If Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards were written like Vanguard cards
This is exactly what it looks like. I'm mainly doing this for the Yvel of it and as a way to clarify some of the more confusing card texts of Yu-Gi-Oh!
While it may not be necessary, here's some clarification for the terminology:
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When Specifers:
[ACT] – "Activation." Unless specified otherwise, this will be used for Spell Speed 1 and ignition effects.
[AUTO] – "Automatic." Namely trigger effects. (Almost always Spell 2 or above)
[CONT] – "Continuous." Effects that are always activate so long as the monster is in the specified area(s); which I'll clarify shortly.
[ON ACT] – Only applies to the "when activated" effects of Spell/Trap Cards. (note: this is not actually part of Vanguard terminology)
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Area Specifiers:
These will be placed immediately after the "When Specifier." These will be used to say where the following effect will be active or will be allowed to activate from. (If there isn't one, the effect is always active or can activate from anywhere.)
(Hand)
(Deck)
(Monster Zone)
(GY)
Ect.
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Misc.:
[COST][*insert cost here*] – self-explanatory. This can be placed almost anywhere in the effect. The cost is always specified in the brackets (reminder: Costs must be paid before the opponent is allowed to respond.)
[1/turn] – "Soft once per turn." Can apply to any of the "When Specifiers." (will be altered accordingly)
(Quick Effect) – self-explanatory. (note: this is not actually part of Vanguard terminology)
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Okay, with that out of the way, here's what you're actually reading this for:
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Nibiru, the Primal Being
[ACT](Hand)(Quick Effect): During the Main Phase, if your opponent has Normal or Special summoned 5 or more monsters this turn, you may tribute as many monster from the field as possible, and if you do, Special Summon this card then Special Summon one "Primal Being Token" to your opponent's field with a ATK/DEF equal to the combined original ATK/DEF of the Tributed Monsters. You may only use this effect of a "Nibiru, the Primal Being" once a turn. (Primal Being Tokens are Rock/LIGHT/Level 11/[ATK] ?/[DEF] ?)
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Ash Blossom and Joyous Spring
[AUTO](Hand)(Quick Effect): When a card or effect is activated that includes any of these effects [COST][Discard this card], negate that effect.
- Adds a card from the Deck to the Hand.
- Special Summons from the Deck.
- Send a card from the Deck to the GY.
You may only use this effect of "Ash Blossom and Joyous Spring" once a turn.
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Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay
(You may only use each of the following effects of "Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay" once a turn.)
[AUTO](Hand)(Quick Effect): If your opponent Special Summons a Link Monster(s) (except during the damage step), you may Special Summon this card and, if you do, draw cards equal to the number of Link Monsters you opponent controls +1 then return cards from your hand to the Deck equal to the number of Link Monsters your opponent controls and shuffle your Deck.
[AUTO](Monster Zone)(Quick Effect): When your opponent activates a card or effect that targets a monster(s) you control [COST][Discard a card], negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it.
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Salamangreat Jack Jaguar
[CONT]: If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage.
[ACT](GY): If you control a "Salamangreat" Link Monster [COST][Target a "Salamangreat" monster in your GY except "Salamangreat Jack Jaguar"], shuffle that target into the Deck, and if you do, Special Summon this card to your zone your "Salamangreat" Link Monster points to.
You may only use this effect of "Salamangreat Jack Jaguar" once a turn.
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Salamangreat Falco
(You may only use one of the following effects of "Salamangreat Falco" per turn and only once a turn.)
[AUTO]: If sent to the GY, [COST][Target 1 "Salamangreat" Spell/Trap in your GY], set that target
[ACT](GY): [COST][Target 1 "Salamangreat" Monster your control, except "Salamangreat Falco"] , return that target to the hand and if you do, Special Summon this card.
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Salamangreat Balelynx
1 Level 4 or lower Cyberse Monster
(You may only use each of the following effects of "Salamangreat Balelynx" once a turn.)
[AUTO]: If Link Summoned, search your deck for 1 "Salamangreat Sanctuary," add it to hand, and shuffle your deck.
[AUTO](GY): If a "Salamangreat" card(s) you control would be destroyed, you may banish this card from you graveyard instead. (This effect ignores Spell Speeds and Chain Links, and cannot be negated directly.)
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{important note: The parenthesis at the end in the protection effect is actually how the effect functions in gameplay. It is not in the actual effect. The same applies to large number of similar effects.}
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Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf
2 FIRE Effect Monsters
(You may only use each of the following effects of "Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf" once a turn.)
[AUTO](Monster Zone): If a monster(s) is Normal or Special Summoned to the zone(s) this card points to (except during the damage step), you may add 1 FIRE monster from your GY to you hand, but you cannot Normal Summon/Set or Special Summon cards with that Monster's name this turn.
[ACT](Monster Zone): If this card was Link Summoned using "Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf" as material, you can add 1 "Salamangreat" Spell/Trap from you GY to your hand.
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Salamangreat Rage
(You may only use one of the following effects of "Salamangreat Rage" per turn and only once a turn.)
[ON ACT]: When a Spell/Trap Card, or Monster Effect is activated while you control a "Salamangreat" Link Monster: Negate that and if you do, destroy that card.
[AUTO](GY): If your "Salamangreat" Link Monster is Link Summoned using a Monster with the same name as material, you can set this card, but banish it when it leaves the field.
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Sky Striker Ace – Kagari
1 non-FIRE "Sky Striker Ace" monster
[CONT] You may only Special Summon "Sky Striker Ace – Kagari" once a turn.
[AUTO] If Special Summoned [COST][Target 1 "Sky Striker" Spell card in your GY], add it to your hand.
[CONT](Monster Zone): This card gets [ATK] +100 for every Spell in you GY.
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Sky Striker Ace – Raye
(You may only use each of the following effects of "Sky Striker Ace – Raye" once a turn.)
[ACT](Monster Zone)(Quick Effect): [COST][Tribute this monster], Special Summon 1 "Sky Striker Ace" monster form your Extra Deck to the Extra Monster Zone.
[AUTO](GY): If a face-up "Sky Striker Ace" Link Monster you control is destroyed by battle of leaves the field because of an opponent's effect, you may Special Summon this card.
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Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor
[ON ACT]: If you control no monsters in your Main Monster Zone [COST][Target 1 face-up Effect Monster on the field], negate that target's effect until end of turn. If you have 3 or more Spells in your GY, you may take control of that Monster until the End Phase.
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Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon
[ON ACT]: If you control no monsters in your Main Monster Zone [COST][Target 1 monster in your opponent's GY], banish that target. If you have 3 or more Spells in your GY, you may Special Summon that Monster to your field instead, but it cannot attack.
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Sky Striker Mecha Modules - Multirole
[ACT](Spell/Trap Card Zone)[1/Turn]: [COST][Target one other card you control], send that target to the GY. For the rest of this turn, even if this card leaves the field, your opponent cannot activate cards or effect in response to the activation of your Spell Cards. (You may only gain this effect once per turn.)
[AUTO](Spell/Trap Card Zone)[1/Turn]: During the End Phase, you may set "Sky Striker" Spell Cards with different names from you GY up to the number of "Sky Striker" Spell Cards you activated this turn while this card was face-up on the field, but banish them when they leave the field.
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Marincess Sea Horse
(You may only use each of the following effects of "Marincess Sea Horse" once a turn.)
[CONT](Hand): You can Special Summon this card from you hand to your zone a "Marincess" Link Monster points to.
[ACT](GY): During your Main Phase, except the turn this card was sent to the GY, [COST][Banish this card], Special Summon 1 WATER monster from your hand to your zone a "Marincess" Link Monster points to.
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Marincess Mandarin
[ACT](Hand/GY): If you control 2 or more "Marincess" monsters, [COST][Target 1 WATER Link Monster you control], Special Summon this to your zone that target points to, but banish it when it leaves the field.
You may only use this effect of a "Marincess Mandarin" once a turn.
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Marincess Battle Ocean
[CONT](Field Zone): All "Marincess" monsters you control get [ATK] +200. All "Marincess" monster you control get [ATK] +600 for each "Marincess" card equipped to it.
[CONT](Field Zone): Your Link Monsters in the Extra Monster Zone that were Link summoned using "Marincess Crystal Heart" as material are unaffected by your opponent's card effects.
[AUTO](Field Zone): When you Link Summon a "Marincess" monster to the Extra Monster Zone (except during the damage step), you may equip up to 3 "Marincess" Link Monsters with different names from your GY to that Link Summoned monster.
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Marincess Wonder Heart
[AUTO][1/Battle](Quick Effect): If this card battles, during damage calculation, you can Special Summon 1 or your "Marincess" Monster Cards equipped to this card. If you do, this card cannot be destroyed by that battle and you take you battle damage from that battle. Equip that Special Summoned monster to this card during the End Phase.
[AUTO]: If this card in your possession is destroyed by your opponent's card, you may Special Summon 1 Link-3 or lower "Marincess" monster from you your GY.
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Black Luster Soldier – Envoy if the Beginning
[CONT]: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set.
[CONT]: Must first be Special Summoned by banishing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster from your GY.
[ACT](Main Zone)[1/Turn]: You may activate one of the following effects
-[COST][Target 1 monster of the field] banish that target. This card cannot attack this turn.
-If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, it can make a second attack in a row.
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Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms
(You may only use one of the following effects of "Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms" per turn and only once a turn.)
[ACT](Hand/GY): [COST][Banish a total of 2 WIND and/or Dragon monsters from you hand and/or GY, except this card], Special Summon this card.
[AUTO](Monster Zone): During you opponent's End Phase, if this card was Special Summoned, return it to the hand.
[ACT](Hand): [COST][Discard this card and 1 WIND monster], add 1 Dragon monster from you deck to your hand.
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Toadally Awesome
2 Level 2 Aqua monsters
[AUTO](Monster Zone)[1/Turn]: During the Standby Phase, [COST][Detach 1 Xyz Material from this card], Special Summon 1 "Frog" monster from your deck.
[AUTO](Monster Zone)[1/Turn]: When your opponent activates a Spell/Trap card or monster effect, [COST][send 1 Aqua monster from your hand or field to the GY] negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card, then you can set it to your field.
[AUTO]: If sent to the GY, [COST][Target 1 WATER monster in your GY], add it to your hand.
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Alright, I ran out of ideas. For now.
If you actually like this enough to want more, please comment about what cards or archetypes you want next.
-Ohirume