Magic: The Gathering’s Commander Format Panel has taken five cards off the ban list for the collectible card game’s popular Commander format according to an announcement Tuesday morning by Wizards of the Coast.
The cards are being immediately added to the format’s “Game Changers” list and are considered safe to run in decks in at power level three and above.
The unbanned cards are:
Braids, Cabal Minion
Says Magic: The Gathering principle designer, Gavin Verhey: “The most frustrating Braids games are when it’s put out extremely quickly and people feel locked under it. However, as little as a single removal spell can really set that entire plan back… A lot has changed since Braids was banned in 2009. We mostly believe people will know what they’re signing up for in a game with Braids as a commander, and as a card in the 99, it is reasonable and acceptable.”
Coalition Victory
Says Verhey: “…it can be easily interacted with. A single removal spell in response to your five-color commander means you spent eight mana to do nothing… Additionally, for those engaging with Commander Brackets, it is within the timeframe of where we expect an ‘I win’ combo to fall.”
Gifts Ungiven
Says Verhey: “The previous concern had been the nature of this as a power tutor, the time-intensive casting process, and the combos enabled by this card… On the other hand, a fair Gifts Ungiven is very fun and akin to Fact or Fiction in the politics and interplay between players it can create.”
Panoptic Mirror
Says Verhey: “…it does take a full turn and a large mana investment, and people have several windows to respond to it in. They can kill it before you untap, in response to the ability, or after the ability resolves and your opponent is down a card.”
Sway the Stars
Says Verhey: “[It’s] a ten-mana way to reset the game akin to Worldfire, which was previously unbanned in Commander to little fanfare or play… Our guess is this will see little play, but the people who enjoy cards like these will now be able to play another one.”
The Commander Format Panel also considered a number of other cards for removal from the Commander ban list – most notably the cards Dockside Extortionist, Jeweled Lotus, and Mana Crypt. While they are not unbanning any of those cards at this time, Verhey did note that, of those three, Jeweled Lotus is the one that is most likely to be removed from the format’s ban list “due to its one-shotnature, iconic feel, and ability to help support high-mana value commanders.”
The Commander Format Panel says they will keep an eye on the Commander format throughout the year to assess whether any new card bans or unbans are necessary.
