Statement on Balance

Magic cards are funny things. From a functional perspective, each card is a collection of symbols that instructs players when and how to play that card. From a more aesthetic perspective, each card tells a story and suggests why a player may want to include that card in a deck. Once constructed, decks are an expression of what a player intends to accomplish in a game and how that player hopes to interact with opponents. These are the symbols of who we are as players and how we would like to interact with other players and the game. As we continue to meet and play, archetypes and metagames form and shift. And as the metagame forms and shifts, the symbolic value of certain cards shifts as well. The Old School community is particularly in tune with the symbolism of Magic. The format is a rebellion against the “values” of modern Magic. In Old School, we donate the proceeds of our tournaments to charity and experiment with types of games, the rules of tournaments, and how we interact with other Old School players.

As you are probably aware, Wizards of the Coast has identified seven cards that it deems to be racist or culturally insensitive. As you are also probably aware, these cards are largely not played outside of Old School. In a format with such a small card pool, any action that restricts what cards we can play limits our gameplay options, not dissimilar from banning a specific chess piece. It is a restriction on our in-game vocabulary, and when most players were using those cards/that vocabulary responsibly, the loss feels particularly acute.

Whether or not you agree with Wizards of The Coast’s action or with the particular cards selected, we need to take the time, as a community, to grapple with how we are going to deal with these issues going forward. You, as an individual, may not believe that these cards are insensitive in a vacuum or in the historical context, but your particular beliefs are only one small part of the conversation of how we, as a community, should treat these cards. Now that these cards are marked as racist/insensitive, another layer of symbolism attaches. Any individual who chooses to play one of the seven cards in question should be prepared to acknowledge what it means to play these cards. If the greater Old School community (a largely white and male community) continues to allow players to play with these cards, we will all need to be prepared to respond to accusations of racism from the greater Magic and non-Magic-playing communities.

On June 20 2020, the Philly Old School group is holding Balance 2020, a webcam tournament to benefit the African People's Education and Defense Fund (APEDF), a national organization with a Philadelphia area presence. This format will be run with the Atlantic 93/94 ruleset with additional following rules:

Invoke Prejudice is banned.

Altered or removed art is recommended for the card, Imprison

Altered or removed names are recommended for the following cards: Cleanse, Stone-Throwing Devils, Pradesh Gypsies, Jihad, and Crusade

Reprints will be allowed in accordance with the normal American/EC custom

Proxies or playtest cards are allowed, provided they adhere to the normal OS aesthetic (no foils, crazy digital alternate art, etc.)

Attendees are encouraged to report any player deliberately attempting to be insensitive. While this would normally go without saying, announcements like the one that Wizards of the Coast made often have the unintended consequence of inciting misguided or racist behavior. Old School is a strong community of mature adults that has a commitment to inclusiveness that goes beyond empty gestures.