Proposed Solution to the Reserved List

tophatpickle
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Posts: 4

Proposed Solution to the Reserved List Apr 16, 2020 10:51:17 GMT

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Post by tophatpickle on Apr 16, 2020 10:51:17 GMT

This is something I've been thinking about for some time. The reserved list states: "Reserved cards are cards that will never be printed again in a functionally identical form.

A card is considered functionally identical to another card if it has the same card type, subtypes, abilities, mana cost, power, and toughness." (source MTG Wiki @ Gamepedia).

So why not create cards very similar, but not exactly the same? I know, I know, "well then it's not the same card anymore" and "wouldn't someone have already implemented that?"

Yes and probably yes (example: shock lands and buddy lands). I want to take a stab at it anyway. I know some of the cards on the reserved list are inherently broken, but hey, powerful magic is what's all the rage now anyway right?

So my basic premise is this: how can the cards on the reserved list be altered to be basically the same card but be different enough to skirt the "functionally identical" clause?

I've attached the startings of this "Re-reserved" set in MSE format, and included some pictures of a few of the cards as well. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts and criticisms on this!

(Note: most of the cards don't have pictures because I couldn't bother sourcing them)

ZephyrPhantom
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Where they expect bacon, they meet with broken bones.

Posts: 1,896
Favorite Set: Return to Ravnica

Proposed Solution to the Reserved List Apr 17, 2020 7:28:55 GMT

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Post by ZephyrPhantom on Apr 17, 2020 7:28:55 GMT

I think the lower power cards like Thunder Spirit cards that ape what it does or try to get around the reserved-list nature of it like Voiceless Spirit are okay. Fork and Reverberate also come to mind though the latter has the luxury of axing something that was mostly easy to ignore on Fork for modern design purposes.

With higher power cards such as duals it gets trickier because you don't want to say, accidentally give Legacy 8 Lion's Eye Diamonds. The Battlebond duals cycle (Luxury Suite) had a smart take on it IMO because it used an aspect of the game that made them useful for multiplayer (and most EDH games by extension) without making them overpowered. If we take how deck sizes work into account, I suppose you could create similar ones like:

Draft UG Dual
Land
~ ETB tapped unless you have a starting deck size of 40 cards

: Add

or

to your mana pool.

Extremely rough example, but I think it gets the point across.

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sdfkjgh 20/20 Avatar Posts: 3,426 Color Alignment: Blue, Red, Green, Colorless	Proposed Solution to the Reserved List Apr 23, 2020 16:20:59 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by sdfkjgh on Apr 23, 2020 16:20:59 GMT tophatpickle: You should read my series, No Reservations II, young one. Look for it in the Lounge.

Proposed Solution to the Reserved List

Post by tophatpickle on Apr 16, 2020 10:51:17 GMT

Post by ZephyrPhantom on Apr 17, 2020 7:28:55 GMT

Post by sdfkjgh on Apr 23, 2020 16:20:59 GMT