Stratos and Evil Heroes

[Phantom6]

I was asked today if Elemental Hero Stratos can use its effect on Evil heroes.

I looked at the card and said no.


The person asking then cited the new World Championship game for the DS as having Stratos being able to seek out Evil Heroes.

I stuck to my ruling. Was I right?


I mean the card clearly states Elemental or Destiny, Not Evil and the games have NEVER been a 100% true representation of the physical game.

 

[Dasher]

It is possible to search for Evil Heroes. I have Stratos card, which we were given at Pharao Tour and it has Evil Hero written there.

Even though I don't know where the errata is located.

 

[Digital Jedi]

There's no mention of an errata on UDE's errata pages. Scuttlebutt is some of these cards didn't include Evil Heroes because at the time they didn't exist in the TCG, (which I find to be an bone head reason if it's true), and that now they have to retroactively included them in cards like Stratos. But until Konami/UDE has something more official on their website, ruling that it doesn't include Evil Heroes would have been the right thing to do.

 

[Maruno]

In the Japanese game, Elemental Hero Stratos and Elemental Hero Ocean simply search for "Hero" cards (on the Japanese cards, the word "HERO" is printed capitalised in the Roman alphabet so it's very distinct). The problem is, we in the English-speaking world have cards like Oscillo Heroes 1 and 2, Hero Kid and Spherous Lady (4 in total), and it wouldn't be ideal to have to go the Arsenal Summoner route (i.e. include "except this, that and the other monsters" in the card text). So instead, they opted for "Elemental Hero" and "Destiny Hero".

Which was fine, until Evil Heroes were invented. Now, Evil Heroes are still "Hero" cards, so there's no problem with the Japanese game. Those cards are MEANT to work with Evil Heroes too, and they do. The problem comes with the English texts. In this case, they have to (begrudgingly, I'm sure) issue an errata. Which is here:

http://entertainment.upperdeck.com/COMMUNITY/forums/post/958627.aspx

The effects of "Elemental Hero Stratos" and "Elemental Hero Ocean" apply to Evil Heroes like "Evil Hero Malicious Edge" and "Evil Hero Infernal Gainer". "Elemental Hero Stratos" can add an Evil Hero to your hand and so can "Elemental Hero Ocean".

While the person asking you shouldn't be mentioning the games (regardless of how accurate they might be), they did have the right idea. And Judges should always have the latest heads-up on what's going on (you should have known better than to blindly trust what the card says, and ideally have some knowledge of the Japanese game and where our TCG version comes from - to be fair this "Hero" thing is pretty much the only thing I know about the Japanese game).

 

[Digital Jedi]

Traditionally, even with knowledge of what the original intent of a card was, if the current information on the TCG is something else, then that's the way judges are supposed to rule. If the judges didn't have access or knowledge of posted information, then they can only do the best they can. But knowledge of how the Japanese game would be more of a hindrance in most cases of judging, then a help. And it certainly isn't any kind of requirement to distrust what the card says, if no other information it at hand.

 

[Maruno]

Traditionally, even with knowledge of what the original intent of a card was, if the current information on the TCG is something else, then that's the way judges are supposed to rule. If the judges didn't have access or knowledge of posted information, then they can only do the best they can. But knowledge of how the Japanese game would be more of a hindrance in most cases of judging, then a help. And it certainly isn't any kind of requirement to distrust what the card says, if no other information it at hand.

I wasn't disputing any of that. I was just saying that rules grow and change all the time, and even if you have no other information, you should still be at least a little wary about making any kind of ruling without complete information to back it up.

Yes, Phantom6 didn't know there was any more information when he made the ruling, but something should have twigged when this older card was put in the same spotlight as a new and similar race of cards, the "Evil Hero"s. And indeed, it did twig, because he came here asking about it. And that's the very best we could hope for in a good judge. He made a ruling based on his current knowledge (correctly discounting whatever the games do), and went searching for clarification afterwards. New rulings are never advertised that well, and not everyone is a part of the Upper Deck forum.

 

[drzero7]

Wow, E-hero Ocean just got ALOT better of able to put Malicious Edge on the field for free. (Yeah there's BladeEdge, but that's not as playable compared to Malicious Edge)

 

[qwert]

Wow, E-hero Ocean just got ALOT better of able to put Malicious Edge on the field for free. (Yeah there's BladeEdge, but that's not as playable compared to Malicious Edge)

Wait...what?? How the heck would that happen? It could bring it back to your hand, but that's it. There's nothing about Ocean that lets you summon something.

 

[Digital Jedi]

Wait...what?? How the heck would that happen? It could bring it back to your hand, but that's it. There's nothing about Ocean that lets you summon something.

What he's saying is, if they do errata it to include Evil Heroes, then you can get the single monster you offered as tribute for Evil Hero Malicious Edge returned to your hand.