#reptiless

RIRA-JP025 レプティレス・ヒュドラ Reptiless Hydra (Reptilianne Hydraling) Level 2 DARK Reptile Tuner Effect Monster ATK 0 DEF 0 You can only use 1 of the following effects of this card’s name per turn, and only once that turn. (1) If you control only Reptile monsters while this card is in your hand: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; change that target’s ATK to 0, and if you do, Special Summon this card, then take damage equal to that monster’s original ATK. (2) If this card is sent to the GY as a Synchro Material: You can target up to 2 face-up monsters on the field; change those targets’ ATK to 0.

Reptilianne Naga ———————————————— This card cannot be destroyed by battle. The ATK of any monster that battles this card becomes 0 at the end of that Battle Phase. During your End Phase, change this face-up Defense Position card on the field to face-up Attack Position. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Absolute Powerforce (ABPF-EN017)

Like many builds arround Reptile-Type monsters, Reptilianne is an archetype all about weakening the opponent's creatures by completely erasing their ATK. This not only gives them an advantage in battle even if they have to take some risks, but also will benefit some of their effects in the long run. Although not as fast as more current strategies, Reptilianne is all about manipulating the opponent's monsters for our own benefit no matter how powerful the monsters they summon. From simply taking the lead in any battles to taking some shortcuts to unleash their effects, Reptilianne shouldn't be underestimated just due their slow pacing.

"Reptilianne Naga" is one of the weakest members but also one of the most important monsters the archetype can offer thanks to her punishing nature. "Naga" cannot be destroyed in battle so already makes her a solid defense against most attacks, but in return will force herself into Attack Position if was face-up Defense Position during our End Phase. However, "Naga" is a prominent engine for the archetype's mechanics as long she confronts monsters in battle, as the outcome will cause whoever opponent's monster is fighting her lose all their ATK once the Battle Phase ends. Therefore if "Naga" isn't Set to bait attacks from monsters it can take the offense to force the archetype's mechanics even if we lose some Life Points in the process, but her mere pressence might suffice for some of the many setups the build will aim for.

As the weakest monster Reptiliannes can offer, in return "Naga" becomes one of the most supported monsters in the build. Due her complete lack of stats it becomes easily available on the board by the effect of "Damage = Reptile", a Trap Card summoning Reptiles with ATK equal or lower than any damage we take. Otherwise, "One for One" will summon her from inside our Deck by the mere cost of discarding a card. For a safer approach, effects from monsters like "Reptilianne Gardna" and "King of the Feral Imps" will instead add "Naga" to our hand for a later use or simply Set her face-down. A "Naga" in our Graveyard is far from being helpless, as with a big pool of revival effects like "Kinka-Byo" and "Viper's Rebirth" among several others gives her a secondary use as material for one of many summons we can aim for.

By default might seem that the entire objective of "Naga" is to defend or declare riskful attacks so we can weaken enemies, but she has much more to provide besides her abilities. Obviously we want to make enemies lose their ATK to not only lead battles in the next turns, but also follow with the effects of cards like "Reptilianne Scylla" and "Reptilianne Viper" to steal opponent's monster for our own purposes. Otherwise we will prepare the arrival of the archetype's boss monster "Reptilianne Vaskii", not only by tributing the weakened opponent's monster but also "Naga" herself to make her easy arrival during Main Phase 2. Since "Naga" forces herself into Attack Position we might need some coverage from cards like "Waboku" and "Enemy Controller" to avoid lethal damage, but outside of that risk is most likely that the opponent will avoid attacking her so doesn't weaken their best monsters as a result. Finally, if "Naga" isn't assisting the archetype or other summons as material, she can become quite disruptive with the help of either "Offering of the Snake Deity" to destroy opponent's cards or "Creature Swap" trading her away to assure lethal damage thanks to her lack of stats.

"Reptilianne Naga" might seem a dangerous monster to handle due her poor stats and a forced Attack Position potentially attracting dangerous attacks towards ourselves, but actually becomes one of the lead monsters arround the archetype's mechanics. While her effect is a bit slow to the point the opponent might have a chance to replace the affected monster(s) with new summons, her mere pressence along easy accesibility makes her a solid support for not only Reptilianne effects but all kinds of summons and effects we can play arround her. Therefore, if she's not staying arround weakening monsters to support the build she can easily assist with other setups and resources the current situation might require. In resume, "Reptilianne Naga" is a solid balance of advantages and disadvantages that we should masterfully manage to get the best from not only her effects but also the entire Deck itself.

Personal Rating: B+

+ Cannot be destroyed in battle + Any monster that battles her will lose their ATK at the end of the Battle Phase + Greatly supported along several setups that can work with or without her effects

Reptilianne Vaskii ———————————————— This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Tributing 2 face-up monsters with 0 ATK from anywhere on the field. Once per turn, you can select and destroy 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. There can only be 1 face-up "Reptilianne Vaskii" on the field. ———————————————— Can Be Found In: Absolute Powerforce (ABPF-EN018)

Reptilianne is an archetype which tries to take complete advantage of battles by completely erasing the ATK of their enemies. This not only allows them to easily defeat even the strongest threats using their weakest members, but also meet the conditions of some of their most powerful abilities. Although not a popular build, with their own options together with staple cards arround the Reptile-Type, Reptiliannes can easily take the lead in many Duels by their focus on weakening monsters.

"Reptilianne Vaskii" is the boss monster of this archetype, and although a nomi monster she becomes a serious threat just by her summoning condition. "Vaskii" can only be summoned by tributing two monsters with 0 ATK, but this requeriment applies to the entire field and thus allow us to use opponent monsters for her arrival. Once on the field "Vaskii" provides a simple yet reliable effect, in which each turn allow us to destroy a face-up monster on the opponent's field. Although there can only be a single "Vaskii" on the whole board, the high chances to take down three monster by herself thanks to her summoning along her removal effect makes it one of the biggest menaces the archetype provides. And since Reptiliannes will constantly take away monsters' ATK, "Vaskii" will make her arrival sooner than might look.

Although the archetype is not as supported as many others out there, "Vaskii" has plenty of options to be summoned by either our own monsters or the opponent's. The defeat of "Reptilianne Gardna" as well the Xyz effect of "King of the Feral Imps" will suffice to search for "Vaskii" in our Deck to be added in our hand. While we can use our monsters as materials for her summon the main objective is to use opponent monsters instead, and to do so we can use Reptilianne effects such as "Reptilianne Medusa" and "Reptilianne Naga", or the Trap Cards "Ghost of a Grudge" and "Ghosts From the Pasts" weakening the opposite field upon activation. If we are having troubles to weaken enemies for the arrival of "Vaskii" we can instead use Tokens as the cheapest alternative, with either "Reptilianne Spawn" and "Scapegoat" bringing several monsters to our field with their abilities, or "Ojama Trio" filling the opponent's field and clog it until "Vaskii" is summoned.

The effectiveness of "Vaskii" starts right from her summoning. If Reptiliannes aren't leading battles and activating their effects, "Vaskii" will most likely wipe entire boards once our summoning conditions are met. While might seem simpler to just attack the weakened monsters, summoning "Vaskii" can get rid of certain menaces like monsters with protective and/or negating effects. Not only that, but the opponent can still answer with cards like "Honest" or "Enemy Controller" to save their monsters, making just summoning "Vaskii" safer to take full control of the board. Her removal effect is pretty standard, and most likely will be used against monsters not affected by the archetype's core strategy. This can easily become how "Vaskii" will be defeated turns after the mass removal that will cause, so use cards like "Alien Brain" or "Offering to the Snake Deity" to further disrupt the opponent in response.

"Reptilianne Vaskii" is a quite interesting monster as already leads the archetype just by her summoning conditions. While many other nomi monsters relies on setups and special requeriments only us can achieve, "Vaskii" can go from cheap tools like Tokens for an immediate summon, or in the best scenarios take down several monsters on the opponent's field upon arrival.  Combined with a basic removal effect to further clear the board of any threats, "Vaskii" is a very easy and dependable monster despite her reliance on other cards and effects. If anything the restriction where we can only control one "Vaskii" might cause her other copies become dead cards, but she's on the board it means that either is taking down strong enemies with her effect or completely cleared the opponent's field just by her summon.

Personal Rating: A

+ Can use opponent's monsters with 0 ATK for her summoning + Destroys a face-up opponent's monster each turn + Greatly supported to meet her summoning conditions with ease