We continue our second banlist week with Allure of Darkness, now Semi-Limited (up from Limited).

This card is rather infamous due to how much it was abused during the late GX/early 5D’s era. Released as a TCG exclusive in Phantom Darkness, Allure came out during an age where DARK Decks reigned surpreme. First seeing widespread use in Dark Armed Return (which actually got it an emergency Semi-Limit in TCG), the card also served as one of the main draw cards of TeleDAD (which for its time was one of the strongest Decks to ever exist). After that, Allure saw use in Blackwings and Twilight (the name given to Chaos variants of Lightsworn), which eventually got the card Limited, where it stayed ever since.

Even after its Limit, Allure saw use in Decks like Dark World and Chaos Dragon, and even more recently in Shaddoll and Burning Abyss. Even some Kozmo Decks use it due to sheer number of DARK monsters the archetype has, and the need to banish said DARK monster for Allure is actually a benefit for them.

Considering the DARK Attribute’s history of being very powerful, Allure of Darkness moving up is no doubt a rather dangerous move. However, a lot of DARK Decks actually tend to shy away from it now. In many cases, you actually don’t want to banish any of your monsters, and since many DARK Decks are so combo oriented, oftentimes you would rather use that monster for a different purpose. For example, while Shaddoll did use Allure, it was by no means a staple, and many players opted not to play it because you would rather use the Shaddoll monster you would banish as a Fusion Material.

There are exceptions, however. While Allure isn’t a staple in Burning Abyss either, it does have pretty good use in that Deck as its consistent enough that losing one DARK monster is not necessarily a hinderance. Kozmo can also make great use of Allure as mentioned above.

We play a different game than we did in 2008-2009, and while Allure is still powerful, it’s no longer overpowered. That being said, it is still one of the better draw cards in the game.

Rating: 4/5

Allure of Darkness

Putting this from 1 to 2 is a really questionable decision.  I just explained in my Upstart Goblin review that Konami was checking a dominating strategy by limiting it, but in this case, Konami is doing the opposite.  A deck with a concentration of DARK monsters has every incentive to run a second Allure of Darkness and no reason not to.  It's a low-skill card that gives the player draw power and can be used more than once per turn.  It has no real downside since a deck with a dearth of DARK monsters, risking to incur this card's full hand discard, just wouldn't use it.  Perhaps having to banish a DARK which may have otherwise been sent to the graveyard (or the Extra Deck as a Pendulum) might qualify as a downside, but that's far from enough to dissuade anyone from using this card.  I'm not sure why DARK monsters, by far the most supported of all attributes, needed this boost.  This is not a broken card as much of a mindless one, but it's definitely essential nonetheless for decks which run about 6 or more DARK monsters to use the two copies of Allure of Darkness that they're allowed.

5/5

Allure of Darkness
 
As I'd expect many people to be saying... "Finally, this card isn't Limited anymore"...
Since Dark Attribute Decks are no longer the overwhelming force that they once were, this break even card is more than a welcome addition to the "Draw a card(s)" card pool, especially since Chicken Game has become Banned and Upstart Goblin, the omnipresent Deck filler is now Limited.
 
While not all that much can actually be said about this card, since what it does really is quite simple... Draw 2 cards and then Banish 1 Dark monster from your hand... What is true is that it will be seeing some play especially since currently the Tier Decks tend to be quite heavy hitting, but at the same time are commonly very "Bricky", thus including a couple of other Draw cards such as this can hope to benefit those Decks... For those that are willing to take a chance with such things.
 
Otherwise, Blackwings and Raidraptors are really going to enjoy the added consistency boost that this provides.
 
 
Rating: 3.5  Currently this isn't making all that much of a fuss in the Meta, that said, I don't expect it to rise above Semi-Limited status any time soon... But, I could be wrong about this!

Every attribute wishes they had draw power like this. Whenever I review a Dark monster, I give it an extra half a point just because it will always at least work with this. Allure of Darkness at one is still worth it to almost any deck that runs about 5 dark monsters that aren't essential to the strategy. Allure of Darkness at two along with some other newly released draw cards makes many decks more viable. Even the "cost" is better than other draw cards because it is part of the effect. If Allure is negated, you don't have to banish anything. I can see this going back to one very soon, but for now, run'em if you got'm. 
 
Score: 5/5 A few Dark monsters benefit from being banished. 
Art: 4/5 I love the art and the name. 
 
-WarlockBlitz

Allure of Darkness

The only card I recall ever receiving an actual emergency ban (before the change moving away from a scheduled ban list), this card brings back many memories for players who have been around long enough. And Allure of Darkness will eventually be banned again. I all but guarantee it. There are maybe 40-50 spell cards in the game today that allow a player to draw 2 cards, but no others have text that starts with “Draw 2 cards,” and therein lies the power. All other cards have a cost or requirement before drawing, which can hinder in any given situation, especially when topdecking. But Allure is a champ, and another time will come when banishing darks will provide true advantage beyond control. And when that day does come, Allure will ride the pine once more.

There isn’t much more to say beyond this. If you run an all-dark or mostly-dark deck, you’re running it and probably profiting when you draw it.

Advanced: 4/5

Future Potential: 3/5