Off Topic » Serious Discussions

I was wondering what format should be the last format if there was one. This would be due to Konami becoming bankrupt, loss of public interest, or whatever hypothetical reason. So I'm in the process of creating my own format for fun. I been considering this for awhile and figured I'd try to perfect it to the best of my ability and in my opinion. However, I would appreciate constructive feedback on what to change, or perhaps just how you'd break it with your tier 0 deck within this format.


Format Name: Archetype Ascendancy

-Overview-
Archetype Ascendancy is a Yu-Gi-Oh! format that emphasizes pure archetype synergy and strategic deck-building by restricting decks to a single archetype while allowing limited access to powerful banned cards. Players must adhere to the modern TCG banlist but can include up to three copies of any banned card if their deck avoids other restricted (banned, limited, or semi-limited) cards. The format promotes diversity by requiring a minimum of 10 archetype-specific cards in the Main Deck and features an expanding "Archetype List" that defines eligible archetypes, starting with a curated selection and growing over time without rotation.

-Rules-
Banlist Adherence with Exception:
1.Players must follow the current Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG banlist (as of the latest update).

•Exception: Players may include up to three copies of any card on the banned list, provided their Main Deck, Extra Deck, and Side Deck contain no other cards that are banned, limited, or semi-limited on the TCG banlist.

•Example: A player could run three copies of "Graceful Charity" (banned) in a Shaddoll deck, but only if the deck excludes all other restricted cards (e.g., no "El Shaddoll Construct" if it’s limited).

2.Archetype Requirement:
The Main Deck must include at least 10 cards from a single archetype listed on the Archetype List (see below).

These 10 cards must consist of:
5 archetype monsters (e.g., "Shaddoll Falco," "Blue-Eyes White Dragon").
5 non-monster cards (Spells/Traps) that explicitly mention the archetype in their name or effect text (e.g., "Shaddoll Fusion," "Blue-Eyes Spirit").
Cards that support multiple archetypes (e.g., generic support like "Allure of Darkness" for DARK monsters) do not count toward the 10-card requirement unless they specifically name the archetype. The 10 cards to meet the requirement must be of the same archetype and listed in the Archetype List.

-Archetype List-
The format begins with the following eligible archetypes:
•Alien
•Arcana Force
•Ashened
•Blue-Eyes
•Cyber Dragon
•Dark Magician
•Darklord
•Dark World
•Destiny Board
•Egyptian Gods(Obelisk the Tormentor, Slifer the Sky Dragon, The Winged Dragon of Ra)
•Exodia
•Gate Guardians(Sanga of the Thunder, Kazejin, and Suijin)
•Gladiator Beast
•Graydle
•Gravekeepers
•Harpie Lady
•HERO
•Jinzo
•Junk
•Kuriboh
•Lightsworn
•Madolche
•Monarch
•Odd-Eyes
•Ojama
•Red-Eyes
•Relinquished
•Six Samurai
•Shaddoll
•Shining Sarcophagus
•Skull Servant
•Spellbook
•Summoned Skull
•Timelord
•Tistina
•Toon World
•Ryu-Ge
•Volcanic

The Archetype List will expand over time with new archetypes added, but archetypes will not rotate out, ensuring longevity for players’ decks. Some archetypes will never be on the Archetype list(Kashtira for example), but the cards can be used within a deck that has the Archetype minimum established.
Only cards explicitly tied to these archetypes (via name or effect text) count toward the 10-card minimum.
Deck Construction:
Main Deck: 40–60 cards, following standard Yu-Gi-Oh! rules.
Extra Deck: 0–15 cards, following standard rules.
Side Deck: 0–15 cards, following standard rules.
All cards in the Main, Extra, and Side Decks must adhere to the banlist exception rule (no restricted cards unless using the banned card allowance) and the archetype requirement.
Gameplay:
Matches follow standard Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG rules (best-of-three, time limits, etc.).
It is impossible to please all players with a single format, though I feel I this format checked a lot of boxes for me. I may alter the specifics in time. The format encourages strategic use of archetype synergy and careful selection of banned cards to maximize consistency and power. Note some Archetypes may be effected by the banlist already (Exodia), Prohibiting use of banned cards.

-The Banlist-

The Banlist is still a work in progress, So at the moment we're assuming the current banlist until complications and conflicts become apparent.

Format Update #1.1.1.5
-Archetype Ascendancy-

So, this name is really a placeholder ATM till things like the banlist gets more fleshed out, and/or a cool name is thought up.

-Rule clarifications/changes-

1. Life Points and dice roll choices.

Player's must decide their choice to go first or second when they win the dice roll in advance. The player who loses the dice roll dictates which of the following LP conditions are applied in the match

• Duel 1 begins with 10,000 LP. Duel 2 Begins with 8,000 LP. Duel 3 Begins with 4,000 LP.
• Duel 1 begins with 4,000 LP. Duel 2 Begins with 8,000 LP. Duel 3 Begins with 10,000 LP.

These choices are made in advance, submitted and applied to every Match in tournament settings.

2. Extension list, Extending the Archetype minimum.

The Main, Extra and Side Deck containing the following cards will increase the player's main deck archetype minimum(10) by 1(Spell, Trap, or Monster) for each copy.

•Abyss Dweller
•Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess
•Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring
•Baronne de Fleur
•Borreload Savage Dragon
•Battle Fader
•Dimension Shifter
•Dominus Impulse
•Dominus Purge
•Effect Veiler
•Droll & Lock Bird
•Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay
•Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion
•Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill
•Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit
•Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries
•Ghost Sister & Spooky Dogwood
•Gorz the Emissary of Darkness
•Hot Red Dragon Archfiend King Calamity
•Imperial Order
•Infinite Impermanence
•Kashtira Arise-Heart
•Maxx "C"
•Mulcharmy Fuwalos
•Mulcharmy Meowls
•Mulcharmy Purulia
•Mystic Mine
•Nibiru, the Primal Being
•Numeron Wall
•Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL
•Number 16: Shock Master
•Royal Oppression
•Sixth Sense
•Summon Limit
•Summon Sorceress
•The Tyrant Neptune
•True King of All Calamities
•Tearlaments Kitkallos
•Tragoedia
•Topologic Gumblar Dragon
•Ultimate Offering
•Vanity's Emptiness
•All cards that are *Semi-limited.



-Rule clarifications n such-

1. Just to clarify, You can play separate card's that are either limited, or multiple sets of semi-limited cards. It is only if you play 1-3 of the same banned card, or 2+ of a limited card, or 3 of a semi-limited card that restricts your main extra and side deck from containing any other cards on the banlist.

2. All Errata' Are lifted, original Effects are applied.

3. Archetype requirement Ratio Problem addressed-
5+ monsters and 5+ S/T remain the requirement unless there is not enough monsters or S/T that list the archetype(e.g., Destiny Board) In those cases, you must still have at least 10 cards that mention the archetype but they can be either monsters or s/t in any ratio inside of the main deck. This only applies if the archetype on the archetype list cannot fit the standard 5 monsters 5 Spell/Trap main deck ratio by any means.

4. Special exceptions for The God cards-
Special exceptions exist for Egyptian God cards, Any mention of any Egyptian God by name or simply "Divine-Beast" contributes to the 10 card archetype minimum for any Egyptian God (E.g, "Soul Energy MAX!!!" and "Slifer The Sky Dragon" would count as 2 towards the archetype minimum).

-Pending Banlist Changes-

_BANNED_
• Numeron Calling

_LIMITED_
•Accesscode Talker
•Ash Blossom & Joyous feet
•Dark Magician of Chaos
•Giant Trunade
•Goyo Guardian
•Heavy Storm
•Infernoble Knight Emperor Charles
•Naturia Exterio
•The Last Warrior from Another Planet
•Mulcharmy Fuwalos
•Mulcharmy Purulia
•Kashtira Birth
•Sangan
•Upstart Goblin


_SEMI-Limited_
•Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon
•Catapult Turtle
•Called By The Grave
•Mulcharmy Meowls
•Sky Striker Ace - Kagari
•Dragged Down into the Grave
•The Gates of Dark World

_UNLIMITED_
•Crossout Designator

Note- I am attempting to use the banlist to deny egregious abuse of the banlist exception rule in this format (e.g., Semi-limit Catapult Turtle, to restrict OTK usage of Magical Scientist). I am aware there are plenty of other issues to address, but I'm going to take my time with addressing these cause it's a lot.

-Additions to the Archetype list-
•Appliancer
•Archfiend
•Armed Dragon
•Aquaactress
•Batteryman
•Blackwing
•Buster Blader/Swordsman
•Cardian
•Charmer
•Chrysalis/Neo-Spacian
•Cloudian
•Cyberdark
•Dinowrestler
•Dream Mirror
•Dual Avatar/Empowered Warrior
•Duston
•Evolsaur
•Fabled
•Flamvell
•Fortune Lady
•Gusto
•Infernity
•Infernoid
•Inzektor
•Koa'Ki Meiru
•Laval
•Lone Wolf (Chu-Ske the Mouse Fighter, Monk Fighter, Master Monk)
•Naturia
•Ninja
•Morphtronic
•Predaplant
•Qliphort
•Reptilianne
•True Draco/True King
•Water Dragon (Water Dragon, Bonding, Hydrogeddon/Oxygeddon)
•Watt
•Worm
•Vampire
•Vendread
•Venom
•Vylon
•XX-Saber/X-Saber
•XYZ
•Yang Zing