Nimble Angler

Nimble Angler — Power Evaluation

Final Score: 69 ± 5 · Confidence: Medium

• Intrinsic: 65 · Deck: 68 · Meta: provisional
• Primary role: Searcher / Tutor · Secondary: Combo enabler, Material body

Why it scores here

Nimble Angler scores as a reliable searcher for Level 2–focused decks, particularly Spright and Frog, where its 100% inclusion in Frog and Nimble and 60–72% inclusion in Spright variants confirm strong deck synergy. Its power comes from generating +1 to +2 resource economy by searching 2 Level 3-or-lower Nimble monsters when sent to the Graveyard, a trigger abundant in these shells. The card provides no opponent interaction; its true board power is deck-dependent—the searched bodies still require the host engine to convert into meaningful boards. As a clean Level 2 material even when blanked, it offers solid utility beyond the search effect.

Axis scores

Calculation

Weight profile: 0.7 Searcher/Tutor + 0.3 Combo enabler. Intrinsic ≈ 65, Deck ≈ 68, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: Splashability and redundancy (2). Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck

Strengths

• 100% inclusion in Frog, Gishki, and Nimble archetypes confirms strong home synergy.
• Searches up to 2 Level 3-or-lower Nimble monsters, generating +1 to +2 resource economy per trigger.
• Clean Level 2 material body usable for Rank 2 Xyz and Link summons even when effect is negated.
• GY-based trigger is hard to interrupt post-resolution; abundant GY-send outlets in Spright and Frog shells enable consistent activation.

Weaknesses

• No opponent interaction—purely a passive searcher with no disruption or hand trap capability.
• Combo power is deck-dependent; the 2 searched bodies require the host engine to convert into meaningful boards.
• Accessibility moderate outside Level 2–focused homes; potential garnet in generic or spell-speed-heavy decks without GY-send outlets.
• Resilience fragile when drawn without reliable GY-send triggers; hand copies are dead draws without outlets.

Counters / choke points

• Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring negates the search effect when sent to GY.
• Decks without strong GY-send outlets eliminate the card's main value.
• Effect Veiler or similar effect negation can stop the trigger if activated on opponent's turn (rare).

Best use

Searcher for Level 3-or-lower Nimble monsters to extend combos and generate field presence.. Decks: Spright, Frog, Nimble, Gishki, Melffy. Suggested copies: 2.

Evidence & gaps

• Verified: Card text: 'If this card is sent from the hand or Deck to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon up to 2 Level 3 or lower "Nimble" monsters from your Deck, except "Nimble Angler".'; 100% inclusion in Frog, Gishki, and Nimble archetypes across 400 sampled decks.; Legal in TCG, OCG, MasterDuel, and DuelLinks formats.; Assumed unlimited (no banlist restrictions supplied).
• Observed: 60–72% inclusion in Spright variants with 2–3 copies typical.; Average 1.74 copies per deck; most common count is 2.; Top partners: Nimble Beaver (99% co-decks), Gigantic Spright (94.8%), Spright Sprind (94.5%).; Appears across 45 distinct archetypes, indicating broad utility.
• Inferred: Primary role as Searcher/Tutor based on card text and deck evidence of triggering off GY sends.; Secondary role as Combo enabler inferred from guides mentioning the 'Level 2 engine' and typical mill-to-extend patterns in Spright.; Material utility as clean Level 2 body inferred from type, level, and lack of text locks.; Accessibility strong in Level 2–focused decks with abundant GY-send outlets; moderate elsewhere.; Resilience depends on reliable GY-send outlet; once in GY, effect is safe from negation.
• Data gaps: No combo evidence supplied (0 combos)—cannot verify actual board power of the 2 searched bodies in recorded combo lines. No banlist token—assumed unlimited (3-copy legal).