DARK
5Reaper on the Nightmare
ATK:
800
DEF:
600
View:
4141
"Spirit Reaper" + "Nightmare Horse" This card is not destroyed as a result of battle. Destroy this card when it is targeted by the effect of a Spell, Trap, or Effect Monster. This card can attack your opponent's Life Points directly even if there is a monster on your opponent's side of the field. If this card successfully attacks your opponent's Life Points directly, your opponent discards 1 card randomly from his/her hand.
Reaper on the Nightmare — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 43 ± 6 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 41.5 · Deck: 43.65 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Board breaker / Going-second · Secondary: Utility
Why it scores here
This Fusion monster generates modest power through its direct-attack and hand-disruption effects, which allow it to bypass established boards and force random discards. However, it is critically vulnerable to any targeting effect—the core mechanic destroying it—which severely limits its resilience in modern formats. Its deckbuilding cost (two specific materials) and lack of combo utility further reduce its ceiling, making it best suited as a singleton tech card in diverse archetypes rather than a cornerstone piece.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 40 | Appears in 381 recent decks across 60 distinct archetypes despite needing two specific materials, confirming the materials are accessible in the target format(s). (observed) |
| Combo & Conversion | 20 | No combo appearances recorded; the card generates no multi-turn board or synergy—it is an on-field effect card with no combo conversion. (inferred) |
| Resource Economy | 25 | Costs two cards to summon and generates only conditional single-card opponent disruption, producing net-negative advantage for the player. (verified) |
| Effect & Interaction | 35 | Random hand discard on successful direct attack is weak, conditional disruption; not a negation, removal, or hard interaction that answers threats. (verified) |
| Material Utility | 40 | As a Level 5 DARK Zombie with 800 ATK, it offers some body utility but is too weak to be attractive as material for most Synchro or Fusion lines. (inferred) |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 25 | Destroyed by any targeting effect, creating severe fragility; battle immunity helps but is negated by the targeting-destruction clause. (verified) |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 50 | Run as a singleton (371/381 decks) and playable across 60 archetypes, but requires two specific fusion materials, imposing moderate deckbuilding cost. (observed) |
Calculation
Weight profile: Primary role: Board breaker / Going-second. Intrinsic ≈ 41.5, Deck ≈ 43.65, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Bypasses opponent's monster board with direct-attack effect
- Forces random hand disruption on successful direct attack
- Battle-damage immune
- Appears playable across 60 distinct archetypes
Weaknesses
- Destroyed by any targeting effect (critical vulnerability)
- Requires two specific materials to summon (fusion cost)
- Effect conditional on surviving, attacking, and opponent having cards in hand
- Weak stats (800 ATK, 600 DEF)
- No combo utility or board-building synergy
Counters / choke points
- Any targeting effect (Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Veiler, etc.)
- Monster negation effects
- Board clears before it can attack
Best use
Direct damage and hand disruption / Board breaker for going-second. Decks: Gravekeeper's, Nephthys, Black Luster Soldier. Suggested copies: 1.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Card text: not destroyed by battle, destroyed by targeting, direct attack despite opponent's monsters, opponent discards on successful direct attack; Appears in 381 main-deck copies, 0 side; Run as 1 copy in 371 decks, 2-3 copies in only 10 decks; Gravekeeper's 100% inclusion (1 copy), Nephthys 57.14% inclusion (1 copy); Requires Fusion materials: Spirit Reaper + Nightmare Horse
- Observed: Broad distribution across 60 distinct archetypes despite non-generic material requirements; Top partners are generic format staples (Heavy Storm 88.5%, Dark Balter 88.2%, Pot of Greed 84.3%); Suggests played in OCG or retro format where these materials are accessible and meta staples exist
- Inferred: Direct attack + hand-discard effect positions it as a board breaker for going-second strategies; Targeting destruction makes it fragile against hand traps and targeting-based interaction; No combo utility evident from text; it is an on-field effect card with no multi-turn synergy; Level 5 DARK Zombie body has some material utility but weak stats limit appeal
- Data gaps: No combos supplied—cannot verify starter usage, combo conversion, or board-building lines No guides supplied—no strategic context or deck building rationale Combo evidence completely empty despite 381 deck appearances Format context unclear: MasterDuel listed but partners suggest OCG classic format Usage statistics cover only 2 archetypes (Gravekeeper's, Nephthys) versus 60 archetypes in deck evidence No Top-Card ranking data—card does not appear in metagame rankings