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Magic: the Gathering - Battle for Zendikar |OT| Lands matter (but nothing else does)
- Thread starter SigmasonicX
- Start date
- Status
Etrian Oddity
Member
The geists were easily the weakest thing about the set, I hope they don't bring those lame-os back.
What if they make a Deep Ones-esque sea tribe that's been influenced by Emrakul? :3
What if they make a Deep Ones-esque sea tribe that's been influenced by Emrakul? :3
Hate is a strong word, but I do think Innistrad is a bit overrated. The art direction was generally fantastic in setting the tone and bringing the gothic, civil war era look. And then you have these:
Looking at the art direction of Origins and BFZ, expect more CG art for Return to Innistrad.
Looking at the art direction of Origins and BFZ, expect more CG art for Return to Innistrad.
FreedomFrisbee
Member
The story is going to be Emrakul's influence causing a Shadow over Innsmouth type thing, ending with Emrakul proper showing up and being sealed in the silver moon.
This is something that has been hypothesized by vorthos people for like a year or something.
"God's Beard!"
Member
Vodalian Zombie reprint confirmed
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
Mono blue zombies still look weird to me
blindrocket
Member
It should. It needs a reprint and I believe that I read they gave it a fairly generic name so it could be easily reprinted.
It was made as a way to combat control, to help players out. It needs a reprint, definitely.
Went 3-3 in the RPTQ yesterday on affinity.
Matches:
1-2 Naya Zoo
2-0 Affinity
2-0 Jund
2-1 Naya Zoo
0-2 Mono White Hatebears
1-2 Grixis control w/ white for souls
Could have drew in the last round if I won against hatebears. It's a favorable matchup but I kept a risky 6 w/ 1 land on the draw in G1 and never saw a second mana source (had plenty of creatures to turn on opal). G2 a forge tender was there to save him against a crushing whipflare.
Probably still playing affinity in the GP in a few weeks. The games I won were pretty dominating while the games I lost didn't seem like normal draws (natural t2 stony -> t3 kataki happened twice).
Matches:
1-2 Naya Zoo
2-0 Affinity
2-0 Jund
2-1 Naya Zoo
0-2 Mono White Hatebears
1-2 Grixis control w/ white for souls
Could have drew in the last round if I won against hatebears. It's a favorable matchup but I kept a risky 6 w/ 1 land on the draw in G1 and never saw a second mana source (had plenty of creatures to turn on opal). G2 a forge tender was there to save him against a crushing whipflare.
Probably still playing affinity in the GP in a few weeks. The games I won were pretty dominating while the games I lost didn't seem like normal draws (natural t2 stony -> t3 kataki happened twice).
charlequin
Banned
People with perverse tastes who hate everything popular and critically-acclaimed and love everything that comes out half-baked are rarely happy with the decisions made about future efforts.
Don't see how Spectral Rider fits in with the other ones there.
Liliana of the Veil really is fucking hideous though. They should skip giving her a new card and just reprint that with actually decent artwork. Like they could just use the key art from the original Innistrad really:
A Serious Man
Member
Currently watching Brain Demars set the record for most missed triggers in a match of Magic the Gathering.
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
He paid for it dearly, wonder how he did it though, he lined the stack up physically each time then just didn't do it for no reason
Good, someone else thinks BFZ sealed is awful. Some of my friends enjoyed the sealed format and I was beginning to think I was the only one that thought it was shit.
Ugh.
Lol the only right answer
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
shamelessly stolen from reddit said:
not bad
Vangu Vegro
Member
HAHAHA, no. Alliances was the latest set when I started playing, I'm pretty sure that means I've played pretty much every block ever released.
As for why I dislike Innistrad (my actual hatred is reserved for Ravnica), well, you can't exactly expect a block based around horror tropes to get a favorable response from someone who thinks about horror (Gothic or otherwise) is stupid, boring and lame, can you?
Innistrad did precisely three things I liked: Double-faced cards, Curses, and soulbond. Unless SOI does literally only those things, the odds are stacked against it. Still, if by some freak accident I end up enjoying it, I'll give the people responsible the credit due for such a Sisyphean task.
I dunno, those people seem perfectly happy now.
You started with Alliances but complain about Innistrad and Ravinca? Doesn't compute, but whatever floats your boat!
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
So far you've had three notable opinions in this thread:
1) Ravnica sucks
2) Innistrad sucks
3) Damage on the Stack was great
In lieu of a detailed response, I'll just go with what you're going to get most: LOL
Little Old Man
Member
I'm actually really excited by the prospect of SOI. Aside from Innistrad marking the commencement of addiction to cardboard crack, I think the setting is pretty unique among the magic planes, and provides both a great setting and design space for a lot of tribes within magic. In fact I love the tribal aspect of the plane, and there are a lot of great mechanics that I want to see again.
It does seem though like a very short space of time between the original block and this oncoming follow up- I imagine four and a half years from INN to SOI is one of the shorter gaps in magic history?
Other things that have been playing on my mind: I'd have definitely preferred an autumn release window, the setting just fits better with that time of year. I imagine the power level of the set will be closer to BFZ than INN? Does this mean my dream of a more traditional/faery plane is some time off?
It does seem though like a very short space of time between the original block and this oncoming follow up- I imagine four and a half years from INN to SOI is one of the shorter gaps in magic history?
Other things that have been playing on my mind: I'd have definitely preferred an autumn release window, the setting just fits better with that time of year. I imagine the power level of the set will be closer to BFZ than INN? Does this mean my dream of a more traditional/faery plane is some time off?
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
mudslinging contest, do it.
Etrian Oddity
Member
Why is everyone clamoring for faeries and fairy tale world? That was Lorwyn. Are folks wanting like, the actual Little Red Riding Hood and Brother's Grimm stuff? Because any fairy tale world is gonna be just lame knockoffs, not the actual fairy tales people want.
SigmasonicX
Member
It's very hard to predict the exact power levels of blocks before spoilers start. In general, they only do weak blocks after particularly strong blocks like Khans of Tarkir in order to reset the baseline, so I expect that SoI will be stronger than BfZ, but not as strong as Innistrad, which itself was on the higher end of what's allowed and had to be followed by the weaker Return to Ravnica and Theros.
And yeah, a fairy tale world will be further off, since it has a bit of crossover with Innistrad. Innistrad even already did Little Red Riding Hood!
charlequin
Banned
Just saying, if you hate Innistrad and Ravnica and like, I dunno, some other bad sets instead, you should probably quit while you're only slightly behind.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
If you type it out as "SOI" I will basically always read it as "Scars of Innistrad"
SigmasonicX
Member
keeblerdrow
Member
I've seen it typed "SoI" a lot and I complete it in my head and keep thinking everyone is referencing Sol Ring until I forcefully correct myself.
When most agree that Innistrad is one of the best set of all time and you're saying it's one of the worst, I think you're just trying to go against the grain lol.
Did side drafts yesterday and opened an expedition Flooded Strand. The 2nd expedition I opened! Did 3 drafts and all 3 were WU fliers lol. My buddy did 2 drafts, opening an expedition Prarie Stream and Scalding Tarn in each draft. We were pretty lucky this weekend!
Did side drafts yesterday and opened an expedition Flooded Strand. The 2nd expedition I opened! Did 3 drafts and all 3 were WU fliers lol. My buddy did 2 drafts, opening an expedition Prarie Stream and Scalding Tarn in each draft. We were pretty lucky this weekend!
For the same reason that I would like to see a 'Dreamworld' block, Variety. I want a block that doesn't have a uniform style guide, that allows for more experimentation in the art and card design. From a story and artwork perspective a mixture of whimsy and darkly comical Germanic folklore sounds fun. Lorwyn was eight years ago ffs. The majority of the Magic audience nowadays probably wasn't even playing when Lorwyn was released. Give me a block that is playful and instead of telling a singular overarching story it tells a plethora of small, one-off vignettes. Every week a new Uncharted Realms written in the style of a fairy tale or folktale and a small archetype within the associated set that correlate to each story.
From a flavor perspective a lot of the recent Magic sets just blend together into samey noise. With the smaller blocks it allows them to be a little more playful and break up that monotony while not sticking around so long that the change of pace itself becomes stale.
Nah, then we have no cycle symmetry and we can't have that now, can we?
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
2 straight matches lost to absolutely insane topdecks. Feels bad man.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Fixed
That's a much better idea!
charlequin
Banned
Lorwyn's really the Celtic mythology block. It fits in the broader umbrella of "fairy tales" pretty well but it actually doesn't cover most of what you'd see come up from sources like Disney movies, Into the Woods, and Fables, or really have room for stuff like princes and princesses, evil witches, etc.
"God's Beard!"
Member
I'm in favor of a fairy tale world if the fairy tales come to life as existential terrors rather than a natural part of the world. Like that dude's Stand in part 6 of Jojo's.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Not that I expect there to be a bunch of Modern Tokens masters, but any suggestions on better sideboard cards will be taken. I feel like at the least I should have Fracturing Gust or even an extra Stony Silence. I'm not sure if literally anything can make the Tron matchup winnable in the least. The mainboard Timely Reinforcements feels a little dubious too, but I haven't come up with a better card in that slot.
Creatures:
3 Auriok Champion
Planeswalkers:
3 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
Spells:
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Path to Exile
3 Thoughtseize
3 Bitterblossom
4 Intangible Virtue
2 Dismember
4 Lingering Souls
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Murderous Cut
4 Spectral Procession
4 Godless Shrine
4 Marsh Flats
2 Isolated Chapel
1 Fetid Heath
1 Shambling Vent
4 Windswept Heath
2 Vault of the Archangel
3 Plains
2 Swamp
SB:
1 Spellskite
2 Rest in Peace
2 Stony Silence
2 Sundering Growth
2 Zealous Persecution
2 Leyline of Sanctity
3 Fulminator Mage
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Creatures:
3 Auriok Champion
Planeswalkers:
3 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
Spells:
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Path to Exile
3 Thoughtseize
3 Bitterblossom
4 Intangible Virtue
2 Dismember
4 Lingering Souls
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Murderous Cut
4 Spectral Procession
4 Godless Shrine
4 Marsh Flats
2 Isolated Chapel
1 Fetid Heath
1 Shambling Vent
4 Windswept Heath
2 Vault of the Archangel
3 Plains
2 Swamp
SB:
1 Spellskite
2 Rest in Peace
2 Stony Silence
2 Sundering Growth
2 Zealous Persecution
2 Leyline of Sanctity
3 Fulminator Mage
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
BFZ was the first set after the 2-block paradigm shift and was changed midway through design. Originally it was going to be a 3-set block. Going by Rosewater's articles, the power level on BFZ was dropped significantly, because originally they still planned for 2 years (4 blocks) worth of sets to be in standard at any one time.
Since they wanted standard's power and complexity levels to stay about the same as before the change, it meant they had to reduce the complexity of each set overall. Later they realized that they were better served by upping the complexity and power levels and just reducing the number of sets in Standard down to 18 months worth of stuff.
Oath will probably be a better barometer for power level going forward compared to BFZ, assuming the change from 2 years to 18 months happened before or early in Oath's design.
[EDIT] Looks like that may not be the case: http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/132347333688/what-is-the-first-set-100-designed-after-the#notes
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
I imagine from the perspective of the design team, making a block return is probably easier than a new plane even though returning to a plane has a ton of baggage. For the most part it seems as though the philosophy in return blocks is just taking a single part of it and building a new world around the same thing.
We've had what, Mirrodin, Ravnica and Zendikar? None of the return sets really did anything the original sets did other than some basic concept (artifacts, dual-colored guilds, land matters/there are eldrazi). In that sense I don't expect anything from Innistrad to show up in SOI beyond DFCs.
We've had what, Mirrodin, Ravnica and Zendikar? None of the return sets really did anything the original sets did other than some basic concept (artifacts, dual-colored guilds, land matters/there are eldrazi). In that sense I don't expect anything from Innistrad to show up in SOI beyond DFCs.
Someone tell me they saw that game at the pro tour ...... It is literally living proof that even an idiot can pilot atarka red.
For anyone who didn't see it, A guy literally has the girl DEAD multiple times; like 3+ times, she is either tapped out or doesn't have the mana that she needs to cast the spell he is playing around, and misses cards in his library and still wins the game. Just; there is no explaining it other than the guy is so fatigued that he can't even think any more.
For anyone who didn't see it, A guy literally has the girl DEAD multiple times; like 3+ times, she is either tapped out or doesn't have the mana that she needs to cast the spell he is playing around, and misses cards in his library and still wins the game. Just; there is no explaining it other than the guy is so fatigued that he can't even think any more.
Joe Molotov
Member
So, this Saturday a local store is having a Standard PPTQ where the prize support is...
1st - LP Mox Sapphire
2nd -Custom Play Mat by Dan Frazier
3rd - Modern Masters 2015 Booster Box
4th - Modern Masters 2015 Booster Box
5th - 1 Box of Battle for Zendikar
6th - 1 Box of Battle for Zendikar
7th - 1 FtV Angels
8th - 1 FtV Angels
1st - LP Mox Sapphire
2nd -Custom Play Mat by Dan Frazier
3rd - Modern Masters 2015 Booster Box
4th - Modern Masters 2015 Booster Box
5th - 1 Box of Battle for Zendikar
6th - 1 Box of Battle for Zendikar
7th - 1 FtV Angels
8th - 1 FtV Angels
"God's Beard!"
Member
Ever consider running a pendlehaven or shadow of doubt in BW tokens?
So, this Saturday a local store is having a Standard PPTQ where the prize support is...
1st - LP Mox Sapphire
2nd -Custom Play Mat by Dan Frazier
3rd - Modern Masters 2015 Booster Box
4th - Modern Masters 2015 Booster Box
5th - 1 Box of Battle for Zendikar
6th - 1 Box of Battle for Zendikar
7th - 1 FtV Angels
8th - 1 FtV Angels
Uh, where is this place?
So, this Saturday a local store is having a Standard PPTQ where the prize support is...
1st - LP Mox Sapphire
2nd -Custom Play Mat by Dan Frazier
3rd - Modern Masters 2015 Booster Box
4th - Modern Masters 2015 Booster Box
5th - 1 Box of Battle for Zendikar
6th - 1 Box of Battle for Zendikar
7th - 1 FtV Angels
8th - 1 FtV Angels
How do they split 5th/6th from 7th/8th?
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
Breakers, I assume.
Little Old Man
Member
Good point. Kind of clutching at straws until SOI spoiler season starts. Although the power level of Oath my hint towards where the design team will take SOI.
If the R&D team were to take fairy tales at face value, as they've been told so many times before then yes that would be woeful. It would basically be Shrek without the humour. From the top of my head, I'm thinking more along the lines of worlds clashing- the faery world with the real world encroaching upon it, and other races caught in the middle deciding whether to die fighting in the old world, or surrender to the new. Think of the old world full of life and perhaps wonder with the Children from Game of Thrones, and druids/the first men, meeting something aiming to rip it apart. Though to be fair, that in itself is running towards basic high fantasy.
Okay so perhaps Oath won't reveal too much on the power level of SOI?
So presumably most of the causes of disappointment with BFZ could be linked back to its rocky development, which itself is rooted in the switch of standard life cycles from 2 years to 18 months? Which is why Expeditions were included to add value to a set that could have been perceived as a let down?
Joe Molotov
Member
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