[CLASSIC] JULY 2017 RULES / BANLIST UPDATE
The last 3 months were quite interesting for our beloved format, with lots of great tournaments and a large affluence at those tournaments. With such a large data and a careful study of the Magic Online 1vs1 Commander updates, we found that the following changes would improve Duel Commander tournaments.
Changes:
👉 Individual card changes:
Geist of Saint Traft is now banned as a commander only.
Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy is now banned as a commander only.
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder is now banned as a commander only.
Polymorph is now banned.
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is now banned.
Ancient Tomb is now legal.
Mind Twist is now legal.
Fastbond is now legal.
👉 Don’t forget to check out our Current Lists for a recap of all the currently banned cards.
These changes apply on July 21, 2017. The next announcements will be published on September 25, 2017 (applying on September 29, 2017).
Until then, we wish you all many good games! 🙂
Further individual explanations:
Geist of Saint Traft
It’s always hard to remove a historical commander. The true, recurring, solid outs that Geist of Saint Traft provides were already a strong problem when facing a higher starting life total, which they proved to be even more efficient at blowing up now, several months after they even got lowered back to normal.
Geist of Saint Traft is one of the rare handfuls of commanders which have the evil hexproof ability, and the cheapest of them. The absolute lack of interactions it offers, the immediate pressure it gives -despite the absence of moxen- and the killing clock it gives, as much as its position in the format, forbidding many building strategies to exist or annihilating them makes Geist of Saint Traft too toxic to remain in the command zone.
Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy
Among all the available commanders for control decks, Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy is without a doubt the most proactive one. It enters the battlefield very early, it sculpts its owner’s hand efficiently, up to the point that player can compose his or her deck with very “metagame” cards, like Hydroblast, or Mind Harness. During the game, it favours blue’s favourite weapons, like instants and sorceries, abilities like flashback or delve, and generates card advantage easily. At some point, it allows setting up degenerate synergies that will quickly end games, with cards like Intuition, functional copycats of Time Walk, or High Tide.
Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy definitely has too many elements in its favor to remain eligible to the Command zone. In order to open the diversity of the format, Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy is now banned as a commander.
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder
Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder is a strong card. But most problematically: it’s a toxic card. It shaped the metagame by removing all fair aggressive decks and most midrange decks. It is focusing the format by losing against mono-blue decks and beating mono-blue decks predators. Banning Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder also allows keeping the very interesting Partner keyword which favours original and exotic deckbuilding. So it’s unfortunately time for Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder to leave us.
Polymorph
Having a gigantic creature entering the battlefield at a reduced cost is a dreadful strategy that should be subject to reasonable constraints. The interaction between Polymorph and the Command zone makes it unfair. Indeed, in Duel Commander, Polymorph is definitely freed from its initial constraint: producing a creature without playing creature cards. We’re reaching the breaking point of those reasonable constraints when Polymorph is paired with highly synergic commanders like Baral, Chief of Compliance (that allows it to happen on turn 3) or Vendilion Clique (which controls possible answers). Because of the danger it represents in Duel Commander, Polymorph is now banned.
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is most of the time the end of any strategic approach of a game. Being nearly impossible to kill and having Annihilator 6 makes it overwhelming. If Emrakul, the Aeons Torn was only cast during the later parts of games, it wouldn’t be a problem. But with cards like Synthetic Destiny or even Through the Breach it can enter the battlefield way too early. The card is also very (very) rarely cast for {15}. Adding no value to format and causing some trouble, we choose to ban Emrakul, the Aeons Torn from Duel Commander.
Ancient Tomb
The ban of Ancient Tomb is mostly an archaism of the 30 starting life totals era. Without any playable aggressive strategy, it was a flawless 2-mana land. This is not true today anymore! Ancient Tomb is still a great card, but a very risky one. Bringing back Ancient Tomb also promotes strategic complexity of the format by offering more versatility in mana development. So… Welcome back Ancient Tomb! But beware: the world has changed…
Mind Twist
Mind Twist is one of the first cards to be banned in Magic, back in 1994. Even if there are many combinations one could dream of with Mind Twist (with fast mana elves or Dark Ritual, for example) most of the time it ends up being an expensive Hymn to Tourach. Also, fast mana is now getting harder to produce in Duel Commander. The pro-active metagame also means more active decks and Mind Twisting an opponent’s hand by turn 4 is not such a good deal now. The command zone also reduces the impact of mass discard. This is why we think it’s the right time to bring back this iconic card in Duel Commander.
Fastbond
Fastbond is explosive in most early games (with many more conditions than it looks, though) and often forsaken in the late game state, despite the presence of Crucible of Worlds or The Gitrog Monster, or Ramunap Excavator. Despite the fact that it has led to aberrant starts in the past, the drawback is now far more problematic. Fastbond still holds a high potential, yet it is tamed by the pace of the format we’ve had for a few months now. We also think Duel Commander is more spectacular with that kind of broken cards than when played with four copies. Therefore, Fastbond is worth a come back.
28 Responses so far
Ozzy Varela
juillet 18th, 2017
Can you hate on blue any more than this?
you know cuz Zurgo dot burn your face is more balanced smh.
Sorry WOTC but you’re catering too much to the casual players.
leave that for the multiplayer format.
so whats next?
the next time a deck is good you guys are going to ban that out 2 or what?
Bendoq
juillet 18th, 2017
Very welcome changes. Nobody liked the blue dominance, either mono or as Geist. Bruse was correctly identified as a problem card hampering diversity, which gives hope to efforts of actually improving the meta.
With the unbans, I can fully agree on Tomb and Twist as cards that are probably not too powerful, but powerful enough to be interesting inclusions. Fastbond, however, might simply turn out too dangerous with decks like Titania and Gitrog Monster – but we will see. Without some of the old meta’s biggest players, what happens next is anyone’s guess.
I’ll stick to Zurgo. You can always trust the Red Hammer of Justice.
Cezar Colvara
juillet 18th, 2017
Banishing Geist of saint traft was the stupidest thing of the last banlist! You made a mistake in that choice! Zurgo has caused imbalance in the field, but the geist is a fair match! So the duelcommander has lost players, sorry!
Cazychel
juillet 18th, 2017
Finally not having to run 10+ cards just in case someone plays Geist. Haven’t had the other two running around in our circles, though mono blue Venser is a thing – but the only broken card there is Upheaval (which I still do not understand not being banned; unless you’re blue and counter it, you can do nothing, when it hits, and will do nothing for 3 turns after, at least).
janopi
juillet 19th, 2017
Thank you commitee to correctly identify true bane of this format – Jace Vryn. It is true menace!! During last three months it is dominating force – it gained whole 2% of megatame!!!!!
Is this, to be expected from this commitee from now on? Everything to go over 2% of metagame is banned?
Banning Polymorf AND Emkrakul (when this strategy is not even best viable) is just laughtable.
Bieridiot
juillet 19th, 2017
Turn 5 or turn 6 to « cheat in » Emrakul is too early with 20 Life.. whut?? Banning Emma is a joke, dudes. but i don’t laugh. not funny. i would ban Ponder, Brainstorm and Preordain too. Blue is too mimimi. People dont want blue. ok, go a step ahead: ban island -> problem solved
Draighean
juillet 19th, 2017
Well, those are interesting bans and unbans, the clock on geist was a pain to deal with, hexproof got rid of most spot removal and it also had counterspells to deal with everything else so it being banned is quite welcome.
Mind Twist is something i will enjoy as an avid stax player but fastbond looks quite dangerous to be honest, may give green starts on the level of the fast mana rocks without time for the opponents to answer.
Igor Medeiros
juillet 19th, 2017
Previously you showed the diference between duel and wizards 1 v 1. do you know i f in Wizards Yisan, the Wanderer Bard is banned only as commander? couse you posted as if it was only as a commander….
Dom
juillet 19th, 2017
I still cant believe yur decisions… mmore then the half decks are aggro decks since 20 life rule.. and know you ban a control commander.. mostly the geist was handable!!
nethertheless you also ban other control cards.. I dont like blue control, but this format is going to be total aggro..
i mean Fastbond??? there are two available crucibles now… and you unbanned fastbond, which pushed the green Aggros Titania and Gitrog? WTF!!
ich play with Titania and even me think that this card is to strong for the game…
Drachir
juillet 20th, 2017
[…and a careful study of the Magic Online 1vs1 Commander updates,..] By The Duel Commander rules committee
So.. I assume you banned Baral (Polymorph/Emrakul) and Jace because of the Dominance of these Decks in Magic Online 1v1 Commander – a 30 life format. Is that about right?
I have to think this, because these Decks make only 4% and 2% of the metagame on mtgtop8. And since i don’t believe that there are many (if at all) grand tournaments that don’t publish their data on mtgtop8 these have to be the numbers that you are referring too. These numbers cannot justify a ban.
Furthermore the meta of a 30 life 1v1 Commander holds no indications for Duel Commander! After changing from 30 to 20 life the Polymorph Deck was revived solely because of the printing of Baral – Clique was dead at this point. Both decks are much weaker in Duel Commander.
I would go so far as to say it is a big mistake to look at Magic Online for any information about what might or might not be strong in Duel Commander.
With these bannings Duel Commander will finally be dead at my LGS, because with every change less people attend. First Marath, then 20 life and now Geist and Polymorph.
The Zurgo player will be happy (btw 14 % of the meta) until he realises that no one wants to play anymore.
At his point i am forced to raise my voice for using another banlist at our LGS, simply to keep any form of 1v1 Commander alive.
The fact alone that till now only 2 other people bothered commenting on the change says a lot about the condition of Duel Commander as a format.
– Drachir
Pierre D.
juillet 20th, 2017
D’ac avec Bendoq.
Our meta is switching to the online banlist for the moment as the loss of Bruse, Geist, etc. was hampering to some of our players. I imagine Breya won’t be long for the world over there.
Anyways, these are good changes and yes, Zurgo still lives a the aggro police deck. 🙂
flo
juillet 20th, 2017
No comments about the banlist or changes.
One big comment about posts and managing!
Your posts happen every 3 month ,are not clear and you never give answers or more clarifications when asked.You will probably not look at my comment btw.
« with lots of great tournaments and a large affluence at those tournaments » => you have less players than 2-3years ago, max 80 when it used to be 120+ .Like lots of afficianados, I see no more players around me.You talk about MTGO, right?
« With such a large data and a careful study of the Magic Online 1vs1 Commander updates » => you mean, you take into account a 30 life format with a completely different metagame (no zurgo), to take your decisions. why?
What are sources you use to take your decisions? Can you publish stats to justify?
« Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder is a strong card. But most problematically: it’s a toxic card… It is focusing the format by losing against mono-blue decks and beating mono-blue decks predators » => No real explanation! you mean , too many blue deck and this deck loose against them. hum, toxic indeed.
Can you please, give cards that are in orange or red zone as you did before and explain why.
If so,people will not be surprised when you will unban black lotus and ban johan as a commander 😉
MontyB
juillet 20th, 2017
intresting bans and unbanns beside one Fatbond:
a friend of me say something to that i always remember:
Fatbond is obv so broken that i never would watch if it be on the list….
it has to
alara
juillet 27th, 2017
wow this was like an update on Warcraft 2,
Did this format still exist?
Bendoq
août 6th, 2017
So, to anyone complaining about Zurgo: just wait until the new cat commander becomes legal. How do you feel about a deck where every drop is a 5/5 for 1-2 mana, and there is literally nothing you can do to stop it? Wonderful things happen to the format with that card, if wonderful means getting your face clawed off by an aggro deck that can afford to play all sorts of trash for curve because it’s 3 times bigger than it should be.
And with the wisdom of this committee, we’ll have to go through another Vial-Smasher-like debacle and live with a broken format for half a year before they realize the card should have been banned instantly, as anyone reading it can tell you after 5 seconds.
Pierre D.
août 23rd, 2017
The cat is not a big deal. It is mile slower than Zurgo and even more susceptible to Wrath effects and so on. You still need to give cats Haste so you are wasting a slot on Graves/Boots and so on. The format is able to handle this at the moment.
judas goldrich
août 26th, 2017
I like the decisions. Seems like a nice time to unban Marath again.
Jackson
août 29th, 2017
From what I can see thus far, this format is now dead by comparison to other formats. We have absolutely zero combo now, which is unhealthy for a format to completely destroy one of the 3 major deck types. Now that it’s down to just aggro and control, the tournaments look like it’s just a few diehards left. All that’s left seems to be zurgo, Edgar made a showing as a new dude on the scene, Marchesa, Gitrog, and Kraum partner decks. Everything else is just a few one of decks. This format is basically down to 5 decks. You finally succeed comittee. You killed blue and combo and with their departure, the format. Hope you’re happy with that.
Joseph
septembre 12th, 2017
To be honest, ever since the change to 20 life, aggro decks has been extremely powerful. In all my match ups against Zurgo, I have lost every time. You are talking about 3 turns to cast Geist versus turn 3 against Zurgo, which by than they probably have 3 creatures and my life total is close to 10 or less and I just die to direct damage.
This is really unbalance to 1v1 I said, destroying blue and just have nothing but aggro. The game should be called « Lots of creatures, I win! »
Someone on that committee must hate blue to cripple it so much.
Pierre D.
septembre 24th, 2017
If we were looking at anything it is Edgar Markov; an endless stream of 1/1 and the new ones in Ixalan are not making the decisions any harder. Arahbo is pretty rough but can be managed. I would understand if he had to go at some point though. With Vicious Conquistador an upgraded version of a current vampire, yeah.
Serait aussi une idée de libérer une ou deux cartes combo ou contr^ole?
Dgackouille
septembre 24th, 2017
Combo isn’t dead. We still have Baral to play the High Tide combo, Animar is still playable, we have artifact-partner, Tymna-Thrasios that kills essentially with a combo and even Atraxa is now played with a lot of combo. Control isn’t trash either, we still have Queen Marchesa, we now have Kess, Narset, even Baral… We have a good meta right now, we have some aggro, control and combo decks. The problem is that Markov is a lttle bit too strong. People are starting building around him. Maybe should we wait to see more of this deck, cause it can be crashed by Marchesa, so he doesn’t always make it to the Top 8. I don’t think Jace was a real problem, especially with very good aggro decks in the meta. So you may consider unbanning him if you choose to let Markov in place.
Jackson
septembre 25th, 2017
We wait as the committee is late for their next update that will, in all likelihood, continue to destroy the format as whole with it devolving into nothing but a degenerate only aggro format with nothing but damage races and none of that heart-pumping « Is he gna blow my battlefield up? Counter my key spell? Destroy my hand? » guessing game that got me hooked on Magic the Gathering in the first place.
Jackson
septembre 26th, 2017
Aandddd they didn’t release the update at all. Who knows, maybe they disbanded after realizing their mistakes after so long.
Bendoq
septembre 27th, 2017
It’s pretty clear this format in its old form is nearing death at this point. Local metas have taken over, with their own rules and organizers. The people « in charge » of duel commander clearly don’t care.
Dpool
septembre 28th, 2017
The banlist Was updated on burn
Edgar Markov is now banned as as commander only.
Fireblast is now banned.
Eidolon of the Great Revel is now banned.
Sulfuric Vortex is now banned.
Price of Progress is now banned.
I dont Know why they didnt updated here
Chris
septembre 28th, 2017
This format is not becoming the worst ever, already is. First shock 20 life (meant for aggro decks – Zurgo), than ban all blue control commanders (last Geist – my favorit for several time – who was great but difficult to play against Zurgo) and now somehow I sense you will ban Edgar Markov (again my and many others favorit aggro commander) who is again only one good against Zurgo which are literally everyone playing. I’m telling you, with such updates that you are making every day less people are willing to play this format. Is just too much aggression in playing!!! – control is dead, combo is dead, aggro lives forever. This not the way to play Magic. It’s not even Magic anymore. BAN ZURGO AND BRING BALANCE TO MAGIC!
julien bourreau
octobre 1st, 2017
Where is the new banlist?
Where is your logic? The banlist is just for one deck win and the rest loose this is why i stop tournament magic 20HP and new banlist suck every time
info
février 25th, 2018
no coment about this..
silent is better :V
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