I'm definitely a fan of Gisa and Geralf. Still need some cheap Zombies to fill out the early curve, but the siblings are definitely a useful tool for the deck (at the very least, they make Prized Amalgammuch better). And I'd definitely run them in my casual Grixis Zombies deck.
At the moment, doesn't Liliana, Defiant Necromancer do a better job of getting things back AND feeding the graveyard?
Gisa and Geralf is great. It's a four of since multiples just helps your game plan. It self mills and doesn't hate it's owner the way another infamous mythic demon does. It also gives everyone's favorite alamgam a legit purpose. If we had good enablers for zombie based control, this would be an all-star in it.
Gisa and geralf are just way worse than their individual cards... I guess they get weaker when they team up because....?
...because standard and limited are wizards babies, two delicately crafted environments that must not be broken by any means. You probably knew that anyway, so apologies in advance for pointing that out for the ninth-million time.
I'm SO SICK of the "too strong for Standard" argument. It's the new "Dies to removal". We can have a two mana 4/4 with a zillion abilities, but we can't just have Accumulated Knowledge. Makes sense.
I think people are really underestimating gissa/geralf. Being able to repeatedly cast cards like nantuko husk and fleshbag marauder while triggering your amalgams is going to be a pretty serious annoyance. It also help fuel diregraf colossus and makes his triggers more consistent.
I also appreciate that this card has some synergy with take inventory and likely what will be a black card if this is a cycle. Here's hoping new liliana can also lend some tribal support
Step 1: make a kinda zombie lord that cares about zombies.
Step 2: make a set that is obviously Eldrazi vs zombies story-wise.
Step 3: Read people whine about your lord without having seen the whole set.
The card is fine. It's a 4/4 for 4 with GY recursion in a tribe known for GY loving in a set that is almost certain to be zombie-oriented. Comparing it to previous cards that were released in a direct-to-vintage set (and had higher mana cost to boot) is stretching the truth...
This new way of doing things is having the opposite effect on me than what Wizards hopes it does: I'm becoming less and less hyped for this set, such that when the actual GOOD spoilers are released, I may not be able to get hyped again because my initial impression of the set is utter disappointment.
Now we need some 1 drop and 2 drop zombies (Relentless Dead is more of a 3 drop by way of his ability than a 2 drop).
I get your point on him being a 3 drop, but the new Gisa & Geralf card kind of negate your point, since he can now be replayed at any time, making him a safer 2 drop.
One day I am going to start collecting all of the hate for every card so that all of the cards that end up winning top 8's can have all of the "This care is useless.... meh" posts. I am not saying that these cards are going to be amazing but I know most of the stars had tons hating on it in every set. Only a few are so pushed that everyone gushes over it and is correct.
Very mixed reaction from me, Gisa and Geralf could be better. We get a Hellbent miniInferno Titan Vampire, which is good. Btw one is Mythic the other one is rare.
Is Bloodhall Priest a relative of Bloodhall Ooze? (Jokes aside, its really the second card to use that term, although I'll say it fits here a lot better than it did on Jund).
I think Gisa and Geralf are a lot more powerful than people give it credit for... although only for Standard at best. Even in EDH, it briefly got me excited (and works well with Rooftop Storm for half a Sheoldred, Whispering One effect for tribal only... then I realized what I described didn't sound too good in EDH... sure you get the cast triggers, but in EDH those interactions are vastly less impactful than in other formats.) Also, the siblings aren't Zombies themselves... so they don't get the Rooftop Storm applied to themselves.
EDH:ShatterStax, Only The Strong Survive
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir Mono-U Control
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Sen Triplets
Mizzix of the Izmagnus
Derevi Stax
VolThrun
Marchesa, The Black Rose
Olivia Voldaren, Vampire Tribal
the UB one can give lots of card advantage and is somewhat bananas with Relentless Dead
RB vampire aggro decks tend to go "hellbent" quite fast all the time.
a 4/4 for 4 that shocks something every time it attacks or blocks make it a pretty relevant threat.
either way... both could be a little more pushed....
I like the cards, but they both seem to need that little extra push to make it into constructed...
like, the RB dude could very well have haste or something
Gisa and geralf are just way worse than their individual cards... I guess they get weaker when they team up because....?
...because standard and limited are wizards babies, two delicately crafted environments that must not be broken by any means. You probably knew that anyway, so apologies in advance for pointing that out for the ninth-million time.
Because Standard and Limited are played by more people than any other formats(besides maybe Commander?) and having entire YEARS of broken environments is toxic to long term game health. Look to your signature. You think A.Knowledge is a good card to have back? NO THANKS! I played during Caw Blade and RtR. Let me tell you how fun it is in Control v Control v Control metagames.....it isn't.
Now we need some 1 drop and 2 drop zombies (Relentless Dead is more of a 3 drop by way of his ability than a 2 drop).
I get your point on him being a 3 drop, but the new Gisa & Geralf card kind of negate your point, since he can now be replayed at any time, making him a safer 2 drop.
We still could use a decent 2 drop and definitely a 1 drop(Zombies are the only tribe with no 1 drop in this Block so far). I do like Gissa and Geralf and I think they might be able to see play in standard, but the whole block is starting to stink of too much flavor and not enough substance. Maybe this is the result of new two set design limiting what can go in a block(and if it is I want the old 3 set design back). Hopefully better stuff is yet ahead, but my outlook on the set is starting to sour.
They're finally together! On one card! I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!
A slightly disturbing take on this: You can now have two of each sibling on the battlefield at once...
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"You say 'learn from history,' but that does not mean 'learn the same bull***** the people in history learned alongside phrenology and alchemy.'" - The Blinking Spirit
At the moment, doesn't Liliana, Defiant Necromancer do a better job of getting things back AND feeding the graveyard?
...because standard and limited are wizards babies, two delicately crafted environments that must not be broken by any means. You probably knew that anyway, so apologies in advance for pointing that out for the ninth-million time.
I also appreciate that this card has some synergy with take inventory and likely what will be a black card if this is a cycle. Here's hoping new liliana can also lend some tribal support
Step 2: make a set that is obviously Eldrazi vs zombies story-wise.
Step 3: Read people whine about your lord without having seen the whole set.
The card is fine. It's a 4/4 for 4 with GY recursion in a tribe known for GY loving in a set that is almost certain to be zombie-oriented. Comparing it to previous cards that were released in a direct-to-vintage set (and had higher mana cost to boot) is stretching the truth...
I Stream MTGO on Twitch: broodwarjc
I also post recordings of those streams on Youtube: broodwarjcavidgamer
Standard Deck:
BUPirates
Modern Deck:
B8-Rack
Its killing my buzz on this set. Right now all i see are bulk rares, the angels and the tree....
EDH:
Niv-Mizzet
Legacy:
The Rack
Modern
Venser, the Sojourner Control
To each their own I guess, G&G has me excited, that is immediately going into my zombie Commander deck.
I get your point on him being a 3 drop, but the new Gisa & Geralf card kind of negate your point, since he can now be replayed at any time, making him a safer 2 drop.
I think Gisa and Geralf are a lot more powerful than people give it credit for... although only for Standard at best. Even in EDH, it briefly got me excited (and works well with Rooftop Storm for half a Sheoldred, Whispering One effect for tribal only... then I realized what I described didn't sound too good in EDH... sure you get the cast triggers, but in EDH those interactions are vastly less impactful than in other formats.) Also, the siblings aren't Zombies themselves... so they don't get the Rooftop Storm applied to themselves.
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir Mono-U Control
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Sen Triplets
Mizzix of the Izmagnus
Derevi Stax
VolThrun
Marchesa, The Black Rose
Olivia Voldaren, Vampire Tribal
Modern: Fish, JUND/Junk
--------
RIP Twin
4/4 for 4s are not horrible.
the UB one can give lots of card advantage and is somewhat bananas with Relentless Dead
RB vampire aggro decks tend to go "hellbent" quite fast all the time.
a 4/4 for 4 that shocks something every time it attacks or blocks make it a pretty relevant threat.
either way... both could be a little more pushed....
I like the cards, but they both seem to need that little extra push to make it into constructed...
like, the RB dude could very well have haste or something
Because Standard and Limited are played by more people than any other formats(besides maybe Commander?) and having entire YEARS of broken environments is toxic to long term game health. Look to your signature. You think A.Knowledge is a good card to have back? NO THANKS! I played during Caw Blade and RtR. Let me tell you how fun it is in Control v Control v Control metagames.....it isn't.
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
We still could use a decent 2 drop and definitely a 1 drop(Zombies are the only tribe with no 1 drop in this Block so far). I do like Gissa and Geralf and I think they might be able to see play in standard, but the whole block is starting to stink of too much flavor and not enough substance. Maybe this is the result of new two set design limiting what can go in a block(and if it is I want the old 3 set design back). Hopefully better stuff is yet ahead, but my outlook on the set is starting to sour.
I Stream MTGO on Twitch: broodwarjc
I also post recordings of those streams on Youtube: broodwarjcavidgamer
Standard Deck:
BUPirates
Modern Deck:
B8-Rack
A slightly disturbing take on this: You can now have two of each sibling on the battlefield at once...
"You say 'learn from history,' but that does not mean 'learn the same bull***** the people in history learned alongside phrenology and alchemy.'" - The Blinking Spirit