All the spikes will modern for the format that there are actually GPs and PTQs for, and the numbers of modern players will gradually dwindle as older players leave and all the new players buy into the format that's promoted by WotC. Meanwhile, the format will grow degenerate without regular banlist changes. Even if WotC does keep the banlist updated, the level of thought and effort put into choosing them, and the level of data when there isn't sanctioned competitive play, will both drop off, influencing the quality of the banlist. It's not going to be the same format without support.

Hmmm? Did I miss an announcement by Wizos they they are now supporting Frontier instead of Modern?

No, you did not. If anything, Frontier seems bad for standard, and anything bad for Standard is bad for Wizards.

I know a guy that speculated on **** like Savage Knuckleblade. He'll probably be rooting for this format.

Now, but we were discussing what would happen if WotC did so.

Possibly of interest: GP San Jose (Limited) next weekend has a Frontier side event on Sunday. The west coast GPs are all "hosted" by Channel Fireball.

I think I'd be happier with Frontier if it started with Battle for Zendikar. A format made up of two-set design blocks would be interesting once we had enough of them for it not to feel like Standard anymore. I think it'd also be easier to get into if we left out the Khans Block (and thus, fetch-lands).

I mean, the only reason the format exists is so game stores can sell their KTK inventory and players can keep playing their KTK standard decks instead of buying new ones.

Yeah but the reason the format should exist is to offer players a non-Standard format that doesn't have the barriers to entry that Modern has, just as Modern was created to satiate players who couldn't break into Legacy or Vintage. At some point cards just get too expensive or the supply gets too limited to support new players entering into the Post-Standard environments.

But even on that ideal, KTK as a starting point is absurd, because we all know the cards from that set that are going to keep spiraling out of affordability - the fetches. If the format catches on, demand for fetches will spike, their prices will spike, and you'll once again have a format where newly joining magic players will say "I can't afford to compete in this format because it would cost me so many hundreds of dollars to be able to play a multicolored landbase, the people who started this format before me have an insurmountable advantage in money cards".

Right, which is why I'm for it starting with BFZ.

Reprint fetchlands every set,
Every set,
Every set !
If you care how fans will get,
How they'll get along !

You shouldn't reprint mistakes.

Just scrap Magic: the Gathering and begin anew.

And in a couple years, it will have just as big a barrier of entry as modern does, and players won't be able to break into it either. It's impossible to keep the barrier of entry to an eternal format low long after the staples are out of print. The concept is built on the selfishness of current players who don't care if the last generation's modern collections retain their value, but also want the next generation of players to be forced to buy into frontier so that their collections stay valuable.

The only thing that can make a permanent difference is a change in WOTC's reprint policy. I don't think they're big on that idea though.

I think it's more of the fear of blow back from a segment of investors collectors and bad PR. Nothing really stops them from sitting down with the legal department and hashing the issue out.

EDIT: Recall the outcry when they "broke the spirit" of the reprint list with the Slivers deck a few years ago?

The reserved list doesn't even apply to modern though.

It's also completely arbitrary where they picked. Like I think Magic Duels (very bad game; good idea though) made a good decision by separating at the literal Magic Origins set to start over with the new universe. It makes sense from a flavor standpoint as well as sort of a power one. Frontier has like 4-5 more sets in them and is a completely arbitrary cut-off b/c someone says so.


To be blunt if they want a good eternal format they have to make a good digital version of MTG that doesn't become insanely expensive to buy into later (MTGO) or a big mess (Duels). The easiest way to remove the barrier to older formats would be to have a F2P game that exactly mirrored paper magic but kept the digital store open forever and removed the player economy and second hand market.

Such a thing will never exist b/c it could feasibly compete with paper a little and that can never happen.

The reserve list isn't even legally binding. The PR thing's a good point though.
While I think more people want to see the list go than want to keep it, I also suspect that the latter group is disproportionately influential. I've always wondered if the collections of former and current WOTC employees had an impact on WOTC's stance. I've also heard the argument that store owners are some of the most avid collectors and WOTC doesn't want to hurt/annoy them.
Selective reprinting can actually benefit collectors and the reserve list gets in the way of this. I feel like WOTC can be trusted without a promise binding them. I think most people feel the same way. But I don't think WOTC feels that way. They seem to have some deep seated beliefs about the reserve list that come across as paranoid sometimes.