There are plenty of better versions of this.
Found at the Mothership's images.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Well, single black vs double black. Not strictly worse.
Largely semantics. In Constructed, this is generally worse than Whisper, Sign, Read the Bones, and Painful Truths.
2= 1 colored mana seems to be the standard exchange rate, so I can't be mad, even though in a standard with decent multicolor support, I'd rather have sign in blood.
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My decks
Standard - RIP Cat
Modern - Death & Taxes
Commander - Mazirek, Trostani, Angry Omnath
In every format where there is competition, Sign in Blood and Read the Bones win. Using your draw as a shock is rarely relevant, and if it is most decks that want this effect have no issue finding BB. It isn't strictly worse, and the art and flavor are grrr-eat, but overall a mediocre limited card.
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Sufferer of EDHD
Commander - Currently Playing: RCRDaretti: Superfriends Forever RCR WGBDoran: Ent-mootWBG GGGMultani: Group Bear HugGGG GB(B/G)The Gitrog Monster: Dredgefall DurdleGB(B/G) RGWGahiji, the Honored Group Hug MonsterRGW UB(U/B)Yuriko, Ninja Trinket AggroUB(U/B) WUBRGAtogatog: Assembling a OHKOWUBRG
It's worse if you're using it on yourself, but none of those cards can directly kill your opponent in a pinch.
*facepalm*
You need to do homework on cards like these.
2 life for draw 2 is nothing any card draw is a huge atvantage and you can draw the card you need for the win.
This is what black is about do whatever it takes to win.
Yes, we aren't arguing Black's slice of the color pie. We are arguing cost effectiveness. This is not a cost effective card drawing black card. It's worse than the previous alternatives we've gotten at the same rarities.
I am more curious as to why the numeral is spelled out in "two cards" but written as a numeral in "2 life".
It's just how templating works: some things, like cards, have the number spelled out, other things, like life, use the numerals. It has been like this for literally decades. At least, it was already like this in 2005 when I started playing. As far as I know it has always been like this since the beginning of the game, even though I can't exclude exceptions existing in the very early sets, back when modern templating wasn't yet a thing.
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MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Sign in Blood can. Stop making excuses for intentionally weaker design! (j/k) Yes, BB vs 2B. But no one wants this to cost 2B, and Sign in Blood would have been a fine reprint.
This is also worse than Toil // Trouble. It's always disappointing when we get a card that's just half of a preexisting split card, with no trade off for losing half the card, but that goes double for fuse cards. Aiming Toil at your opponent is a lot more enticing when it's also a Sudden Impact.
From an EDH/singleton persepctive, "losing" a common slot to a 4th sign in blood/nights whisper/read the bones is kind of nice. Yes it could have been a reprint or something different all together, but I'll take it.
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EDH Pantheon UBRG Yidris, Eye of the Storm WBR Kaalia, Herald of Apocalypse UBG Damia, Sage of Nightmare WBG Karador, the Bridge Between WU Grand Warden Augustin IV RG Omnath, Locus of Awakening BG Nath Addict UR Niv Mizzet, Brain Aflame B Kokusho, the Mourning Star U Memnarch is All
It's worse if you're using it on yourself, but none of those cards can directly kill your opponent in a pinch.
*facepalm*
You need to do homework on cards like these.
2 life for draw 2 is nothing any card draw is a huge atvantage and you can draw the card you need for the win.
This is what black is about do whatever it takes to win.
I think he's saying it's worse than Night's Whisper and Read the Bones. Which it is, either by costing 1 more, or by getting slightly better card selection.
Sign in Blood is better, but not strictly better. Though if you're in a situation where mana fixing is that hard, you're probably in five-color and can just run Divination or Mulldrifter.
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
In terms of limited, the fact that it isn't double black makes it more plausible as a card in 3+ color decks, compared to Sign in Blood. That's potentially a valuable difference.
I'll admit to liking my draw-2's at 2 mana way more than 3 mana in general, though.
You don't call "dying to removal" if the removal is more expensive in resources than the creature. If you have to spend BG (Abrupt Decay), or W + basic land (PtE) to remove a 1G, that is not "dying to removal". Strictly speaking Goyf dies to removal, but actually your removal is dying to Goyf.
The art on this is very strange and very cool. They still do something interesting every once in a while... not often. It's basically just realism, realism, and more fantasy realism these days... yawn.
Apparently nobody in this thread knows what the word "strictly" means. It has a fairly strict definition. If this could only target yourself, then yes, it would be strictly worse than Night's Whisper and Read the Bones (but would still be more usable than Sign In Blood in some odd corner cases).
Instead, let's talk about the artwork. It's much less unpleasant up close (...ish...) than when I saw the thumbnail on the MTGS front page where I thought the guy's hands were sewn together. Here they just kind of look like the artist drew them oddly.
Now that scry is evergreen, I see no reason not to have read the bones instead of this. Really.
Flavor reasons? Maybe they don't do that kind of divination on Amonkhet? Alternately, because it can be used as a killing blow in a pinch and it's a simple and, well, kind of obvious design that was bound to happen and, frankly, I'm surprised didn't happen sooner.
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There are plenty of better versions of this.
Found at the Mothership's images.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
WU TBD | UB Wrexial | BR The Scorpion God | RG Xenagos | GW Katilda
WB TBD | UR TBD | BG Virtus & Gorm | RW Feather | GU Koma
GWU TBD | WUB Sefris | UBR TBD | BRG Lord Windgrace | RGW TBD
WBG TBD | URW Brallin & Shabraz | BGU Kadena | RWB Edgar | GUR Maelstrom Wanderer
WUBR TBD | UBRG Thrasios & Vial Smasher | BRGW Saskia | RGWU TBD | GWUB TBD
WUBRG The Ur-Dragon | C Kozilek
It's worse if you're using it on yourself, but none of those cards can directly kill your opponent in a pinch.
Standard - RIP Cat
Modern - Death & Taxes
Commander - Mazirek, Trostani, Angry Omnath
WU TBD | UB Wrexial | BR The Scorpion God | RG Xenagos | GW Katilda
WB TBD | UR TBD | BG Virtus & Gorm | RW Feather | GU Koma
GWU TBD | WUB Sefris | UBR TBD | BRG Lord Windgrace | RGW TBD
WBG TBD | URW Brallin & Shabraz | BGU Kadena | RWB Edgar | GUR Maelstrom Wanderer
WUBR TBD | UBRG Thrasios & Vial Smasher | BRGW Saskia | RGWU TBD | GWUB TBD
WUBRG The Ur-Dragon | C Kozilek
Um, yes – Sign in Blood can. This is a strictly-worse version of that.
Well, single black vs double black. Not strictly worse.
BSkithiryx, the Blight DragonB
GAzusa, Lost but SeekingG
Largely semantics. In Constructed, this is generally worse than Whisper, Sign, Read the Bones, and Painful Truths.
*facepalm*
You need to do homework on cards like these.
2 life for draw 2 is nothing any card draw is a huge atvantage and you can draw the card you need for the win.
This is what black is about do whatever it takes to win.
2= 1 colored mana seems to be the standard exchange rate, so I can't be mad, even though in a standard with decent multicolor support, I'd rather have sign in blood.
Standard - RIP Cat
Modern - Death & Taxes
Commander - Mazirek, Trostani, Angry Omnath
RCRDaretti: Superfriends Forever RCR
WGBDoran: Ent-mootWBG
GGGMultani: Group Bear HugGGG
GB(B/G)The Gitrog Monster: Dredgefall DurdleGB(B/G)
RGWGahiji, the Honored Group Hug MonsterRGW
UB(U/B)Yuriko, Ninja Trinket AggroUB(U/B)
WUBRGAtogatog: Assembling a OHKOWUBRG
I am more curious as to why the numeral is spelled out in "two cards" but written as a numeral in "2 life".
Yes, we aren't arguing Black's slice of the color pie. We are arguing cost effectiveness. This is not a cost effective card drawing black card. It's worse than the previous alternatives we've gotten at the same rarities.
none
Modern
UBG B/U/G control
BBB MBC
WUR Control
WWW Prison
RRR Goblins
Legacy
BBB Pox
UBG B/U/G Control
UWU StoneBlade
UW Miracle Control
Coulda/shoulda been an instant.
-Chandra Nalaar
It's just how templating works: some things, like cards, have the number spelled out, other things, like life, use the numerals. It has been like this for literally decades. At least, it was already like this in 2005 when I started playing. As far as I know it has always been like this since the beginning of the game, even though I can't exclude exceptions existing in the very early sets, back when modern templating wasn't yet a thing.
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
UBRG Yidris, Eye of the Storm
WBR Kaalia, Herald of Apocalypse
UBG Damia, Sage of Nightmare
WBG Karador, the Bridge Between
WU Grand Warden Augustin IV
RG Omnath, Locus of Awakening
BG Nath Addict
UR Niv Mizzet, Brain Aflame
B Kokusho, the Mourning Star
U Memnarch is All
I think he's saying it's worse than Night's Whisper and Read the Bones. Which it is, either by costing 1 more, or by getting slightly better card selection.
Sign in Blood is better, but not strictly better. Though if you're in a situation where mana fixing is that hard, you're probably in five-color and can just run Divination or Mulldrifter.
It's rare, but it's possible you might end up with a situation where your opponent's at 2 and you win by using this as a makeshift Shock. Or, of course, Underworld Dreams, Nekusar, the Mindrazer, Spiteful Visions...
On phasing:
I'll admit to liking my draw-2's at 2 mana way more than 3 mana in general, though.
It's a safe, clean limited fodder card we can expect to see reprinted a lot.
"OH GOD MY BRAIN IS EXPLOADING AT HOW BAD THE ART IS ON MY OWN CARD"
-A friend's first impression of Ancestral Recall
10/10, I tapped.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
Instead, let's talk about the artwork. It's much less unpleasant up close (...ish...) than when I saw the thumbnail on the MTGS front page where I thought the guy's hands were sewn together. Here they just kind of look like the artist drew them oddly.
Flavor reasons? Maybe they don't do that kind of divination on Amonkhet? Alternately, because it can be used as a killing blow in a pinch and it's a simple and, well, kind of obvious design that was bound to happen and, frankly, I'm surprised didn't happen sooner.