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[kirblar]

I'm pretty sure Nahiri intentionally lured Emrakul there because she's mad at Sorin.

Agreed.

Alex Majlton is playing Stony Silence at this GP

That's all there is to say about the state of Modern.

 

[SigmasonicX]

Very happy they went with art just like Delver of Secrets.

Hey hey hey, the Insectile Abomination flavor text clearly says "final entry" *arms crossed*

Looks different too, so either this is a different guy, or he managed to regain a more human form through experiments and got a different set of lab notes to make a final entry in. I'd like to think Avacyn helped make him more human, and he went straight back to insect experiments.

And agreed, I love that they got the same artist, and that they're making "sequel" cards like this. Next return, he'll have to lay eggs in people like a good X-Files monster.

As for the vampire art, those mutations are pretty neat. I guess it must be due to Emrakul after all.

 

[noquarter]

I am really liking the art that has been spoiled so far for this set. So much better than BFZ and OGW.

 

[Joe Molotov]

I guess I'll throw one in

Magic: the Gathering - Shadows Over Innistrad |OT| Esoteric Order of Dagon LFM

 

[ironmang]

Agreed.

Alex Majlton is playing Stony Silence at this GP

That's all there is to say about the state of Modern.

Yep, I was super excited for Detroit from last year when I made the 6.5 hour drive there for team sealed and heard that's when the next modern GP after Pittsburgh would be. Even though I have one of the better positioned decks against Eldrazi, I'm just not wanting to celebrate modern as a format, which is how I feel about GPs, when it looks like this. I'm usually the last person to want bans so if I'm basically avoiding all modern until it's fixed you know there's a problem.

 

[keeblerdrow]

The deck is fantastic, when the mana cooperates. But the mana problems could be localized to me. I'll have the GF run it a few times. My decks usually run "as usual" in her hands. I have some strict requirements on the mana, asking for double green, double white, and double black at various times while also not resorting to painlands. It makes land drops about as difficult as Dark Jeskai for the first few turns. But when it ran cold, it was still hard to beat. When the deck ran hot, it was on fire.

LIST:
4x Sylvan Advocate
3x Hangarback Walker
2x Drana, Liberator of Malakir
2x Wingmate Roc
3x Oath of Gideon
3x Secure the Wastes
3x Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
3x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
2x Ob Nixilis, Reignited
3x Grasp of Darkness
3x Abzan Charm
1x Utter End

3x Bloodstained Mire
4x Wooded Foothills
4x Windswept Heath
2x Canopy Vista
2x Smoldering Marsh
1x Cinder Glade
3x Shambling Vent
2x Hissing Quagmire
2x Forest
2x Plains
2x Swamp


SB
4x Duress
3x Transgress the Mind
2x Hallowed Moonlight
4x Siege Rhino
2x Painful Truths

The interaction between Oath of Gideon and each planeswalker is extremely strong. Plus, the two tokens on turn three sets up protection for your walkers. Highlights of the interaction: Gideon ults immediately and stay on board, Ob Nixilis turns into a 2 turn gattling gun, Nissa -2s twice in a row onto your Hangarbacks and Secure tokens, Sorin emblems the turn after you play him. All these happened a couple of time in the 4 rounds tonight.

I'm thinking about dropping the green and replacing Nissa with more removal and Advocate with Seeker of the Way. Seems still strong without agonizing over mana color problems. But I like Advocate as an early blocker a LOT.

 

[The Technomancer]

Very happy they went with art just like Delver of Secrets.

Oh this is clever. I like this a lot

 

[charlequin]

The amount I hope it's not Emrakul, despite being a huge Emrakul fan, is massive just because it feels so boring and predictable.

"Predictable" in what sense? I mean if I went back to the Origins thread last summer and told you that in a year we'd be seeing Innistrad and Emrakul together I don't think your response would be "oh yeah that's so obviously predictable...."

 

[y2dvd]

Did a 2HG tonight and went 3-1. My pool had Ulamog, Kozilek, Mirrorpool, and Thought-Knot. I pretty much opened all the money value while my partner got the bulk rares unfortunately haha. Lost in the finals where both opponents had draining mechanics. Draining is too good in 2HG. Also, Surge is still ridiculous but yeah, fun event.

 

[kirblar]

"Predictable" in what sense? I mean if I went back to the Origins thread last summer and told you that in a year we'd be seeing Innistrad and Emrakul together I don't think your response would be "oh yeah that's so obviously predictable...."

Seriously. It's predictable because it's good storytelling and use of tropes/worlds.

When you go against the predictable for "shock value", you get the ending to the HHH/Angle match at Unforgiven and end the attitude era.

Hmmmmm.....

 

[charlequin]

Seriously. It's predictable because it's good storytelling and use of tropes/worlds.

When you go against the predictable for "shock value", you get the ending to the HHH/Angle match at Unforgiven and end the attitude era.

Man you never know where your pop culture metaphors are gonna go when you start reading a post.

But yes. The biggest thing about the Emrakul idea is that they've done all this stuff to explicitly hint at mythos-style horror in this set, so much so that it would be a huge failure of expectations to not deliver on those hints at all. I've seen some people suggest that maybe it's mythos horror but with "something else" actually as the source, and that just seems like a godawful idea.

 

[The Technomancer]

I think the Emrakul reveal would be splashier if it was spring 2017 instead of 2016 but yeah she's a pitch perfect option for introducing some lovecraft into the gothic plane

 

[Angry Grimace]

It's probably Emrakul, but I wouldn't be surprised if Emrakul isn't really "there" and more like just kind of passing by and influencing shit as opposed to "going to be a creature in Eldritch Moon."

 

[WanderingWind]

The flavor on Delver 2 is nice, but it's got be a wee bit nervous that all the cool shit from the first block is going to get nerfed into constructed unplayableness. Too early to be worried there, but it definitely narrowed my eyes a wee bit.

 

[charlequin]

It's probably Emrakul, but I wouldn't be surprised if Emrakul isn't really "there" and more like just kind of passing by and influencing shit as opposed to "going to be a creature in Eldritch Moon."

Yes, I would be much more surprised if it was like "get a creature card" there than I would be if it's what you say here.

 

[kirblar]

Holyfuckshits

 

[WanderingWind]

Psh. 2 mana sorcery speed Path? Meh.

/s

 

[G.ZZZ]

That may be actually playable in eternal formats, given how extra mana for investigations is pretty annoying to pay in formats with compressed mana curves (more legacy than vintage tbh).
It's certainly good vs Legacy Eldrazi. There could also be some cards having advantages vs clues. The only thing i can think of is playing maindecks smash to smithereens alongside this to hate out on certain artifacts and using clues as targets vs decks running 0 artifacts.

 

[keeblerdrow]

YO I HEARD YOU LIKE BILE BLIGHT, BUT YOU ALSO LIKE PATH.


My Conspiracy box is now complete. I can reset it after drafting it over and over. I also have 3 Loreseekers (when you draft it, add a pack to the draft) in my packs. I'll be inviting everyone that comes to my drafts to bring a pack of their favorite set, or buy from the LGS for some revenue for them. But I also want to bring some pre-constructed packs for people to choose from at random if they can't man up enough to bring a sealed pack in. My idea is to have a couple really good, a couple mediocre, a couple of stupid-idea packs, and one that is just rotten.

Ideas so far:
Theros God pack
Pack full of Commander 2014 commanders
Planeswalker pack
Entire pack of brainstorms. Everyone gets brainstorms.
Pack full of conspiracy cards
Pack full of wraths of every color
Pack of dual lands
Pack of mana rocks... or Sol Rings.
ANGEL FIIIIIIIIIGHT


Any other ideas? I kinda want to have the possibilities be mostly chaotic for the draft or hilarious. Or sometimes sobering. The games are being played out in pods of 4, usually 2HG, as god intended, or free-for-all.

 

[Santiako]

Why does white get better removal than black? It's crazy.

 

[ironmang]

Why does white get better removal than black? It's crazy.

Not really new. Swords to Plowshares was and still is the best removal ever printed.

 

[WanderingWind]

You used to be able to preorder a playset of upcoming sets from places. Is that a thing still? Cause I may just skip all the foreplay and do that for SoI

 

[y2dvd]

Time to run one ofs decks! That removal is pretty sick. And that art tho.

 

[GregLombardi]

giving your opponent the ability to draw cards easily seems like a really bad drawback, no pun intended

 

[A Serious Man]

Declaration in Stone is going to be a staple, no doubt about that.

Interesting, although that 5 in the top corner is putting me off.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Do they use plural like that often?

 

[WanderingWind]

All the Planeswalkers' gear is garbage.

- Tamiyo's Journal
- Pyromancer's Goggles
- Godsend
- The Chain Veil

 

[divisionbyzorro]

All the Planeswalkers' gear is garbage.

- Tamiyo's Journal
- Pyromancer's Goggles
- Godsend
- The Chain Veil

I once cast a Cruel Ultimatum off of those goggles in Legendary Cube. Those goggles are sweet.

 

[Santiako]

Declaration in Stone is going to be a staple, no doubt about that.

Interesting, although that 5 in the top corner is putting me off.

Is that Tamiyo turned into stone?

 

[G.ZZZ]

Declaration in Stone is going to be a staple, no doubt about that.

Interesting, although that 5 in the top corner is putting me off.

Why does it cost FIVE lol. Draw one every turn for no cost on an artifact is 4 mana.

 

[OnPoint]

"Predictable" in what sense? I mean if I went back to the Origins thread last summer and told you that in a year we'd be seeing Innistrad and Emrakul together I don't think your response would be "oh yeah that's so obviously predictable...."

Predictable in the sense that the second we learned BFZ block went from 3 sets to 2, everyone figured that Emrakul would be in set 1 of the next block, regardless of what it would be. Then we started getting clues about how shit was going wrong on Innistrad and it was the next block and people knew pretty much right away that it was probably Emrakul. I mean, at least delay SoI for a block if that's your plan so we go a LITTLE off the trail.

And yes we didn't have the info we did a year ago in the Origins thread -- it kind of organically made itself obvious. And while Magic stories aren't usually surprising this is supposed to be a mystery block with Sherlock Jace on the case. Hell, one of the main mechanics is "investigate". But for the audience, there's no mystery here. Instead what we get is a big ol' blue paw on the moon and an audience of kids screaming Emrakul at Steve Jace. Scooby Doo is more mysterious than this.

 

[El Topo]

All the Planeswalkers' gear is garbage.

- Tamiyo's Journal
- Pyromancer's Goggles
- Godsend
- The Chain Veil

Just wait until it's time for Jace.

 

[WanderingWind]

Just wait until it's time for Jace.

Hood of Brooding (1)
Legendary Artifact
T - Look at the top 3 cards of target player's library. Put them back in any order.
T (1) - Sacrifice Hood of Brooding. Draw a card.

 

[The Technomancer]

Declaration in Stone is going to be a staple, no doubt about that.

Interesting, although that 5 in the top corner is putting me off.

Okay mana cost aside they are getting a lot of milage out of the clue token thing. This is seriously fun

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

All the Planeswalkers' gear is garbage.

- Tamiyo's Journal
- Pyromancer's Goggles
- Godsend
- The Chain Veil

Garbage gear for garbage characters

 

[A Serious Man]

Why does it cost FIVE lol. Draw one every turn for no cost on an artifact is 4 mana.

It's a repeatable tutor and it looks like there will be a hundred different ways to put clue tokens into play so I imagine they overcosted it to be safe.

 

[The Technomancer]

Sounds like some preview boxes are being opened in a few minutes here: http://www.twitch.tv/mikeandtifa

 

[The Technomancer]

It's a repeatable tutor and it looks like there will be a hundred different ways to put clue tokens into play so I imagine they overcosted it to be safe.

Ah shit that's a good point, I forgot you don't need to use the Clues it generates for some reason

 

[ElyrionX]

Saw one guy blatantly arranging his deck during casual EDH today. Didn't call him out because I did not want to spoil everyone's day.

How sad of a person do you have to be that you need to cheat to win in a casual game that nobody gives two hoots about.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Garbage gear for garbage characters

Fight me on Elspeth.

Saw one guy blatantly arranging his deck during casual EDH today. Didn't call him out because I did not want to spoil everyone's day.

How sad of a person do you have to be that you need to cheat to win in a casual game that nobody gives two hoots about.

Once played with a group that were all stacking their decks between their rounds.

 

[charlequin]

Predictable in the sense that the second we learned BFZ block went from 3 sets to 2, everyone figured that Emrakul would be in set 1 of the next block, regardless of what it would be.

C'mon. We didn't even know there was a titan-to-set correspondence until, at very earliest, when Kozilek leaked in late November; the Emrakul theories started before that, with the SOI name reveal and the obvious Lovecraft reference therein. The idea that maybe Emrakul got bumped from the block came way later. It's easy to make something "obvious" when you reinvent the history, but nobody was sitting around after BFZ was released saying "boy I bet Emrakul shows up in the fall block no matter what it is!"

Besides, you have to work with the medium here. A card game isn't a mystery novel and you can't set up a subtle set of clues that play out in a carefully designated order so only the sharpest readers will pick up on them; you need to put a bunch of clues out all over the place, and also to reasonably set expectations so no one feels like you pulled the rug out. By definition that means everything you do is gonna be "predictable" because it's all based on well-understood tropes and story structures. It should be possible for high-info players who track the marketing content and learn about WotC's design principles and read the storyline stuff (or at least the summaries thereof) to predict twists like this because otherwise they're not being set up properly -- and then most of the value of the mystery from a brand perspective is how people feel good if they figure out aspects of the connection in advance.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Exile and Investigate is pretty flavorful, seems pretty powerful too.

 

[WanderingWind]

I mean, we're not too far removed from the story of Magic being completely divorced from the cards. Innistrad didn't even have cards for some of its main characters. Baby steps, folks. Baby steps.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Holyfuckshits

RIP Zombie tokens


That said, I was wrong about the artist being Sheppard. Very similar style, but Jacobsen likes the high contrast color swathes a little more which could have tipped me off. Nice piece.

The art in SOI is pretty great so far.

 

[charlequin]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";197643267]
The art in SOI is pretty great so far.[/QUOTE]

Yep, highest quality in some time -- better than Khans, which I thought had very good art in general, for sure.

I'm super pleased that Declaration in Stone is an actual card illustration and not just a playmat or random story piece for the website, it's just a stunning image.

 

[SigmasonicX]

Holyfuckshits

Wow, that's crazy. The fact that it's a sorcery makes me a bit unsure that it will see as much non-Standard play as you guys are expecting, but it's really good. I like how you don't even get a Clue if a token gets exiled. I'm guessing that part is to hose zombie decks in Standard.

Declaration in Stone is going to be a staple, no doubt about that.

Interesting, although that 5 in the top corner is putting me off.

Really interesting card, though I hope this doesn't mean Tamiyo is dead.

Why does it cost FIVE lol. Draw one every turn for no cost on an artifact is 4 mana.

No, I'm pretty sure "(4), Tap" is a cost.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

He meant the conspiracy card. Coercive Portal or something.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Eric Froelich wrote the grossest fucking article on CFB where he indicates he is salty that the 13-0 guy from the GP last weekend did not simply scoop to him to let him into the Top 8 and that he and his friends plan to get revenge in the future. But hey, no hard feelings. Because obviously, if you're an inexperienced player bombing a tournament, you should just scoop to the recognizable players to do them favors for reasons.

 

[G.ZZZ]

Wow, that's crazy. The fact that it's a sorcery makes me a bit unsure that it will see as much non-Standard play as you guys are expecting, but it's really good. I like how you don't even get a Clue if a token gets exiled. I'm guessing that part is to hose zombie decks in Standard.


Really interesting card, though I hope this doesn't mean Tamiyo is dead.

No, I'm pretty sure "(4), Tap" is a cost.

Yeah and a 2/2 is 3 mana, and add three to your mana pool cost 0. Coercive Portal and bottled cloister exist.

 

[charlequin]

Yeah and a 2/2 is 3 mana, and add three to your mana pool cost 0. Coercive Portal and bottled cloister exist.

Coercive Portal is a multiplayer card that's allowed to work as "draw an extra card" in Legacy because it's Legacy. It's like the exact opposite of a useful example if your question is "why is thing X this way in a Standard legal set?!?!"