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Image via WotC
Category:
MTG

MTG devs confirm bans and unbans are coming to Pioneer and Modern formats

Changes are coming.
Image of Danny Forster
Danny Forster
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Published: Nov 28, 2023 02:54 pm

Wizards of the Coast confirmed on Nov. 28 that Banned and Restricted announcement for Magic: The Gathering will take place in December, affecting the Pioneer and Modern formats. 

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Heading into the 2023-2024 MTG competitive season, WotC changed how Banned and Restricted announcements were handled. However, the new cadence had a rocky start, as no bans were announced in September with the launch of Wilds of Eldraine (two unbans did take place in August). Players were aware a Banned and Restricted announcement may take place in December, and that was confirmed by MTG play design team manager Dan Musser and Andrew Brown on Nov. 28 in the WeeklyMTG series.

Orcs Bowmasters prepare to charge forward in the Lord of the Rings card art for Magic: The Gathering.
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The next MTG Banned and Restricted announcement will take place on Dec. 4. No bans or unbans are expected to take place in the Standard format, which is the next featured format RCQs are running for the third Pro Tour of 2024. Formats that will get hit with possible bans are Modern and Pioneer. The team is also planning to unban cards in Pioneer with possible unbans in Modern as well. 

Bans and unbans have a huge impact on the MTG competitive scene, as most cards in a competitive deck aren’t cheap to purchase as singles on the secondary market. Knowing a ban is coming helps players prepare for upcoming tournaments, like the upcoming regional championship tournament at Dreamhack Atlanta from 15 to 17 that features the Pioneer format. 

No banned cards were confirmed during the Nov. 28 announcement, but the play design team did confirm that Splinter Twin is not getting unbanned in the Modern format. 

Players can find out which MTG cards in Pioneer and Modern are getting banned or unbanned on Dec. 4. 

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Author
Image of Danny Forster
Danny Forster
Staff writer, lead beat writer for MTG and TFT
Danny has been writing for Dot Esports for over five years, first as a freelancer and now as a staff writer. He is the lead beat writer for Magic: The Gathering and Teamfight Tactics. Danny is also a solid Monopoly GO player, having beaten every main event without spending a dime. When Danny isn't writing or gaming, he's chilling by the water in Spacecoast Florida with his family and friends. He's always got a tan, because touching grass is important, and loves playing strategic digital and tabletop games. Past outlets Danny has written for include TheGamer and ScreenRant.
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