Hello Rulers!
As with every set release, we have a new update to the Banned List and the Combination Banned List, this time for both Wanderer and Paradox. But before we get into the details, we, the Development Team, want to share a few thoughts.
With the release of Ten Oaths of Protopaterpolis' War, not only does the Trinity Cluster conclude, but we also bid farewell to the Reworking Protocol. The RWP project began in response to community requests to reduce the size of the Banned List, as you were concerned about its ever-increasing numbers. This increase began when we decided to make Wanderer the main competitive format, since when a non-rotating format comes to the forefront of a TCG's competitive metagame, it requires a very aggressive Banned List, so as not to permanently stagnate the metagame, as is usual in non-rotating formats.
Then, like a trickle, the RWP arrived. We first tested with one, two, and even three cards per set. Given the positive response, we decided to increase the pace of the RWP to keep up with the Banned List update rate.
The goal of the RWP was always very specific: to reduce the size of the Banned List and make as many banned cards as possible playable again, obviously not at the same power level, and therefore not at the same competitive level.
And this goal has been achieved. The maximum size of Wanderer's Banned List was 49 cards. As of today, after implementing the changes we're making today, Wanderer's Banned List has been reduced to 25 cards. The change is substantial: instead of increasing from 49 to over 100 cards, Wanderer's Banned List has been cut in half. And the same happened in the Wanderer's Combination Banned List: the maximum size of Wanderer's Combination Banned List was 34 cards. After implementing the changes we're making today, Wanderer's Combination Banned List has been reduced to 19 cards. And, for us, both results are a success.
However, we know that not all RWP cards have been received with the same enthusiasm. We've received very diverse feedback about the RWP: from new and veteran players who were happy to enjoy as many cards as possible, to long-time players who wanted to preserve the legacy of older cards. We're grateful for all the feedback and constructive criticism we've received. We work hard every day to provide you with the best possible gaming experience. While it may not always be to everyone's liking, it's always what the game itself requires.
Since we now have a rotating format, the Wanderer's Banned List won't grow exponentially with each set's release, so there's no need to take steps to prevent it from becoming too large. We might use RWP again in the future on a very, very limited basis, but it's not planned to do so in the near future. We're already working on the cluster post-Devil* Cluster, and we haven't used the RWP in any of the sets in the Devil Cluster. And, as you'll see, not all cards marked with (RWP) have been updated, as we previously announced. We've decided not to apply any changes to some cards and they will permanently remain banned.
So today marks the end of a phase: RWP is over. Thank you for supporting Force of Will. We'll continue to improve the game as much as possible.
Let's talk about the Banned List update! Now that the GP season has begun and we've had GPs of both formats, we want to say that we're pleasantly surprised by the players' creativity. Although it seemed like all the powerful decks from Masterpiece 2: Fates Reunited! had been found, that wasn't the case. Book of Light & Book of Darkness and Luminaries decks have been the dominant decks in Wanderer and Paradox, overshadowing the more obvious decks, such as Charlotte & Glorius Taxes or Giotto & Gill Conquerors, which have nonetheless been the most popular decks in both formats.
We are completely focused on differentiating Paradox from Wanderer. We want Paradox to be a format where the game can run past turn five, a format of resonator-based decks whose interaction would occur into the field. We want Paradox to be a format that rewards creativity, where two- or three-attribute decks reign supreme, with perhaps a small splash of a fourth attribute. That's why, with this Banned List update and future ones, we'll continue to create distinct game experiences depending on the format.
This time, to achieve that goal, we're not just changing Paradox. We've decided to drastically alter Wanderer, allowing many old strategies to once again be viable at their full potential. Yes, that's right: many popular cards are leaving the Wanderer Banned List today. It will allow the format to further diversify and will fulfil another request of the community: for Wanderer to be a format full of powerful, fun, and explosive decks.
With this Banned List update, we're increasing the explosiveness and diversity in Wanderer, focusing the format on having combo decks and powerful synergies, while in Paradox, we're slowing down the pace and focusing it on the field and combat phase.
Additionally, as this is the closure of the Trinity Cluster, our rules experts have massively updated the CR with so many clarifications (such as everything related to Astral) and simplifying many interactions. If you haven't read it yet, we highly recommend it.
So, after this introduction, we hope you're ready, because this is the new Force of Will update to the Banned List and Combination Banned List for Wanderer and Paradox!
Effective date: 20/05/2025
· Wanderer
Banned
o Tinker Bell, Spirit of the Light Trials (CMB-014)
o Broken Mask of the Crusader (TSR-087)
o Ten Oaths of Protopaterpolis' War (MP02-152) (Banned from Sideboards only)
No Longer Banned
o Shark of Solari (NWE-032) (RWP)
o Mariabella, Sincere Engineer // Heart-to-Heart Talk (ROL-013)
o The Cheshire Cat's Assistance (ENW-049) (RWP)
o Brad, Amnesic Immortal (CMB-041) (RWP)
o Disrupting Shout (TUS-037)
o Hunter's Area (MP01-045) (RWP)
o Otherworld Dreams (ADK-106)
o Lifezapper, Solarised Statue (JRP-057) (RWP)
o Lifezapper Chronogear (JRP-058) (RWP)
o Vergilius, Rebel Against Satan (TST-063)
o Almerius // Almerius (MSW-002) (RWP)
o Moojdart // Moojdart (MSW-042) (RWP)
o Reflect // Refrain (AO3 Buy a Box-2) (RWP)
Combination Banned
o Awakened Magic Stone, the Earth (LEL-096) + The Library of the Neverending Stories (MP02-149)
o Crimson Moon's Battleground (CMB-000) + Trials from Kaguya (MP01-038)
o Queen of the Eternal Eclipse, Giotto Sansta (TEU-007) + Conquerors of All Dimensions (MP02-112)
o Conquerors of All Dimensions (MP02-112) + Ashwyn, Calamity of Darkest Fires (MP02-114)
No longer in the Combination Banned List
o Grusbalesta // Grusbalesta (MSW-073) + Ambushing Scorpion (GOG-017)
o Atomic Bahamut (ADW-016) + Atomic Turbulence (ADW-020)
o Hanzo, Ninja of the Moon (GOG-050) + Kaguya, God of Cats and the Moon // Order of the Moon (GOG-078)
o Necromancer of Ma'at (GRV-058) + Stein's Fragments (JRP-065)
o Asuka (HSD-020) & Asuka, Gravekeeper of Tsukuyomi (NWE-058) + Night of the Legendary Vampire // End of Night (HSD-021, NWE-072)
o Pure Heart Stone of the Six Sages (MP01-087) + Heavenly Magic (MP01-089)
o Broken Mask of the Crusader (TSR-087) + Hugh, Queen's Left Hand (TEU-066)
Effective date: 20/05/2025
· Paradox
Banned
o Rushing Dinosaur (TUS-024)
o Flashfreeze (TSD1-015)
o Test Tubes of Spirits (TTT-033)
o Hugh, Queen's Left Hand (TEU-066)
o Replicant: Odin (JRP-069)
o Zero's Light Lightning (MP02-003)
o Glorian Bond of the Sacred Spirit (MP02-071)
o Those who Betrayed Laurite (MP02-091)
o The Library of the Neverending Stories (MP02-149)
No Longer Banned
o Child of the Darkness Moon (NWE-051)
o Uranus, Arcanist of the Freedom Star (MP02-092)
Combination Banned
o Asuka (HSD-020) & Asuka, Gravekeeper of Tsukuyomi (NWE-058) + Night of the Legendary Vampire // End of Night (HSD-021, NWE-072)
o Googly-Eyed Chameleon (CST-055) + Makoto Cloth Corps' Dance Master (TOP-081)
o Yokoshima HANADA // Yokoshima, Monarch of the Exploding Flame (TSD2-001) + Robo Mugou, HANADA's New Protector (TOP-089)
o Lyka, Stregheria of Beasts // Lyka, Stregheria of the Beast (TTT-016) + Rabbit of Aradia (TTT-022)
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)
No longer in the Combination Banned List
o Broken Mask of the Crusader (TSR-087) + Grimoire of 1001 Nights (TEU-091)
o Broken Mask of the Crusader (TSR-087) + Aquafeather Phoenix (MP02-072)
WANDERER UPDATES
Tinker Bell, Spirit of the Light Trials, Broken Mask of the Crusader, Ten Oaths of Protopaterpolis' War
Wanderer is a format that has changed a lot over the years. Throughout the Trinity Cluster, due to the influence of certain cards, Wanderer decks went from being non-interactive decks built mostly around chants and a few powerful resonators, like Elektra, Shooting Star of Fire, to resonator decks, based on gaining control of the field as quickly as possible. With this Banned List update, we've decided to apply that style of play only to Paradox.
- The card that Wanderer has changed the most over the course of the Trinity Cluster has been Broken Mask of the Crusader. While its initial influence was only theoretical until WGP2024, this card's presence in competitive events was marginal: Broken Mask of the Crusader's effect didn't even require the game to start to alter the format. Already during deckbuilding, players have built around the existence of this card, knowing that non-interactive, explosive decks would be severely limited when playing against a deck with Broken Mask of the Crusader. With this in mind, decks began to include many more resonators and cards than would normally be included in sideboards to mitigate the restrictive effect of Broken Mask of the Crusader. With the end of Trinity Cluster and the recent inclusion of Paradox, we can allow Wanderer to become an explosive format once again. We will continue to monitor and design cards for Wanderer with the intention of allowing for both field play and fierce chase spell combat.
- The power level of Tinker Bell, Spirit of the Light Trials, has changed significantly since its design. The virtual [3] requirement ([W] for its ability, [2] to play a 2-cost resonator) has been reduced by the new cards, changing its speed and playability, making it the ultimate mass removal. Both the long-forgotten Grimm Shuffle and the popular Gill Lapis & Giotto Sansta Conquerors and Book of Light & Book of Dark have exploited Tinker Bell, Spirit of the Light Trials' interaction with its other cards very effectively, discouraging and punishing opponents who tried to develop the game on the field. The change we wanted to give Wanderer to increase its permissiveness cannot be started with Tinker Bell, Spirit of the Light Trials in the format, so, for now, we're going to include it on the Banned List.
- Last but not least, for Ten Oaths of Protopaterpolis' War, we've decided to implement a measure that we haven't used since the Reiya Cluster. We consider this card very powerful, but not so powerful that it warrants a ban, so we're limiting it in a unique way: by banning it from sideboards. This means the fast-paced play of Book of Light & Book of Darkness will have to rely on a slower and riskier early game, such as resolving a card without [Untouchable] and [Quickcast] in a format as explosive as Wanderer. This also means the deck will still be viable, but its power level will be significantly decreased. We've included Ten Oaths of Protopaterpolis' War card on the Watchlist, and we'll continue to monitor its effectiveness throughout the 2025 competitive season to see if we need to take more forceful measures.
So, with that in mind, we have decided that Tinker Bell, Spirit of the Light Trials (CMB-014), Broken Mask of the Crusader (TSR-087) are banned in Wanderer, and Ten Oaths of Protopaterpolis' War (MP02-152) is Banned from Sideboards in Wanderer.
Mariabella, Sincere Engineer // Heart-to-Heart Talk, Disrupting Shout, Otherworld Dreams, Vergilius, Rebel Against Satan
These four cards were very popular and representative at different times in Force of Will's historical competitive metagame. They remain very powerful today, but the pace of play has changed so much that we decided to give them a new opportunity.
- A while back, in Memory Collection 02, we created a non-alternative version of Mariabella, Sincere Engineer // Heart-to-Heart Talk, printing a section of an alternative card as a standalone card for the first time, rather than turning an existing card into an alternative card. But Heart-to-Heart Talk was still a very powerful card, accelerating the pace of play for certain decks to dramatic levels. But Wanderer has become a format filled with powerful early game responses, and Heart-to-Heart Talk is only great for the first turn of the game. As the game progresses, Heart-to-Heart Talk's impact diminishes, as it's best used to boost an early lead. For this reason, Mariabella, Sincere Engineer // Heart-to-Heart Talk (ROL-013) is no longer Banned.
- Disrupting Shout is a direct upgrade to a card that hasn't left the Banned List: Wall of Wind. While both cards are very impactful during the first turns of the game, there's an intrinsic difference between them: where Wall of Wind is a generic card, Disrupting Shout is a card exclusive to one deck: Ki Lua, Fossil Girl of Melted Ice. Thanks to applying RWP to that ruler, she can only play Dinosaur Resonators, and her power level is completely balanced. But Ki Lua, in a format dominated by explosive decks, isn't finding her place. As we're trying to revitalize older decks to bring them up to the power level of current ones, we've decided to return an exclusive and very powerful card to the dinosaur girl, and for this reason, Disrupting Shout (TUS-037) is no longer Banned.
- Otherworld Dreams was, for a brief period, the ultimate cancel spell, alongside Severing Winds. However, its effectiveness was too high, so we had to ban it. Nowadays, thanks to the new keyword [Untouchable], decks whose only answer are cancel spells are ineffective. The development of the Wanderer metagame has advanced, and right now, reactive control decks aren't as powerful as they once were, which doesn't mean they're unviable. However, Otherworld Dreams' power level hasn't dropped one bit, although its tandem with Severing Winds is no longer possible outside of very specific decks. Therefore, since we've listened to the community's desire for more interaction in the chase, Otherworld Dreams (ADK-106) is no longer banned.
- Vergilius, Rebel Against Satan remains one of the most iconic resonators in the game. When it was legal, it was one of the most played resonators in the game, almost on par with Laurite, Seven Luminaries Astrologian. But its function was very different: Vergilius, Rebel Against Satan has never been used for defense, but rather for offense. Fallen Angel decks now have a new predator, Grimoire of 1001 Nights, and there are plenty of new cards that can deal with Vergilius, Rebel Against Satan in the early turns. However, we know this resonator is going to be extremely popular again. But that's what we're aiming for with this Banned List: to revitalize old archetypes and improve new ones at the same time. Therefore, and just in time for the start of your journey through the Devil* Cluster and Yomidgard, Vergilius, Rebel Against Satan (TST-063) is no longer Banned.
Cards No Longer Banned thanks to the Reworking Protocol in MC08
- Shark of Solari (NWE-032) (RWP) — Now that Gears decks have a fantastic draw engine, we wanted to differentiate Shark of Solari by giving it one of the many options available within the Water attribute identity: resting resonators.
- The Cheshire Cat's Assistance (ENW-049) (RWP) — This card was originally designed to interact with Cheshire Cat, Phantasmal Fighter, but its use was limited to a powerful combo deck that only included regalia and Ancient Magic cards. With this redesign, the card keeps its original intent and can still be played in combo decks, but with a bit more development.
- Brad, Amnesic Immortal (CMB-041) (RWP) — Brad was designed to interact with his own support's free chants, but now that most are banned, we thought it would be appropriate to give it a new approach. Since he's the apprentice student of the Six Sages, we've linked him to them and made him much more resilient than before, giving him a new focus on his immortality (similar to Dracula, Reborn Vampire).
- Hunter's Area (MP01-045) (RWP) — This card limited our design space with its ability to convert any J/resonator to any race. Now, thanks to the new keyword ability [Reunited], its effects are focused on the J/ruler the card was designed for, and its race-changing ability is also focused on the J/ruler it was designed for. So, while it retains its power intact in the deck it was designed for, it no longer poses a problem for us when designing future cards.
- Lifezapper, Solarized Statue (JRP-057) & Lifezapper Chronogear (JRP-058) (RWP) — These two cards were the only ones in their respective card cycles that had a much higher power level than normal, being incredibly better than any [1] cost resonator, since if the average ATK/DEF of those resonators is [400/400], the average of these two cards was [800/800]. The updates for these cards leave them exactly the same, but with only one token, which brings them in line with the power level of the other cards in their cycles and balances them out with the other [1] cost resonators in the game.
- Almerius // Almerius (MSW-002) & Moojdart // Moojdart (MSW-042) (RWP) — Almost all Six Sages have gone through the RWP, tweaking their abilities but still maintaining what made them so unique and popular during the Saga Cluster. Given the success of Milest and Grusbalesta following their updates, we believe Almerius and Moojdart will have a similar impact, allowing Six Sages tag decks to become a significant part of the Wanderer metagame once again.
- Reflect // Refrain (AO3 Buy a Box-2) (RWP) — The Regalia card type has rarely appeared outside of Alice-related Force of Will clusters. Because of this, when we reintroduced regalia during the Hero Cluster and then ramped up their appearance during the Trinity Cluster, the power level of the only Will-producing (Strangers) ruler saw a significant, unintended increase. The only update that has been made to it has been to limit the will production to its own regalia, balancing the power level of this ruler.
Awakened Magic Stone, the Earth (LEL-096) + The Library of the Neverending Stories (MP02-149)
The ability of Awakened Magic Stone, the Earth, to recover when we play a [Judgment] process with a Light ruler, in combination with The Library of the Neverending Stories' ability to swap a ruler and allow judgment at [Quickcast] speed has proven to be too powerful. With this in mind, we have decided to add these two cards to Combination Banned list.
Crimson Moon's Battleground (CMB-000) + Trials from Kaguya (MP01-038)
Trials of Kaguya is one of the most powerful sub-rulers in existence. Because of this, Seer of the Blue Moon is the most powerful deck in MP01. However, in [Solo Mode], Seer of the Blue Moon has its power level balanced with the power of the rest of the format. With this in mind, we have decided to add these two cards to Combination Banned list.
Queen of the Eternal Eclipse, Giotto Sansta (TEU-007) + Conquerors of All Dimensions (MP02-112)
When we designed Giotto Sansta, we knew she would be Gill Lapis's starting partner, and we let you know by giving her [Tag] (Conqueror). While her power level hasn't exceeded that of the rest of Wanderer, her ability to remove from the game face-down both the graveyard and the removed area at the same time, combined with the deckout effects of Extension Rule, have discouraged players to play certain decks. We want Giotto Sansta to still be playable, but we also want to add more variety to Wanderer. With this in mind, we have decided to add these two cards to Combination Banned list. And who knows, in the future another Conqueror ruler might appear with [Tag] (Conqueror)…
Conquerors of All Dimensions (MP02-112) + Ashwyn, Calamity of Darkest Fires (MP02-114)
Conquerors of All Dimensions' ability to draw cards when a Cryptid enters the field, combined with Ashwyn's ability put us way ahead in the game. With this in mind, we've decided to add these two cards to the Combination Banned list. While we feel this synergy isn't as powerful in Wanderer as it is in Paradox, we'll see how the format evolves and decide whether to retire this combination ban.
Grusbalesta // Grusbalesta (MSW-073) + Ambushing Scorpion (GOG-017)
We believe Wanderer's new playstyle fits perfectly with the speed of these two cards' interactions. Therefore, we don't consider its Combination Ban necessary.
