MTG Banned and Restricted Announcement (November 2025): Latest Updates & Full List

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The November 2025 Magic: The Gathering (MTG) Banned and Restricted Announcement brought major format shake-ups, affecting Standard, Pioneer, Legacy, Pauper, Historic, and Brawl. Wizards of the Coast confirmed several key bans to restore balance and improve gameplay diversity across both tabletop and digital formats.

Overview of the Announcement

The November 2025 update removed or restricted multiple cards that were dominating competitive play or creating unbalanced gameplay experiences. While some formats saw sweeping changes, others remained untouched this cycle.

Full List of Banned & Restricted Cards

Standard

• Vivi Ornitier — Banned

• Screaming Nemesis — Banned

• Proft’s Eidetic Memory — Banned

Pioneer

• Heartfire Hero — Banned

Legacy

• Entomb — Banned

• Nadu, Winged Wisdom — Banned

Pauper

• High Tide — Banned

Historic (MTG Arena)

• Force of Negation — Pre-banned

• Frantic Search — Pre-banned

• Mystical Tutor — Pre-banned

• Dark Depths — Pre-banned

• Entomb — Pre-banned

Brawl

• Strip Mine — Banned

• Mana Drain — Banned

• Chrome Mox — Banned

• Ancient Tomb — Banned

Formats with No Changes

• Modern

• Vintage

• Timeless

• Alchemy

Next Scheduled Update: February 9, 2026

Why These Bans Happened

The November bans primarily targeted overpowered card interactions and combo loops that were distorting the meta.

• In Standard, the “Izzet Cauldron” deck became too dominant, using Vivi Ornitier, Proft’s Eidetic Memory, and Agatha’s Soul Cauldron to create nearly unbeatable combos.

• Pioneer’s Heartfire Hero was banned to curb the aggressive decks that consistently outperformed control and midrange builds.

• Legacy’s Entomb and Nadu, Winged Wisdom were removed due to their heavy impact on reanimator and combo archetypes, which limited strategic variety.

• Pauper’s High Tide, previously tested again in the format, proved too strong and inconsistent, leading to another ban.

• Historic’s pre-bans (such as Mystical Tutor and Force of Negation) were preventive moves for Arena balance, ensuring future cards wouldn’t create oppressive digital combos.

• Brawl bans focused on eliminating fast mana and non-interactive power cards that reduced the fun, casual experience of the format.

What It Means for Players

Format	Impact
Standard	With combo decks weakened, slower and control strategies have more breathing room. The meta is expected to reset with fresh archetypes emerging.
Pioneer	Removal of Heartfire Hero opens the field for more diverse deck types and fairer matchups.
Legacy	Expect reanimator and combo decks to decline, giving space to fair midrange and tempo decks.
Pauper	Banning High Tide rebalances the meta toward interactive gameplay and deck variety.
Historic / Arena	Pre-bans ensure a smoother experience, especially for players experimenting with new sets online.
Brawl	The removal of overpowered mana and combo cards should make casual multiplayer games more balanced and fun.

Player Tips After the Ban

1. Update Decklists: Remove newly banned cards before events or online play.

2. Explore New Decks: With oppressive combos gone, midrange, control, and aggro variants have fresh potential.

3. Follow the Meta: Keep an eye on emerging Standard and Pioneer lists; innovation spikes after major bans.

4. Check Digital Formats: Historic and Brawl pre-bans may affect Arena gameplay more than expected.

5. Prepare for Next Changes: The next review is in February 2026 — further format adjustments could arrive depending on performance data.

Community Reaction

The MTG community has largely welcomed this announcement. Many players felt the previous Standard meta was overly combo-focused and stifled creativity. The latest bans are expected to rejuvenate both online and tabletop play, encouraging experimentation and fairer matchups across all skill levels.

Final Thoughts

The November 2025 MTG Banned and Restricted update marks one of the most significant shifts in recent memory. By targeting problematic interactions and preemptively managing digital formats, Wizards of the Coast aims to foster a healthier, more diverse environment for both competitive and casual players alike.

The next few months will reveal how the meta evolves—but for now, it’s time to rebuild decks, rethink strategies, and enjoy a refreshed Magic experience.