Red-Eyes

Red-Eyes (レッドアイズ Reddoaizu) is an archetype of mostly DARK Dragon monsters used most notably by Joey Wheeler in Yu-Gi-Oh! and Atticus Rhodes in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.

The archetype is based mainly on supporting "Red-Eyes B. Dragon", whose card was created to rival the strength of "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". The first Yu-Gi-Oh! movie stated that while Blue-Eyes brings power, Red-Eyes brings potential.

Prior to its rename from "Red-Eyes B. Chick", "Black Dragon's Chick" was specifically excluded from the archetype because it does not have 「レッドアイズ」 in its Japanese name.

Appearances

In the first movie, Shougo Aoyama got a "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" card but was too timid to use it. Yugi Mutou used it against Seto Kaiba, demonstrating how Red-Eyes brings potential by fusing it with "Meteor Dragon" to Summon "Meteor B. Dragon".

In the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and anime, "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" became one of the signature cards of Joey Wheeler after he won it from Rex Raptor in Duelist Kingdom. Joey used it and a few of its support cards throughout the series.

In Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Atticus Rhodes (and by extension, Nightshroud) uses a Red-Eyes Deck which includes a number of Red-Eyes cards and their support.

In Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D Bonds Beyond Time, Paradox sent a "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" to the Graveyard to Special Summon "Malefic Red-Eyes B. Dragon".

In Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" appeared as a statue as one of the legendary monsters in the Duel Sanctuary. Roku played a Statue version of it in a Statue Duel against Yuma Tsukumo.

Design

Most of the cards in this archetype and its related cards that were released after the original Red-Eyes B. Dragon are based on cards used by Joey Wheeler and Yugi Muto, the former of whom is a prominent user of Red-Eyes. Most of them changed card types, usually changing from Non-Effect Monsters to Effect Monsters or even from Trap Cards to Effect Monsters.

Members

Card		Most notable user(s)
Retrained	Original	Most notable user(s)
Archfiend Black Skull Dragon	B. Skull Dragon	Yugi Muto Joey Wheeler
Black Metal Dragon	Magic Metal Force	Bandit Keith Joey Wheeler (via the effect of Copycat)
Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight	Gearfried the Iron Knight	Joey Wheeler
Meteor Black Comet Dragon	Meteor B. Dragon	Yugi Mutou
Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact	Meteor Dragon	Yugi Mutou
Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon	Red-Eyes B. Dragon	Joey Wheeler Atticus Rhodes
Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning	Summoned Skull	Yugi Muto Joey Wheeler (via the effect of Graverobber)
Red-Eyes Baby Dragon	Baby Dragon	Joey Wheeler
Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon	Red-Eyes B. Dragon	Joey Wheeler Atticus Rhodes
Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon	Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon	Joey Wheeler
Red-Eyes Retro Dragon	Time Machine	Bandit Keith Joey Wheeler (via the effect of Graverobber)

Support

Card		Most notable user(s)
Retrained	Original	Most notable user(s)
Red-Eyes Fang with Chain	Kunai with Chain	Joey Wheeler
Red-Eyes Fusion	Polymerization	Yugi Muto Jaden Yuki

History

The first strategy for the Red-Eyes archetype lies in the Structure Deck, Structure Deck - Dragon's Roar, which focuses on mainly on LV monsters and powering up "Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon" by sending Dragon monsters to the Graveyard.

Prior to the release of the Dragon Ruler archetype, "Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon" and "Red-Eyes Wyvern" made the Hopeless Dragon Deck and its more aggressive counterpart, Disaster Dragon, possible, using multiple copies of "Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon" to swarm the field until it was Limited.

With the release of Clash of Rebellions, new Red-Eyes support based on Gemini monsters and effect damage was introduced. This contrasted with the Performage archetype's ability to avoid opposing effect damage and the D/D archetype's ability to cut the player's own LP to gain advantage.

Invasion: Vengeance provides more support for this archetype's Fusion and Gemini Summoning strategies.

Duelist Pack: Legend Duelist introduced three new members to the archetype, namely "Red-Eyes Baby Dragon", "Red-Eyes Slash Dragon" and "Red-Eyes Metal Knight Gearfried"; as well as a new Trap Card: "Red-Eyes Fang with Chain".

Playing style

The Red-Eyes deck mainly focuses on massive Effect Damage in one instance with a card like "Inferno Fire Blast" or "Archfiend Black Skull Dragon", and domination over the field using "Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon".

Since the release of "Red-Eyes Wyvern" in 2008 cemented Red-Eyes as an archetype, the deck has undergone many changes in card design leading to a wide variety of playstyles.

As each of its effects can be used once per turn, "The Black Stone of Legend" can alternate each turn between Special Summoning a Red-Eyes monster from the Main Deck, and returning itself to the hand and a Red-Eyes monster from the Graveyard to the Deck.

"Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon" benefits from this archetype's support cards and can Special Summon a Dragon monster from the hand or Graveyard every turn, greatly improving field presence.

"Keeper of the Shrine" (for any Dragon Normal Monster) and "Red-Eyes Retro Dragon" (for any Red-Eyes monster) serve the same purpose as each other for Normal Summoning a Red-Eyes monster from the hand on your turn and protecting it during the opponents turn.

"Black Metal Dragon" can equip itself to a Red-Eyes monster for an ATK boost and can search for a Red-Eyes card when sent to the Graveyard. The Black Stone of Legend and Black Metal Dragon can be revived by the effect of "Kinka-byo" which can allow for Contact Fusion in order to Summon "Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon" (since "Kinka-byo" and "Black Metal Dragon" are sent to the Graveyard simultaneously), "Black Metal Dragon" can then search a Red-Eyes card via its effect.

"Kuribandit" can use its mill effect in combination with "Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force". "Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon" is a typical target to Summon "Number 95: Galaxy-Eyes Dark Matter Dragon".

"Catalyst Field" can Normal Summon the Red-Eyes Gemini monsters without Tributing, then the second Normal Summon granted can unlock their effects.

Fusion Version

The Fusion version utilizes "Red-Eyes Fusion" to use Normal and Gemini monsters as Fusion Materials from the hand, Deck, or field, but it cannot use Gemini monsters from the Deck, as they are not treated as Normal Monsters there. Afterward, the Fusion Materials can be revived using "Return of the Red-Eyes". While "Archfiend Black Skull Dragon" can prevent your opponent from using card effects during its battles and recycling Red-Eyes Normal Monsters after inflicting damage, it has very strict Summoning requirements, as it requires a Red-Eyes Normal monster and a Level 6 Archfiend Normal Monster, forcing the inclusion of "Summoned Skull", "Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning", or "Beast of Talwar" in the Deck. "Meteor Black Comet Dragon" is a more flexible alternative that can be Summoned with "Red-Eyes Fusion", as it only requires any Level 6 Dragon monster in addition to a Level 7 Red-Eyes monster. "Red-Eyes Fusion" and "Return of the Red-Eyes" can be searched by "Red-Eyes Insight".

The Hieratic archetype has support for Dragon Normal Monsters, which can be used in combination with "Return of the Red-Eyes" and "Meteor Black Comet Dragon", which requires any Level 6 Dragon monster as Fusion Material.

Ritual Version

The Ritual version uses "Lord of the Red" and "Paladin of Dark Dragon" as disruption and support, respectively. "Junk Synchron" can Special Summon a Level 1 Monster from Graveyard and Synchro Summon "Herald of the Arc Light". When "Arc Light" is sent to the Graveyard, it can search for either "Paladin of Dark Dragon", "Lord of the Red" or their Ritual Spells; "Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands" can search the other piece, while "Pre-Preparation of Rites" can search both.

"Paladin of Dark Dragon" can Special Summon "Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon" from your Deck, allowing faster swarming of Dragon monsters. "Dark Dragon Ritual" can banish itself from the Graveyard to search for a Red-Eyes Spell/Trap.

Effect Damage FTK

Red-Eyes can achieve an FTK by using "Red-Eyes Fusion" and two copies of "Inferno Fire Blast".

First use "Red-Eyes Fusion" to Fusion Summon "Meteor Black Comet Dragon" and, using its effect, send a Red-Eyes monster with more than 2000 ATK from the Deck to the Graveyard. Since Red-Eyes Fusion treats the monster it summons as being named "Red-Eyes B. Dragon", "Meteor Black Comet Dragon" is a viable target for "Inferno Fire Blast" which will deal 3500 Effect Damage for each copy you activate.

The consistency of this FTK can be improved using "Red-Eyes Insight", "Left Arm Offering" and/or "Serial Spell".