Exodius" can be used in many OTK strategies, as " Diffusion Wave-Motion" can provide some awesome support. An example of a simple OTK strategy involves:

The effect " during each of your Standby Phases, increase the ATK of this card by 500 points." is a Trigger Effect. (It does not target. It is activated once during each of your Standby Phases.) [1] In addition, there is " Exxod, Master of The Guard" which greatly resembles "Exodia", though without an automatic win effect or any relationship or effect involving the Exodia archetype. In the same vein as "Necross" being the Zombie counterpart of "Exodia", "Exxod" resembles a completed, though still sealed, "Exodia".

Cards like " Necrovalley", " The End of Anubis" and " Imperial Iron Wall" are also good options to make the Exodia's parts stay on the Graveyard. Use " Spirit Barrier" with " Exodia Necross" so that you take no damage. As for staple monsters, cards such as " Battle Fader", " Swift Scarecrow", and " Zero Gardna" are especially useful here. The Fader and Scarecrow can be used from the hand, so they are safe from destruction cards that involve the field. Wait until your opponent has filled all of their Monster Card Zones. If necessary, force the situation, using card effects that summon monsters to the opponent's side of the field.

Burn cards will eat this play style alive. An alternative to stopping Burn cards from eating your life points, is encouraging it. " Self-Destruct Button" is a great way to save space and time in bad draws, as a tie is a great way to start over in losing situations. This card requires you to be behind, and have a difference of 7000 life points or more to activate, which is relatively easy to achieve. So, " Upstart Goblin" helps to separate the life points, as well as any cards with life point costs, such as " Final Countdown". Reveal " Quintet Magician" using " Future Fusion" to send all five "Forbidden One" monsters to the Graveyard so that you can activate "Contract with Exodia". The next such incarnation is " Exodius the Ultimate Forbidden Lord", which provides an alternate method of winning with "Exodia". It is also the only card that supports the "Forbidden One" archetype.Some protection from spells & traps, such as " Solemn Judgment" or " Dark Bribe", is good to have to protect your key cards from MST and Heavy Storm. During your Standby Phase have " King Tiger Wanghu" and " Card of Safe Return" Face-up on your side of the field and " Destiny Hero - Departed" in your Graveyard. "Departed" is Special Summoned to your opponent's side of the field and you can draw one card due to the effect of "Card of Safe Return". "Departed" is destroyed by the effect of "Wanghu" but Special Summons itself again during the same Standby Phase. This will cause an infinite loop. Repeat this until you get all the 5 Pieces of Exodia in your hand. The main card, " Exodia the Forbidden One", is one of the first five Effect Monsters ever to be released and the first card to have an alternative victory condition. If your opponent takes control of your " Exodia Necross" and does not have all 5 pieces of Exodia in his/her Graveyard, " Exodia Necross" is destroyed if face-up. Send all pieces of "Exodia the Forbidden One" to the Graveyard so that " Exodia Necross" can be summoned; or

Continually equip " Gearfried the Iron Knight" with " Butterfly Dagger - Elma" while " Royal Magical Library" is on your side of the field. This allows you to continually Draw a Card until you Draw all five pieces. Some cards, such as " Legendary Six Samurai - Shi En" and " Naturia Barkion", can prove to be a threat to your stalling engine and will have to be dealt with. Cards like " Dark Hole" and " Lava Golem" are effective ways to get rid of them.Samsara Kaiser (recommended at least one at the beginning of the loop, you can start even without it, but will be impossible to continue if you don't draw it) Exodia Necross" can be removed from the field by Spell/Trap cards that do not destroy, or by monster effects that destroy (such as " Hieratic Sun Dragon Overlord of Heliopolis"). Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier (and a Tuner and compatible non-Tuners to Summon it. " Fishborg Blaster" works well as the Tuner because it is easy to summon if you have your " Penguin Soldier" already out. Traditional Format only.) Use an effect to prevent " Exodius" from being destroyed in battle. For insurance, be sure the card has an added effect to prevent battle damage. (e.g. " Necro Defender", " Zero Gardna", " Waboku", etc.) Exodia Necross" cannot be Normal Summoned or Set, and cannot be Special Summoned EXCEPT by the effect of " Contract with Exodia". So " Exodia Necross" cannot be Special Summoned with " Monster Reborn", etc., even if Special Summoned properly first.

This can only be declared 20 turns after Final Countdown is activated. If "Final Countdown" is initially negated, the only way to declare a Final Countdown Victory is to retrieve "Final Countdown" from your Graveyard (or having another copy), activating it (provided you have 2000 Life Points to spare), and wait the applicable 20 turns. Thus, including cards that can negate attempts to destroy "Final Countdown" is a wise idea. While the primary purpose of "Exodia" is to declare an automatic win through having all five pieces of the "Forbidden One", there are other ways to use it.

Mysterious Puppeteer (not necessary to start the loop but it is essential to draw it soon as it will make any Summon costless) While many people refer to the "Forbidden One" cards as "Exodia" cards, only "Exodia the Forbidden One" (the head) is part of this archetype.