Their have been several discussions regarding what is legal within Casual paper Pauper and or paper Peasant. The hope of this thread is to clarify this for the entire community so people stop saying, "That's a banned card." or "Fix this because it isn't legal." All of the below is fact, and approved by your MTGS moderation team to inform you of what you can and can't do. What you and your playgroup decide to do with this information is up to you.
Casual paper Pauper.
It is true that Magic The Gathering Online Pauper has a ban list. That is because it is a sanctioned format and that sub-forum can be located HERE. This sub-forum however is for Casual paper Pauper and paper Peasant which are not sanctioned. The very essence of Casual is no ban list yet people seem to forget what governing forum they are in when they argue the point of a ban list or any restrictions. If you play with a banned card list, that is fine. But officially their isn't any.
Casual paper Pauper and paper Peasant have no official ban list, zero, none. Any ban list or restrictions enforced by anyone are not official. Some cards may be super broken or unfair but as it is a Casual format, unsanctioned by DCI or Wizards you can play with whatever you want as long as it is a common or was a common at one point on paper. If you choose to play with the online ban list or any restrictions just make sure you inform the community of such in your initial post.
For reference here is the Magic The Gathering Online: Pauper ban list and additional rules. Remember, these are not applicable to the Casual paper format unless your play group decides to use them.
Rule #1
Common promo cards are only legal if the card has been printed before at the common rarity in a set or product.
(Once again, I cannot stress enough that these banned cards are for Magic Online and may or may not be in effect at your local tournament. Normally they're no banned cards in the the Casual paper version of the game.)
Casual paper Peasant.
Casual paper Peasant doesn't have an online version but it does have its own unofficial ban and restricted list. All of that is below and once again it is not official, so within the Casual format you can use anything; it just depends on what your play group allows.
For reference here is the Magic The Gathering Peasant ban list and additional rules. Remember, these are not official and are only in use if your play group decides to use them.
Rule #1
All silver-bordered and gold-bordered commons and uncommons are banned.
(Once again, these banned cards are not "official" and may or may not be in effect at your local tournament.)
HERE is a link to the paper Peasant Magic website, you can read up more on the format there as it will be more detailed then what it written here.
Rarity debate in reference to whether C1 (common) and U1 (uncommon) cards are legal to play with.
Different playgroups have different rules when dealing with these cards from such sets as "The Dark", "Homelands", ect. The debate begins with whether or not these cards are actually common or uncommon and I will explain why. C1 is a rarity abbreviation for a card appearing 1 time on a "common" print sheet and C2 is a rarity abbreviation for a card appearing 2 times on a "common" print sheet. The same can be said for U1 and U2 as-well. In those days they had no specific "rare" rarity even though some cards were more scarce then others. If you apply today's rarity structure to the old sets this is where the confusion sets in. Normally when playing paper Pauper or paper Peasant the rule of once a common, always a common applies, however when dealing with the older sets which had a completely different rarity structure than the newer sets you start running into problems.
Since a C1 card was printed on the common sheet some consider it to be common regardless of how many times it was printed, others who go by today's rarity structure refer to it as an uncommon card because of how many times it was printed on the common sheet.
This is also true for U1 cards as they were printed on the uncommon sheets some consider these uncommon regardless of how many times it was printed, others who go by today's rarity structure refer to it as rare because of how many times it was printed on the uncommon sheet.
Now for something even more confusing, in the case of sets such as "Alliances" we have C1 common cards that have two different artworks but are both considered C1 common cards. However, they may be considered C2 common cards by some because even though they had two different artworks they are the same card printed twice.
Hopefully this clears up any confusion, whether or not a C1 card is usable in paper Pauper or U1 cards are usable in paper Peasant are going to be fully dependent on your playgroup and determine. Coming from a Casual format sense though if you want to play with them you can because as stated several times, they're no ban lists or restrictions. It is as you see it.
Here is a VERY in depth analysis of the rarities regarding the older sets written by BetweenWalls for your reading pleasure. Updated on 9/29/2013
I played paper pauper casually years ago, and in trying to catch up with the current metagame/top decks, I found that many pauper resources are geared toward MTGO pauper. Apparently, paper pauper isn't really a sanctioned format, and the pauper ban list doesn't necessarily apply to it. That, along with Wizards complete lack of explanation of the pauper ban list, led me to try creating a deck using some powerful commons not available online (Sinkhole & Hymn to Tourach) in an effort to show that paper pauper should also have a ban list. Having almost the same card pool, (and the same rules) I see no reason why their ban lists should not also be similar. This led me to researching early Magic sets to determine what classified a common:
Except for Arabian Nights, Antiquities, The Dark, Fallen Empires, Chronicles, Homelands, & Alliances, all other boosters prior to the introduction of mythic rares (even Alpha, if my source is correct) contained 15 cards at a rarity breakdown of 11-3-1. (11 commons, 3 uncommons, & 1 rare per booster) Most of those exceptions, however, only contained 8 cards and had a rarity breakdown of 6-2. (6 commons & 2 uncommons per booster) Alliances had a breakdown of 8-3-1, while Chronicles had a breakdown of 9-3. Legends had a more normal breakdown of 11-3-1.
Because what we now consider rares from these early expansions were all printed on the 'uncommon' sheet, you were not guaranteed one per booster. When these sets were printed, there was no 'rare', only different levels of uncommon... with each booster containing 6 commons and 2 uncommons. Doing some research, here's how those cards were differentiated:
The terms U2, U3, C5 and such represent which sheet the cards were printed on (uncommon or common) and how many appeared on the sheet. (2, 3, or 5, respectively) For all of these sets, both the common and uncommon sheets contained 121 cards each, likely organized into 11 columns and 11 rows.
Arabian Nights (78 total cards) Breakdown: 6-2 | Cards per sheet: 121 | Released: December 1993
32 U2 (uncommons) ...each 3.31% chance per booster
19 U3 (uncommons) ...each 4.96% chance per booster
1 C1 (basic Mountain - uncommon, as prevalent as U3 cards) ...4.96% chance per booster
16 C4 ...each 19.83% chance per booster
9 C5 ...each 24.8% chance per booster
1 C11 (Desert) ...54.55% chance per booster
Antiquities (100 total cards) Breakdown: 6-2 | Cards per sheet: 121 | Released: March 1994
26 U1 (rares) ...each 1.65% chance per booster
4 U2 (uncommons)...each 3.31% chance per booster
29 U3 (uncommons) ...each 4.96% chance per booster
11 C1 (uncommons, just as prevalent as U3 cards) ...each 4.96% chance per booster
5 C2 ...each 9.92% chance per booster
25 C4 ...each 19.83% chance per booster
Legends (310 total cards) Breakdown: 11-3-1 | Cards per sheet: 121 | Released: June 1994
121 R1 ...each 0.83% chance per booster
107 U1 ...each 2.48% chance per booster
7 U2 ...each 4.96% chance per booster
29 C1 ...each 9.09% chance per booster
46 C2 ...each 18.18% chance per booster
The Dark (119 total cards) Breakdown: 6-2 | Cards per sheet: 121 | Released: August 1994
35 U1 (rares) ...each 1.65% chance per booster
43 U2 (uncommons) ...each 3.31% chance per booster
1 C1 (Maze of Ith - uncommon, though 50% more prevalent than U2s) ...4.96% chance per booster
40 C3 ...each 14.88% chance per booster
Fallen Empires (102 total cards) Breakdown: 6-2 | Cards per sheet: 121 | Released: November 1994
36 U1 (rares) ...each 1.65% chance per booster
5 U2 (uncommons) ...each 3.31% chance per booster
25 U3 (uncommons) ...each 4.96% chance per booster
1 C1 (Delif's Cone - just as prevalent as U3s) ...4.96% chance per booster
20 C3 ...each 14.88% chance per booster
15 C4 ...each 19.83% chance per booster
Ice Age (383 total cards) Breakdown: 11-3-1 | Cards per sheet: 121 | Released: June 1995
121 R1 ...each 0.83% chance per booster
121 U1 ...each 2.48% chance per booster
121 C1 ...each 9.09% chance per booster
Chronicles (116 total cards) Breakdown: 9-3 | Cards per sheet: 121 | Released: June 1995
46 U1 (rares) ...each 1.65% chance per booster
25 U3 (uncommons) ...each 4.96% chance per booster
5 C1 (uncommons) ...each 7.44% chance per booster
7 C2 ...each 14.88% chance per booster
30 C3 ...each 22.31% chance per booster
3 C4 ...each 29.75% chance per booster
Homelands (140 total cards) Breakdown: 6-2 | Cards per sheet: 121 | Released: October 1995
43 U1 (rares) ...each 1.65% chance per booster
26 U3 (uncommons) ...each 4.96% chance per booster
21 C1 (uncommons, just as prevalent as U3s) ...each 4.96% chance per booster
50 C2 ...each 9.92% chance per booster
Alliances (144 total cards) Breakdown: 8-3-1 | Cards per sheet: 110 | Released: 10 June 1996
46 R2 ...each 0.91% chance per booster
3 R6 (uncommons) ...each 2.73% chance per booster
40 U2 (uncommons) ...each 5.45% chance per booster
5 U6 (commons) ...each 16.36% chance per booster
40 C2 ...each 14.54% chance per booster
10 C3 ...each 21.82% chance per booster
While Gatherer seems to display rarities based on which sheet cards were printed on, and ignoring how often they were printed on it, Magiccards.info seems to display rarities based on how rare the cards were, regardless of how they were printed. Makes a lot more sense to me! It seems the rarity breakdown is as follows:
<= 1.65%: Rare
2.48% - 7.44%: Uncommon
9.09%+: Common
With this as a basis for rarity, whether a card was printed on a specific card sheet or another doesn't matter. Only the cards rarity (as a percentage) affects its status as common, uncommon, or rare.
It's important to remember that C1 only means 'printed on the common sheet 1 time'. For sets with a breakdown of 6-2, (6 cards from the common sheet and 2 from the uncommon sheet) C1 cards had the same rarity as U3 cards, (4.96%) making them uncommons. Most other breakdowns put C1 cards at a lower rarity, making those cards commons.
C1s from Homelands (uncommons)
It seems that Gatherer lists these as commons because they were printed on the 'common' sheet of the print-run, even though they have the same rarity as U3 cards.
C1s with Multiple Versions (commons)
Though each version (different art) is technically uncommon for collecting purposes, these 'cards' are considered to be C2, C3, or C4 depending on how many versions there are, so are common for rarity purposes.
These were included in MTGO both through regular sets (as commons) AND masters editions, (as uncommons) so are pauper legal for paper & online. I assume they were upshifted for limited purposes:
Though playing with paper cards, it seems odd to restrict myself to commons only printed on paper. I see no reason to exclude cards virtually downshifted in rarity, as the pauper format, to me, is all about using cards that have been common in limited formats, and the masters editions WERE created, in part, for limited.
There isn't really anything interesting here, as far as I can tell. Maybe Icequake or Death Spark?
Because there's disagreement on the rarity of some cards in these early sets, it's important to understand these differences to determine which are legal for us.
1. C1s not recognized as commons on gatherer:
these may be considered common on the basis that they were printed on the 'common' sheet of their time
2. Listed as commons on gatherer, but exceed rarity percentage limits:
these have the same rarity (percentage-wise) as other uncommons from the same sets
3. Multiple printings:
'uncommon' sheet AND 'common' sheet printings in the same set make these cards MORE common (percentage-wise) than C2 commons such as Remove Soul
I think you may be missing the point. He's addressing the issue of people on the forums applying ban-lists that aren't/can't be reinforced at the kitchen table (unless your playgroup decides there be restrictions). Nothing to do with how seriously you take a format. Some users have been criticizing deck lists that contained cards that were banned in the online version of Pauper. Basically, someone creating a post with a deck list should always mention what restrictions they are using, if any. That way, there is no confusion and (hopefully), people won't post useless information about certain cards not being allowed when in fact, no one can really tell you what to do in your own home with your game and your friends. He's just clearing that up for everyone so we can enjoy the game and receive pertinent information from others.
The general gist of the message is that you need to let everyone know what your rules are before posting to avoid confusion, because this subforum greets all types of players with different ways of playing the game.
MTGO has none of the cards released prior to Mirage, except for those available through the Masters Editions. Additionally, Fifth & Sixth Edition commons and some commons from Conspiracy are not available online.
These were included in MTGO both through regular sets (as commons) and masters editions. (as uncommons) I assume they were upshifted for limited purposes:
Just updated this post with the info from Vintage Masters & Conspiracy. Quite a few changes, so I figured I'd outline them on the forum here. The post is now in the Forum Rules thread, so this thread seems more appropriate:
There were other changes, such as Elvish Aberration being downshifted to common (in Conspiracy and Vintage Masters) that aren't related to the differences between MTGO and paper, so I left those out.
Now that CFB is supporting Paper Pauper with the mtgo cardpool, perhaps paper Pauper is becoming less casual and closer to being officially sanctioned?
I do find it ironic that people think a banned list in inappropriate in casual when all races, mythics, and uncommon are being effectively banned, back in the day (before EDH) most people I knew respected the Vintage B&R list for 60 card casual (eg, no multiple Sol Rings). Only a few casual players seemed interested in "anything goes".
I don't know why CFB would affect what regular LGSs do for their tournaments. There's definitely a big meta shift between Paper and MTGO Pauper, so it's best for a shop to do what its customer base wants.
As far as using a banned list for Casual, well that's up to the playgroup to decide. I know early on when my playgroup was purely casual no one knew the power of certain banned cards. For example, no one at that time would've thought to use Ghostly Flicker to abuse Peregrine Drake so there was no need to pay attention to banned cards.
Casual paper Pauper.
It is true that Magic The Gathering Online Pauper has a ban list. That is because it is a sanctioned format and that sub-forum can be located HERE. This sub-forum however is for Casual paper Pauper and paper Peasant which are not sanctioned. The very essence of Casual is no ban list yet people seem to forget what governing forum they are in when they argue the point of a ban list or any restrictions. If you play with a banned card list, that is fine. But officially their isn't any.
Casual paper Pauper and paper Peasant have no official ban list, zero, none. Any ban list or restrictions enforced by anyone are not official. Some cards may be super broken or unfair but as it is a Casual format, unsanctioned by DCI or Wizards you can play with whatever you want as long as it is a common or was a common at one point on paper. If you choose to play with the online ban list or any restrictions just make sure you inform the community of such in your initial post.
For reference here is the Magic The Gathering Online: Pauper ban list and additional rules. Remember, these are not applicable to the Casual paper format unless your play group decides to use them.
The Pauper Magic Online banned list:
Common promo cards are only legal if the card has been printed before at the common rarity in a set or product.
(Once again, I cannot stress enough that these banned cards are for Magic Online and may or may not be in effect at your local tournament. Normally they're no banned cards in the the Casual paper version of the game.)
Casual paper Peasant doesn't have an online version but it does have its own unofficial ban and restricted list. All of that is below and once again it is not official, so within the Casual format you can use anything; it just depends on what your play group allows.
For reference here is the Magic The Gathering Peasant ban list and additional rules. Remember, these are not official and are only in use if your play group decides to use them.
All silver-bordered and gold-bordered commons and uncommons are banned.
(Once again, these banned cards are not "official" and may or may not be in effect at your local tournament.)
HERE is a link to the paper Peasant Magic website, you can read up more on the format there as it will be more detailed then what it written here.
Different playgroups have different rules when dealing with these cards from such sets as "The Dark", "Homelands", ect. The debate begins with whether or not these cards are actually common or uncommon and I will explain why. C1 is a rarity abbreviation for a card appearing 1 time on a "common" print sheet and C2 is a rarity abbreviation for a card appearing 2 times on a "common" print sheet. The same can be said for U1 and U2 as-well. In those days they had no specific "rare" rarity even though some cards were more scarce then others. If you apply today's rarity structure to the old sets this is where the confusion sets in. Normally when playing paper Pauper or paper Peasant the rule of once a common, always a common applies, however when dealing with the older sets which had a completely different rarity structure than the newer sets you start running into problems.
Since a C1 card was printed on the common sheet some consider it to be common regardless of how many times it was printed, others who go by today's rarity structure refer to it as an uncommon card because of how many times it was printed on the common sheet.
This is also true for U1 cards as they were printed on the uncommon sheets some consider these uncommon regardless of how many times it was printed, others who go by today's rarity structure refer to it as rare because of how many times it was printed on the uncommon sheet.
Now for something even more confusing, in the case of sets such as "Alliances" we have C1 common cards that have two different artworks but are both considered C1 common cards. However, they may be considered C2 common cards by some because even though they had two different artworks they are the same card printed twice.
Hopefully this clears up any confusion, whether or not a C1 card is usable in paper Pauper or U1 cards are usable in paper Peasant are going to be fully dependent on your playgroup and determine. Coming from a Casual format sense though if you want to play with them you can because as stated several times, they're no ban lists or restrictions. It is as you see it.
Here is a VERY in depth analysis of the rarities regarding the older sets written by BetweenWalls for your reading pleasure. Updated on 9/29/2013
W White Weenie
The general gist of the message is that you need to let everyone know what your rules are before posting to avoid confusion, because this subforum greets all types of players with different ways of playing the game.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
Just updated this post with the info from Vintage Masters & Conspiracy. Quite a few changes, so I figured I'd outline them on the forum here. The post is now in the Forum Rules thread, so this thread seems more appropriate:
Vintage Masters:
Downshifted to common in MTGO
- Addle
- Afterlife
- Arrogant Wurm
- Battle Screech
- Beetleback Chief
- Brindle Shoat
- Chainer's Edict
- Circular Logic
- Claws of Wirewood
- Dauthi Mercenary
- Elephant Guide
- Gilded Light
- Goblin Commando
- Goblin General
- Killer Whale
- Mana Prism
- Mistmoon Griffin
- Predatory Nightstalker
- Skirge Familiar
- Skirk Drill Sergeant
- Tangle
- Tribute to the Wild
- Soltari Emissary
Newly available in MTGOHulking Goblin
Conspiracy:
Downshifted to common, but not available in MTGO
- Charging Rhino
- Wakedancer
- Dream Fracture
Newly available, but not in MTGOThere were other changes, such as Elvish Aberration being downshifted to common (in Conspiracy and Vintage Masters) that aren't related to the differences between MTGO and paper, so I left those out.
I do find it ironic that people think a banned list in inappropriate in casual when all races, mythics, and uncommon are being effectively banned, back in the day (before EDH) most people I knew respected the Vintage B&R list for 60 card casual (eg, no multiple Sol Rings). Only a few casual players seemed interested in "anything goes".
https://fieldmarshalshandbook.wordpress.com/
RUGLegacy Lands.dec
RUGBLegacy Lands.dec
RGLegacy Lands.dec
WUBRG EDH Lands.dec
UBR EDH Artificer Prodigy
B EDH Relentless Rats
As far as using a banned list for Casual, well that's up to the playgroup to decide. I know early on when my playgroup was purely casual no one knew the power of certain banned cards. For example, no one at that time would've thought to use Ghostly Flicker to abuse Peregrine Drake so there was no need to pay attention to banned cards.