Errata can be made to a card for a variety of reasons, including to fix mistakes, to update a card's terminology, or to clarify the behavior of a card so that its rulings are easier to understand (such as Problem-Solving Card Text). Some errata specifically modify the card's functionality itself, usually as a way to make the card less powerful in order to remove it from the Forbidden list.
Players are not required to own the most recent erratum of a card, but they must always be played according to the latest erratum even if using an older copy of the card. Konami recommends using the most recent printing of a card, because that text is the most accurate.[1]
When this card is changed from Defense Position to Attack Position, you can place any number of cards from your hand at the bottom of your Deck in any order you desire.
When this card is changed from Attack Position to Defense Position, you can place any number of cards from your hand at the bottom of your Deck in any order you desire.
At the time this card is selected as an attack target by your opponent's monster, the controller of this card can activate Trap Card(s) from their hand.
At the time this card is selected as an attack target by an opponent's monster, you can activate Trap Card(s) from your hand.
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except with its own effect or with "Rise of the Snake Deity". This card gains 500 ATK for each Reptile-Type monster in your Graveyard. This card cannot be targeted and is unaffected by the effects of other Monsters, Spells, and Traps. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can remove from play 1 other Reptile-Type monster from your Graveyard to Special Summon this card. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, place 1 Hyper-Venom Counter on it. When 3 Hyper-Venom Counters are on this card, you win the Duel.
Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must first be Special Summoned with "Rise of the Snake Deity" and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways except by its own effect. This card gains 500 ATK for each Reptile-Type monster in your Graveyard. This card cannot be targeted by, and is unaffected by, Spell/Trap effects and other Effect Monsters' effects. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can banish 1 other Reptile-Type monster from your Graveyard; Special Summon this card. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: Place 1 Hyper-Venom Counter on it. When 3 Hyper-Venom Counters are on this card, you win the Duel.
Cards can receive errata that make major mechanical changes to their effects, rather than simply having errors or consistency corrected. A large majority of such cards were Forbidden at the time of the erratum, weakening them enough so that they no longer needed to be Forbidden.[3][4]
Original
First erratum
Tribute 1 DARK monster with 1000 or less ATK. Check all monsters on your opponent's side of the field, your opponent's hand, and all cards they draw (until the end of your opponent's 3rd turn after this card's activation), and destroy all monsters with 1500 or more ATK.
Tribute 1 DARK monster with 1000 or less ATK; your opponent takes no damage until the end of the next turn, also you look at your opponent's hand and all monsters they control, and if you do, destroy the monsters among them with 1500 or more ATK, then your opponent can destroy up to 3 monsters with 1500 or more ATK in their Deck.
↑This change was effective as of January 1, 2023[8]
↑The OCG text was changed to align with what the TCG text has always said.
Players with cards that have the old text of these cards may still use them, treated as if they have the new text; however, the rules require notifying their opponent about the erratum (such as by having a printout of the Card Database entry available).[9]
Prior to the official start of this practice in March 2014, a small number of cards (usually old OCG-only cards at the time) received significant functional errata prior to their TCG release, such as "Toon World" and "Sangan".
↑"Vジャンプ2月特大号掲載記事:第5回 2023年1月1日(日)適用の「リミットレギュレーション」を公開!!" [V Jump February extra-large issue article: #5 — "Limit Regulation" applicable 1 January 2023 revealed!!]. yu-gi-oh.jp. Konami. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022. 「エンシェント・フェアリー・ドラゴン」はルール改訂に伴い2023年1月1日から下記の新しいテキストになるぞ! ["Ancient Fairy Dragon" will have the following new text from 1 January 2023 due to a rule revision!]
↑"Errata Cards". Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2017.