Currently, 91 cards are on the Forbidden section of the banlist. Looking through this list, I always wonder what events happened that caused Konami to ban the cards on the list. With these articles, I will give a quick explanation on why they are on the list, and provide my thoughts on whether it should stay banned or come back.
For this article, I will be focusing on Main Deck Monsters. At the time of this article's writing, Konami has banned 33 of them. This is the largest section of the list, and as such, it might take a while to go through all of them.
Without further ado, let us begin. I will be going down the list in order as it is on the Konami website.
A quick note: I will not mention the types or ATK/DEF values of most of the monsters, since they usually did not matter; it was the effect that was more important.
Pendulum Monsters
The few Pendulum monsters made their appearance at different times. As a result, I will be talking about them in chronological order.
2016
Performage Plushfire is a lvl 4 monster that was widely used in the PePe deck. While in the pendulum zone, it can Special Summon itself when a "Performage" monster you control is destroyed for a 500 LP cost. If something destroys it on the field, you can Special Summon a "Performage" monster from the hand or deck, except itself. By utilizing Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer, you can trigger Plushfire's effect by scaling both. This accrued advantage very quickly. Konami banned it on the February 2016 list.
Performapal Monkeyboard is a lvl 6 monster that has an unimportant monster effect. When in the Pendulum Zone, it can add a lvl 4 or lower "Performapal"/"Odd-Eyes" monster to the hand the turn it is activated. With one card, it was possible to just complete the scales for absolutely no cost. Konami banned it in August 2016.
2017
Majespecter Unicorn - Kirin is a lvl 6 monster with 2000 ATK/DEF. Like the other Majespecter monsters, the opponent cannot target or destroy it by card effects. During either player's turn, you can target two monsters on the field (one on both sides of the field) and return them to the hand. This was an extremely powerful effect, especially since you can bounce back Kirin and reuse him every turn. Konami banned it in March 2017.
2018
Double Iris Magician is a lvl 4 monster that, when destroyed, allows you to add a "Pendulumgraph" card from the deck to the hand. While in the pendulum zone, you can target a DARK spellcaster monster on your field, and by destroying this card, it allows that card to inflict double battle damage to the opponent. Because Time Pendulumgraph is a very powerful card, Pendulum Magicians were a very powerful deck, since most often it was possible to end a board with a Synchro, a Rank 4 of choice, and two pops with Time Pendulumgraph.
Performapal Skullcrobat Joker is a lvl 4 monster that, when Normal Summoned, allows you to add any "Performapal," "Magician", or "Odd-Eyes" monster from the deck to the hand. By Normal Summoning this, you were able to search out any missing pieces in order to go into the full Pendulum Magician combo.
Konami banned both of these monsters in February of 2018.
Astrograph Sorcerer is a level 7 Pendulum Monster with 2500 ATK/2000 DEF. Similar to Chronograph Sorcerer, its Pendulum effect allows it to destroy itself and either Special Summon or place a Stargazer Magician in the Pendulum Zone from the hand or deck. If a card(s) is destroyed, you can Special Summon it from the Hand, then add a monster from the deck to the hand that is the same as any monster in the Extra Deck, GY, or Banished that was destroyed that turn. With the release of Heavymetalfoes Electrumite, this card became even better. Due to the interaction between Electrumite popping and adding Astrograph to the hand from the Extra Deck, it was possible to activate it immediately.
Konami banned it in the May 2018 list.
Can They Come Back?
Neither Plushfire or Monkeyboard are likely to come back. Both of them accrue too much advantage too quickly and Pendulum Magicians would become even more powerful than they already are. Kirin itself is a card that is too powerful to come back off the list, especially with how powerful pendulums are.
Skullcrobat Joker most likely cannot come back either, since it would provide even more consistency to a deck that is relatively consistent as is.
Of the cards on this list, the two most likely to come back are Double Iris and Astrograph Sorcerer. At the moment, the engine of choice used by many Pendulum decks is the Guardragon engine. This helps decks end on better boards than before. Astrograph would not really provide too much extra advantage to Pendulum decks, but Double Iris would give Pendulums another tool. It would be interesting to see both of them come back. It's also noteworthy that both of these cards are currently at 1 on the OCG list.
Token and Other Monster Generators
A few of the monsters present on the list were used in MR3 to make more Synchro materials easily.
Blackwing - Gofu the Vague Shadow is a lvl 5 monster that can Special Summon itself when you control no monsters. When summoned, it can generate two tokens, but then cannot be used as Tribute or Synchro material. During early MR4, everyone used it to make a free LINK-3 monster, usually a Decode Talker.
Dandylion is a lvl 3 monster that, if sent to the GY, makes 2 tokens. They cannot be used for a Tribute Summon the turn they are generated. However, this is not important. With the many ways in which it can be either sent to the GY or summoned to the field - Foolish Burial, Mathematician, Aromaseraphy Jasmine - it can be easily utilized to make Link Materials.
Grinder Golem is a lvl 8 monster that can Special Summon itself to the opponent's field by making 2 tokens. Combining Akashic Magician and Security Dragon allows you to use this effect 3 times, making a total of 6 link materials. However, it was banned before Security Dragon was released in the TCG.The final monster is Level Eater, a lvl 1 monster that can Special Summon itself from the GY by reducing the level of a lvl 5 or higher monster on the field. With the ease of getting this card to the GY and summoning high-level monsters, it is no surprise that this card was banned.
Konami banned Gofu, Dandylion, and Level Eater on February 2018. Grinder Golem followed suit in January 2019.
Can They Come Back?
With the way that the game is now, absolutely not. Link Monsters are very integral for the game, and these Link material-generating monsters would further increase the strength of decks that are doing well in the current meta.
Some may argue that they is good for helping out Link decks, but in the long run, they may prove to be too detrimental for the game, since they make Link Summoning too accessible.
The Dragon Rulers
The four Dragon Rulers - Blaster of Infernos, Redox of Boulders, Tempest of Storms, and Tidal of Waterfalls - are lvl 7 Dragon monsters that can Special Summon themselves by banishing 2 monsters - Dragon-type and/or same attribute - from the GY or the Hand.
When the deck still existed in the game, the only other deck that was able to nearly match it was Spellbooks, with Spellbook of Judgment. This deck utilized many Rank 7 monsters that were powerful, mainly Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack and Number 11: Big Eye. The Dragon Rulers were extremely easy to summon and provided the deck much power.Originally the deck had access to baby Rulers that made them even easier summon which were banned in September 2013. However, the deck still proved to be meta dominating with all of the big Rulers at 3, so Konami Limited all 4 in January of 2014. They were subsequently banned in April of 2015 to coincide with the release of Number 95: Dark Matter Dragon which the Dragon Rulers helped enable.
Can They Come Back?
Guardragon decks would be able to utilize them for Link material; as such, bringing them all back may be a bad idea. However, that does not mean that they should not be unbanned at all; instead, the TCG should emulate the OCG and limit one of them. It would be interesting to see how it would be utilized in current decks.
The Jars
Morphing Jar #2, Cyber Jar, and Fiber Jar are all lvl 3 Flip effect monsters with different, powerful effects.
Morphing Jar #2 and Cyber Jar are similar in that, when flipped, either shuffle back or destroy all monsters on the field, then have each player excavate cards off the top of their deck. The former excavates until the same number of monsters shuffled into the deck are excavated, whereas the latter only excavates the top 5 cards. Then, players Special Summon all lvl 4 or lower monsters in face-down defense position (or face-up attack, for Cyber Jar), then add the excavated cards to the hand or send them to the GY, respectively.
Fiber Jar is almost like a mixture of the two, but even crazier. When flipped, it shuffles back all cards in both players' hands, on their fields, and in the GYs, then has both players draw 5 cards.
Konami banned Fiber Jar on April 2005.
Can They Come Back?
Of the three, Fiber Jar is the least likely to come back. This only promotes stall tactics, which is already a big problem with the new time rules.
Morphing Jar #2 also cannot come back. Right before it was banned, a new spell card, Jackpot 7, was revealed. By utilizing Creature Swap or similar spells and Book of Taiyou, you would be able to send all 3 copies of Jackpot 7 to the GY and win the duel.
Cyber Jar, however, is an interesting card. Unlike Morphing Jar #2, it is limited in how many cards it can excavate and summon. Even though both players add the non-monster excavated cards to the hand, I think that it can come back, although at 1. This is largely due to the much faster pace of the modern game making flip monsters in general too slow to see much serious competitive use.
The FTK-Enabling Cards
In what shouldn't come as a surprise to many of you, a few of these cards are locked up because they were involved in FTKs. I will be explaining what FTK each of them were involved in, and whether they are able to come back today.
That One Guy Who Worked with Kozaky
Magical Scientist is a lvl 1 Spellcaster monster that, by paying 1000 lp, allows you to Special Summon a Fusion Monster. At the end of the turn, those monsters return to the Extra Deck.
The FTK involved this card and Catapult Turtle. By tributing the Fusion Monsters with Catapult Turtle, it was possible to kill the opponent with burn damage before you finish your own off.
Magical Scientist made its way onto the list in April 2005.
Can it Come Back?
In a few words, no. The biggest issue with the card is Link Summoning. This is likely able to create large Link boards very easily, because by paying LP, you can create many materials for those Link monsters. Not only that, but it would also help decks start off combos. Orcusts are an excellent example: summon Magical Scientist, pay 1000 LP to summon a Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck. Bada bing, bada boom, you now have two monsters with different names. Now you can go crazy with Knightmare Mermaid.
Makyura the Destructor
Makyura the Destructor is a lvl 4 Warrior monster that, when sent to the GY, allows you to activate Trap Cards from the hand for that turn. This card was banned in April of 2005.
Can It Come Back?
No. Activating Trap Cards from your hand almost entirely breaks the balance of so many draw-based Trap Cards in the game, paving the way for a huge variety of consistent FTKs.
Master of Puppets Minds
Mind Master is a lvl 1 Psychic monster. By paying 800 LP and tributing another Psychic-type monster, you can Special Summon a lvl 4 or lower Psychic monster from the deck. Cards like Emergency Teleport allowed this monster to be summoned from the deck. Brain Research Lab can let you use the effect as many times as you want without having to pay LP.
Konami banned this card in September 2011.
Can It Come Back?
It likely cannot come back. There are many loops that can be done with this card, involving psychic monsters. Gustos have an OTK that is made easier with this card, and there is an infinite draw loop that can be formed with Esper Girl. Once again, Link monsters also make this card even less likely to be able to come back since it can easily enable huge Link boards.
One Plant
Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis is a level 8 plant monster that, by banishing a plant monster from the GY, can Special Summon itself from the GY during the End Phase. The main combo that starts with cards like Evil Thorn or Lonefire Blossom can end in a loop with Topologic Bomber Dragon and 10 Plants in the GY. This would then burn the opponent for 8000 LP during your EP.
Konami banned this card on the May 2018 list.
Can It Come Back?
Unfortunately, it cannot come back. The combo was made even easier with the release of Aromaseraphy Jasmine. This card facilitates both the appearance of Amaryllis and the fulfillment of the 10 Plant-type monster requirement for the full FTK.
Not only that, this card promotes an unhealthy gamestate where people will try to come up with an FTK.
Two Plant
Similar to Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, Samsara Lotus is a lvl 1 Plant monster that can Special Summon itself from the GY during the End Phase as long as you do not control any S/T. Although the setup is a bit different, the general idea is basically the same: Topologic Bomber Dragon will be on the field, destroying Samsara Lotus every time it appears on the field. However, in order to inflict the burn damage to the opponent, two cards are needed: Trickstar Black Catbat and Knightmare Cerberus. When Samsara Lotus is destroyed next to Catbat, she inflicts 200 damage to the opponent. Cerberus keeps the Black Catbat from being destroyed by Topologic. Lotus summons itself next to Catbat, repeat ad infinitum.
Konami banned this monster on the September 2018 banlist.
Can It Come Back?
For the same reasons as Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, it cannot come back. The FTK is now a bit easier to pull off with Aromaseraphy Jasmine. Not only that, but it would only promote unhealthy game styles.
Ronintoadin Will Never Die
Substitoad is a lvl 1 Aqua monster that allows you to tribute a monster to Special Summon a "Frog" monster from the deck. No "Once per turn" clause is present on it.
The Frog FTK was the only FTK strategy that managed to win a Worlds. By cycling through the entire deck with Substitoad and getting at least 20 Frog monsters in the GY, it was possible to burn the opponent to death. The combo involved Ronintoadin and Mass Driver. Mass Driver would tribute the Ronintoadin and burn for 400 LP, Ronin would banish a "Frog" and Special Summon itself, and this process would repeat 20 times.
Konami banned Substitoad in the September 2010 list.
Can It Come Back?
Most likely not. A card capable of summoning monsters from the deck an unlimited amount of times does not bode well for the state of the game. It is best to keep this card locked away, especially with how Links would like the free materials off Ronintoadin.
Other Cards on the List
For this section of the Main Deck monsters, will will be talking about the rest of the monsters not mentioned in the previous sections. They did not really fall under any of the categories laid out above.
Who Needs Vanity's Fiend?
Djinn Releaser of Rituals is a lvl 3 monster that can banish itself from the GY to be used as material for a Ritual Summon. While the monster summoned with this as material is on the field, the opponent cannot Special Summon.
The culprit best known for using this card was Nekroz, back during the 2015 format. It was easy to get Djinn into the GY (Foolish Burial or Lavalval Chain), and the many Nekroz ritual spells facilitate its usage as Ritual monster material.
Djinn was released onto the banlist in July 2015.
Can It Come Back?
This card cannot come back. Rituals have been getting a lot of support in the past few sets, namely Impcantations. This makes ritual decks more powerful and consistent, and Djinn would provide a tool that is too powerful. While it would not likely upend the meta, it is an extremely easily accessible floodgate due to its type and attribute making it trivial to get into the Graveyard
Fairy Tail - Snow
Fairy Tail - Snow is a lvl 4 LIGHT monster with 1850 ATK/100 DEF. If summoned, you can change one face-up monster your opponent controls to face-down Defense position. Although this effect may seem a bit lackluster, the second effect more than makes up for it.
If Snow is in your GY, you can banish 7 cards from the Hand, Field, or the GY to Special Summon it. Decks that relied on milling, such as Lightsworn, had a very powerful tool that was very easily accessible because of how many cards they can send to the GY.
However, it was a different engine that caused this card to be banned. Brilliant Fusion can Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight monster by sending its materials from the Deck to the GY. Gem-Knight Seraphinite requires a Gem-Knight monster and a LIGHT monster. Snow is the perfect target for this. Thunder Dragon decks used to use the Brilliant Engine, and Snow did too much for the deck.
Can It Come Back?
With the existence of Curious, the Lightsworn Dominion and El Shaddoll Construct, it is not really possible for Snow to come back off the banlist. Many decks today are able to get a lot of cards into the GY to fuel her Summon effect. Not only that, but Thunder Dragons would also get a boost, as they might be able to trigger more effects by being banished from the GY.
Fishborg Blaster
Fishborg Blaster is a lvl 1 WATER Fish tuner. You can Special Summon it from the GY by discarding a card, so long as you control a lvl 3 or lower WATER monster. Sometimes used for the Frog FTK, it was more widely used in Fish Synchro. This card was able to produce multiple Shooting Quasar Dragons and other powerful synchros consistently.
Konami banned this card in the September 2011 banlist.
Can It Come Back?
In what seems to be a pattern with a lot of these cards, Fishborg Blaster cannot return to the game. Although it may be interesting to see what Synchro Decks could do with it, it would only provide another avenue for which Link Monsters can be made.
Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King
Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King is a lvl 8 Wyrm monster with 2950 ATK/DEF. To Tribute Summon him, you can use continuous S/T as well as Monsters. If you do so, he gains immunity against the card types used to summon him (e.g. Tributing a Trap and monster makes him unaffected by monster and Trap effects). As a Quick Effect, you can banish one continuous S/T from the GY to destroy a card on the field.
With how the True Draco deck works, it was possible to get out a Monster/Trap immune Master Peace during the opponent's turn. Basically, you would have two pops that turn, and a Towers-like monster on your field. With the sheer amount of draw power present in the deck, it is very easy to find the card.
Konami banned this monster on the May 2018 banlist.
Can It Come Back?
Not a chance. Many players agreed that Master Peace was an extremely powerful and oppressive card. The fact that it is possible to completely win a matchup based on the cards tributed makes this card very good. With Dragonic Diagram being at 3, it is not likely that Master Peace will be able to return, because even at 1, it is extremely searchable.
Even if you manage to get rid of it, it can always be recycled by Disciples of the True Dracophoenix.
These Weird Cockroaches Are Everywhere!
Likely the most controversial Monster card on the list, Maxx "C" is a lvl 2 EARTH monster that is what we in the YuGiOh community call a "handtrap". During either player's turn, you can send the card from the hand to the GY, and for the rest of the turn, you get to draw a card every time the opponent Special Summons.
Whenever the card made an appearance, it put players into a dilemma . Do they continue playing out their turn and risk their opponent drawing into their outs/combo pieces? Or do they stop their combo early and risk a blowout by their opponent because they were unable to make a good board?
Konami banned Maxx "C" on the February 2018 banlist.
Can It Come Back?
This question is a hot topic for debate within the community. Many feel that, with the prevalence of Links and decks that Special Summon, this card would be too much to handle. Others, however, argue that this card would give other players a fighting chance to get rid of their opponent's board. Personally, I think that this card should never come back.
With most of the meta decks today relying too much on Special Summoning, this card will always find its way into decks. People may argue that by releasing this card from the banlist, everyone will have the chance to "sack" the opponent with this card. I am of the opinion that if a card's usefulness is entirely dictated by whether or not one opponent can draw into it first, it should not exist in the game to begin with.
The Tyrant Neptune
The Tyrant Neptune is a lvl 10 Reptile monster with 0 ATK/DEF. To Tribute Summon it, you can tribute 1 monster. If Tribute Summoned, it copies the effect of one monster used for its Tribute Summon and gains ATK/DEF equal to that original attack. Overall, this card seems a bit broken, but it can probably be easily dealt with.
That was the case, until the reveal of a new fusion monster in Maximum Crisis.
Lyrilusc - Independent Nightingale is a lvl 1 fusion monster. When summoned, it gains attack equal to 500x its level. Once per turn, you can inflict damage to the opponent equal to 500 x its level. The final kicker is the fact that it is unaffected by other card effects.
By summoning out the Lyrilusc with Instant Fusion and tributing over it for Neptune, it was possible to have a monster with 5000 ATK capable of burning the opponent for 5000 damage per turn. Not only that, but the monster would be a "Towers".
Konami banned it in the March 2017 list.
Can it Come Back?
Not a chance. Both Instant Fusion and Neptune himself are easily searchable by many engines, so there would be no problem getting Neptune out. We already had to deal with Master Peace for a few formats; this card is objectively better in every way as it is immune to everything but Kaijus.
Even if we were to ban the Fusion Monster, there would still be a problem. Monsters that can copy the effects of others are very powerful and will only limit future card design.
Who Needs Virus Support?
Tribe-Infecting Virus is a lvl 4 WATER/Aqua monster with 1600 ATK/1000 DEF. By discarding a card, you can destroy all cards of a chosen Type. Players used it in Goat Format to help get rid of all of the opponent's Scapegoat tokens in one fell swoop.
The one of the best interactions in this format is between TIV and pre-errata Sinister Serpent. Sinister Serpent would add itself back to your hand during the next Standby Phase it was sent to the GY. This would result in a nearly unlimited use of TIV.
Konami banned it in the October 2005 banlist.
Can It Come Back?
This card can very likely come back; in fact, it should've been able to long ago. With the speed the current meta is going at today, this card will not likely do much.
In fact, let's compare it to Dark Hole. Dark Hole is a Spell that destroys all monsters on the field. Although it may be a bit detrimental to you, as it would get rid of all of your monsters as well, it is almost always going to go through, barring any negation from something like Salamangreat Roar or Orcust Crescendo. TIV, on the other hand, is susceptible to many other forms of disruption, most of which many decks are playing.
That is One Big Dog
True King Lithosagym, the Disaster, a lvl 9 monster with 2500 ATK/2300 DEF, is one of four "True King" monsters. All share the same effect where you can Special Summon them by destroying two other monsters in the hand or face-up on the field, with at least one of them being the same attribute as that True King. If both monsters are the same attribute, each of them gets another, specific effect.
If you summon Lithosagym with two EARTH monsters, you can look at your opponent's Extra Deck and banish up to 3 monsters from it with different names. The deck that most utilized it was True King Dino. Babycerasaurus was a power card in the deck; by destroying it with Lithosagym, it was possible to get more Dinosaur monsters from the deck with it, and Lithosagym would be one part of getting into a True King of All Calamities.
Konami Banned it in September of 2017.
Can It Come Back?
Likely not. Even at 1, Dragonic Diagram makes this card very accessible, which would be detrimental to the current game. Most of the decks today have many one-ofs in their Extra Decks. Lithosagym can get rid of the most powerful or useful cards, leaving their opponent's gameplan in a shambles.
Going into Battle Phase, I Chain Scoop Phase
Victory Dragon is special due to the reason Konami placed it on the list. It is a lvl 8 Dragon monster with 2400 ATK and 3000 DEF, and can only be Tribute Summoned by tributing 3 Dragon-types monsters on your field. If it attacks the opponent directly and reduces their LP to 0, you win the match. That's right, not just the one game, but the entire 2 of 3 match. Victory Dragon was the first of such "Match Winners" to be released, and caused all other Prize cards with similar effects to become illegal in tournaments.
In the TCG, it is possible for a player to concede the Duel at any time during the game. One common tactic to try and stop Victory Dragon was to scoop right before it declares a Direct Attack. This would then deny the opponent their win condition and was considered unsportsmanlike, leading to many judge calls for this. Not only that, but the card affects things outside of the single game, which is often frowned upon.
Konami banned this card in March 2007.
Can It Come Back?
No, it cannot. The problem it had before still applies today. There were so many ruling nightmares involving the legality of conceding just before the opponent would have won the match. This denies the opponent their chance at winning after after having done the work to resolve the effect.
The Bird Before Blackwings
Yata-Garasu, the last Main Deck monster on the Forbidden list, is likely the most remembered and recognizable. It is a lvl 2 Spirit Monster with 200 ATK and 100 DEF. Like all Spirits, it returns to the your Hand during the End Phase of the turn it was summoned. Then, if it inflicts damage to the opponent, they skip their next Draw Phase.
This was the main culprit behind the infamous "Yata-Lock" deck that ran around in 2004 and before. After loading the GY with monsters using cards like Graceful Charity, Sangan or Witch of the Black Forest would be summoned. Then, Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End would be summoned using the monsters in the GY. Its effect is then used, sending all cards on the field and in both player's hands to the GY. Sangan or Witch would then search out the Yata Garasu, which would then be summoned, then attack directly. This would cause the opponent to never be able to draw any cards for the rest of the duel, and you would be basically pecking them to death with the bird.
Yata-Garasu holds the distinctions of being one of the first -and oldest - cards to be banned. Konami banned it all the way back in August of 2004 on the very first Forbidden List.
Can It Come Back?
You see, this card is a bit difficult to argue for. For one, if the opponent summons a monster with 200 or more attack, Yata is basically dead. It is also difficult to get rid of all cards on the opponent's field and in their hand.
However, it is still possible to do so. Zefras might be able to do something with Sky Scourge Norleras, Phantom of Chaos, and Oracle of Zefra. Is it feasible? No. Is it possible? That is more likely.
It is for this reason that I will probably hold off on wanting to bring back Yata-Garasu.
Conclusion
We made it! This was a long article, I know, but it is important to know why the cards are on the list. This can allow us to understand why certain cards today are designed in their way, and can help us plan ahead for any new cards to be added.
The next section of the banlist we will be talking about is the banned Extra Deck monsters.
