Mythic Rare Policy

[Mayk0l]

I'm sorry if this subject has already been covered elsewhere, I couldn't find it.

When Wizards announced mythic rares we were sceptic: "what would Goyf cost if it were a Mythic?". Wizards reassured us that they wouldn't print Mythic Chaserares.
Now, like what, a year later? I'm chasing down cards like Jace, the Mind Sculptor for my Legacy deck and Baneslayer Angels for my Standard deck. It took me a considerable amount of time to find a third Elspeth for my Landstill deck.

I guess a lot of people predicted this would happen, and I don't really know what I'm trying to accomplish by posting this other than ventilating my frustration that it's so goddamn hard to find an affordable Jace, but what do you people think about this?

[Bardo]

Wizards reassured us that they wouldn't print Mythic Chaserares.

This statement is not true.

http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr334


We've also decided that there are certain things we specifically do not want to be mythic rares. The largest category is utility cards, what I'll define as cards that fill a universal function. Some examples of this category would be cycles of dual lands and cards like Mutavault or Char. That also addresses a long-standing issue that some players have had with certain rares like dual lands.

They said "utility" cards won't be Mythic. By all measures Jace and Baneslayer Angel would be printed as mythic (well, certainly for Jace; their call on Baneslayer).

Forsythe has gone on record (somewhere) saying that mythic cards should "feel mythic."

[paK0]

I'm not sure about Jace, but Elspeth and Baneslayer are definately not case Rares, people just charge more for them then what they are worth. If you look at this:
http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/standard/18584_Black_Magic_Analyzing_the_StarCityGamescom_Los_Angeles_Open_Standard_Results.html

It premium, but I think posting the field % is ok, its open information after all (if not pls remove it):
31% Jund: 95
9% Red: 28
8% UWR Control: 24
7% Grixis: 22
4% Vampires: 14
3% Boros Bushwhacker: 11
3% Eldrazi Green: 11
3% Bant: 10
3% Knightfall: 10
29% Other

The decks that have an own archtype and play Baneslayer MD only make up 14% of the field (UWR,Bant and Knightfall). That said Baneslayer does not show up in a lot of decks. I'm not 100% sure, but it is about the same in Extended. In Legacy and Vintage Baneslayers are "Rouge" at best. The same is true for Elspeth.

I'm not sure what causes the high price, but it is obvious that they are charged more for than what they are worth, since given their usage I would hesitate to put them into the "Chase Rare Status".

[Mayk0l]

Pako: I don't know about the American metagame, but in the Netherlands, Elspeth is run as a three off in any Landstill and the Rock list, and as a two off in most Bant CB/Top decks. It's not a "rogue card" by far, it's a definite staple (and it probably will be in America in a couple of months too).
Baneslayer Angel goes into any white deck (including the Naya decks). It doesn't matter if you stick them in your SB (a lot of people did) because you'll still need to buy/get them. The reason it's not thát prevalent is because everyone and their sisters are playing Jund.

I'll admit, they're not the chase rare Goyf is. But Goyf has surpassed even Force of Will and Dual Lands, it's in a league of its own.

Bardo: I see. I guess my memory let me down there. But still, how is Char considered a universal card whilst Elspeth is not (argueing that while Char could go into any burn deck as a suboptimal choice, Elspeth is awesome in any control deck running white that wants to win the game)?
How is Lotus Cobra not a utility creature? Does Warren Instigator feel Mythic too you at all (like, say, Progenitus does?)

[rooneg]

But still, how is Char considered a universal card whilst Elspeth is not (argueing that while Char could go into any burn deck as a suboptimal choice, Elspeth is awesome in any control deck running white that wants to win the game)?

As far as Char goes, don't think of it as "A suboptimal burn card", think of it as "the standard instant speed burn spell that costs 1 red mana", when char was in the base set that's the standard for that slot, these days it's lightning bolt. Char may be suboptimal by today's standards, but it was par for the course when it was printed, even though everyone who remembered lightning bolt knew that it sort of sucked. The non-mythicness of something like char is because the spell is of an archetype that always exists in the environment, not because of anything associated with its power level.