Dracule Mihawk OP14-020, the green Leader from The Azure Sea's Seven, is banned in the One Piece Card Game from 12 October 2026. The ban covers every parallel and alt-art version. Bandai will hand out a reworked Leader, P-163 Dracule Mihawk, at future events instead. Here's what changed, why, and what it means if Mihawk is your deck.
In this article
01 · The ban
What exactly is banned?
Bandai's notice of 24 September moves one card onto the Banned list: OP14-020 Dracule Mihawk, a green Leader with the Slash attribute, 5 Life and 5000 power. Banned cards can't be included in any deck at official and sanctioned tournaments, and because Mihawk is a Leader, the whole deck built around him can't be registered from 12 October.
Images: Bandai (ONE PIECE Card Game official site)
His text, from the official card: if your opponent's Leader has the Slash attribute, Mihawk gains +1000 power. Once per turn, in your Main Phase, you may rest one of your cards: if you have a Character with a cost of 5 or more, set up to 3 of your DON!! cards as active. Then you can't play Character cards that turn.
02 · The reason
Why did Bandai ban Mihawk?
Bandai gives two reasons. First, as more booster sets came out, some combinations with Mihawk became stronger than the design team expected. Second, his bonus against Slash Leaders was squeezing a whole group of Leaders out of the game, including ones that haven't been released yet.
Significantly restricts the viability of Leader cards with the Slash attribute.Bandai, ban notice, 24 September 2026
It was also one of the most-played Leaders around. Bandai's own Pirates Party Vol. 3 casual event (1 September to 31 October) has a Limited Deck format that bans the most-used Leaders in official tournaments, and OP14-020 Mihawk is on that list.
03 · The replacement
What is P-163 Dracule Mihawk?
Bandai says it will hand out a new Leader, P-163 Dracule Mihawk, with new text at future events. It keeps the same colour, Slash attribute, 5 Life and 5000 power, and it's marked Not for Sale. Bandai hasn't yet said which events will give it out.
Images: Bandai (ONE PIECE Card Game official site)
| OP14-020 (banned) | P-163 (replacement) | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus vs Slash Leaders | +1000 power if the opponent's Leader has Slash | Gone |
| Activate: Main (once per turn) | Rest 1 card; with a cost 5+ Character, set up to 3 DON!! as active | Rest 1 card; with a cost 5+ Character, give up to 3 rested DON!! to this Leader |
| Drawback | You can't play Characters that turn | None |
| How to get it | OP-14 boosters | Future events (not for sale) |
The difference is bigger than it looks. The old card turned three rested DON!! back into active ones you could spend again. The new one only moves rested DON!! onto Mihawk himself, so it's a power boost for his attack rather than extra resources, though you can now play Characters in the same turn.
04 · Your deck
What the ban means for your decks
The full banned list from 12 October
| Type | Cards |
|---|---|
| Banned | OP14-020 Dracule Mihawk (new), OP06-047 Charlotte Pudding, OP03-040 Nami, OP06-086 Gecko Moria, ST10-001 Trafalgar Law, OP06-116 Reject |
| Banned pairs | OP07-115 I Re-Quasar Helllp!! with EB04-058 Borsalino; OP11-040 Monkey.D.Luffy with OP11-067 Charlotte Katakuri; OP11-040 Monkey.D.Luffy with OP08-069 Charlotte Linlin |
| Restricted | None |
New to the game, or coming back after a break? Our how to play One Piece TCG guide covers Leaders, DON!! and Life in plain English.
05 · Our take
Was it the right call?
Our take
Yes, and the replacement is a sensible way to do it. A Leader that gets +1000 just for facing a whole attribute was always going to warp things once that attribute got more support, and Bandai is clearly thinking about future sets here.
P-163 keeps Mihawk playable without the part that made him oppressive. It's a slower, fairer version of the card: the DON!! acceleration is gone and the bonus goes into one big swing instead. If you loved the deck, it's worth chasing.
For collectors, a ban doesn't change what OP14-020 is: a printed Leader with a great alt art. It just stops being a tournament staple, so expect demand to come from collectors rather than players from here on.
06 · FAQ
Mihawk ban FAQ
When does the Mihawk ban start?
Is the alt-art Mihawk OP14-020 banned too?
How do I get P-163 Dracule Mihawk?
Can I still play OP14-020 casually?
Are other Mihawk cards banned?
Sources
- Bandai, Banned/Restricted Cards effective from October 12, 2026, 24 September 2026
- Bandai, Banned/Restricted Card Addition Notice (full list)
- Bandai, Pirates Party 2026 Vol. 3
- Bandai, CS26-27 Store Championship October (Season 2)
- Bandai, Championship 26-27 Regionals Season 2
Card images: Bandai, from the official ONE PIECE Card Game site. The SAMPLE marks are Bandai's own.