Welcome to Ban Week, as this week we look at cards that recently had their status changed via the new Ban List.  This is the first of two weeks we will be looking at cards in this category.  We're taking next week off as Pojo is on vacation, so the week after next, we will be back to this, and the week after, we return to Return of the Duelist.  First up is the Synchro Monster, Brionic, Dragon of the Ice Barrier.  As should be obvious, the awesomely powerful thing about Brionic isn't in its attack (only being 2300 for a Level 6) but the bounce mechanic.  Even though Synchro Monsters have all but left the competitive scene overall, Brionic was certainly Extra Deck staple material.  With Trishula also (still) Banned, this about kills any competitive Ice Deck out there, but that was also what made Brionic so powerful, his able to be splashed into about any Deck.
 
Ratings:

Traditional:  4/5
Advanced:  Banned/5
Art:  5/5

The first card we will be reviewing from the new Ban/Restricted list is Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier. There is a good reason for Brionac being at one for so long. At the cost of the cards in your hand, you can clear your opponent’s field and load your graveyard with cards you can use or activate if sent to the graveyard. I used to love using Brionac in a Blackwing deck to discard Vayu and Sirocco to bounce two of your opponent’s cards, and then special summon Blackwing Armed Wing and maybe even Dark Armed Dragon to attack for at least 4600 points of damage.
 
So why was Brionac banned? Well I’ll tell ya. First, we have a new archetype that came out with Return of the Duelist called Spellbooks. One of those Spellbooks is an equip card called Spellbook of Life which can special summon a Spellcaster. So all you have to do is special summon Brionac, Spellbook of Life a Spellcaster, bounce the Spellbook and use it again, and then just keep doing that and Xyzing until you are out of cards in hand and you have a full field. Ya that’s crazy and one of the reasons Premature Burial has been banned for so long.
 
The second reason is because of an archetype coming out on November 6th in the next set. Abyss Rising is featured as an awesome set that will make current themes more powerful and introduce new powerful themes. One of those themes deal with Atlanteans. The cool thing about them is that when they are sent to the graveyard for the activation of a water monster’s effect they can do things like destroy a face-up card your opponent controls, destroy a face-down card your opponent controls, or add a Sea Serpent to your hand. So basically you are destroying and bouncing all of your opponent’s cards while gaining supreme card advantage.
 
Unfortunately we have outgrown Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier. Once a staple in every Extra Deck, there will be too many OTK decks running amuck in this format to allow Brionac to survive the ban list.
 
Traditional: 5/5
Advanced: 5/5

Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
Lv 6/WATER/Sea serpent/2300A/1400D
"1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can discard any number of cards to the Graveyard to target the same number of cards on the field; return those targets to the hand."

Admittedly, I've never used this card, but in the right situation, it can be pretty powerful. A Level 6 Synchro isn't very hard to get out and while his ATK isn't as high as I would like, he can really clear the field. My only issue is that you have to give up cards from your hand in order to use his effect, and if you do that the turn you summon him, you're losing a lot of resources just to get a direct attack, whereas the opponent doesn't lose any resources, just field presence. That is the main reason I never really used this myself, because you're giving up a lot just to delay the opponent while scoring direct damage. It's really meant to be a late game card, when both players are low on cards and this could be the game winner. Otherwise, you're giving up a lot for a little.

Traditional: 3.5
Advanced: 3.5 (but banned now)