Introduction
What do I mean when I refer to a Magic: the Gathering format as a Rarity-Restricted Casual-Competitive variant? If you've read my previous PureMTGO articles or followed my forum posts as a Standard Pauper player and PRE host, surely you've heard me refer to two key different standards of building M:TG decks:
Money Magic versus Rarity-Restricted Casual-Competitive Magic
You can probably guess the difference by the keyword "Money" and the phrase "Rarity Restricted." Money Magic is what I call the game when it is played with no rarity-based restrictions to building decks. In other words, you can use any card in your deck regardless of rarity. The primary forms of Money Magic formats are Standard, Modern, and especially Legacy and Vintage. These are the formats that are the most expensive to play as the most powerful rares and mythics end up costing quite a bit of money on the secondary market, or one has to spend a lot of money chasing the cards. This may not have been Richard Garfield's goal when designing this incredibly fun Turing complete game, but it is clearly the profit motivator of Wizards of the Coast.
Important Distinction & Philosophical Roots
This brings me to an important distinction: Rarity-Restricted Casual-Competitive arose in opposition to Money Magic because the rarity system itself, combined with the power of the secondary market, operating under the principles of capitalism, has engaged the very same oppositions in economic social classes as described by Marxist, anarchist, and other Leftist economics and philosophies. I'll have more on these ideas as the philosophy of Rarity-Restricted Casual-Competitive (abbreviated as "RRCC Magic") but first, a few examples of existing formats.
RRCC Magic Formats
The prime example of RRCC Magic is Pauper, which of course restricts the cards allowed in deck building by the rarity of the card rather than what set the card is printed in. In Pauper Magic variants only cards printed at common are allowed. Another example, Peasant, also restricts rarity by allowing an unlimited number of commons and a limited number of uncommons (up to five) between the main deck and sideboard. Finally we have Silverblack which restricts rarity by allowing an unlimited number of commons and/or uncommons in the deck. I consider all three formats to be RRCC Magic because they are defined by the rarity restrictions applied to deck building.
Four Things That Rarity Restriction Does
Once one has decided on a system of restricting the rarity of cards one uses, a four distinct things happen. First, the monetary value (or exchange value) of the cards used in the RRCC Magic deck falls dramatically when compared to Money Magic decks. Second, the way that cards work and metagames develop (by the use value of the cards) changes, turning otherwise overlooked weak looking cards into Pauper and Peasant powerhouses. Thirdly, one can apply the agreed-upon rarity restriction to the Set-Restricted Money Magic formats and play something like Standard Pauper in which only commons from cards printed in the current Standard card pool may be used.
But the fourth and most important things that happens when RRCC Magic formats come into existence is this: it allows Magic players who love the game but do not possess the economic means to play Money Magic formats competitively to play the game in a format they can actually afford. In other words, my knowledge of Marxism leads me to believe there are two classes of Magic players: those who can afford the Money Magic formats like Standard and Legacy and those who can only afford to play in formats where the rarity of cards allowed is restricted.
Personal Experience and RRCC's Existence
If it wasn't for the existence of RRCC Magic formats like Pauper and the communities that foster them like PDCMagic.com and Gatherling.com, I would not be able to enjoy the game competitively. This brings up the final distinction of RRCC Magic: they are designed to be both casual play formats and avenues for competitive play at the same time. What that means is that there is a casual element to the game that does not destroy the competitive element of Magic via tournament play. One can impose rarity restrictions on deck building parameters simply for the fun of it or for the challenge involved. Hence the "challenge" part of the PDC acronym, which stands for "Pauper Deck Challenge."
The Acronym Evolves
The way I see it, this acronym needs to evolve to keep pace with the evolution of Magic formats. Peasant in the paper world and Pauper, a chiefly Magic Online phenomenon, are both a part of the same family and now Silverblack has joined the fray. The goal of this piece is to raise awareness of R/C Magic variants so that good Wizards of the Coast customers never again feel that a rewarding casual or competitive gameplay experience cannot be had. RRCC Magic can be either a stepping stone for somebody just starting on before moving on to playing with rares. Or one can do as I have done and dedicate oneself to only RRCC formats for both real world financial reasons and for the mental athletic challenge.
TL;DR Summary Definition
So there you have the basic definition of Rarity Restricted Casual Competitive Magic. It says exactly what it means: any Magic: The Gathering format that restricts cards by rarity in order to produce a casual or competitive game play experience for the player who does not have the money to play Magic without rarity restriction and/or desires the extra challenge of building decks with greater restrictions. Magic guru Mark Rosewater is always repeating the same maxim "Restrictions breed creativity." I agree, and I hope that Wizards itself realizes the creative force that rarity restrictions brings to the game as well as how R/C Magic can keep the game alive in times of economic hardship.
To Be Continued...
In the future, I will elaborate on some of the issues that R/C Magic brings to the table and what brought R/C to that table in the first place. I'll explore how formats like Peasant and Pauper came to exist and why their existence is crucial to the survival of Magic: the Gathering as a living game...and why Wizards of the Coast should officially support these formats with the same energy and focus as they do Money Magic.
Conclusion and Farewell
For now, I hope you find yourself philosophizing a bit on these issues yourself in between sessions of building your Pauper or Peasant decks and playing on a level playing field in a format you can actually afford to invest your money and time in. And as always I hope you have good luck and good games doing so, no matter what class of Magic player you fall into. Peace,
-C
