Because EDH is a social format and its base rules differ substantially from that of 'normal' magic, playgroups often make their own rulings on a variety of cards and mechanics. Each group has the potential to mold the game of Magic into a game that they'll all cherish more than otherwise, but must communicate with each other about how they enjoy the game and what they believe will improve it.
Historically, games are formalized expressions of play that allow a glimpse of the societies in which they were developed as well as a structure to guide play, which can be used to encourage various skills and behaviors, one notably being competitiveness. While 'play' is often used to describe intrinsically motivated activities associated with recreation or fun, when it is employed in games to attain some outcome rather than for enjoyment in the task itself, it instead describes activities that are extrinsically motivated.
Motivation & 'Casual' vs Competitive Play
ca·su·aladj. Being without ceremony or formality; relaxed: a casual evening with friends.
com·pet·i·tiveadj. Referring to the format: Of, pertaining to, involving, or decided by competition: competitive sports; a competitive examination. Referring to a player or playstyle: Having a strong desire to compete or to succeed
so·cialadj. Relating to or designed for activities in which people meet each other for pleasure
There is a common misconception that 'casual' and 'competitive' are two opposite ends of a playstyle spectrum. Both terms often misrepresent what is meant; The real difference is dependent on the motivation in playing, which can be intrinsic, extrinsic, or a mix of the two.
If 'casual' were to be an extreme in any spectrum, the other extreme would be 'formal', not 'competitive'. It is definitely possible to have both a casual and a competitive game, or be a casual and competitive player. The opposite of 'competitive' is not 'casual', but simply 'noncompetitive'.
In mostly intrinsically motivated playgroups, the act of playing/socializing is most important. Relatively speaking, winning is not very important. Conversely, in mostly extrinsically motivated playgroup, winning is very important. It is sometimes said that winning is more important than 'fun' in this case, but such a statement only muddles the conversation, as 'fun' is a relative and very subjective term. Of course, playgroups exist at many stages between these extremes and may be further differentiated by other factors.
In addition to the motivation in playing, other factors that affect gameplay include the resources devoted by each player. Time, money, social participation, etc. can influence how likely groups are to agree on fundamental ideas. Obviously, if players invest different amounts of time or money to the game, or give different weights to social norms and expectations regarding it, they likely have different views about the game of Magic. That isn't to say that these differences cannot be reconciled, but doing so could be much more difficult if the players don't recognize them.
Similarly to the idea of 'casual' gaming, many players are unaware of the specific motivation types they and others have, or how it can be helpful. There are many explanations for how our brains work with regards to motivation, and that's because our brains are incredibly complicated. These 'psychographic' profiles, or player archetypes, provide a visualization of the psychology behind each player.
Timmy enjoys the act of playing. (power, social, diversity, adrenaline) Johnny wants to express something. (combo player, offbeat designer, deck artist, uber) Spike wants to prove something. (tuner, innovator, analyst, nuts & bolts) Bartle is another potential psycho-graphic profile that intersects the others (manipulator, achiever, explorer, socializer)
Though not psychographic profiles in the sense that Timmy, Johnny and Spike are, Vorthos and Melvin are opposite ends of a spectrum characterizing how players judge cards.
Vorthos judges cards on how they make him feel. (intuition) Melvin judges cards on how they make him think. (sensing)
House rules are rules applying only in a certain location or group, outlining deviations of gameplay from the official rules. While often used to simply personalize the game, they are also used to adjust for imbalances in the local game environment or to encourage certain playstyles.
Strata of Balance:
This is an attempt to categorize groupings of degenerate/powerful cards that differentiate levels of game balance. These levels, or strata, are intended to help foster a more effective dialogue regarding balanced play, and to provide a standardized reference for house-banning. Players can be very competitive at any of these levels, but doing so at higher strata will provide more stable games and likely a better experience for any less competitive or budget players. Please remember that card bannings are only necessary when a group is otherwise unable to form a gentleman's (or gentlewoman's) agreement concerning those cards.
stra•tumn. One of a number of layers, levels, or divisions in an organized system. stra•tan. A plural of stratum.
No recognized list is used. Very few cards, if any, are considered for banning, though some may be avoided or discouraged. This is best used for casual, minimally competitive games. Players should be prepared to adapt their decks/playstyle for enhancing the fun of the group.
Alternatively, cards may be discouraged or banned on an individual basis, using a variety of metrics, as they appear. A higher stratum list may be used as a baseline instead, but this style of card restriction, sometimes known as 'casual play', is meant to reign in players who either stumble onto an overbearing combo or become too competitive for the groups' interests.
Why ban cards?
Cards are banned for a variety of reasons, but are mostly for being damaging to the health of the format or environment. Though the RC does its best to limit the size of the official banned list, there may be certain cards on it that aren't degenerate in your playgroup. Talk with your playgroup if you think this is the case. Groups are encouraged to only use rules that provide a more enjoyable experience for all participating players.
The official list is used as a baseline. This list provides a stable, though minimally balanced format. Players should expect to discuss their decks' relative power level and adjust accordingly.
Card Explanations
The categories here do not detail why the included cards are banned, but simply organize them by their common effects. Many of the older cards here would never be printed with a balanced design philosophy for a variety of reasons. The few newer cards here seem to have been made without regard for the EDH format, or are design mistakes if they were.
Degeneracy can appear in many forms, but generally all relate back to one idea: resources. The rules of Magic help create a balanced game by making players pay for resources. These prices are standardized to create fairness so that stronger effects aren't usable until later in the game. However, there exist a multitude of cards that allow players to 'cheat' these rules and gather resources much earlier than otherwise possible...
Casting Enablers (mana sources, ramp, alternative spell payment)
Many of these either provide an immediate increase in available mana or allow a great increase of mana per turn compared to typical lands and other mana sources.
Black Lotus
With no mana cost and the ability to generate mana immediately, this can give enormous advantage to its caster when used early. The effects of such explosive mana ramp are well documented and very often enable degenerate plays. (WWW > 0) Moxen (Emerald, Jet, Pearl, Ruby, & Sapphire)
Though only providing 1 colored mana each, these also have no mana cost and aren't required to be sacrificed. (W > 0) Sol Ring
Similar to the moxen in that it immediately provides a net increase of 1 mana, it's usually considered better than them for the increased mana it provides each turn. (2 > 1) Mana Crypt
Often considered better than Sol Ring, it costs less and has a 'drawback' that can often be irrelevant or insignificant. (2 > 0) Mana Vault
These last two mana rocks are in a completely different league than the above as they have restrictions that are often significant. Still, this immediately provides a greater benefit than even Sol Ring. (3 > 1) Fastbond
Even more so than Burgeoning and Exploration, this allows any amount of lands to enter play on the same turn, which can provide even more mana than cards such as Sol Ring. Mana Drain
While counterspell is not an unfair card, the likelihood of this also being able act like a Grim Monolith can enable degenerate plays in the very early game, even at a cmc of 2. Channel
This enables the generation of greater net mana than all of the previous cards listed here combined. Metalworker
This 3 cmc artifact can easily and repeatedly produce 4+ mana, and is capable of producing much more. Though it is a creature and suffers from summoning sickness, it affects the game in the same way that other fast mana sources do. Mishra's workshop
The ability to immediately generate 3 mana with a single land is far above the norm, especially when compared to the downsides that 2 mana lands have. Tolarian Academy
This can easily generate 3+ unrestricted mana very early.
Card Advantage & Selection
Card advantage has been well documented as being important in winning games, and many of these trivialize the acquisition of such advantage.
Ancestral Recall
It outclasses all other drawing spells of similar mana costs and many of much greater mana costs, all at instant speed. Griselbrand
Immediately drawing so many cards at instant speed is degenerate at any cost. How the card made it through design so recently is a mystery. Library of Alexandria
This can potentially create uncounterable, repeated card draw on turn 1 with the ability to also provide mana. Skullclamp
This may be the most efficient widely useable card-drawing engine ever. No other colorless card comes close, and very few colored, or even multicolored cards can match it. Originally designed to function more simiarly to Infiltration Lens, the power of this card is an unintended consequence of the 'drawback' of lowering the equipped creature's toughness. Yawgmoth's Bargain
Very similar to Griselbrand, though from a much earlier set, in that it enables practically unlimited card draw at instant speed. Consecrated Sphinx
Given that players automatically draw at least 1 card every turn and are likely to draw more, this can compare favorably to Griselbrand and Yawgmoth's Bargain in many environments. Panoptic Mirror
Though not incredibly dangerous in competitive metagames with lots of artifact removal, this can create incredible virtual card advantage over time.
Zone Changing (tutoring, recurring, putting-into-play, tuck effects)
In addition to their zone-changing abilities, many of these either provide extra card advantage or put cards directly into play, disregarding their mana cost or other requirements. The ability to tutor for a specific threat is much more degenerate than being able to tutor for a specific answer to another threat.
Gifts Ungiven
Outside the unintended uses of this, (only finding 2 cards so that they automatically go to the graveyard) this is a tutor with card advantage and no restrictions on what can be found. Intuition
Extremely similar to Gifts Ungiven, this fetches multiple cards with no restrictions. The graveyard is often used as a resource. Primeval Titan
In addition to being a moderately large creature, the ability to fetch any two lands upon entering the battlefield as well as attacking is not only very good mana ramp, but recurring pseudo-spell tutoring. Recurring Nightmare
This can continually recur any number of creatures from the graveyard to play, dodges sorcery speed removal, and is far below the curve for necromancy effects. Survival of the Fittest
For an incredibly low mana cost and being difficult to remove as an enchantment, the ability to repeatedly tutor creatures for filling the hand & graveyard at instant speed is far beyond what most tutors can do. Tinker
It both tutors and puts into play any artifact, regardless of its cost. Artifact ramp being quite good in this format only furthers the degeneracy of this card. Tooth and Nail
While 9 mana may appear to offset this cards' abilities, the ability to tutor and simultaneously put into play any 2 creatures makes this a one-card combo and far too powerful. The fact that ramp is strong and most powerful in green only accelerates it. Protean Hulk
This is a one-card combo, able to fetch and put into play multiple combo pieces. Used 'fairly', it can still provide massive card advantage.
Immediate Win / Game-state Irrelevance
These cards either win the game, reset it, or otherwise move the game to a specific setting, no matter the previous board state.
Biorhythm
As mass removal is so often used as a method for generating card advantage, this will easily and immediately kill each player. Even when mass removal isn't prevalent, this can still have the same effect. Coalition Victory
With the constant availability of a 5 color general and the availability of dual-lands and land tutors, this can end a game before anything of interest even happens. Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
The most degenerate creature that ever was, or will be. It's a good role model for degeneracy: Zero interaction, absurdly powerful. Sway of the Stars
Allows, for 10 mana, the ability to essentially restart the game, but at 7 life instead of 40. It can also be used to provide an incredible headstart after its' resolution with floating mana, or simply end the game with temporarily exiled creatures. Upheaval
Similar to Sway of the Stars, this can be used more consistently due to its lower mana cost and the fact that its caster knows which cards he or she will have in hand afterward. Worldfire
While it leaves each player with nothing besides their commander if it's in its' zone, bringing each player to 1 life is almost worse than the previous cards as it can essentially give the game to whomever draws relevant threats first.
Resource Denial
Time Vault
If it could only be played fairly, it would still be degenerate for allowing an extra turn for 2 colorless mana, in which its' player would likely be winning the game. One of the few cards to merit consideration for its combo potential. Time Walk
This has the same effect of Time Vault with no 'downside' besides the single colored mana requirement. Karakas
This is degenerate within the unique rules of EDH. Repeated, uncounterable general removal, with other functionality (mana) is too powerful. Balance
Not designed for multiplayer, its devastating effects can easily be asymmetrical as well as extremely underpriced. Limited Resources
Similar to Balance in that its' effects don't scale fairly to multiplayer, it only costs a single mana. Sundering Titan (banned 20 Jun 2012):
From this post: "Sundering Titan has long been a card on the edge. The decision to get rid of it came from the combination of two points. One, it simply created undesirable game states. It was too easily both intentionally abused and unintentionally game-warping, especially since its ability triggers on both entering and leaving the battlefield. Two, there has been a fair amount of community distaste for the card, and we agreed that the card overwhelmingly creates a negative experience for players. Listening to the ever-growing and ever more-involved community is important to us." Iona, Shield of Emeria
Because the game is designed around the idea of color restriction, (according to the general) the ability to further choose and restrict an additional color can be extremely oppressive. Many decks simply cannot compete.
Lion's Eye Diamond (unbanned 20 Sept 2011):
While otherwise having the same effect as Black Lotus, the downside of having to discard one's hand seems to make this a very niche card. Because of this and it's monetary value, it hasn't seen much play. However, that is no reason that it can be safely ignored. Until testing can provide evidence that it is not equivalent in degeneracy as the other cards on this list, it will continue to be watched.
Worldgorger Dragon (unbanned 17 Jun 2011):
Known as a combo piece in conjunction with Animate Dead as well as others, it may have originally been given priority for banning for its inclusion on the Legacy ban list. These types of combos are typically not degenerate enough to warrant banning.
Grindstone (unbanned 1 Dec 2009):
Originally added solely for its interaction with Painter's Servant, it was removed when the other was officially added. 2 card combos such as that haven't appeared degenerate enough (or at least consistent enough) to warrant banning.
Shahrazad (banned 20 Sept 2011):
(Not technically unbanned) Though this card is not vintage legal, it was presumably left off of the official ban list due to not having dexterity or ante requirements. With a situational 10 life-loss to each opponent at the low cost of 2 white mana, this card has no place in competitive magic. The fact that it is notorious for substantially extending games only furthers this reasoning.
The following is the 'austere list' (now stratum 2 list) for EDH. It is meant to better facilitate fair play for austere settings and may be used as a starting point for new playgroups or groups with varying levels of competitiveness, 'austere' meaning solemn, serious, or otherwise antisocial in this instance. Talk to those you play with about what you enjoy in Magic, and how you may want to adjust the list of cards you play with.
Cards are banned in vintage only for dexterity requirements and ante rules text. Restricted vintage cards are not necessarily illegal in EDH, though many are.
Some very degenerate cards that would otherwise be considered staples or necessary for competitive play in Stratum 0 or 1 are absent from this list. This list creates a slightly balanced format and thus is recommended for a much wider range of players, casual or not. Games can still be swingy, but are not as consistently so.
This list builds upon stratum 2 and flattens the power level of the format even more so, mostly through the elimination of the most powerful combo pieces and engines.
Cards are banned in vintage only for dexterity requirements and ante rules text. Restricted vintage cards are not necessarily illegal in EDH, though many are.
Some additional degenerate cards, as well as the most oppressive combo pieces are added here. This list creates a moderately balanced format and allows many more types of players to freely interact within the confines of a ruleset.
Cards are banned in vintage only for dexterity requirements and ante rules text. Restricted vintage cards are not necessarily illegal in EDH, though many are.
Many degenerate 'staple' cards from stratum 0 or 1 are unavailable at this level, making for a much more stable format that stresses interaction and skill more than the previous strata. This greater card restriction reduces the availability of degenerate plays, thus allowing noncompetitive & competitive players to more easily interact. This list creates a largely balanced format and thus best used to facilitate a more stable environment for groups with players of varying competitive/budget levels. Games are considerably more fair than those in previous strata.
A great number of very powerful and most degenerate cards and combos are illegal, making for a very skill intensive format that may be unrecognizable when compared with Stratum 0 or 1. Excellent synergy, tight play, and political finesse are vital here. This list creates a very restricted and balanced format that can be used to encourage greater variation/interaction in decks, allow slower games, create deckbuilding handicaps for more competitive players, or provide a lower ceiling for deck budgets.
The cards below are being considered in addition to the cards in the above list.
Other Common House Rules:
This is a compilation of house rules from many different groups. They've been employed for a variety of reasons, and are not grouped here to suggest that they should be used together; Doing so is extremely ill-advised.
Please consider when creating house-rules, how complex & long you want your list of rules to be. The Rules Committee has specifically not changed some things for the format because doing so would reduce the simplicity of the game and potentially overwhelm new players. Your playgroup may enjoy a set of custom rulings, but if you want to invite a new player, he or she may not immediately appreciate or understand all of the changes.
Any creature can be your general (pauper EDH allows any non-rare creature as a general, with the other 99 being common)Generals are immune to the legend rule, copies are not (only the copies would go to the graveyard if both are in play)Generals that would enter the library may be returned to the command zone instead (stops tuck effects)Hybrid mana cost cards are usable as long as they could be cast in the general's color identity (see this thread for a discussion regarding this)The rule that a deck may not generate mana outside of its colors and generates colorless mana instead if it would is removed. (may have unforeseen consequences with cards like Sen Triplets)"Generals cast from the command zone are considered to be cast from your hand. Activated abilities of generals in the command zone may be activated as though they were in your hand, but adhere to the 'casting tax' rule."
If this rule is used in conjunction with the allowance of any creature as general, creatures with other effects such as Evoke would be affected too.
Foreign/textless cards should only be used if an english (or accepted language) version (or printed proxy) of the card is available for reference.Players have n minutes to complete their turn; If that time is reached, the turn ends. This is generally used to encourage faster play, and will likely be better suited as a temporary rule.Before turn 8, if a player has missed 3 consecutive land drops, that player may reveal cards from the top of his or her library until a land card is revealed, put that card into play, then shuffle the revealed cards into his or her library. (instead of drawing a card)Gold bordered (world championship) and/or silver bordered (unhinged & unglued) cards are legal, but still subject to ban lists (championship cards should be played with opaque sleeves.)
Ambiguity ("Whenever a player counters a spell or casts a spell that would enter the battlefield with counters on it, that player may counter the next spell played this turn or put a counter on a permanent that has counters.")
These cards are likely very close to being clear, with only a minor item that's typically explained on the card
_____ (players cannot reference the card while it's in a library) Denied! (the same target is being referred to each time) Flock of Rabid Sheep (target opponent calls heads or tails for each flip) Old Fogey (until abilities are explained)
Standard Paris (big deck) - regular MTG mulligan rules are used (shuffle hand into library and draw 1 less card)Partial Paris - ('exile' any number of cards and draw 1 less; shuffle 'exiled' cards into library when finished mulliganing)Free Partial Paris - One free Partial Paris mulligan is allowed, ('exile' any number of cards and draw that many) then regular rules applyGis - Hand is set aside and 7 are drawn (alternatively, only redraw for hands without 3-6 lands)All players draw 8 cards before mulligans and skip their first draw step (instead of each drawing during their turn)
Because Commander games are long and usually not played in multigame matches, the format uses a modified mulligan rule designed to alleviate mana-light hands without significantly increasing the odds of finding individual cards. This is also known as the "Brittany" mulligan rule.
In turn order, players may exile (face down) some or all of the cards in their hand.Each player then draws one less card from their deck than the number they exiled.Players who exiled at least one card may return to step 1 and repeat the process, drawing one less card each time.Players shuffle all exiled cards into their deck.
It is worth noting that even with this form of mulligan, decks playing an insufficient number of mana sources will routinely draw poor hands or insufficient mana as the game progresses.
However, the Comprehensive Rules (text/hyperlinked) state:
"800.5. In a multiplayer game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards rather than six cards. Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal." This is the regular method for casual play.
In multiplayer games, any playstyle can be adapted to. This often involves becoming a better deckbuilder or player, and there aren't any real shortcuts for accomplishing it. Leveraging politics is also a good method for dealing with annoying playstyles. If you're unable to overcome them relatively quickly, however, don't despair! Learning the intricacies of Magic can be more difficult than it seems, but talking with your playmates directly about your grievances will likely solve the problem in short-order. A healthy playgroup should allow each player to have a good time overall, with each player contributing to the well-being of the other players. If no one in your group enjoys a particular playstyle, yet you feel compelled to play it anyway, stop and think. Why is that? As a last resort, you may try banning individual cards to weaken certain playstyles:
Selected tutors are banned (banning all tutors is a bad idea!)A limitation is set on the number of tutors usable per deckTutoring is discouraged in the social contract
Selected [mass] land destruction cards are banned (banning all [mass] land destruction cards severely unbalances the format)[Mass] land destruction is discouraged in the social contract
[Mass/Repeated] sacrifice: Similar to mass land destruction, effects such as Annihilator from Eldrazi, stax/prison effects that continually force players to sacrifice permanents, or combos that would recur a forced sacrifice effect. This type of playstyle is referred to as 'stax'. Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre & Kozilek, Butcher of Truth are probably the most widely known cards for this.
Infinite Combos: Though it may be possible to ban all infinite combos, such a list would include many cards. See here for a database of such combos. Stratum 3 removes the most oppressive infinite combo pieces, but some others that are easily abuseable include Power Artifact, Splinter Twin, Karmic Guide, & Intruder Alarm.
Selected combo enablers are banned (banning all combos is impossible & undesirable)A limitation is set on the number of iterations a potentially infinite combo can be used per turn/roundIf an infinite combo would win the game, all other players instead play for second place (this is a very dangerous idea!)Combo'ing infinitely is discouraged in the social contract
Poison: Deal with it. 10 poison damage is completely fair, and even a little weak when compared to other strategies.
Selected poison cards are banned (usually just Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon as a general)Using poison as a primary win condition is discouraged in the social contract
Time magic: Like mass land destruction and stax, these spells prevent other players from playing. Some groups really despise how it upsets turn balance, so they remove it from their games. However, as long as the player in question takes his or her turns relatively quickly, a few extra turns here or there isn't a big deal.
Time magic cards are exiled upon resolving to prevent infinitely recurring themSelected time magic cards are banned (Time Stretch, Lighthouse Chronologist, Timesifter, etc)If a player would begin an extra turn for the 3rd time in a turn, they skip that turn insteadTime magic is discouraged in the social contract
Life totals: Some cards have effects based on life totals that are clearly not designed for Commander. However, none of those cards are inherently unfair or even overpowered. Errata'ing them to use their original ratios (ala Chalice of Life) will only make them sub-par, as lifegain itself is inherently weak in Magic.
Instead of creating card limitations, some playgroups instead opt to provide a set of guidelines to follow when deckbuilding. These are usually guidelines for what players should do, but also describe what they shouldn't do. This may be as simple as the mantra "build socially, play competitively", its' inverse, or may include a series of more detailed criteria such as:
Build a deck to...
Be fun to pilot and to play against.Be interactive.Play out differently every game to keep it fun over a long time.Be streamlined and fast to play without excessive upkeep, time-consuming play or unnecessarily overcomplicated board-states.Be able to win with or without your general, having multiple paths to victory. Discouraging Cards (not banning):
Typically, these types of cards are strongly discouraged in all but the most competitive playgroups. They are all degenerate in some way, and often limit a single player's ability to play while leaving others unhindered. The importance of interaction in social games is paramount, so be extra careful when considering these (and others like them) for play.
Due to the extreme synergy between specific generals and other single cards, some groups decide to ban selected cards from being used with those generals instead of outright banning either for all players. While many of the 2 card combinations here (general + 1 other card) create infinite combos/loops, other outcomes are either powerful enough to end the game or ensure a victory.
Alternative Rules: Star Magic: Each player used a different mono-colored EDH deck, or each player uses a tri-colored EDH deck (WUB, UBR, BRG, RGW, GWU) Zombie Magic: Instead of re-spawning with a set amount of life, players re-spawn with a percentage (50-100%, rounded down) of the life removed from them by their killer. Limits can be set on the life a zombie can re-spawn with, (20-40) as well as how many times a player (or zombie) can re-spawn. (2-3 times) Mafia Variant: Each player has 3 tokens, 2 of which are shuffled and dealt face-down among the group. If a player receives 2 of the same token, they are re-dealt.
Origin of the stratum 2 list (previously the 'austere list'):
Quote from Official Commander Rules »
Commander is designed to promote social games of magic.
It is played in a variety of ways, depending on player preference, but a common vision ties together the global community to help them enjoy a different kind of magic. That vision is predicated on a social contract which goes beyond these rules to include a degree of interactivity between players. Players should aim to interact both during the game and before it begins, discussing with other players what they expect/want from the game.
House rules or "fair play" exceptions are always encouraged if they result in more fun for the local community.
Quote from Official Commander Rules »
Commander is designed first and foremost for social players. It cannot be all things to all people.
Nevertheless, many people like to play for prizes or other non-social incentives. Those incentives can help build communities and playgroups, but they can also undermine the social contract which keeps the format balanced.
The [official banned list] is one place to start. It is not however, nor is it intended to be, comprehensive. There are a great many uninteresting uses for the cards not listed there, and additional structure is required to keep degeneracy in check.
Emphasis is mine. The full text is available here.
From the discussions on this forum, there are clearly opposing views on what should or should not be banned in the EDH format. While playgroups are free to create their own "house-rules", many groups strictly abide by the official ban list. With the current list, EDH games (and the deck building beforehand) often shift toward degeneracy in groups ignorant of the idea of social contracts. This is especially common among players who don't know each other very well. The same is, and has been true for any game that allows it; It is our nature to compete. The established player archetype "Spike" embodies this competitiveness and, wherever present, either creates an evermore restrictive game environment or forces less competitive players to cease playing. It is not the intention of this new lis to undermine that basic paradigm, as it is, and should be, the norm. Nevertheless, the official ban list seems to strive primarily for brevity, whereas this list strives to meet other ideals.
Since Magic: The Gathering has a limited, if large card pool (nearly 13,000 unique cards), removing any cards from that pool creates a feeling of restriction for some. In actuality, more cards are playable due to their closer power levels. EDH uses an incredibly large pool, so the effect is generally less significant, but therein lies the problem that many players, and especially "Spikes", are concerned with. Any card on a ban list is there for a reason, and oftentimes power level is involved in that reasoning. This limitation to 'weaker' cards can be taunting when those 'better' (banned) cards are known about, and especially so when they're owned by the players involved. However, for reasons detailed below, because we are naturally competitive, & because WotC is fallible in their card designing, these very restrictions are exactly what are needed to better enable the intended game-play experience of this format for new players and playgroups.
The main reason for the direction of this list is the idea that casual play doesn't require a ban list. Individuals and playgroups can much more easily self-adjust (through a social contract) when their primary motivation is social interaction. When that is not the case, additional guidance is required to create a more stable format. Beginning with the current official list and adding the cards below creates, in my belief, a format which provides the necessary restrictions for situations in which a social contract is only loosely pursued, or not pursued at all. For players seeking a fairer EDH format or are often playing with strangers, this list should be an excellent starting point. As this new list is tested and new cards are released, it will be adjusted in accordance with the ideals described above.
Quote from Official Commander Rules »
Degenerate: adj Having fallen below a normal or desireable state, especially functionally, morally, or socially. Having atrophied or declined to a state of sameness.
Since one of the primary features of commander is the variety of games, and the variable nature of the problem each game presents, degenerate plays are those which take away from the variety and unpredictable nature of the games.
From this definition, degenerate cards are those that restrict deck building by requiring other players to account for their existence with very narrow and sometimes insufficient answers, those that are always vastly superior to other cards of the same cost and color, and those that enable other cards to fulfill these criteria.
"The following is the official banned list for commander games. These cards (and others like them) should not be played without prior agreement from the other players in the game."
The list is too long
It's as long as it needs to be. With ~13,000 unique cards in magic, there is bound to be a relatively small amount that are degenerate. The new additions are 0.0022 of all the cards in existence, yet many are played in nearly every deck. It may be difficult to adjust to if you're used to playing with many of these cards, just as it could be if you begin using the official list after not using any list.
There will always be cards that are the 'strongest'
Yes, there will be. Those cards won't cause the same problems as these however, because they're not inherently degenerate. This list wasn't crafted by selecting the top few cards of each color or with certain mechanics; It was made by scrutinizing problematic cards and judging them based on objective criteria as explained above.
EDH is attractive because lots of banned & ridiculous cards can be used
To many, yes. EDH is not, however, a sanctioned format. You and your playgroup are free to use whatever rules you like. The social contract described above is vital for social games; When it is not present, some additional guidelines are reasonable. This list attempts to provide those guidelines. If you like ridiculous spells and situations, I'd recommend Limited Infinity. (AKA Type 4) It's linked in my signature.
Why is card X on the list but not Y?
I'm only one person, and one with a rather incomplete knowledge-base of Magic. It could be that I forgot about card Y, or don't even know about it. It could be that I'm simply unsure if X and Y are similar enough, or if Y is as oppressive as X. Perhaps I don't have much direct experience with it and am avoiding a decision for that reason.
Adjust your local ban list instead of trying to change everyone's
This list was not created as a reaction to my own meta-game and it is not meant to replace the official ban list. It is intended for use when social contracts are only loosely pursued, or not pursued at all.
Tutoring is an important part of the game
I agree completely. You'll notice that only a handful of 'tutors' are on the list. Tutoring creates consistency that is otherwise very hard to achieve in a singleton format, but that same consistency can, if pervasive enough, be degenerate in itself. In this instance, degeneracy is defined by sameness.
Don't play with people who use these cards if they're troublesome
Competitiveness exists at varying levels among players; It is inevitable that, where new players meet or new playgroups are formed, these players will need guidelines to prevent the more competitive players from ruining the game for the less competitive. As social contracts override any official or unofficial ban list, those lists are only necessary when such contracts have not yet been settled. This list attempts to create the most fair structure for such scenarios.
While it's difficult to know whether banning these 20 additional cards (less than the current number of banned cards!) would create a more entertaining format for your playgroup, doing so will create a more stable format. I urge you and your playgroup to try removing either some or all of these from your own decks. You may enjoy it!
As I'd like to make these lists as comprehensive as is reasonable, please leave comments, questions, arguments for or against these ideas, card suggestions, or ideas of your own. Are any listed cards conspicuous? Do any unlisted cards deserve recognition here? Why? Are there other house rules that should be included here?
It's like some evil dictatorship took over the Rules Committee and created their own definition of "fun."
Completely agree. The only card you listed that I feel needs to be banned, is Serra Ascendant. For everything else:
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Casual
:symu:Swirl the Paint:symu:
:symb:Relentless:symb:
:symr:Enchantshot:symr:
:symg:Lost in the Woods (You in the wrong neighborhood):symg:
:symg:Persistence:symg:
:symw::symu:Old-Fashioned Seance:symw::symu:
:symw::symu:Treasure Hunting:symw::symu:
:symrw::symwb:Kaalia:symrw::symwb:
I definitely disagree with many of your choices, but I am of the opinion that you should find people with the character to resist the temptation of the "win at all costs" mentality. My point being, that no matter how far you go with banning, there will always be certain cards that are the most powerful. People who get satisfaction out of abusing those cards will always do so.
I definitely disagree with many of your choices, but I am of the opinion that you should find people with the character to resist the temptation of the "win at all costs" mentality. My point being, that no matter how far you go with banning, there will always be certain cards that are the most powerful. People who get satisfaction out of abusing those cards will always do so.
A commonly repeated half-truth.
While it is true that there will always be a set of "the most powerful cards," it does not follow that the same imbalances will follow. Sure, if Sol Ring is banned then the new top tier mana rock will be ____, but that doesn't mean that ____ will cause the same problems that Sol Ring did -- it simply doesn't do what Sol Ring does nearly as well. It's more fair, and even though it's top tier it doesn't negatively affect the game life Sol Ring did.
Why do you think there are banned cards in standard? The same logic applies there, too. After Jace the Mind Sculptor was banned, there was a new "best" planeswalker, but not nearly as broken.
The funny thing is is that nobody cares about banlists for EDH. It's a casual format designed for more casual leaning players, who will put house rules over any list drawn up on the internet. If something is found to be unfun, it's typically banned, but each playgroup has their own rules for that. We play with Emrakul and KK legal, but not Consecrated Sphinx.
While it is true that there will always be a set of "the most powerful cards," it does not follow that the same imbalances will follow. Sure, if Sol Ring is banned then the new top tier mana rock will be ____, but that doesn't mean that ____ will cause the same problems that Sol Ring did -- it simply doesn't do what Sol Ring does nearly as well. It's more fair, and even though it's top tier it doesn't negatively affect the game life Sol Ring did.
Why do you think there are banned cards in standard? The same logic applies there, too. After Jace the Mind Sculptor was banned, there was a new "best" planeswalker, but not nearly as broken.
A statement without support merits a dismissal without reason.
Yet you acknowledge it? Sounds like you're just looking to get in an argument with people.
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Casual
:symu:Swirl the Paint:symu:
:symb:Relentless:symb:
:symr:Enchantshot:symr:
:symg:Lost in the Woods (You in the wrong neighborhood):symg:
:symg:Persistence:symg:
:symw::symu:Old-Fashioned Seance:symw::symu:
:symw::symu:Treasure Hunting:symw::symu:
:symrw::symwb:Kaalia:symrw::symwb:
It's like some evil dictatorship took over the Rules Committee and created their own definition of "fun."
Actually it felt like taking what the RC has been saying and putting it into practice:
Making the ban list steer the game to help foster the casual scene.
Tutoring
This mechanic betrays the fundamentals of a 'variable and unpredictable' game. It does more to create sameness than anything else.
I can't even begin to fathom why you think this is a decent argument. Tutor spells are good, yes. They're meant to create consistency and in a 99-card singleton deck, that consistency is dearly needed. You seem to believe that EDH games should play out as though libraries were grab-bag assortments of cards. You effectively want to neuter the potential for combos of any kind and leave any kind of field interactions to the chance inherent in blind draws.
If that's your end goal, so be it. But I don't see how excluding a third of the archetypal triangle is an improvement over anything. This is something I would expect to see from some Johnny-come-lately to the EDH scene who doesn't like that other people build better decks and while I'm not trying to belittle you, it seems rather dumb to attempt to do this to the format. The idealistic vision of a format free from degeneracy is unattainable; you'll eventually learn that when your banlist reaches basic lands for enabling players to cast spells that aren't on par with other spells.
Why not just make a house rule within your playgroup that games should focus on promoting an atmosphere of enjoyment rather than the edginess of competition? The problem seems to be that the people you play with don't adhere to the same philosophies that you do. Talk it out with them. I see no reason to try to enforce this Harrison Bergeron-esque policy list on any scale larger than that.
OP, I totally support this. Maybe not the specific lists, but the concept. If you can get a playgroup together who would want to adhere to it, I'm pretty jealous of how interesting your metagame would be until someone breaks your new format. Ignore everyone who's about to post "you want to ban everything until everyone's playing craw wurm.dec".
tldr: I'd love to watch a 4 player game with this banlist. Interesting things would happen!
I can't even begin to fathom why you think this is a decent argument. Tutor spells are good, yes. They're meant to create consistency and in a 99-card singleton deck, that consistency is dearly needed. You seem to believe that EDH games should play out as though libraries were grab-bag assortments of cards. You effectively want to neuter the potential for combos of any kind and leave any kind of field interactions to the chance inherent in blind draws.
Uhhhhhhhh consistency is needed in EDH? Huh? I guess I didn't get the memo on that one.
All of my decks have no tutor effects, other than maybe a silly one here and there that goes with the theme or just for laughs (Bitterheart Witch, Demonic Consultation, Rhystic Tutor, Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds for budget fixing), and you know what? EDH is a lot more fun when you aren't playing Mr. Try Hard to get all of your combo pieces to bust out a turn 4-5 win. If I wanted to do that I will go play Legacy or Vintage where I might actually get something substantial prize wise for my time. Striving for consistency is what you do when you want to fine tune your deck just to murder someone ASAP (aka trying to prove something by being a competitive EDH douche). Dunno, to me that just sounds boring as all hell. Getting a grab bag assortment of cards and blind draws as you put it, is exactly why EDH is awesome. Why would you want to see the same cards over and over again when you have 99 cards to choose from? Seems kinda stupid to me.
Anyways, with all of that said, this proposed ban list did make me laugh a little. If all of those were banned then EDH would turn into Homelands block EDH where the games would take 5 years before anyone would win. No one would be able to combo out (yes I think combo is fine, to an extent), and the win cons would be so horribly underpowered it would just be miserable.
BBe the broke or the breakerB
Be the giver or the undertaker
Unlock and open the door
Be the healer or the breaker
The keys are in your hands
Realize you are your own source of all creation BOf your own master planB
Going to throw out a friendly reminder that the statements and arguments made here should be about the merits of the idea or the contents of the list and should stay away from personal attacks.
I got through halfway and then figured I'd get bored trying to figure out what could, and could not go into my decks.
That kind of banlist is what (in part) killed prismatic.
Also, being able to play half of the powerful janky old cards is part of the draw of EDH.
bob sums up my feelings on this pretty succinctly.
The format your banlist is describing doesn't look at all appealing to me, nor does it look like something that would improve on the current format. Anyone who wants to make a broken deck can still do so - there are still tutors available, card draw still finds what you need, and silver bullet answers included in other decks are less potent when they're more difficult to find. I'm all for encouraging more interesting, varied gameplay, but I'd rather work on the players behind the decks than with a set of restrictive rules.
I also have no idea how JtMS betrays the spirit of EDH, seeing as he's been mediocre at best every time I've played with or against him in a multiplayer game, but to each their own.
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[Pr]Jaya | Estrid | A rotating cast of decks built out of my box.
If you take the tutors away from black, you basically junk the color. The artifact ramp is good for everyone, in a format of haymakers this would lead to Green becoming borderline essential.
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"I think EDH would be more fun for the majority of participants if players just showed eachother their decks rather than actually playing games out."
All of my decks have no tutor effects, other than maybe a silly one here and there that goes with the theme or just for laughs (Bitterheart Witch, Demonic Consultation, Rhystic Tutor, Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds for budget fixing), and you know what? EDH is a lot more fun when you aren't playing Mr. Try Hard to get all of your combo pieces to bust out a turn 4-5 win. If I wanted to do that I will go play Legacy or Vintage where I might actually get something substantial prize wise for my time. Striving for consistency is what you do when you want to fine tune your deck just to murder someone ASAP (aka trying to prove something by being a competitive EDH douche). Dunno, to me that just sounds boring as all hell. Getting a grab bag assortment of cards and blind draws as you put it, is exactly why EDH is awesome. Why would you want to see the same cards over and over again when you have 99 cards to choose from? Seems kinda stupid to me.
The difference between thinking like this and trying to regulate like this is reason. I respect people who like to play EDH as a truly casual format and enjoy games against people of similar philosophies. The same cannot be said of me in regards to people who think EDH must be regulated so that casual is the only option. Half the pleasure of the format stems from the ability to play it however you like and the other half is the completely different atmosphere and style as compared to 60-card games. When you try to take away the former, the whole suffers. It is ultimately far better to house rule your own banlists than it is to try to enforce an enormous go-to list for all parties. It prevents either group (casual/competitive) from being excluded on groundless missions of idealism.
The problem with EDH as a format is not the banlist. It is not that casual and competitive players both exist. It's that some people just refuse to accept that people of differing philosophies play the game and seek to use banlists as a way to officially lock them out of a format that is meant to be inclusive. The sooner people understand that choosing a playgroup is the key to enjoying this format (rather than controlling the freedom of all playgroups), the sooner EDH can move forward and resume its growth as a diverse format.
I am a competitive player; I find thrill in playing cutthroat games where I'm forced to play 100% correctly or face a very real possibility of defeat. Many of the players I know are casual. In fact, the vast majority of them are. But they know that they're playing the game one way and I'm playing it another way. We respect each other and choose not to play in the same pod/group/whathaveyou because we all know that would kill the fun. If I want to jump into a game against the casual crowd, I find someone to lend me a deck. If they want to jump into one of my games, they do the same. Being mindful and respectful of differing philosophies and not attempting to choke them out is what makes EDH and Magic as a whole so enjoyable. Self-regulation is the answer, not needlessly bloated banlists and you-can/you-can't fingerwaving.
Throw away tutors that fetch answers or threats, logic, win conditions and combos away then we'll see EDH as "Rise of the Craw Wurms" format where the same win condition in Monopoly is utilized namely being bored to death & conceding. If you're a casual player then play casually in your own kitchen tables and make house bans but if you're visiting other LGS then be prepared to get steamrolled by combos and tricks you are unprepared for. EDH nowadays is Vintage Singleton where we can play with banned cards in other formats. Learn to play better, stop whining and put answers to tutoring like Mindlock Orb & Stranglehold. If you abhor fast mana rocks like Sol Ring & Mana Crypt why not run Stony Silence?
House rule banlists aren't necessary. If one person's deck is more powerful than the others then gang up on him. Or hold on to a counterspell or instant speed removal.
I've never had a problem facing off against any edh-legal card. People can tutor to their heart's content for all I care. The only troublesome deck that I can recall was one guy's blue/green deck that took painstakingly long to play. He was always taking extra turns, drew tons of cards, seedborn muse kept him doing things on everyone's turn, and despite all its strengths it rarely ever killed anybody. Casting tooth and nail and time stretch in the same turn was not uncommon, and yet he still couldn't kill anyone with anything other than boredom. But we didn't make a banlist, we just encouraged him to make the deck less time-consuming and more lethal.
I want to make a edh format completely opposite of this.
If your playing blue you have to have con sphinx.green primetime etc etc.
Only because I freak out when people turn two howling mine.
Also isn't social play introduced by social and friendly people and not card choice?
Personally I like your list, though I don't agree with all of it. I may have to see if I can get my play group to give it a try. We have been doing all kinda weird stuff lately. Like No tutoring at all. No effecting the deck in the forums of tuck/tutor/draw/etc. That was a bit extreme. Atm we are playing no Tuck and No blue cards. Which has been surprisingly fun.
The one card I think you missed for combo abuse is Kiki-Jiji.
a guide for
- Understanding and Personalizing Your Games -
...the power is at your fingertips...
Understanding the Basics- Competitive vs. Casual
- Timmy, Johnny, & Spike
Balance Tiers
Stratum 0 (casual) Stratum 1 Stratum 2 Stratum 3 Stratum 4
Other Common House RulesGeneral- 'UN' Cards
Even More Alternate RulesMulligans Playstyle
Can we NOT ban cards? Individual Card Rulings- 1 Card General Combos
Game VariantsOrigin of StrataSummaryBecause EDH is a social format and its base rules differ substantially from that of 'normal' magic, playgroups often make their own rulings on a variety of cards and mechanics. Each group has the potential to mold the game of Magic into a game that they'll all cherish more than otherwise, but must communicate with each other about how they enjoy the game and what they believe will improve it.
Historically, games are formalized expressions of play that allow a glimpse of the societies in which they were developed as well as a structure to guide play, which can be used to encourage various skills and behaviors, one notably being competitiveness. While 'play' is often used to describe intrinsically motivated activities associated with recreation or fun, when it is employed in games to attain some outcome rather than for enjoyment in the task itself, it instead describes activities that are extrinsically motivated.
House rules are rules applying only in a certain location or group, outlining deviations of gameplay from the official rules. While often used to simply personalize the game, they are also used to adjust for imbalances in the local game environment or to encourage certain playstyles.
Strata of Balance:
This is an attempt to categorize groupings of degenerate/powerful cards that differentiate levels of game balance. These levels, or strata, are intended to help foster a more effective dialogue regarding balanced play, and to provide a standardized reference for house-banning. Players can be very competitive at any of these levels, but doing so at higher strata will provide more stable games and likely a better experience for any less competitive or budget players. Please remember that card bannings are only necessary when a group is otherwise unable to form a gentleman's (or gentlewoman's) agreement concerning those cards.
No recognized list is used. Very few cards, if any, are considered for banning, though some may be avoided or discouraged. This is best used for casual, minimally competitive games. Players should be prepared to adapt their decks/playstyle for enhancing the fun of the group.
Alternatively, cards may be discouraged or banned on an individual basis, using a variety of metrics, as they appear. A higher stratum list may be used as a baseline instead, but this style of card restriction, sometimes known as 'casual play', is meant to reign in players who either stumble onto an overbearing combo or become too competitive for the groups' interests.
Total: 34 cards + 4 generals
Ancestral Recall
Balance
Biorhythm
Black Lotus
Coalition Victory
Channel
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Fastbond
Gifts Ungiven
Griselbrand
Karakas
Library of Alexandria
Limited Resources
Metalworker
Mox Sapphire
Mox Ruby
Mox Pearl
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Painter's Servant
Panoptic Mirror
Primeval Titan
Protean Hulk
Recurring Nightmare
Sundering Titan
Sway of the Stars
Time Vault
Time Walk
Tinker
Tolarian Academy
Trade Secrets
Upheaval
Worldfire
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Generals:
Braids, Cabal Minion
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
Amulet of Quoz
Bronze Tablet
Chaos Orb
Contract from Below
Darkpact
Demonic Attorney
Falling Star
Jeweled Bird
Rebirth
Shahrazad
Tempest Efreet
Timmerian Fiends
Common Exceptions:
- Painter's Servant
+ Mana Crypt
+ Sol Ring
+ Necropotence
+ Tooth and Nail
Ad Nauseam
Consecrated Sphinx
Iona, Shield of Emeria
Hermit Druid
Mana Crypt
Mana Vault
Mishra's Workshop
Necropotence
Sol Ring
Survival of the Fittest
Tooth and Nail
Worldgorger Dragon
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary (as part of 99)
The categories here do not detail why the included cards are banned, but simply organize them by their common effects. Many of the older cards here would never be printed with a balanced design philosophy for a variety of reasons. The few newer cards here seem to have been made without regard for the EDH format, or are design mistakes if they were.
Degeneracy can appear in many forms, but generally all relate back to one idea: resources. The rules of Magic help create a balanced game by making players pay for resources. These prices are standardized to create fairness so that stronger effects aren't usable until later in the game. However, there exist a multitude of cards that allow players to 'cheat' these rules and gather resources much earlier than otherwise possible...
Casting Enablers (mana sources, ramp, alternative spell payment)
Many of these either provide an immediate increase in available mana or allow a great increase of mana per turn compared to typical lands and other mana sources.
Black Lotus
With no mana cost and the ability to generate mana immediately, this can give enormous advantage to its caster when used early. The effects of such explosive mana ramp are well documented and very often enable degenerate plays. (WWW > 0)
Moxen (Emerald, Jet, Pearl, Ruby, & Sapphire)
Though only providing 1 colored mana each, these also have no mana cost and aren't required to be sacrificed. (W > 0)
Sol Ring
Similar to the moxen in that it immediately provides a net increase of 1 mana, it's usually considered better than them for the increased mana it provides each turn. (2 > 1)
Mana Crypt
Often considered better than Sol Ring, it costs less and has a 'drawback' that can often be irrelevant or insignificant. (2 > 0)
Mana Vault
These last two mana rocks are in a completely different league than the above as they have restrictions that are often significant. Still, this immediately provides a greater benefit than even Sol Ring. (3 > 1)
Fastbond
Even more so than Burgeoning and Exploration, this allows any amount of lands to enter play on the same turn, which can provide even more mana than cards such as Sol Ring.
Mana Drain
While counterspell is not an unfair card, the likelihood of this also being able act like a Grim Monolith can enable degenerate plays in the very early game, even at a cmc of 2.
Channel
This enables the generation of greater net mana than all of the previous cards listed here combined.
Metalworker
This 3 cmc artifact can easily and repeatedly produce 4+ mana, and is capable of producing much more. Though it is a creature and suffers from summoning sickness, it affects the game in the same way that other fast mana sources do.
Mishra's workshop
The ability to immediately generate 3 mana with a single land is far above the norm, especially when compared to the downsides that 2 mana lands have.
Tolarian Academy
This can easily generate 3+ unrestricted mana very early.
Card Advantage & Selection
Card advantage has been well documented as being important in winning games, and many of these trivialize the acquisition of such advantage.
Ancestral Recall
It outclasses all other drawing spells of similar mana costs and many of much greater mana costs, all at instant speed.
Griselbrand
Immediately drawing so many cards at instant speed is degenerate at any cost. How the card made it through design so recently is a mystery.
Library of Alexandria
This can potentially create uncounterable, repeated card draw on turn 1 with the ability to also provide mana.
Skullclamp
This may be the most efficient widely useable card-drawing engine ever. No other colorless card comes close, and very few colored, or even multicolored cards can match it. Originally designed to function more simiarly to Infiltration Lens, the power of this card is an unintended consequence of the 'drawback' of lowering the equipped creature's toughness.
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Very similar to Griselbrand, though from a much earlier set, in that it enables practically unlimited card draw at instant speed.
Consecrated Sphinx
Given that players automatically draw at least 1 card every turn and are likely to draw more, this can compare favorably to Griselbrand and Yawgmoth's Bargain in many environments.
Panoptic Mirror
Though not incredibly dangerous in competitive metagames with lots of artifact removal, this can create incredible virtual card advantage over time.
Zone Changing (tutoring, recurring, putting-into-play, tuck effects)
In addition to their zone-changing abilities, many of these either provide extra card advantage or put cards directly into play, disregarding their mana cost or other requirements. The ability to tutor for a specific threat is much more degenerate than being able to tutor for a specific answer to another threat.
Gifts Ungiven
Outside the unintended uses of this, (only finding 2 cards so that they automatically go to the graveyard) this is a tutor with card advantage and no restrictions on what can be found.
Intuition
Extremely similar to Gifts Ungiven, this fetches multiple cards with no restrictions. The graveyard is often used as a resource.
Primeval Titan
In addition to being a moderately large creature, the ability to fetch any two lands upon entering the battlefield as well as attacking is not only very good mana ramp, but recurring pseudo-spell tutoring.
Recurring Nightmare
This can continually recur any number of creatures from the graveyard to play, dodges sorcery speed removal, and is far below the curve for necromancy effects.
Survival of the Fittest
For an incredibly low mana cost and being difficult to remove as an enchantment, the ability to repeatedly tutor creatures for filling the hand & graveyard at instant speed is far beyond what most tutors can do.
Tinker
It both tutors and puts into play any artifact, regardless of its cost. Artifact ramp being quite good in this format only furthers the degeneracy of this card.
Tooth and Nail
While 9 mana may appear to offset this cards' abilities, the ability to tutor and simultaneously put into play any 2 creatures makes this a one-card combo and far too powerful. The fact that ramp is strong and most powerful in green only accelerates it.
Protean Hulk
This is a one-card combo, able to fetch and put into play multiple combo pieces. Used 'fairly', it can still provide massive card advantage.
Immediate Win / Game-state Irrelevance
These cards either win the game, reset it, or otherwise move the game to a specific setting, no matter the previous board state.
Biorhythm
As mass removal is so often used as a method for generating card advantage, this will easily and immediately kill each player. Even when mass removal isn't prevalent, this can still have the same effect.
Coalition Victory
With the constant availability of a 5 color general and the availability of dual-lands and land tutors, this can end a game before anything of interest even happens.
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
The most degenerate creature that ever was, or will be. It's a good role model for degeneracy: Zero interaction, absurdly powerful.
Sway of the Stars
Allows, for 10 mana, the ability to essentially restart the game, but at 7 life instead of 40. It can also be used to provide an incredible headstart after its' resolution with floating mana, or simply end the game with temporarily exiled creatures.
Upheaval
Similar to Sway of the Stars, this can be used more consistently due to its lower mana cost and the fact that its caster knows which cards he or she will have in hand afterward.
Worldfire
While it leaves each player with nothing besides their commander if it's in its' zone, bringing each player to 1 life is almost worse than the previous cards as it can essentially give the game to whomever draws relevant threats first.
Resource Denial
Time Vault
If it could only be played fairly, it would still be degenerate for allowing an extra turn for 2 colorless mana, in which its' player would likely be winning the game. One of the few cards to merit consideration for its combo potential.
Time Walk
This has the same effect of Time Vault with no 'downside' besides the single colored mana requirement.
Karakas
This is degenerate within the unique rules of EDH. Repeated, uncounterable general removal, with other functionality (mana) is too powerful.
Balance
Not designed for multiplayer, its devastating effects can easily be asymmetrical as well as extremely underpriced.
Limited Resources
Similar to Balance in that its' effects don't scale fairly to multiplayer, it only costs a single mana.
Sundering Titan (banned 20 Jun 2012):
From this post: "Sundering Titan has long been a card on the edge. The decision to get rid of it came from the combination of two points. One, it simply created undesirable game states. It was too easily both intentionally abused and unintentionally game-warping, especially since its ability triggers on both entering and leaving the battlefield. Two, there has been a fair amount of community distaste for the card, and we agreed that the card overwhelmingly creates a negative experience for players. Listening to the ever-growing and ever more-involved community is important to us."
Iona, Shield of Emeria
Because the game is designed around the idea of color restriction, (according to the general) the ability to further choose and restrict an additional color can be extremely oppressive. Many decks simply cannot compete.
Generals
Braids, Cabal Minion
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
Unbanned Cards:
See the Banlist Timeline for more details.
Staff of Domination (banned 20 Jun 2010, unbanned 22 April, 2013):
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary & Metalworker, the two cards that were the most powerful with this, are illegal. The only other cards that create a 2 card combo with it are Bloom Tender, Elvish Archdruid, Harabaz Druid, Priest of Titania, Sacellum Godspeaker, Viridian Joiner, & Wirewood Channeler. Even still, these 7 cards only situationally produce the 5 mana necessary to create an 'infinite' 2 card combo.
Kokusho, the Evening Star (banned Feb 2008, unbanned Sept 2012):
Lion's Eye Diamond (unbanned 20 Sept 2011):
While otherwise having the same effect as Black Lotus, the downside of having to discard one's hand seems to make this a very niche card. Because of this and it's monetary value, it hasn't seen much play. However, that is no reason that it can be safely ignored. Until testing can provide evidence that it is not equivalent in degeneracy as the other cards on this list, it will continue to be watched.
Worldgorger Dragon (unbanned 17 Jun 2011):
Known as a combo piece in conjunction with Animate Dead as well as others, it may have originally been given priority for banning for its inclusion on the Legacy ban list. These types of combos are typically not degenerate enough to warrant banning.
Grindstone (unbanned 1 Dec 2009):
Originally added solely for its interaction with Painter's Servant, it was removed when the other was officially added. 2 card combos such as that haven't appeared degenerate enough (or at least consistent enough) to warrant banning.
Crucible of Worlds (banned Dec 2005, unbanned March 2009):
Riftsweeper (errata'd July 2007, banned Sept 2008, unbanned Sept 2009):
Test of Endurance (banned Oct 2002, unbanned Sept 2008):
Beacon of Immortality (banned ???, unbanned Nov 2007):
Shahrazad (banned 20 Sept 2011):
(Not technically unbanned) Though this card is not vintage legal, it was presumably left off of the official ban list due to not having dexterity or ante requirements. With a situational 10 life-loss to each opponent at the low cost of 2 white mana, this card has no place in competitive magic. The fact that it is notorious for substantially extending games only furthers this reasoning.
TOTAL: 47 cards + 3 generals
Ad Nauseam
Ancestral Recall
Balance
Biorhythm
Black Lotus
Channel
Coalition Victory
Consecrated Sphinx
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn (legend)
Fastbond
Gifts Ungiven
Griselbrand (legend)
Hermit Druid
Iona, Shield of Emeria (legend)
Karakas
Library of Alexandria
Limited Resources
Mana Crypt
Mana Vault
Metalworker
Mishra's Workshop
Moxen (Emerald, Jet, Pearl, Ruby, & Sapphire)
Necropotence
Painter's Servant
Panoptic Mirror
Primeval Titan
Protean Hulk
Recurring Nightmare
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary (legend)
Sol Ring
Sundering Titan
Survival of the Fittest
Sway of the Stars
Time Vault
Time Walk
Tinker
Tolarian Academy
Tooth and Nail
Trade Secrets
Upheaval
Worldfire
Worldgorger Dragon
Yawgmoth's Bargain
As generals only
Braids, Cabal Minion
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Amulet of Quoz
Bronze Tablet
Chaos Orb
Contract from Below
Darkpact
Demonic Attorney
Falling Star
Jeweled Bird
Rebirth
Shahrazad
Tempest Efreet
Timmerian Fiends
Common Exceptions:
- Consecrated Sphinx
- Iona, Shield of Emeria
+ Grim Monolith
+ Mana Drain
Deadeye Navigator
Dream Halls
Earthcraft
Grim Monolith
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Knowledge Pool
Mana Drain
Mana Echoes
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
Mind over Matter
Niv Mizzet, The Firemind
Omniscience
Palinchron
Reveillark
Skullclamp
TOTAL: 62 + 3 generals
Ad Nauseam
Ancestral Recall
Balance
Biorhythm
Black Lotus
Channel
Coalition Victory
Consecrated Sphinx
Deadeye Navigator
Dream Halls
Earthcraft
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn (legend)
Fastbond
Gifts Ungiven
Grim Monolith
Griselbrand (legend)
Hermit Druid
Iona, Shield of Emeria (legend)
Karakas
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker (legend)
Knowledge Pool
Library of Alexandria
Limited Resources
Mana Crypt
Mana Drain
Mana Echoes
Mana Vault
Metalworker
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (legend)
Mind over Matter
Mishra's workshop
Moxen (Emerald, Jet, Pearl, Ruby, & Sapphire)
Necropotence
Niv Mizzet, The Firemind (legend)
Omniscience
Painter's Servant
Palinchron
Panoptic Mirror
Primeval Titan
Protean Hulk
Recurring Nightmare
Reveillark
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary (legend)
Skullclamp
Sneak Attack
Sol Ring
Sundering Titan
Survival of the Fittest
Sway of the Stars
Time Vault
Time Walk
Tinker
Tolarian Academy
Tooth and Nail
Trade Secrets
Upheaval
Worldfire
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Generals:
Braids, Cabal Minion
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Amulet of Quoz
Bronze Tablet
Chaos Orb
Contract from Below
Darkpact
Demonic Attorney
Falling Star
Jeweled Bird
Rebirth
Shahrazad
Tempest Efreet
Timmerian Fiends
Zone Changing (tutors, recursion effects, tuck effects, etc)
Intuition
Green Sun's Zenith
Chord of Calling
Natural Order
Goblin Welder
Sneak Attack
Academy Ruins
Volrath's Stronghold
Karmic Guide
Sun Titan
Crucible of Worlds
Arcum Dagsson
Stoneforge Mystic
Defense of the Heart
Entomb
Casting Enablers (mana ramp, lands, alternative spell payment, etc)
Serra's Sanctum
Cabal Coffers
Gaea's Cradle
Mind's Desire
Sword of Feast and Famine
Burgeoning
Exploration
Card Advantage & Selection (draw, library manipulation)
Future Sight
Sylvan Library
Combo Enablers
Karmic Guide
Staff of Domination
Ubiquity & Power Level
Serra Ascendant
TOTAL: 81 + 3 generals
Academy Ruins
Ad Nauseam
Ancestral Recall
Arcum Dagsson (legend)
Balance
Biorhythm
Black Lotus
Burgeoning
Cabal Coffers
Channel
Chord of Calling
Coalition Victory
Consecrated Sphinx
Crucible of Worlds
Deadeye Navigator
Defense of the Heart
Dream Halls
Earthcraft
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn (legend)
Entomb
Exploration
Fastbond
Future Sight
Gaea's Cradle
Gifts Ungiven
Goblin Welder
Green Sun's Zenith
Grim Monolith
Griselbrand (legend)
Hermit Druid
Intuition
Iona, Shield of Emeria (legend)
Karakas
Karmic Guide
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker (legend)
Library of Alexandria
Limited Resources
Mana Crypt
Mana Drain
Mana Vault
Metalworker
Mind over Matter
Mind's Desire
Mishra's workshop
Moxen (Emerald, Jet, Pearl, Ruby, & Sapphire)
Natural Order
Necropotence
Painter's Servant
Palinchron
Panoptic Mirror
Primeval Titan
Protean Hulk
Recurring Nightmare
Reveillark
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary (legend)
Serra Ascendant
Serra's Sanctum
Skullclamp
Sneak Attack
Sol Ring
Splinter Twin
Staff of Domination
Stoneforge Mystic
Sun Titan
Sundering Titan
Survival of the Fittest
Sway of the Stars
Sword of Feast and Famine
Sylvan Library
Time Vault
Time Walk
Tinker
Tolarian Academy
Tooth and Nail
Upheaval
Volrath's Stronghold
Worldfire
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Generals:
Braids, Cabal Minion
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Amulet of Quoz
Bronze Tablet
Chaos Orb
Contract from Below
Darkpact
Demonic Attorney
Falling Star
Jeweled Bird
Rebirth
Shahrazad
Tempest Efreet
Timmerian Fiends
Ancient Tomb
Animate Dead
Back to Basics
Basalt Monolith
Batterskull
Bitterblossom
Blightsteel Colossus
Decree of Annihilation
Demonic Tutor
Eladamri's Call
Genesis
Intruder Alarm
Isochron Scepter
Life from the Loam
Lion's Eye Diamond
Mana Echoes
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
Mimic Vat
Mind Twist
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Oath of Druids
Scroll Rack
Sensei's Divining Top
Sharuum the Hegemon
Stonehewer Giant
Strip Mine
Sword of Fire and Ice
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Timetwister
Trade Secrets
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Umezawa's Jitte
Vampiric Tutor
Weathered Wayfarer
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant (included as singleton)
TOTAL: 116 + 2 generals + 10 lands
Academy Ruins
Ad Nauseam
Ancestral Recall
Ancient Tomb
Animate Dead
Arcum Dagsson (legend)
Back to Basics
Balance
Basalt Monolith
Batterskull
Biorhythm
Bitterblossom
Black Lotus
Blightsteel Colossus
Burgeoning
Cabal Coffers
Channel
Chord of Calling
Coalition Victory
Consecrated Sphinx
Crucible of Worlds
Deadeye Navigator
Decree of Annihilation
Defense of the Heart
Demonic Tutor
Dream Halls
Earthcraft
Eladamri's Call
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn (legend)
Entomb
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant (legend)
Exploration
Fastbond
Future Sight
Gaea's Cradle
Genesis
Gifts Ungiven
Goblin Welder
Green Sun's Zenith
Grim Monolith
Griselbrand (legend)
Hermit Druid
Intruder Alarm
Intuition
Isochron Scepter
Karakas
Karmic Guide
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker (legend)
Library of Alexandria
Life from the Loam
Limited Resources
Lion's Eye Diamond
Mana Crypt
Mana Drain
Mana Echoes
Mana Vault
Metalworker
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (legend)
Mimic Vat
Mind over Matter
Mind Twist
Mind's Desire
Mishra's workshop
Moxen (Emerald, Jet, Pearl, Ruby, & Sapphire)
Natural Order
Necropotence
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind (legend)
Oath of Druids
Painter's Servant
Palinchron
Panoptic Mirror
Primeval Titan
Protean Hulk
Recurring Nightmare
Reveillark
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary (legend)
Scroll Rack
Sensei's Divining Top
Serra Ascendant
Serra's Sanctum
Sharuum the Hegemon (legend)
Skullclamp
Sneak Attack
Sol Ring
Splinter Twin
Staff of Domination
Stoneforge Mystic
Stonehewer Giant
Strip Mine
Sun Titan
Sundering Titan
Survival of the Fittest
Sway of the Stars
Sword of Feast and Famine
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sylvan Library
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Time Vault
Time Walk
Timetwister
Tinker
Tolarian Academy
Tooth and Nail
Trade Secrets
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre (legend)
Umezawa's Jitte
Upheaval
Vampiric Tutor
Volrath's Stronghold
Weathered Wayfarer
Worldfire
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Generals:
Braids, Cabal Minion
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Badlands
Bayou
Plateau
Savannah
Scrubland
Taiga
Tropical Island
Tundra
Underground Sea
Volcanic Island
Amulet of Quoz
Bronze Tablet
Chaos Orb
Contract from Below
Darkpact
Demonic Attorney
Falling Star
Jeweled Bird
Rebirth
Shahrazad
Tempest Efreet
Timmerian Fiends
Other Common House Rules:
This is a compilation of house rules from many different groups. They've been employed for a variety of reasons, and are not grouped here to suggest that they should be used together; Doing so is extremely ill-advised.
Please consider when creating house-rules, how complex & long you want your list of rules to be. The Rules Committee has specifically not changed some things for the format because doing so would reduce the simplicity of the game and potentially overwhelm new players. Your playgroup may enjoy a set of custom rulings, but if you want to invite a new player, he or she may not immediately appreciate or understand all of the changes.
General Rules:
Any creature can be your general (pauper EDH allows any non-rare creature as a general, with the other 99 being common)Generals are immune to the legend rule, copies are not (only the copies would go to the graveyard if both are in play)Generals that would enter the library may be returned to the command zone instead (stops tuck effects)Hybrid mana cost cards are usable as long as they could be cast in the general's color identity (see this thread for a discussion regarding this)The rule that a deck may not generate mana outside of its colors and generates colorless mana instead if it would is removed. (may have unforeseen consequences with cards like Sen Triplets)"Generals cast from the command zone are considered to be cast from your hand. Activated abilities of generals in the command zone may be activated as though they were in your hand, but adhere to the 'casting tax' rule."
Foreign/textless cards should only be used if an english (or accepted language) version (or printed proxy) of the card is available for reference.Players have n minutes to complete their turn; If that time is reached, the turn ends. This is generally used to encourage faster play, and will likely be better suited as a temporary rule.Before turn 8, if a player has missed 3 consecutive land drops, that player may reveal cards from the top of his or her library until a land card is revealed, put that card into play, then shuffle the revealed cards into his or her library. (instead of drawing a card)Gold bordered (world championship) and/or silver bordered (unhinged & unglued) cards are legal, but still subject to ban lists (championship cards should be played with opaque sleeves.)
Mulligan Rules: (Partial Paris is regular)
Standard Paris (big deck) - regular MTG mulligan rules are used (shuffle hand into library and draw 1 less card)Partial Paris - ('exile' any number of cards and draw 1 less; shuffle 'exiled' cards into library when finished mulliganing)Free Partial Paris - One free Partial Paris mulligan is allowed, ('exile' any number of cards and draw that many) then regular rules applyGis - Hand is set aside and 7 are drawn (alternatively, only redraw for hands without 3-6 lands)All players draw 8 cards before mulligans and skip their first draw step (instead of each drawing during their turn)
Playstyle Rules:
In multiplayer games, any playstyle can be adapted to. This often involves becoming a better deckbuilder or player, and there aren't any real shortcuts for accomplishing it. Leveraging politics is also a good method for dealing with annoying playstyles. If you're unable to overcome them relatively quickly, however, don't despair! Learning the intricacies of Magic can be more difficult than it seems, but talking with your playmates directly about your grievances will likely solve the problem in short-order. A healthy playgroup should allow each player to have a good time overall, with each player contributing to the well-being of the other players. If no one in your group enjoys a particular playstyle, yet you feel compelled to play it anyway, stop and think. Why is that? As a last resort, you may try banning individual cards to weaken certain playstyles:
Tutoring: Many tutoring (fetching) effects are fair and not incredibly proficient in enabling degeneracy, so before making a blanket ban on tutors, consider if there are only a few troublesome tutors being played in your group. Some of the better ones include Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Arcum Dagsson, Chord of Calling, Defense of the Heart, Eladamri's Call, Entomb, Gifts Ungiven, Green Sun's Zenith, Intuition, Natural Order, Stoneforge Mystic, Stonehewer Giant, & Tooth and Nail
Selected tutors are banned (banning all tutors is a bad idea!)A limitation is set on the number of tutors usable per deckTutoring is discouraged in the social contract
[Mass] land destruction: This is often a valid strategy and is useful for countering lots of land ramping or ensuring victory. Though usually more present in more competitive playgroups, it can be used elsewhere. If new to using these spells, make sure to know when to use them! Some of the less expensive/more devastating mass land destruction spells include Armageddon, Ravages of War, Decree of Annihilation, Impending Disaster, Desolation, Mana Vortex, Mana Breach, Tectonic Break, Wildfire, Thoughts of Ruin, & Land Equilibrium.
Selected [mass] land destruction cards are banned (banning all [mass] land destruction cards severely unbalances the format)[Mass] land destruction is discouraged in the social contract
[Mass/Repeated] sacrifice: Similar to mass land destruction, effects such as Annihilator from Eldrazi, stax/prison effects that continually force players to sacrifice permanents, or combos that would recur a forced sacrifice effect. This type of playstyle is referred to as 'stax'. Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre & Kozilek, Butcher of Truth are probably the most widely known cards for this.
Selected stax cards are banned (Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, Back to Basics, Smokestack, etc.)Oppressive sacrifice/tapping cards are discouraged in the social contract
Infinite Combos: Though it may be possible to ban all infinite combos, such a list would include many cards. See here for a database of such combos. Stratum 3 removes the most oppressive infinite combo pieces, but some others that are easily abuseable include Power Artifact, Splinter Twin, Karmic Guide, & Intruder Alarm.
Selected combo enablers are banned (banning all combos is impossible & undesirable)A limitation is set on the number of iterations a potentially infinite combo can be used per turn/roundIf an infinite combo would win the game, all other players instead play for second place (this is a very dangerous idea!)Combo'ing infinitely is discouraged in the social contract
Poison: Deal with it. 10 poison damage is completely fair, and even a little weak when compared to other strategies.
Selected poison cards are banned (usually just Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon as a general)Using poison as a primary win condition is discouraged in the social contract
Time magic: Like mass land destruction and stax, these spells prevent other players from playing. Some groups really despise how it upsets turn balance, so they remove it from their games. However, as long as the player in question takes his or her turns relatively quickly, a few extra turns here or there isn't a big deal.
Time magic cards are exiled upon resolving to prevent infinitely recurring themSelected time magic cards are banned (Time Stretch, Lighthouse Chronologist, Timesifter, etc)If a player would begin an extra turn for the 3rd time in a turn, they skip that turn insteadTime magic is discouraged in the social contract
Life totals: Some cards have effects based on life totals that are clearly not designed for Commander. However, none of those cards are inherently unfair or even overpowered. Errata'ing them to use their original ratios (ala Chalice of Life) will only make them sub-par, as lifegain itself is inherently weak in Magic.Divinity of Pride (changed to 45 or 50 life)
Serra Ascendant (changed to 50 or 60 life)
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant (changed to 50 or 60 life)
Felidar Sovereign (changed to 60 or 80 life)
Test of Endurance (changed to 70 or 100 life)
Magister Sphinx (changed to 20 or 30 life / the target loses 10 or 20 life)
Sorin Markov (changed to 20 or 30 life / the target loses 10 or 20 life / second ability removed)
Alternate Rules:
Non-Banning Methods:
Instead of creating card limitations, some playgroups instead opt to provide a set of guidelines to follow when deckbuilding. These are usually guidelines for what players should do, but also describe what they shouldn't do. This may be as simple as the mantra "build socially, play competitively", its' inverse, or may include a series of more detailed criteria such as:
Build a deck to...
Be fun to pilot and to play against.Be interactive.Play out differently every game to keep it fun over a long time.Be streamlined and fast to play without excessive upkeep, time-consuming play or unnecessarily overcomplicated board-states.Be able to win with or without your general, having multiple paths to victory.
Discouraging Cards (not banning):
Typically, these types of cards are strongly discouraged in all but the most competitive playgroups. They are all degenerate in some way, and often limit a single player's ability to play while leaving others unhindered. The importance of interaction in social games is paramount, so be extra careful when considering these (and others like them) for play.
Mind Twist
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Back to Basics
Contamination
Time Stretch
Mindslaver
Winter Orb
Blightsteel Colossus
Identity Crisis
Sorin Markov
Magister Sphinx
Iona, Shield of Emeria
Gaddock Teeg
Individual Card Rulings:
Consecrated Sphinx (not allowed to draw cards off another Consecrated Sphinx's triggered ability / doesn't trigger for the first card drawn each turn)
Trade Secrets (text changed to "Target opponent draws two cards, then you draw up to four cards. That opponent may copy this spell and choose new targets for it.")
Mishra, Artificer Prodigy (text changed to "Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield under your control, if you cast it from your hand, you may put a token copy of that artifact onto the battlefield.")
Hermit Druid, or other trouble cards (cannot be found when searching a library)
Genju of the Realm (allowed as a general; other Legendaries include Elbrus, the Binding Blade, Predator, Flagship, Tatsumasa, the Dragon's Fang, & Unscythe, Killer of Kings)
The Kamigawa Flip-Legends are allowed as generals (Akki Lavarunner, Budoka Gardener, Bushi Tenderfoot, Faithful Squire, Initiate of Blood, Jushi Apprentice, Kitsune Mystic, Nezumi Graverobber, Nezumi Shortfang, Orochi Eggwatcher, Student of Elements)
Game Variants:
'Casual' formats defined by Wizards of the Coast (limited, constructed, multiplayer, alternative)
Sub-Forum for game variants
Ideas about game setup
The "8 Rules of Multiplayer"
Lieutenants
Horde/Respawn/Zombie Magic
Mafia Variant
Shifting Alliances
Pauper Commander
Planeswalker Wars
Left and Right
Fog of War
Emperor and the Assassin
Bang!
Planechase Commander
Alternative Rules:
Star Magic: Each player used a different mono-colored EDH deck, or each player uses a tri-colored EDH deck (WUB, UBR, BRG, RGW, GWU)
Zombie Magic: Instead of re-spawning with a set amount of life, players re-spawn with a percentage (50-100%, rounded down) of the life removed from them by their killer. Limits can be set on the life a zombie can re-spawn with, (20-40) as well as how many times a player (or zombie) can re-spawn. (2-3 times)
Mafia Variant: Each player has 3 tokens, 2 of which are shuffled and dealt face-down among the group. If a player receives 2 of the same token, they are re-dealt.
Origin of the stratum 2 list (previously the 'austere list'):
Emphasis is mine. The full text is available here.
From the discussions on this forum, there are clearly opposing views on what should or should not be banned in the EDH format. While playgroups are free to create their own "house-rules", many groups strictly abide by the official ban list. With the current list, EDH games (and the deck building beforehand) often shift toward degeneracy in groups ignorant of the idea of social contracts. This is especially common among players who don't know each other very well. The same is, and has been true for any game that allows it; It is our nature to compete. The established player archetype "Spike" embodies this competitiveness and, wherever present, either creates an evermore restrictive game environment or forces less competitive players to cease playing. It is not the intention of this new lis to undermine that basic paradigm, as it is, and should be, the norm. Nevertheless, the official ban list seems to strive primarily for brevity, whereas this list strives to meet other ideals.
Since Magic: The Gathering has a limited, if large card pool (nearly 13,000 unique cards), removing any cards from that pool creates a feeling of restriction for some. In actuality, more cards are playable due to their closer power levels. EDH uses an incredibly large pool, so the effect is generally less significant, but therein lies the problem that many players, and especially "Spikes", are concerned with. Any card on a ban list is there for a reason, and oftentimes power level is involved in that reasoning. This limitation to 'weaker' cards can be taunting when those 'better' (banned) cards are known about, and especially so when they're owned by the players involved. However, for reasons detailed below, because we are naturally competitive, & because WotC is fallible in their card designing, these very restrictions are exactly what are needed to better enable the intended game-play experience of this format for new players and playgroups.
The main reason for the direction of this list is the idea that casual play doesn't require a ban list. Individuals and playgroups can much more easily self-adjust (through a social contract) when their primary motivation is social interaction. When that is not the case, additional guidance is required to create a more stable format. Beginning with the current official list and adding the cards below creates, in my belief, a format which provides the necessary restrictions for situations in which a social contract is only loosely pursued, or not pursued at all. For players seeking a fairer EDH format or are often playing with strangers, this list should be an excellent starting point. As this new list is tested and new cards are released, it will be adjusted in accordance with the ideals described above.
From this definition, degenerate cards are those that restrict deck building by requiring other players to account for their existence with very narrow and sometimes insufficient answers, those that are always vastly superior to other cards of the same cost and color, and those that enable other cards to fulfill these criteria.
Total: 33 cards + 3 generals
Ancestral Recall
Balance
Biorhythm
Black Lotus
Coalition Victory
Channel
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Fastbond
Gifts Ungiven
Griselbrand
Kokusho, the Evening Star
Karakas
Library of Alexandria
Limited Resources
Metalworker
Mox Sapphire
Mox Ruby
Mox Pearl
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Painter's Servant (excluded from new list)
Panoptic Mirror
Protean Hulk
Recurring Nightmare
Staff of Domination (excluded from new list)
Sundering Titan
Sway of the Stars
Time Vault
Time Walk
Tinker
Tolarian Academy
Upheaval
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Generals:
Braids, Cabal Minion
Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
The Austere List is now the Stratum 2 List.
Responses to Common Arguments
The list is too long
It's as long as it needs to be. With ~13,000 unique cards in magic, there is bound to be a relatively small amount that are degenerate. The new additions are 0.0022 of all the cards in existence, yet many are played in nearly every deck. It may be difficult to adjust to if you're used to playing with many of these cards, just as it could be if you begin using the official list after not using any list.
There will always be cards that are the 'strongest'
Yes, there will be. Those cards won't cause the same problems as these however, because they're not inherently degenerate. This list wasn't crafted by selecting the top few cards of each color or with certain mechanics; It was made by scrutinizing problematic cards and judging them based on objective criteria as explained above.
EDH is attractive because lots of banned & ridiculous cards can be used
To many, yes. EDH is not, however, a sanctioned format. You and your playgroup are free to use whatever rules you like. The social contract described above is vital for social games; When it is not present, some additional guidelines are reasonable. This list attempts to provide those guidelines. If you like ridiculous spells and situations, I'd recommend Limited Infinity. (AKA Type 4) It's linked in my signature.
Why is card X on the list but not Y?
I'm only one person, and one with a rather incomplete knowledge-base of Magic. It could be that I forgot about card Y, or don't even know about it. It could be that I'm simply unsure if X and Y are similar enough, or if Y is as oppressive as X. Perhaps I don't have much direct experience with it and am avoiding a decision for that reason.
Adjust your local ban list instead of trying to change everyone's
This list was not created as a reaction to my own meta-game and it is not meant to replace the official ban list. It is intended for use when social contracts are only loosely pursued, or not pursued at all.
Tutoring is an important part of the game
I agree completely. You'll notice that only a handful of 'tutors' are on the list. Tutoring creates consistency that is otherwise very hard to achieve in a singleton format, but that same consistency can, if pervasive enough, be degenerate in itself. In this instance, degeneracy is defined by sameness.
Don't play with people who use these cards if they're troublesome
Competitiveness exists at varying levels among players; It is inevitable that, where new players meet or new playgroups are formed, these players will need guidelines to prevent the more competitive players from ruining the game for the less competitive. As social contracts override any official or unofficial ban list, those lists are only necessary when such contracts have not yet been settled. This list attempts to create the most fair structure for such scenarios.
As I'd like to make these lists as comprehensive as is reasonable, please leave comments, questions, arguments for or against these ideas, card suggestions, or ideas of your own. Are any listed cards conspicuous? Do any unlisted cards deserve recognition here? Why? Are there other house rules that should be included here?
Always appreciative,
BetweenWalls
Not at all. If this is your strongest argument - not even an argument, just a snide, empty comment - I suggest you've already lost.
GGG [Primer] Omnath, Big Green Beatstick Machine GGG
Completely agree. The only card you listed that I feel needs to be banned, is Serra Ascendant. For everything else:
:symb:Relentless:symb:
:symr:Enchantshot:symr:
:symg:Lost in the Woods (You in the wrong neighborhood):symg:
:symg:Persistence:symg:
:symw::symu:Old-Fashioned Seance:symw::symu:
:symw::symu:Treasure Hunting:symw::symu:
:symrw::symwb:Kaalia:symrw::symwb:
I definitely disagree with many of your choices, but I am of the opinion that you should find people with the character to resist the temptation of the "win at all costs" mentality. My point being, that no matter how far you go with banning, there will always be certain cards that are the most powerful. People who get satisfaction out of abusing those cards will always do so.
A commonly repeated half-truth.
While it is true that there will always be a set of "the most powerful cards," it does not follow that the same imbalances will follow. Sure, if Sol Ring is banned then the new top tier mana rock will be ____, but that doesn't mean that ____ will cause the same problems that Sol Ring did -- it simply doesn't do what Sol Ring does nearly as well. It's more fair, and even though it's top tier it doesn't negatively affect the game life Sol Ring did.
Why do you think there are banned cards in standard? The same logic applies there, too. After Jace the Mind Sculptor was banned, there was a new "best" planeswalker, but not nearly as broken.
A statement without support merits a dismissal without reason.
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StaffThat kind of banlist is what (in part) killed prismatic.
Also, being able to play half of the powerful janky old cards is part of the draw of EDH.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Yet you acknowledge it? Sounds like you're just looking to get in an argument with people.
:symb:Relentless:symb:
:symr:Enchantshot:symr:
:symg:Lost in the Woods (You in the wrong neighborhood):symg:
:symg:Persistence:symg:
:symw::symu:Old-Fashioned Seance:symw::symu:
:symw::symu:Treasure Hunting:symw::symu:
:symrw::symwb:Kaalia:symrw::symwb:
Actually it felt like taking what the RC has been saying and putting it into practice:
Making the ban list steer the game to help foster the casual scene.
People are still calling for Serra Ascendant to be banned?
You guys really need to learn how to play magic, or at least understand power level.
What? Banning overused cards opens everyone up to creativity.
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
I can't even begin to fathom why you think this is a decent argument. Tutor spells are good, yes. They're meant to create consistency and in a 99-card singleton deck, that consistency is dearly needed. You seem to believe that EDH games should play out as though libraries were grab-bag assortments of cards. You effectively want to neuter the potential for combos of any kind and leave any kind of field interactions to the chance inherent in blind draws.
If that's your end goal, so be it. But I don't see how excluding a third of the archetypal triangle is an improvement over anything. This is something I would expect to see from some Johnny-come-lately to the EDH scene who doesn't like that other people build better decks and while I'm not trying to belittle you, it seems rather dumb to attempt to do this to the format. The idealistic vision of a format free from degeneracy is unattainable; you'll eventually learn that when your banlist reaches basic lands for enabling players to cast spells that aren't on par with other spells.
Why not just make a house rule within your playgroup that games should focus on promoting an atmosphere of enjoyment rather than the edginess of competition? The problem seems to be that the people you play with don't adhere to the same philosophies that you do. Talk it out with them. I see no reason to try to enforce this Harrison Bergeron-esque policy list on any scale larger than that.
EDH isn't about what you play, it's about who you play with.
[EDH]
BUG Combo/Control:
BUG Dominus - Dreamcrusher Edition GUB
tldr: I'd love to watch a 4 player game with this banlist. Interesting things would happen!
Uhhhhhhhh consistency is needed in EDH? Huh? I guess I didn't get the memo on that one.
All of my decks have no tutor effects, other than maybe a silly one here and there that goes with the theme or just for laughs (Bitterheart Witch, Demonic Consultation, Rhystic Tutor, Terramorphic Expanse and Evolving Wilds for budget fixing), and you know what? EDH is a lot more fun when you aren't playing Mr. Try Hard to get all of your combo pieces to bust out a turn 4-5 win. If I wanted to do that I will go play Legacy or Vintage where I might actually get something substantial prize wise for my time. Striving for consistency is what you do when you want to fine tune your deck just to murder someone ASAP (aka trying to prove something by being a competitive EDH douche). Dunno, to me that just sounds boring as all hell. Getting a grab bag assortment of cards and blind draws as you put it, is exactly why EDH is awesome. Why would you want to see the same cards over and over again when you have 99 cards to choose from? Seems kinda stupid to me.
Anyways, with all of that said, this proposed ban list did make me laugh a little. If all of those were banned then EDH would turn into Homelands block EDH where the games would take 5 years before anyone would win. No one would be able to combo out (yes I think combo is fine, to an extent), and the win cons would be so horribly underpowered it would just be miserable.
Be the giver or the undertaker
Unlock and open the door
Be the healer or the breaker
The keys are in your hands
Realize you are your own source of all creation
BOf your own master planB
KAALIA SMASH!
Intet dreams of times ahead
and more
bob sums up my feelings on this pretty succinctly.
The format your banlist is describing doesn't look at all appealing to me, nor does it look like something that would improve on the current format. Anyone who wants to make a broken deck can still do so - there are still tutors available, card draw still finds what you need, and silver bullet answers included in other decks are less potent when they're more difficult to find. I'm all for encouraging more interesting, varied gameplay, but I'd rather work on the players behind the decks than with a set of restrictive rules.
I also have no idea how JtMS betrays the spirit of EDH, seeing as he's been mediocre at best every time I've played with or against him in a multiplayer game, but to each their own.
If you take the tutors away from black, you basically junk the color. The artifact ramp is good for everyone, in a format of haymakers this would lead to Green becoming borderline essential.
The difference between thinking like this and trying to regulate like this is reason. I respect people who like to play EDH as a truly casual format and enjoy games against people of similar philosophies. The same cannot be said of me in regards to people who think EDH must be regulated so that casual is the only option. Half the pleasure of the format stems from the ability to play it however you like and the other half is the completely different atmosphere and style as compared to 60-card games. When you try to take away the former, the whole suffers. It is ultimately far better to house rule your own banlists than it is to try to enforce an enormous go-to list for all parties. It prevents either group (casual/competitive) from being excluded on groundless missions of idealism.
The problem with EDH as a format is not the banlist. It is not that casual and competitive players both exist. It's that some people just refuse to accept that people of differing philosophies play the game and seek to use banlists as a way to officially lock them out of a format that is meant to be inclusive. The sooner people understand that choosing a playgroup is the key to enjoying this format (rather than controlling the freedom of all playgroups), the sooner EDH can move forward and resume its growth as a diverse format.
I am a competitive player; I find thrill in playing cutthroat games where I'm forced to play 100% correctly or face a very real possibility of defeat. Many of the players I know are casual. In fact, the vast majority of them are. But they know that they're playing the game one way and I'm playing it another way. We respect each other and choose not to play in the same pod/group/whathaveyou because we all know that would kill the fun. If I want to jump into a game against the casual crowd, I find someone to lend me a deck. If they want to jump into one of my games, they do the same. Being mindful and respectful of differing philosophies and not attempting to choke them out is what makes EDH and Magic as a whole so enjoyable. Self-regulation is the answer, not needlessly bloated banlists and you-can/you-can't fingerwaving.
EDH isn't about what you play, it's about who you play with.
[EDH]
BUG Combo/Control:
BUG Dominus - Dreamcrusher Edition GUB
I've never had a problem facing off against any edh-legal card. People can tutor to their heart's content for all I care. The only troublesome deck that I can recall was one guy's blue/green deck that took painstakingly long to play. He was always taking extra turns, drew tons of cards, seedborn muse kept him doing things on everyone's turn, and despite all its strengths it rarely ever killed anybody. Casting tooth and nail and time stretch in the same turn was not uncommon, and yet he still couldn't kill anyone with anything other than boredom. But we didn't make a banlist, we just encouraged him to make the deck less time-consuming and more lethal.
My G Yisan, the Bard of Death G deck.
My BUGWR Hermit druid BUGWR deck.
If your playing blue you have to have con sphinx.green primetime etc etc.
Only because I freak out when people turn two howling mine.
Also isn't social play introduced by social and friendly people and not card choice?
The one card I think you missed for combo abuse is Kiki-Jiji.