WATER
3Mermaid Archer
ATK:
1200
DEF:
200
View:
2744
Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up Level 3 or lower monster you control; equip that target to this card. (You can only equip 1 monster at a time to this card with this effect.) While equipped with a monster by this effect, this card gains 800 ATK. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy the monster equipped to it with this effect, instead.
Mermaid Archer — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 53 ± 7 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 55 · Deck: 52 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Material body · Secondary: Utility, Removal
Why it scores here
Mermaid Archer scores as a flexible material body that works across multiple WATER/Sea Serpent strategies without locking the deck. While its equipping effect provides ATK gain and destruction shield protection, it generates no card advantage on its own and requires low-level monster support to function. Its primary value is as a searchable Level 3 body in archetypes like Atlantean and Performapal, where it fills a utility slot efficiently; however, zero combo board appearances and lack of disruptive effects limit its ceiling.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 52 | Appears in 5 recent decks across 4 archetypes, primarily Atlantean; requires low-level monster support but no strict garnet (verified). |
| Combo & Conversion | 28 | Zero combo board appearances; equipping grants 800 ATK but creates no inherent board extension on its own (verified). |
| Resource Economy | 48 | No card draw or search; destruction shield protects once but doesn't generate advantage (inferred). |
| Effect & Interaction | 22 | Only defensive effect (destruction shield); no disruption, negation, or opponent interaction (verified). |
| Material Utility | 58 | Level 3 WATER Sea Serpent body usable in its type/attribute; equipping doesn't lock usage as material (verified). |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 52 | Destruction shield provides one-time protection; once-per-turn equip allows multi-turn setup but dependent on equipped monster (inferred). |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 68 | Flexible across 4 distinct archetypes; requires low-level support but no strict locking or bricking pattern (verified). |
Calculation
Weight profile: Material body primary role. Intrinsic ≈ 55, Deck ≈ 52, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Searchable Level 3 WATER Sea Serpent body
- Flexible across multiple archetypes without deck-locking
- Destruction shield provides one layer of resource protection
- Equipping mechanic allows multi-turn utility
Weaknesses
- Low raw power (1200 ATK base, 2000 with equip)
- Requires low-level monster on field to function optimally
- No card advantage generation or search capability
- Limited applicability outside WATER/Sea Serpent strategies
- Zero combo board appearances suggest niche role
Counters / choke points
- Cards that destroy equipped monsters or equip spells
- Negation effects targeting equip activation
- Board wipes and removal effects targeting the equipped monster
Best use
Material body / Utility filler. Decks: Atlantean, Performapal, Odd-Eyes. Suggested copies: 1.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Card text: once per turn equip Level 3 or lower monster to self; gain 800 ATK while equipped; destroy equipped monster instead if this card would be destroyed; Appears in 5 recent decks (Atlantean 40%, Performapal 20%, Odd-Eyes 20%, Kuriboh 20%); Typical copies: 1-2 per deck (avg 1.4); Is a Level 3 WATER Sea Serpent Effect Monster; Zero combo board appearances across the sample
- Observed: Atlantean runs it at 40% (2/5 decks), suggesting archetype fit; Frequent co-partners: Armaill (60%), Lesser Dragon (60%), Larvas (60%); Appears across 4 distinct archetypes, indicating some generic utility
- Inferred: Primary role is material body in WATER/Sea Serpent strategies; Requires low-level monster support to equip optimally; Generic utility limited to WATER/Sea Serpent identity, not cross-format staple; Equipping mechanic provides ATK gain but no inherent board generation
- Data gaps: No combos supplied — combo conversion is text-only inference No guides supplied — deck role inferred from partners and archetype fit only No banlist token — assumed 3 copies (unlimited) No usage statistics (StatisticsCard) — archetype inclusion % inferred from small 5-deck sample only Small deck sample (5 total) limits generalization to broader metagame