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{{About|the format|the game term|Historic}}
 
{{Infobox format
 
{{Infobox format
| title = Historic
+
| name = Historic
 
| dci = n
 
| dci = n
 
| online = n
 
| online = n
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| rules = Best-of-one and Best-of-three
 
| rules = Best-of-one and Best-of-three
 
}}
 
}}
{{About|the format|the game term|Historic}}
 
 
'''Historic''' is a [[constructed]] non-rotating [[format]] for ''[[Magic: The Gathering Arena]]'' that was officially announced by [[Wizards of the Coast]] on June 27, 2019.<ref name="June 2019">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-beta-june-27-2019|MTG Arena: State of the Beta — June 2019|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|June 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{WebRef|url=https://forums.mtgarena.com/forums/threads/57075|title=Rotation Guide - Intro to Rotation, Upcoming Changes, and Historic Play|author=MTG Arena Admin|date=June 27, 2019|publisher=Mtgarena.com}}</ref>
 
'''Historic''' is a [[constructed]] non-rotating [[format]] for ''[[Magic: The Gathering Arena]]'' that was officially announced by [[Wizards of the Coast]] on June 27, 2019.<ref name="June 2019">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-beta-june-27-2019|MTG Arena: State of the Beta — June 2019|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|June 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{WebRef|url=https://forums.mtgarena.com/forums/threads/57075|title=Rotation Guide - Intro to Rotation, Upcoming Changes, and Historic Play|author=MTG Arena Admin|date=June 27, 2019|publisher=Mtgarena.com}}</ref>
   
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
Historic was implemented in November 2019, as a format that allows ''Arena'' players to make use of cards that are no longer [[legal]] in [[Standard]] after [[rotation]].<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.dailyesports.gg/mtg-arena-update-introducing-the-historic-format/|title=MTG Arena update: Introducing the Historic format|author=Brett Teran|date=June 27, 2019|publisher=[[Magic Esports]]}}</ref> The format is exclusive to ''Arena'', and is intended "to be a fun and casual way [that players] can continue to play with all the cards in [their] collection".<ref name="June 2019"/> On the other hand, paper ''Magic'' and [[Magic Online]] use the [[Pioneer]], [[Modern]], [[Legacy]], and [[Vintage]] non-rotating formats. Unusually, Historic has some quirks that prevent it from being a subset of larger formats, such as [[Jumpstart]], [[Historic Anthology]] and the Arena New Player Experience cards. Historic-legal sets are those from Ixalan onward. Cards from earlier sets are added at Wizard of the Coast's discretion.
+
Historic was implemented in November 2019, as a format that allows ''Arena'' players to make use of cards that are no longer [[legal]] in [[Standard]] after [[rotation]].<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.dailyesports.gg/mtg-arena-update-introducing-the-historic-format/|title=MTG Arena update: Introducing the Historic format|author=Brett Teran|date=June 27, 2019|publisher=[[Magic Esports]]}}</ref> The format is exclusive to ''Arena'', and is intended "to be a fun and casual way [that players] can continue to play with all the cards in [their] collection".<ref name="June 2019"/> On the other hand, paper ''Magic'' and [[Magic Online]] use the [[Pioneer]], [[Modern]], [[Legacy]], and [[Vintage]] non-rotating formats. Historic-legal sets are those from Ixalan onward, but cards from earlier sets were added at Wizards of the Coast's discretion.
  +
  +
As of December, 2021, Historic uses [[Rebalanced card|rebalanced]] [[Alchemy card]]s instead of original similar-to-paper versions of cards.<ref>{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-alchemy-2021-12-02|MTG Arena: State - Alchemy|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 2, 2021}}</ref> The format is now considered a living format that can have balance changes when Wizards of the Coast sees fit.
  +
 
The format includes a Historic Play queue (both [[best-of-one]] and [[Bo3|best-of-three]]), Direct Challenge, practice matches with [[Sparky]], as well as some rotating events that are not beholden to Standard (such as [[Pauper]], [[Singleton]], etc.).<ref name="June 2019" />
   
  +
===History===
Before [[R&D]] settled on Historic the name used for the rumored format was "'''Standard Plus'''".<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://screenrant.com/magic-arena-standard-plus-format/|title=Magic Arena Will Eventually Have A "Standard Plus" Format|author=Cody Gravelle|date=December 06, 2018|publisher=Screenrant.com}}</ref> The format includes a Historic Play queue (both [[best-of-one]] and [[Bo3|best-of-three]]), Direct Challenge, practice matches with [[Sparky]], as well as some rotating events that are not beholden to Standard (such as [[Pauper]], [[Singleton]], etc.).<ref name="June 2019"/>
 
  +
The introduction of Historic coincided with the first [[rotation]] for MTG Arena, and the release of the fall set of that year, ''[[Throne of Eldraine]]''.<ref name="June 2019"/> Before [[R&D]] settled on Historic the name used for the rumored format was "'''Standard Plus'''".<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://screenrant.com/magic-arena-standard-plus-format/|title=Magic Arena Will Eventually Have A "Standard Plus" Format|author=Cody Gravelle|date=December 06, 2018|publisher=Screenrant.com}}</ref> The format was inducted as tournament-sanctioned in [[Mythic Invitational 2020]], and Historic replaced Draft as the second format for major competitive events for 2020-2021. Initially, Historic was merely another time-partitioned format that started at Ixalan, but as time went on a large selection of powerful other cards were added through supplemental sets, such as [[Jumpstart]], [[Historic Anthology]] and the [[Strixhaven: School of Mages/Mystical Archive|''Strixhaven: Mystical Archive'']] cards.
   
  +
In December 2021, the release of Alchemy paired Historic with it in terms of card changes.
The introduction of Historic coincided with the first [[rotation]] for MTG Arena, and the release of the fall set of that year, ''[[Throne of Eldraine]]''.<ref name="June 2019"/> The format was inducted as tournament-sanctioned in [[Mythic Invitational 2020]], and Historic replaced Draft as the second format for major competitive events for 2020-2021.
 
   
 
===Set Legality===
 
===Set Legality===
 
The following paper releases were captured in Arena and are hence legal in Historic. Further supplemental sets are listed below.
 
The following paper releases were captured in Arena and are hence legal in Historic. Further supplemental sets are listed below.
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|*''[[Kaladesh Remastered]]''
+
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
*''[[Amonkhet Remastered]]''
 
 
*''[[Ixalan]]''
 
*''[[Ixalan]]''
 
*''[[Rivals of Ixalan]]''
 
*''[[Rivals of Ixalan]]''
Line 37: Line 41:
 
*''[[Strixhaven: School of Mages]]''
 
*''[[Strixhaven: School of Mages]]''
 
*''[[Mystical Archive]]''
 
*''[[Mystical Archive]]''
  +
*''[[Adventures in the Forgotten Realms]]''
  +
*''[[Innistrad: Midnight Hunt]]''
  +
*''[[Innistrad: Crimson Vow]]''
  +
}}
  +
The following [[digital-only]] releases are legal in Historic.
  +
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
  +
*''[[Historic Anthology]]''
 
*''[[Amonkhet Remastered]]''
  +
*''[[Kaladesh Remastered]]''
  +
*''[[Jumpstart: Historic Horizons]]''
  +
*''[[Alchemy: Innistrad]]''
 
}}
 
}}
   
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In [[2020]], Wizards of the Coast plan to begin adding "remastered" versions of older sets to ''Magic: The Gathering Arena''.<ref>{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-november-2019-11-13|State of the Beta - November 2019|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|November 13, 2019}}</ref> The MTG Arena team, in conjunction with ''Magic'' [[R&D]], will be looking at multiple sets and condensing them into a single larger set that only includes the most relevant cards and adding that to the game. This will allow them to focus on what made these sets fun and exciting for players while delivering the content much more quickly.
 
In [[2020]], Wizards of the Coast plan to begin adding "remastered" versions of older sets to ''Magic: The Gathering Arena''.<ref>{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-november-2019-11-13|State of the Beta - November 2019|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|November 13, 2019}}</ref> The MTG Arena team, in conjunction with ''Magic'' [[R&D]], will be looking at multiple sets and condensing them into a single larger set that only includes the most relevant cards and adding that to the game. This will allow them to focus on what made these sets fun and exciting for players while delivering the content much more quickly.
   
  +
This long-term commitment will eventually lead to additional support to formats beyond Standard and Historic, and working towards [[Pioneer]]. That said, both Remastered sets were sets that were already digitalized in the closed beta, and a large number of non-Pioneer cards in [[Strixhaven: School of Mages/Mystical Archive|''Strixhaven: Mystical Archive'']] and [[Modern Horizons 2|''Modern Horizons 2'']] were implemented instead of cards from sets legal in Pioneer. With that, and [[Pioneer Masters]] having been put on permanent hiatus, suggests that the vision for Historic is one of a unique format from any paper or Magic Online variant.
This is a long-term commitment that will eventually lead to additional format support beyond Standard and Historic working towards [[Pioneer]].
 
   
 
===Amonkhet Remastered===
 
===Amonkhet Remastered===
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==Historic Brawl==
 
==Historic Brawl==
Historic Brawl is a variant of [[Brawl]] format. Basically, Historic Brawl is just what you would expect; the Brawl format (which otherwise uses only Standard-legal sets) with the added Historic card pool. It was introduced on MTG Arena in December 2020.
+
Historic Brawl is a variant of [[Brawl]] format that is played with a deck of 60 cards. Basically, Historic Brawl is just what you would expect; the Brawl format (which otherwise uses only Standard-legal sets) with the added Historic card pool. It was introduced to MTG Arena in December 2020.<ref name="December 2020"/>
  +
  +
===100-card Historic Brawl===
  +
100-card Historic Brawl was introduced in June, 2021.<ref name=June 2021">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-announcements-june-16-2021|MTG Arena Announcements, June 16, 2021|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|June 16, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-jumpstart-historic-horizons-2021-07-29|MTG Arena: State of the Game — Jumpstart: Historic Horizons|[[Jay Parker]]|July 29, 2021}}</ref> This is the closest to the [[Commander (format)|Commander format]] that can be played on MTG Arena.
  +
  +
==Jumpstart: Historic Horizons==
  +
''Jumpstart: Historic Horizons'' is an MTG Arena exclusive card set, released in August 2021. It contains hundreds of cards from ''[[Modern Horizons]]'', ''[[Modern Horizons 2]]'', and more — including 31 new-to-Magic cards you'll only find in this digital release.
  +
{{Main|Jumpstart: Historic Horizons}}
   
 
==Suspensions==
 
==Suspensions==
To support the Historic format, Wizards introduced ''suspensions'' to control the balance that works well with Magic's history of using bans and restrictions while allowing more flexibility to adjust as Historic changes.<ref name="Suspension Announcement">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/historic-suspension-announcement-2019-12-10|Historic Suspension Announcement|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 10, 2019}}</ref> For gameplay purposes, a suspension works like a ban, in that the card will not be legal to use in the format while it is suspended. But unlike how banning cards are handled, R&D plans to use the flexibility that the digital format provides to move cards onto and off of the suspension list more commonly. Suspension isn't a final verdict, it's an indication that R&D thinks a card may be causing issues and likes to see what the meta looks like without that influence.
+
To support the Historic format, Wizards introduced ''suspensions'' to control the balance that works well with Magic's history of using bans and restrictions while allowing more flexibility to adjust as Historic changes.<ref name="Suspension Announcement">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/historic-suspension-announcement-2019-12-10|Historic Suspension Announcement|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 10, 2019}}</ref> For gameplay purposes, a suspension works like a ban, in that the card will not be legal to use in the format while it is suspended. Unlike how banning cards is handled, R&D plans to use the flexibility that the digital format provides to move cards onto and off of the suspension list more commonly than otherwise just banning them. Suspension isn't a final verdict, it's an indication that R&D thinks a card may be causing issues and likes to see what the meta looks like without that influence.
   
 
Suspension is also a temporary measure. All the cards that are suspended will be removed from the suspension list by or before the next event. Some may be returned to the playable pool (likely because R&D believes the new environment provides the appropriate answers or countermeasures), and the rest will move to be fully banned.
 
Suspension is also a temporary measure. All the cards that are suspended will be removed from the suspension list by or before the next event. Some may be returned to the playable pool (likely because R&D believes the new environment provides the appropriate answers or countermeasures), and the rest will move to be fully banned.
   
 
===Suspended cards===
 
===Suspended cards===
  +
*<c>Memory Lapse</c><ref name="BR2021013">{{DailyRef|news/october-13-2021-banned-and-restricted-announcement|October 13, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|October 13, 2021}}</ref>
Currently none
 
   
 
==Banned list==
 
==Banned list==
As of June 9, 2021, the following cards are banned in Historic.
+
As of October 14, 2021, the following cards are banned in Historic.
 
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
 
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
 
*<c>Agent of Treachery</c><ref name="BR2020713">{{DailyRef|news/july-13-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement-2020-07-13|July 13, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Ian Duke]]|July 13, 2020}}</ref><ref name="BR20200601">{{DailyRef|news/june-1-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement|June 1, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|Ian Duke|June 1, 2020}}</ref>
 
*<c>Agent of Treachery</c><ref name="BR2020713">{{DailyRef|news/july-13-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement-2020-07-13|July 13, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Ian Duke]]|July 13, 2020}}</ref><ref name="BR20200601">{{DailyRef|news/june-1-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement|June 1, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|Ian Duke|June 1, 2020}}</ref>
  +
*<c>Brainstorm</c><ref name="BR2021013"/>
 
*<c>Channel</c><ref name="BR20210326">{{TwitterRef|mtg_lee|1375511892492312584|author=[[Lee Sharpe]]|date=March 26, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Channel</c><ref name="BR20210326">{{TwitterRef|mtg_lee|1375511892492312584|author=[[Lee Sharpe]]|date=March 26, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Counterspell</c><ref name="BR20210326"/>
 
*<c>Counterspell</c><ref name="BR20210326"/>
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*<c>Teferi, Time Raveler</c><ref name="BR20200808">{{DailyRef|news/august-8-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement|August 3, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|Ian Duke|August 3, 2020}}</ref><ref name="BR20201012">{{DailyRef|news/october-12-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement|October 12, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|Ian Duke|October 12, 2020}}</ref>
 
*<c>Teferi, Time Raveler</c><ref name="BR20200808">{{DailyRef|news/august-8-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement|August 3, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|Ian Duke|August 3, 2020}}</ref><ref name="BR20201012">{{DailyRef|news/october-12-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement|October 12, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|Ian Duke|October 12, 2020}}</ref>
 
*<c>Thassa's Oracle</c><ref name="May 2021">{{DailyRef|news/may-19-2021-banned-and-restricted-announcement|May 19, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Jay Parker]]|May 19, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Thassa's Oracle</c><ref name="May 2021">{{DailyRef|news/may-19-2021-banned-and-restricted-announcement|May 19, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Jay Parker]]|May 19, 2021}}</ref>
  +
*<c>Tibalt's Trickery</c><ref name="BR2021013"/>
 
*<c>Time Warp</c><ref name="June 2021">{{DailyRef|news/June-9-2021-banned-and-restricted-announcement|June 9, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Jay Parker]]|June 9, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Time Warp</c><ref name="June 2021">{{DailyRef|news/June-9-2021-banned-and-restricted-announcement|June 9, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Jay Parker]]|June 9, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath</c><ref name="February 2021"/>
 
*<c>Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath</c><ref name="February 2021"/>
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===Historic Brawl===
 
===Historic Brawl===
As of June 16, 2021, the following cards are banned in Historic Brawl.
+
As of December 8, 2021, the following cards are banned in Historic Brawl.
 
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
 
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
  +
*<c>Agent of Treachery</c><ref name="December 2021">{{DailyRef|mmagic-digital/mtg-arena-announcements-december-08-2021|MTG Arena Announcements, December 8, 2021|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 8, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Channel</c><ref name="BR20210326_Brawl">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-announcements-april-14-2021|MTG Arena Announcements, April 14, 2021|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|April 14, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Channel</c><ref name="BR20210326_Brawl">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-announcements-april-14-2021|MTG Arena Announcements, April 14, 2021|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|April 14, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Drannith Magistrate</c><ref name="December 2020">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/historic-brawl-2020-12-21|Historic Brawl|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|December 20, 2020}}</ref>
 
*<c>Drannith Magistrate</c><ref name="December 2020">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/historic-brawl-2020-12-21|Historic Brawl|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|December 20, 2020}}</ref>
 
*<c>Demonic Tutor</c><ref name="BR20210326_Brawl"/>
 
*<c>Demonic Tutor</c><ref name="BR20210326_Brawl"/>
  +
*<c>Field of the Dead</c><ref name="December 2021"/>
 
*<c>Gideon's Intervention</c><ref name="Aug Arena">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-august-2020-04|MTG Arena State of the Game August 2020|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|August 4th, 2020}}</ref>
 
*<c>Gideon's Intervention</c><ref name="Aug Arena">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-august-2020-04|MTG Arena State of the Game August 2020|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|August 4th, 2020}}</ref>
 
*<c>Meddling Mage</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
 
*<c>Meddling Mage</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
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*<c>Oko, Thief of Crowns</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
 
*<c>Oko, Thief of Crowns</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
 
*<c>Omnath, Locus of Creation</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
 
*<c>Omnath, Locus of Creation</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
  +
*<c>Pithing Needle</c><ref name="Pithing">{{TwitterRef|Wizards_Help|1443994094200623122|author=Wizards Customer Support|title=With the release of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, the card Pithing Needle is banned in both Brawl and Historic Brawl.|date=October 1, 2021}}</ref>
 
*<c>Runed Halo</c><ref name="Aug Arena"/>
 
*<c>Runed Halo</c><ref name="Aug Arena"/>
 
*<c>Sorcerous Spyglass</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
 
*<c>Sorcerous Spyglass</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
 
*<c>Tainted Pact</c><ref name="BR20210326_Brawl"/>
 
*<c>Tainted Pact</c><ref name="BR20210326_Brawl"/>
 
*<c>Teferi, Time Raveler</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
 
*<c>Teferi, Time Raveler</c><ref name="December 2020"/>
  +
*<c>Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</c><ref name="December 2021"/>
 
|}}
 
|}}
  +
  +
===Previously banned cards===
  +
{{See also|Banned and restricted cards/Timeline}}
  +
  +
====Historic Brawl====
  +
The following is a list of cards that have been banned at one point during their stay in the Historic Brawl environment.
  +
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
  +
*<c>Agent of Treachery</c><ref name=December 2021"/>
  +
*<c>Field of the Dead</c><ref name=December 2021"/>
  +
*<c>Golos, Tireless Pilgrim</c><ref name=June 2021"/>
  +
*<c>Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</c><ref name=December 2021">{{DailyRef|magic-digital/mtg-arena-announcements-december-08-2021|MTG Arena Announcements, December 8, 2021|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 8,2021}}</ref>
  +
*<c>Winota, Joiner of Forces</c><ref name=June 2021"/>
  +
}}
   
 
==Special events==
 
==Special events==
Line 122: Line 163:
   
 
===Mirror, Mirror===
 
===Mirror, Mirror===
[[Mirror, Mirror]] is a short MTG Arena event in July, 2021 featuring rebalanced versions of some of Historic's iconic [[banned]] cards.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/welcome-summer-legend-2021-05-06|Welcome to the Summer of Legend|[[Adam Styborski]]|May 6, 2021}}</ref>
+
[[Mirror, Mirror]] was a short MTG Arena event in July, 2021 featuring [[rebalanced]] versions of some of Historic's iconic [[banned]] cards.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/welcome-summer-legend-2021-05-06|Welcome to the Summer of Legend|[[Adam Styborski]]|May 6, 2021}}</ref> The twelve cards banned prior to the release of ''Strixhaven'' all received "[[errata]]" that weakened them to a potentially balanced form.
   
 
==References==
 
==References==

Revision as of 11:18, 13 January 2022

This page is about the format. For the game term, see Historic.

Historic
DCI Sanctioned
Paper {Cross}
Magic Online {Cross}
Magic Arena {Tick}
Rules
Type Constructed
Multiplayer {Cross}
Add. rules Best-of-one and Best-of-three

Historic is a constructed non-rotating format for Magic: The Gathering Arena that was officially announced by Wizards of the Coast on June 27, 2019.[1][2]

Description

Historic was implemented in November 2019, as a format that allows Arena players to make use of cards that are no longer legal in Standard after rotation.[3] The format is exclusive to Arena, and is intended "to be a fun and casual way [that players] can continue to play with all the cards in [their] collection".[1] On the other hand, paper Magic and Magic Online use the Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, and Vintage non-rotating formats. Historic-legal sets are those from Ixalan onward, but cards from earlier sets were added at Wizards of the Coast's discretion.

As of December, 2021, Historic uses rebalanced Alchemy cards instead of original similar-to-paper versions of cards.[4] The format is now considered a living format that can have balance changes when Wizards of the Coast sees fit.

The format includes a Historic Play queue (both best-of-one and best-of-three), Direct Challenge, practice matches with Sparky, as well as some rotating events that are not beholden to Standard (such as Pauper, Singleton, etc.).[1]

History

The introduction of Historic coincided with the first rotation for MTG Arena, and the release of the fall set of that year, Throne of Eldraine.[1] Before R&D settled on Historic the name used for the rumored format was "Standard Plus".[5] The format was inducted as tournament-sanctioned in Mythic Invitational 2020, and Historic replaced Draft as the second format for major competitive events for 2020-2021. Initially, Historic was merely another time-partitioned format that started at Ixalan, but as time went on a large selection of powerful other cards were added through supplemental sets, such as Jumpstart, Historic Anthology and the Strixhaven: Mystical Archive cards.

In December 2021, the release of Alchemy paired Historic with it in terms of card changes.

Set Legality

The following paper releases were captured in Arena and are hence legal in Historic. Further supplemental sets are listed below.

The following digital-only releases are legal in Historic.

Historic Anthologies

Main article: Historic Anthology

Historic Anthologies are added to the game to supplement the Historic format. Wizards added "new" old cards to MTG Arena "from across Magic's history" for use in the format. 15-20 new cards were added in November for the beginning of the new format ("Historic Anthology 1"), with the goal of adding more cards every quarter of the year.[6]

Upon announcement of the format, both the "new" cards and the cards rotating out of Standard (thus becoming Historic cards themselves) were announced to require two Wildcards each to craft—rather than the usual one.[7][8] After feedback from the player's base, the decision to change Wildcard redemption rates for rotated cards was revoked. It was decided that redemption for all rotated cards would remain 1:1.[9]

Mystical Archive

While not categorized as an Anthology, the Mystical Archive resembles one, as it brings in reprints of famous instants and sorceries from across time and the history of Magic. These cards range from common reprints from this year to cards restricted in Vintage. It was released on April 23, 2021. Seven cards from this set were preemptively banned.

Remastered sets

In 2020, Wizards of the Coast plan to begin adding "remastered" versions of older sets to Magic: The Gathering Arena.[10] The MTG Arena team, in conjunction with Magic R&D, will be looking at multiple sets and condensing them into a single larger set that only includes the most relevant cards and adding that to the game. This will allow them to focus on what made these sets fun and exciting for players while delivering the content much more quickly.

This long-term commitment will eventually lead to additional support to formats beyond Standard and Historic, and working towards Pioneer. That said, both Remastered sets were sets that were already digitalized in the closed beta, and a large number of non-Pioneer cards in Strixhaven: Mystical Archive and Modern Horizons 2 were implemented instead of cards from sets legal in Pioneer. With that, and Pioneer Masters having been put on permanent hiatus, suggests that the vision for Historic is one of a unique format from any paper or Magic Online variant.

Amonkhet Remastered

Main article: Amonkhet Remastered

Contains cards from Amonkhet and Hour of Devastation, alongside some extra Rares and Mythics to shape Historic. It was released on 13th August 2020,[11] putting into the format for Mythic Invitational 2020.[12]

Kaladesh Remastered

Main article: Kaladesh Remastered

Contains cards from Kaladesh and Aether Revolt. It was released on November 12th, 2020.

Historic Brawl

Historic Brawl is a variant of Brawl format that is played with a deck of 60 cards. Basically, Historic Brawl is just what you would expect; the Brawl format (which otherwise uses only Standard-legal sets) with the added Historic card pool. It was introduced to MTG Arena in December 2020.[13]

100-card Historic Brawl

100-card Historic Brawl was introduced in June, 2021.[14][15] This is the closest to the Commander format that can be played on MTG Arena.

Jumpstart: Historic Horizons

Jumpstart: Historic Horizons is an MTG Arena exclusive card set, released in August 2021. It contains hundreds of cards from Modern Horizons, Modern Horizons 2, and more — including 31 new-to-Magic cards you'll only find in this digital release.

Suspensions

To support the Historic format, Wizards introduced suspensions to control the balance that works well with Magic's history of using bans and restrictions while allowing more flexibility to adjust as Historic changes.[16] For gameplay purposes, a suspension works like a ban, in that the card will not be legal to use in the format while it is suspended. Unlike how banning cards is handled, R&D plans to use the flexibility that the digital format provides to move cards onto and off of the suspension list more commonly than otherwise just banning them. Suspension isn't a final verdict, it's an indication that R&D thinks a card may be causing issues and likes to see what the meta looks like without that influence.

Suspension is also a temporary measure. All the cards that are suspended will be removed from the suspension list by or before the next event. Some may be returned to the playable pool (likely because R&D believes the new environment provides the appropriate answers or countermeasures), and the rest will move to be fully banned.

Suspended cards

Banned list

As of October 14, 2021, the following cards are banned in Historic.

Historic Brawl

As of December 8, 2021, the following cards are banned in Historic Brawl.

Previously banned cards

Historic Brawl

The following is a list of cards that have been banned at one point during their stay in the Historic Brawl environment.

Special events

Historic Shakeup

Historic Shakeup is an MTG Arena event with a changing banned card list, you'll have to stay on your toes and think fast to find the right deck each week. Week 1 of Historic Shakeup started March 19, 2021.[35]

Mirror, Mirror

Mirror, Mirror was a short MTG Arena event in July, 2021 featuring rebalanced versions of some of Historic's iconic banned cards.[36] The twelve cards banned prior to the release of Strixhaven all received "errata" that weakened them to a potentially balanced form.

References

  1. a b c d Wizards of the Coast (June 27, 2019). "MTG Arena: State of the Beta — June 2019". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. MTG Arena Admin (June 27, 2019). "Rotation Guide - Intro to Rotation, Upcoming Changes, and Historic Play". Mtgarena.com.
  3. Brett Teran (June 27, 2019). "MTG Arena update: Introducing the Historic format". Magic Esports.
  4. Wizards of the Coast (December 2, 2021). "MTG Arena: State - Alchemy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. Cody Gravelle (December 06, 2018). "Magic Arena Will Eventually Have A "Standard Plus" Format". Screenrant.com.
  6. David McCoy (August 29, 2019). "Historic Comes to MTG Arena in November with "New" Old Cards From Magic's History". Hipsters of the Coast.
  7. Wizards of the Coast (August 29, 2019). "MTG Arena: State of the Beta – August 2019". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. David McCoy (August 29, 2019). "Historic Cards Will Cost 2 Wildcards to Craft on MTG Arena for the "Health of the Game"". Hipsters of the Coast.
  9. Wizards of the Coast (September 13, 2019). "MTG Arena Update on Historic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Wizards of the Coast (November 13, 2019). "State of the Beta - November 2019". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. Wizards of the Coast (August 4, 2020). "MTG Arena: State of the Game – August 2020". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. Wizards of the Coast (July 13, 2020). "Esports Update:2020 Mythic Invitational, Upcoming Announcements and More". Magic.gg.
  13. a b c d e f g h Blake Rasmussen (December 20, 2020). "Historic Brawl". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. a b c Wizards of the Coast (June 16, 2021). "MTG Arena Announcements, June 16, 2021". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. Jay Parker (July 29, 2021). "MTG Arena: State of the Game — Jumpstart: Historic Horizons". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. Wizards of the Coast (December 10, 2019). "Historic Suspension Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  17. a b c Wizards of the Coast (October 13, 2021). "October 13, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  18. a b c d Ian Duke (July 13, 2020). "July 13, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  19. a b Ian Duke (June 1, 2020). "June 1, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. a b c d e f g Lee Sharpe (March 26, 2021). "mtg_lee". Twitter.
  21. Jay Parker (August 24, 2020). "August 24, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  22. Wizards of the Coast (February 14, 2020). "MTG Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  23. a b c Ian Duke (March 9, 2020). "March 9, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. a b Ian Duke (February 15, 2021). "February 15, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  25. a b Ian Duke (August 3, 2020). "August 3, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  26. a b Ian Duke (October 12, 2020). "October 12, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  27. Jay Parker (May 19, 2021). "May 19, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  28. Jay Parker (June 9, 2021). "June 9, 2021 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  29. Wizards of the Coast (June 8, 2020). "June 8, 2020 Suspension Update for Historic Digital Format". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  30. a b c Wizards of the Coast (December 8, 2021). "MTG Arena Announcements, December 8, 2021". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  31. a b c d Wizards of the Coast (April 14, 2021). "MTG Arena Announcements, April 14, 2021". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  32. a b Wizards of the Coast (August 4th, 2020). "MTG Arena State of the Game August 2020". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  33. Wizards Customer Support (October 1, 2021). "With the release of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, the card Pithing Needle is banned in both Brawl and Historic Brawl.". Twitter.
  34. a b c Wizards of the Coast (December 8,2021). "MTG Arena Announcements, December 8, 2021". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  35. Wizards of the Coast (March 17, 2021). "MTG Arena Announcements, March 17, 2021". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  36. Adam Styborski (May 6, 2021). "Welcome to the Summer of Legend". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

External links