Fortune Lady

The Fortune Ladies are a series of Spellcaster-type monsters, which are also upgraded versions of the "Fortune Fairies". They are used by Carly Carmine in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

"Fortune Lady Light" and "Fortune Lady Fire" were first released in Ancient Prophecy, while the rest were released in Stardust Overdrive.

After Carly Carmine's transformation into a Dark Signer, the cards in her Deck changed. The "Fortune Fairies" evolved into the "Fortune Ladies". Each "Fortune Lady" is an evolved version of the "Fortune Fairies" of the same Attribute and Level.

Each "Fortune Lady" has a different Attribute and Level from 1 to 6. Each one's Attribute and Level correspond to that of her "Fortune Fairy" counterpart. All Ladies are Spellcaster-Type Effect Monsters, with ? ATK and DEF. In the OCG, the names of all known Fortune Ladies have been their Attribute with an added "y" at the end. They all have effects that increase their Levels by 1 each turn. All of their effects either activate when they are Summoned or are used to Special Summon other Fortune Ladies, meaning that they can be strategically used once "Future Visions" is also on the field. They can also be protected with the help of "Slip of Fortune".

Interestingly enough, the OCG cards have similar names to 4 of the element Clow Cards in Cardcaptor Sakura (Windy, Earthy, Firey, Watery). They also seem to derive some inspiration from CLAMP's style in general, such as Fire strongly resembling Hikaru from Magic Knight Rayearth (Though this is more evident in her previous form, Fortune Fairy En). Note that Fortune Ladies increase their level during each standby phase.

General Tips
With so many tech cards to choose from, a Fortune Lady Deck can easily end up having over 40 cards. This isn't much of an issue, considering the sheer draw power the Fortune Ladies can amass (especially in Traditional Format), so don't feel obligated to cut it down to exactly 40. With all of the available Deck-thinning tools, it is appropriate to run at least 45 cards in a Fortune Lady Deck. The deck should end up with massive draw power anyway, especially if you include "Allure of Darkness", "Pot of Avarice", "Fortune's Future" and "Fortune Lady Water". Be aware that even with all that hand-filling goodness, a big Deck will still be painfully inconsistent.

Tips on Timing
Fortune Lady Earth isn't a recommended card to use in a Fortune Lady Deck; only one should be run. This is because she is only useful as a beatstick and for minor burn damage. When using Fortune Lady Light's effect, it's a better choice to pull out Fortune Lady Dark, Fortune Lady Fire or Fortune Lady Water instead of this card, seeing as how the other Fortune Ladies' effects confer greater benefits. This card can be used in an interesting Deck variant based on Fortune Lady Fire and Fortune Lady Earth as the main burn cards. On the other hand, Fortune Lady Earth makes a great choice early in the game while your Graveyard contains few or no Fortune Ladies. Dark can use its revival power when Earth finally bites it.

An important note to be made is that it is useless to Special Summon Fortune Lady Wind as her effect is only applied when she's Normal Summoned.

Tips on "Future Visions"
Fortune Ladies need to swarm the field quickly using Fortune Lady Light and Fortune Lady Dark. For example, you can play Fortune Lady Light while "Future Visions" is face-up on the field to immediately Special Summon Fortune Lady Dark. Interdimensional Matter Transporter works just as well if you don't have Future Visions yet active. Using Fortune Lady Dark and Fortune Lady Light's effects, you can Special Summon:
 * Fortune Lady Water to draw 2 cards, and keep constant hand advantage.
 * Fortune Lady Earth for another beatstick and decent burn damage each turn it's on the field.
 * Fortune Lady Fire to destroy an opponent's troublesome monster (and inflict burn damage).
 * Another Fortune Lady Dark, thus continuing the swarm combo.
 * If you control 2 Fortune Lady Darks and 1 of them destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you can activate both of their effects and Special Summon 2 Fortune Ladies.

Use Terraforming to search out Future Visions as soon as possible; it is a strong "field control" card.

"Future Visions" can be also used to keep the opponent's monster trapped. Do it as follows:
 * 1) Your opponent Normal Summons a monster. Monster gets removed due to "Future Visions"
 * 2) Make "Future Visions" leave the field (via "Giant Trunade", Mist Valley Falcon, etc.)
 * 3) Since the effect that would return the monster from play disappeared, the monster stays out

Running several copies of "Future Visions" can be a great help for a Fortune Lady Deck. When an opponent's monster gets removed from play by a "Future Vision's" effect, playing a new one (and therefore destroying the first) will not only allow you to keep the field the same, but it traps your opponent's monster in the Removed From Play Zone.

While "Future Visions" is active, your opponent may try to set their monsters face-down to avoid them getting removed, so running "Light of Intervention" will allow for further field control. To allow even more uses for field control, use Catoblepas and the Witch of Fate to remove your 'Ladies from your Graveyard and thus prevent your opponent from Special Summoning. "Compulsory Evacuation Device", "Dimensional Prison", Book of Moon, Solemn Warning, Solemn Judgment, Torrential Tribute and "Black Horn of Heaven" also provide excellent field control. The previously mentioned "Compulsory Evacuation Device" can also be used defensively to activate Fortune Lady Light's effect.

Bending Destiny provides similar effect in comparison to Solemn Warning or Solemn Judgment, but Solemn's provide a more versatile use because Bending Destiny requires the field to consist of only Fortune Ladies.

Tips on Support Cards
"Gold Sarcophagus" is handy in the deck because it can work with "Fortune's Future" in tight situations. However, if you can't afford this card, it is not recommended to replace it with "Different Dimension Capsule" because it removes the card face-down and "Fortune's Future" cannot be used.

Since all the Fortune Ladies have different Levels, you can play Reasoning for a quick Summon. It's best to play this card after you've already summoned another Fortune Lady in case you happen to special summon Fortune Lady Water through the effect of Reasoning. Keep in mind that Fortune Lady Fire or Fortune Lady Wind will not receive their effects if they were Special Summoned by the effect of Reasoning, and the likelihood of summoning a Fortune Lady with its secondary effect active is further hampered if your opponent chooses either level 1 (which prevents you from Special Summoning Fortune Lady Light) or Level 6 (which prevents you from Special Summoning Fortune Lady Earth).

"Interdimensional Matter Transporter" allows you to use Fortune Lady Light's effect on either players' turn, thereby allowing the Special Summon of another Fortune Lady such as Fortune Lady Fire or Fortune Lady Water for their effects.

"Magical Dimension" is a very effective card for Fortune Ladies because it is hard to block and it is adaptable to many situations. It can be used to Special Summon Fortune Lady Water and Fortune Lady Dark, get Tuners like Night's End Sorcerer out, and wipe out opposing monsters. As long as the situation calls for it, you can swarm the field with 2 monsters (1 Fortune Lady, due to Light's effect and 1 Spellcaster due to Dimension's effect) by destroying Fortune Lady Light.
 * Note that in the TCG, you can Tribute Fortune Lady Light for the effect of "Magical Dimension" and she will not miss the timing. This is because the Tribute and Special Summon occur simultaneously. However, remember that Fortune Lady Light's effect will miss the timing if you choose to destroy a monster with "Magical Dimension's" additional effect.
 * In the OCG, Tributing and Summoning occur separately, so Fortune Lady Light will miss the timing either way. - Rulings

Kinka-Byo also works in a Fortune Lady deck by reviving Fortune Lady Light and then removing it from play to Summon out any other Fortune Lady. This also means that you can activate Fortune's Future to draw 2 more cards, and return your Fortune Lady to the Graveyard.

Tragoedia is another great tech pick as Fortune Ladies have a lot of draw power, increasing this card's ATK by a few thousand. Its other effect also tends to work well: since Fortune Ladies have various Levels, taking control of you opponent's monster becomes rather easy. The number of LIGHT and DARK monsters in your Deck makes Chaos Sorcerer quite easy to Summon too, and by activating Fortune's Future you can get the removed Lights and Darks back. The same thing can be done with Dark Simorgh via Fortune Lady Dark and Fortune Lady Wind, particularly if you also choose to run Eccentric Boy to increase Synchro speed.

Beast King Barbaros works well with "Future Visions". This is because when he returns to the field Barbaros will regain his original 3000 ATK points, even if he wasn't Summoned with Tributes. If Future Visions is not in play, an alternate use is possible. Due to Fortune Lady Dark, you can swarm the field and gain enough Tributes easily to use the effect of Beast King Barbaros to destroy the opponent's field and attack directly.

Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier is also another great card to go with Fortune Ladies due to its compatibility with Fortune Lady Light. Use Brionac's effect to send Fortune Lady Light back to the hand to Special Summon either Fortune Lady Water or Fortune Lady Dark from your Deck, allowing your field to keep growing while maintaining hand advantage.

The same goes for Cyber Valley as its three effects are compatible with Fortune Ladies, and also for stalling and drawing cards from your Deck. Additionally, if you add in "Fortune's Future", you can get even further mileage out of Cyber Valley: remove Cyber and a Lady to draw two cards, then play "Fortune's Future" to draw two more cards AND recover your Fortune Lady (back to the graveyard). However, note that Cyber Valley will not trigger Fortune Lady Light's effect.
 * "If Fortune Lady Light is removed from play by the effect of Cyber Valley, then afterwards you draw two cards, the timing of Fortune Lady Light's effect is missed and cannot be activated." - Rulings

Cards that can destroy your monsters or remove them from play can be used to rid the field of your opponent's monsters AND activate the effect of Fortune Lady Light. Cards like "Needle Ceiling", "Torrential Tribute", or even single-target cards like "Raigeki Break", can be used to set her off. Just remember not to try it when another effect has started or she will miss the timing for her effect due to the Chain.

Apprentice Magician can work too. Not only does it make a good chump blocker while the Deck is starting up, but one can benefit from the effects of a Fortune Lady Light that is face-down (even when you return her to your hand), so Apprentice Magician's effect can help turn your Lights on.

"Skull Lair" is a great card to use in a Fortune Lady deck. It allows you to remove from play your own Fortune Ladies to destroy monsters on the field, setting you up for "Fortune's Future". It is also a good way to destroy Fortune Lady Light who will probably only be Level 1 or 2 when you'll want to blow her up. Even during the Battle Phase, if you have Fortune Lady Dark on the field and are using her to revive monsters from the Graveyard, you can use "Skull Lair" to easily send Fortune Lady Fire or Fortune Lady Water back to the Graveyard so that another of your Fortune Ladies can bring them back again--tough to get together, and shift the game to your favor.

To further speed and thin the deck up, it is possible to use Apprentice Magician, and also bring out Light to be used with Compulsory Evacuation Device or brought to the graveyard for Kinka-byo. Sunny Pixie can also be used this way for easy tuning, if running a Solidarity deck for Arcanite Magician with a life point boost. Old Vindictive Magician is also a possibility.

Monsters

 * Fortune Lady Light
 * Fortune Lady Water
 * Fortune Lady Dark
 * Fortune Lady Fire
 * Catoblepas and the Witch of Fate
 * Cyber Valley
 * Cyber Dragon
 * Tragoedia
 * Dimensional Alchemist

Spells

 * Future Visions
 * Fortune's Future
 * Dark Hole
 * Monster Reborn
 * One for One
 * Giant Trunade

Traps

 * Compulsory Evacuation Device
 * Mirror Force
 * Dark Bribe
 * Bottomless Trap Hole
 * Torrential Tribute

Zero Fortune
Also known as Absolute Fortune, this deck uses Miracle Fusion to remove the Fortune Ladies which can later be used as fodder for Fortune's Future. It can also use the Destiny Draw Engine together with the Fortune Lady Draw Engine for maximum draw power.

Monsters

 * Fortune Lady Light
 * Fortune Lady Water
 * Fortune Lady Dark
 * Destiny Hero - Malicious
 * Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude
 * Elemental Hero Stratos
 * Deep Sea Diva
 * Dark Armed Dragon

Spells

 * Miracle Fusion
 * Destiny Draw
 * Allure of Darkness
 * Fortune's Future
 * Gold Sarcophagus
 * Future Fusion
 * Foolish Burial

Traps

 * Compulsory Evacuation Device

Extra Deck

 * Elemental Hero Absolute Zero

Future Town
Minefieldriller is used with Future Visions to retrieve Geartown for reuse. Beast King Barbaros and Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon are used as the major beatsticks of the deck.

Monsters

 * Minefieldriller
 * Fortune Lady Light
 * Fortune Lady Fire
 * Fortune Lady Dark
 * Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon
 * Beast King Barbaros
 * Thunder King Rai-Oh

Spells

 * Trade-In
 * Geartown
 * Future Visions
 * Terraforming
 * Fortune's Future
 * Gold Sarcophagus

Traps

 * Compulsory Evacuation Device

Fortunate Simorgh
Dark Simorgh is used to lock down the opponent and as well as removing the Fortune Ladies for Fortune's Future. Since your opponent cannot set, they must summon their monsters which will be removed by Future Visions.

Monsters

 * Dark Simorgh
 * Fortune Lady Wind
 * Fortune Lady Dark
 * Dark Armed Dragon
 * Thunder Dragon
 * Eccentric Boy
 * Broww, Huntsman of Dark World
 * Gorz the Emissary of Darkness
 * Chaos Sorcerer
 * Catoblepas and the Witch of Fate

Spells

 * Fortune's Future
 * Gold Sarcophagus
 * Dark World Dealings
 * Card Destruction
 * Hand Destruction

Traps

 * Anti-Spell Fragrance
 * Dark Bribe (optional)
 * Divine Wrath (optional)

Weaknesses
Even though the Fortune Ladies have an immense amount of draw power and can grow in strength with each passing turn, their effects can easily be ruined through simple cards such as Forbidden Chalice, Double Tool C&D, Skill Drain, Gladiator Beast War Chariot, or even Waboku or Threatening Roar to protect against Fortune Lady Dark. Simply siding in cards such as Dark Bribe, Dust Tornado, Mystical Space Typhoon, Giant Trunade, Solemn Judgment and Fairy Wind will counteract these strategies.

Fortune Ladies tend to rely on summoning, as they must be summoned either from the Graveyard, by "Fortune Lady Dark", or from your hand (through cards like "Inherited Fortune"), or solely on the effects of "Fortune Lady Light". If the swarm starts too late, it can be very difficult to win. Against other swarm decks, such as Blackwings, future visions can slow down both decks if you don't have Fortune Lady Light. Generally against Blackwings and other deck types that require a field presence to start the swarm Future Visions is a good card as it stops the field presence for that turn. However with so many ways to special summon and dodge Future Visions effect it is difficult to supress other swarm decks. Usually it all comes down to who can start the swarm first.

Fortune Ladies are completely starved of any Extra Deck support and must rely mostly on Fortune Lady Dark and Fortune Lady Earth for power. As a result, Stardust Dragon gives them real trouble due to its immunity to Fortune Lady Fire's effect. The only way to solve the Extra Deck problem is to splash in another archetype.

Censoring
Like many female monsters (Harpies, Cyber Girls...) Fortune Ladies' Artworks got censored in the European and US version of the game. Except their kind of "Black-Swimsuit" they were supposed to be totally naked, but the color of their skin was changed to make it look they've put on tights. For example, Fortune Lady Fire whose skin is Light-Red got her body color replace by a Blue-Turquoise tight. Time Passage and Inherited Fortune were also edited.