Problem-Solving Card Text

Problem-Solving Card Text (often abbreviated PSCT) was an update to card text, introduced to Booster Packs with the release of Generation Force and Starter Decks with the release of Starter Deck: Dawn of the Xyz, with the intent to simplify card effects to the point that most situations could be resolved simply by applying logic. It was announced by Kevin Tewart through a series of blog posts to Konami's Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's TCG Strategy Site.

Legendary Collection 2: The Duel Academy Years Mega Pack was in part created to reprint many old cards with the new text style (including the "HERO" monsters).

Terminology

 * "Battle Damage" → "battle damage" (introduced in Abyss Rising)
 * "remove from play" → "banish"
 * "removed from the field" → "leaves the field"
 * "pick up" (reveal cards from top of Deck) → "excavate" (introduced in War of the Giants: Round 2)
 * "select" → "target"
 * "Effect Monster's effect" → "monster effect"
 * "When" (on mandatory effects only) → "If" (introduced in Realm of Light Structure Deck)
 * "Life Points" → "LP" (introduced in Super Starter: Space-Time Showdown)
 * "Union Monster" → "Union monster" (introduced in Duelist Pack: Kaiba - Silver Dragon Value Box)
 * "Toon Monster" → "Toon monster" (introduced in Battle Pack 3: Monster League)
 * "Flip Effect Monster" → "Flip monster" (introduced in Battle Pack 3: Monster League)
 * "Fusion Material Monster" → "Fusion Material"
 * "Synchro Material Monster" → "Synchro Material"
 * "side of the field" → "field" (introduced in OTS Tournament Pack 1 and Premium Gold: Infinite Gold)
 * "Tuner monster" → "Tuner" (introduced in The Dark Illusion)
 * "Graveyard" → "GY" (introduced in Starter Deck: Link Strike)
 * "Material" (by itself) → "material" (introduced on the Weekly Shonen Jump July 2017 membership promotional card)

Additions

 * "(except during the Damage Step)" (introduced in Order of Chaos)
 * "and if you do" (introduced in Premium Collection Tin)
 * "also, after that" (introduced in Premium Gold)
 * "possession" (introduced in Return of the Duelist)
 * "(min. […])"
 * "(this is a Quick Effect)"
 * "Cannot be […] Summoned unless"
 * "immediately after this effect resolves" (introduced in Abyss Rising)
 * "(This card is always treated as a/an […] card.)" (introduced in Battle Pack 2: War of the Giants)
 * "(This card is not treated as a/an […] card.)" (introduced on the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game - Card Database with the release of Destiny Soldiers)

Removals

 * "(Damage calculation is applied normally)"
 * "(without damage calculation)"
 * "(This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.)" (introduced in Cyber Dragon Revolution Structure Deck)
 * "-Type" (introduced in Starter Deck: Link Strike).

Changes

 * "return […] to the top of […] Deck" → "place […] on the top of […] Deck" (introduced in War of the Giants: Round 2)
 * "during battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster […], inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent" → "if this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent"
 * "selected as an attack target" → "targeted for an attack"
 * "attack once again"/"attack twice" → ""make a second attack"
 * "still treated as a Trap Card" → "also still a Trap Card"
 * "Flip Effects are not activated at this time" → "(Flip Effects are not activated at this time)" → "(Flip Effects are not activated)" → "(Flip monsters' effects are not activated)" → "(Flip monsters' effects are not activated at this time)" (changed in Battle Pack: Epic Dawn, then again in Battle Pack 3: Monster League, then again in Astral Pack Six)
 * "This card's name is treated as […] while […]" → "While this card is […], its name is treated as […]" → "This card's name becomes […] while […]" (changed in Legendary Collection 2: The Duel Academy Years Mega Pack)
 * "This card's name is treated as […]." → "(This card's name is always treated as […].)" (introduced in Legendary Collection 4: Joey's World Mega Pack)
 * "This card's name is also treated as […]." → "(This card is also always treated as […].)" (introduced in Dragons of Legend)
 * "This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set." → "Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set." → "Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set." (introduced in Generation Force, then changed in Legendary Collection 3: Yugi's World)
 * "This card can only be […]" → "Must first be […]"
 * "This card cannot be Special Summoned except […]" → "Must be […] and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways."
 * "This monster can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card, […]" → "You can Ritual Summon this card with […]" (introduced in Hidden Arsenal 5: Steelswarm Invasion)
 * "You take no Battle Damage from battles involving this card." → "You take no battle damage from attacks involving this card." (introduced in Battle Pack 2: War of the Giants)
 * "(If it's a tie, you get to choose.)" → "(your choice, if tied)" (introduced in Legendary Collection 4: Joey's World)
 * "Send, from […] to the Graveyard, the Fusion Material Monsters that are listed on a Fusion Monster Card, then Special Summon that monster from your Extra Deck" → "Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from […] as Fusion Materials." (introduced in Legendary Collection 4: Joey's World Mega Pack)
 * "This card gains […] effects" → "replace this effect with […] original effects" (introduced in Legendary Collection 5D's Mega Pack)
 * "At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked" → "If damage calculation is performed involving this card, at the end of the Battle Phase" →  "At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card battled" (introduced in Clash of Rebellions, then changed in Shining Victories: Special Edition)
 * "During each of your/your opponent's […] Phases" → "Once per turn, during your/your opponent's […] Phase" (introduced in Master of Pendulum Structure Deck)
 * "During the […] Phase" (on mandatory effects only) → "Once per turn, during the […] Phase" (introduced in Millennium Pack)
 * "negate its effects"/"its effects are negated" → "it has its effects negated" (introduced in Rise of the True Dragons Structure Deck)
 * "Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to this effect's activation" → "Neither player can activate cards or effects in response to this effect's activation" (introduced in Clash of Rebellions)
 * "during either player's […]" → "(Quick Effect)" (introduced in Starter Deck: Link Strike)
 * "Cannot be used as an Xyz Material for an Xyz Summon." → "Cannot be used as material for an Xyz Summon." (introduced on the Weekly Shonen Jump July 2017 membership promotional card)
 * "(Xyz Materials attached to that monster also become Xyz Materials on this card.)" → "(Transfer its materials to this card.)" (introduced on the Weekly Shonen Jump July 2017 membership promotional card)
 * "detach 1 Xyz Material from […]" → "detach 1 material from […]" (introduced on the Weekly Shonen Jump July 2017 membership promotional card)

Names

 * "Elemental Hero" → "Elemental HERO"
 * "Destiny Hero" → "Destiny HERO"
 * "Evil Hero" → "Evil HERO"

Type/Ability line

 * Effect Tuner monsters: "[…/Tuner]" → "[…/Tuner/Effect]" (introduced in Battle Pack 3: Monster League)


 * "[…/Gemini]" → "[…/Gemini/Effect]" (introduced in Battle Pack 3: Monster League)


 * "[…/Toon]" → "[…/Toon/Effect]" (introduced in Battle Pack 3: Monster League)


 * Flip monsters: "[…/Effect]" → "[…/Flip/Effect]" (introduced in Super Starter: Space-Time Showdown)


 * "[…/Union]" → "[…/Union/Effect]" (introduced in Geargia Rampage Structure Deck)


 * "[…/Spirit]" → "[…/Spirit/Effect]" (introduced in Astral Pack Eight)
 * "[…]" → "[…/Normal]" (introduced in Starter Deck: Link Strike)

Action structure

 * Activation conditions (anything that limits when or how often you can activate a card/effect) are now denoted with a colon " : ".
 * Activation functions (anything that happens when you activate a card/effect, includes things like costs and targeting) are now denoted with a semicolon " ; ".
 * Effects that starts a Chain always have a colon or semicolon. The activation of a Spell and Trap Card always starts a Chain.


 * Built-In Special Summons (other than Synchro, Xyz, or Pendulum) are now denoted by parentheses "  " stating the location from which the monster can be Special Summoned.
 * The conjunctives "and", "and if you do", "also", "also, after that" and "then" have specific meanings.
 * In "Do A, then do B", B happens after A. These things happen in sequence, not simultaneously. A is required for B, but NOT vice-versa. If A does not happen, then stop. If B cannot happen, you still do A.
 * In "Do A and B", both A and B happen simultaneously. BOTH A and B are required. If you cannot do both, then you do nothing.
 * In "Do A, and if you do, do B", both A and B happen simultaneously. A is required for B, but NOT vice-versa. If A does not happen, then stop. If B cannot happen, you still do A.
 * In "Do A, also do B", both A and B happen simultaneously. Neither is required for the other to occur.
 * In "Do A, also, after that, do B", B happens after A. These things happen in sequence, not simultaneously. Neither is required for the other to occur.


 * Cards with bulleted effects (●) that can be resolved in the same Chain Link specify whether they resolve simultaneously or sequentially (if sequentially, effects are applied in the order they are listed). In these cases, each effect activated resolves independent of the success of the other(s).
 * The text "in sequence" indicates that the bulleted effects are applied sequentially (e.g. "Gravekeeper's Oracle", "Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter").
 * The text "(simultaneously)" indicates that the bulleted effects are applied simultaneously (e.g. "Kunai with Chain").


 * The terms "that target" or "those targets" and "it" or "they" have specific meanings in the resolution of the effect.
 * "That target" and "those targets" indicate that the targets must still meet the target requirements at resolution.
 * "Both targets"/"Both those targets" and "all three targets" indicate that all targets must still meet the target requirements at resolution for any of them to be affected.
 * "It" and "they" indicate that the targets do not need to meet the target requirements at resolution, only when targeted.


 * Conditions other than target requirements that have to be met during both activation and resolution are specifically noted in a separate sentence after the effect sentence (e.g. "Zombie Master", "Goe Goe the Gallant Ninja").
 * The phrase "in the Graveyard" indicates that the properties of the card must be checked in the Graveyard (e.g. "Armory Arm"). As such, if the card is not in the Graveyard at that time, there is no longer a reference point and the effect disappears.
 * Any effect that has "during either player's […]" is a Quick Effect. Some monsters, and all monsters with Quick Effects printed from Starter Deck: Link Strike onward, indicate in their card text that the effect is a Quick Effect (e.g. "Swift Scarecrow" and "Decode Talker").
 * Cards that can be activated in response to the activation of either a card or a card effect include "when a card or effect is activated" in their timing (e.g. "Stardust Dragon").
 * Cards and effects that state "you can only activate this card/effect once per turn/Duel" can be activated again in the same turn/Duel if the activation is negated. Cards and effects that state "you can only use this card/effect once per turn/Duel" cannot be activated again in the same turn/Duel, even if negated.
 * Effects that prevent monsters from being attacked but cannot prevent the opponent from attacking directly specifically note this (e.g. "The Legendary Fisherman"). However, not all cards that prevent monsters from being attacked allow the opponent to attack directly (e.g. "Command Knight").
 * Effects that prevent Summoning but still allow Setting note this (e.g. "Stray Lambs").
 * Flip monsters which have effects other than a Flip effect have a line break between the end of the Flip Effect and the start of the other effect(s) (e.g. "Night Assailant").
 * There is now a line break before bullet points (e.g. "Wind-Up Shark").
 * Cards and effects that inherently Summon a monster now note that the monster is Summoned immediately after the card or effect resolves to make it clear that these Summons can be negated if performed as Chain Link 1 (e.g. "Ultimate Offering", "Advanced Heraldry Art").