I just really don't understand how WotC can call the format healthy.
I've been playing since 1993. I've been to nationals (when they were a thing) and I've been to RCs.
I know what a healthy format looks like. A format being dominated, essentially, by: Red, Izzet, and Greasefang isn't healthy.
Monument is certainly a problem. As to things like RIP Greasefang has plenty of ways to get around enchantments.
Monument is an issue, but they need a discard outlet (like Guardian of NB) and it doesn't usually all-but kill you on turn 3.
WotC does need to slow Pioneer down, and the only way to do that is through bans.
Greasefang, for example, is "Dodge losing you removal to Thoughtsieze on turn 1 and hold it on turn 2. If you don't and they have it, you lose."
Why? One card. Parhelion II.
That's not healthy for the format.
As to Carmen:
She seems like a sweet person, but I think WotC just doesn't care about Pioneer and doesn't want to disrupt the players on Arena.
WotC is afraid of banning cards because bans can reduce collector value. After the crap got from the Lotus/Dockside speculators pulled, they got gunshy.
That was just one example. If typal decks became a key part of the meta, blue would start to run the answers. The trick is that the answers are in the format.
The answers to the red wave and greasefang don't really exist.
Also the fact that blue pairs with white and white has tons of removal.
I agree on Annex, Cavern is fine, though. It disrupts one part of blue, the countering of creatures, only if they have the same creature type.
Blue has tons of ways to deal with creatures after they resolve. Bouncing, enchanting (like with Witness Protection), and the like.
The trick is to hold it until 2030 and redistrict it to knock out more GOP seats.
I doubt you've gotten this far, but quite seriously, you need to do something about the over representation of red.
If it were me?
I'd carpet bomb the field to shake things up.
I'd look at:
1. Cori Steel-Cutter
2. Slickshot Showoff
3. Boomerang Basics
4. Stormchaser's Talent
5. Parhelion II
Our last tournament had 16 players, a $200 prize pool, and was free.
Quite literally, we had 12 flavors of red, 2 greasefang, 1 mono-white, 1 AZ control.
That's not healthy. At all.
Frankly, after hearing that, I feel betrayed.
I canceled the last 2 tournaments in the series after today's videos.
I cannot support competitive Pioneer tournaments with my very limited money if the format is going to be called "healthy" in its current state.
Next person say that Pioneer was healthy when red is overly represented and the 5 competitive decks are:
Mono-Red Aggro
Izzet Lessons
Izzet Phoenix
Orzhov Greasefang
Golgari Greasefang
Has me incredibly upset as someone who pumped literally $1k to run Pio tournies in Atl because nobody else would.
This was in response to the state of Pioneer in general from yesterday.
I have far different opinions on what Carmen said today.
Straight up. I'm upset. Very upset about what Carmen said today. I defended y'all for months and seeing someone say a healthy format needs color balance then the-
For those who want a breakdown:
2 R/U
1 B/W
1 B/G
1 Mono-R
0 Mono-W
0 Mono-U
0 Mono-B
0 Mono-G
3 contain R
2 contain U
2 contain B
1 contains W
1 contains G
Red is clearly a problem and WotC should've taken steps to ban 1 or more red cards to open the format.
Again, this is unacceptable.
Badgermole Cub was good and healthy for Standard because it allowed green to be active and how color balance is important to the health of a format.
I am furious at WotC right now.
Their take on the format is unacceptable and insulting.
Having watched the video today, I'm extremely angry at and insulted by WotC.
It is clear that Pioneer is not a WotC priority and that they think so little of the format that they claim having "red or greasefang" as the only competitive decks in the format is healthy after just saying that-
I will be taking this up with the board. Rest assured.
I have spent significant funds to keep this format alive in Atlanta, and you figuratively spit in my face today.
I defended you for a year that you would take steps to open the format, and instead, you took a look and said, "This is fine."
I'm typing this while angry, which is something I try to never do, but someone needs to say something.
You are failing at your jobs and should be released immediately.
I am insulted that you are gaslighting me and expecting me to be too feebleminded to see that "red-based" or "greasefang" are the only archetypes in the format.
Where is Mono-W or Mono-G?
Nowhere. They're not competitively viable.
And you don't care enough about format balance to take any action.
You blatantly and hypocritically contradicted that by calling Pioneer healthy when the color balance is "red based" or "black based" and frankly, I'm very angry.
It has become obvious that Pioneer isn't a priority of WotC. This kind of garbage would never be allowed in Standard and as a player -
I'm going to address the section on Pioneer.
You're not going to like this:
Your responses and explanations were unacceptable.
You acknowledged your decks were either red or greasefang. Immediately prior to that, you said that it was needed that you had color balance for a health format.
I'm sunk. Financial ruin levels of sunk, and I don't know what to do.
I can't even crowd fund because disability rules are stupid.
Question:
For Pioneer, did you really say: Play red, red/blue, red/white or play Greasefang?
Please don't take this the wrong way, but you can't possibly seriously see this as healthy.
Also: Still no major tournament support for the format? This is seriously hurting the morale of Pioneer players.
Okay, look, I've been very supportive of y'all, but this Pioneer announcement is indefensible.
You literally had the gall to write:
"Play some flavor of red or play Greasefang."
WotC already isn't giving Pioneer any tournament support, and now you're not even trying to open the field?
Not cool.
@carmparens.bsky.social I respect the work y'all put into the B&R over at Magic.
Despite personally feeling like I've been forced out of Magic due to my format more or less being dropped by WotC and left to stagnate.
Y'all don't deserve the hate from places like Reddit. It's not fair or earned.
@highermtg.bsky.social
Just dropping this here, as there is no way that I could find to send feedback to the Commander B/R list.
Add me to the pile of "Ban Thoracle" and "Ban R. Study."
R. Study is a one-sided 3 mana card that is extremely expensive to buy and should be in any and all blue decks.
@magic.wizards.com - What the heck is this!?
Rosewater, who we are supposed to trust, said that Wizards wasn't going to focus on Universes Beyond, then your investor relations guy pulls THIS move!?
Don't you understand that Magic is a game with setting and lore, it's not Fortnite!
Boycott!
"Probably" delayed?
Their new mantra is 6 sets per year. 2026 has 7. If they delayed to 2027 there would only be 6 sets, not 7.
Look, don't take this the wrong way here, but you're engaging in some pretty high-level mental gymnastics trying to absolve WotC.
Because Lowyn Eclipsed was delayed. It wasn't supposed to be a 2026 release.
2026 Sets, original lineup:
TMNT
Secrets of Strixhaven
Marvel Superheroes
The Hobbit
Reality Fracture
Star Trek
Lorwyn Eclipsed was originally slated for 2025.
mtgrocks.com/mtg-lorwyn-e...
And, yes, I'm royally cheesed off that the original plan for 2026 was 4 UB sets and 2 Magic sets.
That alone should have us readying the torches and pitchforks.
That also makes it unreliable.
He should now preface anything he says with "Right now, we think..."
But no. He said, "UB won't be part of standard."
So a lot of people bought UB and gave them grace because of that statement. Then, once they entrenched it, they shifted.