[Written] Chess Archetype

[Nekomata]

Ok, so, I know Archfiends are a thing, but I think Chess hasn't had the attention it deserves in Yugioh. I mean, they made Darkbishop a Water monster, and the whole "roll a dice" thing doesn't belong to Chess at all.
Here's my Chess Archetype, a deck that absolutely needs 3 copies of Terraforming.
 
 [spoiler=Monsters and Spells]
 [spoiler=Pawns]
Strategic Soldier - White Pawn ATK 800 DEF 1000 level 2 earth warrior/effect
When this card is Normal Summoned, if "Magical Chessboard" is not face-up on the field, you can Special Summon a "Startegic Soldier - Black Pawn" from your deck.
 
Startegic Soldier - Black Pawn ATK 1000 DEF 800 level 2 dark warrior/effect
When this card is Normal Summoned, if "Magical Chessboard" is not face-up on the field, you can Special Summon a "Startegic Soldier - White Pawn" from your deck.
 
Brave Soldier - White Pawn ATK 900 DEF 1200 level 2 earth warrior/effect
When this card is Summoned, you can target an EARTH monster in your GY: banish it, then Special Summon a "Black Pawn" from your deck. You can only activate the effect of "Brave Soldier - White Pawn" once per turn.
 
Brave Soldier - Black Pawn ATK 1200 DEF 900 level 2 dark warrior/effect
When this card is Summoned, you can target a DARK monster in your GY: banish it, then Special Summon a "White Pawn" from your deck. You can only activate the effect of "Brave Soldier - Black Pawn" once per turn.
 
Pawns are intended to be strong while they support each other, right? So they're able to swarm the field pretty easily. And they are a good rank-2 engine.

[spoiler=Knights]
Armored Steed - White Knight ATK 1500 DEF 1800 level 4 earth beast/effect
If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, it gains 300 ATK during the Damage Step only and inflicts piercing battle damage to your opponent. When this card is destroyed: add a "Armored Steed - Black Knight" from your deck to your hand.
 
Armored Steed - Black Knight ATK 1800 DEF 1500 level 4 dark beast/effect
If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, it gains 300 ATK during the Damage Step only and inflicts piercing battle damage to your opponent. When this card is destroyed: add a "Armored Steed - White Knight" from your deck to your hand.
 
Well, playing only the 2 Knights as a starting move used to be a strategy for beginners, so I thought you should be able to do stuff with these monsters only. Of course, you only get recycling beaters.

[spoiler=Bishops]
Divine Agent - White Bishop ATK 800 DEF 1600 level 4 earth warrior/effect
This card cannot attack Attack Position monsters. Once per turn, if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field: you can change every Attack Position monster on the field to face-up Defense Position. Once per turn (Quick Effect), you can target one face-up monster you control: change its Battle Position.
 
Divine Agent - White Bishop ATK 1600 DEF 800 level 4 dark warrior/effect
This card cannot attack Attack Position monsters. Once per turn, if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field: you can change every Attack Position monster on the field to face-up Defense Position. Once per turn (Quick Effect), you can target one face-up monster your opponent controls: change its Battle Position.
 
This is actually the best idea I could come up with considering that Bishops can only move diagonally. That's why I limited their attacks to Defense Position monsters, then added something to manipulate Battle Positions.

[spoiler=Rooks]
Rocky Sentry - White Rook ATK 1400 DEF 2200 level 5 earth rock/effect
This card cannot attack your opponent directly. If "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field: you can Special Summon this card from your hand by tributing a level 4 or lower "Black" monster, and if you do: you can Special Summon that monster in Defense Position.
 
Rocky Sentry - White Rook ATK 2200 DEF 1400 level 5 dark rock/effect
This card cannot attack your opponent directly. If "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field: you can Special Summon this card from your hand by tributing a level 4 or lower "White" monster, and if you do: you can Special Summon that monster in Defense Position.

[spoiler=Royals]
Royal Charmer - White Queen ATK 2000 DEF 2000 level 6 earth spellcaster/effect
There can be only one "Royal Charmer - White Queen" face-up on the field. When this card is Summoned: you can add a "Magical Chessboard" from your deck or GY to your hand. This card is unaffected by your opponent's monster effects. If "Magical Chessboard" would be destroyed by its own effect, you can discard a card instead, but if you do: "Magical Chessboard" will be destroyed at the end of your next Battle Phase.
 
Sage Emperor - White King ATK 0 DEF 3000 level 6 earth warrior/effect
There can be only one "Sage Emperor - White King" face-up on the field. If this card is Summoned in Attack Position: change it to Defense Position. Once per turn, if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field, you can Special Summon a "White Pawn" or a "Black Pawn" from your GY. Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can tribute a level 2 monster you control: Special Summon a "Royal Charmer - White Queen" from your deck or GY. This card is unaffected by your opponent's Spell/Trap cards.
 
Basically, Summon the king, Summon a Pawn, promote the Pawn to Summon the Queen, overlay.

[spoiler=Extra Deck]
Chessboard Creator ATK 100 DEF 1500 rank 2, earth warrior/xyz
2 level 2 monsters
You can detach an overlay unit: add a "Magical Chessboard" or a "Substitute Chessboard" from your deck or GY to your hand. If this card doesn't have any overlay units, destroy it. When this card is destroyed, if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field: you can add a card that specifically lists "Magical Chessboard" in its text from your deck to your hand.
Pawns are able to make this quickly, so you can search 2 Field Spells and a card. Maybe should it be a once per turn?
 
Royal Charmer - Black Queen ATK 2000 DEF 2000 rank 4, dark spellcaster/xyz
2 level 4 monsters
There can be only one "Royal Charmer - Black Queen" face-up on the field. If this card is face-up on the field and "Magical Chessboard" is not, destroy it. During each player's End Phase, if this card has at least one overlay unit, you can target one card on the field, destroy it. Once per turn (Quick Effect), you can detach two overlay units from this card: Special Summon a level 6 monster with 0 ATK from your deck or GY.
Well, target and destruction every End Phase, or Summon a King. I think this card is balanced because of the auto-destruction restriction.
 
Sage Emperor - Black King ATK 0 DEF 4000 rank 6, dark warrior/xyz
2 level 6 monsters with 2000 DEF or more
There can be only one "Sage Emperor - Black King" face-up on the field. When this card is XYZ Summoned, return every monsters with more than 0 ATK to its owner's hand. This card is unaffected by your opponent's Spell/Trap cards. This card cannot be targeted by monster effects. If you used "Sage Emperor - White King" or "Royal Charmer - White Queen" for the XYZ Summon of this card, this card gains the following effect: once per turn, if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field, you can detach one overlay unit from this card: add 1 Quick-Play or Continuous Spell card from your deck to your hand that has "Checkmate" in its name.
Decent protection for the boss monster. Also, it lets you search the winning condition.

[spoiler=Spells]
Magical Chessboard FIELD SPELL
While this card is face-up on the field, double the ATK and DEF of every monster that has "White Pawn", "Black Pawn", "White Knight", "Black Knight", "White Bishop", "Black Bishop", "White Rook", "Black Rook", "White Queen", "Black Queen", "White King" or "Black King" in its name. Destroy this card during your second Stanby Phase after the activation of this card.
 
Substitute Chessboard FIELD SPELL
While this card is face-up on the field or in your GY, its name becomes "Magical Chessboard". If this card is in your GY during your Main Phase 2, you can shuffle it into your deck, then draw 1 card. You can use this effect of "Substitute Chessboard" only once per turn.
 
Black and White Insurrection QUICK SPELL
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field. Face-up "White" or "Black" monsters you control gain 800 ATK and DEF and cannot be destroyed by your opponent's Spell/Trap cards, until the end of the turn.
 
Reconstruction of Eliminated Pieces NORMAL SPELL
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field or in your GY. Special Summon up to 2 monsters from your GY that have "White Pawn", "Black Pawn", "White Knight", "Black Knight", "White Bishop", "Black Bishop", "White Rook", "Black Rook", "White Queen", "Black Queen", "White King" or "Black King" in their names. Those monsters are destroyed during the end of the next turn.
 
Galloping Charge NORMAL SPELL
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field. Special Summon from your hand, deck or GY an "Armored Steed - White Knight" or an "Armored Steed - Black Knight". That monster gains 200 ATK until the end of the turn.
 
Pawns' Move NORMAL SPELL
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field. Special Summon up to 2 "White Pawn" or "Black Pawn" from your deck. This turn, you cannot Special Summon any monsters, except DARK or EARTH monsters.
 
Final Checkmate QUICK SPELL
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field, you control a "Sage Emperor - Black King", and your opponent doesn't have any cards on their side of the field. Banish a "Royal Charmer - White Queen" or a "Sage Emperor - White King" from your GY: you win the Duel.
 
Preparation for the Checkmate CONTINUOUS SPELL
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field and you control a "Sage Emperor - Black King". Once per turn, during either player's End Phase, you can pay 300 Life Points to target a card on the field: destroy it. If this card is destroyed during an End Phase: shuffle every monster with more than 0 ATK on the field to its owner's deck.
 
Queen's Checkmate CONTINUOUS SPELL
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field. While this card is face-up on the field, and your opponent controls 2 monsters or more, each Attack Position monster your opponent controls is changed to Defense Position. If this card is sent to the GY from the field: target one Spell/Trap card on the field, destroy it.

[spoiler=Traps]
Restarting the Game NORMAL TRAP
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field and you have 6 or more monsters in your GY. Special Summon up to 2 monsters from your GY. This turn, you cannot conduct your Battle Phase, and if this card was activated during your opponent's turn: skip your next Draw Phase.
 
Bishops' Power COUNTER TRAP
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field. Tribute one level 2 monster: Special Summon one "Divine Agent - White Bishop" and a "Divine Agent - Black Bishop" from your deck or GY.
 
Mighty Rook NORMAL TRAP
You can only activate this card if "Magical Chessboard" is face-up on the field. Special Summon a "Rocky Sentry - White Rook" or a "Rocky Sentry - Black Rook" from your deck or GY. During your opponent's Battle Phase, you can banish this card from your GY: this turn, each monster you control gains 500 DEF and you take no battle damage.
 
King's Defensive Move COUNTER TRAP
You can only activate this card if you control "Sage Emperor - White King" or "Sage Emperor - Black King". Negate the activation of a Spell/Trap card and banish it. During the turn this card was activated, your opponent cannot target the monster you control with the highest DEF with attacks or card effects.

 

[0PxPz0]

I feel like, while it is easily searchable with several other cards, having your monsters effects rely on having your field spell out is kind of limiting

[Nekomata]

It wouldn't be the first Archetype that relies on a Field Spell (I'm thinking of Venoms, Neo-Spacians, ABC, Arcana Force, Ghostricks, and even Rank-10 Trains). Also, you could run 3 copies of Terraforming, 3 Magical Chessboards and 3 Subsitute Chessboards. Strategic Soldier - Pawns work when "Magical Chessboard" is NOT on the field, so they can Xyz to Chessboard Creator, which can search 2 copies of the field spell, then leave the Extra Monster Zone free for other plays. I don't think it will be too difficult to have the Field Spell active, even if it autodestroys after 2 turns. You've probably OTK your opponent with the high ATK monsters before that.

Yet I'd need to see this Archetype working on a duel to confirm if it's somehow playable.

[Fukato]

Most of your cards are dependent on each other meaning, they somewhat synergize with their respective pieces (pawns to pawns, knights to knights, etc). While this is fine in terms of synergy, they can either make or break you. Furthermore, because they mainly synergize with their respective pieces, you lose consistency. Then most of the monster effects require the Field Spell (including the Spells/Traps too).

 

OCG Fixes (at the best of my abilities):

 

Startegic Soldier - White Pawn

 

When this card is Normal Summoned, while you do not control a face-up "Magical Chessboard": You can Special Summon 1 "Startegic Soldier - Black Pawn" from your Deck.

 

In all honesty, that condition isn't needed at all since the Field Spell makes the Deck run anyways. That clause contradicts the rest of the Deck. Also, this only works with the following monster so, it feels like a Worm Xex and Worm Yagan (which is kind of like how the rest of this Deck functions).

 

Startegic Soldier - Black Pawn

 

When this card is Normal Summoned, while you do not control a face-up "Magical Chessboard": You can Special Summon 1 "Startegic Soldier - White Pawn" from your Deck.

 

Same thing as its white counterpart.

 

Brave Soldier - White Pawn

 

When this card is Summoned: You can target 1 EARTH monster in your GY; banish it, then Special Summon 1 "Black Pawn" monster from your Deck. You can only activate this effect of "Brave Soldier - White Pawn" once per turn.

 

I like this card, but if only it was generically for all of your monsters would I really love it. It adds a bit of consistency, however, its uses are limited to weak monsters. You can argue that you can use these for an easy Xyz and such, but I'd rather if it gave more options.

 

Brave Soldier - Black Pawn

 

When this card is Summoned: You can target 1 DARK monster in your GY; banish it, then Special Summon 1 "White Pawn" monster from your Deck. You can only activate this effect of "Brave Soldier - Black Pawn" once per turn.

 

Armored Steed - White Knight/Black Knight

 

If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, this card gains 300 ATK and inflicts piercing battle damage. When this card is destroyed: Add 1 "Armored Steed - White Knight/Black Knight" from your Deck to your hand.

 

It isn't that great of a card. A small boost and a piercer is all it is. My problem is that the last effect can miss timing. Moreover, even if it does not miss timing, it adds a monster that is basic beater without a "Magical Chessboard" out on the field to actually become formidable.

 

Divine Agent - White Bishop/Black Bishop

 

This card cannot attack Attack Position monsters. Once per turn, if you control a face-up "Magical Chessboard": You can change all Attack Position monsters to Defense Position. Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; change its battle position.

 

Battle positions don't really matter anymore (unless you love to switch them "Superheavy Samurais" to Attack Position). It could be a possible Windstorm of Etaqua IF the second effect was a Quick Effect. Possibly a run 1 or none thing at this point as it doesn't add consistency or do anything lasting (as consistency is what today's game is all about).

 

Rocky Sentry - White Rook/Black Rook

 

This card cannot attack directly. If there is a face-up "Magical Chessboard" on the field: You can tribute 1 "White/Black" monster you control; Special Summon this card from your hand, if you do, Special Summon the monster tributed by this effect in Defense Position.

 

These cards allows for play extension but should require a HOPT on the Summon effect. However, refusing to let these monsters attack directly is somewhat unnecessary. I'd take it off.

 

Royal Charmer - White Queen

 

There can only be 1 face-up "Royal Charmer - White Queen" on the field. Unaffected by by opponent's monster effects. When this card is Summoned: You can add 1 "Magical Chessboard" from your Deck or GY to your hand. If "Magical Chessboard" would be destroyed by its own effect, you can discard 1 card instead. If you do, destroy it at the end of your next Battle Phase.

 

This searches out the engine card Magical Chessboard which is good but its kind of bland. Since this card only revolves around keeping that card and adding that 1 card, expect to only run 1 since there are better forms of searching in terms of "Terraforming" and "Set Rotation", although the latter requires one to destroy one of the Field Spells, and requires you to run at least two Field Spells which this Deck can afford.

 

Sage Emperor - White King

 

There can only be 1 face-up "Sage Emperor - White King" on the field. Unaffected by your opponent's Spell/Trap Cards. If this card is Summoned in Attack Position: Change it it Defense Position. Once per turn, if "Magical Chessboard" is on the field: You can Special Summon 1 "White Pawn" or 1 "Black Pawn" monster from your GY. Once per turn, during your Main Phase: You can tribute 1 Level 2 monster you control; Special Summon 1 "Royal Charmer - White Queen" from your Deck or GY.

 

(Will do the rest later at some point.)

 

All my thoughts for the moment. Will come back for this, I hope.