DARKDecode Talker
Archetype:
Code Talker
ATK:
2300
LINK-3
View:
16277
Link Arrow:
Top
Bottom-Left
Bottom-Right
2+ Effect Monsters Gains 500 ATK for each monster it points to. When your opponent activates a card or effect that targets a card(s) you control (Quick Effect): You can Tribute 1 monster this card points to; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card.
Decode Talker — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 64 ± 6 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 61.5 · Deck: 64.9 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Removal / Negation · Secondary: Boss/End-board
Why it scores here
Decode Talker's score comes from its Quick Effect: it negates a targeting activation and destroys the card when it can tribute a monster it points to, which is real interaction but conditional on a targeting play and on having a pointed-to monster. Its 2300 ATK and +500 per pointed monster earn nothing directly. Its strong showing in the combo and deck data (100% combo presence, 400 decks, 131 archetypes, one copy in most lists) confirms it is practical and portable, but it does not raise the score beyond what the negate-and-destroy effect is worth.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 60 | Extra Deck Link-3 that appears in all 8 recorded combos and 400 decks, but its searched and starter counts are zero, so reaching it relies on the Extra Deck and existing Link materials (observed + inferred). |
| Combo & Conversion | 55 | Present in 8/8 combos with average power index 95.1, but role labels are empty and starter count is 0.75 on average, so the conversion credit is modest (observed). |
| Resource Economy | 45 | The negate-and-destroy is a 1-for-1 that costs a tribute, with no draw, banish or GY refuel in the text (verified text + inferred). |
| Effect & Interaction | 65 | Quick Effect negation plus destruction against targeting activations is strong, but limited to card(s) the player controls and gated on tributing a pointed-to monster (verified text). |
| Material Utility | 40 | No material appearances recorded (material role 0%); Link-3 body is not a generic material, though its tribute enables the negate (verified + observed). |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 55 | Works from the field across three link zones, but one negate removes it and it cannot act without a pointed-to monster (verified text + inferred). |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 70 | Single-copy Extra Deck slot in 397 of 400 decks, no garnet or self-lock in the text, and broad use across archetypes (observed). |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 Removal/Negation + 0.3 Boss/End-board. Intrinsic ≈ 61.5, Deck ≈ 64.9, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Quick Effect negation with destruction against targeting activations
- Live in 400 recent decks across 131 archetypes at one copy each
- Appears in every recorded combo sample and pairs with high-frequency partners such as Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring
Weaknesses
- Negation is conditional on the opponent activating a targeting effect
- Requires tributing a monster it points to, which costs board presence
- Not a material body; minimal refuel or card advantage
Counters / choke points
- Negate or banish Decode Talker in response to its activation
- Board-wipe or mass-removal effects that do not target
- Bounce or send the pointed-to monsters so the tribute cost cannot be paid
Best use
Link-3 negate and board piece that answers targeting plays. Decks: Code Talker, Crystal Beasts, Cynet. Suggested copies: 1.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Quick Effect: negate a targeting activation and destroy the card if a pointed-to monster is tributed; Link-3, Cyberse, DARK, ATK 2300, Code Talker archetype; Appears in 400 of 400 decks, one copy in 397
- Observed: Present in 8/8 recorded combos with average power index 95.1; Top partners: Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring at 52.8%, Called by the Grave at 37.8%; Gameplay spread: 68% type 7, 17.2% type 3, 10.5% type 4
- Inferred: Negation is situational and depends on the opponent's targeting plays; Its Extra Deck placement and Link-material needs make reliable access moderate
- Data gaps: no banlist token — assumed 3 copies (unlimited) combo role labels (starter/material/payoff) are all zero, so role confirmation is weak only 8 combos and 6 guides, so the sample is thin no ruling or FAQ data supplied for the tribute and negation timing