Well, if it is an illusion, couldn't we just imagine it gets mummified?
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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!
Holy *****. Embalming Tools is insane. Straight into Sidisi EDH you go. I'll play the hell out of it in limited, too. Easily my favorite card in the set.
Embalming Tools is one of my new favorite cards. I remember during the twitch stream asking myself if their was going to be any embalm support like cost reduction. Sure enough like not even fifteen seconds later they revealed it and I was overjoyed.
Lay Claim I love as its basically a slightly more expensive Confiscate with cycling. But also that artwork with Kefnet left me with a big grin and in a good mood.
I think Binding Mummy is a very unique and cool take on Zombies for tribal. Also that Time to Reflect really piqued my interest in hopes of other such similar cards could be very strong. I block your Consulate Dreadnought with the Siege Modification with just my humble Binding Mummy. Before damage is dealt, I cast Time to Reflect to remove it from the game and leave my Binding Mummy unharmed.
I had a strong suspicion when I saw the artwork for Painted Bluffs that it was going to be Shimmering Grotto. My only hope is that there is more desert support.
Did Geralf's Masterpiece finally graduate to something other than bulk mythic? So much zombie tribal in this set that esper colors seems incredibly viable and going hellbent is probably not very difficult. They also added a really good 5 mana liliana.
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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!
Lay Claim is the first Mind Control variant printed at Uncommon in a very long time. I hope this is a sign of what's to come in later sets, namely being Uncommon, 7+ mana, and just a tad more improved for its cost. Straight up Mind Control at Uncommon is too swingy in Limited, but these cheap knock-offs that Blue's been getting lately are just eating up the rare slot for no reason. Also, since Green/Blue is such a shaky color pair in Limited due to the lack of removal and card synergies, this change would work double duty in providing incentive for building this type of deck due to its steep mana cost but potential to win games by itself.
Lay Claim is the first Mind Control variant printed at Uncommon in a very long time. I hope this is a sign of what's to come in later sets, namely being Uncommon, 7+ mana, and just a tad more improved for its cost. Straight up Mind Control at Uncommon is too swingy in Limited, but these cheap knock-offs that Blue's been getting lately are just eating up the rare slot for no reason. Also, since Green/Blue is such a shaky color pair in Limited due to the lack of removal and card synergies, this change would work double duty in providing incentive for building this type of deck due to its steep mana cost but potential to win games by itself.
The last few sets seemed to focus on two types of pure blue "removal": Ice over effects that keep creatures tapped and bounce. The ice over effects are sort of under rated, but at the same time with a three color meta it's sort of like "why bother using ice over effects when I can go sultai for Murder or Temur for Harnessed Lightning?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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, a good question, embalming an illusion is a flavor dud comparable to giving the name FUMIGATE of all things to a white board sweeper instead of a black sweeper that sprays poison to kill small creatures, in fact it would have been a good fit for this block and this Vizier of Poisons girl:
(Flavorful) Fumigate 2BG
Sorcery (duh!)
Place two -1/-1 counters on each creature.
....or maybe a functional reprint of Perish, that's a nasty card there
...I was obviously joking, unfair hosers like that have been phased out for a good reason. But I just love that card, nothing like killing big dumb green beaters or stupid elves en masse:D
I'm sort of torn on the hypothetical zombie deck at the moment, though. The only thing keeping me from building it is that it basically rotates out in the fall in a few months as it relies a lot on black zombie tribal from SoI. Hour of Devastation will be kind of the test as to whether the tribe will have enough support to keep existing outside of casual play.
Private Mod Note
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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!
White zombies get more support than their black counterparts...
Because black zombies HAVEN'T had 20 years of support.
Yeah, twenty years of support and the zombie tribe still doesn't have a deck comparable to modern elves/merfolk or legacy goblins. Nor, will it be more than a casual standard deck.
But, these new black zombies were made specifically to support the white embalm cards, which is why they require only one black mana.
A card named Bloodlust Inciter not granting Blood Lust is a flavor fail of epic proportions Lay Claim is pretty sweet though. I have a soft spot for theft cards and one that still has a use if you draw into it before you are ready is great.
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Spirits
Well, those are the only mono green and mono red zombies, sure. But there are lots of multi-colored ones in those colors. Anathemancer, Glissa, the Traitor, Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord, Grixis Sojourners, Kheru Lich Lord just to name a few.
Yeah, the zombies and angels both have the need for a 5c general...
EDIT Funny how I'm not the first to question this
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!
EDIT: My mistake, bestow is an alternative casting cost, not activated ability.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
As mono colored probably, but not multicolored. Deathbringer Thoctar, Kraum, Ludevic's Opus, Lightning Reaver, Lord of Tresserhorn, Nekusar, the Mindrazer, Sedris, the Traitor King, Shambling Remains, Thraximundar and Tymaret, the Murder King all need R. As for G, Baloth Null, Dreg Mangler, Glissa, the Traitor, Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord, Kheru Lich Lord, Lotleth Troll, Skullbriar, the Walking Grave, Vulturous Zombie and you can include Sidisi, Brood Tyrant. Meren of Clan Nel Toth can do some work as well.
Lay Claim I love as its basically a slightly more expensive Confiscate with cycling. But also that artwork with Kefnet left me with a big grin and in a good mood.
I think Binding Mummy is a very unique and cool take on Zombies for tribal. Also that Time to Reflect really piqued my interest in hopes of other such similar cards could be very strong. I block your Consulate Dreadnought with the Siege Modification with just my humble Binding Mummy. Before damage is dealt, I cast Time to Reflect to remove it from the game and leave my Binding Mummy unharmed.
I had a strong suspicion when I saw the artwork for Painted Bluffs that it was going to be Shimmering Grotto. My only hope is that there is more desert support.
Because black zombies HAVEN'T had 20 years of support.
Or a seriously solid lord in THIS VERY SET.
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!
The last few sets seemed to focus on two types of pure blue "removal": Ice over effects that keep creatures tapped and bounce. The ice over effects are sort of under rated, but at the same time with a three color meta it's sort of like "why bother using ice over effects when I can go sultai for Murder or Temur for Harnessed Lightning?
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, a good question, embalming an illusion is a flavor dud comparable to giving the name FUMIGATE of all things to a white board sweeper instead of a black sweeper that sprays poison to kill small creatures, in fact it would have been a good fit for this block and this Vizier of Poisons girl:
(Flavorful) Fumigate 2BG
Sorcery (duh!)
Place two -1/-1 counters on each creature.
....or maybe a functional reprint of Perish, that's a nasty card there
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, twenty years of support and the zombie tribe still doesn't have a deck comparable to modern elves/merfolk or legacy goblins. Nor, will it be more than a casual standard deck.
But, these new black zombies were made specifically to support the white embalm cards, which is why they require only one black mana.
Lay Claim is pretty sweet though. I have a soft spot for theft cards and one that still has a use if you draw into it before you are ready is great.