[Written] Rank10 Train Support (3 Cards)

[leafbladie]

Since I like Rata a lot, thought I'd give my interpretation of what some new decent Rank 10 Train support could look like. First off he mentioned it'd need another easily summonable Level 10, which I thought could be well fitted by having a defensive counterpart to Night Express Knight in the form of the Caboose. I decided it'd be good to give it a detach effect, allowing it to attach itself to the end of your opponent's monsters, and turn them into Trains too, especially since Trains can run out of resources fast. Next was a Trap Monster, and since the idea of a Ghost Train has always been cool to me ever since I played the Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks, I thought it'd be the perfect name for this Trap Monster. Anyway, I basically made it the Prime Monarch, but for Trains, so it helps recycle your Trains, and provides a nice defensive wall. Finally a new Xyz monster in the form of a Train Conductor, who makes sure pesky things like targeted effects and graveyard effects don't interfere with the Train schedules, and when he pushes himself, he puts his trains into overdrive by changing their ATK and DEF, and doing the same to the opponent's monsters too.

 

Caboose-a-Lot

Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 10/ATK 1000/DEF 3000

You can Special Summon this card (from your hand), by discarding 1 card, but its original DEF becomes 1500. When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 EARTH Machine-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only Special Summon “Caboose-a-Lot” once per turn this way. If this card is detached from an Xyz Monster and sent to the Graveyard to activate that monster’s effect: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls that has a Level; have your opponent gain 1500 LP, and if you do, equip this card to that target. While this card is equipped to a monster by this effect, take control of that monster. It becomes a Level 10 EARTH Machine-Type monster, and its original ATK and DEF become equal to this card's original ATK and DEF. You can only control 1 "Caboose-a-Lot".

 

The Ghost Train

Continuous Trap

During your Main Phase: You can target 1 Level 10 EARTH Machine-Type monster in your Graveyard; shuffle it into the Deck, then draw 1 card. If this card is in your Graveyard: You can target 1 EARTH Machine-Type monster in your Graveyard; shuffle it into the Deck, then Special Summon this card in Defense Position as a Normal Monster (Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 10/ATK 1800/DEF 2800). (This card is not treated as a Trap card.) You can only use each effect of “The Ghost Train” once per turn.

 

Train Conductor General Diego

Machine-Type/EARTH/Rank 10/ATK 2000/DEF 3500

2 Level 10 Machine-Type monsters

EARTH Machine-Type monsters you control, other than "Train Conductor General Diego", cannot be targeted by your opponent's card effects. Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; switch the current ATK and DEF of all face-up monsters currently on the field until the end of this turn, also for the rest of this turn, if a Machine-Type monster you control battles, your opponent's cards and effects cannot be activated until the end of the Damage Step. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card has no Xyz Material: Destroy this card.

[NobodySovereign]

A while back, I made a couple of cards for someone as part of a Secret Santa thing we were doing, and he was really into trains. I say that to preface this statement: I don't know a whole lot about trains, but that hasn't stopped me before! :D

 

Caboose: So this card fuels Ruffian and Coupling, right? Well, that and any other cards that send monsters to the Graveyard. I guess it kinda plays to The Ghost Train too, doesn't it? Seems okay.

 

Ghost Train: Oh, now here was the thing Trains needed! RECYCLING!! This card would do wonders for the Deck in the current meta, so good on you for bringing this to the table.

 

Conductor Diego: This guy just kinda makes everything work faster. When you make him, you can Xyz again usually, and then if you want you can swap everything and go in! This guy combos nastily with Gustav Max... Oof, I hate to think about it...

 

Good job! I like them, but like I said, I don't know Trains, so you may want to wait for someone better to take a look.

[Dova]

Caboose probably needs HOPT on the last effect, considering how disruptive it can be. These cards basically do the field spell's job for it, and, rather than replacing it, could really stack well together. The main thing I like about this card is the fact that, when I get out 3 Level 10s, this card gets me a 4th in order to double Xyz. In fact, if I had 3 including this card, I could steal an opponent's monster, and then double Xyz anyway! Also, how come it can just SS itself from the hand with no cost or restriction? I can't find a card that just does that which is even close to Level 10.

 

Ghost Train does what a trap should: Add support you don't need immediately. My only gripe is stacking it could lead to some very powerful plays, combined with how the above card will go the grave if the equipped monster is used to Xyz. So, give an "each effect of "The Ghost Train" once per turn." at the end of it instead of just the Summoning effect? Anyway, all of these cards really directly build on the theme of milling and shuffling without being too focused, so nice work.

 

With Diego, if you have Yard, Night Express, Caboose, Derricrane, and your opponent controls a targetable monster, you can:

• Activate Yard
• NS Night
• SS Derricrane from hand and a monster from Deck with Yard
• SS Caboose
• XS Diego with Caboose and your monster from Deck
• Send any monster to your Graveyard with Diego eff (Doesn't matter what, doesn't have a part to play)
• Diego change eff, detach Caboose
• Caboose effect on opponent's monster
• XS Dora with opponent's monster and Derricrane
• Attack for 10.5k with Dora (4k), Diego (3.5k) and Night (3k) and Armades effect.

The thing about Diego's effect is that it constantly applies to all monsters on the field, regardless of whether they were summoned after the effect was activated, or Diego leaves the field. If you added a "currently" it would only apply to the monsters on the field when the effect was activated, but maybe that was intentional? IDK. I would suggest a "no further damage" clause to the ATK switching, as combined with the Armades thing and the protection from targeting...yeah. On the plus side, Deigo prevents Dora from targeting your own monsters, which I AM sure is unintentional. So, change that or smthn.

 

Nice support, perhaps a bit too good considering the already high strength of trains, but good job fitting with the theme!

[VCR_CAT]

I don't know where Dova is coming from, because Caboose is absolutely ridiculous. Right now, Caboose is a totally inherent free Special Summon without any restrictions or requirements on how to do so. Sure its stats are weakened, but for all intents and purposes it becomes and instantly better Night Express simply by this effect alone. But, unfortunately, it doesn't end there. On top of the free summon, Caboose also has a Foolish Burial effect tacked on that will most likely result in the monster being a belated +1 just by summoning it. In terms of power level, this card becomes a Rank 10 Terrortop that doesn't care what the field looks like or how many you've summoned in a turn. Absolutely not. I haven't even touched upon the Derricrane/Snatch Steal effect, which is a whole nother bag of worms for this card. Overall, it does way too much way too effectively; a simple hard OPT is nowhere near enough to balance this card, and even simple balancing is going to mean taking this back to the drawing board and redoing the card almost entirely.

 

Ghost Train seems balanced and well on paper, beyond the first effect being a bit much, but the grave effect is where things begin to get bonkers again. In a deck that revolves (pardon the pun) around a field spell, typically, that involves planting stuff in the grave, having a summon effect without a Breakthrough Skill Delay Clause is, again, too much. It becomes an immediate mitigation for discard costs and an additional mat for an Xyz pool that's already brimming with incredibly strong monsters, transforming Trains even more from a slower control deck into another combo deck that focuses on setting up unbeatable fields. However, unlike Caboose, this card is pretty close to being balanced. I will say I do appreciate that this card works well with Hustle Rustle, and that's an aspect I always appreciate seeing taken into account. However, the initial summon effect needs to be toned down (maybe from the grave instead of the deck), and the second effect needs a delay clause placed on it.

 

Diego is another "absolutely not". Not only does it start with a free revival right out of the gate, it comes with the pleasure of a mass Armades effect, Ameshikou non-targeting clause on an archetype that already has 81, and a stat switcher. This card does 4 things, and just absolutely not. The Rank 10 pool is already incredibly strong, and this card does practically everything you need an Xyz monster to do. Considering that Trains Xyz with about the same cost and effort as your average Rank 4 play, you're not only speeding an engine up tremendously with only 2 other cards, but you're giving them a boss that, in almost any other rank pool, would be unheard-of in terms of ability. Focus on one thing you want this card to do, and stick with it; don't just go ahead and slap on every effect you want with it.

[Dova]

I don't know where Dova is coming from, because Caboose is absolutely ridiculous. 

 

 

Yeah, I edited mine shortly after. The lack of cost and restriction tacked on with it all flew completely over my head.

[leafbladie]

Well the big problem with trains is they really could use another easier to summon Level 10 monster with which to Xyz. I admit giving it a snatch effect, and an inherent easy SS condition is probably way too much, making it better than Derricrane. I guess I should split them in two or something.

 

How are these for changes?

 

Caboose-a-lot: You instead can Normal Summon it without Tribute like Express Knight, but if you do, it is changed to defense position, and its DEF becomes 0. If you use its effect to snatch something, your opponent takes no further damage this turn (or next turn, if it's during their turn). And a "You can only control 1 clause" so that it can be a disadvantage at sometimes, because you can't summon another one while you have something snatched.

 

Ghost Train: Seeing as the Field Spell has a similar restriction, again, no damage this turn if you use the first effect, and tie the two effects together so only 1 can be activated per turn.

 

Diego: If you Xyz summon, and get a train from grave, again no damage for the opponent. It would still have the inherent targeting protection, but the Xyz effect would be changed such that once per turn, during either player's turn, you can change the ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field, and give any Machine type monsters Armades effects, but at the end phase of the turn, destroy all "Train Conductor General Diego" you control

[Black D'Sceptyr]

Pretty amazing: let's see if we can tackle this one by one.

 

 

Caboose-a-Lot

Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 10/ATK 1000/DEF 3000

You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) but its original DEF becomes 0. When Special Summoned this way, send 1 EARTH Machine-Type monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. You can only Special Summon “Caboose-a-Lot” once per turn this way. If this card is detached from an Xyz Monster and sent to the Graveyard to activate that monster’s effect: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; equip this card to it. While this card is equipped to a monster by this effect, take control of that monster. It is treated as a Level/Rank 10 EARTH Machine-Type Monster, and the ATK and DEF of “Caboose-a-Lot” are applied to the equipped monster.

 

 

Caboose-A-Lot needs some heavy OPT on that second effect. Possessing monsters is not exactly a thing to take lightly-the fatefully short return of Snatch Steal can testify to that/ Because of how easy this card will be to demolish should the Emptiness lock up on summon, tho, the rest of it's okay. And being 3K defense means it's eligible for the Special Schedule, so it has that going for it. Would be a great addition to...really, ANY Rank10 deck. Actually a bit rankled that Kaijus might manipulate this market a bit more now, but what have you. So this is a solid 8.9/10.

 

 

The Ghost Train

Continuous Trap

Once per turn: You can target 1 Level 10 EARTH Machine-Type monster in your Graveyard; shuffle it into the Deck, then Special Summon 1 Level 4 EARTH Machine-Type monster with 1800 or more ATK from your Deck, and if you do, it becomes Level 10. If this card is in your Graveyard: You can target 1 EARTH Machine-Type monster in your Graveyard; shuffle it into the Deck, and if you do, Special Summon this card in Defense Position as a Normal Monster (Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 10/ATK 1800/DEF 2800). (This card is not treated as a Trap card.) You can only use this effect of “The Ghost Train” once per turn.

 

Crud, I actually have a good pic to go with this one too and I'd make my own variant in a snap, but I already said it's SPYRAL week. Any ways. Spins Trains from Graves into the Deck to either Summon Lev4-to-10 replacements on the field, or make itself a Lev10 in the Grave. Funneling the Train Game this quick is a defenite ticket to a Tier jump, but it does run the risk of running shy of Trains to summon-right now, only Ruffian and (sometimes) Trolley Olley are the staples in a Train Deck. Me, I add in Machina Gearframe and Fortress to unclog dead hands and provide more fodder, but other's results may vary. REGARDLESS. Great card for the Trains, offers its own Xyz in two turns should it go uniterrupted and destruction deterrent (as a Trap, anyways)? 9.2/10.

 

 

Train Conductor General Diego

Machine-Type/EARTH/Rank 10/ATK 2000/DEF 3500

2 Level 10 Machine-Type monsters

When this card is Xyz Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 10 EARTH Machine-Type monster from your Graveyard. You can only use this effect of "Train Conductor General Diego" once per turn. Other Machine-Type monsters you control cannot be targeted by your opponent's card effects. If Machine-Type monsters you control attack or are attacked, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step. Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; change the ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field until the end of the next turn.

 

Do we need this? I mean, Rank10s are already plenty and well established. Gustav Max burns hard, Super Dora protects, Gangaridai destroys and burns, and Ravenous Tarantula boosts like crazy if the other Rank10s do their job. (Also pipelines to Seven Sins, but really, if you need that with TRAINS...)

 

What am I saying? More options are ALWAYS GOOD. ALL the time. So this Schedules upon Summon, which is cool considering the lineup. Hell, could open up ANOTHER Xyz play with Ghost Train. Turns other Machines into Kozmos. Not sure if this is wise, one because Dora can protect them itself (AND NOW I'M DOING IT AGAIN. STOP THAT.) it's okay, but might turn Trains into Kozmo-level annoyances quick. Even moreso, since they also become Armaides.

 

Swapping ATK and DEF is a new trick on them though. Turns those Normal Summoned Night Express Knights into issues real quick. So it does its job. Wonderin' if it's too well. Actually would be happier if it had one of the two protection effects. Either Trains become Kozmo or Armaides, but giving both to all Machines-and especially these ones-is bordering on Brokenville. But still, it's the best at what it does. 8.7/10, and good work all around, Leaf.

 

UPDATE: Sorry this is late. If any of this review is outdated, lemme kno.

[VCR_CAT]

And being 3K defense means it's eligible for the Special Schedule, so it has that going for it.

 

No it doesn't. If that were the case, you could Special Schedule Hustle Rustle (you can't). It goes by ATK, not DEF.

[leafbladie]

No it doesn't. If that were the case, you could Special Schedule Hustle Rustle (you can't). It goes by ATK, not DEF.

Did the changes I suggested earlier address the issues you had?

[VCR_CAT]

Did the changes I suggested earlier address the issues you had?

 

Changing it to a Normal Summon does, indeed make it better in terms of balance; but now it faces the problem of not really fixing any issues the deck has and just competing with Night Express as a material to use with no real reasons given to use one over the other beyond one being blatantly better than the other in terms of what it brings to the plate.

 

The restriction for Ghost Train sounds good; just I still think you need a delay clause on when you can use the grave effect (ala Breakthrough Skill). With that, I feel like it's in a good place.

 

Diego, again, I still feels like it does too much; I strongly suggest you pick one effect (or "role") that it has and focus on that almost exclusively; simplicity is key and you never want a monster that does everything you need a given monster to do. The problem isn't the individual effects are too strong (in some cases they are); the problem is that it, as a card, just does way too much.

[leafbladie]

Changing it to a Normal Summon does, indeed make it better in terms of balance; but now it faces the problem of not really fixing any issues the deck has and just competing with Night Express as a material to use with no real reasons given to use one over the other beyond one being blatantly better than the other in terms of what it brings to the plate.

 

The restriction for Ghost Train sounds good; just I still think you need a delay clause on when you can use the grave effect (ala Breakthrough Skill). With that, I feel like it's in a good place.

 

Diego, again, I still feels like it does too much; I strongly suggest you pick one effect (or "role") that it has and focus on that almost exclusively; simplicity is key and you never want a monster that does everything you need a given monster to do. The problem isn't the individual effects are too strong (in some cases they are); the problem is that it, as a card, just does way too much.

 

Caboose-a-Lot: Gave it SS condition similar to Apprentice Illusion Magician, but with a HOPT, the snatch effect only works on monsters with Levels, so Xyz Monsters are safe. Also, gave a "You can only control 1 clause", so you can't snatch multiple monsters at the same time with the effect, and it becomes dead in the hand if you already have one on the field.

 

The Ghost Train: Scrapped the first effect in favor of a draw effect similar to that of "The Prime Monarch", seeing as Trains have an issue with keeping their hands from negging a lot. You can only activate it during your Main Phase though, so it's not immediate. I think the second effect should be fine as is, since it requires you to already have trains in the graveyard to SS, however if you still think it's too much, what if I had it only able to do so during the opponent's turn?

 

Train Conductor General Diego: Removed the summon of a Train from the Graveyard, but kept the targeting protection, however now it can't apply to itself, even if there are two of them on the field. Put the Armades and ATK/DEF swap as part of an Xyz quick effect, to in part counter stuff like Utopia the Lightning, which can really mess up your trains schedule. However, once it runs out of Xyz Material, its destroyed at the End Phase, as if it gave its life to make sure the Trains arrived on schedule.

 

Do these changes sound adequate?

[leafbladie]

Updated the PSCT for the Armades and Shield & Sword effect of Diego, and updated the wording of the the snatch effect on Caboose-a-Lot