PSCT is an improvement sure but there are still various confusions about it, Modern Dark World cards being the greatest offenders.
YGO only has one resource though: Cards. The reason it is about resources is because with only one resource, obtaining that resource is of even greater importance, unlike a game like Magic where there are two resources: Mana and Cards, an abundance of either with do you no good by itself.
While this statement is correct, it doesn't really answer any questions I'm asking or rather it is an answer to a question that I haven't asked.
But back to Yugioh, the way they balance these cards is by Effect, Requirement, and Situation, with the sum being no greater than 0. Requirement tends to be archetype specifics such as having a "Luster Soldier" on the field or what have you, to make sure you can't staple this card in to every deck and make Yugioh a real boring game with everyone using the same card, while Situation serves to give purpose to each card, what would you use: Compulsory Evacuation Device or Mirror Force against a monster which can't be destroyed by card effects, how about one that can't be targeted? Effect is just to fill the gap made by the steep requirement and odd situation.
Cost (how a player can activate it)
Condition* (when can a Player can activate it)
Effect (What happens when it is activated)
That is how it is usually defined (and then it usually goes into Activate, Auto and Continuous
*Situation and Requirements are both conditions.
I disagree, to some extent, that archetypes are necessary to help the game to be interesting. I'd like to give players choice, which is (or was at least) a huge reason why people are attracted to Yugioh because there is a severe lack of limitation, it really lets people build a deck that expresses themselves rather than being led along on a leash.
If the best pool of cards in the game exists of 80 or more but the game only had a deck minimum of 40 (and a copy restriction of three) then you don't have room for each of the good cards in your deck (if speaking competitively) and due to that, decks would differ while still being on the same level. That is assuming all of those 80 cards are viable, which should be in a properly balanced game and not such a straight-face-rape-your-wallet-game like Yu-Gi-Oh
Thinking about text wording
"Pay Cost: When this condition is met; Resolve Effect"
"[Pay Cost; When this condition is met] Resolve Effect"
"[Pay Cost <When this condition is met>] Resolve Effect"
"[Pay Cost (When this condition is met)] Resolve Effect"
"When this condition is met: Pay Cost; Resolve Effect"
"[When this condition is met; Pay Cost] Resolve Effect"
"[When this condition is met <Pay Cost>] Resolve Effect"
"[When this condition is met (Pay Cost)] Resolve Effect"
