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Monarch
"Monarch" (
"Monarchs" are used by The Light Brigade in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime, Sylvio Sawatari in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime and manga, and Kyoji Mikado in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V The Strongest Duelist Yuya!! manga. These monsters may be the rulers of the Duel Monsters Spirit World due to their names.
Additionally, there is an archetype of "Monarch" Spells and Traps (e.g. "March of the Monarchs") designed to support Tribute Summons and monsters with ATK and DEF similar to "Monarch" monsters, although they often prevent Summons from the Extra Deck. The artwork of these cards features the transformation of a Monarch into their Mega Monarch form, and are released in the same sets as Mega Monarchs.
Contents
Game appearances[edit]
"Mobius the Frost Monarch" appears as a character in World Championship 2007, in World Championship 2008 and in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Arena, "Caius", "Raiza" and "Kuraz" all appears in World Championship 2009, "Granmarg" appears in World Championship 2010, and "Thestalos" appears in World Championship 2006, in World Championship 2007 and in World Championship 2011.
Design[edit]
Every "Monarch" monster has a large cloak either on its back and/or on its waist (in the cases of "Zaborg" and "Granmarg").
When evolved to their "Mega Monarch" form, each one of them presents similar characteristics to their original forms, with more armor and other changes related to their respective Attributes. Additionally, they are all seen carrying a giant ring on their backs, which is also present with "Ehther" and "Erebus".
Members[edit]
Original[edit]
There is an original Monarch corresponding to each of the main six Attributes. There is also a corresponding Mega Monarch, Vassal, and Spell/Trap Card for each.
The original Monarchs are all Level 6 monsters (except Zaborg which is Level 5) with 2400 ATK and 1000 DEF. Each of the original Monarchs has a Trigger Effect that activates when it is Tribute Summoned.
The Mega Monarchs are all Level 8 monsters with 2800 ATK and 1000 DEF. The Mega Monarchs can all be Tribute Summoned with one Tribute by Tributing a Tribute Summoned monster. Each of the Mega Monarchs has an enhanced version of the effect of the corresponding original Monarch, and this effect is itself enhanced further if the Mega Monarch was Tribute Summoned by Tributing a monster of the same Attribute (e.g. "Granmarg the Mega Monarch" destroys 2 Set cards instead of one like the original "Granmerg", and if Tribute Summoned by Tributing an EARTH monster, allows the player to draw a card).
Additional[edit]
Level 6[edit]
"Delg" and "Kuraz" were both released after the original Monarchs. They both have Trigger Effects that activate when Normal or Special Summoned, and cannot attack the turn they are Normal or Special Summoned.
"Angmarl" is original to the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V manga. Like the original Monarchs, it has a Trigger Effect that activates when it is Tribute Summoned.
| Monarch | Attribute | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Angmarl the Fiendish | DARK | Fiend |
| Delg the Dark | DARK | Spellcaster |
| Kuraz the Light | LIGHT | Warrior |
Level 8[edit]
There are two Level 8 Monarchs which are not Mega Monarchs. Like the Mega Monarchs, both have 2800 ATK and 1000 DEF and can be Tribute Summoned with one Tribute by Tributing a Tribute Summoned monster. They both have a Trigger Effect that activates when they are Tribute Summoned and a Quick Effect. They both also each have a corresponding Vassal and "Monarch" Spell/Trap Card.
| Monarch | Attribute | Type | Squire | Spell/Trap Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ehther the Heavenly | LIGHT | Fairy | Edea the Heavenly | The Prime Monarch |
| Erebus the Underworld | DARK | Zombie | Eidos the Underworld | The First Monarch |
Playing style[edit]
"Monarch" Decks tend to be very aggressive and powerful, because "Monarchs" destroy the opponent's assets just by hitting the Field, and they are strong enough in ATK to be able to press their advantage and destroy nearly any lower-Level monster the opponent may happen to use in response. "Monarchs" have no real weaknesses other than Decks that strictly run "Zombie World", which almost completely shuts down the "Monarchs", and their insatiable need to generate Tribute fodder for more "Monarchs" to be Summoned and that they cannot use their effects when Special Summoned (with the exceptions of "Kuraz" and "Delg").
Deck types[edit]
Basic Monarch[edit]
"March of the Monarchs" will protect any Tribute Summoned monsters from being targeted or destroyed by card effects, while "Return of the Monarchs" allows you to search for a "Monarch" every time you Tribute Summon. Since the aforementioned cards prevent the player from Summoning monsters from the Extra Deck, the Deck rarely utilizes Synchro Monsters or Xyz Monsters, although it's still possible to Summon them occasionally. This disadvantage, however, also allows the Deck to run "The Seal of Orichalcos", which can bring all your "Monarchs" up to a hefty 2900 ATK.
"Treeborn Frog" is very ineffective in this build due to the consistent presence of Continuous Spell Cards, so "The Monarchs Stormforth" (better with "Escalation of the Monarchs") are highly recommended both to create Tribute fodder and remove the opponent's powerful monsters from the field. "The First Monarch" works very well in this type of Deck, providing walls against the opponent's attacks, Tribute fodder for "Monarchs" and, at the cost of a discard, the ability to change its Attribute and count as two Tributes.
This allows you to take advantage of the effects of "Granmarg the Mega Monarch" and "Mobius the Mega Monarch". "Spell Striker" also works well in this variant due to the large number of Spells. Like any "Monarch" Deck, it suffers from potential bad opening hands. "Pot of Duality" is recommended to help remedy this, and provide extra Spells for "Spell Striker" to banish. Overall, the Deck's wins can usually be attributed to successive "Monarch" Summons (and therefore searches from "Return") each turn, with "March" protecting them from card effects. Due to the goal of always having a "Monarch" on the field, the Deck can easily take advantage of the "The Monarchs Awaken" to make "Monarchs" unaffected by card effects, as well as "Grisaille Prison" to combat the opponent's Synchro and Xyz Monsters.
Extra Deck Monarchs[edit]
This Deck works very similarly to other "Monarch" Decks in regards to Normal Summoning the "Monarchs". However, it also utilizes Special Summoning in the "Squire" and "Super Quant" engines. The initial strategy is to use "Edea the Heavenly Squire" to Summon "Eidos the Underworld Squire" to give you an extra Normal Summon for a "Monarch". The "Super Quant" engine works through using "Super Quantum Blue Layer" and "Super Quantum Red Layer". "Emergency Teleport" is used to Special Summon "Super Quantum Blue Layer" to search "Super Quantum Red Layer".The effect of "Domain of the True Monarchs" allows for just one Tribute for your Normal Summon of a Level 8 "Monarch" via "Super Quantum Blue Layer".
With the announcement of "Supreme King Z-ARC" in Maximum Crisis, a variant of Monarchs appeared, which revolves around using "Zaborg the Mega Monarch" to send multiples of Dragon Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Pendulum Monsters (typically "Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon", "Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon", "Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon", and "Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon") to the Graveyard, where they can be banished with "Dragon's Mirror" or "Miracle Synchro Fusion" to Fusion Summon at least one copy of "Zarc" with ease. This method can additionally Fusion Summon "Naturia Exterio" or "Ultimate Axon Kicker" in the same turn, by also sending copies of "PSY-Framelord Omega", "Naturia Barkion", and "Naturia Beast" to the Graveyard via "Zaborg". By sending "Predaplant Chimerafflesia" to the Graveyard with the effect of "Zaborg", "Miracle Synchro Fusion" becomes searchable for the Deck.
Frog Monarch[edit]
Perfect Circle Monarch[edit]
Trivia[edit]
- "Return of the Monarchs" may be a reference to the Star Wars movies, in which case, further support for the "Monarchs" may also contain this reference, such as a plausible translation for "Ambush of the Monarchs" being "The Monarchs Strike Back".
- The names of the four new monsters in the Emperor of Darkness Structure Deck starts with "E" ("Ehther", "Erebus", "Eidos" and "Edea").
