After a long wait, another update! This one contains a huge 31 new Deck Masters. As is my custom (or rather, what I want to make my custom), I'll highlight three of what I think are the more interesting ones here in this Eyes on the Update: Enter the Dragons. Why is it called that? Well, there's a number of Dragon-type monsters in this update, and I couldn't really find any other theme. Besides, it features some of those 5Ds I've heard about, so it seems appropriate.
Ice Master
(Continuous) Frozen!
Monsters are not considered to be on the field during a turn in which 1 or more Ice Counters are placed on it, only for the purposes of declaring an attack or an attack target.
(Ignition) Icicle Swarm
Remove 2 Ice Counters from the field. Special Summon 1 “Icicle Warrior Token” (Aqua / WATER / 1 Star / ATK 300 / DEF 600) in face-up Defence Position. That Token cannot be Tributed in the same turn it was Summoned, and when it is destroyed by battle, place 1 Ice Counter on 1 face-up monster. This Ability can only be used during your Main Phase.
Here's the first one I'll b having a brief look at. The first Ability, Frozen!, means that if you put an Ice Counter on an opponent's monster, you can bypass it during the Battle Phase. Remember that there are currently two monsters that revolve around Ice Counters ("Ice Master" and "Cold Enchanter"), and this Ability works well with their effects. However, if one of your monsters has an Ice Counter put on it, then it can't attack that turn, so there's a down side.
The second Ability brings some reinforcements in the form of "Icicle Warrior Token"s. They can be handy with keeping a defensive line up if you're short of defending monsters. Since the "Icicle Warrior Token"s are WATER Attribute, they help with getting one of your two other "Ice Master"s to the field with its effect. And when an "Icicle Warrior Token" is destroyed, it turns into an Ice Counter, so you get something back at the end.
Hopefully there will be more support in the near future for the Ice Counter-based cards, so this Deck Master will likely just get more usable.
Rainbow Neos
(Ignition) Face the Rainbow
Pick 2 cards from your Deck or Extra Deck with the same background colour, show them to your opponent and remove them from play face-down. Return to their owners’ Decks all face-up and face-down cards on the field with the same background colour as the removed cards. This Ability can only be used once per turn during your End Phase.
(Compulsory Trigger) Rainbow Ravage
Activates when you Special Summon your Deck Master. Return all cards (except any Deck Masters) to their owners’ Decks, and if it is your turn, end it immediately. This Ability cannot be chained to.
(Continuous) Rainbow World
While your Deck Master is on the field, this Ability is active. Neither player can activate or Summon a card if it has the same background colour as a face-up card on the field.
Here's the second Deck Master I want to have a look at. It's rather unique in that only 4 Deck Masters (including this one) have three Abilities, and because I don't often make Abilities that are usable only while the Deck Master is on the field.
The first Ability introduces a new way of looking at the cards. The background colour of a card can never be changed, even if it says it becomes a different type of card. A monster treated as an Equip Spell Card is still a monster card (most likely a Union monster, so it'll have an orange background). Removing the cards face-down means it's almost impossible to get them back into the game, which is exactly what I was going for. With this Ability you can get rid of each type of card if you so wanted. Remember that it will affect Deck Masters (they'll have either orange or yellow backgrounds), so I suggest you don't use this Ability while you've got your Deck Master in play.
And the second Ability is why you'll want to get it into play in the first place. All cards on the field (except any Deck Masters) get sent straight to the Deck. And it can't be chained to, so it's definitely going to go through. Since you can Special Summon your Deck Master during your opponent's turn, the best time to do so would be at the end of their turn, so you're perfectly poised to wipe your opponent out.
The third Ability is a good way of keeping control of the field once your Deck Master is out, and again it links to the colour of the cards. "Rainbow Neos" is a purple card (Fusion Monster), so neither player can have another Fusion Monster out at the same time, and that's just for starters. If you can get a few cards out while your Deck Master is in play, then you're practically set to win the Duel.
However, it's just struck me that this Deck Master may be a little too powerful, so I may yet change it. The only thing against that is that the card "Rainbow Neos" is a Secret Rare, so it's hard to get.
Thought Ruler Archfiend
(Continuous) Deck Master Extra
You can use the effect(s) of the monster chosen to be your Deck Master, in addition to your Deck Master’s Abilities. You can use those effects even when your Deck Master is in its Deck Master Position.
(Continuous) High-Power Psychic Field
Psychic-Type monsters you control gain 300 ATK and DEF, and are unaffected by the effects of your opponent’s Effect Monster Cards.
And here's the third Deck Master, and it's probably the best thing you'll ever see for the new Psychic-Type monsters.
This first Ability is very handy indeed. You get "Thought Ruler Archfiend"'s effects even if it's your Deck Master. That means you gain Life Points when it destroys a monster in battle, and you can pay a few Life Points to protect your Psychic-Type monsters.
And the second Ability only helps. A small ATK/DEF boost for Psychic-Type monsters, and an immunity to monster effects. Your Psychics are tougher and more resilient than ever!
2Remember that there are 28 other new Deck Masters, so check them out.
In other news, I've recently had a look over at least most of the existing Deck Masters, and I've decided that their wording could do with a bit of a change, to make them looks and read a bit better (not to mention more accurately convey their meanings).
I've also noticed that some older Deck Masters have poor Abilities. "Ultimate Obedient Fiend", for example, only applies to possibly two cards (copies of itself). "Black Tyranno" has a single Ability (Tyranny Black Rule) that is outmatched by "Uraby"'s Ability (Carnivorous Tendencies, which several other Deck Masters also have, often paired with another Ability).
So with that, I've decided to go through all 609 Deck Masters and overhaul them. This won't just be a case of rewording a couple of things - I'll be remaking, scrapping and inventing Abilities as I go along, depending on what I think is good. I'll also be trying to balance the Abilities a bit more (although I have little idea of what is "balanced", since I don't actually play the game).
This is likely to be a significant change to the Deck Masters, and it will accordingly take some time to do. Please share any suggestions or comments about the upcoming changes. What should be changed, what you think would go well, that kind of thing. Any comment at all is just fine.
Or if you prefer, just talk about this update. Enjoy.
(Continuous) Frozen!
Monsters are not considered to be on the field during a turn in which 1 or more Ice Counters are placed on it, only for the purposes of declaring an attack or an attack target.
(Ignition) Icicle Swarm
Remove 2 Ice Counters from the field. Special Summon 1 “Icicle Warrior Token” (Aqua / WATER / 1 Star / ATK 300 / DEF 600) in face-up Defence Position. That Token cannot be Tributed in the same turn it was Summoned, and when it is destroyed by battle, place 1 Ice Counter on 1 face-up monster. This Ability can only be used during your Main Phase.
Here's the first one I'll b having a brief look at. The first Ability, Frozen!, means that if you put an Ice Counter on an opponent's monster, you can bypass it during the Battle Phase. Remember that there are currently two monsters that revolve around Ice Counters ("Ice Master" and "Cold Enchanter"), and this Ability works well with their effects. However, if one of your monsters has an Ice Counter put on it, then it can't attack that turn, so there's a down side.
The second Ability brings some reinforcements in the form of "Icicle Warrior Token"s. They can be handy with keeping a defensive line up if you're short of defending monsters. Since the "Icicle Warrior Token"s are WATER Attribute, they help with getting one of your two other "Ice Master"s to the field with its effect. And when an "Icicle Warrior Token" is destroyed, it turns into an Ice Counter, so you get something back at the end.
Hopefully there will be more support in the near future for the Ice Counter-based cards, so this Deck Master will likely just get more usable.
(Ignition) Face the Rainbow
Pick 2 cards from your Deck or Extra Deck with the same background colour, show them to your opponent and remove them from play face-down. Return to their owners’ Decks all face-up and face-down cards on the field with the same background colour as the removed cards. This Ability can only be used once per turn during your End Phase.
(Compulsory Trigger) Rainbow Ravage
Activates when you Special Summon your Deck Master. Return all cards (except any Deck Masters) to their owners’ Decks, and if it is your turn, end it immediately. This Ability cannot be chained to.
(Continuous) Rainbow World
While your Deck Master is on the field, this Ability is active. Neither player can activate or Summon a card if it has the same background colour as a face-up card on the field.
Here's the second Deck Master I want to have a look at. It's rather unique in that only 4 Deck Masters (including this one) have three Abilities, and because I don't often make Abilities that are usable only while the Deck Master is on the field.
The first Ability introduces a new way of looking at the cards. The background colour of a card can never be changed, even if it says it becomes a different type of card. A monster treated as an Equip Spell Card is still a monster card (most likely a Union monster, so it'll have an orange background). Removing the cards face-down means it's almost impossible to get them back into the game, which is exactly what I was going for. With this Ability you can get rid of each type of card if you so wanted. Remember that it will affect Deck Masters (they'll have either orange or yellow backgrounds), so I suggest you don't use this Ability while you've got your Deck Master in play.
And the second Ability is why you'll want to get it into play in the first place. All cards on the field (except any Deck Masters) get sent straight to the Deck. And it can't be chained to, so it's definitely going to go through. Since you can Special Summon your Deck Master during your opponent's turn, the best time to do so would be at the end of their turn, so you're perfectly poised to wipe your opponent out.
The third Ability is a good way of keeping control of the field once your Deck Master is out, and again it links to the colour of the cards. "Rainbow Neos" is a purple card (Fusion Monster), so neither player can have another Fusion Monster out at the same time, and that's just for starters. If you can get a few cards out while your Deck Master is in play, then you're practically set to win the Duel.
However, it's just struck me that this Deck Master may be a little too powerful, so I may yet change it. The only thing against that is that the card "Rainbow Neos" is a Secret Rare, so it's hard to get.
(Continuous) Deck Master Extra
You can use the effect(s) of the monster chosen to be your Deck Master, in addition to your Deck Master’s Abilities. You can use those effects even when your Deck Master is in its Deck Master Position.
(Continuous) High-Power Psychic Field
Psychic-Type monsters you control gain 300 ATK and DEF, and are unaffected by the effects of your opponent’s Effect Monster Cards.
And here's the third Deck Master, and it's probably the best thing you'll ever see for the new Psychic-Type monsters.
This first Ability is very handy indeed. You get "Thought Ruler Archfiend"'s effects even if it's your Deck Master. That means you gain Life Points when it destroys a monster in battle, and you can pay a few Life Points to protect your Psychic-Type monsters.
And the second Ability only helps. A small ATK/DEF boost for Psychic-Type monsters, and an immunity to monster effects. Your Psychics are tougher and more resilient than ever!
2Remember that there are 28 other new Deck Masters, so check them out.
In other news, I've recently had a look over at least most of the existing Deck Masters, and I've decided that their wording could do with a bit of a change, to make them looks and read a bit better (not to mention more accurately convey their meanings).
I've also noticed that some older Deck Masters have poor Abilities. "Ultimate Obedient Fiend", for example, only applies to possibly two cards (copies of itself). "Black Tyranno" has a single Ability (Tyranny Black Rule) that is outmatched by "Uraby"'s Ability (Carnivorous Tendencies, which several other Deck Masters also have, often paired with another Ability).
So with that, I've decided to go through all 609 Deck Masters and overhaul them. This won't just be a case of rewording a couple of things - I'll be remaking, scrapping and inventing Abilities as I go along, depending on what I think is good. I'll also be trying to balance the Abilities a bit more (although I have little idea of what is "balanced", since I don't actually play the game).
This is likely to be a significant change to the Deck Masters, and it will accordingly take some time to do. Please share any suggestions or comments about the upcoming changes. What should be changed, what you think would go well, that kind of thing. Any comment at all is just fine.
Or if you prefer, just talk about this update. Enjoy.