What will you choose? "Chantress" Archetype! {22/22}

[NobodySovereign]

The Lore

Amaya is a world in the Duel Monsters universe that has begun to decline. Magic is fading from the world, and people have begun to lose hope, turning to dark magic fueled by sacrificing their own future for the fleeting power afforded by evil spirits. Even some who have known the touch of magic and seen its wonderful effects have started to give up the fight. But one lone girl keeps hope alive in her heart, and she may just be able to breathe life back into this fading world.

 

 

The Concept

 

FADING MAGIC is a set that draws cards from the world of Amaya, where magic fueled by hope is beginning to die, and in its place dark magic fueled by greed is taking its place. These two magics are represented by opposing ideals: Maintaining hand presence and paying Life points versus Discarding cards and Gaining Life Points-- Hope vs Greed. Hopeful Lightchantress Elilah is our heroine, and as such she's got the special power to bring out Hope where there might not usually be any by allowing you to change your Hand around, swapping out an inopportune card for a chance at a better one. Her friend, Struggling Lightchantress Treya, gains confidence when she's around Elilah, allowing you to Draw and extra card whenever you draw one outside of your Draw phase. However, they're not alone in this journey-- stalking their steps, Darkchantress Practitioner Felma is all too willing to sacrifice her own future for the power she needs in the present, discarding a card for a boost to her ATK. With her is the sinister evil spirit Jealousy who, after she's been destroyed, lives on as a Continuous Spell that forces your opponent to discard a card every turn. Two faeries, the Lightchantress Fading Faerie and the Darkchantress Companion Fey have begun to feel the effects of the oncoming darkness, with Faerie detaching Xyz Materials to add cards to your hand, while Fey embraced the darkness and detaches Xyz Materials to have your opponent discard a card, earning her controller Life Points based on the Levels of any monsters discarded. Then there is the Enigmatic Graychantress Marna who seems to play both sides of the conflict, counting as both LIGHT and DARK, and being able to Draw cards and discard them. Akelli, Doubtful Graychantress on the other hand is a girl who's skeptical of the power hope can have, and if she falls in with the wrong crowd, it can send her spiraling into the darkness.

 

All is not lost for our heroes though! By working together, Elilah and Treya can reach out to Cerra, Lightchantress of the Magical Library who has almost lost her hope. Until now, she's been watching as her catalog of magics and wonders has slowly faded away, but with the power of hope, Cerra can find the will to fight once more, bringing with her some powerful magics like the ability to make herself immune to your foe's Spell and Trap Cards for a turn and, with enough of a Library (ie. your Hand), attacking your opponent's Life Points directly! Still greater, deep within the magical library, Elilah can find the mysterious tome for the Renewal of Hope, allowing her to become the great Elilah the Lightchantress Knight. With her new powers, Elilah becomes immune to your opponent's monster effects and proves that one need not sacrifice their future for the present by allowing you to excavate monsters to gain Life Points, and keep the cards you excavate, which is great, because she'll have to face the intimidating Ruby, Darkchantress Matron who has been pulling the strings behind the scenes. Ruby operates in a frightening capacity, stealing the futures of others and sacrificing her "allies" to go in full force on her enemies.

 

Hope or despair? Light or darkness? The choice is, ultimately, up to you!

 

Artist Credit goes to Asuka111.

 

[spoiler=Main Deck Monsters]

 

Hopeful Lightchantress Elilah

Level 3 / LIGHT / Spellcaster / Effect / 0 ATK / 1500 DEF

During your Standby Phase: You can return 1 card from your hand to your Deck, and if you do, Draw a card. While you control another "chantress" monster: This monster cannot be targeted for attacks.

 

Struggling Lightchantress Treya

Level 3 / LIGHT / Spellcaster / Effect / 400 ATK / 2000 DEF

When you Draw a card outside of your Draw Phase, except by this effect: You can pay 500 Life Points, and if you do, Draw a card. While you control another "Lightchantress" card: This card may attack while in face-up Defense Position. If it does, apply its DEF for damage calculation.

 

Darkchantress Practitioner Felma

Level 4 / DARK / Spellcaster / Effect / 1500 ATK / 1100 DEF

When this card is Summoned: Your opponent discards 1 card. During your Main Phase 1: You can discard a card, and if you do, this card gains 800 ATK until your End Phase.

 

Darkchantress Spirit of Jealousy

Level 4 / DARK / Fiend / Effect /1900 ATK / 0 DEF

When this card is Summoned: Both players discard 1 card. When this card would be destroyed: You can discard a card; place it face-up in your opponent's Spell & Trap Card Zone as a Continuous Spell Card instead, with the following effect:

* Once per turn, during your Standby Phase: Discard 1 card.

 

Enigmatic Graychantress Marna

Level 4 / LIGHT / Spellcaster / Effect / 1750 ATK / 1000 DEF

While face-up on the field, this card is also DARK. Once per turn: You can Draw a card, then you can discard 1 card, and if you do, you gain 800 Life Points. While you control a "Lightchantress" monster: This card's Level is also 3.

 

Elilah the Lightchantress Knight

Level 6 / LIGHT / Spellcaster / Effect / 2850 ATK / 1200 DEF

You can Ritual Summon this card with "Renewal of Hope". Must be Ritual Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card is unaffected by your opponent's monster effects. Once per turn: You can excavate the top card of your Deck, and if it is a Monster Card, gain Life Points equal to that monster's Level x 500, then add that card to your hand.

 

Ruby, Darkchantress Matron

Level 7 / DARK / Spellcaster / Effect / 2850 ATK / 1500 DEF

When this card is Special Summoned: Banish the top card of your opponent's Deck face-up, and if you do, draw a card. While you control another "Darkchantress" monster: You can Tribute a monster you control; this card can make a second attack during each of your battle phases this turn.

 

Akelli, Doubtful Chantress

Level 3 / LIGHT / Spellcaster / Effect / 800 ATK / 2000 DEF

While you control a "Darkchantress" monster: This card is treated as DARK and its Level becomes 4. If this card is discarded by a card effect: You can Special Summon this card in face-up Defense Position.

 

 

 

 

[spoiler=Extra Deck Monsters]

 

Lightchantress Fading Faerie

Rank 3 / LIGHT / Fairy / Effect / 2100 ATK / 1350 DEF

2 Level 3 LIGHT Spellcaster-Type Monsters

Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; Excavate the top 3 cards of your Deck, then add 1 of those cards to your hand, also shuffle the rest back into your Deck. While this card has no Xyz Material: You can tribute this card, and if you do, gain 500 LP for each card in your hand.

 

Darkchantress Companion Fey

Rank 4 / DARK / Fairy / Effect / 2500 ATK / 1400 DEF

2 Level 4 DARK monsters

Once per turn, during either player's Main Phase: You can detach 1 Xyz Material; your opponent discards a card, and if it was a Monster Card, you gain Life Points equal to the total Level of the discarded card x 300.

 

Cerra the Magical Librarian

Level 6 / LIGHT / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK / DEF

1 LIGHT Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner LIGHT monsters

During each Standby Phase: You can pay 800 Life Points, and if you do, this card is unaffected by your opponent's Spell and Trap Cards until the next End Phase. While you have 4 or more cards in your hand: This card can attack your opponent directly.

 

 

 

 

[spoiler=Spells]

 

Failure of Faith

Quick-Play Spell

When a "Lightchantress" monster you control is targeted for an attack: Send the top 2 cards from your Deck to the Graveyard, and if you do, that monster you control cannot be destroyed by battle, also, you take no battle damage from battles involving that monster this turn.

 

Bursting Inspiration

Normal Spell

Target 1 face-up "Lightchantress" monster you control: That card gains ATK and DEF equal to the number of cards in your hand x 200. While this card is in your Graveyard, except during the turn it was sent there: You can banish this card, and if you do, draw a card.

 

Renewal of Hope

Ritual Spell

This card is used to Ritual Summon "Elilah the Lightchantress Knight". You must also Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal 6 or more. While you control a "Lightchantress" monster, except during the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard: You can banish this card from your Graveyard and pay 800 Life Points; Draw 2 cards. You can only use this effect of "Renewal of Hope" once per turn.

 

The Greed of Darkness

Continuous Spell

Once per turn: This card cannot be destroyed. When you discard a card(s): Gain 500 Life Points for each. While this card is in your Graveyard: You can Banish this card, then target 1 "chantress" card in your Graveyard; add that card to your Hand.

 

Amaya, the World of Fading Magic

Field Spell

All "chantress" monsters you control gain 500 ATK and DEF. When a Spell Card is activated: Place 1 Fade Counter on this card. Once per turn: You can remove 3 Fade Counters from this card, then select and activate 1 of the following effects:

* Draw a card.

* Gain 800 Life Points.

 

Crucial Choice: Despair or Hope?

Normal Spell

Select and activate one of these effects:

* Discard 1 card, then add 1 "Darkchantress" monster from your Deck to your hand.

* Pay 800 Life Points, then add 1 "Lightchantress" monster from your Deck to your hand.

 

Darkchantress Sanctuary of Despair

Field Spell

When a card(s) is discarded: Place 1 Despair Counter on this card. "Darkchantress" monsters you control gain 200 ATK and DEF for each Despair Counter on this card. Once per turn, during your Main Phase: You can remove any number of Despair Counters from this card, then Special Summon a "Darkchantress" monster from your hand or Graveyard with a Level equal to the number of removed Counters.

 

Blossoming Hope

Normal Spell

If you control no monsters: Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "chantress" monster from your hand or Deck. You can only activate 1 "Blossoming Hope" per turn. You cannot Special Summon monsters during the turn you activate this card, except "chantress" monsters.

 

 

 

 

[spoiler=Traps]

 

Eye of Darkness

Counter Trap

When a Spell/Trap Card, or monster effect, is activated while you control at least 1 "Darkchantress" monster: Discard 1 card and negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card.

 

Envy of the Living

Normal Trap

Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls and 1 "Darkchantress" monster in your Graveyard: Discard 2 cards, and if you do, destroy that monster your opponent controls and Special Summon that monster from your Graveyard.

 

Hope on the Horizon

Normal Trap

When you take battle or effect damage: Special Summon 1 LIGHT Spellcaster-Type monster from your Deck with ATK less than or equal to the damage you took.

 

 

 

[Dova]

Congrats on the lore! It looks very nice.

 

Elilah seems to be a nice little anti-brick card, the genericness seems fine, The Maiden effect seems helpful for protection, but really, the chances of it coming into play is minimal, as if you can make plays there are a whole bunch of Xyzs and Synchros you could make. I guess it's a good passive play, but all your opponent needs to do is UTL to get over it, and Maiden did provide a boost when the attack was negated, giving your opponent a reason not to attack.

 

Treya's effect is ripped completely from your good ol' Lightsworns, but why fix what ain't broke? The second effect, on the other hand...I don't like it's genericness, but you do realize that you can chain it to itself right? So, basically another ultimate offering, and all you need is a single upstart to get it going.

 

Moving onto Felma, I'm not really seeing an archetype here. That's completely fine, a series that works together is a neat idea, but in doing support and the basic effects of the archetype you have to be really careful in making them generic. This card, for example, seems like a neat tech in Dark Worlds in replacement of Trance Archfiend. 1 at most, if at all, so it's not a huge threat, but you can really get creative.

 

For Jealousy, I would suggest "lose" instead of "pay" in terms of LP, as paying is normally for a cost. See Soul Charge. However, the effect by itself is a HUGE no. Card Destruction is banned, and, while this card provides a cost (almost) in terms of drawing cards, it is to you AND your opponent, and people don't seem to have a problem paying 4k with A Hero Lives, so not much of a deal. I get the idea, but it can plus you too much. The last effect is...weird. Is it just to fill up your opponent's Spell/Trap zones? This is the only monster that does this, and considering it provides no effect while face-up, I don't really see the point.

 

Marna is sort of helpful, but too slow to do much. The effect is fine, just misplaced. I don't think it would hurt to just make it an OPT thing, as there's no real reason for it to be run outside of the series.

 

The ritual is a bit weak, to be honest. Make the main effect OPT, and have it that if it is a monster card, you can add it to your hand. Another reason to have it out, ya know? The eff protection is neat, but honestly the card is not too strong at the moment, even with the other effect just becoming a OPT thing. Nice idea.

 

Remove the standby Phase from Faerie, and just make it OPT. I would say you are making your cards too weak, but judging from the below spells, you don't really seem to have an idea for the meta at all. Take a look at similar cards in the current game, and see what restricts them, whether they are on the banlist etc. It's an easy first method of determining how strong/weak your card is. But other than that, this card is fine.

 

Idol can just force your opponent to discard a card. Other than that, fits in well.

 

Cerra also lacks speed. Perhaps during each Standby Phase, not only your own? That would probably work. The direct attack works, but probably doesn't need to halve its own attack.

 

I need to take a break here to talk about the "archetype". It's not an archetype, because no shared name. Now that's fine, except they don't have much synergy except through lore and vaguely similar effects. I gurantee that a deck of these cards would not be made in the meta, but they would be splashed across other decks far and wide. Generic is good...to an extent.

 

With Failure, no need for "Dark-Attribute" just "DARK" will do. This card...I mean, call of the haunted does a similar thing. True, it is vulnerable to MST and the like, but it doesn't require you to discard 2. I really want to lower it to "discard 1", but combined with the power boost effect it will be too strong for a generic. Really, it's on too fine a line to do much with.

 

Inspiration is literally a better pot of greed, and that's not good at all. I would say change it to draw 1, but then it just becomes a better upstart. The last effect is interesting, but I would suggest it to actually fit with the series in a way other than just a similar effect.

 

Renewal's second effect is also iffy. It is basically a pot of greed that you have to discard first, as 800 is not a high price. Perhaps make it only work while you control a- nevermind, there is nothing tying these cards together other than similar effects and lore. I have to say start over with this card.

 

500 LP is not a lot. Yes, it can't be destroyed once per turn, and yes, it can search any card in your Graveyard (in fact that effect might be a little too much), but the main effect is not worth running it. As the above, would probably run it only to get it into the Graveyard. The problem is that these cards work with anything, and do a lot. I could forgive them if they were archetypal, or even restricted some other way, but for now? No.

 

Amaya finally breaks the trend of strong effects with just a plain ol' bad card. Field spells are ignored if they just give power boosts, so no particular reason to run this. In fact, it is worse than the old field spells, as it takes forever to actually get a substantial power boost, and can lose it if you happen to run out of spells. Buff it to 500 ATK and DEF, and we might be seeing something...but again genericness. It's really hard to work with, as we have DM and the like.

 

With Despair and Hope, neither effect is worth running. Would say buff the reward on both, but too generic, so I don't really know what to say.

 

Eye of Darkness is a bit too generic as well for my tastes, especially with the prominence of Light/Dark in the current Meta. Sorry for sounding like a broken record at this point, but I do have something important to say at the very end. I don't have any suggestions for improvement on the card itself...but again, later.

 

Envy of the Living is basically a better Oasis of Dragon Souls. Again, can't think of anything directly to improve the card, but more on it later.

 

---

 

Alright, I've said the same things over and over again for too long. I've been criticizing for too long. Basically, my suggestion is: redo the cards. I don't mean rewrite the effects with better OCG, or just buff/nerf them. Redo the concept. The art fits nicely together, and that lore is simply amazing, but there is no reason for the cards to be together other than that. They have very little synergy, no reason to be run together, and quite a few of the cards are just either too bad, too good, or just too similar to an actual card in the meta. There's some uniqueness in play, but it's all over the place; the theme is barely noticeable.

 

I would really suggest this be made an archetype, or, even better, two sub-types of the same archetype. Like (this is completely random) you have the "Enchantress" archetype, with "Dark Enchantress" and "Light Enchantress" to be splitting off from that. That not only gives you the opportunity to run each separately, but perhaps run them both together at once. Add some archetype specific support, some archetypal restrictions, and you have yourself a great archetype with great lore.

[NobodySovereign]

Review: Read

Advice: Taken

Changes: Made

 

:D

[NobodySovereign]

Changes:

 

- Massive rework; archetype now shares name ("Chantress")

- Added 3 cards: "Hope on the Horizon", "Ruby, Darkchantress Matron", and "Akelli, Doubtful Chantress"

         = Updated lore to include new characters

[DuskOkami]

I can't save much about the older cards since you have essentially fixed it and they have better synergy now. I guess I can comment on the new additions.

Hope on the Horizon - Really neat to give the Chantress cards their own version of Hero/ D signal with the unique gimmick of of relying on battle damage. Most of the monsters have standard to subpar Atk and could save you. It could be a real quick way of getting out Ruby out as well.

"Ruby, Darkchantress Matron" - The SS effect is quite insane since the you go +1, almost like a floater and the card you banish is essentially gone from the duel as face down removed cards can not be returned. The second effect is a little generic, you'll need a "Darkchantress" just to trigger and is kind of costly since you're losing a monster. A bit of a high price for an evil boss monster.

"Akelli, Doubtful Chantress" - It's actually pretty good. I like how flexible it can be for rank 3 or 4 Xyz plays with the deck and pulls a Beiige in SS itself from a discard.

[Dova]

Just a small thing of note (you dont have to change it now) Yu-Gi-Oh archetypes are case-sensitive. So these cards do not fall under the "Chantress" archetype, but the "chantress" archetype. Gonna let that slide as I review the cards, as its really not that important unless you go on DP.

 

Elilah still has that Magical Mallet effect, nice for consistency. I would suggest just plain attack prevention for the second effect, as its not a strong effect right now. Still though, nice to see your take on my theme!

 

Treya's draw power is somewhat more balanced, as while it does work with almost anything, you have to run it first, and outside of the archetype it isn't that strong. As for the ATKing in face-up DEF position...seems a bit random, and in that case I would suggest a higher DEF. 2000 seems fine with only 400 ATK.

 

Felma is still an okay beater. I would suggest for the first effect, you change it to "When this card is Summoned:" as it could potentially allow for some more interesting plays, and I don't see any abuses currently.

 

I wasn't happy at first with Jealousy's cost upon destruction, but the discarding effect each turn for your opponent can easily be worth it. I think a "When this card is Summoned:" will also work on this card, and something to note is that Standby Phase effect might keep activating during the standby phase (unsure on the rulings), so it would be safe just to include "Once per turn, during the..." just so that your opponent doesn't lose their entire hand.

 

Marna is, bringing up my previous point, in a different archetype to the above cards, due to the case thing. Look, I don't think you should change it, it's easy to understand now (or else it would have to become something like "hantress", and that would be crazy) so it's fine :) Her effect is a bit hard to understand, but it works in terms of the lore well. Perhaps buff the LP gain to 1000?

 

Knight is perfect for its role. Nothing more to say there :D

 

Matron is...wow. Nice work on an interesting effect! My only complaint would be how to get it out, but I will comment on that later as I look at the S/T.

 

Doubtful could probably just have "If this card is discarded by a card effect:", but otherwise it really helps build up the theme of the archetypes.

 

The Extra Deck is all fine. Not too strong, and they do work. Nice changes!

 

Nothing much to say on the S/T either. You've done really well in terms of changing them, and you clearly do have an idea of how archetypes work. Horizon can be simplified to "when you take damage" though.

 

Really well done on the additions, and the archetype as a whole. You've added most of what an archetype needs, and I would love to see this actually being played, with that kind of lore behind it.

[NobodySovereign]

Funnily enough, Dova, Matron is EXTREMELY easy to get out with "Unpossessed", since she's got 1500 DEF (something I didn't realize until after I'd made her, but is a fun little bit of serendipity), and the Darkchantress sub-archetype in general can make good use of existing Spellcaster-Type support like "Magician's Circle" or "Dark Horizon".

 

I... hmmm... I may change Marna and Akelli to something like "Fadechantress" or "Graychantress" to illustrate their on-the-fence nature just so that the card text can be appropriate. Food for thought, I suppose.

 

I'm really glad you liked the changes, Dova, thanks for giving me such great feedback!

 

==

 

Thanks for leaving comments, Dusk, it really feels good to know people like what I'm doing. On Matron's effect: Do you think I should switch it to banish face-up? I didn't think it was too powerful for an on-SS effect since you're probably not doing it a bunch of times in one duel, but I am willing to admit that face-down might push it over the edge.

 

==

 

I do have a couple more additions I plan on making, and then it'll be one final round of edits before they go off to Duel Portal! I hope to see you all back here for that joyous day!

 

EDIT: All right! I got the card text altered and I added in a special Field Spell just for Darkchantress' and a Special Summon for when you have no monsters.

[DuskOkami]

It's an interesting archetype so I had to comment on it. I like the two different playstyles this deck uses. It will probably be fine to leave Matron's effect as is. It only really works like once and it isn't as spammable as ghosttricks. (Curse you reaper.) It's also a thank you for helping me with my own monsters.

[Dova]

Alright, so I'll just comment on anything that stands out. The archetype seems fine to move on as a whole.

 

The Field Spell is fine, perhaps a little buff? What if you do something when it itself is discarding, as I don't really want to mess with the main effect? The choice between and ATK buff and a SS is pretty good, as if you're SSing a monster you almost have a 1000 ATK and DEF boost already. I would ask for some protection, but honestly, it's probably not needed.

 

Blossoming Hope is amazing. Exactly what this archetype needed. Just a plain ol' ss from the deck, with a neat restriction. I would say it might hurt it, but you have a such a wide range of main deck and extra deck monsters to play with, so it's honestly not a threat. The speed was needed, and you fit the nice well. Nice work!

 

Rereading Eye of Darkness, yes a discard fits in terms of Lore, but to be honest the Counter Trap is pretty weak. Archetypal counter traps normally don't have a cost, or they do something extra. Perhaps change it to just negate, but "... and if you do, you can discard 1 card to banish it."

 

And that's...really it, as far as I can see. You've really listened to input from both me and Dusk , and the archetype looks almost perfect already. There are bound to be some things we have missed, but you should be able to find that out on Duel Portal, as there is almost nothing better that playtesting. Best of luck!