Eight Cards To Be Banned from Japan’s Expanded Format!

The Japanese Pokemon TCG website has announced several bans for their Expanded format (BW-on):

• Marshadow from Shining Legends
• Flabébé from Forbidden Light
• Mismagius from Unbroken Bonds
• Red Card from Generations
• Chip-Chip Ice Axe from Unbroken Bonds
• Ghetsis from Plasma Freeze
• Lt. Surge's Strategy from Unbroken Bonds
• Island Challenge Amulet

Island Challenge Amulet is from Japan’s Alter Genesis and should become part of our Cosmic Eclipse set in November:

Island Challenge Amulet – Trainer
Item

Pokemon Tool: Attach a Pokemon Tool to 1 of your Pokemon that doesn’t already have a Pokemon Tool attached to it.

The max HP of the Pokemon-GX or Pokemon-EX this card is attached to is reduced by 100. If this Pokemon is Knocked Out by damage from the attacks of your opponent’s Pokemon, they take 1 less Prize card.

You may play as many Item cards as you like during your turn (before your attack).

The bans will go into affect on October 4th. The bans will likely come to America upon the release of Cosmic Eclipse in November.

Many of the bans are to protect the hand size of the opponent on the first and second turns of the game. If you’re the player going second, using Mismagius and then Reset Stamp can dwindle an opponent’s hand down to two cards. Flabébé allows you to immediately evolve into the new Floette from Alter Genesis (our Cosmic Eclipse), which lets you shuffle a card from your opponent’s hand into their deck:

Floette – Fairy – HP70
Stage 1 – Evolves from Flabébé

Ability: Flower Picking
When you play this Pokémon from your hand to evolve 1 of your Pokemon during your turn, you may choose a card in your opponent’s hand. Your opponent reveals that card and shuffles it into their deck.

[Y][C] Magical Shot: 30 damage.

Weakness: Metal (x2)
Resistance: Darkness (-20)
Retreat: 1

Japan previously banned the following from their Expanded:

• Reset Stamp from Unified Minds
• Lysandre's Trump Card from Phantom Forces
• Forest of Giant Plants from Ancient Origins
• Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick from Primal Clash
• Unown from Lost Thunder (DAMAGE)
• Unown from Lost Thunder (HAND)
• Delinquent from BREAKpoint
• Jessie and James from Hidden Fates

Thanks goes to Bangiras and Arantxa T. for assisting with this news story!