This is incorrect. This creature changes the result of damage, but gideon prevents damage entirely. Its similar to how wither works with fog effects.
The answer is much more complicated since replacement effects and prevention effects are operating on the same level (and while this effect looks really, really similar to wither it isn't wither - wither is not a replacement effect). I took a quick glance at the rules and am left with the impression that technically the controller of Gideon can choose whether the damage is replaced with -1/-1 counters or prevented (EDIT: Reading the rules again and again there is either another rule that clarifies this or a bit of ambiguity - since apparently the choice is made by the controller of the affected object rather than the replacement effect and it's not immediately apparent whether the affected object of the damage replacement effect is the source or "sink" of the damage).
In practice the choice seems easy. Just making sure that the details are in place in case anyone ever thinks this is like wither.
I found my missing piece to my Standard prowess burn deck. Bedlam Reveler approves!
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In case I didn't tell you, I don't care about your opinion I just want your facts. And not the facts that make you seem smart. I want the ones that are actual facts.
This is good in that it can slow down a creature. Say you have a bolt and an opponent has a 3/4 or something like that, or something like a Goyf. Using the bolt on the creature wouldn't be a bad play. It doesn't kill it, but it can either slow it down or make it almost entirely useless, or make it so one of your creatures can kill it if it were to attack or something like that. It essentially takes away the all or nothing aspect of burn spells against creatures, which can be incredibly powerful.
That's a fair point, and I understand it, and did when I was evaluating the card, but in any metagame where I need to worry about racing a goyf, I'm likely not going to play Burn.
Essentially: Burn decks do NOT want to slow down the game against most goyf decks.
Like I said, it's a great card, I just think it's being vastly overhyped. But, I have been wrong before, and I will be wrong again.
This guy is very relevant to modern burn as it makes burn spells effective even against a 4/5 goyf. Yeah, that goyf may survive the bolt, but it's now a 1/2 that is at best pinging someone and now loses outright to a Monastery Swiftspear or Goblin Guide. I'd play it over Goblin Guide, actually. Giving my opponent free lands for one extra point of damage just doesn't seem worthwhile in the current meta I'm dealing with anyway.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
This guy is very relevant to modern burn as it makes burn spells effective even against a 4/5 goyf. Yeah, that goyf may survive the bolt, but it's now a 1/2 that is at best pinging someone and now loses outright to a Monastery Swiftspear or Goblin Guide. I'd play it over Goblin Guide, actually. Giving my opponent free lands for one extra point of damage just doesn't seem worthwhile in the current meta I'm dealing with anyway.
I wouldn't replace Goblin Guide a 1cmc 2/2 with haste is to good not to run. If I replaced any thing in burn it would Grim Lavamancer .
This guy is very relevant to modern burn as it makes burn spells effective even against a 4/5 goyf. Yeah, that goyf may survive the bolt, but it's now a 1/2 that is at best pinging someone and now loses outright to a Monastery Swiftspear or Goblin Guide. I'd play it over Goblin Guide, actually. Giving my opponent free lands for one extra point of damage just doesn't seem worthwhile in the current meta I'm dealing with anyway.
I wouldn't replace Goblin Guide a 1cmc 2/2 with haste is to good not to run. If I replaced any thing in burn it would Grim Lavamancer .
Yeah I ran a few games on Xmage against a friend and concluded it's better to have it as a sideboard option. Melira, Sylvok Outcast is just brutal against it since thanks to her ability she basically hoses all creature removal in burn. That game 2 was legendary as he didn't just get that out, but also Leyline of Sanctity. I felt like I was throwing a wet sponge at an angry rottweiler.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
This guy is very relevant to modern burn as it makes burn spells effective even against a 4/5 goyf. Yeah, that goyf may survive the bolt, but it's now a 1/2 that is at best pinging someone and now loses outright to a Monastery Swiftspear or Goblin Guide. I'd play it over Goblin Guide, actually. Giving my opponent free lands for one extra point of damage just doesn't seem worthwhile in the current meta I'm dealing with anyway.
I wouldn't replace Goblin Guide a 1cmc 2/2 with haste is to good not to run. If I replaced any thing in burn it would Grim Lavamancer .
Yeah I ran a few games on Xmage against a friend and concluded it's better to have it as a sideboard option. Melira, Sylvok Outcast is just brutal against it since thanks to her ability she basically hoses all creature removal in burn. That game 2 was legendary as he didn't just get that out, but also Leyline of Sanctity. I felt like I was throwing a wet sponge at an angry rottweiler.
That's is brutal, I never thought about the interaction with Melira. Did you find a way to pull out a win?, That's a tough board for burn. I know I lose like 90% of the Games that Leyline of Sanctity is played against me and I run answers for it in my sb.
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The answer is much more complicated since replacement effects and prevention effects are operating on the same level (and while this effect looks really, really similar to wither it isn't wither - wither is not a replacement effect). I took a quick glance at the rules and am left with the impression that technically the controller of Gideon can choose whether the damage is replaced with -1/-1 counters or prevented (EDIT: Reading the rules again and again there is either another rule that clarifies this or a bit of ambiguity - since apparently the choice is made by the controller of the affected object rather than the replacement effect and it's not immediately apparent whether the affected object of the damage replacement effect is the source or "sink" of the damage).
In practice the choice seems easy. Just making sure that the details are in place in case anyone ever thinks this is like wither.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
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That's a fair point, and I understand it, and did when I was evaluating the card, but in any metagame where I need to worry about racing a goyf, I'm likely not going to play Burn.
Essentially: Burn decks do NOT want to slow down the game against most goyf decks.
Like I said, it's a great card, I just think it's being vastly overhyped. But, I have been wrong before, and I will be wrong again.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Yeah I ran a few games on Xmage against a friend and concluded it's better to have it as a sideboard option. Melira, Sylvok Outcast is just brutal against it since thanks to her ability she basically hoses all creature removal in burn. That game 2 was legendary as he didn't just get that out, but also Leyline of Sanctity. I felt like I was throwing a wet sponge at an angry rottweiler.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!