We’ve heard fans and players are apparently panicking at several cards moving from Forbidden to Limited. I’ll be giving a brief explanation why the Org thinks these changes aren’t going to be as terrible as some of you think.

Specifically, we believe the cards:

Rescue Cat

Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier

Future Fusion

Brain Control

Imperial Order

Aren’t being released in TCG Territories with the original power level and their return off the list is tied in with the upcoming product “Duelist Saga”. For the brief simple answer: We believe that Duelist Saga is a TCG adaptation / counterpart to two products in OCG territories (Japan and East Asia), called “20th Anniversary Pack”. This product was released in two waves:

1st Wave, which covered the Duel Monsters and GX eras.

2nd Wave, which covered the 5D’s, ZEXAL and ARC-V eras.

Of note is in this product, several cards released textual updates that change how they play, including the five listed above. Let us go over these cards. We anticipate most if not all of these should be in the pack.

A brief disclaimer before we start: We can’t confirm all these texts will be updated in Duelist Saga, nor will these be matching translations to whatever is in Duelist Saga.

BRAIN CONTROL

Pay 800 LP, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; take control of that target until the End Phase.

was updated to

Pay 800 LP, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls that can be Normal Summoned/Set; take control of that target until the End Phase.

This new text prevents Brain Control from taking monsters that start in the Extra Deck (such as Xyz, Synchro, Fusion and Link Monsters) as well as the likes of Black Luster Soldier or the Infernoid series.

IMPERIAL ORDER

Negate all Spell Card effects on the field. During each of your Standby Phases, pay 700 Life Points or destroy this card.

was changed to

Negate all Spell Card effects on the field. During each Standby Phase, pay 700 LP. If you cannot pay 700 LP, destroy this card.



For clarification’s sake, the changes here are that you, the owner of this card, must pay 700 LP during each Standby Phase, both you and your opponent’s. As well you can no longer optionally destroy this card. This results in the card being a far more double edged sword than a temporary advantage.

You can disrupt Spell Cards, but you cannot get rid of this card on your own using its own text and it drains more Life Points.

FUTURE FUSION

Reveal 1 Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck and send, from your Main Deck to the Graveyard, the Fusion Material Monsters that are listed on that Fusion Monster Card. During your 2nd Standby Phase after this card’s activation, Special Summon 1 of that Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck and target it with this card. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.) When this card leaves the field, destroy that target. When that target is destroyed, destroy this card.

was changed to

During your first Standby Phase after activating this card: Reveal 1 Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck and send, from your Main Deck to the Graveyard, the Fusion Material Monsters that are listed on that Fusion Monster Card. During your 2nd Standby Phase after this card’s activation: Special Summon 1 of that Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck and target it with this card. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.) When this card leaves the field, destroy that target. When that target is destroyed, destroy this card.

The active change here is there’s a one turn delay on sending cards from your Deck to the Graveyard, giving time for this card to serve as a dud instead of “Foolish Burial but en masse”, should your opponent use removal. Adds far more risk for the reward you aim for.

RESCUE CAT

You can send this face-up card to the Graveyard to Special Summon 2 Level 3 or lower Beast-Type monsters from your Deck. Those monsters are destroyed during the End Phase.

was changed to

You can send this face-up card to the Graveyard; Special Summon 2 Level 3 or lower Beast-Type monsters from your Deck, but their effects are negated and they’re destroyed during the End Phase. You can only use this effect of “Rescue Cat” once per turn.

First off, the new text card on this card prevents Beast-Type monsters summoned from using their effects (and many Beast-Type monsters have powerful effects), and it only allows you to use the effect once per turn.

BRIONAC, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER

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.

was changed to

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

You can discard any number of cards to the Graveyard to target an equal number of cards your opponent controls; return those targets to the hand. You can only use this effect of “Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier” once per turn.

First off, this text changes Brionac by preventing it from returning your own cards. One of the most notorious problems with this card when it was originally usable is it could be used in low-to-no interaction solitaire loops by returning cards on your field to your hand to reuse them.

As well it prevents Brionac from being used in repetitive loops as it would be used for this return to the hand effect multiple times per turn.

Also, we don’t believe that these will be the only cards changed. We have reason to believe two more cards will have their text changed (but their positions on the Forbidden & Limited List won’t), due to the Anniversary Pack. These two might blind side some players who haven’t paid close enough attention to Asian products, so we’ll be covering them to help reduce confusion and shock.

GOYO GUARDIAN

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card destroys an opponent’s monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon that monster to your side of the field in Defense Position.

was changed to

1 EARTH Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card destroys an opponent’s monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon that monster to your side of the field in Defense Position.

This change makes Goyo Guardian a non-Generic Synchro. Why would this happen? Well, despite the card having no major effect on the TCG metagame, it likely has to do with the fact higher powers in the franchise’s heirarchy view the fact that Goyo Guardian is imbalanced in terms of ATK, Level and Effect. Essentially it’s stronger than Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth (2600 ATK), who would be the strongest Generic Synchro other than Goyo. Similarly, the strongest generic Xyz in Yu-Gi-Oh! is Gem-Knight Pearl who also has 2600 ATK. Neither have effects.

Essentially, the Organization assumes Goyo Guardian was ultimately changed for card design ‘appropriateness/acceptable’ reasons rather than its effect on the game.

(Also none of the Yang Zing Tuners are EARTH unless you use DNA Transplant, which would allow for shenanigans)

NECROVALLEY

All “Gravekeeper’s” monsters gain 500 ATK and DEF. Cards in either player’s Graveyard cannot be banished. Negate any card effect that would move a card in the Graveyard, other than itself, to a different place.

was changed to

All “Gravekeeper’s” monsters gain 500 ATK and DEF. Cards in either player’s Graveyard cannot be banished. Negate any card effect that would move a card in the Graveyard to a different place.

This update prevents cards like the Dark World monsters and Glow-Up Bulb from ‘cheating’ Necrovalley. Bar the effects of Gravekeeper related cards, cards stay in the Graveyard with the textual update here. No banishing to activate effects. No Dark Worlds. Everything stays silent as the Grave.

The dead should stay dead, the peace of Kings should not be disturbed.

Finally, since it’s been a while since this card was released in a product, people might’ve forgotten it since the current list has taken so long to change:

SANGAN

If this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: Add 1 monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck to your hand, but you cannot activate cards, or the effects of cards, with that name for the rest of this turn. You can only use this effect of “Sangan” once per turn.

Basically this is to prevent unenjoyable solitaire combos, in line with the changes with Brionac and Rescue Cat.

Also a fun note for readers: Witch of the Black Forest has received the same text changes as Sangan, so that’s something else to look forward to in the future.