Dark World

"Dark World" (暗 (あん) 黒 (こく) 界 (かい) Ankokukai) is an archetype consisting of DARK Fiend monsters. This archetype is prominent for its discarding effects from your hand into the Graveyard; as many "Dark World" monsters retain and gain extra effects, depending on which player’s card effect discarded them. They were introduced in Elemental Energy, with further support in Strike of Neos, Gates of the Underworld Structure Deck and Primal Origin.

Brron, Mad King of Dark World uses this archetype in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime. Several other members also appear in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime as duel spirits.

Naming[]

The names of "Dark World" monsters are mostly based on colors, many of which feature prominently in their artwork and their army positions. The English names are based on the words for the colors with letters added and removed. The Japanese names are based on the transcriptions of the English words for the colors with one or more morae deleted. The Chinese names are combinations of the color names and transcription/transliteration of English or Japanese words, in terms of phonetics.

The anime version of "Dark Corridor" also belongs to this archetype since its kanji name contains "暗黒界". The TCG/OCG version does not belong to this archetype, but does directly support it.

"Darkworld Thorns" and "Cyber Soldier of Darkworld" are not "Dark World" cards, reflected by their names using "Darkworld" instead of "Dark World".

Members[]

Basic strategy[]

"Dark World" cards are generally intended to gain advantage by activating Summoning, destruction, and other effects through discarding cards (through effects) from your hand into the Graveyard. Many "Dark World" monsters gain extra effects in the graveyard if they were discarded by an opponent's card effect.

They are based around effects that activate when they are discarded from the hand to the Graveyard by a card effect. This does not include costs that require the user to discard, such as "Lightning Vortex" or effects that send cards from the hand to the Graveyard, without discarding, such as "Hand Destruction". (These cost effects do cooperate with "Dark World" discard effects in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel)

"Dark World" monsters can rapidly and aggressively swarm the field and overwhelm the opponent by destroying and discarding your opponent's cards. The deck's main boss monster, "Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World", has a built-in destruction effect and the ability to Special Summon itself from the Graveyard; coupled with its high ATK, it is the key card in any "Dark World" Deck.

With the Gates of the Underworld Structure Deck, the Deck picked up more speed in Summoning and getting card effects. In addition to the aforementioned "Grapha", it introduced "Snoww, Unlight of Dark World", whose effect allows for quick searches and Deck thinning. On the other hand, the Deck no longer needed to rely on "Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World" and "Sillva, Warlord of Dark World" for power. Their high Level means that they will often sit unused in the hand (although they can still be viable for some strategies, such as a Rank 5 Xyz Summon). Using your discard outlets for other cards such as "Grapha" or "Snoww" is often more favorable to either immediately remove a threat, or search the Deck for a card you need.

Another uncommon strategy is discarding "Ceruli, Guru of Dark World" when you have a "Dark World" monster that gains effects when discarded by an opponent's card effect (e.g. "Reign-Beaux, Overlord of Dark World", "Goldd", or "Snoww"). Since the effect of "Ceruli" summons itself on the opponent's side of the field, you are the target of its discard effect; this gives your "Dark World" monster a special effect and wastes the opponent's field space.

"Dark World Brainwashing" and "Dark Deal", disrupt with the opponent's cards as they change Effects into a random discard on you.

As per the New Master Rules, "Dark World" suffers almost nothing and can gain a better field control as the opponent would lack a strong Monster to take down your Monster.

With the release of Danger! monsters, Dark World decks now have a powerful new allied archetype with similar themes to call upon, expanding their firepower at the cost of more random discards. The Dark World FTK was, as of the September 2018 TCG Forbidden and Limited Lists, a very powerful tournament viable strategy. Utilising Cannon Soldier to Tribute Grapha and Firewall Dragon to Summon any other Dark World from your hand, which is used to Summon Grapha, repeating the loop until the opponent runs out of Life Points. While methods to reach this combo varied, they normally use a Danger! engine of some kind, and they all shared the same weaknesses as other FTKs: handtraps. With the power of the Danger deck, it was not uncommon to see this deck winning without the FTK, however. Now as of the December 2018 Lists, Firewall Dragon is Forbidden, making this loop unplayable in the Advanced Format.

Discard effects[]

This section will show exactly which effects are activated with any "Dark World" monster's discard. This also shows exactly the additional effect that happens when the opponent's effect is the cause for the discard.

"Dark World" cards do not activate if they are discarded as part of a cost (e.g. "Lightning Vortex" or "Monster Reincarnation"), but they have several cards that force discards as an effect (e.g. "Dark World Dealings", "Dark World Lightning" or "Brron, Mad King of Dark World"). The difference has become easier to determine with the July 2011 "Problem-Solving Card Text" solution. Now all cards with a "discard" effect occurring after a semicolon, ";", are effects that will cause "Dark World" monsters' effects to activate. (See Discards for effect for a list of such cards.)

In general, a "Dark World" Deck should not rely too heavily on card effects that require the opponent to force a discard. Although the archetype has some means of forcing the opponent to make you discard, their situational nature means that you will often have difficulty making the most of the effects.

Recommended cards[]

• Since all "Dark World" monsters are Fiend, you can add "Solidarity" to boost the ATK of all "Dark World" monsters by 800 as long as there is at least one Fiend monster (and no other Types) in your Graveyard.
• "Dark World" Decks can run cards such as "Dark Spirit Art - Greed" or "Advance Draw" to benefit from their easy GY Summons (e.g. the effects of "Goldd", "Gateway to Dark World", and especially "Grapha").
• "Deck Devastation Virus" and "Eradicator Epidemic Virus" for massive destruction.
• "Dragged Down Into The Grave" allows you to discard and draw, and take away one card in your opponent's hand at your choice. "Mind Crush" can then be used so you can either call out another card that might trouble you, or call it wrong so you can discard for effects.
• "Trance Archfiend" is a addition for the deck.
  • It can be Normal Summoned
  • its effect allows you to discard a "Dark World" monster to trigger its effect and give itself 500 ATK and can then be used for the "Virus" cards.
  • If it is destroyed, you can add a banished DARK monster to your hand. This works well with "The Gates of Dark World"; by banishing a "Trance Archfiend", you can later recover it by another copy's effect for a Loop.
  • "Trance Archfiend" also makes easy Rank 4 Xyz Summon with "Beiige". "Archfiend Heiress" can be discarded to search for "Trance Archfiend", "Call of the Archfiend", or be used along with "Tour Guide From the Underworld".
• Certain "Fabled" monsters can be mixed into a "Dark World" Deck as they have synergy with each other.
  • In addition, since they are LIGHT, you can then use "Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning" or "Chaos Sorcerer".
  • "Fabled Raven" will also enable Synchro Summon, as its effect triggers the effect of "Dark World" monsters, and increase its own Level and ATK. (Ex: Discarding either "Goldd" or "Sillva" will give you Level 8 Synchro Monster).
    • "Raven" is also a Fiend, so it gets an ATK increase from "The Gates of Dark World" and can be banished for its effect.
• "Skill Drain" and "Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord
  • "Light-Imprisoning Mirror" negates effects of LIGHT monsters on the field and in the GY, only hurting you if you have "Fabled Raven" or other LIGHT monsters on the field.

• "Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord", "Dark Grepher", and "Dark Armed Dragon" works well in a "Dark World" deck.
• "Allure of Darkness" can offer draw power
  • You can then Special Summon the monster you banished with "Leviair the Sea Dragon".

• Although unnecessary, "Forced Requisition" or "Appropriate" is a great addition to this Deck as it would negate your hand disadvantage.

• "Card Destruction" and "Morphing Jar" are very useful for "Dark World" Decks as they can provide many discards and draws at once.
• "Fiendish Rhino Warrior" is an effective addition to the Deck.
  • It protects other Fiends from card effects and destruction by battle while it's on the field
  • When it's sent to the GY, it can act as "Foolish Burial".

• You can also use "Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss" in the Deck. It searches out "Broww, Huntsman of Dark World" or "Tour Guide From the Underworld" during the End Phase of the turn it was sent to the graveyard.

• "Dark World" also heavily benefits from "Tour Guide From the Underworld"
  • It can be used to Summon "Broww, Huntsman of Dark World", "Fiendish Rhino Warrior", or "Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss"and then going for a Rank 3 Xyz Summon.
  • Alternately, you can bounce "Broww" to Summon Grapha from the Graveyard.

Weaknesses and counter-strategies[]

• The ultimate threats to "Dark World" decks are cards that banish or lock GY: "Dimensional Fissure", "Karma Cut", "Masked HERO Dark Law", "Banisher of the Radiance" , "Banisher of the Light" or "Macro Cosmos" and "Necrovalley".
• Any Decks that stop discarding effect will completely shut down "Dark World"
• "Magical Thorn" can inflict severe damage by forcing the opponent to take 500 LP damage every time they discard a card.
• "The End of Anubis", "Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror", "Soul Drain" or "Abyss Dweller" will negate or stop activated GY effects, making "Dark World" cards nearly useless.
  • Those cards do not prevent the Summon of "Grapha".
• "Consecrated Light" prevents DARK monsters from attacking or being Summoned.
• Mirror Matching another "Dark World" deck will cause any of your cards that also make your opponent discard to become a double-edge sword.
• Like all Special Summon-based deck, cards that prevents Special Summons will slow this deck down.