Characters appearing in the overDress era of the Collectible Card Game of Cardfight!! Vanguard, set on an Earth-like planet known as Cray.

3000 years after the events that led to the destruction of Gyze and the seemingly eternal slumber of Messiah, Cray's political landscape has greatly changed as a result of the 'Deity-less era' ravaged by catastrophes. Without the power of imagination, Cray was defenceless in the face of disaster, leading to great upheaval as its people struggled to survive with the ability to Stride lost to them. The Clans that Cray's people once organized into have been erased by three millennia of change, with the six Nations standing in their place. Even those Nations largely differ from those of the past, only Dragon Empire remaining unchanged due to its military might.

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Dragon Empire

The only nation to retain its name, Dragon Empire's borders are in constant flux, but its military might ensures that it remains safe and affluent regardless. At the Red Dawn Manor at the Empire's heart, a legendary dragon egg is tended by priestesses.

Mechanically, Dragon Empire unsurprisingly retains its focus upon high Power columns and retiring the opponent's rear-guards, but with a new twist. Using the overDress mechanic, Dragon Empire decks can evolve certain Units on the rear-guard into more powerful forms. They also have access to the Left/Right Deity Arms keyword present on the Arms order cards which can be used to equip said cards to specific vanguards, providing new abilities.

Nation Tropes:

The Empire: In the name, and the lack of change apparent in the Empire suggests that the Dragon Emperor is likely still its ruler.
Evolution Power-Up: Dragon Empire's overDress mechanic allows the player to stack a card with the eponymous ability on top of a specific unit to evolve it to a stronger form.
Heroic Second Wind: The additional effect of Dragveda, Dragon Empire's enables the vanguard to restand at no cost or disadvantage.
Legend Fades to Myth: Due to the large gap of 3000 years since the event occured, to many in the Dragon Empire, Drachma's ravaging of the country has faded into legend. In particular, the once lush wetlands is now christened the "Danger Zone" following Drachma's scorching of the land, with the "Musketeers of the Dust Storm" now having to monitor the region they've only ever known as a vast desert.
Mutually Exclusive Power-Ups: The Left and Right Deity Arms keywords allow the player to equip Arms cards to the specified vanguard but they way they work is that a vanguard can be equipped with two different Arms cards but only if they have different keyword, otherwise the already-equipped Arms card will be sent to the drop zone to make room for the new one.

Nirvana

Forms: Sunrise Egg/Chakrabarthi Divine Dragon, Nirvana/Chakrabarthi True Dragon, Mahar Nirvana/Chakrabarthi Phoenix Dragon, Nirvana Jheva

The egg that holds the mana of the Sun. The egg that is full of hope.

O Chakrabarthi, carry the prayers and illuminate the world.

The prayers reach the heaven, and the world selects the future.

While harboring thoughts of the moon, the sun shines upon the new future.

The divine dragon whose hatching from the Sunrise Egg heralded the dawn of the Chakrabarthi Divine Era. Though still young, its birth has been awaited since ancient times and it has the potential to become an immensely powerful solar deity.

Nirvana's ride line focuses on supporting units with the overDress ability, such as Trickstar and its Vairina forms, by searching the necessary cards with Nirvana itself being able to revive a Grade 0 from the drop zone and give additional power to itself and any units with ther overDress keyword. Nirvana Jheva has its own ride line with a similar playstyle but instead supports the X-overDess ability and Prayer Dragons units.

Animate Dead: Nirvana and its evolved form Mahar Nirvana have abilities that let them revive a grade 0 unit from the drop zone. Nirvana Jheva keeps the trend by being able to revive both a Trickstar and any Prayer Dragon unit.
Came Back Wrong: Mahar Nirvana is how Nirvana was supposed to properly awaken as a full deity, bringing hope to the world. Unfortunately, Bavsargra tried to force it to appear, which only worked temporarily and ended up making Nirvana fade away to the point where it needed to be reborn again as Nirvana Jaeva.
Dragons Are Divine: As its epithet above make it clear, Nirvana is a dragon that is divine in nature.
Feathered Dragons: Befitting its phoenix motif, Nirvana's wings are bird-like.
Heroic Second Wind: Nirvana Jheva can counterblast one to stand a unit in the X-overDress state upon attacking.
Physical God: It's an actual deity in spite of appearing just like a dragon, the first to appear on Cray since the Deity-less era began.
The Phoenix: Nirvana's design incorporates elements of the phoenix, with feathered wings and an avian body, and its birth represents the rebirth of deities on Cray. Nirvana Jheva even has Phoenix in its title.
The Power of the Sun: Although a Flame Dragon, Nirvana's power is more directly tied to the sun.
Status Buff: Nirvana's second ability lets it increase the power of all units with the overDress keyword as well as its own by 10000 whenever it attacks in exchange for a counterblast. Mahar Nirvana has a similar ability in that it grants 10000 Power to all of the front row units during the player's turn if they control a unit with the overDress ability.

Trickstar

Forms: Trickstar/Vairina/Vairina Arcs/Vairina Valiente/Vairina Erger/Vairina Exspecta/Vairina Esperaridea/Jeweled Sword Equip, Garou Vairina/Brilliant Equip, Bram Vairina/Sturdy Wall Equip, Vils Vairina/Flaring Cannon Equip, Baur Vairina/Mirror Reflection Equip, Mirrors Vairina/Blazing Holy Sword Equip, Stravairina

You're interesting. Hey hey, let's play together.

The resonance of prayers shall call forth the sprite's new form.

Limitless potential. Capable of taking on any form.

Prayers have the power to change the world.

Responding in the midst of the fierce battle to the prayers that echo like screams of grief.

Prayers are, a strong will to break through the impossible.

To now fulfill the wish that contains our prayers-

The two powers overlap, and from them a single new miracle is born.

The will to push through thousands of trials. An appearance befitting of it.

Never wavering, no matter what attacks.

In order to protect the bright future among the many brilliant possibilities...

Illuminating the darkness with endless light, it reflects the true wish.

Weaving together prayers from all around, clad in the flames of hope that saves the world.

All Your Powers Combined: Vairina Exspecta gains the total power of all its originalDress.
Awesome, but Impractical: X-overDress can give you incredibly powerful rear-guards, but at the cost of having to sacrifice two other cards to do so, contributing to the deck's recurring issues with consistency and card advantage.
- Blazing Holy Sword Equip, Stravairina goes further; it has a Wall of Text ability box that encompasses passively empowering itself and your "Nirvana" Vanguard with 10000 Power and the latter with Triple Drive during your turn, restanding all of your other rear-guards when you stand Stravairina with Nirvana Jheva's skill, and annihilating not only all of your opponent's rear-guards but all of their markers as well. The cost for this ridiculous array of skills is that you must spend at least three cards to X-overDress it (Trickstar and at least two Prayer Dragons), with the rear-guard retire and marker destruction effect needing you to use five. With such a heavy investment, actually capitalising on the field restand is difficult even if you forgo the retire effect to limit your own losses.
Badass Longcoat: As Vairina, their coat has lost its hood.
Clap Your Hands If You Believe: The lore and several flavor texts show Trickstar's evolutions being a response to desperate and fervent prayers for help.
Death or Glory Attack: Vairina Exspecta can, through its second ability, gain an additional 15000 Power and an extra critical which, combined with the Power it already gained from its first skill, is going to result in a strong attack that can be hard to guard against without using Sentinel units. However, after the attack ends, it will lose all of its originalDress and as a result be unable to use either of its abilities.
Expy:
- Of Jackknife Dragon and Gargantua Dragon from Future Card Buddyfight: a draconic being whose mechanical gimmick revolves around transforming into alternate forms which each have their own specific niche.
- In terms of appearance, Vairina resembles Chronojet Dragon and like the latter, has a Grade 0 base form in the form of Trickstar and Chrono Dran respectively.
- Vairina Valiente being a Grade 3 unit with the ability to restand itself if its attack hits at the cost of discarding a card has immediately drawn comparison to Dragonic Overlord.
Fusion Dance: X-overDress units need to be stacked on top of two units and is depicted in the anime as both units fusing together.
Heroic Second Wind: Vairina Valiente can Counterblast one and discard a card when its attack hits to stand and attack again. Meanwhile Vairina Erger can Superior Overdress onto Trickstar at the end of the latter's attack. Vairina Esperaridea can soulblast one when the vanguard attacks to stand with an additional 5000 Power for each of its originalDress card.
In the Hood: As Trickstar, it wears a white hooded coat.
Man of Kryptonite: While Blazing Holy Sword Equip, Stravairina's ability to remove all of your opponent's markers has additional utility in the Premium format, its primary purpose is to absolutely hard counter Standard Dragontree and Masques decks that rely on Dragontree markers.
Our Centaurs Are Different: Vairina Exspecta is draconic centaur with a mechanical appearance.
Swiss-Army Hero: Trickstar's Vairina forms all have different mechanical aspects and functions.
- The base Vairina is simply a consistent powerful attacker which can also retire opposing rear-guards. It also has its own support cards in the form of Blaze Maiden, Reiyu and Sunburst Evolution, making it easier to use and re-use.
- Vairina Arcs only powers up by 5000 for the turn it's played but replenishes the fighter's hand to compensate, making it more of a utility card.
- Vairina Valiente can Overdress on top of another Overdress Unit, gains 5000 Power for each card beneath it, and can restand when its attack hits, making it clearly intended as a finisher.
- Vairina Erger can Superior overDress on top of a Trickstar at the end of its attack and provides a Countercharge for doing so, also passively gaining an additional 10000 Power and Shield to make it something of an all-rounder.
- Vairina Exspecta is the first form that cannot be placed over Trickstar and instead needs to overDress on top of a unit that's already in the overDress state. In exchange, it gains the Power of all its originalDress on both players's turns and has an ability that lets gain even more power and critical if it attacks a Grade 3 or greater vanguard but at the cost of losing all of its originalDress.
- Vairina Esperaridea can only be placed over Trickstar but when doing so, all Trickstars and cards with overDress from the player's drop zone will be placed under it as originalDress. Like Valiente, it has the ability to stand mid-battle but is easier to pull off as it doesn't require the attack to hit and will gain an additional 5000 Power for each card stacked beaneath it as originalDress. However, it is a Grade 4 unit and as such, requires a Grade 4 Vanguard like Mahar Nirvana in order to be played.
- Jeweled Sword Equip, Garou Vairina needs to be placed on top of two other units, unlike the others, that only to be placed on top of one. To make up for that drawback, it gets 10000 additional power when it is in the Xover-Dress state, as well as forcing the opponent to use at least two cards to block its attacks.
- Brilliant Equip, Bram Vairina also requires to be placed on top of two units. Just by being in the Xover-Dress state, it will gain an extra 10000 Power and can gain another 10000 Power increase if the opposing vanguard is Grade 3 or greater. Should it hit a vanguard, its second ability can be used to retire all rear-guards in one of the opponent's columns.
- Sturdy Wall Equip, Biruz Vairina is another Xover-Dress unit like Garou and Bram. Unlike the aforementioned two, it is meant to serve a support role through its first ability retrieving another Xover-dress card from the drop zone when placed by Xover-Dress, and its second giving it 5000 Power during all turns, an additional 10000 Shield and the inability to be chosen by an opponent's card's effect while it's in the Xover-Dress state.
- Flaring Cannon Equip, Baur Vairina is yet another Xover-Dress unit. When it is in the Xover-Dress state, it can retire a Rearguard for the cost Soulblast 2. Furthermore, when it attacks the opponent's Vanguard, it gets 2000 power for each empty rearguard circle your opponent has and if your opponent has one or zero rearguards, you can Counterblast 1 to decrease this unit's drive by one and perform a Drive Check.
- Mirror Reflection Equip, Mirrors Vairina is a Xover-Dress unit. When it placed in the Xover-Dress state, it can use two units from the drop with "Vairina" in the name as Original Dress. Furthermore, when it attacks it gets 10000 power and if it is in the Xover-Dress state, it can draw a card or Counter Charge 1 by putting its Original Dress with with "Vairina" in the name into the Drop.
- Blazing Holy Sword Equip, Stravairina is a Xover-Dress unit with the requirement that you use at least two Prayer Dragons and Trickstar to Xover-Dress it. In exchange, it has outrageous power, passively empowering itself and your "Nirvana" Vanguard with 10000 Power during your turn and giving the latter Triple Drive. When it stands by the effect of your Vanguard, it can Counterblast 1 to restand all of your Talisman and Prayer Dragon rear-guards, then, if it has five or more Original Dress, it removes all the markers from your opponent's circles and retires all of their rear-guards.
Weak, but Skilled: Trickstar is a Grade 0 unit and as such only has a measly 5000 Power. However, its skill makes it unable to be chosen by opposing card effects, making it hard for control-based decks to remove off the field. And then there's its more powerful Vairina forms that it can evolve into using overDress.

Heavy Artillery of Dust Storm, Eugene

You can do as you wish after this. It will not affect our victory.

A member of the "Musketeers of Dust Storm", the current incarnation of the Desert Gunners that were once part of the Narukami clan. Armed with his lightning-imbued weapon "Inferno", he and the rest of his group help keep the peace in the Dragon Empire's desertic regions.

The Dust Storm ride line focuses on retiring the opponent's rear-guards and building Soul to enable the skill of Heavy Artillery of Dust Storm, Eugene, calling a unit from the top of the deck for each of your opponent's open rear-guard circles.

Enemy Summoner: Eugene's second skill lets the player look at a number of cards from the top of their deck up to the number of the opponent's empty rear-guard circles and call any number of units from among them while the rest will be put into the soul.
I Call It "Vera": Eugene has nicknamed his rifle "Inferno" after the Zeroth Dragon of Inferno, Drachma.
The Power of Friendship: Eugene's playstyle relies heavily on having rear-guards on the field with his first ability requiring the player to move two rear-guards to rest position in order to use it while its second ability can call forth fresh new units to replace them. Furthermore, since Eugene can only retire a single rear-guard each turn, he is dependant on other cards able to remove opposing rear-guards in order to make full use of its second ability.
Shock and Awe: Eugene's art shows his weapon and the shots it fired to be surrounded by lightning. Justified since the Dust Storm units are the current era incarnation of the Narukami clan's Desert Gunners.

Sealed Blaze Maiden, Bavsargra

That which torments the body are prayers of despair. That which dwells in the body is the blaze of thirst.

A Sealed Blaze Maiden who was present during the Deity-less Era and leads the Sealed Blaze Dragons, who she granted a 'dark flame' to alleviate the loneliness of protecting their slumbering comrades. She has gathered the faith of those who despaired in that dark era, praying "I want this kind of suffering to end".

Bavsargra and the Sealed Blaze ride line revolve around the Arms order cards which they can equip to Bavsargra herself using the Left and Right Deity Arms abilities in order to grant her additional abilities on top of enabling the use of her own.

Animate Dead: Whenever she is Armed, Bavsargra can use her first ability to revive a Grade 1 or lower unit from the drop zone.
Anti-Villain: In so far as she is villainous, Bavsargra acts out of a desire to answer the desperate prayers of those who suffered from calamity during the Deity-less Era.
BFG: Sealed Blaze Gun, Chandra is an Arms card that must be played by Soul Blasting 1 and it gives Bavsargra Drive +1 when it is played.
Call-Back: She and her Sealed Blaze Dragons visually and thematically call back to the original series Seal Dragons, with many of her support units having the same sealing cloths tied around their body.
Clap Your Hands If You Believe: Her lore implies that her power comes from the prayers of despair made during the Deity-less Era when there were no gods to answer them.
Cool Sword: The Sealed Blaze Sword, Prithivih can be equipped to Bavsargra to grant her an additional 10000 Power whenever she attacks and, for a counterblast cost of two, be dropped to deal one damage to the opponent's vanguard if they have four or less damage.
Devil's Pitchfork: Sealed Blaze Spear, Aadhitya is an Arms card that must be played by Counter Blasting 1 and you can draw 1 card, you can play an additional Arms card and Bavsargra gains +10000 power until the end of the turn. Although Bavsargra is a human, not a a devil, her lore states she took advantage of the disappearance of Messiah to gain influence until Nirvana was recognized as Messiah's true successor.
Flying Weapon: The joint artwork of Bavsargra and her Arms cards shows the weapons flying in the air next to her, without anyone holding them.
Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: Bavsargra can be armed with the Sealed Blaze Shield, Bavsargra which can give her an additional 10000 Power when attacked by an opposing unit for the rest of the battle to better defend herself but only once each turn.
Mysterious Past: No one knows how Bavsargra was born and only a few know of her previous form, Rinolily.
Technicolor Fire: Her artwork shows wisps of blue fire surrounding her.
Thunder Hammer: Sealed Blaze Hammer, Suriiya allows you to choose one of your opponent's back row rear-guards, retire it, and give your Vanguard 10000 power. Also by putting it into your drop at the end of your turn, you can choose a card with the Right Deity Arms ability and a different card name from this card from your drop, and put it into hand. When it is played in the anime, flashes of lightning often appear.
Winged Humanoid: Bavsargra has four small wings coming from the back of her head on top of the four larger ones coming from her back.
X on a Stick: Sealed Blaze Axe, Tvashtar forces the opponent to use at least two cards to block Bavsargra's attack. Also, by Counter Blasting 1 and putting it into the drop, you can choose a card with the Left Deity Arms ability and a different card name from this card from your drop, and arm it to your vanguard.

Trickmoon

Forms: Trickstar/Vairlord

The world can simply be destroyed. As long as you wish so.

The light that shines deep within despair—I wish to grasp that together with you.

Black Cloak: It wears one, similar to Trickstar's white cloak.
Composite Character: It combines aspects of the two Evil Counterpart rivals to the protagonist's ace card from the original series and G: it's a black version of the ace card like Blaster Dark to Aichi's Blaster Blade (even debuting in an episode named "Black Trickstar" like how Blaster Dark's debut was titled "Black Vanguard"), and it belongs to a different subset of the same clan like Chronofang Tiger to Chrono's Chronojet Dragon.
Evil Counterpart: To Trickstar, having an inverted color scheme of blue and black to its red and white and the exact opposite attitude.
Weak, but Skilled: Like its counterpart Trickstar, Trickmoon is a grade 0 unit with only 5000 Power but makes up for it by allowing the player to countercharge if called from the drop zone to the center circle in the back row and by having a DressBoost ability that gives the boosted unit an additional 10000 power for each card armed to Bavsargra.
- Vairlord is the first Overdress Unit that doesn't need Trickstar or one of its upgraded forms as the Original Dress and it can't be chosen by your opponent's card effects. When it is placed in the Overdress state, it can choose up to two Arms cards from your hand or drop, Arm one of them to your Vanguard and put the other one into your Soul. Also when it attacks in the Overdress state, all of your front row units get 5000 Power until the end of the turn for each card your Vanguard is Armed with.

Shojodoji

Forms: Can't Quit Sake Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji/Sakura Romance Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji/World-shaper Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji/Peak Personage Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji

Sake is the water of life, and he who defies leads a reckless life.

With the sakura grudge of your heart believing intomorrow, slice them to pieces with all your might!

I'll let you know since you don't, I am the great invincible Shojodoji

A stealth rogue with long red hair who leads a pack of outcasts.

The playstyle of Shojodoji's ride line revolves around binding cards and calling units from the bind zone. Their effects can also extend to binding the opponent's rear-guards but when doing so, the bound cards will return to their player's hand at the end of the turn, unless another effect moves the card to another zone before then.

The Alcoholic: As shown by the name of and artwork of his grade 0 card, Shojodoji is a heavy drinker of sake.
Enemy Summoner: Peak Personage Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji has the ability to, when attacking, call a Stealth unit from the bind zone to a rear-guard circle.
Mythology Gag: Some of Shojodoji and his associated cards have effects that can bind units on the field but return them to their owner's hand at the end of the turn, which was a mechanic used by the Nubatama clan in the past.

Scarlet Flame Marshal Dragon, Gandiva

The marshal of the Scarlet Flame unit, who guard Dragon Empire's mountainous regions from bandits. Due to the rugged and difficult terrain in which they operate, the unit is mainly composed of Dragoroids who are tough enough to handle the conditions. Fitting the long distances over which they fight, they use crossbows over bows for added power and ease of aim.

Gandiva's ride line revolves around retiring the opponent's rear-guards, with Gandiva himself binding a card from your drop zone each time an opponent's rear-guard is retired during your turn. This in turn empowers the entire front row by 2000 Power per bound card, with Gandiva gaining a Critical if five or more are bound. To compensate against decks who deliberately leave few targets to be retired, Gandiva and his support units often provide a card draw and a bound card from the drop zone if few enough targets are retired, and the deck can also perform additional attacks with Dragritter, Alfakar binding itself after attack to Superior Call a Grade 3 or less rear-guard from the top of the deck.

Draconic Humanoid: Most of Gandiva's subordinates are Dragoroids, owing to the harsh conditions in which his unit operates. Gandiva himself is a Flame Dragon with a humanoid body, also fitting this trope.
Gathering Steam: Every time a unit is retired while Gandiva is your Vanguard, you get to bind one of your cards from your drop face-down. Every bound card also increases the power of the front row, and it's almost impossible to reduce them, meaning Gandiva decks will only get more and more powerful as the game goes on.
Mythology Gag: Gandiva is effectively a flame variant of the Seal/Dungaree playstyle from Narukami with the same emphasis on binding one's own cards, albeit for a different end. They're even both archers.
Removed Achilles' Heel: In the past, a lot of retire focused decks would struggle against an opponent with an empty field due to the fact most of their cards wouldn't do much other than retiring rear-guards. Even those like Eradicators, who gained bonuses for your opponent's empty circles, had problems if they ran into cards that couldn't be retired by card effects. Gandiva on the other hand has several effects that benefit you if you can't retire a rear guard with them, usually by binding a card from your drop on their own and then drawing you a card on top of that.

Zedlance

Forms:Apprentice Blacksmith, Zedlance/Promising Blacksmith,Zedlance/Wrought Iron Dragon, Zedlance/Wrought Iron Dragon King, Zedlance

Zedlance's ride line uses "Smithy" Set Order cards which can be rest to grant additional Power to a unit on the field, with the unit gaining additional benefits should it be part of the "Wrought Iron" group. Zedlance himself helps search for "Smithy" cards and has the ability to gain an extra drive when attacking which can then become an additional attack if units were chosen by the effect of a "Smithy" at least three times during the turn.

The Blacksmith: As stated in the name of its Grade 0 and 1 cards, Zedlance is a blacksmith who forges weapons for its allies.
Heroic Second Wind: Should units have been chosen by the ability of a Smithy at least three times during the turn, Zedlance's second skill will let him restand at the end of the battle with an extra 10000 Power but in exchange for losing three drive checks.
Weapons of Their Trade: Zedlance is always seen carrying a hammer with him in all of his forms, befitting his profession as a blacksmith.

Fated One of Unparalleled, Varga Dagres

Varga's strategy revolves around its ability to cut down all front row rear-guards when it attacks and stand after its first attack has ended. Its support cards help the player work around this by retiring themselves after their own attack, being immune to being retired or having effects that activate upon being retired.

Absurdly Exclusive Recruiting Standards: The tests Varga gives to those who ask to become his disciples are brutal. He made "Blazembar Dragon" swing a sword that was bigger than he was with one-hand all-day, everyday, for 10 years (which to be fair, isn't that long for a Dragon).
Attack! Attack! Attack!: Varga's first skill lets it restand after its first attack with the downside of losing two drive checks while its divine skill allows it to stand up for a third attack should the opponent have four or more damage.
I Work Alone: He doesn't allow his disciples to travel with him, as he believes his path to becoming "The Unparalleled" is one he must walk alone.
Mass Card Removal: When attacking, Varga can activate its ability to retire all rear-guards in the front row, the opponent's as well as the player's.
Names to Run Away from Really Fast: While he's not necessarily evil, you probably don't want to go around picking a fight with a guy who holds the title "Fated One of Unparalleled".
One-Man Army: His lore describes him as being able to defeat an army of 1,000 singlehandedly.
Yin-Yang Bomb: Varga wields two swords: A sword that cuts through Darkness and a sword that cuts through Light.

Dark States

Once the chaotic Dark Zone, Dark States is a magical nation dominated by dark forces. In the past it was fractured owing to the rival demon lords who warred with each other for dominion, but a certain hero was entrusted with the fading power of the Zodiac Time Beasts and together with Gear Chronicle saw the land united at last. That hero foresaw the need for cooperation with the Dragon Empire, and between the laws brought by Gear Chronicle and a beneficial partnership with the Empire the Dark States have since entered a period of prosperity.

Mechanically, the Dark States retain their predecessor nation's focus on building the Soul and making use of the cards within it to pay soulblast costs, call units from within it or . Their specific mechanic is Final Rush: a state given to the player by various card effects which unlocks or enhances the skills of their Units.

Nation Tropes:

Casting a Shadow: The land of the Dark States has been aligned towards the darkness since the very dawn of Cray.
Dark Is Not Evil: Despite its alignment with darkness, the Dark States are generally speaking one of the more stable and unified nations, even having the only noted positive relationship with another Nation via their cooperation with Dragon Empire.
Hired Guns: Aside from soldiers and Gallows Ball players, one of the key commodities in the Dark States is their mercenaries, offering their services out for anything, ranging from simple construction aid to taking care of threats. Demon Lords in particular hire them to fight on their behalf in feuds with other Demon Lords. While normally they keep to themselves, Master of Gravity, Baromagnes and his support are more well-knit by virtue of their recruiter: Phantasma Magician, Curtis.^*
Our Demons Are Different: The players of "Gallows Ball" are largely demons and succubi, but the former are fully humanoid with the only inhuman aspect being their horns, making them look much closer to their predecessors, the Spike Brothers, who largely were comprised of ogres rather than demons.
Status Buff: Aside from the 100 Million power increase granted by all Over triggers, the additional effect of Gallmageheld, Dark States's over trigger, will cause the vanguard to gain an extra 10000 Power and an additional critical during the player's turn for the rest of the fight.

Bruce

Forms: Diabolos, "Violence" Bruce/Diabolos, "Unrivaled" Bruce/Diabolos, "Viamance" Bruce

Come at me seriously! Or you won't be able to withstand my full power!

This is my absolute all out no mercy full power!

The captain of the "Diabolos" Gallows Ball team, Bruce is a demon overflowing with manliness, courage and fighting spirit. Due to this, he leads from the front in uniting his teammates, who can accurately be described as his brothers due to the close bond they all share.

The Diabolos ride-line focus on the Final Rush mechanic, which Bruce allows the player to enter at the beginning of the ride phase, enabling them to utilize the full power of their units, unleashing a flurry of attacks with Bruce's ability to restand the front row rear-guards as part of an explosive mid-to-late game. Along with Bruce's ability to restand his rear-guards, his various support units have abilities that move cards into and out of the Soul during the battle phase, enabling powerful multi-attack combos. "Viamance" Bruce changes their playstyle to revolve more around the Diabolos archetype, restanding less front row rear-guards and needing only Diabolos units in play in exchange for earlier access to Final Rush, more power boosts to the restanding rear-guards and the ability to enter the Final Burst state to access even more powerful effects.

Defeat Means Friendship: Played with. ""Viamance" Bruce" establishes that Bruce doesn't trust people easily, rather he only trusts those he's "exchanged fists with", that is to say gotten into fights with. It matters less who wins or loses, just that they trade blows. Through this, he's amassed a number of "fist friends", ranging from Rino of the Blaze Maidens, the Rainbow Dragons under Drajeweled, Repelled Malice Dragon who normally only works via "contracts" rather than friendship, and even Bastion.
Depending on the Artist: Bruce's jaw tends to vary based on the medium. In card artwork, it's evident he keeps his mouth covered, and the "teeth" are actually a mouthguard. The anime depiction instead makes the teeth much more pronounced, looking akin to a maw of fangs he is perpetually gritting, but even then Bruce never opens his mouth, making it unclear if he's still wearing a mask, or if that is his actual mouth and the darker parts of his jaw are his natural skin complexion.
Discard and Draw: "Viamance" Bruce only allows you to play Diabolos units if you want access to Final Rush, and restands a column instead of the whole front row, meaning less access to generic support and less attacks. In exchange, its ability has a far lesser cost at only 1 Counterblast, it gives a power boost to the rear-guards it restands and Final Rush can be active both earlier and during your opponent's turn as well.
Famed In-Story: According to his lore, his name is roared all across Cray.
Fictional Sport: He is the leader of his Gallows Ball team.
Heroic Second Wind: While Final Rush is active, Bruce's ability can, for a cost of Soulblast 5, stand all of the player's front row rearguards. "Unrivaled" Bruce adds a Counterblast to the cost but in exchange also stands Bruce himself, albeit while losing two drives.
Our Demons Are Different: In his case, he's a demonic Gallows Ball player.
Purple Is Powerful: "Viamence" Bruce has him switch to a purple uniform and is capable of higher power boosts than "Violence" can do on his own.
Red Is Violent: Literally. "Violence" Bruce, along with his upgraded "Unrivaled" form, have a red uniform.

Master of Gravity, Baromagnes

Until either side falls! That's what battle is, right?

An esper whose power allow him to manipulate gravity, he works as a mercenary for hire in the Dark States.

Baromagnes's ride line focuses on the Soul-building theme in a manner akin to the Dark Irregulars of old, aiming to accumulate fifteen cards in the Soul to unleash the full power of their vanguard.

Badass in Distress: As depicted on the Order card "Supernatural Extraction", he gets attacked by an enigmatic old man claiming to be the one who gave him his gravity powers, attempting to extract a sphere from his chest he claims is the source of said powers. Thankfully, Curtis and a team of fellow mercenaries arrived to drive him off, Baromagnes then getting the chance to put the sphere back in.
Epic Flail: Two of them at that. He has a pair of morning stars attached to his ankles via chains.
Everyone Has Standards: He may be a mercenary who is willing to handle cutthroat jobs, but he refuses to be a thief or vandal, a sentiment shared by his compatriots.
Gravity Master: If his title isn't enough indication, Baromagnes is shown using his powers to make debris fly up in the air. An enigmatic old man claims that he gave Baromagnes said powers and tried to take them back, but was stopped by a group of friendly mercenaries led by Curtis.
Hates Being Nicknamed: He hates being called anything other than "Baromagnes", and yelled at the old man he was meeting for trying to shorten it to "Baro" or "Magnes". Much to his chagrin however, the nickname "Baro" unfortunately stuck despite his attempts at hiding it, namely thanks to Alexandra being able to hear his thoughts, with even his allies calling him that despite his protests.
Mundane Utility: He tends to use his powers for simple things too, like levitating his mug to drink from.
Not Quite Flight: He can manipulate his own gravity to float in the air and propel himself in different directions.
Status Buff: Baromagnes can gain an additional critical and 10000 Power if its ability is used while there are 10 or more cards in the soul. The units called by the the third effect of said ability gain an additional 10000 power as well.
Wouldn't Hit a Girl: One of his principles is that he refuses to fight women, so upon learning the other gravitomancer he was fighting was a woman named Alexandra, he immediately stopped, much to her confusion.

Greedon

Forms: Avaricious Demonic Dragon, Greedon/Avaricious Demonic Dragon King, Greedon Masques

Ah~, that's not filling at all. Let me have your body as well.

The demonic dragon who rules over the underworld of the Dark States. Those who lose gambles against him are transformed into his Desire Devil underlings, fated to be eventually used to satiate their boss's hunger.

The ride line of Greedon and his Desire Devils cohorts emphasize a vanguard-centric playstyle with Greedon being able to restand itself at the cost of moving four standing rear-guards to the soul while its supporting units help up for it by giving the vanguard additional power and abilities or making up for the loss in advantage. Furthermore, should anther copy of itself be in the soul, Greedon will make it so the player needs a seventh damage to lose.

Bad Boss: His underlings end up as snacks for Greedon whenever he's hungry.
Devour the Dragon: Fitting his name, Greedon's skill allows him to put four of his standing rear-guards into the Soul after he attacks to stand himself and gain 15000 Power if his Soul has ten or more cards.
Expy: Greedon resembles Buddyfight's Zerberos thanks to their similar color schemes. Interestingly, both have playstyles that make the player rely on a single powerful unit to attack the opponent.
It's All About Me: Greedon's entire deck is designed to make him the focus even more than a Vanguard normally is, with only one of his rear-guards being able to attack if Greedon uses his skill to get two attacks himself and his ride line being laser-focused on making those swings even more powerful via either forcing the opponent to use two cards at minimum on each attack or giving Greedon a passive 5000 Power boost during your turn.
Our Dragons Are Different: In his case, he's an Abyss Dragon dressed up like a stereotypical gangster who is the head of his nation's underworld.
Seven Deadly Sins: He and his ride line are named after them with Greedon himself representing..., well, Greed.

Drajeweled

Forms: Jewel-embracing Dragon Fang, Drajeweled/Demonic Jewel Dragon, Drajeweled/Karma Demonic Jewel Dragon, Drajeweled Masques/Demonic Jewel True Dragon, Drajeweled Ignis

Do you not understand that resistance is futile?

There is no shame in defeat. It is only logical as I am your opponent.

For now, I will become the demon that puts the world to the test.

The Rainbow Demonic Dragon continues sleeping slightly. Until the day the future that should be comes.

Drajeweled's ride line revolve around gathering cards of different grades in the soul in order to soulblast them with Drajeweled's own skill to reduce the power of the opposing vanguard to 1.

All Your Powers Combined: Fittingly, Drajeweled Ignis combines the strengths of both the original Drajeweled and its Masques form: it doesn't need a Counterblast for its main skill like the original, and can set up its own Soul with two cards from the drop zone and retire opposing rearguards like Masques, while gaining a Critical like both of them.
Character Development: A rather interesting mechanical case: Drajeweled and Drajeweled Masques were both selfish Vanguards who only indirectly gave a benefit to their rear-guards when reducing the opponent's vanguard to 1 Power. Drajeweled Ignis meanwhile not only powers up the front row by 15000 directly with its first skill, but it doesn't need to use any Counterblast at all unlike both Drajeweled and Drajewled Masques, allowing its support cards to more freely use their abilities.
Damage-Increasing Debuff: Drajeweled can reduce the power of an opposing vanguard to 1 for a turn, making it harder for the opponent to guard against the attacks of the player's units. Drajeweled Ignis instead reduces the entire opposing front row to 0 power.
Difficult, but Awesome: Drajeweled requires the fighter to carefully manage the contents of their soul in order to use its skill every single turn because the majority of its support cards need that skill's cost to have been paid to even use their own abilities. In return, you can easily perform five attacks a turn, three of which are hitting a crippled Vanguard with a Power of 1. Drajeweled Ignis only intensifies both facets, as its cost goes up to requiring five unique grades to be Soulblasted, but in return it wipes the opposing back row, gives itself an additional Critical and reduces the entire opposing front row to Power 0.
Mythology Gag: Drajeweled's ability to reduce the power of an opposing vanguard to 1 is a weaker version of Dark Zone's Zeroth Dragon, Dust's own ability, with both units being demonic dragons.
Our Dragons Are Different: An Abyss Dragon covered in sparkling crystals.
Super Mode: Drajeweled Ignis, Drajeweled's Grade 4 evolution.

Astroea

Forms:Almajestar, Astroea=Unica/Xeno Almajestar, Astroea=Bico Masques

Linkage Unicalite—Engrave it. Into the star of fate.

Linkage Bicolite—Our earnest wish. The time of fulfillment.

The Almajestar ride line focuses on binding Critical Trigger Units that were in the soul or used to pay for Soulblast costs, doing so in order to use abilities that scale in power with the amount of bound triggers.

Mask of Power: Astroea=Bico Masques wears the Masque of Hydragrum over her left eye.
Star Power: The Almajestar derives their powers from Planet Cray's constellations. Astroea's power comes from that of the Unicorn as shown by the glowing horn in the middle of her forehead.
Status Buff: Astroea=Unica can increase the power of a unit by 5000 for the turn whenever a trigger unit is Soul Blast. Astroea=Bico Masques instead increases the power of the unit stood by her third skill as well as her own by 5000 for every two Critical triggers in the player's bind zone.

Ominagruzio

Forms:Evil Eye Beast, Ominakitty/Evil Eye Beast, Ominacrowg/Evil Eye Beast ,Ominaowls/Evil Eye Dragon, Ominagruzio/Evil Eye Dragon Emperor, Ominagruzio Masques

The lost place represents anger and despair.

It changes its appearance, to a memory far mightier.

It's still not enough. To decimate the hated enemies......

Even after achieving vengeance, an unquenchable thirst remains within the Evil Eye.

The Evil Eye burns on... Thirsting for unparalleled power.

The Evil Eye ride line's playstyle aims to bind Trigger units of different types from the drop zone with their vanguard's skill in order to nullify the power-increasing effects of the opponent's triggers.

Our Demons Are Different: Despite looking like animals, the Omina's Evil Eye Beast forms are classified as demons.
Power Nullifier: Ominagruzio's second ability allows it to bind triggers from the drop zone in order to prevent the power-increasing effect of the opponent's triggers with the same icon as a bound trigger from activating. Its Masques version has the same ability with the added effect of lowering the shield value of said triggers by 5000.
Voluntary Shapeshifter: Omina can change forms at will with their original form being that of a cat.

Favrneel

Forms:Purgatory Dragon Deity, Favrneel

Favrneel's line focuses on retiring rear-guards and gathering cards in the soul with total grades of thirteen or more. Doing so enables its to restand and attack a second time. As only one copy of the card can be included in the deck, the deck cannot normally use the Persona Ride mechanic but compensates through abilities that strengthen the vanguard and are active if the player did not a ride a card during the turn.

Heroic Second Wind: Favrneel has the ability to stand itself after attacking if the sum of the grades of cards in the soul is thirteen or more.
I Work Alone: You are only allowed to play one copy of Favrneel in your deck.

Blangdmire

Forms: Fated One of Zero, Blangdmire

Until the day I truly fill this emptiness, the zero.

Anti-Magic: Blangdmire's Divine Skill nullifies the abilities of both the opposing Vanguard and their fighter until the end of their turn. While the former can be countered by riding over the afflicted unit, the latter can't be prevented at all.

Brandt Gate

Once known as Star Gate, Brandt Gate was the first nation to be reformed, with the Clans of Nova Grappler, Dimension Police and Link Joker pooling their forces against a future of despair foretold by Messiah's Epitaph. Brandt Gate's citizens eliminate extradimensional threats and alien invaders at the very boundaries of Cray, continuing to develop and refine highly advanced science and technology as weapons in this battle. Even this constant conflict is secondary to their primary purpose, to prepare for the return of the Void.

Brand Gate's overall playstyle revolve around the use of Set Orders, a subset of Order cards which remain in the Order Zone after being played. Each of the nation's ride-lines have their own type of Set Orders that their respective playstyle revolve around. They also lean more toward control tactics, making use of effects that can remove the opponent's rear-guards off the field alongside defense-oriented cards to manipulate the flow of the fight to their advantage.

Nation Tropes:

Dark Is Not Evil: Not only do the Cardinals look like the Link Joker of old, but they create states of Dark Night and Abyssal Dark Night as part of their mechanics. However, their flavor text suggests that during the Deity-less Era, they fought to protect Cray.
Cardinal Noid, Cubisia: The "cardinals" continue to guard the world through the nights where hope has collapsed.
Geo Effects: All of Brandt Gate's Ride Lines, other than Messiah, focus on the use of Set Orders to enable their strategy. With the exception of "Research" Set Orders, each Ride Line possesses their own unique Set Orders.
- Seraph (The Battle Princesses) uses "Prison" Set Orders, which lets the Battle Princesses "imprison" enemy Units, the opponent being allowed to pay a Counterblast or Soulblast as a form of bail payment.
- Orfist (The Cardinals) uses "World" Set Orders, allowing the player to enact the "Dark Night" and "Abyssal Dark Night" states and granting their units full access to their abilities.
- Nordlinger (The Gravidias) use "Meteorite" Set Orders, focusing on accumulating them as fodder for Nordlinger's skill, in turn causing a "meteor shower" that takes out enemy units.
- Eva and Arkhite use "Research" Set Orders, befitting their nature as mad scientists. Eva uses them to amass resources and empower her associate Obscudeid, while Arkhite uses them to "gestate" and empower Monster units.
- Dianos (Galactic B-Heroes) use "Base" Set Orders, focusing on gathering units into their bases to later deploy as if from a second hand.
- Welstra (Blitz) uses "Product" Set Orders, representing the various weapon products his company is trying to sell. Welstra is capable of "operating" the various Products as a form of demonstration to his clientele, inflicting status debuffs to the enemy, eventually escalating to the Products becoming akin to units themselves.
- Avantgarda (Blue Deathsters) use "Strategy" Set Orders, which do nothing on their own in the Order Zone, but trigger status effects when put into the soul from there by Avantgarda's skill, which can only be used if Sora Piriod is in the soul, representative of Sora piloting Avantgarda and utilizing said strategies mid-combat.
- Silhouette uses the "Machineries Factory" Set Order which let them search "Armed Arms" cards in their deck to either put into the drop zone or into their hand and can be put into the soul to call two different "Armed Arms" from the drop zone.
- Astrum, unlike other Blitz units, does not use "Product" cards but instead uses "Armored Supply Vehicle, Pretiosa" which grants additional power to a unit that became Stand as a result of the vanguard's ability and to the vanguard.
Improbable Age: The Battle Princesses are in their teens with the oldest being Seraph Snow at 17.
Mechanical Lifeforms: Underneath Messiah's Epitaph on Brandt's surface, Link Joker unearthed the 'coffins', tetrahedral living machines that reacted to one's will and had the power to distort causality. These coffins are now wielded by the special unit Cardinal in their fight against otherworldly invaders.
Reality Warper: The coffins the Cardinals wield give them the ability to manipulate causality as they see fit. Some like Routis and Marizma are capable of using theirs to open up "Worlds" for the Cardinals to combat the "Night", while others like Cubisia and Thumberino use theirs as weapons. The normal order, "Causality goes crazy as I will it", depicts Cubisia utilizing his coffins to strengthen himself.
Cardinal Draco, Enpyro flavor text: Twisting causality. That you may not do as you please.
Science Hero: Brandt Gate's forces fight using a high level of technological and scientific advancement as their primary weapon, a nod to how Link Joker wielded technology that was simply beyond understanding in their time.
Shapeshifter Weapon: Played with. Cardinals can have their bodies transformed to better suit the coffins they wield, the implication though is that the transformation is involuntary.
Cardinal Draco, Barbizonde flavor text: "Cardinals" change their appearance to match the quirks of their "coffin".
Space Police: Part of Brandt Gate's aesthetic is the Aurora Battle Princesses, futuristic warriors who resemble contemporary emergency services, with their headline unit Seraph Snow even wielding giant handcuffs. In story terms, they regulate traffic entering Cray from space and other dimensions, by force if necessary, and mechanically they lock away criminals in their prison but allow the opposing fighter to pay a bail to release them.
Theme Naming: The Battle Princess subset of Brandt Gate all have a color for a surname, while the Gravidias are named after meteors and impact craters.
Unscrupulous Hero: The Cardinals fight to protect Cray, but their flavor texts paint them as cold and ruthless in their mission:
Cardinal Fang, Estrett: The weak perish. That is even more apparent in the night.
Cardinal Noid, Plasteia: Over in this world, the likes of you are not needed.
Weird Moon: At some point during the Deity-less Era, the planet Brandt was captured in Cray's orbit and became one of its satellites, inhabited primarily by the forces of Link Joker. As a result of its evil heritage it's a prominent crimson moon in the sky above Brandt Gate. In a subversion of Bad Moon Rising however it's just a natural satellite and its inhabitants fight to protect Cray, if anything it's when it disappears that things are seriously wrong:
In the Darkness Nobody Knows: In the darkness where even the moon cannot be seen, catastrophe approached from beyond the world.

Seraph

Forms:Aurora Battle Princess, Seraph Snow/Aurora Fierce Princess, Seraph Purelight

All your friends have been surrounded. What will you do?

If I could just arrest you, this turmoil would be quelled.

An agent of the Cosmo Security intergalactic police organization known for her 100 percent arrest rate which has earned her a fearsome reputation among criminals.

The Aurora Battle Princesses focus on the new Imprison mechanic, sealing the opponent's cards beneath their Prison Order cards, while allowing them to call those cards by spending additional ressources. However, while those cards are locked away, Brandt Gate's forces gain Power and stronger abilities the more convicts they have imprisoned. they also make use of defensive abilities to further their control over the battlefield.

The Dreaded: Because of her aformentioned impresive arrest rate.
Hot Cop: Seraph Snow is a security officer and has an attractive design with her uniform showing off her cleavage.
Improbable Weapon User: Fitting for a security officer, she uses a large pair of handcuffs.
Status Buff:
- Seraph Snow gains 10000 Power if at least one of the opponent's card is imprisoned plus an extra drive check if there are at least three.
- Purelight powers-up the entire front row by 5000 for every two of the opponent's cards that are imprisoned as well as an extra critical if there are at least ten cards in prison.

Orfist

Forms: Cardinal Deus, Orfist/Cardinal Dominus, Orfist Regis/Cardinal Mors, Orfist Masques

They leave their blades unsheathed. In anticipation of the next duel to the death.

On this night of darkness, we shall prepare our blades for battle.

The one who shall fulfil our covenant, is the blade that shatters the endless night.

A cyber golem who is part of the Cardinal troop. It wields a large scythe in battle and has its "Coffin" embedded within its chest.

The Cardinal series' mechanics revolve around setting multiple World Order cards in their Order Zone to enter first Dark Night and then Abyssal Dark Night states to unlock the full power of their Units. The latter state enables their ace card Orfist to generate powerful but expendable Shadow Army Tokens, using their 15000 Power and Boost to create strong attacking lanes before sacrificing them for abilities, safe in the knowledge that Orfist can simply make more next turn. Orfist Regis changes up this playstyle somewhat by creating the tokens on attack and enabling a powerful multi-attack strategy, rewarding the fighter for being able to clear their field during the battle phase to open room for the new tokens. Orfist Masques continues this multi-attack style, but instead sacrifices World Order cards to generate the Shadow Armies and encourages abilities that replay the Orders from the drop zone to reuse their on-place effects.

Alternate Character Reading: The "Cardinal Deus" part of its name translates to "Deity of the Mechanical Coffin" if using just the kanji.
Become Your Weapon: Unlike other Cardinals, Orfist has his coffin implanted in his chest.
Deus est Machina: A Cyber Golem with the title of 'Deus', Latin for God. Despite this, it's not a true deity, as Nirvana is the only one established as such in the Chakrabarthi Divine Era.
Living Shadow: In the state of Abyssal Dark Night, Orfist can manifest these in the form of Grade 1 15000 Power Shadow Army Tokens with Boost, building a board immediately without using the player's hand.
Meaningful Name: Its name is likely derived from Orpheus, the Greek hero who delved into the underworld and returned. The Cardinals repeatedly venture into otherworldly spaces known as 'nights' to fight Cray's enemies before returning triumphant. The title of 'Cardinal' is a double-layered pun: Cardinals are senior members of the Catholic clergy, but it can also refer to the cardinal directions.
Mook Maker: Orfist can call up to three Shadow Army tokens using its second ability. Orfist Regis, meanwhile, can call one Shadow Token for every two World cards in the order zone.
Properly Paranoid: Its flavor text implies that it and the other Cardinals remain eternally vigilant for the return of the Void after fighting tirelessly to defend Cray in the Deity-less Era.
Sinister Scythe: Orfist's weapon is a large scythe with a black and silver blade with a red hue. It has several separate blades floating by the main blade, each blade looking like a miniature scythe blade.
Status Buff:
- Orfist can gain 5000 Power during the player's turn, should the World be Dark Night or Abyssal Dark Night.
- In addition to calling tokens, the second ability of Orfist Regis can increase its power by 5000 for every two World order cards in the Order zone.
The Night That Never Ends: Abyssal Dark Night is implied to be this by several Cardinal flavor texts, and Orfist Masques' flavor even boasts that it is 'the blade that rends the endless night' in reference to it sacrificing World Orders as a cost for its ability.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Several of its subordinate Cardinals have abilities that retire the very Shadow Army Tokens Orfist generates as a cost. Orfist Masques instead pulls this on the Worlds, sacrificing them to summon Shadow Army Tokens.

Nordlinger

Forms:Gravidia Nordlinger/Gore Gravidia, Nordlinger Masques

Pay close attention, to the manifestation of our utopia.

Our distant utopia... We must obtain it with these hands—-

An ancient alien entity with power over gravity who awakened from beneath Cray's South Pole alongside its people.

The Gravidia ride line make use of the Meteorites Set Order cards. The deck aims to have many Meteorites into the Order Zone via various Unit skills, aided by the ability to run up to sixteen copies of Neatness Meteor Shower. The Meteorites provides ressources when placed, allowing the deck to maintain a field in spite of their high Order count. The finishing move is the skill of Gravidia Nordlinger, dropping any number of Meteorites from the Order Zone, to gain power and critical and if three or more were sent, and causing your Triggers checked during that battle to activate twice if five or more were sent while causing the opponent's rear-guards to be retired due to the Meteorites's effect.

Colony Drop: The playstyle of the Gravidia units is meant to evoke the image of sending Meteorites crashing down to the ground to take out opponents, represented by the Meteorites Set orders's skill of retiring a rear-guard when sent to the drop zone and Nordlinger's second ability requiring the player to do just that in order to activate it. In the lore, this is aided by their territory being directly below an asteroid belt, the Gravidians referring to this as their "Blessed Rain", while the people of Brandt Gate call it a "Neatness Meteor Shower".
Expy: Of Jenova from Final Fantasy VII, being a feminine alien with bizarre biology who came to the planet long ago and was sealed in ice, aims to bring about a 'Promised Land' and who rains meteors down upon the planet.
Gravity Master: Like other Gravidians, Nordlinger has control over gravity which they use to drop meteorites on their enemies.
He Who Must Not Be Seen: Played with. The Gravidians largely remain underwater at the South Pole of Cray, and tried to not allow the rest of Cray to notice them until they felt the time was right. Dellen however was spotted on a scouting expedition, with Nordlinger admitting that since it had to happen eventually, there was no point in getting worried.
Our Dragons Are Different: Unlike the other Gravidia cards, Nordlinger is considered a Space Dragon rather than an alien with the top half of the body resembling a five-eyed horned humanoid alien with tentacles hair and arms that split into smaller tentacles and a lower body akin to that of a leafy seadragon.
Psychic Link: Thanks to being trapped beneath the ice for so long and not having mouths, the Gravidians have developed telepathic links with one another. Doing so has caused them to form close connections to one another akin to family, with their leader Nordlinger being akin to their mother.
Sealed Evil in a Can: Nordlinger and their fellow Gravidians were sealed within the ice at Cray's South Pole until the coming of the Chakrabarthi Divine Era awakened them. Downplayed in that they Gravidia aren't necessarily "evil", just highly territorial, their "Blessed Rain" being their means of signaling where their territory is as they begin to awaken.
Starfish Alien: Mature Gravidians are noted to have more alien physiques compared to their juvenile counterparts, who have more humanoid physiques. Gravidia Nordlinger is the epitome of this, as while she still has an upper body that is humanoid in shape, her body is much more serpentine, resembling a leafy seadragon. Played with however in that it's heavily implied the Gravidia are natives of Cray, at the very least the first to colonize Cray, not aliens, they've just been trapped under the ice until now.
Technopath: Nordlinger is able to infiltrate electronics using its mind.
Theme Naming: All of the Gravidia cards have names that relates to impact craters.
Tough Leader Façade: While Nordlinger is the "King" of the Gravidians and acts as a nigh-omnipotent ruler for their subjects, they truly wish to just protect their followers and establish a home that can't be invaded. It's to this extent that while they appear to be casting genocide on Brandt Gate's forces for their followers, Nordlinger is fully aware they're only destroying unmanned vessels, and does not desire to kill anyone unless their hand is forced, and would rather seek diplomacy if possible. They even admit to themselves in private of feeling anxiety and depression from their role, something they can't let their subjects be aware of.

Galactic B-Hero, Unite Dianos

You cannot save anything, if all you do is proclaim your justice.

The Hero rideline revolves around playing Base Set Orders and "scouting" units by placing them face-up in the Order Zone. Scouted cards can later be called as rear-guards or guardians by resting a Base order.

Status Buff: Dianos grants all of its front-row rear-guards an additional 5000 Power. This works during the opponent's turn as well, making it harder for the opponent to hit them. Its second skill gives it 15000 Power upon attacking if there is at least one Base in the order zone, and an extra critical if there are at least three.

Welstra

Forms:Blitz CEO, Welstra/Fated One of Guiding Star, Welstra "Blitz Arms"

An endless untrodden field. What I seek can be found there.

Let's carve out the guiding star. Grasp in these hands the dreams beyond the uncharted territories.

The idealistic and selfish president of Blitz Industry, a company which supplies all of Cray with indispensable products and technologies. Despite his disregard for things like budgets, deadlines and regulations, Welstra's company continues to flourish, likely because of his highly talented employees.

Welstra's rideline revolves around "Product" Set Orders that represent weapons manufactured by his corporation. On their own, these do nothing, but Welstra and his employees can "operate" them to activate their powerful abilities, culminating in the Mobile Fortress of Obliteration, Freischutz Maximum, a flying fortress that not only reduces the opponent's vanguard's Power but can become a mighty 23000 Power rear-guard for the turn.

Improbable Age: Many of the problems with Welstra's leadership likely stem from the fact that he's CEO in his twenties.

Blue Deathster, Sora Period & Avantgarda

Forms: Blue Deathster, Sora Piriod/Blue Deathster, "Skyrender" Avantgarda/Blue Deathster, "Cavalry Skyrender" Avantgarda Richter

The boy drives into the blue reaper, who shall annihilate the evil while cutting off the sky.

The personal machine piloted by the ace of the Blue Deathstars, Sora Piriod, and the mightiest weapon at their disposal. The Blue Deathsters are a private military organisation that eliminates targets they regard as 'evil' without restraint, simply appearing, destroying their enemies, and then vanishing as swiftly as they came.

The Blue Deathsters use "Strategy" Set Orders that represent their military tactics. Strategies don't do anything on their own, requiring Avantgarda to put them into the Soul with its effect. Once a Strategy is chosen this way, it activates and provides a Status Buff to Avantgarda while in turn enabling its own skill whereby at the end of its attack, if the attack hit a vanguard, the fighter Persona Rode that turn, or both, it can stand itself and strike again.

Attack! Attack! Attack!: By placing a Stretegy order into the soul, Avantgarda can gain the ability to restand should its attack hit or if Persona Ride was activated during the same turn. Avantgarda Richter can gain said ability as part of its superior ride skill and can combine it with its own ability to ride back into Avantgarda for a total of three vanguard attacks.
Anti-Hero: The Blue Deathsters ostensibly fight against evil, but do so with utterly ruthless military tactics.
Gameplay and Story Integration: The regular Avantgarda and its Richter form require Sora Period to be in the soul in order to use their abilities as a reference to their lore stating that Sora is the pilot of Avantgarda.
Mysterious Backer: Even the Deathsters themselves don't actually know who their commander is, receiving their orders strictly by remote communications.
Real Robot: The Blue Deathster ride line fits into this role more than the Super Robot part played by their Dimension Police forebears, with stark and gritty machines carrying out military stratagems.
Mythology Gag: A line of blue real robots whose Grade 3 possess the ability to stand themselves if their attack hits? Hello again, Stern Blaukluger.
Shout-Out: To Gundam, with the Blue Deathsters' modus operandi being a dead ringer for that of Celestial Being in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 and their pilots being as young as one might expect from that franchise.

Keter Sanctuary

Once the United Sanctuary, the royal line was extinguished soon into the Deity-less era, leaving the nation divided in a fierce civil war. Due to the loss of divine blessings, the Sanctuary was left desolate, with the survivors using the Keter Engine device to create a floating island dubbed the Keter Gear. Isolating themselves from other Nations and founding the Keter Sanctuary, the Celestial People of the Keter Gear looked down upon those below, who in turn look up at the island.

Fittingly for their classist society, Keter Sanctuary features a larger amount of Grade 3 cards compared to the other nations with many of their cards rewarding the player for playing a large amount of Grade 3 units. The nation also feature a large amount of cards with effects relating to drive checks, such as abilities activating if specific cards are revealed during drive checks or being able to provide additional ones which synergyze with their deck-manipulating abilities.

Nation Tropes:

Elite Army: One of Keter Sanctuary's mechanics is to reward the fighter for playing many more Grade 3s than normal, with their starter deck having the most of the five at an eye-watering sixteen total Grade 3 cards.
The Emperor: With the royal line extinguished long ago, Keter Sanctuary is now ruled by an unknown emperor.
Floating Continent: The Keter Gear island.
Light Is Not Good: Once the beacon of order and justice to the world and firmly aligned with light, United Sanctuary's descendants are organied into an isolationist, highly stratified society that's outright referred to as a dictatorship.
Luck Manipulation Mechanic: Like Oracle Think Tank before them, Keter Sanctuary has access to cards that let them look at and rearrange the top cards of their deck to increase their chances of revealing triggers during their drive checks.
Took a Level in Cynic: Of all the nations, Keter Sanctuary's changes from its parent are perhaps the most depressing, going from the idealistic and heroic nation built upon virtues such as courage, determination, and comradery to an isolationist, classist dictatorship as a result of the numerous disasters it suffered in the Deity-less era.
Urban Segregation: A particularly extreme example where the higher classes live entirely off the ground on the Keter Gear.

Bastion

Forms: Apex Ruler, Bastion/Apex-surpassing Sword, Bastion Prime/Sword of the Nation, Bastion Accord

Fulfilling one's mission is the pride of knights. Raise it high above the heavens.

Bring out your all right here! Go beyond a sword that can even split the heavens!

The ruler that stands upon the apex shall now become the sword that protects all its people.

The leader of Keter Sanctuary's Cloud Knights, who protect the law and order on Keter Sanctuary's surface beneath Keter Gear. Clad in all-encompassing armor, he's said to be human but his age is unknown. Wielding a holy sword and riding on a pegasus, Bastion commands an awe-inspiring presence.

Bastion and the Cloud Knights's ride line rewards the player for having an abundance of Grade 3 cards in their hand and on the field, rewarding them with a powerful offensive push upon riding to Grade 3 in exchange for a weaker early game while using cards that can provide additional Shield value or increase the number of cards in hand to make up for their Grade 3's inherent lack of shield value.

Call-Back: Design-wise, he's inspired by both Gancelot and Mordred Phantom, a sword-wielding knight atop a pegasus, combining the Royal Paladin aesthetic of the former with the black pegasus of the latter. Bastion Accord has golden adornments added to his armor, resembling the Royal Paladins turned Liberators from the Link Joker block.
Depending on the Artist: While his main art depicts him riding a black pegasus, his alternate art depicting him with his user Tohya Ebata, his depictions on Order cards, and his depiction in the anime, all show him without his pegasus, and that he is able to fly on his own.
The Faceless: He's always clad in armor that covers his whole body, including his face. Only his card's race text and his lore stating it suggest that he's a human underneath.
Gameplay and Story Integration: Bastion Accord is Bastion after his battle with Youthberk and having resolved to fight for and protect all the people of Keter Sanctuary, not merely the aristocracy. Tellingly, his ability to stand a rear-guard after he attacks can target a grade 3 or lower rear-guard while before he focused specifically on grade 3s.
Hero with Bad Publicity: Being the face of the aristocracy, the commoners naturally don't think too highly of him. But despite that, he really does value their lives. When Bavsargra caused an insurrection in Keter, Bastion said that the masses were right to be upset and that every measure was to be taken to placate them.
Heroic Second Wind: Bastion's skill allows him to discard a card to restand one of his rear-guards and give it an extra 10000 Power after a battle in which you drive checked a grade 3 card, while Bastion Prime sends a Bastion card from the hand or Soul to the drop to stand all of your grade 3 rear-guards under the same condition.
Pegasus: Like several knights of the ancient knightly orders, most prominently Gancelot and Mordred Phantom, Bastion rides on one.
The Power of Friendship: Bastion passively grants all of your grade 3 Units an extra 2000 Power during the player's turn, while Bastion Prime grants the same buff only to the front row but regardless of grade.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Despite his insistence that "The Law is Absolute", he's not above expressing dissatisfaction when he believes the orders he's given are not in the best interest of the country.

Hexaorb Sorceress

Forms:Hexaorb Sorceress/Hexaorb Sorceress "Aquamarine"

A new revelation slumbers within the forms that are already known.

The Sorceress ride line draws on the topdeck manipulation of Oracle Think Tank, aiming to stack Triggers on top of the deck via scrying effects and stacking them from the hand, with Hexaorb Sorceress further empowering the checked Triggers.

Call-Back: Her ride line is heavily inspired by the Magus series of Oracle Think Tank, sharing their shape thematic and emphasis on manipulating the top of the deck.
Heroic Second Wind: Whenever a trigger is revealed during drive check while she is attacking, Hexaorb Sorceress "Aquamarine" can soul blast one card to stand an allied unit.
Status Buff: When you drive check a trigger, Hexaorb grants one of your rear-guards 10000 Power on top of that granted by the trigger. Her "Aquamarine" form instead continuously increase the power given by a Trigger's effect by 10000 Power but only if the player performed Persona Ride during the turn.
Winds of Destiny, Change!: Aside from her ride line's general focus on manipulating the top of the deck, Hexaorb herself can outright stack a Critical or Front Trigger from your hand on top of your deck so long as you performed a Persona Ride that turn, gaining an additional drive so you don't even lose advantage for doing it.

Youthberk

Forms: Youth Following in Footsteps, Youth/Determined to Break Away, Youth/Knight of Ardent Light, Youth/Youthberk, "Protofall Arms"/Youthberk "RevolForm: Zest"/Youthberk, "Skyfall Arms"/Youthberk "RevolForm: Gust"/Youthberk, "RevolForm: Tempest"/Youthberk "RevolForm: Full Blast"

It is his dream to stand alongside the proud knight that is his father.

I need to become stronger so that I can create a peaceful world!

The light from the skies. I used to believe that it was the path that knights should follow.

Descend, revolt, and split the skies; even if that is a path of carnage.

In order to shatter the order of the skies, the dark knight wields the strength of crimson.

The knight disappointed by the heavens, dons its black armor, chooses the destruction of the skies.

The blue lightning speeds forth. Gripping the blade in these hands, leading the path forward.

The overflowing rain of sorrow... the emerald tempest shall blow it all away.

Clad in widespread determination, the form emit a golden light.

Once a knight of the Royal Paladins following in the footsteps of his esteemed father, despite his excellent skills Youth slowly grew disillusioned with the order of Keter Sanctuary, seeing rampant corruption and inequality that led him to question the way of the Sanctuary. This in turn caused him to break away entirely and become Youthberk, the figurehead of the Skyfall Knight Order, a rebellious order unrecognised by Keter Sanctuary's government but cheered by the masses who live in poverty on the ground below Keter Gear.

Youthberk's ride line revolves around the RevolDress mechanic, allowing his "Arms" forms to Superior Ride a RevolForm Vanguard from the hand at the end of his attack at the cost of reducing the new Vanguard's drive by two and reverting back to an Arms at the end of the turn. This four attack style is supplemented by a heavy focus on consistency, with multiple unit and order cards tutoring the deck for RevolForms and compensating for not finding one by Superior Calling Grade 2 or less rear-guards instead.

All Your Powers Combined: Fitting their colors appearing on his trident, "Full Blast" activates additional effects depending on having Youthberk's other RevolForms in the soul, each effect fitting that specific form: Zest grants an extra Critical, Gust an extra drive, and Tempest allows him to send an opponent's rear-guard to the bottom of the deck. Additionally, if all three effects were triggered, he gives the entire front row 15000 Power as a combination of the effects of Zest and Tempest.
Black Knight: All of the Youthberks wear black and red armor, and he's the leader of the unsanctioned and rebellious Skyfall Knight Order.
Break the Cutie: As Youth Following in Footsteps, he's an energetic young squire who wouldn't look out of place in the Royal Paladins. As Youthberk, he's covered from head to toe in jet black armor and seems far more akin to a Shadow Paladin, not to mention having lost an eye at some point. His flavor texts depict him slowly growing disillusioned with the order of Keter Sanctuary until he finally resolves to break it entirely as Youthberk.
Dark Is Not Evil: Youthberk in all his forms is a knight clad in black and red, but he's a hero who fights for the downtrodden commonfolk of Keter Sanctuary against the corrupt elites who rule over them.
Defector from Decadence: Youth was once a knight of the Royal Paladins who fought for Keter Sanctuary's order, but he turned away from them and came to fight with the Skyfall order against the Cloud Knights.
Eat the Rich: Youthberk's knightly order, the unsanctioned Skyfall order, regards the wealthy of Keter Sanctuary as their enemies for turning a blind eye to the poverty of those who live on the ground below Keter Gear.
Eye Scream: At some point between "Youth Following in Footsteps, Youth" and "Determined to Break Away, Youth", Youth lost his right eye and took to wearing an eyepatch. As "Youthberk", this is reflected by having the area where his right eye would be on his helmet carved to resemble a cross like scar, the cross glowing when Youthberk uses RevolDress, the default color being red, but changing colors to match each form.
Gameplay and Story Integration:
- Youthberk champions the oppressed masses of Keter Sanctuary, and correspondingly many of his related cards Superior Call Grade 2 or lower units from the deck in antithesis to the heavy Grade 3 focus of his Cloud Knight enemies.
- The skill of the Grade 1 in Youthberk's Ride Line, "Determined to Break Away, Youth", is indicative of how Youthberk came to be who he is. The skill only activates if the player rides the Grade 2 in the Ride Line, "Knight of Ardent Light, Youth", and requires the player pay a Soul Blast for the cost. Assuming no other cards were put in the soul, the only card that can be used is the Grade 0 in the Ride Line, "Youth Following in Footsteps, Youth". This represents how, in his journey to try and become one of the Knights of Keter Sanctuary, Youth Took a Level in Cynic, having lost the innocence and naivete of his Grade 0 self, and left hardened and resentful of Keter Sanctuary as his Grade 2 self. The skill likewise allows the player to check the top three cards of the deck for a "Youthberk" card, or call a Grade 2 or lower unit, representing both Youth's decision to rebel against Keter Sanctuary as the Black Knight "Youthberk", and join with like-minded rebels amidst the Skyfall Order.
Gold-Colored Superiority: "Full Blast" has a golden glow and combines the strengths of all of Youthberk's other forms.
Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: Double Subverted. As a member of the Keter Sanctuary army proper, Youth forgoes wearing a helmet, but as a leading member of the Skyfall Knight Order, he wears a horned black helm that lets his hair remain exposed, and keeps it for most of his RevolForm's. As "RevolForm: Full Blast" however, he discards the helmet once again.
Heroic Second Wind: At the end of a battle that Protofall Arms and Skyfall Arms attacked, their RevolDress ability allows them to Superior Ride a RevolForm from the hand.
Heroes Prefer Swords: Downplayed overall. As "Youth", he largely favored using polearms, primarily using a spear. As "Youthberk", his default form wields a double-edged BFS, but his RevolForm's move away from this, with "Zest" and "Gust" returning to using spears, "Tempest" using magic, and "Fullblast" using a trident.
History Repeats: Youthberk's story is very similar to that of the Shadow Paladins in their original incarnation, except that where they were turned into a terrorist army by Phantom Blaster Dragon's toxic influence and rebelled against a flawed but righteous king, Youthberk is instead a hero fighting for the people against an oppressive government. Both still work alongside their lighter counterparts, Blaster Blade and Bastion respectively, after reconciling and in the face of a greater threat, Link Joker and the Dragontree respectively.
Icon of Rebellion: "It is said that wherever Youthberk appears, the cheers and support of the ground's people, and an even stronger force of resistance will arise."
Mythology Gag: Youthberk's aesthetic draws upon the Black Knight theme of the Shadow Paladins and his RevolDress mechanic combines Revenger, Raging Form Dragon's Superior Persona Ride with the pseudo-Stride mechanic Dragheart, Luard had in the V series.
Multiform Balance: All three base RevolForms essentially have this in terms of their skills:
- Zest is the Mighty Glacier, being the form that gives Youthberk the most power upon RevolDress and even gives it an extra Critical if Persona Ride was activated. Unfortunately, it has no way to drive check on its own and has no other skill to make guarding its attack harder for the opponent, meaning its attack can easily be blocked with little to no risk of getting hit. The extra Critical also only comes up during Persona Ride, thus is only live Turn 4 onwards at most.
- Gust is the Fragile Speedster, giving Youthberk less power than Zest with no extra Critical, but gives it a drive check allowing the Youthberk player to increase their hand-size, or even check a trigger.
- Tempest is the Squishy Wizard, giving Youthberk even less power than both Zest and Gust but it gives the power to the entire front-row, and its skill allows the Youthberk player to directly plus in terms of card advantage and also possibly remove an opposing rear-guard from the field. It is also the only RevolForm not to directly use weapons instead using magic.
- Full Blast is the Golden Super Mode Lightning Bruiser that combines traits from all three together: Zest's Critical, Gust's Drive Check, and Tempest's removal, along with a massive power increase for the entire front-row but only if all prior three forms are in the Soul.
Theme Naming: Each of the "Youthberk" cards are named after something relating to the "sky" or "heavens", reflecting Youth's desire to strike down the elites of Keter Sanctuary who hide in the "heavens". The sole exception to this is "Revolform: Zest", which has no correlation to the "sky" or "heavens".
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Youthberk isn't above using less than savory means to achieve his revolution, simply chalking it up to being a necessary sacrifice in times of war. Probably the most stand-out example is expressing a willingness to let the magic tree that supplies all of Keter with clean water die after being told that he's the only one who can save it.

Sword Saint Knight Dragon, Gramgrace

Oh blade of mine, come forth from the blue sky. Nievern Reinforce !

Gramgrace possess a unique effect that grants the power increase obtained by persona riding to the entire field. This synergizes with its other ability to call a unit from hand to the center back row circle and give it additional power and the ability to attack from there.

Dual Wielding: Gramgrace dual wields rapiers with laser blades.
Status Buff: Gramgrace grants the unit called with its second effect an additional 10000 Power and the ability to attack from the back row.

Alden

Forms:Grand Heavenly Sword, Alden/Sword That Connects Heaven and Earth, Alden

Standing on par with the strongest blade. As though lauding their noble justice.

I shall spend my life to be the sword that connects the skies and earth.

A young member of the Cloud Knights who managed to get accepted into the order despite originating from the ground below the sanctuary.

Alden's ride line involve gathering cards with at least three different original grades in the hand or as rear-guards in order to use their abilities. Alden himself can, if said condition in met, return a rear-guard to hand when attacking and let the player call up to two new cards from hand whose combined grades are equal to or less than the returned card's own.

Ascended Extra: Grand Heavenly Sword, Alden was released in D-BT01 as a rear-guard unit that had the most synergy with Bastion but could be used with any Keter Sanctuary ride line. Come D-BT13 and he receives a new card and his own ride line.
Gameplay and Story Integration: As a vanguard unit, Alden's playstyle revolves around having rear-guards with three different grades. This refelcts his lore of aiming to become a bridge between the people of the Sanctuary living in the skies and the population living on the ground below, as indicated by his card's title of Sword That Connects Heaven and Earth.

Fated One of Miracles, Rezael

The wings of miracles descend. May all wounds be healed.

An archangel renowned as "the Messenger of Salvation", Rezael's gift for the healing arts nonetheless couldn't allow him to save the one he loved from perishing in a civil war. Overcome with sadness over this, he left the Sanctuary and set about wandering the world, dedicated to improving his healing to the point that he would be able to save the people of the world itself.

Back from the Dead: Rezael's first skill allows him to resurrect up to two units from the drop zone when he attacks, so long as their combined grades are equal to or less than the number of cards in your damage zone.
It Only Works Once: Like all Divine Skills, Rezael's is once per fight.
Last Chance Hit Point: Rezael's Divine Skill makes it so that the next time you damage check a Trigger that isn't a Heal while you have five or more damage, you heal one damage and survive where you'd normally lose.
Walking the Earth: Rezael isn't actually affiliated with Keter Sanctuary (besides for gameplay purposes), instead travelling across Cray in order to refine his healing techniques.

Fated One of Time, Liael゠Amorta

Beyond time― A deep feeling for you hidden in my heart.

Liael's ride line involves calling Rearguards from the deck when Liael attacks by binding copies that were on the RC. When a copy of Liael is used to guard, your Vanguard cannot be hit by that attack by discarding a card from your hand and putting two cards from your bind zone on the bottom of your deck. Liael's Divine Skill allows you to ride another copy of Liael from the Drop Zone after attacking your opponent's Grade 3 or higher Vanguard, although Liael gets Drive -1 until end of turn.

Heroic Second Wind: Liael can ride another copy of Liael from the Drop Zone after attacking your opponent's Grade 3 or higher Vanguard, using her Divine Skill, although Liael gets Drive -1 until end of turn.
It Only Works Once: Like all Divine Skills, Rezael's is once per fight.

Stoicheia

Uniquely, Stoicheia was formed from the merger of two Nations rather than the political reform of a single one, with Zoo and Magallanica both uniting under the teachings of the Great Sage Stoicheia. This combination resulted in a nation that venerates knowledge and enjoys the bounties of nature, with the world's greatest minds under their banner and the military might of the former Aqua Force and Granblue at their command. Due to the abundance of its natural resources and the unity of its people, Stoicheia has seen its national power increase vastly of late.

Stoicheia's playstyle is to swarm the field using effects that allow units to be called from the deck or retrieved from the drop zone and several of their cards allow them to send units to the latter to get them back later on. The nation's ability to manipulate the drop zone also extends to Order cards through the Alchemagic ability which let them bind an order from the drop zone when playing another one to combine the costs and effects of both.

Nation Tropes:

All Your Powers Combined: The additional effect granted by Blessfavor, Stoicheia's Over Trigger, is a combination of the unique effects of a critical, front, draw and heal trigger.
Back from the Dead: Stoicheia has several cards that can retrieve units from the drop zone.
Egopolis: A subversion, as the nation was named after the Great Sage, but only in honor of her after her death.
Fantasy Counterpart Culture: Thus far, to Ancient Greece, a nation rich in both land and sea with a strong philosophical tradition.
Meaningful Name: Stoicheia is Greek for "Elements", reflecting how Stoicheia was born from the merger of earth (Zoo) and sea (Magallanica).
Planimal: True to their name, the Sylvan Horned Beasts are animals with horns made of wood and other plant-life features.

Magnolia

Forms: Sylvan Horned Beast King, Magnolia/Sylvan Horned Beast Emperor, Magnolia Elder/Sylvan Horned Beast King of Calamity, Magnolia Masques.

Surpassing admiration. In order to protect the place of importance.

To have the courage to see yourself reach the place you'd like to be in.

Carrying all calamity within itself, all in order to protect the world tree, and its brethren.

The King of the beasts that dwell in the Great Rettia Valley, respected by not just his subjects but all living beings.

The Sylvan Horned Beast ride line focuses on supporting back row units by enabling them to attack from there, making up for the lack of boost by giving their units additional power. To go with the theme, several of their cards have abilities that are active only while in the back row.

Meaningful Name: Its name is a reference to a genus of trees that have existed since the Cretaceous period.
Our Dragons Are Different: Magnolia is a wild dragon and as such, has a more animalistic appearance with it resembling a large canine with feathered wings.
Status Buff:
- Magnolia's ability let it empower a rear-guard with an additional 5000 Power and the ability to attack from the back row. If Persona Ride was used during the turn, it can empower up to three rear-guards at once instead.
- Magnolia Elder has a similar ability to give the player's rear-guards 5000 Power the ability to attack from the back row but with the difference that it's continuous, works on all of the player's rear-guards and grant them the ability to intercept from the back as well.
- Like the above two, Magnalia Masques continuously gives both the ability to attack from the back row and an even greater boost of 10000 Power to units during the player's turn... but only to those that are on a circle with a Dragontree marker on it.

Zorga

Forms: Mysterious Rain Spiritualist, Zorga/Dead Sea Spiritualist, Grave = Zorga/Teasing Spiritualist, Zorga Masques/Fated One of Taboo, Zorga Nadir

Yes, show it to me. That which you call your way of life.

My magic can reveal the secrets of souls... With it, I shall have you unveil them.

This is a rather well-made toy... Let's have a little fun.

Committing a taboo. For the sake of now fulfilling a long-cherished desire.

The captain of the "Regrain" ghost ship who dedicate his time to magical experiments regarding the soul.

Zorga's ride line focuses on setting up the drop zone with order cards to use with Zorga's Alchemagic ability as well as unit cards they can revive from the drop zone to easily assemble a field. Grave=Zorga focuses more on consistency and empowering the field, able to guarantee an Order from the hand for Alchemagic every turn while also passively empowering the front row by 5000 so long as an Order was played that turn. Zorga Masques combines elements of both incarnations with stronger versions of their effects but cannot be rode unless the player's vanguard is a Grade 3 Zorga card.

Animate Dead: Zorga's second skill lets him Counterblast one to revive any unit he likes from the drop zone. Zorga Masques's fourth ability has a similar effect but requires removing a Zorga-named card from the player's hand, soul or drop to activate and
Necromancer: Fittingly for a spiritual descendent of the Granblue Clan, Zorga's strategy heavily involves reviving units from the drop zone. His Alchemagic ability even lets him essentially revive an Order from the drop zone by stitching its costs and effects onto an Order played from the hand.
Not Brainwashed: "Teasing Spiritualist, Zorga Masques" is the only "Masques" unit to not wear the Masque of Hydragrum over his eye, instead holding it in his left hand. This reflects how, unlike the other "Masques" units who were either corrupted or tempted with power, Zorga willingly accepted the Masque of Hydragrum for himself, but is in no way subservient to the Dragontree.
Odd Friendship: He's a Necromancer leading a crew consisting mostly of ghosts and zombies... and Inheritance Maiden, Hendrina, a Neo Nectar Bioroid who stands out like a ray of sunshine among the rest of his crew. Zorga actually hired Hendrina on a year-long contract to act as a guide, with her Green Thumb abilities complementing his magic surprisingly well. While their relationship is for the most part solely a professional one based on said contract, she does evidently care about him enough to put out a missing persons report when Zorga disappears to acquire a Masque.
Shrouded in Myth: Fitting his title, the ship on which he sails is the subject of many horrific legends, all of which is rumored to be a cover for him and his crewmates secretly being Stoicheia spies.
Soul Power: Zorga devotes himself to dark experiments involving the soul.
Status Buff: Grave = Zorga's first ability gives an additional 5000 to all front row units if Alchemagic was used during the turn. Zorga Masques has as similar ability that grants 10000 Power instead.

Flagship Dragon, Flagburg Dragon

Bring the full force of the army. To destroy the target without leaving anything behind.

The playstyle of Flagburg's ride line harkens to that of the Aqua Force clan by using abilties which let them stand rear-guards to make multiple attacks in a single turn in order to enable cards whose effects can only be activated if a certain number of attacks were made this turn.

Expy: Of Maelstrom, being giant aquatic dragons equipped with missile launchers. This extends to its ability, which allow the player, based on the number of attacks made, to draw a card, retire opposing rear-guards and have Flagburg gains additional power while forcing the opponent to guard its attack with at least three cards which is reminiscent of the original Blue Storm Dragon, Maelstrom's own skill.
Expy Coexistence: Maelstrom himself would eventually receive a D Series counterpart. While Maelstrom itself still keeps similar effects to Flagburg, its support is more focused around using new Blue Storm Fleet Set Orders to empower Maelstrom and other Aqua Force units as a form of Divergent Character Evolution.
Our Dragons Are Different: An aquatic dragon massive enough to act as a flagship equivalent.

Lianorn

Forms: Bandmaster of Blossoming Bonds, Lianorn/Grand March of Full Bloom, Lianorn/Servitude of Funeral Procession, Lianorn Masques/Marche Fleur, Lianorn Vivace

The sound of resonating hearts shall make the world bloom.

Ten-hut! Ready set! Time to deliver "enjoyment" to the world~♪

Even if sound disappears from the world, our music is for the world tree.

The bioroid leader of the "World Tree Marching Band" which travel around the world.

Lianorn's ride line focus on using their eponymous vanguard's ability to have all back row units with the Boost ability, boost the vanguard at once for a high-powered vanguard attack.

Brainwashed and Crazy: Lianorn mysteriously vanished one day, and when she returned, was wearing the Masque of Hydragrum. She claims she had simply been visiting "a friend", but Seraph Snow is quick to pick up on her acting different, her flavor text outright stating Lianorn has become a thrall for the Dragontree.
Heroic Second Wind:
- After an attack in which Lianorn's skill is used, it will allow the player to stand two back row rear-guards. This makes it so the attacks of the player's front row rear-guards won't be hampered by a lack of boosters.
- Lianorn Masques allows the player to stand any two rear-guards instead, enabling them to stand front row rear-guards for an additional two attacks.
- Lianorn Vivache stands all of the player's rear-guards when she attacks, boosts herself with all of them, and then allows the player to pay Counterblast 1 to restand any three of their units after her attack.
Mask of Power: Lianorn Masques wears the Masque of Hydragrum on the left side of her face.
The Power of Friendship: Lianorn's main skill make it so that her attack will be boosted by all of her allies in the back row with Boost. Lianorn Vivache takes it even further by allowing all of her rear-guards to Boost her.

Granfia

Forms: Kind Lordling, Granfia/Future Suzerain, Granfia/Genius Wise Wolf, Granfia/Lavien Lord, Granfia

A gentle wolf Warbeast who rules over a forest and acts as a protector to its inhabitants.

Granfia's ride line, like Rorowa's own, focus on using Plant Tokens but rather than keep them on the field, they are instead made into gauge for the Noblesse Rose token called by Lavien Lord, Granfia's ability. Said gauges grants additional power to the Noblesse Rose but can also be discarded to activate abilities.

Heroic Second Wind: Lavien Lord's second ability allows the player to discard the Noblesse Rose or any of its Plant gauges, up to a maximum of five cards, to empower a rear-guard by 5000 Power for each card dropped and, if at least three cards were dropped, stand that rear-guard so it can attack again.
Mook Maker: Future Suzerain, Granfia has the ability to call a Plant token when rode upon while Lavien Lord, Granfia can call the Noblesse Rose token and convert all existing Plant tokens on the field into gauges for it to use.
Noble Wolf: Granfia is an anthropomorphic wolf and is described as being of a gentle nature.
Something about a Rose: Granfia is associated with roses as seen with the brooch that adorn his cravat being in the shape of one and having the ability to call forth the Noblesse Rose token. This can be seen as reflective of both his kind nature and noble lineage.

Lyrical Monasterio

A nation carried on the back of a flying whale. When the other clans of Zoo and Magallanica combined to form Stoicheia, the Bermuda Triangle clan decided not to join, instead these divas decided on a different path. This path lead them to create their own nation on top of the flying whale. Unlike the mermaid idols before them, the nation is open to all races and backgrounds allowing for anyone who wishes to become an idol to join and live out their dreams.

Lyrical Monasterio posseses the most ride lines out of the six nations with each having their own unique playstyle and gimmicks.

Nation Tropes:

Idol Singer: Lyrical Monasterio is an academy for aspiring idols. This part of the nation is downplayed compared to their predecessor Bermuda Triangle as the school aspect takes precedence while the idol aspect only shows up in the clan's Over Triggers and in alternate artworks.
Out of Focus: Much like their predecessors in Bermuda Triangle, Lyrical Monasterio get entire Extra Boosters to themselves, at the cost of having a much more sporadic release schedule compared to the other Nations and not being present at all in the main Booster Sets. They likewise have virtually no presence in the overDress anime, only having one confirmed user in Himari Kanoashi, who doesn't even play on-screen. It wouldn't be until the firstDress manga that they'd get a prominent user in Yuyu of all people.
Status Buff: Lyrical Monasterio's Over Triggers share the same additional effect of giving the player an ability for the rest of the fight that gives all of their rear-guards an additional 10000 Power
Weak, but Skilled: Somewhat akin to the V Series Shadow Paladins, many of Lyrical Monsterio's Units balance out unusually powerful skills by having lower Power than normal for a Unit of their Grade.

Kairi

Forms:Astesice, Kairi/Astesice×Live, Kairi

Six talents who gather and shine. This encounter is not a coincidence.

The idols shined brightly like stars in the spotlight on stage.

The leader of the idol group "Astesice" comprised of six Mermaid students.

The Astesice ride line of mermaids hearkens back to the original playstyle of Bermuda Triangle, returning rear-guards to the hand then calling them again to reuse their on-place skills. With Astesice, Kairi's final skill, so long as the player Persona Rode that turn, rear-guards can even be called in the middle of the battle phase to enable an additional attack.

The Leader: Kairi is the leader of the Astesice idol group.
Mythology Gag: As noted above, Kairi and the other Astesice units have a similar playstyle to that of Bermuda Triangle and are Mermaids like all units from the aforementioned clan.
Status Buff: Kairi's grade 4 form grants all of her rear-guards an additional 5000 Power if they entered the field during the current turn.

Alestiel

Forms: Monochromic Personality, Alestiel/Indecisive Sky, Alestiel/Shining As-is, Alestiel/Archangel of Twin Wings, Alestiel

Within the palms. There lay two possibilities.

My feelings, which is the correct one...?

Both versions of me, are all the real me...!

The white wings gift happiness, while the black wings blow away boredom.

The Alestiel ride line of angels focuses upon binding cards and whether the cards in your bind zone have exclusively odd or even grades. If odd, White Wings effects that empower and support the player are active, while if even, Black Wings effects that control the opponent are active instead.

Duality Motif: Alestiel's hair and wings are of two different colors. Fittingly, her cards are also the only ones to have both the White Wings and Black Wings abilities.
Our Angels Are Different: Alestiel is an angel with hair and wings of different colors studying at an academy for aspiring idols.

Lolonerol

Forms: For the Sake of Singing, Lolonerol/Searching for Excitement, Lolonerol/Blooming Singer, Lolonerol/Heartfelt Song, Lolonerol

The Loronerol ride line of Warbeasts focuses upon playing Song Set Orders. While initially these Orders only have a token effect for being played, the ride line's Grade 3 can "Sing" them, activating their more powerful effect before flipping them face down. While initially she can only do this once per turn and during the main phase, once two Songs have been already sung, she can additionally do so on attack while preventing the opponent's Sentinels from guarding. This combined with the Six Flower Fractals Song allows her to stand one of her rear-guards for each Song already sung and give herself 10000 Power per rear-guard stood for a powerful finishing move.

Cat Girl: Lolonerol has cat ears and tail.
Loophole Abuse: Lolonerol's Grade 1 and 2 cards have the ability to place Song order cards directly into the player's Order zone, without needing to play them first.
Magic Music: Lolonerol's playstyle revolves around having her "sing" the Song Order cards in order to use their effects with said cards being turned face-down after the abilities resolve.

Feltyrosa

Forms: Admired Dear Sister, Feltyrosa/Beautiful Day Off, Feltyrosa/Talent of Enjoyment, Feltyrosa/Rondo of Eventide Moon, Feltyrosa

Always elegant, as the "dear sister" of those girls.

Chosen to be the companion on an off day. That is an unparalleled honor.

Don't just stay hidden there, come and join us here.

Won't you dance with me, while the moon shines in the night sky ?

The vampiric "Elder Sister" admired by her ghostly posse.

The Feltyrosa ride line of vampires focuses on the support of Ghost Units. Her Grade 3 form's own skill allows her when she drive checks a Ghost normal Unit to call that card to an open front row rear-guard circle, and if a card was called, Counterblast one to gain an additional Drive for that battle. As many of said Units can vacate the field during the battle phase, this allows Feltyroza to win the game with a flurry of extra attacks, made even more dangerous if a Persona Ride empowers the front row.

Attack! Attack! Attack!: Feltyrosa's strategy revolves around using her grade 3 card's ability to call Ghost units revealed during drive checks to open circles in the front row in order to make up to five attacks each turn.
Back from the Dead: Feltyrosa's grade 1 and 2 cards have the ability to, when rode upon, return a Ghost unit from the drop zone to the player's hand.
Onee-sama: Is one to her ghostly posse based on the name and flavor of her grade 0 card. The japanese version of said card directly refers to her as such.
Status Buff: Feltyrosa's Grade 1 and 2 cards can gain additional power if the player has enough Ghost rear-guards.

Clarissa

Forms: Dignified Will, Clarissa/Serious Challenger, Clarissa/Accurate Interval, Clarissa/Earnescorrect Leader, Clarissa

The leader of the Earnescorrect idol group which is comprised of herself and her four Dragoroid friends.

The Clarissa ride line of Dragoroids focus upon building a field of Earnescorrects with different names, with Earnescorrect Leader, Clarissa and several of her supporters having effects that trigger when the Vanguard's attack hits. The deck's aim is to build this field and then play the Order card "Aim to be the Strongest Idol!", giving all Earnescorrect Units 5000 Power for the turn to counter their subpar base Power and if the opponent's Vanguard is Grade 3 or higher, allowing Clarissa to attack three of their Units at once to stack the on Vanguard hit skills.

Draconic Humanoid: Clarissa and the rest of her Earnescorrect group are Dragoroids. They look human except for horns, a tail and patches of scales on their arms and legs.
I Work Alone: Clarissa's Grade 1 and 2 cards have abilities that increase their power if the player has no rear-guards.

Wilista

Forms:Brilliance in the Ore, Wilista/Proof of Hard Work, Wilista/Expanding World, Wilista/Prismagica, Wilista

That step earlier! Once more!

She knows, the true value of diligent effort.

The days with new things just keep continuing... I'm really enjoying the present!

I'll definitely become a top idol!

Originating from the Dark States, Wilista is descended from a line of magicians and uses gem-based charm magic.

The Wilista ride line of humans depends upon the use of Precious Stone Order cards, True Hearted Ruby and Everlasting Sapphire. Once played, these Orders put themselves into the Soul, setting up the skills of Prismajica, Wilista. By Soulblasting the Ruby she gains 15000 Power for the turn and seals the opponent's Intercepts, while by Soulblasting the Sapphire she can call two cards from the top five cards of the deck and give them both 5000 Power for the turn. Her support cards search the Precious Stones, allow her to play additional Orders past the normal once per turn limit and gain buffs when Orders are played, rewarding the fighter for using multiples in a turn.

Charm Person: Wilista is a practitioner of charm magic. This is reflected in her grade 3 form's first ability which prevents opposing rear-guards from being used as intercepts.
Enemy Summoner: By soulblasting Everlasting Sapphire with her second ability, Wilista can call up to two units from among the top five cards of the deck.
Status Buff: Prismagica, Willista's first ability lets her increase her own power by 15000. Additionally, the units called by her second ability enter play with an extra 5000 Power.

Herminia

The movement caused by us, burn it into your eyes!

Herminia's ride line aims to use Soulblast abilities in order to empty the soul in order to use abilities denoted by the Powerful keyword. Herminia herself, takes this one step furter by requiring the player to also have no face-up cards in their damage zone.

Heroic Second Wind: Herminia's own Powerful ability allow the player to stand another rear-guard with a Powerful ability at the cost of discarding a card from hand.
Required Secondary Powers: Gameplay example in that since Herminia's second skill requires the player to not only have zero cards in the soul but also to have no face-up cards in the damage zone in order to activate it. In order to make this easier to use, Herminia herself possess an ability that requires a Counterblast and which can be used as many times as the player can use it. Furthermore, Herminia's Powerful ability also reduces the next Counterblast cost the player would pay by 1, meaning that they can potentially still use another Counterblast skill even if all their cards in teh damage zone are face-down.
Status Buff: For the cost of a Counterblast, Herminia can gain an extra 5000 Power with her first ability.

Fortia

I want to create it with everyone! The very best stage!

Fortia's ride line revolves around the Friends keyword, which makes any two of the player's units in the same column into Friends, so long as one of the two possess the keyword. This, in turn, enables the units to use abilities that are dependent on the number of friends on the field, such as Fortia's self-standing ability.

Cat Girl: Fortia has cat ears and a tail.
Heroic Second Wind: If you have 5 other units that are Friends besides Fortia, she can restand after attacking with an extra 5000 power and minus one drive check.
Mythology Gag: The Friend keyword works similarly to the Harmony keyword used by Bermuda Triangle during the G-era.
The Power of Friendship: As stated above, Fortia's plasytyle revolves around having another unit in the same column, to make both of them "Friends."

Fated One of Ever-Changing, Kyrsrain

Toward an ever-changing, shining tomorrow. So everyone can take their steps forward.

Kyrsrain’s ride line focuses on filling the field with units with different names from each other.

Our Mermaids Are Different: Kyrsrain is a mermaid.
Status Buff: Kyrsrain can give one of your units +15000 Power until end of turn or herself +1 Critical.

Dragontree

Not a nation in itself but rather an alien existence from beyond Cray, the Dragontree is a corrupting force that fell from the heavens and became a tree of calamity sprouting from Cray's soil. This monstrous being, Griphogila, in turn birthed seeds which mimicked the native lifeforms of Cray, growing and spreading its influence toward some unknown end.

Their cards focus on placing Dragontree markers on the player's rear-guards circles. These markers give an additional 5000 Power to any rear-guard placed in the same circle as them but only if the vanguard is a "Dragontree" or "Masques" unit. They can be played as a deck of their own or as support cards for other decks from their respective nations.

General Tropes

Expy:
- Of Link Joker, being an antagonistic force that came to Cray from outer space and which seeks to spread their influence across the planet.
- The "Masques" units serve as ones to the "Яeverse" units of old, having accepted the power of the Dragontree and only capable of being rode over a Grade 3 version of themselves.
Foreshadowing:
- The three Calamity order cards were first printed a set earlier than the actual Dragontree cards as a teaser of something ominous to come.
- The Dragontree Markers make mention of a "Masques" series of cards regarding their activation requirements long before a Masques unit was revealed.
Mask of Power: The Masque of Hydragrum grants inhabitants from Cray the ability to connect with the Dragontree and utilize its power as Masques units. To further the connection, each Masques unit wears theirs over their left eye, the only exception being Zorga, highlighting how despite accepting the Masque, he is not genuinely serving the Dragontree.
Religious and Mythological Theme Naming: Griphosid and Griphogila's name are corruption of Qliphoth, the opposite of the Sephiroth in the Kabbalah. The Dragontree Wrtetches continue the theme by being named after the ten elements that make up the Qliphoth according to Wiliam G. Gray.

Griphogila

Forms:Griphosid/Dragontree of Ecliptic Decimation, Griphogila/Supreme Dragontree of Annihilation, Griphogila Vartex

This is a seed. It feeds on stars, this seed of despair.

The roots that encroach the earth go deep. Empowered by the brilliance, destruction thrives.

An alien organism which fell onto Cray's surface as a seed before growing into its current form as a tree-like being with multiple draconic heads branching from its body. Its spawns are the various Dragontree Wretches.

The Dragontree deck is unique in that its skeleton can be placed in a deck of any nation, with a ride line consisting of a pair of cards, the starter Vanguard Griphosid and the deck's ace card: Dragontree of Ecliptic Decimation, Griphogila. The starter is placed in the ride deck with four other cards, three 'Calamity' order cards and the deck's Over Trigger. At the beginning of each main phase, one of the Calamities is placed into the soul until three are there, in turn allowing Griphogila to be Superior Rode from the deck and place the Calamities back in the ride deck. From there, Griphogila removes one a turn when it attacks and once none are left, it can instead activate every effect of the Over Trigger while standing all of the fighter's rear-guards standing on Dragontree markers.

Botanical Abomination: A colossal alien tree that sprouts dragon heads like a monstrous hydra and spawns seeds imitating other lifeforms.
Draconic Abomination: While it is like a plant in some ways, it is also like a dragon.
Gameplay and Story Integration: The Dragontree is an alien organism that roots itself in Cray's soil and spreads its corruption, represented in gameplay by the Dragontree markers Griphogila and its spawn create.
Mighty Glacier: The Dragontree deck is easily the slowest deck in the D format, with its win condition only landing on a staggering turn six, but the deadly combination of a guaranteed Over Trigger plus a five attack turn is almost certain to win right there.
Recurring Element: Griphogila follows in the footsteps of Omega Glendios, Demiurge and Gyze in being an antagonistic ace card that alters the normal deckbuilding rules in order to build toward a slow but almost unstoppable Finishing Move.
Version-Exclusive Content: Whereas other overDress decks can reasonably be used in the Premium format, the Dragontree deck can't feasibly be used in Premium due to the deck's reliance on the Ride Deck, a feature exclusive to the D format and not included in Premium. As such, both Griphosid's skills and Griphoglia's second skill are useless in Premium, and as Griphogila is a Grade 10, it can't be rode by normal means, and as it lacks other means of Superior Riding, it's only use would be using it's Grade for the skill of "Giant Deity of Distant World, Valkerion" to give 10 Drive Checks.

Cray Cross Epic

In General

The Chakrabarthi Divine Era would see several individuals begin the hunt for the "Fire Regalis", a mythical jewel said to be capable of granting the wish of whoever finds one. To this end, many Units of different nations begin hunting for them, taking on the name "Glitter". Many pairings between Nations are created as a result, as they all come together in the name of finding the Fire Regalis.

Hero of Another Story: Cray Cross Epic takes place parallel to the rest of the events of the Chakrabarthi Divine Era. This is represented gameplay wise by having every third set focusing on supporting the Glitters, each set usually overlapping with a gap period in between seasons of the anime.
Limit Break: The Rearguard Glitters all possess a second, more powerful, skill that can only be activated if their partner is on the Vanguard circle. For example, Radylina can only use her second skill if the Vanguard has "Rorowa" in their name.
Mechanically Unusual Fighter: While there have been cases of Units having special effects that let them count as multiple Clans, the Glitter's are the first case of a Unit having two listed Nations, represented as the Nation box being split in half and dual colored. This in turns allows them to be used in decks of either Nation.

Rorowa, Radylina, and Momokke

Rorowa

Forms: Bioroid Youth, Rorowa/Awakening from Slumber, Rorowa/The World 3000 Years later, Rorowa/For One's Precious Thing, Rorowa

A bioroid who awoke from a 3000 years slumber in a changed world. Alongside Radylina, a Dragritter from the Dragon Empire, and her dragon Momokke, he seeks the fabled treasure known as the Fire Regalis and information regarding the whereabouts of his missing friend/foster father.

Fittingly for one who comes from Cray's past, Rorowa's rideline carries over the playstyle of the Neo Nectar clan from the V-series onward: calling Plant tokens to establish field presence and to serve as fodder for abilities that require retiring rear-guards.

Hidden in Plain Sight: The friend he wanted to find more than anything, Olivi, had been the very same World Tree he awoke under the entire time. Likewise, one of the Fire Regalis so many had been searching for was Olivi's pendant, and had been hidden in Rorowa's chest from the start. Something Eva realizes herself, and has no trouble ordering Obscudeid to impale Rorowa so she can take it.
Mook Maker: Rorowa's Grade 1 to 3 forms each have an ability that let them call Plant tokens to the field.
Mythology Gag: As noted above, Rorowa's playstyle is the same as the Neo Nectar clan during the V-era, right down to calling the same kind of token.
Set Right What Once Went Wrong: Rorowa wants to use the Fire Regalis to change the past and stop Olivi from having to sacrifice himself just to save Rorowa.
Status Buff: When attacked, the Grade 3 Rorowa can retire any number of his Token rear-guards to gain 5000 Power for each for the duration of the battle.

Radylina & Momokke

Radylina Forms: Dragritter Girl of Flame Blossoms, Radylina/Undoubting Flame Sword, Radylina

Momokke Forms: Momokke Token

Kheios and Mikani

Kheios

Forms: One with Profound Mercy, Kheios/In the Calm Streets, Kheios/Quagmire of Solace, Kheios/Approaching Fangs, Kheios

Can you tell me your desires?

An ambassador from the Dark States visiting Stoichea to teach about it's namesake, beneath his kind smile is one looking to manipulate the other Glitters into doing his dirty work.

Like other ride lines from Dark States, Kheios's aims to gather cards in the soul with the difference that their effects rely on having a certain amount of cards with different names in it, such as their Grade 3's ability to give extra power to rear-guards.

"Blackmail" Is Such an Ugly Word: Anytime Radylina tried to object to looking after Rorowa for him, he'd pretend to call the guards and report her for breaking into the sanctuary in her hunt for the Fire Regalis, forcing her to begrudgingly comply. He considers it her just "helping out".
Enemy Summoner:
- When rode upon by Apporaching Fangs, Quagmire of Solace, Kheios will be able to call a unit from the soul if the card it soulcharged with its ability was a normal unit.
- Approaching Fangs can look at the top three cards of the deck to add one from among them to hand and call up to one other card as rear-guard with any card not chosen ending up in the soul.
Faux Affably Evil: Though he puts on a charming demeanor and acts like a goofball in front of his associates, it's all an act. His flavor text and order cards make clear he sees the people who follow him as fools, and he's just using and manipulating everyone around him, even being the one to convince Rorowa to search for the Fire Regalis under the belief he could save Olivi with it.
Great Big Book of Everything: The book Kheios carries with him serves as a historical record for all of Cray, capable of generating images depicting Cray based on the memories of the planets populace. It's not exact however, as it can be blind to information the populace is unaware of, and can't account for every minute detail, hence his inability to tell Rorowa what became of Olivi since only Olivi would know. Interestingly, Kheios also carries with him a pen, and can be seen writing in the book in the art of the Order "One Who Governs Chaos". What this actually means is unknown.
Mr. Exposition: He is the one who explains the how the world Rorowa has awoken to is vastly different than the one he knew.
Our Demons Are Different: Kheios is a demon but doesn't look any different from a human being, aside from having Pointy Ears. Subverted when his hair turns red, as a large pair of demon wings and enlarged canines appear, while the halo on his head reshapes itself to more resemble a pair of horns, suggesting he hides his normal demonic appearance to fit with his more charming demeanor.
Power Dyes Your Hair: Normally his hair is jet black, but when he takes on greater power it becomes blood red.
Status Buff: When Approaching Fangs, Kheios attacks and there are 8 or more cards with different names in the soul, he can give an extra 10000 Power to a rear-guard. And if there are 13 or more cards, he will give that extra power to all of the player's rear-guards.

Mikani

Forms: Cool-headed Executor, Mikani/Go Ahead, Mikani

An alien that worked as a security official in Brandt Gate, he has long since devoted himself to serving as Kheios' aide.

The Comically Serious: Assuming Kheios was being truthful, Mikani apparently has a habit of scolding him whenever he runs off to have fun, and actually confiscated Kheios' money since he tends to go spend-crazy, all with a deadpan look on his face.
The Gunslinger: Played with. Mikani's weapon of choice is a simple pistol, albeit one he uses with great efficiency. However, he's no hero, being a willing agent of Kheios and complicit in tricking Rorowa.
Humanoid Aliens: Visually, he doesn't look that different from a human. The only things denoting his alien nature are his grey skin, and his large, claw-like hands.
I Owe You My Life: The In-Universe speculated reason as to why Mikani serves Kheios, as Kheios was documented saving Mikani when he was still acting as security in Brandt Gate.
Number Two: Officially, Mikani is Kheios' aide, and takes care of countless menial tasks for him including laundry, shopping, cleaning, and maintaining his schedule, while also chasing him down when he sneaks off, and making sure he doesn't spend all his funds in one shopping spree. Unofficially, he's more accurately Kheios' Enigmatic Minion, being absolutely loyal and quick to carry out his orders, with little insight to what actually goes on in his head due to his stoic visage.
The Stoic: Mikani rarely shows emotion, always having a stone-cold visage and serious demeanor.

Thegrea and Maple

Thegrea

Forms: Knight of Integrity, Thegrea/Beneath the Brilliant Light, Thegrea/Harsh Training, Thegrea/One Who Walks the Path of Light, Thegrea/One who Blooms in the Dark, Thegrea

Our power of purity will bring peace to the world.

What a pleasant morning. Perfect for training.

These are the results of training. Let's keep going!

With the light of hope, I will create an unwavering future.

The dark despair will perfect my revenge.

Thegrea's ride line focuses on alternating between her two Grade 3 cards in order to draw out their full potential with one having the ability to call units from the deck and restand rearguards while the other retire them to fuel its own abilities and can restand itself.

Cool Big Sis: She tries to be one for her apprentice Maple, but Maple still goes around causing mischief and trouble like pickpocketing, requiring Thegrea constantly scold her and apologize on her behalf.
Heroic Second Wind: Each of Thegrea's Grade 3 forms have an ability active during the turn they rode upon the other that let them stand a unit: One Who Walks the path of Light can restand a rear-guard while One Who Blooms in the Dark can stand itself with one less drive check.
Mythology Gag: Thegrea's Grade 3 forms harken back to the playstyles of the Royal and Shadow Paladins respectively, with One Who Walks the Path of Light Superior Calling from the deck and restanding a rear-guard, reflecting the selfless rear-guard supporting mechanics of the Royal and Gold Paladins. One Who Blooms in the Dark meanwhile sacrifices her rear-guards to retire opposing rear-guards and restands herself, embodying the more Vanguard-centric and selfish playstyle of the Shadow Paladins.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: One Who Blooms in the Dark, Thegrea has glowing red eyes where all her other forms have bright blue eyes.
Sanity Slippage: She has become obsessed with hunting down Obscudeid for killing her mentor, with the order cards "Oath of Vengeance, Thegrea" and "Dark Magenta of Blooming Hatred" demonstrating her decaying mental state, the former having her desire to dye Obscudeid in blood, and the latter having her declare "justice" and "integrity" as falsehoods all while Maple can only look at her in horror.
Terrible Artist: Thanks to Obscudeid erasing himself from all records, Thegrea was forced to make a sketch of him when asking around about him. Her drawing leaves a lot to be desired though, with Rorowa struggling to find a nice way of saying it's bad while thinking it looks like squashed manju, and Radylina saying a child could draw better than her.
Yin-Yang Bomb: Thegrea's two Grade 3 cards are themed after light and darkness respectively and, rather than focusing on one or the other, the player is meant to use them together.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: One Who Blooms in the Dark, Thegrea carries over Shadow Paladin's playstyle of sacrificing their own allies by being able to retire two Grade 2 or lower rear-guards to retire an opponent's rear-guard or, if One Who Walks the Path of Light is in the soul, an entire column.

Maple

Forms: Atrocious? Moth Girl, Maple/Pink Moth Girl, Maple

I'll become the world's number one villain!

Formerly an obscure member of one of Stoichea's crime syndicates, she left to strike out on her own and make a name for herself, only to be bested by Thegrea after trying to pick a fight with her to test her own strength. Since then, Maple has acted as Thegrea's apprentice, nominally because she wants to study Thegrea for weaknesses and get her revenge, but it's easily apparent she just likes being doted on by her new Cool Big Sis.

Back from the Dead: Both of Maple's cards have an ability that allow them to be called from the drop zone whenever a new Grade 3 vanguard is placed during the ride phase.
Little Bit Beastly: She's fairly human looking, the only things suggesting she's actually an insect being her antennae and wings.
Poke the Poodle: She wants to become a new and intimidating villain in the vein of the Megacolony of old, but this is constantly hampered by her cute appearance making it hard to take her seriously, and her "villainous" acts being more akin to harmless pranks, at worst being a pickpocket. This is reflected in her first card's name having a question mark after "Atrocious", denoting how she's not like that at all.

Tamayura and the Twin Direful Dolls

Tamayura

Forms: Nine-tailed Fox Spirit, Tamayura/In the Calm Sunlight, Tamayura/Festival of Burning, Tamayura/Deepening Night, Tamayura

Won't you come with me?

May days like these continue forever.

No matter who they are, those who threaten us shall not be forgiven.

The night when the blue moon shines... let us begin the march of the hundred demons.

A fox spirit descended from a Nine-tailed Fox, Tamayura is the daughter of one of the families that lead the Hyakki Yakko. She travels around the world with the Direful Doll duo of Ririmi and Rarami who seek the Fire Regalis to help restore her health.

The playstyle of Tamayura's ride line revolve around the soul with her grade 3 form having the ability to call units from it during battle to make additional attacks. Gathering cards in the soul also serve to pay Soulblast costs such as those of Ririmi, Rarami and her Fox Arts Order cards, the latter of which provide additional defense during the opponent's turn.

Asian Fox Spirit: Tamayura is a fox spirit, although she looks mostly humans aside from her ears and tails.
Delicate and Sickly: Tamayura has a very weak constitution, being unable to even stand in sunlight without collapsing. Because of this, she frequently travels across Cray visiting hot springs hoping they can aid her health.
Enemy Summoner: Deepening Night, Tamayura can, upon attacking, call from the soul a single unit or Ririmi and Rarami.
Nice Girl: Tamayura is a gentle soul who sees the best in everybody and has nary an ill thought.
Status Buff: At the start of their ride phase, the Grade 3 form of Tamayura will give the player a skill until the end of turn that increases the power all their front-row rear-guards by 5000.
Supporting Leader: All of the other VG Glitter's are searching for the Fire Regalis themselves lorewise, with their partners either having a shared interest in it or being subordinate to them in their search for it. Tamayura doesn't want the Fire Regalis though, the Direful Dolls do. Their reasoning for wanting it though, to restore Tamayura's health, is the reason why she is the VG Glitter instead of one of them, as they are still acting subservient to her, albeit in a more roundabout manner.

Ririmi & Rarami

Forms: Twin Direful Dolls, Ririmi/It's Show Time! Ririmi, Twin Direful Dolls, Rarami/Ladies and Gentlemen! Rarami

A pair of prototype dolls that worked within the circus until they were broken during their act, they were saved from being trashed thanks to Tamayura's pleas. Now rebuilt and with some of their more unsavory features sealed away, they acts as her closest friends, and seek the Fire Regalis to save her life, even if it means giving up their own.

Psycho Sidekick: Tamayura is an extremely pure and gentle soul, one the twins refuse to lose. As such, they're willing to perform acts she wouldn't approve of if it means being able to attain the Fire Regalis so they can save her life.
Undying Loyalty: Thanks to her pleas towards saving them, the twins consider Tamayura their entire world, and would do anything to help her. To this end, they seek the Fire Regalis so they can restore her health, even if their bodies break down in the process.

Eva and Obscudeid

Eva

Forms:One Who Craves Knowledge, Eva/An Afternoon Nap Regardless of Place, Eva/Smooth Research Progress, Eva/Fountain of Knowledge, Eva

That's because I'm a genius.

A cyberoid from Brandt Gate who researches the Fire Regalis.

Eva's ride line revolves around Research Set Order cards, with cards associated with the line gaining abilities based on how many are in the Order Zone, such as improving the range of search effects or binding units.

Enemy Summoner: When Fountain of Knowledge, Eva attacks, her second ability can be used to call her ally Obscudeid from the hand or the deck as a rear-guard.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Less "evil" and more "amoral", but Eva genuinely cares about Obscudeid, the Set Order "Result of the Experiment Henceforth" depicting Eva willing to put herself in the line of fire to protect him, the flavor text noting she's going to save him much like he once saved her.
The Sociopath: She has zero regards for the concerns of others, and lacks any "desire" for the Fire Regalis to grant, she just wants to study it. She also has no issue ordering Obscudeid to kill Rorowa the moment she realized he had a Fire Regalis in his chest, acting nonchalant over having possibly just murdered someone.

Obscudeid

Forms: Knight of Blackness, Obscudeid/Great Sword of Fierce Black Flame, Obscudeid

Formerly a captain in Keter Sanctuary's forces, for reasons unknown he left his position in favor of serving as Eva's guardian at the Bianca Facility. He's being hunted by Thegrea for killing her mentor.

Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: While his profile art for Cross Cray Epic depicts him without one, in-story he's hardly ever seen without his helmet on, and it serves to highlight him as a more sinister force in service of Eva.
Mysterious Past: Most of the information surrounding him is shrouded in mystery. His reasoning for leaving Keter Sanctuary, killing Thegrea's mentor, and working for Eva are all unknown, with the latter only having the hint he "saved" Eva from something, and she became attached to him as a result. This is invoked In-Universe too, as Thegrea tells Rorowa and Radylina that, when he left Keter Sanctuary, he erased all trace of his existence from the records, meaning no one else knows who he is or even what he looks like.
The Stoic: He doesn't emote much, not helped by his helmet covering half of his face.

Michu and Noqno

Michu

Forms:Afternoon Dance Lesson, Michu/Happy Shopping! Michu/Sparkling Summer! Michu/First to Head Towards a Dream! Michu

Hop Step Kaboom!

A Battleroid from Brandt Gate who enrolled in Lyrical Monasterio to pursue her dream of becoming an idol. She seeks the Fire Regalis alongside her partner Noqno.

Michu's ride line utilize Cannonball set orders which can be dropped from the Order Zone to change the Grade 3 Michu's second ability for the turn.

Gameplay and Story Integration: Michu originally hails from Brandt Gate and much like the ride lines from that nation, her playstyle revolves around a specific subset of Set Orders.
Status Buff: Michu's own Cannonball ability allows her to gain 5000 Power in addition to retiring a rear-guard.
- The Cannonball ability granted by the Flower Cannonball order instead allows the player to give 10000 Power to three of their units.

Noqno

Forms:Shy Vocal, Noqno

Would you.....Like to listen to my song?

Back from the Dead: Shy Vocal, Noqno can call herself back to the field whenever a card is put into the order zone and if ther is not a Noqno card already present.
Heroic Second Wind: After the vanguard's attack ends while she is the center back row circle, Noqno can use her Glitter ability to restand herself and swap powition with the vanguard.
Uniformity Exception: Before Noqno, all of the RG Glitter's had two Nations instead of one, one representing their home Nation, the other the Nation of their VG Glitter. Noqno however is solely of the Lyrical Monasterio nation like Michu.

Encounter Cards

In General

Units from the distant past that continue to have effects on Cray long into the Chakrabarthi Divine Era. These units are largely comprised of some of the more iconic units from the original and G incarnations of the anime, and are organized amidst several "stories", detailing how they have impacted Cray and what remains of them now.

Famed In-Story: They're all units that left a large impact on Cray, with their exploits largely just history now thanks to the 3000 years following Gyze's defeat.
Gameplay and Story Segregation: From a gameplay perspective, they are no different from any other deck in the D format, the only unique aspects gameplay wise being that they retain their original Clans, which functions more as a means of game balance so that their skills can't be used in just any deck. From a lore perspective, the majority of these units are long dead, and are more accurately based on records of their exploits in the past, reflected in how their card borders more resemble stone.
Iconic Item: Each of the ace cards are some of the most iconic units for both the animes and their respective clans.
- Dragonic Overlord, Avatar of Toshiki Kai's Kagero deck and iconic Kagero unit.
- Phantom Blaster Dragon, Ace of Ren Suzugamori and iconic Shadow Paladin unit.
- Blaster Blade, Avatar of Aichi Sendou and iconic Royal Paladin unit.
- Omniscience Regalia, Minerva, Ace of Misaki Tokura's Genesis deck, and iconic Genesis unit.
- Blue Storm Dragon, Maelstrom, Ace of Leon Soryu and iconic Aqua Force unit.
- Silver Thorn Dragon Tamer, Luquier, Ace of Asaka Narumi and iconic Pale Moon unit.
- Chronojet Dragon, Avatar of Chrono Shindou and iconic Gear Chronicle unit.
- Alter Ego Messiah, Avatar of Kouji Ibuki and iconic Link Joker unit.
- Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel, Avatar of Takuto Tatsunagi and iconic Gold Paladin unit.
- Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion, Ace of Toshiki Kai's Narukami deck and iconic Narukami unit.
- Demon Stealth Dragon, Shiranui "Oboro", Avatar of Kazumi Onimaru, and iconic Nubatama unit.
- Dragheart, Luard, Avatar of Kazuma Shouji and iconic Shadow Paladin unit.

The Elderly ~Legends and Encounters~ & Memories of the Legends

Dragonic Overlord

Forms: Dragonic Overlord/Dragonic Overlord The End

The dragon of apocalypse carved its name into various annals of history.

Carved in the memories of people, this is the brave figure of the dragon that burns life.

A hero from the days of old before the Deity-less Era, the longevity of dragons allowed Dragonic Overlord to survive even to the present day. Though ancient and wizened on account of his long vigil, he persists in honor of a promise made to his rival from long ago.

The encounter ride line of Dragonic Overlord retains the unit's classic focus on restanding itself, using units able to give additional power to the vanguard to make these successive attacks more powerful. Overlord himself now prevents the opponent from guarding when he attacks a rear-guard, guaranteeing those multiple attacks and an additional drive in the process.

Elderly Immortal: His extreme age has left his scales white and purple.
Heroic Second Wind: Like most Overlord cards, the D-series's version of Dragonic Overlord and Dragonic Overlord the End have the ability to stand themselves after attacking.
Super Mode: Dragonic Overlord the End for the regular Dragonic Overlord. If the latter is in the soul, the End will gain 5000 Power during the player's turn and its drive checks can't be reduced by effects, including its own.
Unblockable Attack: If the D series iteration of Overlord attacks a rear-guard, your opponent can't call cards from hand to guard against it, although they can still intercept and use a Blitz Order to try and protect themselves.
Worthy Opponent: Even posthumously, Overlord considers Blaster Blade this to the point that he dedicated himself to watching over the Blaster Blade sword for 3000 years.

Phantom Blaster Dragon

Forms: Phantom Blaster Dragon/Phantom Blaster Overlord

The abyss dragon written of in legends, declaring that there are times when despair surpasses the light.

When the many despairs of the people have gathered, the hell dragon reveals its true form.

A legendary being from the time before the Deity-less Era, renowned and dreaded as the founder of the Shadow Paladin clan. He was once the righteous Thing Saver Dragon and a friend to Dragonic Overlord, but he drowned in his own terrible despair and emerged a monster who desired the death of all things. Though long dead by the Chakrabarthi Divine Era and having reincarnated as Revenger, Dragruler Phantom in the past, an apparition of Phantom Blaster Dragon serves as a guardian to the cave where Dragonic Overlord defends the Blaster Blade.

The Blaster encounter ride line naturally focuses upon generating advantage by calling units from the deck or through drawing cards only to sacrifice that advantage to fuel Phantom Blaster Dragon's Damned Charging Lance, while consistently retiring the opponent's rear-guards in the process to grind out victory.

Super Mode: One again, Phantom Blaster Overlord is this for Phantom Blaster Dragon and will receive an additional critical if the latter is in the soul.
Undying Loyalty: Although in his madness Phantom Blaster once fought against Dragonic Overlord, even in death apparitions of him and his Shadow Paladins protect Overlord's vigil.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: It just wouldn't be Phantom Blaster without the iconic Damned Charging Lance and his D incarnation carries on that tradition: by paying a Counterblast and retiring three of your rear-guards, he retires two of your opponent's rear-guards and gains 10000 Power and a Critical that turn.
- Phantom Blaster Overlord can, when it attacks, retire any two rear-guards to call Blaster Dark from the soul or drop zone and give both it and itself an extra 10000 power.

Blaster Blade

Forms: Blaster Blade/Majesty Lord Blaster

The legendary swordsman from a bygone time. Wielding its namesake sword, he was hailed as one of the Sanctuary's strongest knight and a hero who protected both the nation and the world against many threats.

Blaster Blade's ride line focuses on searching Grade 2 Blaster units, namely Blaster Blade itself and Blaster Dark, in order to put them in the soul with Majesty Lord Blaster's abilities and unlock said card's full power.

Power Creep: The D-series version of Blaster Blade has the same abilities as the original Blaster Blade but with reduced Counterblast costs, increased base power and its first ability letting the player draw a card if they did not retire a card with it, making the original version completely obsolete.
Status Buff: While Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark are both in the soul, Majesty Lord Blaster will gain a continuous boost of 2000 Power during all players's turns and an extra critical.
Yin-Yang Bomb: Like the previous two, this version of Majesty Lord Blaster is Blaster Blade wielding the combined powers of his own sword as well as Blaster Dark with its first ability requiring both in the soul to gain additional power and critical.

Minerva Rising

Minerva

Maelstrom

Luquier

The Interdimensional Dragon and Creation Dragon

Chronojet

Forms: Chronojet Dragon/Chronodragon Nextage

The story of a distant era. The gears of time began to turn to the starting point of the dragon.

Roaring through space and time, the bright future manifests.

Alternate Self: Chrono Dran is a younger version of Chronojet Dragon from an alternate timeline. Initially believed to be an amnesiac Gear Dragon that could assume the form of Chronojet Dragon, the conflict over the Zodiac Time Beasts revealed his true identity, with Chrono Dran and Chronojet Dragon concluding they're not the same individual, and would walk their own paths, but would work together nonetheless.
You are you. You are not the same as me.
I Am Not Left-Handed: Done uniquely by Nextage, who can revert back to Chronojet after his attack ends for a second attack.
Our Dragons Are Different: As usual, he's a "Gear Dragon", making him look just as much like a mecha as a dragon. His "true form", Chronodragon Nextage, looks more like a traditional western dragon, albeit wearing lots of armor and weaponry.
Reality Warper: Chronojet Dragon, as the leader of Gear Chronicle, is a master of both space and time manipulation, using both in his efforts to preserve Cray's space-time. His true power is so great, his default form is his power sealed so as to not negatively affect space-time with his mere presence. Both aspects of his ability are reflecting via gameplay mechanics, his mastery of "time" via his skill with the "Stride" mechanic and being able to send enemy units "back in time" to the bottom of the deck, and his mastery of space via his Generation Break skill preventing the opponent from guarding with Grade 1 or higher units as if he's warping the space around him when attacking.
Shoulder Cannon: Chronodragon Nextage has cannons hidden in the armor covering its shoulders.
Super Mode: Chronodragon Nextage, being a "Stride Fusion" of Chronojet Dragon and his future self. Unlike other Stride Fusions though, which involve taking on one of a multitude of future possibilities, Chronodragon Nextage is more analogous to his "true form" and his self-proclaimed only possibility, as Chronojet Dragon normally seals his true power away so as to not negatively affect space-time, Chronodragon Nextage being when he reaches the Godzilla Threshold and needs to unlock his true power temporarily.
Time Travel:
- One of his powers sends enemy units back in time, represented by his ability to send a rear-guard to the bottom of the deck.
- Nextage's skill could also be interpreted as this, going back in time to when he was Chronojet Dragon for a second attack.
Unexplained Recovery: Originally, Chronojet Dragon was thought to have perished in an act of Heroic Sacrifice trying to contain the blast Gyze released as it was defeated. He would later be shown to have survived, but not unscathed. The official website would tease a new form◊ for him, showing his left arm and right leg to have been replaced with those of Chronofang Tiger G and Chronobeat Buffalo respectively, and wielding the staff of Chronoethos Jackal in one hand, and cradling Neon Messiah in the other. The implication is that he not only survived his clash with Gyze, albeit injured, but also came across Neon Messiah following the Messiah's disappearance.

Messiah

Forms: Neon Messiah/Asleep Messiah/Awaking Messiah/Alter Ego Messiah/Genesis Dragon, Amnesty Messiah/Genesis Dragon, Excelics Messiah

The flickering hope soon became the light that illuminates the world.

The origin of a new life, raised within a cradle.

The awakening of a new life, urged on by the light of the morning sun.

A fairy tale beyond time. It is said that the incarnation of salvation shall spread its wings and guide those who are meant to lead the new world.

The will to struggle against destiny itself is the power that can grasp the fate of the world.

Thus, the light of creation cleansed all sins and paved the path towards paradise.

The manifested form of the deity of creation, Messiah, who incarnated upon Cray's soil long ago in order to purify the invaders of the Link Joker Clan and embrace them as children of Cray. When Messiah's ancient enemy Gyze stirred, it entrusted its power to Chronojet Dragon, and after Gyze's defeat Messiah was said to disappear as though without its opposite it could no longer maintain its own existence. Thus began the Deity-less Era, stripping the planet of Messiah's blessings.

Big Good: The D lore only reinforces this aspect of Messiah through what happened when it was absent: Messiah's blessing benefited all of Cray with abundance and protection, which was lost during the Deity-less Era.
Have You Seen My God?: The disappearance of the Messiah is what marked the beginning of the "Deity-less Era" for Cray. No one knows what happened to cause the Messiah to disappear, but, as Kheios explained to Rorowa, the Messiah's disappearance meant that it's blessings were lost with it, leading to poor harvests, more monster attacks, and the loss of magic for all of Cray. At best, most believe the Messiah was forced to return to its slumber as Neon Messiah, aided by the image of a battered Chronojet Dragon cradling Neon Messiah in its arms.
Messianic Archetype: To the point that when it appears, it declares its intention to save the world.
Our Dragons Are Different: Like its previous form Harmonics Messiah, they resemble dragons with Amnesty Messiah resembling the legendary ancestor of all dragons.
Nerf: In its original incarnation in G, Messiah was capable of locking the opponent's rear-guards just like the Star-vaders, though this was always a secondary aspect behind the multi-attack strategy enabled by its self-locking. In D, Messiah's own Crest unlocks and binds all of your opponent's locked cards at the end of your turn, preventing you from using Lock to control your opponent's field in the same way as classic Link Joker.
Starfish Aliens: Though all of Messiah's forms appear draconic, they also have fundamentally alien features and the recurring motif of the planets Earth and Cray suspended somewhere upon their bodies.

Clash of the Heroes

Ezel

Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel

The legendary red lion broke through their own limits, and led the despairing people towards hope.

A legendary knight who once led the Red Lion Troop of the Gold Paladin. Ezel played a major part in the Liberation War that occured after the sealing of Blaster Blade, Blaster Dark and Dragonic Overlord.

Ezel and his ride line focuses on caling units from among the top cards of the deck to build their field or make additional attacks. Additionaly, the line has the ability to superior ride Blond Ezel, letting them reach Grade 3 a turn earlier.

Composite Character: This version of Blond Ezel takes cues from both its original and V versions through having the abilities to call units during the main phase and increase its own power like the former while also possessing the ability to call units mid-battle like the latter.

Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion

The thunderbolt of the apocalypse carves its name throughout the ages.

A mighty Thunder Dragon who once led the Dragon Empire's Narukami troops.

Vermillion retains its ability to attack multiple units at once, now changed so that, instead of being limited to attacking the whole front row, Vermillion can choose up to two rear-guards it will attack in addition to the vanguard. Its ride line help it further by searching for the Eternal Thunderbolt order cards which grants it additional abilities in addition to enabling its new ability to inflict damage to the opposing vanguard.

Composite Character: While mostly classic Vermillion, the Standard iteration also draws on the multi-attack tactics common to the V series Narukami, even using the same unit as there to do so: Rising Phoenix.
Herd-Hitting Attack: Vermillion, as the unit that originally introduced such attacks to the game, naturally comes with one and even in a more flexible variety than its familiar trick of attacking the entire front row at once by allowing it to attack any two rear-guards as well as the vanguard.

The Dragon of the Demon Eye and the Legendary Dragwizard

Shiranui

Forms: Stealth Dragon, Shiranui/Demon Stealth Dragon, Shiranui "Oboro"/Evil-eye Hades Emperor, Shiranui "Mukuro"

"External laws are still laws"― It is said that the third eye that shines on its forehead originates from the great tengu of ancient times.

The dragon of the demon eye is said to preach the laws of the dominator on moonlit nights.

A life after overcoming many wreckages. The dragon with the evil-eye went towards the land of death.

A Stealth Dragon who played a critical role in the saga of Gyze's revival and who mastered the power to Dominate long ago.

As with his original incarnation, Shiranui's ride line revolves around the Dominate keyword: taking temporary control of an opponent's unit and forcing it to attack its ally. To prevent the opponent from countering this ability by clearing their own field, Shiranui can also force them to call units from their drop zone so that there are always targets to be dominated.

Mind Control: Shiranui's speciality is the power to Dominate, overriding the will of a unit and forcing it to attack its allies.
Nerf: In Shiranui's G incarnation, it was possible for him to use the abilities of dominated units, with the later released Stride Mujinlord "Dagoku" even having a clause specifically to allow the abilities of dominated Strides to be used from the rear-guard. In Standard, Shiranui's own Crest instead makes it so that the continuous and auto abilities of units you dominate are lost, albeit also negating such abilities from units forcibly called by Shiranui's skill.

Luard

Forms: Dragheart, Luard/Dragdriver, Luard/Dragstrider, Luard

A legendary Dragwizard... It is said that he eventually became a ferocious dragon and soared through the skies.

The wings of the dragon that exceeds the heavens shall rule the future.

The desire for victory no matter what.

An elven mage who took up forbidden arts in order to avenge the death of his adoptive brother, Luard's quest for vengeance led him down a terrible path. Though he was born and fated to be the vessel for the revival of the god of destruction Gyze, the love shown to Luard allowed him to break free from his destiny at the last hour and he was ultimately one of the heroes who fought to save Cray in that time before the Deity-less Era.

Luard's ride line revolves around his classic Ritual ability, which requires a certain number of grade 1 cards to be present in the drop zone to be activated. To facilitate this, Luard possesses a strong emphasis on searching out grade 1s from the deck and then through various means putting them in the drop zone to fuel Ritual skills. In addition, Luard's own Ritual ability allows him to Stride without paying the normal cost by returning two normal units from the drop zone to the deck, allowing him to recycle key pieces as needed while maintaining cards in the hand.

Developer's Foresight: The Strictly Formula setup of the Stride Decksets includes the deck's second stride requiring a card with the archetype name of the deck to be discarded as part of its stride cost as an incentive to run more than one copy of the main grade 3 (since the reprinted boss cards don't have Persona Ride and the Crests more than make up for the power of Persona Ride anyway). Because Dragheart, Luard can Stride for free with his Ritual and therefore bypass this entirely, Dragstrider has this typical Stride cost, but it also includes the discard of a Grade 3 Luard in the cost of its skill.
Mythology Gag: The unique skill of Luard's Crest allows the fighter to put a Critical Trigger from their drop zone on the bottom of their deck if they Strode without paying the cost that turn. This is a reference to Luard's designated Critical Trigger from the G era,Belial Owl, which could recycle itself in a similar fashion.
Unblockable Attack: Dragstrider's skill prevents the opponent from guarding his attack with grade 1 or greater cards, specifically preventing the use of regular perfect guards (though the blitz order Elementaria Sanctitude can still be used as a perfect guard against him).

Collaboration Nations

Touken Ranbu

Monster Strike

Record of Ragnarok

Shaman King

Characters / Cardfight!! Vanguard Cray overDress

Edit Locked

Nation Tropes:

Nirvana

Forms: Sunrise Egg/Chakrabarthi Divine Dragon, Nirvana/Chakrabarthi True Dragon, Mahar Nirvana/Chakrabarthi Phoenix Dragon, Nirvana Jheva

Trickstar

Heavy Artillery of Dust Storm, Eugene

Sealed Blaze Maiden, Bavsargra

Trickmoon

Forms: Trickstar/Vairlord

Shojodoji

Forms: Can't Quit Sake Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji/Sakura Romance Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji/World-shaper Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji/Peak Personage Stealth Rogue, Shojodoji

Scarlet Flame Marshal Dragon, Gandiva

Zedlance

Forms:Apprentice Blacksmith, Zedlance/Promising Blacksmith,Zedlance/Wrought Iron Dragon, Zedlance/Wrought Iron Dragon King, Zedlance

Fated One of Unparalleled, Varga Dagres

Nation Tropes:

Bruce

Forms: Diabolos, "Violence" Bruce/Diabolos, "Unrivaled" Bruce/Diabolos, "Viamance" Bruce

Master of Gravity, Baromagnes

Greedon

Forms: Avaricious Demonic Dragon, Greedon/Avaricious Demonic Dragon King, Greedon Masques

Drajeweled

Forms: Jewel-embracing Dragon Fang, Drajeweled/Demonic Jewel Dragon, Drajeweled/Karma Demonic Jewel Dragon, Drajeweled Masques/Demonic Jewel True Dragon, Drajeweled Ignis

Astroea

Forms:Almajestar, Astroea=Unica/Xeno Almajestar, Astroea=Bico Masques

Ominagruzio

Forms:Evil Eye Beast, Ominakitty/Evil Eye Beast, Ominacrowg/Evil Eye Beast ,Ominaowls/Evil Eye Dragon, Ominagruzio/Evil Eye Dragon Emperor, Ominagruzio Masques

Favrneel

Forms:Purgatory Dragon Deity, Favrneel

Blangdmire

Forms: Fated One of Zero, Blangdmire

Nation Tropes:

Seraph

Forms:Aurora Battle Princess, Seraph Snow/Aurora Fierce Princess, Seraph Purelight

Orfist

Forms: Cardinal Deus, Orfist/Cardinal Dominus, Orfist Regis/Cardinal Mors, Orfist Masques

Nordlinger

Forms:Gravidia Nordlinger/Gore Gravidia, Nordlinger Masques

Galactic B-Hero, Unite Dianos

Welstra

Forms:Blitz CEO, Welstra/Fated One of Guiding Star, Welstra "Blitz Arms"

Blue Deathster, Sora Period & Avantgarda

Forms: Blue Deathster, Sora Piriod/Blue Deathster, "Skyrender" Avantgarda/Blue Deathster, "Cavalry Skyrender" Avantgarda Richter

Nation Tropes:

Bastion

Forms: Apex Ruler, Bastion/Apex-surpassing Sword, Bastion Prime/Sword of the Nation, Bastion Accord

Hexaorb Sorceress

Forms:Hexaorb Sorceress/Hexaorb Sorceress "Aquamarine"

Youthberk

Forms: Youth Following in Footsteps, Youth/Determined to Break Away, Youth/Knight of Ardent Light, Youth/Youthberk, "Protofall Arms"/Youthberk "RevolForm: Zest"/Youthberk, "Skyfall Arms"/Youthberk "RevolForm: Gust"/Youthberk, "RevolForm: Tempest"/Youthberk "RevolForm: Full Blast"

Sword Saint Knight Dragon, Gramgrace

Alden

Forms:Grand Heavenly Sword, Alden/Sword That Connects Heaven and Earth, Alden

Fated One of Miracles, Rezael

Fated One of Time, Liael゠Amorta

Nation Tropes:

Magnolia

Forms: Sylvan Horned Beast King, Magnolia/Sylvan Horned Beast Emperor, Magnolia Elder/Sylvan Horned Beast King of Calamity, Magnolia Masques.

Zorga

Forms: Mysterious Rain Spiritualist, Zorga/Dead Sea Spiritualist, Grave = Zorga/Teasing Spiritualist, Zorga Masques/Fated One of Taboo, Zorga Nadir

Flagship Dragon, Flagburg Dragon

Lianorn

Forms: Bandmaster of Blossoming Bonds, Lianorn/Grand March of Full Bloom, Lianorn/Servitude of Funeral Procession, Lianorn Masques/Marche Fleur, Lianorn Vivace

Granfia

Forms: Kind Lordling, Granfia/Future Suzerain, Granfia/Genius Wise Wolf, Granfia/Lavien Lord, Granfia

Nation Tropes:

Kairi

Forms:Astesice, Kairi/Astesice×Live, Kairi

Alestiel

Forms: Monochromic Personality, Alestiel/Indecisive Sky, Alestiel/Shining As-is, Alestiel/Archangel of Twin Wings, Alestiel

Lolonerol

Forms: For the Sake of Singing, Lolonerol/Searching for Excitement, Lolonerol/Blooming Singer, Lolonerol/Heartfelt Song, Lolonerol

Feltyrosa

Forms: Admired Dear Sister, Feltyrosa/Beautiful Day Off, Feltyrosa/Talent of Enjoyment, Feltyrosa/Rondo of Eventide Moon, Feltyrosa

Clarissa

Forms: Dignified Will, Clarissa/Serious Challenger, Clarissa/Accurate Interval, Clarissa/Earnescorrect Leader, Clarissa

Wilista

Forms:Brilliance in the Ore, Wilista/Proof of Hard Work, Wilista/Expanding World, Wilista/Prismagica, Wilista

Herminia