Yu-Gi-Oh!’s latest banlist update has taken a hammer to the meta-dominating Tearlaments archetype, all but killing its viability in the current meta.
Tearlaments has been a popular archetype since their introduction last October, using tools to dump most of your deck into your graveyard (also known as ‘self-milling’) and triggering your Tearlaments monsters’ effects when they’re sent to the graveyard.
According to the latest official banlist, only one Tearlaments has been completely forbidden: Tearlaments Kitkallos. This Fusion monster is a major engine in the deck, allowing you to search your deck for any other Tearlaments and send it to your hand or the graveyard – making it a combo-enabling, redundancy-building beast of a card.
Meanwhile, Tearlaments Havnis, Tearlaments Merrli, and Tearlaments Scheiren have all been added to the Limited list, meaning you’re only allowed one copy of them in your deck rather than the usual three. As these are three of the four Main Deck Tearlaments that trigger when sent to the graveyard, being forced to only run one of each in your deck severely reduces the effectiveness of self-mill strategies.
Tearlaments may have been hit hard by the bans, but it isn’t the only changes in the latest list. Barrier Statue of the Stormwinds, Artifact Scythe, and Spright Elf have also been forbidden, knocking out some of the top-meta plays. Meanwhile, Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard, Keldo the Sacred Protector, and Mudora the Sword Oracle have all been limited.
There have been some restrictions relaxed as well, though. By far the biggest change is the complete unlimiting of Yata-Garasu, meaning we’ll be seeing three copies of it in decks for the first time in almost 20 years, and potentially putting the infamous Yata-Garasu Lockdown hand destruction deck back on the menu.Destrudo the Lost Dragon’s Frisson, Jet Synchron, Mecha Phantom Beast O-Lion, Servant Of Endymion, True King Lithosagym, the Disaster; and Spyral Resort are all also being unbanned.
Ancient Fairy Dragon isn’t quite as lucky, but will be moving from forbidden to limited on March 10. The rest of these changes will come into effect from February 13, so get your Kashita decks ready, as they’re likely going to be the new top-of-the-class.