The Winged Dragon of Ra (series)
The Winged Dragon of Ra, known in Japan as Winged Divine Dragon of Ra (ラーの
Playing style[edit]
The main goal of the deck is simple; Summoning the original "Ra" at full-power, powered up through various support cards. Said monster, "Ra", is by-far the simplest member of the series on its own; it cannot be Special Summoned, requires 3 Tributes to be Normal Summoned and, upon being Summoned and allows the controller to pay all but 100 of their LP to boost the ATK/DEF of "Ra" by the amount paid. By itself, "Ra" is rather unimpressive and prone to being easily removed as simply negating its effect renders it the weakest monster on the field and the controller extremely vulnerable. However, this can be mitigated, as "The Winged Dragon of Ra - Sphere Mode" can easily Special Summon its counterpart from the hand or Deck, with 4000 ATK/DEF to boot. "Sphere Mode" is also capable of clearing the opponent’s field as itself can be Normal Summoned to their side by Tributing 3 of their monsters; "Sphere Mode" cannot be targeted for cards effects or attacks either, making it a decent defensive choice, though the opponent can still use it as material for things such as Summoning monsters from the Extra Deck. In turn, of the original "Ra", "The Winged Dragon of Ra - Immortal Phoenix" can Special Summoned from the Graveyard, providing another 4000 ATK/DEF monster that also cannot be affected by other card effects, with its own Summon being immune to any possible responses. "Immortal Phoenix" can also send monsters to the Graveyard at the cost of 1000 LP for each one, ignoring effects that would prevent them from being targeted or destroyed. It can also send itself to the Graveyard in order to Summon "Sphere Mode", which can be used to Summon another "Ra" at 4000 ATK/DEF. "Ra's Disciple" may also provide some usefulness, as it can easily gather up the fodder to Summon "Ra".
In terms of Spell/Trap support, "Ancient Chant" adds a copy of "The Winged Dragon of Ra" to your hand, as well as allowing an additional Tribute Summon that turn. Banishing "Ancient Chant" from the Graveyard before also Tribute Summoning "Ra" will allow its original ATK and DEF to become equal to all monsters used for its Summon. "Millennium Revelation" can send a Divine-Beast monster from the hand to the Graveyard to search for "Monster Reborn" from said Graveyard or the Deck, and by sending it to the Graveyard allows you to resurrect "Ra" with "Monster Reborn". However, note doing so returns "Ra" to the Graveyard during the End Phase. "Blaze Cannon" is arguably the deadliest support card; as a Quick-Play Spell, it can easily be chained to any effects the opponent may use to make "Ra" not only unaffected by opposing effects, but also able to further boost its ATK by Tributing other monsters who have yet to attack and send all opposing monsters to the Graveyard after it attacks. "Dark Spell Regeneration" can steal your opponent’s used Spells they attack, potentially providing a devastating comeback on top of being able to revive your "Ra". This also allows you to get rid of an opponent’s monster, but as with "Revelation" this comes with the downside of "Ra" not staying present for more than a turn. Finally, the Continuous Trap "Sun God Unification" can replace the need to use "Ra" itself for a stat boost, which can possibly save it from cards that would negate the effect and make it useless. "Sun God" can also Tribute the Egyptian God to restore your LP, with both effects being readily available if "Ra" is on the field. These cards could also toy with the opponent to a degree, as a cunning individual could use them to waste an opponent’s resources under the right circumstances.
The "Slime" archetype can help immensely with Summoning "Ra"; for instance the Fusion Monster, "Egyptian God Slime" is easily able to act as the entirety of needed Tributes to Summon not only "Ra", but the other Egyptian Gods as well. "Mound of the Bound Creator" is also highly useful in protecting your boss monsters, which in turn could be protected by "Malefic Stardust Dragon". Cards that easily Summon Tokens, such as "Reactor Slime", are also a great choice to mix in, as could be some "Monarch" cards when it comes to Tribute Summons.
Recommended cards
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Trivia[edit]
- This series of cards cover the missing abilities of "The Winged Dragon of Ra" in the anime and manga:
- "Ancient Chant" covers "Ra's" first power to gain ATK and DEF from the monsters Tributed for its Tribute Summon.
- "Blaze Cannon" covers "Ra's" "Instant Attack" ability to allow it attack regardless of cards and conditions, as well as attacking all the opponent's monsters. It also provides "Ra" with one of the Point-to-Point Transfer ability to Tribute other monsters to gain their combined ATK and DEF.
- "Dark Spell Regeneration" and "Millennium Revelation" covers "Ra's" ability to be Special Summoned, like any other Egyptian Gods, while "Ra" by itself cannot be Special Summoned in the OCG/TCG.
- "Sun God Unification" covers "Ra's" "Point-to-Point Transfer" ability to pay all of the user's LP but 1 to increase its ATK and DEF by the amount paid. As "Ra" by itself cannot be Special Summoned and its Point-to-Point Transfer ability can only be used when it's Normal Summoned, this card allows the user to perform this ability to a Special Summoned "The Winged Dragon of Ra". It covers "Ra's" ability to use "De-Fusion" to reduce its ATK and DEF to 0 and gain LP equal to "Ra's" ATK after Point-to-Point Transfer is used as well. The "Point-to-Point Transfer" was also integrated into the second effect of "Juragedo".
- "The Winged Dragon of Ra - Immortal Phoenix" being unaffected by other card effects is a reference to "Egyptian God Phoenix's" immortality in the anime and manga. It also provides the better version of "Ra's" ability to take out monsters by paying 1000 LP, "Immortal Phoenix" sends the monster to the Graveyard instead of destroys and does not target.
- "The Winged Dragon of Ra - Sphere Mode" is a reference to "Ra" being locked in Sphere Mode when first Summoned in the anime and manga, unless the user chanted the hieratic text to unlock it from its Sphere Mode, which is done by Tributing itself to Special Summon "Ra" ignoring its Summoning conditions in the OCG/TCG.
