Gather in my arms, lightning and thunder! With this single strike, I shall pierce through your life!
ACT1/Turn:COST [Soul Blast (2)], and this unit gets [Power]+3000 until end of turn for each card in your damage zone. If your damage zone has three or more cards, choose one of your opponent’s rear-guards, retire it, if you did not retire a card, your opponent chooses a card from their hand, and discards it.
[Fantôme Skill] – AUTO:When this unit attacks a grade 3 or greater unit, COST [bind a total of one or more Crimson Moon cards from hand, soul, or drop], until end of that battle, this unit gets [Critical]+1, and if you bound four cards for this cost, it also gets [Power]+10000/[Critical]+1/drive +1. Then, if you persona rode this turn, your opponent cannot call sentinels from hand to (GC) until end of that battle.
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” is a thunder dragon from the Dragon Empire. This unit has the ability of the Fantôme Skill. It utilizes the Crimson Moon and members of its archetype. The strategy of Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” generates a large amount of power for a single attack.
Sets:
| Release Date | Set Number | Set | Rarity |
| 5/8/2026 | DZ-BT13/001EN | DZ Booster Set 13: Parallactic Clash | RRR |
D-Standard Format:
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” is the grade three unit in its ride deck. This unit has two abilities as the vanguard. It has the icon of persona ride.
Furthermore, the persona ride is a key mechanic for Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme”. This unit wants to activate a persona ride on multiple turns. This mechanic works with this vanguard’s Fantôme Skill.
First Ability:
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” gains 3,000 power. In addition, this unit retires one of the opponent’s rear-guards or the opponent must discard a card if he or she did not retire a rear-guard. This ability provides a combination of offense and control.
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” has the full potential to gain up to 15,000 power. You will need five cards in the damage zone. Therefore, Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” has a total of 28,000 power before a boost and effects from triggers. This unit can hit an opponent’s vanguard without a boost.
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” has control over the field. This vanguard retires an opponent’s rear-guard during every turn of this ability’s activation. You should consider retiring the opponent’s best rear-guard in the front row. The opponent loses a defensive option if you retire a grade two unit with the ability of intercept.
Second Ability: Fantôme Skill
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” gains one critical when this vanguard attacks an opponent’s grade three or greater vanguard with the cost of binding one or more Crimson Moons. In addition, Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” gains 10,000 power and an additional drive check if you bind four Crimson Moons. Furthermore, this ability prevents the opponent from calling a sentinel (perfect guard) from the hand during this battle if you persona ride this turn.
Therefore, the Fantôme Skill of Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” has the potential to win games. This vanguard puts a lot of pressure on the opponent. This vanguard gains a lot of power with its first ability and second ability. The opponent will be forced to call many cards for guardians when the Fantôme Skill prevents sentinels.
In addition, the persona ride enhances this Fantôme Skill. The persona ride adds 10,000 power to all units in the front row and activates the restriction on sentinels from the Fantôme Skill. Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” has 48,000 power with its first ability, Fantôme Skill, and persona ride before a boost. This amount of power requires five cards in your damage zone. Its three drive checks increase the probability of triggers, and it has two criticals.
However, the Fantôme Skill has a major weakness. It requires you to bind four Crimson Moons for the additional power and additional drive check. Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” may not meet this condition for every game, and the player may need to settle for the additional critical and restriction on sentinels.
The most consistent strategy is binding one Crimson Moon and performing a persona ride. This strategy adds a critical to Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme”. It prevents the opponent from playing a sentinel.
Support:
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” has strong support. Many members of its deck increase its power. They strengthen the Fantôme Skill because this unit aims to have as much power as possible to win games with this ability. Some cards in the deck retire the opponent’s rear-guards.
Dragritter, Cierrus complements Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme”. Dragritter, Cierrus adds 5,000 power to a vanguard with Alphard in its name. This additional power strengthens this vanguard when you activate its Fantôme Skill.
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” needs cards in the soul for the cost of its second ability. Dragritter, Epicyl is a good rear-guard for his ability to build the soul. Dragritter, Epicyl goes into the soul after he boosts a unit and you draw a card. This rear-guard builds the soul for Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme”. You draw a card to maintain your number of cards.
Play these cards with Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” in the D-Standard Format
- Crimson Moonlight
- Dragritter, Cierrus
- Dragritter, Epicyl
Matchup: Advantages
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” has major advantages against decks with a strong dependence on rear-guards. Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” and its support counter these decks. These units from Dragon Empire retire the opponent’s rear-guards and disrupt the opponent’s strategy.
Furthermore, Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” has an advantage against many archetypes from Stoicheia. Many archetypes from Stoicheia such as Flagburg, Maelstrom, and Sylvan Horned Beast rely on rear-guards. Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” can retire those units, and the opponent loses a key piece for his or her strategy.
For instance, Sylvan Horned Beast Emperor, Magnolia Patriarch allows rear-guards in the back row to attack and intercept. Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” and its support can retire these units. The opponent loses the defense from the ability of Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme”. Those rear-guards will not intercept your attacks because Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” and its support retired them!
Matchup: Additional Strategies
In addition, Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” counters decks with abilities to protect units. Many archetypes from Lyrical Monasterio return rear-guards to the hand. Some units have abilities to prevent opponents from retiring units. These tactics trigger the second condition of Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” and you may force the opponent to discard a card.
For instance, Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” counters Kairi of Lyrical Monasterio. Astesice△Live, Kairi and her support can return rear-guards to the hand at the end of the turn. Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” will force the opponent to discard a card if it cannot retire an opponent’s rear-guard. The opponent cannot avoid losing a card.
Another example is Destined One of Protection, Alden. Destined One of Protection, Alden protects his rear-guards after he superior calls them. Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” cannot retire those two rear-guards but can retire any other rear-guards if possible. If Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” cannot retire a rear-guard, then the player of Destined One of Protection, Alden must discard a card. The opponent may lose an important card for defense.
Premium Format:
Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” is a legal card for the Dragon Empire in the premium format. This card’s best fit is Kagero because Kagero controls the field when it retires the opponent’s units. Kagero’s generic G-Units are strong cards with powerful abilities.
Supreme Heavenly Emperor Dragon, Zanbust Dragon from Kagero is one of the best G-Units for Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme”. Supreme Heavenly Emperor Dragon, Zanbust Dragon retires all of the opponent’s rear-guards, and increases the power of your grade three or greater units. The opponent loses the advantages from their rear-guards. In addition, all of your grade three or greater units gain 10,000 power from this G-Unit’s ability.
Flame of Hope, Aermo (V Series) is a resourceful rear-guard in a deck with Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme”. Flame of Hope, Aermo (V Series) counter charges one point of damage and allows you to draw a card when Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” retires an opponent’s rear-guard. This ability enables the support for Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” to consistently activate their abilities with counter blasts. However, the only drawback is the condition for Flame of Hope, Aermo (V Series) to retire itself as the cost of the ability.
Play these cards with Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” in the Premium Format.
- Crimson Moonlight
- Flame of Hope, Aermo (V Series)
- Supreme Heavenly Emperor Dragon, Zanbust Dragon
Card Rating:
Overall, Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme” is a powerful card. This thunder dragon can win games with its second ability. It can break through the opponent’s defense with its high amount of power. The restriction on sentinels pressures the opponent in battle. This card also controls the field with its ability and support. Therefore, I recommend building a deck for Piercing Thunder Dragon, Alphard “Fantôme”.
D-Standard Format: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Premium Format: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
