So Conflux is bringing us a reprinted, boring cycle and a mechanic from invasion. Cool, because the one thing magic has been lacking lately is nostalgia and cycles.
calling it now: conflux sucks. (but would love to be proven wrong)
I don't understand the flavor behind the invasion bears. Why don't have protection from the second "new" color? Why protection in the first place? If I was arriving at a new world protection of said world is not what I would have.
OK, so we had no cards with "protetion from ~", why are we now getting them in the 2nd set of this block? Are we in such mortal danger we need commons with protection on them? Is this because there are so many 5+ power creatures in this block &/or because there are many three colored spells, so a creature w/ protection has a good defence from any of those 3 colored spells?
Who's-a got da' answers for me???
Flavor: In the arrangement of the shards in SoA, it would have been irrelevant for an inhabitant of Valeron on Bant to have protection from black magic, because there was none. Now, for whatever reason, the shards are starting to bleed together, and this is relevant.
What puzzles me is that any inhabitant of Valeron has protection from black, not having developed such an immunity in the time spent away from that influence. If that's what's confusing you, I agree.
Gameplay: As the block moves on we're going to see more cards that involve the shards' colors and themes playing with each other, rather than just working well indirectly.
Having a reprinted card be part of a cycle doesn't mean that all of the cards in that cycle are reprinted.
Case in point, piracy charm of the planar chaos charm cycle was the only timeshifted card.
Planar Chaos didn't have "reprints" at all, though there were many cards which were only changed in that they were a different color from before (and one artifact that became blue, Primal Plasma), of course like Piracy Charm.
Otherwise, I agree. Anyway, Gaea's Might wasn't part of the same cycle as Worldly Counsel (being in Planeshift rather than Invasion) so it doesn't count, if either of them were even technically in a cycle anyway.
I thought WOTC was being lazy when they did SoA, due to the huge number of cycles in the set, but Conflux is looking even worse. A 145 card set with 4 reprints and 7 functional reprints out of 21 cards spoiled? (yes I am counting the rare land as a functional reprint)
SoA was the first set since Ravnica I did not buy a booster box of and things are not looking good for Conflux to reverse that trend.
I totally agree with you. Alare was boring indeed and this set is already looking up to be worse than many custom made sets from this forums.
Shadowmoor block had FAR FAR more cycles (or at least stricter ones) than SoA. The rare land is nothing like a functional reprint. Can you explain to me how a 2cc artifact and a land are the same thing?
At any rate, the reprints and functional reprints we have are all commons. This will affect limited, and some are constructed worthy. When was the last time some of the commons in a set influenced someone's purchase of a box?
Maybe true, but Shadowmoor felt less lazy and felt more inovative than Alara was. Plus Alara had reprints, was small and had lame vanilla's.
So Conflux is bringing us a reprinted, boring cycle and a mechanic from invasion. Cool, because the one thing magic has been lacking lately is nostalgia and cycles.
calling it now: conflux sucks. (but would love to be proven wrong)
And with this opinion I loudly concur.
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hey i have managed to evolve my axolotls by feeding them thyroid glands the thyroxine contained in these gland is enough to change these water dwelling creatures into land based creatures
Posted by: Tay Collins | January 20, 2010 6:45 AM
Tay, that's not evolution. It's metamorphosis. Evolution means descent with heritable modification – individuals cannot evolve, unless they're Pokemon.
Posted by: David Marjanović | January 20, 2010 8:55 AM
Maybe true, but Shadowmoor felt less lazy and felt more inovative than Alara was.
What would you say was innovative about Shadowmoor? I thought it was the most boring set I've seen since before Mirrodin. I find Alara by contrast, to be a lot of fun.
These are going to be some of the most important commons in draft/sealed, in my opinion, not seeing any of the other cards in the set. With so many cards being 2-3 colors, these guys have a good chance of always getting through.
It would have been nice to see something like Moonglove Extract in the set just so a given deck couldn't just be cold to a given common.
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What would you say was innovative about Shadowmoor? I thought it was the most boring set I've seen since before Mirrodin. I find Alara by contrast, to be a lot of fun.
id also agree with this one. shadowmoor was a tad BOOOOORRRRIIIINNNGG set.
Lorwyn was much more exciting and powerful.
and for me Alara is my fav set. its perfectly balanced.
it would probably bring the next meta game in a battle of play skills. not battle of [ard]cryptic command[/card]s and bitterblossoms
Remember that one time long ago, Alara already be a entire plane, some abilities just became forgotten and dormand... (like progenitus?)
Now, with that re-joining, and strange mana flowing into the shards, strange and lost forgotten abilities will be recovered e relearned... protection is one of then...
I expect at least 10 constructed playable good cards in this set!
My thoughts is that domain will be just the naya theme, since is the green centered shard, fetch lands of any basic type (rampart growth? exploding borders? search for tomorrow?) is easy...
Oh, I love the protection 2/2 cycle, did I say that Shroud and Protection are my prefered abilities of all the time?
What would you say was innovative about Shadowmoor? I thought it was the most boring set I've seen since before Mirrodin. I find Alara by contrast, to be a lot of fun.
Well the fact that Shadowmoor explorers the hybrid mana which makes the viable on multicolor ways but defenitly also monocolored.
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hey i have managed to evolve my axolotls by feeding them thyroid glands the thyroxine contained in these gland is enough to change these water dwelling creatures into land based creatures
Posted by: Tay Collins | January 20, 2010 6:45 AM
Tay, that's not evolution. It's metamorphosis. Evolution means descent with heritable modification – individuals cannot evolve, unless they're Pokemon.
Posted by: David Marjanović | January 20, 2010 8:55 AM
So Conflux is bringing us a reprinted, boring cycle and a mechanic from invasion. Cool, because the one thing magic has been lacking lately is nostalgia and cycles.
calling it now: conflux sucks. (but would love to be proven wrong)
I've been watching a few rumor seasons now, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that when a few cards are being reprinted or when a few cards aren't constructed playable, someone jumps out and declares the whole set as jank.
15% of the set is currently spoiled. There's 124 cards left to be spoiled. Yet, out of the 21 cards we have so far, the set can be called a failure?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge fan of all the reprints, but I think judgment should be reserved until all, or at least a large majority, of the set is spoiled.
Remember that one time long ago, Alara already be a entire plane, some abilities just became forgotten and dormand... (like progenitus?)
Now, with that re-joining, and strange mana flowing into the shards, strange and lost forgotten abilities will be recovered e relearned... protection is one of then...
i was having trouble with this flavorwise too, but i like this explanation and it makes perfect sense.
When I see Healing Salve, I'm often like "Oh girl, I wish I could turn every card into this." Thanks they removed the gain life part, otherwise this would have been broken.
It would have been nice to see something like Moonglove Extract in the set just so a given deck couldn't just be cold to a given common.
If you have a mono-colored deck in Alara limited, then you have bigger problems than that your Viashino Skeleton can't trade with their :symw::symu: Outlander.
These are going to be some of the most important commons in draft/sealed, in my opinion, not seeing any of the other cards in the set. With so many cards being 2-3 colors, these guys have a good chance of always getting through.
It would have been nice to see something like Moonglove Extract in the set just so a given deck couldn't just be cold to a given common.
i think this card is Freakin' awesome just imagine zoo with this even on the draw u flex "Nutz" any mana drawing the extra card u can pitch and turning up the gas on tempo and it still taps for mana easily a 3 of most likely a 4 of
I've been watching a few rumor seasons now, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that when a few cards are being reprinted or when a few cards aren't constructed playable, someone jumps out and declares the whole set as jank.
15% of the set is currently spoiled. There's 124 cards left to be spoiled. Yet, out of the 21 cards we have so far, the set can be called a failure?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge fan of all the reprints, but I think judgment should be reserved until all, or at least a large majority, of the set is spoiled.
Especially when around 12 of the spoiled cards are commons...and none of them are bad commons either.
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Especially when around 12 of the spoiled cards are commons...and none of them are bad commons either.
Agree... I think this set is turning out to be very nice. Conflux seems like it will be a fun set that may bring Magic down to a reasonable level again...
I have already started using basic lands again because I had a feeling things were going to start heading that way and I'm glad to see it!
I've been watching a few rumor seasons now, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that when a few cards are being reprinted or when a few cards aren't constructed playable, someone jumps out and declares the whole set as jank.
15% of the set is currently spoiled. There's 124 cards left to be spoiled. Yet, out of the 21 cards we have so far, the set can be called a failure?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge fan of all the reprints, but I think judgment should be reserved until all, or at least a large majority, of the set is spoiled.
OK, just don't think I'm some idiot that is all OMG CONFLUX SUX because only one of the cards we've seen is overpowered. I've seen more than a few rumor seasons and I started playing magic around fallen empires. I've really cared about card and set design since around mirage block, and I look at sets more from a designer's, rather than a player's, standpoint.
I haven't liked the past 3 sets (shadowmoor, eventide, shards) because in my opinion, the design of those sets was lazy. It was incredibly cycle-heavy and also too much of it all felt like a rehash of things that had been done far too recently, and I also didn't like what wotc was doing to the color pie. Conflux looks on track to make it 4 disappointing sets in a row.
And by your logic, we can't say a set is "turning out to be very nice" either at this point, can we? The fact that only 21 cards have been spoiled shouldn't prevent us from having thoughts on them.
My only point was that, geez, did we REALLY need the most boring cycle ever to be functionally reprinted? I don't care if "color matters" is a huge theme of the set, step your game up and design something more interesting than five bears with protection from a color. Especially now, when being a 2/2 for 2-mana isn't exciting or useful in any color combination.
What I've seen so far is a sign of a bad set to come, but again, I would love to be proven wrong.
Yay, another reprint-fest. And the return of domain, now as a keyworded mechanic. When a set is a small as 145 cards, 6 rehashed cards is a big percentage, not to mention the actual reprints, and I wouldnt be too surprised if there were still a good bunch of pseudo-reprints left to spoil. I sure as hell hope that next block is gonna be a breathtaking master work of innovation and creativity after a solid two years of focused work seeing as how they didn't really create that many new cards for this block (or maybe this was just the year of taking it easy?). Now lets just see if the handful of interesting cards hopefully left to appear in Conflux and Reborn are enough to keep me interested until then.
Maybe what dissappoint me the most is that they threw that great philosophy of interblock design to the trash bin. Alara not only doesnt support any of the themes of LOR/SHA, it actually opposes some of them (for example, pushing different types of basic lands in a deck, makes impossible to cast the great HHH or HHHHH creatures from SHA-EVE), the saddest part being that LOR/SHA cards are vastly superior anyway, giving few motivation to come with ALA archetypes. And really, how hard would have been to support the LOR tribes at least in a small way like Ravnica supported Kamigawa spirits? A shame.
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
Yay, another reprint-fest. And the return of domain, now as a keyworded mechanic. When a set is a small as 145 cards, 6 rehashed cards is a big percentage, not to mention the actual reprints, and I wouldnt be too surprised if there were still a good bunch of pseudo-reprints left to spoil. I sure as hell hope that next block is gonna be a breathtaking master work of innovation and creativity after a solid two years of focused work seeing as how they didn't really create that many new cards for this block (or maybe this was just the year of taking it easy?). Now lets just see if the handful of interesting cards hopefully left to appear in Conflux and Reborn are enough to keep me interested until then.
Maybe what dissappoint me the most is that they threw that great philosophy of interblock design to the trash bin. Alara not only doesnt support any of the themes of LOR/SHA, it actually opposes some of them (for example, pushing different types of basic lands in a deck, makes impossible to cast the great HHH or HHHHH creatures from SHA-EVE), the saddest part being that LOR/SHA cards are vastly superior anyway, giving few motivation to come with ALA archetypes. And really, how hard would have been to support the LOR tribes at least in a small way like Ravnica supported Kamigawa spirits? A shame.
Has anyone considered that there are reprints in Shards and Conflux because they couldn't fit them into 11th?
And how is casting an HHH or HHHHH creature spell impossible with basic lands? You could run a WBR deck with 4 of each basic land plus filters and easily cast Demigod or Restless Apparition or Gouger or Nobilis of War.
It actually seems like with the "return" of basic lands, Wizards is allowing some of the players who weren't able to get there hands on the expensive mana bases to play competitive Magic.
calling it now: conflux sucks. (but would love to be proven wrong)
Case in point, piracy charm of the planar chaos charm cycle was the only timeshifted card.
Have we confirmed the name/color combinations? I can't be the only one who saw Valeron Outlander as WU and thought "Those are Jhess colors..."
Flavor: In the arrangement of the shards in SoA, it would have been irrelevant for an inhabitant of Valeron on Bant to have protection from black magic, because there was none. Now, for whatever reason, the shards are starting to bleed together, and this is relevant.
What puzzles me is that any inhabitant of Valeron has protection from black, not having developed such an immunity in the time spent away from that influence. If that's what's confusing you, I agree.
Gameplay: As the block moves on we're going to see more cards that involve the shards' colors and themes playing with each other, rather than just working well indirectly.
Planar Chaos didn't have "reprints" at all, though there were many cards which were only changed in that they were a different color from before (and one artifact that became blue, Primal Plasma), of course like Piracy Charm.
Otherwise, I agree. Anyway, Gaea's Might wasn't part of the same cycle as Worldly Counsel (being in Planeshift rather than Invasion) so it doesn't count, if either of them were even technically in a cycle anyway.
Still, wizards has never locked themselves into a corner of "hmm, we reprinted this card, we must reprint the other 4"
It would be white.
I totally agree with you. Alare was boring indeed and this set is already looking up to be worse than many custom made sets from this forums.
That's a bit my problem. They will still print those Dreg reaver like cards.
Maybe true, but Shadowmoor felt less lazy and felt more inovative than Alara was. Plus Alara had reprints, was small and had lame vanilla's.
And with this opinion I loudly concur.
Posted by: Tay Collins | January 20, 2010 6:45 AM
Tay, that's not evolution. It's metamorphosis. Evolution means descent with heritable modification – individuals cannot evolve, unless they're Pokemon.
Posted by: David Marjanović | January 20, 2010 8:55 AM
What would you say was innovative about Shadowmoor? I thought it was the most boring set I've seen since before Mirrodin. I find Alara by contrast, to be a lot of fun.
It would have been nice to see something like Moonglove Extract in the set just so a given deck couldn't just be cold to a given common.
id also agree with this one. shadowmoor was a tad BOOOOORRRRIIIINNNGG set.
Lorwyn was much more exciting and powerful.
and for me Alara is my fav set. its perfectly balanced.
it would probably bring the next meta game in a battle of play skills. not battle of [ard]cryptic command[/card]s and bitterblossoms
ChibiSwan! YOU ROCK!
...........Shin on the textless Cryptic Command
Now, with that re-joining, and strange mana flowing into the shards, strange and lost forgotten abilities will be recovered e relearned... protection is one of then...
I expect at least 10 constructed playable good cards in this set!
My thoughts is that domain will be just the naya theme, since is the green centered shard, fetch lands of any basic type (rampart growth? exploding borders? search for tomorrow?) is easy...
Oh, I love the protection 2/2 cycle, did I say that Shroud and Protection are my prefered abilities of all the time?
Well the fact that Shadowmoor explorers the hybrid mana which makes the viable on multicolor ways but defenitly also monocolored.
Posted by: Tay Collins | January 20, 2010 6:45 AM
Tay, that's not evolution. It's metamorphosis. Evolution means descent with heritable modification – individuals cannot evolve, unless they're Pokemon.
Posted by: David Marjanović | January 20, 2010 8:55 AM
I've been watching a few rumor seasons now, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that when a few cards are being reprinted or when a few cards aren't constructed playable, someone jumps out and declares the whole set as jank.
15% of the set is currently spoiled. There's 124 cards left to be spoiled. Yet, out of the 21 cards we have so far, the set can be called a failure?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge fan of all the reprints, but I think judgment should be reserved until all, or at least a large majority, of the set is spoiled.
i was having trouble with this flavorwise too, but i like this explanation and it makes perfect sense.
If you have a mono-colored deck in Alara limited, then you have bigger problems than that your Viashino Skeleton can't trade with their :symw::symu: Outlander.
executioner's capsule
When he mentioned Moonglove Extract he obviously meant a colorless source of damage as EC does not kill the one with protection from black. Way to go.
Especially when around 12 of the spoiled cards are commons...and none of them are bad commons either.
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I'm really happy to see the domain theme so strong in conflux. I'm hoping for some sweet domain cards to compliment the already strong cards.
Agree... I think this set is turning out to be very nice. Conflux seems like it will be a fun set that may bring Magic down to a reasonable level again...
I have already started using basic lands again because I had a feeling things were going to start heading that way and I'm glad to see it!
OK, just don't think I'm some idiot that is all OMG CONFLUX SUX because only one of the cards we've seen is overpowered. I've seen more than a few rumor seasons and I started playing magic around fallen empires. I've really cared about card and set design since around mirage block, and I look at sets more from a designer's, rather than a player's, standpoint.
I haven't liked the past 3 sets (shadowmoor, eventide, shards) because in my opinion, the design of those sets was lazy. It was incredibly cycle-heavy and also too much of it all felt like a rehash of things that had been done far too recently, and I also didn't like what wotc was doing to the color pie. Conflux looks on track to make it 4 disappointing sets in a row.
And by your logic, we can't say a set is "turning out to be very nice" either at this point, can we? The fact that only 21 cards have been spoiled shouldn't prevent us from having thoughts on them.
My only point was that, geez, did we REALLY need the most boring cycle ever to be functionally reprinted? I don't care if "color matters" is a huge theme of the set, step your game up and design something more interesting than five bears with protection from a color. Especially now, when being a 2/2 for 2-mana isn't exciting or useful in any color combination.
What I've seen so far is a sign of a bad set to come, but again, I would love to be proven wrong.
Maybe what dissappoint me the most is that they threw that great philosophy of interblock design to the trash bin. Alara not only doesnt support any of the themes of LOR/SHA, it actually opposes some of them (for example, pushing different types of basic lands in a deck, makes impossible to cast the great HHH or HHHHH creatures from SHA-EVE), the saddest part being that LOR/SHA cards are vastly superior anyway, giving few motivation to come with ALA archetypes. And really, how hard would have been to support the LOR tribes at least in a small way like Ravnica supported Kamigawa spirits? A shame.
Has anyone considered that there are reprints in Shards and Conflux because they couldn't fit them into 11th?
And how is casting an HHH or HHHHH creature spell impossible with basic lands? You could run a WBR deck with 4 of each basic land plus filters and easily cast Demigod or Restless Apparition or Gouger or Nobilis of War.
It actually seems like with the "return" of basic lands, Wizards is allowing some of the players who weren't able to get there hands on the expensive mana bases to play competitive Magic.