Ultimate Guide: Blue-Eyes

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Last updated 2022-03-25:

Added Experimental Deck List section
Added HaltessiaGaming

This article covers the base Blue-Eyes archetype deck (which may contain Blue-Eyes fusion monsters). A dedicated article will be created for the Fusion and Ritual strategies where those approaches are given the proper level of exploration and detail.

Archetype Summary

Exordio del Duelista did an amazing job with the following summary slides. Please check out the full video here which includes game play and how to pilot the deck.

Strengths

Big attack monsters in both Main and Extra Deck
Extra Deck monsters with diverse abilities (find the tool that solves the problem)
Surprise OTK

Weaknesses

Bricks (Blue-Eyes White Dragon is a vanilla level 8 that can get stuck in your hand)
- Low consistency (low chance of finding the necessary cards in opening hand)
Brittle lines of play (interruptions stop combos immediate with non-threatening boards)
Most archetypal boss monsters are too difficult to summon for the value they provide

Win Conditions

Blue-Eyes Spirit DragonPreventing multiple simultaneous summons (ie. Pendulum, Tri-Brigade Revolt, etc.) can win games.
Accesscode TalkerClears difficult items from the field and can swing for 5300 ATK (when using the Crystron Halqifibrax sequence).
Number 100: Numeron DragonNumber 97: Draglubion summons this with at least 9000 ATK, which can close out games.
Skill DrainFlip this up and put a 3000 ATK monster on the field. Without monster effects, most decks can’t get over 3000 ATK. You are also likely sealing the Extra Deck (since most decks use monsters effects to setup the requisite conditions).

Impactful Cards

Archetype Internal

Blue-Eyes Tyrant DragonUnaffected by trap cards is a nice protection on top of a monster that can attack all your opponent’s monsters (which can steal games). Furthermore, during the Damage step (if this card battled), you can set ANY trap you have in your grave. You can pick counter traps or continuous traps. The icing on the cake, is that this fusion monster is fairly generic/easy to summon too!
Blue-Eyes Alternative Ultimate DragonUntargetable and can’t be destroyed by card effects (combined with 4500 Atk) makes this card very difficult to out. If Fusion summoned with Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, you can destroy 3 cards your opponent controls each turn.
Dictator of D.This is a superior starter (it can both be a starter or an extender). Sets up your grave and can put a Blue-Eyes monster on board with ease.
Sage with Eyes of BlueCan search for your stones or Effect Veiler to interrupt your opponent. Works nicely with Crystron Halqifibrax and Selene, as well as can put a Blue-Eyes monster on the board. Very versatile.
Blue-Eyes Jet DragonRecurs itself with easy condition and protects your cards (not just monsters) from being destroyed. Its name synergizes with the archetype and it’s got 3000 ATK. Also, in combat it can bounce a card (not just monsters) to your opponent’s hand.
Blue-Eyes Abyss DragonCan search Polymerization or a Ritual Spell (typically Chaos Form) on summon under the right conditions, and it can search Chaos Dragon Levianeer. This is a popular target for The White Stone of Ancients‘ end phase effect.
Dragon Spirit of WhiteIn archetype back row banish. Under reasonable circumstances can dodge being negation by tagging out.
True LightGets you the spell or trap card you need, or it puts a Blue-Eyes White Dragon (or Alternative) on field. This rolls advantage. The draw back of losing your field can be mitigated by Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon or Return of the Dragon Lords.

Archetype External

The Melody of Awakening DragonGets necessary dragons into the grave (stones) and searches all your Blue-Eyes dragons, along with Chaos Dragon Levianeer or Chaos Emperor. This is a 1.5 card Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon summon.
Piri Reis MapIncreases consistency by searching out Sage with Eyes of Blue (which is one of your best starters).
Crystron HalqifibraxFairly easy to make, gets your stones in grave and is the crux of setting up a threatening board.
Nebula DragonConverts a brick (Blue-Eyes White Dragon) in hand, into a rank 8 Xyz. Rank 8 is access to your win-condition (Numeron Dragon), negate (Hope Harbinger), or outing a problem (Dingirsu)
Chaos SpaceA strong extender. This should be played with the chaos dragons. Besides possibly putting stones in the grave, It puts bodies on board which can make your extra deck monsters more accessible (since Blue-Eyes decks struggle with extending boards). This is also a consistency piece, since it thins your deck through searching and drawing.
Return of the Dragon LordsYour dragons are often in the grave, this puts them on the field and can protect them from being destroyed.

Spicy Tech / Interesting Interactions

Starliege SeyfertCan hand fix/search as well as put level 8 dragons from the grave back into your hand.
Fantastical Dragon PhantazmayHand sculpting helps reduce bricks and it provides targeted protection.
Fusion DeploymentAt the cost of not summoning monsters from the extra deck that aren’t fusion, you can put a Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the field from deck.
Flawless Perfection of the TenyiSupports Blue-Eyes White Dragon specifically by making it unaffected by monsters effects and potentially drawing 2 cards.
Supernatural Danger ZoneEvery time you summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon you can destroy a target card. If you opponent destroys this card you can summon a Blue-Eyes White Dragon from hand , grave, or deck.
Piercing the DarknessDraw card for summoning Blue-Eyes White Dragon and protect your monsters from being run over
Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyicounter trap speed omni-negate, if you have Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the field
Keeper of the ShrineThis monster keeps coming back to be used as material and block heavy hits.
Ruins of the Divine Dragon LordsDue to timing and priority, this card effectively says negate your opponent’s monsters’ ignition effects the turn they are summoned (while you have a Blue-Eyes on field). Your opponent can still do on summon trigger effects unhindered. The dragon token generating effect and the add to your hand are nifty too.

Competitive Deck Lists

Blue-Eyes is both popular and fun, but it is not currently able to perform at a level to top a YCS. The largest challenges to competitive success are the inherent inconsistencies/bricks and brittle lines of play. This being said, the decks in this section are designed to embrace the archetype themes, reduce the draw backs, and optimize for tournament environments (the meta).

Team Samurai X1

TSX1 is currently the most successful yugi-tuber. He has successfully launched product lines that include custom art playmats, card sleeves, and deck boxes. He host live box breaks and has strong times to the community as a whole.

Aggressive

This deck creates the new standard opening board but tries to focus on draw power/hand size (5 draw 2 cards). This becomes important when you’re also trying to see those 6 hand traps and 3 floodgates. This deck is between combo and control, but still puts everything into its first turn.

Yaccine656

Yaccine focuses on the most competitively viable strategies for decks/archetypes. He has topped YCSs and has provided TSX1 with combos and deck profiles on numerous occasions. He does not accept the common held beliefs and tests if they are genuinely true (ie. in archetype decks he often tests if you need 2 or 3 of the name-sake archetypical monster)

Combo-Lite

Note: this decklist is before the 02-07-2022 Forbidden & Limited List
This deck focuses on deeper combos into the Extra deck to squeeze out more interruptions slightly more consistently. By focusing on cards like Piri Reis Map and Chaos Space, the deck increases consistency and attempts to play through interruptions better at the cost of having no hand traps.

2022-01-27

Experimental Deck Lists

HaltessiaGaming

This channel explores all sorts of gaming from cards to video games. In the Yu-Gi-Oh! realm it explores popular archetype with unusually spicy techs.

Control

This deck focuses on winning via attrition. You don’t put up big negate boards, but you do constantly put out a 3000 attack normal monster backed by a floodgate or another 3000 attack monster that prevents destruction. You use your Blue-Eyes boss monsters to pressure your opponent, but the Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon recurs powerful resources. Dogmatika engine and Fusion Deployment help get your Blue-Eyes board setup quicker. Dragon Ravine is preferred over Dragon Shrine because its reusable and your goal is grind.