This is what the TO sees when we sanction Buy-A-Box promos...
By the way, it does appear that they have fixed the bug that wasn't allowing those stores that use Wizards WPN Outreach as their distributor to sanction their M14 Prereleases.
Why did they have to reprint this? All this does it just nerf any kind of token strategy, which is something we were gearing up to see post rotation. It's not like it was threatening to be OP. Cards like Ratchet Bomb are the worst kind of cards -- they just make an archetype outright unplayable.
Why did they have to reprint this? All this does it just nerf any kind of token strategy, which is something we were gearing up to see post rotation. It's not like it was threatening to be OP. Cards like Ratchet Bomb are the worst kind of cards -- they just make an archetype outright unplayable.
Promotes balance, and it's not until they do well will people slot for them and when they forget to, tokens will come back. I liked the balance they had in Dark Ascension standard.
There s no balance with this. This card single handedly kills tokens as a deck. As long as RB is legal, tokens can never be a deck. It's exactly what happened in Dark Ascension Standard and it's what is going to happen now.
Never mind my last post. This is the bane of token decks! Everyone should sell their token producers (especially Voice of Resurgence) as fast as they can before they lose in value! Make sure to clog the market as much as possible!
Imagine if your opponent goes turn 1 Illness and Turn 2 ratchet bomb, how do you even fight through that
You don't. You sit back in your chair, pick up your cards, and admit that the Esper-mage is the better player and far superior. You then take your janky and less intelligent GW playin' butt home to sit and think about your life.
But in all seriousness, GW has answers to artifacts and enchantments all the time. I would imagine that there would just be more need to sideboard/maindeck a couple answers to this sort of thing.
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"Truth begets Knowledge. Knowledge begets Power. Power in turn guides us ever towards the Truth." --Hector Reid
Imagine if your opponent goes turn 1 Illness and Turn 2 ratchet bomb, how do you even fight through that
The easy way out of that would be playing Naturalize. What you should really do is not over-extend, since most tokens are bigger than 1/1 anyway (centaurs, wurms). If your tokens aren't buffed at all and are simple 1/1's I'm not seeing how you'd win anyway. Magic has a bunch of fast, versatile, resilient threats now so you can't have the game plan of sitting back and chipping away with two Lingering Souls tokens for 20+ damage.
Basically what I'm saying is that the sky isn't falling. You will still be able to play tokens after M14 comes out. Illness in the Ranks and Curse of Death's Hold are more devastating for pure token strategies and they've been out for quite some time. Ratchet Bomb is more versatile but it's little other than a Pyroclasm or Supreme Verdict (against tokens), both of which can be played/built around.
There s no balance with this. This card single handedly kills tokens as a deck. As long as RB is legal, tokens can never be a deck. It's exactly what happened in Dark Ascension Standard and it's what is going to happen now.
Why complain now when Gaze of Granite already exists and is much more versatile? At least Ratchet Bomb is almost purely a sideboard card.
These cards are here solely to stop plays that require little opponent interaction, and the same goes for Tormod's Crypt and such. Even if you're winning in the red zone, having a token army thats compeletely insurmountable, or a ridiculously large, evasive creature in the early turns is rarely fun for your opponent. Having the ability to Ratchet Bomb away a two/three turn clock gives other decks a chance of recovery.
Imagine if your opponent goes turn 1 Illness and Turn 2 ratchet bomb, how do you even fight through that
Um, you laugh because they didn't play any actual cards then kill them with Loxodon Smiter? GW has the best creature pool in the game don't restrict yourself to just token producers and you'll be well on your way to creating a decent tempo deck. I just think good stuff decks are way better atm so a dedicated token strat isn't as effective as just combining lingering/conclave/advent with already good beats.
But.. you tap and sac the Bomb to activate the ability.. how exactly is a Naturalize effect saving you...?
Again, don't over-extend. You can't stop the bomb unless you're running counters or Pithing Needle which I wouldn't suggest... Although Ready // Willing and Rootborn Defenses are good answers. With Sundering Growth you can destroy the Ratchet Bomb to force them to sac it before you play your other guys.
It's not ideal but let's face it: you should never ever run cards to deal with Ratchet Bomb. The reason I said Naturalize is because Curse of Death's Hold and Illness in the Ranks are infinitely better against tokens and what you should be worried about. Think of Ratchet Bomb as a Pyroclasm or Wrath of God. Sweepers have ALWAYS been good against creature decks. That has been the case since Alpha.
Rootborn Defenses should be a 3-4 of in every token deck at the moment now anyway. It's just too good.
Pithing Needle isn't a terrible SB choice with a token deck now that Ratchet Bomb is coming in. Siding in a couple Pithing Needles doesn't slow down how fast tokens really is.
I think we'll see that Ratchet Bomb will be a good answer to tokens, but a lot of people are over-exaggerating if they're thinking this card will outright kill the deck. It won't.
Esper dominated the PT.
By the way, it does appear that they have fixed the bug that wasn't allowing those stores that use Wizards WPN Outreach as their distributor to sanction their M14 Prereleases.
Promotes balance, and it's not until they do well will people slot for them and when they forget to, tokens will come back. I liked the balance they had in Dark Ascension standard.
It's not breaking anything.
Besides, you still have Rootborn Defenses and Ready // Willing.
Stop overreacting the same way people overreacted to Grafdigger's Cage and Rest in Peace.
HIGH FIVE !
You don't. You sit back in your chair, pick up your cards, and admit that the Esper-mage is the better player and far superior. You then take your janky and less intelligent GW playin' butt home to sit and think about your life.
But in all seriousness, GW has answers to artifacts and enchantments all the time. I would imagine that there would just be more need to sideboard/maindeck a couple answers to this sort of thing.
--Hector Reid
The easy way out of that would be playing Naturalize. What you should really do is not over-extend, since most tokens are bigger than 1/1 anyway (centaurs, wurms). If your tokens aren't buffed at all and are simple 1/1's I'm not seeing how you'd win anyway. Magic has a bunch of fast, versatile, resilient threats now so you can't have the game plan of sitting back and chipping away with two Lingering Souls tokens for 20+ damage.
Basically what I'm saying is that the sky isn't falling. You will still be able to play tokens after M14 comes out. Illness in the Ranks and Curse of Death's Hold are more devastating for pure token strategies and they've been out for quite some time. Ratchet Bomb is more versatile but it's little other than a Pyroclasm or Supreme Verdict (against tokens), both of which can be played/built around.
Tormod's Crypt and Rest in Peace & Rakdos Charm are there and Reanimator is dead...
These cards are here solely to stop plays that require little opponent interaction, and the same goes for Tormod's Crypt and such. Even if you're winning in the red zone, having a token army thats compeletely insurmountable, or a ridiculously large, evasive creature in the early turns is rarely fun for your opponent. Having the ability to Ratchet Bomb away a two/three turn clock gives other decks a chance of recovery.
With a token deck? No.
Sundering Growth
I was waiting for someone to say it.
Sideboards get filled with RBs, I fill mine with Sundering Growths to counter. That's the game.
But.. you tap and sac the Bomb to activate the ability.. how exactly is a Naturalize effect saving you...?
But maybe I'm biased cuz I freaking love this card and will be playing it in almost every deck I can squeeze it into.
Um, you laugh because they didn't play any actual cards then kill them with Loxodon Smiter? GW has the best creature pool in the game don't restrict yourself to just token producers and you'll be well on your way to creating a decent tempo deck. I just think good stuff decks are way better atm so a dedicated token strat isn't as effective as just combining lingering/conclave/advent with already good beats.
Again, don't over-extend. You can't stop the bomb unless you're running counters or Pithing Needle which I wouldn't suggest... Although Ready // Willing and Rootborn Defenses are good answers. With Sundering Growth you can destroy the
Ratchet Bombto force them to sac it before you play your other guys.It's not ideal but let's face it: you should never ever run cards to deal with Ratchet Bomb. The reason I said Naturalize is because Curse of Death's Hold and Illness in the Ranks are infinitely better against tokens and what you should be worried about. Think of Ratchet Bomb as a Pyroclasm or Wrath of God. Sweepers have ALWAYS been good against creature decks. That has been the case since Alpha.
Ready/Willing
Boros Charm (I have a sneaking suspicion that Naya tokens will become a thing)
and
Rootborn Defenses
Pithing Needle isn't a terrible SB choice with a token deck now that Ratchet Bomb is coming in. Siding in a couple Pithing Needles doesn't slow down how fast tokens really is.
I think we'll see that Ratchet Bomb will be a good answer to tokens, but a lot of people are over-exaggerating if they're thinking this card will outright kill the deck. It won't.
That's about all I'm sure about from reading this thread.
yeah but before there was a human reanimator that played against tombs rests and charms
Tokens players will learn to play around that bomb
Tokens have no CMC, therefore are instant-killed by a Ratchet Bomb with one charge on it.