In Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, Drytron builds, much like Eldlich the Golden Lord decks, have become quite popular in the meta, and for good reasons. The mix of Machine and Fairy Monsters provides a lot of firepower, and thanks to a favorable banlist, its power is much greater here than in the TCG. So, what do you need to do to build a Drytron deck? Here’s what you need to know.
Monsters
The Main Deck Monsters play a pivotal role in Drytron builds. Here’s a look at what should be run:
- (x3) Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring – Versaitile handtrap that shuts down various effects that can either Special Summon or add cards from Main Deck. Also can be used to Special Summon Crystron Halqifibrax, since it’s a Tuner.
- (x3) Drytron Alpha Thuban – Best of Drytron cards. Can search for one Tribute Monster (Benten, in most cases).
- (x3) Drytron Zeta Aldibah – Searches for Ritual Spell (Meteonis Drytron).
- (x2) Drytron Delta Altais – Can reveal one Ritual Monster or Ritual Spell to draw one card.
- (x1-x2) Drytron Gamma Eltanin – Can Special Summon one other Drytron card with 2000 ATK or less from GY. Typically, used when it’s not possible to add additional Ritual Monsters or other Drytron cards. Plus, can be used as extra Tribute for Ritual Summon.
- (x1) Drytron Beta Rastaban (Optional) – Not needed, can be used to retrieve Drytron Monsters that were removed from play by Meteonis Draconids or other effects.
- (x3) Herald of Orange Light – Discarded to negate Monster effects, either through its own effect, or via Herald of Ultimateness.
- (x3) Diviner of the Herald – Used to mill Herald of the Arc Light from Extra Deck. This changes its level to Level 6, and used as Xyz material for Beatrice.
- (x2) Eva – Usually sent to GY either by Herald of Ultimateness (from hand) or Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal (from deck). Adds up to two additional Fairy Monsters from hand.
- (x1) Cyber Angel Benten – Limited to one copy. Tributed from hand through Drytron Monster effects, and acts as a searcher. Can also be used as material for Beatrice when Ritual Summoned.
- (x1) Herald of Ultimateness – Used to negate Monster, Spell, and Trap effects. Relies on Eva and Beatrice in order to add more Fairies, which are needed to trigger discard and negate effect.
- (x1) Drytron Meteonis Draconids – 4000 ATK beater that can pop face-up Monsters from opponent’s field during opponent’s turn. Needs Drytron Monsters in GY to use effect.
- (x1) Megalith Phul – Ritual Monster that can target Benten from GY, add it back to hand, and changes its level to Level 6.
- (x1) Herald of Perfection (Optional) – Not as optimal as Herald of Ultimateness, which negates Special Summons. Can be used as a substitute for Ultimateness.
- (x1) Artifact Scythe (optional) – Fairy-type Monster that can be searched, and popped via Baronne’s effect to lock out opponent from summoning Monsters from Extra Deck.
- (x1) Chaos Valkyria (optional) – Can be Special Summon by hand, used to summon Baronne de Fleur
Let’s go over a few things about the set of Monsters. First off, Drytron Effect Monsters are Machines that can’t be Normal Summoned. Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma, and Zeta all need to be Special Summoned from either the hand or GY through either tributing a Drytron Monster or a Ritual Monster (Benten, Herald cards, Meteonis Draconids). In virtually all cases, Benten is the desired target, as doing so will allow you to search for Fairy Monsters. And since Benten’s effect is not once per turn, it can be done multiple times.
It’s important to get at least two to three Drytron Monsters out to start, as that will allow you to set the board up for Ritual Summons. Plus, using Drytron cards and Benten’s various effects will allow to search for many different cards.
As far as potential combos go, it usually helps to start with Alpha Thuban, and that can be searched through various Spells, which we’ll get to in a second. This is especially true when going first. Then, search for Benten through Alpha Thuban’s effect and go into another Drytron card. The key is to get at least Drytron cards out, plus get the Ritual Spell and Diviner of the Herald. Then, summon Diviner, and mill Herald of the Light to get another Ritual Monster or a Ritual Spell.
Lastly, we should note that sending either Herald of Ultimateness or Meteonis Draconids to the GY for a Drytron Monster is actually fine. That’s because these Monsters can be summoned to the field from the GY, thanks to the Ritual Spell used in these builds.
We should note that as of May 2022, Benten is now limited to one copy. Because of this, using Phul’s effect is extremely important. Not only can it add Benten back to hand, but it can also become Level 6 and be used as material for Beatrice.
Spells
Here’s a look at the Spell Card options:
- (x3) Cyber Emergency – Used to search for Drytron Effect Monster, typically Alpha Thuban.
- (x2-x3) Drytron Nova – Special Summon one Drytron Monster from deck, but destroy it from GY. Drytron search effects do not go off when Special Summoned this way, so can be tributed off for another Drytron Monster, and then returned to field in same return to get effect off.
- (x2-x3) Preparation of Rites – Can search for Benten from deck, and Meteonis Drytron from GY.
- (x1-x2) Meteonis Drytron – Can Ritual Summon Benten, Herald cards, or Meteonis Draconids. Needs tributes that equal ATK of Ritual Monster. Can be returned to hand by lowering a Drytron Monster by 1000 ATK, which usually is either Monster that will be used as Tribute for another Drytron Monster, or Mu Beta Fafnir.
- (x1) Drytron Fafnir – Field Spell that prevents negation of Ritual Spells. Can search for Meteonis Drytron from deck.
- (x1) Harpie’s Feather Duster – Staple Spell that destroys all Spells/Traps on opponent’s side on field.
- (x1) Lightning Storm (Optional) – Can be used in lieu of Harpie’s Feather Duster. Destroys Attack Position or Spell/Trap Cards from opponent’s side of field. Must possess no face-up cards to activate.
- (x2) Called by the Grave – Banishes Monster from opponent’s GY and negates its effects. Mainly used to negate handtraps.
- (x2) Twin Twisters (Optional) – Can pop two Spells/Traps at cost of discarding one card.
The object of these Spells are simple: gaining card advantage by adding cards needed to set up the board for the Ritual Monsters and the Extra Deck. Called by the Grave, Lightning Storm, and Twin Twisters can also be used to deal with handtraps, and destroy Monsters, Spells, and Traps.
Traps
Much like with Sky Strikers, Drytron builds typically don’t need Traps. Instead, focus on staples like Infinite Impermanence and Solemn Judgement, should you want to run any, but Traps are not vital for this deck to survive.
Related: The best Trap Cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel (2022)
Extra Deck
The Extra Deck plays a support role in Drytron builds, but still serves a major purpose. Here’s a look at the Extra Deck options.
- (x1) Linkuriboh – Can be used to stall, as well as get Drytron Monsters in GY.
- (x1) Crystron Halqifibrax – Needs Ash Blossom or Diviner of the Herald in order to summon. Can retrieve one Tuner from deck to Special Summon after it is brought on the field. Materials can be used for Link 3 summon.
- (x1) I:P Masquerena – Can be used to immediately Link Summon into a Link 3 or 4 Monster during opponent’s turn, so long as you have enough materials.
- (x1) Knightmare Unicorn – Link 3 Monster that can target one card on field and shuffle it in deck.
- (x1) Knightmare Cerberus – Link 2 Monster that can destroy one Special Summoned monster on field.
- (x1) Transcode Talker – 2300 ATK, Link 3 beater.
- (x1) Accesscode Talker – Link 4 Monster that should be Special Summoned with Link 3 Monster, as it can raise Accesscode’s ATK to 5300. Can also pop cards on opponent’s side of field.
- (x1) Downerd Magician – Needs Xyz Monster as material. Used to double up on Xyz material for ZEUS – SKY Thunder.
- (x1) Lyrilusc – Assembled Nightingale – Needs two Level 1 Monsters as material (Drytron Effect Monsters). Can attack directly, If it does, can Special Summon Divine Arsenal AA – ZEUS – Sky Thunder in Main Phase 2.
- (x1) Divine Arsenal AA – ZEUS – Sky Thunder – Can send all cards on field, other than itself, when two material unattached. Can use Lyrilusc – Assembled Nightingale, Beatrice, Mu Beta Fafnir, Downerd Magician as material. Needs Xyz Monster to attack in order to summon.
- (x1-x2) Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal – Needs Diviner and Benten on field as material. Can send one attached material to GY, and mill one card from deck. Used to either activate Eva’s effect, or get additional Drytron Monster, if needed.
- (x2-x3) Herald of the Arc Light – Milled by Diviner’s effect. Can search for Ritual Monster or Spell when sent to GY.
- (x2-x3) Drytron Mu Beta Fafnir – Most important Monster in Extra Deck. Can use materials attached for Ritual Summon, have its ATK lowered to return Ritual Spell to hand, and can negate Spell/Trap activations when Meteonis Draconids is on field.
- (x1) Baronne de Fleur (optional) – Level 10 Synchro that can pop cards, and negate one card effect while it is on field. Can used Diviner of the Herald as Tuner material.
Because of the unique effects of the Monsters in the Extra Deck, these cards not only help add cards to hand but also provide alternate win conditions when it’s not possible to use Herald of Ultimateness or Meteonis Draconids. ZEUS – Sky Thunder can provide a last-second boost by wiping the board clean, while Accesscode Talker can use Drytron Monsters to come out to the field, and pop cards.
Drytrons have become a force in the Master Duel metagame because of the deck’s many options and power.
