WATER
4Saber Shark
ATK:
1600
DEF:
1200
View:
3410
Cannot be used as a Synchro Material. Up to twice per turn: You can target 1 Fish-Type monster on the field, then activate 1 of these effects. ● Increase its Level by 1. ● Reduce its Level by 1. You cannot Special Summon any monsters during the turn you activate this effect, except WATER monsters.
Saber Shark — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 55 ± 5 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 53 · Deck: 56 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Combo enabler · Secondary: Extender, Material body
Why it scores here
Saber Shark is a specialized level-tuning enabler for Shark decks, designed to hit specific Synchro and Xyz targets through up-to-twice-per-turn level modification of Fish-Type monsters. Its 96.8% co-appearance with Buzzsaw Shark and 1.97 average copies per deck confirm strong adoption and accessibility within its home archetype. However, the card imposes a restrictive WATER-only Special Summon lock after activation, preventing synergy with many combo lines and reducing deck flexibility. Lacking direct disruption, removal, or resource generation, and barred from use as Synchro Material, Saber Shark is a situational tuner rather than a core power piece—its value is entirely dependent on Shark archetype infrastructure and the presence of Fish-Type bodies to manipulate.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 62 | Accessible in Shark decks with 1.97 average copies per deck (31 decks total) and appears in 12 distinct archetypes, but requires Fish-Type presence to activate. (observed) |
| Combo & Conversion | 68 | Text enables level modification up to twice per turn targeting Fish-Type monsters; top partners Buzzsaw Shark (96.8%), Double Fin Shark (71%), and Bahamut Shark (67.7%) suggest synergy with Synchro/Xyz chains. (inferred) |
| Resource Economy | 45 | Card generates zero card advantage and imposes a restrictive WATER-only Special Summon lock after activation, severely limiting turn flexibility and deck building options. (verified) |
| Effect & Interaction | 28 | Provides no negation, removal, or disruption—only indirect enablement through level modification of other monsters. (verified) |
| Material Utility | 35 | 1600 ATK Level 4 WATER Fish body is usable as Xyz material, but the card cannot be used as Synchro Material, removing its primary material outlet. (verified) |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 48 | Offers two effect options (increase or decrease level) with up-to-twice-per-turn activation, but dies to removal without recovery and cannot reposition across turns. (inferred) |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 62 | Avoids severe garnet risk in Fish-heavy Shark decks with 1.97 average copies per deck, though the WATER-lock severely limits splashability outside Shark and Fish homes. (observed) |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 Combo enabler/Extender + 0.3 Material body. Intrinsic ≈ 53, Deck ≈ 56, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: none. Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Core enabler in Shark decks with 96.8% co-appearance with Buzzsaw Shark and healthy 1.97 copies per deck
- Flexible level-tuning effect with up-to-twice-per-turn activation provides adaptability to board state
- Level 4 WATER Fish body serviceable as last-resort Xyz material in a pinch
- Strong partner network with multiple Rank 4 and Synchro targets (Bahamut Shark, Number 101, Xyz chains)
Weaknesses
- Cannot be used as Synchro Material despite Level 4 status, removing major material outlet and combo line
- Restrictive WATER-only Special Summon lock after activation forces deck building into monocolor strategies
- No direct disruption, removal, or hand interaction—purely an enabler with no standalone value
- Heavily archetype-dependent: 45.2% in Shark, drops to 3.2–12.9% in 11 other homes
- Requires Fish-Type already on field to function; potential garnet if board is empty at activation window
Counters / choke points
- Removal before activation (hand traps, board wipes)
- Decks that cannot establish Fish-Type bodies lose the entire enablement angle
- Non-WATER strategies completely blocked by Special Summon lock
Best use
Level tuner for Synchro/Xyz combo chains in Rank 4 strategies. Decks: Shark, Fish. Suggested copies: 2.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Level-modification effect targets one Fish-Type monster per activation, increasing or decreasing its level by 1; Up to twice per turn activation frequency (standard once-per-turn, twice-total timing); Cannot be used as Synchro Material (self-imposed restriction in card text); WATER-only Special Summon lock after activation (deck-building constraint); 1600 ATK / 1200 DEF Level 4 WATER Fish-Type body; Appears in 31 decks with 1.97 average copies per deck; 96.8% co-appearance with Buzzsaw Shark (30 of 31 decks)
- Observed: 45.2% of decks are Shark archetype (14 of 31 decks in archetype_id 842); Secondary Shark presence at 12.9% (4 decks in archetype_id 794); Runs across 12 distinct archetypes (indicates some splashability beyond Shark); Copy distribution: 1 copy (29%), 2 copies (45%), 3 copies (26%); Primarily appears in Shark (58.1% combined), Fish (9.7%), and Runick (6.5%) homes
- Inferred: Primary role is combo enabler/extender for Shark Synchro and Xyz strategies; Level tuning enables hitting specific Synchro targets (Levels 7–9) and Xyz ranks (Rank 3–5) in Shark lines; Secondary role as material body; 1600 ATK Level 4 WATER/Fish traits usable for Xyz in emergency; Accessibility is good in Shark decks due to multiple Shark searchers and high copy redundancy; Deck resilience is moderate; healthy 1.97 copies and multiple Shark partners suggest the line is stable; WATER-lock cost significantly reduces turn flexibility and splashability into non-WATER hybrid strategies
- Data gaps: No combos supplied — combo conversion, boardPerStarter, and endboard disruption are inferred from text and partner data only No guides supplied — no external context on role strength, common tech choices, or metagame positioning No usage statistics (StatisticsCard) — archetype inclusion % inferred from 31-deck sample only; historical trends and tier consistency unknown No banlist token — assumed unlimited (3 copies); actual ban status in any format unknown