Deck Excavation: Ancient Dragons

In my previous entry, I spoke of some of the key cards in the Ancient Dragon deck, and why I felt that they are a capable force and a threat to be reckoned with. As a bit of a follow-up, I'm posting my own Ancient Dragon Deck, and will thoroughly break it down and explain my card choices.

Starter: Ancient Dragon, Baby Rex

Grade 0:

4x Ancient Dragon, Dinodile (Critical)

4x Dragon Bird, Fire Pteryx (Critical)

4x Ancient Dragon, Titanocargo (Draw)

4x Ancient Dragon, Ornithohealer (Heal)

Grade 1:

4x Ancient Dragon, Palace Wall

4x Ancient Dragon, Tri-Plasma

4x Ancient Dragon, Iguano Corg

3x Winged Dragon, Skyptero

Grade 2:

4x Ancient Dragon, Cryolophor

4x Ancient Dragon, Beamankylo

3x Ancient Dragon, Dinoclaude

Grade 3:

4x Ancient Dragon, Spino Driver

3x Ancient Dragon, Tyranno Legend

Grade 0

Let's start from the ground up. The trigger lineup is fairly standard, being the aggressive 8 critical, 4 draw, 4 heal lineup. This part of the deck is pretty flexible to a player's play style, so if you enjoy running 6 crits and 6 draw to have a 50/50 ratio of aggro/defensive triggers, by all means go for it. I'm not looking to get netdecked here. I will, however, say that running stands in Tachikaze is fairly... bad. Especially the Ancient Dragon variant. You retire a lot more in this deck than you would in other variants of Tachikaze, and you don't want your big Final Turn push soured by stand triggers that would have otherwise been criticals.

Grade 1

Again, a fairly standard lineup. Palace Wall is the Perfect Guard (or Omni Guard, Null Guard, Sentinel, or whatever name you have for it) for Ancient Dragons. I'm honestly tempted not to run it and use Archbird in it's place, as the artwork for the thing is utterly revolting. It's like an aborted dinosaur fetus. An anorexic one. Iguano Corg is also included, and he has become my new favorite card (and lover) because of how wonderful he works in the deck (see my previous article if you don't know why). Tri-plasma is the deck's Kay Clone, i.e. the 7000 Power Grade 1 that becomes a 10000 Power attacker when it attacks and you have an "Ancient Dragon" Vanguard (Kay needs a "Blaster" Vanguard, but you get the picture). The last Grade 1 is Winged Dragon, Skyptero. This one is sure to turn a couple heads, so let me start a new paragraph about it to build up the suspense.

Last article, if you read it (if you didn't, shame on you), you'll remember that I noted, numerous times, about how much better Iguano Corg was than Skyptero. So why would I still run him? You might be thinking "He's not even an Ancient Dragon, why run him? There's another Grade 1 Ancient Dragon to fill the spot up with." You would be right in the fact that one exists, but that's where the buck stops. Skyptero, while being a non-Ancient Dragon and only a 6000 Power booster, still is a great combo piece with Spino Driver, the Break Ride unit. Most of the cards in this deck require you to retire an "Ancient Dragon" unit, but the Break Ride can retire any 2 Tachikaze units, and Skyptero fits the bill. Since trying to get 2 Iguano Corgs on the field is a rather daunting task, having 7 possible targets instead of 4 makes life a lot easier, and plussing from the Break Ride more consistent. Sure, you can retire Baby Rex for the ride, but he's best saved for later on.

That being said, I'm a firm believer in explaining why things weren't chosen for the deck as much as the things that were. As mentioned, there is 1 more "Ancient Dragon" Grade 1 unit that I elected not to include in my deck. This unit, "Ancient Dragon, Gattling Allo" (pictured) has a skill that reads "[AUTO][R]: [Retire 1 "Ancient Dragon" Rear Guard] When this unit attacks, you may pay the cost. If you do, this unit gains 5000 Power until the end of that battle." Seems pretty legit at first sight, a 7000 Power booster that can double as a 12000 Power attacker. But what kind of powerlines can that hit? There are no Sonic Noa's in the deck, and even if there were, 20,000 Power isn't as magic a number as it used to be, with 10,000 Power Vanguard becoming increasingly rare. Additionally, I already have Tri-Plasma in the deck to double as an attacker, and he doesn't cost anything. Essentially, this guy's exclusion from the deck boils down to his marginal cost exceeding any marginal benefits you could reap from his skill (this is for you, you economic majors).

Another card I elected not to include was Winged Dragon, Beamptera. He is a 7000 Power booster from Set 8: Blue Storm Armada who, when retired during the Battle Phase, will grant a 3000 Power boost for the duration of the battle phase to one unit. With a higher base power than Skyptero, why wouldn't I choose him? The fact is that there are only 2 cards in the deck that can retire during the Battle Phase, those being Tyranno Legend and Dinoclawed, both of which must retire "Ancient Dragons," which Beamptera is not. Skyptero isn't either, but at least he can work with the Break Ride.

Grade 2

The Grade 2 lineup is fairly standard as well; run every Grade 2 the archetype has. Cryolophor is their 10,000 Power Vanilla unit, and Beamankylo is their Bedivere clone (a 9000 Power Grade 2 that, when it attacks and you have an "Ancient Dragon" Vanguard, it gains 3000 Power). Wait, didn't I just say I didn't run Gattling Allo because 12,000 Power attackers weren't that good anymore? I did, but the difference is that Beamankylo is completely free, as opposed to the constant cost I'd have to pay for Gattling Allo.

The last card in the Grade 2 lineup is Ancient Dragon Dinoclaude. Disclaimer: I have no idea what its actual name is. Its been translated as Dinocloud, Dinoclawed, Dinoclaude, and everything in between. Dinoclawed is probably the most accurate, as he has claws in his art, but I like calling him Dinoclaude, because that means I can shorten it to Claude. Naming aside, he has become my new 2nd favorite card. His skill is a photo copy of Gattling Allo's skill, where he gains 5000 Power by retiring a Rear Guard "Ancient Dragon." However, this time, the skill can actually justify the cost. As a 9000 base, his skill brings him up to 14,000 Power. With a 7000 Power boost, that makes a 21,000 Power column, a very magic number against 11,000 Power Vanguards that will force 15,000 Power worth of shield, and that's just as a Rear Guard. Tachikaze essentially have their own Palamedes with this card.

Sadly, there is a bit of a mechanic issue regarding his interaction with Iguano Corg. If you want to hit that 21,000 Power, you can't boost him with the Iguano Corg you retire. Game mechanic-wise, "When this unit attacks" skills are applied after attacking and boosting. So, if you boost Claude with Corg, then retire Corg for his skill, you lose Corg's boost and can't re-boost with him, since the "boost phase" has passed (this isn't an actual phase, but for simplicity's sake, I'll call it that). However, this isn't really crippling. As long as there is a Corg on the field, and a booster behind Claude, you're fine. Since Corg returns to the field, you won't be missing out on any attacks. You can even attack with Corg's column first, then use Claude's skill to retire and re-call Corg. Since he comes back standing, it makes for a great anti-Megacolony play. Dinosaurs > Bugs, and don't forget it!

As with the previous grade's lineup, I feel I should explain why certain cards didn't make it into the deck. The most glaring would be the last of Cannon Fire Dragon, Cannon Gear. If you've ever used, or even seen, a Tachikaze deck before, you'd know that guy is absolutely staple. He is an 11,000 Power Grade 2 whose only cost is that you must retire a Rear Guard when you call him. Unlike other high-base powered Grade 2's, like Brutal Jack, you'll notice that he doesn't have some sort of restraint or upkeep cost, which makes him even more outstanding. With the ability to hit 11,000 Power Vanguards unboosted, he is truly a force to be reckoned with. Despite this, there is simply no room in the deck for him. The biggest flaw he has is the lack of having an "Ancient Dragon" name, which is very important. If you're forced to ride him, which isn't uncommon, then anything you retire won't be able to activate its skill. You'll lose a precious Iguano Corg, or be unable to turn Baby Rex into Tyranno Legend. On top of that, the heck is a bit tighter with counterblasts than previous Tachikaze variants, needing to save the bulk of them for Break Riding and a Final Turn push with Tyranno Legend, so there isn't much to spare for dear ole' Cannon Gear.

The other big contender that was left out is Launcher Mammoth, the new Damage Unflipper introduced in Set 11: Sealed Dragons Unleashed. You might be thinking "He keeps talking about how much the deck counterblasts, so why isn't he using a card that lets you unflip damage and use more counterblasts?" I applaud your train of thought, but he simply isn't needed. First off, he lacks the name of "Ancient Dragon," like Cannon Gear does. Damage Flippers are most likely to hit in the Vanguard Circle, and not having an "Ancient Dragon" Vanguard can prevent you from getting too aggressive in the early game. I often love riding a Grade 2, possibly Dinoclaude, and then calling another Grade 2. At least 1 of them is Dinoclaude, who allows me to retire Baby Rex for a power boost (because forcing out 10,000 Power shields in the early game is pro) as well as get another 11,000 Power attacker. That isn't possible with Mammoth as a Vanguard. Additionally, Damage Unflippers simply won't be hitting the Vanguard in the late game, and the most prime time for them to activate their skills is early-mid game. The deck tends to save all of its counterblasts for late game Break Rides and Tyranno Legend plays, when Mammoth is the least effective. He can't even be fed to Tyranno Legend since he isn't an "Ancient Dragon." While I don't discourage his use in the deck, I simply found that Beamankylo is a more effective choice.

Grade 3

Here they are; the best and the brightest. These are essentially the main components of the deck. The Grade 3 is the sole permanent unit on the field, being the pinnacle grade the Vanguard can reach. It is these cards that the deck is built around. At first glance, the lineup is essentially a no-brainer. Take the Grade 3 Ancient Dragons, and run them. It only makes sense. Even more so since most (if not all) of the cards in this deck require an "Ancient Dragon" Vanguard to activate their skills. I neglected not to run Stegobuster, the Bors Clone (Counterblast 1 when it attacks to give it 3000 Power for the battle) due to the fact that I don't run Sonic Noa's, so it can't make a 21,000 Power column, alongside the fact that the deck is very counterblast heavy between Claude the Grade 3's.

The lineup pretty much explains itself. The Break Ride is easily one of the best in the game right now, and Tyranno Legend is an astounding finisher. I talked all about these two in my previous article, so I don't feel like I need to elaborate too much on them. However, you may be noticing the stark lack of potentially the best card in the clan: Destruction Dragon Dark Rex.

While it is true that Dark Rex is the best thing to happen to the clan since its initial release, he falls short in the deck for the same reason numerous, otherwise great cards don't make the cut. The sole fact that he doesn't have "Ancient Dragon" in his name is enough to purge the deck of his presence, perhaps even more so than any other card choice in the clan. In his own deck, Dark Rex is an extraordinarily lethal weapon. While his cost of retiring 3 Rear Guards is rather steep, the deck's entire purpose is to mitigate those minuses and turn them into plusses. Cards like Skyptero recycle themselves and turn the initial -3 into a -2. Since he gives you an extra Twin Drive, he has a built-in +2, making his overall play only a -1, or a -0 with the use of Skyptero. As he is only a 10,000 Power unit, the inclusion of units like Winged Dragon Slashptera and Winged Dragon Beamptera allow him to hit higher power levels, going from 10,000 to 16,000 if you retired 2 of them. This makes Dark Rex a real threat to the opponent, especially since its a second Vanguard attack.

However, the synergy just isn't there. As Dark Rex doesn't have "Ancient Dragon" in his name, almost none of the skills in the deck work. If you retire Iguano Corg for his ride, you can't re-call it. If you retire Baby Rex, you can't grab Tyranno Legend. The only thing in the deck that would actually work with him is Skyptero, who is run at a minimum. The lack of Slashptera and Beamptera means he can't get any big power boosts either. "But wait, you have a Break Ride. He'll gain 10,000 Power, which is a lot better than 6000!" Again, a good question, but one that comes up short yet again. With Spino Driver, you have to retire 2 Rear Guards to gain any of the Break Ride skills. That means, in total, you will have to retire 5 Rear Guards for a full Dark Rex play in this deck. The biggest threat he posed in his old deck is that you could still have a complete Rear Guard column to attack with after a Dark Rex play, meaning any triggers you got with Dark Rex could go right to that column (along with any triggers from your first Vanguard attack), even if the opponent managed to block your 2nd Vanguard attack. In this deck, there is no such luck. Were you able to use Baby Rex's and Iguano Corg's skills, it would be a different story, but as it is, there exists no way to have a Rear Guard column after Break Riding Dark Rex (unless you're using the Brachio series, but in that case you'd have lost before you could even make it to this point). Without the ability to recover from his ride, and utilize it effectively, the deck just can't sustain him very well. Instead, I opt to run more Tyranno Legends, to make calling him with Baby Rex more consistent. Your goal is to ride him eventually, and having to call him with Baby Rex means you need at least 2. Needing to account for drawing or damage checking a copy, 3 is the absolute minimum you should run of him, and I am strongly debating testing out 4 copies, although I've never actually had the problem of not having a copy in the deck in my extensive playtests with it.

There is the deck in its entirety, explained to the best of my abilities. If you have any questions about it, suggestions, or stories of your own, please feel free to comment, troll, or flame. I probably won't respond to the latter two, but at least you'll feel better about yourself.