No set had ever such a conflict potential like Unfinity has. While the Universes Beyond Editions may make players also think some cards or artworks doen’t belong in the Magic Universe, at least the mechanics are right and the gameplay isn’t affected. But Unfinity is others. People either love or hate it. Why is this so ?
Unfinity is the first non-silvered bordered set of the un-Series. The reasons behind this are manifold. The supporters will argue:
- Un-Sets are fun. The cards are crazy and bend the rules. These cards were meant to play in casual formats like Commander. But because they were crazy and silver-bordered, noone played them: let’s change this by making them legal and black-bordered.
Other players would argue:
- The „UN“cards are silly. If your playgroup agrees to play them, go on ! But please leave us alone with this stuff – we don’t want this. It would have been better if it stayed silver bordered.
The Unfinity set now is produced as a black-bordered set. So most of the cards are Commander (and other format) legal. They printed a tiny acorn-icon on some cards, which shows that these cards are „on agreement“, though, but still leaving about half of the set to be „eternal cards“ which are legal in eternal formats as commander. So what did WotC do ? They cheated Unfinity into Commander like a Trojan horse.
While there are reprints of Ravnica Shock-lands and basic lands which are fine, the new „legal“ cards have some issues:
- First, they are … silly – .,like a Clown Car ? Well, maybe you like the munor in it, or argue that a gun-wearing Glenn also doesn’t fit in a Magic Universe, but you must admit, these cards are not the normal kind of card.
- Second, they bring in new mechanics… like attractions Monitor Monitor Balloon Stand.
- Third, they bring in new mechanics… wait, you said that before ? Yeah, but I mean really new mechanics like Stickers to alter other cards in Play : Command Performance
Again, you can bear it or deny it; Altering cards, glue stuff on cards (or on Sleeves) and afterwards scratch it off, buying and bringing sheets of stickers with you… well, this is not everyonce imagination of what Magic should be.
We personally dislike the thing utmost. We agree, that some cards are nice and playable, but others are just crap.
We also dislike the enforcement of making it legal. It is just greedy monetarization: people are force to buy a set of cards of which half of it is unplayable if your playgroup doesn’t like Un-Sets. It is the desperate try to sell a set which is „not much worth“ because of the silver frame and not much liked by enforcing it to be eternal.
We would think it would have been a better way to print it silver-bordered: if someone asks then and the group agrees, certain cards could have been played in your group then.
But now the dilemma: what should we do ?
a) Ban the whole set. (So the ban-list remains shorter and clear)
b) Ban certain cards (like all sticker or attraction mechanics – which will give a long banlist (244cards, half of which are eternal and as a guess we ban half of the eternals would result in about 50 new card-bannings)
c) Just let the cards be played, and ban afterwards if some are too strong
We are awaiting YOUR input and comments. YOU are the players for whom we make the rules.
Good Games and fun ! Your Teamcommander-Team !
UPDATE: If you don’t see images yet to the UNFINITY Cards, google them / look them up at Scryfall until they are online.