The Adjusted Banlist

So, no doubt by now you’ve probably heard about (what Konami is calling) the Adjusted Banlist. And let’s be honest. It’s an emergency banlist. And with the next list, which we expect to be a month away at most (but no one that I’ve seen seems to have confirmation on that), it wasn’t really required. If they updated the banlist every six months and it was another 4 months away, then we could see the reasoning behind a mid-format shake up with an emergency banlist. But I think that we all could’ve coped with waiting for the Adjusted Banlist to be rolled into the normal banlist when it’s updated. That being said, I’m very happy with the decisions that they made. So we’ll go through the Forbidden’s first and then the Limited’s. There are no Semi-Limited cards.

For those who haven’t seen the list (and the new errata for Pendulum Sorcerer) click here

PERFORMAGE PLUSHFIRE

Well this card really should’ve been called “Performage PLUSfire”. That’s essentially what it did. It just generated massive amounts of advantage. The card was useful for both its Pendulum Effect and, even more so, its Monster Effect.

Pendulum Effect: If a “Performage” monster(s) you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone, then take 500 damage. You can only use this effect of “Performage Plushfire” once per turn.

Monster Effect: If this card on the field is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can Special Summon 1 “Performage” monster from your hand or Deck, except “Performage Plushire”

So what would happen is, you’d have a monster destroyed and get out an essentially free Plushfire (normally during your own turn), then you’d use it to Synchro, Pendulum it back, Fuse with it. Or you’d destroy it to bring out your heavy hitter which generally also gives you massive advantage anyway.

“But Big Dub. We’ve had monsters that allow you to do for a very long time! Why was Plushfire singled out? This is so unfair!”. Don’t worry you salty PePe players. I hear you. And I don’t care. You played with one of the most unfair Decks ever to grace our game with its presence, and you then you bitch about the banlist unfair? Are you smoking crack? If so, could I have some? Because it seems like good shit. Plushfire was singled out because it’s a Pendulum Monster. What’s the advantage that Plushfire has over all the other cards that allow you to easily bring out heavy hitters? That you can summon it back immediately after you use its effect (assuming you haven’t already Pendulum Summoned this turn) and use it again. These other monsters don’t have that ability. And if they do, it’s limited to once per turn. Plushfire isn’t. Theoretically, you can get this effect off 5 times in a turn (well, you can’t now, because it’s banned).

PERFORMAGE DAMAGE JUGGLER

This one was a bit of a surprise. For me anyway, quite a few did actually see it coming but Damage Juggler was never really a problem in my eyes. And it was probably only banned for its third effect which reads “You can banish this card from your Graveyard; add 1 “Performage” monster from your Deck to your hand except “Performage Damage Juggler”. You can only use this effect of “Performage Damage Juggler” once per turn.”. The reason I think that’s the reason for it being banned is because we have a lot of cards that reduce battle damage and effect damage to 0 and none of them are even Limited.

This is one card where I agree with you PePe players. The effect itself isn’t overpowered. But people would banish this card, add Plushfire to their hand and then… well just reread above to see the problem.

I feel that straight up banning the card is probably a bit extreme. It probably could’ve gone to Limited. It would’ve hurt the deck a bit, but PePe players would’ve been able to cope with the consistency issue. I’m fairly sure this card will come back at 1 sometime in the future.

TELLARKNIGHT PTOLEMAEUS

Everyone knows why this card was banned: Cyber Dragon Infinity (which, personally I believe to be ban worthy in its own right). Basically, Ptolemaeus made any Deck that had access to Rank 4’s able to summon Infinity. And almost every deck that I can think of has access to Rank 4’s. I don’t think I need to say much more.

Now to the newly Limited cards.

PERFORMAPAL SKULLCROBAT JOKER

Basically, this was the Stratos of PePe. This allowed to go for your Damage Juggler or your Plushfire or anything you needed at the time. No restriction on level or attack points of the added monster (not that it would’ve really mattered anyway if going for Plushfire or Damage Juggler). Not ban worthy so I’m comfortable with it at one, which I think most were running at 1 anyway. I saw a few profiles running it at 2, but the majority was 1. And it was searchable anyway through Damage Juggler and just about any Performapal search card.

PERFORMAPAL MONKEYBOARD

Very much the same reason as Joker. It’s effectively a RotA for the Deck. Just massive consistency. Comfortable with it at 1.

LUSTER PENDULUM, THE DRACOSLAYER

This card allowed you to build and crack your own scales as necessary. The major play was obviously Ariadne, but no one seems to be playing that so why was it Limited? I honestly don’t know. It didn’t like that much of a problem to me, but that’s just my opinion. Maybe you guys know more. I know that it opened up a lot of OTK/FTK strategies which we all know that Konami doesn’t like. Other than that, I don’t really know. I’m not a Pendulum player. My knowledge of Pendulums is limited to how they and the mechanic itself works as well as the most used Pendulum Monsters. So maybe you guys know and can tell me why this card was Limited, if not for the OTK/FTK ability.