Thanks Don. Couldn't you make this same argument for something like Dead Eye Navigator.
Recurring is incredibly hard to interact with where as Deadeye only dodges sorcery speed spot removal. Deadeye requires opponents to not have things to respond with or for you to back it up with counters whereas recurring requires a counterspell or graveyard hate as about the only ways to effectively stop it.
It's so similar to Corpse Dance in function and methods of interaction that I am still dubious about its banning. Plus, now we have all of the Pithing Needle-esqe cards to fight it as well. Also, don't forget that discard deals with both of them as well.
I wont argue that Corpse Dance isnt a similar problem but its harder to control since it is a graveyard order matters style of card and it costs significantly more mana to loop than nightmare does. Nightmare has a lot more power still in my mind but I agree its a similar style of issue. There is also the issue of needing an additional sacrifice outlet if you dont want to be exiling with the dance. Recurring has a lot more power in a lot of ways since it involves having a sacrifice outlet and costs almost half as much to cast / loop.
There is also the fact that the RC has stated several times that uniformity in the list is not their objective so I guess take that for whatever its worth.
So if moxes were printed at common, no one was really familiar with them (before playing EDH), and they were still banned in everything except restricted in vintage, they'd be okay for the format?
Moxes broke the game in a really bad way which is that they were a much stronger land with almost no drawbacks. Its hard to approach something that is so broken in functionality and really give it any sort of reasonable assessment as to why it should be unbanned. Sol Ring and Mana Crypt are close in power but in my mind still very far behind how broken moxes are and their prices and availability are still something that would not make for a comfortable thing to introduce to the format for a lot of reasons. Those who could afford to insert multiple moxes would be at an enormous advantage and it would really only serve the elite high end play. I really dont see an advantage in unbanning them for anyone. They break the game in a really bad way.
So if moxes were printed at common, no one was really familiar with them (before playing EDH), and they were still banned in everything except restricted in vintage, they'd be okay for the format?
This is like alternate reality speculation so I don't know how useful it is but they could probably still be iconic and be unbanned because the RC doesn't ban Sol Ring and that's a very iconic (and arguably more powerful) card. I already said they'd be horrible for this format and that goes for any rarity they could have seen print at. Broken fast mana sucks.
I agree that Nightmare is more powerful, but Corpse Dance isn't exactly breaking the format. While Corpse Dance requires a sac outlet, Nightmare requires you to have creatures. Neither is easily answerable, but it is possible to stop both. And don't underestimate the usefulness of haste on Corpse Dance - it can abuse activated abilities.
That's fair, it just seems from the outside that corpse dance requires a lot more variables to come together.
I haven't actually played against recurring, but it seems way more frightening to spend 10 mana to get two different ETBs and then bring back Sheoldred and pass turn than to get two ETBs from the creatures you have to set up to be on top. Then if they answer your sac outlet your creature gets exiled and you can't keep recurring until you get another sac outlet. If you exile that Sheoldred, you have only stopped them if they have no other creatures, and only until they get another creature out of their creature ETB deck.
So if moxes were printed at common, no one was really familiar with them (before playing EDH), and they were still banned in everything except restricted in vintage, they'd be okay for the format?
This is like alternate reality speculation so I don't know how useful it is but they could probably still be iconic and be unbanned because the RC doesn't ban Sol Ring and that's a very iconic (and arguably more powerful) card. I already said they'd be horrible for this format and that goes for any rarity they could have seen print at. Broken fast mana sucks.
Ya, I edited my post cause I misread a little bit It just bugs me every time fast mana rocks are played. Especially if it's that one random 1v1 you play before your friends get there. Like, no one has any business mind twisting for 4 on turn 2... I really wish they would just ban them.
Ya, I edited my post cause I misread a little bit It just bugs me every time fast mana rocks are played. Especially if it's that one random 1v1 you play before your friends get there. Like, no one has any business mind twisting for 4 on turn 2... I really wish they would just ban them.
To my understanding, Crypt and Sol Ring are on the 1v1 french banlist. If you're going to play 1v1 games using the multiplayer banlist, then I would absolutely expect something unfair and degenerate to happen. You could always make a 1v1 deck or switch out the banned cards for the single 1v1 game.
Sol Ring and Mana Crypt are close in power but in my mind still very far behind how broken moxes are and their prices and availability are still something that would not make for a comfortable thing to introduce to the format for a lot of reasons. Those who could afford to insert multiple moxes would be at an enormous advantage and it would really only serve the elite high end play. I really dont see an advantage in unbanning them for anyone. They break the game in a really bad way.
I agree that the moxes are broken. I don't agree that they are more broken than Mana Crypt. Moxes give you 1 colored for nothing. Crypt gives you 2 colorless for nothing. I would put crypt on about the same level as the moxes, and sol ring just a step behind (because it's not completely free).
Also, it would go completely against the perceived barrier of entry idea.
Sol Ring and Mana Crypt are close in power but in my mind still very far behind how broken moxes are and their prices and availability are still something that would not make for a comfortable thing to introduce to the format for a lot of reasons. Those who could afford to insert multiple moxes would be at an enormous advantage and it would really only serve the elite high end play. I really dont see an advantage in unbanning them for anyone. They break the game in a really bad way.
I agree that the moxes are broken. I don't agree that they are more broken than Mana Crypt. Moxes give you 1 colored for nothing. Crypt gives you 2 colorless for nothing. I would put crypt on about the same level as the moxes, and sol ring just a step behind (because it's not completely free).
Also, it would go completely against the perceived barrier of entry idea.
Moxes also have zero downside to them where as Mana Crypt might halfway kill you on its own if you aren't running a competitive deck. Strictly speaking I am not one who believes that Crypt goes in every deck unless you are playing high end and ending games quickly. I consider my Jenara deck a fairly strong deck but I dont know if I would add it to that deck because I need a lot of colored mana for that deck and I win via attrition which usually takes a long time. I agree that crypt is a very strong card but I still dont agree that its on par with moxes.
This is obviously just my own opinion though. To each their own.
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I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
No Gush is fine. Being banned in Legacy should be an indicator of a card's power but like Mental MisstepGush isn't broken in commander despite being broken in Legacy. Sol Ring is just broken everywhere. You seem to be implying that I want to blindly ban everything that's banned in Legacy which isn't what I want at all.
Then why bring up the "fact" that these are banned in other formats as part of the discussion to ban it here?
Each card on the ban list is evaluated individually. They don't need to be banned for the exact same criteria.
As far as Sol Ring is concerned they could ban it for power level, ubiquity or because Sheldon ate a banana for all I care.
Cards are not, nor should be, banned for power level. That's the point.
If people are sick of reading about stuff just stop taking part. You have 100% control over what you read. Simic Ascendancy isn't going to get banned just because you didn't tell someone to shut up on the internet.
Moxes also have zero downside to them where as Mana Crypt might halfway kill you on its own if you aren't running a competitive deck. Strictly speaking I am not one who believes that Crypt goes in every deck unless you are playing high end and ending games quickly. I consider my Jenara deck a fairly strong deck but I dont know if I would add it to that deck because I need a lot of colored mana for that deck and I win via attrition which usually takes a long time. I agree that crypt is a very strong card but I still dont agree that its on par with moxes.
This is obviously just my own opinion though. To each their own.
It's a valid opinion, but I was specifically comparing them in terms of being 'broken', which lends itself to competitive and crazy fast decks.
One of the reasons why Magic has thrived for 2 decades is their understanding that fast mana is broken. I'm pretty sure any land or permanent that produces more than what it costs for is immediately red-flagged and trashed. Many free spells are broken as well, i.e. Moxes, Crypt.
If we want EDH to thrive, fast mana has to go for sure.
One of the reasons why Magic has thrived for 2 decades is their understanding that fast mana is broken. I'm pretty sure any land or permanent that produces more than what it costs for is immediately red-flagged and trashed. Many free spells are broken as well, i.e. Moxes, Crypt.
If we want EDH to thrive, fast mana has to go for sure.
So are you saying it is not thriving now? If so, what do you base that on?
If people are sick of reading about stuff just stop taking part. You have 100% control over what you read. Simic Ascendancy isn't going to get banned just because you didn't tell someone to shut up on the internet.
Not going to happen. It interacts poorly with the rules of the format and creates the kind of experience we'd like to avoid.
Is it basically because you can float mana and recast your general? Because that's about the only thing that I see which really separates it from all the legal cards which are similar in function.
There is an ENORMOUS difference that has, surprisingly, gone unmentioned.
Moxes scale in power level with the more colors you play, with the unfortunate end of encouraging five-color decks over other combinations. While cost is a factor, the main reason they are banned is that their ubiquity would warp the format in such a way that using a 5c general just to include all the Moxes becomes the best option. It's a similar scenario to people playing green just for Primeval Titan, only way more expensive.
Mana Crypt, on the other hand, doesn't scale in power, it doesn't encourage format convergence toward a specific color combination, and it doesn't even go in every deck. Seriously, try playing it in a control deck and just watch yourself die.
Bottom line: Mana Crypt is fine for groups that like fast mana. If it is causing problems for you, it is because either you or the person playing Mana Crypt has different expectations than everyone else of how the game should be played. TALK TO YOUR GROUP BEFORE YOU PLAY AND COME TO AN AGREEMENT. That is, after all, the entire point of the format.
EDH/Commander is a social format, right? So why don't people use their social skills to discuss what they like and don't like, instead of adopting a list with 60+ banned cards?
Fast mana sources currently format legal (not counting rituals):
Sol Ring: never a bad play. Can help enable quick wins but can also make a player an early target. Since being reprinted in every commander precon it has become very affordable and there is no real reason to leave it out of your deck. It might be "broken" but everyone can play it with little difficulty and there are many answers to it that can be played quickly. Unless you are already playing in a combo race meta (in which case this card isn't more broken then anything else) the argument that "the first player that draws it wins" is terrible. There is more then enough playable, cheap removal in the format.
Mana Vault: Pretty affordable right now. Decent drawback. Can enable a quick win or help set up a hard to beat board state. If used incorrectly it can be damaging but the loss of life isn't to bad in EDH. Often misused so doesn't always produce the advantage it could. Not really broken.
Grim Monolith: Easier to untap then Vault most of the time but doesn't produce as much of an advantage in terms of quick net gain in mana. No loss of life drawback. Goes "infinite" with Power Artifact. Level of brokenness is somewhere between Vault and Ring. A little expensive monetarily speaking so that combined with its power level gives us our best ban argument so far. Still not a strong argument.
Chrome Mox: Requirement can be prohibitive depending on game state and hand. Best utilized after mass draw. Pretty expensive in real world money. Only really useful in decks set up to utilize it. Decks which are often near broken without it. Broken level isn't that high but expense makes it the one of the better arguments so far. Still not close to ban worthy.
Mox Opal: Not really a good source of fast mana without the other sources. It's early use is heavily dependent on a strong draw. Can be shut down pretty easily with intelligent removal. Its cash expense makes it hard for everyone to include. Not really close to being ban worthy.
Mox Diamond: Another card that can hurt more then it helps when used incorrectly. It also depends on the right hand just to play it. Somewhere in between the Chrome and Opal in ban worthiness.
Mana Crypt: Now we have a card truly worth a legitimate discussion for a ban. It's power level combined with its money cost makes it a card that many decks should run but can't afford. However, it's a card that is still best utilized in decks that are already fast without it. Many other decks use it inappropriately and pay the price. Again, like Sol Ring, it's most "degenerate" use is in metas already built to be degenerate without it.
So the best arguments are for Grim, Sol Ring and Crypt. However, the only time any of these cards is a true problem is when turn 3-5 combo guy is being irresponsible and playing with the wrong playgroup. That isn't a problem with the cards but with the people playing the cards.
In other words, these cards are the shining example of being "house" ban cards. No real reason for the overarching ban but if they are causing problems in your meta because of irresponsible players abusing players they shouldn't be playing with in the first place then go right ahead and ban them.
If I missed any other fast mana sources worth discussing please discuss.
With Vintage Masters coming to MTGO and with it access to "affordable" power-9, is it worth even broaching the topic of a distinct MTGO-EDH banned list?
If moxen are banned due to price and price on MTGO will be far lower, it could be debatable. Of course that leads to yet another "forking" of banned list.
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With Vintage Masters coming to MTGO and with it access to "affordable" power-9, is it worth even broaching the topic of a distinct MTGO-EDH banned list?
If moxen are banned due to price and price on MTGO will be far lower, it could be debatable. Of course that leads to yet another "forking" of banned list.
No. The online market has little to no impact on the ban list.
Not going to happen. It interacts poorly with the rules of the format and creates the kind of experience we'd like to avoid.
Has Act of Authority been banned in EDH in any way? Magiccards.info is showing it as not legal for the format but I can't find anything confirming that.
Thank you for your response Sheldon. Could you elaborate more on how it interacts poorly with the rules. What kind of experience does Worldfire create that you wish to avoid. There are similar cards that are Commander legal.
Has Act of Authority been banned in EDH in any way? Magiccards.info is showing it as not legal for the format but I can't find anything confirming that.
It has not, the legality is been mucked up for a lot of the Commander 2103 cards on multiple sites.
If people are sick of reading about stuff just stop taking part. You have 100% control over what you read. Simic Ascendancy isn't going to get banned just because you didn't tell someone to shut up on the internet.
With Vintage Masters coming to MTGO and with it access to "affordable" power-9, is it worth even broaching the topic of a distinct MTGO-EDH banned list?
If moxen are banned due to price and price on MTGO will be far lower, it could be debatable. Of course that leads to yet another "forking" of banned list.
No. The online market has little to no impact on the ban list.
I may be misreading you, so I apologize if that is the case, however, my reading of your response makes me wonder if you misread me. I did not say "since MTGO = 'cheap' power should we reconsider the paper banned list" I said "since MTGO will have affordable power, is it worth broaching the topic of an MTGO-specific banned list"?
IMO, this is just another MTGO idiosyncrasy that is not captured by the paper banned list.
Stated alternatively, have we yet reached a point where it makes sense to give MTGO its own banned list?
Thank you for your response Sheldon. Could you elaborate more on how it interacts poorly with the rules. What kind of experience does Worldfire create that you wish to avoid. There are similar cards that are Commander legal.
At its simplest: Float mana -> cast WF -> cast general -> proceed to win or stall
Most of the time, you will win in a somewhat "boring" way. Rarely, someone will top deck land then removal and clear your general and everyone gets to stare at each other a threat re-emerges and finally wins.
Part of what makes the RC particularly averse to WF (and its ilk) is that it makes the entire game up to that point irrelevant. Compare WF to the following:
scenario 1: obliterate plus planeswalkers and/or enchantments
scenario 2: scenario 1 except one or more players has gained "infinite" life
scenario 3: scenario 1 or 2 except replace obliterate with decree of annihilation
While at face value obliterate and decree of annihilation resemble worldfire, the setting life to 1 and removal of all permanents/hands/GYs means the only way to optimally play (aka "break") worldfire is to effectively exploit the general function which is unique to EDH. Hence, the spell has the double whammy of potentially being unfun and exploiting a defining feature of the format.
I wont argue that Corpse Dance isnt a similar problem but its harder to control since it is a graveyard order matters style of card and it costs significantly more mana to loop than nightmare does. Nightmare has a lot more power still in my mind but I agree its a similar style of issue. There is also the issue of needing an additional sacrifice outlet if you dont want to be exiling with the dance. Recurring has a lot more power in a lot of ways since it involves having a sacrifice outlet and costs almost half as much to cast / loop.
There is also the fact that the RC has stated several times that uniformity in the list is not their objective so I guess take that for whatever its worth.
Moxes broke the game in a really bad way which is that they were a much stronger land with almost no drawbacks. Its hard to approach something that is so broken in functionality and really give it any sort of reasonable assessment as to why it should be unbanned. Sol Ring and Mana Crypt are close in power but in my mind still very far behind how broken moxes are and their prices and availability are still something that would not make for a comfortable thing to introduce to the format for a lot of reasons. Those who could afford to insert multiple moxes would be at an enormous advantage and it would really only serve the elite high end play. I really dont see an advantage in unbanning them for anyone. They break the game in a really bad way.
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[Modern] Allies
This is like alternate reality speculation so I don't know how useful it is but they could probably still be iconic and be unbanned because the RC doesn't ban Sol Ring and that's a very iconic (and arguably more powerful) card. I already said they'd be horrible for this format and that goes for any rarity they could have seen print at. Broken fast mana sucks.
That's fair, it just seems from the outside that corpse dance requires a lot more variables to come together.
I haven't actually played against recurring, but it seems way more frightening to spend 10 mana to get two different ETBs and then bring back Sheoldred and pass turn than to get two ETBs from the creatures you have to set up to be on top. Then if they answer your sac outlet your creature gets exiled and you can't keep recurring until you get another sac outlet. If you exile that Sheoldred, you have only stopped them if they have no other creatures, and only until they get another creature out of their creature ETB deck.
Ya, I edited my post cause I misread a little bit
BBB Two Hundred Zombies BBB
Duel Commander
WR
BGW Doran Destruction WGB
Commander
GUB Mimeoplasm, Screw Politics BUG
BR
RGW Marath, Ramp and Removal WGR
WUBRG Karona, Jank God GRBUW
To my understanding, Crypt and Sol Ring are on the 1v1 french banlist. If you're going to play 1v1 games using the multiplayer banlist, then I would absolutely expect something unfair and degenerate to happen. You could always make a 1v1 deck or switch out the banned cards for the single 1v1 game.
I agree that the moxes are broken. I don't agree that they are more broken than Mana Crypt. Moxes give you 1 colored for nothing. Crypt gives you 2 colorless for nothing. I would put crypt on about the same level as the moxes, and sol ring just a step behind (because it's not completely free).
Also, it would go completely against the perceived barrier of entry idea.
Moxes also have zero downside to them where as Mana Crypt might halfway kill you on its own if you aren't running a competitive deck. Strictly speaking I am not one who believes that Crypt goes in every deck unless you are playing high end and ending games quickly. I consider my Jenara deck a fairly strong deck but I dont know if I would add it to that deck because I need a lot of colored mana for that deck and I win via attrition which usually takes a long time. I agree that crypt is a very strong card but I still dont agree that its on par with moxes.
This is obviously just my own opinion though. To each their own.
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[Modern] Allies
Cards are not, nor should be, banned for power level. That's the point.
It's a valid opinion, but I was specifically comparing them in terms of being 'broken', which lends itself to competitive and crazy fast decks.
If we want EDH to thrive, fast mana has to go for sure.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
So are you saying it is not thriving now? If so, what do you base that on?
Not going to happen. It interacts poorly with the rules of the format and creates the kind of experience we'd like to avoid.
Is it basically because you can float mana and recast your general? Because that's about the only thing that I see which really separates it from all the legal cards which are similar in function.
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There is an ENORMOUS difference that has, surprisingly, gone unmentioned.
Moxes scale in power level with the more colors you play, with the unfortunate end of encouraging five-color decks over other combinations. While cost is a factor, the main reason they are banned is that their ubiquity would warp the format in such a way that using a 5c general just to include all the Moxes becomes the best option. It's a similar scenario to people playing green just for Primeval Titan, only way more expensive.
Mana Crypt, on the other hand, doesn't scale in power, it doesn't encourage format convergence toward a specific color combination, and it doesn't even go in every deck. Seriously, try playing it in a control deck and just watch yourself die.
Bottom line: Mana Crypt is fine for groups that like fast mana. If it is causing problems for you, it is because either you or the person playing Mana Crypt has different expectations than everyone else of how the game should be played. TALK TO YOUR GROUP BEFORE YOU PLAY AND COME TO AN AGREEMENT. That is, after all, the entire point of the format.
Sol Ring: never a bad play. Can help enable quick wins but can also make a player an early target. Since being reprinted in every commander precon it has become very affordable and there is no real reason to leave it out of your deck. It might be "broken" but everyone can play it with little difficulty and there are many answers to it that can be played quickly. Unless you are already playing in a combo race meta (in which case this card isn't more broken then anything else) the argument that "the first player that draws it wins" is terrible. There is more then enough playable, cheap removal in the format.
Mana Vault: Pretty affordable right now. Decent drawback. Can enable a quick win or help set up a hard to beat board state. If used incorrectly it can be damaging but the loss of life isn't to bad in EDH. Often misused so doesn't always produce the advantage it could. Not really broken.
Grim Monolith: Easier to untap then Vault most of the time but doesn't produce as much of an advantage in terms of quick net gain in mana. No loss of life drawback. Goes "infinite" with Power Artifact. Level of brokenness is somewhere between Vault and Ring. A little expensive monetarily speaking so that combined with its power level gives us our best ban argument so far. Still not a strong argument.
Chrome Mox: Requirement can be prohibitive depending on game state and hand. Best utilized after mass draw. Pretty expensive in real world money. Only really useful in decks set up to utilize it. Decks which are often near broken without it. Broken level isn't that high but expense makes it the one of the better arguments so far. Still not close to ban worthy.
Mox Opal: Not really a good source of fast mana without the other sources. It's early use is heavily dependent on a strong draw. Can be shut down pretty easily with intelligent removal. Its cash expense makes it hard for everyone to include. Not really close to being ban worthy.
Mox Diamond: Another card that can hurt more then it helps when used incorrectly. It also depends on the right hand just to play it. Somewhere in between the Chrome and Opal in ban worthiness.
Mana Crypt: Now we have a card truly worth a legitimate discussion for a ban. It's power level combined with its money cost makes it a card that many decks should run but can't afford. However, it's a card that is still best utilized in decks that are already fast without it. Many other decks use it inappropriately and pay the price. Again, like Sol Ring, it's most "degenerate" use is in metas already built to be degenerate without it.
So the best arguments are for Grim, Sol Ring and Crypt. However, the only time any of these cards is a true problem is when turn 3-5 combo guy is being irresponsible and playing with the wrong playgroup. That isn't a problem with the cards but with the people playing the cards.
In other words, these cards are the shining example of being "house" ban cards. No real reason for the overarching ban but if they are causing problems in your meta because of irresponsible players abusing players they shouldn't be playing with in the first place then go right ahead and ban them.
If I missed any other fast mana sources worth discussing please discuss.
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
I loathe creatures! Praise Prison and Land Destruction!
My Peasant Cube (looking for feedback)
If moxen are banned due to price and price on MTGO will be far lower, it could be debatable. Of course that leads to yet another "forking" of banned list.
No. The online market has little to no impact on the ban list.
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Resources:Commander Rulings FAQ | Commander Deckbuilding Guide
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Has Act of Authority been banned in EDH in any way? Magiccards.info is showing it as not legal for the format but I can't find anything confirming that.
It has not, the legality is been mucked up for a lot of the Commander 2103 cards on multiple sites.
I may be misreading you, so I apologize if that is the case, however, my reading of your response makes me wonder if you misread me. I did not say "since MTGO = 'cheap' power should we reconsider the paper banned list" I said "since MTGO will have affordable power, is it worth broaching the topic of an MTGO-specific banned list"?
IMO, this is just another MTGO idiosyncrasy that is not captured by the paper banned list.
Stated alternatively, have we yet reached a point where it makes sense to give MTGO its own banned list?
At its simplest: Float mana -> cast WF -> cast general -> proceed to win or stall
Most of the time, you will win in a somewhat "boring" way. Rarely, someone will top deck land then removal and clear your general and everyone gets to stare at each other a threat re-emerges and finally wins.
Part of what makes the RC particularly averse to WF (and its ilk) is that it makes the entire game up to that point irrelevant. Compare WF to the following:
scenario 1: obliterate plus planeswalkers and/or enchantments
scenario 2: scenario 1 except one or more players has gained "infinite" life
scenario 3: scenario 1 or 2 except replace obliterate with decree of annihilation
While at face value obliterate and decree of annihilation resemble worldfire, the setting life to 1 and removal of all permanents/hands/GYs means the only way to optimally play (aka "break") worldfire is to effectively exploit the general function which is unique to EDH. Hence, the spell has the double whammy of potentially being unfun and exploiting a defining feature of the format.