Answer:
The format is based on the same named movie starring Christopher Lambert in the main role named "Highlander". The persons are deemed immortal where in the end only one can remain. Based on the sub-title of this film came the idea for this format, "There can be only one".
Answer: A 100 card minimum has some clear and obvious advantages over 60 cards:
Enough distance from standard formats to not discourage the pros, but also encourage casual players to play.
Answer:
Highlander matches, because of their inherent slower nature, require a longer period of time to play. The 50 or 60 minute timelimit quickly becomes exhausted. Also the deckshuffling especially pile-shuffling and also deck-searching effects require considerably more time. The addition of a Sideboard would exceed all available timelimits.
Also it is an incentive in this format to build a deck which will compete competitively against all other decks. The deck must be constructed in keeping with the current metagame. You must have answers to all threats which an opponent could present. One card which is against one deck a "hoser" may be against other decks "dead". Games after sideboarding would have an inherent luck factor since the player drawing the first sideboard card has a greater chance to win.
Answer:
Whenever one starts out to build standards for a non-sanctioned DCI format, there will always be friends and enemies of such projects. Most of the discussions will revolve around cards on the banned list. Complaints stating "why is my favourite card XYZ banned" and others "I always lose to card ABC and that should be banned" run rampant and it is impossible to satisfy everyone.
The banned list which is currently applicable for Highlander using the MagicPlayer.org rules is based on over eight years of experience with this format and playing in over 100+ tournaments and many, many casual evenings. The banned list is not just maintained by one person, but there is a committee ("Highlander Council ") which includes the six most active participants in the Dortmund area which discuss and decide together over the bannings.
The major aspects and goals we follow in our banning stategy are:
Of course we don't expect everyone to agree with the decisions the committee makes. This is not possible where we attempt to satisfy the pro-tournament player as well as the casual player.
Within the highlander format we wish to encourage a large variety of decks and the games should be decided over play-skill rather than top-decking the god-card.
A person may obtain an decisive advantage by being the first to topdeck a card. This card must not have a too high performance/cost ratio. Examples where the effect far outweighs the cost are: Sol Ring, Black Lotus and the Moxen.
Answer:
This would be of course the easiest way especially since we wouldn't be responsible for the list. The frequent criticisms brought against us would be rendered useless since the DCI would be responsible. But we would be neglecting the format by making life easy!
A special format with 100 cards also requires an individual banned list that covers the idiosyncracies of this format. The Legacy banned list is made with a "60 Card / 4 of each" frame of reference and is only useful in that type of environment.
Answer:
Just as in any other format, there is no "best deck." How good a deck is will be dependent on quite a number of factors including player-skill and the metagame etc. The goal of the Highlander committee is to maintain a banned list and to react to the metagame when certain decks begin to dominate. We strive to maintain the rock-scissors-paper concept. Each deck type requires an antagonist and this antagonist should not lose against all other decks.
Combo decks should be possible but not dominate. We encourage variety where Beatdown, Recursion, Control or Combo all have an equal chance of success. Combinations such as Tinker / Colossus or Crucible / Strip Mine are discouraged. Combo deserves special attention, since manyif not most players hate to lose to a combo deck because of it's lack of interaction on the way to the combo.
Answer:
In contrast to other formats, it is difficult to build a good Highlander deck from scratch. You build a solid base after which you tune the deck through experience and playtesting. You should not become discouraged should you new deck become trounced through other established decks, rather through testing you should determine the weaknesses of your deck and respond accordingly. Here it is often best to settle on a strategy and build a solid deck around this stategy also taking into account the current metagame.
Answer:
We wish to make this format available and accessible for as many persons as possible without being too restricted by the wallet. Here care must be taken that the played cards from such editions not differ from the back side from "normal" cards e.g. using opaque card shields or rounding the corners of I.E. or C.E. cards. This preserves the availability of the format for beginners without restricting the card pool.
Answer:
No. The Highlander committee will monitor the format and strive for a variable and balanced format. To conserve this balance, changes will be made to the banned list (see question 10). Potential changes may be reflected in the watch list which gives a clue to which cards are under closer scrutiny. (see question 11) The committee will decide over the bannings and unbannings of cards and ask your input e.g. through the forums.
Answer:
Changes will be announced four times a year on the following dates: January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, October 1st. The changes will take effect on the 15th of the same month the change was announced.
Answer:
Cards placed on the watch list when a card is considered a problem in the current metagame. These cards come are under greater scrutiny through added playtesting and discussions before possibly being placed on the banned list.
Answer:
Wishes are not useless since there are many methods to remove cards from game and make them available for wishing. This may make a wish attractive for inclusion. Of course the wishes are not as strong as in other formats since sideboards are not available. Please see question 3: "Why are sideboards not allowed?".
Answer:
Through the nature of statistics, the chances of building groups of lands within the deck are higher with a 100 card deck than with a 60 card deck. This results in more starting hands with very few or very many lands. Since we wish to minimize situations where games are won through mana screw or mana flood, this additional mulligan rule was introduced. The introduction of this rule as indeed balanced out this statistical imbalance.
Answer:
Perhaps because nobody has asked the question yet? :)
You are invited to join in the discussions based on this format within the forum.