Topic: New Block Structure Announcement

http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/ar … amorphosis

Every magic player should read this article. There are some big changes coming to the structure of Magic and to standard especially.

TL:DR
- 3-set blocks and core sets are gone. Blocks will now be 2 sets each and there will be 2 blocks each "magic year" (fall-summer). For the most part blocks will have a big set and a small set. The general release dates will stay as they are: Block 1 set 1 in the fall, B1s2 winter, B2s1 spring, B2s2 summer.
- Rotation will occur every 6 months instead of every 12 months.
- Standard will always have either 5 or 6 legal sets.
- There will be some sort of supplemental product for new players to make up for the removal of core sets.
- M16 core set will be the last one, in summer 2015.
- Fall 2015 will have the be the start of the first 2-set block.
- Khans of Tarkir and the 2nd set in Khans block will rotate spring 2016.
- The 3rd set in Khans block and M16 will rotate fall 2016.
- None of this is 100% set in stone for the entire future of magic. WotC can and will change things if they think it's a good idea.

MaRo didn't touch on it, but I'm assuming that supplemental products (Commander, Special summer set [Modern Masters, Conspiracy etc], Duel Decks etc) will continue to be released at they are now.

What are you thoughts?

Profile  Tradelist

Re: New Block Structure Announcement

I'm a fan.  If anything I wish they would speed rotation up even more.

As a mostly standard player I like the idea that this change will likely force people to adopt new strategies and, god forbid, put two seconds worth of thought into building decks (y'know as opposed to just net-decking and running that deck for 2 years).  Sure, the pros will still figure out decks and then people will copy those lists, but at least we won't have to stare down the exact same list for two full years.

From a limited standpoint, this is great.  The LGS where I used to play did drafts every week and I'll admit, by the end of the Theros block, I was pretty sick of opening Theros packs where the only way to even come close to recouping my entry cost would be to pull an Elspeth.  The increased release rate should create more unique limited formats to keep this fresh from week to week.

I dig the increased flavor we're going to be getting as the storyline will actually progress at a better clip.

Now, some people are going to complain about what it might do to card costs, but, realistically, it's not 100% clear what is going to happen there.  I could easily make arguments that the average cost of sought-after cards will increase or decrease - so it's pretty up in the air on that point.

Overall, I like it.  Shake things up.  See what happens.  It's a shame more companies aren't willing to make changes like this from time-to-time.