A-123 Gaia Dragoon MS
Initial Release: Summer 2003, Starter A-123 (Purple)
Additional Releases: Hasbro's Strata Dragoon MS Starter (Purple), Sonokong's Double Power Plus Set (Starter Purple), A-130 Double Shooter Set (Yellow), 5 Saint Beasts Booster (Proto-Grey), Lucky Box/Fukobako 2004 (Black), Tournament Limited Recolours (White, Silver, Gold, Blue), Event Limited (White), W Master Campaign Limited (Silver, Pearl-White)
Bit Protector - "Small Type"
Should be noted that BP Size Type on initial release is not consistent for every cycle of production or re-release. Being reproduced the following year could mean a different BP Size Type for a given Beyblade.
Attack Ring
Metal Saucer, ~15g.
Shares the same Metal Frame with Advance Averazer's Advance Balancer.
Metal Frame shaped like a gear, with various symmetrical teeth.
Like most early HMS releases, suffers from light weight, making it easy to push around when using heavier ARs.
Only real use classically was for spin-stealing customizations in opposite-spin matchups. On paper a geared design would be well-suited to slowly siphon spin from the opponent, but Metal Saucer is quite light and produces too much recoil to be a worthwhile choice over other legitimate Stamina AR choices.
Terribly prone to being knocked out, has ample recoil making it fairly ineffective in its proposed niche.
Recoil present does not translate into meaningful Smash Attack on rubber RCs enough to warrant its use on an Attack customization, either. Other Attack AR choices are much better.
Little redeeming qualities in any of the Beyblade typings, but best bet for its use is in a stamina-oriented combo
Best Potential Combo:
AR: Metal Saucer (Opposite-Spin)
WD: Circle Wide
RC: Bearing Core
Game Plan: Metal Saucer on a stamina-oriented setup relies on a bit of luck and a specific launch technique to win. Weak-launching (deliberately launching the Beyblade with little force relative to your opponent) the above combo in hopes that it is able to equalize its RPM with the opponent and score a victory via out-spin is your best bet. You should also be mindful of what spin-direction your opponent's Beyblade is in, as weak-launching is an opposite-spin specific technique that falls flat when both Beyblade's are spinning in the same direction.
Weight Disk
Running Core
Flat Core, ~1.5g.
Completely flat plastic tip. Very basic design and iconic to first series releases.
Capable of aggressive patterns, best suited as an Attack-oriented RC, as it does not have enough endurance in a Stamina setup.
Slightly taller than ideal height for Attack types and lacks meaningful grip to any stadium, making it inferior to any other rubber-based or metal-based RCs.
Slightly more survivability than aforementioned RCs, but not so much as to lend itself to a particular niche counter setup.
Could see some use as a dedicated tornado staller, but given how aggressive even "passive" HMS combos are, this isn't a safe bet, nor a very entertaining playstyle.
Best Potential Combo:
AR: Samurai Upper (Right-Spin)
WD: CWD God Ring
RC: Flat Core
Game Plan: Launch aggressively as to allow for the RC to make rounds across the stadium's Tornado Ridge, giving you a chance to either score a fortunate knock out or avoid contact with opponent completely, and hope for an out-spin victory. It should be noted that depending on the stadium you use, the force put into the launch varies. For stadiums with less pronounced or slippery Tornado Ridges (BB-10 Attack Type, B-09 Burst Standard), consider practicing beforehand to make sure you aren't using so much force in your launch that the Flat Core RC skips the ridge and knocks itself out.