Jeff Zandi is a five time pro tour veteran who has been playing Magic since 1994. Jeff is a level two DCI judge and has been judging everything from small local tournaments to pro tour events. Jeff is from Coppell, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, where his upstairs game room has been the "Guildhall", the home of the Texas Guildmages, since the team formed in 1996. One of the original founders of the team, Jeff Zandi is the team's administrator, and is proud to continue the team's tradition of having players in every pro tour from the first event in 1996 to the present.

This Space For Rent

The Southwestern Paladin
The Legacy Format is HOT
Sept. 9, 2005 by Jeff Zandi

After years of encouraging competitive Magic players to leave the past behind and play only with the newest sets, Wizards of the Coast is promoting a constructed format where almost every card ever printed.

Here are some of the most best and most popular Legacy decks right now.

While I know lots of people that have been playing Legacy (I still like to call it Type 1.5 sometimes) for a long time, the format is still very young as far as highly competitive play is concerned. In a recent article, Zvi Mowshowitz noted that, “the format still has some of its original halo, but that won't last past Grand Prix: Philadelphia.” While the blue/white Landstill deck and the very aggressive Goblins decks are probably the most popular decks in the format right now, there are a wide variety of viable decks. Here are just a few.

These first few were played at the Legacy Championship tournament at Gencon, several listed below made it to the top eight (Zvi, for one), and the last several appeared in a local tournament here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

Until now, I hadn’t been very interested in Legacy. Now I plan to build every one of these decks! I think this format is very fun. It’s amazing how exciting it is to play decks that have the kind of synergy you only see when you have access to the best Magic cards ever made.

BARRIERS TO ENTRY

A lot of people might like to play the Legacy constructed format, but are concerned that gaining access to the cards needed to be competitive will be too expensive. Cost can be a serious barrier to entry with Legacy, if you want to be able to build any deck you want. This is true in any constructed format, to some extent. A set of dual lands is pricey. No, that was true five years ago. Today, a set of dual lands is VERY pricey. The good news is that you don’t need forty expensive dual lands in order to compete in the Legacy format. Good versions of mono red burn, mono red sligh and mono red Goblins are possible to build without breaking the bank.

The most important barrier that this format has to overcome is popularity.
In order for players, whether very experienced or brand new, to embrace the Legacy format there have to be enough events in which to participate in.

Wizards of the Coast has addressed this very important issue by making Legacy constructed the format for two upcoming Grand Prix events. Both of these events will feed Pro Tour Hawaii in March, 2006. Grand Prix Philadelphia arrives first, on November 12-13th, followed by Grand Prix Lille (in France) a month later.

These two factors work together. If there are more worthwhile events to play in using the Legacy format, then the Legacy format will become more and more popular. If the format becomes more popular, the market for the cards will become more fluid. Well, more Legacy format cards changing hands doesn’t necessarily make them any cheaper, but at least you can expect more opportunities to gain access to these old cards if the format indeed becomes popular.

THE RULES

Legacy is wide open territory, with virtually every card ever printed available to the format. Here are the rules, as stated on
magicthegathering.com:

Constructed decks must contain a minimum of sixty 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 fifteen cards.

With the exception of basic land cards, a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent. All cards named Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest are basic. (The five Ice Age snow-covered lands -- Snow-Covered Plains, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Swamp, Snow-Covered Mountain, and Snow-Covered Forest -- are also basic lands. Note that snow-covered lands are permitted only in formats that allow the Ice Age set to be used.)

This format was previously named Type 1.5. As of September 20, 2004, the Banned List for Legacy tournaments is maintained separately from the Vintage Banned & Restricted List.

Until October 20, 2005, cards from the following sets are not allowed in Legacy tournaments, or any DCI-sanctioned tournament, unless the card has been reprinted in a Magic core set or expansion:
Portal
Portal: Second Age
Portal: Three Kingdoms
Starter
The following cards are banned in Legacy tournaments:
Amulet of Quoz
Ancestral Recall
Balance
Bazaar of Baghdad
Black Lotus
Black Vise
Bronze Tablet
Channel
Chaos Orb
Contract from Below
Darkpact
Demonic Attorney
Demonic Consultation
Demonic Tutor
Dream Halls
Earthcraft
Entomb
Falling Star
Fastbond
Frantic Search
Goblin Recruiter
Grim Monolith
Gush
Hermit Druid
Illusionary Mask
Jeweled Bird
Land Tax
Library of Alexandria
Mana Crypt
Mana Drain
Mana Vault
Memory Jar
Metalworker
Mind Over Matter
Mind Twist
Mind's Desire
Mishra's Workshop
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Pearl
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Necropotence
Oath of Druids
Rebirth
Replenish
Skullclamp
Sol Ring
Strip Mine
Tempest Efreet
Time Spiral
Time Walk
Timetwister
Timmerian Fiends
Tinker
Tolarian Academy
Vampiric Tutor
Wheel of Fortune
Windfall
Worldgorger Dragon
Yawgmoth's Bargain
Yawgmoth's Will

For those of you thinking about playing in one of the two upcoming Grand Prix events featuring the Legacy format, I wish I could tell you what changes, if any, will be made to the format on October 20th when the above rules update expires. Outside of a card possibly being added to the banned list, I doubt any changes will be made.

THE DECKLISTS

High Tide
4 Opt
4 Brainstorm
4 Impulse
4 Meditate
4 High Tide
4 Twincast
4 Reset
3 Turnabout
4 Cunning Wish
4 Force of Will
1 Brain Freeze
12 Island
4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Strand
Sideboard:
4 Blue Elemental Blast
3 Chain of Vapor
3 Flash of Insight
1 Echoing Truth
1 Turnabout
1 Mana Short
1 Brain Freeze
1 Stroke of Genius

Goblin Charbelcher
4 Xantid Swarm
4 Tinder Wall
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Goblin Charbelcher
4 Spoils of the Vault
4 Chromatic Sphere
4 Duress
4 Dark Ritual
4 Cabal Ritual
4 Land Grant
4 Lotus Petal
4 Lion’s Eye Diamond
4 Chrome Mox
4 Brainstorm
2 Night’s Whisper
1 Bayou
1 Tropical Island
Sideboard:
1 Taiga
4 Oxidize
1 Naturalize
2 Mogg Salvage
3 Red Elemental Blast
4 Eladamri’s Vineyard

Angry Tradewind Survival
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Force of Will
2 Mana Leak
3 Enlightened Tutor
4 Brainstorm
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Wall of Roots
1 Wood Elves
1 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
2 Quirion Ranger
1 Uktabi Orangutan
1 Eternal Witness
1 Genesis
1 Spore Frog
1 Anger
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Gilded Drake
1 Mystic Snake
4 Tradewind Rider
1 Masticore
1 Seedborn Muse
2 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Tropical Island
2 Taiga
2 Savannah
4 Forest
Sideboard:
1 Null Rod
1 Goblin Sharpshooter
1 Propaganda
1 Arcane Laboratory
1 Kami of Ancient Law
1 Absolute Law
1 Worship
2 Glowrider
1 Dense Foliage
1 Spike Feeder
2 Naturalize
2 Gaea’s Blessing

Some of the decks that finished in the top eight of the 2005 Legacy Championship tournament held at Gencon in Indianapolis two weeks ago.

Zvi Mowshowitz – 2005 Legacy Championship Top Eight Landstill
2 Eternal Dragon
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Standstill
2 Crucible of Worlds
3 Brainstorm
2 Disenchant
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Akroma’s Vengeance
2 Decree of Justice
4 Wrath of God
4 Counterspell
2 Nevinyrral’s Disk
4 Force of Will
2 Plains
2 Island
4 Tundra
3 Faerie Conclave
4 Mishra’s Factory
4 Flooded Strand
4 Wasteland
1 Dust Bowl
Sideboard:
4 Meddling Mage
4 Pulse of the Fields
4 Circle of Protection: Red
3 Arcane Laboratory

Peter Franke – 2005 Legacy Championship Top Eight Tiger Sligh
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Magma Jet
4 Incinerate
4 Fireblast
3 Cursed Scroll
4 Goblin Sledder
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Jackal Pup
2 Mogg Flunkies
2 Goblin Vandal
4 Slith Firewalker
4 Ball Lightning
17 Mountain
Sideboard:
1 Ruination
2 Blood Moon
2 Anarchy
3 Red Elemental Blast
1 Pyroblast
2 Goblin Vandal
1 Cursed Scroll
2 Wildfire Emissary
1 Pulse of the Forge

Raymond Robilland – 2005 Legacy Championship Top Eight Blue/Red Landstill
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Standstill
4 Force of Will
4 Brainstorm
3 Fact or Fiction
3 Counterspell
1 Boomerang
3 Lighting Bolt
2 Fire/Ice
3 Crucible of Worlds
3 Nevinyrral’s Disk
3 Stifle
4 Wasteland
4 Island
4 Faerie Conclave
4 Mishra’s Factory
4 Volcanic Island
1 Mountain
1 Bloodstained Mire
3 Polluted Delta
Sideboard:
2 Cursed Totem
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Pyroblast
2 Burnout
2 Null Rod
1 Arcane Laboratory
1 Fire/Ice
1 Pyroclasm
1 Starstorm
1 Slice and Dice

Matt Holmen – 2005 Legacy Championship Top Eight Zoo Pants
2 Tithe
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Incinerate
2 Fire/Ice
3 Isochron Scepter
2 Armageddon
4 Kird Ape
2 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
2 Savannah Lions
4 Werebear
3 Goblin Legionnaire
3 Troll Ascetic
3 Blastoderm
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
4 Taiga
4 Plateau
4 Savannah
Sideboard:
4 Disenchant
1 Gaea’s Blessing
4 Red Elemental Blast
3 Pithing Needle
1 Armageddon
2 Mother of Runes

Here are a few of the top eight decklistss from a local Legacy cash tournament held a couple of weeks ago.

Goblins
4 Skirk Prospector
3 Mogg Fanatic
4 Goblin Lackey
4 Goblin Piledriver
4 Goblin Warchief
3 Goblin Matron
3 Gempalm Incinerator
1 Goblin Sharpshooter
4 Goblin Ringleader
2 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
1 Goblin King
4 Aether Vial
2 Ancient Tomb
1 City of Traitors
3 Bloodstained Mire
4 Wooded Foothills
12 Mountain
Sideboard:
2 Goblin Sharpshooter
3 Blood Moon
1 Detonate
1 Overload
1 Shatter
4 Red Elemental Blast
3 Tormod's Crypt

Blue/Green
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
2 Counterspell
4 Meddling Mage
4 Werebear
3 Mystic Enforcer
4 Brainstorm
4 Serum Visions
4 Predict
3 Impulse
2 Engineered Explosives
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Naturalize
3 Flooded Strand
4 Tundra
3 Tropical Island
2 Island
1 Plains
1 Forest
3 Windswept Heath
Sideboard:
3 Pithing Needle
3 Tormod's Crypt
1 Engineered Explosives
2 Rule of Law
3 Armageddon
3 Nimble Mongoose

Arabian White
1 Karakas
4 Plateau
9 Plains
8 Mountain
3 Incinerate
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Genju of the Spires
3 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
4 Icatian Javelineers
3 Savannah Lions
3 Kami of Ancient Law
3 Soltari Priest
4 Shahrazad
3 Armageddon
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Disenchant
Sideboard:
2 Silver Knight
3 Wrath of God
3 Null Rod
3 Tormod's Crypt
3 Soltari Monk
1 Savannah Lions

Goblins
3 Gempalm Incinerator
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
4 Goblin Matron
2 Umezawa's Jitte
4 Goblin Warchief
4 Aether Vial
4 Goblin Lackey
4 Goblin Ringleader
1 Goblin King
1 Seige-Gang Commander
2 Goblin Sharpshooter
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Goblin Piledriver
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Wooded Foothills
4 Wasteland
11 Mountain
Sideboard:
4 Red Elemental Blast
4 Sirocco
2 Anarchy
3 Pyrostatic Pillar
2 Boil

4 Tropical Island
4 Tundra
3 Flood Strand
2 Windswept Heath
2 Island
1 Forest
1 Plains
4 Werebear
4 Meddling Mage
3 Mystic Enforcer
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Naturalize
4 Brainstorm
4 Serum Visions
4 Accumulated Knowledge
3 Predict
4 Force of Will
3 Daze
2 Counterspell
2 Stifle
Sideboard:
4 Honorable Passage
3 Nimble Mongoose
3 Armageddon
3 Hidden Gibbons
2 Tormod's Crypt

Goblins
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Mogg Fanatic
3 Skirk Prospector
4 Goblin Lackey
4 Goblin Piledriver
2 Gempalm Incinerator
2 Goblin Sharpshooter
4 Goblin Matron
2 Goblin King
4 Goblin Warchief
4 Goblin Ringleader
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
3 Siege-Gang Commander
11 Mountain
1 Plains
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Plateau
2 Ancient Tomb
Sideboard:
2 Sphere of Law
2 Pithing Needle
1 Goblin Pyromancer
1 Swords to Plowshares
3 Pyroblast
3 Disenchant
3 Pyrostatic Pillar

The bad news about the Legacy format is that you WILL have to work a little harder to find all the cards you will need. The good news is that the extra trouble will be worth it. The exciting format-formally-known-as-Type-1.5 is no longer an exercise only for closet Magic nerds. Legacy is alive and well and officially supported by Wizards of the Coast. The future for this format looks very bright.

Of course, I would love to know what you think!

Jeff Zandi
Texas Guildmages
Level II DCI Judge
zanman@thoughtcastle.com
Zanman on Magic Online

______________________________________________________