Thanks for clearing stuff up.

For #1, I'll take that to mean that archetypeless cards are more "best-fit" than dead-end.

As for monster levels, I'm inferring levels 5+ to be a bit free-form? levels 1-4 as rookie (and below) seems straightforward albeit really raises the upper bound. (If Gagagigo is a Rookie then Gogiga Gagagigo would be a Perfect stage, wouldn't it?) Synchro levels, XYZ ranks and Link ratings seem a bit difficult to untangle. levels 5-6 are relatively uncommon as well but we might be able to make do. levels 7-8ish for perfect forms works, and megas can be the particularly impractical big boss monsters. That about right?

I'm trying to get a grasp on the relative "power" of each stage. So, as an example, Skilled Dark Magician > Dark Magician Girl > Dark Magician > Sorcerer of Dark Magic would work, though I'm not sure what you could use as a champion stage if you wanted Dark Magician Girl as a separate evolution line.
As an example of [i]that[/i], Chocolate Magician Girl > Dark Magician Girl > Magi Magi Magician Girl > Idk what you'd use as a mega stage other than The Dark Magicians.

Are we cutting out an evolution stage? Kinda sounds that way based on your comment on Cloudians.

The first digimon anime did treat megas as extra special I suppose? I forgot to ask about that I guess. Will there be any special requirements for evolution like crests from the digimon anime? I think I prefer the video-game-esque feel of not needing them, personally.