hand too. Continuous Spell are risky, as unlike regular spells they need to stay on the field to keep netting you advantage, and they don't have the ease of access from cards like Terraforming. So you need ways to cirumvent this.