Broken

Broken is a term used to refer to any card giving the user of the card an excessive advantage or defines the competitive metagame in a negative or imbalanced manner.

Though many rules exist regulating the use of certain cards, the term is purely subjective. Many cards that are considered such are usually Forbidden in the Advanced Format, while others classified as "broken" in multiple copies are Limited or Semi-Limited. Some existing cards may become retroactively unbalanced following the release of newer cards, strategies and Deck types, meaning some cards considered "broken" may only be so due to a card combo that utilizes the card's effects to an exploitative degree.

One of the primary methods for gauging a card's balance is its consistency and cost required for use. Although some FTK and OTK combinations can be labelled "broken" for executing winning formulas that prevent opposing players from responding, they are often inconsistent and, therefore, balanced.

The term "broken" is also used as hyperbole by many players, to describe any card said players have difficulty dealing with. With Priority, some monsters may gain a 'broken' feel to them, such as Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier, Junk Destroyer, and Monarch cards, having their effects go though unless you have cards that Negates Special Summons.

Examples of Legal TCG cards widely considered "broken" by players do to their Splashable nature and/or to their difficulty in dealing with:
 * Pot of Avarice - Since Extra Deck monsters cannot be sent back to the main Deck, like Pot of Avarice's effect implies, they get sent straight back to the Extra Deck, giving the player an advantage of returning easily summonable Synchro Monsters like Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier or Stardust Dragon. Drawing two cards as the last part of the effect seems to also be potentially advantageous, especially if all the monsters returned to the "deck" were Extra Deck Monsters, essentially reseting your extra deck, and having a legal Pot of Greed.
 * Pot of Duality - If ran with three copies in a deck, this card essentially gives you a free draw, making 40 card decks into practical 37 card decks. The only disadvantages of this card is that you cannot special summon the same turn you play it and you can only use one per turn.
 * Reborn Tengu - Being able to special summon another copy of itself from the Deck when it leaves the field, this can quickly give you a field advantage through Synchro Summon, using it as material several times over.
 * Mind Control - Your opponent can choose a face down monster you control, flip it face up, and use it as a Synchro Material Monster or Xyz Material.
 * Debris Dragon - When used in combination with Doppelwarrior, Dandylion, it can get around the fact that the monster's effect is negated on the field.

Examples of Forbidden cards widely considered "broken":
 * Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End - Topdeckable summoning (LIGHT and DARK in Graveyard) with overpowered stats, able to wipe the entire field and hand at the same time at only 1000 Life Points, burn damage can give the victory to player.
 * Raigeki and Harpie's Feather Duster - Able to clear opponent's field while leaving your field untouched without any form of cost.
 * Imperial Order - Locks all Spell usage over an extended and player-controlled period. While its upkeep of 700 Life Points can be seen as proof that even cards featuring drawbacks or cost for use may be considered "broken", the cost is optional, meaning that the user can cut off an opponent's spells until their next turn with no cost. As such, "broken" cards are often designed with balance in mind, but due to players finding loopholes and exploits in their effects, they become broken as a result.