Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel has officially announced the newest changes coming to the game’s banlist for the October 2025 season, hitting several of the game’s strongest decks. The popular digital trading card game from Konami has seen plenty of shake-ups throughout recent months, with new Selection Packs introducing powerful cards to the game. September’s Selection Pack saw several new pieces of support for older archetypes, with themes like “Ignister,” “Nekroz,” and “Gem-Knight” receiving new cards. However, a pair of decks remain some of the most powerful strategies in Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel.
Since their release in the digital card game, both “Maliss” and “Ryzeal” have dominated the game, similar to the powerhouse status of their physical counterparts. Maliss stands as one of the game’s most durable and resilient Link Monster-focused strategies, able to play through multiple interruptions with the bevy of Cyberse support cards. Ryzeal brings Rank 4 Xyz Monsters to new heights with its cards, able to flex one of the most sizable pool of Xyz Monsters available in Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel. Now, both decks are receiving some adjustments for the game’s newest season.
Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel officially announced its next banlist update earlier this week, with a plethora of cards being moved throughout the Forbidden & Limited List. “Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir” serves as the lone newly-banned card, with the oppressive Rank 4 Xyz Monster able to lock down games and negate its opponent’s Monster effects. The three new limited cards all look to cut down the Maliss strategy, with “Maliss P Dormouse” and “Maliss in Underground” hit for archetypal cards and “Gold Sarcophagus” as a powerful support piece. Master Duel‘s newest banlist update will go live on October 8.
Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel Reveals October 2025 Banlist Update
Forbidden
- Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir (Previously Unlimited)
Limited
- Maliss P Dormouse (Previously Unlimited)
- Gold Sarcophagus (Previously Semi-Limited)
- Maliss in Underground (Previously Unlimited)
Unlimited
- Raigeki (Previously Semi-Limited)
- Nightmare Throne (Previously Semi-Limited)
- Sage with Eyes of Blue (Previously Semi-Limited)
- Dark Beckoning Beast (Previously Semi-Limited)
- Opening of the Spirit Gates (Previously Semi-Limited)
- Purrely Delicious Memory (Previously Limited)
The slew of bans and limitations are far from the only changes on the banlist update, with six different cards having their restrictions removed. Classic Spell card “Raigeki” will officially be moved to three copies per deck, while fan-favorite decks like “Blue-Eyes” and “Purrely” will gain more copies of “Sage with Eyes of Blue” and “Purrely Delicious Memory.” The “Yubel” deck will see a particularly big buff with the new update, with “Nightmare Throne,” “Dark Beckoning Beast,” and “Opening of the Spirit Gates” all returning to Unlimited status.
While the new updates will surely make a significant change, Ryzeal could look to take over in Master Duel‘s new format. Ryzeal would only see Bagooska removed from its repertoire, with the deck still having a plethora of options for its endboards. Maliss, on the other hand, will likely take a considerable hit in the October season, losing not only multiple copies of two of the strategy’s best starter cards but also one of its better extenders in “Maliss in Underground.” Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel will likely see some major shifts with its competitive meta throughout October.