Do multiple instances of the second ability stack?
As previously stated in the thread, yes. Much like the Duskmantle Guildmage's mill-to-damage ability, it sets up a delayed trigger that lasts until the end of turn. Multiple instances of this will trigger separately.
I'm glad I have like 6 Exquisite Blood I feel like this card will even be playable not only with this sweet guildmage, and just in an Orzhov deck in general.
My original Orzhov deck was a fairly normal affair - Souls of the Faultless and Pillory of the Sleepless and Ghost Council working with Blind Hunter and Kokoshu, the Evening Star to provide the major life loss. My preference for the deck was to try to win without attacking and to bleed all 20 life out. The deck would take some early damage but would quickly lock down big threats before building towards a game-ending Bond of Agony (powered with stolen life).
Part of the lock down was Hissing Miasma which tended to shut opponents down. Obviously it's not in Standard but I am mulling over including Blood Reckoning to try to hold back token swarms. It's one mana more but would provide the same role.
Anyone got any thoughts on Blood Reckoning in an Orzhov deck?
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Pretty surprised that they didn't go for the obvious "Target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life" option. Didn't want to steal Orzhov Guildmage's thunder, I guess.
I'm a fan of Sanguine Bond and was aware of its combo with Exquisite Blood as soon as the latter came out, so I'm not really sure how the Guildmage makes that combo so much better. I guess costing 2 mana and being Standard-legal is that important. I do love when combo decks are playable in Standard, so good luck to anyone who tries to go to town with this.
In Limited, Orzhov needs some serious big beats to make use of both effects. I mean, what creature are you going to target with her abilities? Herself?
In Limited, Orzhov needs some serious big beats to make use of both effects. I mean, what creature are you going to target with her abilities? Herself?
They have much more unique abilities than the RTR guildmages had. It's almost too easy to differentiate the two cycles.
you've got to be kidding...
This new guildmage in unplayable. Lifelink at 3 is crazy expensive and the sanguine bond ability is crap too. It's too expensive to activate both and there are no decent lifelinkers in standard worth playing in an aggressive shell..
Duskmantle guildmage is even worse, 3 mana to do conditional damage and a lousy mill ability. Activating both will rarely happen.
Skaarg guildmage is alright but just short of playable probably, the trample ability is a bit lousy and the good animate land ability isn't enough on it's own probably.
Truefire paladin is alright and probably just constructed worthy but isn't really a mage but rather just a white knight variant with pump instead.
The reason most guildmages suck and are unplayable is because there are great activation lands in most aggressive color combinations already. Why play a silly 2/2 that must be alive to use as a mana sink when you can just activate your slayers' stronghold etc. The guildmages are marginally more effective and are only vulnerable when played early while adding little to your attack or blocking capabilities.
Besides that the control/slower decks play strong endgame cards with plenty of lifegain that easily seal the game if you don't win it early, what good are some small tricks from the guildmages if your opponent is playing thragtusks or drawing tons of cards while gaining life.. Guildmages shine much more when the control decks are classic draw-go permission decks where one guildmage that gets underneath the counterwall early can dominate the game. Standard is dominated by tapout decks though and not casting a spell but using your guildmage is rarely the right call at the moment.
If the activation lands like vault of the archangel etc. rotate then these guildmages might become more attractive but it's still unlikely.
I'm glad I have like 6 Exquisite Blood I feel like this card will even be playable not only with this sweet guildmage, and just in an Orzhov deck in general.
5 mana do-nothings do not have a history of being remotely playable.
The problem with this combo is that both halves of it suck on their own. The guildmage without Exquisite Blood is a hard to cast Runeclaw Bear.
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"I have seen the true path. I will not warm myself by
the fire - I will become the flame." - Lim-Dûl, the Necromancer
How about "You may discard your hand, pay 5 life, rip this card, remove 3 digits from any number of target fingers you control, and concede at the end of the next end step rather than pay It Will Go Through!!'s mana cost.
How about going Esper? Use Invisible Stalkers, Viskopa Guildmage and Exquisite Blood. Think Twice, a suite of counterspells, maybe that Cypher Windfall...only problem is that it's quite easy to see coming. Still, it might be fun to tinker with.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
They have much more unique abilities than the RTR guildmages had. It's almost too easy to differentiate the two cycles.
No. Just no.
Vizkopa Guildmage blows. 3 mana for Lifelink is terribad, and the Bond ability is only truly relevant with another unplayabad card, a 5 mana do-nothing at that.
The only guildmage that's even close to playable is Zameck Guildmage, and HEY! its the only one with three magical words written on it... Coincidence? Not in the slightest.
Sunhome Guildmage may see some play possibly, as it at least gives some card advantage for Boros in the exact way that Boros wants its card advantage, and as a late-game mana sink..even then, its a bit shakey.
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Thanks to Rivenor for the signature and XenoNinja for the Avi!
Vizkopa Guildmage blows. 3 mana for Lifelink is terribad, and the Bond ability is only truly relevant with another unplayabad card, a 5 mana do-nothing at that.
The only guildmage that's even close to playable is Zameck Guildmage, and HEY! its the only one with three magical words written on it... Coincidence? Not in the slightest.
Sunhome Guildmage may see some play possibly, as it at least gives some card advantage for Boros in the exact way that Boros wants its card advantage, and as a late-game mana sink..even then, its a bit shakey.
Vizkopa is niche, but good. Boros is good,(See Selesnya Guildmage for comparison), Skarrg has a lot of hidden power, Zamech is obviously good, and Dimir guildmage also has a lot of hidden power.
I personally like Vizkopa Guildmage just for the fact you can sit down and gain life and watch your opponent's suffer. Life gain cards are fairly cheap, so you could make a casually fun deck with it. Plus, we haven't seen the set completely finished yet. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a Life Drain type card for Orzhov.
I don't think it's as constructed stable as some of the other guildmages, but in the right deck she has potential to be dangerous. Rhox Faithmender makes all of your cards twice as scary with her around.
But your assumption of what is "good" or not is your opinion, not a fact. And this is in fact very arrogant.
Don't agree? Discuss, post your points and arguments. Now saying people are bad just because they don't agree with your beliefs?
If you don't have the guts to embrace new concepts and test them and will just sit and wait someone win a GP with it to say it's good, it's your choice. But don't scorn people just because they don't agree with you.
Dude, I am on here every day posting what I think about cards. Some of them I like. Some of them I don't. And I will gladly tell you that I do not need to wait for someone else to try this one to tell you it isn't good. If you want to look at my other posts, you will find me saying I think cards are good when others do not. Sphinx's Revelation was one of them. So was Hero of Oxid Ridge.
I get incredibly tired of "you don't know what Standard will look like, you have to wait for the pros to figure it out" coming from people with apparently no independent skill at card analysis. I've made meta calls that were accurate. I've also made ones that were inaccurate. Just like the pros do.
I'm even more tired of these posts only cropping up when I dare to rain on someone's parade about how aaaaaahmaaaaaaazing some Limited card is for Constructed. Meanwhile, if I'm saying "hey this card is actually pretty good guys" everyone wants to shout about how I clearly don't play competitive Magic. Can I just get the forum rules clarified? Is it okay to be an ass as long as the card you're doing it over is Limited fodder? I just want to make sure I'm on track!
Sunhome Guildmage is also very playable. It is very comparable to Selesnya Guildmage, which did see Standard play.
I doubt Selesnya Guildmage would see play in modern magic. Being good enough 7 years ago does not make a card playable. Jade Mage is better and saw only the most fringe of play.
I don't get the hate for this little dude. He enables a potentially standard-playable combo, and he might support Lifelink.dec in eternal formats.
Lifelink creatures playable in modern (or borderline) include:
1. Divinity of Pride
2. Griselbrand
3. Knight of the Meadowgrain
4. Mistmeadow Skulk (sideboard only)
5. Nip Gwyllion (only if you're aching for more one-drops)
6. Rhox War Monk (colors are awkward)
7. Serra Ascendant (if you go the Martyr-Proc route)
8. Vampire Nighthawk
9. Vault Skirge
We may not have all the tools to make this kind of deck competitive - yet - but remember, that when you are running lifelink creatures, this guildmage basically reads: "1BW: Cast Berserk on all of your creatures."
I actually think Vizkopa Guildmage's best friend is Martyr of Sands. Even 3 white cards in hand makes Martyr raze nearly half an opponent's life total (9 life loss) with his second ability. An early Martyr can also stall long enough to get a late Martyr and a late Vizkopa Guildmage.
Unfortunately, if you want to assemble Vizkopa Martyr with anything resembling consistency in Modern, you'll need creature search, and I'm not sure how many mana dorks and Birthing Pods/Chord of Callings I can stick in before the deck has too few white cards to also fuel Martyr. (Squadron Hawk and Ranger of Eos are definitely going in.)
I doubt Selesnya Guildmage would see play in modern magic. Being good enough 7 years ago does not make a card playable. Jade Mage is better and saw only the most fringe of play.
Jade Mage isn't better, not in the sense you mean. The pump ability in Selesnya/Sunhome guildmages is very relevant, as is the extra point of toughness (Staticaster, Tragic Slip, etc).
Selesnya Guildmage was great because we have Glare of Subdual, which we don't have anymore, but Sunhome still has potential. We didn't have Intangible Virtue/Gavony Township back then either.
Bloodgift Demon looks nifty too. give it liflelink to offset the life loss of the extra card. also activate the second ability and now opponent takes 10 damage a turn.
I know its not efficient. I know it will never make a t2 deck. Hell I will probably never even win a FNM with it. But by the gods I will kill someone with this card and Tavern Swindler.
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The wizard who reads a thousand books is powerful.
The wizard who memorizes a thousand books is insane.
I have read thousands of books. I have only memorized 800.
I know its not efficient. I know it will never make a t2 deck. Hell I will probably never even win a FNM with it. But by the gods I will kill someone with this card and Tavern Swindler.
I wish there was a 'like' button on here.
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WUR Enduring Ideal RUW
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-- Elder Dragon Highlander --
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Grimgrin, Zombie HordeUBURWR
Jor Kadeen TronRWRBRU Sedris Beatdown URB
UUU Llawan, Empress of "No" UUU
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As previously stated in the thread, yes. Much like the Duskmantle Guildmage's mill-to-damage ability, it sets up a delayed trigger that lasts until the end of turn. Multiple instances of this will trigger separately.
Casual EDH Player
They have much more unique abilities than the RTR guildmages had. It's almost too easy to differentiate the two cycles.
Part of the lock down was Hissing Miasma which tended to shut opponents down. Obviously it's not in Standard but I am mulling over including Blood Reckoning to try to hold back token swarms. It's one mana more but would provide the same role.
Anyone got any thoughts on Blood Reckoning in an Orzhov deck?
EDH: GW Sisay, UB Wrexial, WR Anax and Cymede (Coming soon)
Casual: GW Elephants
I'm a fan of Sanguine Bond and was aware of its combo with Exquisite Blood as soon as the latter came out, so I'm not really sure how the Guildmage makes that combo so much better. I guess costing 2 mana and being Standard-legal is that important. I do love when combo decks are playable in Standard, so good luck to anyone who tries to go to town with this.
In Limited, Orzhov needs some serious big beats to make use of both effects. I mean, what creature are you going to target with her abilities? Herself?
Alms Beast is a candidate
It's a rare, though. For now, I'm thinking that guildless beats are going to be primary candidates for Lifelink.
.
you've got to be kidding...
This new guildmage in unplayable. Lifelink at 3 is crazy expensive and the sanguine bond ability is crap too. It's too expensive to activate both and there are no decent lifelinkers in standard worth playing in an aggressive shell..
Duskmantle guildmage is even worse, 3 mana to do conditional damage and a lousy mill ability. Activating both will rarely happen.
Skaarg guildmage is alright but just short of playable probably, the trample ability is a bit lousy and the good animate land ability isn't enough on it's own probably.
Truefire paladin is alright and probably just constructed worthy but isn't really a mage but rather just a white knight variant with pump instead.
The reason most guildmages suck and are unplayable is because there are great activation lands in most aggressive color combinations already. Why play a silly 2/2 that must be alive to use as a mana sink when you can just activate your slayers' stronghold etc. The guildmages are marginally more effective and are only vulnerable when played early while adding little to your attack or blocking capabilities.
Besides that the control/slower decks play strong endgame cards with plenty of lifegain that easily seal the game if you don't win it early, what good are some small tricks from the guildmages if your opponent is playing thragtusks or drawing tons of cards while gaining life.. Guildmages shine much more when the control decks are classic draw-go permission decks where one guildmage that gets underneath the counterwall early can dominate the game. Standard is dominated by tapout decks though and not casting a spell but using your guildmage is rarely the right call at the moment.
If the activation lands like vault of the archangel etc. rotate then these guildmages might become more attractive but it's still unlikely.
5 mana do-nothings do not have a history of being remotely playable.
The problem with this combo is that both halves of it suck on their own. The guildmage without Exquisite Blood is a hard to cast Runeclaw Bear.
the fire - I will become the flame." - Lim-Dûl, the Necromancer
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
No. Just no.
Vizkopa Guildmage blows. 3 mana for Lifelink is terribad, and the Bond ability is only truly relevant with another unplayabad card, a 5 mana do-nothing at that.
The only guildmage that's even close to playable is Zameck Guildmage, and HEY! its the only one with three magical words written on it... Coincidence? Not in the slightest.
Sunhome Guildmage may see some play possibly, as it at least gives some card advantage for Boros in the exact way that Boros wants its card advantage, and as a late-game mana sink..even then, its a bit shakey.
Thanks to Rivenor for the signature and XenoNinja for the Avi!
Quotes:
Vizkopa is niche, but good. Boros is good,(See Selesnya Guildmage for comparison), Skarrg has a lot of hidden power, Zamech is obviously good, and Dimir guildmage also has a lot of hidden power.
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
EDIT: NVM. I see it.
I don't think it's as constructed stable as some of the other guildmages, but in the right deck she has potential to be dangerous. Rhox Faithmender makes all of your cards twice as scary with her around.
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SHANDALAR
Innistrad - The Darkest Night
~THE RAVNICAN CONSORTIUM~
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Commander: Allies & Adversaries
Dude, I am on here every day posting what I think about cards. Some of them I like. Some of them I don't. And I will gladly tell you that I do not need to wait for someone else to try this one to tell you it isn't good. If you want to look at my other posts, you will find me saying I think cards are good when others do not. Sphinx's Revelation was one of them. So was Hero of Oxid Ridge.
I get incredibly tired of "you don't know what Standard will look like, you have to wait for the pros to figure it out" coming from people with apparently no independent skill at card analysis. I've made meta calls that were accurate. I've also made ones that were inaccurate. Just like the pros do.
I'm even more tired of these posts only cropping up when I dare to rain on someone's parade about how aaaaaahmaaaaaaazing some Limited card is for Constructed. Meanwhile, if I'm saying "hey this card is actually pretty good guys" everyone wants to shout about how I clearly don't play competitive Magic. Can I just get the forum rules clarified? Is it okay to be an ass as long as the card you're doing it over is Limited fodder? I just want to make sure I'm on track!
Standard: W/R Aggro
I doubt Selesnya Guildmage would see play in modern magic. Being good enough 7 years ago does not make a card playable. Jade Mage is better and saw only the most fringe of play.
Lifelink creatures playable in modern (or borderline) include:
1. Divinity of Pride
2. Griselbrand
3. Knight of the Meadowgrain
4. Mistmeadow Skulk (sideboard only)
5. Nip Gwyllion (only if you're aching for more one-drops)
6. Rhox War Monk (colors are awkward)
7. Serra Ascendant (if you go the Martyr-Proc route)
8. Vampire Nighthawk
9. Vault Skirge
We may not have all the tools to make this kind of deck competitive - yet - but remember, that when you are running lifelink creatures, this guildmage basically reads: "1BW: Cast Berserk on all of your creatures."
Unfortunately, if you want to assemble Vizkopa Martyr with anything resembling consistency in Modern, you'll need creature search, and I'm not sure how many mana dorks and Birthing Pods/Chord of Callings I can stick in before the deck has too few white cards to also fuel Martyr. (Squadron Hawk and Ranger of Eos are definitely going in.)
Jade Mage isn't better, not in the sense you mean. The pump ability in Selesnya/Sunhome guildmages is very relevant, as is the extra point of toughness (Staticaster, Tragic Slip, etc).
Selesnya Guildmage was great because we have Glare of Subdual, which we don't have anymore, but Sunhome still has potential. We didn't have Intangible Virtue/Gavony Township back then either.
........................
The wizard who memorizes a thousand books is insane.
I have read thousands of books. I have only memorized 800.
I wish there was a 'like' button on here.
EDH: GW Sisay, UB Wrexial, WR Anax and Cymede (Coming soon)
Casual: GW Elephants