Lorcana Drops a Ban, MTG Previews Are Popping Off, and OP15 Is Taking Shape
Big week for TCGs that aren't Pokemon. A ban just hit Lorcana Infinity, Magic is mid-preview season at PAX East, and the One Piece OP15 meta is starting to show its shape. Let's get into it.
🅯 Lorcana: Hiram Flaversham Gets the Axe in Infinity
Hiram Flaversham is officially banned from Lorcana Infinity. If you play that format, you already know why -- the card was warping game plans in a way that wasn't fun to play against. Bans always get the community talking, and this one is no different.
The bigger question is what this does to prices. Banned cards in Lorcana Infinity don't become worthless overnight -- the card still exists in other formats and collector demand is real. But if you were holding copies specifically for Infinity play, that value just took a hit. Worth keeping an eye on the secondary market over the next week or two to see where it settles.
Honestly, bans are healthy when they're necessary. Ravensburger seems like they're paying attention to competitive feedback, which is good for the game long-term.
⛭ MTG: PAX East Previews Are Going Crazy
Magic players are eating right now. PAX East 2026 previews are dropping and the Reddit points don't lie -- these cards are generating real buzz.
Witherbloom the Balancer is leading the pack at nearly 2,000 points on r/magicTCG. Lorehold Charm and Silverquill Charm are right behind it. If you're not a Strixhaven person, those names might not land -- but Charms are a beloved MTG card type. They give you multiple modes, they're flexible, and they make deck building interesting. Wizards bringing back a Charm cycle gets the enfranchised player excited every single time.
No pricing data yet since these are fresh previews, but Charm cycles tend to find homes in both competitive and casual play. Keep an eye on Witherbloom especially -- that Reddit score suggests people think it's legitimately powerful, not just cool-looking.
⚔ One Piece TCG: OP15 Meta Is Developing
AceGate took down a locals this week, which is worth noting. New sets always have a chaotic few weeks while the meta shakes out, and OP15 is right in that window right now.
Meanwhile, Imu is getting actively dodged in ranked play. That's a telltale sign -- when players are building around avoiding a specific matchup, that deck is either too strong or too annoying to deal with. Either way, Imu is clearly doing something right, even if people don't want to face it.
The OP15 meta still has room to develop. Locals results over the next few weeks will tell the real story. If you're grinding ranked, building around flexibility and having an Imu answer is probably smart right now. We carry One Piece singles and sealed when stock comes in -- check dannybartok.com if you're hunting specific OP15 cards.
Danny's Take
Of these three, MTG is the one I'm watching most closely right now. PAX East preview season is electric -- Wizards knows how to build hype, and Charm cycles are almost always a hit. Lorcana is doing the right things as a game, but bans are still a bruise even when they're justified. And One Piece is in that messy-but-interesting post-set window where you don't know yet who's really in charge of the format. MTG has momentum right now. Don't sleep on it.
