Therion
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 "Therion "Duke" Yul", "Therion "Reaper" Fum", and "Springans Captain Sargas" in the artwork of "Therion Charge" | |||||||||||||
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"Therion", known in the OCG as "Therions" (セリオンズ Serionzu), is an archetype introduced in Dimension Force.
Lore
Etymology
Thēríon (θηρίον) is the Greek word for "wild animal" or "beast". It refers to the archetype's theme of the western zodiac. The English word "zodiac" is derived from the Greek term zōidiakòs kýklos (ζῳδιακός κύκλος; lit. "circle of little animals"), which reflects the prominence of animals among the twelve signs.
The meaning of zōidiakòs kýklos ("circle of little animals") may also be an origin for the archetype's gladiatorial theme. Furthermore, the center of "Therion Discolosseum" is a spoked wheel, an image used to represent the zodiac.
The "Therion" members are named after stars that belong to the various constellations of the western zodiac.
However, "Therion "Empress" Alasia" is instead named after a star from the constellation Serpens. Serpens is the serpent held by Ophiuchus, one of the thirteen constellations that cross the ecliptic (for this reason, Ophiuchus is suggested to be the 13th sign of the zodiac).
Design
Members
"Springans Captain Sargas" follows the same zodiac theme as the "Therion" monsters. It represents the zodiac Scorpio, and it is named after the star Sargas (θ Scorpii).
The related "Spright" archetype also shares the same zodiac theme, encompassing most of the remaining astrological signs unused by the "Therion" archetype.
Playing style
The "Therion" archetype revolves around Special Summoning high-Level monsters of various Types from the hand by equipping them with monsters from the GY, and having "Therion" monsters gain other members' individual effects by equipping them to themselves. Secondarily, the archetype revoles around interactions specifying "Endless Engine Argyro System", who itself is an archetype-specific "Foolish Burial".
Each "Therion" monster, except "Therion Irregular", can be Special Summoned from the hand by targeting a "Therion" monster or a monster with their respective Type in the Graveyard, after which they immediately equip the targeted monster to themselves. "Therion Irregular" instead targets and equips up to 3 "Therion" monsters to Special Summon itself, and only targets "Therion" monsters.
Each "Therion" monster, except "Therion Irregular", also feature an individual effect that provides removal, negation, searching, or protection. They also share a third continuous effect to grant its individual effect to a "Therion" monster it is equipped to, along with 700 ATK. This effect specifies that the equipper "Therion" can activate the granted effect as if it had the name of the equipped "Therion"; this specification means that the cards' only once per turn clauses are shared between the copied effects, and the player cannot "reuse" the effect by granting it to a different monster.
Each effect also requires a cost of sending a card from the player's hand or field to the GY, or an equivalent negative effect applied at resolution, presumably to balance out the inherent +1 advantage from Special Summoning a "Therion".
| Therion | Type | Individual Effect summary | Effect cost / Equivalent self-affecting effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Bull" Ain | Warrior | Ignition targeted destruction | Destroys 1 "Therion" card from field. |
| "Duke" Yul | Psychic | Card effect destruction protection. | - |
| "King" Regulus | Machine | Card effect negate | Costs 1 "Therion" Monster Card from hand/field. |
| "Reaper" Fum | Aqua | Quick targeted bounce | Returns 1 "Therion" card from S/T Zone. |
| "Lily" Borea | Plant | Search 1 "Therion" Spell/Trap | Costs 1 card from hand/field. |
| "Empress" Alasia | Reptile | Summon 1 "Therion" Monster Card from S/T Zone | Costs 1 card from hand. |
"Therion Irregular" has a board wipe as its individual effect, and its equip effect is instead an activated effect to have it Special Summon itself, and equip to it the monster it was equipped to.
"Therion" monsters are also supported by a series of Spells and Trap Cards that allow setting up the GY for further plays. "Endless Engine Argyro System" can send 1 "Therion" monster from the Deck to the GY, immediately setting up the Summons of "Therion" monsters in the player's hand. In the GY, "Argyro System" can recycle another "Therion" card for reuse, but not in the same turn it's sent to the GY. "Therion Discolosseum" searches a "Therion" on activation and provides battle protection (that also indirectly searches "Therion" monsters by milling them to GY as battle protection) and battle-based recovery. "Therion Charge" is an archetypal "Trade-In" that cycles cards and sets up the GY.
For Traps, "Therion Cross" is a monster negate/banish disruption, and "Therion Stand Up!" is a monster revival with a GY effect to equip another "Therion" monster from GY.
As a focused Deck, the "Therion" archetype benefits from milling-based engines to set up the GY, such as "P.U.N.K." or "Ogdoadic"-based "Chaos Ruler" / "The Zombie Vampire" milling combos. Alternatively, the Deck can focus on using a "Lonefire Blossom" and "Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio"-based Plant engine to turbo out "Lily" Borea for consistent searches.
Individual "Therion" monsters can also be splashed into other typing-based Decks as extenders and combo tools, in particular Plants and Machines via "Lily" Borea and "King" Regulus.
Recommended cards
Recommended cards
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