In the world of EDH/Commander, the hammer has just fallen on Prime Time. In the September Banned List update rules judge Sheldon Menery has announced the following changes:
Banned in EDH:
Primeval Titan
Worldfire
Unbanned in EDH:
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Banned as Commander:
Kokusho, the Evening Star
From the official rules release:
Worldfire
This banning was largely expected. While the card itself isn’t overpowered, it does have unfortunate interactions with the format, namely that the commander is available to be cast even after the spell has resolved, and our philosophy is to avoid cards like that. Since outside of this one quirk there aren’t a lot of interesting applications to the card, we don’t anticipate it’ll be missed much. Unlike…
Primeval Titan
One of the concerns that we’ve had recently is the overrepresentation of heavy ramp strategies, to the point where it makes up a large proportion of the aggregate decks out there. While we think ramp should be good—this is battlecruiser Magic, after all—it’s probably a little too prevalent and needs reining in a bit. With that in mind, we’re banning the most egregious offender, Primeval Titan.
This decision won’t be universally popular. Primeval Titan is dripping with awesomeness, and we ourselves are big fans of the card. But its ubiquity and effect on games couldn’t be ignored and sad though we are to see it go, we think it will make for a more interesting and diverse format.
Kokusho
It’s appropriate that Kokusho comes off at the same time as Prime Time goes on, as Kokusho was originally banned along the same lines. Its presence had a similar warping effect on the format in the early days, with too many decks reusing the Dragon over and over (even if it didn’t start in their deck!). However, in the intervening time, graveyard hate has become stronger and the overall level of creature power has risen to the point where we’re comfortable—more so after some testing—that it won’t have the same impact.
It remains banned as a commander because the mechanics of being a commander allow it to circumvent the best method of dealing with it—the aforementioned graveyard hate. Getting it into exile as a creature is the end of it. As a commander, it’s license to start again.
So what does this mean? The green ramp decks take a slight hit, Worldfire joins Upheaval and Sway of the Stars on the sidelines of the “bounce/wipe everything on the board” club, and you can now play with Kokusho as long as he’s not your Commander. Sweet!
I don’t think anybody will care the slightest bit about Worldfire, but the tradeoff of Primeval Titan for Kokusho makes the EDH environment a little less stale, at least for the time being. There’s still going to be tons of ramp decks, and now people have Kokusho at their disposal once again to try to break ring games open with, at least for the time being.
Format Philosophy Document Released
Perhaps the more interesting thing than today’s Banned update was the parallel release of the “Official Banned List and Format Philosophy Document.” The keepers of the flame in EDH/Commander have released an insightful look into how they make their guiding decisions about the Banned list, and how they wish the format to appear (note: it would be really sweet if Wizards of the Coast would do this for sanctioned formats like Vintage!).
Delving into the philosophy a bit, this struck me as the most important bit that they are trying to highlight:
The banned list for Commander is designed not to balance competitive play but to help shape in the minds of its fans the vision held by its founders and Rules Committee. That vision is to create variable, interactive, and epic multiplayer games where memories are made, to foster the social nature of the format, and to underscore that competition is not the format’s primary goal. It sets out to define the parameters of official Commander while recognizing that local groups may wish to modify things to suit their own needs.
Reading through this plainly it is clear that “competitive balance” is not the goal per se, but for fans to simply enjoy the game as the creators of the game see it, which is the have a blast and make sweet memories of playing Magic! Sheldon and the crew seem like great stewards of the game, and even though they will occasionally pass down some disappointing news (like bannings), they have done a great job of shaping and growing EDH as a whole.
FAQs
Primeval Titan was banned because fighting over who gets to get land combos and way more mana was tiring. Griselbrand was banned for the same reasons he's currently played in Legacy and Modern combo decks.
Is Kokusho banned in Commander? ›
It remains banned as a commander because the mechanics of being a commander allow it to circumvent the best method of dealing with it—the aforementioned graveyard hate. Getting it into exile as a creature is the end of it. As a commander, it's license to start again.
Is Oko banned in Commander? ›
The following cards are banned in Brawl and cannot be included in your deck or used as your commander: Drannith Magistrate. Lutri, the Spellchaser. Oko, Thief of Crowns.
Is Primeval Titan legal? ›
Primeval Titan
Why is Sylvan primordial banned? ›
Because it's incredibly warping. You get insane value out it, and if you're green there's no way you're going to play without it. It is also decent ramp stapled onto something that can hose all your opponents in one shot.
Is Memnarch banned in Commander? ›
The major impact here is that there are a few Legendary Creatures who no longer invalidate themselves as Commanders: Memnarch, Bosh, Iron Golem, Thelon of Havenwood, Daughter of Autumn, and Rhys, the Exiled.
When did Gifts Ungiven Get Banned in Commander? ›
It is interesting to note that the original reasons for banning Gifts Ungiven back in June 2009 (announcement here) are in line with the idea that being one-card game-enders is what is getting it banned.
Is Sol Ring legal in Commander? ›
Sol ring is therefore not legal in standard or modern (because it wasn't printed in a standard or modern set) and is banned in legacy and restricted to 1 copy in vintage (it's too good).
Why is Tibalt's trickery banned? ›
Tibalt's Trickery is a combo card with a bad win rate but has been a problem for players to play against in best-of-one. The card leads to either a quick win or a concession at the slightest bit of interaction. Because of the number of nongames the card produces, it will be banned in Arena.
Are Un cards Legal in Commander? ›
Magic: The Gathering's upcoming Unfinity expansion will be the trading card game's first un-set to feature black-bordered cards, making them legal to play in 'eternal' MTG formats, including Commander, Legacy, and Pauper.
Why is Primeval Titan Banned in Commander? | MTG #Shorts
How do you play amulet Titan in Magic The Gathering? ›
You just need to search Slayer's Stronghold when the Titan comes into play to give him haste. Then you attack your opponent and use the triggered ability from the Titan again to 'cheat' Sunhome into play and use its ability: now you have a huge Titan with double strike and trample swinging for lethal damage!
What is flash in Magic The Gathering? ›
Flash is a keyword ability which allows the card it is printed on to be cast at any time you could cast an Instant.
When was Sylvan primordial banned in Commander? ›
Sylvan Primordial Banned in Commander/EDH February 2014 Rules Update. As announced by rules judge Shelden Mennery in the February 2014 Commander Rules Update, Sylvan Primordial is Banned in Commander/EDH.
Why was emrakul banned commander? ›
1 Emrakul, The Aeons Torn
As if this weren't enough, upon entering the battlefield, Emrakul allows its controller to take an additional turn. The Commander rules committee has gone on record stating that the card was banned for simply being deemed unfun to play against, with many players having requested a ban.
Is Thran Dynamo legal? ›
Thran Dynamo
Do partner commanders have 98 card decks? ›
Partner allows you to choose two commanders for your deck instead of one. Both commanders are part of your deck, so you'd need to play just 98 additional cards instead of 99, and the cards in your deck must conform to your commanders' combined color identity.
Why is Sol Ring not banned in Commander? ›
Why Isn't Sol Ring Banned in Commander | EDH - YouTube
Is Winota banned in Pioneer? ›
Due to its large metagame share, high win rate, and ability to create frustrating removal-check gameplay, Winota, Joiner of Forces is banned in Pioneer.
Why did memory lapse get banned? ›
Memory Lapse is being moved to the suspended list due to its power level and ubiquity in the format, showing up as the most-played nonland card in the Historic Arena Open and in Best-of-Three ladder play.
Why is Sundering Titan Banned in Commander? | Magic - YouTube
Is emrakul legal in Commander? ›
Blightsteal potentially kills 1 opponent if you sneak attack it out, yet it is completely legal, and it is indestructible. Emrakul being legal would mean people would have to have some colorless removal in their deck.
Is unsanctioned legal? ›
Unsanctioned is a new box set for Magic: The Gathering, but it's a bit different from what you might expect. It features silver-bordered Magic cards not legal in regular tournament play, and which bend and challenge the rules of the game itself!
One of the concerns that we’ve had recently is the overrepresentation of heavy ramp strategies, to the point where it makes up a large proportion of the aggregate decks out there. While we think ramp should be good—this is battlecruiser Magic, after all—it’s probably a little too prevalent and needs reining in a bit. With that in mind, we’re banning the most egregious offender, Primeval Titan.