For today’s Dragons of Legend: Unleashed preview we step sideways in time to a version of Heartland City where Yuma never met Astral, the Number Cards never existed, and Kite Tenjo became a famous professional Duelist instead of a ruthless Number Hunter. That’s where we’ll find Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon, a new Rank 8 “Galaxy-Eyes” Xyz Monster!

Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon is Summoned using any 2 Level 8 monsters as Xyz Material. That makes it perfect for your Galaxy/Photon Deck, but it also works well with the newer Blue-Eyes Decks as well. Once per turn you can detach an Xyz Material from it to take control of a face-up monster your opponent controls. That monster’s effects are all negated, but its attack becomes 3000 and its name changes to Galaxy-Eyes Ciper Dragon for the rest of the turn. Only the real Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon can attack directly for the rest of the turn after this effect resolves, but you can still use the pilfered monster to take out your opponent’s other monsters to clear the road.

One of the scariest things about this effect is that other than attacking directly, you can do anything you want with the monster you took. The effect is also used during your Main Phase and lasts until the End Phase giving you a lot more time to work with your new recruit. You can Tribute it, use it as Material for a Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summon, or for a card effect that needs a Tribute or for a monster to be sent to the Graveyard. Because it changes the name of the card to “Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon” you’ll even be able to use Galaxy Expedition if the monster you took was Level 5 or higher.

Even if you’re playing a completely unrelated Deck that uses Level 8 monsters, or if you’re looking for a good Rank 8 option for Xyz Universe plays, Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon is a powerhouse worthy of inclusion in your Extra Deck.

You may not realize it yet, but you’ve been exploring this alternate version of Heartland since The New Challengers released at the end of 2014! This is the dimension from Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V where Phantom Knights and Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon originated, and we’ll continue exploring it in the next 100-card booster set, Invasion: Vengeance, launching November 11th. For now, you’ll be able to add Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon to your Extra Deck when Dragons of Legend: Unleashed hits shelves on August 19th!