Dimension Shifter, and why Fucho is your friend in need

	Dimension Shifter Level 6 DARK Spellcaster If you have no cards in your GY (Quick Effect): You can send this card from your hand to the GY; until the end of the next turn, any card sent to the GY is banished instead. ATK 1200 | DEF 2200

This guy says "no ❤️ " to our entire deck, as most Fire Kings' effects require them to be destroyed by card effect and sent to the GY.

Pray you open a Called by the Grave or Crossout Designator (if you're willing to run 1 copy of Shifter yourself).

Otherwise, this forces us to go on the defensive immediately, as trying to play through it is just a waste of resources, and even Ulcanix + Arvata ends up giving you just 2 monsters' worth of Link material, as everything else gets banished before we can make use of it.

Here is where Kikinagashi Fucho comes in. This little fella is unaffected by other card effects (including yours!), and by detaching 2 materials it becomes unable to be destroyed by battle, making it an impenetrable wall if Xyz Summoned in Defense Position.

How do we make him? We have two options, depending which starter we opened (and assuming we got Shifter'd during the Draw or Standby Phase, or before we started our combo).

Try to avoid playing any other cards if you can avoid it. Fucho may be invincible, but your other cards are not, so if it's not a Quick-Play or Trap you can activate during your opponent's turn, I wouldn't place it on the field. Also, you need at least 1 monster (ideally a FIRE) available in your hand, in order to recover during your next turn, so use your handtraps sparingly.

If you opened Ulcanix + a FIRE monster

• Normal Summon Fire King Courtier Ulcanix.
• Activate Ulcanix's effect, to destroy the FIRE monster in your hand and add Legendary Fire King Ponix, then make her Level 1 to match Ponix's Level.
• Activate Ponix's effect from hand to Special Summon itself.
• Activate Ponix's effect to add any Fire King spell you might need.
• Overlay Ponix and Ulcanix into Kikinagashi Fucho.
• Pass turn.
• During their turn, activate Fucho and detach both materials in order to make it invincible.
• Once it's your turn again, Shifter should be gone already, so you can resume play as normal.

If you opened Ponix + a FIRE monster

• Normal Summon Legendary Fire King Ponix.
• Activate Ponix's effect to add Fire King Sanctuary from Deck to hand.
• Activate Sanctuary, place Fire King Island in your Field Zone.
• Activate Island's effect destroy the FIRE in your hand to add another Ponix from Deck to hand.
• Activate Ponix's effect to Special Summon itself from hand.
• Overlay into Kikinagashi Fucho and pass turn.

If you opened Sanctuary/Island + 2 FIRE monsters

• Activate Fire King Sanctuary, place Fire King Island in your Field Zone. (Or activate Island directly.)
• Activate Island's effect to destroy a FIRE monster in your hand and add Fire King Courtier Ulcanix from Deck to hand.
• Normal Summon Fire King Courtier Ulcanix.
• Follow the steps from the Ulcanix + FIRE combo above.

After Shifter is gone

• Hope you either draw another Ponix/Ulcanix, and perform the appropriate combo.
• If you don't, activate Sanctuary/Island if needed, then use Island's effect on any other monster except Fucho to search what you need to proceed further.