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The names Michael Harney, Sergeant First Class of the US Army, but you
can call me Da Sarge. I'll be doing some commentary for as long as they let
me...which might not be long. Enough about me on to my views...
In theory, having a banned / restricted list for Type I and II is a
very good idea. After all, what if you could have four of each color mox in
your deck? Who would need land, not to mention Time Walk and others of the
"Power Card" group. But when do you draw the line?
Case in point : on 1 January 1997, there will be five new cards
joining the banned list for Type II. They are: Balance, Black Vise, Ivory
Tower, Land Tax, and Strip Mine. I have a real problem when a card is
banned. It does not matter if it is Type I or II, I feel if you are going
to ban a card you better have a REAL good reason.
The main reason cards are banned according to Jason Carl, Director,
DCI, is that " ...restricted cards, despite being limited to one per deck by
card title, frequently decided the outcome of duels and matches. The
ability to swing a duel or match by drawing or otherwise playing a
restricted card introduces a much higher element of chance into the
tournament environment then is appropriate for an intellectual sport..." this
was taken from the internet on the WOTC webpage during the month of December.
So let me see if I understand this. I get punished because I can build
my deck to save my behind if I am getting beat. Oh, I understand now...too
many players are crying because they are losing. Gee, I feel so bad that
you lost. Here's an idea..MAKE A BETTER DECK. Can you say SIDEBOARD??!!
When I make a deck I try to take into account a variety of things. Granted,
you can't prepare for everything, but to ban cards just because they can
change the game gives the advantage to the faster deck. If you do that, then
who ever gets the first card out will win. Where is the creativity in that??
I know the new changes affect the Type II play more then it does Type
I, but how soon before they start messing with Type I?? Don't get the wrong
idea; I believe that certain cards should be banned or restricted. That in
itself brings the chance factor down. But banning a card because it gives
someone else the advantage is at times very wrong. Let me breakdown the
newest edition to the Banned list and you decide.....
BALANCE : Land destruction locking you down, that weenie deck pounding
you into next week..throw out a balance and start over. I feel as long as
they make land destruction (GO AHEAD, NAME THE LAST SET THAT DID NOT INCLUDE
LAND DESTRUCTION) and weenie cards that wipe you out why ban this card? I
even have mixed feelings about this card being restricted. Let's be real,
if you could have four in your deck would you need them? After using the
first one you cold hurt yourself more then the other guy. I won't lie, this
card can change the game around, but isn't that the idea, switch the
advantage to you. This is a great card, but it won't save you every time.
BLACK VISE : Ohhh, this is a tough one. I have been on both the giving
and receiving side of this one. This is the kind of card that could start
fights between close friends. But all in all it should not be banned.
Restricted yes, but banned no. There are too many cards out now that can
remove artifacts quickly for as low as two mana. I really don't believe
this card should be banned. I can understand why players are scared of this
card, but it can be beaten. If I can do it so can you.
IVORY TOWER : GIMMA A BREAK DCI...This card cannot change the game, I'm
sorry, I don't care what you say. IT'S NOT THAT POWERFUL!! Let's say I'm
getting pounded by a weenie or burn deck. I throw the tower out to save me
so I can get my deck going (that is the idea right DCI) BUT NOOOO, this is
TOO powerful and unfair to the other guy who can't figure out what to do now
that I have thrown out the newest addition to the "Power Card Group". Be
real, This to is a card I might see being restricted if for no other reason
then it is a no casting cost life giver. A gorilla shaman can destroy this
for just ONE MANA!! Just thinking about DCI putting this on the banned list
makes me laugh.
LAND TAX : Hmmm, lets see if I understand this. You have more land then
me, I cast this and get to put three basic lands into my hand, hmmm, and the
problem is?? Wait I get it, the guy that banned this is a land
destruction lover. Oh, and just for the record I like a good land
destruction deck. This is a great card to even the odds. To be honest I
can't see why this is even restricted. Yes, to have land in your hand is
great, but with too much land in your hand and you could lose before you
play it all.
STRIP MINE : I love this card. This one makes my top 5 list. I can
understand why people fear it. Great for land control, can't counter it,
unstoppable really. Oh, just one minor point really....IF I USE IT HOW DO I
DEVELOP?? Every time I lay one of these it also means I can't lay a land I
may need. Granted you can slow a player down, but it can also slow you down
to. That is unless of course you build a deck that works around the power
of the strip mine. But if I do that then I would be creative in my deck
making, and after all isn't that what you want DCI??!! I am doing what you
wanted and your saying it's not good enough. This card should not even be
restricted, much less banned.
Well, that's how I feel. I know people will be upset...oh well. What
bothers me is that there are cards out there now, that based on the cards
above, could soon be on the Endangered List. For example, Mirage came out
with Shimmer. Based on the new Phasing rules, with this card in play, a
player could only have land every other turn. Does this mean we should ban
or restrict this card? How about Gorilla Shaman, the bane of all Artifacts.
Is this card too powerful?? If DCI is worried that one card can change the
game around on one turn, will the Fireball be banned next?
I have to sit here and wonder who DCI is trying to please and who
really complains about the cards out there. If DCI is so worried about
these cards, why not come out with cards that offset the great "power" of
the above cards. People are doing this now with cards that are available.
Oh yea, you don't need a Mox to do it either. When Necropotence was kicking
(and still is) I don't here any talk of banning this card. People came up
with ways to beat it without ruining there deck ideas. Sideboards are
designed for just such problems. Well, that's how I feel. My opinions are my own and no one else's. If you would like to talk about these cards or any others, e-mail me at n***s@r***p.com. I'll try and answer you as soon as I can. One other thing, I enjoy a good difference of opinion with someone. Just keep it clean, if you don't, you're not worth the time to answer. Explain why you disagree or agree with me. After all I could be wrong.....but I doubt it..............
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