Trap
ContinuousApophis the Serpent
Archetype:
Apophis
View:
542
Special Summon this card as a Normal Monster (Reptile/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 1600/DEF 1800) (this card is also still a Trap), then you can Set 1 "Apophis" Trap from your Deck, except "Apophis the Serpent". It can be activated this turn. If this card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 "Embodiment of Apophis" from your Deck to your hand. You can only use each effect of "Apophis the Serpent" once per turn.
Apophis the Serpent — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 59 ± 8 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 58.5 · Deck: 60.1 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Starter / Combo enabler · Secondary: Searcher/Tutor, Material body
Why it scores here
Apophis the Serpent converts its access into a Level 4 Reptile body that can also set another Apophis Trap, and its Graveyard effect returns Embodiment of Apophis to hand, so it gives a starter and a search from one card. It appears in all 400 sampled decks at 2.1 copies on average, with near-universal partner links, which confirms the card is live and practical. The 1600 ATK and 1800 DEF of the body earned no points, and the score stays moderate because there is no combo evidence, no interaction it provides, and its effects are restricted to Apophis-named targets.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 80 | Played in 400 of 400 decks, with a Graveyard search and multiple live routes; the card's source zone for the Special Summon is not stated in the supplied text (verified deck stats, inferred routes). |
| Combo & Conversion | 50 | The body plus a Set of another Apophis Trap is a one-card two-piece line, but no recorded boards exist to confirm what it builds (inferred from text). |
| Resource Economy | 60 | The Graveyard effect adds one card from the Deck after the card has already been spent, giving a roughly even exchange with a small search gain (verified text, inferred net). |
| Effect & Interaction | 25 | The supplied text grants no negation, removal, or hand-trap effect of its own (verified text). |
| Material Utility | 45 | A Level 4 Reptile EARTH body is usable as material, but it exists only through its own Special Summon effect, so a negate removes it from this role (verified text, inferred). |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 55 | It is live in both the Field and the Graveyard, and the 2.1-copy average gives some redundancy, but one negate on the summon ends the body route (verified stats, inferred). |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 70 | A single Trap slot at about 2 copies with no garnet or lock evidence is cheap to run, though it presumes an Apophis-themed build (verified deck stats). |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 Starter + 0.3 Searcher. Intrinsic ≈ 58.5, Deck ≈ 60.1, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: archetype-locked targets (-2). Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Its body and its Set effect come from one card, so it starts two pieces in one play.
- Its Graveyard effect adds a card from the Deck, which keeps the line going after the card is used.
- It is present in every sampled Apophis-related deck, so it is a dependable part of the line.
Weaknesses
- It supplies no interaction, so the opponent has no reason to respect it beyond the combo itself.
- Its Special Summon makes it weak to any negate or Trap-targeting interaction, which removes the body.
- Its targets are restricted to Apophis-named cards, which limits where it can be used.
Counters / choke points
- No counter data was supplied; a negate on the Special Summon would end the line (inferred from text).
- Trap-targeting or Set-disruption cards would hit its Set effect (inferred from text, not from evidence).
Best use
Starter with Graveyard search inside Apophis-based builds. Decks: Apophis, Temple of the Kings, Odion. Suggested copies: 2.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Card text: Special Summon as a Normal Monster (Level 4, Reptile, EARTH, 1600/1800) and a Set of one Apophis Trap from the Deck.; Card text: the Graveyard effect adds one Embodiment of Apophis from the Deck to hand, and each effect is once per turn.; Deck evidence: present in 400 of 400 sampled decks, averaging 2.1 copies.
- Observed: Usage statistics show 100% inclusion in Temple of the Kings (Trap Monster and Argostars listings) and 66.7% in Apophis (Gameplay 7).
- Inferred: The card works as a starter and a search when its Special Summon resolves, based on the text and the absence of counter-evidence.; The score is held back by the lack of combo data and by the restrictions on targets.
- Data gaps: No combos supplied, so combo conversion is text-only inference. No guides supplied. No banlist token; assumed 3 copies (unlimited). The description does not state the zone the card is Special Summoned from. No counter or interaction evidence was supplied. The card's attribute field is empty in the evidence.