Which would you rather play in?
The TCG and OCG have had lists limiting which cards you can use since the 20th century, and until 2003, those lists were always the same. 2003 until 2013 would end up having the lists always the same, changing on the same day, except for the inclusion of one card; sixth sense. This was due to Sixth Sense not being released in the TCG, and when it eventually did debut, it was not immediately forbidden the way it was in the OCG.
However, in September 2013, for the first time ever, the TCG got to take control of the list for their own region. No more things like limiting divine wind due to harpie dancer, when harpie dancer isn’t even out! No more limiting or semi-limiting a chunk of cards just to keep Shueisha’s promos legal in the game.
No more Shock master or Heavy Storm.
It was a huge change, and since then, as lists have passed, there’s been quite a few number of differences between the two lists.
Forbidden card Differences
MAGICIAN OF FAITH
WIND-UP HUNTER
TCG List
ELEMENTAL HERO STRATOS
MORPHING JAR
MORPHING JAR #2
DARK STRIKE FIGHTER
TRISHULA, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER
NUMBER 16: SHOCK MASTER
WIND-UP CARRIER ZENMAITY
DRAGON RAVINE
HEAVY STORM
MONSTER REBORN
POT OF AVARICE
SUPER REJUVENATION
SELF-DESTRUCT BUTTON
SOLEMN JUDGMENT
Wow, that’s a bigger difference than I initially thought when first making this article. Look at all the cards we have forbidden here in the TCG that Japan has legal right now! Despite this, we have Magician of Faith and they don’t.
Limited Cards
OCG List
BROTHERHOOD OF THE FIRE FIST – ROOSTER
CYBER-STEIN
ELEMENTAL HERO STRATOS
ELEMENTAL HERO BUBBLEMAN
EVILSWARM OPHION
MERMAIL ABYSSTEUS
MEZUKI
MORPHING JAR
NECROFACE
T.G. STRIKER
WIND-UP SHARK
TRISHULA, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER
NUMBER 11: BIG EYE
WIND-UP CARRIER ZENMAITY
CARD DESTRUCTION
DIVINE WIND OF MIST VALLEY
GATEWAY OF THE SIX
HEAVY STORM
MONSTER REBORN
POT OF AVARICE
PRIMAL SEED
SUPER REJUVENATION
ABYSS-SPHERE
SOLEMN JUDGMENT
TCG List
BROTHERHOOD OF THE FIRE FIST – SPIRIT
COACH SOLDIER WOLFBARK
DARK ARMED DRAGON
DEBRIS DRAGON
DEEP SEA DIVA
GLADIATOR BEAST BESTIARI
GORZ THE EMISSARY OF DARKNESS
HONEST
MAGICIAN OF FAITH
MERMAIL ABYSSGUNDE
NEO-SPACIAN GRAND MOLE
RESCUE RABBIT
THUNDER KING RAI-OH
WIND-UP MAGICIAN
EVIGISHKI MIND AUGUS
DEWLOREN, TIGER KING OF THE ICE BARRIER
DIMENSIONAL FISSURE
FINAL COUNTDOWN
FOOLISH BURIAL
GOLD SARCOPHAGUS
REKINDLING
ROYAL TRIBUTE
SACRED SWORD OF SEVEN STARS
SPELLBOOK OF FATE
BOTTOMLESS TRAP HOLE
COMPULSORY EVACUATION DEVICE
ERADICATOR EPIDEMIC VIRUS
INFERNITY BARRIER
MACRO COSMOS
SOUL DRAIN
TORRENTIAL TRIBUTE
Holy crap that’s a lot of difference. Cards that are forbidden here are at 1 there, cards that are forbidden there are at 1 here, We only have 1 bestiari, they only have 1 T.G. Striker! Traps stand out as the biggest difference. Due to the absence of heavy storm, to prevent a ‘set 5, go’ format, our backrow took an absolute pounding. I completely forgot that the OCG still has two Rescue Rabbits. It’s interesting that though we both put Dragoons to 1, they elected to hit Abyss Sphere and Abyssteus, whereas we hit Deep Sea Diva, and Abyssgunde.
Semi-Limited
OCG List
ARCHLORD KRISTYA
DARK ARMED DRAGON
DESTINY HERO – MALICIOUS
HONEST
PLAGUESPREADER ZOMBIE
RESCUE RABBIT
DEWLOREN, TIGER KING OF THE ICE BARRIER
A HERO LIVES
BLACK WHIRLWIND
FIRE FORMATION – TENKI
MAGICAL STONE EXCAVATION
ROYAL TRIBUTE
SACRED SWORD OF SEVEN STARS
BOTTOMLESS TRAP HOLE
TCG List
NECROFACE
ADVANCED RITUAL ART
REASONING
DIMENSIONAL PRISON
MIRROR FORCE
Here we see a few leftover results of Heavy storm and Stratos being forbidden. Their second bottomless, only being allowed two Malicious, and two A hero lives.
But wait, what about the cards not listed yet? There are cards that the OCG is allowed three copies of, that we’re only allowed as low as 1 of. In fact, one of their unlimited cards is flat out forbidden here! Though we have many cards at 3 that they don’t, as well. This is the most interesting part of the list for me.
OCG list
BROTHER HOOD OF THE FIRE FIST – SPIRIT
COACH SOLDIER WOLFBARK
DEBRIS DRAGON
DEEP SEA DIVA
GLADIATOR BEAST BESTIARI
GORZ THE EMISSARY OF DARKNESS
MORPHING JAR #2
MERMAIL ABYSSGUNDE
NEO-SPACIAN GRAND MOLE
THUNDER KING RAI-OH
WIND-UP MAGICIAN
EVIGISHKI MIND AUGUS
DARK STRIKE FIGHTER
NUMBER 16: SHOCK MASTER
ADVANCED RITUAL ART
DRAGON RAVINE
DIMENSIONAL FISSURE
FINAL COUNTDOWN
REASONING
REKINDLING
SPELLBOOK OF FATE
COMPULSORY EVACUATION DEVICE
DIMENSIONAL PRISON
ERADICATOR EPIDEMIC VIRUS
INFERNITY BARRIER
MACRO COSMOS
MIRROR FORCE
SELF-DESTRUCT BUTTON
SOUL DRAIN
TORRENTAL TRIBUTE
TCG LIST
ARCHLORD KRISTYA
MEZUKI
PLAGUESPREADER ZOMBIE
T.G. STRIKER
FIRE FORMATION – TENKI
MAGICAL STONE EXCAVACTION
PRIMAL SEED
DESTINY HERO MALICIOUS
A HERO LIVES
BLACK WHIRLWIND
Good to be a Blackwing player in TCG, or a Glad beast player in the OCG, I suppose.
So what do you think? Which format would you rather play in?
Full lists of both card games
Forbidden (Zero copies)
BURNER, DRAGON RULER OF SPARKS
CHAOS EMPEROR DRAGON – ENVOY OF THE END
CYBER JAR
DARK MAGICIAN OF CHAOS
DESTINY HERO – DISK COMMANDER
FIBER JAR
FISHBORG BLASTER
GLOW-UP BULB
LIGHTNING, DRAGON RULER OF DRAFTS
MAGICAL SCIENTIST
MAGICIAN OF FAITH
MAKYURA THE DESTRUCTOR
MIND MASTER
REACTAN, DRAGON RULER OF PEBBLES
RESCUE CAT
SANGAN
SINISTER SERPENT
STREAM, DRAGON RULER OF DROPLETS
SUBSTITOAD
TRIBE-INFECTING VIRUS
VICTORY DRAGON
WIND-UP HUNTER
WITCH OF THE BLACK FOREST
YATA-GARASU
THOUSAND-EYES RESTRICT
BRIONAC, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER
GOYO GUARDIAN
BRAIN CONTROL
BUTTERFLY DAGGER – ELMA
CARD OF SAFE RETURN
CHANGE OF HEART
COLD WAVE
CONFISCATION
DELINQUENT DUO
DIMENSION FUSION
FUTURE FUSION
GIANT TRUNADE
GRACEFUL CHARITY
HARPIE’S FEATHER DUSTER
LAST WILL
MASS DRIVER
METAMORPHOSIS
MIRAGE OF NIGHTMARE
PAINFUL CHOICE
PREMATURE BURIAL
TEMPLE OF THE KINGS
THE FORCEFUL SENTRY
POT OF GREED
RAIGEKI
SNATCH STEAL
SPELLBOOK OF JUDGMENT
CRUSH CARD VIRUS
EXCHANGE OF THE SPIRIT
IMPERIAL ORDER
LAST TURN
RETURN FROM THE DIFFERENT DIMENSION
RING OF DESTRUCTION
ROYAL OPPRESSION
SIXTH SENSE
TRAP DUSTSHOOT
TIME SEAL
ULTIMATE OFFERING
Limited (1 copy)
EXODIA THE FORBIDDEN ONE
LEFT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
LEFT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
RIGHT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
RIGHT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
ATLANTEAN DRAGOONS
BLACK LUSTER SOLDIER – ENVOY OF THE BEGINNING
BLACKWING – GALE THE WHIRLWIND
BROTHERHOOD OF THE FIRE FIST – ROOSTER
BLASTER, DRAGON RULER OF INFERNOS
CYBER-STEIN
DANDYLION
ELEMENTAL HERO STRATOS
ELEMENTAL HERO BUBBLEMAN
EVILSWARM OPHION
GENEX ALLY BIRDMAN
INZEKTOR DRAGONFLY
INZEKTOR HORNET
MERMAIL ABYSSTEUS
MEZUKI
MORPHING JAR
NECROFACE
NIGHT ASSAILANT
RED-EYES DARKNESS METAL DRAGON
REDOX, DRAGON RULER OF BOULDERS
T.G. STRIKER
TEMPEST, DRAGON RULER OF STORMS
TIDAL, DRAGON RULER OF WATERFALLS
WIND-UP SHARK
EVIGISHKI GUSTKRAKEN
LEGENDARY SIX SAMURAI – SHI EN
FORMULA SYNCHRON
T.G. HYPER LIBRARIAN
TRISHULA, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER
NUMBER 11: BIG EYE
WIND-UP CARRIER ZENMAITY
ALLURE OF DARKNESS
BOOK OF MOON
BURIAL FROM A DIFFERENT DIMENSION
CARD DESTRUCTION
CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
DARK HOLE
DIVINE WIND OF MIST VALLEY
FOOLISH BURIAL
GATEWAY OF THE SIX
GOLD SARCOPHAGUS
HEAVY STORM
INFERNITY LAUNCHER
LIMITER REMOVAL
MIND CONTROL
MONSTER GATE
MONSTER REBORN
ONE DAY OF PEACE
ONE FOR ONE
POT OF AVARICE
PRIMAL SEED
REINFORCEMENT OF THE ARMY
SUPER REJUVENATION
ABYSS-SPHERE
CEASEFIRE
MAGICAL EXPLOSION
SOLEMN JUDGMENT
SOLEMN WARNING
THE TRANSMIGRATION PROPHECY
WALL OF REVEALING LIGHT
Semi-Limited (2 copies)
ARCHLORD KRISTYA
CARD TROOPER
CHAOS SORCERER
DARK ARMED DRAGON
DESTINY HERO – MALICIOUS
HONEST
LONEFIRE BLOSSOM
PLAGUESPREADER ZOMBIE
REBORN TENGU
RESCUE RABBIT
SUMMONER MONK
TRAGOEDIA
DEWLOREN, TIGER KING OF THE ICE BARRIER
A HERO LIVES
BLACK WHIRLWIND
CHAIN STRIKE
FIRE FORMATION – TENKI
HIERATIC SEAL OF CONVOCATION
MAGICAL STONE EXCAVATION
ROYAL TRIBUTE
SACRED SWORD OF SEVEN STARS
BOTTOMLESS TRAP HOLE
OJAMA TRIO
Unlimited (3 copies)
DEBRIS DRAGON
GLADIATOR BEAST BESTIARI
GORZ THE EMISSARY OF DARKNESS
NEO-SPACIAN GRAND MOLE
THE AGENT OF MYSTERY – EARTH
THUNDER KING RAI-OH
TOUR GUIDE FROM THE UNDERWORLD
TSUKUYOMI
WIND-UP MAGICIAN
DARK STRIKE FIGHTER (Text updated to “Main Phase 1″ and “The Effect of “Dark Strike Fighter” can only be used Once Per Turn”.)
ADVANCED RITUAL ART
E – EMERGENCY CALL
POT OF DUALITY
REASONING
SCAPEGOAT
MIRROR FORCE
TORRENTAL TRIBUTE
TCG LIST
Forbidden (Zero copies)
BURNER, DRAGON RULER OF SPARKS
CHAOS EMPEROR DRAGON – ENVOY OF THE END
CYBER JAR
CYBER-STEIN
DARK MAGICIAN OF CHAOS
DESTINY HERO – DISK COMMANDER
ELEMENTAL HERO STRATOS
FIBER JAR
FISHBORG BLASTER
GLOW-UP BULB
LIGHTNING, DRAGON RULER OF DRAFTS
MAGICAL SCIENTIST
MAKYURA THE DESTRUCTOR
MIND MASTER
MORPHING JAR
MORPHING JAR #2
REACTAN, DRAGON RULER OF PEBBLES
RESCUE CAT
SANGAN
SINISTER SERPENT
STREAM, DRAGON RULER OF DROPLETS
SUBSTITOAD
TRIBE-INFECTING VIRUS
VICTORY DRAGON
WITCH OF THE BLACK FOREST
YATA-GARASU
THOUSAND-EYES RESTRICT
BRIONAC, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER
DARK STRIKE FIGHTER
GOYO GUARDIAN
TRISHULA, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER
NUMBER 16: SHOCK MASTER
WIND-UP CARRIER ZENMAITY
BRAIN CONTROL
BUTTERFLY DAGGER – ELMA
CARD DESTRUCTION
CARD OF SAFE RETURN
CHANGE OF HEART
COLD WAVE
CONFISCATION
DELINQUENT DUO
DIMENSION FUSION
DRAGON RAVINE
FUTURE FUSION
GATEWAY OF THE SIX
GIANT TRUNADE
GRACEFUL CHARITY
HARPIE’S FEATHER DUSTER
HEAVY STORM
LAST WILL
MASS DRIVER
METAMORPHOSIS
MIRAGE OF NIGHTMARE
MONSTER REBORN
PAINFUL CHOICE
POT OF AVARICE
POT OF GREED
PREMATURE BURIAL
RAIGEKI
SNATCH STEAL
SPELLBOOK OF JUDGMENT
SUPER REJUVENATION
TEMPLE OF THE KINGS
THE FORCEFUL SENTRY
CRUSH CARD VIRUS
EXCHANGE OF THE SPIRIT
IMPERIAL ORDER
LAST TURN
RETURN FROM THE DIFFERENT DIMENSION
RING OF DESTRUCTION
ROYAL OPPRESSION
SELF-DESTRUCT BUTTON
SIXTH SENSE
SOLEMN JUDGMENT
TIME SEAL
TRAP DUSTSHOOT
ULTIMATE OFFERING
Limited (1 copy)
LEFT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
LEFT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
RIGHT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
RIGHT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE
ATLANTEAN DRAGOONS
BLACK LUSTER SOLDIER – ENVOY OF THE BEGINNING
BLACKWING – GALE THE WHIRLWIND
BLASTER, DRAGON RULER OF INFERNOS
BROTHERHOOD OF THE FIRE FIST – SPIRIT
COACH SOLDIER WOLFBARK
DANDYLION
DARK ARMED DRAGON
DEBRIS DRAGON
DEEP SEA DIVA
EXODIA THE FORBIDDEN ONE
GENEX ALLY BIRDMAN
GLADIATOR BEAST BESTIARI
GORZ THE EMISSARY OF DARKNESS
HONEST
INZEKTOR DRAGONFLY
INZEKTOR HORNET
MAGICIAN OF FAITH
MERMAIL ABYSSGUNDE
NEO-SPACIAN GRAND MOLE
NIGHT ASSAILANT
RED-EYES DARKNESS METAL DRAGON
REDOX, DRAGON RULER OF BOULDERS
RESCUE RABBIT
TEMPEST, DRAGON RULER OF STORMS
THUNDER KING RAI-OH
TIDAL, DRAGON RULER OF WATERFALLS
WIND-UP MAGICIAN
EVIGISHKI GUSTKRAKEN
EVIGISHKI MIND AUGUS
DEWLOREN, TIGER KING OF THE ICE BARRIER
FORMULA SYNCHRON
LEGENDARY SIX SAMURAI – SHI EN
T.G. HYPER LIBRARIAN
ALLURE OF DARKNESS
BOOK OF MOON
BURIAL FROM A DIFFERENT DIMENSION
CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
DARK HOLE
DIMENSIONAL FISSURE
DIVINE WIND OF MIST VALLEY
FINAL COUNTDOWN
FOOLISH BURIAL
GOLD SARCOPHAGUS
INFERNITY LAUNCHER
LIMITER REMOVAL
MIND CONTROL
MONSTER GATE
ONE DAY OF PEACE
ONE FOR ONE
REINFORCEMENT OF THE ARMY
REKINDLING
ROYAL TRIBUTE
SACRED SWORD OF SEVEN STARS
SPELLBOOK OF FATE
BOTTOMLESS TRAP HOLE
CEASEFIRE
COMPULSORY EVACUATION DEVICE
ERADICATOR EPIDEMIC VIRUS
INFERNITY BARRIER
MACRO COSMOS
MAGICAL EXPLOSION
SOLEMN WARNING
SOUL DRAIN
THE TRANSMIGRATION PROPHECY
TORRENTIAL TRIBUTE
WALL OF REVEALING LIGHT
Semi-Limited (2 copies)
CARD TROOPER
CHAOS SORCERER
LONEFIRE BLOSSOM
NECROFACE
REBORN TENGU
SUMMONER MONK
TRAGOEDIA
ADVANCED RITUAL ART
CHAIN STRIKE
HIERATIC SEAL OF CONVOCATION
REASONING
DIMENSIONAL PRISON
MIRROR FORCE
OJAMA TRIO
Unlimited (3 copies)
ARCHLORD KRISTYA
MEZUKI
PLAGUESPREADER ZOMBIE
T.G. STRIKER
TOUR GUIDE FROM THE UNDERWORLD
CONSTELLAR PTOLEMY M7
FIRE FORMATION – TENKI
MAGICAL STONE EXCAVACTION
PRIMAL SEED
