Rokket Dragon Link (No Seyfert)

Index:

1 Intro

2 card choices

3 Combos

4 Budget options

5 seyfert upgrade options

6 Side Deck

 

1 Intro

This is a semi-budget Rokket Dragon Link deck that I’ve been working on since the structure deck was released in 2019. The list has a lot of similarities to Shunping’s but I’ve also made changes to make it cheaper (I don’t own Seyfert) while maintaining a similar level of consistency and resilience. I also think this variant is easier to play personally. That said it is still a very challenging deck to play overall. The deck can pump out strong first turn boards but also has a fair bit of flexibility to play through challenging situations going second.

Edit: note I have made a few additions to sections that I have included as italicized "Edit:" comments after the original section. I have not changed any original text or the deck itself.

2 card choices

I’m not going to address every card in the deck but will address a few odd picks in the deck.

Black Metal Dragon: This card saw usage as a 1 of in Shunpings list. I’ve been using it as a 3 of because it makes a 1 card combo into a full board. It might not be as good of a 1 card combo as seyfert but at a fraction of the price I think it is well worth it.

Keeper of the Shrine: There are some specific combo purposes for this card such as with Black Metal Dragon but it is also in large part in the deck as a backup target for dragon shrine and foolish burial if you drew background dragon and Absorouter and/or have already sent them to the graveyard.

Background Dragon: This card is bricky if you draw it but makes dragon shrine and foolish burial into amazing starters. You can complete a whole combo without committing a normal summon assuming no disruption using this card.

Autorokket Dragon: So Cosmic Cyclone is a natural out to cards like Mystic Mine but doesn’t work against things like Secret Village of The Spellcasters or Imperial Order. This card gives the deck a natural out to spell and trap cards which block the deck from playing spells. Alternatively, you could substitute Knightmare Phoenix but the deck’s extra deck is very tight and also: Tracer, Elpy, Pisty, Rokket Synchron, and Quadborrel are all liabilities for locking the deck out of playing the Phoenix.

Hibernation Dragon: This card struggles to fit into the deck but at the same time has crazy effects in my opinion. It is a +1 for just summoning it while you have a level 4 or lower dragon in your GY. It can also summon Borreload/Borrelsword Dragon from the GY by banishing itself. Most of the combos don’t have room to summon search it though. I usually find this card makes a good backup Hieratic target if you don’t want to summon Brotaur because you already like your hand as is or Drew Brotaur. If you don’t like this card feel free to replace it with another Absorouter Dragon or whatever you want.

3 Combos

Here are some Youtube videos of different combos you’ll be looking for in this deck and how to perform them (Each video is about a minute long). Notably these combos are all done with minimum resources and can end on stronger boards with more resources invested. I also demonstrated some different boards you could choose to end on when using Romulus while Dark Locked.

Edit: I've created a playlist with all the combos in it here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4wvY6W8_poYB0amunwwgUjIXYmFBELs-

1 card combo with Black Metal Dragon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPMmi7bVSt0

2 card combo with any Rokket and Dragon Shrine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U__fPt-FiVI

2 card combo with any Rokket and Absorouter Dragon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuGkXOpp7fY

2 card combo with any Rokket and Quick Launch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdo4q2Z9O5I

Dubious Hand. Sometimes you get a hand that has no clear combo but can still make an awesome board.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCT_rcTkUJY

4 Budget Options

While I’ve tried to keep this deck cheaper for my own wallet’s sake, some cards have gone up in price since I bought them. Below is a list of cards you can cut and potential substitutions for them:

1x Striker dragon -> whatever you want. The third is a luxury for turn 3 if you use 2 turn 1 but most combos only use 1. Edit: I've considered Barricadeborg Blocker before for the deck but there is no room to include it. may be a good substitute for a third striker dragon due to the decks tendency to shoot Boot Sector for Combos.

3x Dark Ruler No more -> Effect Veiler is a good budget handtrap

3x Called by the Grave -> D.D. Crow. Doesn’t protect your combos but is a really strong affordable hand trap right now.

1x Borreload Savage Dragon -> Draco Berserker of the Tenyi is much weaker but still provides a strong level 8 synchro disruption to end on.

1x Borrelsword Dragon -> Draco Berserker of the Tenyi also is kind of a much weaker Borrelsword. If you aren’t looking at running two Draco Berserkers because really there is no reason to, you can throw whatever other dark boss monster you want in this slot. Borreload Excharge Dragon and Borrelguard Dragon are both really cheap alternatives that fit in easily. Edit: Topologic cards also may make good replacements and are widely considered better than Borrelguard and Excharge Dragon.

Edit: Other budget options for the extra deck with their own pros and cons each include: an additional Borreload Dragon, Galaxy Satellite Dragon, Saryuja, Wee Witch's Apprentice, and Booster Dragon.

5 Seyfert Upgrades

If you own Seyfert or have no qualms spending the money for him and the Black and White Dragons to go with him. You can cut: 1 Silverrokket, 1 Magnarokket, 2 Black Metal Dragons, and Hibernation Dragon to make room for that 5 card package. Edit: Since the Black Metal dragons are being used as 1 card combos, removing a Cosmic Cyclone and a Dark Ruler No More over the Black Metal Dragons may be better a better choice.

6 Side Deck

There are so many options for the side deck at the moment at so many different price points I felt that I didn’t want to hold the deck back or make it really expensive by trying to recommend a specific side deck. Feel free to use whatever tech cards you think are best for current meta.