Forum:Deck Guide/Dragunity/1

Updated Dragunity Guide

By BF2

Dragunity decks certainly have potential. They can be a powerful beatdown deck or a fast-paced Synchro Deck. They were introduced through "Duel Terminal" and "Hidden Arsenal" but their most potent card definitely came in Starstrike Blast - Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana. Vajrayana is amazing: you can get a Level 8 Synchro Monster off of it or give it 3800 ATK and destroy a card your opponent controls. This card gave versatility to the deck, improving it even more.

However, after making 4 YCS showings in the Top 32, it disappeared. Why? Counter cards.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Search Power: Dragon Ravine provides excellent search power for the deck.

Costless Synchro Summoning and Destruction: Legionnaire and Dux provide excellent means of destroying cards or Synchro Summoning without losing any card advantage.

Many Options: A Dragunity deck is very flexible with the ability to search for +2 destruction or +0 Synchro Summoning each turn.

Cons

Reliant on Normal Summons: Without their Normal Summon these decks falter easily.

Reliant on Dragon Ravine: Without Dragon Ravine the deck loses its speed.

Reliant on monster effects and Special Summoning: Maxx "C", Effect Veiler, and D.D. Crow slow the deck for a turn. Likewise, a Skill Drain or Dimensional Fissure will kill the deck.

Mechanics

A Dragunity deck runs on Equipment. Dragon-Type Tuner monsters equip to Winged Beast-Type non-Tuner monsters (or in some cases, Dragon-Type Arma monsters). They then give them effects, such as searching, destruction, or swarming. Dragon Ravine allows the deck to get whatever it needs each turn. The Dragunity monsters can be used in a beatdown strategy, with Dux and Leyvaten being the primary beatsticks, or a Synchro Summon-based strategy, focusing on Dux and Phalanx. Legionnaire lets you destroy cards, and is even better with the addition of Dragunity Aklys.

All of the Synchro Monsters require a Dragon-Type Tuner monster and one or more Winged Beast-Type non-Tuner monsters. This means that some monsters, like Dragunity Knight - Barcha, are next to impossible for a good Dragunity Deck to summon, because all Synchro Monsters are Dragon-Type monsters.

In the Metagame

When Dragunity hit the metagame, their impact was immediately visible. They rose to Tier 1 status, with multiple decks reaching the Top 32 rankings at a YCS. Soon after that, they disappeared. Where did they go? Dragunity decks were not only too expensive for many players, requiring a full Extra Deck as well as three 40 dollar cards and two/three 20 dollar cards, but they also were too vulnerable to cards which in turn made them inconsistent. A set Mystical Space Typhoon will negate the searching effect of Dragon Ravine and the discarded card becomes a -1. An Effect Veiler will negate the effect of a Dragunity monster, making it next to useless. A D.D. Crow is even worse, Banishing the monster that would be Equipped to it. In addition to that, Maxx "C" will let its user draw many cards if the Dragunity player chooses to Synchro Summon, Dimensional Fissure kills the Dragunity strategy, and Skill Drain hurts it even more. A Thunder King Rai-Oh can waste a Normal Summon and stop searches. Because of all this, the deck quickly became unpopular because of the considerable vulnerability of the strategy.

In the new format, most Dragunity players simply gave up on the deck - three "MST" in a deck means that it's more difficult to keep Ravine alive.

How can Dragunity decks come back? They probably can't. In casual play, the Synchro Deck is quite powerful, and the beatdown deck is also pretty good. However, as soon as siding is available, the deck fails. If it doesn't win game one then there's little chance that it can win the match, and if your opponent draws the cards that they sided, it's pretty hopeless.

How to solve these problems? Two cards:

• Debunk: It will stop D.D. Crow, Effect Veiler, and Maxx "C", as well as a host of other cards.
• Malefic Stardust Dragon: Dragunity decks' most powerful asset used to be Stardust Dragon, but it's considered too weak for the current metagame. As such, they can afford to fuel Malefic Stardust Dragon, which can protect your Field Spell Card and be a beatstick. It will also prevent the Field Spell form being destroyed by Scrap Dragon, granting you free destruction each turn.

Main Cards

Monsters

• Dragunity Aklys: Aklys is a Level 2 Tuner monster with 1000 ATK. When it's sent to the Graveyard while equipped, you have to destroy one card on the field. In addition to that, you can Special Summon a Dragunity monster from your hand and equip it to "Aklys" when it is Normal Summoned. Aklys works best when you use one or two of it, although some variants use three copies.
• Dragunity Angusticlavii: Angusticlavii is a Level 5 monster with 2100 ATK. While equipped with a Dragon-Type Dragunity monster it deals piercing damage. The effect is minor and it can't equip, and is not worth using.
• Dragunity Arma Leyvaten: Leyvaten is a Level 8 monster with 2600 ATK. You can Special Summon it from your hand or Graveyard by Banishing a Dragunity monster equipped with another Dragunity monster. When it's Special Summoned, you can equip a Dragon-Type monster from your Graveyard to it. It's used in a loop with Light and Darkness Dragon, although the loop is rather easily broken. It's also used to make Trident Dragion with Phalanx. Some decks use it, but most decks are better without it.
• Dragunity Arma Mystletainn: Mystletainn is a Level 6 monster with 2100 ATK. You can Special Summon it from your hand by tributing a Dragunity monster you control. When it's Special Summoned, you can equip a Dragunity monster from your Graveyard to it. It's not great, but it works with Phalanx and isn't a bad card.
• Dragunity Brandistock: Brandistock is a Level 1 Tuner monster that gives an equipped monster a double attack. It can be quite useful with Leyvaten in a beatdown deck.
• Dragunity Corsesca: Corseca is a Level 1 Tuner monster that lets you add a Level 4 or lower monster with the same Type and Attribute as the equipped monster from your Deck to your hand whenever it destroys a monster in battle. The effect is good but only worthwhile in beatdown, and even then with Dragon Ravine it's not really necessary.
• Dragunity Darkspear: Darkspear is a Level 3 Tuner monster. You can tribute it to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Winged Beast-Type monster from your Graveyard. It's actually most useful in Blackwing and Mist Valley decks.
• Dragunity Dux: Dux is one of the most important Dragunity monsters. It is a Level 4 monster with 1500 ATK. When it's Normal Summoned you can equip a Dragunity Tuner monster from your Graveyard to him, and he gains 200 ATK per Dragunity monster you control, allowing him to be a beatstick even without Phalanx.
• Dragunity Javelin: Javelin is a Level 2 Tuner monster that you can equip to a Winged Beast-Type Dragunity monster you control if it's destroyed while a monster. It's bad.
• Dragunity Legionnaire: Legionnaire is a Level 3 monster with 1200 ATK. When it's Normal Summoned, you can equip a Dragunity Tuner monster from your Graveyard to it. You can send an equipped Dragunity monster you control to the Graveyard to destroy one face-up monster your opponent controls. When used in conjunction with Aklys you get +2 card advantage but it can also be used in Synchro Summons.
• Dragunity Militum: Militum is a Level 4 monster with 1700 ATK. Once per turn, it lets you Special Summon one equipped monster. It's not a bad card - it combos with Aklys and other cards but in general is unnecessary.
• Dragunity Partisan: Partisan is a Level 2 Tuner monster. When it's Normal Summoned you can Special Summon a Winged Beast-Type Dragunity monster from your hand and equip it to him. While equipped, the monster is a Tuner monster. It has some uses, but is generally not worth using.
• Dragunity Pilum: Pilum is a Level 3 Tuner monster with 1400 ATK. When it's Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon a Winged Beast-Type Dragunity monster from your hand and equip it to him. While equipped, the monster can attack directly for half damage.
• Dragunity Phalanx: Phalanx is a Level 2 Tuner monster. While it's equipped, you can Special Summon it. It's useful for many Dragunity combos and every deck should have at least two.
• Dragunity Primus Pilus: Primus Pilus is a Level 5 monster with 2200 ATK. When it's Special Summoned, you can select a Winged Beast-Type Dragunity monster you control and equip a Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type Dragunity monster from your Deck to it. It has potential in combos with Aklys although in general is not worth using.
• Dragunity Tribus: Tribus is a Level 1 monster that sends a Dragunity monster from your Deck to your Graveyard when it's Normal Summoned. It's not really worth using when you have three Dragon Ravine and a Foolish Burial.

Synchro Monsters:

• Dragunity Knight - Barcha: Barcha is a Level 8 Synchro Monster with 2000 ATK. When it's Synchro Summoned, you can equip any number of Dragunity monsters from your Graveyard to it. It also gains 300 ATK for every Dragunity monster equipped to it. It's extremely difficult for the deck to summon due to a lack of Level 6 Winged Beast-Type monsters.
• Dragunity Knight - Gae Bulg: Gae Bulg is a Level 6 Synchro Monster with 2000 ATK. When it attacks or is attacked, you can Banish one Winged Beast-Type monster in your Graveyard in order to give it that monster's ATK until the End Phase of the turn. It's not a bad card, but isn't really all that useful.
• Dragunity Knight - Gae Dearg: Gae Dearg is a Level 6 Synchro Monster with 2400 ATK. Once per turn, you can add a Level 4 or lower Winged Beast-Type or Dragon-Type monster from your Deck to your hand then send one Winged Beast-Type or Dragon-Type monster from your hand to your Graveyard.
• Dragunity Knight - Trident: Trident is a Level 7 Synchro Monster with 2400 ATK. It's rather difficult for the deck to summon. Once per turn, you can send up to three cards you control to the Graveyard to send up to three cards from your opponent's Extra Deck to their Graveyard. While this leaves your opponent with fewer options, it's also rather lackluster because you lose lots of cards.
• Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana: Vajrayana is a Level 6 Synchro Monster with 1900 ATK. When it's Synchro Summoned, you can equip a "Dragunity" monster from your Extra Deck to it (usually Phalanx). In addition to that, you can tribute the monster to double its ATK until the End Phase. Every Dragunity deck should use three - it combos extremely well with Phalanx and Aklys.

Spells

• Dragon Mastery: Dragon Mastery is a Continuous Spell Card that gives all monsters equipped with a Dragunity Dragon-Type monster. In addition to that, it lets you equip one monster you control with a Dragon-Type Dragunity monster each turn. In a Dragunity beatdown deck, it gives a sizeable ATK boost, but it isn't necessary in Dragunity Synchro decks.
• Dragon Ravine: Dragon Ravine is a Field Spell Card with two effects. Once per turn, you can discard a card to either add one Level 4 or lower Dragunity monster from your Deck to your hand or send one Dragon-Type monster from your Deck to your Graveyard. Every Dragunity deck should use three copies of this card.

Other Cards

Monsters

• Black Salvo: Black Salvo is a Level 3 Tuner monster that Special Summons one Level 4 DARK Machine-Type monster from your Graveyard when it's Normal Summoned. It's used in CyberDragunities.
• Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite: Zephyros is a Level 4 monster with 1600 ATK. Once per duel, you can return one face-up card you control to Special Summon it and take 400 points of damage. This will let you gain free advantage and you can make Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier with Legionnaire, Phalanx, and Zephyros.
• Cyberdark Edge: Cyberdark Edge is a Level 4 monster with 800 ATK. When it's Normal Summoned, you can equip one Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type monster from your Graveyard to it. It then gains that monster's ATK. It can attack directly and if it would be destroyed, you can destroy the equipped monster instead. It's used for a Dragunity variant known as CyberDragunity.
• Cyberdark Horn: Cyberdark Horn is a Level 4 monster with 800 ATK. When it's Normal Summoned, you can equip one Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type monster from your Graveyard to it. It then gains that monster's ATK. It deals piercing damage and if it would be destroyed, you can destroy the equipped monster instead. It's used for a Dragunity variant known as CyberDragunity.
• Cyberdark Keel: Cyberdark Keel is a Level 4 monster with 800 ATK. When it's Normal Summoned, you can equip one Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type monster from your Graveyard to it. It then gains that monster's ATK. If it destroys a monster by battle, your opponent loses Life Points equal to that monster's ATK and if it would be destroyed, you can destroy the equipped monster instead. It's used for a Dragunity variant known as CyberDragunity.
• Dark Simorgh: Dark Simorgh is a Level 8 monster with 2800 ATK. You can Special Summon it from your hand by Banishing a WIND and a DARK monster in your Graveyard, or from your Graveyard by Banishing a WIND and a DARK monster from your hand. You can use it with Blackwings or Cyberdarks (or other cards). It also prevents your opponent from setting cards, stopping all of your opponent's Trap Cards.
• D.D. Crow: D.D. Crow is a Level 1 monster. You can discard it during either player's turn to Banish one card in a Graveyard. You can chain it to a Monster Reborn or the like to effectively negate it. It can be searched by Dragunity Knight - Gae Dearg and is a DARK monster for Dark Simorgh.
• Koa'ki Meiru Drago: Koa'ki Meiru Drago is a Level 4 monster with 1900 ATK. It is destroyed during your End Phase unless you reveal a Dragon-Type monster from your hand or discard an Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru. It prevents the Special Summon of LIGHT and DARK monsters - it won't interfere with most Dragunity cards but will interfere with many other decks. If you use a lot of Dragon-Type Tuner monsters this is worth using.
• Light and Darkness Dragon: Light and Darkness Dragon is a Level 8 monster with 2800 ATK. It cannot be Special Summoned from your Graveyard. Whenever an effect is activated, it has to negate that effect and destroy the card in exchange for 500 ATK and DEF points. When it's destroyed, it destroys all monsters you control then Special Summons a monster from your Graveyard. You can make a loop with this and Leyvaten, although Leyvaten will only Special Summon LaDD if destroyed by a card effect.
• Malefic Stardust Dragon: Malefic Stardust Dragon is a Level 8 monster with 2500. If you do not control a Field Spell Card, it is destroyed. While you control it, no other monster you control can attack. It prevents your Field Spell Card from being destroyed. It's worthwhile in a deck using Dark Simorgh but also works in a standard Dragunity Deck.
• Reborn Tengu: Reborn Tengu is a Level 4 monster with 1700 ATK. It's a WIND monster, although it isn't a Winged Beast-Type monster. When it's removed from the field, you have to Special Summon another from your Deck. You can use it with Legionnaire for costless Level 9 Synchro Summons.
• Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon: Hopeless Dragunity builds are extremely explosive, and have a lot of power. REDMD allows you to recur a Dragon-Type Monster once per turn; use it to bring back a fallen Synchro Monster or a Tuner to make Trident Dragion
• Red-Eyes Wyvern: Used in Hopeless Dragunity to recur REDMD. It's never dead in the hand due to Ravine.
• The Fabled Catsith: When The Fabled Catsith is discarded, you have to destroy one face-up card on the field. Its effect works with Dragon Ravine although if Ravine is the only face-up card on the field it will be destroyed.
• The Fabled Cerburrel: When the Fabled Cerburrel is discarded it is Special Summoned from your hand. It's a Level 2 Tuner monster and works with Dux and Phalanx to make Trident Dragion.

Fusion Monsters:

• Five-Headed Dragon: Five-Headed Dragon can be put in a deck using Future Fusion.

Synchro Monsters:

• Trident Dragion: Trident Dragion is a Level 10 Synchro Monster with 3000 ATK. It can only be Synchro Summoned with a Dragon-Type Tuner monster and one or more Dragon-Type Tuner monsters. When it's Synchro Summoned, you can destroy up to two cards you control to give it that many extra attacks for that turn. It is used to OTK your opponent.

Spells

• Cards of Consonance: By discarding a Dragon-Type Tuner monster with 1000 or less ATK, Cards of Consonance lets you draw two cards. Dragunity Decks often use too few Dragon-Type Tuner monsters for this to be useful.
• Forbidden Lance: Forbidden Lance is a Quick-Play Spell Card that makes a monster you control lose 800 ATK in exchange for being unaffected by other Spell and Trap Cards for the turn. It can protect a Dux from a Bottomless Trap Hole or a Compulsory Evacuation Device.
• Future Fusion: In Hopeless Dragunity or a deck using Leyvaten and enough Dragon-Type Tuner monsters, Future Fusion will let you fill up your Graveyard and Fusion Summon Five-Headed Dragon within two turns.
• Quill Pen of Gulldos: Quill pen of Gulldos lets you return one card on the field to its owner's hand in exchange for returning two WIND monsters from your Graveyard to your Deck. You can use this to recycle Dux, Legionnaire, or even Reborn Tengu.

Traps

• Debunk: Debunk is a Counter Trap Card that negates the activation of a monster effect that activates in the hand or Graveyard and Banishes it. It's useful against Effect Veiler, Maxx "C", D.D. Crow, and a host of other cards.
• Icarus Attack: Icarus Attack lets you destroy two cards on the field at the cost of one Winged Beast-Type monster. In a beatdown deck this card is quite useful.

Variants

Dragunity Beatdown

Dragunity Beatdown uses Dragunity Arma Leyvaten as the primary beatstick, gaining two attacks with Dragunity Brandistock equipped. Dragon Mastery adds ATK to Leyvaten and Dux, and Corsesca gives more search power. If you use Tuner monsters that can Special Summon a Dragunity monster from your hand, you can use Primus Pilus.

Dragunity Tengu

By adding Reborn Tengu, a Dragunity Deck gains some consistency, more use out of Quill Pen of Gulldos, and easier access to Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier.

Dragunity Simorgh (Crow)

Dark Simorgh allows you to avoid Trap Cards and Flip Effects, making it easier to make large pushes. D.D. Crow is a DARK monster that can be searched by Gae Dearg.

Fabled Dragunity

Fabled monsters make it easier for a Dragunity Deck to access Trident Dragion.

Cyber Dragunity

Cyberdark monsters can equip Dragunity Tuner monsters to themselves and gain their ATK scores and the effects that come along with them. Although it's considerably weaker than normal Dragunity decks, it certainly is functional.

Cyber Dragunity Core
Monster Cards Black Salvo x1-3 Dark Simorgh x1-3 Dragunity Corsesca x2-3 Dragunity Pilum x1-3 Dragunity Phalanx x2-3 Extra Deck: Five-Headed Dragon x1 Spell Cards Cards of Consonance x2-3 Future Fusion x1