Well uh...Ally Encampment makes me happy! A few cool uncommons I guess. It kind of feels like there are a lot of cards in the set that do the same thing...lots of "if a creature you control dies" and life gain stuff.
Wow I hate this set though! Never, ever thought I'd say that about a return to Zendikar, but aside from a few mythics, the duals and some admittedly great uncommons...YUCK.
This set is the definition of anti-power creep. Easily the most disappointing set in terms of playable cards we have had in standard for a long time. I'm sure some cards will shine but overall the power level plummeted.
The set looks fun to draft. My main concern with the set is Standard. I wonder just how much Standard will be slowed, if at all. If Standard does not slow, this set will not do well, as there is little to encourage fast aggro. Overall, I would say it is a good set on intial look. Not great, but not bad. Time will tell if this set is good.
Only one money reprint in Sylvan Scrying. Very disappointing. No Inquisition of Kolizek, Enemy fetchlands, or Goblin Guide (which was a low chance).
Buying a box is very on the border. It is a lot Khans in that most of the value is in lands, uncommons, a few utlity rares.
There are a ton of really solid commons and uncommons that were missing to give this set's themes the context they needed. There seem to be a few different types of Eldrazi decks that you can make, which is a fantastic departure from ROE's "ramp into giant creatures only" environment. There seems to be a BR aggressive Eldrazi deck, a UB controlling one that has some seriously playable exile counterspells, and the more traditional green ramp archetype. Thanks to several random creatures gaining the ally creature type, allies are much more relevant in limited than they were last time, and I could see an Ally deck popping up in standard, though I think it's likely it'll have to wait for the next batch of Rally creatures to really 'get' there.
Also, there seems to be the support for some sort of Awaken deck in standard that I really want to try to build. Having all your finishers be attached to your removal seems very interesting, and there are a couple creatures in the set who contribute to that plan.
Edit: Random observation-- Tightening Coils is our fixed Pin to the Earth! It removes flying, and features Thassa's bident on the card, and has the same effect and mana cost otherwise.
All in all, I think this set turned out pretty good. It's not my favorite set, but it's definitely solid, and has a ton going on. This standard should be fun.
As I'm looking through all of the Devoid cards, all I can think about is how great they are with even 1 Herald of Kozilek on the field. Two or more starts to get kind of broken...
Looks fun for limited and awful for pretty much everything else. Especially as a modern player I am very disappointed.
I won't open a single pack, except for an occasional draft.
This set is great for limited, but ******* terrible for constructed.
Private Mod Note
():
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Level 1 Judge
Level 2 in progress...
UUU Merfolk UUU "Above the waves you may be mighty indeed, but down here you belong to me."
-Empress Galina
UBR Cruel Control UBR "The essence of every world, every spell, and every thought is power. Nothing else matters, because nothing else exists."
-Nicol Bolas
This set is the definition of anti-power creep. Easily the most disappointing set in terms of playable cards we have had in standard for a long time. I'm sure some cards will shine but overall the power level plummeted.
Is lowering the power of Standard necessarily a bad thing? Plenty of these cards will still see play. Inevitably, some sets in Standard have more power than others. Does the newer set always need to overpower the old one?
Private Mod Note
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Formerly Angrypossum over at the now-defunct WotC forums.
Seriously though, it feels like Wizards suddenly decided that every previously-nerfed staple effect was still too good, so they took all of the staple effects like ManaDorks,Ramp, Board Wipes, Instant Speed Removal, Burn and bumped them up either in cost or rarity while ALSO completely neutering the Eldrazi of old and giving us inferior versions of great Zendikar cards from days past.
Also lack of good auras or enchantments for the Enchantment deck I wanted to make disappoints me.
Wow I hate this set though! Never, ever thought I'd say that about a return to Zendikar, but aside from a few mythics, the duals and some admittedly great uncommons...YUCK.
Trades
Pucatrade with me!
(Signature courtesy of Argetlam of Hakai Studios
Only one money reprint in Sylvan Scrying. Very disappointing. No Inquisition of Kolizek, Enemy fetchlands, or Goblin Guide (which was a low chance).
Buying a box is very on the border. It is a lot Khans in that most of the value is in lands, uncommons, a few utlity rares.
Also, there seems to be the support for some sort of Awaken deck in standard that I really want to try to build. Having all your finishers be attached to your removal seems very interesting, and there are a couple creatures in the set who contribute to that plan.
Edit: Random observation-- Tightening Coils is our fixed Pin to the Earth! It removes flying, and features Thassa's bident on the card, and has the same effect and mana cost otherwise.
All in all, I think this set turned out pretty good. It's not my favorite set, but it's definitely solid, and has a ton going on. This standard should be fun.
Death and Taxes
Pauper
UB Teachings
Tortured Existence
Murasa Tron
Modern
Pod (RIP)
Bloom(RIP)
Merfolk
True dat
I'm surprised you didn't recognize his (her?) style from Narset, though
I like the "Each opponent" trend too, makes a lot of these random draft cards actually decent for incredibly budget EDH players.
Another Kozilek card and even one Emrakul. With Kozilek's Sentinel I have a feeling that the theories that he is chilling underground may bear fruit.
I won't open a single pack, except for an occasional draft.
Expedition Envoy
Ondu Greathorn
Serene Steward
Unified Front
Brilliant Spectrum
Halimar Tidecaller
Ruination Guide
Spell Shrivel
Tide Drifter
Wave-Wing Elemental
Windrider Patrol
Bloodbond Vampire
Bone Splinters
Demon's Grasp
Geyserfield Stalker
Grave Birthing
Grip of Desolation
Sludge Crawler
Swarm Surge
Lavastep Raider
Molten Nursery
Outnumber
Processor Assault
Sepentine Spike
Touch of the Void
Call the Scions
Earthen Arms
Lifespring Druid!
Natural Connection!!
Slab Hammer
Looks like most of the cool and fun cards to play are uncommons. I approve of this scenario.
Custom Set
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hu9uNBSUt92PwGhvexYlwFvsh6_SJBlEEIUV3H9_XyU/edit?usp=sharing
RETIRED - GAME SUCKS
Modern:
UUUMerfolksUUU
RGoblinsR
Ad Nauseam
BR 8 Racks RB
WUB Mill BUW
Legacy:
XOps! All splels! X
What I think of MaRo
They've done some work before judging by a search
Guardians of Meletis
Order of Succession
Thoughtrender Lamia
War-Wing Siren
Narset, Enlightened Master
Rakshasa's Secret
Titania, Protector of Argoth
Sylvan Safekeeper
Dulcet Sirens
Monastery Mentor
Narset Transcendent
Graceblade Artisan
Quiet Contemplation
BGW Junk Nic Fit BGW
EDH
UBR Nekusar, the Mindrazer UBR
BGW [Duel] Karador, Ghost Chieftain [Goodstuff] BGW
BGW [Duel] Karador, Ghost Chieftain [Shadowborn Apostle Combo] BGW
WUB Oloro, Ageless Ascetic WUB
UB Grimgin, Corpse-Born UB
BR Rakdos the Defiler BR
BG [Duel] Sisters of Stone Death BG
R Norin the Wary R
B [Pauper] Vampire Nighthawk B
WIP
EDH
WUBRG Sliver Overlord [Sliver Surge] WUBRG
RWU Zedruu the Greathearted RWU
U Thassa, God of the Sea [Sea Monsters] U
Level 2 in progress...
UUU Merfolk UUU
"Above the waves you may be mighty indeed, but down here you belong to me."
-Empress Galina
UBR Cruel Control UBR
"The essence of every world, every spell, and every thought is power. Nothing else matters, because nothing else exists."
-Nicol Bolas
Is lowering the power of Standard necessarily a bad thing? Plenty of these cards will still see play. Inevitably, some sets in Standard have more power than others. Does the newer set always need to overpower the old one?
I don't know if it's going to translate into awesome playability, but you can definitely feel the struggle against in the Eldrazi in the cards.
Landfall can get you there.
Hopefully this is a fun draft format because there aren't very many cards I want to play in constructed here.
UR Blue-Red Control
Modern:
UBR Grixis Control
UWR Jeskai Control
Also lack of good auras or enchantments for the Enchantment deck I wanted to make disappoints me.
Trades
Pucatrade with me!
(Signature courtesy of Argetlam of Hakai Studios
It's a nod to the flavor fail of Pin to the Earth.