Overview
Thunder Dragons is an archetype based on the original card Loading... , a quite old card both on TCG/OCG and in Duel Links, also thunder dragons are a really powerful deck in the TCG/OCG atm. Besides the OG Thunder Dragon, we receive most of the remaining cards of the archetype in September of 2019 with the release of Dark Side of Dimensions World. Most of the cards are f2p with the exception of Loading... which is from Dark Dimension Box. New Update with the release of Loading... in the release of the new Main Box Future Horizon. Check How to Unlock/Farm Mokuba Kaiba (DSOD)
As duel drop rewards from Mokuba Kaiba (DSOD):
As level-up rewards from Mokuba Kaiba (DSOD):
About the Author
Hi, my name is GadgetBug and I'm the Author of this guide. I’ve been playing Duel Links since the worldwide release in January of 2017. But in these last few months I've been wanting to get into the competitive scenario, so you might see me in tournaments. I really like Thunder Dragons, not from the TCG but Loading... was one of my favorite cards since I was a kid, the art style and also the mechanic of discarding to add (I think it was one of the 1st cards with this kind of effect, not sure, don’t quote me on that). When I found what about Konami created an archetype based on this card, I got really happy and never thought we would get them this soon.
Introduction
In the TGC/OCG Thunder Dragons is a control oriented deck that have monsters that can be discarded (they are based on the OG Loading... ) to use effects that can give you card advantage, they also have a 2nd effect if they are sent from the field to the GY or if they are banished. They can easily summon boss monsters that have really powerful effects that helps to control the duel, but until this moment we don’t have access to them in Duel Links. While we don’t have those monsters, the deck has a different way to play, since the deck has a powerful engine to maintain a board you can stay in the duel until you draw your tech cards to help you win the duel and since the deck has a lot of thinning power it’s not a big problem, although the deck isn’t tier worthy atm, it’s a really fun deck and it will definitely get better with future support. That are different variants of the deck, since it doesn’t really need the normal summon you can have synchro and tribute summon plays without losing to many resources. I had finished the guide an hour before the last banlist was announced, so instead of publishing I decided to hold on to see how the Meta would change and because there were a lot of mentions of decks using clash like Six Samurais.
Skills
- Beatdown It’s an ok option as a finisher but I think there are better options.
- Baggy Sleeves Great option, probably the best one atm, since you will likely have a level 5 or higher monster on the field and there isn’t much your opponent can’t do to avoid not destroying your monsters by battle, besides not attacking but if he decides so, you will have a monster on the field to go for an offensive play.
- Other skills can work, like Destiny Draw or any Draw Sense one to draw a specific tuner, for example Zombie Draw can draw a Loading... if is the only zombie you are playing and can be easily triggered with a Loading... . Also you can use counter skills like Sealed Tombs , No Mortal Can Resist to help counter a specific deck(s).
Core Cards
First I’m going to talk about how the cards works and explain about the ratios
The following monsters have 2 effects:
- You can discard the monster to activate the effect
- If the monster leaves the field or if it’s banished (and yes, “if” not “when” none of them can miss the timing) And you can only use one of the effects once per turn.
The monsters are:
Thunder Dragonroar (2-3x)
- Discard effect (ignition): add a thunder dragon card from grave or banished to your hand
- If banished or sent from field: specials summons thunder dragon from deck in defense (the monster returns to your hand in the end phase)
Both effects are essential for the deck.
The discard effect can recycle all the cards from the archetype, including s/t banished by a Loading... for example. While the 2nd one is really accessible with Loading... or Loading... which can banish from your deck. This effect can give you a free body on the field to be used for a synchro or tribute summon. And during your opponents turn will give you an extra defense in case they remove your roar, it will float into another TD in your deck.
How many of this you should run? It really depends on your build here some factors you should consider:
- 3 Copies
- Better chances of having in your starting hand:
- Good for tribute summon/set
- Good along with Loading...
- Better chances of having in your deck (to use with Gold Sarcophagus)
- More Recycle (Good for longer duels)
- 2 Copies
- If you play a lot of tuners (not so good in your starting hand)
- Can be bricky if no starter (decks with few starters)
Thunder Dragondark (2-3x)
- Discard effect (quick effect): add another copy of itself from the deck.
- If banished or sent from field: adds thunder dragon card from your deck to your hand.
The searcher of the deck. The good part is that you can use the same copy to search multiple times along the duel (still once per turn). Deck thinning ability.
Should you play 3 copies? Most of the time, yes. Here some reasons for the ratios:
- 3 Copies:
- Good in your starting hand with no starter and along with hawk
- Good in your starting hand along Loading...
- Great to thin the deck during your opponents turn if you go 2nd.
- Good to have in your deck (so you can special summon with roar's effect)
- 2 Copies:
- You can get away with 2 if you're playing Loading...
- Only bad if you open with both
- Makes the 1st effect for the deck thinning not a great option.
Thunder Dragonhawk (2-3x)
- Discarded (ignition): you can special summon any thunder dragon that is banished or in your graveyard.
- If banished or sent from field: you can shuffle any number of cards from your hand into the deck to draw the same amount of cards.
The ability to special summon any Thunder Dragon that is banished or in your GY is really good. It will give you different options to what effect you want to trigger in your turn (synchro or tribute summon) and which monster you want to leave on the field during opponents turn. Also can revive Thunder Dragonduo. The Loading... kind effect can be a good option to have along the duel.
Well, it’s a main box UR, you need at least 2. Here the reasons for the ratios:
- 3 Copies:
- Better for consistency, as long as you can put a TD in your GY it won't be a brick
- It will decrease Roar's duty of recycling this card.
- 2 Copies:
- Not open multiple.
- If you play a lot of tuners or a bigger engines you can cut this down to 2
- 1 Copy:
- Only if you don't have, it will decrease the longevity of your deck
- Just as a small tech engine.
Thunder Dragonmatrix (0-2x)
- Discard effect (quick effect): gives 500 atk boost to a Thunder monster you control (permanently, as long the monster is face-up on the field)
- If banished or sent from field -> adds a copy of itself from deck
With the addition of Loading... this card becames way more relevant, not only because it it makes duo a really big beater reaching 3600, and the 500 boost is permanent as long the monster is face-up on the field.
If you summon duo in a turn that you didn't activate dark's effect, banishing dark to summon duo allows you to add matrix from your deck to your hand.
Ratios:
- 3 Copies:
- Can be bricky
- Can be good as fuel for Loading... .
- 2 Copies:
- Less chances of opening multiple copies
- Its searchable with dark and duo's effect
- Can be recycled with duo's effect
- 1 Copy:
- Less chances of bricking
- Loses the effect when banished or sent from the field to GY to add another copy of itself