A question was recently asked about why "Soul Exchange" can be used in combination
with "Metamorphosis" when the text on "Metamorphosis" specifically requires a
Tribute from YOUR side of the field.
I thought I would take this opportunity to explain an extremely important and
fundamental issue with regards to Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG text. Listen up, because this is
very important. You might want to read this slowly, too, it's pretty intricate
but if you read it step-by-step it makes sense.
There's one fundamental truth you have to understand about Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, and
that's that the game is geared to a young audience. (Including in Japan. Anybody
who tells you that "Duel Monsters" OCG in Japan is not aimed at a young audience
is seriously mistaken. But I realize this is a commonly held belief among various
crowds of people.) This means that the card text is not written in a specific,
mathematical style designed to avoid all questions of doubt and solve as many
rules situations as possible. It means that the card text is written to sound
cool to younger people.
This means that the card text is not always LITERALLY, word-for-word, consistent
with the actual functioning of the card.
Let's take a recent example, "Ultimate Insect LV1".
The text says "As long as this card remains face-up on your side of the field"¦"
etc. Now, in this situation, who is the "you" in "your"? It is the controller of
the monster. Since "your" refers to the controller of the monster, as long as the
monster is face-up, it is ALWAYS face-up "on your side of the field" even if your
opponent Snatch Steals it, because "your" now refers to your opponent because he
controls it. Therefore the "on your side of the field" text is irrelevant. Why is
it there? Because it's on the Japanese text. Why is it on the Japanese text?
Because Konami put it there. Why did Konami put it there? Because it sounds
better in Japanese that way.
Now let's take a look at "Ultimate Insect LV5". It says "as long as this card
remains on the field". Does it get its effect if it's face-down? No, it has to be
face-up. Does it get its effect if your opponent Snatch Steals it? Yes, it does.
Therefore, these texts:
"As long as this card remains face-up on your side of the field"¦"
"as long as this card remains on the field"
Have EXACTLY THE SAME MEANING.
Why are they different? Because they're different on the Japanese text. Why are
they different on the Japanese text? Because they write the Japanese text to
sound cool depending on the situation.
Now, let's get back to "Soul Exchange". Here are some examples of cards that
require you to Tribute a monster "on your side of the field":
Tribute Doll
Mystik Wok
Cannon Soldier
Catapult Turtle
Burst Breath
Ectoplasmer
For ALL of these cards, you can combine them with "Soul Exchange" to Tribute your
opponent's monster. Actually having the monster "on your side of the field" is
NOT required. Basically, these texts are the same:
"Tribute a monster on your side of the field"
"Tribute a monster"
Why does Konami sometimes say one but not the other? To make it sound cool, or
if they think it's confusing on the Japanese text. There is NO mechanical
difference between "Tribute a monster" and "Tribute a monster on your side of the
field".
The one exception is "Lava Golem" of course.
Hopefully this not only has answered the "Soul Exchange" question, but given
everyone some insight on how a literal interpretation of the text is not always
best.
[By the way, Japanese, as a language, for those not familiar with it, is a very
vague language in general. It lacks things like articles (the/this/an/that) and
plural notations ("monster" and "monsters" are the same, for example). But the
Japanese are used to this. We are not and it's frustrating for us.]
NOW, having said all that, I have been explaining to Konami for 2 years now how
this isn't the best situation for players outside Japan, who like to have a more
literal function to the card text. And improvements are being made. We are now
getting card text, sometimes, that is clearer in our languages to us. In many
cases, this text now differs (and is more specific than) the Japanese text. For
example, our "Dark Necrofear" and "Atomic Firefly" cards are different than the
Japanese texts. But our text accurately reflects how the card mechanics operate.
Unfortunately, some cards are not being changed, and are still being written in
Japanese style. And, unfortunately, the only people who know which cards can be
taken literally, and which cards are "Japanese style", are myself and Dan.
This is why when I say things like "The English card text is correct" it means,
yes, we changed the text from the original Japanese, the English text actually
SAYS what the card DOES, and you can make rulings interpretations based on the
English text.
Hopefully this has been helpful.
Kevin Tewart
Game Designer
UDE Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG R&D Lead
Upper Deck Entertainment
http://lists.upperdeck.com/read/?forum=judge-yu
with "Metamorphosis" when the text on "Metamorphosis" specifically requires a
Tribute from YOUR side of the field.
I thought I would take this opportunity to explain an extremely important and
fundamental issue with regards to Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG text. Listen up, because this is
very important. You might want to read this slowly, too, it's pretty intricate
but if you read it step-by-step it makes sense.
There's one fundamental truth you have to understand about Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, and
that's that the game is geared to a young audience. (Including in Japan. Anybody
who tells you that "Duel Monsters" OCG in Japan is not aimed at a young audience
is seriously mistaken. But I realize this is a commonly held belief among various
crowds of people.) This means that the card text is not written in a specific,
mathematical style designed to avoid all questions of doubt and solve as many
rules situations as possible. It means that the card text is written to sound
cool to younger people.
This means that the card text is not always LITERALLY, word-for-word, consistent
with the actual functioning of the card.
Let's take a recent example, "Ultimate Insect LV1".
The text says "As long as this card remains face-up on your side of the field"¦"
etc. Now, in this situation, who is the "you" in "your"? It is the controller of
the monster. Since "your" refers to the controller of the monster, as long as the
monster is face-up, it is ALWAYS face-up "on your side of the field" even if your
opponent Snatch Steals it, because "your" now refers to your opponent because he
controls it. Therefore the "on your side of the field" text is irrelevant. Why is
it there? Because it's on the Japanese text. Why is it on the Japanese text?
Because Konami put it there. Why did Konami put it there? Because it sounds
better in Japanese that way.
Now let's take a look at "Ultimate Insect LV5". It says "as long as this card
remains on the field". Does it get its effect if it's face-down? No, it has to be
face-up. Does it get its effect if your opponent Snatch Steals it? Yes, it does.
Therefore, these texts:
"As long as this card remains face-up on your side of the field"¦"
"as long as this card remains on the field"
Have EXACTLY THE SAME MEANING.
Why are they different? Because they're different on the Japanese text. Why are
they different on the Japanese text? Because they write the Japanese text to
sound cool depending on the situation.
Now, let's get back to "Soul Exchange". Here are some examples of cards that
require you to Tribute a monster "on your side of the field":
Tribute Doll
Mystik Wok
Cannon Soldier
Catapult Turtle
Burst Breath
Ectoplasmer
For ALL of these cards, you can combine them with "Soul Exchange" to Tribute your
opponent's monster. Actually having the monster "on your side of the field" is
NOT required. Basically, these texts are the same:
"Tribute a monster on your side of the field"
"Tribute a monster"
Why does Konami sometimes say one but not the other? To make it sound cool, or
if they think it's confusing on the Japanese text. There is NO mechanical
difference between "Tribute a monster" and "Tribute a monster on your side of the
field".
The one exception is "Lava Golem" of course.
Hopefully this not only has answered the "Soul Exchange" question, but given
everyone some insight on how a literal interpretation of the text is not always
best.
[By the way, Japanese, as a language, for those not familiar with it, is a very
vague language in general. It lacks things like articles (the/this/an/that) and
plural notations ("monster" and "monsters" are the same, for example). But the
Japanese are used to this. We are not and it's frustrating for us.]
NOW, having said all that, I have been explaining to Konami for 2 years now how
this isn't the best situation for players outside Japan, who like to have a more
literal function to the card text. And improvements are being made. We are now
getting card text, sometimes, that is clearer in our languages to us. In many
cases, this text now differs (and is more specific than) the Japanese text. For
example, our "Dark Necrofear" and "Atomic Firefly" cards are different than the
Japanese texts. But our text accurately reflects how the card mechanics operate.
Unfortunately, some cards are not being changed, and are still being written in
Japanese style. And, unfortunately, the only people who know which cards can be
taken literally, and which cards are "Japanese style", are myself and Dan.
This is why when I say things like "The English card text is correct" it means,
yes, we changed the text from the original Japanese, the English text actually
SAYS what the card DOES, and you can make rulings interpretations based on the
English text.
Hopefully this has been helpful.
Kevin Tewart
Game Designer
UDE Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG R&D Lead
Upper Deck Entertainment
http://lists.upperdeck.com/read/?forum=judge-yu
