WATER
1Puny Penguin
Archetype:
Penguin
ATK:
400
DEF:
200
View:
3498
When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard after being flipped face-up: Target 1 "Penguin" monster in your Graveyard, except "Puny Penguin"; Special Summon that target in face-up Attack Position or face-down Defense Position.
Puny Penguin — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 54 ± 5 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 53 · Deck: 54 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Recovery/Recursion · Secondary: Material body
Why it scores here
Puny Penguin provides reliable recovery and recycling in Penguin-themed decks, appearing in 41.7% of Penguin lists at 1.22 copies per deck on average. Its flip effect summons a Penguin from the GY, offering incremental board development in a role that leans heavily on recursion and resource cycling. The card lacks direct disruption or complex combo lines (no combo data supplied), and its flip-effect timing limits resilience to specific game states. Overall, it scores as a solid Penguin support card rather than a versatile powerhouse—its value is archetype-specific and conditional on favorable flip circumstances.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 65 | Runs in 41.7% of Penguin decks at 1.22 copies per deck, with co-appearance in nearly all Penguin staples (97.8% Nopenguin, 97.2% Penguin Squire), indicating reliable searchability within Penguin homes (observed). |
| Combo & Conversion | 45 | The flip effect summons one Penguin from the GY, providing incremental board development; however, no combo data is supplied to confirm multi-card sequences or broader board-building potential (inferred). |
| Resource Economy | 50 | Summons one Penguin in exchange for one card sent to GY, resulting in neutral card count but positive board position; no repeated advantage or strong refuel mechanics are mentioned in the text (inferred). |
| Effect & Interaction | 5 | The card provides only a summon effect with no negation, removal, or disruption; its face-down body offers defensive utility but no direct opponent interaction (verified). |
| Material Utility | 55 | As a Level 1 Aqua Penguin, it serves as moderate synchro/XYZ material with archetype synergy; not a generic level but usable in themed strategies (inferred). |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 40 | The effect requires a flip trigger and is spent once resolved; reliance on specific timing limits multi-turn value and resistance to common disruption (inferred). |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 70 | Runs at 1.22 copies per deck with no garnet/lock risk and appears in 23 distinct archetypes, though concentrated in Penguin (41.7%) and Icejade (20%), indicating clean archetype-specific efficiency (observed). |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 primary Recovery/Recursion role. Intrinsic ≈ 53, Deck ≈ 54, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Strong archetype synergy with Penguin decks (41.7% inclusion)
- Searchable by Penguin support cards as a Level 1 Aqua
- Provides board recovery through GY recursion
- Clean deckbuilding with no garnet risk or deck-locking effects
- Portable across 23 archetypes with secondary homes in Icejade (20%)
Weaknesses
- Flip effect requires specific trigger timing, not guaranteed in all matchups
- No disruption, negation, or removal capability
- Low ATK/DEF (400/200) makes it poor for combat value
- Effect is one-time per summon, limiting continuous value
- Combo role unclear due to zero combo evidence supplied
- Requires being sent to GY to activate, preventing free field value
Counters / choke points
- Negation effects (Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring if searchable, Infinite Impermanence)
- Removal before flip trigger is activated
- Floodgates targeting Aqua monsters or Penguins (Barrier Statue of the Torrent, Kinetic Soldier)
Best use
Recovery/Recursion engine for Penguin-themed strategies. Decks: Penguin, Icejade, Adamancipator.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Card text is a flip effect that summons a Penguin from the GY when sent from field; Appears in 180 matched decks across 23 distinct archetypes; Runs at 1.22 copies per deck on average (155 single, 11 double, 14 triple); Runs in 41.7% of Penguin archetype decks (75/180); Co-appears with Nopenguin (97.8%), Penguin Squire (97.2%), Penguin Soldier (97.2%); No banlist restriction (assumed unlimited, 3 copies legal)
- Observed: Highest concentration in Penguin (75 decks) and Icejade (36 decks); Appears in 23 distinct archetypes, indicating some cross-archetype appeal; Secondary home in Icejade at 20% of deck sample suggests off-theme splashability; Co-appears with hand traps (Ash Blossom 77.2%, Infinite Impermanence 73.9%)
- Inferred: Searchable by Penguin support effects (inferred from high inclusion despite weak standalone stats); Combo conversion ~45 due to single-Penguin summoning (inferred from text flip effect); Generic utility ~65 from 4+ archetype homes (inferred from deck archetype spread); Deck synergy strong in Penguin, weak elsewhere (inferred from 41.7% concentration); Level 1 Aqua provides moderate synchro/XYZ material value (inferred from typing)
- Data gaps: No combos supplied — combo conversion is text-only inference, no multi-card sequence confirmation No guides supplied — human context on Penguin deck roles is absent No usage statistics (StatisticsCard) — archetype inclusion % inferred from deck sample only No banlist token — assumed unlimited at 3 copies No Top Card ranking — cannot confirm metagame presence at competitive level