Block Constructed: Difference between revisions

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With the exception of card named [[Plains]], [[Island]], [[Swamp]], [[Mountain]], and [[Forest]], a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent. [[Snow|Snow-covered]] lands, despite being [[basic land]]s, are ''only'' permitted in formats that allow the Ice Age block to be used. This similarly applies to [[Wastes]] in Battle for Zendikar block.
With the exception of card named [[Plains]], [[Island]], [[Swamp]], [[Mountain]], and [[Forest]], a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent. [[Snow|Snow-covered]] lands, despite being [[basic land]]s, are ''only'' permitted in formats that allow the Ice Age block to be used. This similarly applies to [[Wastes]] in Battle for Zendikar block.


The intention of Block was to give players a glimpse of the format after rotation, with the players working with the cards that would stay around. In practice, it tended to be a futile exercise, as many decks live and die by their manabases, and sometimes more than half of the dual lands were missing, as the Core Set was excluded and held a cycle. If the current block was too weak, the next block informs the Standard format and the decks shown are quaint; if the current block is too strong, the decks on display are going to be prevalent ad nauseum: neither were desirable and rarely was there middle ground.
The intention of Block was to give players a glimpse of the format after rotation, with the players working with the cards that would stay around. In practice, it tended to be a futile exercise: staples were printed with rotation in mind, hence some formats had core pieces missing that would never be missing in any Standard, a cycle of dual lands being missing epitomizing this issue. If the current block was too weak, the next block informs the Standard format and the decks shown are quaint; if the current block is too strong, the decks on display are going to be prevalent ad nauseum: neither were desirable and rarely was there middle ground.


According to [[Mark Rosewater]], Block has proven over time to be an unpopular format almost exclusively played because Wizards of the Coast required it at [[Pro Tour]]s and [[Pro Tour Qualifier]]s. He stated that it was being phased out because players almost never played it of their own volition.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/128437611223/will-the-new-2-set-system-lead-to-more-instances|title=Will the new 2-set system lead to more instances of or support for Block Constructed events?|September 05, 2015}}</ref> The format itself was dropped on the same day ''[[Dominaria]]'', the first set of [[Block#Three-and-One Model|Three-and-One Model]] (in which blocks are no longer used), released.
According to [[Mark Rosewater]], Block has proven over time to be an unpopular format almost exclusively played because Wizards of the Coast required it at [[Pro Tour]]s and [[Pro Tour Qualifier]]s. He stated that it was being phased out because players almost never played it of their own volition.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/128437611223/will-the-new-2-set-system-lead-to-more-instances|title=Will the new 2-set system lead to more instances of or support for Block Constructed events?|September 05, 2015}}</ref> The format itself was dropped on the same day ''[[Dominaria]]'', the first set of [[Block#Three-and-One Model|Three-and-One Model]] (in which blocks are no longer used), released.

Revision as of 22:57, 12 October 2021

Block Constructed
DCI Sanctioned
Paper {Cross}
Magic Online {Cross}
Magic Arena {Cross}
Rules
Type Constructed
Multiplayer {Cross}

Block Constructed (also known as Block) was a format that allows for cards of a chosen block to be played, save any banned cards.[1][2] The format was abandoned as a competitive format after 2014, and Wizards of the Coast no longer supports Block in general as the block system itself was discontinued in 2018.

Description

Constructed decks must contain a minimum of 60 cards. There is no maximum deck size; however, you must be able to shuffle your deck with no assistance. If a player wishes to use a sideboard, it must contain exactly 15 cards.

With the exception of card named Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest, a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent. Snow-covered lands, despite being basic lands, are only permitted in formats that allow the Ice Age block to be used. This similarly applies to Wastes in Battle for Zendikar block.

The intention of Block was to give players a glimpse of the format after rotation, with the players working with the cards that would stay around. In practice, it tended to be a futile exercise: staples were printed with rotation in mind, hence some formats had core pieces missing that would never be missing in any Standard, a cycle of dual lands being missing epitomizing this issue. If the current block was too weak, the next block informs the Standard format and the decks shown are quaint; if the current block is too strong, the decks on display are going to be prevalent ad nauseum: neither were desirable and rarely was there middle ground.

According to Mark Rosewater, Block has proven over time to be an unpopular format almost exclusively played because Wizards of the Coast required it at Pro Tours and Pro Tour Qualifiers. He stated that it was being phased out because players almost never played it of their own volition.[3] The format itself was dropped on the same day Dominaria, the first set of Three-and-One Model (in which blocks are no longer used), released.

Block formats

Blocks that were DCI sanctioned but never used in a Pro Tour and/or Grand Prix.

Blocks that had been used in at least one Pro Tour and/or Grand Prix.

Banned cards

Innistrad block

Mirrodin block

Masques block

Urza's block

Tempest block

Mirage block

Ice Age block

References

  1. ↑ Sam Stoddard (May 17, 2013). "Building Blocks". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Reid Duke (April 27, 2015). "An Introduction to the Popular Constructed Formats". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 05, 2015). "Will the new 2-set system lead to more instances of or support for Block Constructed events?". Blogatog. Tumblr.

External links

DCI
Sanctioned
Casual
Constructed
Limited/Draft
Multiplayer
Retired
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