One of the most popular archetypes in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG is Sky Strikers, and these Monsters have made their way to Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. This archetype relies very heavily on slow and steady play, and its various Spell Cards. So, what do you need to do to build a Sky Striker deck in Master Duel? Let’s go over our build.
Monsters
Sky Strikers typically don’t run many Monsters in the Main Deck, as there are only two Sky Striker Ace Monsters that can be used here. Here’s a look at Main Deck Monster options:
- (x3) Sky Striker Ace – Raye – 4* Sky Striker Effect Monster than can be searched by variety of Sky Striker Spell effects, including Mobilize – Engage and Area Zero, and Reinforcement of the Army. Raye has a Quick Effect that allows it to tribute itself to GY, and Special Summon a Sky Striker Ace Link Monster to field. Can also Special Summoned from GY, when a Sky Striker Ace Monster is destroyed or leave field due to opponent’s card effect, once per turn.
- (x2-x3) Sky Strike Ace – Roze – Can be Special Summoned from hand if a different Sky Striker Ace Monster is summoned. Can also be Special Summoned from GY, when a Sky Striker Ace Monster in Extra Monster Zone, is destroyed or leaves field due to opponent’s card effect, once per turn.
- (x3) Maxx “C” – Adds draw power, as one card can be added to hand per Special Summon during turn it was activated. Very helpful in also dissuading opposing players from swarming the field.
- (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.
- (x1-x3) Effect Veiler – Spellcaster Tuner Monster that can also be used to Special Summon Crystron Halqifibrax. Number of copies run should depend on usage of Ash Blossom, as well as other handtraps in deck.
- (x1) Destiny HERO – Celestial – Used to Summon Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Can also be banished, and allow the user to draw two cards if the player has none in hand.
- (x1) Destiny HERO – Dasher – Used to Summon Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Can also Special Summon any Monster drawn once, while this card is in GY.
- (x1-x2) Nibiru, The Primal Being (Optional) – Not necessary, but can be used in matchups against swarm decks like Drytron, Six Samurai, Tri-Brigade, etc.
Spells
Spell Cards are the crux of this engine, and getting many of these in the GY as fast as possible is the name of the game. Here’s a look at what Spells you should look to use in these builds:
- (x3) Upstart Goblin – Draw one card from deck, add 1000 LP to opponent’s total.
- (x2) Called by the Grave – Banishes Monster from opponent’s GY and negates its effects. Mainly used to negate handtraps.
- (x2) Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! – Adds one Sky Striker card, other than Engage, to hand, and adds a additional one card draw if 3+ Spells in GY. Can be used more than once per turn.
- (x2) Sky Striker Airspace – Area Zero – Can excavate, from the top three cards of your Deck, a Sky Striker card and add it to your hand. Since it requires a card to target as cost, use Raye, and then tag out into Sky Striker Link monster is one is found. Also, can Special Summon 1 Sky Striker Ace monster from your Deck when sent to GY.
- (x2) Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor – Quick-Play Spell that negates face-up Monsters effects for a turn. If 3+ Spells are in GY, targeted Monster’s control can be switched to user’s side for remainder of turn. This effect is ideal for summoning Link Monsters that are Link 2 or higher.
- (x2) Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon – Shark Cannon banishes one Monster from opponent’s GY. This card is ideal for getting rid of nuisance Monsters (i.e. Eldlich the Golden Lord), as well as can banish Monsters that are targeted to return to field. Shark Cannon, if 3+ Spells are in GY, can switch control of that card for a turn, as well.
- (x2) Fusion Destiny – Limited to two copies. Used to Fusion Summon Destiny HERO – Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer.
- (x1-x2) Sky Striker Manuever – Afterburns! – Pops one face-up Monster on field, and one Spell/Trap if 3+ Spells are in GY.
- (x1) Sky Striker Mecha Modules – Multirole – Continous Spell that can bring back used Sky Striker Spells to field, including Mobilize – Engage. Can also target another card on your field, and protect from negation of future Spell Card activations. If used this way in conjunction with Area Zero, this can also search for a Sky Striker Ace Effect Monster.
- (x1) Sky Striker Manuever – Jamming Waves! – Similar effects to Afterburns!. Pops one set Spell/Trap on field, and one Monster if 3+ Spells are in GY.
- (x1) Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones – Quick-Play Spell that adds a Sky Striker token on field. Used in most cases for Link Summon purposes.
- (x1) Reinforcement of the Army – Limited to one copy. Adds Raye or Roze to hand, but focus on Raye.
- (x1) Terraforming – Limited to one copy. Adds Area Zero to hand.
- (x1) Harpie’s Feather Duster (optional) – Staple Spell that destroys all Spells/Traps on opponent’s side on field. Can be used to get to 3+ Spell requirement for Sky Striker Spells.
- (x1) Pot of Avarice (optional) – Very useful for getting Sky Striker Monsters back into Extra Deck. When activated, users can send five Monsters back to the decks, and two additional cards can be drawn.
- (x1-x3) Crossout Designator (Optional) – Can negate opponent’s handtraps, so long as you have a copy of same card in deck. Can be used to negate Nibiru, Ash Blossom, Maxx “C,” and Effect Veiler, amongst others.
- (x1) Monster Reborn (Optional) – Optional staple Spell that brings a Monster back to field. Can be used to get to 3+ Spell requirement for Sky Striker Spell effects, and as an emergency safeguard.
- (x1) Raigeki (Optional) – Staple Spell that destroys all Monsters on opponent’s side on field. Like Harpie’s Feather Duster and Monster Reborn, can be used to get to 3+ Spell requirement for Sky Striker Spells.
- (x1-x2) 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.
- (x3) Pot of Prosperity (Optional) – Can be used in lieu of Upstart Goblin, but not recommended due to effect of banishing cards from Extra Deck.
We should note that there is one thing that you do need to know about Sky Striker Spells. Other than Area Zero and Modules – Multirole, all of these Spells require the Main, not Extra, Monster Zone to be empty. Because of that, it’s important to either use some of these Spells before summoning Roze or Raye, or after going into a Link Summon.
And thanks to the addition of Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer in May 2022, Sky Strikers can now use that, and the Destiny HERO engine in these decks. Having DPE is a very powerful tool, for a variety of different reasons. For one, it can make use of Celestial’s draw effect. But more importantly, it allows for Sky Strikers to reliably pop cards, and since DPE goes into the GY for the remainder of the turn — should it pop itself — before coming back, this opens up the door to use Shark Cannon and Widow Anchor to be used. Both of which can’t be activated if a Monster is in your Main Monster Zone, but when used, can disrupt plays with ease.
Traps
Sky Strikers rely very heavily on Spells, so Trap Cards might not be necessary for this build. However, staple cards such as Solemn Strike, Solemn Judgement, and Infinite Impermanence can be useful in shutting down plays from the opposition. Ice Dragon’s Prison is also another option, as it can also be helpful towards bringing out the key cards in this build, the Extra Deck Link Monsters.
Regardless of whether you utilize Traps, make sure to keep the total number of Main Deck cards to 40.
Related: The best Trap Cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel (2022)
Extra Deck
The key to Sky Strikers, outside of Spells, is the Extra Deck, as these are the cards that are vital to success. Sky Strikers utilize Link Monsters, and use their varying effects to get to the finish line. Here’s what to look for, when building a deck.
- (x3) Sky Striker Ace – Shizuke – Lowers opponent’s ATK/DEF stats by 100 x number of Spells in your GY. Can also add a Spell Card to hand in End Phase of turn in which it’s brought into Extra Monster Zone. Most users go from Raye to Shizuke, when going first. Also used when ending a turn, in most cases.
- (x3) Sky Striker Ace – Hayate – Can attack opponent directly. Upon doing damage to opponent, can send one Sky Striker Spell to GY. Can be used to target unneeded cards, or Mobilize – Engage!, which can be retrieved by Kagari.
- (x1-x3) Sky Striker Ace – Kaina – Not as widely used as Shizuke or Hayate, but can be useful. Adds 100 LP for each time a Sky Striker Spell is activated.
- (x1) Sky Striker Ace – Zeke – Link 2 Monster that can banish a Monster from opponent’s side of field until the end of opponent’s next turn. Can also gain 1000 additional ATK at cost of one card you control.
- (x1) Sky Striker Ace – Kagari – Limited to one in Master Duel. Gains ATK equal to 100 x numbers of Spells in GY. When summoned, Kagari adds one Sky Striker Spell back to hand, which on most occassions, will be Mobilize – Engage!. Can be re-used thanks to Pot of Avarice.
- (x1) Crystron Halqifibrax – Needs Ash Blossom or Effect Veiler in order to summon. Can retrieve one from deck to Special Summon after it is brought on the field. Materials can be used for Link 3 summon.
- (x1) Destiny HERO – Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer – Staple fusion that can be summoned with Destiny HERO Monsters and Fusion Destiny. Can pop cards, and come back continuously.
- (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) Selene, Queen of the Master Magicians – Link 3 Monster that should only be used if Effect Veiler is in deck. If enough Spell Counters on Selene, can retrieve Effect Veiler from GY and Special Summon it.
- (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) I.P. Masquerena (optional) – 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.
Sky Strikers can take down quite a few decks in the Master Duel metagame. Unfortunately, the banlist has not been kind to this archetype. Many of the type’s Spell Cards have been hit, and while that does make it easier to build, it also makes it weaker. Arguably the biggest problem with Sky Strikers is that Kagari, which is unlimited in the TCG, is limited to just one copy in Master Duel.
But with DPE now in the game, Sky Strikers have a bit more potency. And it shows, as more and more players are now starting to flock back to this archetype.
Note: This guide has been updated to reflect card additions in Master Duel. It is as of May 2022.
