Yu-Gi-Oh! Genesys Format Explained: Rules, Points and Deck Building

Yu-Gi-Oh! Genesys is Konami's alternative TCG format. It replaces the Forbidden & Limited List with a points budget and removes Link and Pendulum Monsters entirely. If you like older-style Yu-Gi-Oh!, want to play cards that are banned in Advanced Format, or just want a different deck building puzzle, Genesys is worth your attention. This guide explains the rules, shows what popular cards cost and walks through building a deck.

Point values change with Konami's regular updates. The values below were checked against the official Genesys list on October 4, 2026, after the August update.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Genesys rules

Konami's official rules are short:

1. No Link Monsters or Pendulum Monsters. Every other card is allowed.
2. The original field layout is used: no Extra Monster Zones and no Pendulum Zones.
3. The Forbidden & Limited List doesn't apply. Cards that are Forbidden in Advanced Format can be played.
4. The usual 3-copy limit still applies.
5. Deck construction uses points. Some cards have a point value; most cost zero. The total points across your Main, Extra and Side Deck can't exceed the event's cap.
6. The standard cap is 100 points, but events can use any cap, even zero. Official Tournament Stores can set their own.

How Genesys points work

Every card on the Genesys list has a per-copy cost. Three copies of a 20-point card cost 60 of your 100 points. Cards not on the list are free. The points cover your Main, Extra and Side Deck combined, so your Side Deck competes for the same budget.

Some cards cost 100 points, which at the standard cap means one copy uses your entire budget. That's Genesys's way of effectively banning a card without a separate list.

What popular cards cost in Genesys

Card	Points per copy
Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring	20
Called by the Grave	20
Droll & Lock Bird	20
Infinite Impermanence	11
Effect Veiler	8
Nibiru, the Primal Being	8
Mulcharmy Fuwalos	8
Mulcharmy Purulia	9
Mulcharmy Meowls	2
Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit	4
Maxx "C"	50
Pot of Greed	30
Pot of Prosperity	40
Graceful Charity	40
Harpie's Feather Duster	9
Lightning Storm	12
Forbidden Droplet	10
Evenly Matched	7
Monster Reborn	3
Change of Heart	3
Raigeki	2
Dark Hole	1

Notice that classic cards like Monster Reborn, Raigeki, Dark Hole and Change of Heart are cheap in Genesys, while modern hand traps cost far more. That's deliberate: the format values the classic power cards less and generic interaction more.

Recent Genesys point updates

Konami updates the points list regularly. Recent changes include:

• June 2026: Illusion Gate and Dimensional Fissure went to 10 points each. The Herald hand traps were given small costs: Herald of Orange Light 3, Herald of Green Light 2 and Herald of Purple Light 1.
• August 2026: Seventh Tachyon, a search Spell any Xyz deck can use, went to 11 points.

Check Konami's official Genesys page before every event. A card you're running might have changed cost.

Building a Genesys deck

1. Start from your engine. Pick a deck that doesn't rely on Link or Pendulum Monsters. Fusion, Synchro, Xyz and Ritual strategies all work, as do classic beatdown decks.
2. Count your engine's points first. If your core cards cost points, they come first.
3. Spend the rest on interaction. With 100 points, you can't run every hand trap. Choose the ones that matter most against your local field.
4. Use free cards cleverly. Cards with no points cost are your best friends. Older removal and generic monsters often fill out a deck at zero cost.
5. Remember the Side Deck. Side Deck cards use the same budget. Leave room for them.

Our Yu-Gi-Oh! deck building guide covers ratios and structure that apply to Genesys too.

Why play Genesys?

• Banned favourites come back. Cards Forbidden in Advanced Format can be played, at a points cost.
• Every list is a budget puzzle. No two Genesys decks spend their 100 points the same way.
• The game feels closer to classic Yu-Gi-Oh! No Link Monsters means smaller boards and more back-and-forth.
• Older collections become playable. Your old cards might have a home again.

Where to play Genesys in Canada

Official Tournament Stores can run Genesys events and set their own point caps. Use Konami's store locator to find an OTS near you, and ask your local store whether they run Genesys nights. More on the Canadian scene in our Yu-Gi-Oh! in Canada guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is Genesys in Yu-Gi-Oh!?

An official TCG format with no Link or Pendulum Monsters, no Forbidden & Limited List and a points cap, usually 100, for deck construction.

Are Link Monsters allowed in Genesys?

No. Link Monsters and Pendulum Monsters are banned from the format.

Does Genesys use the banlist?

No. It uses a points list instead. Most cards cost 0 points.

How many points can a Genesys deck have?

The standard cap is 100 points across Main, Extra and Side Deck combined. Stores can set other caps.

How much is Ash Blossom in Genesys?

20 points per copy, as of the August 2026 update.

Build your Genesys list

Find the classic and modern cards you need in our Yu-Gi-Oh! singles, and compare your list with the current Yu-Gi-Oh! banlist if you also play Advanced Format.