Anyone successfully use Rapidshot Magic Archer?

[Candi]

CSquared just handed it to me, and RMA was part of his tactic (I was so scared of it I had to return it!) though, the big killer was the 60 ATK, 40 DEF RNG 3 Shield Knight that was bashing my head in LeBeau style. The entire thing was hilariously epic and I hope to write up a cute story about the battle.

Needless to say if I hadn't have lead Witch and been returning things for 7 rounds it would have been a very different game with a very scary pumped up RMA slapping me in the face.

[Justice]

Yeah CSquared's deck is pretty awesome. It's somewhat fragile I think if you have certain cards but it definitely proves that RMA has a use and you can build a deck around her.

We should keep this in mind when the expansion hits....

[Csquared]

Okay, after playing with my RMA deck a little more, I think we can safely say that it can be done, as my two previous opponents can attest to. In fact, I've really only lost one match so far, and it was still a pretty close one in the end. Beating me required locking down my RMA with Vordore too, so I think my comment about her being a threat on the field stands to some degree (and I'll get you back one day, Lupos!).

As for Grain's comments, I did actually fight at least one deck of every color. And since Refess is about "stalling" anyway, since you have to outlast your opponent, that's not really so much of an issue. Since this is an archer deck, it's important to have a strong defensive front line. Falkow's undefeatable support cards aren't that great if they can't help its front line get past your defenses, not to mention they're eventual easy pickings for the RMA. Ditto for Lawtia. I just finished a grueling Gowen match with Arakis, who played quite skillfully, and while he eventually broke through my lines of defense to reach my back line, the game swung ever so slightly my way in the end.

I think it's easy enough to overlook her as a weak card given her stats and the level of the card, but honestly, RMA isn't really any weaker than an Expert Sorcerer, Lebeau, or Noirweiden in terms of HP, and most people wouldn't say those cards are weak given what they do. Try thinking of it this way. What if we tweaked the Rapidshot Magic Archer to where she "ought" to be? Most would agree that her AT is fine where it is, but what about the other stats? What if we gave her 35 HP? 10 DF? 3 AGI? Made her a Level 2? Or made her ability cost 0 SP? Any one of those tweaks would probably make her overpowered!

Yes, Justice is right that the deck was a little fragile here and there, and certain cards could have brought the whole thing tumbling down, but that's essentially true for any deck. And hey, it was a good time all around to see how the RMA worked her magic, so that was certainly a plus too!


My 2 gran,

CSquared

[Grain]

As for Grain's comments, I did actually fight at least one deck of every color. And since Refess is about "stalling" anyway, since you have to outlast your opponent, that's not really so much of an issue. Since this is an archer deck, it's important to have a strong defensive front line. Falkow's undefeatable support cards aren't that great if they can't help its front line get past your defenses, not to mention they're eventual easy pickings for the RMA. Ditto for Lawtia. I just finished a grueling Gowen match with Arakis, who played quite skillfully, and while he eventually broke through my lines of defense to reach my back line, the game swung ever so slightly my way in the end.

I wasn't talking about multicolored files.

Good for you.

[Csquared]

I wasn't talking about multicolored files.

Um, I'm a little confused. I wasn't talking about multicolored files either. When I said that I dueled a files of every color, I meant it. They were all pure. The only card file that wasn't belonged to Arakis, and the splash was pretty negligible.


CSquared

[Grain]

I wasn't talking about multicolored files.

Um, I'm a little confused. I wasn't talking about multicolored files either. When I said that I dueled a files of every color, I meant it. They were all pure. The only card file that wasn't belonged to Arakis, and the splash was pretty negligible.


CSquared

4 out of 5

[Logress]

I think I'll chime in here since I was looking over Lupos' shoulder at one of the aforementioned matches. One of Refess' best strategies (and a heavily underrated strategy in general) is distracting the enemy with a threat. Zagar, if you really think about it, isn't that great. But nearly every player will start throwing everything they got, Sylphs, Undines, Flame Arrows, and even Salamanders at him. When I do use Zagar, my goal with him is just to burn up as many of the enemy's resources as possible.
RMA does the same thing at a level 3 instead of 4, and here's why. At RNG 5, she goes in the back row. Put things that are a pain in the butt to take down in rows one and two, like Folrart Shield Knight and Ancient Spear Knight. Here's what your enemy sees. There's a threat there, far away, it's not strong, but none of his units are safe from it. His support cards could, in theory (although it's unlikely if he's got a lot on the field) be killed at any moment. It's not that killing RMA is hard, but there's just no way to hit it without taking down everything in your way, except maybe a RNG 3 in the front row, which almost never happens. Because of this, any time your opponent gets an opportunity to take it out, like with a Soul Skill or a Flying Attack, he'll target the RMA every time because he doesn't know when he's going to get another chance. If you can get your RMA over the 30 HP 0 DF hurdle, with Wisps or Dryads or EX: Vordore's SS, all of a sudden she burns up two flying attacks or two Soul Skills for every copy you have. That's a lot of enemy resources.
And if your enemy is smart enough not to do that? How do you make the threat real? The easiest way is Magic Weapon, combined with her RNG and special ability you can really start putting away enemy units with it. However, it's risky and probably will just invite a single targeted Soul Skill and nothing more. Another idea is area effect buffs, only available right now from a few sources, mostly Soul Skills. (I guess Kurina splash would also work). The great thing about them is that not only do they buff RMA and make her a threat, they also make your other units stronger. Since they'll be safe while the enemy struggles to take out the threatening RMA, they'll have an opportunity to do some real damage.

The real reason that this works is the one ability she has that none of her detractors have even mentioned, RNG 5. It lets her sit in row 3 and serve as a threat hanging over the entire enemy field.

[Grain]

I think I'll chime in here since I was looking over Lupos' shoulder at one of the aforementioned matches. One of Refess' best strategies (and a heavily underrated strategy in general) is distracting the enemy with a threat. Zagar, if you really think about it, isn't that great. But nearly every player will start throwing everything they got, Sylphs, Undines, Flame Arrows, and even Salamanders at him. When I do use Zagar, my goal with him is just to burn up as many of the enemy's resources as possible.
RMA does the same thing at a level 3 instead of 4, and here's why. At RNG 5, she goes in the back row. Put things that are a pain in the butt to take down in rows one and two, like Folrart Shield Knight and Ancient Spear Knight. Here's what your enemy sees. There's a threat there, far away, it's not strong, but none of his units are safe from it. His support cards could, in theory (although it's unlikely if he's got a lot on the field) be killed at any moment. It's not that killing RMA is hard, but there's just no way to hit it without taking down everything in your way, except maybe a RNG 3 in the front row, which almost never happens. Because of this, any time your opponent gets an opportunity to take it out, like with a Soul Skill or a Flying Attack, he'll target the RMA every time because he doesn't know when he's going to get another chance. If you can get your RMA over the 30 HP 0 DF hurdle, with Wisps or Dryads or EX: Vordore's SS, all of a sudden she burns up two flying attacks or two Soul Skills for every copy you have. That's a lot of enemy resources.
And if your enemy is smart enough not to do that? How do you make the threat real? The easiest way is Magic Weapon, combined with her RNG and special ability you can really start putting away enemy units with it. However, it's risky and probably will just invite a single targeted Soul Skill and nothing more. Another idea is area effect buffs, only available right now from a few sources, mostly Soul Skills. (I guess Kurina splash would also work). The great thing about them is that not only do they buff RMA and make her a threat, they also make your other units stronger. Since they'll be safe while the enemy struggles to take out the threatening RMA, they'll have an opportunity to do some real damage.

The real reason that this works is the one ability she has that none of her detractors have even mentioned, RNG 5. It lets her sit in row 3 and serve as a threat hanging over the entire enemy field.

That would have been fun in the tournament.

[Csquared]

That would have been fun in the tournament.

Funny you should mention that, since it was exactly what I did in the sealed file tournament. Granted, RMA rarely attacked more than once in each game, but that was kind of the point. I only had a chance to play four matches, and I was 1/1/2.


CSquared

[EvilGenius]

I know I said it before, but any Refess card with a 30 AT is a threat. The RNG 5 is icing on the cake.

And I think Alteil is having fun with me. For the past few or so Lottery attempts, I've gotten 3 copies of RMA (bringing my total before recycling to 7...1 from the starter, and 3 from EX packs). Talk about evil programming.