Dragunity

Dragunity is an archetype released in the Duel Terminal. The term "Dragunity" is a portmanteau of the words Dragon and Unity. Their effects mainly revolve around equipping any Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type monsters in your Graveyard to your Winged Beast-Type monsters in play (in the sense of the Dragon-Types transforming into weapons, or the Winged-Beast "Dragunity" monsters "uniting" with their Dragon "steeds" as "Dragunity Knights"). Because of their heavy focus on sending monsters to the Spell & Trap Card Zones, the "Dragunity" archetype is often compared to the "Crystal Beast" and "Cyberdark" archetypes. They also utilize powerful Dragon-Type Synchro Monsters, although they require Dragon-Type Tuner monsters as well as Winged Beast-Type non-Tuners. All of the Dragunity monsters that have been released so far are WIND monsters, so "Flying Kamakiri 1" and "Gozen Match" can be useful along with some other WIND support cards; and because many of them are Winged Beast-Type monsters, the Deck can run "Icarus Attack". The Dragon-Type monsters in this archetype so far all have armor which either covers most of their body ("Dragunity Phalanx"), or they have a piece of armor that resembles, and is named after, a weapon (i.e. "Dragunity Darkspear"). By contrast, the Winged Beast-Type monsters seem to be named after historical warriors (Ex. - "Dragunity Legionnaire" is named after the common solider in the Roman army). Their archetype symbol is the green emerald for the Dragon-Type monsters, and for the Winged Beast-Type monsters is the green emerald surrounded by a gold outline of wings. As with the "Blackwing" archetype, there is a heavy distinction between the Tuner monsters and the non-Tuner monsters in terms of appearance. Similar to "Blackwings", the non-Tuner monsters are all humanoids in bird costumes while the Tuner monsters are all small dragons (whereas the "Blackwing" Tuner monsters are all small birds).

Playing style
The main purpose of "Dragunity" decks is to have versatile and easy Synchro Summons. "Dragunity Phalanx" is the key card here - it's a level 2 Tuner monster that Special Summons when it is equipped to a monster. Thanks to the effects of "Dragunity Dux" and "Dragunity Legionnaire", you can easily summon Level 5 or 6 Synchro Monsters - however, if you decide to Synchro Summon "Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana" with "Dux" and "Phalanx", you can use one of the deck's most powerful combos. "Vajrayana" is a Level 6 monster that can also equip a Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type "Dragunity" monster from the Graveyard. Because the "Once per turn" effect of "Phalanx" resets when it is sent to the Graveyard, if you equip "Phalanx" it can Special Summon itself again and you can Synchro Summon a Level 8 Synchro Monster - effectively turning one card in your hand into a Level 8 monster from your Extra Deck (typically "Stardust Dragon"). You can also equip "Aklys" to "Vajrayana" so when you send "Aklys" to the Graveyard to double "Vajrayana" ATK you can destroy 1 card on the field. Another fast combo to Synchro Summon Level 8 Synchro Monsters is to use the Level 6 "Dragunity Arma Mystletainn". Its effect lets you special summon it by tributing a Dragunity Monster, and then it equips a Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type "Dragunity" monster from the Graveyard. Equipping "Phalanx" and then Special Summoning will allow you to Synchro Summon a Level 8 Synchro Monster.

This combo only requires "Dux" in your hand and "Phalanx" in your Graveyard, and it is incredibly simple to set up with the help of "Dragon Ravine". With it, once per turn, you can discard a card to either add a "Dragunity" monster from your Deck to your hand or send any Dragon-Type monster from your Deck to the Graveyard - essentially turning any card in your hand into either a "Dragunity" version of "Reinforcement of the Army" or "Foolish Burial", which makes combos easy.

However, the "Dragunity" monsters have many alternate strategies. Even without Synchro Monsters, the archetype can hold its own in battle: "Dragunity Legionnaire" takes out tough monsters with its effect - you can send an equipped Dragon-Type monster to the graveyard to destroy one of your opponent's face-up monsters. This is especially useful with "Dragunity Aklys", as when it is equipped and sent to the Graveyard, one card on the field is destroyed. As such, one of the main "Dragunity" combos is to Normal Summon "Legionnaire", equip "Aklys", and send it to the Graveyard to destroy one your opponent's Face-up monsters and another one of his/her cards, in a devastating one-two punch that costs you nothing. However, this can be countered with "Enemy Controller"-since "Aklys" activates first (as Chain Link 2), you can chain "Enemy Controller" and steal their monster (this works if you only have one more monster) to get it killed by "Phalanx" effect. This also works with the second effect of "Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana", which can send a card equipped to itself to the Graveyard to double its own ATK until the end of the turn (which usually isn't used since a "Stardust Dragon" is preferable). If you equip and then send "Aklys" to the Graveyard, you will end up with a 3800 ATK monster that turn while destroying one of your opponent's cards, allowing for big finishes.

Monsters

 * Dragunity Phalanx
 * Dragunity Aklys
 * Dragunity Legionnaire
 * Dragunity Dux
 * Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite

Spells

 * Dragon Ravine
 * Terraforming
 * Pot of Avarice
 * Foolish Burial

Extra Deck

 * Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana
 * Dragunity Knight - Gae Dearg
 * Stardust Dragon
 * Thought Ruler Archfiend
 * Red Dragon Archfiend
 * Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
 * Scrap Dragon
 * Ally of Justice Catastor

Leyvaten Rider
You can make a loop with "Dragunity Arma Leyvaten" and "Light and Darkness Dragon". When you summon "Dragunity Arma Leyvaten", equip "Light and Darkness Dragon" to it. Whenever it or "Light and Darkness Dragon" is destroyed, your field will be destroyed by the effect of "Light and Darkness Dragon". Then, use "Light and Darkness Dragon's" other effect to Special Summon "Leyvaten" from your graveyard, re-equip "Light and Darkness Dragon" to it and repeat. The only weakness in this loop is cards that can remove the two monsters from play, or send them back to the hand or deck.

Note: Due to the wording on "Light and Darkness Dragon"'s third effect, if a "Dragunity Arma Leyvaten" isn't in the graveyard when it goes, you can't summon it back on the field because the field didn't get cleared before you picked the monster to summon back. One way to counter this is to have a second Leyvaten in your graveyard ready to take its place.

Monsters

 * Light and Darkness Dragon
 * Dragunity Arma Leyvaten
 * Dragunity Phalanx
 * Dragunity Aklys
 * Dragunity Legionnaire
 * Dragunity Dux
 * Dragunity Arma Mystletainn

Spells

 * Dragon Ravine
 * Terraforming
 * Future Fusion
 * Cards of Consonance
 * Trade-In
 * Pot of Avarice

Traps

 * Royal Decree

Extra Deck

 * Five-Headed Dragon
 * Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana
 * Trident Dragion

Cyber Unity
This Deck uses "Cyberdark Horn", "Cyberdark Edge", and "Cyberdark Keel" along with "Dragunity" monsters. It is a more casual Decktype as it lacks the search power and ability to Synchro Summon Level 8 monsters that standard "Dragunity" decks have.

In addition to the "Cyberdark" monsters, you can use "Black Salvo" to make Level 7 Synchro Monsters and "Dark Simorgh" for general support.

Monsters

 * Black Salvo
 * Cyberdark Edge
 * Cyberdark Horn
 * Cyberdark Keel
 * Dark Simorgh
 * Dragunity Corsesca
 * Dragunity Phalanx
 * Dragunity Partisan (enables you to turn Cyberdarks into Level 4 Tuners for level 8 Synchros))
 * Dragon Mastery to give the Cyberdarks a 500 ATK boost along with the boost from Dragunity monsters.

Spells

 * Allure of Darkness

Monsters

 * Dragunity Dux
 * Dragunity Legionnaire
 * Dragunity Phalanx
 * Dragunity Aklys
 * Dragunity Arma Mystletainn
 * Red-Eyes Wyvern
 * Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon

Spells

 * Future Fusion
 * Terraforming
 * Dragon Ravine
 * Cards of Consonance
 * Pot of Avarice

Extra Deck

 * Five-Headed Dragon
 * Stardust Dragon
 * Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana

Support Cards

 * "Malefic Stardust Dragon" : Another Level 8 monster for Synchro Summoning "Trident Dragion". It can also protect your "Dragon Ravine" from any destruction effects.


 * "Reborn Tengu": As well as being a good floater, you can use it with "Legionnaire" and "Phalanx" to Synchro Summon "Trishula" and lose no advantage. It also sets up your Graveyard for "Pot of Avarice".


 * "Cards of Consonance": This card can be very good in a "Dragunity" deck. It's a 2 for that sets up your combos. However, the strongest "Dragunity" decks don't use a lot of targets for this card and aren't as likely to actually draw them as in Dragon Draw Exodia, so "Cards of Consonance" isn't as useful as it is in other decks.


 * "Icarus Attack": While potentially useful, "Icarus Attack" is usually less than effective since in most cases you will be Synchro Summoning, not destroying cards with "Legionnaire".


 * "Pot of Avarice": This deck sends monsters to the Graveyard very quickly thanks to its Synchro Summons, discards from "Cards of Consonance" and "Dragon Ravine", and plain destruction by battle. "Pot of Avarice" rewards the filling of the graveyard with two new cards, as well as a chance to get another use out of used "Duxes", "Darkspears" and/or "Legionnaires".


 * "Terraforming": This card is the easiest way to search out "Dragon Ravine", so running two or three is recommended. This card can also serves as discard fodder for "Dragon Ravine"'s effect, so it will never be dead draw.


 * "Future Fusion": This card can fill the Graveyard with 5 Dragon-Type "Dragunity" Tuner monsters (most notably "Dragunity Phalanx") and summon "Five-Headed Dragon" two turns later. However, the best "Dragunity" decks don't use more than four Dragon-Type monsters.


 * "Five-Headed Dragon: Combine with "Future Fusion" to fill the grave and have a massive monster two turns later. It may not stay on the field for a long time, but it will give you lots of access to quick "Dragunity" combos.


 * "T.G. Hyper Librarian: "Dragunity" decks can easily Synchro Summon level 5 Synchro Monsters with "Dragunity Legionnaire". Afterward, you can do the standard double Synchro Summon with "Dux" and "Vajrayana", and you will draw two cards.


 * "Photon Strike Bounzer: Due to the frequent level 6 Synchro Summoning, "Dragunity" players can Xyz summon this card by overlaying "Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana"s or "Dragunity Knight - Gae Dearg".


 * "Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite": Although it's not a "Dragunity" monster, it is useful for "Dragunity" because you can return a "Legionnaire" to your hand after using its effect and Special Summon "Zephyros" or return a "Dux" to your hand after Special Summoning "Phalanx" and still get to Synchro Summon "Vajrayana" since "Zephyros" is a Winged Beast-Type monster.


 * "Foolish Burial": Sending "Zephyros", "Aklys", and "Phalanx" to your Graveyard to set up combos.


 * ""Dragon's Mirror": Allows access to "Five Headed Dragon". While "Future Fusion" has the weakness of limited monsters in the deck, you will be likely sending multiple "Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana" to the graveyard. The downside is you can't re-use your combos with "Pot of Avarice" so it's advised to use it as a last resort only.


 * "T.G. Warwolf": Due to the fact that Dragunity decks should speical summon "Dragunity Phalanx" almost every turn bringing this guy out is easy and he leads to level 9 synchros with "Dragunity Dux" and level 8 synchros with "Dragunity Legionnaire".


 * "Genex Ally Birdman": Help return a used up "Dragunity Legionnaire" or a "Dragunity Dux" that has its effect negated by "Effect Veiler" also leads to level 7 synchros with "Dragunity Dux " and level 6 synchros with "Dragunity Legionnaire".


 * "Royal Decree": Protects "Dragunity" monsters from Traps.

Weakness
In the competitive scene, Dragunities have almost completely wiped out during this September 2011 format due to this Archetype is considered having too many weaknesses. One of them is their signature Field Spell "Dragon Ravine", which is the core of most Dragunity decks. "Mystical Space Typhoon" can be chained to "Dragon Ravine's" effect, which means nullifying their main search power and gave themselves -1 advantage due to the cost already paid. "D.D. Crow" and "Chain Disappearance" are used to Banish "Dragunity Phalanx" and "Dragunity Aklys", while "Macro Cosmos" and "Dimensional Fissure" paralyze the deck further, due to their Graveyard-reliant strategy. "Maxx "C"" will take advantage of their constant Special summons, putting more mind pressure on any Dragunity players. "Effect Veiler", on the other hand, stops the Dux-Phalanx-Vajrayana combo in their tracks, leaving your monsters more vulnerable.

Synchro Summon decks(mainly with Plant Synchro engine) is the most dangerous, due to the fact that they can Special Summon large amount of monsters (sometimes even 10 or more Special Summons in one turn), and also having many counters in both their Main and Side Deck, completely outspeed Dragunity in many ways. Despite the numerous disadvantages they had, "Dragunity" Decks also have ways of dealing with these cards. "Debunk" (which is even a passable Main Deck card in this format due to the common use of "Maxx "C", "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness", and "Effect Veiler") stops the aforementioned cards, while "Imperial Iron Wall" completely annihilate any and all banishing attempts. "Malefic Stardust Dragon" (or even "Card Guard") becomes more important in this Deck, due to its easy-to-Summon nature, also adding a layer of defense on your "Dragon Ravine", which is a good thing for your future plays.