Is Cauldron Familiar Banned in Modern?
The short answer is: No, Cauldron Familiar is not banned in Modern. While it has seen a ban in other formats, notably Standard, it remains legal in the Modern format. This often leads to confusion, so let’s clarify why and explore its impact on different Magic: The Gathering (MTG) formats.
Why the Confusion?
The confusion stems from Cauldron Familiar’s ban in Standard. This ban occurred because the card was deemed too powerful and detrimental to the gameplay experience in that format. Its synergy with other cards created repetitive and frustrating gameplay patterns. However, the reasons for banning a card in one format don’t always apply to another. Modern has a much larger card pool and is known for its higher power level, often handling cards that would be problematic in Standard.
Cauldron Familiar in Modern: A Look at Its Role
In Modern, Cauldron Familiar plays a much less dominant role. While the card is used in specific strategies, particularly in sacrifice-based decks, it doesn’t present the same level of oppressive power that it did in Standard. This is due to the sheer diversity and power of the format’s card pool, which allows for numerous effective counters and strategies.
Key Differences: Why it’s Fine in Modern
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Format Speed: Modern is a faster format than Standard. Decks can often generate powerful boards and combos at a quicker pace, making the incremental value of Cauldron Familiar less overwhelming.
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Availability of Answers: Modern boasts a diverse range of answers. Cards like Lightning Bolt, Fatal Push, and Thoughtseize are common, efficiently dealing with Cauldron Familiar and disrupting any potential combos it enables.
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Higher Power Level: The higher power level of Modern means that many decks can simply ignore the chip damage of Cauldron Familiar, focusing on their own explosive strategies and combos.
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Presence of Graveyard Hate: Modern also has access to potent graveyard hate, such as Rest in Peace and Leyline of the Void, which can effectively shut down strategies that rely on recurring Cauldron Familiar.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify Cauldron Familiar’s status, mechanics, and overall impact in different MTG formats:
1. What was the specific reason for Cauldron Familiar’s ban in Standard?
Cauldron Familiar was banned in Standard due to its interaction with Witch’s Oven and similar sacrifice outlets, creating an infinite loop of life drain and creature recursion that could be difficult to disrupt or outpace. This resulted in repetitive and unfun gameplay experiences. The ban aimed to weaken sacrifice strategies and open up more metagame diversity.
2. What are the key cards that synergize with Cauldron Familiar?
The most notable card is Witch’s Oven, which allows you to sacrifice Cauldron Familiar to gain life and then return it to the battlefield, triggering its life-drain effect. Other cards like Mayhem Devil and various sacrifice outlets further enhance its capabilities.
3. What kind of decks use Cauldron Familiar in Modern?
Cauldron Familiar is typically seen in sacrifice-based decks, such as Rakdos Sacrifice or Jund Sacrifice lists. These decks aim to create value by sacrificing creatures for various effects. It is not considered a tier one staple in modern.
4. Is Cauldron Familiar legal in Pioneer?
No, Cauldron Familiar is not legal in Pioneer. It was banned in Pioneer at the same time it was banned in Standard, for very similar reasons.
5. Can Cauldron Familiar be used in Commander/EDH?
Yes, Cauldron Familiar is legal in Commander/EDH. It does not break commander in the same way it does in other formats since the format is geared towards slower games.
6. How does the life drain effect of Cauldron Familiar work?
Cauldron Familiar has an ability that triggers when it enters the battlefield, draining each opponent of 1 life. This effect is a key part of its disruptive strategy.
7. Can you stop the Cauldron Familiar/Witch’s Oven loop?
Yes. There are many ways to disrupt this combo, including: countering the spells, removing the creatures or artifacts involved, using graveyard hate, or employing removal that exiles to prevent recursion.
8. How does Cauldron Familiar impact competitive Modern?
While Cauldron Familiar does see some play, it is not a dominant force in the competitive Modern scene. It is a part of the toolbox for some midrange decks, but is not a top tier card or strategy in the meta.
9. What are some counters to Cauldron Familiar-based decks?
Common counters include: direct removal spells, counterspells, graveyard hate, and strategies that can quickly overwhelm the slow incremental damage of the deck.
10. Is Cauldron Familiar considered a “toxic” card?
While it was considered problematic in Standard and Pioneer, it is not viewed as a toxic card in Modern. It doesn’t single-handedly break the format, or severely impede the ability to win, thus avoiding the tag of being ‘toxic’.
11. What is the power level of Cauldron Familiar compared to other Modern cards?
Cauldron Familiar is considered moderate in power level in Modern. It has a specific niche use but is not overpowered compared to the various other cards available in the format. The general power level of modern is far too high for Cauldron Familiar to be format warping.
12. Why doesn’t Cauldron Familiar get banned in Modern if it was banned in other formats?
As previously mentioned, the larger card pool and higher power level of Modern mean that cards have different impacts. The format’s speed and accessibility of answers prevent Cauldron Familiar from being problematic. The power level of standard is typically slower than Modern.
13. Can Cauldron Familiar be used in pauper decks?
Yes, Cauldron Familiar is legal in pauper decks. Pauper is a format that uses only commons.
14. Is there a deck that revolves completely around Cauldron Familiar in modern?
While Cauldron Familiar is a valuable card in certain decks, there is no deck that can win consistently through the card alone, and it’s usually a part of a broader strategy of sacrifice and value.
15. Where can I find official rulings and ban lists for Magic: The Gathering?
You can always find the most accurate and up-to-date information on the official Wizards of the Coast website, including ban lists, card rulings, and other official information about the game.
Conclusion
While Cauldron Familiar remains a significant card in the history of MTG, its ban in Standard and Pioneer does not extend to Modern. Its niche in sacrifice-based strategies and the format’s robust response options ensure it maintains a balanced role within the Modern meta. By understanding its mechanics and its context in various formats, players can navigate its presence effectively.