Best Deck Engines Tier List

Engines are a crucial part in the deck-building process in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. They are options players can consider in strengthening a Deck and its viability in Duels. Read on to learn about the importance of Engines, the types of Engines often used in the current meta, and possible counters against such Engines.

The Best Engines To Use

The rankings of this Engine tier list are based on their flexibility to be added in different decks, the consistency and efficiency of the Engine's play style, and the space it takes up in a Deck List. More will be added to this artcile over time, so stay tuned!

Tier	Engines

What are Engines?

In constructing a Deck, it is always good to consider how cards play off of one another. When a number of cards have synergy that can potentially be used by other Decks, that can be considered an Engine.

Engines are a select combination of cards that can be played into a strategy in a very synergistic way. They provide additional options to Decks that could provide additional flexibilities and win conditions a regular Deck would normally not have.

For example, a normally slow Deck with stalling as its main strategy can suddenly become a combo Deck with an aggressive, Extra Deck-dependent playstyle. Or, perhaps, a regular floodgate Deck switches the playstyle with an alternate win condition at play.

Types of Engines

Engine Directory
Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer	Halqifibrax-Auroradon	Kaijus
Invoked Fusion	Impcantation	Dogmaika
Deep Sea Diva	Rose Dragons	Brilliant Fusion
Sky Strikers	Adventurers	Branded Fusion
Therion	Spright	Illusion of Chaos
Ishizu Cards	Bystials	Kashtira
Diabellstar Sinful Spoils

Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer

The crux of this Engine revolves around the Fusion Summoning of Destiny HERO - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer, often nicknamed as DPE. What makes this card dangerous as a boss monster is its elusiveness, its Quick Effect to destroy cards and the fact that it can target itself to be resurrected should it be destroyed by battle or card effect.

Making this easy to Fusion Summon is Fusion Destiny, which needs the Fusion Materials to be either in the Deck or at hand to be used properly. Making it easier to use the Fusion Spell, even if it's not on hand is Predaplant Verte Anaconda, taking on the effect of Fusion Destiny at the cost of 2000 Life Points.

The ideal materials to use for the Fusion Summon are Destiny HERO - Dasher and Destiny HERO - Celestial. Celestial can provide two cards to draw by banishing it from the Graveyard if you do not have cards on hand. Dasher, on the other hand, provides offensive support by being able to Special Summon you draw once per turn.

Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer Post-September Banlist

Losing Destiny HERO - Celestial to the Forbidden list loses the engine's ability for resource refreshing and management, and Fusion Destiny being Limited to 1 copy forces players to protect the activation of Predaplant Verte Anaconda's effect.

The heavy hit is the Celestial ban, but players have found other Destiny HERO monsters to use as substitutes for the now-banned card. Destiny HERO - Denier can refresh banished Destiny HERO Cards, to be placed on top of the Deck, which perfectly synergizes with Destiny HERO - Malicious using its own effect to Special Summon a copy of itself by banishing itself from the GY.

While not a widespread option, Destiny HERO - Drawhand can Special Summon itself from the GY through its own effect, and it can provide a free draw as well.

Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer Counters

Fortunately, the combo's main weakness happens to be the Extra Deck monster themselves. While the DPE engine is both flexible and powerful, it has its own setbacks.

	Predaplant Verte Anaconda Counters

You can stop the combo by destroying Predaplant Verte Anaconda before it can activate its effect, or by negating the Link Monster's effect to Fusion Summon as soon as the opponent triggers it. This is the monster that makes the Fusion Summoning much easier, so dealing with its effect forces the DPE user to draw Fusion Destiny in order to properly Summon Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer.

	Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer Counters

A good plan to consider to get through Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer is to either get it off the field without destroying the Fusion Monster and send it to the Graveyard, or deny it the Graveyard by banishing it. What makes DPE so annoying is that its effect triggers if it gets destroyed and sent to, and it can target itself to be revived on the next Standby Phase, ready to activate its Quick Effect as soon as it's back on the field.

Halqifibrax-Auroradon

This Engine has been made unplayable with this selection of cards, with Crystron Halqifibrax being banned as of September 30.

Crystron Halqifibrax is one of the most significant Link Monsters in the game, opening up options for the Extra Deck and for combos into Link Summoning. Its utility alone in multiple Decks is enough to make it Limited to 1 when Master Duel was launched.

Players from the card game then noticed that its combo with Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon can be replicated here even with the former's Limited status, then using the latter's effect to summon three tokens for the player to use at their discretion. They can be used by Auroradon's second effect to summon Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion then go into a Synchro play, or use those three tokens for a potential LINK-4 strategy.

In Master Duel, players also use Deskbot 001 for this strategy, and when used as Halqifibrax's Special Summoned monster and then used with the Link Monster as materials for Auroradon, then Deskbot's effect triggers and it can be used to go into Baronne de Fleur as an optional boss monster to consider.

Halqifibrax-Auroradon Counters

The two Link Monsters are more often than serving as steps to get to their boss monsters faster; thus, stopping them lets the player prevent the opponent from getting to their win conditions.

	Halqifibrax-Auroradon Counters

Both Crystron Halqifibrax and Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon have Special Summon effects, so it's fairly easy to counter their ability to continue the combo. How the player times the negation--whether to negate Halqifibrax's or Auroradon's effect--will be up to their discretion.

Kaijus

An archetype taking heavy inspiration from a very famous monster film, Kaijus can be considered the best Monster disruption engine. Being able to remove an opponent's boss monster and replace it with a Kaiju is a looming threat for most Extra Deck-centric strategies.

The idea is to summon one of the Kaijus with lower ATK, like Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju and Gadarla, the Mystery Dust Kaiju to the opponent's side of the field, and the player has the option to summon one of their own with higher ATK such as Jizukiru, the Star Destroying Kaiju.

This strategy is further taken to a new level with Interrupted Kaiju Slumber; it destroys all the opponent's monsters (although this could trigger effects like DPE), then it summons two Kaiju monsters on the field--one on their own side, and one on the opponent's side--and the player gets to choose which ones are summoned.

Kaiju Counters

	Kaiju Counters

Even though Kaijus tribute an opponent's monster to be summoned on their side of the field, it is still considered a Special Summon. Any card on the field that actively blocks Special Summons on field would prevent the Kaiju user from being able to even do the Tribute summoning condition.

While in principle, having monsters that cannot be Tributed are good counters against Kaiju monsters, boss monsters wwith this effect mentioned in their card text is extremely rare. A very notable example is Quintet Magician, a boss Spellcaster monster that cannot be Tributed and often brought out as a last resort.

Another considerable option is to straight-up clear the field of all monsters on both sides of the field. Classic cards like Dark Hole and Torrential Tribute are well worth considering for players worried aboutt Kaijus coming out of nowhere.

Invoked Fusion

One of the most recognizable Engines within the game, the Invoked Fusion Engine arguably has the fewest requirements to make it work, giving it some of the most flexible choices during deck construction.

The two key cards for this archetype are Aleister the Invoker and Invocation. Aleister searches out the latter whenever it gets Normal Summoned, searching out the powerful Field Spell. It can act like a normal Fusion Spell much like Polymerization, or it can make use of monsters from either player's Graveyard for Fusion Materials if it Fusion Summons an Invoked Fusion Monster.

Making it easier to get the Engine started is the Field Spell Magical Meltdown which searches out Aleister to add to the hand, and makes sures all Fusion Summons done by the user cannot be negated nor can be responded to with cards or effects.

What makes this engine very potent are the broad material requirements for nearly all of the Invoked Fusion Monsters. Save for Elysium which needs an Invoked Monster an an Extra Deck-summoned monster, the Fusion materials are either one of the six common Attributes (FIRE, WATER, WIND, EARTH, LIGHT, DARK), or a fellow Fusion Monster.

Invoked Fusion Counters

	Invoked Fusion Engine Counters

Players can counter the Invoked Engine like a normal Fusion Summon would; if the opponent activates Invocation, negate it as soon as possible. Better yet, pressure the opponent to deal with the boss monsters and back row that can stop the Invoker user from using the Fusion Spell.

If Magical Metldown is already on the field, players will have to deal with it first. So long as that Field Spell remains active, Invoked Fusions will be impossible to stop or to respond with counters.

Impcantation

Ritual Summoning enjoys a very solid support Engine in the form of the Impcantation archetype, which provides resource management and presence on the field.

Each of the Impcantation monsters provide benefits whenever they are used as materials for a Ritual Summon. Candoll and Bookstone manages Ritual Spells from either the Deck or GY, while Talismandra and Penciplume adds a Ritual Monster to the hand.

Furthering the support is the Ritual Spell Impcantation Inception is a universal Ritual Spell that can be used on any Ritual archetype. As an added bonus, once per turn while this card is in the Graveyard it can Special Summon an Impcantation monster from the Deck and add itself back to the hand.

Impcantation Counters

	Impcantation Engine Counters

Ritual Monster-based decks are inherently weaker compared to the current meta centered around the Extra Deck. Their reliance on Ritual Spells, and the Ritual Monsters being in the Main Deck instead of the Extra Deck, makes the play style inherently slower in comparison to other methods. All you have to do is negate the effects of the Ritual Spell, monsters of the archetype or just outright deny the ability to Special Summon.

Dogmatika

A very powerful Engine that when built right, it can work on its own as a standalone Deck. The Dogmatika engine serves as a direct counter to Extra Deck Monster-heavy Decks, as most of the monster effects from this Engine all benefit if the opponent has an Extra Deck monster that was Special Summoned on the field. Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, Pendulum and Link Monsters all count.

Dogmatika Ecclesia, the Virtuous can be Special Summoned if the opponent has one on their side of the field, and cannot be destroyed by an Extra Deck monster as well. It also searches out a fellow Dogmatika monster to add to the hand. Make sure to bring her out last, however, as Ecclesia restricts Special Summons the moment she is summoned to the field.

The other Dogmatika monsters gain their own benefits should there be a fellow Dogmatika monster on the field besides themselves. Fleurdelis, the Knighted has a non-targeting negate effect against monsters, can boost their ATK by 500 whenever this card attacks, and its Special Summon is a Quick Effect during the Main Phase. Maximus on the other hand wrecks Extra Decks by sending two cards from there to the GY in the cost of having the player do the same.

Nadir Servant searches out a Dogmatika monster from the Deck or GY to add to the hand, and Dogmaika Punishment destroys a monster by sending an Extra Deck monster with ATK higher than the target to the Graveyard. Though, be careful with Punishment; this Trap Card locks the user out of Special Summons until the end of their next turn.

It's the constant sending of Extra Deck cards to the GY that the player's Extra Deck needs to have these on them as well. For example, Elder Entity N'tss targets and destroys a card on the field when sent to the GY. Titaniklad the Ash Dragon can Special Summon another Dogmatika monster or a Fallen of Albaz to the end of the player's turn that had this card be sent to the Graveyard.

Dogmatika Counters

	Dogmatika Engine Counters

The most imporant card in this engine is Dogmatitka Ecclesia; this monster card single-handedly enables the anti-Extra Deck strategy to come online. Thus, neutralizing it as soon as possible is crucial. Remember that while the Dogmatika Engine is very strong against Extra Deck options, anything from the Main Deck that destroys is fair game.

Another option worth considering is by denying Special Summons as well. For effects that lock the user out of Special Summons, they go and do Special Summons quite a bit themselves.

Deep Sea Diva

This engine is a little more restrictive compared to other Engines, as the titular monster card has a specific requirement to make use of its effect. Nevertheless, players can can make use of this on non-Sea Serpent Decks with the right setup.

As mentioned, Deep Sea Diver can only Special Summon Level 3 or lower Sea Serpent monsters when it is Normal Summoned. Sea Serpents are not exactly enjoying a lot of support, but two archetypes can make use of it quite well: Mermail and Atlantean.

The idea for this engine is for easy access to Link and Synchro plays, which is why Crystron Halqifibrax makes an appearance in here. These are brought out after being summoned by Diva, Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince and Atlantean Dragoons. Once Halqifibrax is played, it uses its effect to bring out a Tuner, and an idea lone to go with this theme is Fishborg Launcher.

There are a lot of options to consider when going for a Synchro Summon, even with Launcher's restriction of only being able to be used for a WATER Synchro Monster. With options like Trishula, Zero Dragon of the Ice Barrier, Ravenous Crocodragon Archethys, or Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying, the engine can be quite tantalizing for WATER specialists.

Deep Sea Diva Counters

	Deep Sea Diva Engine Counters

This engine is mainly built to be a boost for Link Monsters and Synchro Monsters, thus needing quite a lot of Special Summons. Its signature playstyle is unfortunately its own weak point players can target. Negating the monster's effect to do Special Summons, or stopping the Summon itself is how you can take down the Deep Sea Diva engine easily.

Rose Dragons

Another Synchro-based Engine, the Rose Dragons enjoy quite a bit of flexibility with its smaller card pool and optional Synchro Monsters with very potent effects that pressures the opponent.

The three key cards here are Roxrose Dragon, Red Rose Dragon, and the Quick-Play Spell Basal Rose Shoot. The combo composing of these three cards enable bringing out crucial boss monsters out on the field much easier.

The idea is that after using Red Rose as material for a Synchro Summon, its effect triggers and Roxrose Dragon gets Special Summoned onto the field. Its summoning lets you search out the Quick-Play Spell, then use it to bring back Red Rose Dragon back onto the field. This opens up options for higher Leveled Synchro Monsters, such as Ruddy Rose Dragon and Baronne de Fleur.

Black Rose Dragon gets special mention for this as it can be used in the initial half of this combo for an easy field clear upon being Synchro Summoned, pressuring the opponent to waste a negation effect unless they want their cards destroyed by the Synchro Monster's effect.

Rose Dragon Counters

	Rose Dragon Engine Counters

Much like the Deep Sea Diva engine, Rose Dragons provide additional power for Synchro-based Decks. That means a focus on Special Summons, and anything that breaks the chain of Special Summons will derail the Engine's win condition. At all costs, do not let this Engine get to bring out the boss monsters onto the field.

Brilliant Fusion

A Fusion-based engine that was once prolific in the actual card game, it carries over some of its strength to Master Duel with a few Fusion Monsters to consider.

The Gem-Knight archetypes are famously known for one of their Fusion Spells being one of the best of its kind in Brilliant Fusion. The strategy was so potent that the OCG has this card Limited, TCG has outright labelled this card as Forbidden, and Master Duel has this card Limited upon launch.

What makes it strong is its ability to conduct a Fusion Summon with materials from the Deck, using Gem-Knight Garnet as the Gem-Knight monster required as material. While it drains the Fusion Monster's stats top 0, it does not negate their effects. Players worked around this loophole and play Gem-Knight Seraphinite, which grants the player an additonal Normal Summon. Being able to Normal Summon twice in one turn is very useful in just about any Deck.

Some use Brilliant Fusion as an extender of sorts to other plays, like another Extra Deck monster type. Synchro and Xyz can make use of the Fusion Monsters as material. All the user has to keep mind of is having the correct Gem-Knight Fusion Monster to bring out with its material requirements.

Brilliant Fusion Counters

	Brilliant Fusion Engine Counters

Much like Fusion-based Decks, the weak point for this engine is the Fusion Spell itself. If it gets negated, or if there is a card out there that actively blocks the Fusion Summon attempt, the Engine completely falls apart.

Another notable weakness this engine has is its tendency to have dead draws--drawing a card the player cannot use to their advantage immediately. Gem-Knight Garnet may be Level 4 and have 1900 ATK, which is nothing to scoff at, but the fact that this is a Normal Monster means the player has to use even more cards to make up for its presence in the game.

Sky Strikers

The Sky Strikers can stand on their own as a very competitive Deck even in the higher tiers of Ranked Duels, but quite a lot of players do use this archetype as a supportive Engine as well!

Remembering that the archetype gets its main benefit from having no monsters in the Main Monster Zones, the Sky Striker engine is a good way to open the turn. You can run the engine and play it as if you were playing a Sky Striker Deck, before pivoting hard into your Deck's actual strategy. Decks that benefits from using lots of Spell Cards are perfect for this Engine.

Sky Strikers enjoy quite a lot of Spell Cards to use, and it rewards you for using as much as possible. The important Link Monsters to have are Sky Striker Ace - Kagari, which recycles a Sky Striker Spell Card from the GY back to the hand; and Sky Striker Ace - Shizuku, which searches out a Sky Striker Spell from the Deck to the hand.

The idea is to generate as much advantage as possible with the Sky Strikers' Spell Cards before making the switch to your Deck's true win condition. When done right, this can take the opponent off guard after possibly spending resources to deal with the Sky Strikers and their Spell Cards.

The number of Spell Cards this archetype has also benefits the Deck too. For example, Mobilize - Engage! is one of the best cards to draw cards, Mecha Module - Multirole prevents the opponent to respond to Spell Cards in general, Mecha - Widow Anchor can potentially negate the effect and even steal a monster, and Mecha - Hornet Drones can bring out a Token to be used at the player's discretion.

Sky Striker Counters

	Sky Striker Engine Counters

Spell Cards are the lifeblood for the Sky Striker Engine. The more that are used and are accumulated in the Graveyard, the better the advantage gained with each subsequent Spell Card used. Players that know they are dealing witth Sky Strikers must be ready to negate as many as possible so that they do not reap the benefits immediately.

The Link Monsters themselves are easy to deal with due to having a generally low statline, most boss monsters can deal with them with sheer power. Any monster with 2000 ATK or higher to accommodate Sky Striker Ace - Kagari's effect should be enough.

Adventurer Engine

Introduced with the addition of the Wandering Travelers Selection Pack, the popular Adventurer Engine has already made its impact known to the meta of Duel Links. Water Enchantress of the Temple and Rite of Aramesir became the first cards in Master Duel to immediately enter the banlist in any capacity upon being added to the game; that alone tells just how powerful this Engine is.

The play style around this Deck revolves around the use of the Adventurer Token, a Token Monster that is a Level 4 Fairy Monster with 2000 ATK and DEF. While its stats are impressive, all the cards within the Adventurer Engine (or the Wandering archetype for that matter) have effects that revolve around having this specific Token Monster on the field.

A simple combo involving the Token out by searching for and using Rite of Aramesir, activating Fateful Journey to search out and Special Summon Wandering Gryphon Rider, then equip Dracoback, the Rideable Dragon to the Adventure Token.

No Field Spell Active
	X		X
-	-	-

This results in a field that has two powerful monsters, an omni-negate effect and a free bounce to an opponent's monster thanks to Dracoback granting the Adventurer Token that effect. As this engine does not include any Extra Deck Monster, nor does it take that much space in Deck building, this engine is extremely splashable to just about every Deck that does not need a Normal Summon to kick off their combo.

On top of that, if the engine ends up being broken, the player can use the Token for one of their Extra Deck monsters should it help fulfill its material conditions.

Adventurer Engine Counters

	Adventurer Engine Counters

This engine has its giant bullseye of a weakness in the Adventurer Token. Get it off the field, and the bonus effects of the archetype are also gone.

However, most of the time the Adventurer Engine is going to be protected a lot. Multiple defenses like negation and counters will be ready to protect the Token, especially the omni-negate from Wandering Gryphon Rider. Some ways to get through this engine is either by negating the effects on monsters of the field, tributing monsters from the field, or just straight-up stopping all Special Summons on the field, including Tokens.

Branded Fusion

The Branded and Despia archetypes have reached their full power when the Branded Fusion Spell Card was released in the Selection Pack The Newborn Dragon, alongside more support for the archetypes, especially additions to the Extra Deck.

The Engine synergizes especially well with Decks that focus on LIGHT and/or DARK monsters, even more so if they are Fusion-based. Keep that in mind, as the tittular Spell Card locks the player into using only Fusion Monsters from the Extra Deck after its activation until the end of the turn.

The cards to remember are Fallen of Albaz, Aluber the Jester of Despia and Branded Fusion. Albaz is needed to conduct Fusion Summons as the Fusion Monsters specifically require this monster as one of its materials. Aluber the Jester of Despia is the best searcher for Branded Fusion, and is often the one-card comb starter for this Deck Engine.

Other cards of the archetype make for great support, that when built right the Branded Engine can be its own deck in Branded Despia. Branded Opening can search out Aluber to kickstart the Engine's combo, Despian Comedy and Despian Tragedy have great Graveyard effects, and Branded in Red is a Quick-Play Fusion Spell that can be activated during the opponent's turn.

The power of the Engine lies in the Boss monster it provides, with the Fusion materials being provided by the engine itself. Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon and Lubellion the Searing Dragon are the newest additions added in the game through the Selection Pack, and serve as combo extenders on top of having powerful stats.

Masquerade the Blazing Dragon is a very popular pick for Control Decks due to its burn effect, Titaniklad the Ash Dragon gets a stat boost and a one-turn immunity against effects from Special Summoned monsters, and Albion the Branded Dragon serves as a Fusion Summoning combo extender, letting the player Fusion Summon as soon as the card itself is Fusion Summoned.

Branded Fusion Counters

	Branded Fusion Counters

Due to its effect-centric strengths, it just about shares the same weaknesses as the Adventurer Engine. Anything that prevents Special Summons, clears the field, or negates effects using timing can cripple the Engine greatly.

A Deck that uses the Branded Engine would definitely mean it has floodgates and hand traps at the ready to protect the combo. Be prepared at a moment's notice once the Branded Fusion Engine user tries to search out the Spell Card.

Therion

Therions are relatively easy to summon, as they can be Special Summoned from the hand, as its requirement is to have a monster of its corresponding type equipped to any of the "Therion" monsters. If they happen to equip fellow "Therion" monsters, they will receive additional effects as a bonus. Their roles are very flexible, somtimes acting as aces, and sometimes filling in to support the Deck's playstyle.

Each of the "Therion" monsters caters to a different type of monster, which lets them fit in various archetypes; "Bull" Ain supports Warrior-types, "Duke" Yul is tied to Psychic-types, "Empress" Alasia helps Reptile-types, "King" Regulus aids Machine-types, "Lily" Borea fits with Plant-types, and "Reaper" Fum fits with Aqua-type Monsters.

The Spells and Traps in this archetype opens up more plays, aiding both the "Therion" monsters and the archetypes they aid. Endless Engine Argyro System is their exclusive Field Spell that has a Foolish Burial-esque effect, and can recycle cards from the GY. Therion Charge provides additional draw power, while Therion Discolosseum provides battle protection and is the main searcher for the engine.

As for Traps, Therion Cross is a good counter against monster effects, negating and/or banishing them afterwards, while Therion Stand Up! is a Monster Reborn-like effect that also equips another "Therion" monster for additional resource.

Therion Counters

	Therion Counters

The focus on resources in the GY and their ability to Special Summon by utilizing cards there serve as both its theme for play style, and its greatest weakness. The fact that it equips monster cards for effects makes them vulnerable for backrow-targeting effects.

In the early game, the advantages brought by a "Therion" engine can be quite manageable. Players have to nip this Engine in the bud before the player can get too much of an advantage to stop.

Spright

Sprights gave Level 2 monsters and archetypes that use those kinds of monsters a much-needed boost, enough that it can be a standalone Deck.

The Main Deck monsters can be Special Summoned from the hand simply by having either a Level 2 Monster, Rank 2 Xyz Monster, or LINK-2 Link Monster on the field. Spright Blue searches out a fellow "Spright" monster when it gets Special Summoned, while Spright Jet can add a "Spright" Spell or Trap from the Deck to the hand.

Spright Carrot and Spright Red are the most dangerous cards, because of their ability to negate either Spells/Traps or Monster effects, respectfully. Usually players would bring them out through the help of Gigantic Spright and Spright Elf.

Spright Starter can either be a combo extender or combo starter, depending on when it is activated. Spright Smashers banishes a couple of "Spright" in order to banish one from the opponent. Spright Gamma Burst is a more offensive verson that povides a hefty ATK boost until the end of the opponent's turn.

Spright Counters

	Therion Counters

Countering the Spright Engine forces players to be mindful of their timing; most of the time, they can play through it effectively well. For commonplace hand traps, only two are more effective: Maxx "C" punishes their constant Special Summon, while Called by the Grave stops any "Spright" from being Special Summoned from the GY thanks to Spright Elf.

Getting rid of the two negating monsters on the field is paramount against this Engine (and its standalone Deck) if it ever gets its proper field combo. Kaijus, The Winged Dragon of Ra - Sphere Mode and more popularly Lava Golem can remove them of the field without triggering either "Spright" monster.

Illusion of Chaos/Magicians' Souls

With the release of Illusion of Chaos with the Vortex of Magic Structure Deck, this specific Engine is officially playable in the Master Duel format.

The titular Ritual Monster Illusion of Chaos is the main enabler of this Deck, having an effect that searches out one of the best "Dark Magician"-related monsters, Magicians' Souls. Its draw effect is what makes this Deck very powerful, only having to send Spell Cards from the hand or field to the GY, and players can choose up to two cards to send as the cost.

This Engine is best suited for Decks that do not mind, or even benefit, having Spell Cards in the Graveyard. Decks that also send Spellcasters to the GY, or generally run DARK monsters, can greatly benefit from this simple combo.

Illusion of Chaos/Magicians' Souls Counters

	Illusion of Chaos Counters

Because of the very nature of the Deck Engine, it can be pretty hard to counter the card advantage the Illusion of Chaos/Magicians' Souls combo provides. All it provides is card advantage, and a chance to get rid of any bricks or bad draws from the hand while replenishing it afterwards. Only a handful of cards can counter this combo as of the moment.

Spright Red has an omni-negate against monster effects, so it can effectively stop the combo from even beginning. Droll & Lock Bird stops any further card advantage or drawing after the search effect. Runick players can rest easy with Runick Dispelling easily punishing searchers, and Mistake just prevent both players from adding cards to the hand outside of drawing them.

Ishizu Cards

The Ishizu Cards are named due to their affiliation with one of the characters in the original anime series, Ishizu Ishtar. They are composed of four monsters that work in pairs to disrupt the opponent by milling their Deck repeatedly.

Agido the Ancient Sentinel and Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard are the main millers, and you want to send them to the Graveyard as soon as possible. They mill 5 cards from both player's Decks, and they can trigger one after another if the other card is sent to the GY through their effects.

Keldo the Sacred Protector and Mudora the Sword Oracle can shuffle cards from both players' GYs back to the Deck as a Quick Effect. This can be used as both a tool to save your cards, and to disrupt the opponent's plays.

The old Exchange of the Spirit acts as a booster for these set of cards; when it is in the Graveyard, the Ishizu Cards' effects not only get stronger, but they gain an additional effect as well.

As for Gravekeeper's Trap, it acts as a pseudo-Necrovalley, preventing the opponent for activating effects or Special Summoning monsters from the GY.

Ishizu Cards Counters

	Ishizu Cards Counters

D.D. Crow is a great hand trap to have if Agido or Kelbek are sent to the GY. Before they can trigger their effect in the next Effect Chain, activate this from the hand to banish them before they can use their effect.

Graveyard disruptions are great against this specific Engine. Necrovalley locks down the GY so that no cards from there can leave, and Macro Cosmos can banish cards that are meant to go to the GY instead.

In a mirror match between two Decks that run the Ishizu Cards, it is basically a war of attrition. Be mindful of what cards will you recycle back to the Deck, whether its to disrupt or to recover your own resources.

Bystial Engine

Bystials are a Dragon-type archetype that specializes in Special Summoning themselves from the hand by banishing either a LIGHT or DARK monster from the GY. It becomes a Quick Effect if the opponent already controls a monster on the field.

Only The Bystial Lubellion gets a different effect, acting as the searcher for the other "Bystial" monsters to add from Deck to hand. It can also search a Continuous "Bystial" Spell/Trap and place them on the field face-up.

Bystial Counters

	Bystial Counters

The Bystial Lubellion acts as a simple searcher, but can double as a high-stat monster that can place support cards for its archetype on the field, ready to go. Try to negate its search effect to prevent it from getting the other "Bystial" monsters on hand.

As for the rest of the monsters, you can stop them in multiple ways. Maxx "C" is the ultimate Special Summon punish, while cards like Baronne de Fleur and PSY-Framegear Gamma negate the Special Summon and destroy the card.

Imperial Iron Wall, Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion and Chaos Hunter prevent cards from being banished, while Necrovalley locks down cards in the GY from moving anywhere else. Meanwhile, Super Polymerization has started becoming a popular choice to get rid of monsters without destroying them.

Kashtira

If some Decks need power and presence on the field before properly starting their combos, they can always start with the Kashtira monsters.

Their effect that allows them to be Special Summoned if you control no monsters. If a monster the opponent owns activates an effect, Fenrir banishes face-down a face-up card they control, while Unicorn banishes face-down a card from their Extra Deck.

At the cost of being locked into Xyz Summons for the rest of the turn, Kasthiratheosis Special Summons a fellow "Kashtira" monster with a different Attribute to the field in Defense Position.

Kashtira Birth has three functions: Special Summon your "Kashtira" monsters in the GY or in the Banish pile, banish cards from the opponent's GY face-down if you control this card and another "Kashtira" monster, and Normal Summon Level 7 monsters without tributes.

They also have access two powerful Xyz monsters. Kashtira Shangri-Ira provides a Special Summon for a "Kashitra" monster every Standby Phase, and will lock one of your opponent's Field Zones every time you banish a card face-down.

Kashtira Arise-Heart can be summoned even with just one "Kashtira" monster as material, so long as a Kashitra Shangri-Ira resolves one of its effects successfully. It acts as a pseudo-Macro Cosmos, and can absorb a banished card, even face-down ones each time a card(s) is banished.

Diabellstar Sinful Spoils

For Decks that want some draw power alongside either additional control over the field, or a signifiant combo extender for certain Decks, the Diabellstar Engine is one of the best to add since the release of the Ride Into the Future Selection Pack.

Getting Diabellstar with Seeker of Sinful Spoils sends the Quick-Play Spell the GY, which the monster's effect can search out either Original Sinful Spoils or Sinful Spoils of Subversion. After activating the Spell Cards, Seeker of Sinful Spoils can be activated from the GY, shuffle back a "Sinful Spoils" card to the Deck, and you get a free draw.

Depending on what Deck you use, either of the two Spell Cards can work. If you need a way to get rid of pesky boss monsters without sending them to the GY or shuffling them back to the Extra Deck, Sinful Spoils of Subversion - Snake-Eye is the card to go. Meanwhile, if your Deck runs a Level 1 FIRE monster like say, Snake-Eye Deck or T.G. Deck, run Original Sinful Spoils - Snake-Eye for the combo extension.

Diabellstar Sinful Spoils Counters

Cards that counter GY effects or search effects should be great against this Deck Engine, but be careful when using them here as it might be bait for the other plays the Deck could have. Cards like Ash Blossom and Droll & Lock Bird stops the searches, Called by the Grave negates Diabellstar, Necrovalley can keep cards locked int he GY, and Angelica's Angelic Ring negates the first Spell Card activated while this card is on the field.

Resonator

For Decks centered around Fiend-type monsters and can pivot into Synchro Mosnters, consider adding the Resonator Engine with Crimson Gaia being able to add Soul Resonator, then after being Summoned it can search out any Level 4 or lower Fiend-type monster from the Deck except itself.

The search effect locks the user into only DARK Dragon Synchro Monsters for the rest of the turn, which is where the "Red Dragons" come in, starting with Red Rising Dragon, eventually into summoning Scarred Dragon Archfiend--often times with the help of Vision Resonator.

Resonator Counters

Much like the other Deck Engines that rely on the GY as a secondary resource pool or various search effects, hand traps and anti-search effects are good cards against this Engine. Cards like Ash Blossom and Droll & Lock Bird stops the searches, Called by the Grave banishes the DARK Dragon-type Synchro Monsters, Necrovalley can keep cards locked int he GY, and Angelica's Angelic Ring negates the first Spell Card activated while this card is on the field.

For more specific counters, Summon Limit limits both players into two summons only per turn, while Grave of the Super Ancient Organism nullifies any efficiency of monsters Level 6 or above--coincidentally most DARK Dragon-type Synchro Mosnters are. Stygian Dirge will mess with Levels of monsters on the field, and the Bystial Dragons can banish DARK monsters as possible Quick Effects.

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