All of the following ban list updates below are effective immediately.
345 Format
Two cards have been added to the ban list for the 345 Format: Dewgong LOR 34 and Machamp LOR 88.
Eternal Format
Two cards have been added to the ban list for the Eternal Format: Lost Blender LOT 181 and Green’s Exploration UNB 175.
The Alternate Format Hall of Fame page has been updated with the results of the September 2nd Quick Draw (BCR, ROS, SLG, UPR, VIV) format tournament.
The tournament's results were as follows:
Bunnybird12 - Togekiss VMAX
Twitchy - Galarian Darmanitan VMAX
JustInBasil - Zoroark-GX / Garchomp
Click here to visit the updated Alternate Format Hall of Fame page and join us next month on October 7th for the 345 tournament!
A breakdown of the deck segments in the Sword & Shield—Lost Origin Built & Battle Box is now available. You can review the contents in Appendix V of the deck building guide, Pre-release Deck Building.
Click here to see what’s in store for you at Lost Origin pre-releases!
To simplify the ruleset for the 345 format, the damage multiplier rule and its wording have been cut from the format’s description. Although the format will continue to (effectively) use this rule, Pokémon that would have been removed from the format by way of this rule will now instead show up on the format’s ban list.
This means that the following Pokémon now appear on the format’s ban list (they were already not legal before this, because of the multiplier rule):
For the sake of reference, the original multiplier rule follows below:
A Pokémon’s printed attack damage multipliers must not exceed the following, unless there is a cap on the damage:
20x on a Basic Pokémon
30x on a Stage 1 Pokémon
40x on a Stage 2 Pokémon
An attack’s damage is considered not to have a cap if it is possible for a player to apply the attack’s damage multiplier more than four times, with two exceptions:
The requirement of a coin flip or coin flips does count as a cap for the purpose of this rule. Example: Eevee FST 205’s Continuous Steps attack.
Scaling damage that is dependent on your opponent or your opponent’s board does count as a cap for the purpose of this rule. Example: Starmie BRS 55’s Psychic attack.
Examples:
This means, for example, that Simisear FST 38 is legal because even though its multiplier is 60x, its damage output is capped at 120.
This means that Morpeko FST 179 is not legal because, with the aid of an HP-increasing tool or Abomasnow CRE 10’s Toughness Boost ability, it is quite easy to put more than 4 damage counters on Morpeko to get past 4x the multiplier.
This also means that Eiscue BRS 44 is legal because, although its multiplier is 40x, its damage is output is capped at 160 (because you can’t have more than 4 Fusion Strike Energy in your deck).
This also means that Malamar CRE 70 is not legal, because as a Stage 1 its multiplier is 40x and there is effectively no cap on its damage output. (It is not at all unreasonable to get to 5 or more Rapid Strike cards in hand for its Rapid Strike Tentacles attack.)
Ten cards have been added to and two cards have been removed from the ban list for the Eternal Format, effective immediately. Please review the full ban list for the Eternal format and keep these bans in mind when constructing your deck for August 20th’s Eternal format tournament.
This brings the total number of cards banned in the format to 126.
Removed from Ban List
The Alternate Format Hall of Fame page has been updated with the results of the August 5th Eternal format tournament.
The tournament's results were as follows:
Guil - Rapid Strike Urshifu VMAX
Sleight - Arceus VSTAR Control
David Hochmann - Shock Lock
CursolaTCG - Celebi Mill
Click here to visit the updated Alternate Format Hall of Fame page and join us next month on August 5th for the Eternal tournament!
All of the following ban list updates are effective immediately.
Two cards have been added to the ban list for the 345 format: Slowbro PGO 20 and Ambipom PGO 57.
Additionally, two cards have been added to the ban list for the Eternal format and one card has been removed from the format’s ban list.
The following cards are now banned in the Eternal format:
Note that because the Black Star Promo 20 version of Psyduck is a reprint of the Psyduck from Fossil, it is also banned by that card’s ban.
The following card is no longer banned in the Eternal format:
Note that this card, like other cards with newer prints, must be played with the newest text printed on any card of the same name. In this case, Pokémon Center’s newest print comes from Black & White—Next Destinies and the Base Set version of the card (and all prints prior to that Next Destinies print) must be played with the newest text.
The 17 cards below have been added to the ban list for the Eternal Format, effective immediately. Please review the full ban list for the Eternal format and keep these bans in mind when constructing your deck for August 5th’s Eternal format tournament.
- Blaine's Quiz #1 G1 97
- Blaine's Quiz #2 G2 111
- Blaine's Quiz #3 G2 112
- Chatot G SV 54
- Gambler FO 60
- Garchomp & Giratina-GX UNM 146
- Honchkrow-GX UNB 109
- Kecleon RR 67
- Lusamine CIN 96
- Magnezone PLS 46
- Mr. Fuji FO 58
- Murkrow SW 95
- Rocket's Sneak Attack TR 72
- Shuckle HGSS15
- Spiritomb AR 32
- Swoop! Teleporter TRR 92
- Team Galactic's Invention G-105 Poké Turn PL 118
This ban list update brings the total number of banned cards in the Eternal format to 117. Please be aware that these bans may have a ripple effect on the format and may cause some shifts that will warrant additional bans—or unbans—in the future. Eternal is a new format with an absolutely enormous card pool, and its ban list will need a little while longer to get out of its teething phase.
The Alternate Format Hall of Fame page has been updated with the results of the July 8th Eternal format tournament.
The tournament's results were as follows:
Mysterious Player - Ultra Necrozma CEC
Sleight - Sylveon VMAX
Willyazaa - Sylveon VMAX
Jake Gearhart - Holon Circle Lock
Click here to visit the updated Alternate Format Hall of Fame page and join us next month on August 5th for the Eternal tournament!