"Vampire" (ヴァンパイア Vanpaia) is an archetype of DARK monsters. Initially, they were only supported in the manga, by "Blood Curse" and "Evil Eye of Coercion", but they received support in the TCG/OCG in Shadow Specters. The "Vampire" archetype is strongly associated with the Castlevania video game series, one of Konami's best selling franchises. All members of this archetype are Zombie monsters, except for the Warrior "Vampire Hunter".
Seto Kaiba used “Vampire Lord” in his deck while dedicated users of the archetype include Camula in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX and Tilla Mook in Yu-Gi-Oh! R who use "Vampire"-themed Decks.
Cards that were originally released with "Vampire" in their TCG names but not「ヴァンパイア」in their Japanese names (such as "Vampire Orchis"), were later re-issued with "Vampiric" in their TCG names instead of "Vampire". In the Italian version, the inclusion of cards whose names contain the feminine word "Vampira" (e.g. "Vamp Vampira") and the plural word "Vampiri" (e.g. "Regno dei Vampiri") seems to be implicit, because their names don't contain "Vampiro".
Design[]
"Vampire" monsters typically resemble pale-skinned humanoids with irregularly colored hair (white, green, etc.) in mostly aristocratic clothing resembling that of the 18th to 19th century, evocative of the common depiction as the mythological undead creature of Europe, and with them being tied in infamous legend to tyrannical and corrupt nobility. Many Vampire monsters have claw-like appendages on their clothing, best seen in the artworks of "Vampire Sorcerer" and "Vampire Vamp". Some of the monsters also bear resemblance on vampire characters from other franchises.
Main Deck[]
Extra Deck[]
Vampire | Origin |
---|---|
Vampire Sucker | Daywalking Vampire |
Dhampir Vampire Sheridan | Dhampir/Sheridan Le Fanu/Myotismon |
Crimson Knight Vampire Bram | Bram Stoker |
Playing style[]
The archetype is supported by the Field Spell Card "Vampire Kingdom". The card is designed to augment the effects of "Vampire Lord", "Vampire Lady", "Vampire Duke" and "Vampire Grace", but it also works with other effects that mill your opponent such as "Gravekeeper's Servant" and "Iron Chain Dragon". The Trap Card, "Vampire Takeover", is very handy for getting "Kingdom" onto the field, and as well as a free Special Summon from your Graveyard. The main idea behind this strategy is to eliminate key cards in your opponent's Deck and controlling their field.
"Vampires" make an effective Xyz Monster Deck. Using the effects of "Shadow Vampire" and "Vampire Duke" to Special Summon Level 5 DARK "Vampires" (such as each other or "Vampire Lord") and Overlay for the boss of the Deck: "Crimson Knight Vampire Bram". You can also use "Vampire's Curse" and "Vampire Grace" for Rank 6 plays (such as the unorthodox, yet still thematically fitting Number 24), as well as "Zombie Master" for Rank 4 plays with monsters such as "Vampire Lady" or "Vampire Sorcerer".
"Vampires" later obtained new support revolving around paying Life Points as costs to Special Summon themselves from the Graveyard and search other "Vampire" cards while also taking control of the opponent's monsters, often by Special Summoning opposing Monsters that were destroyed by battle with a "Vampire". This also facilitates the Xyz Summon of "Damphir Vampire Sheridan" as it can treat monsters the player controls that are owned by the opponent as Level 6 when used for its Xyz summoning. The Life Point costs can then be recovered with the use of "Vampire's Domain".
"Vampire Domain" allows an additional Normal Summon of a "Vampire" monster, this works in tandem with their Link Monster "Vampire Sucker", which allows the player to tribute the opponent's Zombie type monsters for the Tribute Summon of a "Vampire", it can also special summon a monster from the opponent's Graveyard to their field as a Zombie type so it can be used as tribute. The Field Spell "Zombie World" also makes it so any of the opponent's monsters can be used as tribute when "Vampire Sucker" is on the field, giving the player an easy method of removing troublesome monsters while also bringing out their own "Vampires".
"Vampire Sorcerer" is very helpful for both of the Deck's goals. Its first effect allows you to search any DARK "Vampire" monster or any "Vampire" Spell/Trap Card, and its second effect allows you to Normal Summon one "Vampire" monster without Tributing. You can use its first effect to search for "Vampire Kingdom" and its second to Summon "Vampire Lord" or "Vampire Grace" in order to mill your opponent, or you could search for "Shadow Vampire" and use the second effect to Normal Summon it, use the effect "Shadow" to Special Summon "Vampire Lord", and Overlay for a DARK Rank 5.
- Shadow Vampire
- Vampire Baby
- Vampire Dragon
- Vampire Duke
- Vampire Familiar
- Vampire Fraulein
- Vampire Genesis
- Vampire Ghost
- Vampire Grace
- Vampire Grimson
- Vampire Lady
- Vampire Lord
- Vampire Red Baron
- Vampire Retainer
- Vampire Scarlet Scourge
- Vampire Sorcerer
- Vampire Vamp
- Vampire Voivode
- Vampire's Curse
- Dark Armed Dragon
- Endless Decay
- Garbage Lord
- Goblin Zombie
- Gozuki
- Mezuki
- Pyramid Turtle
- Samurai Skull
- Secret Sect Druid Dru
- Skull Conductor
- Zombie Master
- Vampire's Desire
- Vampire Kingdom
- Vampire's Domain
- Action Magic - Double Banking
- Allure of Darkness
- Book of Life
- Burial from a Different Dimension
- Dragon's Mirror
- Everliving Underworld Cannon
- Foolish Burial
- Ghost Fusion
- Overpowering Eye
- Recurring Nightmare
- The Monarchs Stormforth
- Transmodify
- Zombie World
From Deck recipe PDF version (August 2013)[]
ヴァンパイア
Weaknesses[]
While "Vampires" are fairly powerful in controlling your opponent's Deck, they can be devastated by their own effects too. Opponents who know that you use "Vampire"s, or during Duels 2 and 3, will be likely to side cards like "Dimension Fortress Weapon", "Skull Invitation", "Breakthrough Skill" or even "Jackpot 7", with the last one being most dangerous due to "Vampire Kingdom"'s effect being compulsory. Decks that utilize the Graveyard as resource are also problem as well, for the same reason. "Lightsworn" Decks in particular can take huge advantage of a "Vampire" player, while Decks such as Zombies and "Infernities" that can construct huge combos out of the Graveyard pose a similar threat. A lone "Vampire Hunter" can potentially destroy an opposing "Vampire"-centered deck, especially since all "Vampire" monsters are DARK.
"Macro Cosmos" and "Dimensional Fissure", as well as "Banisher of the Light" and "Banisher of the Radiance", can easily prove fatal for the "Vampire" strategy, since it relies almost entirely on "Vampire Sorcerer", or at least "Plaguespreader Zombie" or "Mezuki", being in the Graveyard to allow for the Summon of "Vampire Shadow" and "Vampire Duke". Also, cards that negate monster effects on the field, most notably "Skill Drain" (and, by extension, "Soul Drain" for dealing with "Sorcerer") and "Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror", generally prove a complete out against the Deck due to its huge reliance on such.
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