I want to make sure this "declare" effect is restrictive enough before I make an archtype out of it, feedback encouraged

[I Hate Snatch Steal]

A sample card from the archetype would be:

 

You can only use the following effect of <card name here> once per turn. (Quick Effect) During your main phase, if there are 3 or more <archetype name here> cards on your side of the field or in your GY: you can banish 1 monster from hand or gy and if you do, declare the name of 1 monster that can be normal summoned and has the same type, attribute, and is up to 1 level different then that banished card and if you do that, 1 Monster you control, in your hand, or in your GY that does not have another monster's effect currently grained remains revealed, gains the effects of the declared monster, and its name is also treated as that monster's name. These effects are applied until the end of the turn (even if that card changes locations) unless that card is placed in the deck.

 

*Declaring the card is done when the effect resolves, so engraver of the mark can't change what card you choose.

 

*"That does not have another monster's effect currently grained" applies to this archetype, Phantom of Chaos, and similar cards that gain/give all the effects of a monster. Majestic Star Dragon is not counted because it can only activate 1 effect once. For example, you cannot give an effect to Phantom of Chaos if its already copying something, or to the same card multiple times using <archetype name here> cards

 

* Because the effects persist until the end of the turn unless the card that gained it goes to the deck, if you the effect of Vortex Trooper or Earthbound Immortal Ascila Piscu (sp?), you can still use their effects that activate after they leave the field assuming the card that gained the effect isn't placed in the main deck.

 

* If a monster in the GY gains an effect such as cyber dragon core or Darklord Superbia all of those effects will work normally until the end of the turn. You can activate the effect to gain the effect of maxx "c" or d.d. crow, and then activate the gained effect by discarding the card that gained that effect

 

* If you gain the effect of "maxx c" (for example) and you've already activated maxx c that turn, you cannot activate the gained effect. Similarly, you cannot gain the effect of maxx c, activate the gained effect, then activate an actual maxx c that same turn. You can declare <card name here> for the effect, however you wont be able to use the copy effect again that turn. In other words, you cannot cheat HOPTs this way.

 

*Similarly, you cannot activate the effect of a card that states "once per duel" a 2nd time using this effect

 

*You cannot declare a banned card such as YataGarasu, unless you want to be disqualified (or whatever they do if they catch you using banned cards in a tornament) that is.

 

* After using the copying effect, the chosen monster's name is treated as both its name and the declared name

 

I mostly want to make sure that there's not some crazy infinite loop with it or something

[Darj]

Not restrictive enough, IMO. You can easily set it up with milling strategies, and keep in mind the insanely huge pool of cards you can declare. For this kind of effect, I dare say both the 3 archetype monsters, and the monster to banish as cost, should be in the field, rather than field and/or GY, and make sure the archetype doesn't get as much swarming power to make the effect practical. And even then, I'm not sure because of, again, the pool of cards you can declare.

[I Hate Snatch Steal]

Not restrictive enough, IMO. You can easily set it up with milling strategies, and keep in mind the insanely huge pool of cards you can declare. For this kind of effect, I dare say both the 3 archetype monsters, and the monster to banish as cost, should be in the field, rather than field and/or GY, and make sure the archetype doesn't get as much swarming power to make the effect practical. And even then, I'm not sure because of, again, the pool of cards you can declare.

Thank you for the advice, but unless you can give me a specific game breaking scenario I'm going to at least try it.

[Darj]

Thank you for the advice, but unless you can give me a specific game breaking scenario I'm going to at least try it.

 

My issue with it is not more about loops and crazy combos, but about the toolboxing capabilities of the effect. You can pretty much pick the best card for the current situation from a huge pool of cards that I cannot even be bothered to count. Looping cards pale in comparison when you could instead dedicate the deck to the loop/FTK. For instance, I could mention Infernity Archfiend, but then you may as well run an Infernity deck dedicated to their loops, rather than calling Archfiend and teching Infernity cards. The real strength of the effect is the toolboxing power.

 

But looking at it again, it should be fine actually. I overlooked that it requires the card to be the same Attribute, Type and have a +/-1 Level, so that's a lot like a Transmodify that doesn't require you to have the actual copy of the target card in the Deck. I personally don't like this effect because of the concept of simulating cards that are not actually in the deck, but I can be a bit open-minded. Just limit the banished monster to being on the field and it should be all good.