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[Angry Grimace]

It doesn't even fly to combo with Ingest.

You are correct it is not a word-for-word copy of Baleful Strix. The Ingest ability is mostly meaningless; it's a good blocker with a very good mana sink ability late game. No, it can't block Dragonlord Ojutai, but them's the breaks, a lot of 2 mana creatures can't trade with Dragonlord Ojutai.

 

[OnPoint]

You are correct it is not a word-for-word copy of Baleful Strix

Nor would it ever be. I don't know why people keep driving this point home.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Which is funny since I hated this card when I saw it.

Yeah you're basically saying the things I was saying back then now lol

I just think there needs to be more playable ingest cards so I can play my Mystic Snakes.

 

[Keru_Shiri]

Ingest really should have triggered off of attacking.

 

[kirblar]

Ingest really should have triggered off of attacking.

They needed two keywords. One on hit for the little guys, one on attack for the big ones.

 

[Angry Grimace]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";179637904]Yeah you're basically saying the things I was saying back then now lol

I just think there needs to be more playable ingest cards so I can play my Mystic Snakes.[/QUOTE]

In limited, you can use those late picks to grab the little ingest guys that don't do a lot else.

In constructed you probably don't rely much on Ingest, you rely on stuff like Silkwrap/Stasis Snare/Titan's Presence to get their guys into Exile.

 

[Firemind]

Nor would it ever be. I don't know why people keep driving this point home.

But I didn't say anything about Baleful Strix. I mean, it's a worse card than this card:

And that's a common.

 

[Angry Grimace]

But I didn't say anything about Baleful Strix. I mean, it's a worse card than this card:

And that's a common.

Who cares if its worse than Tidehollow Strix that doesn't have anything to do with anything

 

[Firemind]

My point is it shouldn't have ever been rare.

 

[OnPoint]

My point is it shouldn't have ever been rare.

I won't disagree with you there.

 

[Angry Grimace]

My point is it shouldn't have ever been rare.

You might as well argue that Scatter to the Winds is worse than Mana Leak. I mean, sure, but so?

I won't disagree with you there.

It has three different abilities, that just happens with NWO. I don't even agree anyways - Fathom Feeder at uncommon would have been obnoxious as all fuck in limited. (unless you happen to be in white which has all the removal for some goddamn reason.)

 

[SigmasonicX]

You might as well argue that Scatter to the Winds is worse than Mana Leak. I mean, sure, but so?



It has three different abilities, that just happens with NWO. I don't even agree - Fathom Feeder at uncommon would have been obnoxious as all fuck in limited.

I'm pretty sure it's just the "obnoxious at uncommon" that pushed it up to rare.

 

[FreedomFrisbee]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";179634826]
The left one looks like concept art, the middle one is cheesy 3D and the last looks like a comic book. All three are perfectly acceptable, but they don't really look like they're from the same era of Magic art. Going over the full list of KTK again, you don't get big discrepancies like this. All the art is consistent. Seriously. Just go over the full spoiler for BFZ for ten seconds, then do the same for KTK and back again. It's remarkable.
[/QUOTE]

There are two things I despise in newer magic art: blatant CG referencing, and general homogenization of the art. I'm fine with CG referencing to make things look better, but too often when the art gets reduced in size the CG reference bubbles to the surface. It kind of plays into the art overall looking the same, since the more CG gets used the more realistic and less stylized things become across the board. I think this is straight up a mistake. The game's art being distinguishable is important. Being able to tell cards apart at a glance is the only practical thing the art contributes to the game. When everything just looks like ulamog in different poses, or fodder soldiers making some sort of attack, it makes the game harder to play. There are precious few magic artists who are allowed to put any kind of unique style into their art.

 

["God's Beard!"]

When everything just looks like ulamog in different poses, or fodder soldiers making some sort of attack, it makes the game harder to play.

Homogenization of the art is only a problem when the direction is bad. The art had a very concise style in Khans but you could tell the cards apart very easily. Cards having the same style and looking the same are two different problems. I actually disagree with you that artists should get to add their own style into the art. It has to look similar stylistically within the same set in order to create unity. That doesn't mean cards should look the same as each other, which is a problem that BFZ has. Two cards can look like allies and not both be allies, but they are stylistically different so they don't both look like they're from the same set. This is a failure on both accounts.

In limited, you can use those late picks to grab the little ingest guys that don't do a lot else.

My problem is that it's not worth the card to set up processors in limited since most of the ingest cards are so bad and the payoff is so little. I mean, if you can get multiple exile effects in your removal then fine, but you're still so rarely able to pull off the process trigger. And even then you get what, a bounce? extra discard?

There's way too many Processors just doing incidental bonuses for the mechanic to be a focus for the Eldrazi. It doesn't feel like you're working towards something that isn't really more powerful than we normally get without the setup. If Mind Raker just had ETB discard it would be a great common that wouldn't blow anybody's minds, but it's a processor in BFZ because... we need processors.

If it was process a couple cards, get a mind rot, then I'd start worrying about how many ways I have to get process triggers in my limited decks. As it is, you'd be lucky to exile two cards per game in BFZ draft, which means the number of processors you can play for anything outside the value of their base stats is pretty low. If it were me, all the processors would be uncommon and have stronger effects and all the common eldrazi would have ingest.

 

[Jhriad]

New Ulamog is basically the only rare/mythic Eldrazi they got right.

Oblivion Sower is cool. Unfortunately for him all the setup pieces are pretty 'Meh.'

 

[SigmasonicX]

I expect that we'll start seeing processors with bigger effects in Oath, but yeah, they really should have made more impressive processors right away. When the first one was unveiled, that makes three scions when it enters, I thought it was kind of dull but powerful and should reflect how the other processors are. It turns out that was the strongest processor effect.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I expect that we'll start seeing processors with bigger effects in Oath, but yeah, they really should have made more impressive processors right away. When the first one was unveiled, that makes three scions when it enters, I thought it was kind of dull but powerful and should reflect how the other processors are. It turns out that was the strongest processor effect.

The lack of a mythic build-around processor is one of the biggest failings for me in this set. You could argue Oblivion Sower does that, but his effect is mostly an incidental way to build to Ulamog, not a build-around card on its own. If I could cast something mind-blowing like Ulamog for say, 6 mana, if I process 5 cards from my opponents exile zone, that would have been a totally interesting mechanic while simultaneously being really hard to actually do in limited or even constructed.

 

["God's Beard!"]

I agree completely with PV when he says "wait until Oath" isn't a valid argument. These are the cards we have for the next few months. Oath doesn't factor into the equation.

I don't disagree that Processors are a huge disappointment as a limited theme.

There's basically 2 of them that are good.

This is my problem with the Eldrazi in a nutshell. It's not a theme you draft around, it's just something that happens, sometimes, as you play if everything lines up. And even if you do get it, it's not exciting. So you wind up with a mechanic that is the focus of one of your major factions that is neither a draftable archetype or is fun.

 

[Ashodin]

I think Omnath looks great, both versions.

 

[SigmasonicX]

I think Omnath looks great, both versions.

I do like Omnath a lot, but the issue is that he's the same converted cost as Dragonlord Atarka, and probably even wants to come out a turn later so you can get an Elemental token that turn.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I think Omnath looks great, both versions.

He looks like Goro from mortal kombat

 

[Ashodin]

BFZ is the type of set that gets my gears working on trying to figure out how to make cards work and set up combos. It's always my favorite part of the time when sets come out.

It's worth noting that every time I've jumped back into magic, a set or two later some really cool thing comes out. Just coincidence.

When I started, invasion kicked off (lol). When I came back the first time, Mirrodin and combo insanity showed up (skullclamp).

This is the second time I feel officially back, so maybe the pattern holds true in the future.

 

[OnPoint]

Oh wait i misread what you said.

Carry on Ashodin! lol

 

[Giant Panda]

I'm thinking Ugin's Insight might be a bit of an underrated card right now, it's only a $1.50 on SCG. Dig Through Time is keeping it down but I think once that rotates it might be the best card draw spell.

 

[Firemind]

Flashback, Madness and Threshold were a lot of fun. I hope the latter two make a return some day.

Great. Now I look like someone who derailed the thread. :lol

 

[Matriox]

I'm thinking Ugin's Insight might be a bit of an underrated card right now, it's only a $1.50 on SCG. Dig Through Time is keeping it down but I think once that rotates it might be the best card draw spell.

Dragonlord's Prerogative at instant speed will more than likely be the go-to draw spell when DTT rotates.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I'm thinking Ugin's Insight might be a bit of an underrated card right now, it's only a $1.50 on SCG. Dig Through Time is keeping it down but I think once that rotates it might be the best card draw spell.

When Dig Through Time rotates they'll print some other bullshit to enable Draw-Go, I'm sure.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Dragonlord's Prerogative at instant speed will more than likely be the go-to draw spell when DTT rotates.

won't tarkir as one rotate out?

 

[Matriox]

won't tarkir as one rotate out?

No, since theyre transitioning to 2 sets to a block format they'll have KTK and FRF as a block, DTK and Magic Origins as a Block, and BFZ and Oath of the Gatewatch as a block. When they come out with the set after Oath then just KTK/FRF will rotate out.

http://whatsinstandard.com/ - Has what it looks like.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

No, since theyre transitioning to 2 sets to a block format they'll have DTK and Magic Origins as a "Block" until the 3rd one drops.

http://whatsinstandard.com/ - Has what it looks like.

that's just weird.

 

[Matriox]

that's just weird.

I probably did a poor job explaining, but I hope I fixed it a little bit lol.

 

[Ashodin]

Flashback, Madness and Threshold were a lot of fun. I hope the latter two make a return some day.

Great. Now I look like someone who derailed the thread. :lol

Torment was amazing dude. I like that they had the balls to say ok over half the set is black.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

I probably did a poor job explaining, but I hope I fixed it a little bit lol.

Oh no you explained it perfectly I just think it's weird.

One could say Lorwyn/Shadowmoore were a Future Sight for the new standard.

 

[FreedomFrisbee]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";179641108]Homogenization of the art is only a problem when the direction is bad. The art had a very concise style in Khans but you could tell the cards apart very easily. Cards having the same style and looking the same are two different problems. I actually disagree with you that artists should get to add their own style into the art. It has to look similar stylistically within the same set in order to create unity. That doesn't mean cards should look the same as each other, which is a problem that BFZ has. Two cards can look like allies and not both be allies, but they are stylistically different so they don't both look like they're from the same set. This is a failure on both accounts.[/QUOTE]

I can agree that art direction is a culprit here. And if perfect art direction were a thing 100% of the time, I'd probably not be super concerned about allowing art styles to shine. My main concern here is that when I'm looking at stuff on the table I can tell what it is without having to pick everything up, or that I'm not going to brush off a card because I'm assuming it's something else (FtV Dryad Arbor). Having different art styles represented would alleviate probability of this being an issue. I understand there's something to be said for the overall artistic aesthetic, and when everything lines up it's an achievement, but it doesn't serve the play ability of the game itself.

Consider that if we had multiple art styles in BfZ we might not have had so much objectionable art.

 

[ultron87]

It'll be interesting to see how the prerelease goes from an actual game play perspective. New players are losing the comforting guide post of picking a color before getting a sealed pool and the new Mulligan rule is also starting up. Might be a good weekend for the established player, since they can probably more effectively take advantage of both of these things.

 

[Angry Grimace]

It'll be interesting to see how the prerelease goes from an actual game play perspective. New players are losing the comforting guide post of picking a color before getting a sealed pool and the new Mulligan rule is also starting up. Might be a good weekend for the established player, since they can probably more effectively take advantage of both of these things.

The "guidepost" was wrong way too often. Newbies would just stick with their box-color regardless of what the promo or packs had in them.

 

[f0rk]

The "guidepost" was wrong way too often. Newbies would just stick with their box-color regardless of what the promo or packs had in them.

I dunno, I don't think I ever had to deviate from the combo I picked.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

The "guidepost" was wrong way too often. Newbies would just stick with their box-color regardless of what the promo or packs had in them.

Pretty much

I dunno, I don't think I ever had to deviate from the combo I picked.

I had to repeatedly.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I dunno, I don't think I ever had to deviate from the combo I picked.

It was also a big feelbad when the store ran out of your chosen color.

 

[Socat]

I mostly chose my clan box for KTK based on the possible promos out of it, so them moving to a generic box with any rare/mythic as a possible promo is a smart move.

 

[duxstar]

Cards that deal with hangarback once it's hit the field?

Anyone have a list ???

If not ill have to go make one

 

[Socat]

Cards that deal with hangarback once it's hit the field?

Anyone have a list ???

If not ill have to go make one

There are plenty, but you need to specify what format and what colors you are playing first

 

[Angry Grimace]

Cards that deal with hangarback once it's hit the field?

Anyone have a list ???

If not ill have to go make one

White:

Revoke Existence
Silkwrap
Suspension Field
Stasis Snare
Quarantine Zone
Fate Forgotten

Green:

Unnatural Aggression

Red:

Touch of the Void

Blue:

Reality Shift

Black:

Complete Disregard
Grip of Desolation

Abzan:

Abzan Charm
Anafenza, the Foremost

Black/White:

Utter End

Colorless:

Titan's Presence
Scour from Existence
Aligned Hedron Network
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Everyone being hyped for turn against at the community cup reminded me of this card

 

[duxstar]

There are plenty, but you need to specify what format and what colors you are playing first

Meant standard post rotation, seems like there are few answers in zendikar / origins

 

[Crocodile]

I dunno, I don't think I ever had to deviate from the combo I picked.

If you played at least one pre-release every set since they started doing that and never had to deviate from your chosen color, you've probably built your seal deck suboptimally at least once if not several times. That or RNG was REALLY good to you.

 

[Angry Grimace]

I don't think Theros was a low power level set at all. Cards from Theors the set pretty much dominated standard for like a year. Many were excellent Cube cards and a few snuck into older formats I believe.



Maybe I need to see it in big picture form but the art on Beastcaller Savant didn't look good to me at all. The dude's body looks all weird and wiry and digital and whatnot. It did not do "toned hot guy" well at all.



If you played at least one pre-release every set since they started doing that and never had to deviate from your chosen color, you've probably built your seal deck suboptimally at least once if not several time. That or RNG was REALLY good to you.

At FRF pre-release I went Temur and got:

Supplant Form (promo)
Yasova Dragonclaw
Torrent Elemental
Crater's Claws
Arcbond
Savage Knuckleblade
Temur Charm

I played Temur and won a lot.

 

[kirblar]

Theros was a normal powered block.

This is one of the issues with gold cards- they're higher powered than the other cards in a block by necessity of their design. It makes fluctuating power level harder.

 

[Ashodin]

snagged four ghostfire blades. These things are gonna grow in price, I bet you.

I like how Gideon is all "I pledge allegiance to white mana for which it stands, one Zendikar, under Eldrazi"

 

[Yeef]

snagged four ghostfire blades. These things are gonna grow in price, I bet you.

Khans was opened a ton. Ghostfire Blades are sure to go up a bit, but not a huge amount. Excluding the fetches, Dig and Siege Rhino are the most expensive rares in the set and they're both under 6 bucks.