Ashisha, Equipment Fighter (Zazu Zingle)

[Zazubat]

Thinking of making an Archetype out of this. For now, just a single. Oh, and this not at my computer, so cannot use my typical template :(

             

When this card is Normal Summoned: Your opponent cannot activate card effects that target this card or equip cards until the End Phase. When this card attacks, if you control another monster, before the Damage Step: You can target 1 monster you control; equip it to this card. This card cannot be destroyed by battle while equipped with a card. When you take battle damage from a battle involving this card while it is equipped with a card: You can send 1 monster equipped to this card to the Graveyard; this card gains ATK equal to half of the equipped card's ATK and can attack again. This effect of "Ashisha, Equipment Fighter" can only be activated once per turn. This card can only be equipped with 1 monster at a time.

Oh, and the colon in the first part, yes, I know it's there. It's intentional, it's to make your opponent have a chance when it is summoned, otherwise, that would be cheap, at least in my book.

[Amanea]

BALANCE
The clause which allows for Summon negation, as you said, gives it practicality. The protection of Equip Cards may be a smidgen overdone, or perhaps just the immunity to targeting for one turn. That effect is a little generic and potentially overpowered. There are very few situations in which the equipping effect may be useful. See, your opponent would have to control a monster with ATK greater than 1500 but less than 1500 plus half the ATK of another monster you control, one which has either been Special Summoned this turn or has somehow survived your opponent's last turn, even though your opponent controls a monster with higher ATK. That requires some third form of card investment just to open up the opportunity to use this effect. Even then, her status as a Tuner just about negates any frame in which this would have utility, as going into a Level 7 or higher monster would easily be more efficient and more available than Tributing another monster you control and taking Battle Damage.

 

FLAVOR

The picture looks semi-futuristic, almost robotic, which made me think that it just might be able to pass for a Machine. The name meaning "blessing" was also a clever touch, as the effect involving Equip Cards does reflect the concept of power bestowed by magic/divinity. LIGHT-Attribute fits the picture, with the effulgence of the warrior against the darkness. As for the effect itself, if not to be dashed by scarcity of situation, I found the double attack fascinating, especially next to the battle immunity, next to the Equip Card immunity. A series of defensive mechanics work in tandem to ensure that during such a rare scenario in which this has application, the opponent cannot thwart your plans easily (bar Solemn Warning troll). The complexity of the effect offers intrigue by itself, although it is, as mentioned many times before, restricted by conditions and its linear nature.

 

UTILITY

I can't think of a deck in which this would be worth splashing, unless Vylons (or any other Unions) would profit from being equipped by the effect of another monster. Hypothetically, if that were the case, then extra effects layered onto the already notable ATK boost might not only make this less contingent but more potent. It has no shining reason to be included in any Side Decks.

 

FIXES

One way to potentially free up her usefulness would be to grant her a Special Summon condition: "If your opponent controls a monster(s) with the highest ATK on the field: You can Special Summon this card (from your hand)," freeing up a Normal Summon. Although, even with that, a monster with at 2200 ATK or less isn't going to help you scale anything worthwhile (Priestess, Big Eye, Volcasaurus, and their ilk). In that case, if you'd prefer to keep it free of spam-able Special Summoning abilities, then you could consider toning down the defensive effects and having Ashisha gain the entire ATK of the Tributed monster until the End Phase. That leads down the same road as Limiter Removal and Honest, causing explosive plays out of nowhere. Another option would be to Equip Cards from the hand and/or Graveyard to completely bypass the most crippling prerequisite: the need for an already decent monster to be Tributed.

[Aix]

This card is pretty horrible, the fact that it has that first effect is it's only selling point and even then, it's not very good. It doesn't really fit in any Deck, and all it does is have immunity to stuff like a surprise Forbidden Lance or a Dimensional Prison for the turn it was Normal Summoned only and if you really want, you can also boost this card's ATK by pretty much Tributing one of your monsters and taking damage. There's the fact that if you want any sort of substantial ATK boost, you have to Tribute a monster with already nice stats.

 

It has a very narrow margin of usefulness, it is optimal only in a point where your opponent has some sort of backrow that would activate during the Battle Phase (not upon Summon) that would target your monster while they have a monster you really need to get over by battle (like Tiras) and you control another monster with good enough stats, (2250 ATK at least if you want to get over Tiras) and a freed-up Normal Summon. Wut? Where are you going to go to face this situation? You wouldn't even side for a situation like this.

 

It's overly complex, slow and not at all worth it.

 

Suggested Fixes: Improve the stats by 100-200 ATK and let it equip from the hand.

[Zazubat]

Thanks for the reviews. I actually thought this might be a bit powerful, since it keeps the ATK forever, but I guess it isn't. I don't feel like changing this card too much right now, if I decide to make an Archetype out of it, you will probably see the full version then. I'll think about what to do. Oh, and I didn't even know that the name meant anything, so I made random flavor haha.