Quote Originally Posted by Setherial View Post
Jesus Christ People, the format is fine, leave it alone and adjust to changing times. That's what this is about, people want to point a finger rather then adapt to change. I've been reading this crap all over the place for over a month now. What's wrong with people these days. Do we have to ban everything? really?
Relax. We're having a discussion here.

There is a format like that, it's called Modern, it's boring.
To you, maybe.

When I started playing this format it was pretty stable. Then a year, maybe 2 or so ago they banned Survival, a card that was concidered Tier2 until vengevine came along, then right out of the blue, lets not adjust people, lets ban, few months time, just like that, ban. And ever since it's like poeple want a ban every few months. That's what it feels like to me at least. I'm sure you all read sdematt posting 'Talking Shop...', well the guy makes sense. The fact that this poll says 78% No to banning Brainstorm makes sense. It's the people that complain that don't make sense.
Brainstorm is an incredibly powerful Magic card, and it only got that much better with Snapcaster Mage (believe it or not). You're going to have people who don't want to deal with that, and that is what creates diversity. If everyone wanted to play the same thing, this discussion would be over.

Also what's the point of banning brainstorm. Do you really think combo is going to take the hit, really?
You've obviously never played Combo (Storm, mid-range, /Control, etc.) - with Brainstorm. To assume it wouldn't be adversely affected by a Brainstorm-banning would be ridiculous. Brainstorm is not replaceable like a Mystical Tutor was. It's a critical draw/filter spell that presents the said player with an incredible amount of options - at instant speed - for the cost of a single Blue mana - and puts a (potentially) critical accelerant or tutor piece into your hand now rather than later.

It also acts as protection against targeted discard spells like Duress, Thoughtseize, etc., thus allowing you to keep that critical card on top of your deck and potentially setting up your next turn with the win. No other spell in Legacy could do that at Brainstorm's cost on turn one.

No control is going to take the full hit. Decks that play 24 land and need brainstorm or die like UW BladeControl and Landstill. Combo adjusts like it always does.
I just think if the people who started this silly debate were seeing more GWx Maverick and Combo Elves decks in their meta they would not cry wolf so fast.
We just banned Mental Mistep and we have a brand new meta because of it, people demanding a ban after a ban this quick is just absurd.
Not only are you massively incorrect in assuming Control variants will take the full brunt of a potential Brainstorm banning, but you'd also see a drastic change in Combo of all variants - shifting to more suicidal variants like Belcher, SI, etc. Those decks might not be exclusively the "best" choices for Combo right now as it stands, but you can take it to the bank that if Brainstorm got the proverbial "axe to the forehead," Combo decks bearing a similarly aggressive, yet partially 'auto-piloted' strategy that never used Brainstorm to begin with would surge in popularity.

Brainstorm would greatly diminish the consistency of many Combo decks.

Also, you can't really blame people for wanting to discuss this matter, because when Mental Misstep was printed, no one had any idea an incredibly powerful card like Snapcaster Mage would subsequently be printed shortly thereafter - in essence creating two similar yet diverse discussions involving two cards that just happened to follow each other almost chronologically - bearing incredible popularity and results in the process.

It's no one's fault.