“Karakuri” is an archetype of EARTH Machine-Type monsters that was originally released in Valiant Souls and that has now, after several months, finally received further support.
“Karakuri” monsters have quite unique effects: as long as they are able to, most of them, with the exception of the Synchro monsters, are forced to attack and, when they are attacked, they change their battle position.
[Skill] description | User |
---|---|
Level Augmentation Reveal 1 monster in your hand and select 1 monster on your side of the field. The selected monster's level increase by the level of the monster you revealed. This Skill can only be used once per Duel. | ![]() Crow Hogan |
![]() Karakuri Bonze mdl 9763 "Kunamzan" | EARTH Machine ★5 ATK 2000 / DEF 1500 |
Arena of Sanctuary [UR] | |
This card must attack, if able. If this card is targeted for an attack: Change the battle position of this card. If this card is in your hand: You can target 1 "Karakuri" monster you control; change its battle position, and if you do, Special Summon this card as a Tuner, also you cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck for the rest of this turn, except EARTH Machine monsters. You can only use this effect of "Karakuri Bonze mdl 9763 "Kunamzan"" once per turn. |
Normal Summon Inishichi first and use its effect to search Kunamzan. Then Special Summon Kunamzan to make Burei or Samurai destroyer. If you already have the monsters onhand, you can Normal Summon Sazank instead then Special Summon Kunamzan to make Bureido. The battle position changing is not really a cost so you essentially Special Summon Kunamzan for free, on the contrary changing your Karakuri monster's battle position is actually helpful to activate Anatomy.
![]() Karakuri Komachi mdl 224 "Ninishi" | EARTH Machine ★3 ATK 0 / DEF 1900 |
Revolution Beginning [SR] | |
This card must attack if able. When this face-up card on the field is selected as an attack target, change its battle position. While this card is face-up on the field, once per turn during your Main Phase, you can Normal Summon a "Karakuri" monster in addition to your Normal Summon or Set. (You can only gain this effect once per turn.) |
Ninishi is a Level 3 Tuner that, once per turn, allows you to Normal Summon a “Karakuri” monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. Since she is a Tuner, her effect that puts another monster on the field is great for Synchro plays.
If you do not have a Karakuri Merchant mdl 177 “Inashichi” in your hand, you can use Karakuri Cash Cache to search it. Alternatively, you can still get to Burei using Ninishi and with paired with any level-4 Karakuri.
![]() Karakuri Cash Cache | Normal Spell |
Revolution Beginning [SR] | |
Select 1 face-up "Karakuri" monster you control. Add 1 Level 4 or lower "Karakuri" monster from your Deck to your hand, and change the battle position of the selected monster. |
Inashichi and Cash Cache are great consistency boosters. They fetch any Karakuri monster you need to make your plays, with Inashichi also being able to fetch Karakuri Spell/Traps like Cash Cache. Cash Cache should prioritize searching Ninishi which is your only Tuner. If you already have Ninishi on hand, go for your non-Tuners prioritizing Inashichi to perform the combo mentioned in the previous section.
![]() Karakuri Merchant mdl 177 "Inashichi" | EARTH Machine ★2 ATK 500 / DEF 1500 |
Revolution Beginning [SR] | |
This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card on the field is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is Normal Summoned, add 1 "Karakuri" card from your Deck to your hand. |
Inashichi should always search Cash Cache whenever possible. When you want to search a Karakuri monster with Inashichi, search Cash Cache first then use Cash Cache to search the intended monster to cycle more cards out of your deck. Cash Cache also changes Inashichi to its less vulnerable defense position.
![]() Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 "Sazank" | EARTH Machine ★3 ATK 1200 / DEF 1200 |
Valiant Souls [UR] | |
This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is flipped face-up, select 1 face-up monster on the field, and send it to the Graveyard. During the turn this card is flipped face-up, it can attack your opponent directly. |
The removal effect is a welcome addition to the deck. How you'll usually activate it is by setting Sazank and fliping it face-up with Burei's effect. You can also set Sazank and wait for the opponent to attack into it.
Being a level-3 monster, you can pair Sazank with a Special Summoned Kunamzan to make Bureido.
![]() Righty Driver | EARTH Machine ★1 ATK 100 / DEF 300 |
Future Horizon [SR] | |
For a Synchro Summon, you can substitute this card for any 1 "Synchron" Tuner. If this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 "Lefty Driver" from your hand, Deck, or GY. You can only use this effect of "Righty Driver" once per turn. |
Righty Driver is a good Synchro enabler because it fetches a non-Tuner to to pair with itself.
![]() Lefty Driver | EARTH Machine ★2 ATK 300 / DEF 100 |
Future Horizon [R] | |
If this card is Special Summoned: You can make this card become Level 3 until the end of this turn. During your Main Phase, except the turn this card was sent to the GY: You can banish this card from your GY; add 1 "Righty Driver" from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of "Lefty Driver" once per turn. |
You only really need to run one copy of Lefty Driver because Righty Driver can Special Summon it from anywhere. Lefty Driver's level modulation gives you a ton of flexibility on what you can make, usually with Righty Driver, Lefty Driver, plus one more monster.
![]() Karakuri Cash Inn | Normal Trap |
Arena of Sanctuary [SR] | |
Target 1 "Karakuri" monster you control and 1 Effect Monster your opponent controls; change the battle position of your monster, and if you do, negate the effects of that opponent's monster until the end of this turn. If you control a "Karakuri" monster(s): You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 face-up monster on the field; change that monster's battle position. You can only activate 1 "Karakuri Cash Inn" per turn. |
Cash Inn is a great turn one set to negate searchers such as Blackwing - Simoon the Poison Wind and Aleister the Invoker. This won't get rid of the opponent's monster, but the free negate should be enough to hinder your opponent from building their ideal board.
Cash Inn's graveyard effect can be used to change the battle position of an opponent's monster, letting you attack over powerful monsters.
![]() Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido" | EARTH Machine ★8 ATK 2800 / DEF 1700 |
Dark Dimension [SR] | |
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Machine-Type monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 "Karakuri" monster from your Deck. Once per turn, when the battle position of a face-up "Karakuri" monster you control is changed (and remains face-up): Draw 1 card. |
Bureido is an amazing resource generator. Karakuris are known for battle position changing so the draw effect is very easy to activate. Upon Synchro Summoning Bureido, you can Special Summon Nishipachi in attack position. Target Nishipachi with his own effect and this will also trigger Bureido's draw effect, replenishing your resource count after summoning such a costly Synchro monster.
Cash Cache is also a good way of triggering Bureido's draw effect, but make sure you control another Karakuri monster or put Bureido in defense position first. Attack position Karakuri monsters are automatically changed to defense position when attacked, letting you also use the once per turn draw effect on your opponent's turn.
![]() Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 "Burei" | EARTH Machine ★7 ATK 2600 / DEF 1900 |
Revolution Beginning [UR] | |
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Machine-Type monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 "Karakuri" monster from your Deck. Once per turn: You can target 1 monster on the field; change its battle position. |
Burei is the Synchro monster you want to make when going first. You mostly want him to Special Summon Nisamu from your deck for increased field presence. When your Nisamu is destroyed by battle, you can keep up field presence by Special Summoning another Nisamu or Special Summoning Ninishi to make a Synchro on your next turn.
The battle position changing effect can be used on your opponent's monster to expose their weaker stat. Good against monsters with high ATK but low DEF like Shiranuis, or monsters with high DEF but low ATK like Superheavy Samurai. You can also use this effect on your monsters that have been hit with Floodgate Trap Hole.
![]() Samurai Destroyer | EARTH Machine ★7 ATK 2600 / DEF 1400 |
Dark Dimension [R] | |
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters If this card battles an opponent's monster, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step, also that opponent's monster has its effects negated during the Battle Phase only. If this face-up card in its owner's control leaves the field because of an opponent's card effect: You can target 1 Machine monster in your GY; Special Summon it. |
Summon Samurai Destroyer as an offensive option. He prevents your opponent from activating effects when he battles, stopping battle traps and disruption like Sphere Kuriboh and Kiteroid, letting all of Samurai Destroyer's attacks go through.
Assuming he does not get changed to defense position, your opponent would most likely get rid of Samurai Destroyer with removal effects before he battles. This is where his floating effect becomes useful to float into any of the Machines in your graveyard, including Synchro monsters and Samurai Destroyer himself. This floating effect can be triggered by any form of removal, making it somewhat unavoidable.
Monsters battling Samurai Destroyer have their effects negated. This makes Samurai Destroyer a good way to get rid of monsters without triggering their floating effects. You can also attack into monsters and ignore their self ATK boosts.
![]() Star Eater | LIGHT Dragon ★11 ATK 3200 / DEF 2800 |
Valhalla Calling [SR] | |
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters Must be Synchro Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card's Synchro Summon cannot be negated. When Synchro Summoned, cards and effects cannot be activated. If this card attacks, it is unaffected by other card effects until the end of the Damage Step. |
Boost Nisamu or Ninishi by 4 levels with your Skill and use both to make Star Eater. Star Eater's effect compensates for this deck's lack of backrow removal similar to Samurai Destroyer. But instead of preventing your opponent from activating effects, Star Eater makes itself immune to all effects during battle.
![]() Underworld Fighter Balmung | EARTH Warrior ★4 ATK 2100 / DEF 800 |
Revolution Beginning [UR] | |
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters When this card is destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower monster in your Graveyard, except this card; Special Summon that target. |
Balmung is just a weak beater you can make with Lefty Driver plus Righty Driver. The deck has nothing for self-destruction so Balmung's floating effect will practically never be used.
![]() Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier | WATER Sea Serpent ★6 ATK 2300 / DEF 1400 |
Aerial Assault [UR] | |
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters You can discard any number of cards to the GY, then target the same number of cards your opponent controls; return those cards to the hand. You can only use this effect of "Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier" once per turn. |
Brionac's mass removal effect can be costly but can clear your opponent's field for an OTK. When using his effect conservatively you want to only target your opponent's boss monsters and Extra Deck monsters for removal.
[Skill] description | User |
---|---|
Restart Can be used only once after starting hands are dealt. Redraw your starting hand. Your first Draw will be skipped if you use this Skill. This Skill will not activate if your Deck does not contain 7 or more copies each of Spell and Trap cards. | ![]() Common |
Level Augmentation Reveal 1 monster in your hand and select 1 monster on your side of the field. The selected monster's level increase by the level of the monster you revealed. This Skill can only be used once per Duel. | ![]() Crow Hogan |
![]() Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi" | EARTH Machine ★3 ATK 500 / DEF 1600 |
Revolution Beginning [R] Dark Dimension [R] | |
This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, select 1 monster on the field and change its battle position. |
Nishipachi is usually used when being Special Summoned by Burei or Bureido. Its ability to change the opponnent's battle position upon summoning can have some good utility. Aside from that, Nishipachi can also flip monsters that have been hit with Floodgate Trap Hole or Paleozoic Canadia back up.
![]() Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa" | EARTH Machine ★4 ATK 2100 / DEF 1100 |
Valiant Souls [SR] | |
This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. If this card attacks, change it to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. |
![]() Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 "Nisamu" | EARTH Machine ★4 ATK 1400 / DEF 200 |
Revolution Beginning [R] | |
This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card on the field is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Karakuri" monster from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. |
Nisamu is an excellent floater letting you Special Summon any of your Karakuri monsters upon battle destruction. You can Special Summon another copy of Nisamu with his effect to stall your opponent until you are sure they have run out of attacks, then Special Summon Ninishi with Nisamu's effect. On your turn you should be able to comeback with a Synchro Summon. This usually comes up when you don't open with Ninishi or Cash Cache.
Nisamu also is the closest thing this deck has to a Main Deck beater to be Special Summoned by Burei or Bureido when pushing damage.
![]() Psychic Tracker | EARTH Psychic ★3 ATK 1600 / DEF 600 |
Dimension of the Wizards [R] | |
If you control a Level 3 monster other than "Psychic Tracker", you can Special Summon this card (from your hand) in Defense Position. You can only Special Summon "Psychic Tracker" once per turn this way. A Synchro Monster that used this card as material gains 600 ATK. |
Psychic Tracker is a self Special Summoning monster making him good for Synchro plays. His summoning condition for this deck only require you control a Ninishi. Psychic Tracker can then be paired with Ninishi to make a level-6 Synchro, or you can combine Psychic Tracker, Ninishi, and Inashichi to make Bureido.
![]() Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier | WATER Sea Serpent ★6 ATK 2300 / DEF 1400 |
Aerial Assault [UR] | |
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters You can discard any number of cards to the GY, then target the same number of cards your opponent controls; return those cards to the hand. You can only use this effect of "Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier" once per turn. |
![]() Naturia Landoise | EARTH Rock ★7 ATK 2350 / DEF 1600 |
Dimension of the Wizards [SR] | |
1 EARTH Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner EARTH monsters While this card is face-up on the field, you can send 1 Spell Card from your hand to the Graveyard to negate the activation of an Effect Monster's effect, and destroy that Effect Monster. |
Having an EARTH monster Synchro deck gives you access to Naturia Synchros which specialize in negation. Naturia Landoise is a great first turn play if you have Spell cards on hand. Most combo starters are monsters,think Shiranui Squire and Magicians Rod, so a properly timed negation by Landoise can shut down some deck's entire turn.
However one problem with Landoise is its effect cost. This deck doesn't really have any Spells you want to keep on hand, much less discard as cost. Cash Cache will usually be immediately used to fetch a Karakuri, so deciding whether to set your Quick-Play Spells depends on predicting your opponent's deck.
![]() Naturia Barkion | EARTH Dragon ★6 ATK 2500 / DEF 1800 |
Selection Box Vol. 03 [UR] | |
1 EARTH Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner EARTH monsters During either player's turn, when a Trap Card is activated: You can banish 2 cards from your Graveyard; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. This card must be face-up on the field to activate and to resolve this effect. |
Barkion gives Trap negation which is useful against some decks, particularly control decks. His effect cost is easier to provide compared to Landoise, because this deck does not really have ways to recycle cards in the graveyard except with Samurai Destroyer. Between Synchro Summonings and cycling your deck with Nisamu and Cash Cache, you should have enough cards in your graveyard for multiple Barkion effect cost.
Notable cards you should negate are Magician Navigation, Fiendish Chain, Floodgate Trap Hole, battle traps such as Wall of Disruption, and removal effects such as Raigeki Break.
![]() Karakuri Anatomy | Continuous Spell |
Valiant Souls [N] Revolution Beginning [N] | |
Each time a "Karakuri" monster's battle position is changed, place 1 Karakuri Counter on this card (max. 2). You can send this card from the field to the Graveyard to draw 1 card for each Karakuri Counter on this card. |
Karakuri Anatomy is a great representation of the Karakuri playstyle, namely battle position changing and resource gaining. It is very easy to get 2 counters on this card since all your Karakuri monsters have innate effects that change their battle position. Cash Cache is a good search card that also helps fuel Anatomy for efficient deck thinning.
Here is a sample of a full combo you can perform, netting you a total 3 searches and 2 draws!
This combo involves a lot of cards but is actually quite consistent due to all the searching.
![]() Hey, Trunade! | Normal Spell |
Rampage of the Forest [SR] Selection Box Vol. 02 Mini [SR] | |
Return all Set Spells and Traps on the field to the hand. |
Karakuri decks lack any form of removal including backrow removal. This can be a problem when your boss monster, specifically Bureido, lacks any form of protection. Hey, Trunade gets rid of all your opponent's set backrow giving you an opening to attack safely.
![]() Offerings to the Doomed | Quick Spell |
Stardust Acceleration [SR] Selection Box Vol. 01 mini [SR] | |
Target 1 face-up monster on the field; destroy that target, also skip your next Draw Phase. |
If your Karakuri draw engine is working properly, losing one Draw Phase to Offerings' cost is not really that big of a loss. Offerings helps compensate for Karakuri's lack of removal effects. Activating multiple Offerings on the same turn will still only cost you one Draw Phase, so this is a possible way to minimize resource loss.
![]() Karakuri Cash Shed | Counter Trap |
Revolution Beginning [N] Dark Dimension [N] | |
Activate only if you control a "Karakuri" monster in face-up Defense Position. Negate the activation of an opponent's Spell/Trap Card and destroy it. |
Thank you for visiting Duel Links wiki by GameA! We update this Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links community day by day to provide quality guides and the latest news.
[Zexal] Legendary Duelists Lvl 40 | ||
---|---|---|
![]() Yuma and Astral Lvl 40 | ![]() Tori Meadows Lvl 40 | ![]() Bronk Stone Lvl 40 |
Duel Links forums | |
---|---|
![]() General discussion | ![]() Vagabond trade |
![]() Deck advice | ![]() Duel room |
Duel / Level rewards | |
---|---|
![]() Level rewards | ![]() Duel rewards |
Skill pages | |
![]() Skill database | ![]() How to get drop skills |
Card Trader | Ranked Rewards |
---|---|
![]() Card Trader | ![]() Ranked Rewards |
![]() Cards you should trade | ![]() How to beat the Vegabond | ![]() How to solve Duel Quizes |
Standard Duelists | ||
---|---|---|
Lvl 14 | Lvl 20 | Lvl 27 |
Lvl 33 | Lvl 39 | Lvl 45 |
Lvl 51 | Lvl 57 | - |
Legendary Duelists | ||
Lvl 30 (DM) | Lvl 30 (GX) | Lvl 30 (5D's) |