Published: November 18, 2025
Announcement Date: November 10, 2025
Three Cards Banned in Standard
Wizards of the Coast announced significant changes to the Standard format on November 10, 2025, banning three cards that have been dominating the metagame: Vivi Ornitier , Screaming Nemesis , and Proft's Eidetic Memory .
For the complete official announcement and detailed reasoning from Wizards of the Coast, please see the official banned and restricted announcement.
Cards Banned in Standard
Vivi Ornitier
Vivi Ornitier was banned as part of the Izzet Cauldron combo deck that has been dominating Standard since rotation. The deck utilized the Vivi Ornitier and Agatha's Soul Cauldron interaction to create an unbeatable combo that other decks in the format couldn't overcome.
According to Wizards, the Izzet Cauldron deck had "unacceptably high win and play rates over a sustained duration" and placed five or more copies into the Top 8 at all three Standard Magic Spotlight Series events since rotation. The deck had a strong fair game, efficient interaction, and a combo ceiling that other decks couldn't match.
Proft's Eidetic Memory
Proft's Eidetic Memory was banned due to its similarities to Up the Beanstalk , which was banned in June's update. Both cards are one-card game plans that provide significant strength over the course of a game, and both are two-mana enchantments that draw a card when played.
This combination of qualities makes the card hard to profitably interact with, as it leaves you up a full card following the exchange. Wizards noted that even without Vivi Ornitier , the deck would likely continue to be one of the best decks in the format due to recent additions like Winternight Stories and Quantum Riddler , as well as increased optimization of the core shell.
Screaming Nemesis
Screaming Nemesis was banned from the Mono-Red Aggro deck, which had proven itself as the deck most able to compete with Izzet Cauldron. Despite failing to meaningfully prove an obstacle to Izzet Cauldron's dominance, Mono-Red's play rate at competitive events and win rate in internal data had Wizards concerned it may prove to be the clear front-runner in Standard in a post-Izzet Cauldron world.
Wizards expressed concern that metagames where an aggressive deck is clearly the best option tend to be unhealthy, as they limit format diversity and innovation.
Format Impact
What This Means for Standard
These bans are designed to open up the Standard format for innovation and a wider variety of decks. The Izzet Cauldron deck had cemented itself as the strongest deck in the format with no clear angle of counterplay, making it difficult for the metagame to adjust.
With these three cards removed, players should expect to see:
- Greater format diversity as new strategies emerge
- More room for innovation in deck building
- A shift away from the dominant combo and aggressive strategies
- Potential resurgence of midrange and control archetypes
Official Announcement
For complete details, reasoning, and additional format changes (including bans in Pioneer, Legacy, Pauper, Historic, and Brawl), please read the full official announcement:
Read Full Official AnnouncementNext Banned and Restricted Announcement
The next banned and restricted update will be published on February 9, 2026. Wizards also announced plans to move toward a more frequent announcement cadence to adjust formats as necessary, with more details to come before the end of the year.
Effective Date: November 10, 2025
View All Banned Cards: You can always see the complete list of all Standard banned cards on our Standard Banned Cards page.