Retrained Equip Guardians

[Armoire]

This archetype is a retrain of the equip-spell guardians as well as Arsenal Summoner.

Created to make Guardians viable for play.

Addressed these problems:
• Equip Spells clogging hands

• Monsters relying on Equip Spells to be summoned

• Field presence (both monsters and equips)

Most importantly, I wanted the cards to at least interact with each other. 

 

 

 

The concept of the playstyle is a cycle:

• Equip Spells can be discarded to Special Summon Arsenal Evoker from the deck.

• Arsenal Evoker targets any Equip Spell Card in the Graveyard to summon a Guardian from the deck.

• A Guardian can equip its chosen Equip Spell Card from the Graveyard to itself to complete its effect each turn.

In the event the Guardian is sent to the Graveyard:

• Arsenal Evoker shuffles itself and the Guardian to the deck to draw one card.

• The process above can be repeated again, provided you have an Equip Spell Card in your hand.

[spoiler=Simplified Cycle]• Equip Spell -> Arsenal Evoker -> Any Guardian

If Arsenal Evoker + Guardian are in Graveyard:

 • Arsenal Evoker + Guardian -> Return to Deck -> Draw 1

 • Equip Spell Card completes the cycle and repeats the process.

 

 

 

The deck revolves around getting Arsenal Evoker out as fast as possible and getting a Guardian from the deck. The Guardians and their respective equip spells are supposed to work together to give a complete effect/function as callback to the guardians being considered as the actual equip spell in the lore.

 

As you can only summon one Guardian via Arsenal Evoker per turn, I thought it would be a good idea to give them all pretty strong effects that are complemented/completed with their equip spells if--and only if--the equip spell if equipped to the correct guardian.

 

Each Guardian monster can equip an equip Spell Card with their name on it to themselves from the GY once per turn.

Each Equip Spell Card has a discard effect to summon Arsenal Evoker for a guaranteed monster, with the exclusion of Dreadscythe, which searches another Equip Spell Card.

 

The list below contains each Guardian and its matching Equip Spell (2 cards per spoiler tab), excluding Arsenal Evoker to improve readability. All cards are written.

 

 

Arsenal Evoker is the bread and butter of the deck. You would always want to summon it ASAP as it's the only way to summon any Guardian from the deck, providing you have their Equip Spells in the Graveyard. It also generates card advantage and can recycle itself and another Guardian monster for future summons.

Arsenal Evoker

LV4 WIND

Spellcaster

1600/1600

You can only control 1 “Arsenal Evoker”. If your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. You can target 1 “Unbound” Equip Spell Card in your GY and tribute this card; Special Summon the monster that is specifically listed on that Equip Spell Card’s text from your hand or Deck. You can shuffle this card from the GY to the Deck to target 1 “Unleashed Guardian” monster in your GY; shuffle that card into the deck, and if you do, draw 1 card. You can only use each effect of “Arsenal Evoker” once per turn.

 

 

[spoiler=Baou]Baou is supposed to be the anti-float/beatstick of the deck. Gains attack depending on how many monsters are destroyed and makes sure the effects of a monster in the GY are permanently negated.

 

Unleashed Guardian Baou

LV 4 DARK
Fiend
1200/1100

You can only control 1 “Unleashed Guardian Baou”. This card cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Once per turn: You can target 1 “Baou” Equip Spell Card in your GY; equip it to this card. When this card destroys an opponent’s monster by battle: It gains 1000 ATK. Negate the effects of monsters destroyed by battle with this card.

 

 

Unbound Wicked-Eradicating Flameberge - Baou

Equip Spell

You can discard this card; Special Summon 1 “Arsenal Evoker” from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. You can only use this effect of “Unbound Wicked-Eradicating Flameberge - Baou” once per turn. The equipped monster gains 500 ATK. If the equipped monster is “Unleashed Guardian Baou”, this card gains this effect: If the equipped monster attacks, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the damage step.

 

 

[spoiler=Grarl](I'm a little worried about this one.) Grarl is supposed to help stall the opponent while you get other monsters out from your deck. It also locks Special Summoned monsters in Defense Position. I'm leaning towards omitting the negation effect because a very searchable, 3k Pseudo-Lose 1 Turn seems overpowered. I'd like more input and suggestions for this.

 

Unleashed Guardian Grarl

LV5 EARTH
Dinosaur

2500/1000

You can only control 1 “Unleashed Guardian Grarl”. This card cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Once per turn: You can target 1 “Grarl” Equip Spell Card in your GY; equip it to this card. If your opponent Special Summons a monster: Change it to Defense Position.

 

Unbound Planetary Axe - Grarl

Equip Spell

You can discard this card; Special Summon 1 “Arsenal Evoker” from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. You can only use this effect of “Unbound Planetary Axe - Grarl” once per turn. The equipped monster gains 500 ATK. Monsters your opponent controls cannot change their battle positions. If the equipped monster is “Unleashed Guardian Grarl”, this card gains this effect: Once per turn, if your opponent Special Summons a monster(s), negate its effects until the end of the turn.

 

 

[spoiler=Elma]Elma's function is to let Guardians swarm (to an extent) and to search a specific Equip Spell card from the deck to set up/extend plays.

 

Unleashed Guardian Elma

LV3 WIND

Fairy

1500/1400

You can only control 1 “Unleashed Guardian Elma”. This card cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Once per turn: You can target 1 “Elma” Equip Spell Card in your GY; equip it to this card. You can target 1 “Unleashed Guardian” monster in your GY; Special Summon it, also you cannot Special Summon monsters except “Unleashed Guardian” monsters for the rest of this turn. You can only use this effect of “Unleashed Guardian Elma” once per turn.

 

Unbound Butterfly Dagger - Elma

Equip Spell

You can discard this card; Special Summon 1 “Arsenal Evoker” from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. The equipped monster gains 300 ATK. You can destroy this card; add one “Unbound” Equip Spell Card from your Deck to your hand. If the equipped monster is “Unleashed Guardian Elma”, this card gains this effect: If this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: You can add this card to your hand. You can only use each effect of “Unbound Butterfly Dagger - Elma” once per turn.

 

 

[spoiler=Ceal]Ceal's deal (rhymes) is that it deals weak damage, is extremely vulnerable, but acts as easy removal. 

 

Unleashed Guardian Ceal

LV4 FIRE

Pyro

1700/1400

You can only control 1 “Unleashed Guardian Ceal”. This card cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Once per turn: You can target 1 “Ceal” Equip Spell Card in your Graveyard; equip it to this card. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: You can target 1 monster they control; send it to the Graveyard.

 

Unbound Supernova Bow - Ceal

Equip Spell

You can discard this card; Special Summon 1 “Arsenal Evoker” from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. You can only use this effect of “Unbound Supernova Bow” once per turn. The equipped monster can attack directly, and if it does, your opponent gains 1000 LP after the damage step. If the equipped monster is “Unleashed Guardian Ceal”, this card gains this effect: Any damage your opponent takes involving the equipped monster is doubled.

 

 

[spoiler=Kay'est]I had a hard time with Kay'est. She was a defensive Guardian, so I figured to have her be able to protect other Guardians. Her effect is an improved version of her previous version with her protection applying to all Guardians you control and halving the damage taken. I tried to stick to the Rod of Silence flavor with the equip by giving monsters Spell immunity and giving it a negation effect.

 

Unleashed Guardian Kay’est

LV4 WATER

1000/2000

Sea Serpent

You can only control 1 “Unleashed Guardian Kay’Est”. This card cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Once per turn: You can target 1 “Kay’Est” Equip Spell Card in your Graveyard; equip it to this card. If an “Unleashed Guardian” monster you control is targeted for an attack, you can negate that attack, and if you do, take damage equal to half the attacking monster’s ATK.

 

Unbound Rod of Tranquility - Kay’est

Equip Spell

You can discard this card; Special Summon 1 “Arsenal Evoker” from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. The equipped monster gains 500 DEF. While the equipped monster is face-up on the field, all monsters you control are unaffected by your opponent’s Spell effects. If the equipped monster is “Unleashed Guardian Kay’est”, this card gains this effect: If your opponent activates a Spell Card, you can send this card you control to your GY; negate that effect, and if you do, destroy that card. You can only use each effect of “Unbound Rod of Tranquility - Kay’est” once per turn.

 

 

[spoiler=Tryce]Tryce tries to be an offensive tool and acts as a floater if its offense is terminated. Like Baou, it can also act as an anti-floater by being able to keep attacking until there are no more targets to be summoned by the opponent's floater.

 

Unleashed Guardian Tryce

LV5 LIGHT

1900/1700

Thunder

You can only control 1 “Unleashed Guardian Tryce”. This card cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Once per turn: You can target 1 “Tryce” Equip Spell Card in your Graveyard; equip it to this card. Each time this card declares an attack: it gains 200 ATK. If this card is sent from the field to the GY: You can target 1 “Unleashed Guardian” monster in your GY; Special Summon it.

 

Unbound Swords of Relentless Lightning - Tryce

Equip Spell

You can discard this card; Special Summon 1 “Arsenal  Evoker” from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. You can only use this effect of “Unbound Swords of Relentless Lightning - Tryce” once per turn. The equipped monster can make a second attack each Battle Phase. If the equipped monster is “Unleashed Guardian Tryce”, this card’s effect becomes: The equipped monster can attack all monsters your opponent controls once each.

 

 

[spoiler=Eatos]Eatos is Boss Monster #1; Banishes cards from the GY as a quick effect for interruptions and benefits from using its effect. Equip Spell Card gives it limited protection and beefs it up further.

 

Unleashed Guardian Eatos

LV8 WIND

Fairy

2500/2000

You can only control 1 “Unleashed Guardian Eatos”. Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Can only be Special Summoned by banishing 3 “Unleashed Guardian” monsters and/or “Unbound” Equip Spell Cards from your GY. This card gains 100 ATK for each banished card. Once per turn, during either player’s turn, you can banish 1 card from either player’s GY.

 

Unbound Transcendent Blade - Eatos

Equip Spell

You can discard this card; Special Summon 1 “Arsenal  Evoker” from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. You can only use this effect of “Unbound Transcendent Blade - Eatos” once per turn. The equipped monster gains 500 ATK. If the equipped monster is “Unleashed Guardian Eatos”, this card gains these effects: If the equipped monster is targeted or would be destroyed by a card effect: You can banish 1 “Unbound” Equip Spell Card from your GY; negate that effect, and if you do, banish that card.

 

 

[spoiler=Dreadscythe]I also had a hard time with this one. I wanted it to act as a foil to Eatos. Basically, this card is Boss #2 or back-up Boss. It would be the worst hand clog possible, so I enabled it to go to the GY ASAP, and because of that, I gave it the SS clause that can Special Summon Arsenal Evoker.

Becomes a recurring gigantic beatstick late-game and deals mild burn damage.

 

Unleashed Guardian Dreadscythe

LV8 DARK

Fiend

2500/2000

You can only control 1 “Unleashed Guardian Dreadscythe”. Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by its own effect and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If a “Guardian Eatos” monster is destroyed and sent to the GY: You can Special Summon this card from your hand or GY. Once per turn: You can target 1 “Dreadscythe” Equip Spell Card in your GY; equip it to this card. If this card is sent from the field to the GY, you can return one of your banished “Unbound” Equip Spell Cards to the GY; Special Summon this card from the GY. You can discard this card; Special Summon 1 “Arsenal Evoker” from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. You can only use this effect of “Unleashed Guardian Dreadscythe” once per turn.

 

Unbound Soulburning Scythe - Dreadscythe

Equip Spell

You can discard this card; add 1 “Unbound” Equip Spell Card from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of “Unbound Soulsteal Scythe - Dreadscythe” once per turn. The equipped monster gains 500 ATK for each monster in your Graveyard. If the equipped monster is “Unleashed Guardian Dreadscythe”, this card gains this effect: Once per turn: You can inflict 100 damage to your opponent for each monster in both players’ GYs.

 

 

[spoiler=Weaknesses]• Heavily reliant on the GY

• Heavily reliant on Arsenal Evoker for summons
• Arsenal can only summon 1 Guardian per turn
• Effects need to mostly be complemented by Equip Spells to function optimally.

 

 

-Feedback is appreciated!

 

Edit: 
• Enabled Arsenal Evoker to SS from the Hand.
 

[ShimoHkun1]

First of all, you are now the best person ever because these are my favorite cards in the game so yeeeaaah thanks so much

 

Actual feedback:

Arsenal Evoker can only be at 3 and although it can recycle it, it can get shut down

It doesn't seem to have a lot of synergy with the original monsters, while still working with the original equips, wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not

Necrovalley if used correctly can destroy this deck all by itself

Maybe a field Spell that can work as a protection for them in the GY or in general

More "Arsenal" cards might be a good idea just to give the deck more versatility and to add on some beneficial effects or something

 

Overall this stuff is great, I'm kinda hoping for actual cards to help Rafiel's deck but only time will tell

[Armoire]

First of all, you are now the best person ever because these are my favorite cards in the game so yeeeaaah thanks so much

 

Actual feedback:

Arsenal Evoker can only be at 3 and although it can recycle it, it can get shut down

It doesn't seem to have a lot of synergy with the original monsters, while still working with the original equips, wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not

Necrovalley if used correctly can destroy this deck all by itself

Maybe a field Spell that can work as a protection for them in the GY or in general

More "Arsenal" cards might be a good idea just to give the deck more versatility and to add on some beneficial effects or something

 

Overall this stuff is great, I'm kinda hoping for actual cards to help Rafiel's deck but only time will tell

 

Thanks for the response! Here are my thoughts on what you addressed:

• Arsenal Evoker can only be at 3. However, each Equip Spell card is basically another copy of it since they can Special Summon it from the Deck. This would mean a potential total of 33 Arsenal Evokers in a deck (3x Equips, Summoners, and Dreadscythes).

• I did realize he could be shut down easily. I was debating on whether removing the hard OPT clause for his SS effect, but decided against it because it would let them swarm a little too fast. Should I tack on a "your opponent cannot activate a card in response to this card's activation" or something?

 

• It was on purpose--not having synergy with the original monsters. Mainly due to text bloat and having to exclude certain cards with "Guardian" in their name like the original Arsenal Summoner. However, the new Guardians still work with the old Arsenal Summoner, for what that's worth.

• The reason it works with the original equips was because I might make some other equips in the future, so it was more of a futureproofing thing. To be honest, I made both the Guardians and their Equips stronger versions of themselves so that one wouldn't even think of running the older Guardians, which are pretty awful. In short, this whole archetype was an overhaul to the original version of the Guardians.

 

• To be fair, Necrovalley, if used correctly, can destroy many decks. I actually think if this archetype would be in a deck, it would have more freedom to maindeck countermeasures against such cards since you'd ideally run less than 3 of each Guardian (due to the recycle-and-SS-from the deck factor). I've realized, however that Arsenal Evoker cannot SS from the hand, which would mean any Guardian in the hand is a dead card. As such, I will include it being able to summon from the hand.

 

• I'm not sure what you mean by the field spell providing protection for them in the Graveyard, but protection in general I was wary of because I feel like on their own they're all powerful enough. But if it feels like the monsters are rather weak, then I wouldn't mind making a field spell!

• I was actually thinking about making another "Arsenal" monster, maybe based off of Backup Gardna from the Anime, but I wasn't sure what it would do, since to me personally, this feels rather complete. I'd love to make another one but I wouldn't want it to be winmoar, if you catch my drift?

 

I love Rafael's cards and I'm a bit disappointed at how he hasn't gotten any support/retrains yet with all the legacy support we've been seeing. Hopefully in the future, they do something to revive it.

[ShimoHkun1]

Thanks for the response! Here are my thoughts on what you addressed:

• Arsenal Evoker can only be at 3. However, each Equip Spell card is basically another copy of it since they can Special Summon it from the Deck. This would mean a potential total of 33 Arsenal Evokers in a deck (3x Equips, Summoners, and Dreadscythes).

• I did realize he could be shut down easily. I was debating on whether removing the hard OPT clause for his SS effect, but decided against it because it would let them swarm a little too fast. Should I tack on a "your opponent cannot activate a card in response to this card's activation" or something?

 

• It was on purpose--not having synergy with the original monsters. Mainly due to text bloat and having to exclude certain cards with "Guardian" in their name like the original Arsenal Summoner. However, the new Guardians still work with the old Arsenal Summoner, for what that's worth.

• The reason it works with the original equips was because I might make some other equips in the future, so it was more of a futureproofing thing. To be honest, I made both the Guardians and their Equips stronger versions of themselves so that one wouldn't even think of running the older Guardians, which are pretty awful. In short, this whole archetype was an overhaul to the original version of the Guardians.

 

• To be fair, Necrovalley, if used correctly, can destroy many decks. I actually think if this archetype would be in a deck, it would have more freedom to maindeck countermeasures against such cards since you'd ideally run less than 3 of each Guardian (due to the recycle-and-SS-from the deck factor). I've realized, however that Arsenal Evoker cannot SS from the hand, which would mean any Guardian in the hand is a dead card. As such, I will include it being able to summon from the hand.

 

• I'm not sure what you mean by the field spell providing protection for them in the Graveyard, but protection in general I was wary of because I feel like on their own they're all powerful enough. But if it feels like the monsters are rather weak, then I wouldn't mind making a field spell!

• I was actually thinking about making another "Arsenal" monster, maybe based off of Backup Gardna from the Anime, but I wasn't sure what it would do, since to me personally, this feels rather complete. I'd love to make another one but I wouldn't want it to be winmoar, if you catch my drift?

I love Rafael's cards and I'm a bit disappointed at how he hasn't gotten any support/retrains yet with all the legacy support we've been seeing. Hopefully in the future, they do something to revive it.

For Arsenal you could make it so it is immune to effects that would hinder its effect, such as necrovalley and such, but if that's too confusing you could do a "your opponent cannot...."

 

I had an idea for the field Spell a while back this is it:

 

Guardian Shrine

Field Spell

 

All "Guardian" monsters can be Special Summoned without the respective Equip Spell on the field. Once per turn you can add one Equip Spell from your deck to your hand. If you control a face-up "Guardian" monster (Quick Effect) you can change the target of any Equip Spell on the field to another target. If you gave a "Guardian" monster in your GY: your opponent cannot negate effects that activate in the GY.

 

This was made with the original intent to make the originals better but something like this could be nice

 

Backup Gardna could be useful as these cards get help from the Equip Spell they are associated with so if you need it, it's essentially Tailor of the Fickle but in monster form, with possibly another effect. Just saying.

[Armoire]

Bump in hopes of more criticism!