Yu-Gi-Oh! Grand Format (updated to FOTB)

[dragon_chairman]

This is the Grand Format Update to Force of the Breaker (FOTB)

READ THIS FIRST

For people seeing this Format series for the first time, a research project was initiated on June 15 of 2006 by a man named Johnny Tek to construct a card restriction format that would accurately recreate the kind of game play seen in the fiction of Yu-Gi-Oh!
Three months later Grand Format (Updated to POTD) was released as a third-level restriction system designed for experienced players in special exhibition tournaments or casual play. The format has been and will be updated with every booster pack release.

Please keep in mind that this Format is NOT meant to replace the Advanced Format and is NOT going to be used for official open-play tournaments anytime soon. It is designed for high-level special exhibition tournaments for which players have to receive special invitations to compete. (Though some tournament organizers may also be using it for unofficial local tournaments, which tend to be relatively small and manageable.)

For any player questioning the logic of the format, please read the Grand Format Deck-Building Guide version 2.0 before continuing.


Changes in this update from the STON update include the following:

1. "Slyfer the Sky Dragon" (Forbidden) – The spelling has been fixed.
2. "Last Turn" (Condition-Limited) – removed "Royal Oppression", added "Vanity’s Ruler"
3. "Exchange of the Spirit" (Condition-Limited) – added "Monster Gate" and "Reasoning"
4. "Cyber Stein" – moved from Limited Cards to Condition-Limited Cards
5. "Stealth Bird" – added to Condition-Limited Cards
6. The following cards have been added to Limited Cards: "Sky Scourge Enrise", "Sky Scourge Worleras"
7. The following cards have been added to Semi-Limited Cards: "Exploder Dragon", "Radiant Mirror Force", "Raiza the Storm Monarch", "Sky Scourge Invicil", "Terrible Deal"

Novice Grand Format players are advised to read the Deck-Building Guide version 2.0 before making their Decks and Side Decks.


Grand Format Deck Building Guide Version 2.0

Chapter 1 – The Trials of Transition

The biggest mistake that a player usually makes when taking a look at Grand Format is treating it as another version of the Advanced Format. In reality, the two Formats are worlds apart on a fundamental level.
The Advanced Format mindset is for a player to make a look over of the restricted cards with an understanding that one section is for banned cards, one section is for 1 copy cards, and one section is for two copy cards. In Grand Format however, each section of the restricted cards list other than Forbidden Cards has special instructions that are not present in Advanced Format.
The second biggest mistake that a player usually makes is trying to take on every section at once. In order to use the format, a player must have patience and go over each section one at a time.
The third biggest mistake that a player usually makes is not reading the instructions at the top of the first page. This mistake is self-explanatory once a player goes back and actually reads the instructions.
The fourth biggest mistake that a player usually makes is assuming that the Grand Format is too hard for anyone to make heads or tails of. This is only if a player doesn’t READ THE INSTRUCTIONS and also realize that each section of the restriction list is in ALPHABETICAL ORDER. (~except for non-romanic translations such as Japanese~)
Quite often players can not understand the logic of certain cards being placed in certain sections of the restriction list. In order to see the reasoning behind the list, one must first understand that the special rules and restrictions that set Grand Format apart from Advanced Format have a profound effect on the strengths and weaknesses of many cards in the game.
By restricting the total number of destructive cards such as Heavy Storm or Lightning Vortex as well as the number of copies, (3 Limited Cards, 5 Semi-Limited Cards) the entire metagame is changed.
With the absence of Decks stacked with card effects that destroy other cards, strategies that focus around the use of Two-Tribute Summons, Fusion Summons, Ritual Summons, Special Condition Summons, Equip Spell Cards, Continuous Spell Cards, Continuous Trap Cards, and Field Spell Cards become much more relevant towards achieving victory. (The cards will stay on the field long enough to make a difference much more often.)
The absence of field removal also increases the number of actual monster battles where ATK and DEF become a game-deciding issue. Players are thus able to take more risks with card combinations that require giving the opponent a card number advantage. During testing, players were able to use two-Tribute Summons, Fusion Summons, and Equip Spell Cards without worrying every time about running into a "Sakuretsu Armor" or getting "Fissured" the next turn.
In order to give Ritual Summons a truly competitive boost, the act of Ritual Summoning has been redefined as Special Summoning the Ritual Monster from the hand, Deck, or Graveyard instead of just the hand. This allows players to effectively "splash" Ritual Monster strategies into their competitive Decks and makes cards such as Relinquished and Shinato, King of a Higher Plane powerful enough to warrant restriction, especially with the lack of field removal.

Chapter 2 – Building the Deck

Step 1 – Read the instructions at the top of the first page under the title of the format. These instructions will tell you about the four different sections, the Ritual Summon amendment, and the ability to Normal Summon in face-up Defense Position.
Step 2 – Look at the Forbidden Cards and make sure none of the cards you’ll be using is a Forbidden Card.
Step 3 – Read the instructions for the Condition-Limited Cards. Remember that you can only use 1 of the Condition-Limited Cards and decide now if you want to use a Condition-Limited Card. If you choose to use a Condition-Limited Card, you must then read its prerequisite condition for use. For example, "Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning" has the condition that you can’t use any Limited Cards in your Deck and Side Deck combined. That means every card in the Limited Cards section becomes off-limits if you use a copy of "Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning" in your Deck and Side Deck combined.
Every Condition-Limited Card has a maximum number of copies that can be used if the prerequisite condition for the card has been fulfilled. No copies of the card can be used if the prerequisite condition for the card has not been fulfilled.
Step 4 – If your choice in Step 3 does not prevent you from using Limited Cards, then proceed to choose which Limited Cards you will be using in your Deck and Side Deck combined. Since you can only use up to 3 Limited Cards total, choose wisely because different Limited Cards work better in different strategies. An example of Limited Card selection is provided in the instructions for Limited Cards.
Step 5 – The approach in choosing Semi-Limited Cards is about the same as Limited Cards except that up to 2 copies of a Semi-Limited Card and a total of 5 Semi-Limited Cards may be used. Some people misinterpret this so please look at the examples given in the instructions for Semi-Limited Cards before continuing.
Step 6 – Now you must construct the rest of your Deck and Side Deck combined. This is the part that can turn away a non-dedicated duelist because it is tedious. Every card that you add has to be checked so that it is not a Condition-Limited, Limited, or Semi-Limited Card. Since the restriction list is in alphabetical order, this part shouldn’t be very hard.
The simple way to do this especially if it is your first time is to first pick out the 32 more or less cards you need to add to your Deck (and/or the cards for your Side Deck) and then check them off one-by-one. Remember that many of the cards that are on the restriction list are field removal cards such as Fissure or Mobius the Frost Monarch.
Step 7 – After completing Deck construction, make an overview of your strategy configuration and ask yourself how well the cards you have chosen work in combination with each other. If you then choose to replace certain cards, don’t forget to check off the replacement cards with the restriction list so that you don’t wind up with an illegal Deck configuration.
Step 8 – It’s now time to play-test your Deck. Remember that the Grand Format metagame is profoundly different from the Advanced Format metagame so the only true play-test for a Grand Format Deck is against another Grand Format Deck. Players will find that winning against a truly skilled player takes much more thinking in Grand Format than in the two other Formats. And so any duelist who claims to be a good player will have to prove it by taking on the challenge of Grand Format.


Yu-Gi-Oh! – Grand Format (Updated to Force of the Breaker)
Written by Johnny Tek
Special thanks go to all the players and judges who contributed data and feedback during the development of this format.

READ THIS FIRST
***The restricted card list is divided into 4 sections: Forbidden Cards, Condition-Limited Cards, Limited Cards, and Semi-Limited Cards. Please read the instructions for each section carefully.
***Ritual Monsters can be Ritual Summoned (using the appropriate Ritual Spell Card) from the hand, Deck, or Graveyard. Although you may Tribute a Ritual Monster to Ritual Summon a different Ritual Monster Card of the same name, you may not Tribute a Ritual Monster to Ritual Summon the exact same copy of itself.
***Monsters can be Normal Summoned in face-up Defense Position as well as Attack Position.

*Forbidden Cards* –You cannot use these cards in your Deck and Side Deck combined

Obelisk the Tormentor
Slyfer the Sky Dragon
The Winged Dragon of Ra

*Condition-Limited Cards* – Copies of 1 and only 1 card from the Condition-Limited Cards can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. You can not use any copies of a Condition-Limited Card if the prerequisite conditions for the card are not fulfilled. You can not partially fulfill a condition to partially use the maximum number of copies of a Condition-Limited Card.

*****Apprentice Magician ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Every monster in the Deck and Side Deck combined must be a Spellcaster-Type monster.
*****Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Black Ptera ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: "Ultimate Offering" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Butterfly Dagger - Elma ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: "Gearfried the Iron Knight" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Crush Card Virus ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: No more than 3 DARK monsters can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. In addition, "DNA Transplant" and "Homunculus the Alchemic Being" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Cyber Dragon ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Cyber Stein ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: No more than 1 Limited Card can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. In addition, "Limiter Removal" and "Megamorph" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Dark Hole ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Deck Devastation Virus ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: No more than 3 DARK monsters can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. In addition, "DNA Transplant" and "Homunculus the Alchemic Being" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Exchange of the Spirit ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: "Advanced Ritual Art", "Fiend Comedian", "Future Fusion", "Heart of the Underdog", "Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer", "Magical Merchant", "Monster Gate", "Morphing Jar", "Reasoning" and "White Horned Dragon" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Exodia the Forbidden One ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Semi-Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. In addition, "Backup Soldier", "Different Dimension Capsule", "Emissary of the Afterlife", "Last Will", "Magician of Faith", and "Mask of Darkness" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Fiber Jar ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Final Countdown ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 8 ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: "Jinzo" and "Royal Decree" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Imperial Order ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: No more than 1 Limited Card can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Last Turn ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: "Barrier Statue of the Abyss", "Barrier Statue of the Drought", "Barrier Statue of the Heavens", "Barrier Statue of the Inferno", "Barrier Statue of the Stormwinds", "Barrier Statue of the Torrent", "Guard Dog", "Jowgen the Spiritualist", "Vanity’s Fiend", and "Vanity’s Ruler" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Magical Scientist ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. In addition, "Catapult Turtle" and "Ectoplasmer" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Manticore of Darkness ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: "Card of Safe Return" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Mirage of Nightmare ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: No more than 1 Limited Card can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. In addition, "Dark World" monsters, "Forced Requisition", and "Peten the Dark Clown" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Night Assailant ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Semi-Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Painful Choice ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Protector of the Sanctuary ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: "Card Destruction" and "Morphing Jar" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Raigeki ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Red Gadget ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Semi-Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. In addition, "Ultimate Offering" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Stealth Bird ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: No more than 2 Semi-Limited Cards can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Treeborn Frog ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: No more than 2 Semi-Limited Cards can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Tsukuyomi ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Flip Effect Monsters can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. In addition, "Nightmare Penguin" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Twin-Headed Behemoth ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: No more than 4 Semi-Limited Cards can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Victory Dragon ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Every monster in the Deck and Side Deck combined must be a Dragon-Type monster. In addition, "DNA Surgery" can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Wall of Revealing Light ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.
*****Warrior Lady of the Wasteland ***** Maximum # of Copies: 3
Prerequisite Condition: Every monster in the Deck and Side Deck combined must be a Warrior-Type monster.
*****Yata-Garasu ***** Maximum # of Copies: 1
Prerequisite Condition: Limited Cards can not be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined.




*Limited Cards* – Only 1 copy of each card can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. Only up to 3 cards total in the Deck and Side Deck combined may be Limited Cards. (Ex. 1 Call of the Haunted + 1 Gravity Bind + 1 Ring of Destruction = Maximum Total of 3 Limited Cards)

Advanced Ritual Art
Call of the Haunted
Card Destruction
Change of Heart
Chaos Sorceror
Contract with the Abyss
Cyber Jar
D. D. Borderline
Dark Master – Zork
Delinquent Duo
Demise, King of Armageddon
Earth Chant
Fairy Box
Graceful Charity
Gravity Bind
Guardian Sphinx
Harpie’s Feather Duster
Heart of Clear Water
Heavy Storm
Jinzo
Last Will
Level Limit – Area B
Limiter Removal
Magician of Faith
Mask of Darkness
Messenger of Peace
Mirror Force
Mist Body
Monster Reborn
Morphing Jar
Morphing Jar #2
Ordeal of a Traveler
Pot of Avarice
Pot of Greed
Premature Burial
Reasoning
Relinquished
Return from the Different Dimension
Ring of Destruction
Royal Decree
Sinister Serpent
Sky Scourge Enrise
Sky Scourge Worleras
Skill Drain
Snatch Steal
Spell Canceller
Spirit Barrier
Stumbling
Swords of Revealing Light
The Dark Door
Torrential Tribute
Tribe-Infecting Virus
United We Stand





*Semi-Limited Cards* – Only up to 2 copies of each card can be used in the Deck and Side Deck combined. Only up to 5 cards total in the Deck and Side Deck combined may be Semi-Limited Cards.
(Ex. 2 Acid Trap Hole + 2 Fissure + 1 Creature Swap)
(Ex. 2 Drop Off + 1 Hammer Shot + 1 Magic Drain + 1 Time Seal)
(Ex. 1 Command Knight + 1 D. D. Warrior + 1 Magical Merchant + 1 Shrink + 1 Yomi Ship)

Acid Trap Hole
Airknight Parshath
Ancient Lamp
Asura Priest
Autonomous Action Unit
Blowback Dragon
Book of Moon
Bottomless Shifting Sand
Bottomless Trap Hole
Brain Control
Breaker the Magical Warrior
Call of the Mummy
Ceasefire
Chiron the Mage
Command Knight
Compulsory Evacuation Device
Confiscation
Creature Swap
Cyber Gymnast
D. D. Assailant
D. D. Survivor
D. D. Warrior
D. D. Warrior Lady
Dark Catapulter
Dark Magician of Chaos
Dark Master - Zorc
Dark Necrofear
Des Lacooda
Dimension Fusion
Doom Dozer
Dragon’s Mirror
Drop Off
Dust Tornado
Elemental Hero Stratos
Enemy Controller
Exiled Force
Exploder Dragon
Fissure
Flying Kamakiri #1
Future Fusion
Giant Rat
Giant Trunade
Grand Convergence
Granmarg the Rock Monarch
Gren, Tactician of Dark World
Hammer Shot
Hand of Nepthys
Heart of the Underdog
Howling Insect
Hyper Hammerhead
Injection Fairy Lily
Instant Fusion
Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu
Justi-Break
Kahkki, Guerilla of Dark World
Kelbek
Lava Golem
Legendary Jiujitsu Master
Lightning Vortex
Mage Power
Magic Cylinder
Magic Drain
Magical Arm Shield
Magical Merchant
Makyura the Destructor
Man Eater Bug
Marauding Captain
Masked Dragon
Mausoleum of the Emperor
Medusa Worm
Metamorphosis
Mirror Wall
Mobius the Frost Monarch
Mother Grizzly
Mysterious Guard
Mystic Tomato
Mystical Space Typhoon
Needle Ceiling
Negate Attack
Neo-Spacian Grand Mole
Newdoria
Nightmare’s Steel Cage
Ninjitsu Art of Decoy
Nobleman of Crossout
Old Vindictive Magician
Overload Fusion
Penguin Soldier
Pyramid Turtle
Radiant Mirror Force
Raigeki Break
Raiza the Storm Monarch
Rivalry of Warlords
Robbin Goblin
Ruin, Queen of Oblivion
Sakuretsu Armor
Sangan
Scapegoat
Seven Tools of the Bandit
Shinato, King of a Higher Plane
Shining Angel
Shrink
Sky Scourge Invicil
Smashing Ground
Snipe Hunter
Solemn Judgement
Spirit Reaper
Swarm of Locusts
Swarm of Scarabs
Swords of Concealing Light
Terrible Deal
The Forceful Sentry
Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch
Threatening Roar
Thunder of Ruler
Time Seal
Trap Hole
UFO Turtle
UFOroid
Waboku
Wall of Illusion
Wave Motion Cannon
Widespread Ruin
Windstorm of Etaqua
Witch of the Black Forest
Yomi Ship
Zaborg the Thunder Monarch
Zero Gravity