Opt! Finally! Not better than Serum Visions, I don't think, but probably better than Sleight of Hand. Sometimes I can't believe Sleight is a card that's played in modern, let alone that's like $5...
I actually believe Opt is better than Serum Visions. In modern specifically, only because every single time i Snapcaster Mage Serum Visions I feel so awkward because of tapping out. And in Standard, I wouldn't mind either of those, nor Sleight of Hand. Better than Anticipate for sure.
Opt! Finally! Not better than Serum Visions, I don't think, but probably better than Sleight of Hand. Sometimes I can't believe Sleight is a card that's played in modern, let alone that's like $5...
Opt doesn't go as far into your library as Serum Visions, but it (1) is an instant and (2) gives you the Scry before the draw.
There are definitely decks that would choose Opt over Visions.
Opt is a pretty good reprint for modern. Should see play for sure but is it better than Serum VIsions and Sleight of Hand?
In Jeskai Control Opt is probably better than Serum Visions simply because you have an abundance of one mana spells (lightning bolt and path).
Having an instant speed cantrip allows you to keep mana open for removal when you need it on the draw.
As people are saying, Opt is an enormous addition to Modern, possibly bannable. While it doesn't dig as deep as Serum Visions and Sleight of Hand, being instant is a huge difference. I imagine combo decks like Storm and Ad Nauseum will keep their current suite for digging, but this may help put stuff like Delver of Secrets, Monastery Mentor, and Tarmogoyf back on the map and it is a better card in control as well. I do share the concern that it is going to get the hammer - we haven't had an Instant Speed cantrip + scry in modern at all, and all the really good sorceries got the hammer.
Duress in Standard seems to fill the promise of "better answers". Lay Bare the Heart can kiss its chances of being maindecked goodbye I guess. I like this art better than Dragons, but less than the core set and classic Urza's art.
Slice in Twain feels flavor-appropriate, but way too slow for anything other than limited sideboards as an answer to the vehicles and build-around auras of the set.
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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
Control decks just got a lot more useful tools. Meanwhile, Modern players are going to be having that whole "Opt versus Serum Visions versus Sleight of Hand" argument for months.
If wizards has to ban opt in modern then something is very wrong.
That they felt they had to ban Ponder and Preordain is a sign that something has been very long for a while now. None of those cards is, individually, bonkers. It's when there's so many options and people could use them all in combination that it became degenerate, so they crushed the load-up-on-cantrips plan by quasi-arbitrarily banning some of them. Well, now they're introducing a new one. It seems likely to me this will lead to the same realization "We let them have too many cantrips, we need to cut them down!" - if they don't ban this they'll ban Sleight or Serum to spare this, but I don't think they'll let em all coexist. If they were happy with so many cantrips coexisting we'd still have Ponder and Preordain.
If wizards has to ban opt in modern then something is very wrong.
That they felt they had to ban Ponder and Preordain is a sign that something has been very long for a while now. None of those cards is, individually, bonkers. It's when there's so many options and people could use them all in combination that it became degenerate, so they crushed the load-up-on-cantrips plan by quasi-arbitrarily banning some of them. Well, now they're introducing a new one. It seems likely to me this will lead to the same realization "We let them have too many cantrips, we need to cut them down!" - if they don't ban this they'll ban Sleight or Serum to spare this, but I don't think they'll let em all coexist. If they were happy with so many cantrips coexisting we'd still have Ponder and Preordain.
I disagree. Preordain and Ponder are the most powerful one-mana draw spells next to only Brain Storm. opt is not powerful enough to warrant a ban. I don't even think decks like storm would want this in modern.
The banning of Ponder and Preordain was never about too many cantrips.
Duress especially nice since it can nab vehicles, which are needed for some of these transforms.
Opt seems crazy in Modern, good thing there aren't any Miracle brews I guess?
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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.
Opt doesn't go as far into your library as Serum Visions, but it (1) is an instant and (2) gives you the Scry before the draw.
There are definitely decks that would choose Opt over Visions.
In Jeskai Control Opt is probably better than Serum Visions simply because you have an abundance of one mana spells (lightning bolt and path).
Having an instant speed cantrip allows you to keep mana open for removal when you need it on the draw.
Twitter: twitter.com/axmanonline
Stream: twitch.tv/axman
Current Decks
Modern: Affinity
Standard: BW Control
Legacy: Death and Taxes :symw::symr:
Vintage: NA
Slice in Twain might see sideboards as an option for dealing with Vehicles, since the Kaladesh ones will still be in the format.
Duress can make your opponent discard Vehicles. I think it'll see Standard play.
Duress in Standard seems to fill the promise of "better answers". Lay Bare the Heart can kiss its chances of being maindecked goodbye I guess. I like this art better than Dragons, but less than the core set and classic Urza's art.
Slice in Twain feels flavor-appropriate, but way too slow for anything other than limited sideboards as an answer to the vehicles and build-around auras of the set.
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 did with new planeswalker rule, Lay can't even touch those anymore.
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
That they felt they had to ban Ponder and Preordain is a sign that something has been very long for a while now. None of those cards is, individually, bonkers. It's when there's so many options and people could use them all in combination that it became degenerate, so they crushed the load-up-on-cantrips plan by quasi-arbitrarily banning some of them. Well, now they're introducing a new one. It seems likely to me this will lead to the same realization "We let them have too many cantrips, we need to cut them down!" - if they don't ban this they'll ban Sleight or Serum to spare this, but I don't think they'll let em all coexist. If they were happy with so many cantrips coexisting we'd still have Ponder and Preordain.
I disagree. Preordain and Ponder are the most powerful one-mana draw spells next to only Brain Storm.
opt is not powerful enough to warrant a ban. I don't even think decks like storm would want this in modern.
The banning of Ponder and Preordain was never about too many cantrips.
Twitter: twitter.com/axmanonline
Stream: twitch.tv/axman
Current Decks
Modern: Affinity
Standard: BW Control
Legacy: Death and Taxes :symw::symr:
Vintage: NA
And I never noticed that they errata'd it to scry.
Opt is of course very nice, I loved the card back in Invasion which had more dramatic tension than this one, but welcome in Modern indeed.
Opt seems crazy in Modern, good thing there aren't any Miracle brews I guess?
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.
My favorite art for Duress is this one by a large margin:
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