Since our last announcement, we were able to observe a slight expansion in the current metagame, driven by a growing representation of active archetypes (like Abzan/mono white/mono red/Rakdos/Gruul/Selesnya/etc.).
We are still far away from reaching a proper balance in the archetypes statistics. Yet, this is a first step towards the expected diversity we want for our favourite game format.
We still noticed that the proportions of control and combo decks are still way too high. The various communities (Italy, France, USA, Russia, etc.) gave us a lot of worried feedback about the dominance of blue-based decks in the current format as those lines are being written.
The present announcement therefore aims at continuing the movement we startled during the April 2016 update, with the banishment of commanders and non-commander cards that favoured the oppressing “Control/Combo/Elves” triptych.
Changes:
Marath, Will of the Wild is now banned as a commander only.
Necrotic Ooze is now banned.
Dig Through Time is now banned.
Treasure Cruise is now banned.
Regarding lists
The concept of watchlist is no more. We once introduced it so as for us to be transparent, and also in order to avoid the bitter sensation of having one’s commander banned on a Monday while having a tournament to play with it on a Saturday to anyone.
The anxiety that comes out of this list, as well as impulsive reactions and sterile controversies it generates are the reasons why we are actually removing this list.
Please, just note that Jenara players shouldn’t be scared about having their commander banned, for we were actually removing this card from the watchlist (if it still was published).
Don’t forget to check out our Current Lists Facebook note for a recap of all the currently banned/watched cards.
These changes apply on July 22, 2016. Of course, you can still contact us via this Facebook page. The next announcements will be published on September 26, 2016 (applying on September 30, 2016).
Until then, we wish you all many good games!
Further individual explanations:
Marath, Will of the Wild
Marath, Will of the Wild is especially oppressive towards creature-based decks, by design. Its ability allows it to eliminate other creatures without even fighting them.
Its low casting cost, along with its colours allow it to hit the battlefield on turn 2. Yet, as games last, it remains very powerful. Marath, Will of the Wild is part of lots of cards affinities/combos like Earthcraft, Skullclamp, Basilisk Collar, etc. Decks that are based on this commander also include other combos, like the ones based on Kiki-Jiki, The Mirror Breaker, that also reinforce the strength of the whole deck.
Marath, Will of the Wild really threatens the diversity we wish to see in the format and is therefore banned as a commander in Duel Commander games.
Necrotic Ooze
Necrotic Ooze is the key element of a combo that is available to many great decks in the format (Sidisi, Undead Vizier and GBx decks). The fact that this particular combo can't even be disrupted by almost any removal spell makes it so oppressive that we decided to ban Necrotic Ooze.
Dig Through Time
Doing more than drawing two cards for a total mana cost of 3 is not a thing that should be tolerated already, regarding the format. Yet, doing so among a choice of seven cards, at instant speed, makes this card even less acceptable. Even when played in decks where allowing the 6-mana delve alternative casting cost payment is quite hard, doing so for 3-5 mana still ain’t really acceptable. Dig Through Time is therefore banned.
Treasure Cruise
Doing more than drawing two cards for a total mana cost of 3 is not a thing that should be tolerated already.
Drawing three cards for 1 mana cost in a late game shouldn’t be tolerated either and generates an imbalance as it resolves.
For those reasons, Treasure Cruise is now banned.
One last word regarding the old watchlist, though: this card was never added to the watchlist, for this is not a commander card. Removing it from legal cards in the format doesn’t break any archetype, plus the card does not require money investment for anyone.
Wow, that is pretty major. Marath and Sidisi's combo are gone and blue loses its best CA sources. I can understand the justifications. This should definitely open the floodgate for aggro and midrange to become more established in the metagame, which I know is the intention.
Would have preferred they try binning DTT or TC one at a time, rather than both at the same time. As a primarily blue player, that really burns.
Yet another proof that this format's banlist is made by incompetent monkeys. I can understand the two blue cards (they are banned in every other format that's not Vintage, and even there they are limited to 1x, so...) but Necrotic Ooze and Marath are really absurd bans. There were at least two other ways to nerf Sidisi Combo and I don't remember the last time I saw Marath top something. I mean really...
The Marath and ooze bans are justified. Marath is really oppressive to creature deck and finished second on the Demonic Tournament commander last week, the biggest EDH tournament ever.
The Blue cards on the other hand are kind of uncalled for. I guess their idea is to weaken blue in general, but those cards were not so strong as to deserve a ban, as it was kind of slow to enable delve (about the same speed as in standard, where the cards were not banned).
Ooze combo's ban in mainly because it's difficult to interact with for non-counterspells decks (immune to removal). As for the comitte being really bad, I can only agree, but the French banlist still provides a better gameplay experience in duel/optimized decks than the multiplayer/WOTC banlist
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Currently Playing:
Modern Grixis Shadow, Storm Legacy: Grixis Delver, Sneak and Show Duel Commander:Kess High Tide Vintage Big blue(MTGO)
Yet another proof that this format's banlist is made by incompetent monkeys. I can understand the two blue cards (they are banned in every other format that's not Vintage, and even there they are limited to 1x, so...) but Necrotic Ooze and Marath are really absurd bans. There were at least two other ways to nerf Sidisi Combo and I don't remember the last time I saw Marath top something. I mean really...
The Marath and ooze bans are justified. Marath is really oppressive to creature deck and finished second on the Demonic Tournament commander last week, the biggest EDH tournament ever.
The Blue cards on the other hand are kind of uncalled for. I guess their idea is to weaken blue in general, but those cards were not so strong as to deserve a ban, as it was kind of slow to enable delve (about the same speed as in standard, where the cards were not banned).
Ooze combo's ban in mainly because it's difficult to interact with for non-counterspells decks (immune to removal). As for the comitte being really bad, I can only agree, but the French banlist still provides a better gameplay experience in duel/optimized decks than the multiplayer/WOTC banlist
1) The blue draw spells are banned in the format we are most closely related to, Legacy.
2) The Multiplayer EDH banlist is not handled at all by WotC.
So, what should I do with all my green cards now? Sell them? Probably... Build Titania? Nah, they will ban it with the next anouncement.
There's no point in playing duel comander anymore. With this ban, it's clean that the intention is to ban all tier generals. So if I buy cards for another tier deck, it will most likely get banned with the next banlist update. And I don't want to play monoblue or crappy W/B/R decks...
Green decks aren't being banned, decks that oppress other archetypes are.
For example, Jenara (a green deck) was removed from the watchlist prior to it (the watchlist) being done away with anyway.
Yet another proof that this format's banlist is made by incompetent monkeys. I can understand the two blue cards (they are banned in every other format that's not Vintage, and even there they are limited to 1x, so...) but Necrotic Ooze and Marath are really absurd bans. There were at least two other ways to nerf Sidisi Combo and I don't remember the last time I saw Marath top something. I mean really...
The Marath and ooze bans are justified. Marath is really oppressive to creature deck and finished second on the Demonic Tournament commander last week, the biggest EDH tournament ever.
The Blue cards on the other hand are kind of uncalled for. I guess their idea is to weaken blue in general, but those cards were not so strong as to deserve a ban, as it was kind of slow to enable delve (about the same speed as in standard, where the cards were not banned).
Ooze combo's ban in mainly because it's difficult to interact with for non-counterspells decks (immune to removal). As for the comitte being really bad, I can only agree, but the French banlist still provides a better gameplay experience in duel/optimized decks than the multiplayer/WOTC banlist
1) The blue draw spells are banned in the format we are most closely related to, Legacy.
2) The Multiplayer EDH banlist is not handled at all by WotC.
It is supported by WOTC as the official/Go-to banlist, and they use it for their precons.
As for the format resembling legacy, I don't get your point. The delve cards were a LOT slower to enable than in legacy, just as Brainstorm is the best card in legacy and one of the worst cantrips in DC. Should we also ban brainstorm?
Gush is banned in legacy and not played in DC as another example.
The power level of the blue spells in for sure extremely high, and higher than in standard, but filling your yard is a lot slower in EDH than in modern/legacy.
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Currently Playing:
Modern Grixis Shadow, Storm Legacy: Grixis Delver, Sneak and Show Duel Commander:Kess High Tide Vintage Big blue(MTGO)
1) The blue draw spells are banned in the format we are most closely related to, Legacy.
2) The Multiplayer EDH banlist is not handled at all by WotC.
That's not a fair assessment because this is a singleton format and legacy isn't.
And they're the only draw spells in the format that give such insane card draw advantage for such a low cost. Being able to Ancestral Recall and still be full untapped is an advantage only blue got to enjoy. If that isn't imbalance, I don't know what is.
Yet another proof that this format's banlist is made by incompetent monkeys. I can understand the two blue cards (they are banned in every other format that's not Vintage, and even there they are limited to 1x, so...) but Necrotic Ooze and Marath are really absurd bans. There were at least two other ways to nerf Sidisi Combo and I don't remember the last time I saw Marath top something. I mean really...
The Marath and ooze bans are justified. Marath is really oppressive to creature deck and finished second on the Demonic Tournament commander last week, the biggest EDH tournament ever.
The Blue cards on the other hand are kind of uncalled for. I guess their idea is to weaken blue in general, but those cards were not so strong as to deserve a ban, as it was kind of slow to enable delve (about the same speed as in standard, where the cards were not banned).
Ooze combo's ban in mainly because it's difficult to interact with for non-counterspells decks (immune to removal). As for the comitte being really bad, I can only agree, but the French banlist still provides a better gameplay experience in duel/optimized decks than the multiplayer/WOTC banlist
1) The blue draw spells are banned in the format we are most closely related to, Legacy.
2) The Multiplayer EDH banlist is not handled at all by WotC.
It is supported by WOTC as the official/Go-to banlist, and they use it for their precons.
As for the format resembling legacy, I don't get your point. The delve cards were a LOT slower to enable than in legacy, just as Brainstorm is the best card in legacy and one of the worst cantrips in DC. Should we also ban brainstorm?
Gush is banned in legacy and not played in DC as another example.
The power level of the blue spells in for sure extremely high, and higher than in standard, but filling your yard is a lot slower in EDH than in modern/legacy.
Uhm, what? I'd argue EDH is the format that fills the yard the fastest. I don't know how many times I've seen both of these cast on turn 2/3 (Not together, of course). The value is insane. Blue needed a check in the card selection category, and this does exactly that.
In all honesty, I don't think they hit U decks hard enough.
I mean, I sold pretty much all my non-marath cards a few months ago. So if I want to play paper DC again, I need to buy cards for the next best green deck, which is Titania. But there just was the bigger DC tournament of all-time with three Titania in top8. Maybe you consider this oppressive, who knows. I just don't wanna spend a bunch of money on a tier deck which will likely get banned in the future.
Yes I would not be surprised to see the next best deck get banned once again. So many bans have happened on the last year, it seems like the comittee really wants to depower the format. (I'm not against it if its better for interactive gameplay though). It's true that while marath was very strong, it wasn't really dominating the format
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Modern Grixis Shadow, Storm Legacy: Grixis Delver, Sneak and Show Duel Commander:Kess High Tide Vintage Big blue(MTGO)
And they're the only draw spells in the format that give such insane card draw advantage for such a low cost. Being able to Ancestral Recall and still be full untapped is an advantage only blue got to enjoy. If that isn't imbalance, I don't know what is.
So Ancestral Vision is next?? You gonna defend any banning the RC does won't you?
So, what should I do with all my green cards now? Sell them? Probably... Build Titania? Nah, they will ban it with the next anouncement.
There's no point in playing duel comander anymore. With this ban, it's clean that the intention is to ban all tier generals. So if I buy cards for another tier deck, it will most likely get banned with the next banlist update. And I don't want to play monoblue or crappy W/B/R decks...
Let's cut the overreaction now, there is no shortage of generals that let you play your green edh staples
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Anafenza the Foremost GWB
Meren of Clan Nel Toth (Stax)GB
Yet another proof that this format's banlist is made by incompetent monkeys. I can understand the two blue cards (they are banned in every other format that's not Vintage, and even there they are limited to 1x, so...) but Necrotic Ooze and Marath are really absurd bans. There were at least two other ways to nerf Sidisi Combo and I don't remember the last time I saw Marath top something. I mean really...
The Marath and ooze bans are justified. Marath is really oppressive to creature deck and finished second on the Demonic Tournament commander last week, the biggest EDH tournament ever.
The Blue cards on the other hand are kind of uncalled for. I guess their idea is to weaken blue in general, but those cards were not so strong as to deserve a ban, as it was kind of slow to enable delve (about the same speed as in standard, where the cards were not banned).
Ooze combo's ban in mainly because it's difficult to interact with for non-counterspells decks (immune to removal). As for the comitte being really bad, I can only agree, but the French banlist still provides a better gameplay experience in duel/optimized decks than the multiplayer/WOTC banlist
1) The blue draw spells are banned in the format we are most closely related to, Legacy.
2) The Multiplayer EDH banlist is not handled at all by WotC.
It is supported by WOTC as the official/Go-to banlist, and they use it for their precons.
As for the format resembling legacy, I don't get your point. The delve cards were a LOT slower to enable than in legacy, just as Brainstorm is the best card in legacy and one of the worst cantrips in DC. Should we also ban brainstorm?
Gush is banned in legacy and not played in DC as another example.
The power level of the blue spells in for sure extremely high, and higher than in standard, but filling your yard is a lot slower in EDH than in modern/legacy.
I can tell you that's definitely innacurate, filling the grave for a delve is easily attainable. Otherwise Tasigur wouldn't have been dominating for a whole summer, and Jace Vryn's Prodigy wouldn't be such a force
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And they're the only draw spells in the format that give such insane card draw advantage for such a low cost. Being able to Ancestral Recall and still be full untapped is an advantage only blue got to enjoy. If that isn't imbalance, I don't know what is.
So Ancestral Vision is next?? You gonna defend any banning the RC does won't you?
Ancestral Vision is a step below both of them, obviously. It's a terrible late or midgame topdeck compared to the delve spells.
As for defending the choices - I mean, yes? I'm not sure what that comment is supposed to imply. The RC, Consultants and Regional Coordinators all work in tandem to discuss these changes and came to these conclusions. It wasn't done without thorough discussion.
So, yes, I will defend the changes, because I think they are correct.
Surprisingly Jace wasn't banned unless they were expecting this cruise dig ban to hurt the consistency
Which I think is right to be done, but I think Jace will be pretty dominant, so... maybe the banhammer will hit him eventually.
Marath is kind of wrong to be banned, he was starting to be underplayed, he couldn't go against Sidisi, Teferi, and had a hard time against some control decks... I don't know if he should get banned now, for me he and Anafenza have the same thing in common.
Aren't extremely opressive commanders, but they lock some types of strategies, but since both are really underplayed lately, I don't think it deserved a ban.
I mean, I don't remember someone lately not wanting to play a Thalia because a Marath deck could be present.
Another thing, DTT and TC are absolutely okay to be banned, people are complaining, but the ban of both isn't killing any controlish or combo deck, its just either slowing them or making them less consistent. Its restricted in vintage and banned in all other formats for a reason.
Uhm, what? I'd argue EDH is the format that fills the yard the fastest. I don't know how many times I've seen both of these cast on turn 2/3 (Not together, of course). The value is insane. Blue needed a check in the card selection category, and this does exactly that.
In all honesty, I don't think they hit U decks hard enough.
The bold portion is just not true unless you build your deck specifically in a way that it fills its yard fast to abuse delve effects (eg Tasigur). But for U decks naturally playing their gameplan, Id say the GY fills at about the same speed (maybe faster) as last year's standard format
Then I'm playing from the perspective of a blue deck that's not especially interested in filling its yard faster than the normal rate (most U control decks that use their graveyard only for 2-3 delve spells+snapcaster). JVP is faster it's true, and it may have motivated the ban
I don't want to feed a pointless debate, after all the cards are banned. I'm not saying it was slow (I said slower), but seriously, it was a lot slower than in modern and legacy. In modern, where you have 4 thought scour in your 60 card deck + about 8 fetches to enable an early delve card.
In legacy, most blue decks run 8-10 fetchlands (/60 in comparaison to 99) + 8 cantrips minimum.
It is possible to go turn 2-3 TC in EDH but with far less consistency than in other constructed formats. Most of the time the cards were cast in the midgame and/or for 2-4 mana. DTT in legacy was REALLY oppressive, like format-warping card, and not "only" the best draw spell in the format (which is was in EDH).
Hope I've clarified my point
As for the U decks not being hit hard enough, maybe it's true. U has been dominating the format along with Gx goodstuff for a long time, and both those colors are way ahead of the others.
EDIT: Another maybe more important question is the impact of those bans on the Jace deck. Some people say it will be dominant, but doesn't the loss of those 2 draw spells weaken it by a significant margin?
I mean, I don't remember someone lately not wanting to play a Thalia because a Marath deck could be present.
I've heard it mentioned. At different times I've heard Marath, Sidisi and Animar are the main reasons why people people have stopped or are hesitant to play small creature commanders like Thalia and Teeg. I'm kinda glad one of those is gone and another is nerfed. Personally Im thinking I might be able to try Skullbrior again.
Holy crap they did it!! They finally banned that Naya-coloured always-in-your-hand Jitte!! Thank the lord there is a God! Good riddance to Marath and his OP ass.
And good to see the draw spells gone too. Now it's harder to recover from a Thoughtseize barrage (or rather, it's just as hard to recover, but with less cards that utterly blank my disruption). And I can play Hymn to Tourach without powering your uber draws! #MakeHymnGreatAgain
For example, Jenara (a green deck) was removed from the watchlist prior to it (the watchlist) being done away with anyway.
Jenara a green deck ? The deck has on average 40% blue spells 30% white and 30% green, I won't qualify it as a green deck just because there is some green in there.
Let's be honest, DC is play blue or bust and this ban is kinda saying it out loud.
Except for Titania, Gitrog, Meren, and other decks that don't fit your stance of "blue or bust".
Also, Jenara is just as much a green deck as it is a blue deck.
What does the Ooze combo mean for Sidisi? I'm going to assume they can just use a different combo in its place. Maybe it will be a bit slower? Will it drop from Tier 1 to Tier 2 or 3?
Since our last announcement, we were able to observe a slight expansion in the current metagame, driven by a growing representation of active archetypes (like Abzan/mono white/mono red/Rakdos/Gruul/Selesnya/etc.).
We are still far away from reaching a proper balance in the archetypes statistics. Yet, this is a first step towards the expected diversity we want for our favourite game format.
We still noticed that the proportions of control and combo decks are still way too high. The various communities (Italy, France, USA, Russia, etc.) gave us a lot of worried feedback about the dominance of blue-based decks in the current format as those lines are being written.
The present announcement therefore aims at continuing the movement we startled during the April 2016 update, with the banishment of commanders and non-commander cards that favoured the oppressing “Control/Combo/Elves” triptych.
Changes:
Marath, Will of the Wild is now banned as a commander only.
Necrotic Ooze is now banned.
Dig Through Time is now banned.
Treasure Cruise is now banned.
Regarding lists
The concept of watchlist is no more. We once introduced it so as for us to be transparent, and also in order to avoid the bitter sensation of having one’s commander banned on a Monday while having a tournament to play with it on a Saturday to anyone.
The anxiety that comes out of this list, as well as impulsive reactions and sterile controversies it generates are the reasons why we are actually removing this list.
Please, just note that Jenara players shouldn’t be scared about having their commander banned, for we were actually removing this card from the watchlist (if it still was published).
Don’t forget to check out our Current Lists Facebook note for a recap of all the currently banned/watched cards.
These changes apply on July 22, 2016. Of course, you can still contact us via this Facebook page. The next announcements will be published on September 26, 2016 (applying on September 30, 2016).
Until then, we wish you all many good games!
Further individual explanations:
Marath, Will of the Wild
Marath, Will of the Wild is especially oppressive towards creature-based decks, by design. Its ability allows it to eliminate other creatures without even fighting them.
Its low casting cost, along with its colours allow it to hit the battlefield on turn 2. Yet, as games last, it remains very powerful. Marath, Will of the Wild is part of lots of cards affinities/combos like Earthcraft, Skullclamp, Basilisk Collar, etc. Decks that are based on this commander also include other combos, like the ones based on Kiki-Jiki, The Mirror Breaker, that also reinforce the strength of the whole deck.
Marath, Will of the Wild really threatens the diversity we wish to see in the format and is therefore banned as a commander in Duel Commander games.
Necrotic Ooze
Necrotic Ooze is the key element of a combo that is available to many great decks in the format (Sidisi, Undead Vizier and GBx decks). The fact that this particular combo can't even be disrupted by almost any removal spell makes it so oppressive that we decided to ban Necrotic Ooze.
Dig Through Time
Doing more than drawing two cards for a total mana cost of 3 is not a thing that should be tolerated already, regarding the format. Yet, doing so among a choice of seven cards, at instant speed, makes this card even less acceptable. Even when played in decks where allowing the 6-mana delve alternative casting cost payment is quite hard, doing so for 3-5 mana still ain’t really acceptable. Dig Through Time is therefore banned.
Treasure Cruise
Doing more than drawing two cards for a total mana cost of 3 is not a thing that should be tolerated already.
Drawing three cards for 1 mana cost in a late game shouldn’t be tolerated either and generates an imbalance as it resolves.
For those reasons, Treasure Cruise is now banned.
One last word regarding the old watchlist, though: this card was never added to the watchlist, for this is not a commander card. Removing it from legal cards in the format doesn’t break any archetype, plus the card does not require money investment for anyone.
Would have preferred they try binning DTT or TC one at a time, rather than both at the same time. As a primarily blue player, that really burns.
Karador Pattern Rector GWB
Anafenza the Foremost GWB
Meren of Clan Nel Toth (Stax)GB
[Team Stepfathers]: We beat you and you hate us
Cards can need to go without winning if they warp the format.
RiP draw spells.
The Marath and ooze bans are justified. Marath is really oppressive to creature deck and finished second on the Demonic Tournament commander last week, the biggest EDH tournament ever.
The Blue cards on the other hand are kind of uncalled for. I guess their idea is to weaken blue in general, but those cards were not so strong as to deserve a ban, as it was kind of slow to enable delve (about the same speed as in standard, where the cards were not banned).
Ooze combo's ban in mainly because it's difficult to interact with for non-counterspells decks (immune to removal). As for the comitte being really bad, I can only agree, but the French banlist still provides a better gameplay experience in duel/optimized decks than the multiplayer/WOTC banlist
Currently Playing:
Modern Grixis Shadow, Storm
Legacy: Grixis Delver, Sneak and Show
Duel Commander: Kess High Tide
Vintage Big blue(MTGO)
1) The blue draw spells are banned in the format we are most closely related to, Legacy.
2) The Multiplayer EDH banlist is not handled at all by WotC.
BChainer, Dementia Master(Big Mana/Reanimator)
BRRakdos, The Showstopper (Mass Life Loss/Ramp)
BUThe Scarab God (Zombie Tribal/Control)
BWKarlov of the Ghost Council (Life Gain)
BGJarad, Golgari Lich Lord (Stompy/Dredge)
BRGProssh, Skyraider of Kher (Tokens/Non-infinite Combo)
Green decks aren't being banned, decks that oppress other archetypes are.
For example, Jenara (a green deck) was removed from the watchlist prior to it (the watchlist) being done away with anyway.
It is supported by WOTC as the official/Go-to banlist, and they use it for their precons.
As for the format resembling legacy, I don't get your point. The delve cards were a LOT slower to enable than in legacy, just as Brainstorm is the best card in legacy and one of the worst cantrips in DC. Should we also ban brainstorm?
Gush is banned in legacy and not played in DC as another example.
The power level of the blue spells in for sure extremely high, and higher than in standard, but filling your yard is a lot slower in EDH than in modern/legacy.
Currently Playing:
Modern Grixis Shadow, Storm
Legacy: Grixis Delver, Sneak and Show
Duel Commander: Kess High Tide
Vintage Big blue(MTGO)
That's not a fair assessment because this is a singleton format and legacy isn't.
And they're the only draw spells in the format that give such insane card draw advantage for such a low cost. Being able to Ancestral Recall and still be full untapped is an advantage only blue got to enjoy. If that isn't imbalance, I don't know what is.
Uhm, what? I'd argue EDH is the format that fills the yard the fastest. I don't know how many times I've seen both of these cast on turn 2/3 (Not together, of course). The value is insane. Blue needed a check in the card selection category, and this does exactly that.
In all honesty, I don't think they hit U decks hard enough.
Yes I would not be surprised to see the next best deck get banned once again. So many bans have happened on the last year, it seems like the comittee really wants to depower the format. (I'm not against it if its better for interactive gameplay though). It's true that while marath was very strong, it wasn't really dominating the format
Currently Playing:
Modern Grixis Shadow, Storm
Legacy: Grixis Delver, Sneak and Show
Duel Commander: Kess High Tide
Vintage Big blue(MTGO)
So Ancestral Vision is next?? You gonna defend any banning the RC does won't you?
Let's cut the overreaction now, there is no shortage of generals that let you play your green edh staples
Karador Pattern Rector GWB
Anafenza the Foremost GWB
Meren of Clan Nel Toth (Stax)GB
[Team Stepfathers]: We beat you and you hate us
I can tell you that's definitely innacurate, filling the grave for a delve is easily attainable. Otherwise Tasigur wouldn't have been dominating for a whole summer, and Jace Vryn's Prodigy wouldn't be such a force
Karador Pattern Rector GWB
Anafenza the Foremost GWB
Meren of Clan Nel Toth (Stax)GB
[Team Stepfathers]: We beat you and you hate us
Ancestral Vision is a step below both of them, obviously. It's a terrible late or midgame topdeck compared to the delve spells.
As for defending the choices - I mean, yes? I'm not sure what that comment is supposed to imply. The RC, Consultants and Regional Coordinators all work in tandem to discuss these changes and came to these conclusions. It wasn't done without thorough discussion.
So, yes, I will defend the changes, because I think they are correct.
Karador Pattern Rector GWB
Anafenza the Foremost GWB
Meren of Clan Nel Toth (Stax)GB
[Team Stepfathers]: We beat you and you hate us
Which I think is right to be done, but I think Jace will be pretty dominant, so... maybe the banhammer will hit him eventually.
Marath is kind of wrong to be banned, he was starting to be underplayed, he couldn't go against Sidisi, Teferi, and had a hard time against some control decks... I don't know if he should get banned now, for me he and Anafenza have the same thing in common.
Aren't extremely opressive commanders, but they lock some types of strategies, but since both are really underplayed lately, I don't think it deserved a ban.
I mean, I don't remember someone lately not wanting to play a Thalia because a Marath deck could be present.
Another thing, DTT and TC are absolutely okay to be banned, people are complaining, but the ban of both isn't killing any controlish or combo deck, its just either slowing them or making them less consistent. Its restricted in vintage and banned in all other formats for a reason.
The bold portion is just not true unless you build your deck specifically in a way that it fills its yard fast to abuse delve effects (eg Tasigur). But for U decks naturally playing their gameplan, Id say the GY fills at about the same speed (maybe faster) as last year's standard format
Then I'm playing from the perspective of a blue deck that's not especially interested in filling its yard faster than the normal rate (most U control decks that use their graveyard only for 2-3 delve spells+snapcaster). JVP is faster it's true, and it may have motivated the ban
I don't want to feed a pointless debate, after all the cards are banned. I'm not saying it was slow (I said slower), but seriously, it was a lot slower than in modern and legacy. In modern, where you have 4 thought scour in your 60 card deck + about 8 fetches to enable an early delve card.
In legacy, most blue decks run 8-10 fetchlands (/60 in comparaison to 99) + 8 cantrips minimum.
It is possible to go turn 2-3 TC in EDH but with far less consistency than in other constructed formats. Most of the time the cards were cast in the midgame and/or for 2-4 mana. DTT in legacy was REALLY oppressive, like format-warping card, and not "only" the best draw spell in the format (which is was in EDH).
Hope I've clarified my point
As for the U decks not being hit hard enough, maybe it's true. U has been dominating the format along with Gx goodstuff for a long time, and both those colors are way ahead of the others.
EDIT: Another maybe more important question is the impact of those bans on the Jace deck. Some people say it will be dominant, but doesn't the loss of those 2 draw spells weaken it by a significant margin?
Currently Playing:
Modern Grixis Shadow, Storm
Legacy: Grixis Delver, Sneak and Show
Duel Commander: Kess High Tide
Vintage Big blue(MTGO)
BChainer, Dementia Master(Big Mana/Reanimator)
BRRakdos, The Showstopper (Mass Life Loss/Ramp)
BUThe Scarab God (Zombie Tribal/Control)
BWKarlov of the Ghost Council (Life Gain)
BGJarad, Golgari Lich Lord (Stompy/Dredge)
BRGProssh, Skyraider of Kher (Tokens/Non-infinite Combo)
And good to see the draw spells gone too. Now it's harder to recover from a Thoughtseize barrage (or rather, it's just as hard to recover, but with less cards that utterly blank my disruption). And I can play Hymn to Tourach without powering your uber draws! #MakeHymnGreatAgain
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
Except for Titania, Gitrog, Meren, and other decks that don't fit your stance of "blue or bust".
Also, Jenara is just as much a green deck as it is a blue deck.
BChainer, Dementia Master(Big Mana/Reanimator)
BRRakdos, The Showstopper (Mass Life Loss/Ramp)
BUThe Scarab God (Zombie Tribal/Control)
BWKarlov of the Ghost Council (Life Gain)
BGJarad, Golgari Lich Lord (Stompy/Dredge)
BRGProssh, Skyraider of Kher (Tokens/Non-infinite Combo)