True Draco
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"True Draco" and "True King", known as "True Dragon" (真竜 Shinryū) in the OCG, is an archetype of Wyrm monsters that premiered in The Dark Illusion with its first support debuting in Maximum Crisis.
Contents
Design
True King
The "True Kings" are Level 9 Wyrm-Type monsters whose combined ATK and DEF equal 4800. They share some similarities with the "Dragon Rulers", such as the fact they are FIRE, WIND, WATER and EARTH-Attribute, share a combined sum of ATK and DEF among them, and have effects related to their Attributes:
- If this card is in your hand: You can destroy 2 other monsters in your hand and/or face-up on your field, including a(n) [its own Attribute] monster, and if you do, Special Summon this card, and if you do that, and both destroyed monsters were [its own Attribute], you can [...].
- If this card is destroyed by card effect: You can [add/Special Summon] 1 non-[its own Attribute] Wyrm-Type monster from your [Deck/Graveyard].
- You can only use each effect of "[card name]" once per turn.
Regarding their lore, each one is related to a same-Attribute Archetype released on the same set as themselves, except "Mariamne", as follows:
| "True King" | Attribute | Corresponding "Dragon Ruler" | Rival Archetype | Battle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agnimazud | FIRE | Blaster | Metalfoes | Metalfoes Combination |
| Bahrastos | WATER | Tidal | Crystron | Crystron Impact |
| Lithosagym | EARTH | Redox | Zoodiac | Zoodiac Combo |
| Mariamne | WIND | Tempest | None | None |
Lore-wise, "Mariamne" seems to be somehow different from the other "True Kings", as hinted in the artwork and name of "Disciples of the True Dracophoenix" and in the artwork of "True Draco Heritage". Also, she does not have the same name pattern as the others ("True King [name], the [noun]"), and the appearance of "Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King" (his wings and the symbol on his shield) hints that there is a relation between both of them.
Finally, it poses a benevolent mien, in contrast to the aggressive, destructive figure of the other "True Kings". She also is the only female member among the Level 9 monsters. However, while she was released along side a WIND archetype, "Lyrilusc", in vein of the earlier "True Kings" being released with an archetype matching their own attributes, there is no lore connection between "Mariamne" and "Lyrilusc" monsters.
True Draco
In terms of artwork, each True Draco is related to a Pendulum Archetype released in the OCG 9th Series sets and are focused on Tribute Summons:
| "True Draco" | Attribute | Referenced Archetype | Special Summon counterpart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ignis Heat | FIRE | Igknight | Ignister Prominence |
| Dinomight Knight | WATER | Dinomist | Dinoster Power |
| Majesty Maiden | WIND | Majespecter | Majester Paladin |
| Dreiath III | EARTH | Amorphage | Amorphactor Pain |
| Master Peace | LIGHT | Dracoslayer | Master Peace |
| Metaltron XII | LIGHT | Metalfoes Crystron Zoodiac |
N/A |
Playing style
True King
Each one of the "True Kings" have a non-targeting banishing effect that is applied if the Attributes of both monsters destroyed for its Special Summon match its own Attribute. Additionally, they activate a different effect that triggers if they are destroyed by a card effect, interacting with a Wyrm monster with a different Attribute from its own.
| "True King" | Attribute | Banishing effect | Destroyed effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agnimazud | FIRE | Banishes 1 monster from the opponent's field or Graveyard. | Adds a non-FIRE Wyrm monster from the Graveyard to the hand. |
| Bahrastos | WATER | Banishes up to 2 Spell/Trap Cards from the opponent's field or Graveyard. | Special Summons a non-WATER Wyrm monster from the Deck. |
| Lithosagym | EARTH | Banishes up to 3 different monsters from the opponent's Extra Deck. | Special Summons a non-EARTH Wyrm monster from the Graveyard. |
| Mariamne | WIND | Banishes 4 cards from the top of the opponent's Main Deck. | Adds a non-WIND Wyrm monster from the Deck to the hand. |
Their boss monster is "True King of All Calamities", a DARK Rank 9 Xyz Monster whose effect turns the Attributes of all monsters on the field into a declared Attribute, while suppressing opposing monsters of that Attribute from activating their effects and attacking. It also allows its controller to destroy opposing monsters in the Summoning process of the "True King" monsters.
True Draco
The "True Draco" revolve around Tribute Summons and can be Tribute Summoned by Tributing a Continuous Spell or Trap Card. Their effects provide further support to the "True Draco" and "True King" monsters, either by searching for resources or protecting other monsters.
The aforementioned Spell Cards provide card advantage either by recycling "True King"/"Draco" monsters from the Graveyard or by providing draws according to the number of "True King"/"Draco" cards sent to the Graveyard that turn. The Trap Cards can either weaken opposing monsters or revive a "True King"/"Draco" as the last Special Summon of that turn. They also have in common an effect that allows its controller to Tribute Summon a "True King"/"Draco" monster during the opponent's Main Phase. Finally, if the Spell Cards are sent from the field to the Graveyard, they can destroy a Spell/Trap card, while the Trap Cards deal with monsters; this last effect can be triggered when they are Tributed for the Summon of a "True King"/"Draco", providing even trades in terms of card economy while disrupting the opponent's actions.
The ace monsters of this sub-archetype are "Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King" and "Metaltron XII, the True Dracombatant". With Level 8 and 9, they can be Tribute Summoned by Tributing Continuous Spell/Trap Cards. Also, they are unaffected by cards with the same type of the cards Tributed. The former can destroy 1 card on the field at the cost of a Continuous Spell/Trap Card in the Graveyard while the latter, once destroyed, replaces itself with a Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Monster of one of the four elemental Attributes. "Master Peace, the True Dracoslayer" is also a "True Draco" monster, but it is related and has more synergy with the "Dracoslayer"/"Dracoverlord" archetypes than with "True Dracos" themselves.
Recommended cards
Yang Zing True Kings
By combining the deck with "Yang Zing" monsters, it is possible to Summon powerful Synchro Monsters such as "Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier", "Leo, the Keeper of the Sacred Tree", and "Shooting Quasar Dragon".
Recommended cards
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True King Dinosaurs
This build's main goal is to explore the synergy of "Lithosagym" with the EARTH Dinosaur monsters, basically "Petiteranodon" and "Babycerasaurus", crippling the opponent's Extra Deck while Special Summoning Dinosaurs from the Deck in the process and setting up Xyz and Synchro Summons.
In the TCG, True King Dinosaur decks were left unplayable following the September 2017 banlist leaving "True King Lithosagym, the Disaster" and "Denglong, First of the Yang Zing" forbidden and "Miscellaneousaurus" limited.
Weaknesses
Due to the consistency of a dedicated "True King"/"Draco" Deck, it is not easy to build a effective, long-lasting counter-strategy to them. However, since the Deck is focused on Special Summoning the "True Kings", cards that prevent or negate monster effects (such as "Solemn Strike") can hinder the deck since the Level 9 monsters can only use their effects once per turn, even if negated. "Mind Drain" can lock the "True Kings" from activating their effects in the hand. "Mask of Restrict" and "Fog King" can prevent the "True Dracos" from being Tribute Summoned, which also prevents disruption of its opponent's field caused by the "True Draco" Spell/Trap Cards. The variety of Attributes can make them vulnerable to cards like "Gozen Match". "Zombie World" prevents the Tribute Summon of "True Draco" monsters. It also nullifies the effects of "Agnimazud" and "Lithosagym".
Although "Macro Cosmos" and "Masked HERO Dark Law" do not stop the "True Kings" and "Mariamne", and "Metaltron XII", from activating their effects when they are destroyed, they can make the Deck run out of resources by emptying the Graveyard of targets for "Disciples of the True Dracophoenix", "True King's Return", "Agnimazud", and "Lithosazim". They also prevent the first effect of "True Draco Heritage" from being activated, as well as the Graveyard effects of the all "True Draco" Continuous Spell/Trap Cards.
The most recent banlists have also severely neutered their consistency, though the OCG and TCG went down different avenues to achieve this.
Trivia
- It might be possible that the "True King" and "True Draco" lore has parallels with biblical storylines.
- "Mariamne" and her peaceful appearance would represent Jesus. The "True Dracos" serve as her disciples, as hinted by the artwork and name of "Disciples of the True Dracophoenix".
- "True King of All Calamities" would represent the Beast, or the antichrist. Its Japanese name, "V.F.D.", could be an abbreviation of the Latin phrase Vicarius Filii Dei, meaning "representative of the son of God", and was constructed by opponents of the Pope to "prove" that he is the Beast.
- Also, it is interesting to note that, considering the name pattern of the "True Kings", the Japanese name "V.F.D., the Beast" hints that this monster is an amalgamation of "Vanisher", "Fathomer" and "Disaster", but not "Mariamne", once she would represent the very opposite of the Antichrist and, thus, could not be a constituent part of him.
- "Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King", with his divine appearance, would represent God, father of Jesus, as its shield has the symbol present on the head of "Mariamne".
- Alternatively, "Mariamne" would represent Mary, mother of Jesus and "Master Peace" would represent Jesus.
