Dust Tornado and Quick Play Spell Cards
Written by Gary Haynes
Well, here we go delving into another card that was one of my favorites. It's not much anymore since The Creator's decided to take out the 3rd line and reduce its effectiveness.
Of course, we're talking about yet another Trap card from the wonderful Pharaoh's Servant set named "Dust Tornado". First let's look at the original text:
Card Text:
Destroy 1 Magic or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field. You can then Set 1 Magic or Trap Card from your hand. This card can only be activated if it is a QUICKPLAY Spell Card.
Now remember that the errata to the card removes the last line, therefore the current card text is:
Card Text:
Destroy 1 Magic or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field. You can then Set 1 Magic or Trap Card from your hand.
That one line just takes the life out of the card to the point that really no one uses it since it's a trap, and there are better, more effective S/T removal cards like Mystical Space Typhoon.
I'm not really sure of the history, but from what I've seen, the original card text was used for a long time until Quick-Play Spells (which were called Magics at the time) were introduced to the American game.
To digress, QP Spells started off as an upgraded Spell card that had enormous unbalanced play. First, you could play them on your turn at any time from your hand, or from the field (even if you just Set them), as long as the timing was correct (and with the exception of the Damage Step, the timing was almost always correct). Then, if the player chose to Set them on their turn, they could be activated similar to a Trap card, and ALSO could be flipped the same turn they were Set like any non-QP Spell card could (again, as long as the timing was correct).
Oh, the abuse. Remember when I noted Mystical Space Typhoon? Well, when MST first came out, no one really gave it much thought, since there wasn't much use for it since Traps didn't have much of a strategy and players really didn't understand fully what that little Lightning Bolt Icon was all about. But once people began understanding the rules for QP Spells, of which MST was one, MST went from a ho-hum card to one of the most sought after green cards in the game.
But what does this have to do with Dust Tornado you ask?
Well, around the time of Labyrinth of Nightmare and then Legacy of Darkness, Trap cards began being more effective in play. Drop Off, Bottomless Trap Hole, Torrential Tribute, Skull Lair, Magic Cylinder, Destiny Board, and let us not forget a couple previous all purpose Trap cards: Waboku, Mirror Force & Imperial Order.
The original strategy that was used by the players was to Set a Dust Tornado at the end of their turn. Then, at the end of the opponent's turn, after the opponent Set a Trap Card or two, the player could activate DT and destroy the newly Set Trap before it could be activated. Then, if the opponent Set TWO Traps, they could use the second effect of Dust Tornado to Set, say, a MST, then immediately activate it in the same turn to destroy the second newly Set Trap Card. This way, if the opponent used a Heavy Storm, the player would only be out one Dust Tornado, and still had the second S/T removal card safe in their hand.
Another strategy was if the opponent activated, say, their own MST to destroy the face down Dust Tornado, the player could activate the DT and destroy a different Spell or Trap card on the opponent's side of the field, then, Set a MST from their hand. The opponent's MST would destroy the Dust Tornado, but at least the effect was used.
The strategies went long and far, and it was a fun card to play with because of its unpredictable uses.
Then, around the summer of 2003, Konami decided to revise the Quick Play rulings that the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game used. As a sidebar, let me say, that I never really got into the Japanese game at all, since the rulings were different on numerous accounts and as a judge I didn't need the additional confusion clouding my judgement. Therefore, I really never found out what the original QP Spell rulings for the Japanese game were. Anyhow, during that summer, the rulings for QP Spells got changed at least twice, and Konami settled on the current rulings for the cards, and that being:
- Quick Play Spells may be activated/played from your hand during your turn if the timing is correct,
- Quick Play Spells may be Set and activated from the S/T zone similar to Trap Cards,
but the real clincher was the last ruling,
- if a Quick Play Spell is Set during any player's turn, the Quick Play Spell may NOT be activated during the turn that it is Set.
Bummer...
So, with this revision to the ruling of Quick Play Spells, the last line in Dust Tornado had to be dropped. Well, it really didn't NEED to be dropped. There are numerous cards in this game that break game rules, and this COULD have been one of them, but the ruling committee at Konami decided it would be best to drop the third line, and not add further confusion to the game (remember that this was about the same time that Magic Cards were renamed Spell Cards, and THAT caused enormous confusion for several weeks afterwards).
So we now get back to Dust Tornado, or what is left of it. Let's look at the current card text again:
Card Text:
Destroy 1 Magic or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field. You can then Set 1 Magic or Trap Card from your hand.
Basically, when a player activates Dust Tornado, they resolve the two effects one at a time, right after each other.
Therefore, upon activation, a target Spell or Trap Card on the opponent's side of the field is chosen (and no, you may NOT activate Dust Tornado if there are NO Spells or Traps, including Field Spell Cards, on the opponent's side of the field).
When the chain resolves to Dust Tornado, the first effect resolves, and destroys the targeted card. Now, if the target has somehow been removed from the field by a previous effect, this line will resolve with no effect (i.e., Disappear).
The player will now move to the second effect which is independent of the first effect, even if DT's target was previously removed from the field during the resolution of the chain (remember, the card effect is still resolving and nothing else can occur until it completely resolves). The player may then Set one Spell or Trap Card from their hand to their side of the field, and yes, this includes Field Spell Cards, as long as there is a space for it.
Huh??
Now, I must digress again. Originally in the game, Spells and Traps would resolve, and be removed from the field upon resolution unless they were a form of Continuous type card. Somewhere along the way, Konami revised the rulings on the resolution of the chain to where:
- unless a Spell or Trap is destroyed as part of an effect during the resolution of the chain, all activated Spells and Traps shall remain on the field until the chain fully resolves, and then at that time, all activated Spells and Traps that are non-Continuous shall be sent to the graveyard.
So here we have an activated, and now, partially resolved Dust Tornado. In the old days, DT would resolve and be removed from the field, opening a slot for the soon to be Set Spell or Trap Card.
Huh?? (don't you just love the inconsistencies in this game?)
Wait wait. Didn't I just say that the effect needed to completely resolve before it was sent to the graveyard? Well, yes. And if we're in the middle of Dust Tornadoes effect, why is it being sent to the graveyard prior to the second effect resolving? Well, now that's a good question. Let's just say, that in the past, minor inconsistencies like that really never mattered in the overall play of the game. After almost three years on the American market, the game rulings are finally, at least in the American market, being consolidated, corrected, streamlined, and thought through to make a more balanced game that hopefully should last for a few more years.
Ok, let's go back to the ruling for Dust Tornado before I find yet another tangent to discuss.
Now, where were we.... Uh, blah blah blah,... The player may then Set one Spell or Trap Card from their hand to their side of the field, and yes, this includes Field Spell Cards, as long as there is a space for it.
Oh yes. Now, when Dust Tornado resolves, it is not immediately sent to the graveyard since the chain has not fully resolved. Therefore, if a player had all of their Spell and Trap zones filled, then activated a Set Dust Tornado, they effectively could NOT resolve the second line, since there would be no place to Set the new Spell or Trap Card.
In short, you need to make sure that you have an open slot to Set the card before you activate Dust Tornado, unless you didn't intend to Set anything anyway. Remember, that the Setting of the card is an option and not a requirement for resolution.
In the new environment, where MST will be limited, players are looking for alternative Spell and Trap destruction/removal cards. Dust Tornado may not be the best, but it does deserve to be looked at if only because of the second line that could open the door to strategies that the opponent may not be ready for.
I hope this helped in understanding the card, and gave you a little insight in the history of the card... and Quick Play Spells, too.
Written by Gary Haynes
Well, here we go delving into another card that was one of my favorites. It's not much anymore since The Creator's decided to take out the 3rd line and reduce its effectiveness.
Of course, we're talking about yet another Trap card from the wonderful Pharaoh's Servant set named "Dust Tornado". First let's look at the original text:
Card Text:
Destroy 1 Magic or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field. You can then Set 1 Magic or Trap Card from your hand. This card can only be activated if it is a QUICKPLAY Spell Card.
Now remember that the errata to the card removes the last line, therefore the current card text is:
Card Text:
Destroy 1 Magic or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field. You can then Set 1 Magic or Trap Card from your hand.
That one line just takes the life out of the card to the point that really no one uses it since it's a trap, and there are better, more effective S/T removal cards like Mystical Space Typhoon.
I'm not really sure of the history, but from what I've seen, the original card text was used for a long time until Quick-Play Spells (which were called Magics at the time) were introduced to the American game.
To digress, QP Spells started off as an upgraded Spell card that had enormous unbalanced play. First, you could play them on your turn at any time from your hand, or from the field (even if you just Set them), as long as the timing was correct (and with the exception of the Damage Step, the timing was almost always correct). Then, if the player chose to Set them on their turn, they could be activated similar to a Trap card, and ALSO could be flipped the same turn they were Set like any non-QP Spell card could (again, as long as the timing was correct).
Oh, the abuse. Remember when I noted Mystical Space Typhoon? Well, when MST first came out, no one really gave it much thought, since there wasn't much use for it since Traps didn't have much of a strategy and players really didn't understand fully what that little Lightning Bolt Icon was all about. But once people began understanding the rules for QP Spells, of which MST was one, MST went from a ho-hum card to one of the most sought after green cards in the game.
But what does this have to do with Dust Tornado you ask?
Well, around the time of Labyrinth of Nightmare and then Legacy of Darkness, Trap cards began being more effective in play. Drop Off, Bottomless Trap Hole, Torrential Tribute, Skull Lair, Magic Cylinder, Destiny Board, and let us not forget a couple previous all purpose Trap cards: Waboku, Mirror Force & Imperial Order.
The original strategy that was used by the players was to Set a Dust Tornado at the end of their turn. Then, at the end of the opponent's turn, after the opponent Set a Trap Card or two, the player could activate DT and destroy the newly Set Trap before it could be activated. Then, if the opponent Set TWO Traps, they could use the second effect of Dust Tornado to Set, say, a MST, then immediately activate it in the same turn to destroy the second newly Set Trap Card. This way, if the opponent used a Heavy Storm, the player would only be out one Dust Tornado, and still had the second S/T removal card safe in their hand.
Another strategy was if the opponent activated, say, their own MST to destroy the face down Dust Tornado, the player could activate the DT and destroy a different Spell or Trap card on the opponent's side of the field, then, Set a MST from their hand. The opponent's MST would destroy the Dust Tornado, but at least the effect was used.
The strategies went long and far, and it was a fun card to play with because of its unpredictable uses.
Then, around the summer of 2003, Konami decided to revise the Quick Play rulings that the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game used. As a sidebar, let me say, that I never really got into the Japanese game at all, since the rulings were different on numerous accounts and as a judge I didn't need the additional confusion clouding my judgement. Therefore, I really never found out what the original QP Spell rulings for the Japanese game were. Anyhow, during that summer, the rulings for QP Spells got changed at least twice, and Konami settled on the current rulings for the cards, and that being:
- Quick Play Spells may be activated/played from your hand during your turn if the timing is correct,
- Quick Play Spells may be Set and activated from the S/T zone similar to Trap Cards,
but the real clincher was the last ruling,
- if a Quick Play Spell is Set during any player's turn, the Quick Play Spell may NOT be activated during the turn that it is Set.
Bummer...
So, with this revision to the ruling of Quick Play Spells, the last line in Dust Tornado had to be dropped. Well, it really didn't NEED to be dropped. There are numerous cards in this game that break game rules, and this COULD have been one of them, but the ruling committee at Konami decided it would be best to drop the third line, and not add further confusion to the game (remember that this was about the same time that Magic Cards were renamed Spell Cards, and THAT caused enormous confusion for several weeks afterwards).
So we now get back to Dust Tornado, or what is left of it. Let's look at the current card text again:
Card Text:
Destroy 1 Magic or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field. You can then Set 1 Magic or Trap Card from your hand.
Basically, when a player activates Dust Tornado, they resolve the two effects one at a time, right after each other.
Therefore, upon activation, a target Spell or Trap Card on the opponent's side of the field is chosen (and no, you may NOT activate Dust Tornado if there are NO Spells or Traps, including Field Spell Cards, on the opponent's side of the field).
When the chain resolves to Dust Tornado, the first effect resolves, and destroys the targeted card. Now, if the target has somehow been removed from the field by a previous effect, this line will resolve with no effect (i.e., Disappear).
The player will now move to the second effect which is independent of the first effect, even if DT's target was previously removed from the field during the resolution of the chain (remember, the card effect is still resolving and nothing else can occur until it completely resolves). The player may then Set one Spell or Trap Card from their hand to their side of the field, and yes, this includes Field Spell Cards, as long as there is a space for it.
Huh??
Now, I must digress again. Originally in the game, Spells and Traps would resolve, and be removed from the field upon resolution unless they were a form of Continuous type card. Somewhere along the way, Konami revised the rulings on the resolution of the chain to where:
- unless a Spell or Trap is destroyed as part of an effect during the resolution of the chain, all activated Spells and Traps shall remain on the field until the chain fully resolves, and then at that time, all activated Spells and Traps that are non-Continuous shall be sent to the graveyard.
So here we have an activated, and now, partially resolved Dust Tornado. In the old days, DT would resolve and be removed from the field, opening a slot for the soon to be Set Spell or Trap Card.
Huh?? (don't you just love the inconsistencies in this game?)
Wait wait. Didn't I just say that the effect needed to completely resolve before it was sent to the graveyard? Well, yes. And if we're in the middle of Dust Tornadoes effect, why is it being sent to the graveyard prior to the second effect resolving? Well, now that's a good question. Let's just say, that in the past, minor inconsistencies like that really never mattered in the overall play of the game. After almost three years on the American market, the game rulings are finally, at least in the American market, being consolidated, corrected, streamlined, and thought through to make a more balanced game that hopefully should last for a few more years.
Ok, let's go back to the ruling for Dust Tornado before I find yet another tangent to discuss.
Now, where were we.... Uh, blah blah blah,... The player may then Set one Spell or Trap Card from their hand to their side of the field, and yes, this includes Field Spell Cards, as long as there is a space for it.
Oh yes. Now, when Dust Tornado resolves, it is not immediately sent to the graveyard since the chain has not fully resolved. Therefore, if a player had all of their Spell and Trap zones filled, then activated a Set Dust Tornado, they effectively could NOT resolve the second line, since there would be no place to Set the new Spell or Trap Card.
In short, you need to make sure that you have an open slot to Set the card before you activate Dust Tornado, unless you didn't intend to Set anything anyway. Remember, that the Setting of the card is an option and not a requirement for resolution.
In the new environment, where MST will be limited, players are looking for alternative Spell and Trap destruction/removal cards. Dust Tornado may not be the best, but it does deserve to be looked at if only because of the second line that could open the door to strategies that the opponent may not be ready for.
I hope this helped in understanding the card, and gave you a little insight in the history of the card... and Quick Play Spells, too.