Lore Archive

"Shark's underwater predators dominate the Xyz waters with devastating Rank 3-5 plays. Buzzsaw, Lantern, and Silent Angler swarm the field while Number 32: Shark Drake revives each monster it destroys on the opponent's side, only to attack it again. These apex marine predators hunt in coordinated packs that leave no escape route."

The Sharks of Reginald "Shark" Kastle from Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL: his Numbers, their Main Deck shark versions, and the manga's Ryoga Kamishiro. Follow a marked name to walk the trail.

Number 32: Shark Drake
I · Shark Drake
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  1. Shark's signature card, 32 on its chest. It is Utopia's opposite: Utopia negates attacks, Shark Drake revives what it destroys and attacks again. Its Chaos form is Veiss.

  2. Shark Drake as a Main Deck monster: Level 4 for Rank 4, with half its stats. The first card that counts as several Xyz Materials at once.

  3. Shark Drake's Chaos form, a goblin shark. "Veiss" is German weiss, white, and sounds like "vice", a shark's grip, echoing Leviathan Dragon, "LeVice Dragon" in Japanese.

  4. The newest Shark, a cover card of Maze of Muertos: Veiss as a Level 4, 1000 below its ATK and DEF.

  5. Veiss with the traits of Leviathan Dragon, Shark's first Number, and a cover card of Rage of the Abyss.

  6. 71 is 17 reversed: Leviathan Dragon with Shark's Barian emblem. The Big Dipper behind it matches Rank-Up-Magic - The Seventh One.

  7. Ryoga Kamishiro's signature card in the ZEXAL manga, its answer to Shark Drake, named after Bahamut, the giant fish that holds up the world. Its art is from manga chapter 19.

  8. In the manga Ryoga molded it from Kyoji Yagumo's blank Number: spider and shark for the two friends, and "Hope" for Yuma and Kaito. It has the stats of Bahamut Shark.

  9. The Shining form of Spider Shark, from manga chapter 51, readying to strike Anti-Hope, God of Despair.

  10. The first Xyz Monster summoned in both the ZEXAL anime and manga. It reappears in Shark Fortress, a B-52 of a shark.

  11. With Panther Shark, named after the heroes of the 1981 tokusatsu Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan: Panther, Eagle and Shark.

  12. A catshark, taken literally, from the manga chapter 19 panel.

  13. A cookiecutter shark, with buzzsaws for the cutting.

  14. Black Ray Lancer made a shark by Sharkify in ZEXAL episode 84. "Valiant" puns on "Barian", since B and R sound like V and L in Japanese.

Executive Summary (Core)

The Shark archetype is a WATER-attribute, Xyz-focused strategy. Its game plan revolves around rapidly swarming the field with Level 3, 4, and 5 Fish monsters. This board presence is the foundation for a cascading series of Xyz Summons, building an imposing endboard from a minimal starting investment. The deck is primarily a "going-first" combo strategy aiming to establish a multi-faceted, interactive board. However, its explosive special summoning and high-ATK boss monsters also grant it significant One-Turn Kill (OTK) potential. While its power ceiling is high, the deck's linear combo structure creates distinct vulnerabilities.

The Shark Tank: Core Engine

The engine consists of Initiators that start combos, Swarm monsters that extend them, and Utility Fish that enable powerful interactions.

Buzzsaw Shark

The premier 1-card starter. On Normal Summon, it summons a Level 4 Fish from the Deck and can modulate its Level for Xyz Summons.

Abyss Shark

A critical extender and searcher. Special Summons itself from hand and searches for another Fish monster to continue combos.

Lantern Shark

Functions as an in-archetype extender, special summoning a WATER monster from hand on its own summon.

Right-Hand & Left-Hand Shark

A sub-engine providing extension and powerful destruction protection for the Xyz monster that uses them as material.

Crystal Shark

A Graveyard-focused extender that revives itself by halving a WATER monster's ATK, turning one monster into two.

Beautunaful Princess

A secondary starter. When Normal Summoned, it can be banished to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Fish monster from the Deck.

Core Combo: The "Buzzsaw Shark" Line

Combo Guide
These combos may contain errors or use banned cards. If you spot an issue, submit a replay to help keep this guide accurate.
Know a better line? Submit a Replay

This walkthrough demonstrates how a single Buzzsaw Shark can generate a formidable board.

Buzzsaw Shark
Missing: 7150545
1

The Opener

Normal Summon Buzzsaw Shark and use its effect to Special Summon Surfacing Big Jaws from the Deck.

Bahamut Shark
Missing: 440556
2

First Xyz & Search

Xyz Summon Bahamut Shark. Use its effect to Special Summon LeVirtue Dragon, which then searches Virtue Stream.

Xyz Armor Fortress
Missing: 20145685
3

Armored Engine

Rank-Up into Xyz Armor Fortress. Use its effect to search the "Armored Xyz" engine pieces, extending into your full board.

The Apex Predators: Typical Endboard

Full Armored Dark Knight Lancer

Full Armored Dark Knight Lancer

Provides powerful, non-targeting monster removal by attaching an opponent's monster as material.

Number 4: Stealth Kragen

Number 4: Stealth Kragen

Applies continuous pressure with a floodgate effect and recurring, non-targeting monster destruction.

Number F0: Utopic Draco Future

Number F0: Utopic Draco Future

An indestructible boss monster that offers a recurring monster effect negate and steals the negated monster.

Paradigm Shift: From Aggro to Midrange

Prior to the Rage of the Abyss (ROTA) set, Sharks were a linear Aggro deck vulnerable to board breakers like "Evenly Matched." The introduction of Veiss Shark and Number C32: Shark Drake LeVeiss has fundamentally rewritten the archetype's math.

The deck has evolved into a robust Aggro-Control hybrid. It now boasts inherited Spell/Trap negation and absorption, allowing it to erect multi-axis disruptive boards that challenge premier metagame contenders, neutralizing non-engine board breakers that previously crippled the strategy.

The Modern Engine Ecosystem

Veiss Shark

Veiss Shark
  • Engine Starter: Tributes a Fish to summon ANY Shark from Deck.
  • Inherited Effect: Grants "Shark Drake" Xyz monsters a Quick Effect Spell/Trap negate (Detach 2).

Surfacing Big Jaws

Surfacing Big Jaws
  • Ult. Extender: Summons itself if a Spell was activated (Main Phase).
  • Searcher: Adds a Fish "Shark" monster on summon. Key bridge to Veiss/Drake.

Drake Shark

Drake Shark
  • Compression: Counts as 2 materials for WATER Xyz.
  • Absorption: Grants "Shark Drake" ability to attach opponent's S/T as material.

The Apex Boss: Number C32: Shark Drake LeVeiss

Number C32: Shark Drake LeVeiss

1. Native Monster Disruption

Detach 1: Negate 1 monster effect & reduce ATK/DEF to 0. (Quick Effect)

2. Inherited Spell/Trap Negation

From Veiss Shark: Detach 2 to negate S/T activation & destroy it.

3. Inherited Absorption

From Drake Shark: Detach 2 to attach target S/T to this card as material.

Modern Combo Routing

The "Standard 1-Card Integration" utilizing the new Veiss/Big Jaws synergy.

1

Initiation

NS Buzzsaw Shark → Target Self → SS Surfacing Big Jaws from Deck.

2

Search & Extend

Overlay for Bahamut Shark → Detach Big Jaws → SS LeVirtue Dragon → Search Virtue Stream.

3

Armored Engine & Recovery

Rank-Up LeVirtue → Xyz Armor Fortress → Search Armored Xyz & Reincarnation Unveiling Mail. Use Mail -> Big Jaws triggers (SS from GY) because Spell activated.

4

The Veiss Bridge

Surfacing Big Jaws Effect → Search Abyss Shark. SS Abyss Shark → Search Xyz Remora.

5

Boss Convergence

Overlay for Stealth Kragen. SS Xyz Remora (Detach 2) → Revive 2 Level 4s. Overlay 3 Level 4s for Number 32: Shark Drake. Discard Mail → Rank-Up to LeVeiss.

Material Economy & Strategy

Managing LeVeiss's materials is critical. A standard LeVeiss enters with ~4 materials. You cannot activate all 3 effects in one turn.

Scenario A: Trap Decks

Vs Labrynth/Traptrix

Prioritize Veiss Shark (Detach 2) to negate key Backrow.

Scenario B: Combo Decks

Vs Snake-Eye/Tenpai

Prioritize LeVeiss Native (Detach 1) to negate starters.

Competitive Analysis

Strengths

  • High power ceiling from 1-card starters.
  • Diverse endboard with multiple layers of interaction.
  • Strong OTK potential when going second.

Weaknesses

  • Extremely vulnerable to hand traps on the Normal Summon.
  • Linear and predictable combo lines are easy to disrupt.
  • Susceptible to specific board-breaking cards like Evenly Matched.

Tech Choices & Synergies

  • Kragen Lock: Pairs Stealth Kragen with Gozen Match to lock opponents into WATER monsters.
  • Seventh Tachyon: A spell that searches Buzzsaw/Big Jaws, adding massive consistency.

Banlist Impact

While the Shark core remains untouched, the archetype's Dependent on Normal Summon (Buzzsaw) or Spell activation (Big Jaws). means restrictions on generic support cards do have an impact.

Affected Synergistic Cards

Forbidden

  • Bahamut Shark

Limited

  • Gozen Match
  • Rivalry of Warlords

Meta Implications: Despite restrictions on support cards, Shark's Post-ROTA, pivots between Kragen Control and LeVeiss Midrange locks. allows the deck to remain viable with alternative tech choices.

Banlist Status Summary

+ analyzed • 0 archetype restrictions • 3 synergistic cards restricted