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[Sakura] The enemy's weakest point is where you must hit! [Psychic LINK] (14/?)


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[spoiler=Cards]


Psyshock Striker Akazuki

Level 3 | WIND | Psychic | Effect

1400/200

(1) If you control another "Psyshock Striker" monster with a different name, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of its ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 

Psyshock Striker Espy

Level 4 | WIND | Psychic | Effect

1700/800

(1) Once per turn: You can add 1 "Psyshock Striker" card from your Deck to your hand. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 

Psyshock Striker Casey

Level 3 | WIND | Psychic | Effect

1200/400

(1) Once per turn: You can add 1 "Psyshock Striker" card from your GY or that is currently banished to your hand. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 

Psyshock Striker Kyria

Level 4 | WIND | Psychic | Effect

1600/600

(1) Once per turn: You can shuffle 1 "Psyshock Striker" card from your hand into the Deck; draw 2 cards. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 

Psyshock Striker Kāma

Level 3 | WIND | Psychic | Effect

1300/300

(1) Once per turn: You can send 1 "Psyshock Striker" monster from your Deck to the GY. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 

Psyshock Striker Asara

Level 4 | WIND | Psychic | Effect

1800/100

You can only Special Summon this card's name with its effect once per turn. (1) If you control another "Psyshock Striker" monster, you can Special Summon this card from your GY. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 

Super Psyshock Striker Magifox

Link 2 | WIND | Psychic | Link | Effect

1900

W S

2 "Psyshock Striker" monsters

You can only use this card name's (1) effect once per turn. (1) When this card is Link Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 "Psyshock Striker" monster from your GY to a zone this card points to. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 


Super Psyshock Striker Metalblade

Link 2 | WIND | Psychic | Link | Effect

2100

N E

2 "Psyshock Striker" monsters with different names

(1) Monsters this card points to cannot be destroyed by battle or an opponent's effects. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.


 

Legend Psyshock Striker Rugyarion

Link 3 | WIND | Psychic | Link | Effect

2200

N W E

2+ "Psyshock Striker" monsters

You can only use this card name's (1) effect once per turn. (1) You can send 1 other "Psyshock Striker" card you control or from your hand to the GY, then target a number of cards your opponent controls or in their hand, up to the number of monsters this card points to; shuffle those cards into the Deck. (2) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 

Legend Psyshock Striker Shinreiryu

Link 3 | WIND | Psychic | Link | Effect

2500

SW S SE 

2+ "Psyshock Striker" monsters

(1) When this card is Link Summoned: You can halve the ATK/DEF of all monsters your opponent currently controls. (2) Once per turn (Quick Effect), if a card or effect is activated: You can send 1 other "Psyshock Striker" card you control or from your hand to the GY; negate that effect, and if you do, destroy it. (3) If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the lower of that monster's ATK or DEF for damage calculation.

 

Psyshock Striker Terrain

Field Spell

(1) "Psyshock Striker" monsters you control cannot be targeted by your opponent's effects. (2) If a "Psyshock Striker" monster you controls battles an opponent's monster, it gains 500 ATK/DEF until the end of the Damage Step.

 

Psyshock Striker Alpha Wave

Quick-Play Spell

(1) Banish 1 "Psyshock Striker" monster you control until the End Phase; your opponent takes 1000 damage.

 

Psyshock Striker Beta Wave

Quick-Play Spell

(1) Target 1 monster your opponent controls and 1 "Psyshock Striker" you control; the first target's ATK/DEF become half its current ATK/DEF, then the second target gains that lost ATK/DEF. These changes last until the end of the turn.

 

Psyshock Striker Gamma Wave

Quick-Play Spell

(1) Banish 1 "Psyshock Striker" monster you control, then target 1 monster your opponent controls; banish it, face-up.

 


 


[spoiler=Notepad]


In a nutshell, this archetype was something I generated out of a randomizer I wrote in Java a good while back; basically, generate a random Type, Attribute, summon mechanic, speed of summoning and even stat spread. The actual gimmick is up to my discretion. 


 


What came out here is a general result of it; WIND Psychics that focus on quick Link Summoning and having lower DEF but relatively high ATK.


 


====


As far as applications go, this is more unconventional in the sense that you're applying the lower of either a monster's ATK or DEF for calculation, but it shouldn't be more difficult to understand than the concept of using DEF for damage calculation while attacking). Obviously, Links don't have a DEF so you are left to just hit them in their ATK as normal, but you have options to deal with it; usually weaken their stats or make you stronger.


 


Also ties into its naming/stuff, as yes, I did theme this somewhat on Psyshock (or Psystrike, w/e). Not exactly how it works in-game, but it functions similarly to cases when you would use it.


====


 


Admittedly, a lot of the support cards Psychics do have outside Emergency Teleport aren't necessarily great (and Mind Master's probably staying banned for life), but there are options you can try. Then again, they are technically reliant on their support cards to deal with stuff, especially Links, though nowadays most monsters usually don't go to Defense Position and generally have weaker DEF than ATK.


 


In Link format, well, you'll just have to get creative with things (and some of the stuff I'll have to address later).


 


 


More cards will be added, tentatively, but it depends on some playtesting and yeah, feedback. Will mostly be another Main Deck monster and probably a few Links for options. Going to try not to add too much, but should be able to run it as its own Deck; not as a sub-engine for other stuff.


 


For now, it should be somewhat functional on its own and not going to cause silly things to happen, but I may be wrong about this.


 


====


 


Reps/likes will be given for reviews that are written properly and civilly.


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  • 2 weeks later...
(system down, reinitializing for REVIEW MODE)
 
(please press any key to continue)
 
(no there ISN'T A KEY CALLED "ANY" you technological troglodyte)
 
(okay, "B for BDSceptyr" is already too many keys and the program is already starting but whatever) 
 
Alrighty then, to these cards. Seeing as this is the first stand-alone WIND Psychic archetype, it seems to reflect the spirit of Palladions, though without the immediate necessity of the Extra Deck to strike at the opponent. I like it already, though I'm more cool on Special-Summon-reliant Archetypes than I used to be, thanks to the combination of a glut of Solemn Traps, Extra Linking, and The Monarchs Erupt being things.
[spoiler=Psyshock Monsters Review]
 
So, first off the plate is Akazuki-Summons from the hand when the other members of the squad are in, and a Psyshock-universal second effect that I can only assume is tailored to the opponent's monster but may need some clearing up in PSCT. Thinking something along the line of "If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply the ATK or DEF of that opponent's monster (whichever is lower) for damage calculation." would be somewhat more...clarifying? 1400 ATK means that the second effect's not entirely a slouch, but it is useless against Links-which I doubt you're leaving this card on the field for anyways considering its a combo extender/ladder. 3 of, minimum, for the first effect alone. 
 
Espy then comes in as the searcher. Because of its power, I can see it staying on the field for the Psyshock battle mechanic-well, it and Asara, though their reach is limited. I've had my gripes about Monsters searching monsters, especially in terms of it being a further power creep of monsters being all-purpose in areas which Spells and Traps should be in-that's a story as old as the Synchro Era, however, and I'm not gonna fault you for something I've belatedly done myself. So this is fine-probably a three-of to search Akazuki and start your initial play (cuz Links.)
 
Casey hits all the areas that this does not in terms of searching monsters, but I worry about how this will fit into the Linking strategy, since it has no Summoning method-it'll need to be used at a specific time, and it may not be on the field in that specific time Which can make it a brick in several clutch situations. Maybe a 1-2, thankfully, since its Level allows for Emergency Teleport to be used in its retrieval.
 
Kyria turns 1 card in the hand into 2 from the Deck. Nice, but I do wonder if that card couldn't have been banished, to avoid the possibility of drawing it again-after all, this isn't gonna be used on a card you NEED. Still, a strict +1 is always welcome, even if the level is less conducive to E-Tele (my profound apologies on this continued tack of basing card's compatibility off a Limited card, I had issues with this when dpYGO did it with Ignister and this will be the last I say on E-Tele in that regard). 2 of, I would think-maybe three, if you have a way of reliably getting it out-maybe Brain Research Lab?
 
Then we head to the milling Kāma. Now we're definitely in the area of "things best left to the Spell/Trap lineup" Placing this on a non-Special Summonable body either A) breaks the card, e.g. Lavalval Chain and Beatrice, or B) makes it negation/destruction bait. Level 3 helps it some, everything else on it...less of a fan-well unless you're setting up Asara, and then this card's ceiling goes up (another reason I think it'll be negation bait for the savvy opponent.)  Between this and Asara in terms of Deck space, I'd reckon 5 copies would be okay-variate between them how you may.
 
And finally, Asara. So good, but limited in its use. It's the Giant Sentry of Stone on steroids. It's also your initial/primary ladder tech- the reason I insisted on having that many Kyrias and was so critical of its effect-wherever the card goes, Asara is not something you want to see in your hand. Its something you sack for the Links, then bring back if possible to continue combos, since the Link Monsters will more plausibly apply the opponent's monster stats against them. 1 for your play laddering, 1 in case you lose one, and the last are subject to my 5-of copy rule between it and Kāma.
 
 
On to Super Psyshock Striker Magifox, then. Helps with the GY plays, though it'll likely be to ladder into either Rugyarion or Summon Sorceress. Link Markers are conducive to being Summoned to the back line, though unlike, say, Cyber Dragons and Sieger, the plays to do so in a consistent, non-out-of-the-way method is...lacking, shall we say. Does allow for laddering however, so yeah, that's the best point in favor. 3 of.
 
Metalblade, on the other hand, gets 200 more ATK and the Honeybot ability, but solely for destruction prevention. Will help the lesser ones swing against the opponent, and possibly even stand ground against the Links. Again, however, the main draw of this card is the Link Arrow placement, though....they make Magifox's Link Markers all the more unwieldy. Ideally, you want it in the Main Monster Zone to ensure you have good revival to keep the Link Train, but the ability to get it out of the GY with something that isn't another Magifox is almost non-existent within the Deck. In that same vein, this card wants to be in the Main Monster Zone to protect the most monsters, but everything it'd point to will likely be A) something you're linking out, or B) not necterritory Psyshock Striker. The Link terrirtory is where this card flounders, especially in-Archetype, but it can be possible-whether it can be as such without overextending or using out-of-Archetype revival is the real test of this Deck. Still, protection is nice, so 1-2 of-if not for the Archetype it services, it'd strictly be one, and not interacting with the opponent's field hampers it too much to be 3-of.
 
 
Legend Psyshock Strikers Rugyarion & Shinreiyu seem to be the bosses, and still get it done at 2200 and 2500 ATK, respectively and admirably. Targeting-but non-destroying-removal for the first, and ATK cutting/negation for the second. Seems that the second is what you'll likely link out Magifox to get into, then reviving Anaya to make sure there's a body for negation, could definitely be a nice first turn play. As for the Rugyarion, powering up into removal might be for specific situations, something a second Magifox could possibly get out the other Link-2s for if not serve as the ladder itself. 2 of each seems okay, but there are other Link-3s for the Psyshock Strikers to roll into that could further a stun/control board-Tri-Gate Wizard comes most immeditaely to mind.

 
[spoiler=Psyshock Spell/Trap Review (with mentions to Gamma Wave)]
Terrain turns your monsters into quasi-Kaiju ships, so that likely means you've got a way around, say, SPYRAL boards, initially, since Sleeper will have to hit this-that's the first thing that comes to mind, of course, but not the last in terms of great innovation. Making it so the first Drancia-like sneeze doesn't body you is always nice to see, and especially on the Field Spell. 500 ATK/DEF when battling keeps the Strikers even healthier and allows Shinreiyu to even take down Borreload on even ground, better ground if a Metalblade is Linked to it. Might be a Terraforming-off in a mirror match though, but it's too good to not have. 2-3 of, obviously, depending on whether intially working in the Brain Research Lab might stand as a better play.
 
Finally, there comes the three waves of the Psyshock Striker- Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Alpha is evasion and burn all in one, a rather understated way to make your opponent waste momentum in attempts to stop your plays.
 
Beta Wave, another Quick-Play, drains half of a Striker's ATK/DEF and gives it to another, I'm especially liking this for when you make your OBLIGITORY ASARA play, give power to another Link-2 Psyshock Striker, then link away Asura for something nice. 
 
And finally, Gamma Wave...Okay, I'm not sure about that effect-are the effects supposed to work as a choice effect? A tandem? One on field and one from Grave?-Regardless, the first effect looks worthy enough to Set and forget until the opponent tries to make play, so that's a great stealth use-since you can use it in clever combination to put down an opponent's opening move. 
 
I say, 2-3 Alpha Waves, 1-2 Beta Waves (the Links and battle ability make the effect slightly redundant), and Gamma Wave, until we get clarification on that effect process, seems a solid 2-3. 
 

 

 

 

Seems my verdict of it is done. 

 

Let's try to put some solid numbers on it, based on the El Exordio Del Duelista ratings board, which I'm totally not ripping off by calling the D'Sceptyr Duel Report, no bob sirree. 

 

Power: 8 (tooling with the opponent's ATK/DEF stats on battle makes every Deck that's not Link-focused quiver, especially some which can't exactly handle that (Monarchs and 

Defense: 7.5 (Field Spell's power and the Quick-Play Spell Alpha Wave helps get this over 5, but the other options being in access to Link-2 and aboves means that without that, there's a lot of ways to break the Strikers' flow. .5 is given for the synergy of Alpha Wave with the Link-2s to help them better get into Main Monster Zones, I like that.)

Consistency: 5 (if you don't open with Expy, mill/recover with Casey (which is reliant on a Limited card, most likely) or your crapshoot with Kyria fails, there isn't a whole lot of ways to make sure stuff gets in your hand that needs to be there. Akazuki, especially.)

Versatility: 7 (disguised Aggro through the Strikers's effects, check. Link climbing with relative ease, check. Control with Shinreiyu? Okay, but on the same scale as Arch-Lord Palladion-its something you have to build into and hold down, and it may not be the easiest thing to do with them. Interaction with the Mekk-Knights could help in this regard, though, the same it did the Palladions
Recovery: 4 (...yeah, this doesn't exactly offer a lot to do once your Alpha Waves run dry, and not one of the monsters offer much but battle avoidance on the opponent's turns, outside of Shinreiyu.)
 
Draw Power: 2/5 
Control: 4/5
Burn: 1/5
OTK/FTK: 2/5
Stamina: 3/5
Comeback: 2/5
Swarm: 3.5/5
 
So, yeah, this looks okay, may need some help to get into Tier 2, but I don't think it'll be that much. Great work, Sakura. I love the Archetype, personally.
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Well, considering that this was technically a thought experiment that came out of a randomizer (well, the general specs otherwise), yeah, this does need work to make this serviceable for higher levels. 

 

Recovery is an issue, which I do need to give them and well, maybe less battle reliant (and I'm fully aware Links don't give a sheet because they only have ATK to work with anyway). 

 

====

As for Gamma, it's supposed to banish the opponent's monster, FACE-UP (I went back and forth between face-up and down, so either notepad forgot to erase the old one or w/e). But yeah, clarification that it's face-up only. I'll go update the OP. 

 

I did have an archetypal equivalent of E-Teleport in here (well, off-site anyway, but I won't post it here for obvious reasons, even with restriction to prevent it being a clone). We'll see how stuff goes (and might update a few of the cards as suggested).

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Alright. Since BDSceptyr reviewed the power level I might as well review the design philosophies.

 

 

Lets look at the gimmick: "If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply either that monster's ATK or DEF from damage calculation (whichever is lower)." (see Evil HERO Infernal Wing for most recent wording (yeah this wording isn't used too often)

 

 

The gimmick itself is pretty meh. 

 

 

For starters, it hasn't aged well due to Link Format making it a bit redundant against some Decks as well as boss monsters tending to have good enough stats both ways. This says [sakura] not [AGM] so I can only assume the most recent meta is what you're using for power reference. The main problem is that it doesn't really have any consequences that the card can exploit outside of some generic support, and doesn't give your opponent a way to properly screw with you unless they built their Deck acknowledging the existence of yours. If you really want players to do that you need to exploit the mechanic and emphasize on its use more, and I don't feel your archetype's effects really interact with the mechanic enough.

 

 

A couple ways of making the mechanic more interesting would be actually be buffing your opponent's monsters as a sort of cost for effects. For example, increasing their ATK would mean nothing if their DEF is lower to begin with, and similarly increasing the DEF wouldn't mean anything either. However, you'd have to be careful with your opponent controlling monsters with stats that you wouldn't want to buff, since buffing their lower stat gives them a proper offense, and if they have Link monsters then you're going to have to have it as a real cost.

 

 

In response to opponent's ATK/DEF manipulation, I might also make cards similar to Fissure, Hammer Shot, and Smashing Ground where they don't target, but rather destroy monsters based on their stats, whether that's destroying the monster with the lowest ATK or the highest DEF. With this, you can get around some forms of protection while simultaneously having control over what monsters you're screwing with if you're using the previous gimmick.

 

 

 

Anyways hopefully that gave you some ideas on how to further implement the mechanic. There are probably even better ways of doing this but its midnight and I'm a bit tired.

 

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Alright. Since BDSceptyr reviewed the power level I might as well review the design philosophies.

 

 

Lets look at the gimmick: "If this card battles an opponent's monster, apply either that monster's ATK or DEF from damage calculation (whichever is lower)." (see Evil HERO Infernal Wing for most recent wording (yeah this wording isn't used too often)

 

 

The gimmick itself is pretty meh. 

 

 

For starters, it hasn't aged well due to Link Format making it a bit redundant against some Decks as well as boss monsters tending to have good enough stats both ways. This says [sakura] not [AGM] so I can only assume the most recent meta is what you're using for power reference. The main problem is that it doesn't really have any consequences that the card can exploit outside of some generic support, and doesn't give your opponent a way to properly screw with you unless they built their Deck acknowledging the existence of yours. If you really want players to do that you need to exploit the mechanic and emphasize on its use more, and I don't feel your archetype's effects really interact with the mechanic enough.

 

 

A couple ways of making the mechanic more interesting would be actually be buffing your opponent's monsters as a sort of cost for effects. For example, increasing their ATK would mean nothing if their DEF is lower to begin with, and similarly increasing the DEF wouldn't mean anything either. However, you'd have to be careful with your opponent controlling monsters with stats that you wouldn't want to buff, since buffing their lower stat gives them a proper offense, and if they have Link monsters then you're going to have to have it as a real cost.

 

 

In response to opponent's ATK/DEF manipulation, I might also make cards similar to Fissure, Hammer Shot, and Smashing Ground where they don't target, but rather destroy monsters based on their stats, whether that's destroying the monster with the lowest ATK or the highest DEF. With this, you can get around some forms of protection while simultaneously having control over what monsters you're screwing with if you're using the previous gimmick.

 

 

 

Anyways hopefully that gave you some ideas on how to further implement the mechanic. There are probably even better ways of doing this but its midnight and I'm a bit tired.

 

Considering that this does have Link Monsters (and Draco is adamant about not adding them to AGM anytime soon), yeah, it's more for figuring out how to work in MR4. If you want to know why AGM isn't going full-on MR4, refer to the last couple pages in the club for reasoning. 

 

I could probably go with the latter option and add more support cards that can give you control over what to get rid of. Preferably archetypal equivalents that can be searched/retrieved via Espy and Casey. Other things I had in mind were probably giving them a card that can flat out drop a stat to zero (and then it wouldn't matter if bosses had relatively good stats on either spectrum, because it'd still be hitting at 0). Rather not buff the opponent's stats because yeah, it is counterproductive (unless I end up making a Ragna Zero type monster for them that would otherwise trigger on that). 

 

As far as the wording goes, it's technically from the late 5Ds era and hasn't been properly reprinted in PSCT (and yeah, isn't developed much). 

 

====

In terms of things to do for the archetype right now (least from what both of you mentioned, and that half-assed attempt to test in solitaire mode on DP):

  • Better ways to recycle more cards, as Casey can only retrieve one per turn and that's assuming you still have it out by then. 
  • Ways to address handling monsters that are otherwise good on either spectrum, at least outside Gamma Wave as far as removal goes. (IDK, I should make it banish face-down).
    • Just add a card that strips stat to zero or something that can put continuous pressure on stats, so they're within range to be killed if you do not get Shinreiryu out to soften them up.
    • Something like Great Ogre could be considered (well, adapt it a bit so it doesn't screw over your monsters)

 

But then again, if stuff doesn't pan out, I'll probably shelve this archetype and work on another one, then return to it later. Probably can make it work, but we'll have to see how it goes. 

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