The Silver Committee has been hard at work after Worlds to refine Silver in a way that improves gameplay, while also allowing you to play with game elements you love and adore. Roughly every three months, The Silver Committee will release a batch of errata and bans (or even unbans!) or an update stating that no changes are being made at that time. We may make emergency announcements outside of these periods, should something prove to overly negatively impact the health of the format. For this update we were focused only on the Banned and Restricted Lists, but future updates may address more general aspects of the Silver Age format.<\/p>\n
This update will be significantly larger than ones you may have seen before, but Silver is at an interesting point in time, right now. With the lifespan of many Modern game elements having been extended by a full year, Silver isn\u2019t naturally going to see the shake up we\u2019ve come to expect with it. As a result of that, the Silver Committee has undergone great effort to thoroughly evaluate the Banned & Restricted Lists to identify cool and unique game elements that could have their sanctions downshifted. These could be for a multitude of reasons, ranging from rules changes to a difference in metagame power levels since the piece was originally added to the Banned or Restricted Lists. You, the players, really enjoy being able to play using the figures you enjoy, so we wanted to let you do exactly that, where possible.<\/p>\n
On the flip side, there are a number of game elements that have proven to either overshadow other elements in the meta, or can cause extensive and confusing rulings, that need to be removed from the current pool of available elements to keep Silver Age healthy.<\/p>\n
In cases where we\u2019ve moved an element from the Temporary Ban List or Banned List to the Restricted List (or removed an element from all lists), we\u2019d like to state, up front, that we\u2019ll be keeping a careful eye on their play rates, win rates, and overall impact on the metagame. You can consider these elements to be added to the Watch List, shown towards the end of this update. The Watch List is less of a list of elements that we want to take action on, but more of a list of elements that we recognize could have large impacts on the metagame if left unchecked, and serves as a courtesy so that players are aware that a particular element is being actively monitored.<\/p>\n
Below are the results of our latest findings. All changes are effective in only Silver and are effective immediately.<\/p>\n
Changes to the Restricted List<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nXSOP 207 Saturnyne<\/strong>
\nResult: Unrestricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Saturnyne was originally added to the Restricted List back when Silver allowed for multiple copies of figures. Players would often play three copies in order to increase or decrease a roll by a total of 3, leading to dangerous critical hits and critical misses. With Silver now considering all characters Unique, this power doesn\u2019t carry the drastic weight it once had. Saturnyne has seen very little play since being placed on the Restricted List, hinting that it may have been an overcorrection. We\u2019d like to explore an environment with her freed for a little bit, while also encouraging Tarot decks more.<\/p>\nA60 056 Iron Inquisitor (and Team-Up card)<\/strong>
\nResult: Unrestricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Iron Inquisitor is a fun piece that isn\u2019t necessarily doing anything that breaks the game on his own. His Mastermind that he grants other characters still requires them to be more points than he is in order to target him, reeling him in quite a bit. There are a few combos with him that have proven to be an issue, such as ST 099 Agatha and Crimson Bands of Cytorrak, but those have largely been addressed elsewhere in the Banned and Restricted lists. Additionally, freeing Iron Inquisitor means that players can finally play the full Multiversal Masters of Evil team again (provided King Killmonger is your Restricted element), which we believe would be a fun approach for many players and would like to encourage.<\/p>\nD+ s004 Cloak of Levitation<\/strong>
\nResult: Unrestricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Since being placed on the Restricted List, Cloak of Levitation has seen almost no play, and has boasted, at best, a 37.5% win rate. While it saw incredibly high success prior to being restricted, it was almost exclusively in combination with D+ 054 Sakaarian Iron Man, who was also restricted at the same time as Cloak of Levitation. Players have simply swapped the equipment they use with Sakaarian Iron Man to other Flight-enabling options, showing the problem may not have been Cloak of Levitation all along. In light of this, we\u2019d like to unrestrict Cloak of Levitation in order to help provide some support to Sakaarian Iron Man teams, as well as provide a novel movement option for other teams.<\/p>\nDNDX s004 Ring of Telekinesis<\/strong>
\nResult: Unrestricted in SIlver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Ring of Telekinesis was originally restricted due to its high play rate \u2013 most teams have one or two characters with the Mystical keyword, making it a near auto-include. However, that\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing! Ring of Telekinesis allows a player to have a cheap and easy answer to problematic EFFECT Terrain, while also rounding out some combat values along the way. Overall, Ring of Telekinesis is an effect that makes great teams a little better, but provides a wide amount of support to weaker teams, leveling the playing field.<\/p>\nBP s002 Heart-Shaped Herb (including WWBBP t002 Heart-Shaped Herb)<\/strong>
\nResult: Unrestricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Since the releases of the last few sets, we\u2019ve seen a critical mass of free EFFECT Terrain Markers. Long gone are the days when Heart-Shaped Herb was one of the only options! Because of this, we\u2019re choosing to unrestrict most EFFECT Terrain, Heart-Shaped Herb included. We hope this allows players to explore a larger number of unique teams and increase the diversity of Terrain Markers played.<\/p>\nXM97 OS003 Practiced Teamwork<\/strong>
\nResult: Unrestricted in SIlver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Practiced Teamwork was originally restricted out of an abundance of caution for combos that could exist with being able to chain together actions post-carry. After extensive review, we believe that Practiced Teamwork is a One-Shot that has a fine place being unrestricted. It largely competes with other One-Shots for spots on the Sideline, while offering fantastic support for maneuverability.<\/p>\nMSNP 068 K.E.V.I.N.<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Temporary Ban to Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: K.E.V.I.N. is one of the most one-of-a-kind elements that WizKids has made. He has this amazing ability to round out the low lows that some teams experience, improving overall consistency of teams (and player experience!). However, he\u2019s also one of the best support pieces in the game, so we want to avoid having him be a piece that nearly every team automatically plays. Because of this, we\u2019re opting to move K.E.V.I.N. to the Restricted List. Think of him as a great glue piece for when you need just that little extra support.<\/p>\nS&D 043 Captain America<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Temporary Ban to Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Captain America routinely showcases himself as one of the best attackers in Modern; it\u2019s not uncommon to see him unleash four attacks in a turn with ease! In terms of power level, this is very much on par with other characters, like SMBA 062 Carnage Silver Surfer, who also happen to be restricted. He\u2019s a fantastic damage bomb, but we want to avoid too many instances of him being thrown on a generic \u201cgood stuff\u201d team, so we chose to add him to the Restricted List to help balance this out.<\/p>\nEAX 019b Vulture<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Banned to Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation: Vulture is a really interesting case in that the rules have changed since he was first placed on the Banned List. An action being done \u201cat no cost\u201d has been changed to being FREE, meaning he\u2019s limited in using the Charge granted by his Time to Make My Getaway Trait once per turn. Because of this, there\u2019s a hard limit that\u2019s been placed on him. As such, he\u2019s free to come off the Banned List. We\u2019re initially moving him to the Restricted List to see how the format looks with him in it, before evaluating if he should be fully free.<\/p>\n
WW80 064 Scarab<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Banned to Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Scarab was super popular back when Silver was first introduced, and earned a quick trip to the Ban List. Since then, the power level of characters has drastically changed. We\u2019ve seen a number of other game elements be able to perform similar effects, as well. We think this makes him a prime candidate to try out as a restricted element, but we can always move him back to the Banned List, if he proves too troublesome to the overall health of the metagame.<\/p>\nXoS 053b Mad Jim Jaspers<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Banned to Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Mad Jim Jaspers is another great example of a figure where the rules have changed since his introduction to the Banned List. Between a harsher limit on Sideline slots and the Modern floor, he doesn\u2019t have as many options available to him as he used to. There are also a number of other effects that create interesting ways to equip non-standard characters, which was his primary use. Because of this, he sits around the power level we\u2019d expect from a figure who occupies both your Prime and your Restricted slot. Adding him to the Restricted List also prevents him from being paired alongside the best equipment or the best attackers, reeling in his utility to an acceptable level.<\/p>\nMVP25 009 Infinaut<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Banned to Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Infinaut was originally banned due to the amount of damage he was able to dish out in a single burst, while also being limited in how the opponent could interact with him. In the year he\u2019s been Modern-legal, this has been shown to be largely fine. Due to the Highlander rule in Silver, you can\u2019t play multiples of him, preventing some of the pairings you see in other formats, like with SPV OS004 Assist from Another World. Additionally, by placing Infinaut on the Restricted List, players aren\u2019t able to play him with other overly efficient sources of damage.<\/p>\nSVAC s005 All-Black the Necrosword<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Banned to Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: We feel All-Black the Necrosword is at an appropriate power level to other equipment on the Restricted List, and, by being restricted, will not be able to be paired with the best attackers in the game. Lacking any Qualifying Names\/Keywords also means that players will have to either pay the full 15 points or find a creative way to equip it to their characters.<\/p>\nWW80 s007 Stop Sign (Indigo)<\/strong>
\nBTU s010 Stop Sign (Green)<\/strong>
\nBTU s017 Stop Sign (Yellow)<\/strong>
\nBTU s024 Stop Sign (Red)<\/strong>
\nBTU s031 Stop Sign (Orange)<\/strong>
\nBTU s038 Stop Sign (Blue)<\/strong>
\nBTU s045 Stop Sign (Violet)<\/strong>
\nBTU s052 Stop Sign (Indigo)<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Banned to Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: This was a fun and interesting discussion amongst the Silver Committee, and we\u2019re excited to present to you the first restricted element that doesn\u2019t exist on your force! How this one works is you can only generate it when you have no other restricted element on your Main Force or Sideline. If you\u2019re playing something like WW 065 Sky Tyrant, and he gets KO\u2019d, the game currently doesn\u2019t check the KO area when seeing if you have a restricted unit. There are similar interactions that allow you to generate a restricted unit again and again when there aren\u2019t any in play, so we feel Stop Sign is on a similar power level as those. This provides some cool support to Lantern teams in the late game, while also allowing teams to run easier counters to alpha strike strategies.<\/p>\nDCX 024 Butterfly<\/strong>
\nVE L025 Anti-Venom<\/strong>
\nTB L031b Crimson Cowl<\/strong>
\nResult: Restricted in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Butterfly and her toolbox of characters have proven to be an increasingly frustrating sore spot to many players, and it\u2019s understandable why! She gets to have access to many of the best pieces in the game and allows for many cross-map combos that wouldn\u2019t be possible otherwise. Two pieces we\u2019re particularly concerned about being combined with Butterfly are Anti-Venom and Crimson Cowl. The former allows Butterfly to singlehandedly shut down OMAs and tentpoles, while the latter can pull characters into a kill box. None of these characters are overly potent on their own, but have an oversized impact on the meta when combined with each other, so we\u2019re choosing to restrict all three elements at this time.<\/p>\nTemporary Ban List<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nBefore diving too much into changes on the Temporary Ban List, we want to take a small moment to discuss the philosophy behind the Temporary Ban List and what purpose it serves. Really, this list exists to give us a way to put figures on hold for a period. Sometimes this will be to give Silver a small reprieve from figures dominating Modern. Other times, it allows us to remove an element from the legal pool to provide time to fix some rulings and interactions with it without poorly impacting events in the meantime.<\/p>\n
BP s001 Vibranium<\/strong>
\nWWBP t001 Vibranium<\/strong>
\nDCX t001 Phone Booth<\/strong>
\nMVSS25 t003 Upper Body<\/strong>
\nMVSS25 t004 Head<\/strong>
\nS&D t007 Dumpster Fire<\/strong>
\nResult: Removed from Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Extending the logic used to unrestrict Heart-Shaped Herb, we\u2019d like to see more players using EFFECT terrain, now that we have so many cool options printed. This will allow for players to really maximize fun strategies and enhance a focus on careful, strategic gameplay from setting up the game until the last action.<\/p>\nS&D L17-002 Spirit of Vengeance Red Hulk<\/strong>
\nResult: Removed from Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Spirit of Vengeance Red Hulk has had an interesting path since being released. It\u2019s seen nerf after nerf, and has finally ended up at a power level well below even most restricted units. As such, we\u2019re choosing to remove it from the Temporary Ban List. He\u2019s a character that, frankly, is really cool and unique in what he does, and we\u2019d like to see more of him.<\/p>\nMSNP 056 Khonshu<\/strong>
\nMSNP 057 Ammit<\/strong>
\nMSNP 058 Taweret<\/strong>
\nResult: Removed from Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: The MSNP Egyptian gods are exciting figures that players love to use. In a world where every Sideline slot is excruciatingly analyzed and debated, these characters give lots of utility, especially to teams missing support otherwise. We feel they smooth out the lows in play experience without impacting the highs much.<\/p>\nLL 002c Kyle Rayner<\/strong>
\nResult: Removed from Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: This Kyle Rayner was originally added to the Temporary Ban List in place of LL 002d.1 Kyle Rayner, but the latter continued to be a threat to the metagame, creating some frustrating and uninteractive combos with other Kyle Rayner figures. Since we hit Indigo Lantern Kyle Rayner\u2019s Team-Up card in an earlier update, Blue Lantern Kyle Rayner poses very little threat to the metagame and can be fully released into the wild, as a result.<\/p>\nST LG023 Eternity<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Restricted to Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Time for some fun numbers following Worlds. Eternity was the only character in Silver to have all of the following stats: on more than 10% of teams, higher than a 50% win rate before Top Cut, higher than a 60% win rate after Top Cut, and over a 7.5 point difference between those win rates. All while being restricted. We think it\u2019s safe to say that Eternity has earned his spot on the Temporary Ban List.<\/p>\nNOT 051 Harley Quinn<\/strong>
\nUND 007 Grim Reaper<\/strong>
\nXMXS 034 Death<\/strong>
\nWKX 005 Professor Moriarty<\/strong>
\nTB 037b Red Hulk<\/strong>
\nJLU 018 Superman<\/strong>
\nJLU 022 Batman<\/strong>
\nJLU 036 Green Lantern<\/strong>
\nJLU 063 Hawkgirl<\/strong>
\nJLU 064 Martian Manhunter<\/strong>
\nJLU 065 Wonder Woman<\/strong>
\nResult: Added to Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: We saw previous errata to similar effects earlier this year. In order to give WizKids some time to address the rest of these \u201creaper\u201d effects. We\u2019d like to provide an environment where players are encouraged to use these characters as a way to deal that last click of damage to cinch up a KO, instead of using them as a pseudo-way of increasing damage from every attack. For this reason, we\u2019ve added them to the Temporary Ban List until they\u2019re issued an errata.<\/p>\nXDPS 045 Harry Leland<\/strong>
\nLL 041b Sinestro<\/strong>
\nResult: Added to Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Both of these figures had an impressive showing at Worlds, but we want to make it very clear that their success in one event was not the driving point as to why they have been added to the Temporary Ban List. Instead, we simply recognize they create an incredibly powerful core that harms a core concept of the game. It\u2019s a frustrating play experience to not be able to hit any of your attacks. We\u2019d like for these characters to return to the legal pool eventually, but we\u2019d like to take time to properly examine the best way to do that.<\/p>\nFFGC 531 Utility Belt<\/strong>
\nResult: Added to Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: It\u2019s become quickly clear that one of the best things you can be doing in a game of HeroClix is reflipping your One-Shots, and Utility Belt is by far the easiest version of this we\u2019ve seen to date. So much so that it\u2019s currently a staple in Modern! The inherently higher power of Silver Age is elevating that effect though, which is affecting team variation. If better tools for dealing with One-Shots emerge in the future, we may see this return to play.<\/p>\nDCX 027 Trigon<\/strong>
\nResult: Added to Temporary Ban in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: We\u2019ll admit, this is an odd choice. Trigon hasn\u2019t seen much play, and similarly hasn\u2019t seen much success, but we\u2019re aware of some teams using him that would require very dedicated and hard counters. Rather than have an event cycle be warped around him, we\u2019re choosing to temporarily ban him.<\/p>\nBanned List<\/strong><\/span>
\nFFAI G001 Giant Girl<\/strong>
\nResult: Removed from Banned List in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Giant Girl is another classic example of the rules for Silver having changed over time, reducing the potency of figures. Giant Girl was once commonly played in multiples, but due to the Highlander rule being put in place, she\u2019s incredibly safe to come off the Ban List.<\/p>\nWKMP17 007 Pym Pocket Tank<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Restricted to Banned in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Pym Pocket Tank being moved from the Restricted List to the Ban List may seem wild given its (lack of) play rate, but we promise there\u2019s logic here. The Pym Pocket Tank is an incredibly rules-dense game element, and its use frequently results in judge calls and game delays. In an attempt to simplify the Restricted List, we\u2019re making the choice to say goodbye to the Tank. Because of its incredibly low play rate since being added to the Restricted List, we don\u2019t think anything in the format is suddenly missing by being shifted to the Ban List.<\/p>\nXRF 028 Professor X<\/strong>
\nResult: Moved from Restricted to Banned in Silver<\/p>\nExplanation<\/strong>: Very similar to the Pocket Tank, Professor X creates a complex environment with relation to scoring when he\u2019s played (and he\u2019s hardly ever played, at that). He\u2019s really simple to use when you swap a 50 point character for another 50 point character, but the questions start to roll in when you swap a 40 point character for a 60 point character or vice versa. Much like Pym Pocket Tank, this leads to extra burden on judges to explain this super niche and confusing process during the once-in-a-blue-moon tournament when Professor X is played. We believe it\u2019s not worth the health of any given event where Professor X is played to justify having him be available on the Restricted List.<\/p>\nXXS061 Angel<\/strong>
\nWW80 s001 The Angler<\/strong>
\nMVSS25 OS001 Halt Mutant<\/strong>
\nST OS002 Crimson Bands of Cytorrak<\/strong>