With the amount of testing D&D do for eternal formats(Meaning Zero) I don't have high hopes. The commander rules committee does a way better job and should tell WOTC to keep their hands off of their format.
No one is interfering with the 20 life format, this is a 30 life format.
The problem for me is that the upper tier of the format is full of these decks. Legacy's got more power and speed but has safety valves. BG as the police deck has not really slowed the format down. Since Twin, it's been an alien nightmare followed up a format almost as fast as Philly to another set of bannings which doesn't seem to have slowed it down all that much.
The format is only half a turn to turn slower since PT Philly where they made all those bannings. All these years and we're still pretty close to where we were at. Sure, there are more decks, but they create the same amount of non games they did before.
How is the format doing since the switch to 20 life? Attendance and enthusiasm wise? I was a part of a small community in my area but the switch killed it, but it could just be my area.
This format is much much better than Modern is right now and better than Standard as it is now. I've really enjoyed playing the last few weeks and will continue to play.
Puzzleknot and Harnessed Lightning seem like pretty reasonable cards on their own. Attune with the Aether as well. Whirler Virtuoso is definitely solid on its own, the only card I'm not sure about as a base card is Electrostatic Pummeler. Filigree Familiar and Glint-Nest Crane are also great support cards as well without just being dead weight. I think the question is how many pay off cards do you need and what should they be.
There are 2 2 mana cards that produce 3 energy and 2 more 3 mana cards produce 3 energy immediately. A single Puzzleknot can get this going as well. The fact you can cast any spell on turn 4 rather consistently seems too good to pass up.
No one is interfering with the 20 life format, this is a 30 life format.
Why? 20 life is awful and I'm glad WotC is showing interest in diversifying.
I'd bet it'd bring in more players than it pushes out. Death's Shadow as the gatekeeper deck doesn't inspire me with confidence for the format.
1 Thragtusk
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Tarmogoyf
Planeswalkers: 3
3 Liliana of the Veil
Draw: 7
3 Serum Visions
4 Ancestral Vision
Removal: 9
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Yahenni's Expertise
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Fatal Push
2 Spell Snare
3 Mana Leak
3 Cryptic Command
Lands: 23
1 Forest
1 Swamp
2 Island
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Breeding Pool
1 Watery Grave
2 Creeping Tar Pit
3 Blooming Marsh
3 Darkslick Shores
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Polluted Delta