Our group came up with something new to balance the game....Explanation quoted from one of the originators:
Explanation for a creating a new format is simple. I have been playing magic for merely 8 years so far and every year since Lorwyn block the core of the game is from my point of view losing healthy balance and it is much more connected with producing power over quality, which may be very clearly seen in Alara block or Zendikar block including RoE which is just bunch of powerful,game changing, yet strongly unbalanced cards. Problem with players and entire franchise nowadays is, that most of the players are playing just for winning over someone which is totally obliviating the basic idea of a good game... having fun, no matter what. This problem is unevitably rooted in tournament play, where best players are not playing decks that are showing endless possibilities of MtG game, just playing the best cards... Commander should have been different but it is simply not. Therefor we agreed with Tony to create something that should be easy to build, cheap to buy, open for new ideas, much more personal, fulfilled with ideas, fun to play and even to win format. Obviously, now, the banlist is short, but after few games we will be able to expand it. I hope we will find this experiment strongly satisfying experience.
For me since Lorwyn Magic started to be a completely new game and since Zendikar it started to show in all formats (even t1). I wouldn't say that the problem is in 'winning' in general (I mean winning and having fun is subjective and it will always be a problem. it's not a problem in this group though except perhaps one person) but the problem with good and powerful cards is obvious (that's what I don't like about type 2 nowadays.) So anyway the new rules for deck construction are:
- Your Commander is chosen as normal, rarity is irrelevant
- EVERYTHING else in your deck must be common or uncommon. If a given card was printed at different rarities (Serra Angel, for example) go with the LOWER rarity
- The deck must be EDH legal (i.e. Rofellos is banned as your Commander)
- The deck must be French 1v1 'Duel-EDH' legal (no Sol Rings)
- The deck must be Modern-legal (bye bye Skullclamp)
I personally don't like these rules rather I do not like rule no.5. I would like to keep EDH vintage legal because there are many cards I'd like to play (cards from Urza block are simply too awesome). My favorite cards are older than eight edition usually. I also don't think that these rules will bring balance and creativity but who knows (it certainly will lead to deckbuilding which is good)? It might in the end be a 'strongly satisfying experience' but so far I highly doubt that.
I was thinking if I want to join everyone doing this. At first I was like 'no way'. I don't like changes and I like the endless possibilities that all the sets provide. EDH is already limiting quite well for me^_^ (the reason why I think German Highlander makes more sense and follows 'normal' gameplay). Limiting it even more does not feel right. But on the other hand I already played all common decks and I had quite a lot of fun with those. So why not try it?
I wouldn't call myself creative even though sometimes I come up with something creative^_^. I took my previous Animar deck and took it apart and started looking ((physically -running around my room and checking contents of boxes I haven't opened in a long while) for commons and uncommons I could play. Animar should be a strong choice. There are hardly any global removal spells and most spot removal is black and no one bothers to play anything red usually. When I used to play all common decks I soon realized that having more creatures is really powerful so we will see how it goes in this 'new format' and how annoying the deck will be.
When going through my cards I found cards I did not expect to have (and commons and uncommons that are pretty expensive nowadays, hehe)^_^. I was looking for several effects - mana ramp/fixation, card advantage and bounce effects. I have to say that to produce 57 creatures was a really tedious task that took ages and I still miss some kind of Flametongue Kavu (I put there Perilous Myr). When I couldn't find enough draw effects on creatures I started looking for any looting effects as I'll most probably end up with lands in my hand and no creatures to play. There are still cards I'd like to replace (Clout of the Dominus for example) but I did not find anything better yet. When I play with this deck tomorrow I'd like to figure out if Animar's protections will be sufficient or the deck will need more protection for the general (which brought an unpleasant thought to my mind. I will need to be killing my opponents one by one by general damage...that does not sound like fun...) Also I need to find out how consistently I can get to other finishers. So here's my deck following the rules above. Not tested in multiplayer yet...
Creature [57]
1 Bond Beetle
1 Faerie Impostor
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Elvish Visionary
1 Coiling Oracle
1 Wood Elves
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Pestermite
1 Deceiver Exarch
1 Sea Gate Oracle
1 Priest of Urabrask
1 Invasive Species
1 Clone
1 Shaman of Spring
1 Mulldrifter
1 Acidic Slime
1 Brutalizer Exarch
1 Artisan of Kozilek
1 Pathrazer of Ulamog
1 Haru-Onna
1 Merchant of Secrets
1 Quickling
1 Ulamog's Crusher
1 Eternal Witness
1 Deadwood Treefolk
1 Voidmage Husher
1 Pilgrim's Eye
1 Tuktuk Scrapper
1 Zhur-Taa Druid
1 Perilous Myr
1 Roaring Primadox
1 Drumhunter
1 Sylvan Ranger
1 Alloy Myr
1 Scuttlemutt
1 Ingot Chewer
1 Augury Owl
1 Merfolk Looter
1 Wild Cantor
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Elvish Mystic
1 Fertilid
1 Wickerbough Elder
1 Wall of Roots
1 Citanul Woodreaders
1 Llanowar Empath
1 Species Gorger
1 Borderland Ranger
1 Elgaud Shieldmate
1 Keymaster Rogue
1 Stingerfling Spider
1 Timberland Guide
1 Satyr Grovedancer
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Thought Courier
1 Gryff Vanguard
1 Silvergill Adept
1 Kavu Climber
1 Mist Raven
Artifact [1]
1 Crystal Shard
Enchantment [2]
1 Clout of the Dominus
1 Rancor
Land [37]
9 Forest
9 Island
7 Mountain
1 Ancient Ziggurat
1 Gruul Turf
1 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Command Tower
1 Frontier Bivouac
1 Swiftwater Cliffs
1 Thornwood Falls
BTW the deck is worth 25 bucks not counting the general...which costs like 10 USD, eh...
EDIT: I cut like 6 lands and it works WAY BETTER.
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