
How to play Stardust (Synchron 2026) ft Zombie
Sections covered in this guide:
Skill
Starlight Drive (Skill Card) (100%)




Starlight Drive (Skill Card)
ATK:
0
DEF:
0
You can use this Skill's first and second effects once per turn if your Deck contains 7 or more Tuners. 1: If you control "Stardust Dragon", play 1 "Formula Synchron" from outside your Deck in face-down Defense Position. (Its battle position can be changed). Set 1 "Shooting Star" from outside your Deck. (This card can be activated the same turn.) 2: If your opponent has cards in their field or Graveyard, play 1 "Stardust Dragon" from your Extra Deck in face-down Defense Position. (Its battle position can be changed.) Then, send up to 3 random Level 2 monsters from your Deck to the Graveyard.
- Special Summon a Stardust Dragon from the Extra Deck to the field (its battle position can change), then Send 3 random Level 2 monsters from your Deck to the Graveyard.
. This is the most important effect for activating the sub-engines. Sending 3 Level 2 monsters sets up a graveyard for Tuners to respawn, such as Plaguespreader Zombie , Mad Mauler (in Zombie form), or Quillbolt Hedgehog , Junk Converter (in Synchron form).. - If you are controlling Stardust Dragon (regardless of how you summoned it), you can: Set a Formula Synchron from outside your deck onto the field and
(Set) a Shooting Star from outside the deck onto the field. . The Shooting Star trap card activates during the turn it is played. It allows you to destroy 1 card on the field if you have a Stardust monster. This is an extremely powerful "bombardment" tool to interrupt opponent's combos or clear the way for an OTK..
Starlight Drive transforms Stardust from a traditional Synchro deck into a monster control and spamming machine:
With Stardust Dragon and Formula Synchron free, you instantly have a Level 8 + Level 2 pair on the field. From there, you can easily Synchro Summon Level 10 Bosses like Stardust Warrior and Chengying.
. Interacting with Zombie World: Zombie variants take full advantage of the ability to send Level 2 Tuner Zombies to the graveyard. Combined with Zombie World , you can continuously revive Stardust Dragon using Mezuki or the extremely annoying Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon Lord.
. The Shooting Star skill provides a protective layer. Even if your opponent tries to break the board, you still get a chance to shoot back. Combined with the summoning of Herald of the Arc Light (thanks to Level 2 Tuner + Level 2 Non-Tuner from the graveyard), the deck can set up "impenetrable" boards with multiple layers of shields.
Monsters in the Main Deck
Plaguespreader Zombie (x1)
This card's ability to revive itself from the Graveyard by returning one card from your hand to the top of your deck is extremely important, allowing you to Synchro Summon to higher tiers (like Immortal Dragon or Herald of the Arc Light ) almost instantly.
Quillbolt Hedgehog (x1)
Mad Mauler (x0-1)




DARK
2Mad Mauler
ATK:
400
DEF:
200
This card's name becomes "Plaguespreader Zombie" while on the field or in the GY. If this card is in your GY: You can target 1 Level 6 or higher monster you control; reduce its Level by 2, and if you do, Special Summon this card, also the player who Summoned it cannot Special Summon monsters, except Zombie monsters, while this card is face-up in the Monster Zone. You can only use this effect of "Mad Mauler" once per turn.
Uni-Zombie (x0-1)




DARK
3Uni-Zombie
ATK:
1300
DEF:
0
You can target 1 face-up monster on the field; discard 1 card, and if you do, increase that target's Level by 1. You can target 1 face-up monster on the field; monsters you control cannot attack for the rest of this turn, except Zombie monsters, also send 1 Zombie monster from your Deck to the GY, and if you do, increase that target's Level by 1. You can only use each effect of "Uni-Zombie" once per turn.
Zombie Engine




EARTH
4Gozuki
ATK:
1700
DEF:
800
During your Main Phase: You can send 1 Zombie monster from your Deck to the GY. If this card is sent to the GY: You can banish 1 Zombie monster from your GY, except "Gozuki"; Special Summon 1 Zombie monster from your hand. You can only use each effect of "Gozuki" once per turn.




DARK
8Doomking Balerdroch
ATK:
2800
DEF:
2000
During the Standby Phase, if a face-up card is in a Field Zone and this card is in your GY: You can Special Summon this card in Defense Position. You can only use this effect of "Doomking Balerdroch" once per turn. Once per Chain, when a Zombie monster, except "Doomking Balerdroch", activates its effect (except during the Damage Step) (Quick Effect): You can apply 1 of these effects (but you cannot apply that same effect of "Doomking Balerdroch" again this turn). ● Negate that effect. ● Banish 1 monster from the field or GY.




DARK
4Samurai Skull
ATK:
1700
DEF:
0
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can send 1 Zombie monster from your Deck to the GY. If this face-up card in its owner's control leaves the field because of an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Zombie monster from your Deck, except "Samurai Skull".




DARK
4Necroworld Banshee
ATK:
1800
DEF:
200
"Zombie World" in the Field Zone cannot be destroyed by card effects, also neither player can target it with card effects. (Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your field or GY; activate 1 "Zombie World" directly from your hand or Deck. You can only use this effect of "Necroworld Banshee" once per turn.
Doomking Balendroch:
- The main boss in the Main Deck (Omni-Negate & Banish).
- When Zombie World is available On the field (activated by Necroworld Banshee ) , Doomking becomes a nightmare. It can revive itself each turn and activate 2 effects: Banish (non-target) or Disable monster effects.
- Interaction: The Starlight Drive ability provides Stardust Dragon to protect Doomking from being destroyed, forming a well-rounded offensive and defensive duo.
- Monster Reborn tool.
- Banish yourself from the Grave to revive a Zombie. With Zombie World , all the monsters in the graveyard (including Stardust Dragon) (or Synchro Warriors) all turn into Zombies, turning Mezuki into a versatile resurrection tool to reuse the Boss repeatedly.
- Activate environmental magic.
- Protect Zombie World from destruction and activate it directly from the Deck/Grave. This is key to turning everything into Zombies, disrupting Type-based decks (like Dragon or Spellcaster).
Millers/Uni-zombie type 2 sticker overlay
Analysis: Used to proactively send Mezuki , Banshee , or Doomking from the deck to the graveyard if the Skill isn't good enough.
Junk Synchron (x0-3)
Extra Deck
Stardust Dragon and Formula Synchron (Gift from Skill, but Stardust x2-3 Extra slots.)




WIND
8Stardust Dragon
ATK:
2500
DEF:
2000
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters When a card or effect is activated that would destroy a card(s) on the field (Quick Effect): You can Tribute this card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. During the End Phase, if this effect was activated this turn (and was not negated): You can Special Summon this card from your GY.
Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon Lord (x0-1)




DARK
10Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon Lord
ATK:
2800
DEF:
2400
1 Zombie Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters During your opponent's turn (Quick Effect): You can target 1 Zombie monster in your GY, except "Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon Lord"; Special Summon it. If this card is in your GY: You can banish 1 Zombie monster you control; Special Summon this card. You can only use each effect of "Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon Lord" once per turn.
Immortal Dragon (x0-1)




DARK
6Immortal Dragon
ATK:
500
DEF:
2400
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters During your Main Phase: You can send 1 Zombie monster from your Deck to the GY, and if you do, this card's Level becomes the difference in the original Levels of that monster and this card. When your Zombie monster is destroyed by battle, while this card is in your GY: You can Special Summon this card, but banish it when it leaves the field. You can only use each effect of "Immortal Dragon" once per turn.
Play when there are many zombies.
Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying (x1)




WATER
10Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying
ATK:
3000
DEF:
3000
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters For each banished card, this card gains 100 ATK/DEF and monsters your opponent controls lose 100 ATK/DEF. If this card would be destroyed by card effect, you can banish 1 card from your GY instead. If a card(s) is banished (except during the Damage Step): You can banish 1 card each from both your opponent's field and GY. You can only use this effect of "Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying" once per turn.
Herald of the Arc Light (x1)




LIGHT
4Herald of the Arc Light
ATK:
600
DEF:
1000
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters Any monster sent from the hand or Main Deck to the GY is banished instead. When a Spell/Trap Card, or monster effect, is activated (Quick Effect): You can Tribute this card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card. If this card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 Ritual Monster or 1 Ritual Spell from your Deck to your hand.
Stardust Warrior (x0-1)




WIND
10Stardust Warrior
ATK:
3000
DEF:
2500
1 Tuner Synchro Monster + 1 or more non-Tuner Synchro Monsters During either player's turn, if your opponent would Special Summon a monster(s): You can Tribute this card; negate the Summon, and if you do, destroy that monster(s). During the End Phase, if this effect was activated this turn (and was not negated): You can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. If this card is destroyed by battle, or if this face-up card you control leaves the field because of an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon 1 Level 8 or lower "Warrior" Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Synchro Summon.)
Stardust Chronicle Spark Dragon (x1)




LIGHT
10Stardust Chronicle Spark Dragon
ATK:
3000
DEF:
2500
1 Tuner Synchro Monster + 1+ non-Tuner Synchro Monsters Must be Synchro Summoned. Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can banish 1 Synchro Monster from your GY; this card is unaffected by other cards' effects for the rest of this turn. If this card in its owner's possession is destroyed by an opponent's card (by battle or card effect): You can target 1 of your banished Dragon Synchro Monsters; Special Summon it.
Samsara Dragon of Rebirth (x0-1)




DARK
5Samsara, Dragon of Rebirth
ATK:
100
DEF:
2600
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters If this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, or if this card you control is sent to your Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: You can target 1 monster in either player's Graveyard, except "Samsara, Dragon of Rebirth"; Special Summon it. You can only use this effect of "Samsara, Dragon of Rebirth" once per turn.
Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon (x0-1)




WIND
8Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon
ATK:
3000
DEF:
2500
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner Synchro Monsters Once per turn, when another monster's effect is activated (Quick Effect): You can negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that monster, and if you do that, this card gains ATK equal to the destroyed monster's original ATK until the end of this turn. If this card battles an opponent's Level 5 or higher monster, during damage calculation: This card gains ATK equal to the current ATK of the opponent's monster it is battling during that damage calculation only.
Ruddy Rose Dragon and Shooting Star Dragon (x0-1)




FIRE
10Ruddy Rose Dragon
ATK:
3200
DEF:
2400
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters If this card is Synchro Summoned: You can banish all cards from the GYs, then, if this card was Synchro Summoned using "Black Rose Dragon" or a Plant Synchro Monster as material, you can destroy all other cards on the field. When your opponent activates a card or effect that would destroy a card(s) (Quick Effect): You can Tribute this card; negate the activation, then you can Special Summon 1 "Black Rose Dragon" from your Extra Deck or GY.




WIND
10Shooting Star Dragon
ATK:
3300
DEF:
2500
1 Tuner Synchro Monster + "Stardust Dragon" Once per turn: You can excavate the top 5 cards of your Deck, shuffle them back in, also this card's maximum number of attacks per Battle Phase this turn equals the number of Tuner monsters excavated. Once per turn, during either player's turn, when a card or effect is activated that would destroy a card(s) on the field: You can negate the effect, and if you do, destroy it. Once per turn, when an opponent's monster declares an attack: You can target the attacking monster; banish this card, and if you do, negate that attack. During the next End Phase: Special Summon this card banished by this effect.
Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon (x0-1)




WIND
8Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon
ATK:
2500
DEF:
2000
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters If this card is Synchro Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower Tuner from your GY. During the Main Phase (Quick Effect): You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 "Stardust Dragon" from your Extra Deck (this is treated as a Synchro Summon), then, immediately after this effect resolves, Synchro Summon 1 Synchro Monster using monsters you control as material. This turn, the monsters Synchro Summoned by this effect are unaffected by your opponent's activated effects. You can only use each effect of "Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon" once per turn.
In collaboration with Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign - Chengying . Instead of summoning immediately, you should wait until your opponent's Main Phase to activate the effect of Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon. . This process will create a board with two main monsters (Stardust Dragon and Chengying) that are completely unaffected by card effects in that turn.
Junk Warrior (x1)
Spell/Trap
Activate skill turn 1




Spell
NormalSky Striker Maneuver - Vector Blast
If you control no monsters in your Main Monster Zone: Each player sends the top 2 cards of their Deck to the GY (or as many as possible, if less than 2), then, if you sent at least 1 card to the GY, and have 3 or more Spells in your GY, you can shuffle all your opponent's monsters from the Extra Monster Zones into the Deck.
These are the most important cards, acting as the "key" to activating the "golden button" (Skill), forcing your opponent to discard their cards to the graveyard.
Dark World Dealings:
This is the number 1 option. Forcing your opponent to discard cards to the Graveyard will immediately activate the skill's condition. At the same time, it allows you to remove Level 2 monsters (like Plaguespreader or Mezuki ) from your hand to the Graveyard to set up a combo.
Vector Blast
Send the top 2 cards from both players' decks to the Graveyard. If your opponent has a monster in the Extra Monster Zone, they can return it to the Extra Deck.
A great "mill" tool. It both recharges your opponent's graveyard (to activate skills) and recharges your own graveyard (to find Mezuki or Banshee ). The side effect of returning Link monsters to the Extra Deck is also a great tech card to counter Link decks.
Sky Striker Mobilize - Engage!:
Used to retrieve Vector Blast from the deck and add it to your hand, increasing stability. In this deck, accumulating 3 Spells in the graveyard is extremely easy (thanks to mills from Skills/Vector Blast/Dealings), making Engage a very powerful "Draw 1 + Find 1" card.
Dragged Down into the Grave:
Allows you to see your opponent's hand, choose one card to discard, and draw one. This simultaneously activates a skill and eliminates threats (such as hand traps) from your opponent's hand before executing a combo.
Tuning (x0-3)
Synchro Overtake (x0-3)




Spell
NormalSynchro Overtake
Reveal 1 Synchro Monster in your Extra Deck, choose 1 of the Synchro Materials mentioned on it, and add to your hand or Special Summon that monster, from your Deck or GY, also you cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck the turn you activate this card, except Synchro Monsters. You can only activate 1 "Synchro Overtake" per turn.
Zombie World (x0-1)
Floodgate (Lock) system.
Shooting Star (x0)
Handtrap




WIND
1Kiteroid
ATK:
200
DEF:
400
During damage calculation, if your opponent's monster attacks directly (Quick Effect): You can discard this card; you take no battle damage from that battle. During damage calculation, if your opponent's monster attacks directly (Quick Effect): You can banish this card from your Graveyard; you take no battle damage from that battle.




LIGHT
7Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended
ATK:
2600
DEF:
2800
You can Ritual Summon this card with "Sprite's Blessing". When your opponent activates a card or effect that targets a monster you control (Quick Effect): You can discard this card; negate the activation. When your opponent would Special Summon a monster(s) (Quick Effect): You can return this card to the hand; negate the Special Summon, and if you do, banish that monster(s).




WIND
3Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill
ATK:
0
DEF:
1800
If your opponent Special Summons a monster(s) face-up (except during the Damage Step): You can discard this card, then target 1 of those face-up monsters; negate its effects until the end of this turn, also if that face-up monster leaves the field this turn, its controller takes damage equal to its original ATK. You can only use this effect of "Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill" once per turn.
Combo
Here are some sample combos you can refer to.































