Rules Changes - What Does This Mean???

With the announcement of M10 came some rule changes. Today, I would like to discuss some of these changes so that players can understand them a bit better.

Simultaneous Mulligans

Was this rule ever really enforced? Yeah, at big time tournaments yes, but other than that? At the last FNM I went to I don't remember them actually enforcing it. So there is not really any big change there.

Term Changes

This change has no affect on game play at all. Only renaming areas to be more flavorful. And what is more flavorful than naming it what actually happens in that zone? Battling happens on the battlefield. So Awesome.

Also, it does make it a bit less confusing when you say "Creature enters the battlefield" instead of "Creature comes into play".

The other zone name change was "Removed from Game Zone" to "Exiled Zone". Not only did it receive a cool name, it shortens up lengthy lines of text. You can think of it as a pseudo keyword. "Exile target creature" I love this name change. The only problem is that a handful of cards became weaker. The Wish cycle can no longer grab cards from the Exiled Zone because they are still in play. Not really a big deal. We will see what the reaction is to this change in the upcoming months.

Another term change is "Playing a spell". We are casting spells and playing lands once again. This is a change that should not have changed back in 6th Edition. Makes more logical sense to cast a spell if your the planeswalker in this fantasy world. More flavor is a good flavor. Yum!

Along with this we are activating activated abilities. I think that makes more sense, but that's just me.

Lastly, we have the End of Turn Step turning into the End Step. This step is suppose to rid us of confusion. When does this actually end? Cards like Ball Lightning will now read, "At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice Ball Lightning." This change makes the step feel more like the upkeep. You know when to react to abilities and when things happen.

Mana Burn

Oh no, they got rid of mana burn. Yes, they got rid of mana burn. In my opinion, they made the game lose a bit of flavor here. You can picture it. A planeswalker tapping all the land for thier mana, but he taps a bit too much. He cast his spell and then what? Well, in fantasy reality, there would be so much energy still around that it would have to go somewhere, and that would be damaging the planeswalker for his foolishness. Now, that leftover mana just goes poof and is gone.

On the game side, mana burn does not account for alot of damage in any game. Experienced players know how to tap and get the right amount of mana of the desired kinds. Beginners will learn how to manage their resources rather fast. It wasn't until a year after I started playing Magic, that I learned of mana burn, but at that time I still didn't tap and create mana I didn't need. This shouldn't really have any affect on game play at all.

Along with this, mana pools empty after each step. Not a big deal.

Token Ownership

Not much to say here, only that the Hunted creature cycle from Ravnica become weaker in the Warp Worlds deck. Whoopi! Currently there are no cards in standard that gives your opponent a token when you cast the spell.

Combat Damage

Combat damage does not use the stack. Now this change is a little hard to see at first, but what does it really affect? Mogg Fanatic, Dauntless Escort, ... Indeed these cards do get weaker because you can't kill something with them on there way out. Or cards like Boomerang, that can bounce your creatures to safety. Hard to swallow, but one can get over it. I have read many forums on how this is the single change that will kill Magic. Why? "Because that is part of the game that is the most complex, now we have YuGiOh-Magic." First, Magic has far more complexity than its competitors will ever have. Second, Magic has been around for 15+ years. If the game has been going this long, Wizards is doing something right. Third, this makes games more interesting. You have to think of a different strategy to get the job done. If that is too complex for you, you shouldn't be playing this game.

Blocking Rules

To be blantantly honest, this made combat a lot more confusing. Now when your creature is blcoked you have to 'trample' over to put damage on them. This made a lot of mass wipe cards weaker. But as I said before, allows you to think up different strategies to win.

Keyword Updates

So, with the new blocking rules, deathtouch become very weak. Deathtouch was changed in a way that would allow it to multiple creatures if it could by splitting damage. This change really hasn't affected anything. And I don't recall having to ever having to double regenerate after blocking a creature with deathtouch.

Lifelink on the other hand kinda got the shaft. Longer will your Knight of Meadowgrain get a second instance of lifelink when you attack in with a Rafiq on the board. Kinda sucks, but I can deal with that. Also, lifelink is a static ability. So, you will gain the life right as you deal it. No stack needed here.

Those are just the biggest changes that have happened. For further information, visit the Magic website. These rules were put into affect last Saturday, July 11th. Remember this week, that the new rules are in affect.

Until next time, this is Deppe passing the turn.