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Time to tackle the Dark Scorpion Archetype (Written)


Charlelot

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Hey everyone,

 

As an old school Yu-Gi-Oh player, I always have a soft spot in my heart for older archetypes that could be considered irrelevant in the current metagame. At the risk of sounding like an old geezer, in my opinion, these classic card series always seemed to be more unique, more memorable than the cards produced by Konami nowadays. For me, it’s always fun to look back at the history of the game and update old archetypes that deserve to make a comeback. The one I am focusing on today is Yu-Gi-Oh’s resident team of master thieves: the Dark Scorpions.

 

As usual, have a read and tell me what you think.

 

*Latest Update* 01/26/2018

 

[spoiler=Monster Cards:]

Dark Scorpion – Al the Soft

Level 4 DARK Beast/Effect

ATK 1400 DEF 1500

This card’s name becomes ‘’Don Zaloog’’ while it is on the field. During either player’s Damage Step, when a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster is attacking or is being attacked: you can send this card from your hand or field to the GY; double that monster’s original  ATK and DEF until the end of this turn. If this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent or is sent to the GY: you can activate 1 of these effects:

  • Add 1 ‘’Don Zaloog’’ from your Deck or GY to your hand.
  • Shuffle 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ card except ‘’Dark Scorpion – Al the Soft’’ from your hand or GY into your Deck, then draw 1 card.

 

[spoiler=Spell Cards:]

Secret Lair of the Dark Scorpions

Field Spell Card

When a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ you control declares an attack, your opponent cannot activate any cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step. While your opponent controls a monster, Level 5 or lower ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ and ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monsters you control gain 400 ATK and DEF for every Level 5 or lower ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ with a different name on your side of the field. When a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: you can add 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of ‘’Secret Lair of the Dark Scorpions’’ once per turn.

 

Recon Mission of the Dark Scorpions

Continuous Spell Card

You can only use each effects of ‘’Recon Mission of the Dark Scorpions’’ once per turn. When a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ you control inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: you can set 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ Spell/Trap Card from your Deck onto your Spell and Trap Card Zone. During your Main Phase, you can activate 1 of the following effects:

  • Discard 1 card from your hand: Special Summon 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster from your hand or Deck, and if you do, it cannot be Tributed or be used as a Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Material.
  • Send 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ card from your Deck to the GY: target 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ you control; until the end of the turn, its ATK becomes 400 and it can attack your opponent directly (even if this card leaves the field).

 

Tactical Plans of the Dark Scorpions

Quick-Play Spell Card

The ATK and DEF of every ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ and ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monsters you control is doubled and they cannot be destroyed by battle until the end of the turn, also any Battle Damage taken by your opponent from a battle involving a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster becomes 400 until the end of the turn. When a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent while this card is in effect: you can destroy 1 card on the field. You can only each effects of ‘’Tactical Plans of the Dark Scorpions’’ once per turn.

 

[spoiler=Trap Cards:]

Last Heist of the Dark Scorpions

Continuous Trap Card

When you Normal or Special Summon a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or a ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster: you can Special Summon 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ with a different name from your GY. When a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: you can target 1 of your banished ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster; add it to your hand. You can only activate each effect of ‘’Last Heist of the Dark Scorpions’’ once per turn.

 

Fate of the Dark Scorpion

Normal Trap Card

Banish 1 Level 5 or lower ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster you control, then target up to 2 cards your opponent controls: shuffle them into their owner’s Deck. When a ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster you control inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: you can banish 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monster from your hand; set this card from your GY onto your Spell and Trap Card Zone, and if you do, banish it when it leaves the field. You can only activate each effects of ‘’Fate of the Dark Scorpion’’ once per turn.

 

[spoiler=Extra Deck:]

Zia, Heir of the Dark Scorpions

LINK – 4 (Left, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right, Right)

DARK Warrior/Effect

ATK 1000 DEF -

4 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ and/or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monsters

The Special Summon of this card cannot be negated. This card cannot be targeted or destroyed by your opponent’s cards or effects. This card gains 400 ATK and DEF for every ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ and/or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monsters with a different name in your GY. When this card leaves the field: you can Special Summon any number of ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ or ‘’Don Zaloog’’ monsters from your GY, but only 1 copy of each. You can only activate this effect of ‘’Zia, Heir of the Dark Scorpions’’ once per turn. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: you can activate the effect of 1 ‘’Dark Scorpion’’ from your GY except ‘’Zia, Heir of the Dark Scorpions’’.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Both of the first two cards are basic support, something the archetype was seriously lacking. I felt Al's weak stats led to his effects in turn being too weak, but even if you aren't attacking directly with him. his handtrap nature could be very helpful. Two comments: With Al's search effect, you could just say "a "Don Zaloog" monster", and with your Don Zaloog retrain, his stats are a bit much for a Level 4, especially considering his now intrinsic nature for the Deck. Shame he always completely overrides Don Zaloog, as I am a big part of working WITH old cards, rather than OVER them, but it's your cards, so your call. They're still not amazing, but any power nudge is a good power nudge.

 

Secret Lair's ATK boost is possibly not enough, but its other two effects not work with your current cards but help something the old ones desperately needed. A terraforming target doesn't hurt either. It's a shame it kills your Trap and your Quick-Play in terms of its setting, but at least Tactical Plans is a complete retrain of Mustering. Again, wish it didn't render that card unusable, and instead worked into stocking your hand up, but there isn't that much to work with currently. You've got what you've got. Last Heist is a bit slow in regards to the speed of the SSing, but you'd definitely need it with the current inconsistency and lack of speed even with your support. That protection definitely doesn't go amiss in that trap format, however. I like it.

 

The main card of this set is the Link 5...and surprisingly, I think it's done right. It's the shame the requirements are so strict to prevent allowing you to create laddering support later, but it doesn't impact the set currently. You have protection, but while the ATK only maxes out at 3k, it's almost always going to max out to that amount considering its Materials, and its tagging back in again...wow. Amazing. If you wanted to, you could loop Summon this bad boy with 4 other Dark Scorpions to give it an extra 300 ATK, so just be careful about that. Can't think of any big problems atm, but it might be dangerous.

 

These are some good cards, but I feel they're not enough. Not only that, but I feel you're missing the real idea support. Although their are hints of things like your teamwork in the Link card, and your retrains, their overshadowing and just plain general support at times crushes their original ideas into the dust at times. Decent cards, but you can do better. I've seen your other cards :P

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Both of the first two cards are basic support, something the archetype was seriously lacking. I felt Al's weak stats led to his effects in turn being too weak, but even if you aren't attacking directly with him. his handtrap nature could be very helpful. Two comments: With Al's search effect, you could just say "a "Don Zaloog" monster", and with your Don Zaloog retrain, his stats are a bit much for a Level 4, especially considering his now intrinsic nature for the Deck. Shame he always completely overrides Don Zaloog, as I am a big part of working WITH old cards, rather than OVER them, but it's your cards, so your call. They're still not amazing, but any power nudge is a good power nudge.

 

Secret Lair's ATK boost is possibly not enough, but its other two effects not work with your current cards but help something the old ones desperately needed. A terraforming target doesn't hurt either. It's a shame it kills your Trap and your Quick-Play in terms of its setting, but at least Tactical Plans is a complete retrain of Mustering. Again, wish it didn't render that card unusable, and instead worked into stocking your hand up, but there isn't that much to work with currently. You've got what you've got. Last Heist is a bit slow in regards to the speed of the SSing, but you'd definitely need it with the current inconsistency and lack of speed even with your support. That protection definitely doesn't go amiss in that trap format, however. I like it.

 

The main card of this set is the Link 5...and surprisingly, I think it's done right. It's the shame the requirements are so strict to prevent allowing you to create laddering support later, but it doesn't impact the set currently. You have protection, but while the ATK only maxes out at 3k, it's almost always going to max out to that amount considering its Materials, and its tagging back in again...wow. Amazing. If you wanted to, you could loop Summon this bad boy with 4 other Dark Scorpions to give it an extra 300 ATK, so just be careful about that. Can't think of any big problems atm, but it might be dangerous.

 

These are some good cards, but I feel they're not enough. Not only that, but I feel you're missing the real idea support. Although their are hints of things like your teamwork in the Link card, and your retrains, their overshadowing and just plain general support at times crushes their original ideas into the dust at times. Decent cards, but you can do better. I've seen your other cards :P

 

Hey there,

 

Well, what can I say… You were right. I did favor retraining a few of the old cards to work in the current metagame instead of creating more original ones. I blame the fact that I really didn’t have much to work with here =). But I digress; I have taken your criticism into consideration and have made a few changes.

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