The Arachnitiles

[infinity234]

So one concept of Yu-gi-oh that has always interested me are cards the come out that mess with how the game is traditionally played, such as Superheavy Samurais attacking while in defense mode and prefer no spells/traps or cards like Numbers 92 and 13 and 31 which work on dealing damage based on your opponents strength rather than your own. Also one concept I was browsing through recently were cards that switch the attack and defense of monsters on the field, which there really aren't a lot of card that do that specific thing. With that in mind I decided an entire archetype of monsters whose very purpose is to switch attack and defense, but also with support cards that punish players for increasing a monster's stat (a la Reverse Trap). Let me know what you guys think :)

 

[spoiler=Main Deck Monsters]

The Arachnitile Confusion

Lv. 1 Dark Insect type 1000/1000

While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Once per turn, you can tribute this card, Special Summon 1 "The Arachnitile" monster from your deck or graveyard whose level is different from all Face-up monsters you control, except "The Arachnitile Confusion".

 

The Arachnitile Grief

Lv. 2 Dark Insect type 1300/1300

While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Once per turn, if a "The Arachnitile" monster is sent from the field or hand to the graveyard, Your opponent banishes 1 card from their deck, and if they do, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.

 

The Arachnitile Greed

Lv. 3 Dark Insect type 1600/1600

While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Once per turn, during either players turn, You can target any number of "The Arachnitile" monsters on the field (min 1), return them to the owners hand, and if you do draw 1 card and reveal it, and it was a "The Arachnitile" monster, you can special summon it. If this effect was activated this turn, you can Normal Summon 1 "The Arachnitile" monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set (you can only gain this effect once per turn).

 

The Arachnitile Pain

Lv. 4 Dark Insect type 1900/1900

While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Once per turn, you can send 1 "The Arachnitile" monster from your hand to the graveyard, destroy 1 monster on the field, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the discarded monster's level x300. You cannot declare an attack the turn you activate this effect.

 

The Arachnitile Jealousy

Lv. 5 Dark Insect type 2200/2200

You can Special Summon this card (From the hand) by discarding 1 "The Arachnitile" monster. While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Once per turn, you can tribute 1 "The Arachnitile" monster, then take control of one monster your opponent controls. It cannot declare an attack or activate it's effects the turn you activate this effect. You can only use this effect of "The Arachnitile Jealousy" once per turn.

 

The Arachnitile Lust

Lv. 6 Dark Insect type 2500/2500

You can Special Summon this card (form the hand ) by discarding 1 "The Arachnitile" monster. While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. While this card is face-up on the field, during your opponents battle phase, Your opponent cannot select level 10 or lower "The Arachnitile" monsters you control for attacks, except this one. All card effects that target monsters on your side of the field must target this card, if able.

 

The Arachnitile Fear

Lv. 7 Dark Insect type 2800/2800

You can Special Summon this card (from the hand or graveyard) by discarding 2 other "The Arachnitile" monsters. You can discard this card and 1 "The Arachnitile" monster to add 1 "The Arachnitile" card from your deck or graveyard to your hand, except "The Arachnitile Fear". While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Once per turn, during the standby phase, change this cards battle position. When this card attacks or is attacked, apply the following effects based on this cards battle position:

Attack: This card inflicts piercing damage. If the monster that battled this card is still on the field after damage calculation, return it to the hand.

Defense: This card cannot be selected as an attack target and cannot be targeted by your opponents monster effects.

 

The Arachnitile Anger

Lv. 8 Dark Insect type 3100/3100

You can Special Summon this card (from the hand or graveyard) by discarding 2 other "The Arachnitile" monsters. You can discard this card and 1 "The Arachnitile" monster to special summon 1 "The Arachnitile" monster from your graveyard or banished zone, except "The Arachnitile Anger". While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. While this card is face-up on the field, your opponent must pay 400 life points to activate cards or effects they control. If this card is sent from the field to the graveyard, you can target 1 card on the field, negate it's effects and, if you do, destroy it.

 

The Arachnitile Loneliness

Lv. 9 Dark Insect type 100/100

You can Special Summon this card (from the hand or graveyard) by discarding 2 other "The Arachnitile" monsters. You can discard this card and 1 "The Arachnitile" monster to draw 2 cards from your deck. While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Once per turn, during either players turn (except during the Battle Phase), you can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls, negate it's effects and, if you do, you can make its attack and defense 0 until the End Phase. While this card is face-up on the field, your opponent cannot special summon more than 1 monster at a time.

 

The Arachnitile Pride

Lv. 10 Dark Insect type 1600/1600

You can Special Summon this card (from the hand or graveyard) by discarding 2 other "The Arachnitile" monsters. You can discard this card and 1 "The Arachnitile" monster to special summon 1 "The Arachnitile" monster from your graveyard or banished zone, except "The Arachnitile Pride". While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Once per turn, during either players turn, while this card is face-up on the field, you either can send 1 "The Arachnitile" monster from your deck to the graveyard OR banish 1 "The Arachnitile" monster from your graveyard and, if you do, this cards name, level, and effect become that monsters until the end phase.

 

 

 

[spoiler=Spells]

The Arachnitile Web

Field Spell Card

This card cannot be destroyed by card effects as long as you control a face up "The Arachnitile" monster. All card effects that would increase the attack or defense of a monster your opponent controls decreases that monsters affected stat by the same amount (addition becomes subtraction, multiplication becomes division). Once per turn, if you control a "The Arachnitile" monster, you can reveal 1 set Spell/Trap card on the field then return it to it's original position and, if you do, the revealed card cannot be activated until the end of your opponents next turn. If this Face-up card leaves the field, destroy all Face-up "The Arachnitile" monsters on the field.

 

The Arachnitile Egg Cluster

Continuous Spell card

When this card is activated, special summon 1 "The Arachnitile monster from your hand. If a "The Arachnitile" monster is destroyed (by battle or card effect) special summon (from your hand or graveyard) 1 "The Arachnitile" with a different level that that of the destroyed monster. You can only use each effect of "The Arachnitile Egg Cluster" once per turn.

 

The Arachnitile Necro Pheramone

Quick-play Spell card

Special summon, from your graveyard or banished zone, 1 "The Arachnitile" monster whose level is different from all other monsters you control, but it cannot activate it's effects this turn. During your Battle Phase, You can banish this card from your graveyard, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Battle Phase.

 

 

 

 

 

[spoiler=Trap cards]

Lure Of The Arachnitiles

Normal Trap

Negate the effects of one face-up monster your opponent controls and, if you do, it is unaffected by other card effects, then destroy that monster and special summon, from your deck, 1 "The Arachnitile" monster in attack position to your opponents side of the field, but it cannot attack or activate its effects. You can banish this card from your graveyard, except the turn it was sent there, to target 1 card in your opponents graveyard, add it to your hand.

 

Venom Of The Arachnitiles

Counter Trap

Activate this card only while you control a "The Arachnitile" monster. When your opponent activates a card or effect, tribute 1 Insect type monster you control, negate the activation and, if you do, destroy it.

 

The Arachnitile Fusion

Normal Trap

Fusion Summon, using monsters on your side of the field or your hand as fusion materials, 1 "The Arachnitile" fusion monster from your extra deck. If you control no monsters, you can also use "The Arachnitile" monsters in your graveyard as fusion materials by banishing them. A Fusion monster fusion summoned with this card gains the following effect:

• "This cards effects cannot be negated as long as "The Arachnitile Fusion" is in the graveyard."

If this card is in the graveyard or banished zone while you do not control a monster, you can return this card to the deck to special summon up to 2 "The Arachnitile" monsters from either your banished zone or graveyard.

 

The Arachnitile Soul

Continuous Trap card

Neither player can special summon monsters that are the same level/rank as monsters they control. If a "The Arachnitile" monster(s) is removed from the field by an opponents card (by battle or card effect), you can draw 1 card for each "The Arachnitile" removed from the field. Once per turn, during your turn, if a "The Arachnitile" monster would be discarded to activate an effect, except it's own, you can special summon that monster to your side of the field. You can only use the last two effects of "The Arachnitile Soul" once per turn.

 

 

 

[spoiler=Fusion Monsters ]

The Arachnitile Darkness

Lv. 12 Dark Insect type Fusion 0/0

2 or more "The Arachnitile" monsters whose combined levels equal 12

Must be fusion summoned, and cannot be special summoned by other means. Once per turn, during either players turn, you can switch the attack and defense of all face-up monsters on the field until the end phase. This card cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects. This card cannot be banished. If this card battles an opponents monster, your opponent takes all battle damage you would have taken. As long as this card remains face-up on the field, all monsters your opponent controls are switched to attack position and must attack this card, if able. Once per turn, during your opponents battle phase, you can have all monsters your opponent controls gain this effect:

• This card inflicts piercing damage

The Arachnitile Death

Lv. 11 Dark Insect type Fusion 1000/1000

2 or more "The Arachnitile" monsters whose combined levels equal 11

This card must be fusion summoned, and cannot be special summoned by other means. This card's summon cannot be negated. Your opponent cannot activate cards or effects in response to this card's summon. While a "The Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. This card cannot be destroyed by battle. Once per turn, you can target 1 monster on the field, equip that monster to this card and, if you do, this card gains that cards name and effect. Any monster that battles this card has it's effects negated and is banished at the end of the damage step. Once per turn, you can special summon 1 "The Arachnitile" monster from your graveyard or banished zone. Your opponent cannot activate cards or effects in the graveyard, also they cannot move cards from the graveyard to a different place.

 

 

 

[Trebuchet MS]

If you control multiple Arachnitile monsters, do their swapping effects cancel each other out?

[dragonspirit369]

Confusion: Searchers are always nice, but there should probably be a HOPT on it to avoid looping. The condition on it also seems odd, because if its the only monster you control, then does that let you summon any of them when you tribute it? Maybe you could make it search if you have at least one other face-up monster, but that would be a serious limiter.

 

Grief: Just to confirm, is this meant to work kind of like Dark Matter Dragon? Because in that case it would read "Once per turn, if an "Arachnitile" monster is sent from the field or your hand to the graveyard, your opponent banishes one card from their deck, and if they do, inflict 500 damage to your opponent." That would also make this card really scary if you have more than one out, since more than half of the others can trigger Grief. Good call on only making this during your turn though.

 

Greed: I'm not sure how useful this one is unless you're trying to avoid a board-wipe like Raigeki or something. Not much to say here except that you have to say "draw 1 card and reveal it" for the last part of the effect, because you wrote the effect as a mandatory summon, so you have to prove to your opponent whether or not the bonus summon happens.

 

Pain: This one seems essentially worthless unless you're going for a dedicated burn build, since the archetype has almost no way to revive themselves from grave. It could maybe have some minor if it didn't have the line that stopped it from attacking, because then you could hit your opponent, then discard one of the higher level ones for even more damage for a sucker punch combo. You could maybe even combo with something you bounced with Greed if there was something you could do with the discarded card.

 

Jealousy: Conditional, but really nice if your opponent dedicates everything to one monster for the kill, although that won't happen as much now because of Pendulums, so you're gonna have to kill everything else to get this to be useful. Although this card would be nice to have one or two of to steal something that the switching effect of the archetype doesn't have a big impact on, like Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand or Azure-Eyes.

 

Lust: Great way to shield the lesser monsters in the archetype. Simple but effective. It also blocks everything aside from mass removal if you have two.

 

Fear: Both effects are nice, but this can be annoying for you if your opponent manages to switch it so that it's in Defense position during your turn. Also, for both Lust and Fear, I don't believe you have to say "other" for the alt. summoning condition.

 

Web: The backlash on this is crazy, but it does have decent protection. Also, I believe this makes the archetype's swapping of original ATK and DEF even better. For example, if I have Azure-Eyes out, it's a 2500/3000, but the swapping effect says its stats should become 3000/2500, but since that would increase its ATK by 500, the stats actually become 2000/2500.

 

Egg Cluster: Ah, we finally get some sort of desperately needed Graveyard interaction. The first effect is so strong though, that I believe you should put that you can only use one of the effects per turn, and only once that turn, or put a normal HOPT on it.

 

Lure: The second part is a little OP, but there's also no easy choice for the one to give your opponent. Maybe you could give them Pain if you really didn't care about it, but you want all the other ones.

 

Venom: Archetypal counter trap. Nothing to really say here, moving on.

 

Fusion: The condition that allows you to use your Graveyard is so strict that I think it would be okay to just limit it to not having any monsters on the field, because then you could combo with Greed. The last effect also helps with rebuilding if your opponent clears your board.

 

Darkness: Protects everyone else and is really hard to get rid of, on top of making your opponent take damage for you? Lovely card, and I think the strictness in the summon condition is nicely balanced with the effect, although I'm not sure why you took way the archetypal continuous effect for an activated one. It feels like you make that effect worse for no reason. Awesome boss that the deck needs, but beware that this also locks with Lust for attacks.

 

Overall: I believe one thing you could do to avoid confusion over the effects of all the main deck monsters is to have them say "While an "Arachnitile" monster is face-up on the field, the original ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field is switched. Also, perhaps they could stand to have more graveyard interaction or at least some way to deal with your opponent's back row, otherwise they leave themselves really vulnerable to things like Mirror Force and whatnot if you don't have Greed, and even that is a major setback for you. This is an interesting idea though that I'd like to try out. Currently I'd say this archetype is a 3.5/5, and maybe you could add more cards to the archetype, since there's currently only 13, including the Fusion, although that's up to you.

[infinity234]

Thanks For the input dragonspirit369 Ill try to make those quick changes to problems :) The only thing I want to address is the reason why darkness' swapping effect is optional is so, if he's the only one on the field, you can choose the order of attack and defense that will give the most damage output.

 

And yes Trebuchet MS I guess as they are written right now an even number of monsters on the field would cancel out the swapping effects but I don't quite know how to write that so that won't be an issue.

[infinity234]

Suggestions made so far to improve the archetype have been accounted for and added to the cards. Let me know what you guys think so far :)

[dragonspirit369]

I'm just going to comment on the cards that have undergone the major changes this time around.

 

Greed: The addition of the Normal Summon/Set effect is really nice for helping recover from something like a Mirror Force or Bottomless, although I think you can only have it be a bonus Normal Summon, because the fact that it's restricted in any way means your opponent has to see that you're following that restriction, and they can't tell if you set the monster.

 

Pain: This went from underpowered to amazing with the addition of that removal effect. This is a great help to the archetype, since they could use more ways to clear a path or just protect themselves early on.

 

Lust: I've noted that you no longer make this lock for attacks with the fusion monster, while still protecting it from removal, which is good for the archetype.

 

Web: It's good to see that the Field spell can contribute now, given the drawback, and the stun effect might actually be better than if you just outright destroyed it, since it takes up space for them, and you'll know what to avoid doing later.

 

Necro Pheramone: Oooh, it's a new card! The SS effect is useful for all the discarding stuff this deck has, and the one turn stun during battle phase can easily help finish a game. Solid card, no changes necessary here.

 

Some other notes: Grief would be really scary in a mirror match, since it affects both sides of the field. Also, still no card I'd be willing to give my opponent with Lure, but that's fine. It just means all the crds are worth using. It might be interesting to see another Fusion monster, maybe a Synchro monster if you want to go that way and make some of new/existing Arachnitiles into Tuners, or maybe you could even do a Ritual monster, given the levels of the archetype. After all, if they're all supposed to be different levels, you've still got 8~11 to work with!