This take only makes sense if you already enjoy current modern and don't want it to change.
As long as the reserved list exists legacy will slowly erode regardless of whatever happens to modern.
If modern evolves to the point that the play experience isn't meaningfully different to legacy then why would I complain, because it means I can get the legacy experience I currently enjoy in a reprintable (read: cheaper, more accessible, higher player numbers) format.
Fair point. I, and many others, do think modern is in a healthy state right now and doesn't need an aggressive upheaval. That points to me that the intended audience for this set is WOTC, not modern nor legacy players.
And yes, it could be good (better tournament coverage and more support). It could also be bad. But for me, one thing is sure, that is that they are converging legacy and modern into one eternal format. (And rumors are they will introduce a new 'super standard' format in the future starting from either core / dominaria so that it is in sync with the current sets on MTG Arena. This way, reserved list cards will no longer see competitive, sanctioned tournaments and they will have dealt with the reserved list once and for all.
This is already happening / has happened regardless of new cards for modern.
You can make the exact same argument ("WotC is focusing all their attention on modern and Legacy/Vintage are cancelled") just based on the fact that modern even exists in the first place
I would rather modern gets attention than they upend the entire eternal format landscape again by phasing out modern and replacing it with Dom-On or whatever is its speculated successor
I foresee the following reprints as likely:
Baleful Strix
Leovold, Emissary of Trest
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
Daze
Flusterstorm
Imperial recruiter
Rishadan Port
Maze of Ith
Cabal Therapy
Lotus Petal
Pyroblast
Crop Rotation
Diabolic Edict
Sylvan Library
Council's Judgment
Veteran Explorer
Containment Priest
Berserk
Personal Tutor
Goblin Welder
Hymn to Tourach
Dack Fayden
Pernicious Deed
Ancient Tomb
Gamble
Entomb
Back to Basics
Karakas
Rishadan Port
Brightling
Spellseeker
Oubliette
Lord Windgrace
Many of the block tribal cards (Merfolk and Goblins)
Many of the madness cards like Basking Rootwalla and Circular Logic
More Commander cards
More Portal Three Kingdoms cards
Cards from Battlebond
And these as unlikely, but possible:
Wasteland
True-name nemesis
Brainstorm
Force of Will
Show and tell
What else did I miss?
I see most of these as very unlikely. A lot for a bunch of reasons Leo is seen as a mistake for example, so they are unlikely to repeat it. Hymn is a no because it can hit Lands and that's a new no no. Lotus Petal or Tomb is more fast mana, something they have been squashing. Most of your list is things I would bet solidly against ever seeing print in Modern. The idealogy of the format is not the same as Legacy. There are kid gloves in Modern.
The card I would put my money on is Counterspell. Word is they tried to get it into Dom and failed. If they did that then they have likely already judged it fine for Modern (thank fuck) and this set idea may have come from talks about what to do wuth cards like that. Ones they see as fine in Modern but would hurt their precious Standard. It's why I think Daze is also a possible option. That part I think you have right. Daze is easy to play around, but offers some small amounts of free interaction that I feel Modern lacks.
I'd be pretty chill about a new eternal format that just didn't have reserve list cards TBH as then I could sell my duals and just play that instead, plus be able to take part in more than just one major GP tournament every 5 years.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Nevermind, I should RTFC.
I doubt we would get any fast mana cards as Mox Opal and SSG are already iffy.
Hate cards like Flusterstorm, Containment Priests and the likes are probably the best candidates for reprints. We might also see stuff like the Confluence cycle.
"The Ancients teach us that if we can but last, we shall prevail."
—Kaysa, Elder Druid of the Juniper Order
I might be misremembering, but I thought they didn't have a flying fuck what they were doing and just making it up as they went along.
Their press releases are so vague not for our hyperactive imagination's sake, but because they don't actually know themselves.
Even writing this I'm thinking maybe I'm being too hard on them but even the non-business game side is in shambles with stuff like Hostage Taker making it to print without somebody proofreading to see it combos with itself. Oh well
My LGS owner reckons this might be more about Arena than anything else. WotC are apparently withdrawing their support for store events and shifting most of their focus online. He said Arena is now their dominant revenue stream which seems crazy to me that it has got there so quickly but I guess it could be true.
I don't buy this. I find it hard to believe that Arena has superseded paper sales metrics even closely. While margin is naturally higher on a digital product, I doubt if there are enough Arena sales to make up the difference.
What I do think though, is that Arena is the growth area by a vastly wide margin. Where paper sales have likely been flat to slightly negative, Arena revenue is likely on the steady rise.
It makes absolutely zero sense for Wizards to want to kill Paper. What you are likely right on though, is that they are shifting the focus, from a low practical growth segment to a high potential growth segment. What makes no sense though, is to kill your steady revenue stream to do it. Which, while pulling some support does hurt, Paper will continue to be the dominant form of Magic, just one less focused on promotionally.
You can't focus on two things at once. That's not focus. The focus now is Arena, so Paper will "suffer" a bit, but that's just the nature of the beast. If you think Paper will go away though, consider, for how long have people insisted Paper books would be gone? They are still here.
"The Ancients teach us that if we can but last, we shall prevail."
—Kaysa, Elder Druid of the Juniper Order
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