It's going to be a while before Power of the Elements graces the TCG, but Konami was kind enough to reveal a peculiar Normal Spell. Join us as we take a look at Artemate Slay and see what the hype is all about! We'll be reviewing the card's strength, and give some examples on how to make use of it, and analyzing its potential effect on the game.
Without further ado, let's see what Apollousa has been up to. Special thanks to Yugipedia and OzoneTCG for their help with this article! Shout outs to the r/yugioh Discord server as well for helping with the research.
Raise your Bow
Artemate Slay is a literal powerhouse and a half, acting as an incredible going second card! It joins the ranks of DRNM, Droplet, and Lightning Storm in this regard. The premise is fairly simple, as Slay sends an Extra Deck monster as cost (Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, Link, Face-up Pendulum) and targets a monster with the same card type to shuffle it back to the Deck. Shuffling is one of the rarest and strongest forms of removal in the modern game. The sweet part is that they can't respond with monster effects either. So what does this bode for the card?
This spell gets rid of a problematic threat and gives you guaranteed value with the ED send! As a result, you're often going +1 with Slay whenever it's activated. Unlike the powerful generics we see nowadays, you can even use multiple in a turn to rip through a board.
The opportunity cost to play this card is a complex issue. Most decks that would play it naturally run the cards that work well with Slay, and a couple of decks are more than willing to give up 1-2 slots in their Extra Deck. However, some decks have really tight ED spots and they may be hard-pressed to run it.
One last thing to note is that the card is resilient to power creep, as Slay will inevitably get stronger as better arrows from the Extra Deck get printed.
With that out of the way, how about we take a look at the best targets to send?
Fusion Vault
Splitting Shot
Elder Entity N'tss is without a doubt, one of the best choices to use with Artemate Slay! The ability to target and destroy any card on the field after you shuffle is no laughing matter. Slay immediately goes +1 and N'tss can either get rid of something else or force them to use something they otherwise would not.
For example, shuffling the notorious Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer and popping Mechaba sounds sweet! If monsters aren't an issue, you can also go for the throat! N'tss can pop Spells and Traps which is just as valid. Oftentimes you may find yourself just short of getting the lead, but their set generic card such as Impermanence or Droplet screws you over. Having a way to help clear these is a nice touch.
With the advent of SD: Albaz Strike, you're definitely going to be seeing Mirrorjade on the field a lot more often. Slay shuffling it while N'tss deals with something else (possibly Branded in Red or Wandering Gryphon Rider) is great for going second. DIFO is also releasing Dinomorphia Rexstrum, which is a prime Slay victim.
Draconic Bolts
The Albaz Fusions are quite handy options as well, which can give Slay a lot of usage in the decks that make use of them. Titaniklad the Ash Dragon is the most potent out of the bunch, as it enables emergency access to the Dogmatika engine that you otherwise would not have. Only working on the EP is a bit of a bummer, but in a pinch, you get to summon Dogmatika Ecclesia and have Dogmatika Fleurdelis in hand for an extra interruption or search Dogmatika Maximus for later.
Albion the Branded Dragon is another good target, as you can help yourself to a free Branded in Red if your opponent has ways to deny your usual searches. It's possible that we might see people running multiple copies of the Albaz Fusions just to make Slay work. Alternatively, Alba Renatus could also get something like Fusion Destiny at your grasp.
One last thing to note is that these Fusions can also Special summon Albaz from the Deck. What does this mean? In some instances, you can lay waste to your opponent's board with Slay + Albaz's effect to fuse! I'll take the free Mirrorjade, thanks! This line of play is more specialized though, so do keep that in mind.
All in all, you get a lot of mileage out of these things so they're nice to consider.
The Heavy Artillery
The Shaddoll package is one of the strongest options for Artemate Slay, and might even put the engine back on the map! It's a simple premise to work with. You shuffle back their Fusion and send Apkallone. She then gets you access to the ever so coveted Shaddoll Fusion, all for a minor discard which you can even benefit from.
Considering the state of the game, it's likely that players have more face-up monsters from the Extra Deck. Shaddoll Fusion can then freely activate and send the materials from your deck, landing yourself a free El Shaddoll Construct or Apkallone! If they don't have an Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to stop this, they're in a pretty rough spot!
Thanks to the flexibility of the Shaddoll triggers, you can adapt to the current board state. Need a pesky S/T forced out? There's Shaddoll Dragon. Need to rip their GY? Naelshaddoll Ariel is there. Nehshaddoll Genius can also neutralize a monster on the field if needed. Your opponent will find it difficult to respond to these, as you can SEGOC the effects in a favorable order.
Synchro Arsenal
Recursive Arrow
PSY-Framelord Omega comes to mind as one of the premier options to get rid of Synchro monsters. With the rise of Halqifibrax Adventurer decks such as Tenyi GS, there are quite a lot of Baronne De Fleurs out in the wild you can slay. The best-case scenario for Omega would be to Slay shuffle Baronne and then use its GY effect to shuffle back a resolved DPE!
Not only that, but since Omega puts itself back, you can abuse this with other ED dumpers alongside Slay. Dogmatika Maximus and Nadir Servant come to mind. It's not unlikely for you to rip through 2-3 key cards your opponent has in their GY! In tough spots, you can even Omega back your own cards if you have a way to search them again. Funnily enough, it also means your other copies of Slay aren't dead vs Synchro-focused decks.
Because a lot of decks are on Omega for Gamma, you're not losing out on precious ED spots just to Slay Synchro Monsters. Pretty good stuff!
Ceremonial Shot
Herald of the Arc Light is another promising choice if you're on a deck that has some Ritual monsters. Notably, the decks that are splashing Illusion of Chaos and Megalith Drytron! Drytron did have a recent surge in popularity with 3 YCS tops in Vegas, after all.
Outing the Synchro boss is a given, but what can you do with Arc Light's search? There's actually quite a lot. For IOC fans, having access to free Magicians' Souls going second is no joke. Souls' is a free body, can force out cards, and even be made into Relinquished Anima! It synergizes disgustingly well with the Adventurer engine, being able to send Dracoback and Fateful Adventure for free draws.
For RGS and Drytron, there's also a good amount of benefit here. If your hand doesn't have a way to access a Ritual Spell such as Meteonis Drytron, Herald has you covered! Need a powerful ritual at your grasp such as Ophiel or Benten? This little fella can take care of it.
Last but not the least, since Drytron runs multiple Arc Lights anyway for Diviner of the Heralds, you can double dip and get two attempts to search that turn! Did I mention that they run N'tss as well? From the looks of it, Artemate Slay is a natural fit for that strategy.
Linked Supplies
Dusk Ender
Borrelcode Dragon is a lot more specialized than most targets, but when it goes off, it's going to be a nightmare for your opponent to deal with. This is especially true against something like Dragon Link or Branded Tri-Brigade. Out Borrelend/Heavenly Spheres and then force Savage Dragon or else? Sign me up! Shuffle back Double Dragon Lords and force Mirrorjade to banish itself! Yes, please!
In the instance where Borrelcode does resolve, you can pick between Topologic Zeroboros or Topologic Trisbaena, depending on which is more useful at the time. One thing is for certain though, Borrelcode with Slay is going to be a worthy consideration against the toughest of DARK bosses out there. Dragoon who?
Pull the Trigger
While not as reliable, you can also send the Tri-Brigade monsters for Artemate Slay and get some mild success. Ferrijit is the most generic out of the bunch, as you can put a nasty brick back into the deck and draw into something useful. No getting trolled by Dasher or Albaz today, folks. Shuraig and Bearbrumm can also work but requires a good setup to really be effective. This can come up later in the game, possibly around Turn 3 in a slower format.
Another overlooked aspect would be that it helps set up the Tri-Brigade monsters' effects! Having an extra material to banish can often be clutch in tight situations.
Honorable Mentions
We don't have time to cover all of the great cards you can use with Slay, so let's quickly run down some of the honorable mentions.
Trouble Sunny has a lot of potential as Slay ammunition in Evil Twins, letting you clear 2 threats on the field without even committing to the field!
Toadally Awesome and Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss have some niche utilities here and there. The Xyz pool is unfortunately the weakest for Slay as of yet. Still, you can consider these as decent options.
In slower formats and in T3 or beyond, you could send something like Chanbara for Speedroids and get back a banished combo piece! Otherwise, you're better off sending Wind Pegasus @Ignister.
While not as prolific, Fossil Fusions like Skull Wagon and Skull Knight might be worth looking into either generically or in their own deck.
For the actual PSY-Frame players out there, you might want to give this a go with sending Zeta! After all, it works well with Foolish Burial Goods too.
Conclusion
That wraps up our look at Artemate Slay! I believe it's both a powerful and flexible card that should see a good amount of play. While it can't compare to the likes of the other board breakers, it's a unique option that really makes use of some awesome synergies. If there's ever a format where it's bad, it's sure to bounce back in another one.
What do you think of Slay? Is it going to be the next big thing or just an overhyped trend? Whatever it is, do let us know down below. Until next time folks, Renren out!
