So, I am aware that Rancor is legal in Pauper Classic/Legacy/Vintage, due to its being printed at common during Urza's Block.
However, if one is playing Standard-only Pauper, then, in the sets included, Rancor would only have been printed at uncommon. I personally find it intuitive then that it would not be a legal card, seeing as the sets concerned see it as an uncommon (as in a search with the parameters of "Common" and "Standard" would not show Rancor, making it counter-intuitive that you would then have to cross-reference every common with older sets).
So, what is the "official" ruling on this matter? I don't see anything on the subject on Wizards' site except things reminding people that you can use uncommon versions of the card if there is a legal common version.
The key part of that phrase to focus on is "if there is a legal common version". That applies more to cards like Demolish that is legal in Standard Pauper but has older versions that were printed as uncommons.
It has to be printed as a common in one of the legal sets for the format in question. So in the case of Standard Pauper, Rancor (and Oblivion Ring) are not legal.
Would you mind posting some sort of reference for that answer (either from one of the Tournament Rules docs or from an announcement or article on the Wizards' site)? I agree that it's intuitive, but I can't find any hard evidence.
Outside of MTGO, there is no real official guideline on what is legal in pauper formats. They aren't sanctioned formats, so you just have to go with whatever your playgroup thinks is right.
This is all there is to go on from Wizards:
Pauper is a Magic Online format in which all cards used must have been printed at the common rarity in a Magic Online set or product. Common promo cards are only legal if the card has been printed at the common rarity in a set or product. Other than that, the usual rules for Constructed decks apply (a minimum deck size of 60 cards in the main deck, an optional 15-card sideboard, and so on). If a common version of a particular card was ever released on Magic Online, any versions of that card printed at other rarities are also legal in this format.
Example: Counterspell was a common card in the Seventh Edition core set, which was released on Magic Online. Counterspell was reprinted in Masters Edition II with an uncommon expansion symbol. Both versions of the card can be used in the Pauper format.
Example: Hymn to Tourach, another uncommon from Masters Edition II, is not legal for use in the Magic Online Pauper format. Even though Hymn to Tourach was printed as a common in the Fallen Empires set, that set was never released on Magic Online
The Pauper banned list is:
Cranial Plating
Empty the Warrens
Frantic Search
Grapeshot
Invigorate
Would you mind posting some sort of reference for that answer (either from one of the Tournament Rules docs or from an announcement or article on the Wizards' site)? I agree that it's intuitive, but I can't find any hard evidence.
Because Standard Pauper is not an official format in Wizards eyes I can't provide any links in that regard. I do know that they recently added a Standard Pauper filter for MTGO if that helps. Here's a link to the most recent Player Run Event information for Standard Pauper over on PDCmagic.com:
Standard Pauper format (Commons from Magic 2013, Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, or Return to Ravnica only; versions of Standard cards from earlier sets are allowed as proxies).
PDC rules (black expansion symbol commons only; cards that were uncommon in earlier sets but are now common in Standard are allowed
However, if one is playing Standard-only Pauper, then, in the sets included, Rancor would only have been printed at uncommon. I personally find it intuitive then that it would not be a legal card, seeing as the sets concerned see it as an uncommon (as in a search with the parameters of "Common" and "Standard" would not show Rancor, making it counter-intuitive that you would then have to cross-reference every common with older sets).
So, what is the "official" ruling on this matter? I don't see anything on the subject on Wizards' site except things reminding people that you can use uncommon versions of the card if there is a legal common version.
Thanks!
It has to be printed as a common in one of the legal sets for the format in question. So in the case of Standard Pauper, Rancor (and Oblivion Ring) are not legal.
This is all there is to go on from Wizards:
Example: Counterspell was a common card in the Seventh Edition core set, which was released on Magic Online. Counterspell was reprinted in Masters Edition II with an uncommon expansion symbol. Both versions of the card can be used in the Pauper format.
Example: Hymn to Tourach, another uncommon from Masters Edition II, is not legal for use in the Magic Online Pauper format. Even though Hymn to Tourach was printed as a common in the Fallen Empires set, that set was never released on Magic Online
The Pauper banned list is:
Cranial Plating
Empty the Warrens
Frantic Search
Grapeshot
Invigorate
This FAQ answers many of the common questions asked in the MTGS Rulings forum. Take a look!
I'm the editor/content manager of the Magic Rules Tips Blog - Bookmark this site for daily tips about game and tournament rules.
"Abstract concepts of perfect judging run headlong into the realities of how people play the game." - Toby Elliott (papa_funk)
My Type 4 Stack -- DCI Documents -- Comp Rules
Because Standard Pauper is not an official format in Wizards eyes I can't provide any links in that regard. I do know that they recently added a Standard Pauper filter for MTGO if that helps. Here's a link to the most recent Player Run Event information for Standard Pauper over on PDCmagic.com:
http://forums.pdcmagic.com/viewtopic.php?t=7583
From that thread: