Lightsworn Rulers [January 2014]

Monster Cards 34

3 Judgment Dragon

2 Lightray Diabolos

3 Eclipse Wyvern

1 Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos

1 Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls

1 Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms

2 Black Dragon Collapserpent

3 Raiden, Lightsworn Assailant 

3 Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden

3 Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner

2 Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress

3 Wulf, Lightsworn Beast

1 Felice, Lightsworn Archer

1 Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior

1 Ehren, Lightsworn Monk

1 Shire, Lightsworn Spirit

1 Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid

1 Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter

1 Honest

Spell Cards 6

1 Charge of the Light Brigade

1 Reinforcement of the Army

3 Solar Recharge

1 Foolish Burial 

Extra Deck 15

1 Black Rose Dragon

1 Michael, Lightsworn Ark

1 Crimson Blader

1 Number 11: Big Eye

1 Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack

1 Number 101: Silent Honors Ark Knight

1 Evilswarm Exciton Knight

1 Diamond Dire Wolf

1 Bujintei Tsukuyomi

1 Daigusto Emeral

1 Gagaga Cowboy

2 Lavalval Chain

1 Leviair the Sea Dragon

1 Number 17: Leviathan Dragon

With the reveal of the four new Lightsworn Monster Cards, many duelists have been eager to try them out in a variety of decks (as you might have noticed from the recent spike in numbers of Lightsworn players online). I personally have found that they provide the largest benefit in their native deck and can even go toe to toe with the other big decks in the upcoming January 2014 format. So get ready duelists, because it's time to dust off your old Lightsworn decks and start milling like no tomorrow!

Unlike most traditional Lightsworn decks, this variant is designed to be extremely aggressive in order to wipe out your opponent as quickly as possible; all while providing maximum consistency of course. The gameplan is nothing new to Lightsworn players. You goal will be to try to mill as much as possible and summon your boss monsters who will bring your opponent's LP to 0. Only this time we have a much larger number of cards at our disposal thanks to the new Lightsworn support as well as the Dragon Rulers.

This deck has many methods of milling as well as a plethora of cards that want to be milled. For example, once milled, "Eclipse Wyvern" will banish either "Judgment Dragon" or "Lightray Diabolos" from your Deck. Afterwards, it can be banished from the Graveyard via "Black Dragon Collapserpent" in hand or one of the Dragon Rulers in either your hand or Graveyard in order to gain access to your boss monsters. This speeds the deck up immensely as it does not force you to rely on drawing into your boss monsters as you would in traditional Lightsworn decks.

The deck also minimizes the number of Spell and Trap Cards played in the Main Deck. This is because we want to be milling as many monsters as possible in order to gain the full advantage from our milled card effects. The only Spells and Traps kept in are cards that were considered cardinal to the deck. By not playing any Spells or Traps that require to be set, the deck also takes advantage of players who play "Mystical Space Typhoon" in the Main Deck as they are rendered useless against us.

By far the greatest addition to the deck is "Raiden, Lightsworn Assailant". He is your ideal turn one play if you don't open with a "Solar Recharge". Being able to mill cards during your Main Phase and not have to wait until your End Phase allows for some really easy OTKs depending on what is milled. "Reinforcements of the Army" and "Charge of the Light Brigade" also help gain access to Raiden earlier as well as your other Lightsworn Monsters if needed. If "Wulf, Lightsworn Beast" or "Felice, Lightsworn Archer" is milled by the effect of "Raiden, Lightsworn Assailant", you can make an instant Rank 4 Xyz Monster allowing you to make even further plays all from a single summon!

Did I mention that all of the new Lightsworn Monsters are also Tuners? Thanks to "Lumina, lightsworn Summoner", the deck has easy access to powerful Synchro plays including "Black Rose Dragon" which help clears the field for OTKs and the brand new "Michael, Lightsworn Ark" who is one the the best level seven Synchro Monsters in the game. Paying 1000 LP to banish any card on the field, 2600 ATK, LIGHT attribute for "Honest", an extra name to get out "Judgment Dragon" earlier, gaining LP if it is destroyed, level 7 for Xyz plays with the Dragon Rulers, what other reasons do I need to give?

In fact, most of the Extra Deck is used for tearing down your opponent's defences. There aren't very many situations that our Synchro and Xyz Monsters cannot handle. My personal favourite that is used 9 out of every 10 duels is probably "Lavalval Chain". The amount of utility this card provides is so vast that we actually play two, just in case the first one is destroyed. Aside from being very easy to summon, this Sea Serpent is able to manipulate your Graveyard to provide whatever set up you need and usually results in formulating many OTKs. It can send an "Eclipse Wyvern" to the grave in order to be banished by a Dragon Ruler, it can send the crucial fourth Lightsworn to the grave, it can Special Summon either "Wulf, Lightsworn Beast" for a powerful 3900 total ATK, or "Felice, Lightsworn Archer" in order to destroy an opponent's Monster and possibly mill something else that might be useful. These reasons are all also valid uses for "Foolish Burial" minus "Felice, Lightsworn Archer". And if none of that is suitable, you could always stack a "Judgment Dragon" on your Deck to instil large amounts of fear into your opponent's heart knowing that their next turn will most likely be their last. 

Lets talk about those boss monsters by the way. Obviously "Judgment Dragon", if successfully summoned, will most likely be followed up with several other monsters and win the game that turn, but "Lightray Diabolos", while less intimidating actually performs exceptionally well. In a deck with as much milling as this one, the summoning conditions are virtually non-existent, making this searchable, instant 2800 ATK monster, sudden and scary. Being both level 7 and a Dragon, many have nicknamed this card the "LIGHT Dragon Ruler". This guy's effect is also very useful for the January 2014 format. Remember how it was mentioned that your opponent doesn't need their "Mystical Space Typhoons" against this deck? Well, if they set it face down, you can use your effect and spin it to the top of their Deck locking down their next turn (this also works for many non-chainable backrow). Even better if the card you banish to use "Lightray Diabolos's" effect is an "Eclipse Wyvern".

With all the hate Lightsworn players get for "sacking" their opponents by getting a good string of mills, I can't help but feel like I am doing a disservice to the community. I have never played a deck that has caused so many ragequits as I have with this one and to think that there will be more players out there after reading this article gives me chills. Nevertheless, this deck is very fun and exciting to play. Nothing feels better than tearing through an opponent's field and annihilating them with an uncomfortable level of power.

And if any readers are worried that this deck doesn't play much defense, you shouldn't worry. Just take some advice passed down from our elders: "The best defense is a good offense" ~ Mermails. Game one will be over before your opponent will even know it and then you can side in your "Mystical Space Typhoons", "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness", "Ghostrick Frost", or whatever else floats your boat. It does suck when your opponent flips up a "Light-Imprisoning Mirror" or a "Skill Drain" though, haha.

PS: "Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders" is excluded from this list due to the low ATK stat. The goal is to OTK and only the other Dragon Rulers have the substantial ATK to help with this.

Here is a list of all the unconfirmed for TCG cards and links to their Yugioh Wikia page.
Raiden, Lightsworn Assailant
Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden
Felice, Lightsworn Archer
Michael, Lightsworn Ark