DARK
5Mist Archfiend
Archetype:
Archfiend
ATK:
2400
DEF:
0
View:
3200
You can Normal Summon this card without Tributing. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card was Summoned this way: Destroy this card, and if you do, take 1000 damage.
Mist Archfiend — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 68 ± 5 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 66 · Deck: 69 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Material body / Combo enabler · Secondary: Starter
Why it scores here
Mist Archfiend is a free-summon Level 5 body that trades 1000 LP for efficient material generation in established homes, particularly Archfiend (37.1% of decks). It appears across 14 archetypes with strong partnerships to cards like Falling Down (54.3% co-occurrence) and Knightmare Phoenix (48.6%), confirming accessibility and deck synergy. The card brings zero opponent interaction and self-destructs at End Phase, limiting resilience, but its role as a cleanly splashable Synchro/Xyz/Link enabler justifies mid-range scoring.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 78 | Free summon on a searchable Level 5 Fiend means reliable access, evidenced by 2.06 average copies per deck (mostly 3 copies) and presence across 14 archetypes (verified) |
| Combo & Conversion | 58 | Generates material for Synchro/Xyz/Link plays as a free summon, but exact combo lines are not documented; inferred from consistent deck inclusion despite lack of combo examples (inferred) |
| Resource Economy | 52 | Costs 1000 LP self-damage for a free body, yielding net tempo gain but no card or resource refuel (verified) |
| Effect & Interaction | 7 | Card text contains zero negation, removal, or opponent interaction—it is purely a summoning enabler (verified) |
| Material Utility | 72 | Level 5 DARK Fiend with 2400 ATK provides clean material for standard Synchro/Xyz/Link routes, and remains useful when negated (verified) |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 32 | Self-destructs at End Phase regardless of field position, offering no recovery path or multi-turn presence (verified) |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 83 | Free summon, no locks, and runs easily at 3 copies with no garnet or brick concerns; splashable across diverse archetypes (observed) |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.6 Material body + 0.4 Starter. Intrinsic ≈ 66, Deck ≈ 69, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Free Normal Summon generates efficient material without Tribute cost
- Accessible across 14 distinct archetypes with no archetype lock
- Strong synergy with Falling Down (54.3% co-occurrence) and Knightmare Phoenix (48.6%)
- Clean Level 5 DARK Fiend body useful even when negated
Weaknesses
- Takes mandatory 1000 LP damage when self-destructing, limiting use in LP-sensitive decks
- Leaves field at End Phase with no recovery option or persistence
- Zero opponent interaction (no negation, removal, or disruption)
- Limited resilience—a single negate on the summon stops the line
Counters / choke points
- Decks unable to afford 1000 LP cost (critical LP-dependent strategies)
- Decks not utilizing Synchro/Xyz/Link summoning methods
- Negation of the free summon itself blocks the enabler
Best use
Free Synchro/Xyz/Link material generator. Decks: Archfiend, D/D/D, Labrynth, Summoned Skull. Suggested copies: 3.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Free Normal Summon without Tribute (card text); Destroys itself at End Phase if summoned freely (card text); Takes 1000 LP damage when destroyed by own effect (card text); Runs in 35 decks with 2.06 average copies per deck (deck evidence); Appears in 14 distinct archetypes (deck evidence); Heavily run in Archfiend (37.1% of deck sample); Strong partnerships with Falling Down (54.3%) and Knightmare Phoenix (48.6%) observed
- Observed: Distribution skews to 3 copies (48.6%) or 1 copy (42.9%), indicating either full commitment or testing status; Top partnership stats confirm material/enabler role through co-occurrence with Synchro/Xyz/Link cards
- Inferred: Primary role as Material body enabler—free summon generates Synchro/Xyz/Link fuel; Secondary role as Starter in Archfiend-focused decks where searchability is likely; High generic utility inferred from 14-archetype spread despite niche card type; Combo conversion estimated at 58 based on deck prevalence and established partnerships, lacking direct combo verification
- Data gaps: No combos supplied—combo conversion, exact board power, and starter percentage inferred from text and deck partnerships only No guides supplied—strategic role and deckbuilding context unknown No StatisticsCard (usage_statistics)—inclusion % and typical copies over larger historical sample unavailable; inferred from 35-deck sample No Top-Card ranking—confirmation of competitive play at scale unavailable No banlist token—assumed unlimited (3 copies legal), but specific format bans not checked