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RiKSh4w

Does WOTC not care, or not know about the current state of Historic outside Mythic?

Discussion

So in rapid succession we had:

  • Strixhaven's Mystical Archives introduce yet another turn 1 kill into the format with Culling the Weak.
  • We had the BNR announcement where they made no changes. Citing only results from mythic, the best of the best.
  • Then they release Strixhaven Alchemy with cards clearly designed for formats other than the standard-adjacent Alchemy like [[Galathul Galecaller]] and [[Archeomancer's Spade]]??

Like I want to play with some of these cards. But the synergies I want to explore don't exist within Alchemy. Like I want to try the 2-card combo of Restoration Seminar and Mindslaver.

But historic is a very hostile format right now. We have [[Minion of the Mighty]] demanding turn 1 removal. We have [[Life//Limb]] demanding turn 2 graveyard hate. The new Culling the Weak deck that's going to be asking for one and/or both. And while you're packing game 1 graveyard hate and fatal pushes, someone comes along with mill, or hard control, or Goblin Charbelcher.

I understand this is a much bigger problem in Bo1, which I know the zeitgeist is prepared to write off as beyond saving. But even in Bo3, you only get 15 cards... And your opponent is also bringing in haymakers against you.

Here's the thing that gets me, the same graveyard hate that exists in droves to stop life/limb also shuts down the Elf Graveyard deck, or the aforementioned RestoSlaver deck. It's just invalidating any and all graveyard based decks. Then you have people playing maindeck Gaea's Blessings and/or eldrazi to mitigate the mill decks, and now it also means you can't mill people out with your Altar of the Brood deck.

The format has become so strong in each strategy that every deck besides the big contenders runs into the hate for those big contenders. And winning is less about the decisions you make, and more about dodging the hate for your deck, while hoping you draw the hate piece for the opponents deck.

The only thing keeping the format alive right now is the fact that it takes 10 seconds to get into a new game...

Posted May 24, 2026, 2:56 AM UTC

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