Obelisk the Tormentor

Lore & Background

Throughout history, the card has been sought after by those who believe power is the only truth that matters. In the modern era, it became the centerpiece of Seto Kaiba's collection, representing his philosophy that strength defines worth. However, the card possesses a will of its own; it cannot be controlled lightly and often turns on its master if not handled with absolute authority. Its presence in a duel signals that the stakes have reached a catastrophic level where only total victory or annihilation is possible.

In Their Own Story

The arena fell silent as the air grew heavy, charged with static electricity. Seto Kaiba raised his hand, the holographic projector humming to life before him. From the swirling dark mist emerged a creature of nightmare and majesty: Obelisk the Tormentor. Its scales shimmered like polished obsidian, reflecting no light but emitting their own eerie glow. With a roar that shook the foundations of the stadium, the massive serpent-dragon coiled its tail around the arena walls, its golden eyes locking onto the opponent with predatory intent. The very ground seemed to tremble under the weight of its existence, a silent promise that nothing would survive the coming storm.

Reader's Guide

Obelisk the Tormentor is not a card for the faint of heart or those who rely on quick tactics. To summon this deity, a player must sacrifice three monsters from their field or hand, a costly tribute that reflects its immense power level. Once summoned, it functions as an unstoppable offensive juggernaut. Its primary ability allows it to destroy any monster on the opponent's field simply by declaring an attack, bypassing defense calculations entirely. This makes it nearly impossible for standard defensive strategies to hold against it. However, this power comes with a severe restriction: Obelisk cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects unless the player controls no other monsters. Furthermore, it can only attack once per turn if the opponent has more than one monster remaining, forcing the summoner to clear the board first before unleashing its full potential.

Did You Know?

• Like Slifer the Sky Dragon and The Winged Dragon of Ra, Obelisk requires three tributes for a Normal Summon, not a Special Summon.
• Its design is based on the Egyptian god Geb (earth god) or a generic deity figure, not the serpent of chaos Apophis.
• In the original anime, Slifer was the first God Card summoned (by Yugi during Battle City), followed by Obelisk (by Kaiba), then Ra (by Marik); Obelisk was not summoned before Slifer.