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Regarding Transperancy I really like the explaining texts regarding Banlist and Watchlist changes.

I would like to see a "header text" for the Highlander format. While most format "veterans" know the vague standpoint of the council this would be a great benefit for newer players, so that those players can read the text and attain the basic concept of the format and the boundaries the council has set for the format. This header should provide an answer to a couple of format concerns:

- Reason for the exitance of the spoils mulligan
- How big should the role of "pure" combo be in the format?
Is combo allowed only as a fringe archetype or would it be okay as a deck to beat?
- How fast (on which turn?) are decks allowed to kill?
T1 kills okay? T2? T3?  
- What is the stance on unfun cards?
- Are there Banning principles regarding old and powerful cards?
Possible examples: draw 7 spells; 1cc tutors; fast artifact mana

I would also very much like to see the Banlist and Watchlist texts expanded to all cards on the banlist and the watchlist. This would obviously be a lot of work but I strongly believe that well reasoned explanations would further bolster trust in the decisions of the council and the support of the format both. Those texts would also allow an easy entrance into discussion regarding an unbanning at a later time. Right now I have the feeling the council is only concerned about playstrength of cards on the banlist but the influence of a frustration factor, format coherence, and metagame shaping should also be strongly considered. Formulating a strict aim for the format (a header text) and written explanation for all problematic cards explaining the concerns of the specific card would be my dream for the future of the format.

posted by CristophO in March

Whoa whoa whoa. Are you saying that if Frank was still running things Wizards would have never started printing countless bloodbraid elves? Or are you suggesting that we should ban them all? Because people don't have to use Eladamri's or Worldly to find those creatures, draw step will do as every card you draw has so much value.

And "shortest banlist possible" approach means that we seek to unban cards that have no impact like Yawgmoth's Will or Trinisphere, not that we are afraid to ban cards that are format distorting.

Following your line of argument, there is no reason to have cards like Vampiric Tutor, Mystical Tutor, Enlightened Tutor or Gifts Ungiven remain on the banned list.
In a format where we have access to so many creatures that are spells on legs I don´t understand the difference between the the "weak" creature tutors and the spell tutors.
Creatures do everything nowadays together  with being a clock. Hmm you´re playing angry Ghoul or Pattern Rector let´s get Oooze, RDW? here you go Kitchen Finks or Thrun or SFM for SoFI, oh you managed to put a win condition on the board Control Deck? Here you go I have removal for everything an it won´t cost more than three  mana since I´m able to look for Pridemage and Shriekmaw. I´m a little screwed let´s find a mana dork, I´m tired of not winnig gogo Power Titan, oh you played a tutor here is my Clique...
Creatures are able to attack all kinds of strategies and many many decks.
IMO there is no reason not to ban Worldly or Eladamri´s, it won´t change the format alot since there will always be the draw step, which will always give you the right answer at the right time...
And btw unbanning cards that have no impact is really going to stir up the format, and bring up some new and interresting decks.[Sarcasm off]

From my testing so far:
Aggro decks have to adapt by playing GY Hate or they will be loosing to the Dread Return, Scrambeld Eggs lists and Storm, because they can be faster than the aggro nut draws. Goodstuff will add less GY hate because they have more tutors for the same.
Control decks are getting better, because thy already have the tools to fight those decks (removal and counter).
Actually they are not getting better but the meta changes in their favor.

If the council wants some Turn2 combo Kill nut draws, than there is nothing about it one can do, except playing EDH.

I don´t think that a change of opinion after a discussion is a sign of weakness or s.th. that anybody should be ashamed of. Discussions are not about winning or loosing imo.
Lobbying will happen anyway, if it is in your local gaming group, on this board or via Facebook.
Local metas are very different and people will feel differently about cards and give different feedback.
I´m sure that Tabris will evaluate cards differently than Vazdru because of how people talk about them.

Cheers
Maggot

Is this one of these "We are doing the way it´s done, because this is the way it has always been done!" reasonings?
Honestly what are you guys afraid of?
Being stalked by some fanboi ´cause his fav card was banned?
I think it´s a legitimete request to learn sth about the decision making process of the council.
Please discuss this in your private thread  and think about if it is really necessary to hide this from your comunity. For my part I value the secrecy of votes very high so I think that individual votes should not be published but results would be nice 

Cheers
Maggot

Maybe you can make the threads readable after the bannings are out.

Hello,

I´m wondering if it´s possible to make the council banning discussion thread public so that everybody who is interrested can read it?

I believe it would be good for the community. Also it would make your rulings more comprehensible.

Thank you for your attention.

Cheers
Maggot

First take out Enlightened Tutor and Sol Ring.
Than decide if you want to play a Control or a Weenie deck.
At the moment it looks like you just took the white portion of a cube and slammed into a deck.

Regards
Maggot

Maggot (Necrotic Ooze Combo) 2:1 Tabris (UWr)

Game 1:

I was able to destroy his mana basis with double Vindicate, Beast within and Deed for Talisman and Token.
He didn´t draw lands so he conceded.

Game 2:

I started with birds wich he Misssteped. Gitaxian Probe revealed Oring, Counterspell, Mindcensor and two Plains. I than played a Hierarch and Inqisition taking Mindcensor. He played Relic of Progenitus, no combo with that in play, so I played Ritual into Thornling and Therapy taking Oring. He popped Relic to draw a card, than he had Stoneforge into Batterskull. He drew Sword of fire Ice at some point so the Game was at a Stall with him gaining life and Cards in hand. I conceded to Blood Moon. With two reanimator spells and a countered Buried alive in the graveyard.

Game 3:

Me: Fetch, Underground River, Ritual, Buried alive: Ooze, Triskelion & Devourer.
He: Island
Me: Wasteland, Life// Death-> Ooze.
He: Brainstorm which found no blue spell for FoW
I still had FoW+pitch and Necromancy in hand.
Guess thats what you call a nut draw...

GGs

Tabris is going to put a Video of the games online soon.

Maggot (Necrotic Ooze Combo) 2:1 Payron (UWr- Control)

Game 1:
I was able to asemble the Combo really quickly.

Game 2:
His disruption together with Future Sight & Humility was to much for me.

Game 3:
In the beginning I was screwed and he countered Buried alive twice. He resolved Humility in a counter war but had to dump his hand due to Perplex. After that I was able to transmute into Pulse for Humility and regrow Buried Alive. Exume settled the game.

GGs

Maggot (Necrotic Ooze Combo)2:0 Nastaboi (Dredge)

I comboed off both games on Turn4.
First game it was Hermit Druid + Exume
Second Game Buried Alive + Reanimate.

GGs

So I´m back online and ready to play my matches...
ICQ:401657093

Since I´m working night shifts it´s best for me to play in the afternoon or early evening.
I´ve added most of you on icq already...

Looking forward to some good games...

Sincerly
Maggot

Niederhausen / Martin /Germany / ICQ will follow as the the technician comes on tuesday to repair my inet...

I can't understand why anyone would play Mox Diamond in an aggro deck. Chrome is perfectly acceptable in WW/rdw.

I disagree with that evaluation.
In an Aggro deck the gained tempo of MD makes up for the possible missed landdrop, but the card(spell) disadvantedge of Chrome is more relevant, because it is harder to make it up.

In a dedicated rdw, boros or Stax I still would play both, because the draws with them are very good and the gained speed is hard to handle for many decks.

Where are the lists? I want lists! I need lists!

Here are the Decklists for the Top8:
http://www.magicplayer.org/forum/index.php?topic=718.msg6585#new

Cheers
Maggot