Konami has multiple methods in place to ensure Yu-Gi-Oh! maintains a balanced competitive meta with the release of every few sets.
This balancing takes place through a constantly updated Forbidden and Limited card list, which ensures no card can be abused in a format for more than a few months at a time. But Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel forced the company to take a new approach because of its all-digital format.
Related: How to unlock cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel | Crafting, shop, and more explained
Master Duel has a curated card pool of more than 10,000 cards. Among them are several cards that may not have been released physically in the TCG or OCG, leading to a disparity between the digital platform and physical game. Additionally, Master Duel allows players around the world to compete against each other using the same mechanics and available cards.
As a result, Master Duel has been separated from both the TCG and OCG formats, becoming its own, independent form of Yu-Gi-Oh! This means the Forbidden and Limited card list for Master Duel is entirely original and will help cultivate a unique meta.
Despite these distinctions, the ban list is still broken down into three specific parts, along with a fourth being included at the end of certain updates to show which cards are no longer having their usage limited.
- Forbidden: A card is not allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
- Limited: Only one copy of a card is allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
- Semi-Limited: Only two copies of a card are allowed to be used in a player’s Main Deck, Extra Deck, or Side Deck.
Historically, Konami spaces out its ban list updates by about three months, giving players time to implement new product releases into their strategies and create new decks, while also allowing the company to gather more data and make informed decisions about which cards to hit next. In Master Duel, however, a new ban list update seemingly drops around the start of each month.
Related: Is Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel free-to-play?
One extra thing to note for Master Duel is that Konami has left a menu open that could potentially feature different variations of the Forbidden and Limited card list if more formats are added to the game.
With that in mind, here is the current Master Duel Forbidden and Limited card list in effect for ranked gameplay, which will be in effect from June 8, 2023, until the next list is released:
Forbidden
Effect Monsters
- Cannon Soldier
- Cyber Jar
- Amazoness Archer
- Fiber Jar
- Yata-Garasu
- Toon Cannon Soldier
- Magical Scientist
- Dandylion
- Grinder Golem
- Cannon Soldier MK-2
- Substitoad
- Mind Master
- Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis
- Fishborg Blaster
- Level Eater
- Djinn Releaser of Rituals
- The Tyrant Neptune
- Glow-Up Bulb
- Wind-Up Hunter
- Eclipse Wyvern
- Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders
- Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls
- Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos
- Performage Plushfire
- Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin
- Performapal Monkeyboard
- Grandora-X the Dragon of Demolition
- Blackwing – Gofu the Vague Shadow
- Zoodiac Ratpier
- Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King
- Destiny HERO – Celestial
- Barrier Statue of the Stormwinds
- Cyber-Stein (previously Limited)
Fusion Monsters
- Elder Entity Norden
- Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon
Link Monsters
- Summon Sorceress
- Knightmare Mermaid
- Knightmare Goblin
- Topologic Gunblar Dragon
- Guardragon Agarpain
- Guardragon Elpy
- Linkross
- Crystron Halqifibrax
Synchro Monsters
- Tempest Magician
- Ancient Fairy Dragon
- Ib the World Chalice Justiciar
Xyz Monsters
- Lavalval Chain
- Number 16: Shock Master
- M-X-Saber Invoker
- Outer Entity Azathot
- Number 95: Galaxy-Eyes Dark Matter Dragon
- Tellarknight Ptolemaeus
- Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL
- Zoodiac Broadbull
- True King of All Calamities
- Number 75: Bamboozling Gossip Shadow
Spells
- Graceful Charity
- Pot of Greed
- Change of Heart
- Last Will
- Heavy Storm
- Snatch Steal
- Confiscation
- Delinquent Duo
- The Forceful Sentry
- Giant Trunade
- Painful Choice
- Premature Burial
- Card of Safe Return
- Cold Wave
- Mirage of Nightmare
- Metamorphosis
- Mass Driver
- Butterfly Dagger – Elma
- Dimension Fusion
- Divine Sword – Phoenix Blade
- Soul Charge
- Zoodiac Barrage
- Set Rotation
- Mystic Mine
- Terraforming (previously Limited)
- Smoke Grenade of the Thief (new)
Traps
- Ultimate Offering
- Time Seal
- Royal Oppression
- Last Turn
- Trap Dustshoot
- Self-Destruct Button
- Sixth Sense
- Return from the Different Dimension
- Magical Explosion
- Life Equalizer
- Imperial Order
- Vanity’s Emptiness
Limited
Normal Monsters
- Left Arm of the Forbidden One
- Left Leg of the Forbidden One
- Right Arm of the Forbidden One
- Right Leg of the Forbidden One
Effect Monsters
- Exodia the Forbidden One
- Morphing Har
- Armageddon Knight
- Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms
- Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer
- Speedroid Terrortop
- Astrograph Sorcerer
- Chronograph Sorcerer
- Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio
- Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm
- Salamangreat Gazelle
- Water Enchantress of the Temple
- Amano-Iwato
- Herald of Orange Light
- Agido the Ancient Sentinel (previously Semi-Limited)
- Keldo the Sacred Protector (previously Semi-Limited)
- Mudora the Sword Oracle (new)
- Bystial Magnamhut (new)
- Bystial Druiswurm (new)
Fusion Monsters
- Blaze Fenix, the Burning Bombardment Bird
- Thunder Dragon Colossus
Link Monsters
- Saryuja Skull Dread
- Heavymetalfoes Electrumite
- Cryston Halqifibrax
- Sky Striker Ace – Kagari
- Predaplant Verte Anaconda
- Prank-Kids Meow-Meow-Mu
Synchro Monsters
- T.G. Hyper Librarian
- PSY-Framelord Omega
Xyz Monsters
- Toadally Awesome
- Zoodiac Drident
- Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder
Spells
- Harpie’s Feather Duster
- Card Destruction
- Monster Reborn
- Foolish Burial
- Reinforcement of the Army
- Gold Sarcophagus
- One for One
- Gateway of the Six
- Infernity Launcher
- One Day of Peace
- Brilliant Fusion
- Dragonic Diagram
- Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones
- Crossout Designator
- Pot of Prosperity
- Runick Destruction
- Runick Freezing Curses
- Runick Slumber
- Floowandereeze and the Magnificent Map
Traps
- Conquistador of the Golden Land
- Trickstar Reincarnation
- Skill Drain
- Rivalry of Warlords
- Gozen Match
Semi-Limited
Effect Monsters
- Destiny HERO – Malicious
- PSY-Framegear Gamma
- Danger!? Jackalope?
- The Phantom Knight of Torn Scales
- Tri-Brigade Fraktall
- Virtual World Roshi – Laolao
- Lyrilusc – Cobalt Sparrow
- Prank-Kids Rocksies
- Adamancipator Analyzer
- Altergeist Multifaker
- Salamangreat Gazelle
- Dinowrestler Pankratops
- Double Iris Magician
- Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard
- Necroface
- Thunder Dragonhawk
- Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight (previously Limited)
- Spright Blue (new)
Synchro Monsters
- Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
Xyz Monsters
- Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity
Fusion Monsters
- ABC-Dragon Buster
Ritual Monsters
- Cyber Angel Benten (previously Limited)
Spells
- Scapegoat
- Sekka’s Light
- Emergency Teleport
- Mask Change II
- Called by the Grave
- Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!
- Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor
- Memories of Hope
- Cursed Eldland
- Rite of Aramesir
- Fire Formation – Tenki
- Raigeki
- Trickstar Light Stage
- Fusion Destiny
- Runick Fountain
- Runick Tip
- Nadir Servant (previously Limited)
Traps
- D.D. Dynamite
- Red Reboot
- Anti-Spell Fragrance
- Metaverse (previously Limited)
Newly unlimited
No cards were completely unlimited in the June 2023 ban list update. This section reflects the latest cards to be unlimited over the previous ban list updates.
Effect Monsters
- Altergeist Multifaker
- Souleating Overaptor
- SPYRAL Quick-Fix
Link Monsters
- Galatea, the Orcust Automaton
Spells
- Super Polymerization
- Divine Wind of Mist Valley
- Spellbook of Judgement
Konami has not confirmed the release date for Master Duel’s next Forbidden and Limited card list update.
