Why was Mana Crypt banned in Commander?

Commander is one of the more stable formats in the Magic: The Gathering lineup, but that doesn't mean changes happen from time to time. One of the biggest changes to the format came with the banning of the four main cards from the higher levels of play.

Of these four cards, one of the most respected was Mana Crypt, an incredibly powerful mana rock that has been a staple in many decks over the years. If you're wondering what caused the Mana Crypt ban, we've got all the details you need.

What is Mana Crypt?

This infamous artifact has been a powerful card in Commander for a long time, in part because Long term card exclusivity And its sheer power.

This zero mana artifact adds two generic mana to your mana pool, sometimes at the cost of a little life. The big drawback of this mana stone is that you have to flip a coin at the beginning of your turn. Missing that flip means you take three damagewhile if you win you can't.

You can immediately see why Mana Crypt is so good. Literally no investment, You can add two general mana.

Another part of what makes Mana Crypt so prized by Commander players is that getting one, at least a legitimate physical copy, has been incredibly difficult for years. You cannot open Mana Crypt in the package When it was published in 1995.

The only way you could add this card to your collection was to buy it Magic: The Gathering Book Final Sacrifice, by posting a special coupon for the publisherHarper Prism, and then wait for the card to return in the mail.

Other cards of this promotion are:

• Arena and Sewers of Estark
• Badjo centaur
• Giant badger

After the promotional period ended, there was no other way to get the exclusive promotional card until then It was finally reprinted in Eternal Masters in 2016 As a rare legend.

Technically, this card was re-released in 2011 as a Judge promotional card, but these cards are exclusively available to Magic's Judges and are not widely released.

Mana Crypt was published in the Lost Caverns of Ixalan special guest section. You can unlock a regular version or a variety of neon Cosmium inks, all in fancy colors.

What makes Mana Crypt so good?

It's easy to see what would cause a Mana Crypt ban. Access to two mana It gives you an incredible advantage before you even play your first pitch.

You can play a land and make a three-mana spell, or draw mana from Mana Crypt, or another two-mana rock like Sol Ring or Arcane Signet , and possibly play a spell while you're at it.

All this allows you Don't hit with anywhere between three and five mana on your second turnwhich is plenty of room to play any cards left in your hand or to choose a larger Commander.

The downside to Mana Crypt, and what theoretically helps balance this zero-mana gem, is that you have A 50/50 chance to hit yourself for three points of damage at the top of the turn.

Realistically though, you'll end up taking a few points of damage, which is nothing in a single format Where you start with 40 health While you grab the extra mana and use it to catapult yourself several turns ahead of your opponents.

Why should Mana Crypt be banned?

The idea of ​​banning cards is this To keep the game healthyAnd players are happy, helping players to be as creative as possible in their deck building.

If there are too many cards that count in each main deck, such as Mana Crypt, It can lead to a narrowing of deck variance.

Mana is Crypt Also a super fast card. You can cast a lot of spells in the first few turns of a match, which usually last three or four turns.

There are few other cards in Magic like Mana Crypt Another similar card, Lotus Jewel, also receives a banwhile the Sol ring is widely accepted and available, safe from any bans.

OK, so what about the Soul Ring?

The ring is Sol A bit of a conundrum for Magic players and the Commander Rules Committeethe organizing body behind Commander Banlist, which Wizards of the Coast follows.

As it stands, it exists Zero moves or the debate over the ever-present mana stone ban.

Sol Ring requires a mana commitment of one mana and while It provides similar power by generating two generic mana when tapped, without the pesky downside of Mana Crypt.There are other things too.

Sol Ring quickly became a standout card for Commander players, both for its explosive mana generation and Because it's just a fun card.

Removing Sol Ring from the format would be a huge blow to the identity and identity of the game Great impact on casual and competitive players alike.