Last updated on September 25, 2024
Mana Crypt | Illustration by Matt Stewart
The Commander Rules committee has just announced shocking new bannings for Commander, shaking up the format and removing some of the most played cards from the format.
Banned:
The rules committee stated that these cards provided far too much value early on and often created all-against-one scenarios.
“Commander has always had the potential for someone to get out to a fast start,” they said. “Occasional games like that are fine, but it shouldn't be common, and we're takings steps to bring that frequency down a bit by banning three of the most explosive plays in the format.”
These were some of the most powerful and popular cards in the entire format, with Dockside having a 16% play rate and Mana Crypt and Jeweled Lotus being staples of high-power decks since their release. The cEDH scene, which was already slowing down when it came to deck speed, takes a major hit from these bans (especially slower blue decks).
Not only were these cards incredibly popular, but they were also incredibly expensive and saw little play outside of these formats.
Mana Crypt was approaching the $200 range and heading back towards its peak for $250, and Jeweled Lotus was breaching $100 once more. If you bought these cards recently, you're completely out of luck.
September 25 Update: The Commander Rules Committee released a followup FAQ addressing some of the concerns of the community following backlash against the bans. They notably said that they did not sell any cards prior to the ban and will not roll back these changes. They even admitted they could've given more advance notice of the announcement.
The Rules Committee also specifically mentioned that they had discussed their concerns with fast mana with WotC, and still decided to go through with the bans despite these cards being recently put into product.
Community Reaction
There have been a mix of reactions to the ban following the announcement, with players split over which cards were worthy targets or not– espeically Mana Crypt and Jeweled Lotus.
Brian Kibler, a former MTG Pro and host of Commander At Home, was disappointed by the announcement.
Patrick Sullivan, an MTG caster and Commander player, viewed the bans as a net-positive but “brutal” hit to players who spent money on some of the most expensive cards in the entire format.
Wrap Up
These cards have existed for years with their high popularity and play rate, some even being reprinted into recent Commander products, and that causes this announcement to come as a shock to most of the playerbase.
While the effect of these bans on the meta and health of the format is debated and yet to be seen, one impact undoubtedly is the financial hit to players who have recently bought these cards. If you were to have bought all four of these cards last week, you would be out nearly $400 USD.
However, the financial woes of players haven't stopped WotC from hitting problem cards before, and it's unlikely ever to do so.
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