FIRE
1Red Nova
ATK:
0
DEF:
0
View:
4490
If a Level 8 or higher Dragon-Type Synchro Monster is on the field, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). You can only Special Summon "Red Nova" once per turn this way. If this card is sent to the Graveyard for a Synchro Summon that uses 2 or more Tuner monsters as Materials: You can Special Summon 1 FIRE Fiend-Type monster from your Deck in Defense Position.
Red Nova — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 58 ± 5 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 58 · Deck: 60 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Extender · Secondary: Recursion, Material body
Why it scores here
Red Nova is a free-to-activate mid-combo extender that converts existing Synchro board presence into a tuner body and a potential deck search. Its 0 ATK/DEF contribute no battle value, so the score reflects its role as combo glue: reliable accessibility in Synchro homes, modest resource gain via search, and clean material utility as a Level-1 Tuner. The absence of any opponent interaction and zero combo data keep it grounded in the mid-50s; it is strong support, not a game-defining piece.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 58 | Red Nova summons for free once per turn when a Level 8+ Dragon Synchro exists on-field, a condition met reliably in 62.5% of sampled decks; mid-combo access is strong but turn-1 opening value is unconfirmed (verified). |
| Combo & Conversion | 50 | No combo examples supplied; Red Nova adds a tuner body and potentially one deck search if used as 2+ Tuner Synchro material, consistent with modest extender function rather than full line starter (inferred). |
| Resource Economy | 58 | Red Nova costs nothing to summon; its GY effect searches one card from deck in a specific condition, roughly breaking even; the search is one-time and conditional, preventing higher scores (verified). |
| Effect & Interaction | 5 | Red Nova has no negation, removal, hand-trap, or opponent disruption; it is purely generative with zero interaction value (verified). |
| Material Utility | 68 | As a Level-1 FIRE Tuner with no self-restriction, Red Nova is clean generic material for Synchro Summons across many levels and survives effect negation; FIRE attribute is not universally valued in all Synchro homes (verified). |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 52 | Red Nova can be used as Synchro material or remain in hand if its conditional summon fails; multi-zone access exists but it is fragile to negation and offers no self-protection (verified). |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 70 | Red Nova costs one deck slot and runs primarily as 1-of (95.75% of decks) with minimal garnet risk in intended Synchro homes; splashability across 44 archetypes confirms low deck friction (observed). |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 × Extender + 0.3 × Recursion. Intrinsic ≈ 58, Deck ≈ 60, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: Niche GY effect condition (-1). Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck (decks present, combos absent)
Strengths
- Free special summon every turn when Synchro board exists.
- Searches FIRE Fiend from deck on 2+ Tuner Synchro material usage.
- Level-1 Tuner is flexible material across diverse Synchro levels.
- Highly splashable: appears in 44 distinct archetypes.
- Mostly a 1-of flex slot; no mandatory multi-copy burden.
Weaknesses
- 0 ATK/0 DEF: no battle pressure or defensive value.
- First effect requires existing Synchro on-field; not a turn-1 play.
- Second effect is conditional (2+ Tuner Synchro only); narrower than primary effect.
- Zero opponent interaction or disruption.
- No recovery or resilience if effects are negated; fragile to negation.
- Combo evidence absent; real synergy depth unconfirmed.
Counters / choke points
- Disruption to Synchro Summons (Effect Veiler, Ash Blossom on Tuners).
- Negation of Red Nova's GY effect (blocks the search).
- Removal or negation of the Level 8+ Dragon Synchro (blocks summon access).
Best use
Mid-combo extender; tuner provider and deck search enabler.. Decks: Kewl Tune, Synchron, Psy-Frame, Mannadium, Visas Starfrost.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Red Nova is a Level-1 Tuner Monster (FIRE Fairy).; Text has two effects: conditional summon (Level 8+ Dragon Synchro on-field) and GY search (2+ Tuner Synchro material).; Appears in 400 sampled decks across TCG, OCG, MasterDuel, and DuelLinks formats.; Mostly run as 1-of (383/400 decks, 95.75%).; Top co-cards are Kewl Tune cores and staple hand traps.
- Observed: 62.5% of sampled decks are Kewl Tune variants; 7.7% Synchron; 7% Psy-Frame.; Appears across 44 distinct archetypes, suggesting high splashability.; Average 1.06 copies per deck; max 3 copies in only 6 decks.; High co-appearance (99.5%) with Kewl Tune core cards.
- Inferred: Red Nova functions as a mid-combo extender that converts existing Synchro board presence into a tuner plus search.; Level-1 Tuner body enables Synchro Summons of diverse levels when not negated.; GY search effect is secondary and narrower than primary summon effect; requires 2+ Tuner Synchro condition.; Not a turn-1 opener; requires board presence to access first effect.; Flex/optional support card in intended homes, not a mandatory core piece.
- Data gaps: No combo evidence supplied (0 combos): cannot measure actual combo conversion, power indices, or role confirmation as starter/material/payoff. No banlist token: assumed unlimited (3 copies legal in all formats). No StatisticsCard usage data: archetype inclusion % inferred from 400-deck sample only; cannot cross-validate historical inclusion. No competitive top-card rankings: cannot confirm play rate at top level.