Going Forward with Reverse Modern. Feedback Needed.

After some thinking about running Reverse Modern a week from this upcoming Saturday, I've decided to go ahead and run it.

However, I'll need some feedback. I had a few issues with people saying they didn't like the idea of the format, but I don't know what's wrong with it inherently. I'm not the DCI or WotC. Formats I think up may not be fully thought out. That's why I need input and advice to help make any format we try the most successful it can be.

I do know we'll do the following:

1) Reverse Modern will allow only those cards originally printed before the current card frames existed (so anything before Mirrodin and 8th Edition)

2) You may use any version of card that was originally printed in the older frames (so a M12 Birds of Paradise is just as legal as an Alpha one).

3) Ban list currently is following the Legacy ban list. Any input into additions is greatly appreciated.

4) Despite what I originally posted, I'm stripping any bonuses for using exclusively older cards. This seemed to be a point of contention when the issue came up, so I'll heed the feedback and will give no bonuses. That way an M12 Birds of Paradise, for example, means exactly the same as an Alpha one, for example.

5) Entry Fee is $2. The prizes will come from leftover promos, leftover April Charity Tournament prizes, and a prize pack split of however many packs the entry fee will buy from M12.

6) Minimum entry level is 3 people. The tournament style will be swiss in the sense that everyone will play each other one time before either ending the tournament or cutting to the finals/semi-finals (as time allows).


Is there any feedback anyone could provide to help make this format enjoyable? I appreciate any insights.

Next Tournament: Reverse Modern! September 10th

I think I'm gonna go ahead and pull the trigger.

Saturday, September 10th (roughly 2 weeks from this upcoming Saturday) is the debut of REVERSE MODERN for Saturday Morning Magic!

What exactly will Reverse Modern be, anyway, you may be asking.

Well, take Wizards of the Coast's Modern format...and reverse the legalities.

That's right! If a card was originally printed in the old card frame (used from Alpha through 7th Edition for Core Sets and Arabian Nights through Scourge for Expansions/Blocks), you can use any version of it in Reverse Modern. So a Core Set 2012 Llanowar Elves will work just as well as an Alpha one...well, in most cases.

I'm going to propose (ie: It's not a final decision) that we allow the following bonus: Anyone using all old framed, black bordered versions of cards legal in Reverse Modern will be eligible for some kind of bonus. What this bonus is, or whether it will stick around, is TBD. But essentially, you can't use white-bordered cards or newer-framed black-bordered cards to count in this bonus. If you're going to use a Llaonwar Elves in your deck and want this bonus, it's gotta be either Alpha, Beta, or a 7th Edition foil. ANY old-framed black-bordered version would be okay, so long as it's old-framed, black-bordered, and originally printed as such. (So sorry, but the judge promos Sword of Fire and Ice and Dark Confidant will not be legal).

The tournament will be Swiss, and each person will play each other player once. Once everyone has played everyone else once, the highest 2-4 players (depending on how many people enter) will face off in a Finals/Semi-Finals to determine the Top 2 or Top 4 placings (again, depending on how many people enter.

We will not, repeat not solely rely on the DCI software. The first round or 2 I feel confident that the DCI software can suit our needs. From there on, I'll need to consult with Nathaniel on how to get it to handle the type of Swiss I want us to have.

Any feedback or comments are greatly appreciated.

Entry fee will be $2, and that will go to adding packs of M12 to the prize pool. With enough entrants, we can do at least 1 booster pack to the winner and the rest of us will split a booster or 2. But the actual prizes and distribution will depend on the total number of entrants.

We'll start at 11:00 AM. This should provide us ample time to get some 30-minute rounds in. However, we need to be done by 2:30 so we'll adjust as needed to fit within the time frame.

Thanks! And I hope to see a lot of people for Reverse Modern. :)