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If you were playingMagic: The Gatheringin 1993, you might have played with the Arabian Nights card Dandan once or twice and forgot about it. Fast-forward some number of decades later, and you’ve probably heard a fellow Magic player mention something called the ‘Dandan format,’ triggering some long-lost memory of that 4/1 Fish creature from the early 1990s.
Turns out people aren’t just reminiscing about an obscure card from over 30 years ago; Dandan’s actually an entire Magic format with the creature card of the same name as its mascot. It’s an atypical way to play Magic, designed more as a learning tool or thought experiment, and not necessarily intended for any real competitive or tournament play.
What Is Dandan?
Also known as ‘Forgetful Fish,‘Dandan’s all about the control elementsof Magic. It uses a singular deck thatboth players draw from, with the Dandan creature as the only source of damage in the entire deck. The entire goal of the game is to hit your opponent with a Dandan five times.
The catch is that the entire rest of the deck revolves around dealing with that particular creature, primarily through countermagic andinstant-speed interaction. Each game becomes a race to see who can protect a Dandan long enough to win, all while drawing from the same central library.
What Are The Rules For Dandan?
Dandan uses a single 80-card deck for two players. Of those 80, ten are Dandan creatures, 20 are lands, eight are Memory Lapses, and the remaining cards are an assortment of interactive spells. Players can adjust their own Dandan piles as they see fit, but the Dandan-land-Memory Lapse split is usually considered non-negotiable.
Dandan follows normal Constructed Magic rules: Each player starts with 20 life and a seven-card hand, and first to zero loses. However,both players share the same library and graveyard, which leads to some interesting interactions that don’t normally occur in typical one-on-one matches.
What Does An Average Dandan Deck Look Like?
The original Dandan deck, designed by Nick Floyd, set the precedent for what the format would look like, though many players have tinkered with the exact numbers and card choices, creating their own customized piles. The original deck included some of the following key cards:
10
Memory Lapse
8
The primary counterspell. Memory Lapse has interesting implications in a format where players share the same library.
Crystal Spray
2
The primary way to kill a resolved Dandan by changing the text “Island” to a different basic land type.
Diminishing Returns
Presentto prevent decking, and shuffles dead Dandans back into the library.
Accumulated Knowledge
4
The best form of card advantage, though each one makes the next one for either player even better.
Temple of Epiphany
Blue-Red lands allow players to cast Mystic Retrieval from the graveyard.
Who Is Dandan For?
Dandan is ideal forenfranchised control players, or players who want to bolster their control game. If youdon’t consider yourself particularly strong at reactive gameplay, or you want a better understanding of how to play against reactive spells,Dandan’s a great learning toolfor you.
It’s also a perfect ‘in-betweener’ format for longer play sessions with some amount of downtime. Whether that’s between matches at a longer tournament, or you just have 20 minutes to spare, Dandan’s easy to set up, play, and pack up without hassle.
Tips For Playing Dandan
The function of some cards change when both players share the same deck and graveyard. Memory Lapse puts a countered spell on top of the library, which can backfire if you’re not careful. Same for Mystic Retrieval, whichcan be cast with flashbackby either player.
Patience is the key. If you try to jam a Dandan into play every time you draw one your opponent’s likely to have an answer. Wait and ensure you have ample mana and resources to fight over the threat, andexpect heavy amounts of stack interactioncoming from both players.
