Regarding Gideon's embracing pragmatism:
White can be just as pragmatic as black when circumstance demands. Don't forget that White is also the color of military thinking and battle strategy. in war, lines must often be crossed, sacrifices made and hard choices thought out in the name of victory. and sometimes you have to endure losing a few battles in the name of winning the war. This is a side of white Gideon has not been used to using, but it is a vital part of his development as a warrior and as a leader.
before he was letting his ideology dictate his decisions. But now with a long-term war objective in mind, he is learning to be a lot more strategic. Gideon is playing the long game here and I like that element of growth in his character.
Corin seemed very young and dispirited, his robes dragging in the wet grass. [...] "I see," Gideon said, and nodded politely, privately deciding to try to come up with a plan that didn't include mages.
later...
They had managed some quick preparations, but most of the plan depended on Corin's spells.
I feel strongly dissatisfied about the emotional parts of Chandra's and Nissa's reactions (while rationally they are spot on). They seem switched around, too far out to look like character development to me, color pie breaks instead of bends, as to say. But except that, everything is great.
Anger from green isn’t a color pie break. Besides red, green is the angriest color. Blue is the most about logic, but then the allied colors of white, logically following the law, and black, logically following ambition don’t get as angry as green does. Grizzly Bear is the most printed green card of all time and Bears get very angry. You can see how angry Garruck got when Lily killed his beast or look at cards like rancor.
Also, red is about freedom and self. Chandra wants to explore her powers more. That’s not a color pie break from red.
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Modern
JundBGR
RW Blood MoonRW
Pauper
Delver U
Elves G
Control B
Commander
Edgar Markov BRW
Captain Sisay GW
Niv-Mizzet, Parun UR
Tymna and Ravos WB
I feel strongly dissatisfied about the emotional parts of Chandra's and Nissa's reactions (while rationally they are spot on). They seem switched around, too far out to look like character development to me, color pie breaks instead of bends, as to say. But except that, everything is great.
Anger from green isn’t a color pie break. Besides red, green is the angriest color. Blue is the most about logic, but then the allied colors of white, logically following the law, and black, logically following ambition don’t get as angry as green does. Grizzly Bear is the most printed green card of all time and Bears get very angry. You can see how angry Garruck got when Lily killed his beast or look at cards like rancor.
Also, red is about freedom and self. Chandra wants to explore her powers more. That’s not a color pie break from red.
As I've already said, I didn't mean literal color pie break/bend but used those terms as shorthands for "very not likely but still possible" and "not right ever", in the context of characters, not their colors. Let's just leave it.
I wonder about the part in second article when Lili mentions that Raven Man could be elder dragons human form. Were there shapeshifting dragons, a la Witcher's Villentretenmerth, in MtG? And could it be the one elder dragon that in recent sets seems to be the root of all evil?
I am definitely enjoying the stories so far. They are fast paced, but don't seem really rushed. Also, there is a lot of time to cover to get to when Jace is supposed to arrive.
Regarding Gideon's embracing pragmatism:
White can be just as pragmatic as black when circumstance demands. Don't forget that White is also the color of military thinking and battle strategy. in war, lines must often be crossed, sacrifices made and hard choices thought out in the name of victory. and sometimes you have to endure losing a few battles in the name of winning the war. This is a side of white Gideon has not been used to using, but it is a vital part of his development as a warrior and as a leader.
before he was letting his ideology dictate his decisions. But now with a long-term war objective in mind, he is learning to be a lot more strategic. Gideon is playing the long game here and I like that element of growth in his character.
I couldn't agree more. Gideon's problem isn't that he can't be pragmatic, it's that he's never had to be. He's always tried to use his indestructibility to avoid distasteful solutions - putting others at risk - but now he's learned that his armor isn't foolproof. Just as with Jace and Liliana, he has a chance to grow.
I'm intrigued by the developments with Jace, Liliana, and Gideon, and curious to see how Chandra and Nissa deal with the events of Hour of Devastation.
I feel strongly dissatisfied about the emotional parts of Chandra's and Nissa's reactions (while rationally they are spot on). They seem switched around, too far out to look like character development to me, color pie breaks instead of bends, as to say. But except that, everything is great.
Anger from green isn’t a color pie break. Besides red, green is the angriest color. Blue is the most about logic, but then the allied colors of white, logically following the law, and black, logically following ambition don’t get as angry as green does. Grizzly Bear is the most printed green card of all time and Bears get very angry. You can see how angry Garruck got when Lily killed his beast or look at cards like rancor.
Also, red is about freedom and self. Chandra wants to explore her powers more. That’s not a color pie break from red.
As I've already said, I didn't mean literal color pie break/bend but used those terms as shorthands for "very not likely but still possible" and "not right ever", in the context of characters, not their colors. Let's just leave it.
I wonder about the part in second article when Lili mentions that Raven Man could be elder dragons human form. Were there shapeshifting dragons, a la Witcher's Villentretenmerth, in MtG? And could it be the one elder dragon that in recent sets seems to be the root of all evil?
I guess pre-mending PWs could choose to look as wathever they wanted to. I imagine elder dragons used to have such power.
The dragon you mentioned was the first I thought of. It would make sense that he would lead Liliana's Spark to ignite, then lead her to draft a contract with four demons to ensure she doesn't die due to aging and then induce her to kill the said demons to free her from servitude. The last Story Spotlight card from Dominaria is called "In Bola's Clutches" and is a control magic like card. It seems fit that Liliana's journey would end up with her turning into a Bolas' puppet.
On the other hand, there's another known elder dragon that used to whisper things into planeswalkers minds.
Just wento to Dominaria Story page and there's 12 Chapters???
Yeah and we get one today(Thrusday 3/22) but it only seems like alot because we only have the one set. Amonket and Ixalan block had about the same number between their two sets.
Yeah, indeed, but we have two sets (about 6 months) to space thoste stories.... these 12 must be spaced along 3 months, so we got the story of the next set in line?
I also admit I find the Cabal a poor choice of villain.
At the end of Apocalypse, we had the crescendo of a 9,000 year conflict centered around one man (Yawgmoth) and his rise to God of Machine Hell. Every set with any semblance of continuity plot revolved around this.
The next set was meant to be a post-apocalyptic scale-back. After the drama and climax, we go to a backwater part of a post-disaster Dominaria, where a less-than-world-dominating villain (the Cabal) is trying to gather power, and a hero (Kamahl) rises.
Now, hundreds of years later, we return to a world filled with Legends from the big-picture story leading up to the Invasion, and the entire ENORMOUS plane of Dominaria is apparently conquered by...that same backwater Otarian Cabal? This would be like if the villains of Mad Max: Fury Road gained worldwide power versus local warlord status. I do not like it.
Belzenlok is a new villain, and having him take possession of THE Stronghold in THE Urborg where THE Yawgmoth's corpse lies, conquering THE Benalia and wielding THE Blackblade...come on now, lets not use the lore of our childhood to make yet another replaceable demon into the god of darkness.
It's not really the same Cabal, just Belzenlok taking the name and some of its tactics( the dementia magic) as he seems intent on replacing figures from myth and history with himself.
I'm sure Nissan will come back eventually she's just made about amonkhet being destroyed by bolas besides zendikar was by just barely not destroyed from the second eldrazi fighting and I didn't see her react like that from all the destruction
Besides Jace did arrive to dominaria from the ending of rivals of ixalan
And Chandra will be back too I think she finds jaya and she teaches her everything she can.
I also admit I find the Cabal a poor choice of villain.
At the end of Apocalypse, we had the crescendo of a 9,000 year conflict centered around one man (Yawgmoth) and his rise to God of Machine Hell. Every set with any semblance of continuity plot revolved around this.
The next set was meant to be a post-apocalyptic scale-back. After the drama and climax, we go to a backwater part of a post-disaster Dominaria, where a less-than-world-dominating villain (the Cabal) is trying to gather power, and a hero (Kamahl) rises.
Now, hundreds of years later, we return to a world filled with Legends from the big-picture story leading up to the Invasion, and the entire ENORMOUS plane of Dominaria is apparently conquered by...that same backwater Otarian Cabal? This would be like if the villains of Mad Max: Fury Road gained worldwide power versus local warlord status. I do not like it.
Belzenlok is a new villain, and having him take possession of THE Stronghold in THE Urborg where THE Yawgmoth's corpse lies, conquering THE Benalia and wielding THE Blackblade...come on now, lets not use the lore of our childhood to make yet another replaceable demon into the god of darkness.
He's not new. Lili is a pre-mending walker, remember. She made her pact a long long time ago. He's new to the stories, but just because you haven't seen him doesn't mean he hasn't been around. He's new to the story that WE'VE seen, but that's the thing about a good story - it doesn't give everything away at once.
Besides, I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever if the Cabal is nothing more than a front for Belzenlok, a way for him to gather sycophants and minions, use them for his bidding and to consolidate his power. Time will tell. Either way, clearly the cabal has changed a lot since we last saw it.
I also admit I find the Cabal a poor choice of villain.
At the end of Apocalypse, we had the crescendo of a 9,000 year conflict centered around one man (Yawgmoth) and his rise to God of Machine Hell. Every set with any semblance of continuity plot revolved around this.
The next set was meant to be a post-apocalyptic scale-back. After the drama and climax, we go to a backwater part of a post-disaster Dominaria, where a less-than-world-dominating villain (the Cabal) is trying to gather power, and a hero (Kamahl) rises.
Now, hundreds of years later, we return to a world filled with Legends from the big-picture story leading up to the Invasion, and the entire ENORMOUS plane of Dominaria is apparently conquered by...that same backwater Otarian Cabal? This would be like if the villains of Mad Max: Fury Road gained worldwide power versus local warlord status. I do not like it.
Belzenlok is a new villain, and having him take possession of THE Stronghold in THE Urborg where THE Yawgmoth's corpse lies, conquering THE Benalia and wielding THE Blackblade...come on now, lets not use the lore of our childhood to make yet another replaceable demon into the god of darkness.
He's not new. Lili is a pre-mending walker, remember. She made her pact a long long time ago. He's new to the stories, but just because you haven't seen him doesn't mean he hasn't been around. He's new to the story that WE'VE seen, but that's the thing about a good story - it doesn't give everything away at once.
Besides, I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever if the Cabal is nothing more than a front for Belzenlok, a way for him to gather sycophants and minions, use them for his bidding and to consolidate his power. Time will tell. Either way, clearly the cabal has changed a lot since we last saw it.
Not THAT long ago. The pact was after the mending, because she was geting old again.
He's not new. Lili is a pre-mending walker, remember. She made her pact a long long time ago. He's new to the stories, but just because you haven't seen him doesn't mean he hasn't been around. He's new to the story that WE'VE seen, but that's the thing about a good story - it doesn't give everything away at once.
Besides, I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever if the Cabal is nothing more than a front for Belzenlok, a way for him to gather sycophants and minions, use them for his bidding and to consolidate his power. Time will tell. Either way, clearly the cabal has changed a lot since we last saw it.
Liliana is pre-mending, but her pacts are post-mending. And the mending happened only 60 years ago.
For the rest, yeah, Belzenlok is probably just appropiating the Cabal's name and structure. He appears to be forcibly including himself into Dominaria's backhistory as someone important. See how even Liliana thinks Belzenlok killed Kuberr, when it was Karona who did it?
I think it is supposed to feel forced. Belzenlok leads the Cabal, he rules the Stronghold, he forged the Blackblade, he killed Piru and Kuberr, and so on.
I think it is supposed to feel forced. Belzenlok leads the Cabal, he rules the Stronghold, he has the Blackblade, he killed an elder dragon, and so on.
This is what I'd thought, its made pretty implicit in the first story. There's a pretty clear Orwellian theme to the Cabal.
Exactly. Pacts did not come till after she began aging. The four demons are way post-Apocalypse.
Sure, but what I'm saying is that the likelihood they sprang into existence simply to form a pact with a random passing by planeswalker is very slim. Bolas was the arbiter of that pact, and he's ancient. So they've clearly been around the block a few times.
So from the new flavor text from Opt it looks like its Jhoira who gets Teferi as a walker again.
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“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
I am beginning to get worried the Raven Man is Bolas. That would be dissapointing. I wanted him to be a new character or LimDul or even just a subconsious projection of Lily herself. It seems anticlimactic to me for it to just be "another" Bolas maachination. Please dont be him......but there is already some foreshadowing hints and usually WOTC is obvious with these "twists" and it seems to be playing out.
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Been a member here for over a dozen years. Playing since '95 just got lost in the twitch shuffle.
I liked the story too, although I thought the Josu confrontation, at least physically, was anticlimactic. Still, the story seems to be really promoting some character development for Lili beyond snooty black mana hoe. It's giving her some dimension, and I like that. I hope they can do the same for Cardboard Cutout He-Man.
I am beginning to get worried the Raven Man is Bolas. That would be dissapointing. I wanted him to be a new character or LimDul or even just a subconsious projection of Lily herself. It seems anticlimactic to me for it to just be "another" Bolas maachination. Please dont be him......but there is already some foreshadowing hints and usually WOTC is obvious with these "twists" and it seems to be playing out.
Timeline doesn't let Bolas be the Raven Man. Lillina sparked in the 4300s, when Bolas was a ghost trapped in the Madaran Rift, only able to project as a phantom in Madara near the Talo Gates.
Solid second chapter. The end felt a bit rushed/fast (as was the case with the first story), but I guess that's how it's going to be with the time and space restrictions placed on the author. I don't really mind as long as the rest is alright.
Also, I've already posted this in the Rumor Mill, but one more time for this thread:
I've been wondering about the Opt art since the Spanish promos were spoiled. Could it be that Teferi's planeswalker version is actually going to be "old him"? Maybe he'll have to choose (or rather, opt) whether he wants to stay eternally young or get his spark back, but age?
Solid second chapter. The end felt a bit rushed/fast (as was the case with the first story), but I guess that's how it's going to be with the time and space restrictions placed on the author. I don't really mind as long as the rest is alright.
Also, I've already posted this in the Rumor Mill, but one more time for this thread:
I've been wondering about the Opt art since the Spanish promos were spoiled. Could it be that Teferi's planeswalker version is actually going to be "old him"? Maybe he'll have to choose (or rather, opt) whether he wants to stay eternally young or get his spark back, but age?
Why would you choose NOT to look like Eddie Murphy?
Seriously though, this sounds feasible. It'll be interesting to hear how Jhoira makes it happen. She's rad.
White can be just as pragmatic as black when circumstance demands. Don't forget that White is also the color of military thinking and battle strategy. in war, lines must often be crossed, sacrifices made and hard choices thought out in the name of victory. and sometimes you have to endure losing a few battles in the name of winning the war. This is a side of white Gideon has not been used to using, but it is a vital part of his development as a warrior and as a leader.
before he was letting his ideology dictate his decisions. But now with a long-term war objective in mind, he is learning to be a lot more strategic. Gideon is playing the long game here and I like that element of growth in his character.
Click the pic for more info.
I laughed out loud.
Anger from green isn’t a color pie break. Besides red, green is the angriest color. Blue is the most about logic, but then the allied colors of white, logically following the law, and black, logically following ambition don’t get as angry as green does. Grizzly Bear is the most printed green card of all time and Bears get very angry. You can see how angry Garruck got when Lily killed his beast or look at cards like rancor.
Also, red is about freedom and self. Chandra wants to explore her powers more. That’s not a color pie break from red.
JundBGR
RW Blood MoonRW
Pauper
Delver U
Elves G
Control B
Commander
Edgar Markov BRW
Captain Sisay GW
Niv-Mizzet, Parun UR
Tymna and Ravos WB
—Mowagh the Gwyllion, Fang Skulkin
As I've already said, I didn't mean literal color pie break/bend but used those terms as shorthands for "very not likely but still possible" and "not right ever", in the context of characters, not their colors. Let's just leave it.
I wonder about the part in second article when Lili mentions that Raven Man could be elder dragons human form. Were there shapeshifting dragons, a la Witcher's Villentretenmerth, in MtG? And could it be the one elder dragon that in recent sets seems to be the root of all evil?
BWTokens
GCollected Stompany
BWGUSeance Insanity
URUR Bloo
I couldn't agree more. Gideon's problem isn't that he can't be pragmatic, it's that he's never had to be. He's always tried to use his indestructibility to avoid distasteful solutions - putting others at risk - but now he's learned that his armor isn't foolproof. Just as with Jace and Liliana, he has a chance to grow.
I'm intrigued by the developments with Jace, Liliana, and Gideon, and curious to see how Chandra and Nissa deal with the events of Hour of Devastation.
RWU
GUB
WBR
URG
BGW
I guess pre-mending PWs could choose to look as wathever they wanted to. I imagine elder dragons used to have such power.
The dragon you mentioned was the first I thought of. It would make sense that he would lead Liliana's Spark to ignite, then lead her to draft a contract with four demons to ensure she doesn't die due to aging and then induce her to kill the said demons to free her from servitude. The last Story Spotlight card from Dominaria is called "In Bola's Clutches" and is a control magic like card. It seems fit that Liliana's journey would end up with her turning into a Bolas' puppet.
On the other hand, there's another known elder dragon that used to whisper things into planeswalkers minds.
Commander: WUBRG Superfriends, GW Rhys Tokens, WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon
Kitchen Table (now that's real Magic): WUBRG Domain, GU Biovisionary, UB Korlash Grandeur, UW Merfolk Mill
Yeah, indeed, but we have two sets (about 6 months) to space thoste stories.... these 12 must be spaced along 3 months, so we got the story of the next set in line?
Job
I'm sure Nissan will come back eventually she's just made about amonkhet being destroyed by bolas besides zendikar was by just barely not destroyed from the second eldrazi fighting and I didn't see her react like that from all the destruction
Besides Jace did arrive to dominaria from the ending of rivals of ixalan
And Chandra will be back too I think she finds jaya and she teaches her everything she can.
And wow liliana is becoming more good.
He's not new. Lili is a pre-mending walker, remember. She made her pact a long long time ago. He's new to the stories, but just because you haven't seen him doesn't mean he hasn't been around. He's new to the story that WE'VE seen, but that's the thing about a good story - it doesn't give everything away at once.
Besides, I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever if the Cabal is nothing more than a front for Belzenlok, a way for him to gather sycophants and minions, use them for his bidding and to consolidate his power. Time will tell. Either way, clearly the cabal has changed a lot since we last saw it.
Not THAT long ago. The pact was after the mending, because she was geting old again.
Liliana is pre-mending, but her pacts are post-mending. And the mending happened only 60 years ago.
For the rest, yeah, Belzenlok is probably just appropiating the Cabal's name and structure. He appears to be forcibly including himself into Dominaria's backhistory as someone important. See how even Liliana thinks Belzenlok killed Kuberr, when it was Karona who did it?
I think it is supposed to feel forced. Belzenlok leads the Cabal, he rules the Stronghold, he forged the Blackblade, he killed Piru and Kuberr, and so on.
This is what I'd thought, its made pretty implicit in the first story. There's a pretty clear Orwellian theme to the Cabal.
Sure, but what I'm saying is that the likelihood they sprang into existence simply to form a pact with a random passing by planeswalker is very slim. Bolas was the arbiter of that pact, and he's ancient. So they've clearly been around the block a few times.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
I am beginning to get worried the Raven Man is Bolas. That would be dissapointing. I wanted him to be a new character or LimDul or even just a subconsious projection of Lily herself. It seems anticlimactic to me for it to just be "another" Bolas maachination. Please dont be him......but there is already some foreshadowing hints and usually WOTC is obvious with these "twists" and it seems to be playing out.
I would love to get Rotlung Reanimator reprinted again...
Care to elaborate? I'm still pretty on board with Lim-Dul, I haven't seen anything really ominous leaning me towards Bolas.
Also, I've already posted this in the Rumor Mill, but one more time for this thread:
I've been wondering about the Opt art since the Spanish promos were spoiled. Could it be that Teferi's planeswalker version is actually going to be "old him"? Maybe he'll have to choose (or rather, opt) whether he wants to stay eternally young or get his spark back, but age?
Why would you choose NOT to look like Eddie Murphy?
Seriously though, this sounds feasible. It'll be interesting to hear how Jhoira makes it happen. She's rad.