When my wife and I first got into Magic, she was devastated to find out that Lutri was one of the few cards banned in the commander format. She actually only wanted to play it because it was cute, and so we have a house rule that Lutri is legal as long as it’s not a companion.

This is the 1st time youtube recommend me your video to me, and it is what I have been looking for for years.

Can't wait to see the rest of the banned cards! Love seeing the reasoning behind the bans.

Yeah, a lot of the argument for unbanning Lutri is also hinged around the fact that no one asked for Companion to function in Commander, and the card isn't in the slightest bit problematic in the 99 or as your Commander. Many argue that getting rid of "Banned as" was a massive mistake that has just made the format worse while claiming it made it "easier to understand" despite how directly intuitive "Banned as" was.

Generally, I think the types of cards the Rules Committee bans are extreme cases of cards in an archetype to say "We think stuff like this is unhealthy/unfun at most tables." Hence why a lot of cards banned are ones that make games incredibly one-sided (Prophet of Kruphix, Hullbreacher, Leovold) and cards that have the potential to ruin a single player's experience (Sundering Titan and Iona) and time-wasting cards (Upheaval and Prophet again). A good experience for the whole group is prioritized by the RC. There are cards *like* these that are unbanned, but the banlist is primarily there to take out the extreme cases and act as advisories for deckbuilders wanting to maintain their friendships.

One other point about limited resources is when it's cast early. If player 1 or 2 casts limited resources early on, then eventually two players will have 3 lands, two players will have 2 lands and nobody can play any further lands, so especially the two players with two lands will be completely locked out. Again in a 1v1 it would still let both players get up to 5 lands onto the field, but in a multiplayer format it's much stronger.

Limited resources wouldn’t stop green ramp. If anything, they’d put them even more ahead. As ramp spells like rampant growth don’t play the lands, they just put them on the battlefield. So, they can still cast their ramp spells and get far ahead, and probably win.

The other big reason Karakas is a problem is that there's barely any opportunity cost to include it. Drannith Magistrate and anything else take a deck slot; Karakas just replaces a basic Plains. This makes it an auto-include in every white deck.

One thing that you missed with Prophet of Kruphix and Sundering Titan is that the cards warped the game around them. They’re almost always the best target to reanimate, flicker, or clone - so it was extremely common for players to run cards specifically to answer or cheat out their own titan/prophet, or just steal their opponent’s titan/prophet The same thing was the case with Sylvan Primordial and Primeval Titan - the best version of the cards was the one you stole from your opponent’s deck with Bribery.

It is also important to let people know that the format is mainly "Self-policing" meaning that even though there are "Legal" banned cards, it is up to the person explaining into the Playgroup what they are intending to accomplish. One may play nothing but "Im here to win" cards and another may play nothing but "im just here being the clown" cards. The Self-Policing part comes when after a few games (over the course of their commander nights) they finally tune down to match the playgroup OR they finally tune up to actually compete fairly in a playgroup. The players themselves are free to discuss what to ban and what to allow. So if someone chooses to only "play to win, always" then it may be up to the other 3 players to choose to team up and take out the "Problem".

What makes Sundering Titan real punishing is because it says basic land TYPE and not just basic land.

About Green being the best color in the format, it depends heavily on what kind of game you are playing. In slower paced, more casual games, I'd agree, but if we're talking the most powerful way of playing the format Green is probably among the worst colors because its ramp is slower than artifacts and it's ways to protect your combo are worse than white or red or blue

Ah yes, the video I've been waiting for! I absolutely love Commander format! Thanks for covering this!

Welcome to MTG mi friend, been watching the duel logs for a long time, we really needed your format on mtg.

just found trade secrets recently in my bulk and thought, wow this looks interesting, but i didnt check the banned list. thx for saving me a weird moment playing a banned card :D

To me very cool and complete reasoning on each card, very meticulous and wide spectrum of povs. Nice much Thx!

I always really enjoyed your WoW videos, I’m glad I get to see you do them for mtg!

love yo see this Still want to see formally banned cards and why they were banned and why they are unbanned.

I would be interested in seeing a commander series where you discuss why certain commanders are considered good. Especially iff you brike it down inti themes, (ex. What makes a good token commander, or What makes a good tribal commander)

I think the biggest problem with sundering Titan is that it basically “combos” with EVERYTHING (blink, sacrifice, artifact/creature reanimation, clones, etc.) Not only that, it’s also easily searchable, colorless, and good at any stage of the game. Even if it gets dealt with quickly, you’re still blowing up 10 lands, which puts you 3-4 mana ahead of each opponent. Or, the 5 color player no longer gets to play the game.

Omg. I've played wow and watched your videos for a long time, and I just started playing magic this year. I immediately recognised your voice. Love your videos, for both games.

I played during prophet being legal. The main issue came not only it's effects, but in it's color identity. Simic (blue/green) is probably the best color combo to snowball but usually its balanced out by needing it's permission magic to defend. With prophet, the deck was really only shields down before the next players untap step. It was a kill on sight card every game.

I miss commander having multiple ban lists. The Lutria case is just one of many case where the card is fine in the 99.

Another thing about Titan is that Commander has colorless decks, who don't play land of basic land types in the first place, so in that decks it would simply never hit your lands. Also, I never understood why they got rid of the distinction of banning cards in the 99 or as commander (yeah, for simplicity, but it made the format more interesting and unique).

I also think that “it’s funny” is a fundamental piece of information that needs to be considered

i would actually love to see more stuff about commander 😊😊😊

Even though commander has a ban list everyone should remember rule 0. If you want to play a banned card, talk to your play group to ask if it’s ok. My group already had the Lutri discussion. We are fine if someone plays it in the 99 or as a commander.

Really good topic

The other important thing about Limited Resources is that it doesn't prevent lands from entering the battlefield, just from being played, so ramping from the deck still works under it.

As a note it's 'moot' not 'mute' when talking about an argument becoming pointless or fruitless.

"Lutri is cute" This is no joke half my arguement lol. Im glad you brought it up. I would love to have the adorable elemental otter dualcaster mage in my deck. It really should just be banned as companion cause it is actually worse then dualcaster mage outside of the companion thing (cause it can only copy your own stuff. Dual caster can copy other players spells) And while sure having something banned as companion is slightly more complicated, it would be way less complicated than even explaining what companion is to new players lol. Magic players are typically smart enough to figure these things out i dont think a "banned as companion" is that difficult.

Neat analysis video! Thanks for uploading! Personally, I find it kind of weird that a card like Lutri can be banned for being overpowered & exclusive, but a card like Sundering Titan can be banned for being too accessible for eveeryone. Also, I dislike Wizard's pushing of creatures matter, Legendary creatures & land. As said, it's biased towards Green in Commander, & I think Land destruction can be interesting. Restrictions breed creativity, & greedy manabases can be bad, too; Like you said, people don't like excessively long turns or swingy games. Anyway, neat analysis video! Thanks for uploading!

Motherf- Hirumaredx does MTG vids too?! I feel silly for not having found this early. More to binge! Cheers!

Would really appreciate a take on this list but through the perspective of cEDH instead of just EDH, since I don't play casual and some arguments here just don't line up with the competitive format. Thanks for the video either way.

Good old prophet and animar, i cant wait for him to cover paradox engine, love that card lol

I'd love to see Braids and Panoptic Mirror in Pt. 2

Hi can you do a top 10 of the best lands?

Did you already do a video on the cards that are banned in all formats? Would be great if you did a collabe with Nizzahon Magic!

Yorion is also a banned companion in commander, since you cant abide by her companion restriction. Would be 2 ''banned as companions'' in that case

What about cards that are way more powerful in specific formats than in anywhere else? Like how Paradoxical Outcome isn’t good anywhere outside of vintage, where it’s busted since it bounces moxen to draw cards

Mostly play modern and yugioh. But big fan of both channels! This video was very interesting with my 0 Knowledge on commander

I built a casual Prophet of Kruphix deck with 'Tim' Wizards, Death-touch enabling artifacts, a few efficiency elves, and Counterspells. Called it "Itai! Itai!"

What about cards that are way more powerful in specific formats than in anywhere else? Like how Paradoxical Outcome isn’t good anywhere outside of vintage, where it’s busted since it bounces moxen

An errata to cards like 'Limited Resources' to specify that the '10' lands should be scaled to account for additional players in Commander would help a lot of fun plays.

Back in the day, playing Prophet just made the game all about copying or fighting over control of Prophet. Nobody hated the card when they could take it for themselves, or share its effect by copying it for themselves.

isnt emrakul banner too?

How about errata Limited Resources to read five lands per player.

I got a Masterpiece Sundering Titan from Kaladesh that I occasionally take out, weep a little, then put away.

They should rework trade secrets to a newer card, „Each opponent may draw two cards. For each opponent drawing cards this way, you may draw up to four cards“ make it cost 5 (BBB and 2) and sorcery speed, remove the „repeat this process“ stuff and bam. Okayish card that isn‘t broken but could be fun for casual commander

Waiting for part 2, hopefully you'll mention my dear wife Emrakul. Great video btw!

Amazing!!!!!

I feel like people who would argue Prophet could be unbanned haven't played against it enough. And the format having more cards to deal with it also gives you more cards to break it (think Great Henge), which Prophet decks were already built around to abuse anyway. Every player's turn is also accompanied by the Prophet player's taking even more time to do their "mini turn," which typically has more crap going on than your typical control/flash decks because they want to make use of all that free mana they're getting! They're not holding onto anything they don't have to, so they're going to repeatedly use up all that mana, then untap all lands during the next person's turn to just do it all again. Only reason I'm even ranting about it is because that card made all games turn into "who gets Prophet out first?" in my play groups. Was thrilled to see it banned so I could start enjoying EDH again 🤣

5:47 awww it’s an otter. “It has companion” uh oh

With Sundering Titan, there are 6 Basic lands. Wastes is the 6th. It is easily forgotten about because not everyone runs it.

I feel it weird that the channel considers "banned as companion" too complicated but in later videos is fine with "banned as commander"

I run a mono green prophet of kruphix, with some funky draw like spells. When it happens, I always call opponents turns "our turn"

Prophet is seedborne muse and Leyline of Anticipation/Vedalkan Perry/Yeva in one card.

I was playing Commander when Prophet of Kruphix was first printed. Momir Vig, Simic Visionary was the Commander of choice because you could just run him out and then cast anything to find your Prophet and just keep rolling to always find your Mystic Snake for backup. Deck was ABSURD and I don't blame anyone for banning Prophet.

You could make a video about card that are generally asked to be banned.

Do people not run stripe mine and wasteland anymore?

For trade secrets, cant the opponent just deck the player who cast it, since theyll draw twice as many cards? Its still broken with thassa's oracle type effects but-

Great start to hopefully a complete series. Call me a Marlian but I fucking hate titans lol

Lutri makes me want to see a 10 cutest cards video. That otter is adorable.

i would like to ask where i can find the official 1vs1 commander ban list? i have heared there is one but where? Not on the MTG site +Iona got unbanned? Really?

5:05 Did you type and say "mute" instead of "moot"? lol

7:40 you guys wait until you hear about my idea for “you can play banned cards but you have to put duct tape over the shitty parts of the card”

I feel like trade secrets can just backfire. Say I let an opponent draw 2 cards and I draw 4. They can repeat that process enough times to deck me out and they end up with a monster hand whilst I lose by attrition.

In my opinion another reason for Lutri to be unbanned is that it's mana cost has basically doubled with the Companion rules change. And you can only put it to your hand as a Sorcery so there's no way to surprise your opponents with it.

Limi resources could be errataed to base the cap on the number of players, so 5xplayers rather than 10 which was because 2 players was assumed

thats well known! and im eating cheeddar!

Limited Resources could easily be fixed by an errata to the last ability, "As long as a player controls 5 or more lands, that player cannot play lands.". It would preserve the intent of the effect while stopping it from being busted in multiplayer formats, it would be intuitive to explain the printed vs. oracle difference to people if it came up, and since it would, for *most* purposes still work the same way in 2-player formats I wouldn't see it as a "power level" errata (it would get slightly *worse* in 2 player since the "limited, destroy your lands, play more lands" wouldn't work, but is this really "power level"? I'm not sure). Or, to avoid even that, "As long as there are X or more lands on the battlefield, where X is 5 times the number of players in the game, players cannot play lands", which is clunkier but preserves the intent even further. Also, the entire Companion mechanic should just be banned from Commander and Lutri unbanned. I think it was a really dumb mechanic all around, and this change would open up the creatures to be commanders or maindeck additions without being busted. I'm sort of amazed this hasn't happened yet with all the brokenness it seems to cause in multiple formats, and especially since Wizards already just completely eratta'd how the ability works. It was a mistake, everyone's admitted to it, and it would honestly be easy, if unprecidented, for Wizards to just say "you can't use this ability anywhere anymore".

I'm interested to see what's in Part 2 because while I think the reason for their bans is pretty self-evident, I'm interested to know the nuances behind Iona Shield Of Emeria and Emrakul The Aeons Torn's bans. Especially since they're both banned _exclusively_ from Commander.

I'd like to say that with the addition of ward and a lot of really powerful commanders having it, it limits Karakas more also it makes etb effects way, way more powerful And with a lot of cards that give shroud/hexproof, I see that argument for it's unbanning. As the game developing more and more it should be unbanned, BUT as of right now, no keep it banned.

I feel for #3 Luiri, also if im correct there wqd a rule change were you had to pay 3generic mana to get your companian into your hand then you can cast it, so those 5 mana extra turn spells turn into 11mana not the 8 mana. Just noting that cause it was noted with that card. Love the videos and hopw to see more

Non basic land destruction is very accessible in every color, Im not sure why Karakas is banned

Limited Resources is just too good. By turn 3, if I'm playing Green-white, I could have 6 lands, a couple of rocks and tap a plains to play Limited Resources, sacking it, now I have 5, each of my opponents has 2 lands and now they can't play lands and if they don't have a signet/talisman in hand, they're out of the game. If they blow it up, I'm still way ahead. Plus Green-white is the KING of token strategies, so I'd also run Cryptolith Rites, which lets me tap creatures for mana.

I have a bit of a nihilist belief in the ban list in commander where the EDH ban list doesn't make sense to me because they'll ban one card but leave a similar one unbanned. Additionally, because EDH is a casual format, a play group should have final decision on what cards are or aren't legal. So i believe that either all broken cards should be banned or none of them should be banned because that makes way more sense to me than having Sundering Titan be banned but Armageddon isn't or Biorhythm is banned but Expropriate isn't.

Trade Secrets has the tradeoff of potentially instantly making the caster lose the game by deckout, because priority doesn't get passed while effects are resolving, and the targeted player would generally only need to draw half their library +2 to make you lose

Karakas is a free bounce thats infinitely repeatable unless you run land destruction, which is Rule 0. Leave the lands alone.

I don't get how trade secret isn't just a "target player draw as many cards as they want, you lose the game" unless you have something like a lab maniac

Also Lutri when banned used the old companion rule of being able to be straight up cast from the "sideboard"

Is this the same guy that makes Top X wow videos? They sound so similar

It really piss me off way out of proportion that the rules committee decided to use only "one" banlist. That's just stupid. Some cards are only a problem out of the 99 and it's absolutely not hard to have and entire on the banlist like "lutri ban as companion" or " Xyz :ban in the 99" heck even "John do : ban as a partner " And if "the rule committee don't want interfere with the game" maybe they shouldn't be acknowledge by players as a body that influence the rules of the game

Boy do i wanna see the reason for Golos. Like, who on the RC lost to it?

the best solution to lutri is consistency of the RC. Wish cards dont work. Companions need to be in the side board, commander doenst have a side board so companion doesnt work.

The errata for the Companions rule makes Lutri much more reasonable for EDH. Now, you need to pay 3 colorless mana at sorcery speed to put your companion from outside the game to your hand. You still need to cast it by paying it's regular mana cost. I feel like this is the only card that should really be unbanned.

As someone that had Animar as their first commander and who absolutely put Prophet in the deck when it came out, I can VERY much confirm that Prophet is a card that should stay banned. As for Sundering Titan, one could argue that it should remained banned for the same reason that Iona is banned: It can completely screw a mono-color player(s) by making it so they can't play the game. This isn't to say that ST is anywhere near as bad as Iona, but mono-color decks are more likely to play basic lands, so they will absolutely suffer the effects of ST harder.

You didn't even mention that Companion...the whole mechanic got an errata. Now you need to pay 2 to add the card to your hand first

I can't wait to see golgos

Sundering Titan combined with Limited Resources seems like it would just wreck someone's day. You pop off Limited resources and then every time you have sundering titan enter or leave the battlefield, the lands destroyed aren't coming back. It really does seem anti-fun

Just keep in mind, I can force each player to sacrifice all if their lands.

Prophet only untaps your creatures and lands where Seedborn untaps all your permanents. Giving your creatures flash is great, but unless your playing a creature heavy deck at least for games iv played it in is negligible. I will keep on saying this but the RC needs to bring back a banned as commander/companion list. Lutri is fine in the 99.

Honestly, given the number of "Zero" cost instance spells, fast mana, and power creep while the RMC still blabbers about Rule Zero with an utterly lacking logic string, I'm fine with everything getting unbanned.

Pretty sure at 6:53 the card shown should've been time stretch and not time warp

Top ten sideboard cards?

I believe Lutri is banned because it’s technically a 3 mana infinite combo piece in the command zone as cEDH becomes more popular, the ban will be harder to remove

The expression is "moot", not "mute".

Let's go! Also man, the EDH banlist really needs some extra hits. Lol.

Unban Sway Of The Stars!

As a Kaalia and Atla Palani player, i absolutely do not care about limited resources. I'll blow up my own lands on purpose.😂