Azuh’s 10 Changes I would like to see in Yugioh

[Azuh]

Note, this post is probably written so bad cause I’m too lazy to go over it and edit things. Deal with it.

 

I love this game; I’m going to put it out there. It’s a unique experience that I get from Yu-gi-Oh that I don’t get anywhere else, but unfortunately with these experiences there are still a few things that bug me a little, and instead of explaining them all in different threads, I want to share these with you and see what you think. The game is as strong as ever, gaining new players and keeping old ones, but are we doing enough to combat the little issues that don’t really make sense in the game? I believe these are some of issues that people struggle to come to terms with when they buy their first set of Yugioh Cards and how Konami should change them

 

1. Equip Trap Cards

 

“Target 1 face-up monster you control; equip this card to that target.” Eww, no. At least one of these cards keeps appearing in modern day sets. Personally, why can’t we just have an Equip Trap? It cuts useless card texts and people will still and should still understand that an Equip Trap must still be set before activation

 

2. Ritual Monsters should be In the Extra Deck

I need not to explain this, as it has been done many times before.

 

3. Fusion Spell Cards

Fusion Spell Cards should have their own symbol, similar to Ritual Spell Cards. This would allow the game to cut the useless “(This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.)” written on cards. Also it’ll allow for these cards to be easily written so they can be searched, for example, the current text for Synchro Fusionists contains:  “If this card is sent to the Graveyard as a Synchro Material Monster, you can add 1 Spell Card from your Deck to your hand with "Polymerization" or "Fusion" in the card name, except "Diffusion Wave-Motion". Imagine it being:  “If this card is sent to the Graveyard as a Synchro Material Monster, add 1 Fusion Spell Card from your Deck to your hand”. Wow absolutely perfect and much more understandable. Also having their own symbol will allow the game to produce more support for Fusion Monsters easily.

 

4. Secondary-Types

I’m going to go all out here and say that Toons and Spirits should be removed from Secondary Types and become actual archetypes because they purposely act towards more of an archetype rather needing to have their own dedicated sections. I believe the use of a secondary-type should be implemented when the card does something that’s outside the need of having a card text. The use of a secondary-type should act like Tuners, in which we should already know what the card does without it written on the cards as well. Unions should have their texts reduced because we all should know how they work, for example: “You can equip this card to a Machine-Type monster you control. While equipped to a monster by this effect, that monster gains 500 ATK and DEF”. I think that’s simple enough of an explanation to tell us that Heavy Mech Support Platform allows its equipped monster to gain that effect, as well as continue its Union sub-type status of unequipping and protecting a monster when destroyed.

 

5. Create an official “Lingering” Term and help us combat these effects

I find it a bit unfair that we cannot stop an effect of a Virus Trap once it’s been activated, it’s a shame. We need a VACCINE Konami! DO IT! But not only that, the unofficial term of Lingering considers effects such as Final Countdown, Cold Wave and Tokens (which reminds me that they should release Tokens with actual stats) can be quite confusing for newer players.

 

6. Remove “missing the timing” and optional effects

The removal of priority has to be the best thing Konami has done for the game, but unfortunately we still have this rule of missing the timing which is the most stupid rule in the entire game of Yu-Gi-Oh! I believe cards should be activated depending on how the card is written. This rule makes it impossible to explain to newer players and has often caused a stir in tournaments. I think that the whole “when… you can” thing was never properly executed with Konami and has killed many possible good cards such as Peten the Dark Clown and Moonlit Papillon. I believe these cards should activate if they were an “if” and remove the term “if” altogether. Basically, all cards that activate that miss the timing should be compulsory.

 

7. Removal of “an effect that Special Summons a monster(s)”

This rule bugs me a lot. The fact that somehow I cannot chain my Rai-Oh to Monster Reborn is beyond stupid. I believe even though a card effect Special Summons a monster, it should still be considered a “SPECIAL SUMMON” Therefore I can negate it, because that’s what it says on the card. It’s a shame with this cause if Konami would’ve kept it simple, we wouldn’t have to need several pages of rulings discussing this issue of “an effect that Special Summons a monster”. I know this type of effect can also be changed to other things as well, but I felt the Special Summon issue was a bit more known to players.

 

8. Extra Deck Nomis

I understand that Synchros, Rituals, Fusions and Xyz Monsters need to be Summoned first before being revived, but unfortunately newer players do not. I believe we need some sort of mechanic that tells us that when an Extra Deck Monster is sent to the Graveyard or is banished when not Summoned properly, that tells us that it cannot be summoned again. I reckon the ability to flip the monster face-down in the banished zone or Graveyard will easily explain this to newer players. Face-down monsters in the Graveyard or banished are basically considered unusable and I believe is the newer term for “removed from the game”. Of course, this affects cards like Pot of Avarice, returning them to the Extra Deck, but too be honest, since your Extra Deck is an easy option for most decks, this shouldn’t be a problem

 

9. Easier distinction between effects and conditions and what can/cannot be negated

The problem-solving card texts have given us distinctions between costs and effects but I believe we need something that explains to us card conditions. I often get told that since Skill Drain is on the field, it can stop my Koaki Meirus from self-destructing, no it cannot! I believe the use of [brackets] will help with this. Cards such as  these Koaki Meiru monsters should be like: “[During each of your End Phases, destroy this card unless you send 1 "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" from your hand to the Graveyard or reveal 1 Warrior-Type monster from your hand.] If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, it can attack once again in a row.” To distinguish what effects can be negated and what cannot

 

10. Easier way to get Mega-Packs

I wouldn’t consider this to be a rule to the game, but I just hate how Konami releases these Mega-Packs with the only way to get them through Legendary Collections. I do not want 100 Orichalcos playmats to try and get all 200 of the cards in the Mega-Pack. Konami should release a Special Edition to go with these Legendary Collections with 3 packs each in them. Reprints should be easy to get, not difficult

 

Anyway, this is just some things I would like to see in Yugioh. Obviously theyre not going to happen, but its at least cool to rant about it :P What do you think? Would there be some changes you’ll like to see?

[Blake]

6 is absolutely fluxing dumb because there are way too many cards that would be damn broken if not for missing the timing. Is a necessary evil at this point.

I mean really, without missing the timing, Saggi's a Malicious for Level 3. It can be sent to the grave any way to go off, such as Synchro, Xyz, Tribute, and It provides Leviair Fodder. In what universe is that a remotely fair card?

7's stupid because Black Horn of Heaven should totally be almost 100% better than warning. Aong other such things. Its not stupid at all, it just means you can't play as many catchalls.

[Sleepy]

Ok so the coffee I drank doesn't let me be as sleepy as I should at almost 4am, so It'll be a big comment.

 

1 & 3] Icon rearrangement:

I agree with your point and have thought they should do that for a long time.

Though now many cards would have to be errata'd to either distinguish between Equip Spell. Equip Trap, or just Equip Card. Mainly Union rulings. It could be a pain.

Regardless, if we assume that they'll stick to just referencing Equip Spells as the dominant ones while letting Equip Traps be their own thing, I think it's fair and would safe a lot of text that to be frank, is excess when one realizes they could be doing that.

 

Polymerization Icon would also save a lot of text.

Though on the downside, some card don't Fusion Summon, presizely as a balancing factor. One that could not be stated if it wasn't an effect. Also, since the card would naturally work off the icon, I guess it'd have to be a BKSS that it's still an effect.

On the brightside, I'm having trouble remembering a Fusion Spell that does not Fusion Summon anyways.

 

2] Rituals:

While I do agree that it'd improve their usability.

They'd essentially be Fusion Cards that exchanged a specific set of Materials for their individual Polymerizations.

Or Synchros that needs a catalyst but can surpass the quote and do it from the hand.

 

That said, I don't think Rituals actually need that.

There really are next to no good Ritual monsters, and even less good Ritual Spells. (Plus the inexistence of a Ritual/Fusion Trap, which considering the course of the OP, it had to be mentioned.) I believe Konami should just make decent Rituals like they did for Relinquished or Paladin of the White Dragon. Then have the Spells do something decent because there are like 4 non-vanilla Ritual Spells out there, and some are still situational at best.

 

While we are at it, same principle, Ritual Icon could do the job and be part of the rules to save text. They'd just have to quote the name of their Ritual Monster(s) in the description in the same way Fusion Materials are listen in Fusion Monsters. People would understand. That way if you wanna update a mechanic or change a format, you just have to update the rule without having to errata and reprint the whole mechanic.

EXAMPLE= Konami: This time we need to pump up this for the sake of not leaving it too behind, so I announce that Rituals can be brought out from the Main Deck too for this format. Etc.

 

4] Sub-Types:

I'd personally like it if it was also the type of thing that just needs to be explained in the rule-book.

Unions, Toons, Gemenis, Spirits, Tuners, work this way....
Again, it'd make it easier to update cards to change the gamestate of a format.

Example: All cards with Union sub-Type now can protect from effect destruction as well. Updating also all cards previously existing by updating this rule.

Or: Monsters now can add up their equipped Union's Level to their own to conmemorate changes for the sake of the start of the Xyz era. It'll be an experiment.

 

Though to be fair, Tuners don't say anything because they don't do anything. Synchros just say "use a Tuner" and the Tuner just gains what it does due to the Synchro's need rather than by it's own accord. Konami could have as easily said "Synchros need at least 1 vanilla + other non-vanillas for the Synchro Summon" instead of Tuners, and actually, that would have given a use for the tons of unused vanillas and not be as harsh with the powercreep of Synchros destroying the world. Well, that's another story, I think I got my point accross.

 

I have mixed feelings towards it. Though I'd very easily accept throwing down parts of the system if it means things get more convenient in the long run.

 

5] Lingering:
I'm sure Konami could do that, but a problem happens when you can't always quite know where to insert that.

If a way to conveniently implement that arises, I'm all for it. For now, it's not like we can't mostly tell so, I wouldn't put that in the priorities.

 

6]Timing:

I'll have to dissagree with this one.

Many long ridiculous chains and combos cannot happen because of this. Not to mention it'd result in many intrincated and ubberly needlessly complex nets of effects resolving 

If Cyber Dragon's Special Summon clause was an effect, you'd be able to just Special Summon the 3 triggered copies at the time because they cannot miss the timing. 

 

We'd have things like: But at chain link 3, my opponent's card is Summoining a monster that is activating the effect upon Summon, but the monster it's Tributing is activating this other effect, and my Continuous Spell Card is reacting to both and to the chain link 5 of the original chain as well, triggering my Graveyard card that banishes itself. Though there is also that I'll end this net with my chain link 8 Magic Jammer that negates your chain link 1 Dark Hole from the second branch of these effect chains. You know, it can't miss the timing. Is that cool?

 

It'd be hell.

 

7 & 8] Distinctions on effects and inherent Summons + Extra Deck Nomis]

Extra Deck nomis are a balancing factor. If a card doesn't need it, it should not have it. 

I'm also guessing you are refering to the semi-nomi natural status of all Extra Deck monsters. In which case, I can see where you are coming from.

Starlight and the such cloud this possibility though. Gale Dogra + De-Fusion+ Call of the Haunted = Revive 3 Blue-Eyes, which is a +0, but an OTK oriented one.

I think it's harder to get semi-nomi-ness, but it's also still a balancing factor for the game.

 

Distinctions on effects and Summons, I can understand it fairly well and can't think of a better way to say it, although something should pop out down the road to improve the easy understanding of both so that it doesn't sound like BS when telling someone new to the game about that.

 

9] Effects vs Conditions]

This one has a very easy solution. Italics. That's all it'd take, really. It'd work well. I know vanilla Summoned Skull's archfiend status is in non-italics because it's something functional vs just flavor. Have it just explained that it'd be reversed for Effect Monsters. It sounds good to me here while sleep-deprived past 4am, but regardless..... it sounds fine to me.

 

10] Agree 

[Canadian]

I agree with a lot of what you said although there would be obvious issues with some of them if they were implemented. How would you go about fixing "missing the timing" for example? You can't really at this point.

 

However, as somebody who has tried to introduce this game to new players, I can seriously say that your points are incredibly valid and the way the cards are set up right now are very counter intuitive. 

[TFMegamanlan]

#1 & #3. I love the idea of Equip Traps and Fusion cards. Personally I'd love to have more cards that Counter Equip cards in general. (And also to nuke those annoying ZW's...)

#4. Toons yes I can very well see them just becoming effect monsters. Spirits I'm not so sure as they could just rule (like what was aforementioned with Equip Monsters) that Spirit Monsters return to your Hand during your End Phase and just have that as a specific condition not just an effect. I'd also like to see Hand-Traps have their own Sub-category and have it Ruled that you only can activate that effect when it's discarded ( or just have it for easier searching)

#2. I think not really, I would not mind if the effect was changed to that you can do something as "During your Draw Phase, you can reveal a Ritual Spell to add a Ritual Monster to your Hand listed on that card instead of Drawing."

#8. I like this idea, but I'd rather if they were still allowed to be affected by other cards that aren't SS'ing them.

#5. I would like an official Lingering term as well as ways to Counter Lingering effects.

#6. I would argue that it should be that you can miss timing with your card's (like Peten when Synchroing him) but not on Opponent's effects. Just like with Field Spells and Immortals.

#7. I don't mind the inherent SS now, (at first I didn't like it) but it makes sense as I see it. But I do think that with Inherent SS's they always are right. I mean why is Tragoedia a inherent SS when Gorz is not? And so on. But I do agree that some of the rulings on SS'ing need to be changed, such as the Negate SS Traps (that have been ruled to only work on Inherent Summons) should work on any SS that is done by the Monster itself. (I think Inherent should be any Monster that has an effect to SS himself, SS'ing something else is a different story though. Note: I am not talking of SS by Game Rule, I mean only when a card has Summon Conditions that SS it) That is my thoughts on that issue.

#9. I agree completely. But also clarify that it's a Mandatory effect and Mediatory effects cannot be negated. But also that they are still effects: For example when Yubel is equipped with Heart of Clear Water, she cannot destroy herself by her Mandatory effect, because its still destroying by an effect. That is something that should be clarified.

#10. You'll have a hard time finding people to disagree. But I do think that they shouldn't be as cheap as the normal packs as well. Maybe a little bit more expensive but still able to get without buying a darn LC set.

[The Hounds Of Anubis]

On 1: This is something they kinda had then decided to get rid of for some reason. (I at least remember one of the old WC games having Metalmorph as an equip trap.) Definitely something that could be implemented but isn't important.

On 2: While it would render Senju entirely useless it's a legitimate call. However, it's also the balancing factor Rituals have had since the beginning. While admittedly they were awful to begin with, Herald and Relinquished show they're not unwilling to do powerful things with Ritual monsters. If anything, it becomes a more complex manner of Fusion combined with Synchro, which isn't worth including and they should stick to the main deck imo.

On 3: Another minor thing that could be implemented, and should be, but isn't important.

On 4: Monster sub-types are actually something I would rather see utilised more. Toon Table of contents is the biggest offender I can recall off-hand. Simple saying "Add one Toon monster or 'Toon World' from your deck to your hand." Would be fine, but they neglect the sub-type entirely.

On 5: I fail to see the issue with lingering effects. They're not designed to have loop-holes, and their upkeep isn't difficult.

On 6: The cards should just explain that they can miss the timing. A simple "This effect only activates if [condition] was the last action to occur" would be fine.

On 7: This is another point where they should just explain the exceptions on the card. If it takes up too much space then don't print the card, simple.

On 8: This is something that should be added to all rule books if it isn't already, and easily noticed and have attention drawn to it.

On 9: Am I wrong in thinking conditions don't use the When:Cost;Effect formula? That's a decent way to distinguish as is. Also Skill Drain is just a confusing card. It only needs to be explained to someone once, though.

On 10: Reprints should be easier to obtain. Reprints should also occur more often since then stupid shit like £3 Upstart Goblins aren't a thing.

[TFMegamanlan]

Just to note: Monsters don't have on-Field conditions, they can have a Mandatory effect (like Yubel, No.30, and the Koa'ki Meiru's do) Mandatory's are not able to be negated or are optional. They usually either say so like this:
(This is not optional) or they self-destruct if a cost isn't met. That should be known as a non-Optional or negateable ability.

[Delibirb]

I think Rituals should get their own little pile. Another thing to add to the 15 card extra deck? Ew. Increase extra deck size? Ew. But yeah, Ritual Monsters shouldnt be in the main, especially not practically vanilla, underpowered ones. Most everything else I agree with.

[John Kelly]

You know what? I agree with all of these changes. All of you detractors are saying "I don't like change.". Your concerns are legitimate, but you lack imagination. Here's a eleventh item I'd like to add to Azuh's list:

11. Errata previous cards for the purpose of balance and reflect these changes.

Why is it Errata is only used to correct textual errors and/or update the cards for whatever style of writing Konami wants to be the new standard? How about using Errata to balance cards?

[TFMegamanlan]

Mostly because other games did that a few times and it always causes more trouble then it was worth. Just look at Spell Shield Type-6, the second effect used to be a Magic Jammer, making Spell Shield very powerful. But they Errata'd it and I don't think they've even printed the card since. (They may have but I don't know...)

[John Kelly]

Do you mean this card?

http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Spell_Shield_Type-8

It's Type-8, not Type-6. The only thing errata'd about it was the cost was changed from "discard 1 card" to "discard 1 spell card". Still a very powerful card and not much of a change. In this case, it was almost certainly a translation error.

The only card I can think of that was balanced via errata was "Ultimate Offering"; a card who's effect change at least three times.

[TFMegamanlan]

Yea, that card. Regardless, the only way they could errata stuff is if they reprint the card. That would be my rule about Erratas.
But if these rules are made, then naturally they'd errata the cards anyway so that point would be mute anyway...

[Synchronized]

I'm not sure if it's like that where you live, but a lot of the Targets and Walmarts around here sell the Mega Packs for $2.99.  Just the other day I got a few LCYW Mega Pack's for $2.99 each from the 'Discount Pack' bin, and they've also had the Ra Yellow Mega ones there. Just an issue of looking in the right place, I think.  Still, there should be an official release, I agree.

[TFMegamanlan]

Mine usually had Hidden Arsenal or Ra Yellow Mega's... No LC's.

[Mysty]

1. Equip Trap Cards

Very much agree here. Admittedly, though, this changes the functionality of some cards, which is something card games tend to avoid to do. Nevertheless, I would enjoy this idea, as well as seeing more Spell/Trap icons on each others' cards (Ritual Traps, anyone? Field Traps?).

2. Ritual Monsters should be In the Extra Deck

The requirement of Rituals needing their specific spell card and themselves in the hand, and proper Tributes in hand and field is designed to make them tough to use. While putting them into the Extra Deck reduces the requirements, it also makes them a mixture between Fusions and Synchros. (Not to mention you invalidate a whole load of support already made.)
My changes to Ritual Monsters would be:
• Make more generic Ritual Spell Cards (an Earth Chant for every Attribute, maybe for every Type as well) that have no other effects, as well as the more specific ones for each Ritual Monster that have a cool effect attached as well.
• Make Ritual monsters into huge, game-ending monsters. With the amount of effort required to summon them, they should be more powerful than Fusions, Synchros, and Xyz.
• Make all Ritual spells say "or more" and get rid of that 'no extra monsters' rule. Sure, that may break Ritual Djinns, but then again, I don't expect that with these changes, that Rituals would be competitive, just a lot more viable in casual.
 

 

3. Fusion Spell Cards

 

I very much agree with a Fusion symbol being like a Ritual symbol. This would open up so much support ideas and could even make naming schemes for Fusion cards that don't have Fusions in the name.

 

4. Secondary-Types

The thing about Tuners is that the only implicit rule attached to them is a rule about conducting Synchro Summons: you have to have a Tuner - otherwise, the necessity for a Tuner is written on the Synchro cards itself. Suggesting Unions would be like that in that regard isn't very much true at all unless you pick up a Keyword mentality, something Yugioh has tried very much to avoid, probably because "it would make us too much like MtG".

 

5. Create an official “Lingering” Term and help us combat these effects

Official Lingering term: Yes. Ways to combat them: Maybe. A virus vaccine would be very handy, but I don't think Konami would jump on the same bandwagon for stopping an alternate win con (or rather, only win con for its deck).

 

6. Remove “missing the timing” and optional effects

I very much agree with you in the way that missing the timing is a screwy rule that should have never been invented, and I would also like to see every Trigger ability function like an "If" ability in terms of wording (whether optional or mandatory). However, the game has become reliant on this little-known rule balancing the game such that the removal of the rule would either result in a large number of new bans/limits and/or destroy the game.

7. Removal of “an effect that Special Summons a monster(s)”

Admittedly, I hate this rule too. However, I don't think this can really be stopped based on the nature of the chain in this game. However. I would like to see a change to wording to show the difference between Inherent Summons and Effect Summons.

 

8. Extra Deck Nomis

Explaining that "flip face down" rule to a new player would be just like explaining the original rule. While it does account for game state memory, it seems like it wouldn't solve the original problem. I just think more of these kinds of things need to be written on the cards.

 

9. Easier distinction between effects and conditions and what can/cannot be negated

Completely agree. Too many people on DN saying "You can't Synchron Explorer back Quickdraw and go for Junk Archer, his effect is negated! Why are you even using him, going for Black Rose Dragon is a much better play!" The fact that Negateable Continuous Effects and Non-negateable Conditions look exactly the same in PSCT is appalling, given how much negating effects is part of the game.

 

10. Easier way to get Mega-Packs

Completely agree. Unfortunately, this change is actually the most likely.

 

11. Errata previous cards for the purpose of balance and reflect these changes.

As someone else noted, it usually causes much more problems than it is actually worth. Errata should stick to:
• if a card was misprinted
• if wording needs to be updated
• if rules change and the card needs to be updated to maintain its old functionality.

Noting that MtG once tried errata'ing cards to balance and later quick on this expedition, it's fairly safe to say that it isn't a good idea for any card game to do so.

[John Kelly]

Can someone explain why re-writing cards for balance reasons is a bad idea other than "it just don't work" or "Magic did it once and then stopped."? Those are not reasons.

[TFMegamanlan]

As I mentioned before, there is already differences in how SS by effect and Inherent SS already. The current cards put it like this:
Inherent SS has where it comes from in parenthesis (i.e. Cyber Dragon, Grapha, Dragon Overlord of Dark World)
SS by an effect does not and usually has something that happens when it arrives. (i.e. Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness, Battle Fader)

Also, Rituals already have "or more"... So I'm not totally sure of what rule your speaking of. (Of course I don't pay much attention to Rituals because I don't use them)

Can someone explain why re-writing cards for balance reasons is a bad idea other than "it just don't work" or "Magic did it once and then stopped."? Those are not reasons.

Because all it does is confuse everyone and makes it that we have more to remember.

[Mysty]

As I mentioned before, there is already differences in how SS by effect and Inherent SS already. The current cards put it like this:
Inherent SS has where it comes from in parenthesis (i.e. Cyber Dragon, Grapha, Dragon Overlord of Dark World)
SS by an effect does not and usually has something that happens when it arrives. (i.e. Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness, Battle Fader)

Also, Rituals already have "or more"... So I'm not totally sure of what rule your speaking of. (Of course I don't pay much attention to Rituals because I don't use them)


Because all it does is confuse everyone and makes it that we have more to remember.

Again, that parentheses rule isn't obvious to newcomers to the game and it's only mentioned in an article online. If I were a newcomer who got introduced to Yugioh by, say, Battle Pack 1, and my opponent activated Zephyros the Elite and I activated Solemn Judgment and my opponent said I couldn't, I'd call bull on it and probably call a judge as well. If later in the game I Special Summoned Machina Fortress and my opponent Solemn Judgmented and said that they could, I'd call bull again and call a judge again.
Yugioh's wording, rules, and rulings are very well known to someone who has been playing this game for a while, but it makes little sense to anyone not accustomed, especially since the rulebook doesn't address such matters and the only way to find out about such rulings is to read just about every article on a website that's generally difficult to find. It would help if yugioh's wording made more sense in everyday terms and had the term "Inherent" in it as such to differentiate the summons.

More recent Ritual cards require exact levels while older ones used to say "or more" a lot more often. I'd like them to go back to the old model.
Pretty much, the 'no extra tributes' rule goes that, if you are trying to use multiple Tributes for a Ritual Summon, if you could remove any of those monsters from your Tributing process and the Ritual Summon is still legal, then you can't Tribute ALL those monsters.
Example 1: Let's say you want to summon Relinquished (Level 1) and you have 3 Ritual Djinns in your graveyard. You are only allowed to use 1 of them because otherwise you'd be using more monsters than necessary.
Example 2: Let's say you want to Ritual Summon a Level 7 monster and you have two Level 2, a Level 3, a Level 4, and another Level 7. Among other options, you can Tribute:
• just the Level 7
• the Level 4 and the Level 3
• two Level 2s and the Level 4
But you CAN'T Tribute a Level 2, 3, AND 4 because the Level 2 monster is superfluous.

[TFMegamanlan]

I agree that it should be either changed or more clearly stated. (I mean how hard is it for them to put some of the total bull rules in the Rulebook at least). Personally I'd much rather that they go back to that all SS's (except the Game Rule ones) are Card Effects. I mean is that so hard for them?

Huh, I could swear there was a time when that wasn't so. The old games don't do that. But like I said, I don't keep up with them anymore...

[Sleepy]

The "Inherent Special Summon vs Effect Special Summon" issue is awful.

I've been playing this game since 2001 and I still need to ask what X negates once in a while to make sure.

The only reason that needs to be a thing is to prevent BS cards from being too good.

I don't think it's worth it, and that cards that can be abused too much should just get the hammer instead of over-complicating things more.

 

I have no idea btw, if that has always been there of if it was declared at some point in time. I started hearing about it at early mid-5Ds era. More or less when Lightsworns were in their last stages as top tier.

[TFMegamanlan]

It was mid-5D's (after Majestic Star Dragon's pack)

[John Kelly]

Because all it does is confuse everyone and makes it that we have more to remember.

And this is this any different that the pointless memorization Yugioh players have to rely upon to play the game as it is? Just use reprints.

[Mysty]

And this is this any different that the pointless memorization Yugioh players have to rely upon to play the game as it is? Just use reprints.

Here is a quote from a designer of MtG:

On power-level errata, Forsythe said, "We don't want to do that anymore... For players not plugged into the tournament scene, the idea of errata borders on repulsive."[1] He goes on to say, "Issuing errata isn't even really a consideration anymore, as we feel that doing so is more damaging than it's worth. Casual players really, really hate errata... we won't issue errata on cards to "correct" power levels, especially older cards that people are used to playing with. If they turn out to be problems, restrict or ban them."[1] Thus, it is clear that Wizards itself has recognized that power-level errata creates more problems than it solves.

Here are some articles from MtG on the issue of power errata. It may be a different card game, but the idea of power-level errata is the same no matter what card game.

http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/print.php?Article=11926

http://community.wizards.com/forum/rules-theory-and-templating/threads/3926321

www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/af127

 

I hope these articles will provide the answer you're looking for.

tl;dr: errata is annoying to casual players who want to just read a card and play it, and it's unnecessarily inconvenient to competitive players when banning the previous card and printing a new one would do the trick just as easily.

[Sleepy]

And this is this any different that the pointless memorization Yugioh players have to rely upon to play the game as it is? Just use reprints.

I can answer your question.

The thing is, cards with the older text would still be running around, and erratas for bad translations are bad as it is.

You'll now have different effects from the same card running around.

It makes sense that if you buy the new cards only, you wouldn't have to worry about it, but there are plenty of people that get stuff from trades or buying them from people that already used them for a while.

The few times erratas have  changed the way cards work, it's made people irritated at the translators' incompetence.

Skull Lair doesn't let me banish Spell or Traps for it?

Shield Type 8 only discards Spell Cards?

Neo Daedalus is a Nomi?

Enchanted Javelin triggers from your own monsters attacking as well?

 

It lowers the trust players have in the text as a whole, and although it happens once in a while (as if bs ruliungs weren't enough to make that happen as is in this game), it should ideally never happen.

Next thing you know, you'll have players staring at older cards and wondering if they actually have some sort of errata that improves it. Like:

Do older Unions protect the monster from effect destruction as well?

 

What is supposed to be a rule of thumb, is "Read the card text. Text triumphs rules."

Now it'd be "Go online and find out if your card is the one with the right text or not. Don't worry, it'll be obvious to you if you are a hardcore fan of the game that has been around for a long time."

 

 

Next point:

If you are gonna change a card's way of working, you might as well just print a new card and be done with it. There is no need in a game to overcomplicate stuff by saying they'll somehow rescue X card, and create the confusion I mentioned above when you can just get rid of the card (using the REAL purpose that the banlist should be used for) and print the fixed replacement.

Why would you rescue the blaming card for? The art? Nostalgia? You should be able to use it outside of tournaments if you like it so much.

 

EDIT:
Also, I kinda got ninja'd by Mysty.

[TFMegamanlan]

I agree. Don't use Errata just for whatever, use it when really needed and always make a reprint. And make sure they aren't using Errata for should be the banlists job.