(Trial of Darkness) New Dark Age

[Bloodshadow]

This is my series for the Trial of Darkness. Its central theme is using your opponent's strength against him/her, just like what Darkness is supposed to do.

Cards:

(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10728.0.html)

(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10413.0.html)

(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10726.0.html)

(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10729.0.html)

(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10520.0.html)

(http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10517.0.html)

Synergies:

Oppressive Shroud | Oppressive Darkness (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10728.0.html) is meant to synergize with Spirit Harvester | Soul Harvester (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10413.0.html). Oppressive Shroud slows down your opponent by increasing his/her quanta costs, while Spirit Harvester reaps the benefit and generates more quanta.

Dominator | Elite Dominator (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10726.0.html) can temporarily take control of an opponent creature for one turn. With Black Cultist | Black Priest (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10729.0.html), you can Convert a Dominated creature into a Dark copy of itself, permanently keeping the creature on your side.

Dominator | Elite Dominator (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10726.0.html) also synergizes with Demonic Ritual | Demonic Rite (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10520.0.html). You can Dominate an opponent creature, then sacrifice it with Demonic Ritual, creating a Greater Demon on your side.

Demonic Ritual | Demonic Rite (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10520.0.html) and Greater Demon | Archdemon (http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10517.0.html) are both standalone cards. This means that you can have up to 12 Greater Demons on your side, just like how you can have 12 Shriekers with the Graboid/Shrieker combo.

Decks:

There are several different decks that can be made from the New Dark Age cards:

Age of Darkness
12 Obsidian Pillar | Obsidian Tower
2 Spirit Harvester | Soul Harvester
2 Oppressive Shroud | Oppressive Darkness
4 Demonic Ritual | Demonic Rite
4 Greater Demon | Archdemon
3 Black Cultist | Black Priest
3 Dominator | Elite Dominator
To start this off, here is a deck that effectively utilizes all 6 cards in this series. Use Oppressive Shroud to slow down your opponent and Spirit Harvester to speed up yourself, while stealing his/her creatures with Dominator and Black Cultist. The Greater Demons are your main offensive force, and you can summon them both directly, and by sacrificing creatures (that you stole from your opponent) or your own HP.

AI3 Grinder
Mark of Darkness
10 Obsidian Pillar | Obsidian Tower
2 Nightfall | Eclipse
6 Devourer | Pest
6 Demonic Ritual | Demonic Rite
6 Greater Demon | Archdemon
This should be a very effective AI3 grinder. Play Pillars and Devourers first to generate quanta, then use Demonic Rituals on the Devourers to summon Greater Demons. If you don't have creatures on the field, you can use the Rituals on yourself to bring out the Demons as well.

Quantum Drainer
Mark of Darkness
10 Obsidian Pillar | Obsidian Tower
3 Spirit Harvester | Soul Harvester
2 Oppressive Shroud | Oppressive Darkness
6 Devourer | Pest
3 Drain Life | Siphon Life
3 Black Dragon | Obsidian Dragon
1 Dusk Mantle | Improved Dusk
The idea behind this deck is to slow down your opponent using Oppressive Shroud and Devourers, while generating massive amounts of Darkness quanta with Devourers and Spirit Harvester. Then you can use Dragons and Drain Lives to finish off your opponent.
This deck is very customizable. You can add a Mark of Earth to Burrow the Devourers, add Steals for permanent control, add Earthquakes for pillar denial, or add Fractals for the infamous Fractal-Devourer combo.

Total Domination
Mark of Darkness
12 Obsidian Pillar | Obsidian Tower
4 Dominator | Elite Dominator
4 Black Cultist | Black Priest
3 Steal | Improved Steal
2 Dusk Mantle | Improved Dusk
1 Spirit Harvester | Soul Harvester
1 Oppressive Shroud | Oppressive Darkness
1 Nightfall | Eclipse
2 Black Dragon | Obsidian Dragon
This deck is designed to totally dominate your opponent by using everything s/he has against him/her. Steal his/her permanents, and take control of his/her creatures with Dominator and Black Cultist.

Rite of Blood
Mark of Darkness
12 Obsidian Pillar | Obsidian Tower
4 Dominator | Elite Dominator
6 Demonic Ritual | Demonic Rite
3 Minor Vampire | Vampire
1 Vampire Stiletto | Vampire Dagger
2 Nightfall | Eclipse
2 Steal | Improved Steal
This deck uses Dominators to take control of opponent creatures, then sacrifices those taken creatures with Demonic Rituals and summon Greater Demons. To complete the "blood ritual" theme, Vampires are used for extra damage and healing.

Mono-Dark No-Brainer
Mark of Darkness
16 Obsidian Pillar | Obsidian Tower
1 Vampire Stiletto | Vampire Dagger
1 Nightfall | Eclipse
6 Greater Demon | Archdemon
6 Black Dragon | Obsidian Dragon
I'll end this with an extremely simple AI3 grinder deck that relies on brutal fast damage. It is very easy to use; just play everything as you draw them.

[Bloodshadow]

I've done all that is required for this part. I also made not one, but FIVE decks using my cards and some other 8)

If I have extra time today, I might write a short story thingy about this series.

[Kael Hate]

It is a disadvantage for me to let you know, but you should read the rules for this section again.
You have not completed the requirements for this option of the trials.


As for the Cards, I think they're ok. The only one I dislike is the Archdemon, but thats becasue I dislike the combo mechanic.

[Bloodshadow]

What? I have to make one deck that uses all 6 of my cards?

That's a bit stupid, but I suppose I could do it.

Done. I added a new deck called Age of Darkness that only uses those 6 cards and pillars.

[Kael Hate]

What? I have to make one deck that uses all 6 of my cards?

That's a bit stupid, but I suppose I could do it.

Done. I added a new deck called Age of Darkness that only uses those 6 cards and pillars.

It would have been bad if you got disqualified just because of that little tidbit, so I thought I'd warn you.

[Scaredgirl]

The only one I dislike is the Archdemon, but thats becasue I dislike the combo mechanic.

Huh? Combo mechanic is the best thing since sliced bread.

[Bloodshadow]

Yeah. The combo mechanic is the most innovative idea I've ever seen.

Also... How's the Greater Demon art "satanic"? It was supposed to be some sort of "demon dragon" or something.

In fact, I still don't get this "evil vibe" you speak of. The card arts I used are:
- dark clouds
- a "black hole" picture
- random neuron stuff
- someone wearing a black cloak
- modified Mark of Darkness with a generic hexagram design in the background
- some sort of monstrous dragon thing

How are any of those supposedly "satanic"? I didn't use the upside-down pentacle and goat head or anything like that.

[killer010]

Nice set of cards and they represent darkness perfectly.

If you have done any more trials can you please post a link.

[TENSUKI]

At first I thought your "Greater Demon" was Nidhogg from Final Fantasy X.
http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/File:Nidhogg_%28FFX%29.jpg

Then, I rethought about it and recognized it as one of the most notorious dragons. Bahamut from Final Fantasy 9.
http://www.ffodyssey.com/wallpapers/ff9/ff9_bahamut_1024x768.jpg
http://www.ffodyssey.com/wallpapers/ff9.shtml

[TENSUKI]

Additionally for all it's worth, Fotosynthesis made a lot of the monster you see in Elements today using "Spore Creature Creator". Perhaps you might want to consider investing some time into tinkering and making your own Greater Demon.

[AnonymousRevival]

The Dominator seems more of like Mind Control to me.