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TCG Rulings[]

On Negating Continuous/Non-Chainable Effects[]

On Removing Lingering Effects which Modify ATK/DEF[]

On Not Removing Previously-Resolved/Lingering Effects[]

Versus Costs/Conditions[]

  • Torapart: If "Skill Drain" is active while you use "Torapart" to Synchro Summon a monster, "Torapart" is now no longer on the field, so the effect of "Torapart" will be applied. So the opponent cannot activate Trap Cards when that Synchro Monster attacks. This is because the restriction on activating Trap Cards is an effect of "Torapart," not an effect of the Synchro Monster. ...

In Other Rulings[]

OCG Rulings[]

  • If "Skill Drain" is active, then you also negate the effects of Flip Effect Monsters which were flipped to being face-up on the field. Also, if a face-down Flip Effect Monster is attacked and flipped by battle, then even if it is destroyed by battle, then it is still face-up on the field when its Flip Effect activates after Damage Calculation, so the effect will be negated by "Skill Drain".[1]

On Activating Effects[]

  • The effect of "Skill Drain" negates the effects of Effect Monsters; it does NOT prevent Effect Monsters from activating their effects. Thus, "Skill Drain" will not prevent you from activating the effects of "Exiled Force" or "Rescue Cat".[3]

On the Monster Leaving the Field[]

  • The effect of "Skill Drain" negates the effects of Effect Monsters that are face-up on the field. Thus, it cannot negate the effect of a monster if the monster is in the Graveyard when the monster's activated effect is resolving. "Exiled Force" and "Rescue Cat" Tributes itself or sends itself to the Graveyard as activation costs for their effects, so the monsters are in the Graveyard when their effects resolve. Thus, "Skill Drain" cannot negate their effects, so you will destroy the monster or Special Summon the Beast-Type monsters from your Deck.[3]

On Removing Lingering Effects which Modify ATK/DEF[]

  • Worm Zero: When the effect of "Skill Drain" becomes active, the ATK of "Worm Zero" becomes 0, and will remain 0 even if the effect of "Skill Drain" disappears. Also, while "Skill Drain" is active, the "2 or more:", etc, effects are negated. Once the effect of "Skill Drain" is no longer applied, the "2 or more:", etc, effects are re-applied.[20]

On Not Removing Lingering Effects[]

Versus Conditions/Costs[]

Versus Continuous Effects/Non-Chainable Effects[]

  • Blizzard Princess: If "Skill Drain" is active when you Normal Summon "Blizzard Princess", then the effect "your opponent cannot activate Spell or Trap Cards" is negated, so your opponent may activate Spell or Trap Cards. Also, your opponent may still activate Spell or Trap Cards even if, afterwards, the effect of "Skill Drain" is no longer applied.[43]

Miscellaneous[]

In Other Rulings[]

Previously Official Rulings[]

On Negating Activated Effects

  • If a face-down "Kisetai" [sic] is attacked while "Skill Drain" is active, the effect of "Kisetai" [sic] is negated, damage calculation is performed, and "Kisetai" [sic] will not equip itself to the attacking monster. But if "Kisetai" [sic] is already an Equip Spell Card, and "Skill Drain" is activated, "Kisetai" [sic] is unaffected because it is no longer an Effect Monster.
  • A Union Monster that attached itself to another monster before "Skill Drain" became active is unaffected by "Skill Drain". If "Skill Drain" is active, you can activate a Union Monster's effect to attach it to another monster, but nothing happens and it remains a monster.

On Negating Continuous/Non-Chainable Effects

  • Restrictions are also lifted, so you can attack with "Ultimate Obedient Fiend" even if you have other cards on your side of the field.
  • "Jinzo" cannot negate Trap Cards while "Skill Drain" is already active, because "Skill Drain" is negating "Jinzo"'s effect. But if "Jinzo" is already on the field, you cannot activate "Skill Drain" because "Jinzo"'s effect prevents you from doing so.
  • Alien Hypno: If you take control of your opponent's monster with "Alien Hypno" and "Skill Drain" is activated, control of the selected monster is returned to the opponent. If "Skill Drain" is later negated or removed from the field, the selected monster is returned to your control.
  • Dark Hunter: While "Skill Drain" is active, all of "Dark Hunter's" effects are negated because the primary effect, "This card's effect changes depending on the number of DARK monsters in your Graveyard", is negated.
  • Gladiator Beast Darius: While "Skill Drain" is active, if "Gladiator Beast Darius" is removed from the field, the Special Summoned "Gladiator Beast" monster will remain on the field. If the Special Summoned "Gladiator Beast" monster attacks or is attacked, and it is returned to the Deck to activate its effect, the effect will not be negated because "Gladiator Beast Darius'" effects are being negated by "Skill Drain".

If the Monster is Not Face-Up

On Removing Lingering Effects which Modify ATK/DEF

  • When a monster's ATK or DEF are changed by its own effect, like "Slate Warrior" or "Berserk Dragon", and "Skill Drain" is activated, that monster's effect is negated and the ATK/DEF are returned to normal. Even if "Skill Drain" is then destroyed, the old adjustment to ATK/DEF does not come back. Any bonuses or penalties are lost when "Skill Drain" effect is applied, and you have to start over from the beginning.
  • Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast: If you Summoned this card without Tribute, and then "Skill Drain" is later activated, the ATK and DEF are no longer halved. If "Skill Drain" is later destroyed, the ATK and DEF still remain 2800/2000. You can Normal Summon Fusilier Dragon without Tributing monsters while Skill Drain is face-up on the field as it only targets Effect Monsters on the field. Skill Drain will then negate Fusilier Dragon's ATK and DEF reducing effect, increasing it to 2800/2000.

Judge List Rulings

On Not Removing Previously-Resolved/Lingering Effects

  • If "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi"'s effect is activated, and then "Skill Drain" is activated later, "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi"'s effect is not negated and the opponent must discard his/her hand during their next Draw Phase. But if "Skill Drain" is active at the time "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi"'s effect activates, then the effect is negated.

Versus Costs/Conditions

  • Chiron the Mage: The restriction that you can only activate this effect once per turn is a condition, not an effect. So if "Skill Drain" is on the field, you can pay the cost once per turn (for no effect), but not pay the cost continuously in the same turn.
  • The Creator: If you activate the effect of "The Creator", and it does not resolve because the opponent chains "Skill Drain", or removes the targeted monster from the Graveyard with "Disappear", you've still used the effect. So you cannot activate its effect again that turn (even if you destroy "Skill Drain").

Versus Effects which Activate Off the Field

In Other Rulings


References[]

  1. Konami FAQ: Can the effect of "Skill Drain" negate Flip Effects?
  2. Konami FAQ: While "Skill Drain" is active, can you negate the effects of monsters like "Sangan" which activate in the Graveyard?
  3. 3.0 3.1 Konami FAQ: While "Skill Drain" is active, can an opponent's monster be destroyed by the effect of "Exiled Force"?
  4. Konami FAQ: Will the effect of "Battle Fader" end the Battle Phase if "Skill Drain" is active?
  5. Konami FAQ: When "White Night Dragon" sends an equipped "Snatch Steal" to the Graveyard to activate its effect which changes the attack target, is the effect applied?
  6. Konami OCG FAQ: Does "Skill Drain" negate the Standby Phase effect of "Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction"?
  7. Konami FAQ: Is the effect of "Stardust Dragon" negated by "Skill Drain"?
  8. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Skill Drain" is applied while the Level of "Gash the Dust Lord" is altered, then what does its Level become?
  9. Konami FAQ: If "Skill Drain" is activated after the ATK of "Beast King Barbaros" is halved by the effect of "Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind", then what does its ATK become?
  10. Konami FAQ: What happens to the ATK of "Cyber Eltanin" when it is flipped face-down or when its effect is negated?
  11. Konami FAQ: What is the ATK of "Elemental HERO Neos Knight" while "Skill Drain" is active?
  12. Konami FAQ: When the effect of "Emissary from Pandemonium" is negated by the effect of "Skill Drain", what do its Level, ATK, and DEF become?
  13. Konami FAQ: When "Emissary from Pandemonium" with its ATK halved is affected by "Shrink" or "Megamorph", how does its ATK change?
  14. Konami FAQ: When the effect of a monster like "Fortune Lady Earth" is negated by an effect like "Skill Drain", does its altered Level return to the original value?
  15. Konami FAQ: After "Majestic Star Dragon" increases its ATK by an effect which is treated as its own, if "Skill Drain" is activated, then does it return to the original amount?
  16. Konami FAQ: When "Montage Dragon" is flipped face down or has its effect negated, what does his ATK become?
  17. Konami FAQ: When the effect of "Vice Dragon" is negated with "Skill Drain", what does its ATK/DEF become?
  18. Konami FAQ: Does the ATK and DEF of "The Tyrant Neptune" become 0 if it is negated by "Skill Drain"?
  19. 19.0 19.1 Konami FAQ: Does "Skill Drain" negate the name and the effects gained by "The Tyrant Neptune"?
  20. Konami FAQ: When the effects of "Worm Zero" are negated by "Skill Drain", are its ATK and its obtained effects no longer applied?
  21. Konami FAQ: If "Skill Drain" is activated after an ATK is halved by the effect of "Armored Bee", then what does the value become?
  22. Konami FAQ: Do the Wedge Counters generated by "Blackwing Armor Master" disappear when the effect of "Skill Drain" is applied?
  23. Konami OCG FAQ: If "Skill Drain" is activated after "Crimson Blader" activates, then do you stop applying the effect?
  24. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Cyber Dragon Zwei" is negated by "Skill Drain", then what does its name become?
  25. Konami FAQ: If "Skill Drain" is active, can a Token Special Summoned by "Darklord Asmodeus" be destroyed by battle or by card effects?
  26. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Skill Drain" is applied, then does the monster equipped by the effect of "Dragunity Primus Pilus" remain equipped?
  27. Konami FAQ: Is the new card name of "Genex Recycled" negated by the effect of "Skill Drain"?
  28. Konami FAQ: Can "Skill Drain" negate the effect of "Level Warrior" which changes its Level?
  29. Konami OCG FAQ: If you activate "Skill Drain" and Special Summon "Mist Valley Thunderbird" by its effect, then can it attack?
  30. Konami OCG FAQ: If "Number 11: Big Eye" is removed from the field after applying its effect, then what happens to the monster of which you gained control?
  31. Konami OCG FAQ: The ATK increase from the effect of "Number 20: Gig-Anto Brilli-Ant" lasts for how long?
  32. Konami FAQ: If "Skill Drain" has been activated, then is "The Fabled Ganashia" removed from play if it would be removed from the field after it was Special Summoned by its effect?
  33. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Trident Dragion" which allows it to attack multiple times has already resolved, then can "Skill Drain" negate it?
  34. Konami FAQ: Can you Synchro Summon if "Backup Warrior" was Special Summoned while "Skill Drain" was active?
  35. Konami FAQ: While "Skill Drain" is active, can you use "Blackwing - Breeze the Zephyr" as a Synchro Material for a non-"Blackwing" monster?
  36. Konami FAQ: While the effect of "Skill Drain" is being applied, can you use "Debris Dragon" as Synchro Material Monster for a non-Dragon-Type monster?
  37. Konami FAQ: While "Skill Drain" is active, can the Synchro Materials for a Synchro Summon be "Fishborg Blaster" and non-WATER monsters?
  38. Konami FAQ: Can the effect of "Skill Drain" negate the Maintenance Cost of "Koa'ki Meiru Valafar" etc?
  39. Konami FAQ: Is any of the text of "Quickdraw Synchron" treated as the effect of an Effect Monster?
  40. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Skill Drain" is applied after resolving the effect of "Rapid Warrior", then can the other monsters attack?
  41. Konami FAQ: When "Torapart" is used as a Synchro Material Monster while its effect is negated, do you apply the effect which prevents Trap Cards from being activated?
  42. Konami FAQ: Is "Archlord Kristya" returned to the top of the Deck when sent to the Graveyard while the effect of "Skill Drain" is being applied?
  43. Konami FAQ: If "Blizzard Princess" is Normal Summoned while "Skill Drain" is applied, then is the effect negated?
  44. 44.0 44.1 Konami FAQ: While "Skill Drain" is active, can "Dark Elf" attack without paying Life Points, and so on?
  45. Konami FAQ: If the effect of a card like "Dragunity Dux" is negated, then is the equipped Dragon-Type monster destroyed?
  46. Konami FAQ: Can a second "Earthbound Immortal Chacu Challhua" be Normal Summoned after "Skill Drain" was activated?
  47. Konami FAQ: If "Skill Drain" has been activated, then can you Normal Summon a second "Guardian of Order" or "Rai-Jin"?
  48. Konami OCG FAQ: If you activate "Skill Drain" after attacking directly with "Infernity Archer", then does a Replay occur?
  49. Konami FAQ: Can you Special Summon a second "Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon" while the effect of "Skill Drain" is active?
  50. Konami FAQ: Can a second "Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon" return to the field by the effect of "Interdimensional Matter Transporter"?
  51. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon" is negated, then can other monsters attack?
  52. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon" is negated, then is it destroyed by its own effect if there is no longer a Field Card?
  53. Konami OCG FAQ: If "Skill Drain" stops being applied, then do you apply the effect of "Naturia Bamboo Shoot" a second time?
  54. Konami FAQ: When "Skill Drain" has been activated, can "Naturia Spiderfang" attack even when the opponent has not activated a card?
  55. 55.0 55.1 Konami FAQ: While "Skill Drain" is active, if "Road Synchron" is used as a Synchro Material, does it return to its original Level?
  56. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Sergeant Electro" is negated, then can the selected Spell or Trap Card be activated?
  57. Konami FAQ: What happens if you negate the effect of a card that has Spell Counters on it?
  58. Konami FAQ: If the effect of "Skill Drain" is applied, can you use "Tuningware" as a Level 2 monster for a Synchro Summon?
  59. Konami FAQ: Will "Skill Drain" negate the effect of "Djinn Releaser of Rituals" which is applied to a Ritual Monster?
  60. Konami FAQ: Is "Obelisk the Tormentor" sent to the Graveyard during a turn in which it is Special Summoned and "Skill Drain" is activated?
  61. Konami FAQ: Can "Supervise" be equipped to a Gemini Monster which is not being treated as a Normal Monster because of "Skill Drain"?
  62. Konami FAQ: Can "Trap Eater" be Special Summoned by sending "Skill Drain" to the Graveyard while "Vanity's Fiend" is on the field?
  63. Konami OCG FAQ: If you use "Triple Star Trion" as a Tribute for a Tribute Summon or Set while "Skill Drain" is active, then can you activate its effect?
  64. 64.0 64.1 Konami FAQ: How is the ATK of "Breaker the Magical Warrior" replaced by "Inverse Universe"?
  65. UDE Judge List: Skill Drain's impact on monsters with variable ATK and/or DEF
  66. Konami Judge Program Forum: Individual Email Rulings VS Individual Card Rulings
  67. UDE FAQ: Individual Card Rulings [A-C]
  68. UDE FAQ: Individual Card Rulings [D-E]
  69. UDE FAQ: Individual Card Rulings [F-H]
  70. UDE FAQ: Individual Card Rulings [I-K]
  71. UDE FAQ: Individual Card Rulings [L-O]
  72. UDE FAQ: Individual Card Rulings [P-R]
  73. UDE FAQ: Individual Card Rulings [S-T]
  74. UDE FAQ: Individual Card Rulings [U-Z]
  75. UDE FAQ: SPECIFIC CARDS RULINGS
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