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Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
Mitsurugi Deck List & Card Guide
★Events: NIJISANJI Campaign | Duelist Cup★
★Updates: 12/05 Maintenance | 12/05 Banlist★
★Newly Released Card Packs:
┣ Secret Packs: Atonement's End | Fruits of the Sinful★
┗ Selection Pack: The End of Guilt★
Mitsurugi is a Control deck in Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel featuring a new Reptile archetype that has one of the most powerful Ritual monsters in the card game's recent memory. See the core deck list, key combos, strategies how to play & beat as well as free-to-play (F2P), budget and alternate options here!
Mitsurugi Deck List
| Main Deck: 42 cards | ||||
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| Extra Deck: 15 cards | ||||
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Mitsurugi Breakdown
Monsters
Spells
Traps
Extra
| Rarity | Name | Qty |
|---|---|---|
 | Mitsurugi Prayers | 3 |
| Called by the Grave | 2 |
| Crossout Designator | 1 |
 | Pre-Preparation of Rites | 3 |
| Mitsurugi Ritual | 3 |
 | Mitsurugi Magatama | 1 |
 | Mitsurugi Mirror | 1 |
| Rarity | Name | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Dominus Impulse | 3 |
| Mitsurugi Great Purification | 1 |
Alternate Cards for Mitsurugi
| Infinite Impermanence | |
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The main Mitsurugi Deck can actually work with Infinite Impermanence to stop monster activations if the player does not control anything on the field, usually if they end up going second. However, the Deck is so strong by itself, it can forego it in favor of Dominus Impulse instead. Feel free to add this Trap Card as an insurance policy. |
| Diviner of the Herald | |
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Considering Mitsurugi is a prominent Ritual Deck, Diviner of the Herald can be a great Normal Summon for the Deck. Bringing this monster means also adjusting the Extra Deck though, as normally it would dump cards like Elder Entity N'tss or Garura, Wings of Resonant Life for advantage. It also sends Herald of the Arc Light to the GY, which can search for Habakiri once its GY effect triggers. |
| Artifact Lancea | |
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Artifact Lancea has become a rather necessary hand trap to deal with multiple strategies. Depsite multiple hits on Maliss on the October 8, 2025 banlist update, it is still quite a powerful Deck that falters after a well-timed Lancea activation. This also turns off chances to activate Called by the Grave and Crossout Designator for the rest of the turn if resolved. |
| Triple Tactics Talent & Triple Tactics Thrust | |
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With the rise of monster hand traps and quick effects, the Triple Tactics Spell Cards have also gotten quite popular as a countermeasure if they end up going Second. Triple Tactics Thrust guarantees adding either Pre-Preparation of Rites which can add Mitsurugi Ritual or Mitsurugi Mirror. Triple Tactics Talent is a great punisher, often used to rip cards off from the hand or steal an opponent's monster for a turn. |
| Gordian Slicer | |
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Gordian Slicer can only be used as the very first card in your Main Phase 1, and it cannot be negated by any instance. In exchange for banishing either a card from your hand or 6 from the Extra Deck for each targeted card, they will be bounced to the hand. |
Mitsurugi Deck Guide: How to Play
Playstyle and Win Condition
When Mitsurugi arrived in Yu-Gi-Oh in the card game as a TCG exclusive, it had quickly jumped into prominence as a powerful archetype. When the second wave hit with cards like Habakiri and Mitsurugi Ritual, that was when it finally hit the top of the meta.
Now, they arrive in Master Duel in full power, carrying almost everything that makes them so strong in the physical game to the best-of-1 format of the game.
Mitsurugi Monsters
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The Mitsurugi archetype plays around their Level 8 Ritual Monsters, all of which have effects that search when they are tributed. Ideally, players would want to have Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi as soon as possible thanks to his board wipe against the enemy's monsters and the ability to force the opponent to discard to let them resolve an effect.
Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi can Special Summon a Reptile-type monster form the GY aside from a copy of itself in response to the opponent's own Special Summon, and it is a once-per-chain effect. If there are more to be summoned, it can be done as another response.
The card that makes this archetype so strong is Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. Just from being in the hand it already provides a powerful Special Summon effect to one of the monsters from the Deck, then immediately tribute them to avoid having their effects negated on the field. That's on top of its lingering effect to decrease all the opponent's monsters' ATK, and a search effect for a Mitsurugi card when this card gets tributed.
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The non-Ritual Effect Monsters help enable get into the more potent cards of the Deck. The two Mitsurugi no Mikoto cards, Aramasa and Saji, are the searchers of the Deck, with the former often used to search a copy of Habakiri and enable the Deck, while the latter adds the various Mitsurugi Spells and Trap.
Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi provides a way to get cards from the GY or Banishment to the hand, and it also provides protection to your other Reptile monsters from card destruction--which would be your other Mitsurugi monsters.
The underrated card from the Main Deck is Mitsurugi no Miko, Wousu, acts as a Kaiju of sorts as it tributes a Reptile monster you control and a monster the opponent controls. When tributed, this card can be added back to the hand.
Mitsurugi Spells and Traps
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Pre-Preparation of Rites makes the cut for the Deck because of one card: Mitsurugi Mirror.
The Ritual Spell Card actually mentions Futsu no Mitama, Ame no Habakiri and Ame no Murakumo, meaning they can be added to the hand alongside Mitsurugi Mirror. The aforementioned Ritual Spell can shuffle itself back into the GY when any of the 3 monsters get tributed for an effect while it's in the GY.
Mitsurugi Prayers searches a Mitsurugi monster by tributing a Reptile monster from your hand or field, and a second effect it can activate in sequence to Special Summon a Mitsurugi monster from the hand or GY. This is yet another card to get to either Murakumo or Habakiri.
Mitsurugi Ritual is the main Ritual Spell for the Deck. Though it cannot be searched by Pre-Preparation of Rites because it does not mention the names of the Mitsurugi Ritual monsters, it has two ways to Ritual Summon; one of which Ritual Summons from the Deck.
Mitsurugi Great Purification is more of a "win more" card as it is an omni-negate after tributing a Level 5 or higher Ritual Monster. It can also banish itself from the GY to target and revive a Reptile monster by tributing another monster you control.
Core Combos and Interactions
Pre-Preparation of Rites Combo
| Card(s) Needed on Hand | |
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| Step | Description |
| 1 | Activate Pre-Preparation of Rites; add Mitsurugi Mirror and Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from the Deck to hand. Then, activate Habakiri's effect; Special Summon Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji from the Deck, then immediately tribute it afterwards. This trigger's Saji's effect to add Mitsurugi Prayers to hand. |
| 2 | From the hand, activate Mitsurugi Prayers; tribute Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, then trigger both effects; add Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa from the hand, take 800 damage as cost, then Special Summon Saji back from the GY. |
| 3 | Trigger the effect of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi after being tributed; search for Mitsurugi Ritual. |
| 4 | Normal Summon Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa, then activate its effect; add Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from the Deck to hand. |
| 5 | Using Aramasa and Saji as materials, Xyz Summon Gallant Granite. Then, use its effect and detach 1 material from itself to add Nibiru, the Primal Being from Deck to hand. |
| 6 | Activate Mitsurugi Ritual; send Night Sword Serpent and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from the Deck to the GY as tribute to Ritual Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi. |
| 7 | Activate both effects of Kusanagi and Night Sword Serpent in a chain. Chain Link 2: Activate Night Sword Serpent's effect; Special Summon itself onto the field from the GY. Chain Link 1: Activate Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi; add back the copy of Mitsurugi Ritual you just added. |
| 8 | Activate Mitsurugi Ritual again, and this time use the first effect; tribute Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi to Ritual Summon Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi straight from the Deck. After being tributed, trigger Murakumo's effect; add Mitsurugi Magatama to the hand, then Special Summon itself back to the field. |
| 9 | Activate Mitsurugi Mirror from the hand, and target Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi; tribute Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi to Ritual Summon it from the GY. This now triggers the effect of Futsu no Mitama; add Mitsurugi Great Purification from the Deck to hand, then Special Summon itself back from the GY. |
| 10 | Using Ame no Habakiri and Abe no Murakumo as materials, Xyz Summon to either Number 90: Galaxy-Eyes Photon Lord to have a monster negate, or Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon Titanic Galaxy to deal with Spell Cards. |
| 11 | Using Gallant Granite and Night Sword Serpent as materials, Link Summon I:P Masquerena. You'll be using its effect down the line just in case by using another monster you control as material to get to S:P Little Knight. |
| No Field Spell Active | ||||
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Boss Monsters
| Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi | |
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Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi is easily the strongest Ritual Monster in the game, and the best card in the entire Deck. It already has impact while from the hand as a free Special Summon from the Deck and a tribute; the fact that it has a once-per-Duel restriction tells just how good the effect is. On top of that, if you have a second Habakiri already on the field tributed by this effect, it doubles as a searcher and a revive Special Summon. |
| Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi | |
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While Habakiri is the best monster of the entire Deck, Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi is the archetype's main boss monster. As soon as this monster is Special Summoned, it destroys all monsters the opponent controls. It also forces the opponent to discard a card to let their effects resolve once per turn, otherwise they are negated. When Tributed, it Special Summons itself on top of being an added searcher. |
| Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star | |
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The Ritual monsters are Level 8 monsters, so in a clutch they can be used to Xyz Summon Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star; an Orcust Mitsurugi Deck would make this monster a lot easier. On Special Summon, it can force the opponent to send a card on their field to the GY, or attach one of your banished monsters as material. Then it provides protection from card destruction and battle destruction by detaching a material from itself. |
| Number 90: Galaxy-Eyes Photon Lord | |
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As mentioned, the Mitsurugi Ritual monsters are all Level 8, making Number 90: Galaxy-Eyes Photon Lord is more of a defensive option. Its effect to negate a monster effect from the opponent once per turn is great once it has more cards on the field supporting its negation effect. |
Mitsurugi Counters: How to Beat
Best Decks to Use Against Mitsurugi
Anti-Meta Stun
The Anti-Meta Stun Deck is one of the stronger Decks to deal with Mitsurugi's consistency and ability to Special Summon Ritual Monsters without Ritual Spells most of the time. Cards like Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, Vanity's Fiend and Vanity's Ruler will prevent all the Special Summons, and cards like Raigeki and Evenly Matched are used to clear the field.
When it comes to battling, all it takes is equipping a monster with Moon Mirror Shield to make them very hard to deal with other than removing the Equip Spell.
Anti-Meta Stun Deck List & Card Guide
Kashtira
Kashtira is one of the better Decks that punishes the activation of monster effects. Kashtira Fenrir, Kashtira Unicorn and Kashtira Ogre will all mess up the opponent's resources, even though the Mitsurugi Deck does not make use of the Extra Deck compared to the more meta decks.
Also dangerous cards are Kashtira Shangri-Ira, which turns all face-down banishes into blocking card zones from use while the card is on the field.
| Kashtira Deck Guides | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pure Kashtira | Scareclaw Kashtira | Fiendsmith Kashtira |
Mitsurugi Ryzeal
While the Deck is missing a card that is not yet in Master Duel from the TCG/OCG, Mitsurugi Ryzeal is a far more dangerous variant of the Deck that has so many starters to go. The card that bridges the two is King of the Feral Imps, who just so happens to be a Rank 4 Xyz Monster with generic materials--something Ryzeal excels in using in their Extra Deck.
On top of the Murakumo card destruction effect, they also have to deal with Ryzeal Detonator's destruction effect, and Ryzeal Cross's monster effect negation.
Best Cards to Tech Against Mitsurugi
| Droll & Lock Bird | |
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Droll & Lock Bird is the strongest counter against Mitsurugi and its bevy of search and draw effects. This effectively turns off Habakiri and Murakumo's searcher effects, and stops the effects of Maxx "C" and the Mulcharmy cards. |
| Dimension Shifter | |
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While Dimension Shifter and its counterparts Dimensional Fissure and Macro Cosmos can mess up Mitsurugi's preference in using the Graveyard as a resourece pool, players must take note that Habakiri's and Murakumo's tribute condition effect does not require the Ritual Monsters to end up in the GY. The rest of the cards, however, would prefer the GY to be recycled. |
| Bystial Magnamhut | |
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Bystial Magnamhut and the other Bystial cards can end up banishing Mitsurugi's Ritual Monsters that get tributed before they get a chance to be Special Summoned. While not depicted, for the tribute into Special Summon effect to trigger they have to be in the same location they ended up in after being tributed. |
| Dimensional Barrier | |
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Dimensional Barrier is often used as a counter against Fusion, Synchro and Xyz Decks, but its text effect also points out Ritual Monsters can also be blocked for the rest of the turn. This effectively disables Habakiri and Murakumo's Special Summon effects once they get tributed. |
Related Packs to Mitsurugi
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 48
List of All Covered Decks
World Champion Decks
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
Control Decks
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
Best Cards for Decks
Comment
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Mitsurugi Deck List & Card Guide
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