Arc Lightning's always nice. Erase is funny, with Deicide costing about $2.
Despise seems to have some people happy.
Arc Lightning is certainly nice, though Flames of the Firebrand has been legal for a few years with no real impact. Still, with the best 2-toughness 1-drop rotating and aggro getting a push, I could see it making a splash. Deicide is still a better answer to gods if any of them get out of control, but Erase is nice to have around too. Despise seems like it could be very good with decks relying more on creatures and planeswalkers, and less on removal spells. A black deck packing a full set of those plus a full set of Thoughtseize could have a lot of disruptive power. It's also better than Thoughtseize in an aggro mirror, especially with so much pain in the lands between Fetches, Painlands, and Mana Confluence.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My Moderator Helpdesk
Currently Playing:
Legacy: Something U/W Controlish EDH Cube
Hypercube! A New EDH Deck Every Week(ish)!
Wow Arc Lightning is back!! And it brought... wait a sec. Shatter? I thought we'd moved on to smelt and wear and tear? Hmm... This + the M15 artifact theme is making me suspicious...
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Casual Decks WRBoros Aggro (Glorious knights of badassery) RBRakdos Bloodthirst (Undercosted waves of fat s***) URIzzet Talrand/Pyromancer (b/c I hate you) GRGruul Ramp and Stomp (SO FAT. SO FAST. RAWRRR) GBGolgari Birthing Pod (b/c you wanted a challenge. I did warn you this BS is banned though) BWOrzhov Lifegain Aggro (Removal for dayzzz) WGSelesnya Tribal Golem-splicers/token (meh. Needs more upgrades. Perhaps switching to bant?) WUAzorius Flicker (b/c I wanna annoy the f*** outta you) GUSimic Evolve Aggro (Aggro takes a journey to the weird side of the color pie) BUDimir Control (b/c I wanna peel your skin off and flay you within an inch of life before I kill you) URWJeskai Ascendency Tokens (MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA) RWBMardu Warriors (Butcher is da bomb) GU Simic Morph (slow as s*** but oh so fun) WBGAbzan Dredge-animator (PURE EVIL) GWHexproof Aggro (Deal with it. Lemme guess, you cant?)
EDH Decks UBRNekusar (Multiplayer MONSTA. 1v1 Klutz) GRB Prossh (Set up engines. WRECK FACE) GEzuri (Hey so I heard you liked Elves...) UTalrand (Counter. Cantrip. Counter. Cantrip. Repeat till opponents die-- possibly of boredom)
Tiny leaders WUDaxos (basic 3/1 fliers do basic s***. Also Daxos) RWAnax and Cymede (Heroic weenie beats)
Standard RRMONO RED AGGRO (RAWWWRRRR!!!!) WUHeroic Aggro (Easy mode beatstick)
Is there any difference between Arc Lightning and Flames of the Firebrand? Never really seemed like Flames made much of a splash, especially with all the fat midrangey creatures we've been getting. 4 is the magic number, not 3.
Probably a signal that an artifact block is coming up.
When a block comes out, they tend to position the new block better by not initially printing cards that completely hose it. That's why there was no Erase until after Theros block had been out for a year. Ancient Grudge didn't come back until the year after Scars block. So there's a decent chance we'll see an artifact block next year (or Dewey will be heavy in artifacts). Then after that's been out for a while, we'll see a return of something like Smelt, Ancient Grudge, etc.
Is there any difference between Arc Lightning and Flames of the Firebrand? Never really seemed like Flames made much of a splash, especially with all the fat midrangey creatures we've been getting. 4 is the magic number, not 3.
No. They are the same. Arc Lightning could be reprinted more, however, because Chandra might not be in a set every year (and there's no more core sets).
Probably a signal that an artifact block is coming up.
When a block comes out, they tend to position the new block better by not initially printing cards that completely hose it. That's why there was no Erase until after Theros block had been out for a year. Ancient Grudge didn't come back until the year after Scars block. So there's a decent chance we'll see an artifact block next year (or Dewey will be heavy in artifacts). Then after that's been out for a while, we'll see a return of something like Smelt, Ancient Grudge, etc.
Colorless artifacts along with some colorless Eldrazi perhaps?
Arc Lightning is solid and despite flames of the firebrand seeing next to no play I think it has a chance as a sideboard card thanks to all the great token pro users we've been getting.
I was wondering why Act of Treason didn't make it in the core set. I thought the lack of a 3 cmc threaten spell was WotC's attempt at trying to push Harness by Force.
I'm not 100% sure, but based on the wording of the cards, it seems like if you were to increase the damage of Arc Lightning (say via a Fire Servant), you could choose up to 4 different targets, whereas with Flames of the Firebrand you can only choose 3, even if you have more damage.
It's a pretty negligible difference (and rarely going to come up outside of kitchen table casual play), but it's a difference, I think?
Nothing makes me rage more than seeing that Cancel piece of crap getting reprinted again, and again, and again, and again.
Normally, I'd just say "They just want a bass counterspell to have in the set.
However...this set has a lot of counterspells.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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?
I'm not 100% sure, but based on the wording of the cards, it seems like if you were to increase the damage of Arc Lightning (say via a Fire Servant), you could choose up to 4 different targets, whereas with Flames of the Firebrand you can only choose 3, even if you have more damage.
It's a pretty negligible difference (and rarely going to come up outside of kitchen table casual play), but it's a difference, I think?
No, it's not a difference. All damage is assigned first, and effects that increase don't apply until damage is actually dealt (i.e. when it resolves). So you would assign one damage each to three targets, then it would get doubled to two each.
They've pretty much stated that UU for a straight counterspell is too strong, so it's not happening. Good to see Cancel back, gives some nice choice in the three slot area. Arc Lightning is fun too.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The "Crazy One", playing casual magic and occasionally dipping his toes into regular play since 1994.
Currently focusing on Pre-Modern (Mono-Black Discard Control) and Modern (Azorious Control, Temur Rhinos).
Find me at the Wizard's Tower in Ottawa every second Saturday afternoons.
I'm not 100% sure, but based on the wording of the cards, it seems like if you were to increase the damage of Arc Lightning (say via a Fire Servant), you could choose up to 4 different targets, whereas with Flames of the Firebrand you can only choose 3, even if you have more damage.
It's a pretty negligible difference (and rarely going to come up outside of kitchen table casual play), but it's a difference, I think?
Never, ever, ever assume cards are different because they're worded different on the actual card; magic syntax is always getting tweaked slightly to work better or more clearly. Look up the oracle wording for a card before making any assumption about its rulings. Flames of the Firebrand and Arc Lightning have identical oracle text, Flames has just been printed more recently and has wording that was updated so that people don't assume you can target things for 0 damage, or target more things because you've modified the damage. (You target things with the three damage and *then* it gets doubled. So you can only distribute it in units of 2 with Fire Servant out.)
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Check out the thread for my cube if you have the time, and tell me how terrible it is.
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
In addition to Despise, Erase, and Naturalize, we will see:
- Cancel C
- Act of Treason C
- Arc Lightning U
- Shatter C
- Seek the Horizon U
- Windstorm U
Currently Playing:
Legacy: Something U/W Controlish
EDH Cube
Hypercube! A New EDH Deck Every Week(ish)!
Erase is funny, with Deicide costing about $2.
Despise seems to have some people happy.
.
Arc Lightning is certainly nice, though Flames of the Firebrand has been legal for a few years with no real impact. Still, with the best 2-toughness 1-drop rotating and aggro getting a push, I could see it making a splash.
Deicide is still a better answer to gods if any of them get out of control, but Erase is nice to have around too.
Despise seems like it could be very good with decks relying more on creatures and planeswalkers, and less on removal spells. A black deck packing a full set of those plus a full set of Thoughtseize could have a lot of disruptive power. It's also better than Thoughtseize in an aggro mirror, especially with so much pain in the lands between Fetches, Painlands, and Mana Confluence.
Currently Playing:
Legacy: Something U/W Controlish
EDH Cube
Hypercube! A New EDH Deck Every Week(ish)!
WRBoros Aggro (Glorious knights of badassery)
RBRakdos Bloodthirst (Undercosted waves of fat s***)
URIzzet Talrand/Pyromancer (b/c I hate you)
GRGruul Ramp and Stomp (SO FAT. SO FAST. RAWRRR)
GBGolgari Birthing Pod (b/c you wanted a challenge. I did warn you this BS is banned though)
BWOrzhov Lifegain Aggro (Removal for dayzzz)
WGSelesnya Tribal Golem-splicers/token (meh. Needs more upgrades. Perhaps switching to bant?)
WUAzorius Flicker (b/c I wanna annoy the f*** outta you)
GUSimic Evolve Aggro (Aggro takes a journey to the weird side of the color pie)
BUDimir Control (b/c I wanna peel your skin off and flay you within an inch of life before I kill you)
URWJeskai Ascendency Tokens (MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA)
RWBMardu Warriors (Butcher is da bomb)
GU Simic Morph (slow as s*** but oh so fun)
WBGAbzan Dredge-animator (PURE EVIL)
GWHexproof Aggro (Deal with it. Lemme guess, you cant?)
EDH Decks
UBRNekusar (Multiplayer MONSTA. 1v1 Klutz)
GRB Prossh (Set up engines. WRECK FACE)
GEzuri (Hey so I heard you liked Elves...)
UTalrand (Counter. Cantrip. Counter. Cantrip. Repeat till opponents die-- possibly of boredom)
Tiny leaders
WUDaxos (basic 3/1 fliers do basic s***. Also Daxos)
RWAnax and Cymede (Heroic weenie beats)
Standard
RRMONO RED AGGRO (RAWWWRRRR!!!!)
WUHeroic Aggro (Easy mode beatstick)
Probably a signal that an artifact block is coming up.
When a block comes out, they tend to position the new block better by not initially printing cards that completely hose it. That's why there was no Erase until after Theros block had been out for a year. Ancient Grudge didn't come back until the year after Scars block. So there's a decent chance we'll see an artifact block next year (or Dewey will be heavy in artifacts). Then after that's been out for a while, we'll see a return of something like Smelt, Ancient Grudge, etc.
No. They are the same. Arc Lightning could be reprinted more, however, because Chandra might not be in a set every year (and there's no more core sets).
Arc Lightning is cool though.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
Colorless artifacts along with some colorless Eldrazi perhaps?
Maybe even a colorless Spirit Dragon or two.
Machius proudly supports R_E's right to Rumour!
EDIT: Must have misread it, or it was edited. Also, just noticed that Wildfire393 is the OP. Seems legit.
It's a pretty negligible difference (and rarely going to come up outside of kitchen table casual play), but it's a difference, I think?
However...this set has a lot of counterspells.
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?
Exactly. Will Counterspell ever be printed again? I would be an auto-include in Modern Faeries...
And I really don't think that it would break the format, specially with so many uncounterable shenanigans around...
Currently focusing on Pre-Modern (Mono-Black Discard Control) and Modern (Azorious Control, Temur Rhinos).
Find me at the Wizard's Tower in Ottawa every second Saturday afternoons.
Never, ever, ever assume cards are different because they're worded different on the actual card; magic syntax is always getting tweaked slightly to work better or more clearly. Look up the oracle wording for a card before making any assumption about its rulings. Flames of the Firebrand and Arc Lightning have identical oracle text, Flames has just been printed more recently and has wording that was updated so that people don't assume you can target things for 0 damage, or target more things because you've modified the damage. (You target things with the three damage and *then* it gets doubled. So you can only distribute it in units of 2 with Fire Servant out.)
Generals meant to be drafted first in a single pack of 6 cards.
And here is the actual cube, meant to be drafted in 4 regular sized packs. (60 card decks)