OCG October 2016 Banlist Predictions

#HereWeGoAgain
It is August 2016, but we are getting our list soon. Just like how TCG got theirs...
The previous banlist (Offically known as Forbidden and Limited list) brought little changes to the game, and thus our predictions this time round remain largely the same as the previous, except for a few more additions. Also, to add something new to the mix, Dueling Cancer (actually just me, Ken Sir, since the rest of my blog mates are lazy souls) will take a look at most of the cards on the list now and provide our argument and evaluation as to whether they deserve such treatment, or like Stratos in the TCG, it is finally time to let them off the hook.

Blue-eyes

I still believe, that one, if not all of the following cards of the Blue-Eyes deck will be victimised by the banlist.

• Blue-Eyes Alternative Dragon
• The Melody of Awakening Dragon
• Return of the Dragon Lords

These changes might bring about a paradigm shift and allow Blue-Eyes to lean on Hieratics and abuse the semi-limited Super Rejuvenation from the previous list. Blue-Eyes seems too overpowered in terms of explosive power and consistency, which makes me pity the iconic, but disappointing, Dark Magician deck.

Metalfoes

Metalfoes Counter may be reduced to a single or two copies, and that may be sufficient in slowly down the deck. Blackwing - Gofu, although not under the archetype could be limited as well. Reason being that it seems to be an immediate +2, and seeing how the rogue DARK Synchro decks abuse it to start off their combos, a single Gofu might be sufficient to end their reign.

Speaking of DARK Synchro...

DARK Synchro

Past experience proves that Konami has zero tolerance for rogue decks which seems to spoil the fun of Yugioh with their FTK/OTK, with the most recent example being Monarch Burn. Number 16: Shock Master and Performage Damage Juggler, both cards capable of single-handedly shutting down the spell-heavy deck or wasting their effort by nullifying their burn damage and negating Monarch Burn's only win condition.
Monarch Burn, which existed under-the-radar previously, climbed up the tier level after both of these two cards met their doom, and experience a short period of success. But got hit shortly after.

DARK Synchro, the new incarnation of Junk Doppel, seems to be the 'Monarch Burn' of this era and meta.
Essentially, it seems that both PSY-Framelord Omega and T.G. Hyper Librarian are the vulnerable ones. The latter, even though being at one, is still causing a major upset. Providing extra draws and resources for players to keep looping the opponent's hand with Trishula and Omega, Librarian seems to be challenging the banlist's wrath if you ask me. On that note, hopeful players can diminish their optimism and dreams of this card ever seeing a semi-limitation again. Omega's limitation can be justified by Black Rose Dragon and Goyo Guardian, who walked down the path to being allowed only a single copy, by the banlist in previous formats. Both got limited at one point as they are the few synchro cards whereby players are inclined to play more than a single copy due to their outstanding effects.

While this deck may not be capable of FTK, it does loop and reduce their opponent's hand to zero before their turn even begins. So I can't picture it escaping the banlist audit.

D/D/D

One of the top tier decks, but is the worst in representation and performance among the top threes. I feel them it will be kinda sad that they get affected, since they are already battling fate and luck due to their consistency issues. You need one of each of the three main cards to start off your combo, so it really doesn't matter if your second and third copy gets banished by Desires as long as you get the single copy you need into your hand. So don't blame Desires. It is usually just the luck of the draw.

And on top of that, the combos require careful planning ahead and strategising, and is definitely not for a mere John Doe with a lack of practice with the deck.

Allure of Darkness and Pot of Desires help, along with Upstart Goblin too. But being too much of a combo-based deck means that losing one or two combo pieces in your opening hand means that you will tumble into a struggling game.

With all of their core cards at three copies each, they already have trouble pulling off their combos most of the times. But with the list threatening to strike the deck? If even one of these cards gets hit, I believe it will either slow down the deck massively, or worse: make it so slow that it can't keep up with the others, and thus unplayable. D/D/D decks, with tons of support cards and a long list of monsters in the archetype, can definitely survive. The question lies in if it can keep up with the meta, even after the list.

Personally, I think D/D/D deserves to stay around for a few more months, seeing how they never significantly won any events. But if they get hit, it is probably one of the following core cards: Lamia, Kepler and Swirl Slime. If I were to hazard a guess, another shot in the dark is Dark Contract with the Gate. It is an open option if Konami is cruel enough to cripple the deck's consistency by reducing its searchers. Necro Slime isn't actually that broken, seeing how it only has one effect as opposed to its other counterpart.

Phantom Knights, Burning Abyss

Phantom Knights and Burning Abyss seems to be in a good spot for the upcoming banlist. Doesn't look like they warrant any hits, and if they are lucky, Dante or Scarm might even be released to two. But that is just me being optimistic.

Staples

Twin Twisters, Solemn Strike
Staples like these have followed the pattern of getting hit by the banlist. After months of staying at three, I believe it is time for them to go. Following a limitation/semi-limitation, Solemn Strike might be inbound for a reprint too. Just like Solemn Warning and Solemn Judgment did, back then.
With Solemn Strike disallowed at three, players can find a replacement to counter pendulum decks in the form of Dimension Barrier.

A card banned a day keeps the cancer away?

This section is reserved for cards which players deemed are too 'unhealthy for the game'. Unhealthy in a sense that it doesn't promote interaction since players just perform the lockdown, cross his arms, and await the opponent to concede.

We will lay our views, and either debunk or sound our agreements for such accusations.

• Treatoad
• The new Cyber Dragon Infinity in town.
• Just like Cyber Dragon Infinity, the main problem lies not with the card itself, but how the card is so easily accessible via the assistance of another card.
• In this instance, it is the infamous Bahamut Shark that makes this card usable in non-Frog and non-Rank2 spam decks.
• The way I see it, it is either Bahamut follows in Ptolemaeus' footsteps and enter the Forbidden realm or Treatoad gets hit; but if Treatoad does get hit, it will probably be a limitation, and not a outright ban, seeing how it is still a relatively new card.
• Kirin
• Every pendulum deck with the suitable scales is capable of playing this card. And it is an effective card with an oustanding and absurdly useful effect, if I haven't mentioned it enough already. By now, if Konami wanted to hit this card, it would already have. At least that is what I think. This, along with Mist Valley Apex Avian is two of the most splashable cards for pendulum decks.
• I have even seen Kirin being sided at one copy in Infernoids. So yes, it is indeed very splashable.
• Personally, don't think it will be touched. Konami wants to push pendulums for sales, that's my point of view. Keeping Kirin at three helps them to achieve that objective. Although TCG seems to think otherwise...
• Anti-Spell Fragrance
• This card seems like a popular choice by many players to pilot, and curse for a hit. Some argue that it is unhealthy because it spells doom for pendulum decks, the very mechanic that Konami is attempting to push and promote in recent years and the few more years to come.
• I think a limitation isn't all that impossible, but a total ban seems unneeded and unlikely. Being a floodgate continuous trap, after all, leaves it vulnerable to the various spell/trap destruction in the game. But a hit by the banhammer, be it limitation or semi-limitation, does promote Pendulum decks even more, as this would make pendulum deck users life a lot simpler.
• It is also the only thing keeping Pendulums from being too overpowered. So I think it is here to stay.
• Vanity's Emptiness
• I don't think Vanity's deserve to be hit even further. A limitation to one seems fair.

• Cyber Stein
• Still don't think this card deserves a hit. Seems silly for Konami to release it, and then move it back to Forbidden months later. It still remains as a high-risk high-reward card. And no matter which powerhouse that comes out, there are answers to it. Monsters like Eccentrick Archfiend can get rid of Naturia Exterio, which spells and traps that remove or negate can take care of The Last Warrior from another Planet.
• Nope, don't think it is gonna get hit.

• Dark Law, Shadow Mist
• Shadow Mist to 1 seems justified enough. Doubt that Dark Law will be limited or semi-limited. You rarely see more than 1 copy being played nowadays, after all.

Cards to be released:

#FreeMyNiggaStratos

The #FreeMyNiggaStratos movement is named after the namesake card Stratos which seems be detained needlessly behind the TCG banlist. Here in OCG, we have a few 'Stratos' of our own.

1. Brionic Dragon of the Ice Barrier
• This fake dragon has been behind bars for too long. (Isn't a dragon, even though it looks like one and has 'Dragon' in its name. Charizard's relative confirmed! )
• If there is any chance for Blackwings to rise in tier levels again, the answer lies not within all the try-hard newly printed support, but the release of Brionic, with or without a change in its card text.
2. Goyo Guardian
• TCG has it back. Why not us?
• Unlikely that it will receive an erratum, since the TCG's side didn't. Surely it isn't as imbalance as it was before, and thus suitable to come out? Come on~ Konami. Now's the time.
3. Magician of Faith
• Don't see why not. But players who don't like having friends makes this card capable of starting loops for FTK deckout plays.
• Perhaps a single copy wouldn't hurt.... and an erratum?
4. Witch of the Black Forest
• Follow in Sangan's footsteps and maybe even receive the same erratum.
5. Tribe-Infecting Virus
• Possible. Might also give Atlantean Mermail a fighting chance.
6. Resuce Cat
• Possible for it to go to a single copy. But this may mean Brionic and Goyo Guardian have to be watched closely.
7. Last Will
• Seems harmless
8. Spellbook of Judgement
• Also seems harmless at 1. Spellbook series doesn't really have an inherent win condition except summon spellcasters for lockdown and beatdown.

Cards that won't/can't exit the forbidden realm:

In my personal subjective and humble opinion, I would like to keep a few cards behind bars:

Dragon Rulers:
The archetype of cards that is Konami's greatest mistakes. Previous formats proved that even at a single copy each, their effects are too imbalanced. Being at three was just a tragic time for all players. Apart from being a design barrier for future dragon support cards, the release of Dragon Rulers would also mean that cards like Dragon Shrine and Dragon's Ravine, and all other current dragon support cards, would have to fall under scrutiny again.

Substitoad:
With Treatoad in the game, no. Just no.
Please no...

Ptolemaeus.
You want HEROes to have access to both Treatoad and Infinity....? I am pretty sure I don't.
Too early. Probably few decades later, it will escape with a new text.

Damage Juggler
Not that impossible. But cards with three or more effects packed into one rarely escape the grasp of the banlist. (cough cough Dragon Ruler and Saqlifice.) If it does come back, it will only be limited, I believe. But I still think it is too soon.

Plushfire
With Agnimazad introduced to the game, it seems that releasing Plushfire might wreck havoc since you can now destroy it from your hand. But since its friends are all hit as well (Performapal Magician, Luster Pendulum, Damage Juggler), it is possible, I guess, for it to come back to one. Personally I don't think this will happen for this list, like Damage Juggler. In future, perhaps.

Elder Entity Norden
This card will never see the light of day again now that Bahamut Shark exists. You let him out at one and it will lead to a one-card Treatoad. (1000LP > Summon Norden > Pull a Level4 Water > Ta-da~)
Unless Bahamut Shark were to switch places with Norden himself.... hmmmm...

Destiny HERO Disk Commander
With more revival cards like Soul Charge and Call of the Haunted unlimited (as opposed to the days when Call of the Haunted was limited), it seems unlikely that Disk Commander can make it through the gates of the Forbidden realm. Releasing Disk Commander also undermines newer D-HERO support, like D-Hero Celestial which seems counter intuitive if you consider the fact that Konami wants to push sales for Destiny Soldiers.

Number 16: Shock Master
Seems unlikely. Insert unhealthy game argument here.

Wind-Up Hunter
Please no....

Lavalval Chain
Bringing it back means ABC decks can gather its parts in grave infinitely easier. And once again we are back to Chain milling Glow-up Bulb into Naturia Beast.

Return from the Different Dimension
Dimension Fusion
With Kozmos inbound for the OCG, I don't think Konami would pull a magic trick like this and allow these at even a single copy. Unless they are that desperate to promote Kozmos. But that will really wreck havoc like how the Dragon Rulers did.

Cold Wave
Royal Opression
My argument is that these cards counters pendulum decks, which Konami is trying to promote. Anti-Spell being around is enough. Cold Wave can lead to situations whereby, first turn it is used, then your opponent playing pendulums can't paste their scales, and gets OTK next turn. Also it is a card capable of giving an already-winning player even more significant advantage, and assurance that a counterattack is highly unlikely.

Future Fusion
Too unsuitable for the current meta, with so many fusion monsters with loose requirements like Gem Knight Serphanite and Shaddoll + Metalfoes fusion monsters. On top of cards like Five-Headed Dragon and Chimeratech Fortress Dragon. This card will do more harm than good to the game as being able to dump almost anything can give rise to loops and FTKs

Ultimate Offering
As much as I would enjoy splashing this card into Yosenjus, with the new Gadgets support cards, ABC decks would gain so much advantage they can probably bring out three ABC Dragon Buster in a turn.

Mistakes made by Konami that will probably never be revisited without an erratum so strong it nerfs the card so badly that it is unusable.

Fiber Jar
Fishborg Blaster
Magical Scientist
Pot of Greed
Butterfly Dagger - Elma
Change of Heart
Snatch Steal
Raigeki
Brain Control
Graceful Charity
Giant Trunade 
Royal Oppression
Last Turn
Performapal Monkeyboard


Final Words:

Thousand-Eyes Restrict at two doesn't seem to make a huge impact. So I guess it is safe to bring it to three. Won't make much of a difference, I believe. You don't see much of it in competitive play. Same goes for Wall of Revealing Light and Sangan.
Dandylion can be bumped to two, as I don't think Quickdraw Dandy can make its mark in the meta like it did before, in this new age of dueling where pendulum and xyz summon exists.

Nekroz cards affected by the list may be released as a move made in view of future support to strengthen the deck. Not sure who will make it for the cut: Shurit, Brionic or Unicore. That or the non-archetype cards, like Preparation of Rites. Which seems highly likely, due to the rumored Black Luster Soldier support in Raging Tempest. But the currently present Cyber Angel decks does make this idea go very very sour.

As far as release+new support card goes, Qli and Shaddoll should also stand a chance. Saqlifice and El-Shaddoll Fusion, Shaddoll Fusion stand a chance, should Konami decide to be lenient enough.

Pendulum Call, in my opinion, doesn't deserve the banlist treatment. Think the same applies for Dragon Ravine. In the absence of the Dragon Rulers, it should be allowed at three like Dragon Shrine is. Seems unfair to Dragonuity players, after all.

Monster Gate and Reasoning can continue to sit comfortably at one. lol. I am not looking forward to Infernoid leaping to Tier 1 once they are allowed more copies of it. Atlantean Dragoons can also remain. I do not look forward to more Atlantean Frogs leaning on Bahamut Shark in the meta.

Maybe Konami will pull a curveball and allow Solemn Warning at two if they are too harsh on Solemn Strike? (E.g. Limited Solemn Strike)

Ceasefire seems harmless for it to come back at three. And may be a possible move and justification to release more support for Shaddoll since it counters flip effects. I talked about Reborn Tengu previously. Metalfoes' existence makes his debut at three copies in the OCG sound very risky. Doubt Konami would try to do that.

Do not release Gateway of the Six Samurai at three Konami... you will see more Naturia Beast than you ever will, I promise you. Charge of the Light Brigade moving to three is possible. Seeing how the poor Lightlords are powercrept so badly.
Chain Strike? NEVER!

Lastly, I don't see a need for staples like Soul Charge, Pot of Avarice, Dark Hole etc to see a change in their limited status. But if Konami does really want to make a chance, I would suggest Reinforcement of the Army and Pot of Avarice as candidates of choice. These changes might form interesting ripple effects on the game. And now that I think about it, Reinforcement of the Army may even be unlimited to support Tellarknights, seeing how the newly introduced support cards seem to be underwhelming and not helping.

Reducing the limitation on Mezuki is a very dangerous move, seeing how Shiranui Sage is a one-card Level8 synchro no thanks to this particular zombie.

Conclusion

My personal wishlist? Super Polymerisation and Vanity's Emptiness seeing more copies. Unlikely. But the next quarter will have Christmas in it. If it doesn't work this time I will try asking Santa before the next banlist. (What do you mean Santa isn't real?)
Don't think that Pot of Desires will get taken down. It is still fairly new.

Phew. Long article. I didn't list out everything. Some cards' status and existence on the list seems pretty justified and common sense to me. But if you feel otherwise, feel free to voice out your opinions. Comments section is available. Fire away.