It’s that time of year again, folks. Public swimming pools are opening, families are having reunions, and people are questioning whether pieces from the best deck in Standard deserve a banning.
This year, just like last year, the consensus best deck in the format is a blue white deck, with cheap counterspells, fliers, equipment… and a format defining 2-mana creature. Many have opinions on what deserves the ban-hammer, but most conversations start and end with Tiago Chan invitational card, Snapcaster Mage. Here are some opinions from the 2012 edition of “BanWatch”:
Reaction to the SCG Tour® nament seems greatly exaggerated… the format is very new and there was a GP in the same day!
— Paulo Vitor (@PVDDR) May 30, 2012
I really hope @thepchapin isn’t right (as he often is when it comes to bannings) about Snapcaster on June 20. #allmyfavoritecardsgetbanned
— Joey Pasco (@AffinityForBlue) May 31, 2012
@AffinityForBlue I predict that if things continue on this path, something will be banned (most likely Ponder, for non-game reasons).
— Patrick Chapin (@thepchapin) May 31, 2012
Dew #MTGO rule: when your opponent casts ponder, if you do not have it in your deck, type #banponder into the chat box. They love that.
— Andrea Jen. Shubert (@andrea2s1) May 31, 2012
I would actually just fall over laughing if they banned Vapor Snag in Standard.
— Todd Anderson (@strong_sad) May 30, 2012
.@thepchapin @SamuelHBlack Can we please cut the middle step & ban Island. It’s clearly unbalanced.
— Glenn Godard (@SunmesaGlenn) May 31, 2012
In non-Snapcaster Mage related news, spoiler season for M13 has just gotten underway and already Twitter is all abuzz over some of the cards that will be appearing in the base set. Oh, so you say you haven’t seen anything from M13 yet? Well SPOILER ALERT!
maybe Exalted in m13… on black cards?!?!
— joelniddrie (@joelniddrie) May 23, 2012
Doubting my sincerity? Don’t! Exalted is in fact returning in M13! #truth
— Aaron Forsythe (@mtgaaron) May 23, 2012
not too thrilled at the possibility of exalted coming back in #M13 but could be worse, it could have been another legions #mtg
— Amos Claiborne (@riffle_shuffle) May 23, 2012
@mtgaaron Oh man oh man oh man I had an irrational love for Exalted *already* and I didn’t even *play* yet during Alara. I am excited.
— Shannon C. (@arashikurobara) May 23, 2012
POSSIBLY in #M13: Archaeomancer, 2UU, 1/2, HumanWizard,when ~ ETB return target ins/sor from your grave to hand.Common! i.imgur.com/wevd2.jpg
— Usman (@UsmanTheRad) May 23, 2012
When I saw Archeomancer I completely could think no thought other than “way number million to recur infi turns in EDH” and neither could you
— Bill Boulden (@ThaGatherin) May 23, 2012
Arbor Elf (presumably) replacing Llanowar Elves in M13 – does this make it more likely to see Shocklands in Return to Ravnica? I hope so!
— Brian Sondag (@BrianSondag) May 31, 2012
Really? ANOTHER core set without storm?
— Jon Johnson (@jjflipped) May 23, 2012
Another exciting thing that happened this week was the third installment of Walking the Planes, produced by Nathan Holt (@WalkthePlanes), that was filmed at the Pro Tour in Barcelona. There was a ton of positive response, but then there was one little interaction that hit a little too close to home…
Hey @WalkThePlanes I just watched the new vid. I don’t mean to sound like @Jonnymagic00 talking about The Onion, but you guys are killing it
— Chris Pikula (@meddlingmage) May 30, 2012
@meddlingmage lol thanks. Should we do an Onion-style video?
— Nathan Holt (@WalkThePlanes) May 30, 2012
@WalkThePlanes it would be too much like the Newsening and Lampoon combined. You are funny though so you could make it work.
— Brad Nelson (@fffreakmtg) May 30, 2012
.@fffreakmtg @WalkThePlanes #prepareforbattle #weaponizethefunnies
— Reuben Bresler (@MoxReuby) May 30, 2012
I don’t want to get into a gang war here… but if we do, I shotgun the name Notorious M. T. G.
Until next time, Twittergicians,
Reuben Bresler
@MoxReuby
Video and Coverage Content Associate and Twitter Admiral for StarCityGames.com