The latest Commander format ban list update from Wizards of the Coast has left the Magic: The Gathering community inflamed. Wizards Unbans Overpowered Magic: The Gathering CardsOn September 23, 2024, Wizards will unban four of their most popular cards from the Commander format in an attempt to appease its frustrated player base.
Because of the same … which is why there have been a number of online petitions calling for money to be returned, including one on Change. org that currently has nearly 4,000 signatures…. org you would then see a petition there garnered over 2,500 signatures to reverse the bans.
Read also; God of War Ragnarok Review Bombed on Steam And It’s All About the PSN Requirement
Fan Favorite: The Commander Format
In Magic: The Gathering, no format embodies a social and kitchen-table vibe quite like Commander, which is why it’s one of the best formats available to play. Where Standard has a 60-card deck minimum, Commander decks are always 100 cards in size and built around the idea of a “Commander”: one legendary creature that determines the colors and theme of your deck.
Creative and Long-Form This format has become well-liked for it’s unique creative-long-form games and potential for players to thrive.
In this Commander deck, a number of the mainstays are cards that generate mana (Sol Ring and Arcane Signet), as having significant additional mana to cast brutal spells is incredibly important. Cultivate and Circuitous Route are some of the staples, find more lands from your library.. Cards like these provide this function. These are the cards that often provide the fuel for Commander’s powerful game-warping combos.
Read also: Space Marine 2 completely flies high: a great sales data and plans for the next updates!
The Controversial Ban List
Wizards of the Coast released a new update which banned three cards: Dockside Extortionist, Jeweled Lotus, Mana Crypt and Commander Legacy host Nadu, the Winged Wisdom. These have been some of the most powerful, deep and interesting cards we play in Commander for a long time.
- Dockside Extortionist creates treasure tokens, giving everyone what they need to ramp up their mana in this round.
- Jeweled Lotus is another, and Mana Crypt gives us a third to match the still-legal Sol Ring.
- Type: Legendary Creature – Bird, Advisor Mana Cost: Converted Mana, Cost N/A, Color: White, Ability Winged Wisdom FlyingWhenever Winged Wisdom hits you draw a card, making the Winged Wisdom a great Commander for drawing cards.
This being said, in the format banned cards certainly were strong candidates to play, so I guess that the fact that they went got some eyes raised. Some argue that they aren’t even more game-breaking then other legal cards in the format, such as The One Ring (an extremely controversial yet still legal card for commander).
The Petition Uprising
As a result of those bans, frustrated players have found their way to Change., the angry masses took to TakePart.org to lament and urge sympathy towards changing decision. One petition already has over 2,500 signatures in favor of reversing the bans arguing that they upset the balance and enjoyment of the format. To fans, cards like this are what indispensably contribute fun and excitement to Commander being a dynamic format with different power levels.
Read also: Wuthering Waves Version 1.3: New Characters, Events, and Regions Revealed!
The petition asserts that the omission of these cards detracts from the creativity Commander players have cumulatively fought for, and implores Wizards of the Coast to rethink their decision.
How Good Are/Were The Banned Cards in Those Decks?
The central inquiry that seems to be twisting the nihilistic bunnies of many Magic: The Gathering players’ melons is whether these cards are really ban worthy. While powerful – provided that your opponents have any artifacts or enchantments on board – Dockside Extortionist is also situational. Jeweled Lotus and Mana Crypt are fast mana, but no faster than the already legal Sol Ring.
Nadu, the Winged Wisdom is definitely powerful-players can draw cards whenever one of their creatures or other spells is targeted-but it only triggers two times per turn. Even though he is certainly strong, many will argue that Nadu isn’t quite to the game-breaking level required to see a ban like something as egregious as The One Ring.
Where to for Magic the Gathering fans?
The newest update to the ban list has stirred lots of controversy in the community, as many feel that Wizards of the Coast have unjustly targetted some cards without reflecting on their contribution to a fair meta. It is a testament to the love that Commander players have for the format and its card pool that these petitions have been circulated so widely.
We can only hope that Wizards of the Coast sees reason, and proof from fans to change their mind now. However, for now Magic players just have to sign the petitions and hope that their voices are loud enough to save the game they love.
This most recent controversy has rekindled debates surrounding balance, fairness and the future of Magic: The Gathering as Commander becomes an increasingly dominant format. As history shows only time shall tell.