Dueling Dragon

Dueling Dragon, ZANBAKU (V Series)

Dueling Dragon (決闘龍けっとうりゅう Kettōryū) is a series of Abyss Dragon cards that include "Dueling Dragon" in its card name exclusive to the Murakumo clan. The first card was introduced in Extra Booster: Comic Style Vol. 1, and later received its first support in G Technical Booster 2: The GENIUS STRATEGY. The series of cards would be re-introduced in V Premium with the release of V Booster Set 02: Strongest! Team AL4. It is also related to the "Arrester" series of cards who serve as the archetypes supporting rear-guards.

Playstyle

Members of the Dueling Dragon archetype carry skills that debilitate the opponent's vanguard of essential skills or limit the choices the opponent is able to make as was introduced with the first member, Dueling Dragon, ZANBAKU who is able to prevent the opponent from performing a normal ride on their grade 3 vanguard unless the opponent discards a card. The archetype would receive it's first wave of support with the release of ZANBAKU's Cross Ride, Dueling Dragon King, ZANGEKI who if ZANBAKU is in the soul, is able to reduce an opponent's vanguard's drive check by -2 when the opponent's vanguard attacks unless the opponent discards a card.

The supporting rear-guards possess skills in line with the Murakumo clan such as calling a copy of another unit to (RC) from deck or allowing rear guards to attack from the back row, the activation conditions varying from having two of a chosen unit on the field or having a corresponding unit present in the opposite front-row column. Of particular note, the unit Stealth Beast, Trickarts as well as ZANGEKI's (RC) skill are able to add a Dueling Dragon card from deck to hand or (RC) and then place it in the soul, facilitating ZANGEKI's cross-ride conditions.

The Dueling Dragon series would be introduced as the earliest archetype for Murakumo in V Premium and would continue the trend of carrying skills that affect the opponent's vanguard while also having a stronger relation to the Arrester series. Dueling Dragon, ZANBAKU is able to superior call any Arrester unit of his choice from deck to (RC) and should the player's field have both Right Arrester and Left Arrester, ZANBAKU will prevent the opponent from being able to ride over their grade 3 vanguard during the next ride phase. Coupled with Right Arrester's skill where it prevents an opponent's vanguard from [Stand]  during the next Stand Phase, ZANBAKU is capable of preventing the opponent's vanguard from taking any significant action during the next turn while also stemming the opponent's capacity to acquire more Imaginary Gifts gained via the action of riding.

The archetype would soon receive Dueling Dragon King, ZANGEKI who is able to prevent the opponent from calling anything but grade 0 cards to (GC) from hand if a Dueling Dragon is in soul as well as increase it's [Critical]  and [Power]  on both player's turn if Right and Left Arrester are present on the board respectively. The archetype's 3rd member, Dueling Dragon, ZANTETHU is able to superior call two Arrester card of it's choice to (RC) at the cost of a damage, aiding the skill conditions of both prior Dueling Dragons as well as situationally giving the player enough damage to perform ZANBAKU and Right Arrester's skills in a circumstance they normally wouldn't be able to.

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