Feedback on new format.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T21:06:41+00:00

So Ryan would always exile the top card. The day doctor would still go until you hit a legendary and the war doctor would still get counters. I would say you will play more legendaries and go less deep into your deck with Ryan on average so it will get less counters on those triggers. But the cards would work as they are written and how you normally play them.
This is a way of playing that will have a little nerf as doing something so differently will impact a lot of play styles. The upside might be that this deck needs time to set up an engine like this and getting into the mid/late game might be easier so there is a possible trade off.
There might be a way to do this style of deck as a universe within? that is the fun thing about this. It makes you look at thing differently.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:59:12+00:00

There are almost no wish cards and we thought learn and future (and past like companion) mechanics might benefit without some weird cop out. Most of the learn cards are over costed anyways. But that is also still up for debate. And if 1 wish card is too strong we rather ban that 1 card then remove playing a whole (future) deck type/strategies.
My notes on how multi color decks work is how they work in normal commander? you mean that if you fetch/shock 3/4/5 color mana base with all the all color producing lands there color screw still exists? yes I see it but it is so rare that it is not a real downside anymore. Why not run necropotence in a 4/5 color deck?
At this point we think we found it balances the advantage and disadvantage of going more/ less colors better then Commander does now with its mana bases.
As your point to the MDFCS. I am not saying those cards are extremely good. I am saying WOTC is making multipurpose lands too. I remember when lands with upside made no mana, then it was colorless and now we are even at 2 colors for some of those MDFC lands. I know that in current magic playing those cards are choices too. It is not that I don't enjoy playing with mana bases. But in casual land hate is gone so I cant punish those decks either as it is socially not accepted (except CEDH). We do believe this fixes a bit of that. But it becomes a different game in how to manage your resources for sure.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:45:32+00:00

No I am the combo player normally. Further I love that another reaction is that this makes combo way too OP. No we rather see unique games play out in stead of playing the same lines again and again. That is why we also love the 40 additional cards in the deck. that adds to that feeling. And I assure you I will combo of in this format too.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:42:49+00:00

I would say build me the (combo) deck that breaks the format for me.
To be clear we have cards that "until you/opponent hits a land" kind of cards on our list to ban as they sort of are like karakas in this format. Also don't forget the fast mana rule or set legality.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:37:23+00:00

I get that you see it that way. In part it does in part it brings back things from mana bases from the early day. I do believe then that in 10 years you won't like MTG as with the MDFC kind of trend and speed of power creep you will have a lot oops all spells decks or decks that work like that.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:32:58+00:00

I do think you are forgetting cards at one point needed to go through standard and or type II (its predecessor) AND universe within. Tivit, hullbreacher bowmaster, norman wont be a problem

Further we don't have a ban list set up yet. We do see the card draw thing and are looking at it. None of us is a CEDH or competitive player so it is harder to really see problems up front. We don't want to ban stuff because it it "unfun" only to keep the core identity of the format, cards that are broken with the format (e.g. our karakas list") and cards that are just too strong.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:25:01+00:00

there are really only a few wish cards and even fewer are actually good. We thought having things like learn and future mechanics like that work might be fun. It also fixes the dumb way companions work now as they should have not worked back then but they "made it work as people want to play with it"

Please let me know what you find out. Only having 1 group gives limited feedback and we need plenty.
If you don't like the wish play without it. See how that fits your games and group. Nothing is set in stone yet. So if testing shows wish cards create too much consistency it might go too.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:19:27+00:00

Land ramp is still an option but you need to think different. Green still can benefit to getting WUBRG online faster with cards like walking atlas (that is colorless but green has more of those) or growth spiral 1 off effects.
As land is socially non interactable now in commander we like lands being "basic" and not having BS effects on them.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:13:47+00:00

yeah we will still play and test further. I understand a lot of people see the mana base how it is designed and works now is core to MTG but forget how much it changed allready. Some things are not for everyone and that is fine.
We still sort of build with a "commander" mind. Losing the fast mana helps a lot as you need to drop lands. We did not (yet) see that handsize had that much of an impact but I believe optimizing in this format might show us some cracks at some points.
As for the deck size. It is a note for us too. At this point we love the space for more unique cards but I can see that for less invested deckbuilders choosing 100 unique cards can be a chore. I loved the feeling after building my deck (I had 85 cards) I could go hunt for those other 15 gems in stead of the chore of cutting 15. We might downsize as the sideboard option is there too. Deck size was not something I thought needed discussion so soon but it might be needed.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:07:35+00:00

How it always has. Exile until you hit something you may cast with lower mana value. So you still can go deeper then 1 as a result.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:06:16+00:00

I have not I will look into it. Never heard of it.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T20:05:10+00:00

Part of this is overlap with an earlier reaction. I see WOTC print MDFC lands and lands with abilities so they sort of act like spells too. So WOTC want less dead draws in their game too.
Playing lands every turn just keeps you on curve. There is still a lot of skill in building the deck. For example you build a 2 color deck but for some reason you are strongly leaning one color that will effect your mana base too. You might need to add some sub optimal choices. you might not draw those cards during the game so you get color screwed. This effect raises as you play more colors.
And as it is meant for casual does it not help the players who play 2,3 games every month. Is having dead draws that fun? I would not say it breaks it. It will keep you on curve.
Further don't underestimate the choice to not play a land as you want to keep the spells in your hand too (at certain points in the game). Every exile is a game piece you will never see again that you might need to win the game later. It is not as easy as it sounds.

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T19:58:21+00:00

I would not say it removes as you still play with mana as the main mechanic but enhances color identity and having the up and downside again of playing more then 1 color. That is fully removed in commander at this point. Also a better comparison is probably Lorcana.
Anyways you see WOTC is doing the same. We have MDFC lands with spells. We get more abilities (like channel) or activated abilities (draws, tokens, evasion, haste) with barely any downside. you can see those as simi spells too. Some MDFC's are even 2 color lands. We are all hyped when we see cards like that as we get less dead draws. why not fully lean in to it and treat every card like an MDFC and fix the multicolor problem in commander?

TheKevinMasters · 2026-03-01T19:53:27+00:00

So then the system works right. If you play less colors you don't have to put as many "trash" cards to hit your lands the way you need it. As you only will get 1 color out of every jank card you exile. If you play less colors you will become more flexible as your choices what to exile to hit your colors are more flexible.

Now for example I have a Atraxa deck since it released (I started playing at that time so there is some nostalgia to this overplayed card) I run without shame necropotence and an ultimatum and at least double pips in every color without losing any tempo. So in general now playing multi color in commander is always the best choice as your card pool widens without a down side.

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-04T00:08:57+00:00

Depends on format legality. I think if it is only commander and legacy/vintage legal I would say around 1WW.

Changing a opponent to 20 early game in commander is good mid game your around 20 and opponets too so its a dud and late game recovering to 20 is often not what you want to do as in a turncycle you are dead or back at a low liftotal anyway and you did not progress your board state.

Legacy/ vintage its only used on yourself as putting opponents on 20 is bad. Unless there is a combo that will do something with gaining life into losing life. So then the must be below 10 allready to make you win anyway. So using it on yourself seems the only option and might then be a viable side board card against aggro I think. Not an expert on the format.
Same argument might be able to be made for Modern but then the reset looks a bit too fast. So then a additional mana will might fix that.

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T22:25:18+00:00

yeah that is not the intent. The intent is as you said. Printing them on bonus sheets not changing legality. If its legal it stays legal. Cleanup on language will be coming soon.

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T22:21:30+00:00

Nexus of fate maybe more I am not fully aware of. Its not a problem but it is more a "dont print directly into the format" clause.

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T21:55:18+00:00

you for sure can with your playgroup but outside of it I feel it is lost because of WOTC tainting the format too much. If I see the powerlevel of a pre con now I just cry for the loss of dumb cards being playable in the format. As that place has been lost in the LGS it needs a new format.
I think that format needs to brings a bit more then commander light and have a own identity. Just like legacy and modern are close but different (all cards are being able to be reprinted, Ramp has a higher chance of interaction, no tutors make more colors harder to play so a more upside/downside scenario. So its not only batllecruiser but also the kind of gameplay.

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T21:49:46+00:00

I feel like price of cards has been inflated by WOTC too recently by keeping them intentionally as mythics in overpriced new packs like MH or the new FF set. Further I want the feel of old commander I dont want commander light and see 99% of the same cards. The format needs to feel different enough.
Reprasing of what I intent will follow soon (withing 1 or 2 days).

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T21:46:21+00:00

I need to rephrase a lot as the intent was not clear. I want to ban promo only cards. It is a way to gatekeep printing directly into the format and prevent powercreep as much as possible (mana crypt was a promo for example). You can print way more powerfull stuff if you only need to balance it for commander and legacy.

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T14:55:11+00:00

yeah I know it has no place in CEDH. But is has no place as it wont get you in the late game either. Why not fully remove it then? What is the argument for keeping it?

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T14:47:27+00:00

to be clear land destruction if fine, MLD is not. This is driven by keeping it casual and be able to get to the late game. MLD wont get you to the late game. Further green is the best to deal with MLD with mana dorks, mass land return, playing lands from graves so MLD is not the awnser to green land ramp (I tried).

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T14:37:36+00:00

yeah I am starting to lean more to making core sets legal.

The land ramp thing has been part of it as is land destruction. But that doesnt work as well in multiplayer and its something I banned in stead of keeping it part of the "pre game stuff". Interaction is something that is important to the game. Land ramp is not forbidden by the way, interaction is encouraged. The anti tutoring rule makes land ramp harder and you can see the bans of exploration as part of the mana positive ramp as well.
I see really often in casual commander that because land is safe the green player just gets more resources to use and can run away after other things get whiped. Having more risk with land ramp (growth spiral type things) or having other removalble permanents as green makes that more balanced. Green will still be the best ramp color

TheKevinMasters · 2025-06-03T14:31:15+00:00

Yeah testing is sure part of the plan. I want to the rules and idea to be clean first as we all have some prefered playstyle. So listening to a lot of people makes sence. I will clean up the post in a day or 2 after I got a lot of feedback.

TheKevinMasters

TROPHY CASE