Today, in an unannounced update, Wizards of the Coast banned a bevy of cards across several formats. The nature of the announcement and the reason for the bans are inextricably linked. As more and more Magic is played on digital platforms there is pressure to implement changes at a more rapid pace to keep gameplay fresh and free of redundant (or in some cases, onerous) play patterns. The result is today’s banned list update, although it should be note that Wizards of the Coast does not view such rapid updates (the last update came three weeks ago) to be standard operating procedure once tabletop opportunities return.
Standard
- Growth Spiral is banned
- Wilderness Reclamation is banned
- Cauldron Familiar is banned
- Teferi, Time Raveler is banned
Historic
- Teferi, Time Raveler is suspended
- Wilderness Reclamation is suspended
Pioneer
- Inverter of Truth is banned
- Underworld Breach is banned
- Walking Ballista is banned
- Kethis, the Hidden Hand is banned
Brawl
- Teferi, Time Raveler is banned
A complete breakdown of reasoning behind the changes can be found in the original article.