This format is a janky way to create interest in overprinted cards that have no use otherwise. Speed bump - Magic needs more players or the secondary market is in for a bumpy ride.
This format is a janky way to create interest in overprinted cards that have no use otherwise. Speed bump - Magic needs more players or the secondary market is in for a bumpy ride.
The reason I like frontier as a player even if the format was made by a vendor is that all the cards are in the new design space for power level, and if us players want to expand on it and make it a thing we can write up a ban list ourselves and build a format we all can enjoy from it. To be frank, I have no problem with bringing Theros in because the only reason we don't like it is because of Thoughtseize. We can just ban the card from play ourselves and run all the good stuff from that block without an issue. I mean, I definitely don't think anyone is going to care if we add Dig Through Time and Treasure Cruise to that listing, just those aren't quite as broken in the newer card design space than they were in modern and legacy. The primary reason I think Theros should be included is the mono color support: we got way too many reasons to play a rainbow deck in vanilla frontier at the moment and not enough reason to play anything else.
That and not including the most popular set printed in recent history in a new eternal window is a travesty.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Well, Modern has more problems than card availability. You know how in Dragonball Z the fighters power levels just kept going up each season until they were blowing up planets, and then Toriyama decided to try to do a power reset with Dragonball GT and that ended up with the fighters getting even more powerful by the end of it? Modern has that problem.
I know, power level and lack of viable deck options is a real problem in Modern. That's why I suggested maybe a slow-rotating format could fill the gap between the allegedly boring Standard and the overpowered Modern. Removing blocks with powerful cards like Innistrad, RTR or Scars of Mirrodin could refresh all these things.
Anyway, good to know others share my disappointment with Theros not being in Frontier
Well, Modern has more problems than card availability. You know how in Dragonball Z the fighters power levels just kept going up each season until they were blowing up planets, and then Toriyama decided to try to do a power reset with Dragonball GT and that ended up with the fighters getting even more powerful by the end of it? Modern has that problem.
I know, power level and lack of viable deck options is a real problem in Modern. That's why I suggested maybe a slow-rotating format could fill the gap between the allegedly boring Standard and the overpowered Modern. Removing blocks with powerful cards like Innistrad, RTR or Scars of Mirrodin could refresh all these things.
Anyway, good to know others share my disappointment with Theros not being in Frontier
Huh? there are a lot of viable decks in Modern, Dredge,Burn,Jund,Junk,Affinity,Grixis Delver,Grixis Control, Zoo, RW Control, Knightfall, RG Titan, Scapeshift,Infect,Jeskai Control and Midrange, Skred Red, Ad Mauseam, Elrdazi Taxes,Bant Eldrazi, Kikki-Chord, Company just off the top of my head
Far more diverse than standard ever really is, frontier may be a good format not knocking it, but to say Modern isn't diverse is just false.
Why am I imagining the modern forums on MTGSalvation are going to be "colorful" when this happens. A lot of people over there are worried about Modern attendance dropping and that isn't going to help in the slightest, though I'm more on wizards side at this point with generating a new window.
A lot of those worried Modern players probably weren't very sympathetic when Legacy players felt their format of choice was threatened by Modern.
I say let people play whatever games they want. Nobody owes it to you to play and support the format of your preference. Legacy has survived (despite slowed growth) because it has enough appeal to retain and attract players. Modern too will endure if and only if people in sufficient numbers still want to play it. End of story.
Big difference between this affecting Modern the way Modern affected legacy, no reserve list for modern, cards can always be reprinted to make sure enough are out there.
Huh? there are a lot of viable decks in Modern, Dredge,Burn,Jund,Junk,Affinity,Grixis Delver,Grixis Control, Zoo, RW Control, Knightfall, RG Titan, Scapeshift,Infect,Jeskai Control and Midrange, Skred Red, Ad Mauseam, Elrdazi Taxes,Bant Eldrazi, Kikki-Chord, Company just off the top of my head
Far more diverse than standard ever really is, frontier may be a good format not knocking it, but to say Modern isn't diverse is just false.
I know there are many available decks out there, but one of the main problems Modern critics point at is that, nowadays, it's more like a rock, paper, scissors.
The huge pool of cards that create a lot of possible archetypes and options is probably the best thing about eternal formats, so my comment wasn't about that.
Private Mod Note
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Before the glory of Yawgmoth, yes, even this makes sense.
Big difference between this affecting Modern the way Modern affected legacy, no reserve list for modern, cards can always be reprinted to make sure enough are out there.
WotC had a loop-hole to reprint RL cards, but they closed it and created Modern instead. Legacy players were upset by this choice; just as Modern players will be upset if WotC creates and supports this format instead of upping the reprints for Modern.
Really it's the same situation - prices in Modern are prohibitively high and this is preventing players from joining. Apparently WotC has other concerns with reprinting expensive staples besides the RL (like consumer confidence in the secondary market). A cheaper non-rotating format will be an alternative to anybody who would have shelled out for the more expensive format but will take the cheaper option instead. Players who will be glad for a cheaper format won't care about the fate of Modern anymore than Modern players care about Legacy.
[quote from="Vegas10 »" url="http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-general/757826-post-modern-frontier-format?comment=301"][quote from="crimhead »" url="http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-general/757826-post-modern-frontier-format?comment=286"][quote from="Colt47 »" url="http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-general/757826-post-modern-frontier-format?comment=285"]WotC had a loop-hole to reprint RL cards, but they closed it and created Modern instead. Legacy players were upset by this choice; just as Modern players will be upset if WotC creates and supports this format instead of upping the reprints for Modern.
Really it's the same situation - prices in Modern are prohibitively high and this is preventing players from joining. Apparently WotC has other concerns with reprinting expensive staples besides the RL (like consumer confidence in the secondary market). A cheaper non-rotating format will be an alternative to anybody who would have shelled out for the more expensive format but will take the cheaper option instead. Players who will be glad for a cheaper format won't care about the fate of Modern anymore than Modern players care about Legacy.
To make Frontier really take off, it's going to need some help from the players, though. Hareyuya based the frontier on the holo symbol, but really we need to work out what cards and sets we want in the new format beyond that base. Theros is an obvious include and actually after playing around with MTG Deck Builder having theros is kind of awsome. The real question is how the faster mana base effects the decks as having Fast Lands and the SoI stuff is a fairly big upgrade to a lot of theros block deck lists. Also, Elspeth, Sun's Champion is probably one of the best 6 cmc walkers ever printed and is absolutely unique in how it plays. The closest card to it is Chandra, Flamecaller, and her -x ability kills in the opposite direction plus she can't defend herself with her +1 like Sun's Champion can.
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!
Definitely this will need player initiative. If enough people are playing it, Wizards will act. Otherwise who know if or when they will proactively roll out the next non-rotating format.
All I'm saying is that it's silly and somewhat ironic if players invested in Modern are vocally upset about this idea.
As for what should be included, I have no opinion. I play Legacy and EDH and I'm not interested in picking up yet another instructed format. I like things such as combo and prison besides, so this is not really for me.
Extended was cool and all, but I think at this point so many people are invested in modern that shifting over to another side would kill off a significant portion of players.
Personally, I'm still on the idea that they should just actually support legacy and vintage. Both WotC and players have gone through so much time and effort to figure out how to make modern a well-balanced format...yet it's still skewed by so many factors. We could just forget all of that if we could just get a FTV: dual lands. You could sell that ***** for $1000 and people would still buy the ***** out of it.
Extended was cool and all, but I think at this point so many people are invested in modern that shifting over to another side would kill off a significant portion of players.
Personally, I'm still on the idea that they should just actually support legacy and vintage. Both WotC and players have gone through so much time and effort to figure out how to make modern a well-balanced format...yet it's still skewed by so many factors. We could just forget all of that if we could just get a FTV: dual lands. You could sell that ***** for $1000 and people would still buy the ***** out of it.
I don't think that Wizards next window format is going to exclude all cards from the current modern pool. The next paper format eternal from wizards will likely be the MTG Digital Next format, and that format has to please a wide variety of people so most likely it's going to include at least a subset of modern playable cards. Personally, I don't want anything modern level in Frontier. Blood Moon, Affinity, Dredge, Infect, Ad Nauseum, and especially burn / sleigh can take a hike. The fact the format is a bit slower makes worlds of difference for gameplay and thus far even Dig through Time and Treasure Cruise are playing out fine.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Big difference between this affecting Modern the way Modern affected legacy, no reserve list for modern, cards can always be reprinted to make sure enough are out there.
WotC had a loop-hole to reprint RL cards, but they closed it and created Modern instead. Legacy players were upset by this choice; just as Modern players will be upset if WotC creates and supports this format instead of upping the reprints for Modern.
Really it's the same situation - prices in Modern are prohibitively high and this is preventing players from joining. Apparently WotC has other concerns with reprinting expensive staples besides the RL (like consumer confidence in the secondary market). A cheaper non-rotating format will be an alternative to anybody who would have shelled out for the more expensive format but will take the cheaper option instead. Players who will be glad for a cheaper format won't care about the fate of Modern anymore than Modern players care about Legacy.
Completely disagree, there is nothing stopping WOTC from supporting both formats with reprints the way there is with Legacy, in fact as Frontier gets more and more sets it will likely suffer from similar issues that all non-rotating formats do, new cards will have a harder and harder time breaking in as the power level will obviously increase overtime one does in such a large card pool. If they can make money reprinting cards for both formats I don't see any reason they wouldn't do so, hell through supplementary products they still find ways to impact legacy and why $$$, plain and simple.
They can make an eternal format that works for the game, just they need to settle on a specific set of lands and core cards and rotate what cards are currently legal in the eternal format, such as saying only the cards in the current modern masters 2017 set are legal in addition to the core cards. This forces people to build something new each season out of cards they may already have, and if they are missing something it's likely only a small fraction of the cards compared to an entire new deck.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Completely disagree, there is nothing stopping WOTC from supporting both formats with reprints the way there is with Legacy...
At the time of Modern's inception, there was nothing stopping Wizards from supporting Legacy with reprints in the form of premium promotional cards. They were actually doing this with the printing of Mox Diamond in FTV. They could have supported both formats, instead they went all-in on Modern.
Obviously Legacy players weren't exactly thrilled about this, but people who were excited about Modern and couldn't afford Legacy (or were turned of by the crazy decks - all kinds of stuff considered OP by the standards of the day) had little sympathy. So it's a bit rich to hear Modern players upset about newer players wanting a newer format which is affordable and toned down in terms of "unfair" strategies. If you can't see this irony that's on you.
Completely disagree, there is nothing stopping WOTC from supporting both formats with reprints the way there is with Legacy...
At the time of Modern's inception, there was nothing stopping Wizards from supporting Legacy with reprints in the form of premium promotional cards. They were actually doing this with the printing of Mox Diamond in FTV. They could have supported both formats, instead they went all-in on Modern.
Obviously Legacy players weren't exactly thrilled about this, but people who were excited about Modern and couldn't afford Legacy (or were turned of by the crazy decks - all kinds of stuff considered OP by the standards of the day) had little sympathy. So it's a bit rich to hear Modern players upset about newer players wanting a newer format which is affordable and toned down in terms of "unfair" strategies. If you can't see this irony that's on you.
To be frank making decks too difficult to decipher for players to build and having to depend on the internet to gain the full grasp of the strategy is not the direction Wizards wants to go. One of the big problems of Magic from a design standpoint is they need strait forward decks, while also giving support for crazy deck builders who want to just create the ultimate mousetrap of a deck. While a lot of modern players keep comparing Standard to two kids wrestling in a playground and Modern being some kind of fanciful fencing tournament, the fact is that modern is NOT fencing, it's a junkyard full of old ideas being jury-rigged and then patented into broken and often times completely overpowered decks. Thanks to the sheer madness of these decks they often also require study to even pilot correctly and that makes things harder for everyone, including the opponents, to understand. With this in mind that also puts more pressure on having very generic and heavy handed answers that are extremely oppressive. Blood Moon, Leyline of Sanctity, Grafdigger's Cage, Chalice of the Void, etc, are some of these cards, and modern players always say it is a test of skill to play around them even though it really comes down to who has a freaking Disenchant or some other means to get rid of said answer (hence why modern decks running 3+ colors and a metric ton of non-basics always run at least 2-3 basics. Gods help them if they don't draw at least one). Otherwise the game just devolves into one player folding and the next match starts up.
Right now Frontier doesn't have a lot of these in the system yet. The worst shut downs are strapped to creatures like Hushwing Gryff, Phyrexian Invoker, etc, and things like Tormod's Crypt are one shot clears unlike something as oppressive as Grafdigger's cage or Rest in Peace. Coupled with the format finally getting rid of Lightning Bolt, and now suddenly the toughness of creatures just has to be 3 to survive early game instead of 4 (Pending incoming storm of people talking about Fiery Impulse and Lightning Strike). Frontier is a lot more fair than modern is and that is what makes a lot of people like my own playgroup enjoy it.
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!
The thread is reminding of an issue when I got back into MtG during RtR/Theros Standard. Back in the day when I first started card gaming (YGO/MtG), I had an Elf Deck.
In particular an Elf Deck with Wirewood Symbiote as I started with Onslought. I despised standard but because of circumstance I had to play it over building budget legacy. For me looking into Frontier I am seeing the same issue. Sense Theros I have not bought many packs, for a variety of reasons.
And thus to make a frontier deck I'd had to build a new one from nothing. I don't know how alone I am in this, but I had to put that out their. The way each format been divided, has bit me. /Sigh
And honestly I expect this format to run into issues of price that atleast in part is because of conception. WotC won't reprint enough. It's only cheap now because it's starting out and not popular
The thread is reminding of an issue when I got back into MtG during RtR/Theros Standard. Back in the day when I first started card gaming (YGO/MtG), I had an Elf Deck.
In particular an Elf Deck with Wirewood Symbiote as I started with Onslought. I despised standard but because of circumstance I had to play it over building budget legacy. For me looking into Frontier I am seeing the same issue. Sense Theros I have not bought many packs, for a variety of reasons.
And thus to make a frontier deck I'd had to build a new one from nothing. I don't know how alone I am in this, but I had to put that out their. The way each format been divided, has bit me. /Sigh
And honestly I expect this format to run into issues of price that atleast in part is because of conception. WotC won't reprint enough. It's only cheap now because it's starting out and not popular
Everyone pretty much feels that way about the cost and no one with common sense is going to believe the format is going to be cheap forever. However, I wouldn't get down trodden because of it. Even if someone missed the initial window on the format and can't afford a playset of Jace, Vryn's Prodigy, the format is young enough that it isn't problematic to jump in at a later point with a different set. I would recommend perusing m15 though and getting things like Tormod's Crypt. Standard could probably use one of those right now.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
This is really dumb, a format based on a completely arbitrary restriction that does nothing to balance the fun or power level and was designed to sell singles that vendors would never move otherwise. Not falling for this one.
This is really dumb, a format based on a completely arbitrary restriction that does nothing to balance the fun or power level and was designed to sell singles that vendors would never move otherwise. Not falling for this one.
But you could say much the same thing about Modern . . .
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not watching.
maybe i'm being unfair, i'm not sure. I think a "newer" eternal format is a good general idea, but Frontier has been done wrong.
it seems like the basis for it has evolved out of a desire for a cheaper way to play - and as part of a whole, that's fine... it just seems to be the primary objective, and I haven't seen any legitimate consideration for how broken or diverse the metagame might be.
the money thing is clouding all of the discussion, and I'm sitting here thinking that a powered-up bant company list would probably be tier 0 in this shrunken format.
I think the sentiment is 100% on point and I support the general idea.... the actual format itself is weak. we need a re-think.
The reason I like frontier as a player even if the format was made by a vendor is that all the cards are in the new design space for power level, and if us players want to expand on it and make it a thing we can write up a ban list ourselves and build a format we all can enjoy from it. To be frank, I have no problem with bringing Theros in because the only reason we don't like it is because of Thoughtseize. We can just ban the card from play ourselves and run all the good stuff from that block without an issue. I mean, I definitely don't think anyone is going to care if we add Dig Through Time and Treasure Cruise to that listing, just those aren't quite as broken in the newer card design space than they were in modern and legacy. The primary reason I think Theros should be included is the mono color support: we got way too many reasons to play a rainbow deck in vanilla frontier at the moment and not enough reason to play anything else.
That and not including the most popular set printed in recent history in a new eternal window is a travesty.
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!
Huh? there are a lot of viable decks in Modern, Dredge,Burn,Jund,Junk,Affinity,Grixis Delver,Grixis Control, Zoo, RW Control, Knightfall, RG Titan, Scapeshift,Infect,Jeskai Control and Midrange, Skred Red, Ad Mauseam, Elrdazi Taxes,Bant Eldrazi, Kikki-Chord, Company just off the top of my head
Far more diverse than standard ever really is, frontier may be a good format not knocking it, but to say Modern isn't diverse is just false.
Big difference between this affecting Modern the way Modern affected legacy, no reserve list for modern, cards can always be reprinted to make sure enough are out there.
I know there are many available decks out there, but one of the main problems Modern critics point at is that, nowadays, it's more like a rock, paper, scissors.
The huge pool of cards that create a lot of possible archetypes and options is probably the best thing about eternal formats, so my comment wasn't about that.
Before the glory of Yawgmoth, yes, even this makes sense.
Really it's the same situation - prices in Modern are prohibitively high and this is preventing players from joining. Apparently WotC has other concerns with reprinting expensive staples besides the RL (like consumer confidence in the secondary market). A cheaper non-rotating format will be an alternative to anybody who would have shelled out for the more expensive format but will take the cheaper option instead. Players who will be glad for a cheaper format won't care about the fate of Modern anymore than Modern players care about Legacy.
https://fieldmarshalshandbook.wordpress.com/
RUGLegacy Lands.dec
RUGBLegacy Lands.dec
RGLegacy Lands.dec
WUBRG EDH Lands.dec
UBR EDH Artificer Prodigy
B EDH Relentless Rats
To make Frontier really take off, it's going to need some help from the players, though. Hareyuya based the frontier on the holo symbol, but really we need to work out what cards and sets we want in the new format beyond that base. Theros is an obvious include and actually after playing around with MTG Deck Builder having theros is kind of awsome. The real question is how the faster mana base effects the decks as having Fast Lands and the SoI stuff is a fairly big upgrade to a lot of theros block deck lists. Also, Elspeth, Sun's Champion is probably one of the best 6 cmc walkers ever printed and is absolutely unique in how it plays. The closest card to it is Chandra, Flamecaller, and her -x ability kills in the opposite direction plus she can't defend herself with her +1 like Sun's Champion can.
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!
All I'm saying is that it's silly and somewhat ironic if players invested in Modern are vocally upset about this idea.
As for what should be included, I have no opinion. I play Legacy and EDH and I'm not interested in picking up yet another instructed format. I like things such as combo and prison besides, so this is not really for me.
https://fieldmarshalshandbook.wordpress.com/
RUGLegacy Lands.dec
RUGBLegacy Lands.dec
RGLegacy Lands.dec
WUBRG EDH Lands.dec
UBR EDH Artificer Prodigy
B EDH Relentless Rats
Personally, I'm still on the idea that they should just actually support legacy and vintage. Both WotC and players have gone through so much time and effort to figure out how to make modern a well-balanced format...yet it's still skewed by so many factors. We could just forget all of that if we could just get a FTV: dual lands. You could sell that ***** for $1000 and people would still buy the ***** out of it.
Modern Junk Primer
Legacy ANT Primer
L1 Judge
I don't think that Wizards next window format is going to exclude all cards from the current modern pool. The next paper format eternal from wizards will likely be the MTG Digital Next format, and that format has to please a wide variety of people so most likely it's going to include at least a subset of modern playable cards. Personally, I don't want anything modern level in Frontier. Blood Moon, Affinity, Dredge, Infect, Ad Nauseum, and especially burn / sleigh can take a hike. The fact the format is a bit slower makes worlds of difference for gameplay and thus far even Dig through Time and Treasure Cruise are playing out fine.
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!
Completely disagree, there is nothing stopping WOTC from supporting both formats with reprints the way there is with Legacy, in fact as Frontier gets more and more sets it will likely suffer from similar issues that all non-rotating formats do, new cards will have a harder and harder time breaking in as the power level will obviously increase overtime one does in such a large card pool. If they can make money reprinting cards for both formats I don't see any reason they wouldn't do so, hell through supplementary products they still find ways to impact legacy and why $$$, plain and simple.
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!
Obviously Legacy players weren't exactly thrilled about this, but people who were excited about Modern and couldn't afford Legacy (or were turned of by the crazy decks - all kinds of stuff considered OP by the standards of the day) had little sympathy. So it's a bit rich to hear Modern players upset about newer players wanting a newer format which is affordable and toned down in terms of "unfair" strategies. If you can't see this irony that's on you.
https://fieldmarshalshandbook.wordpress.com/
RUGLegacy Lands.dec
RUGBLegacy Lands.dec
RGLegacy Lands.dec
WUBRG EDH Lands.dec
UBR EDH Artificer Prodigy
B EDH Relentless Rats
To be frank making decks too difficult to decipher for players to build and having to depend on the internet to gain the full grasp of the strategy is not the direction Wizards wants to go. One of the big problems of Magic from a design standpoint is they need strait forward decks, while also giving support for crazy deck builders who want to just create the ultimate mousetrap of a deck. While a lot of modern players keep comparing Standard to two kids wrestling in a playground and Modern being some kind of fanciful fencing tournament, the fact is that modern is NOT fencing, it's a junkyard full of old ideas being jury-rigged and then patented into broken and often times completely overpowered decks. Thanks to the sheer madness of these decks they often also require study to even pilot correctly and that makes things harder for everyone, including the opponents, to understand. With this in mind that also puts more pressure on having very generic and heavy handed answers that are extremely oppressive. Blood Moon, Leyline of Sanctity, Grafdigger's Cage, Chalice of the Void, etc, are some of these cards, and modern players always say it is a test of skill to play around them even though it really comes down to who has a freaking Disenchant or some other means to get rid of said answer (hence why modern decks running 3+ colors and a metric ton of non-basics always run at least 2-3 basics. Gods help them if they don't draw at least one). Otherwise the game just devolves into one player folding and the next match starts up.
Right now Frontier doesn't have a lot of these in the system yet. The worst shut downs are strapped to creatures like Hushwing Gryff, Phyrexian Invoker, etc, and things like Tormod's Crypt are one shot clears unlike something as oppressive as Grafdigger's cage or Rest in Peace. Coupled with the format finally getting rid of Lightning Bolt, and now suddenly the toughness of creatures just has to be 3 to survive early game instead of 4 (Pending incoming storm of people talking about Fiery Impulse and Lightning Strike). Frontier is a lot more fair than modern is and that is what makes a lot of people like my own playgroup enjoy it.
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!
In particular an Elf Deck with Wirewood Symbiote as I started with Onslought. I despised standard but because of circumstance I had to play it over building budget legacy. For me looking into Frontier I am seeing the same issue. Sense Theros I have not bought many packs, for a variety of reasons.
And thus to make a frontier deck I'd had to build a new one from nothing. I don't know how alone I am in this, but I had to put that out their. The way each format been divided, has bit me. /Sigh
And honestly I expect this format to run into issues of price that atleast in part is because of conception. WotC won't reprint enough. It's only cheap now because it's starting out and not popular
CerberusJund (Modern)GRB
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant Morphentress (Commander) GUB
I also play YGO (DragunFusion) and Hearthstone (Dragon Control Warrior)
Everyone pretty much feels that way about the cost and no one with common sense is going to believe the format is going to be cheap forever. However, I wouldn't get down trodden because of it. Even if someone missed the initial window on the format and can't afford a playset of Jace, Vryn's Prodigy, the format is young enough that it isn't problematic to jump in at a later point with a different set. I would recommend perusing m15 though and getting things like Tormod's Crypt. Standard could probably use one of those right now.
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!
But you could say much the same thing about Modern . . .
it seems like the basis for it has evolved out of a desire for a cheaper way to play - and as part of a whole, that's fine... it just seems to be the primary objective, and I haven't seen any legitimate consideration for how broken or diverse the metagame might be.
the money thing is clouding all of the discussion, and I'm sitting here thinking that a powered-up bant company list would probably be tier 0 in this shrunken format.
I think the sentiment is 100% on point and I support the general idea.... the actual format itself is weak. we need a re-think.