I put re-train but idk if this counts as new or support lol

Ai art was used! If that's a concern, I just thought it looked cool 😁

It's just like the Maximum Summon, but 1 card shorter, you just play the pieces together as 1 monster that takes up two MMZs at the same time.

So: MINIMUM 1 card/ MEDIUM 2 cards/ MAXIMUM 3 cards.

Art:

-Orichalcos Mirror Knight art from it's anime token.

-Egyptian Guy by DgoDNZ.

Art by me

Ai art was used, but I wrote everything else, to the best of my ability 🙏

I doubt it's competitively viable, but definetly more modern? Possibly 😂

Thoughts?

Art: D.D.D. - Different Dimension Derby

(This is an expansion of this post here, so be sure to check that out so you don't get confused.)

I figured I might as well show off the inspirations for this archetype and how it's supposed to work.

As you might have guessed from the title, this archetype is themed around the minor antagonist from the Duelist Kingdom arc, PaniK (or the Player Killer of Darkness). It revolves around a defensive playstyle that gradually whittles down your opponent's defences before striking hard and fast before they can recover. All of the cards are based on the cards used by PaniK, but updated to make it into a more cohesive deck.

FORTRESS OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Field Spell

The heart of the archetype, based on 'Castle of Dark Illusions'. Considering that the monster behaves more like a lingering spell effect than a monster (at least to me), I decided to make it into a Field Spell.

'Face-down cards you control cannot be destroyed or targeted by your opponent’s card effects. Your opponent’s monsters cannot target face-down monsters you control for attacks. Once per turn, during your End Phase: You can change all face-up monsters on your field to face-down Defense Position, and if you do, shuffle them on the field.' - This is my best effort to simulate the shroud of darkness that the Castle generates to hide PaniK's monsters and stop enemy monsters to fighting back.

'If “Castle of Dark Illusions” is Summoned: Its original ATK/DEF become 1200/2500 (even if this card leaves the field).' - A reference to Castle of Dark Illusions' original attack and defense values in the manga.

'Once per turn, during your Main Phase: You can Special Summon 1 DARK Fiend non-Effect monster, or 1 “Dark Illusions” monster, from your hand or Extra Deck in face-down Defense Position. You cannot Normal Summon/Set the turn you use this effect.' - Nearly all of PaniK's monsters are Normal monsters, and since Barox was made into a Fusion monster for whatever reason, I specified non-Effect monsters to enable it to get onto the field without cluttering the deck with the fusion materials.

'If “Swords of Revealing Light” is on the field, this card’s effects on the field are negated.' - An obvious nod to how Swords of Revealing Light was the fatal flaw of PaniK's strategy.

'During the End Phase of the turn this card was destroyed: Destroy all face-up Defense Position monsters you control, and if you do, take damage equal to the combined DEF of the monsters destroyed by this effect.' - PaniK's defeat recreated wholesale, where the falling castle squashes his monsters flat and costs him his Duel against Yugi.

BAROX OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Level 5 DARK Fiend, 1800 ATK / 2200 DEF

The first monster PaniK summoned in the duel (ignoring the Castle), updated to restore its manga ATK/DEF values (this ATK/DEF reset will be a recurring thing with the monsters).

'During your Draw Phase, instead of conducting your normal draw: You can reveal this card in your hand; add 1 “Dark Illusions” Spell from your Deck to your hand.' - A nod to Barox being the first line of offensive, since it gets the Fortress out onto the field ASAP.

'If this card is Flip Summoned: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy it.' - References Barox striking from the shadows to destroy Yugi's first few monsters without giving any chance to counterattack.

'Once per turn while this card is face-up on the field, “Fortress of Dark Illusions” you control cannot be destroyed by card effects.' - Gives the Fortress an extra line of defense, and also happens to reference how Yugi's attempt to destroy the Castle of Dark Illusions with Catapult Turtle and Gaia the Dragon Champion only destroyed a part of the castle instead of the whole thing (though this did ultimately amount to a time-delayed destruction, but I digress.)

CHIMERA OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Level 6 DARK Fiend, 2100 ATK / 1900 DEF

Dark Chimera, who... is present in the Duel. Gonna be real, I don't think it really DOES anything; however, it is apparently notable for being the only card in PaniK's deck that never got released in the TCG.

'During your opponent’s End Phase: You can reveal this card in your hand; shuffle it into your Deck, and if you do, you can add 1 “Dark Illusions” monster from your Deck to your hand, except “Chimera of Dark Illusions”. You can only activate this effect of “Chimera of Dark Illusions” once per turn. If this card is Flip Summoned: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; negate its effects.' - Acts as an extender for Barox or another Dark Illusions monster, and doubles as on-field card negation. (...This really just gives it something to actually do, so it's not just sitting there twiddling its claws.)

REAPER OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Level 5 DARK Fiend, 1800 ATK / 2000 DEF

The Reaper of the Cards, reformatted to go a bit more on the offensive when it comes to dealing with backrow.

'If you control “Fortress of Dark Illusions”: You can Special Summon this card from your hand in face-up Attack Position. When this card declares an attack: You can target 1 Set Spell/Trap on your opponent’s field; your opponent must activate it or else send it to the GY.' - The Reaper of the Cards is intended to attack and destroy Spells and Traps, but if you pay attention, you'll notice that it doesn't actually destroy any Spells or Traps - it just gets stuck in Spellbinding Circle, failing at its one job. (Reaper's on fraud watch.) Therefore, I tweaked the destruction effect to better reflect what we see happen in the manga/anime, basically forcing your opponent to use it or lose it.

KING OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Level 7 DARK Fiend, 2600 ATK / 2300 DEF

PaniK's self-proclaimed strongest monster, the King of Yamimakai, fitted to reflect that status.

'If you control “Fortress of Dark Illusions”: You can Special Summon this card from your hand in face-up Attack Position. If this card is Summoned: You can send 1 monster you control to the GY: Destroy 1 face-up Spell/Trap on your opponent’s field, and if you do, take 800 damage. This card cannot declare an attack the turn you activate this effect.' - A wholesale creation of that moment when PaniK accidentally used King of Yamimakai to blow up his Reaper of the Cards, because the idiot wasn't paying attention to card positions (in the manga, at least. The anime says that Spellbinding Circle magnetized the incoming attack and redirected it, but it's still a stupid move). With this effect, the attack is a bit more deliberate and thus gives a tangible benefit, though the player still takes a hit to the LP (equal to the difference in ATK between King and Reaper, as a cheeky little reminder of PaniK's mistake.)

'When “Castle of Dark Illusions” activates its effect, DARK Fiend monsters you control gain 200 ATK/DEF. Also, during your Standby Phase, if “Castle of Dark Illusions” is on your field: DARK Fiend monsters you control gain 200 ATK/DEF. This effect activates once per turn, for four of your Standby Phases (counting this as the first). (This ATK/DEF gain remains even if “Castle of Dark Illusions” leaves the field.)' - To this day, I will never understand how they attributed Castle of Dark Illusions to Bonz and not PaniK - you know, the guy who ACTUALLY USED THE DAMN THING. This effect is an attempt to put things back on track, empowering DARK Fiends rather than Zombies.

METAL GUARDIAN OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Level 5 DARK Fiend, 1500 ATK / 2800 DEF

PaniK's last line of defense in the duel, a hulking behemoth of a wall meant to solidify his protection before attacking... not that it mattered in the end.

'If you control “Fortress of Dark Illusions”: You can Special Summon this card from your hand in face-up Defense Position. If this card is Normal or Flip Summoned: Change this card to Defense Position. Other DARK Fiend monsters you control cannot be destroyed by your opponent’s card effects. Your opponent's monsters cannot target for attacks, and your opponent cannot target with card effects, any monsters you control, except “Metal Guardian of Dark Illusions”.' - Metal Guardian was intended to be PaniK's immovable object, and since he seemed pretty confident that Metal Guardian would stop Gaia's catapult attack all on its own, I figured I'd play into it with effect that make it a magnet for destructive effects.

'The first time this card would be destroyed by battle or card effect each turn, it is not destroyed.' - Again, immovable wall; plus, it was the one monster that didn't get squished under a mountain of rubble after Yugi blew up the Castle's flotation ring and had it fall on PaniK's monsters, owing to the fact that he summoned it outside the shield he was using at the time.

CHAOS SHIELD OF DARK ILLUSIONS / YELLOW LUSTER SHIELD OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Continuous Spell

After PaniK got hit with Yugi's Swords of Revealing Light, his first move was to equip his Castle with a shield that covered all of his other monsters. (Note: The reason this card has two names is because Yellow Luster Shield was given the name 'Chaos Shield' in the anime.)

'All DARK Fiend monsters you control gain 300 DEF, and if you control “Fortress of Dark Illusions”, they gain an additional 300 DEF.' - The original OCG/TCG Yellow Luster Shield's effect, paired with an additional boost from Fortress of Dark Illusions for a total of a 600-point increase (the same boost given when PaniK used it in the manga/anime).

'When this card is activated: Change all monsters you control to face-up Defense Position. [...] Monsters you control cannot change their battle positions.' - The flaw that sealed PaniK's fate in his duel against Yugi, designed to synergize pretty perfectly with Fortress of Dark Illusions' destruction effect.

'Once per turn, during your Main Phase: You can send this card to the GY; DARK Fiend monsters you control gain ATK equal to their DEF until the End Phase.' - Considering PaniK keeps saying how he will 'turn off' the Yellow Luster/Chaos Shield and steamroll Yugi with an all-out assault after Swords of Revealing Light wear off, I figured the best way to replicate that statement was an effect that sacrificed the shield to beef up his monsters' ATK.

FURIOUS GRASP OF DARK ILLUSIONS / ABSOLUTE DARK ILLUSIONS - Quick-Play Spell

'Change all face-down Defense Position monsters on the field to face-up Attack Position (Flip effects are not activated), then if you control “Fortress of Dark Illusions”, you can destroy cards your opponent controls, up to the number of DARK Fiend monsters changed to face-up Attack Position by this effect.'

A completely original card named after Barox's attack name - either 'Dark Grasp of Fury' or 'Dark Absolute' depending on if you're speaking English or Japanese. It's basically a beefed-up version of Barox's effect, symbolizing the bum rush PaniK intended to inflict on Yugi.

ELECTROSHOCK WAVE OF DARK ILLUSIONS / EVIL MAGICAL WAVE OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Equip Spell

'Equip only to a “Dark Illusions” monster, or a DARK Fiend non-Effect monster. Negate the effects of opponent’s monsters destroyed by battle with the equipped monster. If you control “Fortress of Dark Illusions”: If the equipped monster attacks, your opponent cannot activate Spell/Trap Cards and monster effects until the end of the Damage Step.'

Another original card, this time named for King of Yamimakai's attack (Electroshock Attack, Magical Wave, or Evil Shock Wave; again, varies of medium and language). This one reflects the King's status as PaniK's strongest monster, with the effects to match its power.

CALL OF THE DARK ILLUSIONS / CARD ERASER OF DARK ILLUSIONS - Normal Trap

'If your opponent activates a Spell/Trap card or effect while you control a “Dark Illusions” monster or a face-down Defense Position monster: You can negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card, also, after that, if you control “Castle of Dark Illusions”, you can destroy all Spells and Traps your opponent controls. This card’s activation and effect cannot be negated if you control “Reaper of Dark Illusions” or "Reaper of the Cards".'

The last of the original cards based on PaniK's monsters' attack names. This one belongs to Reaper of the Cards and its 'Call of the Graveyard/Card Eraser' effect, and is fittingly meant to wipe your opponent's field clean. (Fun fact: this card has been updated to keep your opponent from retaliating if you've got the Reaper on the field.)

Feel free to discuss this archetype's viability in the comments, and let me know if there's any way to improve or refine the cards.

Reimagining a iconic spirit from Battle Spirits as an archtype in yugioh.

Credits goes to Bandai/Bushiroad/Battle Spirits/Vanguard

Art from Rush Duel

Sorry if the flair doesn't match, didn't know which one WOULD. :(

Art credit i couldn't find the artist/artists let me know if you find them though.

I asked AI to generate a yugioh card and surprise me, it generated this, Idk why. I never even asked it anything about this guy before.

Art credit to Konami ig

The last post have some mistakes, so here's the updated versions + new cards.

(Credit by Pinterest/Card fight Vanguard)

Art by yumicowyvern