Magic Banned & Restricted Updates January 2013

With the rotate of Gatecrash, all sanctioned formats as well as the group that oversees the Commander format announced their updates to banned and restricted lists.

The following changes are:

Standard, Extended, Legacy, Vintage

No changes

 

Pauper

Empty the Warrens, Grapeshot, and Invigorate are banned.

 

Modern

Bloodbraid Elf  and Seething Song are banned.

 

Commander

No changes. Moreover, they have clarified that the reminder text of the Gatecrash ability extort does not count towards color identity (so a Black card with extort can still be used in a mono-Black deck, for example).
 
Functional Errata and Relevant Rules Changes

Ink-Treader Nephilim now requires it to be on the battlefield in order for the trigger to create copied spells.

Rule 611.2c helps to clarify a long-standing confusion in the game for some regarding continuous effects that modify the characteristics of a card (say Righteous Charge). It’s now explicitly stated the common sense most players use that only creatures you control on the battlefield at the time that effect resolves get the effect. A creature cast later in the turn would not get the effect. If the effect grants an effect that changes conditions but doesn’t modify the characteristics, then all are affected (For example, Venser, the Sojourner‘s second ability makes all creatures you control unblockable).

 

The explanations of the non-Commander Banned & Restricted changes can be found here.

The Commander announcement can be found here.

The full list of rules clarifications can be viewed here.