Cyberdark

"Cyberdark", spelled "Cyber Dark" (サイバー・ダーク Saibā Dāku) in Japanese, is an archetype of DARK Dragon and Machine monsters, as well as a sub-archetype of the "Cyber" archetype. These cards were used by Zane Truesdale following his "rebirth" in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime as a forbidden "Underworld Deck" (called "Cyber Art Reverse" in the original).

Lore[edit]

Anime[edit]

In the anime, the Deck's unquenchable thirst for battle and improvement forces its owner to go past his/her limit, slowly damaging the user's body over time. Because of this drawback, only Duelists with strong wills and dreams of progression can use this Deck for long periods of time. Depending on how strong-willed the Duelist is, the Duelist using this Deck will experience heart trauma, which may lead to death, as displayed by Zane Truesdale after using this Deck for so long. Even Syrus Truesdale experienced some cardiovascular pain when he decided to take over Zane's Duel against Makoto Inotsume. However, Syrus was able to overcome this problem by respecting the Deck, something that Zane had not done.

The "Cyberdark" monsters' equipping effects are represented as cables connecting to the Dragon monster's head and locking the monster in place with their claws.

Members[edit]

Main Deck[edit]

Extra Deck[edit]

Playing style[edit]

"Cyberdark" is a varied Deck primarily focused on Beatdown and Control. It attempts to overwhelm the opponent by Summoning high-ATK "Cyberdark" monsters while also establishing the control of the field via the effects of cards such as "Cyberdarkness Dragon" and "Cyberdark Invasion".

"Cyberdark" cards can be split into three waves:

• The original cards released in 2006 - 2007, reliant on equipping Dragons from the GY for ATK and battle-related effects.
• Support released in Legendary Duelists, aimed to increase consistency, get required cards to the GY, and support "Cyberdark" monsters equipped with a card.
• Cards released in Structure Deck: Cyber Strike onwards, allowing them to mix with other "Cyber" archetypes (mainly "Cyber Dragon").

"Cyberdark Cannon" and "Cyberdark Claw" are the key consistency tools, discarding themselves to search a "Cyberdark" Spell/Trap or Monster, respectively. As Level 3 Dragons, they can also be equipped by the Machine members. They each have effects when an equipped monster battles ("Claw" sending from Deck to GY, "Cannon" from Extra Deck to GY) and when sent to the GY while equipped ("Claw" returns a monster to hand, "Cannon" draws 1), forming a vicious advantage engine with the other members of the archetype. "Cyberdark Realm" is another major piece of consistency, searching a "Cyberdark" monster and allowing an additional Normal Summon of one.

Regarding the "Machine" part of the Deck, "Cyberdark" can focus on either the original Level 4 "Cyberdark" trio, or rush their powerful, but cost-intensive Fusion monsters.

• The three original members, "Cyberdark Horn", "Edge" and "Keel", can (on Normal Summon) equip a Level 3 or lower Dragon to gain its ATK, such as "Cannon" and "Claw" to activate their equip effects.
• The "Cyberdark" Fusion monsters, on the other hand, usually require a lengthy setup procedure involving "Cybernetic Horizon" to fill up the GY with Fusion Materials and "Cyberdark Chimera" to search "Power Bond" and allow it to banish materials from the GY.
  • Nowadays, "Cyberdark Dragon" is mainly used as Fusion Material (sent to the GY with "Claw" or "Cybernetic Horizon").
  • "Cyberdarkness Dragon" can negate a card/effect by sending an equipped card to the GY, without any sort of restriction; it's not even once per turn.
  • There is also the option of Tributing their "Cyberdark" Fusion monster equipped with "Cyber End Dragon" to Summon "Cyberdark End Dragon", which is unaffected by effects activated by the opponent and potentially attacking multiple times to end the Duel.

Among the "Cyberdark" Spell/Trap support, other than the aforementioned "Cyberdark Realm" an important role is fulfilled by "Cyberdark Invasion", which provides a mean to refurbish "Cyberdark" monsters of Equip cards while also doubling as a non-targeting destruction removal tool, and "Cyberdark Inferno" for protection purposes.

Following the release of "Structure Deck: Cyber Strike", some Cyber Dragon-related cards have also become mainstays in "Cyberdark" Decks, such as "Cyber Dragon Core" to search "Cyberdark" Spell/Traps, and "Chimeratech Megafleet Dragon" and "Chimeratech Fortress Dragon" to remove the opponent's monsters. The opposite is also true, especially with the release of "Cyberdark Wurm", an hybrid card which gives "Cyber Dragon" a powerful extender to go into "Cyber Dragon Nova" while also easing the access to Cyber Dragon-related Fusions, but the use of "Cyberdark" cards as an engine rather than a stand-alone strategy is better explained on the "Cyber Dragon" page.

Equip options[edit]

Aside from "Cannon" and "Claw", modern options for equipping the "Cyberdarks" include:

• "Attachment Cybern" grants the highest potential ATK boost and when sent to the GY while equipped to a monster, can revive any other Dragon or Machine "Cyber" monster. It can be accessed with "Cybernetic Horizon".
• "Dragon Buster Destruction Sword" can prevent the opponent from Summoning monsters from their Extra Deck. It can be sent to the GY by the effect of "Cyberdark Cannon" or "Protector Whelp of the Destruction Swordsman".
• "Leng Ling" allows the equipped "Cyberdark" monster to attack twice (but it will set the original ATK of the equipped monster to 1000), and can also Summon itself to the field while equipped.

High-Level Dragon monsters are usually kept to a minimum, because only the Fusion "Cyberdark" monsters can equip them by their own effects, and two of the Fusions ("Cyberdarkness" and "Cyberdark End Dragon") can equip a larger variety of cards anyway (Machines for "Cyberdarkness Dragon", and any monster for "Cyberdark End Dragon"). Nevertheless, "Cyberdark Invasion" allows all "Cyberdark" Effect monsters to Equip any Dragon or Machine monster from the GY, granting cards such as "Bystial Druiswurm", "Cyber Dragon Herz" and "Golden Cloud Beast - Malong" additional utility as situational Equip cards.

In legacy formats, "Hunter Dragon" will be the highest ATK target, resulting in 2500 ATK for the Level 4 "Cyberdark" monsters.

Sample combo[edit]

Recommended cards[edit]

Official Decklist[edit]

Weaknesses[edit]

• The Deck is very heavily reliant on Normal Summoning.
• The Deck can constantly Summon high-ATK monsters with little investment, but due to the "Cyberdark" monsters boosting their ATK themselves up via an equipped card, they are vulnerable to all forms of removal, even under "Cyberdark Inferno's" protection.
• Cards that lock access to the Graveyard such as "Necrovalley" or "Macro Cosmos".

References[edit]