Amazoness Empress
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"Amazoness Queen" + 1 "Amazoness" monster
Other "Amazoness" cards you control cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects. If your "Amazoness" monster attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent. If this face-up Fusion Summoned card is destroyed by battle, or leaves the field because of an opponent's card effect while its owner controls it: You can Special Summon 1 "Amazoness Queen" from your hand, Deck, or GY.
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Can Be Found In: Circuit Break (CIBR-EN095)
Amazoness is often treated as an underdog archetype, yet remains popular among various players in part due its recurrent pressence in various series. Despite their below average stats, the archetype keeps a strong control of battles with an array of effects covering their weaknesses while leading against the strongest threats. Slowly but steady Amazoness gained further options to expand their strategy, with methods to swarm the board as well bring their strongest creatures and provide their abilities to the rest of monsters. While still far from a competitive build, Amazoness shouldn't be underestimated with a fanbase still keeping their pressence active after all these years.
"Amazoness Empress" is one of the few monsters introducing Fusion Summon into the archetype, adding their own Extra Deck options after decades in the game. "Empress" takes some similarities to its core material "Amazoness Queen" by protecting other Amazoness from battle, but goes a step further as also makes all other Amazoness cards survive destructive effects. "Empress" not only goes defensive but also offensive, as will let all Amazoness (Including itself) to deal piercing damage when battling targets in Defense Position. The final effect of "Empress" serves to cover some of its weaknesses, as if this Fusion Summoned card is destroyed by any source it will let us summon "Amazoness Queen" from our hand, Deck, or Graveyard. Overall supporting the whole archetype with its mere pressence, "Empress" become a good investment to summon it and immediately obtain a strong board as we gather more Amazoness to benefit of its effects.
Requiring "Amazoness Queen" and any other member of the archetype, there are plenty of opportunities to summon "Amazoness Empress" when needed the most. When comes to obtaining any Amazoness shouldn't be difficult given we could start the opening hand with atleast one of them, as cards such as "Reinforcement of the Army" and "Amazoness Call" will look for the vast majority of monsters the archetype can offer. When comes to "Queen" itself might be a bit rougher, as if not added by the stated "Amazoness Call" we might need replacements like "King of the Swamp" (Also able to look for "Polymerization" if needed) or "Elemental HERO Prisma" to take the spot as material. But among the many replacements we can play with the best choice goes for "Amazoness Princess", not only being treated as "Queen" while on the field but also able to search for Amazoness cards when summoned. While "Empress" ability to summon "Queen" if defeated only activates if Fusion Summoned, don't hesistate on reviving it in later turns if its other abilities will still benefit our monsters in certain moments of a Duel.
"Amazoness Empress" is a monster that works best along the rest of the archetype, and shouldn't take too much work to start obtaining results with its first two effects. Battle immunity not only protects other Amazoness from stronger monsters, but also any surprises the opponent might play during a Battle Phase. Among the monsters in the build "Amazoness Swords Woman" might get the best benefits from this effect, as will stay on the board as declares attacks and redirect any damage we could take against stronger monsters. When comes to effects is a bit trickier given "Empress" can still be taken down by them, but still useful to protect other monsters specially if preparing materials for another summon. Not only that but "Empress" also protects the archetype's Spells and Traps, keeping key cards like "Amazoness Village" and "Amazoness Onslaught" safe and constantly active. Piercing damage might be rare unless battling defensive Decks, but by playing along cards like "Enemy Controller" we can keep assuring damage as members like "Amazoness Trainee" and "Amazoness Sage" trigger their abilities easily. While the defeat of "Empress" is not that rough given we'll obtain "Amazoness Queen" in return, keep on mind that if we summon "Amazoness Tiger" or another "Empress" (The latter by either revival or preparing a Link Monster) they'll protect each other by covering this monster's biggest weakness.
Much like "Amazoness Queen", "Amazoness Empress" is a monster which objective is to stay on the field to power up the whole archetype with its effects. Mainly with its protection against all destructive sources, the pressence of "Empress" will make its allies and backrow quite sturdy against many dangers out there. Piercing damage might not become a frequent ability, but given that even "Empress" can benefit from it even alone can cause some devastating attacks no matter the enemy. As pointed out the main problem of "Empress" is that is not protected by its own effects, becoming the main target of most removal effects to end with "Queen" potentially being defeated with the rest of Amazoness cards afterwards. Despite an obvious weakness, "Amazoness Empress" is worth the small Fusion support the archetype gained to further expand its options and improve their overall efficiency arround their core gamestyle.
+ Protects all other Amazoness cards from destructive sources
+ Amazoness will deal piercing damage against defensive monsters
+ If Fusion Summoned and destroyed will summon "Amazoness Queen" in return
- Piercing damage might have rare uses
- Unprotected by its own effects makes it the main target of most countermeasures
