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[Crocodile]

The art we have is liberally decorated with his horn symbol, so he isn't doing a great job staying behind the scenes if that is the case.

Well I mean the narrative is of the denizens of the plane competing for their "place in the afterlife". "Place in the Afterlife" could just end up meaning "you become a slave of Bolas" and your average pleb on the plane just doesn't know that yet. Those horns only mean something if you already know who Bolas is.

She's the character from the new Magic Story: A Time for Innovation, there's some new Kaladesh art in there too.

Ah I see. The outfit looked of Kaladesh but then again I never read the stories, I usually just wait for Sigmasonic's summary <3

I think this kinda confirms someone working for Bolas in Kaladesh.

Could easily be that new Vedalken PW

Boo Egypt Boo

Give me middle eastern Settings!

Egypt is part of the Middle East

 

[Angry Grimace]

That guy should really consider changing the spelling of his name to "Kochs"

 

[Angry Grimace]

Duel Deck has an MSRP of $24.99, which is a $5 increase

Making Archenemy a box set instead of multiple products is the right way to do it, hope it isn't super limited

MM2017 in March feels wrong

You know what felt way more wrong? Eldritch Moon coming out and then like 5 weeks later a rotation happens.

 

[G.ZZZ]

Egypt is part of the Middle East

With middle east i mean 1000 ad or so middle east. Not 1000 bc egypt.

Also i fear the representation is gonna be the usual trite and boring pop culture egypt. Ellenistic-period , library of Alexandria Egypt would be way more interesting but i don't think we will get that.

 

[OnPoint]

I guess I should move those extra Snapcasters to my trade binder.

 

[Santiako]

Snapcaster is definitely gonna be mythic right?

 

[bigkrev]

You know what felt way more wrong? Eldritch Moon coming out and then like 5 weeks later a rotation happens.

Isn't Kaladesh not out until October?

 

[Firemind]

With middle east i mean 1000 ad or so middle east. Not 1000 bc egypt.

Also i fear the representation is gonna be the usual trite and boring pop culture egypt. Ellenistic-period , library of Alexandria Egypt would be way more interesting but i don't think we will get that.

We already have Library of Alexandria though.

 

[G.ZZZ]

We already have Library of Alexandria though.

And that was the best set ever indeed.

 

[Joe Molotov]

http://www.starcitygames.com/article/33572_Fix-Or-Kill-Modern-Period.html

In this moment I am reminded of Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy berating a young college student on The Newsroom.

“Can you tell us why Modern is the best format in Magic?”

And Will just looks at her.

“It isn't.”

The crowd gasps.

“Modern is a loser. Yeah, it accounts for some of the most attended GPs in history, but pros get to hit you with how awful the games are. It doesn't promote healthiness. It promotes goldfishing. It wastes time and article space. You know why people don't like Modern? Because it's inherently boring. If Modern is so much fun how come everyone, right now, is complaining about it so much?”

And then he points to Wizards.

“And with a straight face you're going to tell us the Modern banned list is something that you've seriously looked into? Do you think you're the only ones who can read what cards do or figure out interactions? Skullclamp, Stoneforge Mystic all got through your testing. Urza block, the entire Affinity mechanic, Delve, Treasure Cruise, Dig through Time. Like 40 cards that should have never seen print, but yeah, we're supposed to trust you with managing a banned list when professionals are the ones who break almost every meaningful card interaction in the last twenty years.”

Finally he points to the player who says that Modern is fine and everyone is complaining for no reason.

“And you, denier of common sense. Yeah, just in case you ever wander into a Wizards board meeting one day, there are some things you should know. There is absolutely no evidence that supports the claim that Modern is great and your deck is great. It possesses the highest density of decks that try to end the game around turn 4, the least amount of viable control decks, and decks that exist completely on the basis that they can successfully stop those fast decks from winning early but are awful against anything other than aggressive decks. Modern leads all other formats in three categories: most instances of players threatening to quit because of it on Twitter, most hysterically botched MODO events, and most players who deny that reality that it is not healthy. None of this is the fault of the average FNM player, of course, but this format is, without a doubt, one of the least-period-fun-period-ever-period formats ever. So when you ask what makes this the greatest format in Magic, I don't know what the hell you're talking about? Innistrad Limited?”

The audience is silent.

“The first step in fixing a problem is recognizing that there is one. Modern is not the greatest format in Magic.”

Enough?

*cringe intensifying*

 

[OnPoint]

Who wouldn't love a fixed Library of Alexandria?

But isn't that kind of what Sea Gate Wreckage already is?

I think whatever we get, should there be something that references it, it couldn't compare to the original. But I do hope it becomes a format staple, and maybe Modern playable.

 

[Firemind]

Reprint Bazaar of Baghdad while we're at it. Dredge needs more toys in Modern.

 

[jph139]

So today's story is all about an inventor who discovers a mysterious way to teleport matter, which new walker Saheeli says is related to the Blind Eternities and thinks is incredibly dangerous.

So... a way for the Phyrexians to start Planeswalking?

 

[OnPoint]

So today's story is all about an inventor who discovers a mysterious way to teleport matter, which new walker Saheeli says is related to the Blind Eternities and thinks is incredibly dangerous.

So... a way for the Phyrexians to start Planeswalking?

Was only a matter of time, really. Yawgmoth and the OG Phyrexians had that tech. Didn't Venser, too? It was bound to be re-discovered.

 

[divisionbyzorro]

http://www.starcitygames.com/article/33572_Fix-Or-Kill-Modern-Period.html

*cringe intensifying*

I mean, Modern is kinda shitty. It's been getting more and more shitty as time goes on (i.e., as people are incentivized to explore the format deeply enough to exploit its massive cardpool that lacks the ability to police itself).

 

[SigmasonicX]

Magic Story - A Time for Innovation - A Kreines story? Please, no Nissa.
* An inventor named Rashimi is attempting to make a teleporting device.
* She has a vedalken assistant, Mitul. Vedalkens on this world are basically Vulcans.
* Rashimi is driven by her belief in the Great Conduit (aka, she's green), while Mitul has faith in the process of iterative improvement (aka, he's blue), but they work well together. It's good that they figured out how to make green artificers.
* They experiment until the last moment before the Inventors Fair qualifiers, and fail to teleport a flower, but succeed in teleporting the inorganic vase.
* They head to the qualifiers, but have to buy a replacement part on the way, since they ran out in the lab. At the market, they don't have any. They head back in dismay.
* At Rashimi's lab, Saheeli is waiting. They're friends. After hearing Rashimi's story, Saheeli is surprised she didn't think to ask her to help.
* Saheeli is in good standing with the examiners and can pull strings to allow Rashimi to enter late.
* She's starting to fix the broken part, but Rashimi tells her it's for the matter transporter and she stops. She says that it's too dangerous and it shouldn't be made, and then leaves.
* Rashimi thinks she's being a hypocrite, promoting unbound innovation only when it applies to her.

* The narrative switches to Saheeli. She's taking out her frustration by competing in automaton duels, winning dozens of matches in a row, and she's disappointed by the lack of challenge.
* As a Planeswalker, she knows how dangerous the transporter can be. Rashimi was tearing holes in space without considering the consequences.
* Dwarfs confirmed! A mother and daughter come up to Saheeli after the arena closes. They have her sign a picture of her with a quote printed under it about how you have to create without bounds.
* She goes back to Rashimi. She apologizes, and tells her she arranged for the head examiner, Consul Padeem, to take a look at her transporter.
* Even Consul members watch underground quicksmith duels, even if they're vedalkens; Saheeli convinced her with front row seats.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Magic Story:

It was a dwarf

Dwarves

I'm concerned this is leading to Planar Portals again.

 

[Firemind]

That means land destruction is making a return, right? Right?

 

[Joe Molotov]

I mean, Modern is kinda shitty. It's been getting more and more shitty as time goes on (i.e., as people are incentivized to explore the format deeply enough to exploit its massive cardpool that lacks the ability to police itself).

Maybe, but I don't think Aaron Sorkin is the hero we need to save Modern.

 

[MoxManiac]

From a reprint standpoint I don't think we need RtR reprints? The block was overprinted and you can still get sealed product for under MSRP.

 

[El Topo]

Dwarves? Finally we are sowing the seeds for the return of Baron Sengir.

 

[charlequin]

http://www.starcitygames.com/article/33572_Fix-Or-Kill-Modern-Period.html

I'll hand it to them, this is obnoxious and dumb in exactly the same way as the real Newsroom.

Cause they are putting out a TON of product

It's actually a step down from 2016 since a single fixed-contents Archenemy is way less of a thing than an unlimited booster product with relevant cards like Conspiracy 2. Plus they didn't announce an FTV here which typically they would, so maybe that product is over too.

I'm concerned this is leading to Planar Portals again.

I mean if they want Phyrexians to be one of the big three villains (and they do) they need a way to get around. If they find something that only transports inorganic matter that'd be a cute way of making it mostly only useful to the Phyrexians.

 

[A Serious Man]

I'm down with an Egypt set featuring Nicol Bolas, next two blocks looks great flavor-wise.

 

[SigmasonicX]

Amonkhet seems pretty neat, but the promo image doesn't excite me like Kaladesh's did. I suppose it makes sense that they wouldn't want to promote a new Planeswalker character with this timing. Still, nice to see Bolas finally coming back into the story. For his involvement in Kaladesh, I have to imagine either Baan or Vraska will turn out to be working with him, and I'd prefer the latter because otherwise that would be another blue Planeswalker under him. He hasn't had a black/green agent yet.

Five gods are specifically mentioned, and I can't imagine they'd do that if they didn't have cards planned for them. Monocolor is an obvious theme, but I could see them being enemy-colored to make up for Dragons of Tarkir being ally-colored.

It's interesting that they didn't get any creative consultants for the set, unlike Kaladesh. Perhaps it's considered fine because they already have in-house experts on Egyptian mythology (like with Theros) and because it's a dead religion.

Concerning the racial makeup, outside of the misstep of how Kaladesh was presented in Magic Origins (which really was just due to Chandra's origin story being our first view of it), they've been good about keeping race in mind. They must be well aware of the outcry against all the white people in Gods of Egypt and such, and on Tarkir, the "white people" were still clearly not Englishmen or anything. I'm sure there will be some white people, like on Kaladesh, but the median skin tone will be on the darker side.

I'm a bit surprised to see Archenemy return. They were previously sold as individual decks with Scheme cards, right? This bundle seems like it makes more sense for this sort of product.

I wonder if Modern Masters 2017 will have double faced cards.

 

[Etrian Oddity]

I wonder how much this will spike if we ever get a non Un set legendary Loxodon that's also a great commander

I had a fucking playset of these things, and lost them in a move.

 

[sgjackson]

super hype for egypt set

magic 2012 was the first set i regularly drafted so i wonder if vengeful pharaoh is coming back

 

[El Topo]

The Egypt set was also in that leak from a while ago, no?

 

[Angry Grimace]

From a reprint standpoint I don't think we need RtR reprints? The block was overprinted and you can still get sealed product for under MSRP.

The point of Modern Masters is that its a greatest hits set, not that it just has random cards from some set.

Voice of Resurgence, Abrupt Decay, etc. are decent enough reprints.

 

[Remembrance]

Prediction: Desert land cycle finally incoming.

Tapping Desert Plains, Desert Mountains and Desert Wastes for Desert mana.
Desert Moon - Nonbasic lands are Deserts.

 

[SigmasonicX]

The Egypt set was also in that leak from a while ago, no?

Leak, nothing. That was rampant speculation, and remember that (1) an Egyptian-themed set is not just the most commonly requested set, but MaRo has even frequently said as much, so there's no significance to the rumor suggesting that idea, and (2) the "leak" specifically said that the Egyptian set would be where Kaladesh currently is.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

So today's story is all about an inventor who discovers a mysterious way to teleport matter, which new walker Saheeli says is related to the Blind Eternities and thinks is incredibly dangerous.

So... a way for the Phyrexians to start Planeswalking?

Venser much?

I had a fucking playset of these things, and lost them in a move.

Why?

Are you aware that the Heavenly Inferno deck is worth about $150?

No but why?

 

["God's Beard!"]

So I guess the newly-available MM value reprints that see Modern play would be stuff like these?

Voice of Resurgence
Abrupt Decay
Restoration Angel
Liliana of the Veil
Snapcaster Mage
Thalia
Master of the Pearl Trident
Elvish Archdruid
Griselbrand
Craterhoof Behemoth

Spoiler

Deathrite Shaman

And I imagine there'd be some reprints for Commander to fill up the garbage mythic quota like Progenitor Mimic and Master of Cruelties. Is there a random Modern deck that plays Omniscience?

It'd be interesting to see if Young Pyromancer and flashback cards would be a draftable archetype. You could probably reprint Lingering Souls if it was alongside stuff like Electrickery and Izzet Staticaster. I want to see more cards like Thought Scour and Burning-Tree Emissary in the draft format, commons that actually feel like you're playing Modern. I don't like that the Masters sets have felt like random old cards plus bomb rares that see play in the format.

 

[Santiako]

Can they get away with another MM without Damnation?

 

["God's Beard!"]

What's more likely? Goyf at rare or no Goyf in MM3?

 

[aidan]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";215537886]What's more likely? Goyf at rare or no Goyf in MM3?[/QUOTE]

Full art foil 'Goyfs at Expedition rarity.

 

[divisionbyzorro]

Can they get away with another MM without Damnation?

"We pulled it from the MM3 file because it was slated for Hour of Devastation; unfortunately, Development cut it at the last minute from that set for power level concerns. One of these days we will find the right set for Damnation, but MM3 isn't it."

 

[kirblar]

Duel Deck has an MSRP of $24.99, which is a $5 increase

Making Archenemy a box set instead of multiple products is the right way to do it, hope it isn't super limited

MM2017 in March feels wrong

They have been desperately trying to avoid raising booster prices for a while now.

 

[bigkrev]

"We pulled it from the MM3 file because it was slated for Hour of Devastation; unfortunately, Development cut it at the last minute from that set for power level concerns. One of these days we will find the right set for Damnation, but MM3 isn't it."

Bet they save it for MM4 which has Theros reprints so it can get new Erebos artwork like FTV Wrath of God had Heliod art

 

[Santiako]

New art for Aether Revolt:

Chandra looking like a 12 year old with big cans.

 

[kirblar]

lol wtf at that shirt

 

[charlequin]

You know, in retrospect, Egypt should have been more obvious to me. What better setting to be in Standard with Innistrad and Kaladesh than one that has major elements of graveyard and artifact themes?

The Egypt set was also in that leak from a while ago, no?

That leak said it was the fall set, had a different name for it, and said it didn't connect to the larger story, it was total bullshit.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

OMG they managed to make inverse boob armor

 

[Daedardus]

I'll hand it to them, this is obnoxious and dumb in exactly the same way as the real Newsroom.

This was a horrible read and looked more like clickbait than actual criticism. Won't even put the effort in countering all the points, but I have to say, it's not like standard is the best format ever too. I know I at least have big fun playing Modern decks, even though it probably is filled with many obnoxious decks, but that's also purely depending on the ever-shifting metagame.

 

[OnPoint]

So are dwarves going to be the WR equipment tribe?

I think I called that they should do that ages ago... would be nice to finally get one right haha

 

[Santiako]

This was a horrible read and looked more like clickbait than actual criticism. Won't even put the effort in countering all the points, but I have to say, it's not like standard is the best format ever too. I know I at least have big fun playing Modern decks, even though it probably is filled with many obnoxious decks, but that's also purely depending on the ever-shifting metagame.

It's Nestico, his shtick is writing "humorous" articles to try and rile people up.

 

[Joe Molotov]

OMG they managed to make inverse boob armor

Nissa's birds are all a flutter.

 

[Infinite Stars]

"We finally decided to put Damnation in the set 'Finally you can shut up about Damnation', but we ended up moving it due to last minute balance concerns."

 

[divisionbyzorro]

Forget Chandra's perfectly tailored boob overshirt: check out the left arm of the dude with the axe.

 

[Firemind]

So are dwarves going to be the WR equipment tribe?

I think I called that they should do that ages ago... would be nice to finally get one right haha

No

Equipments are either unplayable or hilariously broken

 

[OnPoint]

No

Equipments are either unplayable or hilariously broken

If you're right, man, you're going to make Ashodin cry.