The Yu-Gi-Oh! June 2023 banlist aftermath

Fucking FINALLY! We’ve certainly been pining for this one. It feels like Kashtira format has gone on for an eternity, probably because the deck is so boring that time itself grinds to a halt. But at last, the banlist is here! And it looks like that the best deck going forward will be *checks notes* Kashtira. Whoopie. Let’s break this down, shall we?

BANNED CARDS

Cyber-Stein

Superheavy or no Superheavy, Cyber-Stein has never promoted anything fair or balanced. Even before Wakaushi was free to walk the earth, Cyber-Stein was pretty much the backbone of every slightly viable FTK for years. No-one’s gonna miss this one. Expect those Springans players using it to cheat out Exterio. Find a real win condition already.

Superheavy Samurai Scarecrow

Link 1s were a mistake, who would’ve guessed?

Number 89: Diablosis The Mind Hacker

Fuck you. Eat my ass Diablosis.

Appointer Of The Red Lotus

Errrmmm, ok then? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly shedding tears that this card is gone, but who was complaining about Appointer ruining the format? It’s not even as good as other cards that read “win games 2 and 3 going first post siding”! Hell, I’d saw off my left nut for Appointer to swap places with Dimensional Barrier on the banlist.

Branded Expulsion

I’m so fucking thrilled that I don’t have to put this boring ass card in my deck anymore. I know the lock is still possible with Albion The Sanctifire Dragon, but good luck funnelling all you resources into suboptimal lines that lose to one D.D. Crow, or a slight breeze.

LIMITED CARDS

Blaster, Dragon Ruler Of Infernos

This is a card that was banned and now it is not.

Mathmech Circular

Whilst I’m grateful that Circular is limited, Mathmech players will still somehow open 4 hand traps + this card into Update-Access every single game.

Psy-Framegear Gamma

Hot-take but I actually like this; Gamma is a card that’s simultaneously annoying to get hit by, have to play around and have to even play in the first place. I’m happy I don’t even have to consider it anymore. But what about the dedicated Psy-Frame players? Has no-one considered how they might feel about this? I know I haven’t.

Denglong, First Of The Yang Zing

Swordsoul gets 2% better, I guess? Good for them. Wait, you can use this in Dinos? Ok, now I hate it.

Kashtira Arise-Heart

There’s 2 less copies of Arise-Heart in the game. That’s wonderful, but it’s still 1 more copy that there should be.

Purrely Delicious Memory

Not my fluffy widdle guys! Guess this deck is completely unplayable until Duelist Nexus. How much does a Purrely core cost again? Ouch.

Naturia Sacred Tree

Just ban Naturia Beast already.

SEMI LIMITED CARDS

Herald Of Orange Light

Surprising no-one, Orange Light wasn’t the problem card during Tearlaments format. It was Tearlaments.

Kashtira Unicorn

Just ban Arise-heart already.

Lightning Storm

Damn, my playset just lost 1 third of its value.

Runick Fountain

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!

Even though Engage! is one of the single most powerful Yu-Gi-Oh! cards of all time, Sky Striker in 2023 is just a worse version of Runick. Not to mention that the best Sky Striker card, Mystic Mine, is still on the banlist.

Spright Starter

Konami, your indecisiveness is really showing with this semi-limited list.

UNLIMITED CARDS

Blackwing – Steam The Cloak

Another Halq victim is freed, at least that’s why I think Steam the Cloak got banned. I don’t know, I still haven’t actually read the card, I just saw that it was a level 3 tuner and made the assumption. An assumption that’s probably correct.

Genex Ally Birdman

You can use this in the worst FTK in history.

Samsara Lotus

You can use this in the worst FTK in history.

Spyral Quik-Fix

Spyral still sucks without Master Plan.

Lyrilusc – Recital Starling

Are Lyrilusc cards that good? No. Do I still hate them? Yes.

Draco Face‐Off

I don’t care, I will still never read a Pendulum card.

Sky Striker Mecha Modules – Multirole

This card could’ve come back to 3 about 2 years ago and made no difference whatsoever. Also why the fuck is Harp Horror still banned?

Overall verdict on the banlist? Yeah, it was alright. Banned cards were pretty much perfect, unlimits were good, but the semi’s and limits were fucking weird as shit. Delicious Memory to 1? Are we really knee-capping the 5^th best deck after a month of playability? Still, I’m happy I don’t have to endure 3 months of full power Superheavy Samurai. It’s a good thing that no other decks can make Barrone + Apollusa, apart from most of them.

Adios.