Card Rulings:Reverse Trap

TCG Rulings

Mentions in Other Rulings

• Black-Winged Dragon: If Reverse Trap is activated, the ATK of Black-Winged Dragon will increase for each Black Feather Counter on it and an opponent’s monster targeted by the effect will have its ATK increased. No damage will be inflicted in that case.

OCG Rulings

• "Reverse Trap" is not an effect which increases or decreases the ATK or DEF; it is an effect which affects effects which increase or decrease ATKs or DEFs. Thus, you cannot activate "Reverse Trap" during the Damage Step.

• If "Flash Assailant" is equipped with "Megamorph", the effect of "Megamorph" reduces its ATK in half or doubles its ATK, then the effect of "Flash Assailant" reduces its ATK. In this case, if you have 5 cards in your hand and your Life Points is less than your opponent's, if "Reverse Trap" is activated, the ATK of "Flash Assailant" becomes 4000 by doubling its ATK by the effect of "Megamorph", then instead reducing the ATK of "Flash Assailant" by 2000, it ATK is increased by 2000. In the end, "Flash Assailant" ATK will be 6000.

• If the effect of "Reverse Trap" is being applied, the effect of "Metalmorph" that increases 300 ATK and DEF, reduces 300 ATK and DEF instead. Also, the effect that increases ATK by half the ATK of the opponent's monster during damage calculation, reduces ATK by half the ATK of the opponent's monster instead.

• If the effect of "Reverse Trap" is being applied, the effect of "Light and Darkness Dragon" that negates the activation will only activate once time. When it does, it will gain 500 ATK and DEF. Afterwards, if during the same turn another Spell Card, Trap Card, or monster effect is activated, "Light and Darkness Dragon" effect won't activate.

Previously Official Rulings

• If a card gives a monster +100 ATK, and "Reverse Trap" is activated, that monster now has -100 ATK instead. This card only affects increases and decreases of a defined value, such as +200 (which becomes -200) or -500 (which becomes +500). It does not change cards which "double", "half", or "reduce to 0" the ATK or DEF of a monster.

• You cannot activate this card during the Damage Step. This card affects monsters, Spell Cards, and Trap Cards controlled by both players.

• Additional "Reverse Traps" activated in the same turn will have no effect. So "Reverse Trap" will change "Axe of Despair"’s effect of adding 1000 ATK to subtracting 1000 ATK. If a second "Reverse Trap" is activated, the equipped monster still has -1000 ATK.

Mentions in Other Rulings

• Arcana Force Ex - The Light Ruler: If "Reverse Trap " ^[sic] is being applied while the tails effect of "Arcana Force EX - The Light Ruler" is being applied, "Arcana Force EX - The Light Ruler" will gain 1000 ATK instead of losing 1000 ATK when its effect resolves. After the turn ends, all gained ATK becomes an ATK loss.

• Armored Cybern: If "Reverse Trap" is activated, the equipped monster will gain 1000 ATK instead of losing 1000 ATK. When the turn ends, the ATK gain will become an ATK loss.

• Karate Man: "Reverse Trap's" effect is not applied because "doubled and halved" are not considered as increasing or decreasing.

• Light and Darkness Dragon: During the turn "Reverse Trap" is activated, "Light and Darkness Dragon's" second effect will only activate 1 time after "Reverse Trap" resolves. When it does, it will gain 500 ATK and DEF instead of losing 500 ATK and DEF. "Light and Darkness Dragon's" second effect will activate normally during following turns, and if it gained 500 ATK and DEF the gained ATK and DEF becomes a loss of 500 ATK and DEF.
  • Example: Player A activates "Reverse Trap" in his Main Phase 1. Afterwards, he Tribute Summons "Light and Darkness Dragon". Player B activates "Bottomless Trap Hole". "Light and Darkness Dragon's" effect activates, negating "Bottomless Trap Hole" and gaining 500 ATK and DEF.
    During the Battle Phase, Player A attacks with "Light and Darkness Dragon". Player B activates "Sakuretsu Armor". "Light and Darkness Dragon's" second effect does not activate and it is destroyed by "Sakuretsu Armor".

• Mirror Wall: "Reverse Trap" will have no effect on "Mirror Wall".

• The Agent of Force - Mars: Vs. "Reverse Trap", "The Agent of Force - Mars"' ATK & DEF become zero but cannot go below zero.

Out of Date

• Metalmorph: If "Reverse Trap" is activated, the increase of 300 ATK and DEF is changed into a decrease of 300 ATK and DEF. When your monster that is equipped with "Metalmorph" attacks your opponent's monster, the additional gained ATK, that is based on the ATK of the monster being attacked, is NOT changed to a decrease.