Egyptian God Cards Explained: Slifer, Obelisk and Ra (Rules, Printings and Value)

The Egyptian God cards are the three most famous monsters in Yu-Gi-Oh!: Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormentor and The Winged Dragon of Ra. In the anime they were unbeatable. As real cards they're more complicated: some printings are fully playable, some can't be used in a Duel at all, and the collectible versions range from a few dollars to serious money. This guide covers what each God does, how to tell the playable versions from the display-only ones, every key printing, and what collectors look for. Card text and status are current as of October 2026.

The three Egyptian God cards at a glance

All three share the same base stats line: DIVINE attribute, Divine-Beast type, Level 10.

Card	ATK / DEF	Core effect (playable version)
Obelisk the Tormentor	4000 / 4000	Can't be targeted by card effects. Tribute 2 monsters to destroy all monsters your opponent controls (it can't attack that turn).
Slifer the Sky Dragon	? / ?	Gains 1000 ATK/DEF for each card in your hand. When your opponent summons a monster in Attack Position, it loses 2000 ATK, and is destroyed if that drops it to 0.
The Winged Dragon of Ra	? / ?	When Normal Summoned, pay LP until you have 100 left to give it that much ATK/DEF. Pay 1000 LP to destroy 1 targeted monster.

Each God requires 3 Tributes to Normal Summon and can't be Normal Set. Its Normal Summon can't be negated, and cards and effects can't be activated in response to it (our chain rules guide explains why that matters). Obelisk and Slifer can be Special Summoned, but if they are, they're sent to the Graveyard during the End Phase. Ra can't be Special Summoned at all.

Playable vs. original: the most important thing to know

There are two kinds of Egyptian God card, and they look almost identical at a glance:

• Original versions print the anime-style flavour text instead of an effect. Obelisk's, for example, describes burning winds and twisted land. These are not legal for play: their official ruling is that they can't be used in a Duel. They exist for collectors.
• Playable versions print the full effect text described above, with the summoning conditions. These are legal in the Advanced Format. All three are Unlimited on the TCG Forbidden & Limited List as of October 2026.

How to tell them apart: check the text box. If it reads like a poem instead of game text, it's an original. Our guide to Yu-Gi-Oh! summoning mechanics explains Tribute Summons if you're new to them.

Key printings, in order

Original (non-playable) versions

Year	Release	Notes
2003	Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters International: Worldwide Edition game promos (GBI-001 to 003)	Asian-English cards bundled with a Japanese video game. First-edition copies of the game had Secret Rares, later copies Ultra Rares.
2010	Legendary Collection (LC01-EN001 to 003)	Ultra Rare. The version most North American collectors grew up with.
2023	Legendary Collection: 25th Anniversary Edition	Ultra Rare and Quarter Century Secret Rare reprints of the originals

Playable versions (selected)

Year	Release	Notes
2010–2012	Shonen Jump promos, Gold Series 4 (Obelisk, 2011), Order of Chaos: Special Edition (Ra, 2012)	The first playable TCG printings
2020	Legendary Duelists: Rage of Ra (LED7)	Ra in Ultra Rare and Ghost Rare
2021	Egyptian God Deck: Slifer and Egyptian God Deck: Obelisk (June 18)	Structure Decks built around each God
2021	King's Court (July 9)	All three in the "Pharaoh's Rare" Ultra Rare treatment
2024	Quarter Century Bonanza (November 8)	Platinum Secret Rare and Quarter Century Secret Rare
2025	Quarter Century Stampede (April 11)	Platinum Secret Rare and Quarter Century Secret Rare
2026	Rarity Collection 5 (April 17)	Ultra Rare and Starlight Rare

Other notable printings include the 2016 Mega-Tins, the 2019 Gold Sarcophagus Tin (Prismatic Secret Rare), and The Dark Side of Dimensions movie promos.

The stainless steel set (2024)

Konami's Stainless Steel Egyptian God Cards shipped in March 2024: all three Gods printed on stainless steel with their manga artwork, in an acrylic display. TCG buyers were also entered into a sweepstakes for one of 3,000 Ultra Rare "Black Luster Soldier" cards printed in Japanese. The metal Gods are display pieces, not tournament cards.

Which Egyptian God cards are worth the most?

Value depends on version, rarity and condition, roughly in this order:

1. Quarter Century Secret Rares and Starlight Rares. Low pull rates and premium foil make these the modern chase versions. See our Quarter Century Secret Rare and Starlight Rare guides.
2. Ghost Rare Ra from Rage of Ra, a rarity collectors have always prized.
3. Original Secret Rare GBI promos (2003) in high grade, for vintage collectors.
4. Graded copies of anything above, especially PSA 10s.
5. Ultra Rare playable and LC01 versions. Plentiful, iconic and affordable, a great way to own the set.

Exact prices move constantly. Our step-by-step guide shows how to price any Yu-Gi-Oh! card using sold listings.

Are the Egyptian God cards any good in a real game?

Honestly, they're fan favourites, not meta staples. Three Tributes is a steep cost in modern Yu-Gi-Oh!, where most decks Special Summon several monsters a turn. That said:

• Obelisk is the most practical: untargetable, 4000 ATK and a built-in board wipe.
• Slifer punishes opponents who summon in Attack Position and grows with your hand.
• Ra has dedicated support (the Rage of Ra cards) that makes it playable in casual and themed decks.

If you want to build around them, the 2021 Egyptian God Decks are the natural starting point, and our deck building guide covers ratios and structure. For a format where older-style decks get more room, see Yu-Gi-Oh! Genesys.

Spotting fake Egyptian God cards

The Gods are among the most counterfeited Yu-Gi-Oh! cards because they're popular with casual buyers. Watch for:

• Wrong fonts and colours. The DIVINE attribute icon and the Level stars should be crisp.
• A missing, flat or stuck-on security hologram in the bottom-right corner. Compare with a genuine card from the same era, because the hologram's style has changed over the years.
• Glossy, flimsy card stock that fails the light test.
• "Promo" Gods with effects that don't match any official printing.

Run through our 10 checks for fake Yu-Gi-Oh! cards before buying any God card from an unknown seller.

Frequently asked questions

Are Egyptian God cards legal in tournaments?

The playable versions are. Slifer, Obelisk and Ra are all Unlimited in the TCG Advanced Format as of October 2026. The original versions with flavour text instead of effects can't be used in a Duel.

How do you summon an Egyptian God card?

Tribute 3 monsters to Normal Summon it. It can't be Normal Set, and the Normal Summon can't be negated. Obelisk and Slifer can be Special Summoned but return to the Graveyard in the End Phase; Ra can't be Special Summoned.

Which Egyptian God card is the strongest?

In play, Obelisk is usually the most reliable thanks to its untargetability and board wipe. Slifer can hit higher ATK with a big hand, and Ra's power depends on the Life Points you pay.

What's the rarest Egyptian God card?

Among cards you can actually buy, the Quarter Century Secret Rares, Starlight Rares, the Ghost Rare Ra and the 2003 Secret Rare GBI promos are the hardest to find, especially in top condition.

Where can I buy Egyptian God cards in Canada?

Browse Yu-Gi-Oh! singles at Ultima Cards, including Quarter Century Secret Rares and Starlight Rares. Every card is 100% authentic and ships from Canada.