[lorddarksteel@hotmail.com] Case Study: The Ban List - Darek Steele Since the first announcement in February 2004 of the Japanese Ban List, a great divide has opened between the American Players, those who supported the Ban List, and those who do not. The Ten Cards banned for play in Japan was listed, nothing which would hamper a resourceful player, and it was stated that the Ban List would be reviewed and updated every 6 months, perhaps sooner dependant on the response. In Japan, they had no choice. The Ban List was in full effect, all tournaments in the country were to run Ban List if they wee to count in the Konami Tournament System. With these Bans, older players and new all went to the same level, working their minds to find a way around the bans, to empower their decks, despite the lost power of cards such as Harpies Feather Duster, Thunderbolt and Imperial Order. Overseas, as players removed the “heart” of these decks, new cards never before looked at came into light. Old Cards, not played in months, perhaps even in years, started to make resurgence. The game once more thrived, and evolved. Then, in August 2004, the Ban List was updated for Japan. Several cards were removed from the Ban List, but many remained, and new additions where done. Once more, Thunderbolt, Harpies Feather Duster and Imperial Order were still unplayable, but joining them were the pre-emanate Dark Hole and Monster Reborn. Two of the most often played Cards in the game, commons given out with every Starter Deck and Evolution Deck since the game had first started, and the perhaps, secondly most common played Trap card there was, the Mirror Force. Again, the Heart of decks where sliced into, and six (6) of the most powerful single cards in the game, where eliminated from competitive play. Joining their Ranks, was one of the most powerful, and broken creatures in the game, a monster who’s very summon, was not only easily pulled off, but whose singular effect meant the destruction of nearly every most carefully laid plan in a deck ­ the Chaos Emperor Dragon ­ Envoy of the End. His Burn effect was a small price to pay, considering the massive damage surely inflicted upon an opponent. His effect was Multi-trigger; it would never fail to go off on a Main Phase. Bottomless Trap Hole, Torrential Tribute, Offerings to the Doomed, Raigeki Break ­ all failed to stop the damage inflicted upon the Opponent’s Life Points. The Card is often considered one of the most broken Effect monsters in the Game. Easily Summoned, Unstoppable Effect, Nearly Undefeatable Attack. He was ripe for the Banning. In the new Ban List, would he have not been banned, he would most certainly be the most Run Monster of all. In February, Upperdeck announced they would never Ban cards from Tournament play for Yu-Gi-Oh, and most of the players outside of Japan felt relief. Their Raigeki’s and Harpies Feather Duster’s were safe. Still playable. In July, Upperdeck again made an announcement, after consideration and discussion, it was decided that indeed, as of October 1, the Ban List would be in Effect in their Territories, but only in those tournaments that chose to participate. The rift, illogically, grew wide between the players, those Pro, and those Against the Ban List. When the Japanese Ban List was updated, it took only a week for Upperdeck to announce that the Japanese Ban List, effect September 1, would take effect in America on October 1. Once more, tempers flared. Those who were Against the Ban List argued loudly, their decks would be crushed, the Staples from the past, those six cards, where the heart of every deck! Many of these cards had been with us since the beginning; to suddenly remove them from play was unthinkable. No deck would ever be able to function to it’s full potential without those cards being usable. Upperdeck had done the worst possible thing. Those who had anticipated the coming of the Ban List had already begun work on the cards, which would replace those “Staples”. Others had been working on these minor problems since the first Ban List was announced in Japan. They saw the reason why these cards where Banned, and how to get their decks to function without them. To them, it was a return to the days before the cards where printed. No more Harpies Feather Duster, no more Imperial Orders, and the costless Massive Magic/Trap destruction would be done for. Without Raigeki and Dark Hole, Mass Monster destruction would be a thing of the past, allowing for new and more vitalizing combos, and so forth. Obviously, in this new environment, other cards, cards who would thrive and become exploitable, and as such, they were eliminated as well. The arguments on both sides have been very heated, back and forth. Thankfully, Upperdeck had foreseen this, and allowed those players in its Territories to decide which tournaments they want to play in. The Stores made the decision, and all tournaments count for the same number of points. The arguments on the Ban List should by now, has become a moot point. Both sides have their way, finally. Those who wish to play with the List may do so at their own tournaments, and those who do not, may do so as well. For those who want to know more on the Ban List, and possible cards which may be used in place of “removed” staples, the following list has been compiled, and the list has been set up in such a way you can easily locate the information. Not all of the Ban List Cards will be looked over, just those who have been recently added. The format for each card in the list is as follows (Numbers used in place of words) I Card Name II Effect III Reason for Ban IV Cards to use for replacement (if any) I Chaos Emperor Dragon ­ Envoy of the End II This card can only be Special Summoned by removing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster in your Graveyard from play. Pay 1000 of your Life Points to send all cards in both players' hands and on the field to the Graveyard. Inflict 300 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points for each card that is sent to the Graveyard by this effect. III With the Banning of cards such as Dark Hole and Mirror Force, this easily summoned 3000 Attack Powerhouse became that much tougher. With the fact that his effect can be chained to the activation of an Opponents Trap/Quick Play Spells during the Main Phases (Torrential Tribute, Bottomless Trap Hole, Offerings to the Doomed, etc), playing this Behemoth in the Ban List environment just reeks of slaughtering the opponent mercilessly. His burn effect is simply to powerful in this form of play. And with the return of Painful Choice to the restricted list, his summoning requirement became much easier to fulfill. Overall, the Primary reason for the CED’s ban comes only from his Ability to be Easily Summon, Attack, and then use his burn effect, to possible end the game in one turn. The reason Chaos Sorcerer and Black Luster Soldier ­ Envoy of the Beginning where not banned with him, is because their effects are far more balanced. Should the Sorcerer or the Soldier use their removal effects, they cannot attack that turn. Thus, they are easily stymied. IV None ­ there is no way to substitute another card who has anywhere close to his abilities. The Chaos Emperor Dragon was a one of a kind monster, one who has the ability to decide the game at it’s summoning. I Delinquent Duo II Pay 1000 Life Points. Randomly select and discard 1 card from your opponent's hand. Your opponent then selects and discards another card from his/her hand. III One of the most Heavily played pre-negators there are. 2 cards destroyed, even at random, for only 1000 life points, and with cards out now such as spell economics which states you no longer have to pay to activate spell cards… You do the math. 1000 Life points to completely disrupt your opponents hand, and bring him that much closer to being locked away. IV You still have Forceful Sentry, Confiscation, Drop Off, Don Zaloog, White Magical Hats… I Dark Hole II Destroy all monsters on both players field III Massive Monster Destruction that in and of itself should be reason to eliminate it. With no monsters on your side of the field, it acts like Raigeki. With monsters on your side of the field, it’s possible Chaos monster food. IV Only one card comes close to its power, Torrential Tribute. You can also use things such as Man Eater Bug, Old Vindictive Magician, and Swarm of Scarabs I Monster Reborn II Put a monster card from your opponent or your graveyard into plays face-up in defense or attack mode. III Costless Recursion. IV Premature Burial, Call of the Haunted, Autonomous Action Unit (Premature and Autonomous combo well with Spell Economics) I Mirror Force II When an opponent's monster attacks, negate the attack and destroy all opponent's monsters in attack position III Raigeki and Waboku in one can give very decisive field advantage. VI Sakeretsu Armor I United We Stand II For every face-up monster you control, increase the ATK and DEF of the equipped monster by 800 points. III With the loss of Massive Monster Destruction, this card was destined to be banned. With 5 monsters on the field, this card now adds 4000 attack, plus there’s no way to kill it once summoned, except by overpowering it, or using flip effect monsters. I Sangan + Witch of the Black Forests II Sangan Seaches for a monster with 1500 atk and below when sent to the graveyard from the field, Witch does the same, but it’s for 1500 or below defense monsters III Two of the most versatile searchers there are. The sheer amount of game halting monsters they can bring out alone, can spell the turning point in some matches. Witch can easily bring a Jinzo to the hand, one of the deadliest 1 tribute monsters in the game, while Sanagn can bring out a high defense monster, potent flip effect monsters, etc. Neither are restricted as to what subtypes or attributes they can bring out, they are all purpose, and no one minds their destruction. IV Last Will Allen “Darek Steele” Thibodaux lorddarksteel@hotmail.com