But sooner or later an opponent is going to get the upper hand and put you on the defensive. Some of the best monsters in the game can dish out damage, but they can also take damage too. And in this ranking, we will be taking a look at some of the best high-defense monsters worth adding into your deck.
15. Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon
One of the most iconic monsters in Yu-Gi-Oh! is not only a powerhouse, but it’s also great if you need to defend. Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon makes the list over its more powerful variants because of how easy it is to summon, with cards like Fists Of The Unrivalled Tenyi. Although lacking any effects, 3800DEF is going to be enough to hide behind in most situations. And when you’re ready, you can crush your opponent with this card’s immense 4500ATK!
14. Five-Headed Dragon
If sky-high ATK/DEF is what you’re after, it doesn’t get much better than this! Five-Headed Dragon has a steep fusion summoning cost of 5 Dragon-Type monsters. But it comes in at a ridiculous 5000ATK/5000DEF. The funny part about this card is that it has an effect that states it can’t be destroyed by certain monster types in battle… as if 5000ATK monsters are the norm! Although weak to card effects, 5000DEF should be more than enough to keep you safe. And if it isn’t, you probably lost the duel a while ago.
13. Hamon Lord Of Striking Thunder
Monsters with high defense are good. But ones with effects that also protect your other monsters are so much better. Hamon Lord Of Striking Thunder can only be special summoned by sending 3 continuous trap cards you control to the graveyard, which can be tricky to set up. It’s worth it though. Because 4000ATK/4000DEF is no joke, nor is the 1000 burn damage you can deal whenever Hamon destroys a monster. This card is on our list here because as long as it’s in face-up defense, your opponent cannot target any other monster for attacks. They either attack into 4000DEF, or they don’t attack at all!
12. Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Juggernaut Liebe
The only thing more ridiculous than this card’s ATK/DEF is its name. Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Juggernaut Liebe has 4000ATK/4000DEF. And this can be increased to an incredible 6000ATK/6000DEF by detaching 1 material. Numbers like this mean you can defend yourself from almost anything, or just attack for the win, because this card can attack as many times as it has material +1. Superdreadnought is still vulnerable to card effects. But for sheer offensive and defensive power, nothing can stand against it.
11. Number XX: Utopic Dark Infinity
If you need high ATK/DEF, a way to bring back destroyed monsters, and some life point regeneration… well believe it or not, there’s a monster that can do all of that! Number XX: Utopic Dark Infinity requires 2 LVL10 monsters to XYZ summon. And it has 4000ATK/4000DEF, so very few monsters can stand against it. If any of your monsters are destroyed by battle then you can detach a material to bring them right back. And if your life points need topping up, once per turn, you can target one of your special summoned monsters to gain life points equal to its attack.
10. Cloudcastle
If you want a card purely built for defense with the ability to stun your opponent’s monsters, this floating castle could be exactly what you’re looking for. Cloudcastle still sees competitive play, and is the only card on this list with 0ATK. But it has a respectable 3000DEF, and when this card is Synchro summoned you can special summon a LVL9 or lower monster from your Graveyard. And when Cloudcastle is on the field, LVL8 or lower monsters cannot attack the turn they’re summoned. So this card can slow the game right down, while you’re free to attack with that LVL9 you just summoned.
9. Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon
If you play a Dragon deck and you need a card to protect your life points and monsters, this may be the one for you. Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon has slightly lower stats than most cards on this list, at 2500ATK/3000DEF. Not too low by any means… but its effects make up for that! When this card is summoned, until the end of the next turn, none of your Dragons can be targeted or destroyed by card effects. In each of your standby phases, you can also special summon a normal monster from your Graveyard too. So that could be a free Blue-Eyes White Dragon if you have it!
8. D/D/D Duo-Dawn King Kali Yuga
No matter how much ATK/DEF a monster has, Spells and Traps can still be a threat. This monster can lay waste to your opponent’s back row and end any lock down your opponent has setup with their card effects. D/D/D Duo-Dawn King Kali Yuga has 3500ATK/3000DEF, requires two LVL8 D/D monsters to XYZ summon, and for the rest of the turn, card effects on the field can’t be activated and effects already on the field are negated. D/D/D also has a once per turn effect where you can detach a material to destroy all Spells and Traps on the field. If your opponent relies on their back row, this monster would be almost impossible for them to play against.
7. Invoked Elysium
Invoked cards see a fair bit of competitive play because they can fit into a lot of different strategies, and are incredibly powerful to boot. Invoked Elysium is one such card. It has 3200ATK/4000DEF and is pretty easy to summon considering how strong it is. Aside from the 4000DEF wall, this monster can also banish one of your Invoked monsters from the Field or Graveyard, and banish any of your opponent’s monsters with the same attribute. Invoked Elysium is also every attribute (apart from Divine) so you can banish it along with any monster you want!
6. Cyber Eternity Dragon
Great boss monsters in Yu-Gi-Oh! usually have good ATK/DEF and powerful effects to go with them. This particular monster is part of the Cyber Dragon archetype, and its effects are so nasty that once it’s on the field, it’s probably never leaving. Cyber Eternity Dragon is a fusion monster with 2800ATK/4000DEF. So it’s not getting beaten in a hurry! And if you have a Machine Fusion monster in your Graveyard, this card can’t be targeted or destroyed by card effects. So it’s incredibly hard to get rid of. Even if Cyber Eternity Dragon does leave the field, you can banish it from the Graveyard to stop any of your Fusion monsters from being targeted or destroyed by effects for a turn.
5. Shooting Quasar Dragon
Many monsters on this list have impressive ATK/DEF, but are weak to card effects. This monster not only has great stats, but it also has a once per turn effect that’s so oppressive, that when you summon it your opponent may just lose outright! Shooting Quasar Dragon has 4000ATK/4000DEF. So it’s unlikely to be destroyed in battle full stop. What makes this card so dangerous though is when a card or effect is activated, you can negate the activation and destroy it. This effect can be used once per turn on both players’ turns. So unless your opponent can play around a lot of negation, you’re free to crush them any way you see fit.
4. Ultimate Conductor Tyranno
Dinosaurs have seen competitive success, and have been a fan favorite amongst Yu-Gi-Oh! players for a long time. And this incredible boss monster is one of the reasons why! Ultimate Conductor Tyranno is definitely more dangerous in attack position (it’s probably the sharp teeth). But it has 3500ATK/3200DEF, so if you ever need something to hide behind, it’s good to go. Tyranno also has a great once per turn effect that lets you discard a card to flip all your opponent’s monsters into face-down defense position. Then when you’re ready to attack, this monster can attack every monster your opponent controls, and inflict burn damage too!
3. Divine Arsenal AA Zeus – Sky Thunder
With a steep summoning cost of two LVL12 monsters, you may think this card wouldn’t be worth using at all. But at the time of this writing, this card sees a ton of competitive play, and is a threat to the best decks out there. Divine Arsenal AA Zeus – Sky Thunder is an XYZ monster with 3000ATK/3000DEF. These stats are not as high as a lot of cards on this list. But what makes it so good is its effect where you can detach 2 materials to send all other cards on the field to the graveyard. 3000DEF is plenty when there’s nothing to defend against.
2. Stardust Sifr Divine Dragon
Aside from being an insanely cool looking monster (seriously, look at that thing!) Stardust Sifr Divine Dragon is a monster that will make your opponent think twice if they want to activate effects. This Synchro monster is a powerhouse with 4000ATK/4000DEF, and has some incredible protection effects. The first time any card you control would be destroyed, it’s not. Then once per turn you can negate a monster effect, and if you do that, you can destroy one card on the field. Even if you aren’t attacking, this monster can be an absolute menace. And if it does make it to the graveyard, you can banish it for a free level 8 or lower Stardust monster!
1. Quintet Magician
One of the best ways to remove a problem card is to tribute it with a Kaiju or Super Polymerization. This method gets around cards that can’t be destroyed or targeted. And this monster is one of the few that’s immune to this. Quintet Magician requires a hefty 5 Spellcasters as a tribute. But your opponent will be hard-pressed to get rid of it! This monster has 4500ATK/4500DEF so it’s incredibly hard to destroy by battle. It also cannot be tributed or used as Fusion Material. And that’s an effect you’ll rarely see in Yu-Gi-Oh! Plus, if every fusion material you used to summon Quintet Magician has a different name, you can destroy every card your opponent controls. Which will probably win a duel instantly. But if you’re using this card for defense, there’s little your opponent can do about it.
