Changes to the planeswalker uniqueness rule

[ankharlyn]

I have to say I hate the legend changes. Just as I'm almost done with my Legacy deck so I can start playing a format that's not just "turn guys sideways lolz", they spring this crap on us. It seems like they are slowly sucking all interactivity and actual strategy out of this game in the name of making it so you can just auto-pilot through by chucking down cards without even looking at the opponent's board. Just throw stuff down and turn dudes sideways! Yeah! That's what Magic should be all about.

[JanoschEausH]

I like the SB-Rule! It occured to me sometimes that i didn't really want to board stuff out but wanted to add 1-2 cards from the SB. Thats possible now.

[Smmenen]

Holy shit, Mox Opal got way better with this update. It literally has no downsides now.

Yes it does: Metalcraft. Having multiple Mox Opal doesn't feed itself in terms of metalcraft. You can still only have 1 in play at a time. Having a multi-Mox Opal hand means you are even less likely to get Metalcraft any time soon.

I LOVE all of these changes. I think they give players more opportunity to compete.

The problem with the uniqueness rule is that it overly rewarded the first person to have a legend/planeswalker. Now, the second player can attempt to compete. I love it.

[Gheizen64]

This isn't a bad rule imho, even if it make some cards stronger. Also, could this change pave the way for Legendary Duals? Without the auto-waste effect i think they could really be a viable, printable alternative right now.

EDIT:
Yes guys, Opal are getting better, but opening with 2 opals, 1 land in hand still sucks because they still don't do anything if you're light on permanent. You need 2xLED/Petals. I guess it isn't unlikely, but Opal was already super good in those situations. But having 2 Opals in hand still sucks because you'd rather have another artifact so i think players will still play 2 or 3 and not 4.
Flagstones on the other hand are now super plains that double as painless fetches for plain duals. All Wx decks got a bit better from this, you have the best shuffle effects.

[Barook]

Flagstones on the other hand are now super plains that double as painless fetches for plain duals. All Wx decks got a bit better from this, you have the best shuffle effects.

Flagstones also feed Dust Bowl which could turn out to be relevant as well when you're already running 4 Flagstones.

[DLifshitz]

Flagstones also feed Dust Bowl which could turn out to be relevant as well when you're already running 4 Flagstones.

And 2 x Cataclysm in the sideboard.

I don't really like the rules change much, mainly because I don't like "untouchable" creatures like Geist or Emrakul that can be difficult to kill otherwise (in other formats, anyway). As people have been quick to point out, many cards will now work quite differently, so it's a pretty drastic change.

[Adryan]

And 2 x Cataclysm in the sideboard.

I don't really like the rules change much, mainly because I don't like "untouchable" creatures like Geist or Emrakul that can be difficult to kill otherwise (in other formats, anyway). As people have been quick to point out, many cards will now work quite differently, so it's a pretty drastic change.

I love the change. The part i love the most in legacy, the control mirror became more complex and more skill intensive.
Awesome.

[Zand]

I like the rule changes in general. No longer will the first Jace landed win you the game etc etc. However, I am somewhat concerned by the power of Liliana, chaining edicts is now a big bummer... Jitte somehow got more obnoxious in creature matchups, which is somewhat annoying.

[evanmartyr]

Sideboarding change is good, although it is a bit weird that they didn't explicitly state whether you had to begin game 1 with 60 cards (assuming a 60 card deck). So theoretically, if you'd scouted your opponent beforehand, you may be able to start game 1 with a 64/11 setup. Unless they're intending for your game 1 to always use your registered maindeck list, but they didn't explicitly say that.

Legend and Planeswalker rule is fucking dumb. Unless Theros is going to be like p3k, where every third creature is a legend and the format would grind to a halt with the previous legend rule incarnation...but christ. Legends are legends. I get that changing it so you can play legendary permanents that kill your own old ones makes some sort of sense (instead of both just going poof), but letting multiple copies of a "unique" thing exist is silly.

And way to neuter mono green storm with the land drop thing, WotC. Thanks for that o.0

[Hof]

Sideboarding change is good, although it is a bit weird that they didn't explicitly state whether you had to begin game 1 with 60 cards (assuming a 60 card deck). So theoretically, if you'd scouted your opponent beforehand, you may be able to start game 1 with a 64/11 setup. Unless they're intending for your game 1 to always use your registered maindeck list, but they didn't explicitly say that.

Yes, they did.

I like these changes for the most part. I think they make a lot of sense.

[Malchar]

I support the change to the extent that blue no longer has the monopoly on killing legends with clone effects.

[Gheizen64]

I support the change to the extent that blue no longer has the monopoly on killing legends with clone effects.

Well, against SnT this is probably better (except for Griselbrand).

[Higgs]

It seems like they are slowly sucking all interactivity and actual strategy out of this game in the name of making it so you can just auto-pilot through by chucking down cards without even looking at the opponent's board. Just throw stuff down and turn dudes sideways! Yeah! That's what Magic should be all about.

Pretty much this. And nothing else.

[Tao]

I have to say I hate the legend changes. Just as I'm almost done with my Legacy deck so I can start playing a format that's not just "turn guys sideways lolz", they spring this crap on us. It seems like they are slowly sucking all interactivity and actual strategy out of this game in the name of making it so you can just auto-pilot through by chucking down cards without even looking at the opponent's board. Just throw stuff down and turn dudes sideways! Yeah! That's what Magic should be all about.

If anything the game gets more interactive with this. And how in the world would this rules change promote "turn guys sideways lolz"? Or playing on Auto-Pilot? And why wouldn't you have to look on your opponent's board anymore?

[bruizar]

Pretty much this. And nothing else.

So funny how hardcore players are so often resistant to change. It doesn't really matter what they change, some people will always favor the status quo.

[Nonex]

I support the change to the extent that blue no longer has the monopoly on killing legends with clone effects.

Phyrexian Metamorph. Problem solved.

Frankly, as much as I loathe blue being as overpowered as it is, I hate how untouchable monsters like Progenitus and Emrakul are now even harder to kill. Clones were one of the few safe assets out there against the current power creep. I'd rather have them print clones on other colors than this.

[Darkenslight]

Sideboarding change is good, although it is a bit weird that they didn't explicitly state whether you had to begin game 1 with 60 cards (assuming a 60 card deck). So theoretically, if you'd scouted your opponent beforehand, you may be able to start game 1 with a 64/11 setup. Unless they're intending for your game 1 to always use your registered maindeck list, but they didn't explicitly say that.

Legend and Planeswalker rule is fucking dumb. Unless Theros is going to be like p3k, where every third creature is a legend and the format would grind to a halt with the previous legend rule incarnation...but christ. Legends are legends. I get that changing it so you can play legendary permanents that kill your own old ones makes some sort of sense (instead of both just going poof), but letting multiple copies of a "unique" thing exist is silly.

And way to neuter mono green storm with the land drop thing, WotC. Thanks for that o.0

They did: in the article by Sam Stoddard, it explicitly mentions Legendary Lands in Theros as one of the major reasons that the rule was changed. I sort of like these changes, for the most part, though I can easily see how they could rub people the wrong way.

[Gheizen64]

They did: in the article by Sam Stoddard, it explicitly mentions Legendary Lands in Theros as one of the major reasons that the rule was changed. I sort of like these changes, for the most part, though I can easily see how they could rub people the wrong way.

PLZ BE LEGENDARY DUALS PLZ PLZ.

No but seriously with the new rule Legendary duals would just be perfect with Fetches. Run 2 of them, loads of fetches and maybe 1 or 2 normal duals et voilà, Legacy is largely affordable once again, attendance growth, world hunger ends, war ends, we discover the Alcubierre drive and get to explore the galaxy.

[Barook]

They did: in the article by Sam Stoddard, it explicitly mentions Legendary Lands in Theros as one of the major reasons that the rule was changed. I sort of like these changes, for the most part, though I can easily see how they could rub people the wrong way.

So, in the end, it all comes down to cheap land destruction again?

Maro's "Fun" Policy™ - ruining Magic bit for bit since 2004

[(nameless one)]

I just realized something:

If you're Merfolk and your opponent Show and Tells an Emrakul, you can Vial in Phantasmal Image at the end of his turn copying your opponent's Emrakul.

Then you can swing with that Emrakul for the win!