Dark World Guide

1)   Dark World's Introduction

2)   How to Summon Dark World Monsters

3)   Dark World's Weaknesses

4)   Dark World's Strengths

5)   Dark World's Monster Cards

6)   Dark World's Spell Cards

7)   Dark World's Trap Cards

  Dark World's Helpers

9)   Dark World Norleras

X) Dark World Deep Draw



The Dark World is exists in its own realm and the only light source is generated by a great comet that appears in the everlasting night sky. Lightning streaks through the dense clouds and fog, always striking at unsuspecting victims. The sounds demons fill the air. Savage monsters slave in the darkness of this realm. People have walked in by reciting an ancient rite. Some even dared to brave this realm. Unfortunately, none have ever made it out. Once you enter, you have a choice. Die by the blade of the unholy legions and become the pavement they walk on or become one of them.

The capitol is a necropolis. Buildings built from bone and steel and made by the blood and bodies of the weak. The legions only recognize strength and honor. Know your place and display your resolve for power. Respect is earned in this world and it is only earned by blood spilled in battle. When their god seeks your company, be proud. He will grant you one wish and one wish only for it is only through him that one may leave. However, all that he has sought audience with never left. They, instead, asked for power and immortality. They had succumbed to the ways of the legions and their god only ever grants this wish. It is when he does that your humanity is ripped from your very core and devoured. Your transformation awaits, new arrival. I pray you will find your place here.

This powerful archetype of Fiends was introduced to the TCG through the dark and unknown crevasses of the booster pack Elemental Energy. Then, Strike of Neos graced Dark World users with new support, give them the extra speed, consistency, and hope that Dark World needed. Some people took immediate interesting in these cards and began build a solid deck around them. Many shoved them off to the side.

Dark World is famous for its speed, tearing its adversaries’ Life Points down to dust in just a few turns with its raving swarm. These savage Fiends, can be simply Special Summoned from the hand if they were discarded by a card effect. Dark World has many more advantages to the user than the average deck does. The rest of this guide will apply proof to all of these statements.



Dark World Monsters specifically ask for cards that discard them by card effects. not costs. What's the difference? How do you tell? I will tell you. There is a difference in getting rid of cards in your hand. Whether it be by sending the card from your hand to the Graveyard, discarding it by a card effect, or by discarding it for costs of other cards.

Sending cards from your hand to the Graveyard at any time does not trigger Dark World monster effects, as Dark World monsters need to be discarded by a card effect. This includes when you have more than 6 cards at the End Phase of your turn, as that is a game mechanic, not an effect. That is why cards like "Hand Destruction" and "Lightning Vortex" don't work. "Hand Destruction" sends the cards to the Graveyard, while "Lightning Vortex" discards them via cost. Here are some key differences of what cards work (Loves) and what doesn't work (Hates) to trigger Dark World Monster effects. NOTE: These should NOT be taken as practical discard outlets, UNLESS otherwise stated in the skeleton.

Dark World Loves: Dragged Down into the Grave
Dark World Hates: Hand Destruction

Dark World Loves: Fabled Raven
Dark World Hates: Raigeki Break

Dark World Loves: Morphing Jar
Dark World Hates: Snipe Hunter

Dark World Loves: Depth Amulet
Dark World Hates: Divine Wrath



Like every deck, they have weaknesses, downfalls, and imperfections. These are some of the major weaknesses and counters to Dark World.

1) The Different Dimension :

Dark World Monsters are Special Summoned from the Graveyard when their effects are properly applied. Dark World Monster effects that allow them to be Special Summoned activate in the Graveyard. Cards like the following prevent this Special Summoning from happening:

A) Macro Cosmos
B) Dimensional Fissure
D) Banisher of the Radiance

2) Inconsistency :

Even with the addition of Snoww, Unlight of Dark World, Dark World's inherit inconsistent tendencies cannot be shook. This should be taken into extreme consideration when deck building, one of the reasons cards like Goldd, Sillva, and Ceruli have been dismissed.



Alright, let’s move away from all of that pessimism of weaknesses and talk about what really matters, the strengths of Dark World.

1) The Speed :

If built properly, a Dark World deck can have the ability to outpace some of the fastest decks around, including Mermails and (sometimes) Prophecy. The key to speed is though draw power and Special Summoning powerful monsters. A deck that is less likely to Normal Summon, Tribute Summon, or Set is more likely to have more options with their monsters. Cards like “Dark World Dealings” and “Dragged Down Into the Grave" help with acquiring what you need from your deck.

2) Hand, Field, and Life Point Destruction :

With such an aggressive deck such as Dark World, it is no problem to disrupt the opponent’s strategies by constantly changing the game around with cards like “Dragged Down” and “Dark World Dealings”. Cards are not safe in the opponent's hand, so he will often commit to the field more than he should, making his cards vulnerable to "Mystical Space Typhoon" and Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World".

3) What Time Is It?

One of the most helpful rulings for Dark World monsters is that they CANNOT miss their timing. No matter what! They are mandatory effects. Mandatory effects must be chosen before optional effects. This allows for less complication when massive Special Summonings are utilized.

Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World

DARK/Level 8/Fiend/Effect
2700/1800
You can Return 1 face-up "Dark World" monster you control to the hand, except "Grapha, Dragon Lord of the Dark World", to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. When this card is discarded from the hand to the Graveyard by a card effect, select 1 card your opponent controls and destroy it. If this card was discarded by an opponent's card effect, look at 1 random card in your opponent's hand also. If that card is a monster, you can Special Summon it to your side of the field.

Revere our deity, that has graced us with his magnificent presence and power. Now bow and devote yourself to him, because thanks to Grapha, Dark World now has access to a very easy-to-summon, powerful boss monster. Each of his effects contributes something different to the deck on the whole.

First, it has a very abusable recursion effect, which not only brings itself back no matter what put it in the grave, but also allows cards like Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, Sillva, Warlord of Dark World and Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World to be reused as discard fodder(important with Dark Smog).

Next, when we discard it by a card effect, it destroys any 1 card the opponent controls. This has always been a consistent problem with Dark World. It was always a game of either playing cards with low overall utility, like(Kahkki, Guerilla of Dark World or Gren, Tactician of Dark World) just to deal with your opponent's field, or just summon beaters and pray for the best. Now we have a really consistent card to deal both of these.

And finally, the alternate effect lets you get more info on the opponent, and possibly rob one of their monsters. You shouldn't be relying on it to go off too often, but when it does, it can disrupt your opponent's plays badly.

Recommended: Run 3[All Builds]

Snoww, Unlight of Dark World

DARK/Level 4/Fiend/Effect
1700/0
If this card is discarded by a card effect from the hand to the Graveyard, add 1 "Dark World" Card from your deck to your hand. If this card is discarded by an opponent's card effect, you can also select 1 monster in your opponent's Graveyard and Special Summon it to your field in face-up Defense Position.

This card's creation is one of the best things to ever happen to Dark World. It adds something the deck desperately needed: Consistency.

Unlike many search cards for other archetypes, Snoww, Unlight of Dark World doesn't only search for monsters. If what the player wants is a Spell card to discard another card, this card can add Dark World Dealings or The Gates of Dark World to the hand. If the opponent controls a card that's giving the Dark World player difficulty, Snoww, Unlight of Dark World can add Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World to the hand to be discarded and destroy said problematic card. There is no reason not to play this card in triplicate. The general rule is to search out Grapha if you have Gates, or Gates if you already have Grapha. I'm sure you can use your imagination for any other scenarios come up

She also has 2000 ATK monster under the effect of The Gates of Dark World, which means she is another monster to tribute with Deck Devastation Virus. Her final effect, which Special Summons a monster from the opponent's Graveyard, will not activate very often unless the opponent makes a misplay being unaware he's playing against Dark World.

Recommended: Run 3 [All Builds]

Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World

DARK/Level 4/Fiend/Effect
1600/1300
If this card is discarded from the hand to the Graveyard by a card effect, Special Summon this card to your side of the field.

Well, this card is an interesting one to talk about. As you can see, it's not terribly special, 1600 body, and comes out from the usual discard outlets. At first glance, it seems wholly inferior to Sillva.

However, that's not an accurate assessment of his usefulness. Being Level 4, Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World can either be Normal Summoned easily, or Special Summoned to serve as "bounce" fodder for Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World. He is also the only Dark World monster that will inherently "stay" in your hand, as it will be mainly used to revive Grapha.

Recommended: 1 [Deep Draw] 1 [Control] 1 [Virus]

Broww, Huntsman of Dark World

DARK/Level 3/Fiend/Effect
1400/800
If this card is discarded from the hand to the Graveyard by a card effect, draw 1 card from your Deck. If this card is discarded from the hand to the Graveyard by your opponent's card effect, draw 1 more card from your Deck.

This is another good card for the archetype, and is our main engine to keep ourselves even or at an advantage. It's simple, it turns Dark World Dealings into Destiny Draw. It acts as Pot of Greed alongside The Gates of Dark World. And now it has a new partner in Tour Guide from the Underworld which makes it an auto tutor or an auto Xyz partner. In short, it's a good card. If you're debating taking this card out, ask yourself if you'd ever play less than 3 Pot of Greed.

Recommended: Run 3 [All Builds]

Sillva, Warlord of Dark World

Dark/Level 5/Fiend/Effect
2300/1400
If this card is discarded to the Graveyard by a card effect: Special Summon it from the Graveyard, then, if this card was discarded from your hand to your Graveyard by your opponent's card effect, your opponent returns exactly 2 cards from their hand to the bottom of their Deck, in any order.

The Big Beater. It kills your opponent in the mirror match and under Gates is a target for both viruses. Be careful because without Trance he seems to be dead in hand a lot.

Recommended: Run 2 [Virus]

Dark World Dealings

Normal Spell
Each player draws 1 card. Then each player discards 1 card.

This is the card that starts our moves with no interference from your opponent. With Broww, Huntsman of Dark World, this is basically our Destiny Draw. Very good card. Always run in threes.
Recommended: 3 [All Builds]

The Gates of Dark World

Field Spell
Face-up Fiend-Type monsters gain 300 ATK and DEF. Once per turn, you can banish 1 Fiend-Type monster from your Graveyard to discard 1 Fiend-Type monster, then draw 1 card.

Hello engine, we have searched and scoured for thee. Now finally we can use the subway in Dark World without a hitch.

It makes Broww, Huntsman of Dark World a Pot of Greed. It makes Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World destroy things while netting advantage. It makes Snoww, Unlight of Dark World an easy to activate +1 tutor. It makes Beiige easily Special Summoned. Basically, it gives us a consistent draw and discard engine we never had before. There is no reason not to play this card. Absolutely no reason at all. The card is borderline broken in terms of support to a specific archetype, and if it stays up on the field for two or three turns, you'll be rolling in a +3 in advantage, as well as any monsters destroyed by battle or deities revived.

Now remember, if you activate a new The Gates of Dark World over your current one, you can bypass the Once Per Turn clause. Also, there's the stat boost. It creates more Deck Devastation Virus fodder, and gets us over the opponent's most relevant monster.

This card is the only card that provides a constant +1 in card advantage. The principle of it has been replicated in The Grand Spellbook Tower, and that's simply because it's so good. There is no reason not to play this card in triplicate, even if it clogs it is probably hands down the best Spell Card in the deck, better than [ygocard]Dark World Dealings/YGOCARD]. A lot of people burn through their copies in a single turn, I advise against this as it leaves you with nothing once it's gone. Don't push yourself if you don't need to.

Recommended: Run 3 [All Builds]

Gateway to Dark World

Quick-Play Spell
If you activate this card, you cannot Normal Summon, Flip Summon, or Special Summon during the turn this card is activated. Special Summon from your Graveyard 1 monster that includes "Dark World" in its card name.

This was always a mediocre card. Early it wasn't too bad because essentially Normal Summoning a 2300 monster was fine and you didn't need massive field presence. Now you need to swarm, which means the only time you can feasibly activate this card is during your opponent's turn, preferably their End Phase.

It isn't bad for Ceruli abuse, or getting something back quick, but more often than not the only thing you want to revive is Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World, and every thing else is The Gates of Dark World fodder.

My opinion of this card has changed a lot over time however. Considering this card is searchable by Snoww (It does have "Dark World" in the name!) it as actually rather useful, especially in paced variants of the deck, such as the ones that main Duality. Discarding Snoww to search this, then setting it to revive Snoww in the End Phase can lead to you bouncing it for Grapha soon after, and then making another use of Snoww, thinning your deck out.

Recommended: 0-1 [Deep Draw] 0 [Control] 0-2[Virus] [/color]

Dark Smog

Continuous Trap
Once per turn: you can target 1 Monster in your opponent's Graveyard; Discard 1 Fiend-Type Monster and banish that target.

Described as Dark World's most secret weapon, the Dark Smog serves as a disruptive tool to prevent the opponent from using his graveyard. Being a continuous trap makes is both good AND bad in a sense. It's can be chained to generic S/T destruction, but it can be negated by chaining said S/T destruction to it as well.
That doesn't make the card significantly worse though, as your opponent now has to choose between destroying Dark Smog or destroying The Gates of Dark World.
This card is also the only way to discard Grapha during your opponent's turn (at least, without some crappy condition, like Depth Amulet has), meaning it has an added feature of disruption. It's very good against Chaos Dragon, as it can keep the opponent's Graveyard locked to one attribute, LIGHT or DARK, preventing the arrival of Light Pulsar Dragon, Dark Flare Dragon, Chaos Sorcerer or the dreaded Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning. It also can break the frustrating REDMD + Light Pulsar soft lock by banishing Dr. Red once and for all. It has recently become good again with the resurgence of grave control decks.

Recommended: 1 [Main Deck] 1 [Side Deck]

Tour Guide from the Underworld

DARK/Level 3/Fiend/Effect
1000/600
When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 3 Fiend-Type monster from your hand or Deck. Its effects are negated, and it cannot be used as a Synchro Material monster.

This card serves several purposes in the deck, most of which improves synergy while gaining card advantage. It works as a tool to Special Summon Broww, Huntsman of Dark World from the deck, which can then be returned to the hand to Special Summon Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World from the Graveyard. Alternatively, if you have a Level 4 or lower Banished monster, you can Xyz Summon Leviair, who can then Special Summon the aforementioned Banished monster. This can be done to simply gain card advantage, or serve as fodder to pay the cost for the revival of Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World.

I'm still yet to find a decent reason not to play this card. It is one of the best cards in the deck, enabling reuse of banished cards, an easy out to Wind-Up Zenmaines and Gachi Gachi Gantetsu, as well as just putting massive damage on the board. It also tutors out this deck's Pot of Greed, and frankly, that is ridiculous. This is the only deck that can actually make use of both Tour Guides in the deck, and you have no problem drawing two. I would nearly always grab Broww with it, unless you somehow opened with two Broww.

Recommended: Run 2 [All Builds but Deep Draw]

Trance Archfiend

DARK/Level 4/Fiend/Effect
1500/500
One per turn: You can discard 1 Fiend-Type monster, and this card gainst 500 ATK until the End Phase. When this card you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 of your banished DARK monsters; add that target to your hand.

Remember how "good" Fabled Raven was? Yeah. This is Fabled Raven 2.0 for Xyz and has an effect that mitigates the -1 from his effect! This card is an absolute staple in Dark World decks because it offers a couple of things. First being, that is offers to be a secondary source of muscle while simultaneously being a discard outlet. The second being is that he actually retrieves ANY banished DARK Monster and adds it to your hand. Remember when Grapha was banished and it meant good game? Trance Archfiend lessens that weakness by adding him back to the hand to be reused with Gates, Smog or even another Trance Archfiend. What this little guy offers to Dark World is too great to ignore.

This card can be argued as too slow for the deck however as it has to use the Normal Summon, and can't gain a massive amount of advantage from it. It is however an easy way to make Rank 4s with Beiige as I mentioned before.

Recommended: 0 [Deep Draw] 2 [Control] 2 [Virus]

Malefic Stardust Dragon

Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by banishing 1 "Stardust Dragon" from your Extra Deck and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. There can only be 1 face-up "Malefic" monster on the field. Face-up Field Spell Cards cannot be destroyed by effects. Other monsters you control cannot declare an attack. If there is no face-up Field Spell Card on the field, destroy this card.

Recommended: 2-3 [Deep Draw]

Allure of Darkness

Normal Spell
Draw 2 cards, then banish 1 DARK monster from your hand. If you don't have any DARK monsters in your hand to banish, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.

Another draw card to speed up the deck. Some people consider every monster vital in this deck, so it shouldn't always be played.

Recommended: Run 1 [All Builds]

Foolish Burial

Normal Spell
Send 1 Monster Card from your Deck to the Graveyard.

Instant Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World in grave = WIN.
A lot of people still don't like this card, but it confuses me why. It can force the Warning on your Snoww if you Normal Summon it and your opponent fears the Foolish, and it also makes Gates live in a pinch.

Recommended: 1 [All builds but Deep Draw]

Dragged Down into the Grave

Normal Spell
You and your opponent look at each other's hands, select 1 card from each other's hands and discard them to the Graveyard, and each draw 1 card.

Basically a reverse Dark World Dealings that allows you to peek at your opponent's hand and discard his best cards while still getting your own Dark World effect off.
You can also couple this card with Mind Crush to disrupt many possible plays your opponent could have. In addition, this card is safer to play in a mirror match than Dark World Dealings.
Sounds brilliant right? Why mention Dealings when this card exists?

Recommended: 3 [All Builds]

Pot of Duality

Normal Spell
Reveal the top 3 cards of your Deck, add 1 of them to your hand, then shuffle the rest back into your Deck. You can only activate 1 "Pot of Duality" per turn. You cannot Special Summon a monster(s) during the turn you activate this card.

I find this to be a really good card but, some people don't like that it conflicts with Grapha. It really improves consistency and can help you win a lot of games.

Recommended: 3 [Control]

Terraforming

Normal Spell
Add 1 Field Spell Card from your Deck to your hand.

This card can really help you as it gives you Gates faster and lets Snoww search other things.

Trade-In

Normal Spell
Discard 1 Level 8 monster to draw 2 cards.

Combo with Grapha and MSD to turbo through your deck.

Recommended: 3 [Deep Draw]
Recommended: 1 [All Builds]

Upstart Goblin

Normal Spell
Draw 1 card, then your opponent gains 1000 Life Points.

Thins your deck, but can screw you from the life loss.

Recommended: 3 [Turbo] 3 [Control] 3 [Virus]

Advance Draw

Normal Spell
Tribute 1 face-up Level 8 or higher monster you control. Draw 2 cards.

Turbo with MSD and Grapha with this.

Recommended 2 [Deep Draw]

One Day of Peace

Normal Spell
Each player draws one card, and neither player takes damage until the end of your opponent's next turn.

Helps you draw and gives you a free turn.

Recommended: 1 [All Builds]

Deck Devastation Virus

Normal Trap
Tribute 1 DARK monster with 2000 or more ATK. Check your opponent's hand, all monsters your opponent controls, and all cards they draw (until the end of your opponent's 3rd turn after this card's activation), and destroy all monsters with 1500 or less ATK.

Eradicator Epidemic Virus

Normal Trap
Tribute 1 DARK monster with 2500 or more ATK, and choose Spell Cards or Trap Cards. Check all Spell and Trap Cards on your opponent's side of the field, your opponent's hand and all cards they draw (until the end of your opponent's 3rd turn after this card's activation), and destroy all cards of the chosen type.

Another set of cards in their own league. They're perfect for the deck because Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World is a replenishable fodder for both of them. I personally would side them and put them in when you figure out your opponent's deck. You can main them as well, do as you wish.

Recommended: 2 DDV [Main 1 Side 1 All Builds] 1 EEV (It’s Limited) [All Builds]

Mind Crush

Normal Trap
Declare 1 card name. If that card is in your opponent's hand, they must discard all copies of it in their hand to the Graveyard. If it is not, you randomly discard 1 card.

This card is most often seen in the Side Deck of many different decks, as it greatly interferes with your opponent's plans after he searched his combo pieces together. With a bit of experience and knowledge about the meta, this card can stop your opponent in his tracks. It renders nearly any search card practically useless and can stop commonly known combos such as Legendary Six Samurai - Kageki into Kagemusha of the Six Samurai.

I still think this card is as ridiculous as we first found it, not so many people agree. This card can break down a lot of combos in this game (I'm looking at you Magician-Shark) and works well against any deck that plays RotA and Stratosesque cards.

Recommended: 0-2 [Main and Side]

Vanity's Emptiness

Continuous Trap
Neither player can Special Summon monsters. Destroy this card when a card is sent from the Deck or the field to your Graveyard.

Turbo through grab this and win VS special heavy decks.

Recommended: 1 [Deep Draw]

Skill Drain

Continuous Trap
Pay 1000 Life Points. The effects of all face-up Effect Monsters on the field are negated.

Every Dark World monsters effect activates in the Graveyard. Between all the monsters you could be playing, this card can only really conflict with Trance and Tour Guide. It breaks down plays involving Wind-Ups and stops a majority of the Agent plays. This card isn't fabulous against Mermail, it works, but not as well as desired (...considering they side deck it themselves). It should definitely be in the side deck for the match ups that matter though.

Recommended: 2 [Main 1-2 and Side 0-1]

Torrential Tribute

Normal Trap
When a monster(s) is Summoned: Destroy all monsters on the field.

One of the best trap cards ever it is even better in this deck because Grapha will just come back or Trance will Recycle a card.

Recommended: 1 [Virus] 1 [Control]

Reckless Greed

Normal Trap
Draw 2 cards and skip your next 2 Draw Phases.
Pretty simple it can burn you and save you. We all have come to think the card should not be used but some people disagree on this.

Recommended: 0 [All Builds]