Hello Rulers!
Happy New Year! Yes,
we're a little late with the greetings, but this is the first banlist article
of 2026… so we didn't want to miss the opportunity!
With the start of this
new cycle at Force of Will, before we get into the banlist, we wanted to take a
moment to talk a bit about the current state of the game and where we want to
take each format.
Starting with the largest
format, Wanderer, we believe it's at a particularly interesting juncture.
During the time when Wanderer was the only competitive format, we explored
steering it towards longer, less explosive games, aiming to facilitate
coexistence between new and old rulers within the metagame. However, over time,
we've come to understand that this approach caused Wanderer to lose some of its
unique identity.
Wanderer is, by its
very nature, a format where spectacle matters: powerful plays, strong
combinations, and equally impactful responses. Therefore, starting with
Masterpiece Collection 03, we will reinforce this identity through design: we
will create powerful cards, others that are options for building ambitious
decks, and also efficient cards to respond to and defend against that level of
power. This approach doesn't aim for a fast-paced game, but rather to build an
environment where the right decisions, the intelligent use of resources, and
the ability to perform multiple actions one after another, or turn after turn,
make all the difference.
On the other hand, the
work done in recent years shifting the design towards creating a format focused
on strategic building doesn't disappear; it simply fits better in Paradox.
Paradox, then, is consolidated as the format where we want creativity, medium-term
to long-term planning, and card-centric interaction on the field to shine.
Here, cards don't need to be explosive to be important: synergy, consistency,
and knowing when to play each card and use each resource are key, instead of
seeking immediate card impact, as is the case in Wanderer.
This doesn't mean that
tools for punishing or controlling the pace of the game will disappear. Cards
like Velmar's Judgment and Kushiel, Archangel of Punishment represent key
principles of the format: penalizing overextension and encouraging balanced
play management each turn. Similarly, each attribute now has a defined
identity: the Light attribute represents protection and life gain, and the Darkness
attribute, destruction and life loss. The Wind attribute rewards interaction in
the chase, and the Water attribute provides disruption against Wind
interaction. Finally, the Fire attribute retains its explosive nature, adapted
to the format's context. These elements will continue to be an essential part
of Paradox's identity.
As for Arcana Battle
Colosseum, in both its ABC and ABC:D versions, the format is where it should
be: balanced and designed for enjoying a casual multiplayer environment. We've
adjusted the banlist by adding some cards that created unfun situations, and
we'll continue to monitor the situation to ensure the experience is as dynamic
and entertaining as possible.
We also want to
mention something important for the future: the sets will be more defined than
ever. The development direction we're taking for Wanderer, Paradox, and Arcana
Battle Colosseum starting in 2026 is precisely in line with this, aiming to
provide each format with clearer and more consistent tools that align with its
identity. This approach is already evident in Masterpiece Collection 03:
Dimensional Hope, a set primarily designed to enhance Wanderer, but which still
plays a relevant role in Paradox (where the impact of the cards is more
contained) and in ABC, where many cards can be used in different ways thanks to
their multiplayer-oriented effects.
This design approach
will continue in upcoming sets, such as AVL and QSK, where each card and
mechanic will have a clearer role within its respective format.
And without further
ado, here is the new Force of Will update to the Banned List and Combination
Banned List for Wanderer and Paradox!
Effective date: 27/03/2026
·
Wanderer
Banned
o
Return
of Judgment (JRP-000)
No Longer Banned
o
Child
of the Light Moon (NWE-003)
Combination Banned
o
Isis
// Isis, the Hundred Weapon Master (SDV2-011) + Surtr, the Explosion Giant
(DBV-033)
o
Loki
// Loki, the Witch of Chaos (SDV3-011) + Harvesting Season (AOA-091)
o
Chamimi
// Chamimi, Guardian of the Sacred Bow (SDV4-001) + Explore the Unknown
(NDR-064))
No longer in the Combination Banned List
o
Conquerors
of All Dimensions (MP02-112) + Ashwyn, Calamity of Darkest Fires (MP02-114)
o
Shitalkin,
Seer of the Coral District (TEU-025) + Sea Monster's Bioluminescent Eggs
(TEU-080)
Effective date: 27/03/2026
·
Paradox
Banned
o
Child
of the Light Moon (NWE-003)
o
Memory
of Worlds // Recorder of Worlds (TUS-043)
o
Soul
Absorption // The Ethereal King (TUS-082)
o
Spirits
of the Crimson Moon (CMB-011)
o
Lyka,
Stregheria of Beasts // Lyka, Stregheria of the Beast (TTT-016)
o
Fragment
of the Emerald Tablet (TSD1-017, TTT-085)
o
Magic
Stone of Chrysoberyl (TTT-086)
o
Magic
Stone of Remnants (TSD2-016, TTT-087)
o
Magic
Stone of Sympathy (TTT-088)
o
Ruby
of Lycan Blood (TTT-089)
o
Corrupted
Courtesans of the Light Palace (TOP-002)
o
Engraved
Rune of the Setting Sun (DRC-003) (Banned from Sideboards only)
o
Sealed
Glyph of Infinite Loop (DRC-087) (Banned from Rune Decks only)
o
Demon-Seeking
Warlock (DRC-017)
No Longer Banned
o
Dexia's
Advice (TUS-026)
o
Dead
Eye of Astaroth // Dead Eye of Astaroth (TEU-021)
o
King's
Hopeless Scream (CST-087)
o
Zero's
Light Lightning (MP02-003)
o
Zero's
Secret Garden (MP02-004)
o
Glorian
Bond of the Sacred Spirit (MP02-071)
o
Those
who Betrayed Laurite (MP02-091)
o
Hairpin
of the Beastmaster // Hairpin of the Beastmaster (MP02-105)
o
Empty
Vessel of Worlds // Empty Vessel of Worlds (MP02-113)
o
Yggdrasil,
Malefic Verdant Tree (MP02-140)
o
The
Library of Neverending Stories (MP02-149)
Combination Banned
o
Elektra, Armament Apex (CMB-067)
+ Amulet Orb (CMB-092)
o
Kushiel,
Archangel of Punishment (ESD2-008) + First-Class Cook, Larinca // Larinca,
Hungry Demonic Chef (DRC-063)
o
Vacuus,
Member of the Twelve Sacred Knights (T1 Buy a Box) + Eternal Pact with Lilith
(JRV-097)
o
Inanna,
Incorruptible Flower of Descent (JRV-004) + Nomadic Swordsman King, Gilgamesh //
Gilgamesh, Swordsman of the Twelve Swords (JRV-063)
o
Dark
Sword of Asgard, Misteltein // Misteltein, Bearer of Odin's Eye (JRV-075) + Messenger
of Odin (MP03-014)
No longer in the Combination Banned List
o
Refrain,
Resident of Wanderers' Castle (TUS-008) + Reflect, Resident of Wanderers'
Castle (TUS-044)
o
Memory
of Worlds // Recorder of Worlds (TUS-043) + Queen of the Eternal Eclipse,
Giotto Sansta // Giotto Sansta, Conqueror of Protopaterpolis (TEU-007)
o
Hi-Speed
Uppercut Treatment (TSR-068) + Conquerors of All Dimensions (MP02-112)
o
Yggdor,
the Moss Beast (TEU-036) + Chubby Five-Tailed Fox (MP02-136)
o
The
Silver Key of the Labyrinth // The Silver Key of the Labyrinth (TEU-048) +
Zkauba, Magician of the Silver Key (MP02-040)
o
Awakened
Magic Stone, the Earth (MP02-056) + Queen of Velmardia, Matelda // Matelda,
Incarnation of Virtue (ESD2-001)
o
Lyka,
Stregheria of Beasts // Lyka, Stregheria of the Beast (TTT-016) + Rabbit of
Aradia (TTT-022)
o
Lyka,
Tigermorphed (TEU-070J) + Beast Lords of Aradia (TOP-016)
Effective date: 27/03/2026
·
Arcana Battle
Colosseum
Banned
o
Alice's
World (TAT-038)
o
Student
Detective League's Elected Member (TSR-041)
o
Ark's
Gears Grail (CMB-070)
o
The
Fishing Spot of Jiang Ziya (TEU-026)
o
An
Unfavorable Exchange of Wealth (ATD-013)
o
Mirrorblade,
Drifter Sword (JRV-006)
o
Eurydice,
Rebel against Satan (MP03-058)
WANDERER UPDATES
Return of Judgment (JRP-000) & Child of the Light
Moon (NWE-003)
Due to internal changes within the design team, Extension Rule cards have
shifted in their approach since their inception in the middle of Hero Cluster.
The most significant alteration is that Extension Rule cards were initially
conceived as cards that would expand the effects of specific rulers, but
without explicitly linking them to those rulers. Therefore, for some time now,
all Extension Rule cards have had a condition for being used from the start of
the game (and in future reprints, we will correct this for most of the older
ones). However, "Return of Judgment" was designed with a very clear
intention, but with a very ambiguous approach. Instead of directly linking it
to the rulers named on the card itself, or to the Solaristation rulers, it is
written generically. This has created many design problems and has led to it
being the Extension Rule chosen by any deck with two starting rulers,
eliminating what makes those decks unique and creating a generic choice when
selecting rulers in pair: those that can best and least exploit "Return of
Judgment". Its existence diminishes the future ability to create Extension
Rule cards designed to work with certain ruler pairs without leading to the
more logical question: is this card, which grants me specific benefits, better
than the generic benefit provided by "Return of Judgment"? Since
cards that limit design space and, at the same time, limit the diversity of ruler
choices for players are precisely what we don't want in Wanderer, we've
decided that Return of Judgment (JRP-000) is banned.
Similarly, after reducing the Hero Cluster rulers to [Partner](1), we've seen how those rulers have fallen completely out of use, even though they are the rulers that benefit most from two of the game's most powerful mechanics: [Partner] and [Mastery]. Therefore, knowing the level of power we've attributed to Wanderer, we've decided that Child of the Light Moon (NWE-001) is no longer banned. Now, any deck featuring the protagonists of the Hero Cluster will be able to access all Moonchildren, but only one at a time.
Isis // Isis, the Hundred Weapon Master (SDV2-011) +
Surtr, the Explosion Giant (DBV-033)
Loki // Loki, the Witch of Chaos (SDV3-011) +
Harvesting Season (AOA-091)
Chamimi // Chamimi, Guardian of the Sacred Bow
(SDV4-001) + Explore the Unknown (NDR-064)
When we designed MP03, and the entire Evil Cluster in general, we knew that reintroducing runes was a risky move, as they had completely dominated the Wanderer and the now-obsolete New Frontiers metagames in the past. And while rulers with [Divinity] are once again the most popular (as is always the case with anything new), we've noticed that their power level is on par with other decks we boosted during MP01, MP02, and ATD. Given this, the only thing needed to balance the power level of these new rulers was to remove the card that had placed them so far above them on the power scale. With this in mind, we've decided to add these rare card combinations to the Forbidden Combinations list.
Conquerors of All Dimensions (MP02-112) + Ashwyn,
Calamity of Darkest Fires (MP02-114)
Shitalkin, Seer of the Coral District (TEU-025) + Sea
Monster's Bioluminescent Eggs (TEU-080)
Similarly, when new sets advance the metagame and significantly alter its
state, certain combinations or bans become irrelevant or unnecessary. We know
these two combinations are very powerful, but we believe that since the
Wanderer metagame revolves around spectacular plays, they deserve to share the
space with the new sets that appear alongside MP03. Therefore, we consider
these two combination bans no longer necessary.
PARADOX UPDATES
