Name: Gravekeeper’s Priestess

Level: 3

Attribute: Dark

Type: Spellcaster/Effect

ATK: 1000

DEF: 1500

 

Stats: I am once again able to remind us that a name counts as a stat in this game, as being named “Gravekeeper’s” gives Gravekeeper’s Priestess access to a much needed stat bonus if Necrovalley is already in play, the ability to be searched out via Gravekeeper’s Spy, and the ability to be revived via Gravekeeper’s Chief and Rite of Spirit amongst the more notable ones.  Her low level makes her easy to drop into play and attack under protection like Gravity Bind and Level Limit – Area B. Like most Gravekeeper Monsters, she is Dark and a Spellcaster, so in addition to specific theme support, you can bust out cards like Allure of Darkness and Magician’s Circle for even more support.  Her 1000 ATK is small, but at least it means she is easy to search for: the generic classic Sangan and almost as generic Mystic Tomato work on her as well as they have for most other Gravekeeper Monsters.  Her DEF score would be much better if certain cards I want to stay banned were legal, as 1500 was the cut off for those.  Still, it will probably be the cut off for future such cards and from a practical standpoint, is enough to force a “real” attacker to kill her if she is in Defense position.  As small as she is, she can also attack under the only great stall card I can think of that is still unrestricted, Messenger of Peace.  At least when you lack Necrovalley.

 

Effects: Her first effect is that the field is treated as Necrovalley.  The second effect states that the first isn’t applied if there is another face-up Field Spell.  Saves them some ruling headaches, but diminishes the value of this card: think what you could have done with Secret Village of the Spellcasters!  Fortunately she has one last effect: +200 ATK/DEF to all face-up Gravekeeper monsters.  This is very reminiscent of Maiden of the Aqua, and makes me think the designers realized that a card that only mimics a Field Spell needs something else to fall back on (and they were right).  Adding this kind of card to the stat boosting Monsters is a natural fit.

 

Her first effect, while useful, is not enough to make me want to play this card.  After all, she isn’t getting the effect of Necrovalley, just the name.  No protection from several Special Summons that use the Graveyard, and even factoring in her last effect, she doesn’t boost your Gravekeeper monsters to a beefy enough level to maintain field control, even with their groovy tricks.  Fortunately she does have both effects and the way it’s worded, her last effect should still work with Necrovalley in play.  Getting +700 ATK/DEF for each Gravekeeper?  That is relevant.

 

Uses and

Combinations: The main thing going against her, ironically, is her theme.  Unless my beloved “stack” style of play (where you actually run significantly more than the minimum required 40 cards in your deck) has suddenly become accepted and effective… she’s got a lot of competition.  With the newest wave of Gravekeeper’s support, with just monster cards we now have 13 Monsters with Gravekeeper’s in their name!  There are a few that still support the deck but don’t have it in there name and of course several Spell and Trap cards.  While won’t want to run at least one of everything, by the time you add in multiples of what you do want to run, deck staples and useful power cards, you’re going to hit 40.  It won’t be easy deciding what to cut, because she does combo well with Necrovalley and if her effect is considered to meet the requirement to play Royal Tribute, it makes for a strong, (with enough slots dedicated to it) reliable opening move.  It eats up a lot of space to make reliable, though, and the wording is kind of dodgy that I can see them ruling the other way.  Lastly, without a real Necrovalley hitting the field and staying there, all those monsters in the Graveyard might backfire.

 

Ratings

 

Traditional: 2/5 – Gravekeeper’s decks actually have some merit here, since they interfere with some OTK decks and of course Chaos decks.  They don’t dominate, though, and she might not get crowded out of her own deck.

 

Advanced: 3/5 – Either way the ruling falls on Royal Tribute, I think she’ll be a solid card some Gravekeeper’s decks will main, some will side, and some will pass over.

 

Summary

 

A useful new Gravekeeper’s monster that will have to fight against its more worthy kin, new and old, if it wants to make it into a deck.  Gravekeeper’s Priestess really needed to have come out earlier when there was less competition or simple put, just been a Tuner so that she would have been fully justified.

 

Now… does she look like Ishizu (Isis) Ishtar to anyone else?