Since the shocking Commander ban announcement back in September and the fiasco that followed, many MTG players have been wondering what’s next. Today, we finally got an answer to that burning question that’s been on everyone’s lips. At long last, the first iteration of the new Commander tier system has been announced, and plenty more beyond that.
Despite the Commander tier system potentially revolutionizing the way Commander is played, it’s miraculously not the most exciting announcement. That honor, instead, goes to the confirmation that fresh unbans are coming to Commander fairly soon. For better or worse, these Commander unbans will be arriving via the new Game Changers list which is yet another massive innovation.
New Bans Coming Soon! Maybe…
For starters, Game Changers is a new list from Wizards of the Coast that’s utilized by the new Commander tier system. At Tier 3 (Upgraded) three cards from the Game Changers list can be used within a Commander deck. These cards are some of the most powerful, and aptly game changing, effects that Commander has to offer.
Essentially, the Game Changers list is a semi-ban list that players have access to depending on their Commander deck’s tier. This makes it the perfect place for Wizards of the Coast to test future Commander bans and unbans without causing too much disruption. Thankfully, this is exactly what Wizards intends to use the Game Changers list for.
As Wizards explains in a recent article, “you can imagine this as a sort of watch-list.” Outside of an utterly broken card like Nadu, Winged Wisdom appearing again, new Commander bans should come from this list. That doesn’t mean, however, that every card on the Game Changers list is going to be banned in the near future.
“Now, to be clear: most of these cards are unlikely to be banned. You shouldn’t go trading away your Gaea’s Cradles in concern. However, it is a clear signal for players to know that these cards indicate a different kind of play and that others might prefer not to play against them.”
Wizards of the Coast
On top of being the source of new bans, Gavin Verhey has confirmed that unbanned cards will also end up on this list. This will provide a testing ground before potentially releasing the card into the main Commander ecosystem. Alternatively, Wizards can keep unbanned cards on the Game Changers list to limit who has access to them.
So, basically, new Commander bans and unbans are going to happen via the Game Changers list. But, when are they going to happen? Thankfully, Wizards of the Coast isn’t going to keep us in suspense as we’ve already been told the answer!
“The goal here, provided the system works, will be to come back with one big article in late April that both rolls out the full system and any unbans all together.”
Wizards of the Coast
Unbans or Bust
Sadly, Wizards of the Coast hasn’t confirmed an exact date when this late April announcement will take place. There’s also no confirmed word on what cards might be on Wizards unbanning radar. That being said, Wizards is practically spoilt for choice, as there are plenty of viable options and suggestions from players already.
For starters, we’d personally be very surprised if Mana Crypt didn’t make its way onto the Game Changers list at the first opportunity. The banning of this card was incredibly controversial, and it’d fittingly join Mana Vault on the list, too. Similarly, Jeweled Lotus will likely make its way onto the Game Changers list for the same reasons.
Outside of undoing controversial past bans, players were quick to request iconic cards like Emrakul, the Aeons Torn return. Similarly, the fan-favorite Primeval Titan was a quick and early suggestion. While both these cards are undeniably powerful, there’s literally a place for them now that brackets exist.
While unbans are exciting for opening up previously restricted gameplay avenues, many players quickly proposed bans, too. If anything, the current version of the Game Changers list looks surprisingly underpowered. Part of this, however, is due to terms like “no mass land denial” keeping things in check at lower brackets, as Like17Badgers notes.
As for actual Game Changers list additions, Necropotence, Bazaar of Baghdad, and Mishra’s Workshop are all reasonable suggestions. The Great Henge was another suggestion repeated by a few players that certainly has the power to run away with games.
Feedback First
Thankfully, it seems Wizards of the Coast is going to listen to these suggestions from players. While this doesn’t mean they’ll all come true, Wizards nonetheless expressed the importance of feedback. Considering that Commander is, at its heart, a player-led, casual-focused format, this seems like the right decision.
Between now and April, we’re sure that Wizards is going to be inundated with no end of suggestions for bans and unbans. We may even see the brackets themselves tweaked based upon feedback. It’ll all depend on what players think. Right now, the reception appears to be positive. This is a step in the right direction at least.
Ultimately, nothing is confirmed, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. Thankfully, the wait until late April shouldn’t be too too long. Before then, there’s plenty to keep us busy at least, as there are multiple major announcements on the horizon. As if Final Fantasy and Tarkir: Dragonstorm First Looks somehow aren’t enough for you, however, there are also constructed bans coming in March.
