Apart from the fact that it was just never something that interested me, WizKids unveiled a new wrinkle in the Yu-Gi-Oh rules - and thanks to our alert reader Karl who first noted this to me.
Before I begin - Note that these rules do not appear in the new rulebook for DC Dice Masters. Hopefully this is just an experiment and they'll never implement it anywhere else. I'm concerned about future sets, but again - this does seem limited to Yu-Gi-Oh. For now. This also would be limited to constructed or semi-constructed formats, in terms of it's impact on organized play. Draft would not be impacted.
What is it?
Serial Numbers.
Page 22 of this rules document tells it all.
Each Monster and Action die has a serial number on one side; this number matches the serial number on the first die face in the lower left-hand corner of the monster die data card. At least one of the dice used with any monster die data card must have a serial number that matches the monster die data card.
For example, Jimmy wants to use a 071 - Baby Dragon, Cute but Dangerous monster on his team. Jimmy owns one 071 - Baby Dragon, Cute but Dangerous, two 009 - Baby Dragon, Juvenile Reptile , and one 041 - Baby Dragon, Soft Scales. He can now play up to four dice with his 071 - Baby Dragon, Cute but Dangerous because it has a max of 4 AND he has at least one 071 - Baby Dragon, Cute but Dangerous die to use with it. If, for some reason, Jimmy had a 071 - Baby Dragon, Cute but Dangerous card but not the corresponding die, he would not be able to use 071 - Baby Dragon, Cute but Dangerous on his team.
This means that super rares in this set MUST have a matching die, a die that came with the super rare. This makes trading much more difficult. This makes second-hand sales much more difficult. This makes lending out your stuff to a new guy at an organized play event (as many Dice Masters fans, being a very sportsmanlike people, are known to do) much more difficult.
Heck, when we have cards that have characters printed on both sides or booster packs that are missing a die or have the wrong die, or misprinted dice, this is a problem. How do we know that such a serial number will even be readable? As great as the UXM set is, there are still printing problems here and there. And that's forgivable. But it won't be when it impacts the viability of certain dice.
We can only hope that most stores don't go for it, but certainly WizKids will insist upon it at their big events.
WizKids made my decision on the Yu-Gi-Oh set much easier. Thank goodness this text is absent from the DC rules.
Where are you seeing the rules for the dc set?
ReplyDeleteGreat observations - my sentiments exactly.
ReplyDeletehopefully it stays with Yu-Gi-Oh only - which I was not planning to get anyway.
ReplyDeleteWe'll be selling it at my store, but I can guarantee we'll be ignoring the serialized requirement. It's just too much.
ReplyDeleteYes, god forbid we need a die to go with a card. This is clearly the end of the world. Jesus, people need to calm down and think for a second. Serial numbers mean that dice from other sets are still valid, regardless of the card you use. You're already storing a ton of dice, why is it a big deal that you now how to look at one of them? It's like you've never played a collectable game before. I was glad when I read the new rules and I'm surprised so many people have had an insane knee jerk reaction to it.
ReplyDelete- Joe
It makes it a less desirable product for the secondary market - lifeblood for a collectable game. There's simply no reason for this other than to make trading and second hand selling more difficult and prone to mistakes/shadiness. Plus, what quality have you seen on these dice that indicate that WK can do this? Shouldn't we have a better looking product first?
DeleteThe secondary market will be fine, all sites that I've seen sell singles, already include a die. Shady trades only come up for online trades, which ruins a person's reputation. In person trades aren't really change either. We should have a better looking product, but it's far from a bad product as it is. There Is also easier ways to do this, but it's better than not being able to mix dice at all.
DeleteI did all my trades (except one) without the dice. Made it much more cost effective to mail.
ReplyDeleteStupid move on their part. It is almost like they have a death wish.
Wizkids commented on Facebook that the serial numbers are for the Yu-Gi-Oh set only.
ReplyDelete