FIRE
1Red Mirror
ATK:
0
DEF:
0
View:
2996
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: You can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard, then target 1 FIRE Fiend-Type monster in your Graveyard, except "Red Mirror"; add it to your hand. If you Synchro Summon while this card is in your Graveyard (except during the Damage Step, or the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard): You can add this card to your hand. You can only use each effect of "Red Mirror" once per turn.
Red Mirror — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 69 ± 5 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 68 · Deck: 70 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Combo enabler · Secondary: Recovery/Recursion, Material body
Why it scores here
Red Mirror is a Resonator/Archfiend support card that excels at grind value and turn extension through graveyard recursion. The hand trap effect is situational, triggering only when the opponent attacks, but the core power comes from recycling itself after YOUR Synchro Summons to enable repeated value across turns. The card slots cleanly into both primary archetypes with zero brick potential, but its FIRE Fiend type lock and lack of hard disruption prevent it from reaching higher power levels.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 70 | Searchable via Resonator Call and runs in 7 distinct archetypes with 40.7% in Resonator decks; multiple routes to GY or hand access (verified). |
| Combo & Conversion | 65 | Enables Synchro recursion loops and FIRE Fiend recycling by returning to hand after YOUR Synchro Summons; exact board-building power unconfirmed due to zero combo data (inferred). |
| Resource Economy | 72 | Net-neutral on the hand trap effect (send + add = 0 cards) but acts as a tutor, and free card return from GY via Synchro trigger; grind value accumulates across multiple turns (inferred). |
| Effect & Interaction | 15 | Hand trap effect is reactive and situational (requires opponent attack), and does not negate or remove threats; pure resource cycling with no hard disruption (verified). |
| Material Utility | 78 | Level 1 FIRE Fiend body serves as generic Synchro tuner material and works as fodder even when blanked; clean type/attribute fit for Resonator and Archfiend support lines (verified). |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 68 | GY effect triggers on YOUR Synchro Summon (controllable timing), survives as material, and can recycle multiple times per game; hand effect conditional on opponent attack but not turn-limited (inferred). |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 82 | 0/0 stats avoid brick potential; Level 1 is universally useful; no conflicting costs or locks; runs 1-3 copies flexibly with no garnet issues; near-free mainboard slot (verified). |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 Combo enabler + 0.3 Recovery/Recursion. Intrinsic ≈ 68, Deck ≈ 70, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Cleanly recycles from graveyard after Synchro Summons, enabling repeated value without deck-building strain
- Level 1 FIRE Fiend type is universally useful as Synchro tuner material; works as fodder even when effect is negated
- Zero garnet potential; 0 ATK/DEF avoids stat-related brick or role conflict
- 100% co-deck rate with Red Resonator and 96%+ with Red Dragon Archfiend and Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss; core support in Resonator and Archfiend
- Flexible copy count (1-3 per deck); redundant activation routes via hand mills and GY fills
Weaknesses
- Hand trap effect is reactive and situational; requires opponent to declare attack to activate
- No hard disruption or negation; purely a resource-grinding and recycling piece
- FIRE Fiend type lock restricts true generic splashability; appears in only 7 distinct archetypes with Resonator and Archfiend dominating
- Exact combo conversion power is unmeasured; no recorded combo data showing turn loops or board-building sequences
- Cannot target itself, limiting potential self-synergy in degenerate lines
Counters / choke points
- Graveyard banishing effects (Macro Cosmos, Dimensional Fissure) prevent recursion from GY
- Synchro negation blocks the second effect trigger
- Graveyard denial (Droll & Lock Bird) during Synchro Summon window stops the recovery
Best use
Grind-value support enabling Synchro turn extension and FIRE Fiend recycling. Decks: Resonator, Archfiend. Suggested copies: 1.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Red Mirror is run in all 27 sampled decks with 40.7% in Resonator, 25.9% in Archfiend; 100% co-deck rate with Red Resonator and 96%+ with Red Dragon Archfiend, Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss, Soul Resonator; Average 1.3 copies per deck (range 1-3); most decks run 1 copy; Card has two distinct effects: hand trap on opponent attack + GY recursion on YOUR Synchro Summon, both HOPT; Level 1 FIRE Fiend type with 0 ATK/DEF stats
- Observed: Zero combos recorded in evidence (combo data.appearances = 0); No guide mentions provided (guide data.total guides = 0); Moderate view count of 2911 suggests reasonable player interest and page visibility
- Inferred: The GY recovery effect (second effect) enables repeated Synchro Summon chains and turn-by-turn value accumulation; The hand trap effect provides situational interaction during opponent's attack phase, converting to FIRE Fiend recursion; Level 1 Synchro tuner type makes it usable as material fodder even when effect is negated or prevented; FIRE Fiend race lock restricts true generic splashability to FIRE-focused archetypes (Resonator, Archfiend, Fire King, etc.); Primary value is grind-turn extension rather than explosive combo or one-card board building
- Data gaps: No combos supplied — combo conversion is text-only inference; no recorded boards showing turn loops or starter sequences No guides supplied — no expert strategy documentation or synergy analysis No usage statistics (StatisticsCard) — archetype inclusion % comes from deck sample alone, not historical play rates No banlist token — assumed unlimited (3 copies legal) across all formats No top-card rankings — cannot confirm if this card appears in format-leading decks beyond the supplied sample