True Draco and True King

"True Draco", known as "True Dragon" (真竜 Shinryū) in the OCG, is an archetype of Wyrm-Type monsters that premiered in The Dark Illusion with its first support debuting in Maximum Crisis. It is composed of two sub-series, "True King" and "True Draco".

True King
The "True Kings" are Level 9 monsters whose ATK and DEF have a sum of 4800. They share some similarities with the "Dragon Rulers", such as the fact they are FIRE, WIND, WATER and EARTH-Attribute and 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, you can [...] if both destroyed monsters were [its own Attribute].


 * 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:

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 "Succession of the True Draco". Also, it 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" (its wings and the symbol on its shield) hints that there is a relation between both of them. Finally, it poses a benevolent mien, in contrast with the aggressive, destructive figure of the other "True Kings". It also is the only female member, based on its name, out of the four of the Level 9 monsters. She was, however, released along side a WIND archetype, Lyrical Luscinia, in vein of the earlier "True Kings" being released with an archetype matching their own attributes.

True Draco
In terms of artwork, each True Draco is related to a Pendulum Archetype released on the OCG 9th Series sets and are focused on Tribute Summons:

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-Type monster with a different Attribute from its own:

Their boss monster is "True King V.F.D., The Beast", 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 "Dozen Da'at Metatron, the True Draco Meksoldier". 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.

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".

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 "Dozen Da'at Metatron", 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", "Revival of the True King", "Agnimazud", and "Lithosazim". They also prevent the first effect of "Succession of the True Draco" from being activated, as well as the Graveyard effects of the all "True Draco" Continuous Spell/Trap Cards.