10 Most Powerful Yu-Gi-Oh! Monsters, Ranked

Monster duels are Yu-Gi-Oh!'s bread and butter. They are the cornerstone upon which the entire franchise rests and take a considerable portion of nearly every episode in the anime. Duel monsters come in all shapes and sizes, have numerous inspirations behind them, and different power levels.

Some monsters are more memorable than others, whether because of how striking they are - like the Blue-Eyes White Dragon - or maybe because they play a large enough role in the anime - like Dark Magician. However, only a few monsters become unforgettable because of their destructive power. These monsters rank among the strongest creatures in the entire game, capable of bringing fear into the hearts of every duelist.

10. Relinquished

Relinquished is the most impressive monster of the first season, Duelist Kingdom. Maximilian Pegasus created it with the sole purpose of destroying Yugi. Relinquished can only be ritual summoned using the Black Illusion Ritual and initially has 0 ATK and DEF.

However, it has the ability to absorb one of the opponent's monsters once every turn. Relinquished then acquires the ATK and DEF of said monsters, and the more it absorbs, the more powerful it becomes. If one of the absorbed monsters gets destroyed, it's the owner that suffers the damage.

9. Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon

Kaiba's favorite monster is, of course, Blue-Eyes White Dragon. He has three in his deck, and one of his go-to strategies is combining them to create Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. He uses this ploy during his first duel against Yugi, thinking it will give him the win.

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon is indeed breathtaking. It has an outstanding 4500 ATK and 3800 DEF, making it one of the games' strongest fusion monsters. Not counting Obelisk the Tormentor, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon is Kaiba's most powerful monster.

8. Five-Headed Dragon

Five-Headed Dragon appears twice in the anime. Both times, it's a representation of the Big Five, Kaiba Corp's former leaders who became trapped in Noah's virtual world. As such, Five-Headed Dragon never gets used in a proper duel.

With 5000 ATK and DEF, this monster is a true menace for even the most experienced duelist. It also can't get destroyed by battle with a Dark, Earth, Water, Fire, or Wind monster. However, a player can only summon it by fusing five different dragons, which is more complicated than it sounds.

7. Dragon Master Knight

Kaiba and Yugi share a love-hate relationship that's very entertaining to watch. They each respect each other as duelists but can't see eye-to-eye on pretty much anything else. However, when they work together, they prove to be quite well, often bringing out the best in the other.

During their duel against Dartz, Yugi and Kaiba combine their strongest monsters to create the ultimate symbol of their bond. Dragon Master Knight is the fusion of Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon and Yugi's Black Luster Soldier. It has an impressive 5000 ATK and DEF and gains 500 ATK for each Dragon monster on the field and in the Graveyard.

6. Shinato King Of A Higher Plane

Deck Masters are one of Enter the Shadow Realm's most successful gimmicks. They each have unique abilities that make the duel more exciting and increase the stakes. During Kaiba and Yugi's duel against Noah, the green-haired kid initially uses Shinato's Arc as his Deck Master. After the arc's destruction, Shinato King of a Higher Plane arrives, and the duel gets out of control.

When Shinato King of a Higher Plane attacks one of the opponent's Defense position monsters, the user can inflict damage to the opponent equal to half their Life Points. At the same time, the user gains the same amount.

5. Orichalcos Kyutora

Dartz proved an effective if slightly tiresome villain. His plan to awaken the legendary Leviathan is at the center of the Waking the Dragons arc, and when he finally faces Yugi, he doesn't disappoint. His deck is ridiculously overpowered, populated by mysterious and seemingly unstoppable creatures of pure destruction.

One of those is Orichalcos Kyutora. It may not seem impressive at first glance, with its 500 ATK and DEF, but it has an Effect that proves devastating. Summoned into the field by paying 500 Life Points, Kyutora allows all battle damage inflicted to the owner's monsters to become 0. When it gets destroyed, the owner can summon another, more impressive creature.

4. Orichalcos Shunoros

Once Kyutora gets destroyed, the player can summon Orichalcos Shunoros into the field. Its ATK is equal to the total amount of damage reduced to 0 by the Kyutora that came before it. Shunoros also allows the summoning of one Orichalcos Aristeros and Orichalcos Dexia from the owner's hand or deck.

Like Kyutora, Shunoros also has one last Effect when it gets destroyed, but it's highly situational. When it gets destroyed while its ATK is 0, the owner can pay 10,000 Life Points to summon a third and final creature.

3. Divine Serpent Geh

With Shunoros gone, and after paying the 10,000 Life Points, the player can welcome Divine Serpent Geh. When this monster is on the field, the user's Life Points become 0. Divine Serpent Geh cannot attack unless the player sends the first ten cards on their deck to the Graveyard.

However, this card has all sorts of tricks. It can destroy pretty much any monster in the field. Most importantly, whenever it's present, the owner cannot lose the duel. Using it carries a considerable risk but can also deliver a substantial reward.

2. Exodia, The Forbidden One

Exodia is Yu-Gi-Oh!'s original overpowered monster. Yugi used it in the first episode, in his duel against Kaiba. Once the prideful Seto summoned his Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, he believed the battle to be over. Yugi, however, surprised him with Exodia the Forbidden One and ultimately won the match.

Indeed, putting together all five parts of Exodia results in the player's automatic victory. Separately, every piece of Exodia is next to useless, but together, they make a formidable weapon capable of granting victory to any duelist.

1. The Egyptian Gods

The Egyptian Gods harbor a power unmatched by any other monster in the game. Pegasus feared them so much that he only made one of each. He then hid them away so that no one would ever use them. His plan, of course, failed, and the cards eventually made their way into the world.

As the King of Games and Egypt's former pharaoh, Yugi is the only one that can handle their power. Many duelists tried it before him, but none was able to harvest the Gods' sheer strength. Each one has a unique and fearsome set of abilities, cementing their place as the ultimate threats in the entire franchise.

Source: www.screenrant.com