20 Strongest Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards, Ranked (2023)

Yu-Gi-Oh! is an anime series and card game that has been around for a very long time. In that regard, the way the game is being played has always been based on how the game is played in the anime. As such, there have been a lot of different cards that were released in real life that were featured in the anime series as well.

Of course, like many different card games, Yu-Gi-Oh! has been steadily growing in terms of the styles used to play the game and when it comes to how certain cards were made to fit the themes that the different anime shows have been using to deliver their storylines. But the fact of the matter is that certain cards have always been stronger than all of the others. And this is where we will look at the strongest Yu-Gi-Oh! cards ever made.

20. Cyber Dragon

We start things off with one of the most popular cards that became a fan favorite during the time of the Yu-Gi-Oh! G.X. anime. Cyber Dragon became one of the cards that players often used to win championships years ago, as this card was featured in decks that won the World Championships three years in a row. And that’s because this card is a very easy monster to summon despite the fact that it has a considerably respectable attack.

Of course, what makes Cyber Dragon even more dangerous is the fact that it can link with other Cyber Dragon cards to become even more powerful. So, if you add the fact that this card can easily be special summoned with the fact that it can become stronger as the game goes by, you have a card that can give you quick wins but can be serviceable in prolonged battles.

19. Yata-Garasu

There is a reason why Yata-Garasu is a banned card that you can’t use in competitive games nowadays, as it is simply a hacked card that can make things troublesome for opponents. While it certainly doesn’t have the attack power of the cards that are higher up on this list, it does have applications that can be completely overpowered once you know how to use it.

There is something called the Yata Lock deck, which is capable of clearing an opponent’s field and hand before you summon Yata-Garasu. As such, it basically prevents the opponent from actually doing anything in the game. That’s because this card can force your opponent to skip the next draw phase when they take damage from this card, and that means that, as long as you know how to implement it into your offensive attack, Yata-Garasu can lock your opponent up and slowly kill them.

18. Pot of Greed

Pot of Greed was a fixture among different decks back in the earlier days of Yu-Gi-Oh! because of the fact that it has an effect that can be used for any kind of deck. That’s because Pot of Greed allowed you to instantly draw new cards from your deck without any cost whatsoever. This allowed you to speed things up and get cards that you might need to prepare your offensive attack.

In truth, Pot of Greed has a very simple effect, but it is incredibly useful at allowing you to gain the advantage in a hurry, especially if you manage to draw one of your strongest cards upon using this card. As such, Pot of Greed was banned from competitive play as it is simply a card that is incredibly potent in any kind of build.

17. Anti-Spell Fragrance

While it might not do any damage or help you win your games quickly, Anti-Spell Fragrance is an instant game changer, especially when you are facing an opponent that loves to use spell cards. That’s because this card forces both players to set their spell cards first before activating them, and that means that you can prepare for any kind of tricks that your opponent has.

So, when you’re facing an enemy that likes to use different spell cards, this changes the game because they can’t cast their spells in an instant during their turn. And when they have to set their spell cards first, this gives you time to find a way to counter those spells by destroying them from the field or by preparing your defenses.

16. Toadally Awesome

Toadally Awesome normally isn’t on anyone’s list of strongest Yu-Gi-Oh! cards because it looks silly and isn’t even that strong in terms of its attack. However, what makes it a great card is the fact that it has a lot of good negation properties that make it totally awesome (pun intended).

If you’re facing an X.Y.Z. deck, it has the ability to detach an X.Y.Z. material during the Standby Phase, and this allows you to have an instant counter against your opponent. You can even use this card to negate spells or trap cards, depending on how you want to use Toadally Awesome. It really is an awesome card to use because of its negation powers, and that’s why opponents would want to take it out of the game as soon as possible.

15. Dark Sage

Dark Sage is your Dark Magician on steroids, as it is said to be the evolved form of Dark Magician. You can only summon this card by sacrificing Dark Magician and by using the effects of Time Wizard (only when you successfully win the coin toss portion). In that regard, the summon can be quite situational, and that’s why this card isn’t one of the strongest on this list. Nevertheless, if you do summon Dark Sage, you’re in for a treat.

The power of Dark Sage allows it to have total control over your spells and trap cards, as your opponent cannot destroy them. Moreover, Dark Sage is also treated as Dark Magician while it is on the field, and that means that it can do everything that Dark Magician can do. But the fact that it can be sort of a gamble is the reason why it isn’t higher up on this list.

14. Wightprincess

Wightprincess is one of the cards that prove that not all of the Yu-Gi-Oh! cards should be incredibly strong to make a difference. That’s because, while this card isn’t strong enough on its own, it can change the outcome because of the fact that it can reduce the attack power of all of the enemy monsters to zero if you know how to use this card. Right.

Specifically, Wightprincess is at its best when you have Skull Princess and King of the Skull Servants because of how it can totally negate the strongest cards on the field. As such, when used properly, this card has shown its capability to win games. The only caveat is that it takes a lot of skill on the part of the player to understand its true potential as a game-changing card.

13. Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon

Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon isn’t the strongest dragon card when it comes to its attack power, but it sure is one of the coolest and most useful. On top of the fact that it totally looks metal and badass, this card is usually a staple in dragon decks because of the fact it is basically a two-for-one card the moment you summon it.

In the hands of an experienced duelist, Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon can totally change the outcome of a game as it allows you to summon another dragon from your graveyard. So, if you’re able to dump a powerful dragon card from your deck or hand to your graveyard, then using the effect of this card will allow you to instantly summon that card the moment you summon Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon.

12. Orichalcos Kyutora

Orichalcos Kyutora is one of the three interrelated cards that we have on this list. Of course, in the anime, we saw the effects of this card in play when Dartz used it against Yugi in their duel. And while this card may not be impressive when it comes to its attack and defense, it has an effect that can devastate an entire game.

When you summon Orichalcos Kyutora, you will have to pay 500 life points. But the good thing is that this card negates all battle damage from the monsters that you own to 0. That means that your monsters are basically unstoppable as long as this card is on the field. And even if this card is destroyed, you get a bonus of summoning another Orichalcos card from your hand.

11. Orichalcos Shunoros

The usual combo when Kyotora gets destroyed is that players summon Orichalcos Shunoros into the field. Of course, its capability allows it to have a total attack that is equal to the damage that was reduced by Kyotora while it was on the field. This allows you to have a powerful monster that can potentially have a maxed-out attack. And you can also summon one Orichalcos Aristeros and one Orichalcos Dexia from your hand or deck.

On its own, this card can totally change the game already. However, it has one final effect. Once it gets destroyed, Shunoros allows you to summon the final Orichalcos monster in this amazing combo.

10. Divine Serpent Geh

When Shunoros gets destroyed, you have to pay 10,000 life points to summon Divine Serpent Geh into the field. While this monster is on the field, your life points are reduced to 0. Normally, that means that you already lose the game, but Divine Serpent Geh prevents you from losing the game while it is on the field.

The caveat, however, is that you have to send the first ten cards on your deck to the graveyard if you want to attack using Divine Serpent Geh. In that regard, it is an incredibly risky monster that can be a double-edged sword. But the rewards of this card can be quite fruitful in an Orichalcos deck that basically keeps you from losing a game.

9. Dark Magician

You might be confused why Dark Magician is higher on this list than Dark Sage, and that’s basically because using Dark Magician doesn’t have the risks involved with summoning Dark Sage. On top of that, Dark Magician is arguably the most versatile card in the game due to the fact that it has exclusive effects and spell cards that cater to it. Of course, it has to have its exclusive effects because it is, after all, the most iconic card in the entire Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise.

Dark Magician is the centerpiece of a Dark Magician deck, as this allows you to make use of its incredible versatility when it comes to using spell cards. And it also does well when used in conjunction with other cards that were basically created to complement the capabilities of Dark Magician.

8. Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon

When it made its debut in the anime, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon became the ultimate card because there was no card that could match its sheer firepower. After all, it is the combination of three Blue-Eyes White Dragons, which are already powerful in their own right. As such, it is an incredibly powerful card that, when summoned, can have devastating effects.

The only problem is that it can be a bit tricky to find a way to summon this card, but there are some faster ways to summon it without having to go through the usually painful process of having to wait for several turns to gather all three of your Blue-Eyes White Dragon. And when used in a dragon deck, this card can be a huge part of an incredibly devastating dragon attack.

7. Super Quantal Mech King Great Magnus

If the creators took the time to give this card a long name, that would mean that it should be overpowered. Of course, Super Quantal Mech King Great Magnus is indeed an overpowered card that can immediately take the fun out of any duel due to its devastating effects. The only problem is that it can be difficult to put this card in play.

You have to sacrifice six or more materials to summon this card. But once summoned, Super Quantal Mech King Great Magnus can break a game because of the fact that this card prevents enemies from adding cards to their hands. And let’s not even forget that it has a pretty high attack as well.

6. F.G.D. (Five-Headed Dragon)

Arguably one of the most difficult cards to summon in the entire game, F.G.D., which is also called Five-Headed Dragon, is one of the strongest cards in terms of its raw power and its effect as it is nearly indestructible. It cannot be destroyed by battle with a dark, earth, water, fire, or wind monster. That is, of course, if there is a monster that has a higher attack than this incredible beast.

The only caveat when it comes to this card is that it can be very difficult to summon, as you would have to have a varied dragon-themed deck. But once you get it on the field, you become almost impossible to defeat. And the only other monster that can defeat this card in a straight-up duel is the one higher up on this list.

5. Master of Dragon Soldier

Made to be the foil of F.G.D., Master of Dragon Soldier is the combination of two amazingly strong monsters: Black Luster Soldier and Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. In that regard, it has a ridiculously high attack power that matches F.G.D. But the twist is that it was indeed made to be the foil of F.G.D. because of the fact that it gets an additional 500 for every other dragon ally on the field.

In that regard, as long as you control other dragon monsters, this card becomes instantly more powerful than F.G.D., considering that it is a light monster. It was indeed made to counter one of the strongest cards in the game, and that’s why it is almost always a fixture in dragon-themed decks.

4. Exodia, The Forbidden One

Canonically speaking, Exodia, The Forbidden One, was the first card to break the game because of the fact that it is an instant-win card. You don’t even have to summon it on the field because, as long as you have all five of the body parts of this monster on your hand, you instantly win the game.

Even if Exodia has been around for a very long time, players have found different ways to break the game by using cards and effects that allow them to summon all five parts in one turn. As such, this makes it one of the cards that can be quite tricky to use but is more than worth it as long as you have the cards that will allow you to find a quick way to have all five parts in your hand.

3. The Winged Dragon of Ra

The Winged Dragon of Ra is one of the original god cards of the game, as it is the strongest out of all of the three Egyptian God Cards. Of course, we opted not to include the other two cards as they don’t have the sheer power that this one has. The other two cards are strong in their own right as well, but The Winged Dragon of Ra is on a totally different level both in the game and in the anime.

In terms of its capabilities, The Winged Dragon of Ra has the ability to destroy any enemy monster as long as you tribute 1,000 life points. But that doesn’t matter as long as you have a way to recover your life points. And another good thing is that once this card enters the game, the effects of other cards can’t activate for a time, and that means that you’ll be safe from a quick counterattack.

2. Apoqliphort Towers

There is a reason why Apoqliphort Towers is on the ban list of Yu-Gi-Oh! as it is simply a ridiculously strong card. This card cannot be special summoned unless you sacrifice three Qliphort monsters on your part. However, once you are able to meet the demands, you are in for a treat.

The fact that Apoqliphort Towers is immune to the effects of spell and trap cards makes it a juggernaut of a card. Of course, it is also immune to the effects of monsters with levels lower than its own. As such, it is incredibly difficult to counter this powerful card once you get it on the field.

1. Last Turn

There was a time when Last Turn used to be a balanced Yu-Gi-Oh! as long as you were confident that your opponent didn’t have a monster card that had a higher attack than the one on your field. This card basically allowed you to end the entire game in a hurry as long as you had life points of fewer than 1,000. Activating this trap card will allow you to choose one monster card on your field and sacrifice all others while your opponent chooses a monster card from their deck. After that, both cards are forced to battle, as the owner of the card that wins the battle wins the game.

Back then, this seemed to be quite balanced when you knew that your opponent didn’t have a monster card stronger than yours. But players were able to find a way to combine its effect with Jowgen the Spiritualist to make it an instant-win card. This is the very same reason why Last Turn is the strongest Yu-Gi-Oh! card and why it probably won’t get removed from the ban list.