[Dragon/Synchro/Effect]
ATK/3,000 DEF/2,000
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
After damage calculation, if this card attacked an opponent’s Defense Position monster: Destroy all Defense Position monsters your opponent controls. Once per turn, during your End Phase: Destroy all other monsters you control that did not declare an attack this turn. This card must be face-up on the field to activate and to resolve this effect.
Red Dragon Archfiend is a classic card from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s. Konami continues to create new support for this synchro monster. It has impressive stats of 3,000 attack points and 2,000 defense points. This synchro monster counters opponents when they play monsters in defense position.
Sets:
| Release Date: | Set Number: | Sets: | Rarity: |
| 8/18/2008 | CT05-EN002 | Collectible Tins 2008 Wave 1 | Secret Rare |
| 9/2/2008 | TDGS-EN041 | The Duelist Genesis | Ultra Rare |
| 11/02/2010 | CT07-EN025 | Collectible Tins 2010 Wave 2 | Super Rare |
| 08/04/2011 | TU06-EN008 | Turbo Pack: Booster Six | Rare |
| 10/24/2014 | LC5D-EN069 | Legendary Collection 5D’s Mega Pack | Ultra Rare |
| 10/02/2015 | HSRD-EN023 | High-Speed Riders | Common |
| 05/06/2022 | GFP2-EN182 | Ghosts From the Past: The 2nd Haunting | Ghost Rare |
| 09/22/2023 | SDCK-EN045 | Structure Deck: The Crimson King | Ultra Rare |
| 09/20/2024 | MP24-EN025 | 25th Anniversary Tin: Dueling Mirrors | Quarter Century Secret Rare |
First Effect:
Red Dragon Archfiend destroys all of the opponent’s monsters in defense position after damage calculation if Red Dragon Archfiend attacked an opposing monster in defense position. This effect has the potential to destroy multiple monsters. An opponent with only monsters in defense position would lose all of his or her monsters.
Furthermore, the conditions for this effect play a major role. Red Dragon Archfiend only needs to attack an opponent’s monster in defense position to trigger this effect. This synchro monster does not need to destroy the opposing monster. Red Dragon Archfiend could attack a monster with defense points equal to its attack points such as Ancient Gear Golem. Then, the first effect of Red Dragon Archfiend destroys all of the opponent’s monsters in defense position.
In addition, this effect of Red Dragon Archfiend has the potential to win games, and you will need multiple monsters on the field. This synchro monster can destroy all of the opponent’s monsters if they are in defense position after damage calculation from the battle when Red Dragon Archfiend attacked. Then, your other monsters can directly attack the opponent if this effect destroys all of the opponent’s monsters on the field.
However, this effect of Red Dragon Archfiend depends on the opponent’s actions. The opponent can play their monsters in attack position to avoid the consequences from this effect. Their monsters in attack position will not be destroyed if Red Dragon Archfiend attacks an opposing monster in defense position. On the other hand, the opponent may take damage after battle if Red Dragon Archfiend destroys a monster in attack position with less attack points.
Second Effect:
Red Dragon Archfiend has a unique condition for its second effect. This effect destroys all of your other monsters that did not declare an attack this turn during your End Phase. You can potentially lose key cards.
The second effect of Red Dragon Archfiend works well with certain monsters. Some monsters need to be destroyed to activate effects. For example, Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys can special summon itself from the graveyard during the next standby phase after it was destroyed by a card effect. Then, Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys destroys all spells and traps on the field. This combo works well with Red Dragon Archfiend when you do not have any spells and traps on the field.
Therefore, you need a strategy with your other monsters on the field with their effects or to avoid their destruction. You have a few options. First, your monsters can potentially declare direct attacks after Red Dragon Archfiend destroys the opponent’s monsters with its first effect. Second, you need to declare attacks with those other monsters against the opponent’s monsters, and the ideal strategy is attacking the opponent’s monsters with lower attack points.
Synchro Summon:
The archetype of Red Dragon Archfiend can consistently synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend. Red Dragon Archfiend requires one tuner monster and one or more non-tuner monsters for its synchro summon. Its archetype has many cards with effects to set up its synchro summon.
For instance, Power Vice Dragon and Darkness Resonator can synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend in a single turn. Power Vice Dragon can special summon itself when you do not control any monsters, and Power Vice Dragon adds a Resonator such as Darkness Resonator from the deck to your hand when you special summon Power Vice Dragon. Then, you may special summon Darkness Resonator by revealing Red Dragon Archfiend from your extra deck. You now control both of these effect monsters. You may use Power Vice Dragon and Darkness Resonator as synchro materials and synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend.
In addition, Vision Resonator and Red Warg can also synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend. These effect monsters have a total level of eight. Red Warg special summons itself from the hand when you normal summon a Resonator. You may normal summon Vision Resonator and then special summon Red Warg. You may use Vision Resonator and Red Warg as synchro materials and synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend.
Play these cards to synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend!
- Power Vice Dragon
- Darkness Resonator
- Red Warg
- Vision Resonator
Synchro Material:
Red Dragon Archfiend can be synchro material for other synchro monsters. It is a level eight synchro monster. It can pair very nicely with Resonators for synchro summons.
For example, Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss is a level nine synchro monster. Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss requires one tuner monster and one non-tuner dark synchro monster. Red Dragon Archfiend and Synkron Resonator can be synchro materials for this synchro monster. These cards have a total level of nine. In addition, Synkron Resonator special summons itself from the hand if a synchro monster such as Red Dragon Archfiend is on the field. As a result, you may use Red Dragon Archfiend and Synkron Resonator as synchro materials for the synchro summon of Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss!
Use Red Dragon Archfiend as synchro material for these synchro monsters!
- Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss
Support:
Red Dragon Archfiend has a large library of support. It has synergy with many cards. Its archetype has supportive spells and combos with its effects. The deck has a variety of methods to special summon Red Dragon Archfiend from the extra deck.
Play these cards with Red Dragon Archfiend.
- Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys
- Synkron Resonator
Support: Assault Mode
Red Dragon Archfiend is also a member of the archetype of Assault Mode. This archetype special summons unique versions of synchro monsters as effect monsters with new effects. Red Dragon Archfiend’s unique version is Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode.
Furthermore, Assault Mode Activate tributes Red Dragon Archfiend and special summons a monster with Assault Mode and Red Dragon Archfiend in its name from your deck. The monster for Red Dragon Archfiend is Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode. Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode destroys all other monsters on the field after damage calculation if this monster attacked. In addition, Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode special summons Red Dragon Archfiend from the graveyard after Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode is destroyed on the field.
Play these cards with Red Dragon Archfiend!
- Assault Mode Activate
- Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode
Support: Spells
Konami has created spells for Red Dragon Archfiend. These spells create combos with this synchro monster. They add consistency to its effects.
Crimson Gaia complements Red Dragon Archfiend. Crimson Gaia is a continuous spell and it changes all of your opponent’s monsters to face down defense position when you declare an attack with Red Dragon Archfiend. This continuous spell is setting up this synchro monster’s first effect. Then, Red Dragon Archfiend destroys all of these monsters with its first effect.
Scarlet Security is an effective spell card for Red Dragon Archfiend. The combination of these cards can potentially destroy all of the opponent’s cards. Scarlet Security destroys all of the opponent’s spells and traps if you control Red Dragon Archfiend. In addition, Red Dragon Archfiend can destroy all of the opponent’s monsters in defense position after it attacks an opponent’s monster in defense position.
Play these spells with Red Dragon Archfiend!
- Crimson Gaia
- Scarlet Security
Support: Special Summon
The deck with Red Dragon Archfiend has multiple methods to special summon it from the extra deck. These cards provide useful options when you need alternative methods to play Red Dragon Archfiend. These combos can set up a powerful field.
For instance, Scarred Dragon Archfiend can special summon Red Dragon Archfiend from your extra deck. You may special summon Red Dragon Archfiend from the extra deck when Scarred Dragon Archfiend is sent from the monster zone to the graveyard. This effect of Scarred Dragon Archfiend considers this special summon to be a synchro summon. The most common method to send Scarred Dragon Archfiend to the graveyard is using Scarred Dragon Archfiend as synchro material for a synchro summon.
In addition, The Crimson King can special summon Red Dragon Archfiend from the extra deck. You may banish The Crimson King from the field when the opponent activates a monster’s effect, and you can special summon Red Dragon Archfiend from your extra deck. Furthermore, this effect of The Crimson King doubles Red Dragon Archfiend’s attack points to 6,000 and Red Dragon Archfiend cannot be destroyed by the opponent’s card effects.
Play these cards to special summon Red Dragon Archfiend!
- Scarred Dragon Archfiend
- The Crimson King
Matchups: Weaknesses
Red Dragon Archfiend has a variety of weaknesses. Its first effect cannot destroy monsters in defense position due to their protective effects. This card does not have any inherent protections and relies on other cards for protection.
Red Dragon Archfiend cannot destroy all monsters in defense position with its first effect. Some monsters cannot be destroyed by card effects. Monsters such as Dark Hole Dragon, Evil HERO Malicious Bane, and Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon cannot be destroyed by card effects.
Red Dragon Archfiend is vulnerable to the opponent’s card effects when it does not have protection from cards such as The Crimson King. Cards such as Raigeki can destroy Red Dragon Archfiend. Monsters such as Magician of Dark Chaos – Black Chaos and Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn can banish Red Dragon Archfiend!
Card Rating:
Overall, Red Dragon Archfiend is a respectable card. Its first effect can pressure the opponent when he or she needs to protect their life points. This card has the potential to destroy multiple monsters with its first effect. This synchro monster has effective support. Therefore, I recommend playing two to three copies of Red Dragon Archfiend in your extra deck!
Card Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
