[br0kenglass000@yahoo.com]
Formats: The Advantages and Disadvantages -
iViE
Heyo All!
It's been a while since I've written
for Pojo, or anyone for that matter. I'll try my best to not
disappoint. I've written about newbies and trading tips in the past, but
now, I'll switch to the formats of the game and how it effects the person as
well as the overall game play. I'll start by the most well
know.
The Official Format
Well duh, no
brainer there. The Official Format or "the Standard Format" is the way
we're all used to playing. 8000 LP, restricted and semi-restricted cards,
tributes for monsters, and no god cards. Tournaments are ran mainly on
this format. Some of you may already be skipping this portion just because
there nothing more you believe you need to know, and you might be
right.
As for the uninformed duelists, this is the most
competitive of all formats. So if you plan to play here, prepare to be
taunted by some, and be barraged by good cards. I'm referring to "good" as
in staples, pre-negators, control, chaos and the like. This is one of the
most free formats, though because of it being the oldest, people are losing
interest in it. The reason? It's true that almost all cards (save
god cards) are accessible in this format, some cards are placed so much higher
in regard than others, people don't use anything BUT those select cards.
It has made the game mundane, or boring to a lot of people. Creativity
doesn't usually spawn from this format, and someone very wise once told me "You
have most to do when you have no places left to go." (This was said in
Chinese, but it basically means that you can make the most out of what you have
when you run out of options.) In steps the Ban List.
Ban
List "Format"
The Ban List was already there at the
beginning of YuGiOh, though because some people refuse to let go of the Official
Format, this "Format" was introduced. The banned format focuses primarily
on the 10 banned cards, which rotate every 6 months to keeps things
interesting. The current ban list consist of the
following:
Yata Garasu
Injection Fairy Lily
Cyber
Jar
Fiber Jar
Raigeki
Harpies Feather Duster
Delinquent
Duo
Painful Choice
Change of Heart
Imperial Order
These
cards are supposedly "the best of the best" and are forbidden in this format of
play. How does it change the game? Not much really, but it helps
promote the theme of certain decks. Decks that needed more room for more
specialized cards might now have 2-6 or even more slots at their disposal.
The banned cards usually give the player using it a large trade-off
advantage. Trade-off advantage meaning the card itself to the number of
cards it affects. Take Delinquent Duo for example. The price of this
card: 1000 Life points. The advantage: 2 cards from your opponent's
hand. To most, the advantage far outweighs the price. An eighth of
your Life points to totally ruin your opponent's game plan at the beginning of a
game is extremely good. Or perhaps Raigeki. One card, capable of
taking out up to 5. A potential 1 to 5 trade-off is excellent.
However, because of these cards are so superb, other potentially good cards are
overshadowed, ignored, or even shunned. A card with amazing potential is
White Magician Pikeru, but rarely anyone plays her because life gain is
considered a waste of time. When all is said and done, the Ban Format is
simply a way to make people realize the cards that aren't already in front of
them or they have not played against. Try it, you might like
it.
BanX Format
This format truly deserves
it own place. It incorporates the Ban List format and adds one extra
element: only 15 restricted cards. The rules still apply, no
forbidden cards, 8000 LP, and a friendly handshake. But since only a third
of your deck can consist of restricted cards, your options narrow even
further. Your semi-restricted remains unchanged though. The only
disadvantage I can think of for this format is the slow game play, or perhaps
the frustration in not being able to throw that one last Magical Scientist in
(Though Scientist OTK decks are the most popular deck for this format).
This format is by far the most challenging and (in my opinion) most entertaining
of all formats. This format forces you to concentrate on good deck
building and smart play. Old cards like Magician of Faith run rampant, to
get back that precious Pot of Greed. BanX is something worth trying out, I
have a deck made to this format, and i guarantee you, it's feels good to beat
someone with a BanX deck playing Official Format. (My deck has no Banned cards
and only 10 Restricted ones, 2 Semi Restricted.)
Junior
Format
This is not a joke, nor is it a ploy to make fun of
newbies. The Junior format is an official play-type, designed to help
beginners with the game. Most people aren't even aware there is such a
format in existence, even though it's been shown to them over and over
again. Some refer to it as "playing by no rules" since it certainly seems
that way. You simply play like the TV show does before Battle City.
Higher level monsters require no tribute. Though magics card must also be
set before use. Only one M/T may be set per turn and only one card may
exist on your M/T zones at any time. Field cards are an exception.
Also, Cards with special summoning requirements stated on the card must also
follow them. (Chaos Emperor Dragon has to have 1 Light and 1 Dark to special
summon) But otherwise, it's one of the more "I really don't care what I'm doing"
type of play formats. Fun, though almost never serious. God cards
run rampant here (Still needs 3 tributes kiddos!)
These are the
formats i have actually seen played (and that i have played myself). I'm
open to all replies. Maybe you want to introduce me to a new format of
play, or found that I've made a mistake somewhere (oh the horror, I'm only
human) and wish to correct it, feel free to email me at: br0kenglass000@yahoo.com . I'm
open to all constructed criticism. And If you want to flame me, please do
it legibly and to the point, I don't want to read flames which uses half the
page to say that I'm an effed up guy and ends up spelling the F-word
wrong.
Maybe some other time,
iViE