gonna be a lot of bad feelings going around when people open a rare Meld card (Bruna) and realize they now also need a specific mythic rare (Gisela) to play it optimally.
i get that this sort of thing is a horror staple, but it just feels so... forced?
it feels like there wasn't much need for, or reason behind, it. like we just needed a way to show how powerful the eldrazi are (again) so lets take two of the only things that people liked about another set and shove them together into a big ole monstery thing! its just kinda, lame? meh. i also don't like meld as a mechanic and think it'll be exceptionally difficult to actually pull off. i also don't like that one is mythic and one is rare. there's already obviously a lot of confusion over how this mechanic works, which screams 'poor design' but i guess we'll have to wait and see?
my other problem is that. okay so i don't really care that the eldrazi destroyed zendikar. zendikar as a setting was bland, it didn't really have much going for it other than good cards in the booster packs and i guess, adventure? whatever. innistrad is incredibly rich in flavor, and extremely well received on that end. so, when cards like this are spoiled it feels more like wotc doesn't quite get what made the setting favorable and just turns it on its head for the sake of i don't know, eldritch horror? like, we just had the eldrazi wreck up the joint, i'm already tired of it, and if they're going to be wrecking up a plane i actually enjoy from a flavor standpoint, its a total waste.
With each passing card I get more and more annoyed with this set - H.P. Lovecraft Innistrad sounded so cool but this is the biggest whiff in Magic history
It is annoying. I wanted Bruna and Gisela as their regular selves. Their cards as normal angels without Meld or the flip would have been amazing for me. To see them take on Emrakul like Linvala on Zendikar or something. Seriously, we lost 3/4 of the big angels in this set? Just lame as hell.
Given that the marketing reported things going nice in the last Innistrad block was the least liked, I'm going to predict all the angels die.
Innistrad was a huge success. I can't imagine completely obliterating such a beloved plane and dooming humanity to complete destruction will be well received.
Just realized that since both triggers happen at the beginning of the end step, if you only have one half of Brisela out, you can use Nahiri's -8 to get the other half, and then stack the triggers so that they meld before the angel goes back to your hand. Not sure if that's the kind of thing you want to do with Nahiri or not, but it's just a thought.
When I saw the art, I was so stoked to see the card. I wanted to learn to play commander with it to make the Angel fanboys cry fat tears onto their terrible cards.
When I saw the mechanic, I was tentative. It looked like something I wasn't totally sold on including in a cube.
When I looked at the two face cards, I was thinking okay, okay. The small one looks like it might find a home in standard once Gideon rolls out, the big one doesn't look like a constructed card, but maybe it does something in commander?
Then I read the name of the back side... I think I sprained my eyes rolling them. Not sure why we need to take our terrifying Voice of Nightmares and name it Brangelina.
Gisela is either going to be amazing or terrible. Right now aggro isn't that big and removal is rampant so I can't imagine a 4 mana with no etb or strong static will be viable. 3 toughness certainly doesn't help. If UW control is playable it seems fine as a sb card though.
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Then I read the name of the back side... I think I sprained my eyes rolling them. Not sure why we need to take our terrifying Voice of Nightmares and name it Brangelina.
Ugh, I know...it should've been left as just "Voice of Nightmares". Much more ominous, without the silly portmanteau. Especially since, according to Eldrazi Conscription, "the barest taste of Eldrazi power shatters both realms and identities"
I think people are sleeping on Bruna. Meld totally aside, Bruna is a World Breaker that has studied the art of tempo. The stats are flat out superior, and in most situations bringing back your best creature (at a deckbuilding cost, albeit) from your graveyard is incredible - it's like if World Breaker always got to hit a Stasis Snare with the best threat of the game behind it. It doesn't come back for ten mana and a land, but in a world with Emrakul there are better ways to go over the top. Bruna seems at least as good as WB and contextually could be much stronger, and WB defined the format at one point.
And this is totally ignoring that if Gisela has died when you play Bruna and your opponent can't immediately kill her, you win, because maybe that's too cute, but Brisela aside, Bruna is exactly what Control/Ramp wants from a 7.
So your creatures transform into bigger creatures at end of turn if you've got the right ones? Fun.
Will there be creatures that need more than 2 in order to transform? 4 seems like an interesting number to try. Top right, top left, bottom right, bottom left!
Then I read the name of the back side... I think I sprained my eyes rolling them. Not sure why we need to take our terrifying Voice of Nightmares and name it Brangelina.
Ugh, I know...it should've been left as just "Voice of Nightmares". Much more ominous, without the silly portmanteau. Especially since, according to Eldrazi Conscription, "the barest taste of Eldrazi power shatters both realms and identities"
It also would have great flavor with the original eldrazi as well. Artisan of Kozilek, It that Betrays, World Breakter, Bearer of Silence, etc. It would also have rather disturbing implications as to the origins of said Eldrazi, while being far, far less lame.
Meld reminds me of that card from unglued, yeah you know which I'm talking about. We'll see if this is easy in standard, lends itself to white, white black, possibly into green. Def a mana hungry tutor deck that doesn't exist in standard
Those are so nice. I'll definately build an edh deck for those two. And yes, there will be a Wayward Angel in the deck, too! It's a good thing that they also made Thalia's Lancers.
I think the meld ability and the voice of nightmares is terrorfying. Bruna is a fun and interesting card.
I hate Gisela, I hate her the same way I hate Kalitas, It is a good card that is always good at being good and it will be an expensive mythic you have to play in every white deck It sucks I hate "generic good card that isn't at all interesting that is also a mythic because its a legendary creature important to the story"
While Meld is an interesting mechanic, I kinda feel like this is one of those things that should not be done on paper Magic thanks to the sheer amount of logistics needed. Also, this sort of must-have-the-other-half kind of mechanic seems like it's a potential limited disaster at rarity higher than common.
Otherwise, while I sort of don't care about Bruna however good her ability is, Gisela, fragile as she may be, looks frighteningly powerful for that cost; if you don't kill her on the spot, that 4 lifelink damage starting from turn 5 just can't be ignored, moreso since she has first strike. If your opponent has her and you can't kill her before she swings at all, you're dead.
I can't wait for the Pro Tour whenever someone melds for the first time. The player will probably just pile the two cards on top of eachother, and then one of the "token-aides" will put in an overlay or whatever. Cue the commentators
Commentator #1: Oh, look at that angel. That thing is HUGE!
Commentator #2: Awesome.
Commentator #1: Oh, they have like a special super sized sleeve for that? That is hilarius.
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
I think the meld ability and the voice of nightmares is terrorfying. Bruna is a fun and interesting card.
I hate Gisela, I hate her the same way I hate Kalitas, It is a good card that is always good at being good and it will be an expensive mythic you have to play in every white deck It sucks I hate "generic good card that isn't at all interesting that is also a mythic because its a legendary creature important to the story"
honestly dude I really doubt she'll beat out Gideon as a 4 mana double white drop in decks that would want her. I doubt she'll reach that level in standard, let alone at Kalitas' level as he's practically required in any black deck in standard or modern.
With each passing card I get more and more annoyed with this set - H.P. Lovecraft Innistrad sounded so cool but this is the biggest whiff in Magic history
I could not agree any more with this. Theres a point where killing off most of the good guys gets stupid. I have never been as annoyed about magic spoilers as I am with this set. If Wizards doesn't stop this crap, then I will probably just buy the few singles that I will need in the set instead of packs.
Both angels are good, but, man, does the mending ability feel so clunky. Is Brisela suppose to be in your hand or is it suppose to be outside the game? Also, I know this is minor, but why do you have to own and control both of them in order to mend them?
So your creatures transform into bigger creatures at end of turn if you've got the right ones? Fun.
Will there be creatures that need more than 2 in order to transform? 4 seems like an interesting number to try. Top right, top left, bottom right, bottom left!
Add another for the head. Summon Exodia.
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“Tell me who you walk with, and I'll tell you who you are.” Esmeralda Santiago Art is life itself.
i get that this sort of thing is a horror staple, but it just feels so... forced?
it feels like there wasn't much need for, or reason behind, it. like we just needed a way to show how powerful the eldrazi are (again) so lets take two of the only things that people liked about another set and shove them together into a big ole monstery thing! its just kinda, lame? meh. i also don't like meld as a mechanic and think it'll be exceptionally difficult to actually pull off. i also don't like that one is mythic and one is rare. there's already obviously a lot of confusion over how this mechanic works, which screams 'poor design' but i guess we'll have to wait and see?
my other problem is that. okay so i don't really care that the eldrazi destroyed zendikar. zendikar as a setting was bland, it didn't really have much going for it other than good cards in the booster packs and i guess, adventure? whatever. innistrad is incredibly rich in flavor, and extremely well received on that end. so, when cards like this are spoiled it feels more like wotc doesn't quite get what made the setting favorable and just turns it on its head for the sake of i don't know, eldritch horror? like, we just had the eldrazi wreck up the joint, i'm already tired of it, and if they're going to be wrecking up a plane i actually enjoy from a flavor standpoint, its a total waste.
Innistrad was a huge success. I can't imagine completely obliterating such a beloved plane and dooming humanity to complete destruction will be well received.
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My EDH Cube: 960 Cards, Fully Foiled and Pimped
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When I saw the mechanic, I was tentative. It looked like something I wasn't totally sold on including in a cube.
When I looked at the two face cards, I was thinking okay, okay. The small one looks like it might find a home in standard once Gideon rolls out, the big one doesn't look like a constructed card, but maybe it does something in commander?
Then I read the name of the back side... I think I sprained my eyes rolling them. Not sure why we need to take our terrifying Voice of Nightmares and name it Brangelina.
Ugh, I know...it should've been left as just "Voice of Nightmares". Much more ominous, without the silly portmanteau. Especially since, according to Eldrazi Conscription, "the barest taste of Eldrazi power shatters both realms and identities"
UUUAzami, Lady of ScrollsUUU
Mizzix of the Izmagnus
Vorel of the Hull Clade
Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
WUBSharuum the HegemonWUB
GWURafiq of the ManyGWU
Jhoira of the Ghitu
And this is totally ignoring that if Gisela has died when you play Bruna and your opponent can't immediately kill her, you win, because maybe that's too cute, but Brisela aside, Bruna is exactly what Control/Ramp wants from a 7.
Will there be creatures that need more than 2 in order to transform? 4 seems like an interesting number to try. Top right, top left, bottom right, bottom left!
.
It also would have great flavor with the original eldrazi as well. Artisan of Kozilek, It that Betrays, World Breakter, Bearer of Silence, etc. It would also have rather disturbing implications as to the origins of said Eldrazi, while being far, far less lame.
I hate Gisela, I hate her the same way I hate Kalitas, It is a good card that is always good at being good and it will be an expensive mythic you have to play in every white deck It sucks I hate "generic good card that isn't at all interesting that is also a mythic because its a legendary creature important to the story"
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
Otherwise, while I sort of don't care about Bruna however good her ability is, Gisela, fragile as she may be, looks frighteningly powerful for that cost; if you don't kill her on the spot, that 4 lifelink damage starting from turn 5 just can't be ignored, moreso since she has first strike. If your opponent has her and you can't kill her before she swings at all, you're dead.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
Commentator #1: Oh, look at that angel. That thing is HUGE!
Commentator #2: Awesome.
Commentator #1: Oh, they have like a special super sized sleeve for that? That is hilarius.
Commentator #2: I love this set.
Cubetutor Peasant'ish-Funbox
Project: Khans of Tarkir Cube (cubetutor)
I'm shocked it took this long for this point to come up.
Equally shocking: how no one has pointed out the Melded angel has the total P/T and keywords of both halves.
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
"Kiora is the Aquaman of planeswalkers."
"Useless and everyone pretends to like her?"
honestly dude I really doubt she'll beat out Gideon as a 4 mana double white drop in decks that would want her. I doubt she'll reach that level in standard, let alone at Kalitas' level as he's practically required in any black deck in standard or modern.
I could not agree any more with this. Theres a point where killing off most of the good guys gets stupid. I have never been as annoyed about magic spoilers as I am with this set. If Wizards doesn't stop this crap, then I will probably just buy the few singles that I will need in the set instead of packs.
Both angels are good, but, man, does the mending ability feel so clunky. Is Brisela suppose to be in your hand or is it suppose to be outside the game? Also, I know this is minor, but why do you have to own and control both of them in order to mend them?
Also, for decks that want both (if there'll be any), I fully expect the rarer one to be desired in higher quantities (4 Gisela / 2 Bruna split maybe?)
But my biggest negative on this has to be the name - Brisela is fine as a nickname, but seeing it actually written on the card feels really dumb
W(W/U)U Ephara - Flash & Taxes W(W/U)U || B(B/G)G Meren - Circle of Life B(B/G)G
RGW Marath - Ever shifting Wilds RGW || (U/R)C(W/B) Breya - Artificial Dominion (U/R)C(W/B)
UBR Becket Brass - take what you can, give nothing back UBR
Add another for the head. Summon Exodia.
Art is life itself.
EDIT: found the video.
Art is life itself.