Vangu Vegro
Member
Yep. Slivers in name only.
Atrocious.
Atrocious.
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Magic: the GAFering |OT2|
- Thread starter The Technomancer
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FieryBalrog
Member
I hate the new slivers for a variety of reasons, but two posters on MTG Salvation put it best:
1) They look like humanoid individuals. We instinctively see designs like this as having some personality, some individualism. The complete opposite of what Slivers were (insectoid, chittering hive-mind) and what they should be.
A new design would not necessarily be bad, but this... wtf is this. Sentinel Sliver literally looks like a Solemn Simulacrum type. Steelform Sliver looks like a generic scrawny Phyrexian. The Battle Sliver is so generic it could pass for any number of red dudes.
2) the old slivers had a very clear, strong aesthetic. Each sliver was a basic form (blind worm-shape with meat-claw and distinctive head) with an additional visual marking which tied directly to its ability. This was all that set it apart, but it was a very clear, striking reflection of its ability. So trample-sliver looks like a battering ram crossed with a sliver. card-draw-sliver is drinking psychic energy in a spooky way. blade sliver has.. blades. spectral sliver is... ghostly. Some were less successful than others (what does Horned Sliver have to do with trampling) but this was a very strong aesthetic design. They basically completely threw this out the window; it's just a fact, whether or not the changes appeal to you.
In other words:
1) They look like humanoid individuals. We instinctively see designs like this as having some personality, some individualism. The complete opposite of what Slivers were (insectoid, chittering hive-mind) and what they should be.
A new design would not necessarily be bad, but this... wtf is this. Sentinel Sliver literally looks like a Solemn Simulacrum type. Steelform Sliver looks like a generic scrawny Phyrexian. The Battle Sliver is so generic it could pass for any number of red dudes.
2) the old slivers had a very clear, strong aesthetic. Each sliver was a basic form (blind worm-shape with meat-claw and distinctive head) with an additional visual marking which tied directly to its ability. This was all that set it apart, but it was a very clear, striking reflection of its ability. So trample-sliver looks like a battering ram crossed with a sliver. card-draw-sliver is drinking psychic energy in a spooky way. blade sliver has.. blades. spectral sliver is... ghostly. Some were less successful than others (what does Horned Sliver have to do with trampling) but this was a very strong aesthetic design. They basically completely threw this out the window; it's just a fact, whether or not the changes appeal to you.
In other words:
Keru_Shiri
Member
Slivers are something of a guilty pleasure of mine, I've toyed with the idea of putting together a casual Sliver deck, but a.) many of them get expensive and b.) I don't want to be that guy.
But I will say that I find myself not liking the new sliver design. At first, I thought it was cool that one of them sprouted arms, but then as I saw how they all just look like robots and some of the cool factor sort of disappeared for me.
But I will say that I find myself not liking the new sliver design. At first, I thought it was cool that one of them sprouted arms, but then as I saw how they all just look like robots and some of the cool factor sort of disappeared for me.
Considering they were introduced on Rath, in Tempest? Absolutely.
But yeah, they're Sci-Fi, not "Magic". It's really bad, and you can see the Transformers/Predator/Alien influences. All the art being CG is also an issue.
FieryBalrog
Member
Urabrask looks more like a Sliver than all of these except the hasty one.
Keru_Shiri
Member
I actually don't mind Blur and Striking Sliver as much, since they at least somewhat callback to the old design, but Steelform and Battle Sliver just look like generic Phyrexians.
Haven't played in years but when I did I used Slivers. So broken. My brother and his friends stopped playing against me. Crystalline Sliver ftw!
I take it they suck now?
Junk's still the best "baseline" deck in the format.
Well the new ones being printed in the M14 set that have been revealed so far don't seem quite playable in competitive constructed right now so they're automatically in the horrible pile with 90% of Magic cards ever.
Keru_Shiri
Member
There's going to be a Hexproof sliver, I know it.
Also, has this been posted yet? Apparently the new Chandra has been named...http://cghub.com/images/view/477231/
Also, has this been posted yet? Apparently the new Chandra has been named...http://cghub.com/images/view/477231/
Calling "4 abilities" based on Rosewater's Tumblr, btw.
damn. ouch.
Keru_Shiri
Member
That would cause nuclear levels of hype, regardless of how she stacks up to JtMS. (Though Jace is the reason why they'll probably never do a 4 ability walker again.)
For Mythics it seems like we likely have:
5 PWs, with Chandra being new.
Likely have the Black/Blue/Green parts of the Thundermaw/Baneslayer cycle.
A new 5-color Sliver, or an Overlord reprint.
You think they'll put all 3 in this set? No way. I bet they continue to do 1 per core set.
Honestly, I bet M12 Garruk and Jace are replaced. Liliana M13 is just not great, and Ajani failed to make a splash. We might see all 5 new PW at this point.
Keru_Shiri
Member
Wouldn't bother me if they just reprinted Liliana of the Veil, given how expensive she is and how I don't have a playset. 
And I'm certain we'll be getting some sort of new Sliver lord. It would be crazy if they did a 5-color Sliver walker, but I highly doubt that would happen. A Sliver Legion reprint would be cool.
And I'm certain we'll be getting some sort of new Sliver lord. It would be crazy if they did a 5-color Sliver walker, but I highly doubt that would happen. A Sliver Legion reprint would be cool.
Keru_Shiri
Member
It would have to be a new one. A reprint of Markov would be kinda disappointing.
I would have thought that too, until Rosweater responded to a "We've gotten Archweaver (Archangel) and Sentinel Spider (Serra Angel), where's Baneslayer Spider?" question a month ago.
Keru_Shiri
Member
kirblar is right about Baneslayer Spider, but I doubt we'll see the same for Blue or Black in this set. Besides, Blue already has Ætherling, it doesn't need a Baneslayer on top of all that.
We've already seen the black one! (Shadowborn Demon)
That can't be true.
I think it's the original 5 again, based on promo art? Would love Tamiyo, though.
Venser3 won't happen unless we return to New Phyrexia. He's sort of dead. (And won't be a PW anymore.)
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Venser is dead and gone. Tezzeret hasn't been seen in a while and MaRo has hinted at a new Nissa. Those are my guesses.
I'm probably wrong.
divisionbyzorro
Member
Actually, even if they were to just reprint Tamiyo, the Moon Sage, that would probably be fine. It's a solid walker, and they probably aren't going to do a lot of new walkers other than Chandra (so as not to steal the spotlight from her).
divisionbyzorro
Member
Whoa. So apparently Duels 2014 is adding a new game mode: Sealed.
http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/19254/breaking-news-magic-2014-duels-of-the-planeswalker
That's huge. It's by no means as awesome as draft, but that's a huge step forward for that product.
It seems that the packs are "stacked;" that is, you're not going to face the same decisions that you would with real mixed packs, but it's pretty sweet regardless. It's like if you did a sealed event where you only opened Ravnica guild packs or something.
http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/19254/breaking-news-magic-2014-duels-of-the-planeswalker
That's huge. It's by no means as awesome as draft, but that's a huge step forward for that product.
It seems that the packs are "stacked;" that is, you're not going to face the same decisions that you would with real mixed packs, but it's pretty sweet regardless. It's like if you did a sealed event where you only opened Ravnica guild packs or something.
platypotamus
Member
Definitely exciting. Adding any sort of deckbuilding to the game is great.
I really think they should add planeswalker cards to the thing too. Probably no easier way to teach the cards to newbs.
I really think they should add planeswalker cards to the thing too. Probably no easier way to teach the cards to newbs.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
I think you're right. Its been really amazing watching how they handle this stuff over the last few years
And equally shocking how far into the abyss MTGO has gone.
Are there any F2P games on MtGs level of trading and transactions on console?
I really hope the new version they are forcing on us gets some massive changes before they shut down the old one, to the point where you can watch a stream of it and not have it look like shit
divisionbyzorro
Member
It actually might convince me to buy it. I bought DotP 2013 and only ever played the puzzles, and didn't have any intention of buying DotP 2014. But this really intrigues me.
The problem is that the Beta is actually 3+ years old at this point.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Ouch. I think it looks pretty decent, but it's sort of a mess right now. Just riddled with bugs and annoyances.
And I'll keep buying DotP as long as they keep making it for iPad. It's perfect for quick pick up and play sessions. Sealed is just super neato
Apparently they got rid of tabs based on Market research. Which is insanity, considering that every internet browser moved TO tabs.
Can you link and/or quote what Maro said on Chandra on his Tumblr that made you believe 4 abilities for her? The search function on Tumblr is ass.
If they brought mtgo will duels style interface to console and mobile, say goodbye to my wallet. Can't wait to draft tomorrow. Been watching a lot of matches on YouTube and getting a feel of what works well together.
Slivers are cool to see again but is there a lore reason for them to appear again? It seems weird to wedge them between ranvica and Greek themed set. Have the core sets ever had a storyline of there own?
Slivers are cool to see again but is there a lore reason for them to appear again? It seems weird to wedge them between ranvica and Greek themed set. Have the core sets ever had a storyline of there own?
Answered a question recently re: 4 ability walkers. He gives away what's coming up via his question choices.
Excellent post. But it's a problem that infests MTG art as a whole. Wizards seems to favour and guide artists towards high contrast, painterly silhouettes, instead of good old fashioned illustrations. They'll probably get a lot more art for a lot cheaper this way, but the cards just look like random splatters of dark colours with barely anything recognizable in the small rectangle that used to describe the card as well as the text did.
I mean sometimes as we play MTG, I watch at the modern cards in the table and just sigh.
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