This announcement does come as a surprise. I must admit that Wizards did their best, but the great modern experiment is slowly coming to a close. I really didn't enjoy the format very much, and I doubt I was in the minority. It was put on a pedastal, was very heavily funded and supported by wizards, and in the end it was more about how bad the format was and how expensive the cards were.
Eternal formats and Wizards will always, in some sense, be at odds with each other. Wizards needs to design cards that reinvent, develope, build out, and highlight the remaining design space that this wonderful game lives in. For the most part, eternal formats are run by design mistakes, accidental super synergies, and longstanding tradition type cards/strategies. Wizards forges the game forward and eternal formats look back at the best/most broken parts of its past. I honestly do not think Wizards can or should take a super active roll in the competitive eternal formats. Pretty much any decision of consequence that they could make would be more damaging than beneficial.
The one thing that they have managed to do well is sustain and grow the collective value of the modern cards. I firmly believe this is a good thing, and I really don't care if people disagree with me about that.
There have been several eternal formats over the years, and Legacy seems to be the best, followed by Vintage, with modern and the various versions of extended (double standard had the best funny name) a long way behind. Legacy took a while to develope in to what it is now, and it was probably just luck that it turned in to what it is today.
I am aware that most of my opinions are not shared, but on this relatively big piece of news, I wanted to share them anyway.
Wizards has been durdling on this decision for some time. It may be a 'goal' to showcase Standard for PT's , but killing other formats is not the answer. Healthy discussion should have involved players at PT level (which never happened to my knowledge) and what positive changes are needed for the format to thrive. Are we just Not printing usable cards past rotation anymore??? Why does the power level need to creep down to Drogskol Cavalry (7 mana ) and Angel of Deliverance (8 mana)? The reality at pro level, we are forced to draft this fluff at tournament, well hopefully NOT,,lol. This somehow 'showcases' the Superior Pro Tour play,,,yup that was what they claimed. Theres nothing like getting steamrolled by Sorin, while ya got a standard pack of rubbish. If anything it's been standard that's been the dead dodo as far as innovation,,,4 Jaces ,4 Gideons , you couldn't trade a BFZ card for 5 cents even as it was a gimmick to produce Foils only, so how do they expect any of this stuff to impact anything??? Sure, they upped the power level of OGW, but they don't test how it impacts Modern. The uproar over the Eldrazi lands is something they dont' want to police. It gets in the way of the zen and happiness of selling foil lands! Mostly which can't be used in Standard,,, lol.
Modern is an Inconvenient Truth to Wizards. Players like it, but its kind of 'icky' for them to manage something they don't have their heart in.
I can't be the only one who is worried for the future of modern with this announcement. As we've seen if wizards drops support your format is on borrowed time (I'm looking at you legacy), I don't see much opportunity for this format to grow in the future.
I can't be the only one who is worried for the future of modern with this announcement. As we've seen if wizards drops support your format is on borrowed time (I'm looking at you legacy), I don't see much opportunity for this format to grow in the future.
People need to stop equating a Pro Tour drop as a support drop for Modern. I view it as adding a type of support, because it allows Modern to return to its core mission. This concept of a non-rotating format and a successor to Legacy was fundamentally incompatible with the Pro Tour. As long as Wizards follows through with continued PPTQ/RPTQ support, added Grand Prix to both demonstrate support for Modern and cash in on all the Modern players who go to these major events, and more Modern-themed and geared products, the format will be able to thrive after his update. So far this year, even if it is admittedly early, Wizards has followed through on a number of important Modern policy issues: helping blue after Twin was banned, clarifying Modern goals and missions, (hopefully) solving the Pro Tour shakeup ban situation, and improving communication around the format. Based on this, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
People need to stop equating a Pro Tour drop as a support drop for Modern. I view it as adding a type of support, because it allows Modern to return to its core mission. This concept of a non-rotating format and a successor to Legacy was fundamentally incompatible with the Pro Tour. As long as Wizards follows through with continued PPTQ/RPTQ support, added Grand Prix to both demonstrate support for Modern and cash in on all the Modern players who go to these major events, and more Modern-themed and geared products, the format will be able to thrive after his update. So far this year, even if it is admittedly early, Wizards has followed through on a number of important Modern policy issues: helping blue after Twin was banned, clarifying Modern goals and missions, (hopefully) solving the Pro Tour shakeup ban situation, and improving communication around the format. Based on this, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
I'm not one of those who said the removal of the PT is the reason ("One PT a format does not make"), but really worries me is the very core mission states "Be at a power level where some Standard cards can enter the format comfortably", which seems to me like it's blatantly saying "R&D's not responsible for Modern, if cards they made due to de-powering sets generally didn't make it to Modern, than it's Modern Power Level's fault." Well, the only party I can think who can be responsible for said "Power Level" is the banning committee and that might lead to a further implication of "Banning kept on toes to match with R&D doing their work for Standard"... which sounds suspiciously like the "PT effect", except it's on cards rotating out of Standard than the latest set.
Of course, that's the worst case scenario (and we like to imagine that a lot here at MTGS), since we don't have the yardsticks which they use to measure "power level" and "transit". Is a Siege Rhino that transits through for 1 kind of deck considered a success in this regard? A Treasure Cruise that got itself banned, but was fine in Standard technically did make the transition even if itself was banned, does it count as a success? How many cards a set/block must contribute before they consider Modern "too strong for R&D's current power-levels" and must be altered?
Wizards have shown much support for the format and while indeed it does not look like it would stop anytime soon, some of the other measures mentioned ("We can't reprint staples in Standard sets all the time is a mini-version of the power-level difference scenario I raised") indicates they are aware that the supply front isn't doing too well. Usually when a company wants to slowly release supply, they should be "underpricing" the product to match how the supply curve usually works in the market, but they went the opposite route* (Modern Masters was excusable, but MM2 was actually just escalating a mistake instead and Eternal Masters looks set to follow). While the practice does have unfortunate side-effects, it is still arguably better for the format as a whole (not for prices though) and nothing indicates they are going to completely stop this practice... although they don't seem to have quite figured out the crux.
*On top of that they still went on the "we love constructing sets for Limited!" route, which means higher prices also goes against one of their favorite design methods. Higher prices don't make me appreciate the pack more and want to draft it instead of opening it when there's a foil in every pack and I'm not taking even that tiny chance to open the two-Goyf pack in a draft. There's a reason why people loves Cube so much because it is essentially "Free Drafts" all around.
I can't be the only one who is worried for the future of modern with this announcement. As we've seen if wizards drops support your format is on borrowed time (I'm looking at you legacy), I don't see much opportunity for this format to grow in the future.
I don't see it that way. Modern has for the majority of its existence been a non-PT format and has grown consistently since its birth.
Legacy is in the terrible position it is in because of the price hurdle. while modern has gotten more expensive WotC is free to print more of the staples threw standard reprints or MMx, not true for legacy which is going to run you 1k just for a playset of dual lands. The reserved list and promise never to reprint those early set cards will forever keep legacy difficult to play. I mean WotC doesn't want to support a format that likely 50% of players can never even afford to participate in; Modern is not that bad as some budget deck options are competitive enough not to feel foolish for showing up at LGS with.
I had a good laugh reading the doomsaying about Modern being on its way to Legacy.
For it to become as inaccessible and hence, niche as Legacy, the cards need to be as inaccessible and niche as Legacy cards, period.
There is a huge gulf between legacy cards, some of which will never see Standard reprint, and Modern cards, the vast majority of which could pop up in your next eldritch moon.
Modern cards are being transacted a lot faster and the player base is already established, meaning there is no logical reason that all the Modern players would suddenly say "What?! No more tours for professional players?! I will now stop playing this format I've spent hundreds or thousands on!!"
As someone who has seen 2 decks banned within 12 months of joining Modern, I whole-heartedly welcome the stepping out of the spotlight. Please, stop telling me I suddenly can't play my deck any more because professionals have been putting up results for them 12,000 km away from me in an event I am probably not attending in my lifetime.
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Or maybe you're saying that they want people to play draft because it sells packs. The problem is that I'm very dubious that the Pro Tour really pushes that. When you see something cool when watching Constructed, it can make you want to play the format or pick up the deck you saw. But that doesn't work for Limited. I can't say "oh wow! That Pack Rat card is so amazing! I want to play RTR Limited so I can use that card!" because you have such a low chance of being able to do that. Whatever I watch on the Pro Tour is something I won't ever get to experience because I'll be opening up different cards when I draft. And it also can't really recapture the deckbuilding aspect either, because everyone is starting with different cards. In Constructed, the cards everyone starts with are the same, so I can better appreciate a deck someone plays as a deckbuilding exercise (even if it is netdecked).
Limited can be a lot of fun to play. But none of that really translates into being interesting to watch.
It's more about archetypes than individual cards. Sure, you can't "netdeck" Reid Dukes draft deck, but you can try to draft a werewolf deck. I guess they want us to look at the pros coming up with all kinds of sweet decks and then decide to do a ton of drafts ourselves to try out all the sweet archetypes. Which I guess works to..some(?)..extent? I do enjoy the draft coverage, but I still think it could be done a lot better. Not sure quite how though, drafting isn't really the best "spectator sport" out there.
Can someone explain to me how this is productive as Wizards just said a year ago they were doing away with core sets and could focus more on doing reprints and then announce they're closing the PT event for the biggest and most popular external format?
My bad than, thought Standard is limited too, thanks for noting on that. Anyway my point was that Modern, Legacy and Vintage don't earn that much money to Wizards so they don't support them so much but rather put more effort in formats like Sealed, Draft and Standard that give them more money (especially first two because they promote the new set in the best possible way) and earning as much money as possible is obviously their main goal.
You're underestimating their foresight.
If they kill off/undermine their eternal format, demand for cards exiting standard will fall, Standard players will see their cards lose value significantly every rotation, and basically they're throwing away cardboard every 2 blocks. That's insane even for the hobbyist with a moderate budget. A lot of standard players I know keep cracking packs because they are confident some of their cards will have takers even after Standard rotates.
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Can someone explain to me how this is productive as Wizards just said a year ago they were doing away with core sets and could focus more on doing reprints and then announce they're closing the PT event for the biggest and most popular external format?
Eternal formats aren't what the PT is about.
It's about showing off the new set in Limited and the new Standard environment it created.
In an eternal format the newest set rarely has an overly large influence and aside from bans they have few ways to imitate this "new format" part of the PT.
So, letting Modern actually be an eternal format instead of a pseudo-eternal one with more or less arbitrary bans as it's annual "rotation" to somehow make it fit what the PT is about, is a very good thing.
And the PT has nothing to do with reprints or not. ^^
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Modern for example doesn't provide as much money as draft or sealed do.
Wizards never really has tried selling a Modern Masters at a "print to demand" print run. They keep limiting the supply. Any initial secondary market price drops resulting from the reprints will eventually be nullified as the supply gets bought out. I am sure Wizards is ignoring an opportunity here.
Well that was expected since every single modern pro tour was quite a disaster from a coverage audience point of view.
I doubt they will discontinue the format in the near future because they do need something non-rotating. But they can restart the format much later when staples become too old like Legacy is now.
Maybe this has been asked, but what is the prediction regarding card prices that have now rotated out of Standard?
I just returned after a couple of decades away and was building up my decks and collection with Modern in mind...
it doesn't matter how many people you know who don't like watching draft. I don't like it either. But that's WotC's #1 format.
But just because people like to play it doesn't mean they're interested in watching it. I know some guys who really love to draft and they still have little interest in watching it. No matter how popular draft may be to do, it doesn't seem particularly popular to watch.
At this point I'm unsure exactly where you're coming from. Are you deciding to ignore the obvious fact that WOTC's primary goal for the PT is to push the new set, primarily through draft? Because that goal doesn't care about your arguments. Are you saying their goals are incorrect and offering a hypothetical based on your own desired goals?
In what way does the Pro Tour "primarily" push the set through draft? Most of the Pro Tour isn't draft at all.
Or maybe you're saying that they want people to play draft because it sells packs. The problem is that I'm very dubious that the Pro Tour really pushes that. When you see something cool when watching Constructed, it can make you want to play the format or pick up the deck you saw. But that doesn't work for Limited. I can't say "oh wow! That Pack Rat card is so amazing! I want to play RTR Limited so I can use that card!" because you have such a low chance of being able to do that. Whatever I watch on the Pro Tour is something I won't ever get to experience because I'll be opening up different cards when I draft. And it also can't really recapture the deckbuilding aspect either, because everyone is starting with different cards. In Constructed, the cards everyone starts with are the same, so I can better appreciate a deck someone plays as a deckbuilding exercise (even if it is netdecked).
Limited can be a lot of fun to play. But none of that really translates into being interesting to watch.
So your issue basically boils down to watchability, then? If that's the case then sure. I hate all forms of limited and wish they had never subverted the original intent of the game with this limited nonsense so yeah, not only will I concede that watching limited sucks but I'll fully agree with it. But if WOTC's concern was actually "watchability" then they would address many things before altering the formats, beginning with actually having a quality broadcast. It's abundantly clear they don't really care about this.
What they do obviously care about is showcasing the new set. Modern barely does this at all. Maybe 1% of the cards in all Modern decks will be from the new set. Standard doesn't even do this incredibly well, since Standard decks are typically mostly made of a core from the prior block with support from the new, so maybe 30% of Standard will showcase the new set. Limited, however, will have 100% of the cards being played be from the new set.
So after establishing that WOTC's goal is to showcase the new set, you want Standard/Modern which will have a new set density of around 30% for Standard plus 1% for Modern or you can have Limited and Standard which will have 100% and 30%. WOTC will choose Limited/Standard every time.
On top of all that, WOTC listens to the pros more than any other category of player and the vast majority of them detest having Modern as a PT format.
So your issue basically boils down to watchability, then? If that's the case then sure. I hate all forms of limited and wish they had never subverted the original intent of the game with this limited nonsense so yeah, not only will I concede that watching limited sucks but I'll fully agree with it. But if WOTC's concern was actually "watchability" then they would address many things before altering the formats, beginning with actually having a quality broadcast. It's abundantly clear they don't really care about this.
Actually having a quality broadcast requires more money, though, and Magic Online is basically proof positive they will try to cut corners even if it ultimately costs them money in the long run (I'm pretty sure the loss of revenue from people not playing Magic Online due to the bugs is greater than the money they save thanks to the low salaries for their programmers). I don't think simply having Modern be the format increases cost. In fact, it'd decrease it a little, as you'd skip over the cost of giving the players booster packs.
So after establishing that WOTC's goal is to showcase the new set, you want Standard/Modern which will have a new set density of around 30% for Standard plus 1% for Modern or you can have Limited and Standard which will have 100% and 30%. WOTC will choose Limited/Standard every time.
But that 100% is smaller due to less interest in it. 100% of the cards can be from the set but if 10% of the people who would watch a constructed end up watching it and if only 10% of those people are interested enough to give Limited a go (Limited events are, at least in my opinion, pretty bad at actually "selling" the Limited experience) that ends up with no better. Granted, these are all hypothetical percentages, but I don't think you can disregard the degree to which Limited is less interesting to viewers. I would be interested in how that affects viewership...
On top of all that, WOTC listens to the pros more than any other category of player and the vast majority of them detest having Modern as a PT format.
Is that why they enraged so many pro players with the abrupt cutting of their pay?
But that 100% is smaller due to less interest in it. 100% of the cards can be from the set but if 10% of the people who would watch a constructed end up watching it and if only 10% of those people are interested enough to give Limited a go (Limited events are, at least in my opinion, pretty bad at actually "selling" the Limited experience) that ends up with no better. Granted, these are all hypothetical percentages, but I don't think you can disregard the degree to which Limited is less interesting to viewers. I would be interested in how that affects viewership...
I think this is where some of our disconnect is in this conversation. I don't believe WOTC cares bout this whatsoever. In addition, the PT coverage viewership doesn't drop too much when it switches from Constructed back to Limited. Their goal is to showcase the new cards, they have a format that consists 100% of the new cards, and their viewership is relatively even among all formats when the PT coverage is on. Where's the incentive to drop limited?
Modern is a problem for wotc. It is making them money but consumer reviews are negative due to high prices.
Since one cant be solved without p***ing of the old invested guard (tarmagoyf is basically on the reserved list).
Why would wotc care?
They've built their own mess and can dig their way out once they realize it's more important to have playable, advanced cards available at prices at that make sense on the secondary market. They are being fear mongered by a historic boogieman Neanderthal from nearly twenty years ago.
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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!
I'm OK with no modern PT. As long as they reprint the cards needed for the format to keep growing it's all fine. But they have to freaking reprint. Where the hell is the liliana reprint? More goyfs please? More snapcasters? If we don't have more of those the format won't grow.
I wish they kepted a summer set thats strange such as modern masters and conspiracy and made that amodern protour. Then they may not have to shake up the format to sell the packs since they are packs for modern or other anyways
Complete ignoramus here (new to the format -- maybe not at the best time...), so... Can anyone explain the different types of 'tours' or competitions, and who sponsors/sanctions them? I understand that this announcement means Modern is no longer supported by the 'Pro Tour', but what other tours/events/etc. are there?
PT is just the Pro Tour, with something like 30 qualified players in the world. What matters much more us GP's (Grand Prix). Those are the regional tournaments that you just have to travel and pay an entry fee to play in. Then there are a handful of online stores that actually run
tournaments of the same rough size, usually a few hundred players. Below that is mostly just FNM at your local shop, which is all most people generally do
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Project Booster Fun makes it less fun to open a booster.
I think the thing that leaves the worst taste in my mouth is how beholden WotC is to the pros in this regard. One the main reasons they list as having taken Modern away as a PT format is because of the conversations they've had with pros. Its well known that most pros hate Modern, since they can't win in it simply off of pure skill alone; they cant metagame for it like the other formats either. This is absurd because the player base has demonstrated before that WE want modern as a PT format. The only reason WotC could ban it this time around is because the players raised enough ruckus to have it reinstated after the last time. Regardless of the benefits or disadvantages of having modern removed as a PT format, the reason why they did it still stinks to me.
I think the thing that leaves the worst taste in my mouth is how beholden WotC is to the pros in this regard. One the main reasons they list as having taken Modern away as a PT format is because of the conversations they've had with pros. Its well known that most pros hate Modern, since they can't win in it simply off of pure skill alone; they cant metagame for it like the other formats either. This is absurd because the player base has demonstrated before that WE want modern as a PT format. The only reason WotC could ban it this time around is because the players raised enough ruckus to have it reinstated after the last time. Regardless of the benefits or disadvantages of having modern removed as a PT format, the reason why they did it still stinks to me.
Although I'm sure pro opinion was at stake here (Forsythe explicitly mentions it), the players are definitely being heard as well. Players have made vehement complaints about bans in the past, especially those linked to Pro Tour dates. Wizards was put into a situation where they could either fulfill a player desire for a PT, or fulfill a player desire for less bans and shakeups. They went with the latter which I view as being in the best interest of players, pros, and the format as a whole. Wizards will need to follow through on this change with some other adjustments down the road, but it's a good start with a lot of potential.
I'm all for jumping on Wizards for bad communication and suspicious motives, but this one seems pretty clear-cut and well-explained.
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Eternal formats and Wizards will always, in some sense, be at odds with each other. Wizards needs to design cards that reinvent, develope, build out, and highlight the remaining design space that this wonderful game lives in. For the most part, eternal formats are run by design mistakes, accidental super synergies, and longstanding tradition type cards/strategies. Wizards forges the game forward and eternal formats look back at the best/most broken parts of its past. I honestly do not think Wizards can or should take a super active roll in the competitive eternal formats. Pretty much any decision of consequence that they could make would be more damaging than beneficial.
The one thing that they have managed to do well is sustain and grow the collective value of the modern cards. I firmly believe this is a good thing, and I really don't care if people disagree with me about that.
There have been several eternal formats over the years, and Legacy seems to be the best, followed by Vintage, with modern and the various versions of extended (double standard had the best funny name) a long way behind. Legacy took a while to develope in to what it is now, and it was probably just luck that it turned in to what it is today.
I am aware that most of my opinions are not shared, but on this relatively big piece of news, I wanted to share them anyway.
Modern is an Inconvenient Truth to Wizards. Players like it, but its kind of 'icky' for them to manage something they don't have their heart in.
People need to stop equating a Pro Tour drop as a support drop for Modern. I view it as adding a type of support, because it allows Modern to return to its core mission. This concept of a non-rotating format and a successor to Legacy was fundamentally incompatible with the Pro Tour. As long as Wizards follows through with continued PPTQ/RPTQ support, added Grand Prix to both demonstrate support for Modern and cash in on all the Modern players who go to these major events, and more Modern-themed and geared products, the format will be able to thrive after his update. So far this year, even if it is admittedly early, Wizards has followed through on a number of important Modern policy issues: helping blue after Twin was banned, clarifying Modern goals and missions, (hopefully) solving the Pro Tour shakeup ban situation, and improving communication around the format. Based on this, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
I'm not one of those who said the removal of the PT is the reason ("One PT a format does not make"), but really worries me is the very core mission states "Be at a power level where some Standard cards can enter the format comfortably", which seems to me like it's blatantly saying "R&D's not responsible for Modern, if cards they made due to de-powering sets generally didn't make it to Modern, than it's Modern Power Level's fault." Well, the only party I can think who can be responsible for said "Power Level" is the banning committee and that might lead to a further implication of "Banning kept on toes to match with R&D doing their work for Standard"... which sounds suspiciously like the "PT effect", except it's on cards rotating out of Standard than the latest set.
Of course, that's the worst case scenario (and we like to imagine that a lot here at MTGS), since we don't have the yardsticks which they use to measure "power level" and "transit". Is a Siege Rhino that transits through for 1 kind of deck considered a success in this regard? A Treasure Cruise that got itself banned, but was fine in Standard technically did make the transition even if itself was banned, does it count as a success? How many cards a set/block must contribute before they consider Modern "too strong for R&D's current power-levels" and must be altered?
Wizards have shown much support for the format and while indeed it does not look like it would stop anytime soon, some of the other measures mentioned ("We can't reprint staples in Standard sets all the time is a mini-version of the power-level difference scenario I raised") indicates they are aware that the supply front isn't doing too well. Usually when a company wants to slowly release supply, they should be "underpricing" the product to match how the supply curve usually works in the market, but they went the opposite route* (Modern Masters was excusable, but MM2 was actually just escalating a mistake instead and Eternal Masters looks set to follow). While the practice does have unfortunate side-effects, it is still arguably better for the format as a whole (not for prices though) and nothing indicates they are going to completely stop this practice... although they don't seem to have quite figured out the crux.
*On top of that they still went on the "we love constructing sets for Limited!" route, which means higher prices also goes against one of their favorite design methods. Higher prices don't make me appreciate the pack more and want to draft it instead of opening it when there's a foil in every pack and I'm not taking even that tiny chance to open the two-Goyf pack in a draft. There's a reason why people loves Cube so much because it is essentially "Free Drafts" all around.
I don't see it that way. Modern has for the majority of its existence been a non-PT format and has grown consistently since its birth.
Legacy is in the terrible position it is in because of the price hurdle. while modern has gotten more expensive WotC is free to print more of the staples threw standard reprints or MMx, not true for legacy which is going to run you 1k just for a playset of dual lands. The reserved list and promise never to reprint those early set cards will forever keep legacy difficult to play. I mean WotC doesn't want to support a format that likely 50% of players can never even afford to participate in; Modern is not that bad as some budget deck options are competitive enough not to feel foolish for showing up at LGS with.
For it to become as inaccessible and hence, niche as Legacy, the cards need to be as inaccessible and niche as Legacy cards, period.
There is a huge gulf between legacy cards, some of which will never see Standard reprint, and Modern cards, the vast majority of which could pop up in your next eldritch moon.
Modern cards are being transacted a lot faster and the player base is already established, meaning there is no logical reason that all the Modern players would suddenly say "What?! No more tours for professional players?! I will now stop playing this format I've spent hundreds or thousands on!!"
As someone who has seen 2 decks banned within 12 months of joining Modern, I whole-heartedly welcome the stepping out of the spotlight. Please, stop telling me I suddenly can't play my deck any more because professionals have been putting up results for them 12,000 km away from me in an event I am probably not attending in my lifetime.
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It's more about archetypes than individual cards. Sure, you can't "netdeck" Reid Dukes draft deck, but you can try to draft a werewolf deck. I guess they want us to look at the pros coming up with all kinds of sweet decks and then decide to do a ton of drafts ourselves to try out all the sweet archetypes. Which I guess works to..some(?)..extent? I do enjoy the draft coverage, but I still think it could be done a lot better. Not sure quite how though, drafting isn't really the best "spectator sport" out there.
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You're underestimating their foresight.
If they kill off/undermine their eternal format, demand for cards exiting standard will fall, Standard players will see their cards lose value significantly every rotation, and basically they're throwing away cardboard every 2 blocks. That's insane even for the hobbyist with a moderate budget. A lot of standard players I know keep cracking packs because they are confident some of their cards will have takers even after Standard rotates.
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Eternal formats aren't what the PT is about.
It's about showing off the new set in Limited and the new Standard environment it created.
In an eternal format the newest set rarely has an overly large influence and aside from bans they have few ways to imitate this "new format" part of the PT.
So, letting Modern actually be an eternal format instead of a pseudo-eternal one with more or less arbitrary bans as it's annual "rotation" to somehow make it fit what the PT is about, is a very good thing.
And the PT has nothing to do with reprints or not. ^^
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Wizards never really has tried selling a Modern Masters at a "print to demand" print run. They keep limiting the supply. Any initial secondary market price drops resulting from the reprints will eventually be nullified as the supply gets bought out. I am sure Wizards is ignoring an opportunity here.
I doubt they will discontinue the format in the near future because they do need something non-rotating. But they can restart the format much later when staples become too old like Legacy is now.
I just returned after a couple of decades away and was building up my decks and collection with Modern in mind...
What they do obviously care about is showcasing the new set. Modern barely does this at all. Maybe 1% of the cards in all Modern decks will be from the new set. Standard doesn't even do this incredibly well, since Standard decks are typically mostly made of a core from the prior block with support from the new, so maybe 30% of Standard will showcase the new set. Limited, however, will have 100% of the cards being played be from the new set.
So after establishing that WOTC's goal is to showcase the new set, you want Standard/Modern which will have a new set density of around 30% for Standard plus 1% for Modern or you can have Limited and Standard which will have 100% and 30%. WOTC will choose Limited/Standard every time.
On top of all that, WOTC listens to the pros more than any other category of player and the vast majority of them detest having Modern as a PT format.
Standard: lol no
Modern: BG/x, UR/x, Burn, Merfolk, Zoo, Storm
Legacy: Shardless BUG, Delver (BUG, RUG, Grixis), Landstill, Depths Combo, Merfolk
Vintage: Dark Times, BUG Fish, Merfolk
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion / Krenko, Mob Boss / Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
But that 100% is smaller due to less interest in it. 100% of the cards can be from the set but if 10% of the people who would watch a constructed end up watching it and if only 10% of those people are interested enough to give Limited a go (Limited events are, at least in my opinion, pretty bad at actually "selling" the Limited experience) that ends up with no better. Granted, these are all hypothetical percentages, but I don't think you can disregard the degree to which Limited is less interesting to viewers. I would be interested in how that affects viewership...
Is that why they enraged so many pro players with the abrupt cutting of their pay?
Standard: lol no
Modern: BG/x, UR/x, Burn, Merfolk, Zoo, Storm
Legacy: Shardless BUG, Delver (BUG, RUG, Grixis), Landstill, Depths Combo, Merfolk
Vintage: Dark Times, BUG Fish, Merfolk
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion / Krenko, Mob Boss / Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
They've built their own mess and can dig their way out once they realize it's more important to have playable, advanced cards available at prices at that make sense on the secondary market. They are being fear mongered by a historic boogieman Neanderthal from nearly twenty years ago.
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!
PT is just the Pro Tour, with something like 30 qualified players in the world. What matters much more us GP's (Grand Prix). Those are the regional tournaments that you just have to travel and pay an entry fee to play in. Then there are a handful of online stores that actually run
tournaments of the same rough size, usually a few hundred players. Below that is mostly just FNM at your local shop, which is all most people generally do
Although I'm sure pro opinion was at stake here (Forsythe explicitly mentions it), the players are definitely being heard as well. Players have made vehement complaints about bans in the past, especially those linked to Pro Tour dates. Wizards was put into a situation where they could either fulfill a player desire for a PT, or fulfill a player desire for less bans and shakeups. They went with the latter which I view as being in the best interest of players, pros, and the format as a whole. Wizards will need to follow through on this change with some other adjustments down the road, but it's a good start with a lot of potential.
I'm all for jumping on Wizards for bad communication and suspicious motives, but this one seems pretty clear-cut and well-explained.