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. Like "Blackwings", 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"). Another fast combo to summon Level 8 synchros 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 from the graveyard. Equipping Phalanx, and then summoning it with its effect can grant you an instant Stardust Dragon. However, this card has no way to be searched out because Dragon Ravine only searches level 4 or lower Dragunities and adds them to your hand, so you would rely more on simply drawing it, but with the thinning power of the deck thanks to Ravine, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

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.

Another good strategy for synchros is using "Dragunity Pilum" and "Dragunity Militum." Pilum allows you to summon a Winged-Beast type Dragunity from your hand and equips itself to it, while Militum can special summon equipped Dragunities, allowing for a fast level 7 synchro for monsters like "Black Rose Dragon" and "Dragunity Knight - Trident."

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.

"Dragunity Arma Leyvaten", the new ace "Dragunity" monster, comes in Structure Deck: Dragunity Legion. This monster can be Special Summoned with ease from your hand or Graveyard by Banishing 1 Face-up monster you control equipped with a "Dragunity" card. In addition, when this card is Normal Summoned or Special Summoned, you can select 1 Dragon-Type monster in your Graveyard other than "Dragunity Arma Leyvaten", and equip it to it as an Equip Card. If and when you equip "Phalanx" to "Leyvaten", you can Special Summon it to your field and using "Phalanx" and "Leyvaten" to Synchro Summon "Trident Dragion". To make sure all the "Leyvatens" are sent to your Graveyard swiftly and efficiently, "Future Fusion" and "Dragon Ravine" are recommended.

Monsters

 * Dragunity Phalanx
 * Dragunity Aklys
 * Dragunity Legionnaire
 * Dragunity Dux
 * Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite
 * Dragunity Arma Mystletainn
 * Reborn Tengu

Spells

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

Extra Deck

 * Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana
 * Dragunity Knight - Gae Dearg
 * Stardust Dragon
 * Trident Dragion
 * Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier

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

Spells

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

Extra Deck

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

Blackunities
Due to the usefulness of "Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite" along with many "Dragunity" cards, mixing "Dragunity" and "Blackwing" monsters can be a very powerful combination when done right. Throw in a "Dark Simorgh" for even more chaos and combos. Also, a Winged Beast-Type "Blackwing" monster can Synchro with "Phalanx" and "Aklys" to make "Dragunity Knight -Vajrayana", which allows for even more Synchro Summoning power. "Gae Dearg" can also search for any level 4 or lower "Blackwing" monsters, allowing you to send "Zephyros" to your Graveyard or add "Gale" and "Bora" to your hand.

Monsters

 * Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite
 * Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind
 * Blackwing - Bora the Spear
 * Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North
 * Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn
 * Dragunity Phalanx
 * Dragunity Aklys
 * Dragunity Legionnaire
 * Dragunity Dux
 * Dragunity Darkspear
 * Dragunity Brandistock
 * Dark Simorgh

Spells

 * Dragon Ravine
 * Terraforming
 * Pot of Avarice
 * Dragon Mastery
 * Black Whirlwind
 * Allure of Darkness

Traps

 * Icarus Attack
 * Delta Crow - Anti Reverse

Extra Deck

 * Blackwing Armor Master
 * Blackwing Armed Wing
 * Dragunity Knight - Vajrayana
 * Dragunity Knight - Gae Dearg
 * Dragunity Knight - Gae Bulg
 * Vortex the Whirlwind
 * Trident Dragion

Possible 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.


 * "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.

Weakness
Competitively Dragunities have not gotten far this format (Sept 2011). There are a few reasons. The first is that without their Field Spell, they are very difficult to win with. "Mystical Space Typhoon" can be chained to "Dragon Ravine's" effect, which means the player with "Dragon Ravine" will be required to pay the cost and "Dragon Ravine's" effect will not resolve. "D.D. Crow" and "Chain Disappearance" are used to Banish "Dragunity Phalanx" and "Dragunity Aklys". "Macro Cosmos" and "Dimensional Fissure" also murder the deck. "Maxx "C"", while not actually stopping anything, means that if you proceed to Synchro Summon, your opponent will draw a ton of cards. "Effect Veiler", on the other hand, stops the Synchro Summons from the beginning by leaving you with a weaker monster. However, "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" stops "D.D. Crow" and "Chain Dissappearance"-the downside is that it stops "Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier" and "Orient Dragon". An alternative is "Chaos Hunter", although it's more risky. "Malefic Stardust Dragon" and "Field Barrier" both protect "Dragon Ravine" from destruction.