JAELOVE's Smooth Journey

Article 15: Part One of A (Post-Ban) BAD System.

            Indeed, the ban list is coming upon us in a scant two weeks. Of course, the revised list is far more expansive and game-changing than the original ten card ban list released in Japan. The changes to our environment will have to be reflected within both A BAD System and in the minds of all you duelists out there.

            This series of three articles will attempt to define the limits of the game altered by the ban list, and explain how that changes the system of reviewing cards. Finally, I’ll provide the exact same cards reviewed in my fifth article, and submit revised rulings on them based on the post-ban Advanced format.

            This first article will focus on the ban list itself.

The Ban List:

1.         Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End 

Why was it banned?   Chaos Emperor Dragon is the most destructive card in the game. It’s also certainly the most powerful, and let me explain.

            Chaos Emperor Dragon resets the field, making cards that depend on a stable hand of 3-4 cards, such as a Burner (which needs a collection of cards to lock down the opponent) or A Legendary Ocean (which needs the field spell card Umi to power up its own monsters) archetypes helpless when top-decking (each player has 0 cards in hand and must depend on draws). Simply put, beatdown decks receive a huge advantage when both players are top-decking; Chaos Emperor Dragon single-handedly (along with Delinquent Duo) destroyed deck-types that needed to maintain a hand supply.

            Remember folks, when discussing the merits of cards, remember why they are “overpowered” or “broken”; many will wonder why Black Luster Soldier was allowed to remain, arguing that it’s superior to the Emperor Dragon.

            Those folks are completely wrong. Black Luster Soldier does not single-handedly create a chance for 75% deck-types to instantly fail. While BLS is a powerful form of field advantage, Chaos Emperor Dragon resets hand/life-point advantage, and provides a disgusting advantage to the person who summons it.

            It’s also on the short list of cards in the game that provide (nearly) non-negatable end-game damage. Chaos Emperor Dragon and Ring of Destruction, along with the underplayed Cannon Soldier, are some of the only tournament-viable cards that can outright kill your opponent without fear of counter. Such power had to be restricted.  

Deck-types that benefit from its loss: Every deck except Chaos gains something from CED’s ban. Exodia, Burner, A Legendary Ocean, and other decks can thrive.

Removal Rating (Should it have been banned by Konami?): 10/10. This card was broken beyond belief. Its ban will let other archetypes shine.

2.         Dark Hole and Raigeki

Why were they banned? Dark Hole is a card that wasn’t included in the original ten card ban list. However, this new ban list seeks to limit mass field removal (Raigeki, Mirror Force, Dark Hole, and Torrential Tribute restricted). It’s kind of foolish to have a game where you can lose 3-4 monster resources in one fell swoop; the removal of Dark Hole, along with Raigeki seeks to make field advantage last longer.

Deck types that benefit from their loss: The unforeseen consequence, unfortunately, seems to be that decks with powerful monsters will be far harder to cope with. All that’s left is targeted removal (i.e Smashing Ground, Fissure), so it’ll become much harder to deal with loss of field advantage. Decks that maintain field advantage, such as Warriors and Dragons, will definitely benefit from this ban.

Removal Rating (Should it have been banned by Konami?):  8/10 for Dark Hole, 10/10 for Raigeki. In conjunction with the removal of Mirror Force, it seems pretty clear that the days of uncosted mass removal are gone. Kudos to Konami for experimenting so drastically, but let’s hope it doesn’t backfire and create another overpowered cookie-cutter archetype.

3.         Delinquent Duo

Why was it banned? Delinquent Duo is the best opening turn draw in the game. By removing one-third of your opponent’s options in one blast, you’ve effectively increased your chances of winning by that same amount (or greater). All the nonsense about it “helping” your opponent is fairly ludicrous. The only true counter to it was Sinister Serpent; all other spell counters had to be played prior to its use.

            Simply put, it became a mad rush to draw the pre-negators on the opening hand and destroy the opponent’s options. Delinquent Duo was the best of the overpowered pre-negators (Confiscation, The Forceful Sentry). As an opening turn draw, it was even better than Pot of Greed.

            A user of an archetype that required a steady hand was destroyed by this card; Delinquent Duo made it very hard for such archetypes to mount a steady, effective comeback. It’s probably the most broken pre-ban card in the game.

Deck types that benefit from its loss: Every deck benefits from its loss; even control and Chaos users benefit because an inferior opponent can’t just get lucky and destroy your hand.

Removal Rating: 10/10. It was banned in both iterations of the ban list. Good job.

4.         Graceful Charity

Why was it banned? For many decks, this is the best draw engine in the game. The discard feature actually helps a number of decks, including Chaos and Beast (Manticore of Darkness). In conjunction with Sinister Serpent, it let users draw 3 cards and effectively discard one.

            People ask why it was banned instead of Pot of Greed. That’s the wrong question; the right question is “Why was it banned at all?” Yu-Gi-Oh has enough problems drawing cards as is; this ban doesn’t do much to help that.

            Of course, Konami must have feared Magical Scientist decks and Exodia decks running wild in the post-ban format; this removal was surely made to counter that in some regards.

 Deck types that benefit from its loss: All decks get hurt by this one, some more than others (Exodia, Scientist, Manticore Exodia, other One Turn Kill decks).

Removal Rating: 3/10. I don’t understand the point of limiting draw engines.

5.         Harpie's Feather Duster 

Why was it banned? With the restriction of Mystical Space Typhoon, Konami obviously wanted to limit spell/trap removal as well. The days of having a better than 50% chance of getting your top trap removed are gone; the new Yu-Gi-Oh is a far slower and methodical game.

            The ban of Harpie’s Feather Duster removes the best spell/trap remover in the game; it’ll finally let a lot of traps be played and take prominence.

            However, I still don’t really agree with this one. I think the restriction of Mystical Space Typhoon was more than enough. The removal of HFD will make Burn decks far more powerful; HFD doesn’t create the type of massive card advantage that its counterpart, Raigeki does. Usually, you’re lucky to take two cards down with this one.

Deck types that benefit from its loss: Defensive decks, Burner decks, Stall decks.

Removal Rating: 5/10. I think Konami overrated this card; it’s not THAT great.

6.         Imperial Order

Why was it banned? Simply put, Konami wanted to remove such an easy form of spell negation. Also, if the user chose to keep paying for its upkeep, he could effectively lock down the field and maintain field advantage. This is the best trap in the game, after all.

Deck types that benefit from its loss: None really, except hardcore OTK decks that didn’t even use it in the first place.

Removal Rating: 7/10. I understand its ban, but it didn’t overpower other archetypes like CED and Delinquent Duo did.

7.         Mirror Force

Why was it banned? This is simply in conjunction with the other removals across the board (MST, HFD). Without those two MST’s and Harpie’s Feather Duster out there, this card becomes the new, best form of mass removal. Konami obviously doesn’t want that.

Deck types that benefit from its loss: Beatdown.

Removal Rating: 2/10. I don’t really get this one either. We’re going to have Dust Tornado’s, and still use Breaker, Heavy Storm, MST, and Jinzo. Why would you ban this card? It’ll only take 2-3 monsters at most, in optimal situations.

8.         Monster Reborn

Why was it banned? I don’t really understand this one. Sure, it’s uncosted and brings back any monster from the graveyard, but it’s not exactly overpowered. However, since Painful Choice was brought back in from the ban list, Konami obviously saw fit to remove an element of “dump and revive” (where you send tributes to the grave and bring them back).

            It’s a solid ban list choice, simply because it’s one of the best spell cards in the game.

Deck types that benefit from its loss: Almost every deck is hurt equally.

Removal Rating: 5/10.

9.         Sangan and Witch of the Black Forest

Why were they banned? The “searchers” were the two best monsters in the game, bar none. Without them, decks will (hopefully) be forced to create cohesive themes and actually try to work at maintaining them.

            Most of the broken, over-powered monsters out there will be even harder to find and summon than before. They also make searching the Exodia head piece impossible.

Deck types that benefit from their loss: None.

Removal Rating: 10/10. I wholeheartedly agree with attempts to influence originality and cohesiveness in building decks.

10.       United We Stand

Why was it banned? With the removal of the best spell/trap removers, United We Stand stood to be the most overpowered spell card in the game. While it already is a solid choice in decks that goes overlooked, the lack of spell/trap removal will make it even stronger. This was a wise, pre-emptive ban.

Deck types that benefit from its loss: None, really, since it wasn’t heavily played.

Removal Rating: 6/10.

11.       Yata-Garasu

Why was it banned? No explanation needed.

Deck types that benefit from its loss: All.

Removal Rating: 10/10. No explanation needed. 

            In addition, there were also changes to the Restricted List that are now listed here.

The Restricted List:

Torrential Tribute pared down to one, Why?: Torrential Tribute is yet another form of mass monster removal. It should be clear by now that Konami wishes to discourage such forms of mass removal.

Mystical Space Typhoon down to one: Also, spell/trap removal was too numerous in the pre-ban environment. This restriction will limit such elements of removal.

Morphing Jar down to one: With Cyber Jar/Fiber Jar returning back to the card pool, 3 jars is more than enough.

Dark Magician of Chaos down to one: It certainly is an overpowered card; Magical Scientist decks lose a lot of effectiveness as well with this restriction.

Protector of the Sanctuary down to one: Konami wanted to cut down on some of the cheaper combos in the game; this is one of them.

            The overall analysis shows that both Spell/Trap removal and Mass Monster removal have been cut down drastically. In addition, massive hand control elements, such as Yata and Delinquent Duo, are also gone!

            Most of the “broken” staples in the game are gone now, so there’s no use in complaining. The duels should slow down considerably, and many elements of luck/chance are gone now.

            This should create a more competitive dueling environment, hopefully.

That does it for this week’s article. Look for later installments in the following days. E-mail me at JAELOVE@gmail.com with any questions, advice, and such.