Revendread Slayer โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Vendread" Ritual Spell. Once per battle, if this card battles an opponent's monster, during damage calculation (Quick Effect): You can banish 1 Zombie monster from your GY; this card gains 300 ATK. If this Ritual Summoned card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 Ritual Spell from your Deck to your hand, and if you do, send 1 "Vendread" monster from your Deck to the GY. You can only use this effect of "Revendread Slayer" once per turn. โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ Can Be Found In: Code of the Duelist (COTD-EN082), OTS Tournament Pack (OP06-EN004)
Ritual Monsters gained a big list of improvements over the years, in part compensating the tough competition of Extra Deck strategies in most Decks. Ritual Summon requires a big investment of our Main Deck to not only obtain both a Ritual Monster and Spell, but also the enough materials to perform the summon. During the first years this was a very expensive investment unless working arround cheap monsters like "Relinquished", but as time passed Ritual Summon obtained several updates on their performance. From shortcuts on our Ritual Summons to additional effects in our Ritual Monsters, Ritual Summon took quite a while to achieve a variety of efficient builds.
"Revendread Slayer" is the lead monster of the Vendread archetype, a group of Zombies taking advantage of the Type's mechanics to Ritual Summon monsters like this one. "Slayer" has a simple effect activated during each battle against an opponent's monster, banishing a Zombie in our Graveyard for permanently gain 300 ATK. Since this will gradually make it stronger "Slayer" won't take long to be removed from the field, but if is sent to the Graveyard after being Ritual Summoned we can obtain a Ritual Spell from the Deck and dump a Vendread monster from the Deck in return. An in-battle effect and a backup plan once leaves the field might seem that "Slayer" is not that impressive compared to other Ritual Monsters, but once we apply the archetype's gimmicks it can become one of the most dangerous monsters out there.
Although Vendread has other Ritual Monsters to work with, "Slayer" will become the priority due some additional advantages it can obtain during the progress of a Duel. With "Vendread Nights" looking for "Slayer" and common Ritual tools like "Preparation of Rites" as well "Slayer" itself looking for Ritual Spells, it won't take long to have the key cards for the Ritual Summon. The non-Ritual monsters in the archetype have a diverse number of conditions to revive themselves, and combined with staple Zombie options like "Book of Life" and "Mezuki" we won't run out of materials to summon "Slayer". Not only that, but "Revendread Origin" allows us to use materials directly from our Graveyard, while "Revendread Evolution" does so with a Vendread in our Deck (Like a copy of "Slayer" paying the whole summon). "Evolution" it can become more valuable in late game, as with its ability to Ritual Summon "Slayer" from the Graveyard it can bring it back as we mill a Vendread in the process for further benefits. Don't worry is we banish too many monsters due the archetype's nature, as cards like "Vendread Anima" and "Vendread Reunion" among others will retrieve them to keep with our Ritual Summons.
"Slayer" is that kind of monster that we can't see its true potential until we apply the rest of the build to its performance. The ATK boost since is permanent can make "Slayer" a powerful attacker the longer it stays on the field, and with the protection from the Graveyard effect provided by "Revendread Origin" we can assure its safety against destructive sources. The non-Ritual monsters in the archetype not only can revive themselves but also grant additional effects to any monster Ritual Summoned by using them as materials, allowing "Slayer" to destroy cards each turn with "Vendread Houndhorde" and "Vendread Revenants", or improving its own performance thanks to "Vendread Core" and "Vendread Striges". Obviously these effects can apply to other Ritual Monsters that can make company to "Slayer", with "Vendread Battlelord" shutting down a card type during our turn or "Vendread Chimera" negating card or effect activations. However, a lone "Slayer" can still be a problem not only by the granted effects from our materials but also "Vendread Chimera", a Trap Card capable of clearing the whole board but "Slayer" itself. Keep on mind that its searching effect will trigger no matter how is sent to the Graveyard, so as long "Slayer" was Ritual Summoned it can give us a Ritual Spell no matter if was defeated or used as material for other summons.
Despite Vendread offering stronger Ritual Monsters to focus on, "Revendread Slayer" has some small yet noticeable benefits to make it the core card of the archetype. A low and solid Level to make its Ritual Summon steady from early to late game, the Vendread materials providing additional effects to work along its ATK boosts, and the Graveyard coverage provided by "Revendread Origin" and "Revendread Evolution" makes "Slayer" a sturdy monster that becomes more threatening as turns passes. "Slayer" is obviously a monster very dependant of other cards, starting with its Ritual Summon to the effects and Graveyard options to work along with. The latter is quite apparent as most of its efficiency comes from being Ritual Summoned, and although it can be revived by one of many options it will lost all its power including its ability to search for a Ritual Spell unless brought back by "Evolution". With more than enough support to work with, "Slayer" might not be the most impressive Ritual Monster on its own but can become one of the most dominant creatures in a Duel thanks to the many options involving it.
Personal Rating: A
+ In each battle against a monster it can banish a Zombie in the Graveyard to permanently gain 300 ATK + If Ritual Summoned and sent to the Graveyard it will search a Ritual Spell and mill a Vendread monster from our Deck + Greatly supported by its archetype in both performance and Ritual Summon from early to late game
- Most of its efficiency comes from working along other Vendread cards and effects
