A Quantum Leap in Magic @ G.P. 2011 - Amsterdam

[The Knight who say Ni!]

Hi everybody!

With this post we would like to present QL Magic (www.qlmagic.com (http://www.qlmagic.com/)).

It is the format we have created to promote the way Magic was played until some years ago.
However we have introduced some variations to hopefully make the game even better.

We play Alpha Edition up to Scourge Edition, basically using 6° Ed. Rules.
Here (http://www.qlmagic.com/banned-restricted/) you can read the Banned-Restricted list and here (http://www.qlmagic.com/rules-ql/) you can download the Rules.

Remember that a very important feature of QL Magic is that only the cards with the old skin are allowed!
This makes the difference between what we think are two different ideas of Magic.
Finally, the upcoming event: QL Magic will be present at the Grand Prix 2011 in Amsterdam! (http://www.qlmagic.com/2011/09/29/flash-mob-ql-amsterdam/)

You and your QL decks are awaited in Dam Square, Thursday 20th October, 10 a.m.

It will be a wonderful opportunity for everyone who wants to experience this playing style and...

If you see a Chaos Orb flipping around the Dutch capital, don’t worry. It’s QL Magic!

[Admiral_Arzar]

This format sounded amazing, until I realized that every awesome combo was strategically banned or restricted from the get-go.

[pippo84]

This format sounded amazing, until I realized that every awesome combo was strategically banned or restricted from the get-go.

Can you explain yourself better please? Restricted cards aren't a problem with all the tutors you can play..

Most combo cards are banned or restricted to make the format playable for anyone.

I played this format and I have to say it's much more entertaining than Legacy!

Really, I had a ton of fun with my BUG deck and even decks like Mono Black or RG can be competitive.

And we all have to admit that the older layout is much better! :P

[Lemnear]

Mind's Desire is restricted AND banned. Moreover I wonder about a lot of cards on the lists. More insight would be nice (squee etc.)

[Zombie]

I'd argue the "new feel" began at Lorwyn/Alara, not necessarily at the modern card frame. TS block cards still feel more like the old stuff than the ones from Alara onwards. Lorwyn inhabits some weird place in the middle.

[The Knight who say Ni!]

Mind's Desire is restricted AND banned.

Thank you very much, there was a mistake. Mind's Desire is banned.

The guideline we have in mind when we take our decisions concerning the banned/restricted cards is to promote a way of playing based on a balanced, fair game.
So we prefer to exclude the cards that let someone obtain an infinite or very high number of lifepoints as well as infinite mana, damages, draws, tokens or "win at first turn" strategies.

[Admiral_Arzar]

Mind's Desire is banned.


TBH, I stopped reading right there, but have fun.

[AriLax]

Aluren is legal. Anyone wanting to win will just ranch people with Cavern Harpies.

[Sloshthedark]

Nice idea, I hate the new frame and dislike plainswalkers, equipment and whole direction Mtg of today is heading... although being a combo player I would appreciate this format being widely played

[The Knight who say Ni!]

Nice idea, I hate the new frame and dislike plainswalkers, equipment and whole direction Mtg of today is heading... although being a combo player I would appreciate this format being widely played


Thank you for your appreciation! Maybe the best way to help this format becoming widely played is to start playing it yourself involving your friends... ;o)

[Sloshthedark]

Thank you for your appreciation! Maybe the best way to help this format becoming widely played is to start playing it yourself involving your friends... ;o)

Well friend of mine has old design Highlander (except for Eternal Witness) and I'm building one myself too thou unpowered... just I don't have that much time to spend with deck designing and testing within more formats, so when I become too bored with Legacy I will anchor in these waters for sure...

[The Knight who say Ni!]

I become too bored with Legacy I will anchor in these waters for sure...

You are welcome.

Maybe the best way to help this format becoming widely played is to start playing it yourself involving your friends…

So, we just activated an host that it allows to play online using Magic Workstation (http://www.magicworkstation.com/index.php).
“Connect to opponent” calling the server mws.qlmagic.com
Then, join a table or create your own!

On qlmagic.com you can also download some amazing QLdeck (made for MWS) (http://www.qlmagic.com/qlmagic-workstation/),
so you can start to play immediately! :)

Enjoy it!

[Purgatory]

I often fail to understand the point of these formats, other than the obvious nostalgic value it might hold. To me, Magic is a much better game today than it was when I first started playing (Urza-block) and the rules these days offer a, to me, better gaming experience than the 6th Edition ones did. Then again, I was fairly new back then, and very casual, so I didn't have a good grasp of said rules, maybe they were better in some ways. I doubt it, though.

In any case, this reminds me of a Swedish format that is played by a group of hardcore old-school Magic players. It's simply called 93-94 and in it you are only allowed to play with cards from Alpha, Beta, Unlimited, Arabian Nights, Antiquites, Legends and The Dark, and only English variants of the same (i.e. no Italian Moats or Mana Drains). They use Vintage's Banned/Restricted list, with a few additions, like Mishra's Workshop, Maze of Ith, Power Artifact and Fork.

What bothers me with both of these formats is that while they are certainly trying to do something different from the regular tournament Magic experience, to me it all boils down to "it's Vintage, but..." and with the Vintage community shrinking as it is now*, I don't see the point in bringing more formats to a table which already has too few guests seated.

If this is a genuine attempt at creating a fun, varied and exciting format to play, or at least a format with a nice casual and friendly atmosphere, then more power to you and I wish you the best of luck in Amsterdam, but if it's just a silly "raaar, we hate the new card frame!" thing, then that issue should have been resolved, burned and buried like eight years ago, and you're just wasting everyones' time.

However, I'd like to think that it is the sooner rather than the latter, and I'd love to hear how the event at the GP turned out.

*: Here in Sweden we used to have a flourishing Vintage community, especially in the south-west parts (around Gothenburg, where large Vintage tournaments were held regularly), but with the advent of Legacy, the Vintage community all but swapped to the newer Eternal format. The last Vintage tournament I played in myself was two years ago, at one of the biggest cons in Sweden. The tournament was relegated to Saturday morning, and I was one of 17 people attending.

[The Knight who say Ni!]

I didn't have a good grasp of said rules, maybe they were better in some ways. I doubt it, though.

Thank you for your reply.
I can't say if 6th Edition rules are better... for sure the game is different!
... the fact is that you could not play 6th Edition rules because of the direction Wtoc policy has taken. And you/we lost this way to play...
So we decided to play QL.
Yeah, 6th ed. rules are very interesting and amazing! In QLmagic the cards are a joy for the eyes, the rules are strong. There's a lot of atmosphere and pathos during the match. This is Magic! (imho of course...)



If this is a genuine attempt at creating a fun, varied and exciting format to play, or at least a format with a nice casual and friendly atmosphere, then more power to you and I wish you the best of luck in Amsterdam, but if it's just a silly "raaar, we hate the new card frame!" thing, then that issue should have been resolved, burned and buried like eight years ago, and you're just wasting everyones' time.

We really love this format. It has many advantages to us, it helps us gather with friends who have our same taste, it allows us to be competitive without spending a lot of money (because we and our friends already have most cards we needs).

One of the features QL format presents is that it is not overpowered, so a mono-colored deck may be funny and playable too.
A QL-newbie can build an entry level QL deck with common and uncommon cards he can find abandoned in some boxes at the clubs or stores as well as with a cheap online order. We helped a lot of QL newbie to build Mono Green Elves, Mono Red Burns or Goblins, Mono Black Discard/Denial, Mono White Winnie decks...and they are competitive!
Think about Savannah Lions, the magical vanilla drop-1... no one is playing it anymore! It costs few cents and can be profitably played in a QL deck...

There is another thing to consider: Legacy players currently use double lands, fetch-lands, wastelands and FoW in their T1.5 deck.
So it is easy for them to build a QL deck or switch from a T1.5 deck to a QL one.


I'd love to hear how the event at the GP turned out.

We are 10 person, from my city, to go to Amsterdam and we all have a QL deck :wink:
Now with planswalker points casual format are sanctioned!! :laugh:

[lordofthepit]

Sounds awesome.

Two questions: are new-framed versions of older cards legal (i.e. Tenth Edition Wrath of God)? And are foils legal?

Edit: how about Judge promo Sword of Fire and Ice, which was printed with the old frame?

[The Knight who say Ni!]

Two questions: are new-framed versions of older cards legal (i.e. Tenth Edition Wrath of God)? And are foils legal?

thank you!
We also promote a game based on the old graphics, so we do not encourage the use of new skinned reprints, even if we do not forbid them.
Here (http://www.qlmagic.com/rules-ql/) you can read the main features of our way of playing.
Foils are pleyable.


Edit: how about Judge promo Sword of Fire and Ice, which was printed with the old frame?

You can't use Dark Confidant, Sword of Fire & Ice (old skinned-foil) from Judge Gift Program. Sorry...
Special cards (Judge Gift Program, pre-release, etc) are playable only if they are reprints of cards present in the editions listed on our site (http://www.qlmagic.com/banned-restricted/), except for Mana Crypt (Media Insert set).... A lot of people ask us to insert Mana Crypt in the restricted list, so...

[lordofthepit]

thank you!
We also promote a game based on the old graphics, so we do not encourage the use of new skinned reprints, even if we do not forbid them.
Here (http://www.qlmagic.com/rules-ql/) you can read the main features of our way of playing.
Foils are pleyable.

I might be in the minority, but I hate the look of foils as much as I do the new bordered cards. :mad:

[Hof]

So basically it's inverse Modern? Yes why not. I like it.

Some suggestions:
- Disallow new frames entirely - the 'allowed if reprint' and 'reduced sideboard if new frames are introduced' rules seem very confusing. Keep it simple.
- Ditch MWS and adopt Cockatrice.
- Do we have interrupts? If so, this should probably be listed under 'main features'.

Maybe I'll see you guys at the GP, my Legacy deck is almost legal already. :)

[Hof]

Good job on the 'power 9 restricted to 3' rule - I really like that one, simple and elegant. Well done!

[nedleeds]

Haahahahah the En-Kor are banned. Enjoy this format free of the eternal torment of nomads!

[AriLax]

So basically it's inverse Modern? Yes why not. I like it.

Some suggestions:
- Disallow new frames entirely - the 'allowed if reprint' and 'reduced sideboard if new frames are introduced' rules seem very confusing. Keep it simple.
- Ditch MWS and adopt Cockatrice.
- Do we have interrupts? If so, this should probably be listed under 'main features'.

Maybe I'll see you guys at the GP, my Legacy deck is almost legal already. :)

The disallowing reprints with new frames rule seems like bad PR for the format. If you want the format to be something you and a few buddies play at a kitchen table, sure, cool story bro. If you actually want people to be interested in the format, you want it to be reasonably open for people to join without having to find another 4 Grim Lavamancer.

[Ozymandias]

Chaos Orb? Girl, you for real?

[lordofthepit]

Please post updates on this at GP Amsterdam. A new format to counteract the ugliness of Modern frames is great.

[Richard Cheese]

I vote for pre-6th edition rules!