EARTH
7Machina Fortress
Archetype:
Machina
ATK:
2500
DEF:
1600
View:
4632
You can discard Machine monster(s) whose total Levels equal 8 or more, then Special Summon this card (from your hand or GY). If this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY: Target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target. Before resolving an opponent's monster effect that targets this face-up card, look at your opponent's hand and discard 1 card from their hand.
Machina Fortress — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 71 ± 5 · Confidence: High
- Intrinsic: 68 · Deck: 70 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Extender · Secondary: Material body, Combo enabler
Why it scores here
Machina Fortress scores as a reliable extender and material source in Machine decks, particularly within Machina builds where it appears in 100% of decks with strong synergy to core engine pieces like Gearframe and Citadel. The card's discard-to-summon effect provides combo flexibility (summoning from hand or GY), and its 2500 ATK body serves well as Xyz/Synchro material across 41 distinct archetypes. While its interactive effects (hand disruption, battle destruction) are situational and require specific conditions to activate, the card's accessibility, deck fit, and efficient deckbuilding cost make it a staple in Machine-focused strategies. High ATK stats do not drive the score; instead, its ability to extend combos and provide material value earns its evaluation.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 75 | Summoning requires Level ≥ 8 Machine discards, which Machina decks provide abundantly via Gearframe (88.5% co-inclusion) and Citadel (76.8%), and the card accesses both hand and GY, confirmed by its 100% presence in 400 sampled decks (verified). |
| Combo & Conversion | 60 | The card appears in 100% of 5 combos at an average power index of 64.4, primarily as material or supporting piece, and generates a +0 on summon from hand or +1 from GY, making it a reliable but not explosive extender (observed). |
| Resource Economy | 65 | Discarding to summon from hand is card-neutral when fuel is abundant; summoning from GY is a +1, and the card's battle and hand-disruption effects are roughly even trades with no direct card advantage generated (inferred). |
| Effect & Interaction | 50 | The hand disruption effect (look at opponent's hand, discard 1 card) is situational and requires the card to be face-up and targeted; the battle destruction pop occurs only if the card survives to battle and is destroyed, making it unreliable as primary interaction (inferred). |
| Material Utility | 70 | Level 7 EARTH Machine provides clean Synchro and Xyz material (confirmed in 20% of combo examples), maintains solid stats even if effect-negated, and is used across Machina, Train, and 39 other archetypes (observed). |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 65 | The card can be accessed from hand, GY, or field, can be re-summoned if discarded, and has no self-lock or archetype restriction; however, common disruption (negation, bounce) can prevent its summon or discard effect (inferred). |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 75 | Runs at 1.59 copies average per deck (max 3) across 41 archetypes with no noted deckbuilding restrictions, making it a near-free-roll in Machine strategies; requires level-8 fuel, but this is built into most Machine shells (observed). |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 Extender + 0.3 Material body. Intrinsic ≈ 68, Deck ≈ 70, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: Splashability bonus (2). Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck + 2
Strengths
- Abundant discard fuel in Machina and most Machine strategies
- Dual-access summon (hand or GY) provides combo flexibility
- Synchro/Xyz material value as Level 7 EARTH Machine
- Core inclusion in 100% of Machina decks with strong partner synergy (Gearframe, Citadel, Ruinforce)
- Efficient deckbuilding cost (1.59 copies average) with no self-locking restrictions
Weaknesses
- Combo conversion is reliable but not explosive (no direct card advantage or search)
- Hand disruption effect is situational, requires card to be face-up and targeted
- Battle destruction pop is unreliable in modern formats with limited battle phase play
- Discard from hand is card-neutral; primary value requires GY recovery or material use
- Zero appearance as starter or payoff in combo evidence; mostly a supporting/material piece
Counters / choke points
- Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring (negates summon or discard)
- Effect negation (Vortex Dragon, Dimensional Barrier) — card still has material value but loses interaction
- Graveyard banish effects reduce GY recovery route
- Limited interactive depth against hand traps and quick-play disruption
Best use
Extender/Material source in Machine-focused strategies, particularly Machina engine core. Decks: Machina (100% inclusion), Train (13.2%), Machines (8.8%), Infinitrack (8.5%), Gadgets (7.5%), Scrap (5%), Cyber Dragon (4.5%), Ancient Gears (4%).
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Card effect text: discard Machine(s) with total Level ≥ 8 to Special Summon from hand/GY; battle destruction pop; hand disruption on targeting; 100% deck inclusion in Machina decks (102/102 decks analyzed); 100% combo presence (5/5 combos feature this card); Appears in 41 distinct archetypes across Machine strategies
- Observed: Average combo power index: 64.4 when card is present; Copy distribution: 239 decks run 1 copy, 87 run 2, 74 run 3 (avg 1.59); Top partnerships: Gearframe (88.5%), Citadel (76.8%), Therion King Regulus (65.2%); 20% of combo appearances are as material role; remaining 80% as supporting/presence; 100% co-appearance with Machina core engine in dedicated decks
- Inferred: Primary role is Extender due to discard-to-summon mechanic providing combo line continuation; Material utility is high for Level 7 EARTH Machine (Synchro/Xyz feeds); Hand disruption is a form of soft interaction but requires setup and targeting; Battle destruction effect is situational in modern formats with minimal battle phase play; Multi-zone access (hand/GY/field) provides resilience without self-locking
- Data gaps: No banlist restrictions provided; evaluation assumes unlimited copies in all formats Combo role tagging is sparse (80% of appearances untagged); indicates card used in various combo positions No top-card ranking data; evaluation based on deck usage and combo presence only Guides mention card but lack detailed strategy notes on optimal copy count or tech-out scenarios