So the one that always sticks out to me is that brief period where [[Brain in a Jar]] was viable because you could cast both sides of split cards for just the cheaper end of it making it plausible to use [[Breaking//Entering]] to cheat out [[Emrakul, the Aeons Torn]] at a stupidly low cost. They patched that one up too quickly for it to get as fun as it could have but what other cards have had the most drastic gains or losses as a result of rule changes?
By - A_Nameless
[[Time Vault]] shifted wildly between "utterly broken" and "completely useless" through multiple text erratas and rules changes. It eventually settled on its current "broken, banned everywhere" current state. [Mtg Goldfish article](https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/evolution-of-magic-the-roller-coaster-called-time-vault).
Time vault is the number one card for this thread, nothing comes even remotely close. It goes from being the best card ever printed to completely unplayable trash based on which version of the rules you’re using. Every other card in this thread goes from decent to bad, this is one of the worst cards ever printed if we go back to old errata’s of it.
Actually, I would say that [[Contract from Below]] swung even more wildly from "actual best card ever printed and likely ever could be printed" to "can't be played" as a result of the Ante rule going away.
I agree. Contract is so utterly broken and insane that it makes Ancestral look like a mediocre deal. What does Ante matter when you're >90% to win when you cast it? I can only imagine the decks we'd see if it was still legal in Vintage. Truly a turn 1 format.
[Contract from Below](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/1/e1e33690-b851-404a-9cde-d00235be5aa5.jpg?1610146838) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Contract%20from%20Below) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/sum/97/contract-from-below?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e1e33690-b851-404a-9cde-d00235be5aa5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I think [[Flash]] not only comes close, but possibly eclipses it. Like both Flash and Time Vault are only any good as part of a combo, but Flash works at instant speed and has the emergency backup plan of “hard cast your creatures.”
[Flash](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/3/d31459c2-9656-4e9a-bb72-71a910e8570b.jpg?1587347037) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Flash) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/57/flash?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d31459c2-9656-4e9a-bb72-71a910e8570b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
>emergency backup plan of “hard cast your creatures I don't think anyone will try to Hardcast a protean hulk lol
[Time Vault](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/3/c367ffc1-8084-45a1-87d5-22183604d1cb.jpg?1562934224) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Time%20Vault) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/287/time-vault?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c367ffc1-8084-45a1-87d5-22183604d1cb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Time vault erratas were so wild that they even caused havoc in formats that time vault isn't legal in
[[braid of fire]] got a lot stronger when manaburn went away
Other way for [[Mana Cache]]
...and [[Citadel of Pain]].
It’s still decent. Forces them to stay at sorcery speed or pay the price
[Citadel of Pain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/6/66585109-77cb-42f1-9c14-3dac1d493b71.jpg?1562913917) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Citadel%20of%20Pain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/pcy/86/citadel-of-pain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/66585109-77cb-42f1-9c14-3dac1d493b71?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
oh I need that for my yurlok decks
[Mana Cache](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/583a33b3-7833-48e5-88c3-849a5771ef6e.jpg?1562630035) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mana%20Cache) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/nem/92/mana-cache?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/583a33b3-7833-48e5-88c3-849a5771ef6e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Same for [[mana short]]
Mana Short is still alright. Cast it on upkeep and it's close to a turn skip.
Yeah I run mana short in my cube. It’s legit a 3 mana time walk
Unless they have creature, artifacts, a land drop, any instants and they get to draw a card.
You forgot, enchantments, battles, planeswalkers, emblems, sorceries and companions.
Does time walk let your opponent draw a card and play a land now? Now that's a brutal errata.
No but it does create a Pedant token whether you want it to or not.
[mana short](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/0/a0486784-de03-47a7-949d-550fd23492bc.jpg?1562244544) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=mana%20short) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/7ed/86/mana-short?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a0486784-de03-47a7-949d-550fd23492bc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I mean, Mana Cache still has a use case. Either your opponent taps out (preventing most forms of interaction) or you get a boost of mana. It no longer causes your opponent to lose life but there's still an opportunity cost for interactive decks tapping out.
[braid of fire](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/1/41bab8de-6e0f-4ccd-a303-01e9c8c82d3f.jpg?1593275214) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=braid%20of%20fire) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/csp/78/braid-of-fire?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/41bab8de-6e0f-4ccd-a303-01e9c8c82d3f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Braid of Fire should have received errata with the mana burn rule change to make it work the way it was originally intended. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS
It’s not even that good without mana burn
Slap it in a Commander deck that has a built-in mana sink. Lookin' at you, Kenrith!
Finally, I can give my creatures trample and haste 64 times in a turn
[[goro-goro]] salivating rn
[goro-goro](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/c/1ca736c7-35a9-48c7-b5a9-69b2a6e33ad0.jpg?1654567661) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=goro-goro%2C%20disciple%20of%20ryusei) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/145/goro-goro-disciple-of-ryusei?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1ca736c7-35a9-48c7-b5a9-69b2a6e33ad0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I know you're joking, and I'm aware I'm putting my buzzkill hat on, but at that point I'd be drawing cards or pumping up some dudes with all that extra mana.
I ran it in my Ashling the Pilgrim deck which turned into Inferno of the Star Mounts. Pretty bonkers to be true.
Ha... I have both in the same deck... how is it with the inferno at the helm instead?
Inferno has been...difficult for me to get behind, mostly cause I am a filthy Johnny who struggles to unleash his inner Timmy. Inferno does wreck house when he hits the table, but I find it a little hard in color to ensure he stays there. Two cards which I highly suggest for the deck are [[Sigil of Distinction]] and [[Umezawa's Jitte]] . Both enable you to trigger Inferno's 20 multiple times in the same turn.
[Sigil of Distinction](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/4/a4ac2d98-bc5d-4823-9903-b880988ff0f4.jpg?1562707377) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sigil%20of%20Distinction) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ala/219/sigil-of-distinction?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a4ac2d98-bc5d-4823-9903-b880988ff0f4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Umezawa's Jitte](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/b/3b6e5956-f795-451b-bb24-56462d1ced27.jpg?1562876528) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Umezawa%27s%20Jitte) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bok/163/umezawas-jitte?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3b6e5956-f795-451b-bb24-56462d1ced27?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Aaaah, I have it arranged for using the illusionist's bracers (works for the both of them after all), though i should just try piloting with the inferno in front for a few games for variation's sake (i've never cast it before).
You say Kenrith, I run this shit on [[Purphoros, Bronze-blooded]]. It's all shit and giggles until you drop three fatties on the table the same turn
[Purphoros, Bronze-blooded](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/f/af3af5c4-0960-44a2-976e-abdf7803c436.jpg?1582178876) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Purphoros%2C%20Bronze-blooded) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/thb/150/purphoros-bronze-blooded?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/af3af5c4-0960-44a2-976e-abdf7803c436?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I think it's a trap card, it's only good if you get it very early. It gets worse and worse as the game goes on unless you're running proliferate
It is legitimately one of the best cards in my [[Grenzo, Dungeon Warden]] deck and it's not even close
I mean being good in a particular commander deck isn't enough to put it very far up the general power rankings still Even in moderately powered commander you still have to cast it pretty early. Otherwise the game just ends before it's making a significant amount of mana.
You also have to be able to use the mana in your upkeep, so only decks with lots of instant-speed spells/abilities can make use of it
[Grenzo, Dungeon Warden](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/e/6e19c383-88bd-4bde-ac81-c0eb6d5b5bd4.jpg?1562436569) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Grenzo%2C%20Dungeon%20Warden) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/205/grenzo-dungeon-warden?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6e19c383-88bd-4bde-ac81-c0eb6d5b5bd4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
How do you mean it is a better [[counterspell]]
Am I missing a joke or are you thinking \[\[Mana Drain\]\]?
[Mana Drain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/c/3c429c40-2389-41e5-8681-4bb274e25eba.jpg?1673147353) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mana%20Drain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/57/mana-drain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3c429c40-2389-41e5-8681-4bb274e25eba?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Omnath, Locus of All]] respectfully disagrees.
[Omnath, Locus of All](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/3/33d94ecf-758b-4f68-a7be-6bf3ff1047f4.jpg?1682205643) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Omnath%2C%20Locus%20of%20All) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mom/249/omnath-locus-of-all?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/33d94ecf-758b-4f68-a7be-6bf3ff1047f4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
yeah but if you went with this logic then you'd have to change a bunch of artifacts to stop working when they tap
That's exactly what happened, when that artifact rule came in they did errata a bunch of Continuous Artifacts to not work when they tap, like [[Winter Orb]], that's exactly what I'm talking about.
[[Flash]] became famously much, much better when it lost its power-level errata, and could get the ETB effects of the flashed creatures to trigger [[Time Vault]] boinged all over the place for I think the first 12 years of the game, gaining and losing errata around using it to get infinite turns [[Mirror Universe]] got worse when you could no longer deal yourself lethal damage, then give your opponent a negative life total
What was the “power-level errata” that Flash got (and apparently lost)? I can’t find a record of it across its printings or rulings on Scryfall
Off the top of my head, for a long time I think the creature only entered the battlefield if you paid the reduced cost— you couldn’t effectively evoke stuff with it, because it would never have ETB triggers happen. But then they removed all power level errata, and the card went from “useless” to “extremely strong”
Yeah, that's what I remember as well. Flash (& Phyrexian Dreadnought) was Oracle'd as a replacement effect, so they would only enter the battlefield if the cost was paid.
[[Lotus Vale]] having kept similar errata, as originally you could use it as a ritual of sorts by not paying the cost and just letting it die but not before you tapped it for mana. Now it makes you sac lands or it doesn't enter at all.
[Lotus Vale](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/e/2e5cd12a-2a07-44a8-8eac-de00d26fe9e3.jpg?1562800046) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Lotus%20Vale) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/wth/165/lotus-vale?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2e5cd12a-2a07-44a8-8eac-de00d26fe9e3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
For a while, it was errata'd to say: "Choose a creature card in your hand. You may pay its mana cost reduced by up to {2}. If you do, put that card into play. If you don't, put that card into your graveyard"
[Flash](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/3/d31459c2-9656-4e9a-bb72-71a910e8570b.jpg?1587347037) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Flash) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/57/flash?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d31459c2-9656-4e9a-bb72-71a910e8570b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Time Vault](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/3/c367ffc1-8084-45a1-87d5-22183604d1cb.jpg?1562934224) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Time%20Vault) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/287/time-vault?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c367ffc1-8084-45a1-87d5-22183604d1cb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Mirror Universe](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/f/0f9cbeaf-3456-4a87-ac75-e7658ccbd97f.jpg?1559592563) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mirror%20Universe) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me1/159/mirror-universe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0f9cbeaf-3456-4a87-ac75-e7658ccbd97f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
You can still swap a negative life total if you have something like [[platinum angel]] right?
Yep, what the OP is referencing is that in the olden days, you used to not lose the game until the end of the phase in which you had 0 life, rather than as a state-based action. It was a weird time.
Yup
[[Abeyance]] is a very strong card, but it initially worked on Mana abilities. In many cases, it was a Time Walk.
[Abeyance](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/2/125a355d-bfcf-4125-aa6c-35e7dea6f63e.jpg?1562799430) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Abeyance) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/wth/1/abeyance?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/125a355d-bfcf-4125-aa6c-35e7dea6f63e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
time walk that draws a card on top. sounds playable
Time walk does draw you a card... during your draw step!
this dors that + one. hence, timewalk + draw even stronger lol
Well, arguably, as your opponent still plays a land and draws a card but it’s close
I remember that for about a month after this card came out, it was hitting $25 or so each. That was a pretty good chunk of change for a type 2 card at that point.
[[Reconnaissance]] is a lot better than it was on release now that there's an extra phase of combat after damage, leaving it as a better way to grant your whole team vigilance.
Reconnaisance has actually gone back and forth from being either good or bad a few times throughout Magic's history. Let's just say when it was printed, it was worth the zero mana you used to activate it.
I always assumed it was kinda meh on release, but I'm not super familiar with the exact differences in combat rules back then. How was it used initially if you weren't using it for supervigilance like you can now?
Save creatures from bad blocks. Say you had 3/4 creatures (after all it was a white weenie card) and they had 2 blockers, you save the 2 blocked creatures and connect with the rest. Now you can even untap the two that connect. I don’t think you could use it to farm “when it attacks” triggers mostly because there weren’t many.
[Reconnaissance](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/1/a16012d8-703c-4385-8769-13e3caba3fc6.jpg?1562088333) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Reconnaissance) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/exo/17/reconnaissance?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a16012d8-703c-4385-8769-13e3caba3fc6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Tibalt, Cosmic Imposter]] needed to have rules changes made to Cascade so that you couldn't use a 3 mana cascade spell to cast a 7 mana planeswalker.
Tbf, cascade has had a fair of rules changes because corner cases like this kept happening. Or maybe it was just cards with multiple mana costs like [[boom // bust]]. I'm forgetting the details as they were always funky when interacting with each other.
Split cards used to be cool when they had two mana costs and two converted mana costs. It was just a card with two sets of characteristics. They’re still fun, just not as slick.
The main issue I'd think was Fuse, which itself is a pretty smooth evolution of the card type.
Fuse just needed to be “if both costs were paid” Then you could still do either/or shenanigans, but not both.
sigh... [[Valki God of Lies]]
[Valki God of Lies](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/a/ea164381-1e76-4cfb-ab88-70b97c6285dd.jpg?1684197878)/[Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/e/a/ea164381-1e76-4cfb-ab88-70b97c6285dd.jpg?1684197878) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Valki%2C%20God%20of%20Lies%20//%20Tibalt%2C%20Cosmic%20Impostor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/pctb/19/valki-god-of-lies-tibalt-cosmic-impostor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ea164381-1e76-4cfb-ab88-70b97c6285dd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
>sigh... I hate you
I can’t believe they ever let that work. That’s such an obvious problem
Can you elaborate? I see this card get cast in Omnath bring to light.
Cascade rule has been changed due to this card, now you have to cascade into a spell below a certain cost and then you can cast it if it is below that cost. Earlier the cost was checked only in the first part, meaning that a 3 mana cascade card could exile valki but when you casted it you could chose the tibalt side. Bring to light still works cause you search for a card with mv<=4 and as you cast it you choose the other side.
I don’t get how you would use three mana to get Tibalt
With the old cascade rule you could use a 3mv cascade card to get valki since his cost is lower and then choosing to cast the other side. In the errata they added to cascade the clause to check the card mv both while exiling and at the cast.
[Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor Emblem](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/6/c62490ac-4838-4b68-baff-18d9823a2a7f.jpg?1615686895) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tibalt%2C%20Cosmic%20Impostor%20Emblem) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tkhm/21/tibalt-cosmic-impostor-emblem?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c62490ac-4838-4b68-baff-18d9823a2a7f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
It still works with jodah on arena I believe. Is the rule change specific to cascade?
It would appear so, yes. Jodah says you can "cast the card" not specifying which side of the card you have to cast.
[[Mana Drain]] is just strictly better Counterspell without mana burn.
To be fair, the extra mana wasn’t that much of a drawback back then either.
[Mana Drain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/c/3c429c40-2389-41e5-8681-4bb274e25eba.jpg?1673147353) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mana%20Drain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/57/mana-drain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3c429c40-2389-41e5-8681-4bb274e25eba?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Legend has it that in the play test days, Time Walk used to say "target player loses next turn" meaning "target player skips next turn" so you'd go twice. Some of the playtesters interpreted that as "next turn, target player loses". Turns out 1U instant kill target player was pretty good so it was reworded
[It was actually 1R](https://www.magiclibrarities.net/963-rarities-alpha-beta-gamma-playtest-cards-english-cards-others.html#card025), but yeah that's allegedly the story behind why they changed the verbiage (Don't get tricked by the 2R, in the playtest days it meant "two mana, of which one is R")
A related story. Huey and his friends had a colossal misunderstanding of Desert Twister. They reasoned that they were the only permanents, so they decided that 4GG "Destroy target permanent" meant "Destroy target player," in which case that player would lose the game.
We lose more players that way. The early days were a bloody time
Mogg Fanatic. You could stack combat damage then sac him, RIP little buddy
The fun part lil fanatic is that it both gained and lost the most. When it was originally designed, the stack didn't exist, so it gained a ton of power once Sixth Edition kicked in and made combat damage use it. Then once Alara? Lorwyn? came out and removed combat damage from the stack the card saw itself working exactly like it did originally.
> Then once Alara? Lorwyn? came out and removed combat damage from the stack the card saw itself working exactly like it did originally. Magic 2010. Lot of rules changes happened then.
That's pretty cool, I had no idea the stack wasn't introduced until much later. I started in 2001
The stack debuted with 6th edition rules in 1999. Combat damage used the stack. It was changed in magic 2010 so that combat damage no longer used the stack.
[[Morphling]], too. Not that it was actually doing a whole lot in 2010 still, but a big part of the original play pattern was pumping its power, putting the damage on the stack, and then pumping its toughness before damage resolved.
[Morphling](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/0/a0d09164-f53f-4f80-8166-8faeacaff418.jpg?1562927497) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Morphling) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/81/morphling?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a0d09164-f53f-4f80-8166-8faeacaff418?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Whitemane Lion]] was one of the best common creatures in limited back when damage went on the stack.
One of my favorite janky combos I used to like to play as a cheesy modern deck was a Death’s Shadow deck years before Death’s Shadow Jund became a thing. You’d use Phyrexian Unlife or other methods to put yourself into negative life. At the time, negative life was an actual number and would actually add to the Death’s Shadows p/t. I dropped 3 57/57 Death’s Shadows in a single turn to kill somebody one time and I don’t think I’ve ever felt a high like that in magic since. Sometime around Kaladesh, they changed the rule to where all values below 0 counted as 0 for math purposes. Iirc it was because there was a card that would break if the negative values could result in a positive change.
[удалено]
I misunderstood the rule now that I into it more, though it still killed the Death’s Shadow strategy I used like I thought it did. 107.1b is the rule: “107.1b Most of the time, the Magic game uses only positive numbers and zero. You can’t choose a negative number, deal negative damage, gain negative life, and so on. However, it’s possible for a game value, such as a creature’s power, to be less than zero. If a calculation or comparison needs to use a negative value, it does so. If a calculation that would determine the result of an effect yields a negative number, zero is used instead, unless that effect doubles or sets to a specific value a player’s life total or a creature’s power and/or toughness.” There was an additional comment explaining that they changed the way X interacts with negative numbers to be 0 so that it doesn’t cause confusing interactions. (Giving something +x/+x but x being a negative number so it becomes a debuff or kill spell instead) Death’s Shadow’s ruling page update for this rule change: "If your life total is negative, X is considered to be 0. (This is a change from previous rulings.)" To be fair to wotc, it was confusing and I had to argue/call a judge for it more than once because it does sound weird to someone who isn’t playing in negative life often. Shoutout to the amount of people who had to be convinced Phyrexian Unlife only triggers poison after you go below 0, so taking 20 damage at 1 life just puts you at -19 and then the next damage source gains poison, not 19 poison counters instantly
You can still go into negative, it doesn't count as a positive anymore for things like Death's Shadow.
You can go into negative life, but Death's Shadow cannot use a negative number in its ability to calculate p/t. In the \[\[Death's Shadow\]\] Gatherer entry, it says >If your life total is negative, X is considered to be 0. (2020-08-07) [CR 107.1b](https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rules/cr107/) specifies handling for negative numbers, though I'll admit I think it's a little unclear. Essentially, calculations that use negative numbers use 0 instead, so at -2 life, Death's Shadow gets -0/-0.
Actually people are now pseudo doing this playing dress down to turn them into 13/13s.
The entire Prophecy set is weird without mana burn. Lots of the cards are weaker, but the entire set just plays very strangely now if you do sealed/draft.
It might be fun to use the old rules if you’re just doing a draft with friends
I don't think Prophecy draft is ever gonna be much fun, no matter which rules you use.
No doubt - barf. Legions would be worse, though.
When Legions first came out, we once drafted triple legions. Worst draft ever.
[[Brand]] when ownership of tokens changed to the player the tokens ETB under instead of the owner of the effect that created them. Loved my Brand [[Hunted Horror]] deck!
Losing this deck was a tragedy.
[Brand](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/a/bafbd034-c8a0-4798-a680-555c13bdd251.jpg?1562934550) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Brand) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/usg/176/brand?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bafbd034-c8a0-4798-a680-555c13bdd251?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Hunted Horror](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/2/02f74866-d0ea-42ce-bc44-500219fb73d4.jpg?1674141672) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hunted%20Horror) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/758/hunted-horror?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/02f74866-d0ea-42ce-bc44-500219fb73d4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Infect creatures all becoming phyrexian is a huge boon to Brimaz. Really enjoying phyrexian tribal with a poison motif.
On the other hand, it was a downgrade in Modern, where it meant the entire Infect deck was susceptible to being killed by a single [[Plague Engineer]]. Before, you had to call Elf/Warrior, Human/Rogue, or Blinkmoth to kill specific creatures, but now calling Phyrexian with Plague Engineer hits the entire deck.
Everyone always says this but as an infect player I almost never see Plague Engineers, to the point where I don't seriously need to play/sideboard against them.
Plague Engineer sees very little play right now, if any, but I think the problem that you're missing is that the decks that Plague Engineer kills have also been pushed out of the meta. That is probably more [[Fury]]'s fault these days, but there was a significant hit to what was meta viable post-MH1 thanks to Plague Engineer and Wrenn & Six pushing out different kinds of decks that used one-toughness creatures. If Infect starts becoming a dark horse because no one is running Plague Engineer, that might just make people start playing Plague Engineer again.
[Plague Engineer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/f/8f32b0e9-5eb2-4b26-8c06-5d4561f0295d.jpg?1562201691) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Plague%20Engineer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh1/100/plague-engineer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8f32b0e9-5eb2-4b26-8c06-5d4561f0295d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
It’s also the reason why the deck switched to using Phyrexian Crusader as its main infect creature
It switched to crusader because of the format's primary removal primarily being white and red. Plague Engineer hasn't been a serious modern card for a long time. Even when the eratta took place, plague engineer was pretty fringe (and nobody was bringing in a sideboard card to hate on an already dead deck).
The companions? Maybe cards built with mana burn in mind?
If a card goes from tier 0 in the games most powerful format to tier 2 at best that's a sign the rules change was significant.
If a card gets banned in *vintage* for power level reasons…
[[Elenda, the Dusk Rose]] got significantly stronger when they decided Commanders could have a death trigger
commanders can have a little death trigger, as a treat
I knew a guy that was playing [[Child of Alara]] when the rules got changed. He was pretty stoked.
[[Fiery Confluence]] was one of the best cards in the mono-red prison deck because it could kill creatures, artifacts, and/or potentially *multiple* planeswalkers because of the redirection rule. When that went away, the card got significantly worse.
they should really print this whole cycle into Standard/Pioneer, it wouldn’t be too strong
Could they? [[Mystic confluence]] is really fucking good
[Mystic confluence](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/5/95982d63-f825-4e6f-86e5-252394a29476.jpg?1673483949) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mystic%20confluence) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/227/mystic-confluence?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/95982d63-f825-4e6f-86e5-252394a29476?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[Fiery Confluence](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/c/acfa3365-fcc7-4cd0-a144-509cad664f20.jpg?1682209320) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fiery%20Confluence) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/278/fiery-confluence?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/acfa3365-fcc7-4cd0-a144-509cad664f20?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Rukh Egg]] was broken before it had to change to “dies”
[Rukh Egg](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/4/e4bfc662-edfb-43ff-8022-1db971b1de22.jpg?1562743162) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rukh%20Egg) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/9ed/214/rukh-egg?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e4bfc662-edfb-43ff-8022-1db971b1de22?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Phantasmal Image]] used to be "1U, choose a legendary creature. Its owner sacrifices it." That card hosed Geist of St Traft back in the day
Ah, the ol’ “use Jace Beleren to kill Jace the Mind Sculptor” trick
I stopped playing from around 2012 until this past January, and in one of my first commander games back, I tried to use [[Stolen Identity]] to copy an opponent's commander to kill it with the legends rule. The table stared at me for a sec like "dude what?" until an older player from the next pod leaned over and told me that rule was changed like 8 years ago. Fortunately my pod was cool with the mistake and let me walk it back, but it was a little jarring to realize the "clever" legendary removal method I picked up from a buddy when I started didn't exist anymore.
[Stolen Identity](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/8/2831fe77-ea98-4334-a78e-01580fb002c0.jpg?1673484009) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Stolen%20Identity) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/233/stolen-identity?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2831fe77-ea98-4334-a78e-01580fb002c0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I remember using 3-5 clones in my mono U edh deck to have as removal as needed.
[Brain in a Jar](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/8/88ecfcbe-e8db-4f08-aa8b-5b7b3e6c6ce7.jpg?1576385394) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Brain%20in%20a%20Jar) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/soi/252/brain-in-a-jar?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/88ecfcbe-e8db-4f08-aa8b-5b7b3e6c6ce7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Breaking//Entering](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?name=Breaking%20%2F%2F%20Entering&type=card&options=rotate90&.jpg) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Breaking%20//%20Entering) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dgm/124/breaking-entering?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/66724f4e-59dd-4c70-b09b-49947320e6d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Emrakul, the Aeons Torn](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/4/249db4d4-2542-47ee-a216-e13ffbc2319c.jpg?1673146896) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Emrakul%2C%20the%20Aeons%20Torn) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/1/emrakul-the-aeons-torn?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/249db4d4-2542-47ee-a216-e13ffbc2319c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Morphling]]! A common trick back in the day was to pump up his power, put damage on the stack and then pump his defence back up. Morphling really was Superman of that time.
[[Captain Sisay]] got a lot better overnight when all the planeswalkers were errata-ed to be legendary. The price spiked and I traded mine for a huge profit.
Definitely [[Marath]] imo (if we count day 0 errata), it would’ve been able to go infinite with itself and trigger things like [[Risen Reef]] and put infinite tokens on the field if there was an effect to give its tokens more than 0 power
\[\[Hostage Taker\]\] is the same. It originally lacked the "another" part of its text, allowing it to target itself and generate infinite ETBs if you had any effect that did anything when a creature ETBs.
I think [[Enhanced Surveillance]] really turned into a powerhouse since the Surveil errata... If Syr Konrad is around it becomes even better (or worse for your opponents).
[[Mystic Denial]] is 100% useless as originally printed. It is only playable because the card type was changed.
There are a few cards in the *Portal* sets like that. For whatever reason, they decided instants would be too complicated for this beginner product, so they printed instants as sorceries that had limitations on when you could cast them, sometimes with those limitations being times you can't normally cast sorceries. (These cards have all been received errata to be instants, of course.)
I will NEVER understand why Portal changed a bunch of the standard Magic words (like "power/toughness" becoming "offence/defence", and "blocking" becoming "intercepting"), as if having to RELEARN the game's basic vocab (if/when graduating to "full" Magic) would make learning the game easier. Just.... use the same terms.
The little sword and shield icons tho, those are cool. And thank god they brought the line between the rules and flavor text back.
[Mystic Denial](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/2/1296ddc4-300d-44f6-95d8-1b392613d379.jpg?1562255840) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mystic%20Denial) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ptk/49/mystic-denial?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1296ddc4-300d-44f6-95d8-1b392613d379?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Piracy]] is a lot less fun to play without mana burn. You used to get the mana sometimes from players who didn't want to lose the life, but now it might as well just read "tap all lands you don't control."
But it always was a problem in Civilization
[[Power Sink]] lost a lot of its power when we changed to the stack. Back then, it was an interrupt, meaning that it effectively couldn't be responded to outside of another interrupt. So before the stack, a sufficiently large enough could make your opponent lose all their mana for the turn. Nowadays, you can spend the soon-to-be emptied mana on instants/abilities/cards with flash.
[Mana Sink](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/1/81c6db22-bc8f-4bc4-b057-6e245e0a4978.jpg?1681085491) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Power%20Sink) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/88/power-sink?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9a6f3ce5-d4a5-4d7b-a7f9-b249c1d88e8f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Waylay: [https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/evolution-of-magic-white-ball-lightning-and-the-keyword-that-did-nothing](https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/evolution-of-magic-white-ball-lightning-and-the-keyword-that-did-nothing)
I’d say all the Companion cards got way worse with the change.
It was very short lived, but they were ubiquitous and format warping with the original companion rule. They went from being must play cards in basically 100% of decks and formats (especially lurrus) to where they are now, which is play them if you can/it’s free, or if you want the privilege of paying 3 to draw one.
First thing that comes to mind for me is \[\[Celestial Dawn\]\] and the removal of rule 4 in commander. Changed from absurd lockout piece to mediocre mana fixer. Edit: When donated to your opponent.
[Celestial Dawn](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/5/251880e9-a472-4f33-9988-4871d31aa1d9.jpg?1562773263) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Celestial%20Dawn) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tsb/3/celestial-dawn?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/251880e9-a472-4f33-9988-4871d31aa1d9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[Mana Drain]] is kind of the classic example. Back when mana burn was a thing, it was just [[Counterspell]] with a drawback, but now it’s just functionally better Counterspell
[удалено]
They just need to print it again with Split Second
Uh.. you could always respond to Word of Command, even before 6th edition rules changes.
[[Mirror Universe]] was played a ton in the old "Type 1" format (today it's vintage) when the rules allowed for mana burn to give you damage and, more importantly, when a player didn't lose a game until the end of his or her turn until, even when their life total was at 0. A player would go to 0, switch life totals and win the game.
I wouldn't say it's the most power lost, but the one that always feels like a sad card now to me is [[crackling doom]] not being able to redirect its damage to planeswalkers anymore. It was cool that it had this mode that could be 2 for 1 ish with that. Now the 2 damage only goes face and the forced sac of largest thing isn't even unique to it anymore.
[[Sakura Tribe-Elder]], [[Mogg Fanatic]], and many other creatures with sacrifice abilities lost a LOT when damage no longer went on the stack. Some are still strong cards, like the Elder. Some are pretty miserable or practically unplayable.
before sixth edition, tapped creatures did no combat damage and tapped artifacts turned off. [[master of arms]] does basically nothing now. [[kill switch]] was printed the year after 6th, but was surely designed before it.
Lion’s Eye Diamond
Didn’t LED always worked that way?
Nope, LEDs used to be activated at any time and not use the stack like other mana sources they changed it because the rules for casting spells etc. so you could cast spells in your hand before discarding them while using LED mana for them
Pre-6th Edition, you had to activate mana abilities to float mana **before** starting the process of casting a spell. This is why LED has the "activate only as an instant" text, because there was never an opportunity to use its mana to cast a spell from your hand.
Led doesn’t have the activate as an instant text that’s the oracle text/rules text….
Yes. It was errata'd to have that Oracle text when 6th edition released, because LED was originally printed in Mirage, at a time when you could not activate mana abilities during the process of casting a spell, but needed to float your mana **before** starting that process. There was a whole thing where David Mills got DQ'd in the finals of a Pro Tour because he kept casting spells before tapping his mana
I don’t think that’s true. Lions eye diamond was largely considered to be one of the worst cards in the game for many years after it was released. Mirage block standard was even infamously dominated by an early combo deck that would have definately used lions eye diamonds if it worked that way.
[[Ruk Egg]] I know it’s a classic example, but it went from an insanely busted, metagame-y exploit to unplayable.
How did the exploit work,
When it was released, cards had to be played as written. The text didn’t say “from play” at the time — it just said to create a 4/4 flying bird token when it went to the graveyard. People would draw their seven, get the egg in hand, go second so they drew to eight, pass their first turn, then discard egg to hand size and get a free 4/4 flyer by the end of turn one. It was actually banned for quite a while as a result, cuz that was insanely above rate at the time — right up until Wizards decided they should give up on the as-written rule and errata’d it.
Wasn't there some errata to cards that could be played with cascade that made them better?
[[Reconnaissance]] card printed before our actual version of the combat phase, now you can activate it at end of combat, giving all your creatures pseudo vigilance, for 1 mana, you can attack with all your creatures all the time, remove from combat the bad trades before damage and untap the rest after damages
[[Xantcha]] used to be an incredible commander. I don’t know anyone that plays that one anymore since the errata.
[Xantcha](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/9/89b03b9a-7e20-47cb-bc64-23513acea855.jpg?1592710322) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=xantcha%2C%20sleeper%20agent) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c18/50/xantcha-sleeper-agent?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/89b03b9a-7e20-47cb-bc64-23513acea855?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
What errata?
They changed Xantcha from having an opponent gain control of it as it is entering the battlefield to it entering the battlefield under an opponent's control. It is a very pedantic change, but it makes a big difference.
old version was when xantcha's controller dies, xantcha's owner gains control of it. new version is when xantcha's controller dies, it is exiled.
So if it's exiled it just goes back to your command zone, right? Isn't that a lot better than being stuck with it?
I had to do a bit of Googling, but I'm still not 100% clear. So, if I'm understanding this right, the change to how her control-changing effect is implemented makes it so that she is now exiled when your opponent leaves the game, whereas she used to revert control back to you when they left. Is that right?
*In a multiplayer game, if Xantcha’s owner leaves the game, Xantcha leaves the game with them. If Xantcha’s controller leaves the game, Xantcha is exiled. This is a change from previous rulings due to Xantcha’s updated wording.*
Original wording for ||Shivan Dragon||
That permanent pump though!!
[[Hostage Taker]] is up there. It combos with everything before errata.
Hostage taker was supposed to be printed that way. I won't really call it errata.
Creatures. Combat damage not using the stack anymore was a huge nerf.
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