[MtG] Legendary rule changes for July 13 (among others)

[Miror B]

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/248e

 

Tl;dr:

Multiple players can control a copy of a legendary creature and they don't die. (DAMMIT CLONE CAN'T LEGEND KILL NOW DX)

If you control a legendary and play another copy of that card, you chose one to die and the other stays.

The above is also true for planeswalkers.

Indestructible is now a Keyword.

Unblockable will never be a keyword.

Multiple land effects got a bit too weird to explain in tl;dr format so READ THE ARTICLE.

All of this is effective June 13. June 29th for MtG Online.

 

Discuss how this could potentially change the game.

[Dementuo]

Well, Clone creatures just became a whole lot worse in EDH.

[Miror B]

Well, Clone creatures just became a whole lot worse in EDH.

On the bright side mirror matches are less painful.

[Mysty]

I'll go over each rule change separately:

Legend Rule changes

I personally am a fan of this change. There were a few flaws I found in the original system of Legendaries:
• Legendary cards are useless in hand if you already have one on the battlefield. Now they are situationally useful, which is a step up.
• Clones had no business being kill spells. Now they aren't. Then again, this means no easy way to solve Thrun, or most hexproof EDH generals.
• My only qualm is Brothers' Yamazaki. If he keeps his wording exactly, he becomes much worse, if that was even possible of course.

Flavorwise it feels strange, but then again, a card game can't be 100% flavor-fitting.

Planeswalker Uniqueness Rule changes

Again, a fan of this change. Planeswalkers were useless in hand while you had another out. Now they're situationally much more useful, not to mention the double Sarkhan combo no longer requires Vol to be at exact counters.

Again, strange flavor-wise, but again, card games aren't 100% flavor-fitting.

I was actually expecting them to update both of these rules into the same format as the World Rule from a long time ago. I'm rather glad they chose this route instead. In both cases, the mirror matches suck less.

Sideboard rules change

I was expecting the "fifteen or less" change at some point. I was not expecting the "changes don't have to be 1 for 1" change, and, honestly, I welcome it. It makes having lands in your sideboard a much more tactical choice and allows decks that rely heavily on all their cards to sideboard in properly against certain decks.

Indestructibility now a keyword change

It does have a small functional change, but I don't think it will do much except save space on cards (which is always welcome).

'"Unblockable" no longer existing as a word on cards' change

 

I'm all for it. Does it change anything? No. But it clears out a slight bit of confusion and clarifies the role of the ability - it isn't a keyword, it's just something that's true.
As such, we can expect "can't block" to never be a keyword either.

Overall, I'm happy for these rules changes and they make Blue slightly less powerful in EDH.

[.Rai]

On the bright side mirror matches are less painful.

Not in Legacy. In Legacy, one of the things making Jace balanced was being able to kill it with your own. Now, with little way to interact, Goblins are practically a dead deck (they can't interact with Jitte either now), and a lot of games will be 'Jace Races'. To be honest, no-one encounters EDH mirrors that often anyway.

Besides, the rule was fine as it was. It certainly made more sense flavour-wise than this, and gameplay was fine. Perhaps better.

Other changes are clean though.

[The Hounds Of Anubis]

In Legacy, the one thing keeping Jace fair is his mana cost. His "legendary" status plays actual zero part in it, especially when Jace isn't the only card in the format, by a long shot.


The people claiming the sky is falling over the new legend rule have their heads too far up their arses. It's a fine change and a pretty easy-to-grasp one.

[.Rai]

[quote name="Borderline Unplayable" post="6207123" timestamp="1369325044"]In Legacy, the one thing keeping Jace fair is his mana cost. His "legendary" status plays actual zero part in it, especially when Jace isn't the only card in the format, by a long shot.The people claiming the sky is falling over the new legend rule have their heads too far up their arses. It's a fine change and a pretty easy-to-grasp one.[/quote] Regardless, it changes Legacy. I'd say it's hard to judge how much, but it certainly makes Jace better to a certain degree. As with Jitte, Thalia and Clique. It's minor in the short run, but I'd say that design for planeswalkers and legendaries is a much more dangerous thing now. Much more dangerous.

[The Hounds Of Anubis]

This won't affect legacy outside of what Goblins and Merfolk can sideboard for certain matchups (namely Show and Tell).

[.Rai]

[quote name="Borderline Unplayable" post="6207132" timestamp="1369325908"]This won't affect legacy outside of what Goblins and Merfolk can sideboard for certain matchups (namely Show and Tell).[/quote] Those two decks do become worse post-sideboard though. To be honest, I'd have to see a Legacy tournament in action post-rule change to even judge it.

[Flame Dragon]

I agree that these changes are good. The issue of the Hexproof Legendary creatures becoming a lot more of a pain to deal with is something, but you just need to bite the bullet on that. 

 

I personally find it funny that people thing this is dumbing down the game.

[Miror B]

Edited title because i can never tell the difference between June and July for some reason :/

 

I agree that these changes are good. The issue of the Hexproof Legendary creatures becoming a lot more of a pain to deal with is something, but you just need to bite the bullet on that. 

 

I personally find it funny that people thing this is dumbing down the game.

Well it's kind of dumbing down the game in a way I think since it stops the whole legend kill strategies people tend to think up, but I don't think it's much or a bad way.

 

Also this is why they printed Glaring Spotlight :3

[Flame Dragon]

Edited title because i can never tell the difference between June and July for some reason :/

Well it's kind of dumbing down the game in a way I think since it stops the whole legend kill strategies people tend to think up, but I don't think it's much or a bad way.

Also this is why they printed Glaring Spotlight :3

It isn't much of a strategy. Not to mention think become more complicated when you have a board with two walkers on the field.

Also, I agree when people are saying that this is a build up for Theros having a Legendary subtheme.