Several cards have hit the ban list in Japan!
Coming right after the English TCG, several cards have hit the ban list for Japan’s Expanded format. The following cards are now banned from tournament play for Japan’s TCG Expanded format: Jessie & James, Reset Stamp, Delinquent, and Unown HAND.
Why the Ban?
Jessie & James
Jessie & James were recently banned in the English and worldwide TCG on Thursday. You can read about it by clicking here.
The overall reason is because Jessie & James can create an unhealthy play environment due to a combo where it can leave your opponent with no hand. This combo involves using Weezing and other cards that can be found in Expanded.
Reset Stamp
There is no clear reason why Reset Stamp is being banned in Japan. The best guess is that it can be used along side with Jessie & James to put the opponent into a situation where they have no hand.
One of the ways this can be done is by using Mismagius from Unbroken Bonds and Dusk Stone. You can set down Misdreavus and evolve right away with Dusk Stone. Next, you can use Mismagius’s ability to knock it out to draw a new hand. Do this a few times to make your opponent have a hand of four by using Reset Stamp. Once you have done that then use Jessie & James or other ways to discard cards from your opponent’s hand. That way your opponent will have a hand of zero on their first turn.
Delinquent
Delinquent was ban from the English TCG back in February 2019. You can read about the ban by clicking here.
Overall, the ban happen due to combos involving Red Card and Peeking Red Card to put your opponent down to a limited hand size. Once that was accomplished then you will use Delinquent to put your opponent in a situation where they have no hand. Thus it will be impossible for your opponent to play the game if this was done on the first turn.
Unown HAND
Unown DAMAGE was banned back in January 2019. Most likely the ban for Unown Hand happen due to players finding a way to draw cards during their first turn. That way their opponent would be unable to response and thus allowing the player using Unown HAND to win with no resistance or response from their opponent.
It is uncertain if the English TCG will respond with a similar ban. Most likely, they will monitor the situation and see if action needs to be taken.
Source: Japan Pokemon Card website
