Tormented Hero slots best into some form of B/x aggro deck so I see Rootborn defenses to be an odd counter while Anger is one of the only ways to deal with such a large amount of creatures. By the way, your profile picture is very funny.
When they decide promos, they are just making educated guesses.
This. Is so not true.
FNM promos are decided on their whims and fancies. They probably aren't rare or mythic (duh). To state my case, look at last year's promos. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the promos were done with reference to the 10 guilds. It may seem like cool beans but it's not up to expectations at times.
FNM promos, IMO, should fulfil some criteria.
Firstly, they need to be at least semi-competitive. Secondly, they need to have monetary value. Thirdly, they can't be duds. Fourth, they must be consistent.
Wizards have market data to support what's good and what's not. If there's no good standard promo, print one that's proven for Modern! Don't give trash like Dimir Charm, that's poor form and digging themselves a hole they can't climb out of. Most FNM turnouts are also decided by the quality of these promos, so I'll say there's a link if we want to increase participation.
Not a horrible promo but not a great promo either, Tormented Hero is a solid card which does see play in several different B/x aggro variants (like mono B aggro, rakdos aggro and WB humans) however I do think that it would be nice if they could make FNM cards which while not necessarily all high value uncommons or anything are at the very least either a common deckbuilding staple (Dissolve, Lightning Strike etc.) or a card that is central to a popular strategy (Gray Merchant of Asphodel etc.)
That said I wouldn't exactly say that FNM promo's drive FNM attendance, there may be a small upswing with a good promo and a very small downswing with a mediocre promo but pretty much all of the FNMs i've ever been to (both in Australia where I was born and in Japan where i'm now living) have a stable group of people who tend to come regardless and treat the promo's more as a bonus than a motivation to come.
IMO and a bunch of my players opinions, no one really cares about the promos for Friday Night Magic. The are cool if you get one but if you don't, meh. People come to FNM for the fun of it, to gather with others and to test the meta.
Outside of Encroaching wastes, the promos have actually been pretty decent recently.
Last year:
Searing Spear - Saw lots of Standard play
Reliquary Tower - EDH, but probably a miss
Farseek - Saw lots of Standard play
Call of the Conclave - Miss (art sucked too)
Judge's Familiar - Sees lots of play
Izzet Charm - Sees fringe play
Rakdos Cackler - Sees medium amount of play
Dimir Charm - Miss
Experiment One - Saw more play, currently fringe
Ghor-Clan Rampager - Sees medium amount of play
Grisly Salvage - sees fringe play
Sin Collector - Sees fringe play
This Year:
Warleader's Helix - Sees medium amount of play
Elvish Mystic - Sees lots of play
Banisher Priest - Fringe
Encroaching Wastes - Miss
Tormented Hero - Fringe
Only 4 real misses, and they've hit a lot of the core commons/uncommons in standard.
that said, PLEASE make a young pyromancer promo wizards! that card sees play and the original art is kinda lacking imo.
More funny when a rotborn defences is played as well...
Imo print a promo young piromancer and use a art that don't looks like Alfred £. Neuman
what, me make elementals?
what , me make pyromancers?
This. Is so not true.
FNM promos are decided on their whims and fancies. They probably aren't rare or mythic (duh). To state my case, look at last year's promos. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the promos were done with reference to the 10 guilds. It may seem like cool beans but it's not up to expectations at times.
FNM promos, IMO, should fulfil some criteria.
Firstly, they need to be at least semi-competitive. Secondly, they need to have monetary value. Thirdly, they can't be duds. Fourth, they must be consistent.
Wizards have market data to support what's good and what's not. If there's no good standard promo, print one that's proven for Modern! Don't give trash like Dimir Charm, that's poor form and digging themselves a hole they can't climb out of. Most FNM turnouts are also decided by the quality of these promos, so I'll say there's a link if we want to increase participation.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
That said I wouldn't exactly say that FNM promo's drive FNM attendance, there may be a small upswing with a good promo and a very small downswing with a mediocre promo but pretty much all of the FNMs i've ever been to (both in Australia where I was born and in Japan where i'm now living) have a stable group of people who tend to come regardless and treat the promo's more as a bonus than a motivation to come.
Machius proudly supports R_E's right to Rumour!
What about when I do well in a 40 man FNM? There are IQ's with less attendance than that.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
Then you should get two tormented heros!:p
Last year:
Searing Spear - Saw lots of Standard play
Reliquary Tower - EDH, but probably a miss
Farseek - Saw lots of Standard play
Call of the Conclave - Miss (art sucked too)
Judge's Familiar - Sees lots of play
Izzet Charm - Sees fringe play
Rakdos Cackler - Sees medium amount of play
Dimir Charm - Miss
Experiment One - Saw more play, currently fringe
Ghor-Clan Rampager - Sees medium amount of play
Grisly Salvage - sees fringe play
Sin Collector - Sees fringe play
This Year:
Warleader's Helix - Sees medium amount of play
Elvish Mystic - Sees lots of play
Banisher Priest - Fringe
Encroaching Wastes - Miss
Tormented Hero - Fringe
Only 4 real misses, and they've hit a lot of the core commons/uncommons in standard.