List your opinion on draft/sealed top cards.
There are so many awesome limited cards in this set that it almost makes me feel like this set was supposed to just be limited awesomeness rather than make a huge impact in constructed.
My tops in sealed are as follows (no order)
1-Aetherling
Holy banana coffee. This creature is broken in half. He evades, swings for 4-8, dodges removal, what in the world is going on. Every time I played this guy I won, every time an opponent played this guy they won, every time I was spectating and someone played this guy they won.
2-Unflinching Courage
This guy won games on my bronzebeak moa, my 2/2 vigilance knight, and my gatekeepers. Such a beast, I knew armadillo cloak was good, but never played it in limited. Stamp of approval.
3-Saruli Gatekeepers
I played each of the gatekeepers, and this guy was an absolute beast. He usually reset their attack and more, or just put me ahead before they even hit me. After you reset their attack, he then lessens their next attack as a fat blocker.
4-Bronzebeak Moa
Every time I played him I won. He usually swings for 5-9 trample the turn after you play him and happily holds enchantments and ciphers. With any token creator like Scion of the Vitu-Ghazi he can end games that turn.
5-Hidden Strings
Don't laugh, this spell is amazing, especially with flying or trample creatures out. It ramps in blue. Usually I cast it, tapped their blocker, untapped a land, swung, untapped two lands (ramping me 1) then either played a dude or had mana up for removal. I see the downside of if you have nothing out it does nothing, but when you and your opponent are just fighting and their critters are stronger, this can really put you ahead.
6-Wear//Tear
With all of the awesome auras in the RTR block like Unflinching Courage, Madcap Skills, Deviant Glee, Pursuit of Flight, Gifts of Orzhova, and even runners bane and one thousand lashes, this card annihilates face. Often times it is a combat trick with its instant speed. It can destroy their 1 thousand lashes in response to attack for a surprise blocker, make their creature crappy to win in combat, and even get a 2 for 1 by destroying their cluestone or keyrune with wear.
I have only played one draft in DGM so far so I can't form much of an opinion for top draft cards, but for the most part they are the same as sealed. What was awesome for you?
Gruul war chant is the bee's knees. It never got responded to and always led to a win.
I definitely have to agree with unflinching courage, and hidden strings is absolutely nuts.
Also, wear and tear targeting a cluestone/keyrune in limited is absolutely devastating.
4-Bronzebeak Moa
Every time I played him I won. He usually swings for 5-9 trample the turn after you play him and happily holds enchantments and ciphers. With any token creator like Scion of the Vitu-Ghazi he can end games that turn.
How is he swinging with trample? You always have a Maze Behemoth out or something?
5-Hidden Strings
Don't laugh, this spell is amazing, especially with flying or trample creatures out. It ramps in blue. Usually I cast it, tapped their blocker, untapped a land, swung, untapped two lands (ramping me 1) then either played a dude or had mana up for removal. I see the downside of if you have nothing out it does nothing, but when you and your opponent are just fighting and their critters are stronger, this can really put you ahead.
Had the opposite experience. Unlike Hands of Binding, this doesn't actually stop the block next turn. Single-use tap/untap effect.
6-Wear//Tear
With all of the awesome auras in the RTR block like Unflinching Courage, Madcap Skills, Deviant Glee, Pursuit of Flight, Gifts of Orzhova, and even runners bane and one thousand lashes, this card annihilates face. Often times it is a combat trick with its instant speed. It can destroy their 1 thousand lashes in response to attack for a surprise blocker, make their creature crappy to win in combat, and even get a 2 for 1 by destroying their cluestone or keyrune with wear.
I find that actually killing the creature who's wearing an aura is a better 2-for-1 than maybe getting a Cluestone.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
On MTGO as Protoman.
On 7/14/10, broke 1900 mark! <3 ROE.
I agree that the set is just loaded in terms of high impact limited cards, especially at the uncommon slot.
Gruul War Chant is probably the nastiest thing I have played with yet. I remember the first time I played it, immediately swung for almost game (the opponent was left at 1). Then next turn he thought he had stabilized...until I swung and he tried to block one of my guys with just one creature. He had just assumed that the Chant was a one-shot effect and that me not putting it into the graveyard was just be being forgetful. I was like "Yes, this is indeed a Teleportal...for 4-mana...that stays in play".
I also had Aetherling in a deck this weekend...and was somewhat underwhelmed. It was just so slow, and the format isn't that slow. Great card, but not as bomby as some of the other stuff I saw...
...like the Blood Baron. Holy cow. Didn't have him or have to face him, thank god, but I did see him wreck face. Virtually unbeatable for some decks. My pick for the biggest limited bomb of the set, I am just glad it is mythic.
Well, yesterday I had the nuts in Gruul. Ruric Thar, the Unbowed was, of course, insane. And, I actually got to use the 6 damage clause once because the guy just had to kill him. But, herp, bomb rare is bomby.
Proper discussion of limited cards is really about commons and uncommons.
All ten cards in Italofoca's list are great. I had two Zhur-Taa Druid yesterday and they were absolute beasts. There are a lot of good 4 and 5 drops in this format and it seems to me like midrange reigns supreme in DGM... at least pre-release sealed DGM. He gets you there fast and he even pings while doing so. It's mana Tim! Weapon Surge straight up leads to blowouts. My friend was running two Runner's Bane in his Simic deck and they were amazing along with 2 Beetleform Mage which stomps almost everything in the air.
Some more cards that really shined for me in Gruul:
Kraul Warrior - Fantastic. Contrary to what popular, but not my, belief was, bears are still very much relevant in this format and this is a great bear. This guy was great in my midrange setup. He's a bear when you need and he really plays jedi mind tricks when you get up to six mana. I love bears and I love bears with upside even more.
I did not have firsthand experience with any other Dragon's Maze Gruul commons, but Battering Krasis is very good as is Thrashing Mossdog.
And, my true champion of the day (besides Ruric):
Scab-Clan Giant - Dinrova Horror is a solid card. This dude is even better. The extra point of toughness is quite relevant. Beyond that, he gets rid of the thing permanently with no ifs, ands, or buts. I love built-in 2-for-1s, and this dude is about as good as they come below rare. A lot of players see the word random on a card and instinctively assume bad. But let's face it: this guy is killing almost anything when he's coming in and not dying in the process.
Another decent card was Armed//Dangerous. This card has great flexibility. It has a board-wipe mode for 6, it can be used to ensure lethal gets through on a big-swinging turn, or it can get lethal in with your one evasive guy. Pretty good.
I mean, you have to sort by rarity, right? None of the commons can touch the good uncommons/rares/mythics.
Agreed, so I shall do the same.
Standout commons:
-Deputy of Acquittals:
The amount of times this surprised blocked and saved me from removal or annoying cards (AKA: Stab Wound) is uncountable. I would definitely regard it as a high pick if you're aiming for those colors.
-Viashino Firstblade
Very very aggressive card, dropping down as a 4/4 on turn 3 is sick.
-Beetleform Mage
I pulled it in my pool but didn't end up going down those colors. Being able to give yourself evasion and +2/+2 for TWO mana is rather incredible for a common. Drop it down on turn 3 (or any other turn too) and if your opponent has no answer, it's a clock. The amount of fliers with over 4 toughness was not so prevalent in Dragon's Maze limited, especially not as early as turn 3 or 4.
-Zhur-Taa Druid
Mana and damage, what more could you ask for?
I can see why some would like the Gatekeepers, I personally did not like it and unless you know you can consistently use it's benefits, I would not pick it very early.
Standout Uncommons:
-Armed // Dangerous
Killer card, as long as you have two target-able creatures, you get in a free attack with +1/+1 and double strike. Great surprise finisher.
-Turn // Burn
A card that can act as a combat trick, a damage spell, or an almost kill any creature card? Heck yeah I'll take it.
Check out some Magic Gameplay and Commentary videos here, including Modern Grixis, Jeskai, and Esper videos as well as some Standard and Drafts too: My YouTube Channel!
Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts - It's always funny when your opponent has 3+ creatures on board, you have one, and your opponent is afraid to do combat.
Debt to the Deathless - DGM (in my experience) is a slow enough set to where you wont have to worry too much about the cost of the card. It might be harder to pull off in draft however.
Beetleform Mage: Just amazing, its an incredible clock, decent creature all around great comon.
Phytoburst: sorcery hurts the surprise factor, but this can easily steal games with a single evasive creature. Damage is huge for low mana and can easily be thought as a 5 damage spell for 1C if you play these right.
Lev Decree: Just sick, multiple copies of this card just mull up combat, give you a large combat advantage.
Saruli Gatekeepers: Backbreaking. Their size is appropriate for multiple strategies, their ability is just sick when you get it and nto hard to acomplish. The best gatekeeper of them all.
Maze Glider: Amazing, its toughness actually allows him to survive against almost anything that flies. His ability is just incredible can win games out of nowhere.
Yes indeed some of the rares and mythics are too good to compare to the commons. And yes I do consider Saruli Gatekeepers one of the best commons for sealed. He is perfect to reach your bombs, because he usually bought me 2 turns as a nice blocker and life gain. I totally forgot about zur-taa druit, he is beast! I can't describe how awesome turn 3 bronzebeak into turn 4 armadillo cloak+spire tracer was.
beren camlost, yes the bronzebeak would occasionally have trample from unflinching courage or green maze dude.
As for hidden strings, like I said it isn't good when you don't have board presence. It is, however, backbreaking tempo when you have board presence and your opponent has a better board or equal.
As for wear//tear, tear is the reason this card is amazing, because nearly every sealed deck will have awesome enchantments that you have to smack (for just one white mana!) The Wear half is just a bonus for flexibility, as it can hit their keyrune or cluestone, especially keyrune after they waste mana and turn it into a creature. Every deck I saw was running at least 2 of the mana rocks and a few enchantments, so the instant speed 2 for 1 at three mana really sealed games for me. Also, I got 3 for 1s in 5 of my matches just by waiting for them to put their enchanted creature into combat since my creature was worse than theirs, then destroying a mana rock, aura, and blocking or making their blocker die because their creature just lost p/t.
Aetherling I could see being not so good if your deck doesn't have a decent amount of ramp, control, or good blockers.
I remember Beetleform mages being quite powerful too.
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
Runner's bane was in the top 10 until people found out increasing its power over 3 causes the bane to fall off. From all the cards I saw at 2 prereleases, Ready/Willing was by far the most unbeatable thing I saw
I didn't open a Thrashing Mossdog but played against several of them, and they never failed to impress me. The body is solid, reach is very annoying, and scavenge is just gravy. I'd happily play one or more of these in any green deck.
I had one Beetleform Mage but never got to cast it.
Hidden strings is messed up. I had a player Hidden strings twice to untap all his lands to fuse Far//Away for a big blowout. I still won with Act of Treason, though. That card's a beating and a half.
Zhur Taa Druid is a nice card in limited.
Carnage Gladiator is a good card as well. He's like a turn 4 Hellhole Flailer with regeneration. He also shuts down the game when your opponent is low on life, punishing them for blocking.
Haazda snare squad was nuts for me at the prerelease, I would grab every single one of these i saw in a draft. putting madcap skills or unflinching courage on one makes for sick beats, and having multiples out simply wrecks your opponent's ability to defend.
I also found that the abundance of bloodrush and pump spells made Wild beastmaster a LOT better than she was back in triple RtR draft. If you can untap with her, that slaughterhorn or chorus of might becomes a blowout, and the Flesh // Blood i got in my pool gave me ridiculous reach once i'd successfully pumped a creature.
I played against several viashino firstblades and they were indeed nuts, however, if the opposer has gatekeepers it will shut it down. Still a solid card though.
I was hoping to see far//away do more work, but I didn't play against it much or see any matches with it. But when I did, it was a house.
Tithe Drinker was nuts to play against, such a difficult thing to deal with, and by the time you do they usually have extorted a few times and they already got value out of it.
Summoner was good, hands down, the only problem I have with it was that 2/4 times i played it the opponent played gaze of granite (which is an amazing card).
Never played or played against Hazda Snare Squad :/ but it did seem like a house when it was revealed, as it can be very defensive and offensive.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
There are so many awesome limited cards in this set that it almost makes me feel like this set was supposed to just be limited awesomeness rather than make a huge impact in constructed.
My tops in sealed are as follows (no order)
1-Aetherling
Holy banana coffee. This creature is broken in half. He evades, swings for 4-8, dodges removal, what in the world is going on. Every time I played this guy I won, every time an opponent played this guy they won, every time I was spectating and someone played this guy they won.
2-Unflinching Courage
This guy won games on my bronzebeak moa, my 2/2 vigilance knight, and my gatekeepers. Such a beast, I knew armadillo cloak was good, but never played it in limited. Stamp of approval.
3-Saruli Gatekeepers
I played each of the gatekeepers, and this guy was an absolute beast. He usually reset their attack and more, or just put me ahead before they even hit me. After you reset their attack, he then lessens their next attack as a fat blocker.
4-Bronzebeak Moa
Every time I played him I won. He usually swings for 5-9 trample the turn after you play him and happily holds enchantments and ciphers. With any token creator like Scion of the Vitu-Ghazi he can end games that turn.
5-Hidden Strings
Don't laugh, this spell is amazing, especially with flying or trample creatures out. It ramps in blue. Usually I cast it, tapped their blocker, untapped a land, swung, untapped two lands (ramping me 1) then either played a dude or had mana up for removal. I see the downside of if you have nothing out it does nothing, but when you and your opponent are just fighting and their critters are stronger, this can really put you ahead.
6-Wear//Tear
With all of the awesome auras in the RTR block like Unflinching Courage, Madcap Skills, Deviant Glee, Pursuit of Flight, Gifts of Orzhova, and even runners bane and one thousand lashes, this card annihilates face. Often times it is a combat trick with its instant speed. It can destroy their 1 thousand lashes in response to attack for a surprise blocker, make their creature crappy to win in combat, and even get a 2 for 1 by destroying their cluestone or keyrune with wear.
I have only played one draft in DGM so far so I can't form much of an opinion for top draft cards, but for the most part they are the same as sealed. What was awesome for you?
I definitely have to agree with unflinching courage, and hidden strings is absolutely nuts.
Also, wear and tear targeting a cluestone/keyrune in limited is absolutely devastating.
turn/burn nasty to walk into this thing, also won me games
Honorable Mention: Hidden Strings, Tithe Drinker.
10. Beetleform Mage
09. Morgue Burst
08. Smelt-Ward Gatekeepers
07. Nivix Cyclops
06. Maze Glider
05. Vishiano Firstblade
04. Deputy of Acquitals
03. Weapon Surge
02. Runner's Bane
01. Zhur-Tar Druid
BGU Control
R Aggro
Standard - For Fun
BG Auras
How is he swinging with trample? You always have a Maze Behemoth out or something?
Had the opposite experience. Unlike Hands of Binding, this doesn't actually stop the block next turn. Single-use tap/untap effect.
I find that actually killing the creature who's wearing an aura is a better 2-for-1 than maybe getting a Cluestone.
On 7/14/10, broke 1900 mark! <3 ROE.
Gruul War Chant is probably the nastiest thing I have played with yet. I remember the first time I played it, immediately swung for almost game (the opponent was left at 1). Then next turn he thought he had stabilized...until I swung and he tried to block one of my guys with just one creature. He had just assumed that the Chant was a one-shot effect and that me not putting it into the graveyard was just be being forgetful. I was like "Yes, this is indeed a Teleportal...for 4-mana...that stays in play".
I also had Aetherling in a deck this weekend...and was somewhat underwhelmed. It was just so slow, and the format isn't that slow. Great card, but not as bomby as some of the other stuff I saw...
...like the Blood Baron. Holy cow. Didn't have him or have to face him, thank god, but I did see him wreck face. Virtually unbeatable for some decks. My pick for the biggest limited bomb of the set, I am just glad it is mythic.
Proper discussion of limited cards is really about commons and uncommons.
All ten cards in Italofoca's list are great. I had two Zhur-Taa Druid yesterday and they were absolute beasts. There are a lot of good 4 and 5 drops in this format and it seems to me like midrange reigns supreme in DGM... at least pre-release sealed DGM. He gets you there fast and he even pings while doing so. It's mana Tim! Weapon Surge straight up leads to blowouts. My friend was running two Runner's Bane in his Simic deck and they were amazing along with 2 Beetleform Mage which stomps almost everything in the air.
Some more cards that really shined for me in Gruul:
Rubblebelt Maaka - Great card. It's nice to see Brute Force back again and I always love my Hill Giants. Solid, solid common.
Kraul Warrior - Fantastic. Contrary to what popular, but not my, belief was, bears are still very much relevant in this format and this is a great bear. This guy was great in my midrange setup. He's a bear when you need and he really plays jedi mind tricks when you get up to six mana. I love bears and I love bears with upside even more.
I did not have firsthand experience with any other Dragon's Maze Gruul commons, but Battering Krasis is very good as is Thrashing Mossdog.
And, my true champion of the day (besides Ruric):
Scab-Clan Giant - Dinrova Horror is a solid card. This dude is even better. The extra point of toughness is quite relevant. Beyond that, he gets rid of the thing permanently with no ifs, ands, or buts. I love built-in 2-for-1s, and this dude is about as good as they come below rare. A lot of players see the word random on a card and instinctively assume bad. But let's face it: this guy is killing almost anything when he's coming in and not dying in the process.
Another decent card was Armed//Dangerous. This card has great flexibility. It has a board-wipe mode for 6, it can be used to ensure lethal gets through on a big-swinging turn, or it can get lethal in with your one evasive guy. Pretty good.
Standout commons:
Zhur-Taa Druid (especially in 2HG)
Beetleform Mage
Power uncommons:
Far/Away
Armed/Dangerous
Turn/Burn
Carnage Gladiator
On 7/14/10, broke 1900 mark! <3 ROE.
Gruul War Chant and Gruul Charm were key to pushing through the Hydra and other bombs, as was Lyev Decree and Haazda Snare Squad.
Trostani's Summoner was too much for people as well. Zhur-Taa Druid was extremely useful too.
Agreed, so I shall do the same.
Standout commons:
-Deputy of Acquittals:
The amount of times this surprised blocked and saved me from removal or annoying cards (AKA: Stab Wound) is uncountable. I would definitely regard it as a high pick if you're aiming for those colors.
-Viashino Firstblade
Very very aggressive card, dropping down as a 4/4 on turn 3 is sick.
-Beetleform Mage
I pulled it in my pool but didn't end up going down those colors. Being able to give yourself evasion and +2/+2 for TWO mana is rather incredible for a common. Drop it down on turn 3 (or any other turn too) and if your opponent has no answer, it's a clock. The amount of fliers with over 4 toughness was not so prevalent in Dragon's Maze limited, especially not as early as turn 3 or 4.
-Zhur-Taa Druid
Mana and damage, what more could you ask for?
I can see why some would like the Gatekeepers, I personally did not like it and unless you know you can consistently use it's benefits, I would not pick it very early.
Standout Uncommons:
-Armed // Dangerous
Killer card, as long as you have two target-able creatures, you get in a free attack with +1/+1 and double strike. Great surprise finisher.
-Turn // Burn
A card that can act as a combat trick, a damage spell, or an almost kill any creature card? Heck yeah I'll take it.
Shout-outs go to Unflinching Courage, Gruul War Chant, and Warleader's Helix. I don't really feel the need to go over the rares because they are rather obvious at times, but some bombs I would pick without a doubt are Blood Baron of Vizkopa, Master of Cruelties, Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch, Ruric Thar, the Unbowed, Tajic, Blade of the Legion, and Savageborn Hydra. Just my opinion on the matter.
"A severed foot is the ultimate stocking stuffer."
"I love you guys, thanks for comin' to my special."
- Mitch Hedburg (1968-2005)
We love you too Mitch, we love you too.
"Girls are like Voltron: the more you stick together, the better it gets." SE
Debt to the Deathless - DGM (in my experience) is a slow enough set to where you wont have to worry too much about the cost of the card. It might be harder to pull off in draft however.
Phytoburst: sorcery hurts the surprise factor, but this can easily steal games with a single evasive creature. Damage is huge for low mana and can easily be thought as a 5 damage spell for 1C if you play these right.
Lev Decree: Just sick, multiple copies of this card just mull up combat, give you a large combat advantage.
Saruli Gatekeepers: Backbreaking. Their size is appropriate for multiple strategies, their ability is just sick when you get it and nto hard to acomplish. The best gatekeeper of them all.
Maze Glider: Amazing, its toughness actually allows him to survive against almost anything that flies. His ability is just incredible can win games out of nowhere.
beren camlost, yes the bronzebeak would occasionally have trample from unflinching courage or green maze dude.
As for hidden strings, like I said it isn't good when you don't have board presence. It is, however, backbreaking tempo when you have board presence and your opponent has a better board or equal.
As for wear//tear, tear is the reason this card is amazing, because nearly every sealed deck will have awesome enchantments that you have to smack (for just one white mana!) The Wear half is just a bonus for flexibility, as it can hit their keyrune or cluestone, especially keyrune after they waste mana and turn it into a creature. Every deck I saw was running at least 2 of the mana rocks and a few enchantments, so the instant speed 2 for 1 at three mana really sealed games for me. Also, I got 3 for 1s in 5 of my matches just by waiting for them to put their enchanted creature into combat since my creature was worse than theirs, then destroying a mana rock, aura, and blocking or making their blocker die because their creature just lost p/t.
Aetherling I could see being not so good if your deck doesn't have a decent amount of ramp, control, or good blockers.
I remember Beetleform mages being quite powerful too.
It was quite nasty in tandem with Mortus Strider.
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
I had one Beetleform Mage but never got to cast it.
R Citizen Cane (Feldon of the Third Path)
For me it was good with Borborygmos Enraged and Izzet Staticaster. I went pretty deep that night, not gonna lie.
Zhur Taa Druid is a nice card in limited.
Carnage Gladiator is a good card as well. He's like a turn 4 Hellhole Flailer with regeneration. He also shuts down the game when your opponent is low on life, punishing them for blocking.
I also found that the abundance of bloodrush and pump spells made Wild beastmaster a LOT better than she was back in triple RtR draft. If you can untap with her, that slaughterhorn or chorus of might becomes a blowout, and the Flesh // Blood i got in my pool gave me ridiculous reach once i'd successfully pumped a creature.
attacking for 4 is nuts. Someone played towering thunderfist and then i played 1 or 2 Firstblades in a row, pretty funny
Far//Away
Almost always a 2-for-1
I was hoping to see far//away do more work, but I didn't play against it much or see any matches with it. But when I did, it was a house.
Tithe Drinker was nuts to play against, such a difficult thing to deal with, and by the time you do they usually have extorted a few times and they already got value out of it.
Summoner was good, hands down, the only problem I have with it was that 2/4 times i played it the opponent played gaze of granite (which is an amazing card).
Never played or played against Hazda Snare Squad :/ but it did seem like a house when it was revealed, as it can be very defensive and offensive.