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Magic: The Gathering |OT|
- Thread starter The Technomancer
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I think we are at the point where WOTC knows how to design balanced Planeswalkers, and the days of one getting spoiled and everyone freaking out for good reason are dead. While I think it's a good thing for health of the game, it does make me sad we won't ever see another Big Jace, another Elspeth, or another Gideon Jura
In decks like that, you need more Omni than EtI, and there's going to be more EtIs opened as well. I bought a set of Omni's once it was spoiled (possibly at your urging) but EtI I don't think you touch for much more than bulk.
Jace 4.0 is shockingly effective in Modern.
They'll go through the traditional ebb and flow of power levels with planeswalkers, I think. We're definitely in a low turn right now in card power levels in general. Titans and Wurmcoil and Swords are gone, though Standard is still fun. Give it a few sets. We'll see a swing the other direction.
divisionbyzorro
Member
For those who haven't yet seen the other spoiled mythics from a couple months ago:
divisionbyzorro
Member
Very clever that it looks for damage and not for death. Otherwise it would be too easy to break. But there's still a combo in here somewhere.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Man the Orzhov are getting some really really cool designs this set.
I just wish we had more than one constructed-playable card revealed so far.
The problem is that once you're past the first 100 cards or so, you're essentially done with the set value-wise. Right now I'm estatic I didn't get boxes this time out.
avengers23
Banned
New expansion means that there will be sealed deck tournaments again, which is my preferred format since I haven't played Magic: The Gathering in more than a decade and don't have the money to really get back into the physical card game. Has anyone had any recent experience with sealed deck play?
Keru_Shiri
Member
That Orzhov 2-drop is going to be nutz, at least in Limited.
narcosis219
Member
I think the damage value is modified in the second step of damage application, so yes?
Need to check on that
Edit: nope, the replacement makes the 0 damage never occur
It does not. It needs to feel the poke. Same way deathtouch doesn't work on creatures with protection from X.
But like I said, we're only about 50something in. Still way too early to tell.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Duskmantle Guildmage UB
Creature - Human Wizard (U)
1UB: Whenever a card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere this turn, that player loses 1 life.
2UB: Target player puts the top 2 cards from his or her library into his or her graveyard.
2/2
Hmm. Comboes with Jace 3? Works really well with Mindcrank - maybe a Modern deck in there somewhere?
Creature - Human Wizard (U)
1UB: Whenever a card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere this turn, that player loses 1 life.
2UB: Target player puts the top 2 cards from his or her library into his or her graveyard.
2/2
Hmm. Comboes with Jace 3? Works really well with Mindcrank - maybe a Modern deck in there somewhere?
Activate the 3-mana ability twice then use Jace MA's "0: mill 10 cards" ability, neat interaction.
I feel like mill the ur-trap strategy. Every new player wants to make a mill deck, and every set they introduce some cards that make such an idea seem plausible, but it never really works out (at least to my knowledge).
I imagine it's along the lines of why LD is always around yet never great, they likely dont consider it fun or to be real magic so they dont push it too far. You'll get the occasional cool thing (like the current human mill-reanimator decks or prints like Jace 3, but I doubt we'll see it ever pushed as a legit strategy.
Lots of super awesome casual and EDH cards in this set (that dragon that steals artifacts is one of my favorite designs, maybe of all time.)
Haven't seen much for competitive standard yet. Boros Elite kind of reminds me of mogg flunkies, in that it's very simple to kill a creature at the beginning of combat and make your opponent's attack phase worthless.
Basically, he's not going to see competitive play unless we get some very good Honor of the Pure style effects from boros and gruul.
Gideon might be better than I initially thought, but he's still a weak card. For 4 mana, a card should do something when it hits the field, not just slowly increment loyalty counters to pop off an ult that won't necessarily win you the game unless you're stacked at 20+ counters.
His second ability is the only objectively "good" one, and even it seems a little bit slow for standard. We'll have to see, but I'm not seeing any matchups that I'd want him in. He'd make a silly turbofog enabler for Johnnies I suppose.
Enter the Infinite will be a 1-2 of in some silly Omniscience decks, and that's about it. With the metagame progressing the way it is, I can't see the decks being dominant, but they will most certainly be a thing. It's also going to be an EDH staple - maybe even banworthy. Cards this powerful aren't printed often, and no matter how large a card's mana cost is, there's ways to play it. I can see this card seeing light play in every format but modern, and a card like that, at mythic rarity, merits more than a $2.50 price.
Evolve isn't striking me as a great constructed mechanic at the moment, even though Experiment One certainly has some potential. It's very slow and clunky, and it relies on a perfect curve that would win you the game in the first place.
We'll see how experiment one works out.
I have no idea how I feel about Hands of Binding. It seems too bad for maindeck play, but Cipher in a format with Invisible Stalker could do some insane things. I'd play it as a 1-2 of in some sideboards right now just to try it out.
Skullcrack is a card we can all agree will see play, but it's the only one so far.
Nightveil Stalker is the worst buy-a-box promo I've seen in ages. Restrictive mana cost, doesn't give reliable card advantage. Not playable.
Zameck Guildmage I'll have to see more of to determine playability, but I'm leaning towards no; it's like the pump land from Zendikar had a baby with Azure Mage, and both of those cards saw plenty of play.
Obzedat (obeezy, obizzle, o-shizzle, etc) is pretty goddamn sweet; it's a shame about thragtusk still being in the environment, but I can see it as a nice finisher that's immune to most of the removal in the format.
Deathpact Angel is too slow.
Borborygmos is my finisher of choice for Omniscience -> ETI decks right now, but that's not the only thing it does. Be careful of this guy; Mulch is already extremely good in frites.
Clan Defiance is fancy, but I honestly think it's a bit too expensive for the format. Sideboard material though, certainly.
Aurelia I honestly have no clue how to evaluate, but she just seems too small for 6 mana. I'd much rather just finish with thundermaw the previous turn.
Finally, Domri Rade.... I like him, the -2 is very cute, but there's just no deck for him right now. We'll see how that goes, as we all know 3-mana planeswalkers with attached removal abilities can be! Very cute +1 too.
*phew*
Cards to watch: Collective Blessing. There's something to do with this card, I'm just not sure what it is yet.
Haven't seen much for competitive standard yet. Boros Elite kind of reminds me of mogg flunkies, in that it's very simple to kill a creature at the beginning of combat and make your opponent's attack phase worthless.
Basically, he's not going to see competitive play unless we get some very good Honor of the Pure style effects from boros and gruul.
Gideon might be better than I initially thought, but he's still a weak card. For 4 mana, a card should do something when it hits the field, not just slowly increment loyalty counters to pop off an ult that won't necessarily win you the game unless you're stacked at 20+ counters.
His second ability is the only objectively "good" one, and even it seems a little bit slow for standard. We'll have to see, but I'm not seeing any matchups that I'd want him in. He'd make a silly turbofog enabler for Johnnies I suppose.
Enter the Infinite will be a 1-2 of in some silly Omniscience decks, and that's about it. With the metagame progressing the way it is, I can't see the decks being dominant, but they will most certainly be a thing. It's also going to be an EDH staple - maybe even banworthy. Cards this powerful aren't printed often, and no matter how large a card's mana cost is, there's ways to play it. I can see this card seeing light play in every format but modern, and a card like that, at mythic rarity, merits more than a $2.50 price.
Evolve isn't striking me as a great constructed mechanic at the moment, even though Experiment One certainly has some potential. It's very slow and clunky, and it relies on a perfect curve that would win you the game in the first place.
We'll see how experiment one works out.
I have no idea how I feel about Hands of Binding. It seems too bad for maindeck play, but Cipher in a format with Invisible Stalker could do some insane things. I'd play it as a 1-2 of in some sideboards right now just to try it out.
Skullcrack is a card we can all agree will see play, but it's the only one so far.
Nightveil Stalker is the worst buy-a-box promo I've seen in ages. Restrictive mana cost, doesn't give reliable card advantage. Not playable.
Zameck Guildmage I'll have to see more of to determine playability, but I'm leaning towards no; it's like the pump land from Zendikar had a baby with Azure Mage, and both of those cards saw plenty of play.
Obzedat (obeezy, obizzle, o-shizzle, etc) is pretty goddamn sweet; it's a shame about thragtusk still being in the environment, but I can see it as a nice finisher that's immune to most of the removal in the format.
Deathpact Angel is too slow.
Borborygmos is my finisher of choice for Omniscience -> ETI decks right now, but that's not the only thing it does. Be careful of this guy; Mulch is already extremely good in frites.
Clan Defiance is fancy, but I honestly think it's a bit too expensive for the format. Sideboard material though, certainly.
Aurelia I honestly have no clue how to evaluate, but she just seems too small for 6 mana. I'd much rather just finish with thundermaw the previous turn.
Finally, Domri Rade.... I like him, the -2 is very cute, but there's just no deck for him right now. We'll see how that goes, as we all know 3-mana planeswalkers with attached removal abilities can be! Very cute +1 too.
*phew*
Cards to watch: Collective Blessing. There's something to do with this card, I'm just not sure what it is yet.
This is what I was worried about after they juiced RTR. This set isn't maintaining the awesomely consistent high power level so far.
divisionbyzorro
Member
We still haven't seen any of the Charms.
And am I wrong, or would now be the right time to reprint Stifle? Anyone else with me?
EDIT: Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing that as a mode on the Dimir Charm.
And am I wrong, or would now be the right time to reprint Stifle? Anyone else with me?
EDIT: Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing that as a mode on the Dimir Charm.
Dream Dimir Charm - Destroy target non-artifact non-black creature, Impluse, who cares (mill 10?)
Actually this is fun, some ideas
Gruul - Make 2 dudes fight
Simic - Put a +1/+1 counter on 2 creatures
Boros - +2/+0 haste and vigilance until eot (like the land)
Sounds about right.
lololol (card is not remotely balanced.)
Yeah, I know.
divisionbyzorro
Member
I'd be stoked to see Disfigure and Stifle on the Dimir Charm. Not sure what the third ability would be, but those together would be sweet.
Ah, hm.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Plays well with Cipher! We have a winner.
Dimir Charm: Choose one: Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn; or counter target activated or triggered ability; or target creature you control is unblockable until end of turn.
Shave off "you control". Makes it play better in multiplayer games.
(Can you tell I'd like to do this for a living?
)Could definitely be that, it's already on the Dimir keyrune.
I'm hoping the Boros charm is good because everything else they spoiled for the guild has sucked donkey balls.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Oh god, so many awesome Gatecrash cards. Doesn't look like a bad guild yet!
divisionbyzorro
Member
Also, reprint:
Old art was better
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