I just want to chime in to say that I actually don't hate the Gatewatch, and would be a little sad to see them all go. I'm not necessarily frothing at the bit to see them get defeated, but it's fine if they don't always win. I've always been a little confused at all the hatred the Gatewatch gets, especially Jace (I liked him in Agents of Artifice). Buck up, Jace. You might not have won this battle, but you'll get 'em next time.
I just want to chime in to say that I actually don't hate the Gatewatch, and would be a little sad to see them all go. I'm not necessarily frothing at the bit to see them get defeated, but it's fine if they don't always win. I've always been a little confused at all the hatred the Gatewatch gets, especially Jace (I liked him in Agents of Artifice). Buck up, Jace. You might not have won this battle, but you'll get 'em next time.
If what many of us think will happen actually happens, he'll need some memory exercises before he can get anybody.
Calling it now: Bolas completely mind rapes Jace, causing Jace to flee by planeswalking away randomly but not before Bolas destroys most/all of Jace’s memories (which he will get back eventually, because of course he will). Jace ends up on Ixalan and he’s forgotten everything – including that he’s a planeswalker at all. Thus, he becomes a castaway.
Maybe Jace meets Vraska on Ixalan and she reminds him (accidentally or intentionally) of his ability to planeswalk. Or maybe Ajani shows up in the second set to rescue Jace. There are multiple directions they could go with this. But I’m actually pretty confident that the first part of this theory (Jace planeswalking to Ixalan after Bolas wipes his memories).
It’s possible that Bolas will do the same to rest of the Gatewatch, making it so that each member is randomly stranded on a different plane, with the exception of Ajani who has to rescue each one. Or maybe it’s just Jace that has this happen to him.
Anyway, as for the card itself: it’s a slightly better Gainsay, but it’s so specific that 99% of the time it’s just going to be Gainsay. Which is fine, I guess. And it definitely proves that the Gatewatch are going to lose to Bolas, but most of us predicted that before the block even started so it’s not much of a surprise. I do expect this to be a cycle. The fact that this card (and the rest of the cycle, presumably) are uncommon that reference planeswalkers – and not just any planeswalker, but very specific subset of them – is certainly odd, but on the bright side at least the cards will be relevant more often because they’ve printed so freaking many cards the Origins 5.
The one I’m really stumped on is Gideon’s. Liliana’s could either be Hero’s Downfall or a discard spell (I’m leaning toward the latter in light of today’s leaks). Chandra’s will obviously be direct damage of some kind. Nissa’s can be “destroy target noncreature permanent.” All of those things could potentially hit planeswalkers to trigger a bonus effect. But white doesn’t usually get to target planeswalkers with much of anything. Actually, how about this:
Gideon’s Defeat 2W
Enchantment – Aura (Uncommon)
Enchant creature or planeswalker
When Gideon’s defeat enters the battlefield, if it’s enchanting a Gideon planeswalker, [bonus effect].
Enchanted permanent can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.
It's much wordier than the others are likely to be, and it's an enchantment rather than an instant/sorcery, but it gets the job done and it’s the only thing I can think of it that’s really in white’s color pie and can target planeswalkers.
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I just want to chime in to say that I actually don't hate the Gatewatch, and would be a little sad to see them all go. I'm not necessarily frothing at the bit to see them get defeated, but it's fine if they don't always win. I've always been a little confused at all the hatred the Gatewatch gets, especially Jace (I liked him in Agents of Artifice). Buck up, Jace. You might not have won this battle, but you'll get 'em next time.
If what many of us think will happen actually happens, he'll need some memory exercises before he can get anybody.
Sure. Maybe they will be able to develop him better as a result of this, and maybe people will stop hating on him so much. He's overcome memory loss before. I don't disagree that it was pretty foolish to think they could "get the drop" on Nicol Bolas, and that they should have enlisted more help. I definitely agree that they should be taught some sort of lesson. However, I don't want them to just go away, and would like them to grow from this.
Thank you Wizards, thank you very, very much. I had hoped to see Jace taken down a peg for some time now. Even if he escapes and rebuilds, this is a fine moment of story.
It seems better than Gainsay in an environment where everyone is playing him, and it's a straight counterspell in a meta where blue is just crushing it.
Nice design!
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The "Crazy One", playing casual magic and occasionally dipping his toes into regular play since 1994.
Currently focusing on Pre-Modern (Mono-Black Discard Control) and Modern (Azorious Control, Temur Rhinos).
Find me at the Wizard's Tower in Ottawa every second Saturday afternoons.
Ugh. I'm going to have to just remind myself to ignore all the flavor text in Hour of Devastation. Nicol Bolas is such a terrible, one-dimensional villain, and his flavor text all has the same cliched sound to it. Do people just get hard-ons from him as a character because he's powerful and such an incredible douche? It's pretty hard to believe that a 25,000 year old dragon can act so juvenile.
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To be honest, with all the horrible stuff the multiverse has to offer, this would be a blessing in disguise for many walkers who aren't Jace. We haven't seen enough of Ixalan yet, but it seems pretty neat compared to many other planes.
Unfortunately, Ravnica needs its Living Guildpact, the Gatewatch needs its blue second leader, and Jace's parents need their son (assuming they're still alive). Not to mention, Vraska will do something.
Am I do the only one who wants Nicol Bolas to unveil his evil plan of releasing the 'enemy gatewatch' which consists of brainwashed planeswalkers from amonkhet?
I feel like this card puts the nail in the coffin of that idea. That would have been hilarious though.
It’s possible that Bolas will do the same to rest of the Gatewatch, making it so that each member is randomly stranded on a different plane, with the exception of Ajani who has to rescue each one. Or maybe it’s just Jace that has this happen to him.
That sounds like a certain story arc in One Piece.
I like Jace defeat. Every walker from now on needs a kryptonite card.
As for the Gatewatch guys next time listen to ajani you needed more walkers to beat him even if he got more powerful you still would have had a better chance to beat him with more walkers.
And yea I'm willing bet this is a cycle "Gatewatch member defeat"
I doubt that this is a cycle, but if it is, since this one is Gainsay, the anti-Gideon one (if it exists) could be Glare of Heresy.
Oh wow, you're absolutely right. I was trying to remember if any of white's situational removal could hit planeswalkers, but I couldn't think of any. Somehow I missed the one that's in a cycle that this cycle is clearly inspired by. Wow. Yeah, assuming that's still in white's color pie nowadays (and even if it's not, they could still bend the rules to make this one card), that would definitely be a more elegant design than an enchantment.
You just can't make anyone happy. Name one villain that isn't one-dimensional? Bolas is my favorite because of how maniacal he has been on his quest to regain his pre-mending powers. He's literally had a hand in 1000s of worlds (the Amonkhet world soul reveals this to Nissa) without them probably even knowing his name. That's a good monster, to me.
As for this card, I like the flavor. A lot. I'm waiting for Defeat of Gideon to be an aura that enchants a nonland permanent and if it's Gideon, gain control of it, then sacrifice at the end of the turn.
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"The essence of every world, every spell and every thought is power. Nothing else matters, because nothing else exists."
If what many of us think will happen actually happens, he'll need some memory exercises before he can get anybody.
Because of the flavor of the card ( wizards "killing" the poster child)
Because how spcific of a hate this is, etc
again, if it wasn't spoiled by wizard's twitter i would be calling fake.
A little flavor fail is needed, lest the card becomes unplayable.
Maybe Jace meets Vraska on Ixalan and she reminds him (accidentally or intentionally) of his ability to planeswalk. Or maybe Ajani shows up in the second set to rescue Jace. There are multiple directions they could go with this. But I’m actually pretty confident that the first part of this theory (Jace planeswalking to Ixalan after Bolas wipes his memories).
It’s possible that Bolas will do the same to rest of the Gatewatch, making it so that each member is randomly stranded on a different plane, with the exception of Ajani who has to rescue each one. Or maybe it’s just Jace that has this happen to him.
Anyway, as for the card itself: it’s a slightly better Gainsay, but it’s so specific that 99% of the time it’s just going to be Gainsay. Which is fine, I guess. And it definitely proves that the Gatewatch are going to lose to Bolas, but most of us predicted that before the block even started so it’s not much of a surprise. I do expect this to be a cycle. The fact that this card (and the rest of the cycle, presumably) are uncommon that reference planeswalkers – and not just any planeswalker, but very specific subset of them – is certainly odd, but on the bright side at least the cards will be relevant more often because they’ve printed so freaking many cards the Origins 5.
The one I’m really stumped on is Gideon’s. Liliana’s could either be Hero’s Downfall or a discard spell (I’m leaning toward the latter in light of today’s leaks). Chandra’s will obviously be direct damage of some kind. Nissa’s can be “destroy target noncreature permanent.” All of those things could potentially hit planeswalkers to trigger a bonus effect. But white doesn’t usually get to target planeswalkers with much of anything. Actually, how about this:
Gideon’s Defeat 2W
Enchantment – Aura (Uncommon)
Enchant creature or planeswalker
When Gideon’s defeat enters the battlefield, if it’s enchanting a Gideon planeswalker, [bonus effect].
Enchanted permanent can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.
It's much wordier than the others are likely to be, and it's an enchantment rather than an instant/sorcery, but it gets the job done and it’s the only thing I can think of it that’s really in white’s color pie and can target planeswalkers.
Sure. Maybe they will be able to develop him better as a result of this, and maybe people will stop hating on him so much. He's overcome memory loss before. I don't disagree that it was pretty foolish to think they could "get the drop" on Nicol Bolas, and that they should have enlisted more help. I definitely agree that they should be taught some sort of lesson. However, I don't want them to just go away, and would like them to grow from this.
I doubt that this is a cycle, but if it is, since this one is Gainsay, the anti-Gideon one (if it exists) could be Glare of Heresy.
Not really, only Bolas defeats Bolas. :3
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It seems better than Gainsay in an environment where everyone is playing him, and it's a straight counterspell in a meta where blue is just crushing it.
Nice design!
Currently focusing on Pre-Modern (Mono-Black Discard Control) and Modern (Azorious Control, Temur Rhinos).
Find me at the Wizard's Tower in Ottawa every second Saturday afternoons.
Unfortunately, Ravnica needs its Living Guildpact, the Gatewatch needs its blue second leader, and Jace's parents need their son (assuming they're still alive). Not to mention, Vraska will do something.
I feel like this card puts the nail in the coffin of that idea. That would have been hilarious though.
That sounds like a certain story arc in One Piece.
I like Jace defeat. Every walker from now on needs a kryptonite card.
As for the Gatewatch guys next time listen to ajani you needed more walkers to beat him even if he got more powerful you still would have had a better chance to beat him with more walkers.
And yea I'm willing bet this is a cycle "Gatewatch member defeat"
Oh wow, you're absolutely right. I was trying to remember if any of white's situational removal could hit planeswalkers, but I couldn't think of any. Somehow I missed the one that's in a cycle that this cycle is clearly inspired by. Wow. Yeah, assuming that's still in white's color pie nowadays (and even if it's not, they could still bend the rules to make this one card), that would definitely be a more elegant design than an enchantment.
Ok, my update prediction is:
Anti-Gideon Glare of Heresy
Anti-Jace Gainsay
Anti-Liliana Thoughtseize or Hero's Downfall
Anti-Chandra burn spell
Anti-Nissa Bramblecrush
And Ajani gets nothing because he wasn't stupid enough to go with them in the first place.
As for this card, I like the flavor. A lot. I'm waiting for Defeat of Gideon to be an aura that enchants a nonland permanent and if it's Gideon, gain control of it, then sacrifice at the end of the turn.
Bolas is just giving them the one-hit man punch.