DARK
3Merlin
Archetype:
Noble Knight
ATK:
1400
DEF:
500
View:
4582
You can only use each effect of "Merlin" once per turn. ● You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 "Noble Knight" monster from your Deck. You cannot Special Summon monsters the turn you activate this effect, except "Noble Knight" monsters. ● (Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your GY; immediately after this effect resolves, Synchro Summon 1 "Noble Knight" Synchro Monster using monsters you control. ● (Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your GY; immediately after this effect resolves, Xyz Summon 1 "Noble Knight" Xyz Monster using monsters you control.
Merlin — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 63 ± 5 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 61 · Deck: 64 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Searcher/Tutor · Secondary: Combo enabler
Why it scores here
Merlin scores as a solid archetype engine in Noble Knights, where it consistently tutors core monsters and provides GY-based Synchro/Xyz enablement. The high deck inclusion rate (97 decks at 2.48 copies average) and tight synergy with all core NK pieces confirm strong accessibility within its archetype home. However, the absence of recorded combos and heavy archetype dependence prevent a higher score; Merlin's power lies in consistent tutoring and enablement rather than standalone board-building.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 68 | Merlin is a core Noble Knight piece run in 97 sample decks at 2.48 copies average, highly accessible within dedicated NK shells but archetype-specific. (observed) |
| Combo & Conversion | 55 | The text describes tutoring and GY Synchro/Xyz enablement, but no recorded combos confirm board-building scope; conversion is textually inferred as incremental rather than explosive. (inferred) |
| Resource Economy | 52 | Tributing Merlin trades one card for one tutored NK card from deck with a main-phase-only summon lock; GY banish effects are free reuse but require existing board monsters. (verified) |
| Effect & Interaction | 8 | Merlin provides no disruption, negation, or removal—its value is entirely internal tutor and enablement for the archetype. (verified) |
| Material Utility | 62 | As a Level 3 Spellcaster with 1400 ATK, Merlin serves as functional Rank 3 Xyz material and remains useful even when its effects are blanked. (inferred) |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 58 | Quick Effect timing on both GY abilities provides in-hand and mid-turn flexibility; high redundancy (2.48 copies, 64 of 97 decks at 3 copies) ensures consistency. (observed) |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 72 | Merlin is highly efficient in dedicated Noble Knight decks (3 copies standard), but the summon lock and archetype restriction make it a brick outside mono-NK shells. (verified) |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 Searcher/Tutor + 0.3 Combo enabler. Intrinsic ≈ 61, Deck ≈ 64, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Consistent tutor for Noble Knight monsters from deck, enabling archetype consistency
- High deck inclusion in NK variants (79.3% combined) confirms strong archetype accessibility
- Quick Effect GY abilities provide flexible timing for Synchro/Xyz enablement mid-turn
- Redundant copies standard (2.48 average, 3 copies in 65.9% of decks) ensure draw consistency
- Near-universal co-deck with core NK pieces (Medraut 99%, NK Arms of Destiny 99%)
Weaknesses
- No standalone board-building power; value is single-card tutoring only
- Heavily archetype-dependent with limited generic applicability (79.3% concentrated in NK variants)
- Summon lock ('cannot Special Summon non-NK this turn') restricts flexible deck-building
- Vulnerable to removal or negation before effect resolution
- Zero opponent interaction; provides no disruption or negation
Counters / choke points
- Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring (negates search effect)
- Effect Veiler or Infinite Impermanence (negates tribute tutor)
- Graveyard removal effects (prevents GY Synchro/Xyz)
- Mass removal (Raigeki, Dark Hole, Board Wipe effects)
Best use
Core archetype engine and consistency tutor. Decks: Noble Knights, Infernoble Knight. Suggested copies: 3.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Merlin has three HOPT effects: (1) tribute to search NK from deck with summon lock, (2) GY banish for Synchro, (3) GY banish for Xyz—all from card description; Merlin is run in 97 sample decks at 2.48 average copies; 64 of 97 decks run 3 copies—from deck evidence; 79.3% of usage in Noble Knight variants (47.4% + 16.5%)—from deck evidence; Top partners are all core NK pieces: Medraut (99%), Arms of Destiny (99%), King Artorigus (91.8%)—from deck evidence; No banlist restriction noted; assumed legal 3 copies in all formats—from data gaps
- Observed: Merlin appears across 14 distinct archetypes but concentrated in NK (79.3% combined)—from deck evidence; High redundancy: 65.9% of decks run 3 copies, indicating Merlin is core NK engine—from deck evidence; Multi-gameplay-type presence (47.4% type 3, 29.9% type 7, 15.5% type 4)—from deck evidence
- Inferred: Merlin's tutor effect ensures NK deck consistency by guaranteeing access to critical monsters—from card text + archetype role; GY Synchro/Xyz effects enable board extension conditional on Merlin reaching GY and monsters being in play—from card text; As Level 3 Spellcaster, Merlin is functional Rank 3 Xyz material even if effect-negated—from Yu-Gi-Oh rules; The summon lock does not restrict dedicated NK decks (mono-archetype)—from card text + deck context; Merlin's primary power is archetype consistency tutor, not multi-card combo conversion—from deck + text synthesis
- Data gaps: No combos supplied—combo conversion is text-only inference; no recorded combo starters, boards, or power indices No guides supplied—no human context on NK strategy or Merlin's role in competitive play No usage statistics (StatisticsCard)—archetype inclusion reliability is sample-dependent only (97 decks) No banlist data—assumed legal 3 copies in all four formats (TCG, OCG, MasterDuel, DuelLinks)