Dark Contract
"Dark Contract", known as "Contract" (
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Playing styleEdit
The "Dark Contract" cards deal damage to their controller each Standby Phases of their turn, in exchange for other advantageous effects which have great synergy with "D/D" monsters, helping them perform all kinds of Summons without losing much hand advantage. The "Dark Contract" cards include:
- "Dark Contract with the Gate": Arguably the most important member since it can search any "D/D" monster from the Deck.
- "Dark Contract with the Swamp King" and "Forbidden Dark Contract with the Swamp King": Can Fusion Summon Fiend Fusion Monsters, including the "D/D" ones.
- "Dark Contract with the Entities": Provides a variety of effects based on which of their various types of "D/D/D" Extra Deck monsters they Special Summon, ranging from gaining LP, gaining effect targeting protection, a banish or a draw then a discard.
- "Dark Contract with the Yamimakai": Can place a "D/D" Pendulum Monster from the face-up Extra Deck or GY" to the Pendulum Zone.
- "Dark Contract with Patent License": Can prevent the opponent from Summoning additional Extra Deck monsters of a certain card type (Fusion, Synchro, Xyz or Link) if the user also controls a "D/D/D" monster with the same type while also recovering a "D/D" card from the GY or face-up Extra Deck upon the card itself being sent to the GY.
- "Dark Contract with the Witch": Can destroy any card on the field at anytime while providing an ATK boost to Fiend monsters.
- "Dark Contract with the Eternal Darkness": Prevents the opponent from doing various actions while having two "D/D" cards in the Pendulum Zones, including the ability to use monsters on the field for a Fusion, Synchro, Xyz or Tribute Summon, or targeting them with Spell/Trap effects.
- "Dark Contract with Errors": Has a temporary "Royal Decree"-like effect.
"Dark Contract" cards are supported by some "D/D" monsters; "D/D Savant Kepler", "D/D/D Wave King Caesar" and "D/D/D Wave High King Caesar" can search "Dark Contract" cards from the Deck, "D/D Ghost", "D/D Savant Copernicus" and "D/D/D Marksman King Tell" can mill "Dark Contract"s while "D/D Savant Newton", "D/D/D Flame King Genghis" and "D/D/D Duo-Dawn King Kali Yuga can retrieve "Dark Contract" cards from the GY. Most "D/D" cards offer a way to either prevent their damage, negate their effects, remove the "Dark Contract" cards from the field, or even gain LP to compensate for the damage taken.
For preventing damage, "D/D/D Rebel King Leonidas" can Special Summon itself upon its user taking effect damage as a "Dark Contract" card's effect inflicts damage. Providing a solid body of 2600 ATK and restoring the lost LP, it also prevents further effect damage, allowing the "Dark Contract" cards to be used as much as one wants without consequences, provided "Leonidas" is still on the field. "D/D/D Oracle King d'Arc" also serves as an interesting choice, which converts any effect damage into LP restoration, thus being able to amass an impressive amount of LP each turn, being able to reverse the negative effect of any "Dark Contract" that can result in large values of LP through cumulative gain. Furthermore, due to converting the effect damage into LP, even if "d'Arc" and "Leonidas" are together, "Leonidas" won't interfere with "d'Arc" enabling the LP gain to continue. Through this method, all of the "Dark Contract" cards generate several advantages at no downside. "Go! - D/D/D Divine Zero King Rage" also helps as once per turn, it can completely prevent any effect damage a "Dark Contract" would inflict while providing a great Scale of 0.
For negating the effects that deal damage, "D/D/D Flame High King Genghis", "D/D Savant Copernicus", "D/D Savant Newton and "D/D/D Cursed King Siegfried" can all accomplish this; the latter can also restore 1000 LP for each "Dark Contract" upon its destruction.
For removing the "Dark Contract" cards on the field, examples include using "Dark Contract with the Witch" to destroy itself or another "Dark Contract" before damage is inflicted, "D/D Lamia" can send a "Dark Contract" to Special Summon itself from the hand or GY, "D/D/D Wave Oblivion King Caesar Ragnarok" can return a "Dark Contract" to the hand when battling, allowing it to absorb other monsters while "D/D/D Dragonbane King Beowulf" and "D/D/D Duo-Dawn King Kali Yuga" can destroy all Spells and Traps on the field. Any Extra Deck monster summoned by using "D/D/D Vice King Requiem" as material can gain the effect of shuffling a "Dark Contract" card on the field (or GY), destroy a card and gain 1000LP. Finally, "D/D/D Deviser King Deus Machinex" can also destroy "Dark Contract" cards to attach the opponent's monsters to itself as material.
Outside of "D/D" cards, "Dark Contract" cards are also supported by "Contract Laundering", which destroys them, then grants the player with an extra draw and 1000 LP for each "Dark Contract" card destroyed, removing almost all conceivable disadvantage the "Dark Contract" payments could impose.
As per the New Master Rule, the "D/D" and "Dark Contract" playstyle has been crippled due to the Pendulum Zones being merged with the Spell & Trap Zones which restricts the number of "Dark Contract" cards and other Spells/Traps the user can have on the field, even moreso while they have cards in their Pendulum Zones.