Dragon Rulers Deck List & Card Guide

They were once so powerful, all of their main cards were completely banned from play. Now, they are back at full power. It's time to play the notorious Dragon Rulers! Check out the core deck list, key combos, as well as how to play, alternate options & counters against this Deck!

Dragon Rulers Deck List

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

Dragon Rulers Breakdown

Tier Evaluation

Tier Ranking
Tier 1
Deck Archetype		Deck Difficulty
Aggro		Medium
Deck Evaluation
Dragon Rulers are now at full strength, all cards are unlimited Has access to multiple Deck engines to be a turbo Aggro Deck Has potential to have extreme card advantaged thanks to Super Rejuvenation

Dragon Rulers Deck Guide: How to Play

Once upon a time, the Dragon Rulers were the most feared cards in all of Yu-Gi-Oh! They were an archetype so powerful, just about all of their main monsters were once made Forbidden!

However, as of January 10 2024, all the Dragon Rulers are fully unlimited and can now make their own Aggro Deck!

Playstyle and Win Condition

Dragon Rulers

The crux of the entire Deck are the Dragon Rulers; monsters that can easily Special Summon themselves by discarding two cards--either its respective Attribute or a fellow Dragon-type monster. They can also send respective monsters to the GY, and upon being banished, they also have respective search effects.

A caveat is that players can only use one effect among the selection each turn per Dragon Ruler, so players have to keep track at which Dragon Ruler activated what effect.

Even the baby versions of the Dragon Rulers are no slouches either. They only have one effect, and it gets the Level 7 Dragon Ruler monsters Special Summoned straight from the Deck. These cards would most likely be the Deck's combo starter.

Tomhawk-Auroradon Engine

First among the cards that are meant to support the Deck is this newer version of the Auroradon Engine, enabled y the Xyz Monster Number 42: Galaxy Tomahawk. Xyz Summon it onto the Extra Monster Zone, and it grants five Tokens onto the rest of the field to be used at the player's discretion.

Said Tokens can be used to Link Summon Mecha Phantom Beast Auroadon, which in turn provides access to Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion. These are key centerpieces to get your Synchro Boss Monsters out on the field, so protect these cards.

Rose Dragon Engine

Another enabler is the Rose Dragon Engine, which uses the archetypes's notable Tuner Monsters to allow the Deck into Synchro Summons. All of the Main Deck monsters in this engine are Level 3, which fits the Level 7 Dragon Rulers like a glove going into Level 10 Synchro Monsters.

Ideally, players should use Red Rose Dragon first as Synchro Material, as its effect allows it to Special Summon Roxrose Dragon straight from the Deck, ready to be used for another Synchro Summon. Then, using Roxrose Dragon as Synchro Material lets it search out Basal Rose Shoot, which can Special Summon one of the two Tuner Rose Dragons.

Jet Synchron Engine

The third Deck Engine mentioned is the Jet Synchron Engine, which focuses on the titular monster and its ability to Special Summon itself from the GY one time before being banished.

This provides access to Accel Synchron, which has the unique effect of being able to increase or decrease its own Level. It can go into the Level 10 Synchros if the situation arises, but it's also a good way to go into Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon.

Hand Traps

Given how aggressive this Deck is, it still has some way to protect itself with hand traps that are necessary in the current meta. Maxx "C" and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring are still required cards, crucial in every possible Deck at 3 copies each.

PSY-Framegear Gamma can work with this Deck, especially if this card is in your hand going first. Droll & Lock Bird is specific counter to Maxx "C", but can also work in denying the opponent any other card additions to the hand.

Counters for hand traps are also required, and running Called by the Grave and Crossout Designator is essentially required to deal with the same hand traps if the opponent has them.

Extra Deck Monsters

	→

With a little help from Nemeses Corridor, players have access to Thunder Dragon Colossus and its ability to prevent the opponent from adding more cards from the Deck to the hand outside of drawing them.

Cupid Pitch can be used to Synchro Summon into Level 10 monsters depending on the situation, and it helps that it can raise or lower its Level as soon as its Synchro Summoned.

Meanwhile, PSY-Framelord Omega is a dangerous monster for the opponent if PSY-Framegear Gamma's effect is resolved, for its effect can temporarily banish one random card the opponent has on hand.

There are only a few Level 10 Synchro Monsters that require non-specific materials, but these three are more than enough to asert control over the Field. These three are the most notable:

• Baronne de Fleur has an omni-negate, and a card destruction effect once per turn;
• Bystial Dis Pater can Special Summon banished LIGHT/DARK monsters, and can negate effects by shuffling banished cards
• Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying gets stronger with each banished card, and can banish cards from both GY and Field if a different card is banished

For other options in Rank 7 Xyz Monsters, Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack is another monster in the Deck that summons tokens. However, this one needs those tokens as the Xyz Monster becomes immune to destruction by battle or card effects while those are active on the field.

Kashtira Arise-Heart becomes a pseudo-Macro Cosmos while its on the field, and it absorbs a banished card to become its material every time a different card is banished.

The Link Monsters can combo into one another, which can culminate into multiple monster effect negates. In conjunction with the Auroradon Engine, the well-timed uses of I:P Masquerena and Spright Elf can culminate into an Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess with 3200 ATK and free once-per-chain negates.

Core Combos and Interactions

Dragon Ruler Sample Hand 1

Sample Hand 1
Step	Description
1	Activate Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks from the hand; send itself and Roxrose Dragon from the hand to the GY, then Special Summon Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos from the Deck.
2	Activate Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls from the hand; banish Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks and Roxrose Dragon from the GY to Special Summon itself from the hand.
3	Using Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls and Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos as mateirals, Xyz Summon Number 42: Galaxy Tomahawk on the Extra Monster Zone. Then, upon being Summoned, activate Galaxy Tomahawk's effect by detaching two materials from itself to summon Tokens in every single Main Monster Zone available.
4	Using Number 42: Galaxy Tomahawk and one of the Tokens as materials, Link Summon I:P Masquerena. Then, use the Link Monster and another Token to Link Summon Spright Elf immediately after.
5	Using the last three remaining Tokens from Number 42: Galaxy Tomahawk as materials, Link Summon Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon. Upon being Summoned, its effect resolves and summons three Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens afterwards.
6	Activate the first effect of Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon; tribute two of the three Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens to Special Summon Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion from the Main Deck.
7	Using the last Mecha Phantom Beast Token and Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion as material; Synchro Summon Accel Synchron. As O-Lion was sent to the GY, its effect triggers, and Summons another Mecha Phantom Beast Token.
8	Using the Mecha Phantom Beast Token and Accel Synchron as material; Synchro Summon Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon. Then, the latter's effect trigers; Special Summon back onto the field Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion.
9	Using Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion and Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon as material; Synchro Summon Baronne de Fleur. Make sure to Summon it on one of the Monster Zones pointed to by Spright Elf.
10	Activate Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos from the GY; banish Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon and Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls from the GY, and Special Summon Blaster back onto the field.
11	Activate Spright Elf; Special Summon Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion from the GY.
12	On your opponent's turn, during Main Phase 1 when they control a monster on the field: activate Spright Elf again, and Special Summon I:P Masquerena onto the field. Then, activate Masquerena's effect to use itself, Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion, Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon and Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos to Link Summon Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess.

No Field Spell Active
			X
-	-	-	-	-

Dragon Ruler Sample Hand 2

Sample Hand 2
Step	Description
1	Activate Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks from the hand; send itself and Boulder, Dragon Ruler of Boulders from the hand to the GY, then Special Summon Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos from the Deck.
2	Normal Summon Red Rose Dragon. Then, use itself and Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos as material to Synchro Summon Baronne de Fleur.
3	Activate Red Rose Dragon's effect from the GY after being used as Synchro Material; Special Summon Roxrose Dragon from the Deck. Then, upon being Special Summoned, trigger its effect; add Basal Rose Shoot from the Deck to the hand.
4	Activate Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos from the GY; banish Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks and Boulder, Dragon Ruler of Boulders from the GY, and Special Summon itself back to the field.
5	Upon being banished, trigger the effect of Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders; add a copy of Reacton, Dragon Ruler of Pebbles from the Deck to the hand.
6	Using Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos and Roxrose Dragon as materials, Synchro Summon Bystial Dis Pater.
7	Activate Reacton, Dragon Ruler of Pebbles from the hand; discard itself and Maxx "C", and Special Summon the second copy of Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders from the Deck.
8	Activate Basal Rose Shoot; Special Summon Red Rose Dragon from the GY. Then, using itself and Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders as materials, Synchro Summon Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying.

No Field Spell Active
	X		X
-	-	-	-	-

Boss Monsters

	Thunder Dragon Colossus
	Thunder Dragon Colossus can be cheated out with the help of Nemeses Corridor, and while it's on the field, the opponent cannot add cards to their hand from the Deck outside of drawing cards.
	Baronne de Fleur
	One of the few Level 10 Synchro Summons in the Extra Deck, Baronne de Fleur provides a one-time omni-negate and a card destruction effect once per turn. It can also return to the Extra Deck to Special Summon a monster in its place.
	Bystial Dis Pater
	Once per turn, Bystrial Dis Pater can Special Summon a LIGHT or DARK monster from either player's banished pile. It can also provide an omni-negate effect by shuffling a banished card back to your Deck as a response.
	Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying
	For each banished card, Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying raises its own stats and lowers all of the opponent's monsters'. If a card gest banished, it can also banish one card each from the opponent's field AND GY at the same time.
	Kashtira Arise-Heart
	Dragon Rulers also have access to Kashtira Arise-Heart by virtue of being predominanetly Levle 7 monsters. So long as this is on the field, it banishes all cards sent to the GY, and can absorb them as materials for its Quick Effect.
	Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess
	Ideally, this Deck should summon Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess with the help of I:P Masquerena. It can negate monster effects once per chain, meaning so long as it has ATK it can negate monster effects multiple times.

Dragon Rulers Counters: How to Beat

Best Decks to Use Against Dragon Rulers

Exosisters

There is no better Deck that deals with monsters moving out of the Graveyard than Exosisters. Their ability to Xyz Summon as a response from a monster being moved out regardless of reason makes them extremely dangerous against Dragon Rulers.

Exosister Deck List & Card Guide

Labrynth

Labrynth Decks have quite a lot of counters versus Dragon Rulers, and they have no shortage of Trap Cards to interrupt their plays as much as possible. This is exacerbated if Labrynth goes first in a Duel, allowing them to properly set up before the Dragon Rulers can even start.

Labrynth Deck List & Card Guide

Runick

The interruptions that come with Runick Quick-Play Spells can be disastrous for a Dragon Ruler Deck, and they don't want their monsters banished before they could even use their effects to combo. There are numerous variants of a Runick Deck as well, making adaptation hard against this archetype.

Runick Deck Lists
Pure Runick	Spright Runick
Ishizu Runick	Naturia Runick

Floowandereeze

Easily one of the banes against Special Summon-heavy Decks, Floowandereeze stands as a popular anti-meta pick for its ability to consistently Normal Summon repeatedly into their boss monsters, and have unique interruptions that not a lot of Decks can easily counter.

Floowandereeze Deck List & Card Guide

Best Cards to Tech Against Dragon Rulers

	Maxx "C"
	If the Dragon Ruler player doesn't have a card to counter Maxx "C" and its draw power, the best shot they have is to completely Deck them out from the sheer number of summons it does in its combos. Otherwise, this card will fully discourage the player from completing their combo to avoid giving too much card advantage.
	Nibiru, the Primal Being
	To fully play a Dragon Ruler Deck is to commit more than five summons in a single turn. This is one glaring weakness players can take advantage of, so be ready to have copies of Nibiru, the Primal Being on hand to completely wipe their combo in their weakest combo.
	Dark Ruler No More
	Most of the cards in the Main Deck are Monster Cards to commit to the Deck's full combo strategies, all to bring out its Extra Deck monsters. Dark Ruler No More is the best counter against this swarming strategy, especially due to its effect that monsters cannot respond to this Spell Card's activation.
	Imperial Iron Wall
	Some of the Dragon Rulers have effects that need to banish monsters in order to Special Summon. Any card that denies banishing cards is great versus this Deck, such as Imperial Iron Wall.
	Skill Drain
	With the sheer number of boss monsters a Dragon Ruler Deck has, Skill Drain is a notable counter, especially if it gets activated before any of the boss monsters hit the field and get to activate their respective effects.

Related Packs to Dragon Rulers

Beginning of the Next Journey	Dragon Kings from the Abyss
Exquisite Jet-Black Rose	Interdimensional Interlopers
Legacy Pack	Master Pack
Mighty Contenders	Rapid Aircraft Advancement
Roaring Thunder	Space-Time Transcendents
Stardust Ties	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 28

List of All Covered Decks

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

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

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