The MTG Zeta Secret Lair dropped earlier this week. The release definitely did not go smoothly, with even Wizards of the Coast describing it as a “disaster”. Yet, despite the fact that many players won’t be able to get their hands on Zeta cards, the Secret Lair is still going to be incredibly impactful. Many Zeta cards were downshifted to the common rarity, meaning that MTG’s Pauper format (where only common cards are legal) has just received a massive influx of new tools to experiment with.
Initially, it seemed like rarity downshifts in the Zeta Secret Lair would be disregarded in Pauper. On August 24th, Gavin Verhey, a game designer working at Wizards of the Coast and the head of the Pauper Format Panel, announced on social media that “Secret Lair reprints are not meant to impact Pauper”.
11 days later, however, Verhey published an article on the Wizards of the Coast website announcing, “we have decided to change course on this. These cards will be legal for tournament play effective Monday, September 7.” Although, there are “a few notes” for players to consider.
Verhey explained that the change in stance towards these cards was motivated by listening to community feedback, and points put forward by players arguing that the cards should be legal in the format.
The 12 cards that were printed at common in the Zeta Secret Lair are
- Dispatch
- Return to Dust
- Serra Angel
- Narcomoeba
- An Offer You Can’t Refuse
- Cut Down
- Sengir Vampire
- Price of Progress
- Vandalblast
- Gigantosaurus
- Baleful Strix
&
- Soul-Guide Lantern
Not all of these cards are now Pauper playable, however, as Narcomeba and Price of Progress have been pre-emptively banned. Baleful Strix, Vandalblast, Dispatch, and Cut Down are also “on a tight leash” due to their potential to disrupt the format.
If you’re looking to brew some deck using this slew of new commons, why not jump into the Wargamer Discord and cook something up with the community?
Source: Wargamer
