Just like with every competitive game, Konami has to put in additional work to make sure Yu-Gi-Oh! maintains a balanced competitive meta with the release of every few sets.
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This is done through the use of a Forbidden and Limited card list that’s constantly updated and makes sure no card can be abused in a format for more than a few months at a time.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG ban list (which is separate from Master Duel’s ban list) is broken down into three specific parts, with a fourth being included at the end of every update simply to show which cards are no longer having their usage limited.
- Forbidden: A card is not allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
- Limited: Only one copy of a card is allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
- Semi-Limited: Only two copies of a card are allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
Konami typically spaces out its ban list updates by about three months, giving players time to implement new product releases into their strategies and create new decks, while also allowing the company to gather more data and make informed decisions about which cards to hit next.
Here’s the current Forbidden and Limited card list, which was put into effect on Sept. 2, 2024. All of these listings are based on the Advanced Format, which is the official format used for Regional, National, and World Championship events.
Full Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Forbidden and Limited card list
Forbidden
Effect Monsters
- Agido the Ancient Sentinel
- Artifact Scythe
- Barrier Statue of the Stormwinds
- Blackwing – Gofu the Vague Shadow
- Block Dragon
- Cyber-Stein
- Dandylion
- Djinn Releaser of Rituals
- Eclipse Wyvern
- Fairy Tail – Snow
- Fiber Jar
- Fishborg Blaster
- Glow-Up Bulb
- Grinder Golem
- Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard
- Level Eater
- Magical Scientist
- Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King
- Mathmech Circular
- Maxx “C”
- Mind Master
- Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis
- Ronintoadin
- SPYRAL Master Plan
- The Tyrant Neptune
- Victory Dragon
Fusion Monsters
- Elder Entity Norden
- Fiendsmith’s Lacrima
- Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom
- Tearlaments Kitkallos
Link Monsters
- Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess
- Crystron Halqifibrax
- Curious, the Lightsworn Dominion
- Guardragon Agarpain
- Guardragon Elpy
- Heavymetalfoes Electrumite
- Isolde, Two Tales of the Noble Knights
- Knightmare Goblin
- Knightmare Mermaid
- Linkross
- Linkuriboh
- Mecha Phantom Beast Auroradon
- Prank-Kids Meow-Meow-Mu
- Predaplant Verte Anaconda
- Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty
- Spright Elf
- Summon Sorceress
- Superheavy Samurai Scarecrow
- Topologic Gumblar Dragon
- Union Carrier
Synchro Monsters
- Baronne de Fleur
- Borreload Savage Dragon
- Chaos Ruler, the Chaotic Magical Dragon
- Hot Red Dragon Archfiend King Calamity
- Tempest Magician
Xyz Monsters
- Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal
- Kashtira Arise-Heart
- Lavalval Chain
- M-X-Saber Invoker
- Number 16: Shock Master
- Number 42: Galaxy Tomahawk
- Number 86: Heroic Champion – Rhongomyniad
- Number 89: Diablosis the Mind Hacker
- Number 95: Galaxy-Eyes Dark Matter Dragon
- Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL
- Outer Entity Azathot
- True King of All Calamities
- Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity
- Zoodiac Broadbull
- Zoodiac Drident
Spells
- Brilliant Fusion
- Butterfly Dagger – Elma
- Card of Safe Return
- Cold Wave
- Confiscation
- Delinquent Duo
- Dimension Fusion
- Giant Trunade
- Graceful Charity
- Heavy Storm
- Kaiser Colosseum
- Last Will
- Mass Driver
- Metamorphosis
- Mirage of Nightmare
- Mystic Mine
- Painful Choice
- Pot of Greed
- Premature Burial
- Smoke Grenade of the Thief
- Soul Charge
- The Forceful Sentry
- Zoodiac Barrage
Traps
- Appointer of the Red Lotus
- Branded Expulsion
- Imperial Order
- Last Turn
- Red Reboot
- Return from the Different Dimension
- Royal Oppression
- Self-Destruct Button
- Sixth Sense
- Summon Limit
- Trap Dustshoot
- Ultimate Offering
- Vanity’s Emptiness
Limited
Normal Monsters
- Left Arm of the Forbidden One
- Left Leg of the Forbidden One
- Right Arm of the Forbidden One
- Right Leg of the Forbidden One
Effect Monsters
- Archnemeses Protos
- Astrograph Sorcerer
- Black Dragon Collapserpent
- Bystial Magnamhut
- Cyber Jar
- Danger!? Jackalope?
- Danger!? Tsuchinoko?
- Dark Grepher
- Eva
- Exodia the Forbidden One
- Keldo the Sacred Protector
- Miscellaneousaurus
- Morphing Jar
- Mudora the Sword Oracle
- Performapal Monkeyboard
- Phantom Skyblaster
- PSY-Framegear Gamma
- Rescue-ACE Air Lifter
- Snake-Eye Ash
- Snake-Eyes Poplar
- Substitoad
- Tearlaments Havnis
- Tearlaments Merli
- Tearlaments Scheiren
- Unchained Soul of Sharvara
- White Dragon Wyverburster
- Zoodiac Ratpier
Fusion Monsters
- Gem-Knight Master Diamond
Link Monsters
- Striker Dragon
- Sunavalon Dryas
- Sunvine Healer
Synchro Monsters
- PSY-Framelord Omega
- T.G. Hyper Librarian
Xyz Monsters
- Daigusto Emeral
- Number 40: Gimmick Puppet of Strings
- Number C40: Gimmick Puppet of Dark Strings
Spells
- Branded Fusion
- Called by the Grave
- Card Destruction
- Card of Demise
- Chain Strike
- Change of Heart
- Chaos Space
- Chicken Game
- Divine Wind of Mist Valley
- Dragonic Diagram
- Final Countdown
- Foolish Burial
- Gateway of the Six
- Gold Sarcophagus
- Harpie’s Feather Duster
- Infernity Launcher
- Instant Fusion
- Into the Void
- Magical Mid-Breaker Field
- Monster Gate
- Monster Reborn
- One Day of Peace
- One for One
- Opening of the Spirit Gates
- Pot of Prosperity
- Reasoning
- Reinforcement of the Army
- Sangen Summoning
- Sekka’s Light
- Set Rotation
- Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones
- Slash Draw
- Snatch Steal
- Terraforming
- That Grass Looks Greener
Traps
- Anti-Spell Fragrance
- Gozen Match
- Magical Explosion
- Naturia Sacred Tree
- Rivalry of Warlords
- Skill Drain
- There Can Be Only One
Semi-Limited
Effect Monsters
- Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos
- Dinowrestler Pankratops
- Lunalight Tiger
- Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders
- Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms
- Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls
Fusion Monsters
- Thunder Dragon Colossus
Synchro Monsters
- Ib the World Chalice Justiciar
Spells
- Lightning Storm
- Purrely Delicious Memory
- Purrely Sleepy Memory
- Runick Fountain
Newly unlimited
Effect Monsters
- Armageddon Knight
- Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin
- Performage Plushfire
- Red Rose Dragon
Synchro Monsters
- Ancient Fairy Dragon
- Denglong, First of the Yang Zing
Traps
- Time Seal
