Who is this set supposed to appeal to, exactly? This set doesn't even seem that fun to draft, to be honest.
We have mostly only seen the rares/mythics so far mostly.. I mean we have like between 10-20% of all the commons/uncommons and like 80-90% of the rares/mythics.
The Bestow creatures are an acceptable cycle of Commons for Limited. The Green and Blue ones definitely feel like they are the best of the bunch.
The Astronomer is a cool 'build-around me' creature which can also be decent in Limited. It's a much better Bestow target than Omenspeaker, that's for certain.
Lastly, Oracle of Bones is pretty rad. While the card's overall power isn't super high, I can see it leading to amazing game play, both in casual and in Limited. Dropping it and getting a free spell (because your opponent has a big blocker) is going to feel great the times that free spell is Portent of Betrayal. I highly anticipate performing this feat.
Perhaps I'm evaluating this wrong, but in most scenarios, aren't you going to let the opponent cast their free thing? What are they going to even be casting for free with the minotaur to warrant paying the tribute cost? Most decks that want an aggressive, but vanilla four drop that don't already have a four drop aren't going to be playing splashy spells over 2-3CMC per card. I can only really think of two-costing removal spells like Lightning Strike.
In that case, Oracle reads "4CMC 3/1, haste, generate two mana that must be used immediately and only on this one card." Most of the time, this is going to be an inopportune time to cast said removal spell, especially if you would normally want to cast this spell at instant speed. (Net) two mana for a 3/1 haste is efficient, but you're required to have a spell to use in hand, it's coming down on T4 at the earliest which is less than impressive, and will probably get roadblocked more often than not by that point in the game. And this is all WITH the downside of the punisher mechanic.
Divination, Read the Bones, etc. would be better, but I'm still trying to see how they mesh with a card like Oracle.
Anyone who thinks Brimaz, Hero of Iroas, Spirit of the Labyrinth, Fated Infatuation, Thassa's Rebuff, Whelming Wave, Bile Blight, Drown in Sorrow, Searing Blood, Unravel the Aether and Kiora's Follower are not going to see Constructed play are not paying attention (or possibly just bad at magic). And I left out a bunch of borderline cards that are just waiting for the right archetype: Fanatic of Xenagos, all the Gods but Karametra, Hero of Leina Tower, Pain Seer, Archetype of Courage etc etc.
You're absolutely right, and I agree wholeheartedly. Two constructed playable rares is exactly right for this kind of small set :rolleyes:! Although you did forget Xenagos.
Oh, I thought he was talking about playing a spell that is countering a spell with counters on it as it comes into play, but I see you guys were just discussing whether he was flashing a creature with flash in order to flash a flashback or just flashing a creature with flash but not needing flash in order to flashback a spell without flash.
You're absolutely right, and I agree wholeheartedly. Two constructed playable rares is exactly right for this kind of small set :rolleyes:! Although you did forget Xenagos.
There are more than two. But it looks like less than a dozen. (At least for rares/mythics.)
You're absolutely right, and I agree wholeheartedly. Two constructed playable rares is exactly right for this kind of small set :rolleyes:! Although you did forget Xenagos.
Seriously? Half the cards you "struck out being cutesy" are going to get played in standard. If you don't think so, you should probably stop playing magic, or do some reading up/research and develop card evaluation skills.
No. Fanatic of Xenagos is *actually* playable. The Phoenix would be a close second and is right on the fringe of playability.
The minotaur is probably 4th actually after the Nessian Wilds Ravager, which will usually be a 12/12 for 6 mana.
I like the concept of tribute, and I think that the Fanatic is pretty good. But this guy? Not good enough.
This guy is better than the ravager and is probably better than the phoenix. Don't forget he has tribal support and comes down the turn after a Rageblood Shaman so he's going to be a 4/2 with haste/trample and a free spell or a 6/4 with haste/trample.
This guy is better than the ravager and is probably better than the phoenix. Don't forget he has tribal support and comes down the turn after a Rageblood Shaman so he's going to be a 4/2 with haste/trample and a free spell or a 6/4 with haste/trample.
So now we're in Christmasland where both Minotaur Tribal is a thing and you're always dropping Rageblood Shaman on turn 3. And you're threatening with a spell in hand.
Or. Alternatively, we're *not* in Christmasland, where the other two cards are actually good and don't need other things to help them.
Seriously? Half the cards you "struck out being cutesy" are going to get played in standard. If you don't think so, you should probably stop playing magic, or do some reading up/research and develop card evaluation skills.
This guy is better than the ravager and is probably better than the phoenix. Don't forget he has tribal support and comes down the turn after a Rageblood Shaman so he's going to be a 4/2 with haste/trample and a free spell or a 6/4 with haste/trample.
RAGEBLOOD SHAMAN
So that other guy wasn't great at evaluating cards, but this seems rather like the pot calling the kettle black.
Meletis astronomer is cute.
Oracle of Bones is just a bad punisher card... 5/3 haste for 4 mana just isn't that powerful, and you'll almost never get to cast a card for free.
basically it reads 2RR 3/1 haste and If when it enters the battlefield, if you have a card in your hand, put 2 +1/+1 counters on it. Nothing to see here....
the bestow common cycle convinces me once and for all that bestow is my least favorite mechanic ever!
Ok, so wizards can't push it or it would become too good in limited...
fine...
they could at least make it interesting!
make it appeal to casual crowds by making the cards do cool stuff.
this cycle is AWFUL!
Would anyone play Unholy Strenght? Even in limited? Even in casual? maybe, but it's uninteresting, uninspired.
would anyone play it for 3B? No! Never! then they print it at 4B.
There are cards that appeal to contructed players by being really efficient for its cost, cards that appeal to limited players by being really powerful somehow, cards that appeal to casual crowds by doing cool stuff and well... there are cards that appeal to nobody.
I know they need to print bad cards to make the good cards look even better, but man... I really hate it when they print bad cards just for the sake of being bad.
This set has LOTS of decent uncommons, which is a pretty good thing, but where are the playable commons?!
really.
Common bestow, we knew that was coming, I guess I'd hoped they would be a tad more interesting.
Rare red guy is fine, but not OP by any means. Your opponent getting to choose is the real thing, prevents combos and is most likely going to be a 5/3 haste for 4 (unless you are out of cards in hand). Not format altering whatsoever.
Blue guy is kinda cool, great with lots of Bestow obviously.
except those other cards aren't. If you aren't running humans, you don't run champion, if you have other humans, champion becomes a 1/1 that gets bigger with each other creature. the same with those other cards, you are listing the absolute worst case scenario for those cards assuming you were an idiot building a deck and did not put any support for your build around cards in. Hell, Ancestral recall is just a dead card if nothing i run can make blue mana. If you are running expensive instants or sorceries, then I am going to pay the tribute and you will get a french vanilla 5/3 haste for 4. It doesn't matter what instants and sorceries you put in your deck, unless you mindslaver me, this will never be better than a 5/3 haste for 4, because I will never let you use the ability when i think there is a chance you might have a card in your hand i dont want cast for free, or you having a 5/3 haste would actually kill me, but a 3/1 haste wouldn't. On the other hand, if i have seen your hand and know you dont have a spell worth casting off it, or it is a topdeck with an empty hand, it is a 3/1 haste for 4, with no upside.
So now we're in Christmasland where both Minotaur Tribal is a thing and you're always dropping Rageblood Shaman on turn 3. And you're threatening with a spell in hand.
Or. Alternatively, we're *not* in Christmasland, where the other two cards are actually good and don't need other things to help them.
I'll take the 4/4 Trampler or the 5/5 Flyer.
It isn't magical christmasland to assume you are playing this after a Shaman. Plus this guy has haste whether they pay or not.
WOOOPS! Total flavour-fail on the Astronomer. It's like they confused astronomy with astrology, LOL! Astronomy is science, not wizardry. We finally get our first astronomer and he's a mystic! Oh well. Power level looks okay. Good in an Aura deck I guess, but that's traditionally :symgw:.
Oracle - I feel like they made tribute bad on purpose. You'll rarely get what you want. Most bestow cards are pretty crap too.
WOOOPS! Total flavour-fail on the Astronomer. It's like they confused astronomy with astrology, LOL! Astronomy is science, not wizardry. We finally get our first astronomer and he's a mystic! Oh well. Power level looks okay. Good in an Aura deck I guess, but that's traditionally :symgw:.
Since when has being a mystic stopped one from studying science (or the reverse for that matter)? It happened all the time in reality much less fantasy settings where it's practically common place.
WOOOPS! Total flavour-fail on the Astronomer. It's like they confused astronomy with astrology, LOL! Astronomy is science, not wizardry. We finally get our first astronomer and he's a mystic! Oh well.
I mean it just means "Study of Stars". Like thats what he studies. Is stars. They are *magic* stars, but stars none the less.
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We have mostly only seen the rares/mythics so far mostly.. I mean we have like between 10-20% of all the commons/uncommons and like 80-90% of the rares/mythics.
Feel free to bid on my cards here!
im so scared!!!
top 5 anime of all time (tv, not books because dragon ball would be first)
1. Sword art online 2. Fairy tail 3. Naruto(shipuden) 4. Bleach 5. Claymore
- L
"The problem isn't when Scissors says Rock is overpowered, it's when Paper says it is."
-Mark Rosewater
The Astronomer is a cool 'build-around me' creature which can also be decent in Limited. It's a much better Bestow target than Omenspeaker, that's for certain.
Lastly, Oracle of Bones is pretty rad. While the card's overall power isn't super high, I can see it leading to amazing game play, both in casual and in Limited. Dropping it and getting a free spell (because your opponent has a big blocker) is going to feel great the times that free spell is Portent of Betrayal. I highly anticipate performing this feat.
Deadboner, or Rigor Mortis for short.
I could be a great card for an Izzet deck.
Gooing to need 4 at least.
In that case, Oracle reads "4CMC 3/1, haste, generate two mana that must be used immediately and only on this one card." Most of the time, this is going to be an inopportune time to cast said removal spell, especially if you would normally want to cast this spell at instant speed. (Net) two mana for a 3/1 haste is efficient, but you're required to have a spell to use in hand, it's coming down on T4 at the earliest which is less than impressive, and will probably get roadblocked more often than not by that point in the game. And this is all WITH the downside of the punisher mechanic.
Divination, Read the Bones, etc. would be better, but I'm still trying to see how they mesh with a card like Oracle.
I'm just not impressed.
1) Is there a combo here?
2) How is this any better than any of the Tron variants?
The RG Smiter seems plenty playable.
No. Fanatic of Xenagos is *actually* playable. The Phoenix would be a close second and is right on the fringe of playability.
The minotaur is probably 4th actually after the Nessian Wilds Ravager, which will usually be a 12/12 for 6 mana.
I like the concept of tribute, and I think that the Fanatic is pretty good. But this guy? Not good enough.
You're absolutely right, and I agree wholeheartedly. Two constructed playable rares is exactly right for this kind of small set :rolleyes:! Although you did forget Xenagos.
-regarding Snapcaster Mage.
There are more than two. But it looks like less than a dozen. (At least for rares/mythics.)
And Champion of the Parish is just a 1/1 for one.
Spellstutter Sprite is just a 1/1 flyer with flash for two.
Merrow Reejerey is a boring 2/2 for three.
Dragonstorm is just an overpriced piece of chaff.
WotC, please hire me already.
Seriously? Half the cards you "struck out being cutesy" are going to get played in standard. If you don't think so, you should probably stop playing magic, or do some reading up/research and develop card evaluation skills.
This guy is better than the ravager and is probably better than the phoenix. Don't forget he has tribal support and comes down the turn after a Rageblood Shaman so he's going to be a 4/2 with haste/trample and a free spell or a 6/4 with haste/trample.
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
So now we're in Christmasland where both Minotaur Tribal is a thing and you're always dropping Rageblood Shaman on turn 3. And you're threatening with a spell in hand.
Or. Alternatively, we're *not* in Christmasland, where the other two cards are actually good and don't need other things to help them.
I'll take the 4/4 Trampler or the 5/5 Flyer.
So that other guy wasn't great at evaluating cards, but this seems rather like the pot calling the kettle black.
Oracle of Bones is just a bad punisher card... 5/3 haste for 4 mana just isn't that powerful, and you'll almost never get to cast a card for free.
basically it reads 2RR 3/1 haste and If when it enters the battlefield, if you have a card in your hand, put 2 +1/+1 counters on it. Nothing to see here....
the bestow common cycle convinces me once and for all that bestow is my least favorite mechanic ever!
Ok, so wizards can't push it or it would become too good in limited...
fine...
they could at least make it interesting!
make it appeal to casual crowds by making the cards do cool stuff.
this cycle is AWFUL!
Would anyone play Unholy Strenght? Even in limited? Even in casual? maybe, but it's uninteresting, uninspired.
would anyone play it for 3B? No! Never! then they print it at 4B.
There are cards that appeal to contructed players by being really efficient for its cost, cards that appeal to limited players by being really powerful somehow, cards that appeal to casual crowds by doing cool stuff and well... there are cards that appeal to nobody.
I know they need to print bad cards to make the good cards look even better, but man... I really hate it when they print bad cards just for the sake of being bad.
This set has LOTS of decent uncommons, which is a pretty good thing, but where are the playable commons?!
really.
Rare red guy is fine, but not OP by any means. Your opponent getting to choose is the real thing, prevents combos and is most likely going to be a 5/3 haste for 4 (unless you are out of cards in hand). Not format altering whatsoever.
Blue guy is kinda cool, great with lots of Bestow obviously.
except those other cards aren't. If you aren't running humans, you don't run champion, if you have other humans, champion becomes a 1/1 that gets bigger with each other creature. the same with those other cards, you are listing the absolute worst case scenario for those cards assuming you were an idiot building a deck and did not put any support for your build around cards in. Hell, Ancestral recall is just a dead card if nothing i run can make blue mana. If you are running expensive instants or sorceries, then I am going to pay the tribute and you will get a french vanilla 5/3 haste for 4. It doesn't matter what instants and sorceries you put in your deck, unless you mindslaver me, this will never be better than a 5/3 haste for 4, because I will never let you use the ability when i think there is a chance you might have a card in your hand i dont want cast for free, or you having a 5/3 haste would actually kill me, but a 3/1 haste wouldn't. On the other hand, if i have seen your hand and know you dont have a spell worth casting off it, or it is a topdeck with an empty hand, it is a 3/1 haste for 4, with no upside.
It isn't magical christmasland to assume you are playing this after a Shaman. Plus this guy has haste whether they pay or not.
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Never underestimate tribal synergies.
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Oracle - I feel like they made tribute bad on purpose. You'll rarely get what you want. Most bestow cards are pretty crap too.
Nyxborn Triton - Sweet art! Otherwise poo.
Other Nyxborns - Junk.
.
Since when has being a mystic stopped one from studying science (or the reverse for that matter)? It happened all the time in reality much less fantasy settings where it's practically common place.
I mean it just means "Study of Stars". Like thats what he studies. Is stars. They are *magic* stars, but stars none the less.