Why does this have Temur flavor? That's my question.
Temur is the green clan, so red/blue pairs are associated with it. Same with all the clans, actually. G/B cards are abzan (the white clan), R/W are jeskai (blue clan), W/B are mardu (the red clan) and U/G are sultai (the black clan).
It's a little weird, no? But this way each of these pairs can have consistent themes.
w/r/t card, the 3cc is what's killing me. We already have two separate cycles of 3-drops and mantis rider also comes in at 3. And the cluestones.
Why does this have Temur flavor? That's my question.
Temur is the green clan, so red/blue pairs are associated with it. Same with all the clans, actually. G/B cards are abzan (the white clan), R/W are jeskai (blue clan), W/B are mardu (the red clan) and U/G are sultai (the black clan).
It's a little weird, no? But this way each of these pairs can have consistent themes.
Why does this have Temur flavor? That's my question.
Temur is the green clan, so red/blue pairs are associated with it. Same with all the clans, actually. G/B cards are abzan (the white clan), R/W are jeskai (blue clan), W/B are mardu (the red clan) and U/G are sultai (the black clan).
It's a little weird, no? But this way each of these pairs can have consistent themes.
The GB 2 drop is Sultai. The UG 2 drop is Temur.
Maybe some stuff got shuffled around in development but the r/w deflecting palm is jeskai, mindswipe is temur, secret plan is sultai, utter end is mardu. Maro already did a post about this and it's still in rumor mill. hang on.
Classic blue/red. Now obviously we're going to see all the enemy color pairs, but I really hope we get to see cards with 2 allied colors.
In Alara they represented all the color pairs... If KTK is the only part of this block that's wedge, I guess that doesn't rule out the chance of seeing allied color pairs in the next 2 sets. As a Grixis player I'm just hoping for a sweet new black/red or blue/black card!
Why does this have Temur flavor? That's my question.
Temur is the green clan, so red/blue pairs are associated with it. Same with all the clans, actually. G/B cards are abzan (the white clan), R/W are jeskai (blue clan), W/B are mardu (the red clan) and U/G are sultai (the black clan).
It's a little weird, no? But this way each of these pairs can have consistent themes.
The GB 2 drop is Sultai. The UG 2 drop is Temur.
Maybe some stuff got shuffled around in development but the r/w deflecting palm is jeskai, mindswipe is temur, secret plan is sultai, utter end is mardu. Maro already did a post about this and it's still in rumor mill. hang on.
hmm, it kills morphs, but after to see the obscene size of the creatures in this set, I guess this is too small to count on it for solving anything...
You've obviously never had the displeasure of going against Rabble Red.
lol! what a bad reference! Rabblemaster is probably the only played creature at +3cc that this thing can kill!
gl, with these things in your hand, when facing Coursers, Fleecemanes, Polukranos, Planeswalkers... and the new shipment of undercosted fatties...
You seem to be misunderstanding the point of this card, and tempo in general. This can stop your polukranos from attacking and kill a mystic. It's not a permanent solution to the poly, but it isn't supposed to be. Tempo doesn't look for permanent solutions to opposing threats, it looks to slow down their threats while protecting it's own, usually small but efficient threats while steadily lowering your life every turn. This is a good card for that strategy as it can slow down a big threat and kill a small threat all in one card.
I think you're also underestimating aggro. Yes there are certainly lots of good fatties in this set, but there have also been some rather strong 1 and 2 cmc 2/1's 2/2's, 3/2's that this can kill (and tap another).
Look at the play you suggested. Spending three mana to kill a mana dork and tap a legit threat is not better than spending 3 mana or less to actually deal with the threat in a more efficient way, even if it is only temporarily. For two or three mana bouncing the Polukranos, World Eater with a Voyage's End or freezing him with a Frost Lynx would probably be better, and that's assuming you're not running full Jeskai with white for Suspension Field and Reprisal and even the bounce from Jeskai Charm, which would all be infinitely better. Tempo isn't just about doing stuff, it's about doing stuff efficiently, so that later in the game you can play multiple spells if you can to allow you to close the game. Costing three mana for an effect that's not very significant lowers your chances of being able to play two spells in one turn later. It's also not very good against aggro, since they're going to start swinging fast and this costs three mana. The cost is too much, especially on the draw.
Why does this have Temur flavor? That's my question.
In terms of just flavor it seems like the part of blue that Temur is most attracted by is the 'elemental' side of it so stuff like ice. They live in frozen wastes and conjure magical fires.
In terms of gameplay though it seems more useful for Jeskai. Like in limited I see this more in a Prowess heavy deck where you can tap down a fatty, kill a chump blocker and swing in with a pumped prowess creature.
It's a strange fire.
I bet it would power a Nivix Cyclops nicely.
Private Mod Note
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I fear I won't have much time to play Magic these days.
I get to watch worlds develop around me.
I get to watch great leaders, terrible oppressors, and trend setters rise and fall.
Limited, Standard, Modern, everything is a different playing field I feel I can observe, but will not actually touch.
I look forward to the stories I will hear.
And more so to the ones I will watch unfold first hand.
Isn't the unknown exciting?
As a tempo play, I *strongly* prefer Frost Lynx. Note that that card is not close to Constructed playable either.
Might be a beating in Limited, however. "In response to your Outlast ability, I kill the creature you were Outlasting, and tap your other Outlast creature so you can't use it. My Prowess abilities trigger."
You strongly prefer Frost Lynx? Yeah, no. This card is far more likely to see play than Frost Lynx ever was (not to say it will see play but it's far far more likely).
You strongly prefer Frost Lynx? Yeah, no. This card is far more likely to see play than Frost Lynx ever was (not to say it will see play but it's far far more likely).
I don't understand. What makes a three mana (not nearly as versatile) Shock+Twiddle THAT much better than a three mana ogre that can stop something for two attack phases and then attack or block? What makes it far, far more likely to be played? Just the fact that it's an instant?
You just answered why. Being an instant is far more powerful plus a bear is not a shock (shock is much, much better).
But:
1) It's NOT shock, since it can't double as burn.
2) The Gray Ogre can swing, and has an ETB that lets his buddies get in also.
See, I don't plan to sleeve up Frost Lynx any time soon, and I'm not suggesting that anyone do so, but I don't understand that if someone IS considering spending a 3 cc slot on Winterflame in a tempo deck, why would it seem crazy to consider Frost Lynx in its place just because it's not an instant.
The face burn aspect of Shock isn't the most important part (though it's by no means useless, it doesn't make or break the card's playability). Dealing 2 damage with a block or while being blocked doesn't remotely compare to dealing 2 damage to any creature you want, exactly when you want it.
I've always enjoyed the "choose one or both" type modal spells. I don't play Izzet, but on paper I like the card. Nice and tricky. I would have loved seeing it pushed to UR, since it can't hit players, its damage can't be divided up, and it doesn't cantrip like Electrolyze.
Temur is the green clan, so red/blue pairs are associated with it. Same with all the clans, actually. G/B cards are abzan (the white clan), R/W are jeskai (blue clan), W/B are mardu (the red clan) and U/G are sultai (the black clan).
It's a little weird, no? But this way each of these pairs can have consistent themes.
w/r/t card, the 3cc is what's killing me. We already have two separate cycles of 3-drops and mantis rider also comes in at 3. And the cluestones.
The GB 2 drop is Sultai. The UG 2 drop is Temur.
Maybe some stuff got shuffled around in development but the r/w deflecting palm is jeskai, mindswipe is temur, secret plan is sultai, utter end is mardu. Maro already did a post about this and it's still in rumor mill. hang on.
Edit: here it is
I wish this costed 2. RU always seems to get shafted
In Alara they represented all the color pairs... If KTK is the only part of this block that's wedge, I guess that doesn't rule out the chance of seeing allied color pairs in the next 2 sets. As a Grixis player I'm just hoping for a sweet new black/red or blue/black card!
That has nothing about the non-primary pair being specifically attached to the guild.
Look at the play you suggested. Spending three mana to kill a mana dork and tap a legit threat is not better than spending 3 mana or less to actually deal with the threat in a more efficient way, even if it is only temporarily. For two or three mana bouncing the Polukranos, World Eater with a Voyage's End or freezing him with a Frost Lynx would probably be better, and that's assuming you're not running full Jeskai with white for Suspension Field and Reprisal and even the bounce from Jeskai Charm, which would all be infinitely better. Tempo isn't just about doing stuff, it's about doing stuff efficiently, so that later in the game you can play multiple spells if you can to allow you to close the game. Costing three mana for an effect that's not very significant lowers your chances of being able to play two spells in one turn later. It's also not very good against aggro, since they're going to start swinging fast and this costs three mana. The cost is too much, especially on the draw.
In terms of just flavor it seems like the part of blue that Temur is most attracted by is the 'elemental' side of it so stuff like ice. They live in frozen wastes and conjure magical fires.
In terms of gameplay though it seems more useful for Jeskai. Like in limited I see this more in a Prowess heavy deck where you can tap down a fatty, kill a chump blocker and swing in with a pumped prowess creature.
I bet it would power a Nivix Cyclops nicely.
I get to watch great leaders, terrible oppressors, and trend setters rise and fall.
Limited, Standard, Modern, everything is a different playing field I feel I can observe, but will not actually touch.
I look forward to the stories I will hear.
And more so to the ones I will watch unfold first hand.
Isn't the unknown exciting?
Might be a beating in Limited, however. "In response to your Outlast ability, I kill the creature you were Outlasting, and tap your other Outlast creature so you can't use it. My Prowess abilities trigger."
I don't understand. What makes a three mana (not nearly as versatile) Shock+Twiddle THAT much better than a three mana ogre that can stop something for two attack phases and then attack or block? What makes it far, far more likely to be played? Just the fact that it's an instant?
But:
1) It's NOT shock, since it can't double as burn.
2) The Gray Ogre can swing, and has an ETB that lets his buddies get in also.
See, I don't plan to sleeve up Frost Lynx any time soon, and I'm not suggesting that anyone do so, but I don't understand that if someone IS considering spending a 3 cc slot on Winterflame in a tempo deck, why would it seem crazy to consider Frost Lynx in its place just because it's not an instant.
Oh wait...
Not a bad card though.
.
Such a perfect thing to say with that avatar.
A three mana Shock/Twiddle would actually be one of the most versatile cards ever printed.. This isn't nearly that good.
Gotcha. Fixed my post XD.