MTG Magic: The Gathering community witnessed a seismic shift on June 30, 2025, as Wizards of the Coast announced the banning of seven cards in Standard format. This marks the most significant Standard shakeup in over two years, targeting the oppressive Izzet Prowess archetype that dominated the recent Pro Tour.
Table of Contents
Complete List of Banned Cards
| Card Name | Mana Cost | Primary Deck | Reason for Ban |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cori-Steel Cutter | 2 | Izzet Prowess | Format warping dominance |
| Monstrous Rage | R | Red Aggro | Overpowered combat trick |
| Heartfire Hero | R | Mono-Red | Explosive early game |
| Abuelo’s Awakening | 4 | Omniscience Combo | Cheap reanimation |
| Up the Beanstalk | 2G | Domain Ramp | Unfair card advantage |
| Hopeless Nightmare | B | Self-Bounce | Oppressive discard |
| This Town Ain’t Big Enough | 1U | Various | Lockout potential |
Why These Bans Were Necessary
Izzet Prowess Takes Over
Izzet Prowess represented over 40% of the Standard metagame at Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY, creating an unhealthy format where deck diversity plummeted. The strategy’s aggressive nature forced opponents to have answers by turn one or two, severely limiting viable strategies.
Cori-Steel Cutter: The Main Culprit
The artifact proved too powerful for Standard, offering exceptional value while being difficult to answer profitably. Cori-Steel Cutter is, quite simply, too strong for the format, a card that’s a little bit stronger than everything else. Its impact extended beyond Standard, making waves in Modern as well.
Collateral Damage Strategy
Rather than targeting just the Prowess deck, Wizards implemented a broader approach. The bans aim to prevent the format from reverting to its previous state while opening space for new strategies to emerge.
Impact on Different Archetypes
Red Aggro Strategies: Heavily impacted with the loss of both Heartfire Hero and Monstrous Rage, forcing players to rebuild around less explosive but more balanced threats.
Combo Decks: Abuelo’s Awakening removal eliminates the problematic Omniscience combo that warped games around cheap reanimation effects.
Control Decks: Benefit significantly from reduced pressure and the removal of Up the Beanstalk, which provided unfair card advantage.
What’s Next for Standard
These changes represent Wizards’ commitment to maintaining a healthy three-year Standard format. The design team acknowledged key learnings about one-mana cards and hard-to-interact-with permanents in larger card pools.
Players can expect the next Standard rotation in early 2027, with additional “early rotation” ban windows planned at the midway point and before rotation.
Tournament Players Take Note
The bans take effect immediately on June 30, 2025, impacting all sanctioned tournaments. Regional Championships and upcoming events will see dramatically different metagames as players adapt to the new landscape.
For competitive players, this presents an opportunity to explore previously unviable strategies. Check out our competitive deck building guide for tips on adapting to the new format.
Stay updated with the latest MTG developments and tournament coverage at technosports.co.in for comprehensive esports analysis.
For official tournament rules and the complete banned list, visit the official Wizards website. Follow our MTG coverage for ongoing Standard format analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will Izzet Prowess still be viable after these bans?
A: While significantly weakened, the archetype may survive in a different form. Izzet Prowess survives, but in a different form. While the aggressiveness of Cori-Steel Cutter will be gone, there is no question that Vivi Ornitier is a powerful card that could anchor future builds.
Q: When is the next banned and restricted announcement?
A: The next scheduled announcement is November 24, 2025, though Wizards has indicated they may implement additional “early rotation” windows before the 2027 Standard rotation.
