[Archetype] For illustrious men have the whole earth for their tomb.

[Cirrus]

Inspired by the idea of Super Gladiator Beasts. Gladiator Beasts' traditional weakness has always been that they just randomly fold to removal like TT and Mirror Force, so the solution is to attempt a slightly different direction (resilience to removal, loss by battle, high setup requirement). Slight trade-back in power in that bouncing them banishes instead - there's a decent amount of banish reuse of the slow variety to offset this, as the deck is unlikely to run too many copies of a single card (both this and GB have silver bullet-type playstyles).

Statlines extensively tweaked. Themistocles and Pericles are no longer oppressive in terms of what they offer (one doesn't negate and can't hit facedowns any more, the other doesn't prevent responses). Field Spell and Blitz no longer allow the ability to fetch the same one, which reduces the power of fetch Pericles - pop backrow - refetch Pericles (or same, with Themistocles hitting front row) significantly. Glory nerfed to become an actually reasonable card and not something that just gets all the cards out of your hand; unsure about playability after change but nbd. Blitz drawback removed as Pausanias fetching Blitz allows at least some counterplay if opponent wants to remove Blitz; unsure if Pausanias needs a nerf or not at present (delay until beginning of your next turn instead of being able to do it during your turn, then have the set S/T ready to go during opponent's turn). Thucydides draws only 1 card to prevent randomly drawing 2 cards, but can still banish up to 2.

Field Spell nerfed by 100 ATK and DEF. This nerf's actually pretty big because of how the level 4s usually interact with the Field Spell, and compounded with the statline nerfs it should be much easier to beat over these guys (intended method of defeat).

Fiendish Chain, Breakthrough Skill, and their ilk have become quite decent in light of the Pericles nerf, because usually the deck plays with 1 or 2 enablers and little else; it's vital to disrupt the deck in earlier turns so that they cannot fetch more enablers and eventually become entrenched. The removal of Mercenary of the Black Chain has also hurt the deck quite a bit - see reliance on early turn play.

[spoiler=Monsters]

Warmaster Themistocles
Level 5 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 1900 ATK/800 DEF
If this face-up card would be returned to the hand or Deck by an opponent's card effect, banish it instead. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Warmaster" card: Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; send that target to the Graveyard. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck, except "Warmaster Themistocles".

Warmaster Pericles
Level 5 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 2100 ATK/1000 DEF
If this face-up card would be returned to the hand or Deck by an opponent's card effect, banish it instead. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Warmaster" card: Target 1 Spell/Trap Card your opponent controls; destroy that target. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck, except "Warmaster Pericles".

Warmaster Tolmides
Level 5 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 2000 ATK/1400 DEF
If this face-up card would be returned to the hand or Deck by an opponent's card effect, banish it instead. If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of a "Warmaster" card and a card effect is activated that would remove a "Warmaster" monster from the field: You can negate that effect. You can only use this effect of "Warmaster Tolmides" once per turn. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck, except "Warmaster Tolmides".

Warmaster Pausanias
Level 5 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 2200 ATK/1800 DEF
If this face-up card would be returned to the hand or Deck by an opponent's card effect, banish it instead. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Warmaster" card: Set 1 "Warmaster" Spell/Trap Card from your Graveyard, but it cannot be activated this turn. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck, except "Warmaster Pausanias".

Warmaster Alcibiades
Level 5 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 2500 ATK/1600 DEF
If this face-up card would be returned to the hand or Deck by an opponent's card effect, banish it instead. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Warmaster" card, when this monster destroys a monster by battle: Add 1 "Warmaster" card from your Deck to your hand, and if you do, you can banish 1 "Warmaster" card from your Graveyard. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck, except "Warmaster Alcibiades".

Warmaster Lysander
Level 5 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 2300 ATK/1700 DEF
If this face-up card would be returned to the hand or Deck by an opponent's card effect, banish it instead. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Warmaster" card: Target up to 2 cards in either player's Graveyard; banish those targets, then you can discard 1 card, and if you do, draw 1 card. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck, except "Warmaster Lysander".

Warmaster Nicias
Level 5 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 1800 ATK/2200 DEF
If this face-up card would be returned to the hand or Deck by an opponent's card effect, banish it instead. If this card is Special Summoned by the effect of a "Warmaster" card: Target 1 "Warmaster" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target, but its effect(s) is negated by this card, and it is banished when this card leaves the field. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck, except "Warmaster Nicias".

________________


Plutarch, Warmaster Biographer
Level 4 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 1600 ATK/400 DEF
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 banished "Warmaster" card to your hand. You can destroy this card you control; Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your hand. When this card is destroyed by your opponent's card (by battle or effect) and sent to the Graveyard: Draw 1 card. You can only use 1 "Plutarch, Warmaster Biographer" effect per turn, and only once that turn.

Thucydides, Warmaster Chronicler
Level 4 - EARTH - Warrior/Effect - 1700 ATK/900 DEF
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can activate this effect; banish up to 2 "Warmaster" cards from your Graveyard, then draw 1 card. You can destroy this card you control; choose up to 3 of your banished "Warmaster" cards, then put 1 of them into your hand and shuffle the rest into your Deck. During either player's turn: You can banish this card from your Graveyard to target 1 "Warmaster" monster you control; until the end of this turn, that target gains 800 ATK. You can only use 1 "Thucydides, Warmaster Chronicler" effect per turn, and only once that turn.

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Fusion Monsters]

Warmaster Polemarch, Callimachus
Level 7 - EARTH - Warrior/Fusion/Effect - 2800 ATK/2200 DEF
2 "Warmaster" monsters
Must first be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control. (You do not use "Polymerization".) Cannot be destroyed by battle. If this card attacks or is attacked, your opponent cannot activate cards and effects until the end of the Damage Step. Any monster that battles with this card has its ATK and DEF become their original ATK and DEF during damage calculation. During the End Phase, if this card battled this turn: You can target 1 banished "Warmaster" monster; Special Summon that target, then return this card to your Extra Deck.

Warmaster Archon, Aristides
Level 7 - EARTH - Warrior/Fusion/Effect - 2600 ATK/1400 DEF
1 "Warmaster Themistocles" + 1 "Warmaster" monster
Must first be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control. (You do not use "Polymerization".) When this card is Special Summoned: Target up to 2 cards your opponent controls; destroy them, also cards and effects with their name(s) cannot be activated until the end of this turn. During the End Phase, if this card battled this turn: You can target up to 2 banished "Warmaster" monsters, except "Warmaster Themistocles"; Special Summon those targets, then return this card to your Extra Deck.

Warmaster Regnant, Archidamus
Level 9 - EARTH - Warrior/Fusion/Effect - 3300 ATK/2700 DEF
1 "Warmaster Lysander" + 2 "Warmaster" monsters
Must first be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control. (You do not use "Polymerization".) Unaffected by your opponent's monster effects. Once per turn: You can banish 1 "Warmaster" card in your Graveyard to target 1 face-up Spell or Trap your opponent controls; negate its effect(s), and if you do, send it to the Graveyard. During the End Phase, if this card battled this turn: You can target up to 3 banished "Warmaster" monsters, except "Warmaster Lysander"; Special Summon those targets, then return this card to your Extra Deck.

Warmaster Historian, Herodotus
Level 6 - EARTH - Warrior/Fusion/Effect - 2000 ATK/2400 DEF
1 Level 4 "Warmaster" monster + 1 "Warmaster" monster
Must first be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) by shuffling the above cards you control into their owner's Deck. (You do not use "Polymerization".) When this card is Special Summoned: You can shuffle any number of your banished "Warmaster" cards into your Deck; this card gains 100 ATK and DEF for each card shuffled this way. Once per turn: You can add 1 "Warmaster" monster with ATK less than or equal to this card's ATK from your Deck to your hand, and if this card destroyed a monster by battle this turn, you can Special Summon it instead.

[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Spell/Trap Cards]

Warmaster Conference Room
Field Spell
"Warmaster" monsters gain 200 ATK and DEF during damage calculation only. Once per turn, during either player's Main Phase: You can return 1 "Warmaster" monster you control to the Deck that battled this turn; Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster with a different name from your Deck. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by a card effect: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck.

Wartime Mobilization
Normal Spell
If your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters: Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your Deck, and treat it as if it was Special Summoned by the effect of a "Warmaster" card. You can only activate 1 "Wartime Mobilization" per turn.

Warmaster Blitz
Quick-Play Spell
Target 1 monster you control; shuffle it into its owner's Deck, then Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster with a different name from your Deck. You can only activate 1 "Warmaster Blitz" per turn.

Warmaster Reprieve
Normal Spell
Shuffle up to 2 banished "Warmaster" cards into your Deck, then draw the same number of cards. You can only activate 1 "Warmaster Reprieve" per turn.

Tenacity of the Warmasters
Trap Card
Target 1 "Warmaster" monster you control; this turn, it gains 600 ATK, also apply one of the following effects:
- Until the end of this turn, it is unaffected by monster effects, also it cannot be destroyed by battle.
- Until the end of this turn, it is unaffected by the effects of other Spell and Trap Cards.

Glory of the Warmasters
Continuous Trap
When this card is activated: You can Special Summon 1 "Warmaster" monster from your hand. Once per turn, when you Special Summon a "Warmaster" monster from your Deck: Draw 1 card. If this Set card is destroyed by an opponent's card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; return that target to its owner's hand. You can only control 1 face-up "Glory of the Warmasters".

Supremity of the Warmasters
Counter Trap
Activate only if you control a face-up "Warmaster" monster, when an Effect Monster's effect is activated: Reveal 1 "Warmaster" monster from your hand; negate the activation, and if you do, banish that monster.

[/spoiler]
Flavor considerations: all Level 5 / 7 / 9 monsters named after notable figures from classical Greece, of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars. Themistocles: Athenian politician and strategos, extremely relevant during Persian invasions of Greece. Pericles: Athenian statesman and strategos, immensely popular; active during the Golden Age, from after the Persian invasions until a little into the second Peloponnesian War. Tolmides: leading Athenian general, contemporary of Pericles. Pausanias: King of Sparta during the latter period of the Peloponnesian War, assisted in restoration of democracy in Athens, and an ally of Lysander. Lysander: navarch of Sparta during the last years of the Second Peloponnesian War, responsible for strategy and battles surrounding the defeat of Athens. Alcibiades: talented Athenian general and politician, famous for the ease with which he made enemies (and subsequent defections) during the Second Peloponnesian War. Nicias: Athenian aristocrat during the First and Second Peloponnesian Wars; although frequently strategos, he made a better negotiator than commander. Callimachus: polemarch at the Battle of Marathon, a kind of overseer for the 10 strategoi; died in the proceedings. Aristides: associate of Themistocles, held predominant position in Athens as direct result of military roles in the Persian invasions. Archidamus (II): King of Sparta for the period during the First and preceding the Second Peloponnesian War, notable for his even-handedness and calm judgment.

 

The level 4 and 6 support guys are named after classical historians, of course. Plutarch is a biographer because of his Lives, detailing the biographies of a number of Greek and Roman figures. Thucydides wrote a well-known account of the Second Peloponnesian War, hence chronicler. Herodotus, noted as the "Father of History" by Cicero, is the Fusion monster as the first notable historian in the world of antiquity, and detailed the origins and events of the Greco-Persian wars.

[Darj]

Not a fan of how these guys work, to be honest.

1. The floating effect. It virtually renders them immune to destruction to your opponent's card effects, and doing so will only result in them being punished. This automatically makes them immune to the most common form of removal after battle destruction, and unaffected by Dark Hole, Torrential, Exciton and other mass-removal cards that are useful for comebacks and/or punishing overextension.
Since I believe one of the goals is to make destruction more relevant in the DP metagame (e.g. less cards that float or are immune to destruction), this isn't good news.

2. Summoning from the deck. Really, this is a powerful mechanic and in my opinion should be used in moderation, something that these Warmasters don't do: Conference Room, Mobilization, Blitz and their floating effects. Then add to this that Warmasters trigger when Special Summoned and you get a deadly playstyle.

3. Even the on-Summon effects are questionable as well, because this perk gives them more speed compared to the standard OPT ignition effects, allowing you to use their effects during the opponent's turn, and at least break even when the opponent attempts to stop the Summoned Warmaster through BTH and the like. Trap Hole Nightmare would be an effective counter against them... if they didn't have that floating effect.

In short, it's the combination of on-Summon effects plus their floating effects what grants them a dangerous and arguably oppresive playstyle that forces your opponent to spend resources while you steadily tag out and Special Summon for pluses, until the opponent runs out of its resources and then you push with Contact Fusions and the main deck beaters. Even the "Special Summon from hand" cards break even after factoring the plusing effects of the summoned Warmasters so they should easily keep their advantage up. The floating effects by themselves looks fair, the on-summon effects by themselves look fair as well, but when combined you get a synergistic interaction that takes them to a whole new level. This effectively makes them "Super Gladiator Beasts", but I suspect you may have taken them a bit too far.


Now, comments on a couple of cards:

Themistocles: The "send to grave" effect feels a bit like an overkill, but nothing too big.

Callimachus: I think its ATK is too high for a contact Fusion with 2 generic Warmaster requirements. It would be understandable if they were difficult to Summon, especially the Level5s, but that isn't the case.

Aristides: It's Gyzarus on crack. Higher ATK plus that cute lock on the destroyed cards and their copies. Plus unlike the other 2-material Warmasters this tags out into 2 Warmasters, who will trigger their on-Summon effects in the process. Pluses away!

 

Mobilization: An "Onslaught of Fire Kings" that doesn't negate effects so... that Warmaster you Summon will most likely generate a plus, on top of freely picking the Warmaster you want/need from the toolbox in the deck. An amazing card indeed but I think it is a it too much.

 

Retrieve: At worst an Upstart Goblin, at best a Pot of Greed. Yeah, not sure if fair. One would think the "drawback" of requiring banished Warmasters would make it acceptable, but when you consider Chronicler, Lysander, Alcibiades, the contact Fusions and of course their self-banishment drawback when bounced, then it shouldn't be as difficult to set up those 2 card draws.

Supremity: A better Divine Wrath that doesn't cost card advantage and banishes instead of destroying, just to further reward players for running Warmasters. I want to ask: why?

[Cirrus]

Okay, some of this was went over in DP chat, but, I might as well address some more points here. Reprieve is bad because it's useless and literally does nothing unless you are already winning (there's more complicated reasons but this is basically a summary). Aristides is not actually Gyzarus on crack because it is significantly harder to summon than Gyzarus is; in fact, all the contact fusions are like this except Callimachus, which is actually susceptible to removal! This is the defining feature. Aristides also has a clause to prevent you from just tagging in the two monsters you used for its fusion because you can't tag in a Themistocles (and it will indeed stay banished until you recycle it). The only monsters that +1 on summon are Pericles and Themistocles - both target and are relatively tame forms of removal.

 

As Nai said; a decent bit better than puretifacts without Moralltach @ 1 is a pretty good comparison.

[Darj]

Pausanias and Nicias are also +1s on Summon, and the latter can set the materials for a 2-monster Contact Fusion, including Aristides if Themistocles is in the grave. You are right the rest aren't +1s.

 

I wouldn't call "send a monster to grave" and "destroy a Spell/Trap" tame forms of removal; they may not have additional perks like banishing the targets afterwards or Night Beam clauses (as Themistocles used to have), but are still effective at removing cards.

 

I don't think Pure Artifacts are a positive example to follow. I believe they are considered badly designed or something among those lines because they discourage/punish player interaction; but I'm not an expert on this stuff so I don't know.