MTG February 9th Banned and Restricted Announcement: Commander and Historic Changes
Key Insights
Commander:: Biorhythm is unbanned and added to the Game Changers list. Lutri, the Spellchaser is unbanned but cannot be used as a companion. Farewell is added to the Game Changers list.
Historic:: Eldrazi Temple, Ajani, Nacatl Pariah, Crop Rotation, and Scholar of the Lost Trove are banned. Magus of the Moon, Harbinger of the Seas, Force of Vigor, Force of Negation, Endurance, Wilderness Reclamation, and Agent of Treachery are unbanned.
Timeless:: Necropotence is restricted to one copy.
Speculation Impact:: Cards like Prophet of Kruphix, Sylvan Primordial, and Jeweled Lotus saw significant price increases due to speculation about potential unbannings, highlighting the influence of these announcements on the secondary market.
Why this matters: These changes impact deckbuilding strategies and the overall meta in each format. Players need to adjust their decks accordingly. The unbanning of certain cards in Historic, for example, introduces new strategies while the banning of others weakens established archetypes.
In-Depth Analysis
The February 9th B&R announcement brought a mix of expected and surprising changes. In Commander, the unbanning of Biorhythm offers a potentially game-winning card at a high mana cost, while the Lutri unban comes with the restriction of not being a companion, balancing its power. Farewell's addition to the Game Changers list indicates a desire to moderate the prevalence of board wipes in lower brackets.
Historic sees a significant shakeup with multiple bans and unbans. The banning of Eldrazi Temple weakens Eldrazi-based strategies, while the unbanning of cards like Force of Vigor and Magus of the Moon introduces more interactive elements to the format. These changes aim to address format balance and diversity.
Necropotence's restriction in Timeless aims to reduce its dominance, preventing players from drawing excessive cards too early in the game.
Impact on Card Prices: The announcement also highlights the speculative nature of the MTG secondary market. Cards like Prophet of Kruphix saw massive price spikes based on unban speculation, demonstrating the financial implications of these announcements for collectors and players.
FAQs
What is the Game Changers list?
The Game Changers list is a Commander mechanic where newly unbanned cards are only legal in higher-level play brackets to test their impact on the format.
Why was Jeweled Lotus not unbanned?
While there were calls to unban Jeweled Lotus, it remains banned due to concerns about it being overpowered as fast mana and setting a negative precedent for player influence on banlist decisions.
How do these changes affect the value of my cards?
Banned cards generally decrease in value, while unbanned cards tend to increase. However, speculation can also drive prices, so monitor the market closely.
Key Takeaways
Stay informed about B&R announcements to adjust your decks and strategies accordingly.
Be cautious when investing in cards based solely on speculation.
Understand the implications of Game Changers and bracket systems in Commander.
Consider the impact of bans and unbans on format diversity and balance.
Discussion
What do you think of these changes? Do you agree with the cards that were banned and unbanned? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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