Level Hurdle

[Guest BGMCANN0N]

Level Hurdle

[Continuous Spell]

 

When a monster is Normal Summoned: Place 1 Hurdle Counter on this card. Increase the Level of all monsters in each player's hand by the number of Hurdle Counters on this card (Their Levels become their original Levels after they are Summoned/ Set).

[The Nyx Avatar]

Well, this may not sound like too much on paper. However , let's say your opponent uses a Rank 4 spam Deck (*cough* Zoodiac). You just conduct your Normal Summon, and your opponent's options are hindered. They won't be able to Normal Summon most of their monsters so easily. And with two more Normal Summons, it becomes harder and harder for your opponent to Normal Summon them. But it still remains a fair card, as it is vulnerable to Spell/Trap removal. Still, it's a great way to hinder such a cliche in the main game. Kind of like Stygian Dirge, but faster.

[Fruiota_Hiroshi]

I honestly don't see how this could benefit you unless you run trains (no pun intended), Fusions that love Poly, or a crapload of Ritual Monsters. If you use Monarchs, it means you'll need to Tribute a second monster to Summon them. If you yourself use Xyz Monsters regularly in your deck, then you would be hindered in the same way as what Nyx was saying for the opponent. Even if you use Synchros, it would be harder to get the Materials you need on to the field.

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

For what it's worth, also can be triggered in stuff like True Kings/Monarchs/Yosens, or whatever uses their Normal Summon often to be more annoying; especially the former right now. Summon one of your smaller 'mons with other S/T fodder, then trigger this (uh, this really only works with stuff like Majesty Maiden or whatever's Level 5 if you go first; I think a few of them are 6, which can still work but then you're stuck with pseudo-Level 7s in hand). 

 

But yeah, you just need to go first, NS something and start your usual SSing plays, and then the opponent (and you) are sealed off from doing much (granted, Monarchs probably don't care too much since Domain exists, and they'll still be 2 Tributes even if they go to Level 9+, least the Megas anyway). Then again, I would bring up Double Attack as a somewhat weird idea for going along with this card's Level increasing effect, but that's more gimmicky than it's worth.

[Darj]

Decent floodgate IMO. Basically soft-locks Normal Summons. Needless to say, it's not for every deck, but those that can run it can give a difficult time to the opponent if their deck is Level4+ based. Few decks I can think of that can play this without being affected too much by it are Infernoids, Paleozoics, Monarchs and maybe True Dracos; coincidentally both of those like Lawnmowing and 60-card decks xD