Yu-Gi-Oh! Goat Format

Goat Format is a legacy format in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG that emulates the TCG April 2005 Forbidden & Limited List, Master Rule 1. As opposed to Modern Yugioh, which is built upon archetypes working with each other and most decks only containing a handful of cards in common, Goat Format is built around a large number of cards that most competitive decks had in common.

At the time when Goat Format was considered "modern," the format was a Tier Zero format where every deck ran the Scapegoat "toolbox" of Scapegoat (hense the name) and Metamorphosis to summon a Thousand-Eyes Restrict and control the board. However, with about twenty years of hindsight and theory crafting, Goat Format has evolved into a game with a wide range of potential options equally viable compared to the classic Goat.

General Game Theory

Goat Format: An Introduction

A beginner's guide to what Goat Format is and what makes it different compared to other formats. Fundamentals, important rulings and interactions, and how to play online if that's more to your liking.

Goat Format Erratas

Not every card printed then kept the same text and wording as the present day card. Here are the cards you need to be prepared for and what's different about them.

Goat Format Rulings

Rulings that may come up in your games. Updated as I run into them.

Card Counting With Exodia

A basic introduction to card counting and prediction using Exodia (and other card games but mostly Exodia).

My Approach to Side Decking

It's pretty abstract, but it's all a game within a game. How you decide to side deck can make or break a game on its own.

Side Projects

What is the OCG Goat Format?

Goat Format as a legacy format didn't really take off in the OCG. But is it as simple as checking the equivalent sets and working backwards? Well, that's where things take a weird turn.

Goat Format's Legacy

Goat Format is very specifically a TCG thing. While it certainly existed in the OCG, it never gained momentum as a "retro format" over there like it did on our side of the card game. But, what if it did? What did the OCG Goat look like?