Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Well.. there we have it, "Splinter Twin" is no longer in standard anymore.
Can't say I'm surprised about that. Am surprised that they took the extra couple days to make the announcement, but I guess the extra data helped confirmed it needed to go.
Proof that enough vitriol is enough to change Wizards' minds. They may cite data but I'm positive the massive negativity surrounding their inaction had its fair share of influence.
That said, about time. Let's see what happens now.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Vorthos-y Johnny. All will be One
Modern - Cheeri0s (building), Belcher (building), Lantern (building), UW Control (building)
RIP Magic Duels. Wizards will regret what they did to you.
So, I don't know Standard well, but isn't Mardu Vehicles just the unquestionably best deck with no reason to play ANYTHING else now?
Mardu was the only other viable deck because it was fast enough to get out ahead of Copycat, but it's my understanding that it's easier to combat than Copycat. This should open the meta up.
More like 2 days of Modo results after a new set that they were likely hoping would instantly stifle the combo's effectiveness. Still not a good thing for this to happen, 2 days of data shouldn't be enough to make a decision like this.
So, I don't know Standard well, but isn't Mardu Vehicles just the unquestionably best deck with no reason to play ANYTHING else now?
Maybe? It's really a whole new ballgame since there's actual playable hate against Vehicles.
The issue is that Mardu in its midrange form it evolved into had the power to kill CopyCat and the answers to control it. It was the perfect predator. It didn't matter that it struggled to other faster decks and was weaker than most other midrange because Saheeli would kill those for it in a tournament.
Now we can have some true Aggro decks in the format. We can also see some real control decks (maybe Tower, maybe a Drake Haven-fueled new deck) since those endgames aren't just outclassed by CopyCat. B/G midrange, which was okay versus Mardu but awful versus Saheeli, is now backed by strong new hate cards and Bone Picker and may be a real deck. EmptyHand Gods may also be a real deck.
Basically Mardu (especially a leaner and more aggressive old school build) will be a top contender but there's lots of breathing room when turn 4 lethal isn't choking the format.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sufferer of EDHD
Commander - Currently Playing: RCRDaretti: Superfriends Forever RCR WGBDoran: Ent-mootWBG GGGMultani: Group Bear HugGGG GB(B/G)The Gitrog Monster: Dredgefall DurdleGB(B/G) RGWGahiji, the Honored Group Hug MonsterRGW UB(U/B)Yuriko, Ninja Trinket AggroUB(U/B) WUBRGAtogatog: Assembling a OHKOWUBRG
They should have just banned it with the first announcement. All this scrambling creates really poor optics. From an outside perspective, it looks like they aren't quite sure how to react to Standard performing worse than expected and they're getting increasingly frantic trying to fix the problem.
No the new set makes its abit worse. Manglehorn will still see play and hate on it plus Manama spray is a great card against them. It got hated on pretty good with this set. I I think we'll actually see a decent shake up this time
More like 2 days of Modo results after a new set that they were likely hoping would instantly stifle the combo's effectiveness. Still not a good thing for this to happen, 2 days of data shouldn't be enough to make a decision like this.
People play a LOT online and sampling provides error bars that set boundaries on expectations faster than you would guess.
But they shouldn't have waited. This was a mistake printing and a degenerate combo in Standard.
More like 2 days of Modo results after a new set that they were likely hoping would instantly stifle the combo's effectiveness. Still not a good thing for this to happen, 2 days of data shouldn't be enough to make a decision like this.
It wasn't. It was a preliminary test (because that's all two days of metagame data is at best) that confirmed what every Pro player and the community was already telling them. And that's being charitable to them, since I think there's a good chance the Modo data is just the fig leaf they're using to cover their embarrassment at the sheer outrage directed at them for not doing this in the first place.
This is likely going to kill standard at my store. Most of the players were disgusted that the format was allowed to get so cancerous that 3 cards had to be banned. That they manage to screw it up WORSE, and THEN drag their feet on fixing it, will shatter any confidence the players have in thier ability to maintain the format.
Wizards almost makes it look like it's simply banning the top deck(s) to shake up the format because they can't print cards powerful enough to compete with the old stuff. It's no way to run a game, and as standard goes so does OP as a whole.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Top 16 - 2012 Indiana State Championships Currently Playing: GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
I have no qualms with Felidar Guardian being banned. CopyCat was a degenerate combo that led to Standard being essentially a two-deck format, since Mardu Vehicles was the only deck that could really hope to compete with it. My issue with the ban is the timing. Why exactly was it not banned on Monday, or even back in March? It was obviously a problem from the beginning, and yet Wizards failed to take action until people spoke out. In particular, delaying the ban by a couple days screws over people who saw that Guardian wasn't banned on Monday and decided to go in on the deck, figuring they would get seven weeks with it at the very least.
It was a good move, but the timing couldn't have been worse.
It's no way to run a game, and as standard goes so does OP as a whole.
What does OP have to do with Standard?
OP in this case meaning Organized Play. Magic needs tournament players to keep interest even if we put a vast minority of the money into the game. Standard is the hallmark of MTG tournament play by Wizards' own design - other formats get next to no attention because Standard is their money maker. If people don't want to play standard and tournament attendance plummets, this could create a downward spiral that kills the game as it just hemorrhages money.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Top 16 - 2012 Indiana State Championships Currently Playing: GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
It's no way to run a game, and as standard goes so does OP as a whole.
What does OP have to do with Standard?
I assume he means Organised Play.
This ban is good, but the justification for not banning it Monday is incomprehensible. It was painfully obvious this was needed; it was actually painfully obvious 6 weeks ago or whenever the mid cycle bans were.
When you have various high quality players - of the kind not known for panic and 'BANHAMMER PLS' ranting - and every single one in their constructed reviews says something like "Hey, this assumes guardian is banned because if not just play guardian" then you have a pretty obvious problem.
Agreed on the whole "banning everything that dominates" being extremely dangerous. At least they mentioned it shouldn't have been printed in the first place. But hopefully that's more than an afterthought, and they DO actually concentrate on creating a balanced field, rather than relying on the ban hammer.
I'm still playing only casual and commander even with this ban announcement as it only fixes one issue the meta has. They still need time to introduce better answer cards and shift the released set design into a new direction. Great time to pick up singles that aren't a giant red fire breathing dragon with asthma though.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
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Addendum Announcement Date: April 26, 2017
Standard:
Felidar Guardian is banned.
Effective Date: April 28, 2017
Magic Online Effective Date: April 28, 2017
For more information on how and when Magic Online will be implementing this change, see this post here.
The list of all banned and restricted cards, by format, is here.
Next B&R Announcement: June 14, 2017 (Effective date for that announcement will be June 19, after Grand Prix Las Vegas)
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Can't say I'm surprised about that. Am surprised that they took the extra couple days to make the announcement, but I guess the extra data helped confirmed it needed to go.
That said, about time. Let's see what happens now.
Modern - Cheeri0s (building), Belcher (building), Lantern (building), UW Control (building)
RIP Magic Duels. Wizards will regret what they did to you.
SummerWizards.Months of tournament reports and player feedback isn't enough, but 2 days of Modo results gets you to act? please.
Draft my cube! (630 cards)
Victory!
Celebrate comrades, the beast has fallen!
I play Standard, EDH, and a very tiny bit of Modern.
My youtube channel, I upload gaming related videos and other videos.
Maybe? It's really a whole new ballgame since there's actual playable hate against Vehicles.
The issue is that Mardu in its midrange form it evolved into had the power to kill CopyCat and the answers to control it. It was the perfect predator. It didn't matter that it struggled to other faster decks and was weaker than most other midrange because Saheeli would kill those for it in a tournament.
Now we can have some true Aggro decks in the format. We can also see some real control decks (maybe Tower, maybe a Drake Haven-fueled new deck) since those endgames aren't just outclassed by CopyCat. B/G midrange, which was okay versus Mardu but awful versus Saheeli, is now backed by strong new hate cards and Bone Picker and may be a real deck. EmptyHand Gods may also be a real deck.
Basically Mardu (especially a leaner and more aggressive old school build) will be a top contender but there's lots of breathing room when turn 4 lethal isn't choking the format.
RCRDaretti: Superfriends Forever RCR
WGBDoran: Ent-mootWBG
GGGMultani: Group Bear HugGGG
GB(B/G)The Gitrog Monster: Dredgefall DurdleGB(B/G)
RGWGahiji, the Honored Group Hug MonsterRGW
UB(U/B)Yuriko, Ninja Trinket AggroUB(U/B)
WUBRGAtogatog: Assembling a OHKOWUBRG
I almost wish they just unbanned Emrakul and Reflector Mage
People play a LOT online and sampling provides error bars that set boundaries on expectations faster than you would guess.
But they shouldn't have waited. This was a mistake printing and a degenerate combo in Standard.
RGTron
UGInfect
URStorm
WUBRAd Nauseam
BRGrishoalbrand
URGScapeshift
WBGAbzan Company
WUBRGAmulet Titan
BRGLiving End
WGBogles
It wasn't. It was a preliminary test (because that's all two days of metagame data is at best) that confirmed what every Pro player and the community was already telling them. And that's being charitable to them, since I think there's a good chance the Modo data is just the fig leaf they're using to cover their embarrassment at the sheer outrage directed at them for not doing this in the first place.
Wizards almost makes it look like it's simply banning the top deck(s) to shake up the format because they can't print cards powerful enough to compete with the old stuff. It's no way to run a game, and as standard goes so does OP as a whole.
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Clan Contest 3 Mafia - Mafia Co-MVP
It was a good move, but the timing couldn't have been worse.
What does OP have to do with Standard?
RGTron
UGInfect
URStorm
WUBRAd Nauseam
BRGrishoalbrand
URGScapeshift
WBGAbzan Company
WUBRGAmulet Titan
BRGLiving End
WGBogles
OP in this case meaning Organized Play. Magic needs tournament players to keep interest even if we put a vast minority of the money into the game. Standard is the hallmark of MTG tournament play by Wizards' own design - other formats get next to no attention because Standard is their money maker. If people don't want to play standard and tournament attendance plummets, this could create a downward spiral that kills the game as it just hemorrhages money.
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Clan Contest 3 Mafia - Mafia Co-MVP
I assume he means Organised Play.
This ban is good, but the justification for not banning it Monday is incomprehensible. It was painfully obvious this was needed; it was actually painfully obvious 6 weeks ago or whenever the mid cycle bans were.
When you have various high quality players - of the kind not known for panic and 'BANHAMMER PLS' ranting - and every single one in their constructed reviews says something like "Hey, this assumes guardian is banned because if not just play guardian" then you have a pretty obvious problem.
Still, at least it is now fixed.
I'm still playing only casual and commander even with this ban announcement as it only fixes one issue the meta has. They still need time to introduce better answer cards and shift the released set design into a new direction. Great time to pick up singles that aren't a giant red fire breathing dragon with asthma though.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!