Current TCG Banlist – May 17, 2022
Almost all tournaments follows the Advanced format, which has many forbidden and limited cards. Forbidden cards are not allowed anywhere near your deck. Limited cards are those that you can only have one of in your deck and Semi-Limited are those that you can only have two of in your deck, instead of the usual three.
Cards are banned in order to keep the game interesting. Without these lists, tournament matches will just be a game of luck: whoever draws the super powerful card first will win. In some cases, if both players get a strong starting hand, it might even be whoever goes first wins. This is no fun for players and observers. Instead, the banlist forces players to be creative and to strategize while playing, which keeps the game interesting in the long run.
There is also the Traditional format of Duel Monsters, which has no forbidden cards. Those that are forbidden are considered to be limited instead under the Traditional format. If you are playing with your friends, be sure that you all agree on which ruleset you are following in order to prevent arguments later on!
UPDATED: 05/17/2022
- Cards that are “Forbidden” cannot be used in your Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
- You can only have 1 copy maximum of a “Limited” card in your Main Deck, Extra Deck, and Side Deck combined.
- You can only have 2 copies maximum of a “Semi-limited” card in your Main Deck, Extra Deck, and Side Deck combined.
This list also applies to Europe, Latin America, Middle East, South Africa, and Oceania regions.
FORBIDDEN & LIMITED LISTS
The next update will be in a few months.
The previous (February 7, 2022) list will remain in effect until May 17, 2022.
| Card Type | Card Name | Advanced Format | Traditional Format | Remarks |
| Monster/Effect | ARCHNEMESES PROTOS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | BLACKWING – GOFU THE VAGUE SHADOW | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | BLACKWING – STEAM THE CLOAK | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | BLASTER, DRAGON RULER OF INFERNOS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | BLOCK DRAGON | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | CYBER JAR | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | DANDYLION | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | DJINN RELEASER OF RITUALS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | ECLIPSE WYVERN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | EVA | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | FIBER JAR | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | FISHBORG BLASTER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | GLOW-UP BULB | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | GRINDER GOLEM | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | LEVEL EATER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | MAGICAL SCIENTIST | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | MAJESPECTER UNICORN – KIRIN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | MASTER PEACE, THE TRUE DRACOSLAYING KING | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | MAXX “C” | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | MECHA PHANTOM BEAST O-LION | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | MIND MASTER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | ORCUST HARP HORROR | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | PERFORMAGE PLUSHFIRE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | PHOENIXIAN CLUSTER AMARYLLIS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | REDOX, DRAGON RULER OF BOULDERS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | SAMSARA LOTUS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | SPYRAL MASTER PLAN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | SUBSTITOAD | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | THE TYRANT NEPTUNE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | TIDAL, DRAGON RULER OF WATERFALLS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Effect | VICTORY DRAGON | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Fusion | ELDER ENTITY NORDEN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Fusion | SUPREME KING DRAGON STARVING VENOM | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Fusion | THUNDER DRAGON COLOSSUS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | GUARDRAGON AGARPAIN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | GUARDRAGON ELPY | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | HEAVYMETALFOES ELECTRUMITE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | KNIGHTMARE GOBLIN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | KNIGHTMARE MERMAID | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | LINKROSS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | MECHA PHANTOM BEAST AURORADON | Forbidden | Limited | New |
| Monster/Link | PRANK-KIDS MEOW-MEOW-MU | Forbidden | Limited | Was Limited |
| Monster/Link | PREDAPLANT VERTE ANACONDA | Forbidden | Limited | New |
| Monster/Link | SIMORGH, BIRD OF SOVEREIGNTY | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | SUMMON SORCERESS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | TOPOLOGIC GUMBLAR DRAGON | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Link | UNION CARRIER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Synchro | ANCIENT FAIRY DRAGON | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Synchro | DENGLONG, FIRST OF THE YANG ZING | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Synchro | IB THE WORLD CHALICE JUSTICIAR | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Synchro | TEMPEST MAGICIAN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | LAVALVAL CHAIN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | M-X-SABER INVOKER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | NUMBER 16: SHOCK MASTER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | NUMBER 42: GALAXY TOMAHAWK | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | NUMBER 86: HEROIC CHAMPION – RHONGOMYNIAD | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | NUMBER 95: GALAXY-EYES DARK MATTER DRAGON | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | NUMBER S0: UTOPIC ZEXAL | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | OUTER ENTITY AZATHOT | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | TELLARKNIGHT PTOLEMAEUS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | TRUE KING OF ALL CALAMITIES | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | WIND-UP CARRIER ZENMAITY | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | ZOODIAC BROADBULL | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | ZOODIAC DRIDENT | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | BRILLIANT FUSION | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | BUTTERFLY DAGGER – ELMA | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | CARD OF SAFE RETURN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | CHICKEN GAME | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | COLD WAVE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | CONFISCATION | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | DELINQUENT DUO | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | DIMENSION FUSION | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | GIANT TRUNADE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | GRACEFUL CHARITY | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | HEAVY STORM | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | KAISER COLOSSEUM | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | LAST WILL | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | MASS DRIVER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | METAMORPHOSIS | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | MIRAGE OF NIGHTMARE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | PAINFUL CHOICE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | POT OF GREED | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | PREMATURE BURIAL | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | SMOKE GRENADE OF THE THIEF | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | SNATCH STEAL | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | SOUL CHARGE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | SPELLBOOK OF JUDGMENT | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | THAT GRASS LOOKS GREENER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | THE FORCEFUL SENTRY | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Spell | ZOODIAC BARRAGE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | IMPERIAL ORDER | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | LAST TURN | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | RETURN FROM THE DIFFERENT DIMENSION | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | ROYAL OPPRESSION | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | SELF-DESTRUCT BUTTON | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | SIXTH SENSE | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | TRAP DUSTSHOOT | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | ULTIMATE OFFERING | Forbidden | Limited | |
| Trap | VANITY’S EMPTINESS | Forbidden | Limited |
| Card Type | Card Name | Advanced Format | Traditional Format | Remarks |
| Monster | LEFT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE | Limited | ||
| Monster | LEFT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE | Limited | ||
| Monster | RIGHT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE | Limited | ||
| Monster | RIGHT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | ARMAGEDDON KNIGHT | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | ASTROGRAPH SORCERER | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | BLACK DRAGON COLLAPSERPENT | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | CYBER-STEIN | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | DANGER!? JACKALOPE? | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | DANGER!? TSUCHINOKO? | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | DARK GREPHER | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | DESTRUDO THE LOST DRAGON’S FRISSON | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | DINOWRESTLER PANKRATOPS | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | EXODIA THE FORBIDDEN ONE | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | FAIRY TAIL – SNOW | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | GENEX ALLY BIRDMAN | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | INFERNITY ARCHFIEND | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | JET SYNCHRON | Limited | Was Forbidden | |
| Monster/Effect | LUNALIGHT TIGER | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | MISCELLANEOUSAURUS | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | MORPHING JAR | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | PERFORMAPAL MONKEYBOARD | Limited | Was Forbidden | |
| Monster/Effect | PHANTOM SKYBLASTER | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | RED ROSE DRAGON | Limited | New | |
| Monster/Effect | SALAMANGREAT GAZELLE | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | SERVANT OF ENDYMION | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | SPEEDROID TERRORTOP | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | SPYRAL QUIK-FIX | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | TEMPEST, DRAGON RULER OF STORMS | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | TRUE KING LITHOSAGYM, THE DISASTER | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | WHITE DRAGON WYVERBURSTER | Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | YATA-GARASU | Limited | Was Forbidden | |
| Monster/Effect | ZOODIAC RATPIER | Limited | ||
| Monster/Fusion | GEM-KNIGHT MASTER DIAMOND | Limited | ||
| Monster/Link | CRYSTRON HALQIFIBRAX | Limited | New | |
| Monster/Link | STRIKER DRAGON | Limited | ||
| Monster/Synchro | PSY-FRAMELORD OMEGA | Limited | ||
| Monster/Synchro | SHOOTING RISER DRAGON | Limited | New | |
| Monster/Synchro | T.G. HYPER LIBRARIAN | Limited | ||
| Monster/Xyz | BEATRICE, LADY OF THE ETERNAL | Limited | ||
| Monster/Xyz | DAIGUSTO EMERAL | Limited | ||
| Monster/Xyz | LYRILUSC – RECITAL STARLING | Limited | ||
| Spell | CALLED BY THE GRAVE | Limited | ||
| Spell | CARD DESTRUCTION | Limited | ||
| Spell | CARD OF DEMISE | Limited | ||
| Spell | CHAIN STRIKE | Limited | ||
| Spell | CHANGE OF HEART | Limited | Was Forbidden | |
| Spell | DIMENSIONAL FISSURE | Limited | ||
| Spell | DIVINE WIND OF MIST VALLEY | Limited | ||
| Spell | DRACO FACE‐OFF | Limited | ||
| Spell | DRAGONIC DIAGRAM | Limited | ||
| Spell | FINAL COUNTDOWN | Limited | ||
| Spell | FOOLISH BURIAL | Limited | ||
| Spell | GATEWAY OF THE SIX | Limited | ||
| Spell | GOLD SARCOPHAGUS | Limited | ||
| Spell | HARPIE’S FEATHER DUSTER | Limited | ||
| Spell | INFERNITY LAUNCHER | Limited | ||
| Spell | INSTANT FUSION | Limited | ||
| Spell | INTO THE VOID | Limited | ||
| Spell | MAGICAL MID-BREAKER FIELD | Limited | ||
| Spell | MIND CONTROL | Limited | ||
| Spell | MONSTER GATE | Limited | ||
| Spell | MONSTER REBORN | Limited | ||
| Spell | ONE DAY OF PEACE | Limited | ||
| Spell | ONE FOR ONE | Limited | ||
| Spell | REASONING | Limited | ||
| Spell | REINFORCEMENT OF THE ARMY | Limited | ||
| Spell | SEKKA’S LIGHT | Limited | ||
| Spell | SET ROTATION | Limited | ||
| Spell | SKY STRIKER MECHA – HORNET DRONES | Limited | ||
| Spell | SKY STRIKER MECHA MODULES – MULTIROLE | Limited | ||
| Spell | SKY STRIKER MOBILIZE – ENGAGE! | Limited | ||
| Spell | SLASH DRAW | Limited | ||
| Spell | SPYRAL RESORT | Limited | ||
| Spell | TERRAFORMING | Limited | ||
| Spell | UPSTART GOBLIN | Limited | ||
| Trap | MACRO COSMOS | Limited | ||
| Trap | MAGICAL EXPLOSION | Limited | ||
| Trap | METAVERSE | Limited | ||
| Trap | RED REBOOT | Limited | ||
| Trap | TIME SEAL | Limited | Was Forbidden | |
| Card Type | Card Name | Advanced Format | Traditional Format | Remarks |
| Monster/Effect | DESTINY HERO – MALICIOUS | Semi-Limited | ||
| Monster/Effect | DINOMIGHT KNIGHT, THE TRUE DRACOFIGHTER | Semi-Limited | Was Limited | |
| Monster/Ritual | CYBER ANGEL BENTEN | Semi-Limited | Was Limited | |
| Spell | FIRE FORMATION – TENKI | Semi-Limited | Was Limited | |
| Spell | FUSION DESTINY | Semi-Limited | ||
| Spell | NADIR SERVANT | Semi-Limited | ||
| Spell | POT OF DESIRES | Semi-Limited | Was Limited | |
| Spell | TRICKSTAR LIGHT STAGE | Semi-Limited | Was Limited | |
| Trap | WALL OF REVEALING LIGHT | Semi-Limited | Was Limited | |
| Card Type | Card Name | Advanced Format | Traditional Format | Remarks |
| Monster/Effect | NIGHT ASSAILANT | No Longer On List | Was Limited | |
| Monster/Synchro | TRISHULA, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER | No Longer On List | Was Limited | |
| Monster/Xyz | SALAMANGREAT MIRAGESTALLIO | No Longer On List | Was Limited | |
| Spell | A HERO LIVES | No Longer On List | Was Semi-Limited | |
| Spell | SALAMANGREAT CIRCLE | No Longer On List | Was Semi-Limited | |
| Spell | SCAPEGOAT | No Longer On List | Was Semi-Limited | |
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