~*Dragon Rulers*~

(Credit going to ReVoLuT1oN, Flenn, llllllllllllll, and myself for this guide. <3 you guys)



SUPPRESSOR DRAGONS
INCARNATE DRAGONS
ELEMENTAL DRAGONS
DRAGON RULERS.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Who are the DRAGONS?

*~*~*~*~*~*

The Dragon Rulers are a series of eight monsters, four big, four small. They are what dominate this format, they are what people beg to be slaughtered by the next banlist. They strike fear into Tier 2 and 3, they are what some call the epiphany of no skill. But that is a misconception; dragons are one of the hardest decks to master, and playing them like a randy scrub will make you lose to anyone with experience. The play style of the deck has changed greatly from the start of the format to the end and opinions have been thrown around on how the builds should work, but finally a build has come that has finally ravaged the fate of war. (Meaning Prophecy gets stomped.)

Let us meet:

THE ARMY.

Every dragon has their own attribute. They originally started as attribute support but with the release of the minis they became a super-powerful fury. Every dragon has a unique purpose and none should be ignored or let you be struck down by Horakthy. The thing about the dragons is they can reborn themselves, summon themselves from the hand, or swarm the field.

Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos wrote:If this card is in your hand or Graveyard: You can banish a total of 2 FIRE and/or Dragon-Type monsters from your hand and/or Graveyard, except this card; Special Summon this card. During your opponent's End Phase, if this card was Special Summoned: Return it to the hand. You can discard this card and 1 FIRE monster to the Graveyard, then target 1 card on the field; destroy that target. If this card is banished: You can add 1 FIRE Dragon-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use 1 "Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos" effect per turn, and only once that turn.

So I can POP a monster by discarding him and another FIRE? I likey. He's one of your main outs to Evilswarm Ophion or any problem card.  You're obviously going to main 3 of him, no exceptions. NO exceptions.

Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls wrote:If this card is in your hand or Graveyard: You can banish a total of 2 WATER and/or Dragon-Type monsters from your hand and/or Graveyard, except this card; Special Summon this card. During your opponent's End Phase, if this card was Special Summoned: Return it to the hand. You can discard this card and 1 WATER monster to the Graveyard; send 1 monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. If this card is banished: You can add 1 WATER Dragon-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use 1 "Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls" effect per turn, and only once that turn.

Tidal takes a bit more thought to use. You must discard her (itt: dragons have genders) and another water to send a dragon from your deck to the graveyard. It instantly makes Eclipse Wyvern (though you shouldn't run this if you aren't new to the deck) live and more importantly, gets you another Dragon Ruler you possibly don't have available from the deck. Of course run 3.

Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders wrote:If this card is in your hand or Graveyard: You can banish a total of 2 EARTH and/or Dragon-Type monsters from your hand and/or Graveyard, except this card; Special Summon this card. During your opponent's End Phase, if this card was Special Summoned: Return it to the hand. You can discard this card and 1 EARTH monster to the Graveyard, then target 1 monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target. If this card is banished: You can add 1 EARTH Dragon-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use 1 "Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders" effect per turn, and only once that turn.

Redox is your OTK-stopper. Only fear the Armory Arm! He's also a reborn, just discard him and another earth. Run 3

Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms wrote:If this card is in your hand or Graveyard: You can banish a total of 2 WIND and/or Dragon-Type monsters from your hand and/or Graveyard, except this card; Special Summon this card. During your opponent's End Phase, if this card was Special Summoned: Return it to the hand. You can discard this card and 1 WIND monster to the Graveyard; add 1 Dragon-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. If this card is banished: You can add 1 WIND Dragon-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use 1 "Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms" effect per turn, and only once that turn.

Okay admit it, he and Blaster have the only fearsome names for dragons lol. Arguably this card makes the deck's draw engine unbearable. I can discard it and any wind to add ANY dragon to my hand, like for say, Dragunity Corsesca- a tuner. This card is amazing and if you don't run 3 you're not noticing a pattern.

Now we've been through the main 4, here are the minis, what truly make the deck.

Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks wrote:You can discard this card AND 1 Dragon-Type or FIRE monster; Special Summon 1 "Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos" from your Deck. It cannot attack this turn. You can only use the effect of "Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks" once per turn.

Cool, discard a fire or a dragon and get a free Blaster. Run 2, 3 is dead.

Lightning, Dragon Ruler of Drafts wrote:You can discard this card AND 1 Dragon-Type or WIND monster; Special Summon 1 "Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms" from your Deck. It cannot attack this turn. You can only use the effect of "Lightning, Dragon Ruler of Drafts" once per turn.

Run 2.

Reactan, Dragon Ruler of Pebbles wrote:You can discard this card AND 1 Dragon-Type or EARTH monster; Special Summon 1 "Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders" from your Deck. It cannot attack this turn. You can only use the effect of "Reactan, Dragon Ruler of Pebbles" once per turn.

I feel bad for him. . . Ruler of Pebbles. 2.

Stream, Dragon Ruler of Droplets wrote:You can discard this card AND 1 Dragon-Type or WATER monster; Special Summon 1 "Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls" from your Deck. It cannot attack this turn. You can only use the effect of "Stream, Dragon Ruler of Droplets" once per turn.

Run 2.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Other monsters

I mentioned previously you could search out a tuner. You get two choices for this and I highly recommend you pick one:

OR

Dragunity Corsesca or Flamvell Guard. Both are searchable and they are both level 1 tuners. I prefer Corsesca because the artwork is cooler to me. You see Dragons do a lot more Syncing than people realize, but I'll get into that later in the extra deck choices.

Now of course nothing is complete this format without the two most powerful main-decked hand traps:

EFFECT VEILER and MAXX "C"
(don't ask why veiler isn't fully colored. i prefer it this way)


I'm not saying they're important buuut.. if you aren't running 3 of each you aren't using this deck correctly.



*~*~*~*~*~*~*
LESSER IMPORTANT CHOICES
*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon
---
I give REDMD a 6/10 for this deck honestly. In mirror matches he screams "PLEASE TAKE ME BIG EYE~!!!" and he's redundant seeing how every dragon can reborn itself. I wouldn't run him.

Light and Darkness Dragon
---
Ahh the card that used to make people flip tables and scream and cry because "OH GOD IT'S SO BROKEN" completely forgetting frogs abused this guy for years. You can run 1-2, but then you'd have to run an Eclipse Wyvern to go with it and it's not super consistent, it actually slows the deck.

Obelisk the Tormentor
---
Ridiculously easy to make in this deck, and his 4k can't-be-targeted body makes him a sheer win in the mirror match. He doesn't contribute very much to the deck or else people would run it more.

Debris Dragon
---
I dislike this card in the deck, but he's searchable. He can make an instant Black Rose with Lightning, though.

Swift Scarecrow
---
You should probably main 1 of these. It protects you while you're laying in wait of resources, and in the mirror match without him you just don't win.

Gorz the Emissary of Darkness
---
I remember when we used to use Gorz. . . it's a terrible idea now, though. He is a free level 7, though.

Fusilier Dragon the Dual-Mode Beast
---
He is a free level 7 merely because he can be normal summoned. He's also an easy EEV target, but that's in the side deck. Oh well, some people like him, some don't.

Necroface
---
Would you believe me if I said back in early April this LIMITED card went for $150? And it's TERRIBLE in dragons, honestly! You do NOT want to hit your minis, your spells, and in some cases you don't even want some big dragons to go. Don't even consider it, it was a horrible test that netted horrible results. (Though I OTK'd with it before lel.)

Now it is time for the. . .

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
SPELLS

The spell lineup we have is all broken as hell. Seriously.

Card Destruction
---
This card was stupid broken before, it's just twice that in this deck. I hate seeing it more in Dragons when I'm not playing it than I am against Dark Worlds.

Dark Hole
---
SERIOUSLY DRAGON PLAYERS STOP NOT USING THIS.

Super Rejuvenation
(I sowwie. I couldn't get a HQ picture for Rejuve. Q~Q)

---
This card is so damn broken. On a good hand you can draw 6, and since it is a quickplay that means drawing 12.. 18.. it's so broken. It combos evilly with Card Destruction.

Gold Sarcophagus
---
This is literally a tenki, a ROTA, a damn Hieratic Seal of Convotion that adds 2 cards instead of one. Worst case scenario, wait for heavy storm.

Sacred Sword of Seven Stars
Damn good card. . . Pot of Greed for Dragons that also triggers the big ones. DO NOT MAX ON IT. RUN 2 AT MOST. If you have this card and you use it, chances are you're either losing and need the draw, want the draw to get a hand trap, have a bad hand, or want discard fodder for rejuve. None of those say you're winning already and want to just draw for the hell of it. You do have to banish a dragon and that just isn't always a good idea, or available. It's very dead late-game, so that's another minus. I run 1.

D.D.R. Different Dimension Reincarnation
---
This was ran back at the beginning of their reign, but it's outdated, just like Return from the D.D.

Forbidden Chalice
---
Stop Kycoo, stop Jew- I mean Jowgen.. win in BP, ect. It's overall great. Run 1.

Lightning Vortex
---
This is a rather new tech that certain people run. Meh. It's good but honestly dead late game when you have only hand traps left.

Enemy Controller
---
I used to love this card, tribute a token, steal a Big Eye before it hurts me. Now-a-days you don't use it.

of course you should be running the
-Heavy Storm
-Monster reborn
-Book of Moon (stops Scarecrow)

Looks like it's time for the. . .

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
TRAPS
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lately traps have been taken out of the main deck and become a mainly side-deck thing. Some people still like to run 1-2, like a lone Return From the Different Dimension of a few Breakthrough skill, purely to stop Ophion, Spellbook Magician, ect.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
EXTRA DECK

Of course the extra deck is filled with 3 of the hard to hate this format: Dracossack. But let's consider that he isn't the only thing to make, nor the best in many scenarios. Though that isn't saying you run less than 3 of him, he is your main card, especially for a rouge match up.

*~*~*~*
Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack

---
Dracossack used to be called fair, and now he's one of the cards people want limited. Why? Seriously, just read him. Run 3 of this behemoth. You can tribute himself to pop a problem card, too if you don't have any tokens left. He is very dangerous in the mirror match, though. Be careful.

Number 11: Big Eye

---
Another card people want limited/banned, and it's understandable seeing how dangerous his effect actually is. The card in itself has stats that mean you can steal a card and then EEV this jerk. Run 2-3

*~*~*~*
OTHER TECHS FOR THE EXTRA
*~*~*~*

Mermail Abyssgaios
---
Decent, most run 1 but he is pretty chance to make. Don't ever make him in the mirror.

Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger
---
Beautiful mother****er. Kill a token, kill a marshmallon, mmm. Run 1.

Number 74: Master of Blades
---
It's good at 1. You really won't use him as much as you think.

CXyz Simon the Great Moral Leader
---
Now he is harder to summon, this is true. But he wrecks things up against monster effect heavy decks. Not to mention he boasts a 3k attack. I run 1 but it's choice.


*~*~*~*
SYNCHROS
*~*~*~*

It's later guys, this means we can finally discuss why you main 3 Veilers and then a personal tech tuner. This deck does not just XYZ, in fact I sometimes make Dracossack just so I can synchro too. Without them this deck is missing a giant portion of the extra deck, leaving them vulnerable.

*~*~*~*~*
LEVEL 4
*~*~*~*~*


Armory Arm
---
Creates OTKs, wrecks face in the mirror match, gets over cards you can't pop, ect. Run 1, don't skip this card.


*~*~*~*~*
LEVEL 7
*~*~*~*~*


Karakuri Shogun MDL "00" Burei
---
He's good, but not as good as the others. You can run him if you like because his effect is very good. You make him with a tuner and Draco's tokens, like every other level 7.

Black Rose Dragon
---
You can run her, I just don't. Run this card if you use Debris Dragon.

Ancient Sacred Wyvern
---
THIS is the level 7 I run. It OTKs so easily, plus it's a very pretty card :p You make it with Veiler since it requires a LIGHT tuner.


*~*~*~*~*
LEVEL 8
*~*~*~*~*


The level 8 are very important in this deck, as the mean damage, winning the duel, locking your opponent. . . you get the point. Pay attention to your duels when you use these or you could end up losing from a misplay.


Crimson Blader
---
This is the big guy, the one who signals the end of the game. The thing about Dragon Rulers is one wrong move and it's gg, and this card is why. When you use him you do need to think, though.

If you answered no to any of those, don't make him yet. Of course you'll be running 1 of him, he's very vital to victory.

Colossal Fighter
---
The first things I notice about this guy are that he has the rival attack of Blaster and he's an EEV target. Both of those are very good since you usually make him when Blaster is on the field. Since he can summon himself frmo the graveyard, that's a direct 2800 on their life points. Run 1.

Stardust Radiance Dragon
---
Sadly he's OCG, but he's annoying in the mirror match. They flip vanity, they protect it. You can do this to anyone, of course. He's amazing. Run 1.

Other Level 8s to run:
Scrap Dragon
Stardust Dragon
Black-Winged Dragon (if your locals has Chain Burn)


Now that the Main and Extra have been completed. . . it is time for the. . .


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
SIDE

Out of every deck I have played, Dragon Rulers has given the most freedom of choice. You get many options when using this deck as the entire side is personal choice par a few selections. With the ability to run cards that would usually hurt the deck itself for side choices not to mention interesting ways to hurt Ophion and Spellbooks, the deck is pretty much proving to be flexible and forgiving no matter what you use.

I would make this section flashy but I generally don't want to, there is no purpose. I'm just going to discuss popular choices instead.


Vanity's Emptiness
---
Yes it seems weird but it IS what helps win the mirror match. And helps beat any special-heavy deck.

Eradicator Epidemic Virus
---
Beats spellbooks, really broken card.

Swift Scarecrow
---
Some don't main him, others side more copies.

Tsukuyomi
---
Die Ophion, DIE!

Psi Blocker
---
This card can kill Ophion, stop fate/Jowgen/Kycoo/Vanity.. anything actually. It's broken. I love it.

Droll & Lock Bird
---
The side deck card this format. Respond to Spellbook Tower with it, respond to Dark Worlds, Exodia with it, ect.

Last Day of Witch
---
I personally run this card for Spellbook hate. It's nice having 3 dark holes.

Cyber Dragon
---
A user named llllllllllllll told me about this but it's true. Make a Chimeratech, kill a Dracossack, free of charge.

Horus Series
---
How the fk Patrick Hoban topped using this I'm not sure. . don't follow in his footsteps.

Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter
---
Ophion hate, honestly. Most don't use him, some like him.

Stygian Dirge
---
Card is annoying to just about every deck, honestly. It especially wins against Dragon mirrors and sometimes rouge decks like Karakuri.

Electric Virus
---
Great in the mirror match, and it steals Ophion. Some like to side this card and Infestation Terminus to steal and kill an Ophion. Very popular tech.

The last section.



This section is a bit of a thought, do you know how to make the most optimal play? Flenn and I have typed up sample hands and have given scenarios to what the very best play is. Make your Dracossacks, kids, eradicate your enemies.


*~*~*~*~*~*

Your opening hand: Tempest, Tempest, Super Rejuve, Tidal, Reactan, Gold Sarcophagus
Think hard on what you'd do with this hand.
The answer:

Spoiler:

Something to note for beginner players: the most profitable way to abuse the minis is to discard them with a big dragon. The big dragons are almost as good in grave as in hand, while the minis offer a lot more from being in the hand. Don't forget you can discard a mini and an attribute, however. Also, if you don't have any dragons in hand, the best idea is to usually search a mini because the mini can be used with any dragon small or big, while the big dragons require their own elements. Get your four elements quickly or you can run out of resources and lose.

This deck is not an OTK deck, this deck is not a Dracossack spam deck, this is a very slow deck. Every duel for the WCQ here went into OVERTIME if it was a Dragon Mirror. Why? The decks take a long time in duels.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I have a few deck lists here for the lazy ones to netde- learn from, but a basic skeleton should look like

Spoiler:

Flenn's build
Obelisk build. (Not for competitive play)
! Prince's build