LIGHT
1Thunder Dragonmatrix
Archetype:
Thunder Dragon
ATK:
0
DEF:
2000
View:
4599
(Quick Effect): You can discard this card, then target 1 Thunder monster you control; it gains 500 ATK. If this card is banished, or sent from the field to the GY: You can add 1 "Thunder Dragonmatrix" from your Deck to your hand. You can only use 1 "Thunder Dragonmatrix" effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Thunder Dragonmatrix — Power Evaluation
Final Score: 61 ± 6 · Confidence: Medium
- Intrinsic: 61 · Deck: 61 · Meta: provisional
- Primary role: Starter / Combo enabler · Secondary: Searcher / Tutor
Why it scores here
Thunder Dragonmatrix scores on access and recovery, not on what it builds: it can be discarded from hand as a Level 1 starter, and its GY/banish trigger returns a copy from the Deck, so it stays live across zones and turns. Its own board contribution is small (a +500 ATK pump on a Thunder monster and no body beyond a Level 1 Thunder), and it has no interaction. Its 400-deck inclusion and 2-copy average reflect a staple slot inside the Thunder Dragon engine rather than raw strength, and the guide warning that the deck bricks easily caps deckbuilding efficiency.
Axis scores
| Axis | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | 82 | Hand discard is a live quick effect and the GY/banish search adds a second route; appears in 400/400 decks at 2.1 copies average and as a starter in 1 of 3 combos (verified, observed). |
| Combo & Conversion | 58 | Only 3 recorded combos, all centred on Thunder Dragon boss lines; the card is a starter in one and in the end hand/board in others, with average power index 76.7 that reflects the engine rather than this card alone (observed, inferred). |
| Resource Economy | 72 | Discard as cost is repaid by a one-card search from the Deck, giving a net +1 card on the GY/banish branch; no direct draw or refuel beyond that (verified, inferred). |
| Effect & Interaction | 8 | No negation, removal or hand-trap effect; only a +500 ATK pump on a Thunder monster (verified). |
| Material Utility | 35 | Level 1 LIGHT Thunder body is usable as material, but zero recorded material role appearances and no tuner/attribute bonus (verified, observed). |
| Resilience & Flexibility | 62 | Two zones (hand and GY/banish) and multiple turns, but hard once-per-turn across both effects limits repeated use (verified, inferred). |
| Deck-Building Efficiency | 62 | Two copies average and wide partner compatibility keep slot cost low, but the guide explicitly says the deck bricks easily without full engine density (observed, speculation-free). |
Calculation
Weight profile: 0.7 Starter / Combo enabler + 0.3 Searcher / Tutor. Intrinsic ≈ 61, Deck ≈ 61, Meta = provisional. Modifiers: brick risk (-3). Final formula: 0.40*Intrinsic + 0.60*Deck
Strengths
- Live from hand and from the GY/banish zone, so it is rarely dead.
- One-card search on the GY/banish branch gives card advantage.
- Low copy cost: two copies average across 400 decks.
Weaknesses
- No negation or removal; the card has no opponent interaction.
- Small board output: a Level 1 body and a +500 ATK pump.
- Hard once-per-turn across both effects limits repetition and makes it a brick risk without engine density.
Counters / choke points
- Negation of the discard or GY effect during the chain.
- Hand-trap or GY-hate that punishes the GY/banish branch.
Best use
Starter and searcher in Thunder Dragon engine lines. Decks: Thunder Dragon, Bystial/Byssted, Branded. Suggested copies: 2.
Evidence & gaps
- Verified: Hand discard quick effect and GY/banish search are printed on the card text.; 400 decks run it, 2.1 copies average, 399-deck co-occurrence with Thunder Dragon Titan.; Formats: TCG, OCG, MasterDuel, DuelLinks.
- Observed: Starter in 1 of 3 combos; end board/hand in 2 of 3.; Usage statistics: 66.7% inclusion in the Thunder Dragon gameplay type 3 archetype, typical 2 copies.; Gameplay type 7 accounts for 74.2% of decks.
- Inferred: Discard cost is repaid by the one-card search, net +1 card on that branch.; Hard once-per-turn across both effects limits repetition.; Score drop reflects low material and interaction value, not a lack of access.
- Data gaps: No banlist token; assumed 3 copies (unlimited). Only 3 recorded combos, so combo conversion rests on a small sample. No recorded material role or searched-for role appearances. No rulings data for the once-per-turn interaction between the two effects.