If you could unban one card for one of your EDH decks, which would it be?

[WWolfe]

So this conversation came up last night at my LGS...

If you could unban one card for one of your EDH decks, which would it be?

I had a hard time choosing between Prophet of Kruphix and Gifts Ungiven for my Sidisi, Brood Tyrant deck. I eventually decided on Gifts Ungiven. It's really not all that different from Intuition which is legal. It's one mana more for picking 4 cards and the opponent picking two for your hand whereas Intuition picks 3 cards with the opponent picking 1 to go to your hand. I guess the biggest difference is it only costs one more mana for the additional card.

Anyway, what would your choice be?

[ApothecaryGeist]

Mox Ruby

Because my mono-red decks need all the ramp they can get their hands on.  Especially Etali.

Happy Brewing!

[Morganator 2.0]

I don't have any decks for them, but I think it would be fine if Biorhythm, Gifts Ungiven, and Prophet of Kruphix were unbanned.

Also, while we're talking about bannings, is there an article somewhere that gives the justifications for these bannings? Some of them I can see the reasoning, but Gifts Ungiven and Prophet of Kruphix have always confused me.

[WWolfe]

I guess in theory, Gifts Ungiven gives you the ability to tutor for a winning 2 card combo and 2 ways to bring it back from the GY, put each in a pile and your opponents  really doesn't have a good choice. I can do something similar with Jarad's Order where I get the choice of which goes where (for instance, Body Double to my hand, Craterhoof to the bin).


ETA- found the explanation from the RC, it's basically what I thought though I would argue Protean Hulk was unbanned and it has a similar effect (Mike & Trike for instance) where there is no choice for your opponents and they go straight into play for only 3 more mana which is probably less than they would cost to cast.  http://mtgcommander.net/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2074

[Red_Wyrm]

Prophet of kruphix or shahrazad. Biorythm would actually be a fun card to build around. Some sort of sultai control deck where you basically cast one sided board wipes like in garruk's wake or cyclonic rift and then biorhythm.

[ApothecaryGeist]

or shahrazad.

For someone who is constantly shouting about the evils of slivers, this is absolutely SADISTIC.

 

[Red_Wyrm]

or shahrazad.

For someone who is constantly shouting about the evils of slivers, this is absolutely SADISTIC.

 

🙄

[Morganator 2.0]

The important detail about Shahrazad is that it doesn't exile itself. So after your subgame is over, you can recur it and then play another subgame.

[Red_Wyrm]

The important detail about Shahrazad is that it doesn't exile itself. So after your subgame is over, you can recur it and then play another subgame.

Ohhhh. This makes me happy. I didnt even think about that. Oh what fun we will have together shahrazad.

[WWolfe]

The important detail about Shahrazad is that it doesn't exile itself. So after your subgame is over, you can recur it and then play another subgame.

Ohhhh. This makes me happy. I didnt even think about that. Oh what fun we will have together shahrazad.

And you call me evil for liking Slivers?

In all seriousness, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Primeval Titan yet...or are we all admitting we get how broken it is?

[Morganator 2.0]

Primeval Titan is powerful, I just don't know if it's too powerful. The commander banlist was built on banning cards that are "not fun" (whatever that means), but I can't think of what Primeval Titan does that is not fun. What are our options?

Dark Depths + Thespian's Stage
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth + Cabal Coffers
Mistveil Plains + Strip Mine
Gaea's Cradle + Deserted Temple
Vesuva + The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale

None of those options seem all that bad except for that last one, and that's more of an issue with the Tabernacle.

[WWolfe]

I agree. Before it was banned I ran it and played against it. It's a powerful card and there were times it was clearly a deciding factor in the game, but you can say the same thing about Paradox Engine, Expropriate, and any number of other cards that are arguably just as, if not, more powerful.

[ApothecaryGeist]

I also remember when Primeval Titan was banned.

There was some sentiment among the EDH community at the time that if you weren't playing green, then you were doing it wrong.  This was all because of Prime Time.  It's not just the ETB trigger.  You can ramp 2 non-basics every turn for just the low price of attacking with a 6/6 trample.  No other card lets you do that for just 6 mana.  Games often became a race of who could get their Prime Time online first.

Sure, there are answers.  This is Magic.  There are ALWAYS answers (except for emblems, but that's a completely different rant )  But if you need a turn or two to get them, it's often too late against the player who has gotten 3 or 4 Primeval Titan triggers.  Even if they weren't getting degenerate land combos.

I will say, of all the banned cards this one surprised me the second most.  The most surprising to me was Sylvan Primordial.

Happy Brewing

[Devour]

Urza, Academy Headmaster.

Then make him legal as a commander.

[Soren841]

I don't have any decks for them, but I think it would be fine if Biorhythm, Gifts Ungiven, and Prophet of Kruphix were unbanned.

Also, while we're talking about bannings, is there an article somewhere that gives the justifications for these bannings? Some of them I can see the reasoning, but Gifts Ungiven and Prophet of Kruphix have always confused me.

Gifts because it adds a lot of consistency (so does Intuition but Gifts gets another card so it's far more complex.. harder to choose correctly) prophet because it was really strong in casual.