It's that time of the year where we all gather on the second Sunday of the month before the new quarter starts. In one single snap, we witnessed the newest October 2022 Forbidden and Limited list.
This article will cover a recap of the newest October 2022 Forbidden and Limited List in OCG and how we think this will impact the current meta game. (or will it?)
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| The last ride - October 2022 Forbidden & Limited List |
Let's have a quick recap on the October 2022 Forbidden and Limited List!
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The real problem card has been spotted. We knew how powerful the Adventurer Token was during its reign as it was splashed in the recent format's topping decks if able. The reason - It provides the much needed shield to protect your combo and the engine itself acts a standalone powerhouse that can provide disruption and removal.
Last July 2022 List, OCG made Water Enchantress of the Sanctuary and Rite of Aramesir to 1 reducing the consistency of the engine but still, this doesn't stop the engine from being abused in decks like Prank-kids, Spright and Virtual World. This quarter's banned list finally hit the real enabler - the reason why the engine is a must in the first place. Without the omni-negate ability of the Adventurer Token Engine, this makes Adventurer Token engine less splashable and may only stay as an engine that can bring out an instant level 7 monster and removal at the cost of running few bricks and the inability to use normal summoned monster effects.
Union Carrier (3 → 0)
Union Carrier I'd say is a long overdue hit that has been dodging the list together with Crystron Halqifibrax and Predaplant Verte Anaconda. This link monster who is also a product of OCG's Link Vrains Pack has finally seen its last ride in this banned list.
Union Carrier enables the popular Buster-Lock which allows the player to instantly equip Dragon Buster Destruction Sword to an applicable monster and deny opponent from utilizing their Extra Deck summons. It has a similar feel on how Vanity's Emptiness and Imperial Order provides a huge upper-hand on the player who controls it. This card is known to be used as the other half of Spright end board and is also used to easily search Drytron's Eva as well as the Avian Unlimited Omni-Negate which utilizes Mist Valley Thunderbird who found its new home in the new Kshatri-La Good-Stuff Deck.
This is definitely a great hit that was predicted by many and would definitely weaken the strategy of Spright, Drytron, Adamancipator and Kshatri-La - to name a few.
Newly Limited:
Keldo the Possessed Statue (3 → 1)
This monster instantly made dead Kelbek and Agido active as this can discard those cards to special summon itself and add Exchange of the Spirit or 1 card that mentioned that trap. This allows a Tearlaments player to easily summon rank 4 monsters like Abyss Dweller and Bagooska which can instantly turn the odds to your favor.
Like Mudora, it can also shuffle cards from the GYs to deck which is very useful in recycling milled cards and providing an excellent GY control. Reducing this to 1 will surely lessen the consistency of Tear Ishizu decks but will definitely stay playable.
This card's second effect is similar to Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard's ability to mill 5 cards from the top of your deck to the GY when sent from hand or deck to the GY.
Unlike Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard where its first effect is reliant on the opponent to control a Special Summoned monster first to special summon itself, Agido can special summon itself when your opponent sends a card from their hand or deck to the GY. This counts hand traps like Maxx "C", Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Effect Veiler, Agido can also revive an EARTH Fairy monster from your GY.
Limiting this card will reduce the consistency of milling and Rank 4 spam but will definitely stay playable.
Herald of Orange Light (3 → 1)
Another direct hit to Tearlaments Ishizu and in a way, Dryton. This reduces the chance of having a direct answer to your opponent's Dimensional Shifter, Maxx "C", Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring making your plays more prone to such hand traps. Herald of Orange Light combos well with Agido and Kelbek being able to negate a monster effect and mill 5 right after which is a very powerful combo that can trigger on your opponent's turn as a turn 0 play.
With only one Orange Light and fewer targets,we'll see if this will continue to be main deck worthy.
Swap Frog rose popularity once again in the hands of Spright as not only it can enable multiple XYZ and Link summons with the help of Ronintoadin, it also has an effect that can potentially recycle any monster on your field back to hand including a searched Maxx "C" with the help of Gigantic Spright.
Limiting this card to one made the Frog Engine inconsistent as it would be risky to main an additional "Frog" named monster for the sake of achieving the same combo. You will also have less discard targets if you would want to Special Summon this card if you draw it.
Spright Jet (3 → 1)
Another consistency hit against Spright. Limiting this card reduces the consistency of drawing it in combination of a level 2 monster as this can search Spright Starter which can potentially summon Spright Blue that can search either Red, Carrot or another Jet. Limiting copies of this card to 1 would reduce the likelihood of having an answer to hand traps making your combos more prone to disruption.
Yata-Garasu (0 → 1)
Yata-Garasu is an iconic monster who was sealed in the banned list many years ago and now it's back once again. With this fast-paced meta game, I don't think this would make any impact at all. Don't be deceived with its bird-like appearance, it's a fiend-type monster. :D
Floowandereeze and the Magnificent Map (2 → 1)
The consistency map got another hit once again. Floowandereeze remained to be part of the meta game consistently since its release in Burst of Destiny and is a solid choice for folks who loves control. It is considered an anti-meta deck with its ability to main GY hate like Dimensional Shifter, Dimensional Fissure and Macro Cosmos making it one of the worst match-up of Tearlaments Ishizu.
Hitting it to 1 reduces the consistency of Floowandereeze greatly as the deck itself is also potentially prone to brick as it normally mains 2 Raiza, the Mega Monarch and 1 Floowandereeze X Empen. (Will this discourage me from playing birbs? No.)
Primeval Planet Perlereino (3 → 1)
Ah yes, another Tearlaments consistency hit. This field spell not only allows you to search any Tearlaments monster but also enables a lot of OTKs and card removal. Limiting this to 1 will surely hurt the consistency of Tearlaments.
Spright Starter (3 → 1)
A very powerful spell card that enables Spright one card combos. It generates a lot of card advantage and can also be used as an engine to other decks. This is another expected hit and will surely lessen the consistency of Spright in many levels.
Time Seal (0 → 1)
Like Yata-Garasu, I don't think this card can keep up with the meta game but it has a neat interaction with Labrynth.
Newly Semi-Limited:
With the absence of Union Carrier, this is a nice boost to ABC. The deck still has Union Driver and Union Hangar so consistency is still there. Let's see if this can provide a good come back for one of our favorite Union decks!
Double Iris Magician (1 → 2)
Double Iris Magician, as its name suggests, is now in two copies. This greatly boosts the consistency of Pendulum Magician and enables multiple Pendulumgraph card searches. Remember, the search isn't once per turn.
Water Enchantress of the Temple (1 → 2)
With Gryphon finally gone, this can come back to 2 copies to boost the consistency of Adventurer Token deck as a theme. Now, where can I find my second copy though?
Tearlaments Havnis (3 → 2)
A turn 0 enabler. While the mill is lesser than the 5 mills Agido and Kelbek can provide, this monster enables those to happen on your opponent's turn. Removing 1 copy of this card reduces the likelihood of being drawn and function as a turn 0 card.
Dimension Shifter (3 → 2)
This proves that sometimes, reprinted cards have bad omen. This card is a very powerful hand trap that can lock you with GY effects in two turns which is very effective in GY reliant decks like Tearlaments, Therion, and in a way, Spright.
Decks like Floowandereeze, Exosister, Spright, and Kshatri-La can maximize this hand trap with little to no draw back. Semi-limiting this card keeps it splashable though it will surely lessen the likelihood of being drawn in first five.
The Phantom Knights of Torn Scales (1 → 2)
PK has been out of the picture for quite some time so it's time to give them a slight boost. Now with the lack of protection the Adventurer Engine can bring, the deck is more prone to Maxx "C", Nibiru, Dimension Shifter and the like.
Lightning Storm (3 → 2)
Semi-limiting this card may not hurt that much as most people only side two anyway. Reducing it to two copies made it less consistent to draw it in first five. I still feel that this deserves to be limited so Solemn Judgment can be satisfying again.
No longer in the list:
Genex Ally Birdman (2 → 3)
This might possibly hint a potential Mist Valley support or a new strategy that relies on returning back to hand. It's nice to see this birb to come back in unlimited status though I hope those dark days where loops happened with the help of this card won't occur again.
Danger!? Jackalope? (2 → 3)
Danger is finally back in its full power. This can help boost the new Dark World deck. I'm saddened that this wasn't reprinted in the Structured Deck though.
Magical Meltdown (2 → 3)
Invoked is now back in its glory and this could also hint a possible support in the future.
Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor (2 → 3)
An expected come back in lieu of Selection 5 which will provide support for Sky Strikers.
SPYRAL Resort (2 → 3)
Consistency boost for SPYRALs. It could be a test to see if SPYRALs will shake the meta once again with the presence of Tearlaments and Spright.
Final Thoughts:
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| Spright Elf |
The October 2022 OCG Forbidden & Limited list is a great warning that some decks won't remain unchecked. In my opinion, Spright received the toughest hits as the list literally eliminated one of its current win condition in the meta game which is the buster lock.
To be fair, Spright had also caused the banning of Toadally Awesome in OCG and now the limiting of Swap Frog. By itself, it is now more prone to Dark Ruler no More and hand traps. I can see that Spright can remain as a nice engine to Runick and Tri-Brigade.
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| Tearlaments Reinoheart |
Despite receiving the most number of hits in this list, only the consistency of Tearlaments was hit but it still remained as a force to be reckoned with as the Ishizu Engine still exists. I can see that Tearlaments will remain on top until a new meta contender in PHHY arrives. If there's none by end of year, I doubt that this list would change anything.
This banned list may open the doors for other decks to shine brighter. Decks like Dracoslayer, Exosisters, Runick, Byssted P.U.NK, and Kshatri-La could start seeing more play as Tearlaments and Spright slow down.
Is the new banned list enough to bring impact to the meta game? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Ciao!
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