Doomcaliber Crusader

[Babymon]

 

Effect:

During either player's turn, if a monster effect is activated: You can tribute this face-up card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that monster. If you control no cards, when a monster effect would be activated: You can discard this card from your hand; negate that effect. You can only use this effect of  "Doomcaliber Crusader" once per turn.

[aussj4link]

Haha, I thought I was the only one using the maker. I like the change from having to tribute and negate to it being optional here.

[Darj]

I don't like it. It outright outclasses the original Doomcaliber, and more or less gets on the field of Effect Veiler, and that isn't cool. Well, to be a bit fair, Veiler has some boons from being a Tuner, like being searchable by the Eyes-of-Blue Sage, and used as potential material for Needlefiber, and of course it doesn't need your field clear of monsters, but on the other side, it's limited to the opponent's turn.

[EndUser]

I don't believe it is suddenly too powerful, regardless of its benefits against Veiler. In fact, I think is has more drawbacks compared to her. 

I'd agree in terms of how good the effect is for an easy-to-summon Level 4 monster. However:

 

1) It's a worse version of Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon/Cyber Dragon Infinity etc.

2) It becomes a stronger Effect Veiler if you control no cards (which usually happens only during the opponent's first turn or if you already lose), otherwise it's pretty much dead in your hand.

3) Except being a temporary wall or a potential material for a Summon, it doesn't do anything else after you Tribute it for the negation. At least the Iron Koaki Meiru monsters have something going on with them. However, it's a Level 4 DARK Fiend monster, so it's something I guess. (Unsearchable by some cards, due to its stats.)

[Darj]

a) You cannot really compare this to those monsters. They are from the Extra Deck, whereas this is a maindeck monster. They have different roles.

b) Or, otherwise you Summon it to enable its effect. Since it lacks the "Cannot be Special Summoned" restriction the original Doomcaliber Knight has, this is more easily achieved, through Pendulum Summon, Firewall Dragon, Saryuja, etc. Besides, the hand trap effect is still playable when your opponent starts the duel, and that's good enough in this meta where it is valuable to stop the opponent from setting up a killer board even before you get your first turn.

c) You should be playing this for the effect stun, not for battling, anyway.

 

Now, while I do think that the original Doomcaliber Knight has been long powercrept, an straight upgrade of this level seems too much and even a bit blatant to me. It's not so much about the card's power, but about the straight outclassing. Maybe it would be more subtle if it didn't have the hand trap effect.