2. While I am sure most folks will disagree with me, my opinion is the format is actually very balanced right now with a variety of different decks to choose from and I think no changes are better than more restrictions. However, I do think we should UN-restrict cards. I would consider (I have not done significant playtesting on the results) UN-restricting these: Balance, Fastbond, Necro and Wheel of Fortune. By UN-restricting cards the meta might get shaken up significantly to a point where you need control and blue control takes over, but if that doesn’t happen then I would try UN-restricting some of those cards.

  3. @Mitch – Interesting… Oath is one of the only real strategies that can fight off Workshop. Would you suggest restricting Oath in addition to Lodestone?

    @thewoof2 – Balance would certainly help to eliminate Affinity, though I don’t think that is something we want to do. Balance nerfs all creature decks, but doesn’t really do anything to Workshop (at least, anything more than a StP or Bolt already does). Fastbond is pretty dangerous too, though Misstep is a natural predator to some broken shenanigans. That said, unrestricted Fastbond might lead to a 2 deck format… Gush and Workshop. I’m not sure that’s what we want either. Necro might be safe, but pre-ME4, that was THE dominant deck in Classic. Workshop might be enough to hold off Storm decks however. Wheel is probably fine… no one really uses it anyway.

  4. Fair enough Scott. Maybe start by unrestricting wheel and seeing if it has any impact. I am a firm believer that more restrictions/bannings in a format that is already very diverse (as you pointed out by the top 8) is a bad move. There are certainly many cards in the arsenal to deal with artifacts and I see no indication by results over the past, say 1 year, to suggest any moves. Granted classic DE’s never fire so it is hard to get any true indication of the format.