The first one is tough. I may try Murder of Crows personally because I haven't had one yet and the difference in power is too close. Fiend Hunter probably is the right pick as it is pretty amazing.
For the 2nd one, I like Midnight Haunting. That card is really powerful and has more potential than Rebuke, which can be played around if someone has a creature with great abilities and feels like not using it as an attacker when you have 3 mana open. Midnight Haunting can be played around too, but then you can just go on the offensive.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Reaper. I really don't like red in this format and reaper is just plain stupid.
actually, it's instigator gang and it isn't remotely close. Starting the draft with a triple black win more card (albeit a good win more card) vs. an excellent splashable win condition isn't close.
With a couple of fixers, you'll gladly splash gang and a few removal spells into absolutely anything.
Also, black isn't exactly that much deeper than red.
Standart :
:symw::symu::symb::symr::symg: Five Color Control :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg:
:symu::symb: Shadowmage Prowler :symu::symb:
:symg::symb: Elves :symg::symb:
Extended :
:symw::symu:Control Freak:symw::symu:
:symu::symg:Isao's Cloak:symu::symg:
I can't tell how good Blasphemous Act is. But passing all that blue gives a strong signal.
I would take act there. partially because you know that pack two will be miserable for blue, partially because it's splashable, and you already have a red card -- sorry had to edit there. You have marauders..i thought it was noble
I can't tell how good Blasphemous Act is. But passing all that blue gives a strong signal.
In this situation, I feel strongly that the Act is the way to go, as much as you hate passing Crows. Also I feel that Red is underdrafted and you can probably end up getting some good cards to go with these.
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Murder of crows vs grasp of phantasms?
I took the murder as i feel it is the more powerful card.
grasp. both cards are extremely good although.
It's really close in both on power levels but P1P1, I'd take grasp because it doesn't commit you to a color where murder of crows does and if you have to switch out of blue, you can still splash for grasp of phantoms.
Like let's say you took p1p1 grasp, get a second pick grasp, and then all you get is amazing green white cards (i.e. travel preps, bonds, priest, wolf, 2/3flip, prey upon)... grasp isn't going to sit on your sideboard because most likely, you're going to be able to pick up a vigil or amulet to splash for those 2 grasps, whereas if you took murder p1p1, and murder p1p2, you're going to have to keep them on your sideboard and you're going to want to try to force a blue deck to play murders.
Tempo is so huge in this format (obviously it's huge in any format, but I think more so in this one) and casting a "time walk" is crazy. I don't think I've lost a game where I've been able to cast and FB grasp of phantoms but I've definitely had opponents lose to me even if they have murder of crows on the table.
There's a huge power gap between the likes of Bloodline Keeper and Olivia Voldaren and Heretic's Punishment.
Mainly it's a consistency problem. You cast it and it does nothing. Your opponent gets a little bit ahead. Then the following turn you regain you card (but not tempo) parity by blowing a creature away. Two turns in you kill a second creature for +1 card advantage, roughly balancing the tempo loss. Three turns in and you probably start running away with the game... but there are two problems:
1) The card takes four turns and 17 mana to start being really unfair. You might be dead before that.
2) What happens if one of your shots fails to kill?
Neither of these problems would ever make me hesistate to run the card, but both will cost you games.
It's usually better to just burn to the face with Heretic's Punishment. You switch to a "stall out the board and burn for the win" plan and it usually takes 4-5 turns to do by the time it is out and all you have to do is stay alive. In the times I've played it, I've rarely burned creatures. At the very worst, you can treat it as having infinite Geistflames in the graveyard.
Black isn't that bad. It's not like M12 Green. In fact, it's arguably better than Innistrad Red. However, Instigator Gang sends a strong signal of "Look everybody, I'm playing Red! GTFO!"
The power level of Bloodgift Demon compared to Instigator Gang is a pretty big gap. I think it's one of the best rares in the set, while Instigator Gang is just a pretty good rare. I don't think there are any flip cards I'd take over Bloodgift Demon other than Bloodline Keeper and Garruk Relentless (for the $).
Bloodgift Demon does more for you, but pulls you into black...
Personally I would probably go Bloodgift Demon. I have drafted both and the Demon helped more since CA plus being able to ping your opponent if needed is awesome. I think this pick really depends the most on whether the player would rather play some sort of Black midrange deck with Bloodgift Demon as the finisher or go Red aggro with Instigator Gang as the "finisher."
@mordath - Agreed with BK7 that Falkenrath Noble is clearly the pick and it's not close (although usually I don't agree that the pick is not close when others have said it).
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Legacy - Sneak Show, BR Reanimator, Miracles, UW Stoneblade
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/ Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
The first one is tough. I may try Murder of Crows personally because I haven't had one yet and the difference in power is too close. Fiend Hunter probably is the right pick as it is pretty amazing.
For the 2nd one, I like Midnight Haunting. That card is really powerful and has more potential than Rebuke, which can be played around if someone has a creature with great abilities and feels like not using it as an attacker when you have 3 mana open. Midnight Haunting can be played around too, but then you can just go on the offensive.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Reaper. I really don't like red in this format and reaper is just plain stupid.
Murder of crows
We had a ton of removal vs win condition debates in the M12 pick vs pick thread and the same principles still apply.
I can still see this going either way based on color preference but on paper the massive, flying win condition that loots is the way to go.
Fiend hunter is a solid removal spell but the body occasionally becomes as much a liability as it is an asset.
Agreed. I'm a big fan of Fiend Hunter but I can't think of any commons/uncommons I'd take over Murder of Crows. Maybe Galvanic Juggernaut since it doesn't commit me to a color.
actually, it's instigator gang and it isn't remotely close. Starting the draft with a triple black win more card (albeit a good win more card) vs. an excellent splashable win condition isn't close.
With a couple of fixers, you'll gladly splash gang and a few removal spells into absolutely anything.
Also, black isn't exactly that much deeper than red.
Uh, except for that in M12 the pick was the removal spell 100% of the time?
*DCI Rules Advisor*
First time here.
I'd go Murder of Crows though for the same reason other people have said, flying win condition.
Here's mine:
P1P1: Falkenrath Marauders
P1P2: Murder of Crows vs Claustrophobia vs Blasphemous Act (Also in pack Armoured Skaab, Forbidden Alchemy, Morkrut Banshee)
I can't tell how good Blasphemous Act is. But passing all that blue gives a strong signal.
Standart :
:symw::symu::symb::symr::symg: Five Color Control :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg:
:symu::symb: Shadowmage Prowler :symu::symb:
:symg::symb: Elves :symg::symb:
Extended :
:symw::symu:Control Freak:symw::symu:
:symu::symg:Isao's Cloak:symu::symg:
Blasphemous act > Everything else with 4 blue cards in the pack and we already took a "bomby" double casting red cost card.
My have/wants trade list.
I would take act there. partially because you know that pack two will be miserable for blue, partially because it's splashable, and you already have a red card -- sorry had to edit there. You have marauders..i thought it was noble
*DCI Rules Advisor*
I think that Blasphemous Act is better than Murder of Crows P1P1.
Instigator gang and it's not that close really.
My have/wants trade list.
Midnight haunting.
Not really close either.
My have/wants trade list.
LDO
You guys are really over-rating murder of crows and that's really hard to do considering how good it is.
My have/wants trade list.
In this situation, I feel strongly that the Act is the way to go, as much as you hate passing Crows. Also I feel that Red is underdrafted and you can probably end up getting some good cards to go with these.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)I took the murder as i feel it is the more powerful card.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4&ob=av3n
:love::love::love:I love all my fans :love::love::love:
grasp. both cards are extremely good although.
It's really close in both on power levels but P1P1, I'd take grasp because it doesn't commit you to a color where murder of crows does and if you have to switch out of blue, you can still splash for grasp of phantoms.
Like let's say you took p1p1 grasp, get a second pick grasp, and then all you get is amazing green white cards (i.e. travel preps, bonds, priest, wolf, 2/3flip, prey upon)... grasp isn't going to sit on your sideboard because most likely, you're going to be able to pick up a vigil or amulet to splash for those 2 grasps, whereas if you took murder p1p1, and murder p1p2, you're going to have to keep them on your sideboard and you're going to want to try to force a blue deck to play murders.
Tempo is so huge in this format (obviously it's huge in any format, but I think more so in this one) and casting a "time walk" is crazy. I don't think I've lost a game where I've been able to cast and FB grasp of phantoms but I've definitely had opponents lose to me even if they have murder of crows on the table.
My have/wants trade list.
Yup. Act for sure. Not only are you encouraging blue to all players to your left, but I think it's the best card out of the pack too.
LOL OKAY THAT MAKES SLAYER AWFUL LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
My have/wants trade list.
It's usually better to just burn to the face with Heretic's Punishment. You switch to a "stall out the board and burn for the win" plan and it usually takes 4-5 turns to do by the time it is out and all you have to do is stay alive. In the times I've played it, I've rarely burned creatures. At the very worst, you can treat it as having infinite Geistflames in the graveyard.
Bloodgift Demon does more for you, but pulls you into black...
My have/wants trade list.
Bloodgift Demon for me.
Black isn't that bad. It's not like M12 Green. In fact, it's arguably better than Innistrad Red. However, Instigator Gang sends a strong signal of "Look everybody, I'm playing Red! GTFO!"
The power level of Bloodgift Demon compared to Instigator Gang is a pretty big gap. I think it's one of the best rares in the set, while Instigator Gang is just a pretty good rare. I don't think there are any flip cards I'd take over Bloodgift Demon other than Bloodline Keeper and Garruk Relentless (for the $).
Personally I would probably go Bloodgift Demon. I have drafted both and the Demon helped more since CA plus being able to ping your opponent if needed is awesome. I think this pick really depends the most on whether the player would rather play some sort of Black midrange deck with Bloodgift Demon as the finisher or go Red aggro with Instigator Gang as the "finisher."
@mordath - Agreed with BK7 that Falkenrath Noble is clearly the pick and it's not close (although usually I don't agree that the pick is not close when others have said it).
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)