The Best Cards That Let You Tribute Your Opponent’s Monsters In Yu-Gi-Oh!

Tributing monsters in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG is one of the oldest mechanics introduced to the game. It is primarily used as a way to get level five or higher monsters onto the field, with one needed for a monster between the levels of five and six, two tributes for seven and above, and three if it’s an Egyptian God Card.

Tributing as a Summoning mechanic is a bit slow by modern Yu-Gi-Oh! standards, but that does not mean it can’t be useful. Some of the more interesting cards in the game don’t use your monsters, but tribute your opponent’s monsters. In some cases, this is completely unblockable.

10

Alien Skull

The Prototype To Kaiju’s

One of the earliest monsters to be able to tribute using your opponent’s side of the field belongs to one of the most underrated archetypes of all time. This is Alien Skull. This odd little monster can use a level three or lower monster to Summon itself to your opponent’s field.

The problem with this particular card is that it’s a Special Summon that locks you out of your Normal Summon for the turn. It also doesn’t have a wide range of targets. By the time this card could see any kind of improved play, it would be long power crept.

9

Share The Pain

An Early Era Tribute Spell

Share The Pain is the earliest card that directly forces a tribute. When played, this card requires both players to tribute something from their side of the field. What are you tributing for exactly? Absolutely nothing.

On a surface level, this doesn’t seem like much by today’s standards, especially since you have to lose a monster as well. However, back in the Duel Monsters era of Yu-Gi-Oh!, this could be a small price to pay for forcing your opponent to get rid of one of their strongest monsters on the field.

8

Nibiru The Primal Being

Putting A Stop To The Combos

Nibiru The Primal Being is a fantastic hand trap that keeps combo decks in check. It does so by going live after your opponent Summons five monsters to their side of the field. After this, you can activate it in your hand to tribute away your opponent’s entire board.

This card can kill your opponent’s entire strategy if they can’t play around it. If there is any consolation for them, at least they get a beefy Nibiru Token on their side of the field. Unfortunately for them, you can decide to slap it on the field in defense position to prevent them from attacking with it the same turn.

7

Kurikara Divincarnate

When All Else Fails

Kurikara Divincarnate is essentially Nibiru but in reverse. This card doesn’t prevent boards but breaks them instead. If your opponent has been using their monster effects to stop you from playing, then you can use Kurikara Divincarnate to tribute away any monster that activated its effects during the turn.

Unlike Nibiru, Kurikara Divincarnate is Special Summoned to your side of the field while also getting 1500 extra attack for each monster you tributed. On top of all that, this monster can also revive another from your opponent’s graveyard at the end of the turn.

6

Gameciel, The Sea Turtle Kaiju

The Best Kaiju

Out of all the Kaiju that exist in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, Gameciel is the best option for tributing away your opponent’s monsters. This is because it has the lowest attack, making it easy for you to beat over when it comes time to attack.

Gameciel is a great side deck option since it lets you get rid of one of your opponent’s best board pieces. Since the tribute is also not an activated effect, there is no way to stop it unless your opponent has a card that stops you from Summoning monsters in general.

5

Baelgrill De Nouvelle

Your Opponent Is Cooked

The entire Nouvelles archetype revolves around tributing your opponent’s monsters one by one as a means to get into your stronger board pieces. Baelgrill De Nouvelles is the final Ritual Monster at the end of the line, which not only negates other face-up effects, but can tribute multiple monsters in one go.

This is the equivalent of grinding up all your opponent’s monsters into ground meat and serving it as a burger. Which, ironically, is exactly what Baelgrill De Nouvelles does since after the tributes, it can then Summon a Hungry Burger straight from the deck.

4

Lava Golem

Burning A Hole In Your Opponent’s Strategy

Lava Golem works in the same vein as the Kaiju, but it has a few more conditions and additional effects to take into consideration. For starters, it can get rid of two of your opponent’s board pieces while giving your opponent no time to dodge it.

For these two removals, there is a price. You cannot conduct your Normal Summon for the turn, which makes it less practical in decks that rely on it. This card also burns your opponent every turn by 1000. This can make it a useful card for time rules.

3

The Winged Dragon Of Ra, Sphere Mode

Cleaning The Field

If you thought getting rid of two monsters could be a big deal, then how about three? Ra Sphere mode lets you tribute away three of your opponent’s board pieces. While this card also stops you from conducting your Normal Summon, it is also only practical in certain situations.

This card is good for catching your opponent by surprise. However, there is no guarantee that they will even end on a board with three monsters. Any less and Ra, Sphere Mode is dead in your hand.

2

Santa Claws

One Confusing Card

Santa Claws can tribute over your opponent’s monster in what seems like a simple effect. However, this card is often misread and players can find themselves doing a double-take after it resolves.

This is due to the draw effect at the end of the text. It states that “you can draw one card”. The owner might assume that since they Special Summoned it, they can get the draw. However, it is the opposite. Your opponent is the one that gets the draw, since “you” in this scenario refers to the player who currently has this card on their side of the field.

1

Thestalos The Shadowfire Monarch

Breaking Boards And Hands

The Monarchs love being Tribute Summoned. Some of them make it easy for you to go into them by only having to tribute one monster. Thestalos The Shadow Monarch lets you tribute one of your opponent’s monsters as well as one of your own previously Tribute Summoned monsters to bring itself out.

This card can also banish another card from your opponent’s hand or even the field if you take the extra step and tribute a level eight or higher monster. It is truly a devastating Monarch card.