Table of Contents
Introduction
If you’re looking for a deck that directly counters OP13-079-imu and other strategies that aim to reach the late game with 9 or more active DON!!, then OP05-060-monkeydluffy is an excellent choice. This Leader boasts an exceptional Leader effect that allows you to ramp efficiently while converting your Life cards into additional hand resources. As one of the oldest Leaders still relevant in the OP13 meta, Luffy continues to demonstrate that straightforward, well-structured gameplans can still compete at the highest level — even against modern Leaders shaped by the ongoing power creep of newer sets.
Welcome to your complete guide for OP05-060-monkeydluffy, a tempo-focused Purple Leader built around efficient DON!! ramping and Life-to-hand conversion — showcasing how Luffy’s straightforward, yet explosive playstyle remains competitive in the OP13 meta.
- Deck Core: Essential cards that fuel Luffy’s ramp, tempo, and pressure — the backbone of every winning build.
- Tech Cards: Flexible picks to adapt your strategy, counter key matchups, or boost consistency.
- Sample Decklists: Example builds that achieved strong results in the OP13 meta, showcasing optimized versions of Luffy’s gameplan.
Despite being introduced several sets ago, OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s universal ramping effect remains timeless. Its simplicity is its strength—enabling flexible deck building across various metas by leveraging the ever-expanding purple card pool. As long as new purple cards that synergize with this playstyle continue to be printed, this Leader will maintain competitive viability. Recent additions like OP13-076-divine-departure and OP13-066-silvers-rayleigh integrate seamlessly into the strategy, further expanding its consistency and power ceiling.
OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s [Activate: Main][Once Per Turn] effect enables aggressive ramping by trading a Life card for 1 active DON!! if you have 0 or 3 or more DON!! on your field. This effectively accelerates your tempo, allowing you to stay one or two turns ahead of your opponent and access high-impact cards earlier than most decks can handle.
So whether you’ve been a long-time believer in this “OG” deck or simply forgot about its presence, now’s the perfect time to dust off your binder. This build proves that OP05-060-monkeydluffy remains a Leader that transcends formats—standing strong across multiple sets with enduring efficiency and meta relevance.
Core Cards
Every solid OP05-060-monkeydluffy deck begins with the same foundation — essential cards that fuel your ramp, maintain tempo, and apply relentless pressure until your opponent can’t keep up. Without further ado, here are the core cards that make the deck shine.
Tactical Hand Counters
A staple 2000 counter for Purple decks since its release, ST18-001-uso-hachi is a 3-cost board control Character with a universal [On Play] effect that lets you rest 1 of your opponent’s Characters with a cost of 5 or less, as long as you have 8 or more DON!! cards on your field. This pairs perfectly with OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s Leader effect, which ramps DON!! quickly and allows ST18-001-uso-hachi to target key enemy units like EB01-012-cavendish from Green decks or pesky blockers such as OP13-089-st-topman-warcury from the OP13-079-imu deck—especially when setting up for a lethal push in the late game.
While ST18-001-uso-hachi’s ability is powerful, it can be situational, making him more valuable as a reliable 2000 counter during the early to mid stages of the game in OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s deck.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
OP05-073-miss-doublefinger-zala is a 4-cost discard-based ramp tool that also functions as a reliable 2000 counter. Her [On Play] effect allows you to add 1 DON!! card from your DON!! deck and rest it by trashing 1 card from your hand. This makes OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s ramping more efficient, letting you gain DON!! without sacrificing too many Life resources. On top of that, she has a useful [Trigger] effect that lets you play her for free—returning 1 DON!! to your DON!! deck, then immediately gaining it back with her ability. While OP05-073-miss-doublefinger-zala can be played effectively from either your hand or as a trigger, she’s often best used as a dependable 2000 counter to protect your Leader and key units.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Another staple 2000 counter for Purple decks, OP07-064-sanji is a 6-cost [Blocker] with a self cost-reduction ability that makes him a 3-cost if you have at least 2 fewer DON!! cards on your field than your opponent. This makes him a reliable, low-cost [Blocker] in the later stages of the game. In OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks, this condition is easy to meet, since many of your core cards—like OP09-078-gum-gum-giant and OP02-085-magellan—return DON!! to your DON!! deck to activate their effects. This gives you control over when to lower your DON!! count and play OP07-064-sanji at a reduced cost. However, his primary role in OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks remains as a dependable and potentially searchable 2000 counter when paired with the right tech options.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Midrange Power Plays
A must-include card for any Purple deck focused on ramping, EB01-061-mr2bonkurei-bentham is a 4-cost adaptive attacker with a powerful [On Play] effect that adds 1 active DON!! from your DON!! deck—no extra conditions required. This makes it a perfect fit for OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s ramp-oriented gameplan.
On top of that, Bentham’s strong [When Attacking] effect allows him to select 1 of your opponent’s Characters and match its power. This means he copies that unit’s attack power for the duration of his attack—so if he targets a card like OP13-042-edwardnewgate with 13000 power from a OP13-002-portgasdace deck, Bentham temporarily becomes a 13000-power attacker himself. This makes him an incredibly flexible threat, capable of challenging or K.O.-ing massive units with minimal DON!! investment, or even swinging directly at your opponent’s Leader for a potential game-finishing blow.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
The old but gold card that makes OP05-060-monkeydluffy a natural counter to both OP13-079-imu and OP13-003-goldroger, OP02-085-magellan is a 5-cost, 6000-power disruption tool with a powerful tempo-controlling [On Play] effect. When played, it forces your opponent to return 1 of their DON!! cards to their DON!! deck if you do the same. This downside is negligible, as OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s Leader effect can easily ramp back the DON!! you lost, turning Magellan into an efficient stall option.
Additionally, Magellan features a devastating [Opponent’s Turn] pseudo-[On K.O.] effect — when he’s K.O.’d, your opponent must return 2 of their DON!! cards to their DON!! deck, with no extra condition required. With 6000 power, OP02-085-magellan puts opponents in a lose-lose situation: if they ignore him, they’ll face constant pressure from a 6000-power attacker every turn; if they remove him, they lose 2 DON!! cards, crippling their tempo. This makes Magellan an invaluable card against decks like OP13-079-imu and OP13-003-goldroger that rely on reaching 10 DON!! quickly to execute their gameplan.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
A flexible attacker, OP09-065-sanji is a 7-cost, 7000-power Character with a strong [On Play] effect that grants itself [Rush] and rests 1 of your opponent’s Characters with a cost of 6 or less, simply by returning 1 DON!! card from your field to your DON!! deck. This effect perfectly complements OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s overall gameplan, as the Leader’s ramp ability offsets the DON!! loss while enabling Sanji to immediately apply pressure and control the board.
OP09-065-sanji excels at removing key units, chipping away at your opponent’s Life with its [Rush] effect, or pushing for lethal by resting crucial blockers. It’s especially effective against decks that rely heavily on low-cost blockers as part of their core strategy, such as OP13-079-imu builds that use OP13-089-st-topman-warcury and OP13-091-st-marcus-mars as essential defensive pieces—both of which can be rested by Sanji’s [On Play] effect. This combination of flexibility and offensive pressure solidifies OP09-065-sanji as one of the core cards in OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks in the OP13 meta.
Run 0-4 copies as recommended.
Board Control Anchors
One of the latest additions to the deck, OP13-066-silvers-rayleigh is an 8-cost, 9000-power [Rush] character with a highly versatile [On Play] effect. It lets you rest 1 of your opponent’s characters with a cost of 5 or less, then add 1 DON!! card from your DON!! deck and set it as active at the end of the turn—provided you’ve already given at least 1 DON!! to a character or your Leader before playing OP13-066-silvers-rayleigh. This effectively grants you 1 active DON!! for your defensive turn, which can be used to trigger OP09-078-gum-gum-giant and defend against powerful attacks.
OP13-066-silvers-rayleigh integrates perfectly into OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s gameplan, offering both defensive ramp and immediate offensive pressure through its [Rush] keyword and resting effect. This synergy makes Rayleigh particularly valuable against decks that rely on cheap blockers as their last line of defense, such as OP07-019-jewelry-bonney and OP13-079-imu.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
One of the staple purple cards that made waves during the OP12 meta, OP11-067-charlotte-katakuri is an 8-cost [Blocker] with 8000 power that fits seamlessly into OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks. While his first [End of Your Turn] effect—readying “Big Mom Pirates” characters—doesn’t apply here, the second part of his ability is invaluable: at the end of your turn, you may add 1 DON!! card from your DON!! deck and rest it.
Although the DON!! enters the field rested and cannot be used immediately, Katakuri’s massive 8000 power makes him an excellent late-game [Blocker] who can defend without relying on extra resources. More importantly, his ability helps sustain your ramp even when cards like OP02-085-magellan return DON!! to your deck, effectively offsetting their drawback just by staying on the field. This combination of defensive strength and consistent DON!! generation makes OP11-067-charlotte-katakuri a solid inclusion in OP05-060-monkeydluffy builds seeking stronger board presence and endurance.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Event Staple Cards
Arguably the most essential event card in all purple Straw Hat Crew decks, OP09-078-gum-gum-giant is a reliable 1-cost [Counter] event that offers both defense and draw power. Its effect lets you return 2 DON!! cards to your DON!! deck and trash 1 card from your hand to give one of your Leader or Character cards +4000 power during battle. If your Leader has the Straw Hat Crew type, you also draw 2 cards.
While it comes with several activation conditions, the payoff is absolutely worth it — you effectively fix your hand by discarding one card to draw two while protecting a key unit or your Leader. The 2 DON!! you return is a small price to pay, easily recovered through OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s ramp effect or cards like OP11-067-charlotte-katakuri, which steadily replenish your DON!!. This makes OP09-078-gum-gum-giant a cornerstone of the deck’s defensive core, combining hand advantage and protection in one efficient play.
Run 4 copies as recommended.
Another OP13 card that has found its place in OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks, OP13-076-divine-departure is a flexible 0-cost Event with a simple yet effective [Counter] effect. It allows you to discard 1 card from your hand—ideally something that isn’t useful in your current board state—to give +3000 power to 1 of your Characters or your Leader during a battle.
What sets it apart from other 0-cost [Counter] cards is its powerful yet situational [Main] effect, which can also be used offensively. By resting 5 of your DON!! cards, you can give up to 1 of your opponent’s Characters -8000 power for the turn, enabling you to remove even high-power boss units. While the [Main] effect shines in specific situations, OP13-076-divine-departure is most often valued as a defensive [Counter] option for stabilizing during your opponent’s turn.
Run 2 copies as recommended.
Tech Cards
With the core of the OP05-060-monkeydluffy deck firmly established, it’s time to explore the Tech Cards. These flexible options allow you to fine-tune your build, adapt to specific matchups, and maintain tempo control against the establishd OP13 meta.
Most Popular: Finisher Options
If you’re looking for absolute win conditions, consider ST05-011-douglas-bullet and OP09-119-monkeydluffy as excellent options. Both of these cards perfectly complement the playstyle of OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks, giving you reliable boss units that can efficiently close out games.
While they serve a similar role as finishers, each functions in a unique way—so without further ado, let’s break down why these two have become some of the most popular and successful tech choices for OP05-060-monkeydluffy builds.
First is ST05-011-douglas-bullet, a classic and time-tested card that continues to shine alongside OP05-060-monkeydluffy. This card brings a game-winning presence through its [Activate: Main] [Once Per Turn] effect, which allows you to rest up to 2 of your opponent’s Characters with a cost of 6 or less, then give itself [Double Attack] for the turn by returning 4 of your DON!! cards from your field to your DON!! deck.
As an 8-cost, 10000-power Character, ST05-011-douglas-bullet is the perfect late-game closer for OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks. Few decks can easily remove or defend against a 10000-power [Double Attack] attacker in the mid-game—especially once you’ve managed to ramp ahead and stay 1 or 2 turns ahead of the curve with your Leader’s effect or other ramping Characters.
On top of that, ST05-011-douglas-bullet’s ability to rest 2 units with a cost of 6 or less makes it an excellent counter to decks that rely on cheap blockers as their final line of defense, such as OP07-019-jewelry-bonney and OP13-079-imu.
Even though its activation cost can be demanding, you can stabilize your board and regain DON!! efficiently with cards like OP13-066-silvers-rayleigh or OP11-067-charlotte-katakuri. Alternatively, you can simply rely on ST05-011-douglas-bullet’s sheer power to attack directly—since with just a few DON!! investments, even strong hand counters often can’t save your opponent’s Leader from such a massive hit.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
The next finisher option for OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks is the 9-cost OP09-119-monkeydluffy, a 10000-power Character with a simple yet powerful [On Play] effect. By returning 1 DON!! card from your field to your DON!! deck, you can draw 1 card and give this Character the [Rush] keyword.
This makes OP09-119-monkeydluffy a consistent and reliable threat that replaces itself in hand while immediately applying pressure as a [Rush] attacker. Thanks to OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s Leader effect, you can easily stay 1 or 2 turns ahead of the curve and bring out this 9-cost unit earlier than expected—without sacrificing your hand size. This allows you to maintain pressure on both your opponent’s board presence and hand resources, making OP09-119-monkeydluffy one of the most efficient and explosive finishers in the deck.
Run 0-2 copies depending on personal preference.
Searcher Options
PRB02-012-nami is a 2-cost searcher with a solid [On Play] effect that lets you look at the top 5 cards of your deck, reveal up to 1 Straw Hat Crew-type card other than Nami, and add it to your hand. Then, place the remaining cards at the bottom of your deck in any order. On top of that, her [Trigger] allows you to play her for free, making her a valuable consistency piece for OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks. If you’re looking to smooth out your draws and improve setup reliability, Nami is one of the best low-cost tech options to consider.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
Another strong searcher that pairs well with PRB02-012-nami to boost OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s overall consistency is ST18-004-zoro-juurou. Its [On Play] effect lets you look at the top 5 cards of your deck, reveal up to 1 purple Straw Hat Crew-type card, and add it to your hand — even if it’s a copy of the same card. This makes Zoro a flexible universal searcher that takes the deck’s consistency and reliability to a whole new level.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
Utility Options
If you’re looking for a cheap [Blocker] that also helps cycle your hand, ST18-002-o-nami is a great tech choice. Her [On Play] effect lets you trash 1 card from your hand to draw 2 cards, effectively fixing your hand once you have 8 or more DON!! on your field — a condition easily met thanks to OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s Leader effect. This makes O-Nami an excellent inclusion for improving both your hand consistency and defensive flexibility.
Run 0-2 copies depending on personal preference.
Whether you’re looking for board control or an extra ramp option for OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks, OP13-061-inuarashi is a strong card to consider. Its [On Play] effect lets you add 1 rested DON!! from your DON!! deck, then K.O. up to 1 of your opponent’s Characters with a cost of 1 or less — as long as you’ve given DON!! to a Character or your Leader beforehand. This makes Inuarashi a cost-efficient mix of ramp and removal that fits perfectly into Luffy’s game plan.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
If you want a ramp option that can also serve as an attacker, OP05-067-zoro-juurou is one of the best choices. His powerful [When Attacking] effect lets you add up to 1 DON!! card from your DON!! deck and set it as active when you have 3 or fewer Life cards — a condition easily met through OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s Leader effect, which trades Life for extra card and DON!!. With Zoro-Juurou on the field, you can maintain your DON!! advantage even after using cards that return DON!! to your deck like OP02-085-magellan.
On top of that, his consistent ramp pressure often forces opponents to target him instead of your Leader or other key units, giving him the utility of a pseudo-blocker and making him a reliable tech pick for the deck.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
A reliable 2000 counter option, OP05-061-uso-hachi is a 3-cost, 4000-power Character with a useful [DON!! x1] [When Attacking] effect that allows you to rest 1 of your opponent’s Characters with a cost of 4 or less, as long as you have 8 or more DON!! cards on your field. This condition is easy to fulfill thanks to OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s ramping Leader effect, making OP05-061-uso-hachi a strong tech choice in builds that value tempo and control.
He also serves as a direct counter against decks that rely heavily on low-cost blockers as their main defense, such as OP07-019-jewelry-bonney and OP13-079-imu. However, despite his versatile utility, OP05-061-uso-hachi still finds his primary value as a dependable 2000 hand counter in most matchups.
Run 0-4 copies depending on personal preference.
Last but not least, another classic tech option is OP03-072-gum-gum-jet-gatling, a 0-cost [Counter] Event card that allows you to discard 1 card from your hand—ideally something with little value in your current or upcoming turns—to give +3000 power to 1 of your Characters or your Leader during battle.
On top of that, it also features a [Trigger] effect that grants 1 active DON!!, effectively serving as a free ramping tool. This dual utility makes OP03-072-gum-gum-jet-gatling a highly efficient and flexible tech choice for OP05-060-monkeydluffy decks, providing both defense and resource acceleration in one card.
Run 0-1 copies depending on personal preference.
Sample Deck Lists
Decklist Placement: StorePrelims(5-0); Placement: 1st Place - CardShop
This decklist leans more toward consistency, running both ST18-002-o-nami and PRB02-012-nami to increase the decks chances of finding key pieces without having to rely solely on luck or OP05-060-monkeydluffy’s Leader effect. On top of that, it includes OP03-072-gum-gum-jet-gatling for added ramp potential and defensive flexibility, while using OP09-119-monkeydluffy as a searchable endgame finisher to close out matches.
Decklist Placement: FS(5-0); Placement: 1st Place - Shop Rirai
This build is crafted to overwhelm the OP13-079-imu matchup by utilizing tech options like OP05-067-zoro-juurou and OP13-061-inuarashi, giving the deck efficient low-cost ramp to maintain tempo advantage. Once this ramp engine is active, the deck can consistently cheat out its strongest finisher tech, ST05-011-douglas-bullet, while pairing it with core pieces such as OP09-065-sanji and OP13-066-silvers-rayleigh to permanently rest opposing units—especially their crucial [Blockers]. With so many ramp tools available, Bullet can even activate its effect on consecutive turns. When combined with OP02-085-magellan to heavily disrupt the opponent’s curve, this strategy pushes the OP13-079-imu matchup firmly in your favor, often turning it into a near-guaranteed win.
Conclusion
In conclusion, OP05-060-monkeydluffy remains one of the most timeless and rewarding Leaders in the game — easy to learn but difficult to truly master. Its strength lies in smooth DON!! acceleration, tempo control, and steady pressure across every stage of the match. By sequencing your ramp carefully and making the most of each attack window, you can continuously outpace your opponent while keeping your resources flowing.
Whether you’re a returning player revisiting this classic purple Leader or a newcomer seeking a reliable deck that rewards efficient play, OP05-060-monkeydluffy continues to deliver. With the right mix of ramp pieces, mid-game enablers, and defensive techs, this deck proves that even after countless battles, Luffy’s drive to move forward never fades.
Now, take the Straw Hat, manage your DON!! wisely, and remind everyone why this captain still stands tall in the New World.
