Inspired by the Legends format post that I had literally never heard of until yesterday afternoon.
Modern Duel-Commander. Basically, all the greatness of Duel, but without the old busted eternal cards. Very small banlist too. Legal sets is core sets 8th and on, expansions MRD and on, plus commander box sets (NOT Arsenal). 25 life total. This makes for a strong format, however also a fair format, albeit not without some tweaks for cards not appropriate for 1v1 play. The idea is as short a banlist as possible though while maintaining a competitively healthy format.
Banned:Dark Depths - A colourless combo every deck can play (Thespian's Stage), that imo the format is healthier without. Depths is the clear offender here, Stage (and Hexmage) are perfectly reasonable cards to play. Dig Through Time - A two-mana instant speed tutour? One of the defining features of this format is the lack of low/under-costed tutours, and DTT blatantly breaks that rule. Gifts Ungiven - Similar to DTT, Gifts allows any XU deck to reliably find it's combo pieces so as to close out their game in the same consistent manner every game. Protean Hulk - Did you know that Karador, Ghost Chieftain is a card? And sometimes players play that card. IMO, Karador (and Meren tbh) cannot co-exist legally at the same time. Since Hulk is the much-more clear offender, it has to get the axe. Sol Ring - Duh. True-Name Nemesis - It's yet another multiplayer card very ill-positioned to 1v1 play. It has no place in 1v1 games.
Banned as Commander: Derevi, Edric, Erayo, Oloro, Vial Smasher, & Zur - I don't think I need an explanation of the why with these cards.
I'd just take Duel Commander, ban the cards in the Resserved List, Price of Progress and Ankh of Mishra. And allow 10 card sideboards.
If people still complain about "pay to win" or "muh Zurgo dominance" after that, I'd point them towards Dominion or Ascension because that's the card game they actually want to be playing.
I don't care, I have my duals from Legacy, but there are way too many whiners who use them as an excuse to not even try playing and I want this format to grow. RL cards are a concession I'm willing to make for more players playing and events firing.
This format spans 8th and on and MRD and on. ABU duals aren't legal in this format. Everything in this format could potentially be reprinted at some point, in some set or special premium deck.
I don't care, I have my duals from Legacy, but there are way too many whiners who use them as an excuse to not even try playing and I want this format to grow. RL cards are a concession I'm willing to make for more players playing and events firing.
Modern Duel-Commander. Basically, all the greatness of Duel, but without the old busted eternal cards. Very small banlist too. Legal sets is core sets 8th and on, expansions MRD and on, plus commander box sets (NOT Arsenal). 25 life total. This makes for a strong format, however also a fair format, albeit not without some tweaks for cards not appropriate for 1v1 play. The idea is as short a banlist as possible though while maintaining a competitively healthy format.
Banned: Dark Depths - A colourless combo every deck can play (Thespian's Stage), that imo the format is healthier without. Depths is the clear offender here, Stage (and Hexmage) are perfectly reasonable cards to play.
Dig Through Time - A two-mana instant speed tutour? One of the defining features of this format is the lack of low/under-costed tutours, and DTT blatantly breaks that rule.
Gifts Ungiven - Similar to DTT, Gifts allows any XU deck to reliably find it's combo pieces so as to close out their game in the same consistent manner every game.
Protean Hulk - Did you know that Karador, Ghost Chieftain is a card? And sometimes players play that card. IMO, Karador (and Meren tbh) cannot co-exist legally at the same time. Since Hulk is the much-more clear offender, it has to get the axe.
Sol Ring - Duh.
True-Name Nemesis - It's yet another multiplayer card very ill-positioned to 1v1 play. It has no place in 1v1 games.
Banned as Commander: Derevi, Edric, Erayo, Oloro, Vial Smasher, & Zur - I don't think I need an explanation of the why with these cards.
Otherwise, it plays the same as Duel-Commander.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
If people still complain about "pay to win" or "muh Zurgo dominance" after that, I'd point them towards Dominion or Ascension because that's the card game they actually want to be playing.
Because
I don't care, I have my duals from Legacy, but there are way too many whiners who use them as an excuse to not even try playing and I want this format to grow. RL cards are a concession I'm willing to make for more players playing and events firing.
This format spans 8th and on and MRD and on. ABU duals aren't legal in this format. Everything in this format could potentially be reprinted at some point, in some set or special premium deck.
Decks I would predict to be strong in the format;
Tier 1s
Geist of Saint Traft
Narset, Enlightened Master
Zurgo Bellstriker
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder/Reyhan, Last of the Abzan
Wydwen, the Biting Gale
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
Tier 2s
Iname, Death Aspect (I suspect this may be tier 1, but loss of the top level tutours hurts!)
Sidisi, Undead Vizier
Karlov of the Ghost Council
Gaddock Teeg
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
Akiri, Line-Slinger/Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder
That looks pretty healthy to me.
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.