I'm wondering how playable Stormchaser Mage is in Modern. URx tempo or burn. Mutagetic Growth looks nastier and nastier with prowess.
Weapons Trainer does look generic, he kinda reminds me of a Final Fantasy 14 human. We're not sure what kind of equipment will be playable, but he does have nice tribal - human soldier ally. Ally matters, and human could matter in INN. Going down jank city, you could also just look at him next to ally tokens which he could potentially give +1 power to.
Cliffhaven Vampire: In limited, it's a very good flying body. Its ability is not very relevant, unless you have 2+ sources of life gain every turn. Forget about constructed.
Baloth Null: Great finisher in limited, especially if you have sacrifice outlets. In standard, it might see some fringe play in a self-sacrifice deck running Fleshbag Marauder and Merciless Executioner (basically bringing back two eddicts). EDH all star in GB sacrifice decks.
Weapons Trainer: A 3/2 body for 2, which is fine in limited, for a possible lord. Needs good equipment... which we do not have (except Ghostfire Blade, but he wouldn't fit in the decks that run it anyway).
Void Grafter: Love it! A surprise blocker, a way to save a creature or both, it can lead to so many 2 for 1 or even 2 for 0. It's not a counterspell, so it is not that relevant against Atarka Red, but it could help a possible Simic CoCo with its friend Bounding Krasis.
Stormchaser Mage: Flying, prowess, haste and 3 toughness. It will not be as played as Monastery Switspear (since that one costs 1), but it's definitely standard playable, probably even Modern. I'll hang on to all copies I can get. I expect some value down the line during its time in standard.
Void Grafter and Weapons Trainer seem to show that Wizards is really pushing the creature quality really hard.
Also, it's kinda suspicious that we haven't seen a single converge card in the spoilers so far. Not that I miss it. It felt like a trying-hard version of sunburst.
Ok I'm not usually one to criticize the artwork on cards but, the art on Baloth Null and ESPECIALLY Weapons Trainer is very medium. I'm shocked they used it.
Takes all kinds! I thought the Weapons Trainer had really good art. I find the action shots that some people here seem to like too busy and distracting. It reminds me of the original Magic art (which I was a fan of at the time) from ABUR. I'm not as into trying to fit a 3ft. Square piece of art into a 2"x2" card frame I suppose.
There will be strong forces and signals in OGW drafts. All these two-colors uncommons will be high picks and strongly push you into their colors. Great!
I'm going to go against the grain and say I like the Weapons Trainer art. Maybe that's just the David Bowie thing.
I am also really not excited about any of these cards. For constructed, I don't know that they're aggressively-costed enough for Modern or Standard, the abilities don't do much for EDH outside of the Cliffhaven Vampire, but that's just a snap judgment so I could be missing something.
For Draft, obviously we don't know that much without seeing the commons, but at first glance...
Cliffhaven Vampire is maybe actually the best, if the lifegain deck gets there more frequently this time around. If you have enough repeatable lifegain, this gives you a lot of inevitability.
Weapons Trainer I can see. It's a great body, and if there's enough cheap threats R/W aggro could be a thing? The ability is a little lackluster, as most of the equipment we see usually sucks.
Void Grafter is decent, not flashy but useful as LR said. I think the U/G archetype last time was actually Converge, which didn't really work without payoffs... maybe we can start fresh and do some sort of tempo thing ala Origins?
Baloth Null: really? People like this? We just came out of a format where green was outclassed by every other color due to its tiny durdly creatures. You want a 4/5 body for 6 with a Dutiful Return tacked on? I don't think it's right to pick Dutiful Return and I wouldn't want to face this guy against a Deathless Behemoth. Of course it's too early to tell, but I'd say a decent EtB doesn't make up for green in the casting cost and mediocre stats.
Actually, typing all that out I like them better that I thought... assuming their archetypes work. None of them are amazing, but none of them are bad (except Baloth Null, I really don't like that one...)
In any case, I think this is shaping up to be an interesting draft environment; looking forward to seeing the commons!
Isn't Void Grafter essentially a kind of Mystic Snake? Currently no-drawback counter-spells cost 3 anyways, so this is a free body in exchange for a little less application.
That works right? If you try to killspell my guy, and I give it hexproof at instant-speed, it becomes an illegal target, your spell fizzles? Yup.
Solid uncommons all around. Really surprised by Weapons Trainer, that would never of been printed in the past. So Boros it hurts.
Void Grafter is certainly no mystic snake, but still quite solid. Intervene is not Counterspell, but a 2/4 flash for 3 mana is already an ok rate, staple on Intervene for free? Value. This looks like just the kind of card that Kiora, Master of Depths wants to play with.
Stormchaser Mage is exciting. As others have pointed out, curving Monastery Swiftspear into Stormchaser Mage is underwhelming, but having an additional punchy prowess creature to back swiftspear up is great. Add in flying to avoid a rather large amount of the possible early blockers and you have a fairly threatening 2 drop. Haste is icing, sweet delicious icing. It may not turn out to have a place since it is alot harder to fit in a 2 drop and a spell on the same turn than a 1 drop and a spell, but I look forward to testing this one out quite a bit.
Weapons Trainer needs no equipment to be a playable rate, it just needs a r/w aggressive deck. 3 power for 2 mana is good enough to get it into the conversation as most such cards without a drawback have seen play, and most of the ones that haven't have 1 toughness. If there is a r/w aggro deck that wants equipment AND can go wide, look out. Just gotta get some good equipment. The red token makers are there already.
Cliffhaven Vampire gets me thinking. Sadly, I don't believe that it is good enough to make the bleeder deck a thing in standard, but there are a good number of cog pieces that are all b/w allies- Kalastria Healer, Zulaport Cutthroat, Drana's Emissary, Lantern Scout, March from the Tomb... Immolating Glare could also be an important addition as this deck likely doesn't want to block as much, and it could also be used proactively with the cutthroat in fringe situations. If nothing else, this will likely be someone's casual deck some Friday coming soon...
Baloth Null is awesome. Not a constructed player certainly, but wow, such value for limited. I think those saying that it would be good in EDH are prolly reaching a bit, but it depends on your playgroup. I definitely think the competition at 6+ is too strong for double raise dead and a body that doesn't fight the battlecruiser threats, but ymmv.
I LOVE that art for Void Grafter. I hope/wish there are more eldrazi that look like this guy, same idea but executed differently enough that it looks unique and cool. me gusta
Weapon Trainer is cool. Very aggressive.
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The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginning-less time, darkness thrives in the void but always yields to purifying light.
I invision a future where one is not mighty when he can silence a crowd with brutality,
but when he leaves them speechless with wisdom.
So can prowess now unofficially be considered an evergreen mechanic? I definitely won't complain to have more tools in a shu yun (or maybe even Narset) prowess themed EDH.
So can prowess now unofficially be considered an evergreen mechanic? I definitely won't complain to have more tools in a shu yun (or maybe even Narset) prowess themed EDH.
Of course, Evergreen doesn't mean eternal: abilities come and go through the years (landwalk and protection are two examples of abilities that have left evergreen status). It simply means that it can appear in every set from now on, until they tire of it.
So can prowess now unofficially be considered an evergreen mechanic? I definitely won't complain to have more tools in a shu yun (or maybe even Narset) prowess themed EDH.
I think it's officially considered an evergreen mechanic.
Stormchaser is such a knockout. Wow is that card going to shine. Good in limited as a 2 mana 1/3 flier that can buff itself is quite nice and haste is a nick tack on. All these are sweet in limited though.
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"Yawgmoth," Freyalise whispered as she set the bomb, "now you will pay for your treachery."
Weapons Trainer does look generic, he kinda reminds me of a Final Fantasy 14 human. We're not sure what kind of equipment will be playable, but he does have nice tribal - human soldier ally. Ally matters, and human could matter in INN. Going down jank city, you could also just look at him next to ally tokens which he could potentially give +1 power to.
UR Blue-Red Control
Modern:
UBR Grixis Control
UWR Jeskai Control
Cliffhaven Vampire: In limited, it's a very good flying body. Its ability is not very relevant, unless you have 2+ sources of life gain every turn. Forget about constructed.
Baloth Null: Great finisher in limited, especially if you have sacrifice outlets. In standard, it might see some fringe play in a self-sacrifice deck running Fleshbag Marauder and Merciless Executioner (basically bringing back two eddicts). EDH all star in GB sacrifice decks.
Weapons Trainer: A 3/2 body for 2, which is fine in limited, for a possible lord. Needs good equipment... which we do not have (except Ghostfire Blade, but he wouldn't fit in the decks that run it anyway).
Void Grafter: Love it! A surprise blocker, a way to save a creature or both, it can lead to so many 2 for 1 or even 2 for 0. It's not a counterspell, so it is not that relevant against Atarka Red, but it could help a possible Simic CoCo with its friend Bounding Krasis.
Stormchaser Mage: Flying, prowess, haste and 3 toughness. It will not be as played as Monastery Switspear (since that one costs 1), but it's definitely standard playable, probably even Modern. I'll hang on to all copies I can get. I expect some value down the line during its time in standard.
All-in-all, great card design at uncommon rarity.
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
Also, it's kinda suspicious that we haven't seen a single converge card in the spoilers so far. Not that I miss it. It felt like a trying-hard version of sunburst.
That said, art is awful in some of them. Weapons Trainer looks like a joke card made with Magic Set Editor.
But wtf are we getting a 10-card cycle of multicolor cards in a set that is supposed to be highlighting colorless mana?
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I am also really not excited about any of these cards. For constructed, I don't know that they're aggressively-costed enough for Modern or Standard, the abilities don't do much for EDH outside of the Cliffhaven Vampire, but that's just a snap judgment so I could be missing something.
For Draft, obviously we don't know that much without seeing the commons, but at first glance...
Stormchaser Mage is probably the best, but Nettle Drone and Ruination Guide are kind of sad that it doesn't have Devoid.
Cliffhaven Vampire is maybe actually the best, if the lifegain deck gets there more frequently this time around. If you have enough repeatable lifegain, this gives you a lot of inevitability.
Weapons Trainer I can see. It's a great body, and if there's enough cheap threats R/W aggro could be a thing? The ability is a little lackluster, as most of the equipment we see usually sucks.
Void Grafter is decent, not flashy but useful as LR said. I think the U/G archetype last time was actually Converge, which didn't really work without payoffs... maybe we can start fresh and do some sort of tempo thing ala Origins?
Baloth Null: really? People like this? We just came out of a format where green was outclassed by every other color due to its tiny durdly creatures. You want a 4/5 body for 6 with a Dutiful Return tacked on? I don't think it's right to pick Dutiful Return and I wouldn't want to face this guy against a Deathless Behemoth. Of course it's too early to tell, but I'd say a decent EtB doesn't make up for green in the casting cost and mediocre stats.
Actually, typing all that out I like them better that I thought... assuming their archetypes work. None of them are amazing, but none of them are bad (except Baloth Null, I really don't like that one...)
In any case, I think this is shaping up to be an interesting draft environment; looking forward to seeing the commons!
Void Grafter is certainly no mystic snake, but still quite solid. Intervene is not Counterspell, but a 2/4 flash for 3 mana is already an ok rate, staple on Intervene for free? Value. This looks like just the kind of card that Kiora, Master of Depths wants to play with.
Stormchaser Mage is exciting. As others have pointed out, curving Monastery Swiftspear into Stormchaser Mage is underwhelming, but having an additional punchy prowess creature to back swiftspear up is great. Add in flying to avoid a rather large amount of the possible early blockers and you have a fairly threatening 2 drop. Haste is icing, sweet delicious icing. It may not turn out to have a place since it is alot harder to fit in a 2 drop and a spell on the same turn than a 1 drop and a spell, but I look forward to testing this one out quite a bit.
Weapons Trainer needs no equipment to be a playable rate, it just needs a r/w aggressive deck. 3 power for 2 mana is good enough to get it into the conversation as most such cards without a drawback have seen play, and most of the ones that haven't have 1 toughness. If there is a r/w aggro deck that wants equipment AND can go wide, look out. Just gotta get some good equipment. The red token makers are there already.
Cliffhaven Vampire gets me thinking. Sadly, I don't believe that it is good enough to make the bleeder deck a thing in standard, but there are a good number of cog pieces that are all b/w allies- Kalastria Healer, Zulaport Cutthroat, Drana's Emissary, Lantern Scout, March from the Tomb... Immolating Glare could also be an important addition as this deck likely doesn't want to block as much, and it could also be used proactively with the cutthroat in fringe situations. If nothing else, this will likely be someone's casual deck some Friday coming soon...
Baloth Null is awesome. Not a constructed player certainly, but wow, such value for limited. I think those saying that it would be good in EDH are prolly reaching a bit, but it depends on your playgroup. I definitely think the competition at 6+ is too strong for double raise dead and a body that doesn't fight the battlecruiser threats, but ymmv.
Weapon Trainer is cool. Very aggressive.
I invision a future where one is not mighty when he can silence a crowd with brutality,
but when he leaves them speechless with wisdom.
No, since it already was Evergreen as of Magic Origins (it was added at the same time as Scry and Menace). Link: http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/making-magic/evergreen-eggs-ham-2015-06-08
Of course, Evergreen doesn't mean eternal: abilities come and go through the years (landwalk and protection are two examples of abilities that have left evergreen status). It simply means that it can appear in every set from now on, until they tire of it.
WBC Eldrazi & Taxes CBW
UR Keep on Cantripin' (UR Phoenix) RU
WU Surprise! It's not UW Control! (UW Midrange) UW
BG The Rock, Straight BG
U Mono-Blue Fish U
RBW Mardu Pyromancer BWR
RG Rabble! Rabble! (GR Blood Moon Aggro) GR
Legacy
W Death & Taxes W
I think it's officially considered an evergreen mechanic.
Currently Playing:
Retired
Baloth Null is like Gravedigger on 'roids. Like.
I'll be interested to see how good Stormchaser Mage is outside of Limited (no question it's strong there).
Weapons Trainer should've been in the Boros C15 deck.
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