Is Lurrus Standard Legal? An In-Depth Look at the Banned Cat Nightmare
The short answer is a resounding no. Lurrus of the Dream-Den is not legal in Standard. This powerful companion card, once a defining force in multiple formats, has been banned from Standard, alongside Modern and Pioneer. Its impact was simply too overwhelming, and its presence was deemed detrimental to the health and diversity of these formats. This article will explore why Lurrus is banned in Standard and dive into related questions about its legality and mechanics.
The Rise and Fall of Lurrus of the Dream-Den
Lurrus of the Dream-Den made a dramatic entrance with the release of Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths. The companion mechanic, which allowed players to start the game with a card outside their deck, quickly proved to be overpowered. Even after a significant nerf that required companions to be moved to your hand for three mana, Lurrus continued to dominate, proving to be a staple card across various formats. This ubiquity led to a series of bans across multiple formats, including Standard.
Why Was Lurrus Banned in Standard?
The primary reason for Lurrus’s ban is its overwhelming power and versatility. It presented a “no trade-off” scenario, allowing players to consistently generate card advantage and value by repeatedly casting creatures and permanents with a mana value of two or less from the graveyard. This essentially enabled aggressive strategies to maintain resources easily, while also allowing midrange and control decks to access recurring threats. The result was a homogenous gameplay experience with too many decks utilizing Lurrus as a cornerstone. The lack of diversity and the warping effect on the metagame led to its ban in Standard. Wizards of the Coast, aiming to foster more diverse strategies, decided that Lurrus had to go.
Banned Across Formats
The card’s power level was not limited to just Standard. It has also been banned in Modern and Pioneer. This demonstrates how influential and problematic the card was. Although it was eventually unbanned in Vintage, the banning in so many other formats is indicative of its problematic nature. The decision to ban Lurrus was not taken lightly, but was made with the long term health and enjoyability of these game formats in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lurrus of the Dream-Den
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding Lurrus, providing further clarification on its mechanics and rulings:
1. Is Lurrus of the Dream-Den legal in any format?
While it is banned in Standard, Modern, and Pioneer, Lurrus is currently legal in Vintage. It was also unbanned in this format after a companion mechanic nerf. It remains banned in Legacy, though.
2. What is the Companion mechanic?
The Companion mechanic allows you to start the game with a designated card (like Lurrus) outside of your deck. To use a companion, you must reveal it before the game starts, and your deck must adhere to specific deck-building restrictions. The rules of companions were changed, that now, you move them from outside the game (typically your sideboard) to your hand during the game by paying three mana.
3. Can I play lands from my graveyard with Lurrus?
No, Lurrus does not allow you to play lands from your graveyard. Its ability only lets you cast permanent spells, not play lands.
4. Can I cast a Lotus Bloom with Lurrus’s ability?
No, you cannot cast Lotus Bloom from your graveyard with Lurrus. While Lotus Bloom does have a mana value of 0, it cannot be cast directly from the graveyard due to its inherent mana cost being undefined. You would need to pay mana to cast it from the graveyard, and with no mana cost, there is no way to cast it.
5. Can I cast Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor with Lurrus?
No, you cannot cast Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor from your graveyard using Lurrus. Tibalt, has a mana cost of seven. Lurrus’s ability only allows you to cast permanents with mana value of two or less. Tibalt’s mana cost prevents this action.
6. What is a “mana value” (formerly converted mana cost)?
The mana value is the total amount of mana required to cast a spell. For instance, a card with a cost of {2}{R} has a mana value of 3. A card with a cost of {W}{U} would have a mana value of 2.
7. Is Lurrus an activated ability?
No, Lurrus’s ability to move the card from outside the game to your hand is a special action, not an activated ability. This means it happens immediately and cannot be responded to. The casting ability from the graveyard is also part of Lurrus’s special action.
8. Can you cast artifacts with Lurrus?
Yes, as long as the artifacts have a mana value of two or less, you can cast them from your graveyard using Lurrus’s ability.
9. Why was Lurrus eventually unbanned in Vintage?
The companion mechanic nerf weakened the cards’ dominance, which made it so that, in a format that could be as powerful as Vintage, a once over powered card is now considered fair and no longer oppressive.
10. Is Lurrus a female?
Yes, Lurrus of the Dream-Den is a female cat nightmare from the plane of Ikoria.
11. What are MTG alters, and are they legal?
MTG alters are customized versions of Magic cards where the original artwork is modified. These alters are legal in tournaments as long as the original artwork is still recognizable, they don’t contain offensive images, and the card itself is not changed to represent another card.
12. What other cards have been banned in standard?
Cards that have been recently banned in standard include: The Meathook Massacre, Fable of the Mirror-Breaker, Invoke Despair, and Reckoner Bankbuster.
13. What MTG cards are banned due to their artworks?
Weakness was recently cut from the 30th anniversary collection due to concerns about the artwork being perceived as ableist.
14. Are the D&D Magic cards legal?
Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Commander Decks cards are legal in Commander, Vintage, and Legacy. They are not legal in Standard, Pioneer, or Modern.
15. Why was Golos, Tireless Pilgrim banned?
Golos was banned because it promoted a lack of diversity in the Commander format, becoming the best option for any five-color deck. This led to a homogenization of deck building strategies.
Conclusion
Lurrus of the Dream-Den is a prime example of how a powerful card can shape a game, and the lengths that need to be taken to ensure game balance. While it might still see play in Vintage, Lurrus is definitively not legal in Standard, Modern, or Pioneer. It serves as a reminder of the constant balancing act that Wizards of the Coast has to undertake to maintain a healthy, engaging, and diverse playing experience across all of Magic’s formats. Hopefully this article has provided some clarity for the reader, on this once controversial but interesting card.