REDU format ruling
Vicious Claw
Nearest-era rulings (Tengu, Sept 2011) — no REDU-specific archive exists.
Card effect (current official text)The equipped monster gains 300 ATK. If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle, return this card to its owner's hand instead. Then, destroy 1 monster, except the one that battled the equipped monster, and inflict 600 damage to your opponent. After that, Special Summon 1 "Evil Token" (Fiend-Type/DARK/Level 7/ATK 2500/DEF 2500) on your opponent's side of the field. During the turn this card is returned to your hand, you cannot use "Vicious Claw" from your hand.
Rulings
- Vicious Claw is returned to its owner's hand at the end of the Damage Step when the equipped monster would have been sent to the GY.
- If you cannot return Vicious Claw to your hand, its effects disappear.
- Vicious Claw does not target the monster it destroys.
- If you cannot destroy a monster, no damage is inflicted to your opponent's Life Points.
- During the turn Vicious Claw is returned to your hand, you cannot Set it or use it to pay a cost. You also cannot activate an effect that requires discarding your entire hand as a cost or the effect of Jowgen the Spiritualist that discards a card from your hand at random as a cost.
- During the turn Vicious Claw is returned to your hand, if another Vicious Claw is equipped to a monster you control, the remaining equipped Vicious Claw's effects are still applied.
- During the turn Vicious Claw is returned to your hand, if your opponent adds the returned Vicious Claw to their hand with Exchange, they can use it during the same turn.
- If your opponent adds your Vicious Claw to their hand and equips it to their monster, when their equipped monster would be destroyed in battle Vicious Claw will return to your hand, but your opponent will resolve its effects.
- When Goblin Out of the Frying Pan is chained to Vicious Claw, when Vicious Claw is returned to its owner's hand it cannot be activated for the remainder of the turn.
Rulings data courtesy of Format Library — formatlibrary.com. Spotted an inaccuracy? Flag it in the REDU forum — sourced change requests get reviewed.