Bel 3 Posted December 19, 2022 (edited) Quote yui: my brother in christ you've just gone and made a whole-ass archetype and slapped the name "Steelswarm" on it This thread should probably be titled "Steelswarm Support/Revamp Cards" since the vast majority of these cards were made with Steelswarms in mind. Both Steelswarm and Evilswarm can work together, though, and many of these cards refer to "lswarm" in general anyway, so it still works. I may also make some Evilswarm cards in the future, so there's that too. Anyway, these are cards I actually made several years ago to support one of my favorite archetypes, the lswarm, now with a stronger focus on the more unique Steelswarm. I first played Steelswarms around... 2013 or 2014, I think, in the 2011 "Over the Nexus" DS game. Loved their aesthetic, loved their Fiend typing (we really need more Fiends in this game lol), and I enjoyed their playstyle even if they were still pretty mediocre when they came out. They were good in the video game, at least lol. Some time later, I found out about Evilswarms, mainly because of Ophion. That card's effect was really good back then, and especially with the lore behind the Evilswarm being monsters that were infected by a virus released by the Steelswarm, I thought it really fitting to make a deck using both archetypes. It actually worked pretty well for a time despite the occasional clunkiness and bricks. Unfortunately, the deck pretty much died once the game really sped up, and it's remained dead since with little hope of revival. Still, I never really forgot my love for the deck, so here we are. I haven't really played Yugioh in over 5 years now, so I've no idea what the state of the game is now; my main reason for posting these cards is because I'll be using them in a Yugioh RP hosted by a friend of mine. Card wording/formatting is likely to be pretty awkward and/or incorrect, and balance on some may be an issue. I spent a lot of time on these, but I had fun making them. Here's to hoping Yui's RP won't die after two posts and make all my hard work be for nothing lol :D! Spoiler Main Deck Customs 1. Apollyon, the First Steelswarm Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 11, 3550/0 Effect: Must be Normal Summoned by Tributing 3 “lswarm” monsters you control and cannot be Summoned by other ways (cannot be Normal Set). This card cannot be Tributed, and it cannot be targeted by your opponent’s card effects. If this card is Summoned, you can target cards on the field and/or in your opponent’s hand, up to the number of “lswarm” cards in your GY; send them to the GY, then gain LP equal to the number of “lswarm” cards in your GY x1000. Once per turn: You can pay 1000 LP to banish 1 card from your opponent’s GY. If you do, banish all cards with the same name as that card from the opponent’s hand, Deck, Extra Deck, and GY. Trivia: The new boss for Steelswarms since Hercules is sadly pretty lame. "Apollyon" was the name of an angel in Revelation said to rule over a bottomless pit and over a host of demonic locusts. The lore behind the Steelswarms is that they were a race of demons sealed far underground until Noellia released them. Demonic bugs living deep underground? Apollyon seemed like a fitting name to use for this new boss monster. 2. Steelswarm Larva Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 2, 1000/0 Effect: Can only be used for the Summon of an “lswarm” monster. If you control no Tribute Summoned “Steelswarm” monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand or GY. You can only Special Summon "Steelswarm Larva" once per turn this way. If this card is Tributed for the Tribute Summon of a “Steelswarm” monster: You can draw 1 card. Trivia: Plenty of larvae live underground until they reach their adult form, though plenty live in the branches of trees and bushes too. Being summonable from grave or hand is meant to mimic that. 3. Steelswarm Locust Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 4, 1750/0 Effect: If this card is Normal or Special Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower “lswarm” monster from your hand or GY. You can only use this effect of “Steelswarm Locust” once per turn. If this card is Tributed for the Tribute Summon of a “Steelswarm” monster: You can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card on the field. Trivia: Locusts, symbols of plague, destruction, and even divine wrath. Their swarms can grow large enough to blacken skies and destroy entire crop fields in less than a day, and they can trigger a swarming phase in other grasshoppers via proximity and numbers. Steelswarm Locust does the same by calling a fellow Steelswarm to aid in battle and destroying a (hopefully) important spell/trap card on its way out. 4. Steelswarm Plaga Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 4, 1900/0 Effect: If an “lswarm” monster you control battles, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If you do, target monster your opponent controls loses attack equal to its Level/Rank x200. If this card is Tributed for the Tribute Summon of a “Steelswarm” monster: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; negate its effects (including in the GY) and destroy it. Trivia: Based on the robber fly. Robber flies are pretty cool but nasty insects that ambush their prey, latching onto them and sucking out their insides. The effect is supposed to represent Plaga doing the same to an enemy monster. Given how destruction- or being sent to the graveyard in general- triggers plenty of effects and how something that just got drained to a hollow shell probably wouldn't do much of anything afterwards, negation in the graveyard fits and makes the card even more effective. Also negating monster effects even in the graveyard was first done by another card among lswarms, Evilswarm Obliviwisp. In true Konami fashion, though, it was unusable due to poor stats and incoherence with the rest of the archetype's strategy. Always did think it was a cool effect, though, so I wanted to bring it back here with some of my customs. 5. Steelswarm Cicada Fiend/Effect/DARK. Level 4, 1550/0 Effect: If you Tribute Summon a “Steelswarm” monster, you can Special Summon this card from your GY. You can only Special Summon “Steelswarm Cicada” once per turn this way. If this card is Tributed for the Tribute Summon of a “Steelswarm” monster: You can Normal Summon 1 “lswarm” monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. Trivia: Cicadas emerge from the ground once temperatures above ground are suitable for them to live and mate. They also appear in large numbers to ensure their reproduction. 6. Steelswarm Infester Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 4, 1850/0 Effect: If an “lswarm” monster you control leaves the field, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. You can only Special Summon “Steelswarm Infester” this way once per turn. If this card is Tributed for the Tribute Summon of a “Steelswarm” monster: You can add 1 “lswarm” or “Infestation” card from your Deck to your hand. 7. Steelswarm Tunneler Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 4, 1650/0 Effect: You can Special Summon this card from your GY by banishing 1 “lswarm” card from your GY. If this card is Tributed for the Tribute Summon of a “Steelswarm” monster: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower “lswarm” monster in your GY, except “Steelswarm Tunneler”; Special Summon it. 8. Steelswarm Butterfly Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 5, 2000/0 Effect: If this card is Tribute Summoned by Tributing a “Steelswarm” monster: You can draw 1 card and gain 1000 LP. You may reveal that card as you draw it, and if you do, discard that card, then draw 1 card. Trivia: "But why is a butterfly of all things being turned into a Steelswarm? They're so pretty!" Yes, but butterflies would also happily suck blood if it was available to them, and some butterflies have developed patterns on their wings that resemble large eyes to scare away predators, making them kind of unsettling to look at. I am also now reminded of that funny episode in Spongebob where they all freaked out over a butterfly lol. 9. Steelswarm Diptera Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 6, 2300/0 Effect: You can Tribute Summon this card during your opponent’s turn by Tributing 2 “Steelswarm” monsters you control. During the turn this card is Tribute Summoned by Tributing a “Steelswarm" monster (Quick Effect): You can pay 1000 LP; immediately after this effect resolves, Tribute Summon 1 "Steelswarm" monster, treating any "Steelswarm" monster you control as 2 Tributes, and if you do, you do not pay LP to activate that monster's effects this turn. You can only activate this effect of "Steelswarm Drulneb" once per turn. Trivia: I couldn't really think of a better name, so Diptera, the scientific name for true flies, had to do. True flies include mosquitoes and, obviously, flies, and the worst thing about those bugs is that there's always more to come no matter how many you swat away. They also tend to show up at the worst times, such as when you're just trying to chill in the backyard and relax with friend or enjoy an outdoor barbecue. 10. Steelswarm Cinel Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 7, 2700/0 Effect: You can Tribute Summon this card by Tributing 1 "Steelswarm" monster. If you do: Look at your opponent's Extra Deck and send 1 card from their Extra Deck to the GY, then gain 1000 LP. If this card is Tribute Summoned by Tributing 2 "Steelswarm" monsters: You can look at your opponent's Extra Deck and banish 3 cards from their Extra Deck, then gain 1000 LP. Trivia: "Cinel" comes from taking the middle part of "coccinellidae", the scientific name for ladybugs. Ladybugs are cute, but they're pretty scary in the insect world. They're essentially armored tanks that run around devouring large amounts of soft-bodied pests, particularly aphids. Gardeners often use them to prevent or deal with pest infestations, which is what Cinel's effect is meant to do: prevent troublesome monsters from hitting the field before the opponent even thinks about summoning them. 11. Steelswarm Scarab Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 8, 2800/0 Effect: If this card is Tribute Summoned by Tributing 2 "Steelswarm" monsters: You can pay 1000 LP; look at your opponent's hand and shuffle up to 2 cards from their hand to the Deck. Trivia: Originally, this card could target cards on the field as well, but I honestly felt like making a strictly better Steelswarm Moth was kind of lame, especially since Moth is one of the best original Steelswarms. I decided to have Scarab work together with Moth instead. 12. Steelswarm Wasp Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 8, 2850/0 Effect: If this card is Tribute Summoned by Tributing 2 "Steelswarm" monsters: You can pay 1000 LP to take control of 1 of your opponent’s monsters. While you control that monster, it is treated as an "Evilswarm" monster and gains the following effect. • If this card leaves the field: Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "lswarm" monster from your hand or Deck. Trivia: Based on parasitic wasps, xenomorphs of the insect world. A parasitic wasps will find an insect to lay her eggs in, after which the eggs hatch and gradually eat their way out of the host. Sometimes this process actually doesn't kill the host since it has also been brainwashed to protect the larvae until they mature. 13. Steelswarm Brachinstag Fiend/Effect/DARK, Level 9, 2900/0 Effect: Once per turn, during either player’s turn, if this card was Tribute Summoned by Tributing a “Steelswarm” monster(s): You can pay 1000 LP to negate the activation of a Monster effect and destroy it. Trivia: Based on the bombardier beetle (brachininae). Bombardier beetles shoot a superheated chemical from their bodies to scare off predators. Translated into Yugioh mechanics, Brachinstag will shoot corrosive acid into another monster's face to get it to go the fuck away and not bother anyone by dying. 14. Abyss of Infestation Field Spell Card Effect: You can Normal Summon 1 “lswarm” monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. “Evilswarm” monsters are treated as “Steelswarm” monsters when Tributed or Tribute Summoned. You can pay 1000 LP and target an "lswarm" monster you control that was Tribute Summoned or Special Summoned from the Extra Deck; this effect becomes the activated effect of that monster (choose 1, if multiple), but all battle damage your opponent takes is halved until the End Phase. If this card is removed from the field: You can Special Summon or Set 1 “lswarm” or “Infestation” card from your Deck or GY to your side of the field, except “Abyss of Infestation”. You can only use each effect of “Abyss of Infestation” once per turn. 15. Infestation Emergence Spell Card Effect: Add 1 "lswarm" monster from your Deck to your hand. Except during the turn this card was sent to the GY, you can banish this card from your GY; add 1 "lswarm" monster from your GY to your hand. You can only use each effect of "Emergence of Infestation" once per turn. 16. Lingering Infestation Spell Card Target 3 “lswarm” and/or “Infestation” cards in your GY; shuffle them into your Deck, then draw 2 cards. Except during the turn this card was sent to the GY, you can banish this card from your GY; add 1 "Infestation" card from your GY to your hand, except “Course of Infestation”. You can only use each effect of "Course of Infestation" once per turn. 17. Return of Infestation Quick Spell Card Effect: Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower “lswarm” monster from your Deck. You can only use 1 “Return of Infestation” per turn. 18. Spread of Infestation Continuous Spell Card Effect: You do not need to pay LP to activate the effect of “Steelswarm” monsters. Once per turn, if you Tribute Summon a “Steelswarm” monster: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower “lswarm” monster from your Deck or Normal Summon 1 “lswarm” monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. 19. Infestation Onslaught Continuous Trap Card Effect: Your opponent cannot activate card effects during the Battle Phase. Once per turn, if you control 3 or more “lswarm” monsters: You can target 1 monster in your opponent’s GY that was destroyed by battle this turn; Special Summon it, and it is treated as an “Evilswarm” monster. You can banish this card from your GY (Quick Effect): Halve the ATK of all monsters your opponent controls. Trivia: In the Duel Terminal storyline, many monsters became Evilswarms after dying in battle to another Evilswarm monster. 20. Infestation Revival Continuous Trap Card Effect: Once per turn, you can target 1 “lswarm” monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. Monsters Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack and are destroyed if this card is removed from the field. You can banish this card from your GY (Quick Effect): Special Summon 1 “lswarm” monster from your GY, and if you do, it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects until the End Phase of your next turn. 21. Overwhelming Infestation Counter Trap Card Effect: You can activate this card if you control a Tributed Summoned “lswarm” monster or an “lswarm” monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck. Negate the activation of a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect, and if you do, destroy it, then gain 1000 LP. You can banish this card from your GY and target 1 card your opponent controls (Quick Effect): Its effects are negated (including in the GY). Extra Deck Customs 1. Steelswarm Virulence Fiend/Xyz/Effect/DARK, Rank 4, 2650/0 Effect: 3 or more Level 4 “lswarm” monsters While this card has Xyz material, your opponent must pay 500 LP to activate monster effects. Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz material from this card and target 1 monster your opponent controls; this turn, you may Tribute that monster as if you controlled it, and if you do, it is treated as a “Steelswarm” monster. During the turn you activate this effect, you may Normal Summon/Set 1 “lswarm” monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. Trivia: I guess this is kind of like a personification of the lswarm virus cloud you see depicted in several card arts such as Creeping Darkness and Infestation Pandemic. The idea is that the opponent's monsters are beginning to show symptoms of infection by needing to pay LP to activate their effects, similar to how you have to pay LP to use Tribute Summoned Steelswarm effects. Eventually, one of those monsters succumbs to the virus, "dying" and making way for a new Steelswarm. 2. Steelswarm Pabilsag Fiend/Xyz/Effect/DARK, Rank 4, 2400/0 Effect: 2 Level 4 “lswarm” monsters While this card has Xyz material, card effects in your opponent’s GY are negated. Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz material from this card and target 1 Level 4 or lower “Steelswarm” monster in your GY (Quick Effect); this effect becomes that monster's effect that activates when that monster is Tributed for the Tribute Summon of a "Steelswarm" monster. Also, you gain 1000 LP. Trivia: Pabilsag was a weird figure in ancient Mesopotamian myths. I first head of him in the Epic of GIRUGAMESH Gilgamesh, where he was described as a scorpion-man monster that guarded the gates of the underworld. Similarly, Steelswarm Pabilsag guards the gates of the opponent's graveyard, preventing things there from escaping. Since Pabilsag also permitted Gilgamesh entry and exit from the underworld, this card allows one of your Steelswarms to leave as well. 3. Steelswarm Synoeca Fiend/Xyz/Effect/DARK, Rank 4, 2450/0 Effect: 2 Level 4 “lswarm” monsters While this card has Xyz material, your opponent cannot destroy “Infestation” cards you control. Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz material from this card (Quick Effect); Apply 1 of the following effects, until the End Phase: • "lswarm" monsters you control are unaffected by your opponent's card effects. • "lswarm" monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle. Trivia: Synoeca, the scientific name for warrior/drumming wasps. Wasps are cunts to begin with, but warrior wasps take it to a whole new, terrifying level. They will initially beat their wings against their bodies and hives, producing a kind of drumming or marching sound effect, to ward off intruders. If that doesn't work? They will resort to swarming and chasing the intruder for miles. Their sting is incredibly painful, and they will even wait for you to rise for air if you decided to try and escape them by jumping underwater. Because they are petty bastards. 4. Steelswarm Arach Fiend/Xyz/Effect/DARK, Rank 4, 2300/0 Effect: 2 Level 4 “lswarm” monsters While this card has Xyz Material, your opponent can only add cards from their Deck to their hand (except by drawing) once per turn. Once per turn, you can detach 2 Xyz materials from this card; Draw a card for each Tribute Summoned “Steelswarm” monster you control. Trivia: Obviously, from the word "arachnid". I guess a spider here is pretty unfitting considering how most Steelswarms are forms of beetles and flying insects, but this was originally based off "phthiraptera", the scientific name for lice. I think lice are pretty gross even by bug standards, so I decided to make this into something cooler that still fit with the idea of restricting your opponent's "movements" while rewarding you for stringing a certain amount of tribute summons together. 5. Steelswarm Dynas Fiend/Effect/DARK, Rank 4, 2500/0 Effect: 2 or more Level 4 “lswarm” monsters (Quick Effect): You can detach 2 Xyz materials from this card; Return all Special Summoned monsters your opponent controls to the hand. Your opponent cannot Summon those monsters until the End Phase of their next turn. Trivia: Dynaistinae, the scientific name for rhino beetles. Rhino beetles possess a large horn on their head which they use to fight and toss away competitors. This card is also based on a favorite Magic card of mine, Reflector Mage, whose effect was a seriously good tempo disrupter and proved to be a very good deterrent in many EDH games. I plan to eventually use the site's card maker to turn these into proper cards with cool images. Some card names and effects are subject to revision. Edited February 10, 2023 by Bel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
