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Soul Saver Dragon  

- #BT02/004EN

Date Reviewed: Feb. 19, 2013

[AUTO](VC):When this unit attacks a vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+3000 until end of that battle. [AUTO]:[Soul-Blast 5] When this unit is placed on (VC), you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to three of your rear-guards, and those units get [Power]+5000 until end of turn.

Ratings Summary

Rating: 4.67

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 being the worst. 
3 ... average.  5 is the highest rating.

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Elliot
"Gale" Gaylord

Today's card is none other than the United Sanctuary's Guardian Deity, Soul Saver Dragon! Overwhelmingly strong for her time, she served as Aichi Sendou's ace unit for a fair share of the first season, and even to this day she hasn't lost her charm. 

First things first - Soul Saver Dragon has a personal searcher in the form of Pongal, who trades itself for her at the cost of a single Counterblast. Pongal itself is also easily accessible, being a Grade 1 and High-Beast for the sake of skills like Akane and Alfred. This leads to Soul Saver being an incredibly reliable Grade 3, even if it had no noteworthy skills. However... 

Soul Saver Dragon gains 3000 power when attacking the Vanguard, allowing her to pressure any 11K or lower Vanguard through strength along using an 8K or higher boost. If that wasn't enough, a Soul Blast of 5 on ride activates Soul Saver Dragon's Holy Charging Roar, distributing 5000 power to 1, 2, or even 3 rear-guard Royal Paladins for an entire turn, making for a potent finisher. As a clan lacking in Soul Charge abilities, this is going to be a one-shot skill for the Royal Paladins, and you have to know how to make it count! 

After a combination of Pongal, Margal, or even Sharon get the soul in order, you'll want to set up a situation in which you can power up three units on the outside lines, ignoring the already intimidating center that's liable to meet a Perfect Guard in the first place. Thankfully, this only requires you to maintain a single unit on the front row. Wait until your opponent's damage and hand creep closer to the breaking point, then lower the boom with an intimidating swing that will take no less than 6 cards, perhaps even 7 or 8 depending on triggers, to fully defend. 

If I had to pick out a fault, it would be that Soul Saver doesn't play too nicely with the soon to be prominent Majesty Lord Blaster deck, but that's a bit of a stretch. It's simply an amazing card, and even as power levels grow over time, I wouldn't expect Soul Saver to lose relevance as long as her support remains in-tact. 5/5

CrazyCat Team's YouTube Channel Soul Saver Dragon
 
Rating: 4.5/5
 
One of the most iconic cards of the Royal Paladin clan, Soul Saver Dragon is the closest thing they have to a “Final Turn” card. Her (yes, it’s a she) skills both play a key role in determining her usefulness to the deck, so I’ll look at them individually.
 
First, we’ll start with the skill that says when she attacks a Vanguard she gets 3,000 Power for that battle. This may not seem like much, but it can be the difference between a 10,000 Power Guard and a 15,000 Power Guard and, if you build your field correctly, it very well should be. If you boost her with a 7,000 Power unit, such as Pongal, then she is attacking for 20,000, which draws 15,000 Guard from a 10,000 Power Vanguard. If you put Little Sage Marron behind her, then she is attacking for 21,000 Power, which forces the same amount of guard from an 11,000 Power Vanguard. Keep in mind that these guard amounts are only for a 1-trigger to pass, and generally the opponent will be putting down 5,000 more guard in order to make it a 2-trigger pass. Royal Paladins also have access to Toypugal, who becomes a 9,000 power booster if you have 2 or more Grade 3s on the field, which lets Soul Saver hit that 21,000 mark more consistently.
 
Her second skill is the most iconic one. When you ride her, you may Soul Blast 5 cards, and give 3 separate Rear Guards 5,000 power for that turn. That forces 15,000 more shield, minimum, out of the opponent for that turn. During late game, such a tall order can be very difficult to fulfill, and can often win you the game, especially if you’ve established your columns correctly. Usually, the ideal column setup are columns that attack for 16,000 | 21,000 | 16,000, from left to right on the field. In Royal Paladins, due to the existence of Palamedes and Bors, the ideal (and not uncommon) field is 21,000 | 21,000 | 16,000, or even 3 columns of 21,000. With Soul Saver’s skill, that turns into a potential 26,000 | 26,000 | 26,000. You’ve all played the game; do you think you could guard all of that in the late game?
 
The biggest inhibiting factor about her amazing skill, though, is the setup it requires. Royal Paladins don’t soul charge all too often in their competitive build, and some people might just look at the steep cost of this card and decide not to play it. However, let’s look at what it actually costs you. There are 2 viable starters for Royal Paladins at the moment: Drangal and Wingal Brave. Drangal doesn’t leave to soul when you ride it, and Wingal Brave returns to the soul for the cost of his skill. Now, factor in the Grade 1 and Grade 2 rides you would do before being able to ride Soul Saver Dragon, and that’s 3 soul already. Considering Soul Saver is a Final Turn card, you will likely (and it is recommended to do so) ride another Grade 3, such as King of Knights Alfred, to sit on for most of the game. Riding Soul Saver over it later just adds that Grade 3 to your soul count, bringing us up to 4. Needing only 1 soul charge makes her skill a lot more economic. The infamous draw trigger Margal, who gives 3000 Power to a unit by soul charging itself, can easily add that last soul. Pongal has a cost of soul charging itself and counterblasting 1 in order to search a Soul Saver Dragon from your deck. Not only does it fulfill the soul requirement for the card, but it ensures you can ride it the very next turn!
 
With all of these factors, it’s easy to see why Soul Saver is such a powerful and iconic card for her clan, and has kept her place as one of the most powerful cards in the game.
TehNACHO

Soul Saver Dragon is and will probably remain to be one of the most powerful Royal Paladin units in existence. On ride, her skill will (Ignoring Perfect Guards) force out up to 15K more guard out of the opponent on top of what powerful units like Palamedes or her own attack can force out. To put it short, her skill is one to be feared for the outright power behind it.
 
With the loss of Barcgal from the competitive scene, Soul Saver Dragon’s Soul-Blast 5 is a slightly inflexible cost for one to reach without at least a bit of effort beforehand, as has rendered her near unusable as a turn 3 rush card*. Because of so, builds using Soul Saver Dragon have generally adopted a playstyle of using the dragon for a big finisher. With almost all starters not named Brugal, and reriding over another Grade 3, one generally can expect to need to Soulcharge 1 last card to complete that Soul-Blast 5 cost. Luckily though, this is something extremely easy to remedy when given the time to collect your units. Trigger units Margal and Sharon both have the ability to soulcharge themselves to grant 3000 power to another Royal Paladin unit, and Pongal can soulcharge itself for one Counter-Blast to search out Soul Saver Dragon, doubling up on setting up for Soul Saver’s powerful skill. Ideally, very few matches will pass without access to Soul Saver’s powerful skill.
 
As a finisher, Soul Saver Dragon does a marvelous job. 3 units suddenly bursting up 5000 power is not a laughing matter, especially for those on the receiving end. However with this, I need to remind one grim truth about finishers. Amazing as they may be some times, they aren’t nearly as powerful as they appear if their deck isn’t one that’s capable of following through the midgame.
 
Well it’s a good thing that doesn’t apply here then. The Royal Paladins are a more than capable clan to collect themselves for a midgame fight, and due to the lack of other Soul-Blasters in Royal Paladins, means that Soul Saver will rarely if ever impede the rest of the deck’s performance, only adding even more strength to the Royal Paladin’s already quite powerful forces.
 
Overall, Soul Saver Dragon is a rather good card that’s nothing short of spectacular. A powerful finisher on top of very little required set up on top of a powerful decktype only shows for the highest of marks. Even considering its absence for much of a match until the late game rolls around, Soul Saver Dragon gets a well-earned 4.5/5 from me.
 
*A rather interesting but surprising not well-known trick is that the Tsukuyomi line, at least grades 0-2, won’t impede much if any of the other Royal Paladin’s performance. Considering the Half Moon Goddess’ skill, a deck that utilizes this crafty combination still more than has access to the scary powerful turn 3 Soul Saver Dragon rushdown.


Redsmas

Soul Saver Dragon
 
United Sanctuary's guardian dragon. When the skies are covered in darkness it will decent destroying the dark clouds bringing light back to the sanctuary. Its light is as warm as the sun, that heals the wounds of warriors, and stirs feelings of courage in those who began to give into despair. Its is said to being almost on the level of a god.
 
Here we have one of my favorite grade 3 royal paladins.
 
The first thing about this card is that with an 8k booster it can be 21k attacker, which is a very favorable consistent attack range.
 
Its second ability is not very easy to set up in normal royal paladin decks. But a lot of people use the Galahad ride chain in order to fill the soul, although that its not necessary. This is become of a few other units.
 
First of these is "High Dog Breeder, Akane" now at first you don't realise how this helps fill the soul, but with the second card "Pongal" it is. Akane can call Pongal from deck, then Pongal can add itself to soul in order to add Soul Saver Dragon from deck to hand.
This amazing play gets you 1 card in the soul closer to Soul Saver's ability.
 
Another unit that can be useful is "Margal". Margal is a draw trigger that can be put in the soul in order to give a unit +3k power and it is a High Beast so Akane can call it from deck.
 
And as seen in the anime the character "Daigo" uses a secondary grade
3 unit with Soul Saver. And that is "White Dragon Knight, Pendragon".
Pendragon's LB allows you to ride another grade 3 without loss of card advantage. This is an easy way to get an extra card in the soul, but while him still being a powerful unit on his own with a 5k boost when you ride him.
 
Overall between having a starting vanguard that doesn't move out of the soul, pongal and another other grade 3 unit you can easily fill the requirements for Soul Saver's powerful skill.
 
Its art is beautiful. Great use of very few colours, dark and light tones on everything while the dragon itself shows a brilliance that does itself justice.
 
I give the unit 4.5/5
For art it gets a big 5/5

 


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