The new Yu-Gi-Oh Trading Card Game set, Rage of the Abyss, has drawn significant attention due to its apparent homage to FromSoftware’s Elden Ring, particularly in the design of a new card named Denial Deity Dotan. This card seems to reflect the final boss from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, resembling Promised Consort Radahn. The comparison was first highlighted by a Reddit user, indicating a deliberate connection between the two characters, especially as the Rage of the Abyss set was released on October 10.
Denial Deity Dotan is depicted as a large, tan warrior wielding dual greatswords, complemented by an angelic figure on his shoulders and flowing hair. This imagery is reminiscent of Radahn, emphasizing the intention behind Dotan’s design.
The card functions as a fusion monster that requires one Light monster and two others to summon, reflecting Radahn’s transformation involving the corpses of Mohg and Miquella, who come together in the lore of Elden Ring to create the Promised Consort. This connection makes Dotan’s character design a clear homage rather than a mere coincidence.
Despite the intriguing design, Denial Deity Dotan’s gameplay value is questionable. In a competitive environment, the card is not particularly effective, costing around $0.02 on TCG Player, suggesting it has little demand among players. The implication is that while Dotan embodies a significant cultural reference, it does not translate into substantial utility within the game.
Players might find that trading three monsters and a fusion trigger for a single monster with 3000 attack points is not a beneficial exchange. While Dotan does have some defensive capabilities, including battle protection and immunity to certain destruction effects, he remains vulnerable to many common game mechanics, such as banishing and negation.
Furthermore, the card’s requirement to avoid sharing monsters with opponents is seen as an awkward limitation, especially given the prevalence of neutral hand trap cards that could counteract this strategy.
Denial Deity Dotan stands out as a potentially noteworthy card among FromSoftware-inspired Yu-Gi-Oh cards. However, its effectiveness in actual gameplay appears limited, leaving it more as a collector’s item than a competitive card. For fans of both Elden Ring and Yu-Gi-Oh, Dotan may serve as an exciting crossover, but its practical implications within the game are less promising.
