Kashtira is a punishing Control Deck archetype that just debuted in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. Its ability to banish cards face-down from anywhere on the field makes it so strong, it has dominated the TCG/OCG meta for a good while. Now that it's in Master Duel, check out the core deck list, key combos, as well as tips on how to play & counters against this Deck!

Kashtira Deck List

Main Deck: 40 cards
x3	x3	x3	x3	x2
x2	x2	x1	x1	x1
x1	x3	x3	x3	x3
x1	x3	x2	x1
Extra Deck: 15 cards
x1	x1	x1	x1	x3
x3	x1	x1	x1	x1
x1	-	-	-	-

Kashtira Breakdown

Tier Evaluation

Tier Ranking
Tier 1
Deck Archetype		Deck Difficulty
Control		Easy
Deck Evaluation
Simple one-card combo that's easy to master, hard to mess up Boss monsters can banish cards face-down, and lock card zones every time Can Special Summon a monster for free if the player doesn't control one

Kashtira Deck Guide: How to Play

Playstyle and Win Condition

Main Deck MonstersNEW

With the release of the Flame of Fury Selection Pack, Kashtira has gotten quite a lot of support. Now it can be its own Deck, being able to use more of its own archetype as a standalone Deck instead of having to use other Level 7 Monster options.

Kashtira Fenrir, Kashtira Unicorn and Kashtira Ogre all have the same conditions to activate their effect: if they declare an attack, or if an opponent's monster activates their effect, once per turn they can banish cards, face-down. Where and how they banish their cards from, varies between them.

The only difference now is that Kashtira Ogre can now be slid down to just 1 copy--if only to get Kashtira Preparations to banish even more cards from the opponent.

Kashtira Card	How and Where They Banish Cards
	Where: From the Field How: Target a face-up card the opponent controls
	Where: From the Extra Deck How: Look at the opponent's Extra Deck, then choose 1 card.
	Where: From the Main Deck How: Excavate between 1 to 5 cards, then pick one to be banished.

Kashtira Riseheart enables the Level 7 Xyz Summons for the Deck, as well as the banishing strategy most of its fellow monsters in the archetype allows. By banishing a fellow "Kashtira" monster, it can change its Level to Level 7, and banishes the top three cards from the opponent's Deck, face-down.

The two new additions to the Kashtira Deck are additional combo extenders, with both being Level 7 monsters. They can work in their respective archetypes, but in Kashtira Decks they are as equally powerful.

Scareclaw Kashtira, true to its original archetype, can attack while in Defense Position. On top of that, attacking "Kashtira" monsters will negate the effects of the monster its battling.

Also taking inspiration from its original archetype, Tearlaments Kashtira mills cards from the top of the Deck--the player can choose if it's from their own deck, or the opponent's. This makes it the perfect "Kashtira" monster to summon whiled Arise-Heart is on your field.

The staples for the hand traps are common as per usual. Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Maxx "C" are the usual mandatory cards to have in any Deck, while Dimension Shifter punishes Decks that uses the GY by having cards be banished instead of sent to the GY for essentially two turns.

Spell Cards

Kashtira Birth is very crucial to have this card face-up and active to enable the Deck's strengths. It does wonders for "Kashtira" monsters, being able to Special Summon them from the GY or the banish pile, and allowing Level 7 monsters to be Normal Summoned without tributing anything.

If the opponent activates a Spell Card while you control this card and another face-up "Kashtira," it can target 3 cards in their GY to be banished face-down.

The newest Spell Card for the archetype, Kastiratheosis, lets players Special Summon another "Kashtira" monster straight from the Deck, but it has to be a different Attribute than the targeted monster. When banished, it can retrieve a banished "Kashtira" card other than itself to be added to your hand.

The last Spell Card related to Kashtira is Pressure Planet Wraithsoth. On activation, it immediately searches out a "Kashtira" monster of your choice. It also gives a boost to your "Kashtira" monsters for every monster that has a different Attribute
on the field.

Its most important effect, however, is connected to Kashtira Shangri-Ira; if that Xyz Monster successfully resolves its effect, this card can target and destroy a card on the field.

Triple Tactics Talent and Triple Tactics Thrust are cards that are meant to counter hand-traps, or the usage of monster effects during your Main Phase. Technically, if you have them both on hand if the opponent uses a monster effect, you can use them in the same turn.

Talent can either provide cards to draw, steal a monster for a turn, or reshuffle a card from their hand to the Deck. Thrust grabs a Normal Spell or Normal Trap from the Deck that you can use in a future turn.

Pot of Prosperity usually forces the player to banish cards in their Extra Deck face-down to excavate a card, but in a Kashtira Deck with Kashtira Arise-Heart, this is now to their advantage!

Trap Cards

Kashtira Preparations enables Special Summoning "Kashtira" monsters that are banished or in your hand, and if the opponent activates a Trap Card while you control this card and a "Kashtira" monster, it can banish a card from the opponent's hand.

Kashtira Big Bang is the newest addition of the Deck, and immediately crucial for the Deck despite usually having one copy of it. It has field control by forcing the opponent to banish monsters until they only have one on the field.

Its second effect, however, is the more important. When banished, it takes one of the materials attached to a "Kashtira" Xyz Monster, and returns it to the hand. If it was a "Kashtira" monster that was retrieved, the player can Special Summon it afterwards.

Evenly Matched is one of the safest field-clearing cards in the game, and works well regardless if you go first or second in the Duel. How many copies in a Deck is up to the player, but stay at 40 cards, just 1 copy should be alright.

Infinite Impermanence can be activated from the hand if you have an empty field, and can negate a monster's effects until the end of the turn.

Extra Deck Monsters

There are two key Xyz Monsters, both Rank 7, that makes this Deck rather dangerous. The first is Kashtira Shangri-Ira, who can block out unused Main Monster Zones or Spell/Trap Zones every time an opponent's card gets banished face-down. It also Special Summons a "Kashtira" monster from the Deck every Standby Phase, furthur pressuring the opponent.

Though Number 89: Diablosis the Mind Hacker is now banned, the Deck gains a brand-new boss monster with the addition of Kashtira Arise-Heart.

It has an in-built Macro Cosmos effect that forces all cards that are supposed to go to the GY to be banished instead. It also has a once-per-chain effect that it can use any card that was banished to be attached as material--even face-down cards!

Lastly, it has a Quick Effect that banishes a card on the field face-down by detaching 3 materials. This effect also triggers the monster's own second effect.

As for the rest of the Xyz Monsters, run some really good Extra Deck monsters to consider. Number 11: Big Eye can steal the opponent's monster indefinitely, using it against their owners.

Dark Armed, the Dragon of Annihilation can destroy a cards the opponent's controls, at the cost of banishing a card and being unable to attack.

Though not advisable for the most part, there is some access to Level 10 Synchro Monsters--so long as you're willing to sacrifice a copy of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to use as a Tuner Monster.

These two Synchro Monsters are staples for Decks that can run them. Baronne de Fleur has its omni-negate, once-per-turn card destruction and the ability to Summon a monster from the GY.

Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying synergizes with the banishing strategy of the Deck, getting itself stronger and making the opponent's monsters weaker for each banished card from both players.

I:P Masquerena can be used as a quick out for other monsters, but it can technically be used to Link Summon Infinitrack Goliath.

This LINK-1 Monster can be used as material to be attached to Kashtira Arise-Heart, and because it's a Machine-type monster, the Xyz Monster gains the additional effect of being immune to card destruction effects.

Core Combos and Interactions

A simple combo that tries to test the waters of Kashtira's safety, safely summoning a Kashtira Shangri-Ira on the field and guaranteeing a Special Summon next Standby Phase.

Riseheart/Fenrir Start

Card(s) Needed
Step	Description
1	Special Summon Kashtira Fenrir from the hand, while you control no monsters on the field.
2	Activate Kashtira Fenrir's effect; search out a copy of Kashtira Unicorn from the Deck to the hand.
3	Activate the effect of Kashtira Riseheart from the hand; Special Summon it onto the field. (You are now locked to Xyz Summons until the end of the turn)
4	Activate the second effect of Kashtira Riseheart while on the field; banish Kashtira Ogre from the Deck, and make its own Level 7 until the end of the turn.
5	Using Kashtira Fenrir and the Level 7 Kashtira Riseheart as material, Xys Summon Kashtira Shangri-Ira in Defense Position.
6	Pass turn. Then, on the opponent's turn, activate the effect of Kashtira Shangri-Ira; Specail Summon Kashtira Unicorn from the Deck to your field.

One-Card Planet Pathfinder/Kashtira Unicorn Combo NEW

Starting with either a Planet Pathfinder or a Kashtira Unicorn basically means a full combo for the Deck. For safety's sake and maximum utilization, let's use the former as the starting piece.

Card Needed
Step	Description
1	Normal Summon Planet Pathfinder. Then, immeidately use its effect to tribute itself, and search Pressured Planet Wraithsoth from the Deck to the hand.
2	Activate the Field Spell Pressured Planet Wraithsoth. Upon activaion, it triggers its effect; use it to search Kashtira Unicorn.
3	While not having any monster on your field, Special Summon Kashtira Unicorn from the hand. Then, activate its effect to search a copy of Kashtiratheosis from the Deck to your hand.
4	Activate Kashtiratheosis; target Kashtira Unicorn, then Special Summon Kashtira Fenrir from the Deck.
5	Activate the effect of Kashtira Fenrir to search and add a copy of Kashtira Riseheart from the Deck to the hand.
6	Using Kashtira Fenrir and Kashtira Unicorn as Materials, Xyz Summon Kashtira Shangri-Ira.
7	Activate Kashtira Riseheart from the hand to Special Summon it. Then, activate its second effect--banish Kashtira Big Bang from the Deck, banish the top three cards of the opponent's Deck, and turn its Level to Level 7.
8	Chain Link 2:Activate the effect of Kashtira Big Bang after being banished; target Kashtira Shangri-Ira, then target the attached Kashtira Fenrir from it; add it to the hand, then immediately Special Summon it afterwards. Chain Link 1: Activate the effect of Kashtira Shangri-Ira; lock one of the zones on the opponent's side of the field.
9	Using the Level 7 Kashtira Riseheart as material, Xyz Summon Kashtira Arise-Heart.

Boss Monsters

	Kashtira Shangri-Ira
	The more materials Kashtira Shangri-Ira have attached to it, the more chances it has to protect itself from battle or card destruction effects. Each time you manage to banish a card the opponent has face-down, it can lock away any unused Main Monster Zones, or Spell/Trap Zones--including your opponent's.
	Kashtira Arise-Heart
	The newest boss monster of a Kashtira Deck, Kashtira Arise-Heart is what makes this Deck a top-tier contender. It has an in-built lingering effect that banishes all cards sent to the GY while this is on the field. On top of that, once-per-chain it can collect any banished card to be attached as material if a card is banished, and it has a Quick Effect that banishes a card on the field face-down.
	Number 11: Big Eye
	Number 11: Big Eye has a simple effect: it can steal a monster the opponent controls, indefinitely. This is extremely good to summon, especially if the opponent has a Boss Monster on their field that you can use for yourself.
	Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS - Sky Thunder
	A good overall field wipe, Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS - Sky Thunder can be summoned after one of your Xyz Monsters has launched an attack succesfully during the Battle Phase. This is one way to clear the field safely, and avoid effects that trigger if certain cards are destroyed.

Kashtira Counters: How to Beat

Best Decks to Use Against Kashtira

Exosisters

A couple of effects within the "Kashtira" monsters involve moving cards out of the Graveyard into somewhere else. This is the type of effect that the Exosisters are meant to hard counter. If this Deck manages to go first against any variant of the Kashitra Deck, it should be easier for the Exosisters to win.

Exosisters Deck List & Card Guide

Labrynth

Should Labrynth Decks go first against Kashtira, they have enough time to set up their monster effects and Trap Card recursion, so that they always have an answer to any move the Kashtira player will have.

Labrynth Control Deck List & Card Guide

Ishizu Tearlaments

To go against Ishizu Tearlaments comes down to who goes first, and the luck of the draw in the starting hand. Depending on both of these, the Duel can go either way up to turn one.

If Tearlaments can have numerous boss monsters on the field immediately, it's their win. If Kashtira can set up their banish effects before the opponent can set up, they have a better chance to win.

Ishizu Tearlaments Deck List & Card Guide

Traptrix

Much like Ishizu Tearlaments, a match against Traptrix comes down onto who can set up their resources properly first.

However, Traptrix becomes a little more dangerous due to their plethora of Trap Cards that can stop numerous plays a Kashtira Deck could do.

Traptrix Deck List & Card Guide

Best Cards to Tech Against Kashtira

	Chaos Hunter
	Expect Chaos Hunter to pop up as a counter against Kashtira Decks, especially during mirror matches. Once this monster hits the field, the opponent can no longer banish cards, regardless if it's face-up or face-down.
	Nibiru, the Primal Being
	Most combos for Kashtira Decks can involve up to 5 or more Summons in a single turn, especially if they are setting up for the banish effects. Take them out with one fell swoop with Nibiru, the Primal Being's effect.
	Dark Ruler No More
	Kashtira Decks are at their strongest when multiple monsters of theirs are on the field at the same time. Dark Ruler No More negates them all for the rest of the turn, giving you an opening to deal with them at the cost of not being able to deal damage until the turn is over.
	Skill Drain
	All the monsters of the Kashtira Deck need to be on the field face-up to trigger their various effects. Skill Drain prevents them from activating their effects at all, but you also do not get to use your own monsters' effects on the field. Be careful when teching in this card.
	Imperial Iron Wall
	With Imperial Iron Wall active, neither player can banish cards at all. This card is great for making sure that Kashtira can no longer mess with any of your cards.

Related Packs to Kashtira

Dreadnought Advance	Flame of Fury
Guardian of the Sacred Summit	Legacy Pack
Master Pack	Monster Overdrive
Number Recall	Rage of Chaos
The Noble Knights of Crimson Flowers

Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel Related Guides

Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel Deck Archetypes

Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel Decks

Deck Tier List: Best Decks for Season 35

List of All Covered Decks

World Champion Decks

2024 World Champions: Team 7
Horus Tearlaments	Yubel	Fire King Snake-Eyes
Salamangreat	Purrely	Vanquish Soul

Decks Used in Worlds 2024

Decks Used By All Teams in Worlds 2024
snipehunters	CER	Hero's Future
BOTB	MYYGO	Thank Love
CER 2 x FCG	BRAZ IL	Maxx “Yee”
Double Noir	Rogue Ruler

Aggro Decks

List of All Aggro Decks
D/D/D Aggro	Code Talker / Prank Kids	Zoodiac
Blue-Eyes	Virtual World	SPYRAL Control
Toon Kingdom	Red-Eyes	Blue-Eyes
Zoodiac	Prank-Kids	Zoodiac Tri-Brigade
Pure Tri-Brigade	Ancient Gear	Dragonmaid
Tri-Brigade Lyrilusc (Bird Up)	Dinosaur	Raidraptor
HERO	Dragon Link	Despia
Magikey	Adamancipator	Black Luster Soldier
Pendulum Magician	Stardust Dragon	Tenyi Swordsoul
Cyberdark	@Ignister	Cyber Dragon
The Winged Dragon of Ra	Despian Predaplant	Despia Darklord
Odd-Eyes Performapal	Numeron FTK	Six Samurai
ABC	Trickstar Windwitch	Blackwings
Fluffal	Cupid Pitch Turbo	Lunalight
Vampire	Ultra Athletes	Thunder Dragon
Z-ARC Pendulum Magician	Adventurer Rose Dragon Tenyi	Adventurer P.U.N.K.
Suship	Pure D/D/D	Numeron Egyptian Gods
Galaxy Eyes OTK	Borrelend Dragon Link	Vaylantz
Beetrooper	Icejade Ra	Therion ABC
Libromancer	Mathmech	Spright Evil☆Twin
Spright Tri-Brigade	Ishizu Chaos	Slifer Arcana Knights
Gaia OTK	Vernusylph	Ancient Warriors
Ghoti	Springans	8-Axis Gizmek Orochi
Danger! Dark World	Mikanko	Scareclaw Kashtira
Zombie World P.U.N.K.	Hungry Burger Nouvelles	Obelisk the Tormentor
Mannadium	Gate Guardian	Gold Pride P.U.N.K.
Superheavy Samurai	Nemleria	Dragon Rulers
Snake-Eye	T.G. Diabellstar	Skull Servant
Kaiju	Resonators	Earthbound
Malefic	Kozmo	Armored Xyz Shark
Unchained	Battlin' Boxer	Chimera Illusion
Fire King Snake-Eyes	Vaalmonica	Memento
Horus Tearlaments	Centur-Ion	Dragon Master Magia
Ice Barrier	Infernoid	Lightsworn
Ogdoadic Ragnaraika	Genex	Tenpai Dragon
Goblin Biker	Infernoble	Armed Dragon
Flame Swordsman	Melodious

Control Decks

List of All Control Decks
Invoked Shaddoll	Eldlich Control	Drytron Fairy
True Draco	Dark Magician	Traptrix
Phantom Knights	Madolche	Relinquished
P.U.N.K.	DPE Scythe	Evil★Twin
Paleozoic Frog	Salamangreat	Gravekeepers
Monarch	Tellarknight	Agent
Exosisters	Darklord	Plunder Patrol
Rikka	Floowandereeze	Adventurer Phantom Knights
Dinomoprhia	Tri-Brigade Gladiator Beast	Adventurer Witchcrafter
Dark Magician Gravekeeper	Branded Tri-Brigade	Branded Despia
Zombie Vampire	Blue-Eyes Jet Dragon	Spellbook
Branded Cyber Dragon	Branded Zombies	Pure Scareclaw
Dinomorphia	Runick	Labrynth
Harpies	Buster Blader	Umi Control
Endymion	Nekroz	Spright
Spright Runick	Ishizu Runick	Branded Ishizu
Crystal Beasts	Orcust	Altergeist
Witchcrafter	Subterror Krawler	Mayakashi
Ishizu Tearlaments	Evilswarm	Melffy Spright
Bystial Branded	Dogmatika Bystial	Naturia Runick
Generaiders	Kashtira	Purrely
Ninja	Rescue-ACE	Gishki Spright
Prediction Princess	Vanquish Soul	Jinzo
Egyptian God	Ojama Control	Aromage
Ghostrick	Kuriboh	Anti-Meta Stun
Runick Spright Fur Hire	Horus Control	Toy Box Dark Magician
Yubel	Voiceless Voice	Rikka Ragnraika
Ritual Beast	Shining Sarcophagus

Burn Decks

List of All Burn Decks
Red-Eyes Burn	Timelord Burn	Chain Burn
D.D. Dynamite	Igknight OTK	Cubic
Dinosaur Bishbaalkin FTK	Volcanic Snake-Eyes	Transaction Rollback Burn

Alt-Win Decks

List of All Alternate Win Decks
Crooked Cook Exodia	Flower Cardian Exodia	Treasure Panda Exodia
Suicide	Defense OTK

All Budget Decks

List of All Budget Deck Guides
Budget Shark Xyz	Budget Eldlich	Budget Hippo Turbo
Budget Despia	Budget F.A. Metalfoes	Budget Blue-Eyes White Dragon
Budget Chain Burn	Budget Majespecter	Budget Yosenju
Budget Flower Cardian	Budget True Draco	Budget Amorphage
Budget Ishizu Tearlaments

Best Cards for Decks

Lists of Best Cards for Deck Building
Best Staple Cards		Best Searchers		Best Hand Traps
Best Board Wipes		Best Negates		Best Fusion Monsters
Best Synchro Monsters		Best Xyz Monsters		Best Link Monsters
Best Structure Decks			Best Decks to Go 1st or 2nd