OP-17 Deck Spotlight: (Black) Monkey.D.Luffy — The Elbaf Giants Deck

Every new set brings a handful of decks that just feel like a statement, and OP-17: The World's Strongest Warriors delivers one of its best with the (Black) Monkey.D.Luffy deck — built around the giants of Elbaf and the Straw Hat Crew members small enough to hide behind them. If you like your board state to look genuinely intimidating, this is the deck to build.

Here's the full breakdown, straight from Bandai's official deck notes, with everything you need to know before you start pulling packs.

The Leader: (Black) Monkey.D.Luffy [OP17-079]

This version of Luffy is built for a very specific plan: stack the board with heavyweight Giant-type Characters, then use his Leader ability to hand out [Blocker] to every Character on your field with 12 cost or more. That turns your biggest threats into a defensive wall as well as an attacking one — opponents can't just swing past your giants, they have to go through them.

The Concept: Small Crew, Giant Problems

The deck's core trick is cost manipulation. Several of its Giant-type Characters get a +12 cost boost while they're on the field, turning cheap-looking cards into genuine heavyweights the moment they land — official Bandai notes describe them as "Giant type Characters whose cost increases by +12 when they're on the field, giving them a fittingly overwhelming presence." Layered underneath that are low-cost Straw Hat Crew members who search, support, and clean up while the giants do the heavy lifting.

How a Game Plays Out

Early Game

• OP17-080 Usopp — gathers Giant-type cards to set up your late-game plan, and gains +3000 power once you've got 12-cost-or-higher allies on board.
• OP17-089 Jaguar.D.Saul — searches your deck for Elbaf cards while gaining +12 cost himself, smoothing out your draws into exactly what this deck wants.

Mid Game

• OP17-119 Loki — swells to 11,000 power on your opponent's turn while carrying [Blocker], and K.O.s any opposing Character with 4 cost or less. A brutal wall to attack into.
• OP17-085 Dorry and OP17-092 Brogy — a recursive pair that can bring each other back from the trash, making them very hard to remove for good.

End Game

• OP17-093 Monkey.D.Luffy — draws you cards, replays 2-cost Characters straight out of the trash, and picks up [Rush] whenever you've got a 12-cost-or-higher ally in play, letting him attack the turn he lands.
• OP17-087 Nico Robin — knocks −3000 power off an opposing Character, clearing the way for your giants to finish the job.

Supporting Cast

The full 51-card list also draws on Gerd (OP17-081), Chopper (OP17-084), Nami (OP17-086), Zoro (OP17-095), Rodo (OP17-094), Sanji (OP17-082) and Brook (OP17-091) — or see the complete list with full text on Bandai's official deck page.

The list also includes OP17-096, a Special card rounding out the deck's tools — see the official page above for its full effect text.

Why This Deck Is Worth Building

It's a genuinely different feel from most Leader decks in the format — instead of racing or grinding, you're building toward a board that's simply too big to profitably attack, then finishing with Luffy's card advantage engine once you're ahead on board. It rewards patient players who like a plan that pays off in the mid-to-late game rather than the opening turns.

Where to Get the Cards

Every card in this deck comes from OP-17: The World's Strongest Warriors — read our full release spotlight for everything else in the set, or shop the OP-17 Booster Box to start opening packs toward this build.

New to the game and want the basics before you dive into deck-building? Start with our One Piece Card Game Beginner's Guide.

Build It, Test It, Play It Locally

Once you've got the pieces together, the best place to see how a giants-and-Straw-Hats build actually performs is against a real opponent. Bring it along to our One Piece TCG Local Store Tournament, running every Saturday at Fairfield ($15 entry).

Browse the full One Piece Card Game range online, visit us at Shop 2, 20–26 Ware St, Fairfield NSW, or join our Discord community to talk deck tech with other local players.