What Do The Latest Changes to Magic: The Gathering Mean For You?
- Thread starter Slycne
- Start date
Playing only Eternal formats means that this doesn't really effect me, but I'm really going to miss the Core Set, just as a thing that exists.
As someone that does play and think about formats besides Standard more these days I'm right there with you, but I do think that even eternal formats stand to gain a little from the changes.SL33TBL1ND said:
Stuff like core sets or filling design holes takes up a theoretical potential for cards with eternal format impact. There's a non-zero chance for a good card that gets used up every time something like [mtg_card=Stormtide Leviathan] gets reprinted. More condensed and focused blocks may also yield more cards that can bridge the gap. It's not much, but it's better odds than what occurs currently.
That's true. It'd certainly be cool to see some more Eternal playable cards come out of this change. Here's hoping!Slycne said:
Sounds great!
I do "not really" play Magic anymore. I only go to a draft or prerelease event once in a while as well as a little online (draft simulator) or cube (got mountains of old-ish cards) drafting with my brother and cousin.
-Blocks: Having 2 instead of 3 sets to draft from means the draft will be just a tiny bit more consistent. More blocks hopefully also means we get to play around with new mechanics more often.
-Core Set gone: Core sets were imo the most boring to draft because they don't contain many (nor enough) of interesting mechanics. Having a new block instead of the core set will be more interesting. They could still release core sets from time to time, though. Like every 3 years or so. Yearly always felt too often.
-Standard: I love meta gaming in most games but I was never interested in Standard meta because the perceived barrier of entry because of cost and the format's staleness put me off.
I do "not really" play Magic anymore. I only go to a draft or prerelease event once in a while as well as a little online (draft simulator) or cube (got mountains of old-ish cards) drafting with my brother and cousin.
-Blocks: Having 2 instead of 3 sets to draft from means the draft will be just a tiny bit more consistent. More blocks hopefully also means we get to play around with new mechanics more often.
-Core Set gone: Core sets were imo the most boring to draft because they don't contain many (nor enough) of interesting mechanics. Having a new block instead of the core set will be more interesting. They could still release core sets from time to time, though. Like every 3 years or so. Yearly always felt too often.
-Standard: I love meta gaming in most games but I was never interested in Standard meta because the perceived barrier of entry because of cost and the format's staleness put me off.
As a magic watcher and not yet player, this is great new for me =D New ideas to binge on twice a year. A whole new world and mechanical themes... I even think the story might actually end up working better with this idea. If they do a 'large large' set, which I'm sure is going to happen sooner or later, I think that might make arcs like Innistrad or New Phrexia _more_ impactful because you don't have to wait so long for the two worlds idea. And the quicker story rotation means that they can allow something to happen in one set and then build on that idea in 3 or 4 sets time
The only thing I don't like is that there are two types of cards that will not show up anymore (Unless they put them in supplemental products nudge nudge wink wink please do this)
1. Cards that refer to planes that will likely not get their own block.
2. Goofy, fun cards with really interesting mechanics. (Granted these might stiff show up, but likely in smaller quantities.)
1. Cards that refer to planes that will likely not get their own block.
2. Goofy, fun cards with really interesting mechanics. (Granted these might stiff show up, but likely in smaller quantities.)
I play Modern because I can use removal like Path to Exile, and Lightning bolt. I also draft at FNM because I don't want to build a standard deck.
I think this change will make it intresting.
I think this change will make it intresting.
I'm worried about some of my favorite classic cards never getting a reprint. Maybe they will include these in duel decks and the like.
It'll be 2/1/1 as usual barring an unannounced change. Did you think people just stopped drafting between February and May every year?Kuredan said:
-Two Set Blocks
After the clusterfuck of card-power balance that was Lorwn<->Shadowmoor, I doubt a change to two set block will do much to thwart the front-loading issue.
I mean...Shadowmoore and Eventide happened. And Eventide was especially terrible. (fuck Blue. Fuck Blue up the ASS. Enemy blue cards need to SUCK because Faerie decks are WAY OP right now. So...Heeeere's Cracklburr!)
-Eliminating Core Sets?
That looks like an obvious cost cutting measure; which is just as well since I haven't bought into a Core Set since 2010.
Which is a real shame because M10 and M11 were really good for Core Sets. (This latest set was especially weak.)
-18 month rotations instead of 24
This means that new solves can rotate into a stagnant/locked format without the need for bans.
On the other, this makes the Standard Format Arms Race factor greater on account of overall speed.
Impulse purchases for decks may hurt more as a result, though as fucking outrageous as singles prices have become for so many things (seriously; competitive Modern-legal decks should NOT be pushing 400 bucks each, let alone 1000) I get the feeling this will be one of those things that only bothers the penny pinchers among us.
After the clusterfuck of card-power balance that was Lorwn<->Shadowmoor, I doubt a change to two set block will do much to thwart the front-loading issue.
I mean...Shadowmoore and Eventide happened. And Eventide was especially terrible. (fuck Blue. Fuck Blue up the ASS. Enemy blue cards need to SUCK because Faerie decks are WAY OP right now. So...Heeeere's Cracklburr!)
-Eliminating Core Sets?
That looks like an obvious cost cutting measure; which is just as well since I haven't bought into a Core Set since 2010.
Which is a real shame because M10 and M11 were really good for Core Sets. (This latest set was especially weak.)
-18 month rotations instead of 24
This means that new solves can rotate into a stagnant/locked format without the need for bans.
On the other, this makes the Standard Format Arms Race factor greater on account of overall speed.
Impulse purchases for decks may hurt more as a result, though as fucking outrageous as singles prices have become for so many things (seriously; competitive Modern-legal decks should NOT be pushing 400 bucks each, let alone 1000) I get the feeling this will be one of those things that only bothers the penny pinchers among us.
I'm still about 1500 from Shardless BUG in Legacy, and that's only 3 duals and fetches.Atmos Duality said:
I was lucky with Modern Affinity because I picked up the opals before the Legendary Rule changed, and I had most of the cards. I hope we see more reprints to keep modern costs down.
This change creates and solves issues for me in so many different ways I can't really say it's beneficial for me or not...
On the one hand, faster sets means revisiting worlds I like more often than once every jillion years. I'm still waiting for the New Phyrexia vs. Eldrazi vs. Slivers set that somehow leads to all slivers getting annihilator and can be cast with phyrexian mana... Also, finding out what happens to Elspeth after the Theros block (because something will happen to her for sure) would be nice. Having a faster rotating standard would also get rid of things like Sphinx's, Thoughtseize, and Pack Rat faster, which would open the door for some more interesting strategies (for me).
On the other hand, buying boxes to have many standard staples and buying cards for fringe/temporarily interesting decks is pretty much out. It's nice to have 4x of every potentially useful rare if you're buying them for 24 months of use, but my local game store does not run standards often enough to justify buying as much as I have for 18 months of use. I guess this is great for my checkbook, but it's not as much fun as trying a new deck every time standard does roll around. I'll definitely have to be more picky when it comes to picking out a deck. On the bright side, I'm not stuck with that deck too long anyway (since some of it will inevitably be invalidated in a short time anyway), so that'll keep things reasonably fresh. And if there aren't any decks in a standard iteration that strike my fancy (weird, drawn-out combo, wherefore art thou?), I can just wait until the block rotates. This might mean playing less (if there aren't any standards at my lgs for a whole block, or if there aren't any strategies I like available), but I'll definitely save more (and have more money to devote to modern).
On a potential third hand, not having core sets will be awesomely horribly terriblawsome? Random reprints with plane/setting/character names (like Urborg, Phyrexian Revoker, etc.) won't happen in standard, which might suck for modern card prices if there aren't enough supplemental products with those cards. A super generic draft set won't be around either, and those can be fun sometimes (simple mechanics can be amusing every now and then...). Getting a mound of reprint x will be nice to avoid, and having a higher chance of fetches (and other beginner-unfriendly rares) getting a reprint will also be nice.
And, heck, Tarmogoyf wasn't ultra-oppressive in standard back in the day, so maybe he'll get a reprint in the new standard. He'd have even less of a chance of ruining the meta if he's not in standard longer than 18 months. I can dream, right?
On the one hand, faster sets means revisiting worlds I like more often than once every jillion years. I'm still waiting for the New Phyrexia vs. Eldrazi vs. Slivers set that somehow leads to all slivers getting annihilator and can be cast with phyrexian mana... Also, finding out what happens to Elspeth after the Theros block (because something will happen to her for sure) would be nice. Having a faster rotating standard would also get rid of things like Sphinx's, Thoughtseize, and Pack Rat faster, which would open the door for some more interesting strategies (for me).
On the other hand, buying boxes to have many standard staples and buying cards for fringe/temporarily interesting decks is pretty much out. It's nice to have 4x of every potentially useful rare if you're buying them for 24 months of use, but my local game store does not run standards often enough to justify buying as much as I have for 18 months of use. I guess this is great for my checkbook, but it's not as much fun as trying a new deck every time standard does roll around. I'll definitely have to be more picky when it comes to picking out a deck. On the bright side, I'm not stuck with that deck too long anyway (since some of it will inevitably be invalidated in a short time anyway), so that'll keep things reasonably fresh. And if there aren't any decks in a standard iteration that strike my fancy (weird, drawn-out combo, wherefore art thou?), I can just wait until the block rotates. This might mean playing less (if there aren't any standards at my lgs for a whole block, or if there aren't any strategies I like available), but I'll definitely save more (and have more money to devote to modern).
On a potential third hand, not having core sets will be awesomely horribly terriblawsome? Random reprints with plane/setting/character names (like Urborg, Phyrexian Revoker, etc.) won't happen in standard, which might suck for modern card prices if there aren't enough supplemental products with those cards. A super generic draft set won't be around either, and those can be fun sometimes (simple mechanics can be amusing every now and then...). Getting a mound of reprint x will be nice to avoid, and having a higher chance of fetches (and other beginner-unfriendly rares) getting a reprint will also be nice.
And, heck, Tarmogoyf wasn't ultra-oppressive in standard back in the day, so maybe he'll get a reprint in the new standard. He'd have even less of a chance of ruining the meta if he's not in standard longer than 18 months. I can dream, right?
Sounds eerily similar to certain other competitive hobby games.RaikuFA said:
...For some reason, I'm suddenly thinking of chainsaws, outrageously large firearms, and men wearing half a car.
Best of luck to you in finishing that.vxicepickxv said:
I gave up on Legacy shortly after starting, because in the span of a year, the prices on EVERYTHING shot into the sky; especially for anything with blue.
Still...1500 dollars for fancy cardboard.
As interesting as the economics behind it gets, that still makes me weep.