Edison Rule Differences (2024)

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 2 - Only 1 Active Field Spell
In Edison Format, only one Field Spell can be active at a time. Setting a Field Spell does not destroy an opponent's active Field Spell.

• Player A activates "Mountain" (starting a Chain) while Player B's "Umi" is active. When "Mountain" resolves, "Umi" is destroyed.
  
• Player A activates "Mountain" (starting a Chain) while Player B's "Umi" is active. Player B chains "Dust Tornado" targeting "Mountain". When the chain resolves, "Dust Tornado" destroys "Mountain", and "Umi" is not destroyed.
  
• Player A Sets "Umi" while Player B has "Secret Village of the Spellcasters" and "Dark Magician" in play ("Secret Village of the Spellcasters" is not destroyed). Player A cannot activate"Umi" unless they control a Spellcaster-Type monster.
  
• Player A Sets "Mausoleum of the Emperor" over their (face-up / face-down) "Geartown", destroying "Geartown" by game mechanic without starting a Chain. "Geartown" can then activate its Trigger-like Effect in the Graveyard.
• Player A activates "Mausoleum of the Emperor" over their (face-up / face-down) "Geartown", destroying "Geartown" by game mechanic and starting a Chain. "Geartown" cannot activate its Trigger-like Effect in the Graveyard.

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 3 - Union Monster Conditions
In Edison Format, Union Monsters have a Condition limiting how many Union Monsters a Monster can be equipped with. These Conditions were removed in 2016 with the release of Structure Deck: Seto Kaiba [REF]. In Edison Format, Union Monsters all have this Condition:

• "A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time."
  

Also, the Continuous-like Effect "If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead." ONLY appears on:

In Edison Format, "any mandatory Trigger Effect that activates during a certain Phase will keep activating if its activation is negated, until it finally resolves" [REF]. This changed when "Tsukuyomi" and "Judgment Dragon" received functional errata in Duelist Saga; reflecting OCG rulings updates concerning Phase-Dependent Mandatory Trigger Effects [REF]. When playing Edison Format:

• If the activation of a Phase-Dependent Mandatory Trigger(-like) Effect (ex: Spirit Monsters, Lightsworns) is negated (by "Light and Darkness Dragon"), that effect activates again.
• If the effectof a Phase-Dependent Mandatory Trigger(-like) Effect (ex: Spirit Monsters, Lightsworns) is negated (by "Skill Drain"), that effect does not activate again.

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 5 - Trap Monster Zone Blocking
In Edison Format, Trap Monsters takes up 1 Monster Card Zone and 1 Spell / Trap Card Zone. The physical location of the Trap Monster is the Monster Card Zone, it is not counted as a card in the Spell / Trap Card Zone (even though 1 of those Zones can't be used).

• You cannot activate (flip the Set Trap Card face-up) a Trap Monster if you have no empty Monster Card Zones.
• To gain control of a Trap Monster, you must have both an open Monster Zone and an open Spell / Trap Card Zone.
• A Trap Monster whose effect is negated (by “Jinzo”) reverts to being a Trap Cards in the Spell / Trap Card Zone immediately.
  • A Trap Monster that attacks a Set “Jinzo” reverts to a Trap Card when “Jinzo” if flipped. Damage Calculation is not applied.
  • Your Trap Monster stolen by “Snatch Steal” returns to your Spell / Trap Card Zone when “Jinzo” is Summoned.
• If a Trap Monster would be Set face-down (by "Book of Moon"), it becomes Set to its corresponding Spell / Trap Card Zone.
  • If your opponent controls your “Embodiment of Apophis” (with “Snatch Steal” / “Creature Swap”), and it is flipped face-down, it goes to your opponent’s Spell / Trap Card Zone because they are the controller.
• Trap Monsters are affected by cards / effects that would affect Trap Cards as well as those that affect Monster Cards.
  • If “Heavy Storm” is used against a Trap Monster, “Fake Trap” can prevent its destruction, but “My Body as a Shield” cannot.
  • If “Lightning Vortex” is used against a Trap Monster,“My Body as a Shield” can prevent its destruction, but “Fake Trap” cannot.
  • If “Raigeki Break” is used against a Trap Monster, both “My Body as a Shield” and “Fake Trap” can prevent its destruction.
• If a Trap Monster is removed from the field, it is removed as a Trap Card.
  • A Trap Monster sent to the Graveyard cannot be revive with "Time Machine", retrieved with “Return of the Doomed”, will not allow the effect of "Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame" to trigger, and you cannot activate “Michizure”.
  • If "Caius the Shadow Monarch" removes from play "Zoma the Spirit", no damage will be inflicted.
  • A Trap Monster returned to the hand by “Penguin Soldier” is returned as a Trap Card. You cannot activate “Major Riot”.
  • If a Trap Monster is temporarily removed from play (by “Dimensionhole” or “Interdimensional Matter Transporter”), it returns to the field as a Trap Card and is destroyed IMMEDIATELY by game mechanic. If “Dimensionhole” was used, you cannot use the Monster Card Zone while the Trap Monster is removed from play, but you can use the Spell & Trap Card Zone it was occupying.

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 6 - Ignition Effect Priority
"Priority" refers to a player's right to use a card or effect, it is not a property Cards themselves possess. "Priority" exists whether or not the Turn Player declares their intent to use "Priority". Konami's flowchart for "fast effect timing" and "open and closed gamestates" [REF] apply in Edison Format, with the addition of "Ignition Effect Priority" - the Turn Player's ability to activate an Ignition Effect as Chain Link 1 in the Summon response timing, so long as that Summon did not start a Chain.
The Turn Player has "Ignition Effect Priority" when the Summon does not start a chain.

• Example 1: Player A discards"Destiny Hero - Malicious" to Special Summon "Dark Grepher". In the Summon response timing, Player A activates "Destiny Hero - Malicious's" Ignition Effect (banishing itself as cost) before Player B can activate "D.D. Crow's" effect.
  
• Example 2: Player A Special Summons "Chaos Sorcerer". In the Summon response timing, Player A activates "Chaos Sorcerer's" Ignition Effect, targeting Player B's "Goyo Guardian" before Player B can activate "Bottomless Trap Hole".
  
• Example 3: Player A Ritual Summons "Demise, King of Armageddon". In the Summon response timing, Player A retains priotity to activate "Demise, King of Armageddon's" Ignition Effect before Player B can activate "Torrential Tribute".
  

The Turn Player does NOT have "Ignition Effect Priority" when the Summon starts a chain.

• Example 1: Player A Special Summons "Dark Armed Dragon" while Player B's "Black Garden" is active. In the Summon response timing, "Black Garden's" Trigger Effect starts a Chain. Priority is then passed to Player A to build onto the Chain with fast effects.
  
• Example 2: Player A Synchro Summons "Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier" using "Sangan" as Material. In the Summon response timing, "Sangan's" Trigger Effect starts a Chain, and Player A cannot activate "Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier's" Ignition Effect.
  
• Example 3: Player A Normal Summons "Armageddon Knight". In the Summon response timing, Player A can activate "Armageddon Knight's" Trigger Effect OR pass priority to Player B; who may respond with "Torrential Tribute". Player A does NOT have priority to activate any other card/effect as Chain Link 1 (including Ignition Effects).
  

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 7 - Simultaneous Effects Go On Chain
In Edison Format, the rules established in the tradition called “Simultaneous Effects Go On Chain” (SEGOC) apply with one minor exception: if two or more effects in the same “step” were triggered at different times, the earlier trigger(s) must be placed on the chain before the later ones [REF]. This rule concerning SEGOC would be changed in 2017 [REF]. In Edison Format, when multiple Trigger/Trigger-like Effects are triggered simultaneously, the players construct a chain with these effects in accordance with the following rules:

• Step 1: The Turn Player's Mandatory Effects go on the Chain in the order they were triggered.
• Step 2: The Non-Turn Player's Mandatory Effects go on the Chain in the order they were triggered.
• Step 3: The Turn Player's Optional Effects go on the Chain in the order they triggered.
• Step 4: The Non-Turn Player's Optional Effects go on the Chain in the order they triggered.

What about this makes Edison Format different from contemporary Yugioh? Pay attention to Example 1 to find out!

• Example 1: Player A Tributes "Sangan" to Tribute Summon "Caius the Shadow Monarch". Both mandatory effects are activated by the Turn Player (Step 1). Since "Sangan" triggers when sent from the field to the Graveyard, it is Chain Link 1, and the effect of "Caius the Shadow Monarch" is Chain Link 2, since it doesn't trigger until the Summon is successful.
  
• Example 2: Player A activates "Soul Exchange", targeting Player B’s "Sangan". Player A Tributes Player B’s "Sangan" to Tribute Summon "Caius the Shadow Monarch". The Turn Player's mandatory "Caius the Shadow Monarch" effect (Step 1) is Chain Link 1, and the Non-Turn Player'smandatory "Sangan" effect (Step 2) is Chain Link 2.
  

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 8 - The 7-timing Damage Step
In Edison Format, there are seven distinct timings in the Damage Step [REF]. Additionally, only the following cards/effects can be activated:

• Counter Trap Cards may be activated at any point in the Damage Step.
• Monster Effects that negate activations (ex: "Herald of Orange Light") can activate at any point in the Damage Step.
  • Monster Effects which only negate the effects (but not the activation) of card/effect CANNOT be activated in the Damage Step.
  • Spell Speed 2 Spells/Traps that negate activations (ex: "My Body as a Shield") CANNOT activate in the Damage Step.
  • Spell Speed 2 Spells/Traps that negate effects (ex: "Royal Oppression") CANNOT activate in the Damage Step.
• Mandatory Effects (ex: "Doomcaliber Knight") may be activated at any point in the Damage Step.
• Effects can activate if the card itself moves location (flipped face-up, changes battle position, or is sent to the Graveyard) or performs an action (inflicts Battle Damage, destroys a monster by battle).
  
  • Examples include Flip Effects, a “Green Gadget” Special Summoned by “Giant Rat”, or “Geartown” destroyed by battle / effect.
    
• Fast Effects / Continuous Effects which directly modify ATK/DEF can activate/apply.
  • Spell/Trap Cards that change ATK/DEF (ex: "Forbidden Chalice") CANNOT activate in or after Substep 4 - Damage Calculation.

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 9 - Trigger Location & Recognition
In Edison Format, triggers can be recognized as being met in the middle of a chain, whereas in current format Yu-Gi-Oh! this is generally not the case. Trigger Effects will also activate from outside their trigger location (unless they specify that they must remain there to trigger), even activating from within the Deck! Read moreHERE.

• If you discard "Dandylion" as cost for "Monster Reincarnation" and add that "Dandylion" back to the hand, the effect to Special Summon 2 "Fluff Tokens" will still trigger and activate from the Graveyard (even though "Dandylion" is now in the hand).
• “Necroface” is Normal Summoned while “Future Visions” is active. If Chain Link 1 is “Necroface's” effect, thenwhen the chain resolves: “Necroface” will be returned to the Deck along with all removed from play cards. Then the other effect of “Necroface”, to remove the top 5 cards from both Decks, will start a new chain because “Necroface” was removed from play by “Future Visions.”
• If “Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu” is returned to the Deck from the field (by "Phoenix Wing Wind Blast"), its effect to destroy monsters and inflict damage DOES NOT activate.
• If a face-up "Elemental Hero Absolute Zero" is returned to the Extra Deck from the field (by "Phoenix Wing Wind Blast"), its effect to destroy all monsters the opponent controls DOES activate.

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 10 - Life Points Costs
In Edison Format, you cannot pay costs if doing so would reduce your Life Points to 0. A card with a maintenance cost of Life Points cannot reduce a player's Life Points to 0, it will instead self-destruct.

• If your Life Points are ≤ 2000, you cannot pay "Mirror Wall's" optional maintenance cost. It will self-destruct.
• If your Life Points are ≤ 500, you cannot pay "Degenerate Circuit's" mandatory maintenance cost. It will self-destruct.

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 11 - End-of-Turn Discard
In Edison Format, players can't respond to the end-of-turn discard for hand size at all, as this must be the last action a player performs in a turn [REF1, REF2]. However, when a mandatory Trigger Effect is triggered by this discard, a chain will be built with special properties:

• Spell Speed 2 effects can be Chained here IF (and only if) they negate activations or effects.
• Spell Speed 3 effects can be Chained here, regardless of whether or not they negate activations or effects.

This differs from the rules surrounding the end-of-turn discard in contemporary Yu-Gi-Oh!. These differences are best illustrated as follows:

• Example 1 (Mandatory Trigger Effect): Player A has 7 cards in hand during their End Phase. Player A proceeds to discard "The White Stone of Legend" for the end-of-turn discard. The mandatory Trigger Effect of "The White Stone of Legend" must activate. Player A cannot chain "Super Rejuvenation" from his hand to this effect. However, Player B can chain his Set "Divine Wrath" to negate the activation of this effect. Additionally, if either player controls a face-up "Doomcaliber Knight", it will immediately Tribute itself and add a Chain Link onto the chain with "The White Stone of Legend", as its Quick Effect is mandatory.
• Example 2 (Optional Trigger Effect): At the end of Player A's End Phase, Player A has 8 cards in his hand. Player A proceeds to discard "Peten the Dark Clown" and "Red-Eyes Wyvern" for the end-of-turn discard to bring their hand size down to 6 cards. Player A cannot activate the optional Trigger Effects of either card that was just discarded.

EDISON FORMAT RULE # 12 - Infinite Loops
In contemporary Yu-Gi-Oh!, when an infinite loop is created, a nuanced procedure is performed wherein players and judges determine which card is the "primary cause" of the loop; that card is then sent to the Graveyard by game mechanics. In Edison Format, this is only true for "involuntary" infinite loops (see Example 4), when an infinite loop is initiated by game mechanics and not by the action of a player. Conversely, in Edison Format, any "voluntary" action that would cause an infinite loop is simply illegal (as depicted in Examples 1, 2, and 3).

• Example 1: Player A has a "Gemini Elf", a "Luminous Spark" and a "Pole Position" face-up on the field. Since "Gemini Elf" is the monster on the field with the highest ATK, it is unaffected by Spell Cards. If Player B Summons "X-Head Cannon", "Luminous Spark" will raise its ATK to 2300, making it the highest ATK monster on the field and causing it to become unaffected by Spell Cards, reducing its ATK to 1800, only for "Luminous Spark's" effect to once again increase its ATK to 2300, and so on. This voluntary action by Player B (Summoning "X-Head Cannon") would create a "voluntary" infinite loop. Thus, Player B cannot Summon "X-Head Cannon".
• Example 2: Player A has a "Gemini Elf" and an "Opticlops" equipped with an "Axe of Despair" face-up on the field, as well as a Set "Ring of Destruction". Player B has a "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" and a "Pole Position" face-up on the field. If Player A activates "Ring of Destruction" to destroy Player B's "Blue-Eyes White Dragon", then "Opticlops" would become the monster with the highest ATK on the field, causing it to become unaffected by Spell Cards (including the equipped "Axe of Despair") and thus it will cease to be the monster with the highest ATK on the field and the effect of "Axe of Despair" will once again apply and raise its ATK, and so on. Therefore, Player A cannot target Player B's "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" with "Ring of Destruction" as resolving that card would create a"voluntary" infinite loop.
• Example 3: Player A has a face-up "Opticlops" and a face-up "Gemini Elf". Player B has a Set "Pole Position" and no other cards. Player A activates "Axe of Despair", selecting "Opticlops" as the target. If Player B voluntarily chains "Pole Position", it will create a "voluntary" infinite loop upon the resolution of "Pole Position" and "Axe of Despair". Therefore, Player B cannot chain "Pole Position", nor can they activate it while those are the only face-up monsters on the field while "Axe of Despair" remains equipped.
• Example 4: Player A has a "Pole Position" and an "Opticlops" face-up on the field. Player B has a "Muka Muka" equipped with an "Axe of Despair" face-up on the field with no cards in his hand. Player B draws a card at the start of his turn, making "Muka Muka's" ATK rise to 1900. Since "Muka Muka" is now the monster on the field with the highest ATK, it becomes unaffected by the effects of Spell Cards. But once unaffected by the effects of Spell Cards, "Muka Muka" no longer has the highest ATK on the field. An "involuntary" infinite loop has been created by an action that could not be avoided. Therefore, "Pole Position" is destroyed by game mechanics.