I think the OP is right about (mostly) creature-less control decks, though. I think they're going to have a hard time with land against aggro. The turn-4 Verdict will be a lot less consistent, particularly with more basic lands in play. It'll lead to more mulligans too, setting them behind even more.
I see a lot of talk about Keyrunes and other turn 3 acceleration. It's important to note that the difference between ramping on turn 2 and turn 3 is very significant tempo-wise, especially given the quality of turn 2-3 plays in the current format and expected prevalence of artifact and enchantment removal.
There are few five-mana plays that are significantly better on turn four (or three for that matter), and most of them involve a heavy color commitment. Frankly, the only reason I could see people maindecking 3-mana Keyrunes in an artifact-hostile, aggro-heavy environment is to ABSOLUTELY ensure you hit 1WWU on turn four, which Scry cards and Azorius Charm are already better at.
There is a valid point on Mana Bloom which I hadn't considered, though. The fact you can pass the turn with U open to Annul or Swan Song a key spell, while keeping turn three Advent of the Wurm, Supreme Verdict et. al. a possibility is very significant indeed. Too bad there's not a lot of things you can do with green devotion at the moment...
Bant control hasn't been on top in awhile. Suddenly supreme verdict is going to be bad because farseek is gone? UW, esper, UWR have been using verdict just fine without ramping into it on t3. Jund has been the top farseek deck lately, with no sweeper. Bant control isn't coming back with tusk and lands rotating anyways. Do something useful for 2 mana instead, like every other control deck that doesn't use ramp.
I think Sylvan Caryatidis our two-mana ramp spell. Its only flaw relative to the typical land-based card is an opponent on the play can kill it with the red sweeper, since otherwise it has Hexproof and enough toughness to dodge all other possible forms of early removal (in Standard). This is not just another mana dork that gets Shocked EOT or whatever. There are other minor differences as the game drags on, of course, but as far as early ramp is concerned Caryatid is almost always functionally equivalent to a Rampant Growth variant.
Typical control decks don't usually run ramp anyway but extra lands. And Mana Bloom is... well, it's better than Trait Doctoring.
I think Sylvan Caryatidis our two-mana ramp spell. Its only flaw relative to the typical land-based card is an opponent on the play can kill it with the red sweeper, since otherwise it has Hexproof and enough toughness to dodge all other possible forms of early removal (in Standard). This is not just another mana dork that gets Shocked EOT or whatever. There are other minor differences as the game drags on, of course, but as far as early ramp is concerned Caryatid is almost always functionally equivalent to a Rampant Growth variant.
Typical control decks don't usually run ramp anyway but extra lands. And Mana Bloom is... well, it's better than Trait Doctoring.
Dog poop is better than Trait Doctoring.
Private Mod Note
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"If you don't wear your seatbelt, the police will shoot you in the head."
- To my youngest sister when she was 6.
Everyone knows that good luck and good game are such insincere terms that any man who does not connect his right hook with the offender's jaw on the very utterance of such a phrase is no man I would consider as such.
No need to downplay caryatid. Yes, it dies to sweepers, but in the meantime, holds back cacklers and bte's like a boss and can't be taken away with spot removal. It literally is buying you the time to leisurely supreme verdict later in the game after you have used your first turns to sculpt your hand.
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
I think Farseek left us too spoiled with ramp. Just like after two years of Lightning Bolt we had to get back to Shock and Searing Spear, we'll need to adapt by either using Caryatid or not using ramp at all
Farseek is just a premium ramp spell on the era of shocklands. I guess dat guaranteed/reliable Supreme Verdict turn 3 is no more post-rotation
I stared at my computer for five minutes trying to disprove this argument. I legit had no results.
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I fear I won't have much time to play Magic these days.
I get to watch worlds develop around me.
I get to watch great leaders, terrible oppressors, and trend setters rise and fall.
Limited, Standard, Modern, everything is a different playing field I feel I can observe, but will not actually touch.
I look forward to the stories I will hear.
And more so to the ones I will watch unfold first hand.
Isn't the unknown exciting?
There are few five-mana plays that are significantly better on turn four (or three for that matter), and most of them involve a heavy color commitment. Frankly, the only reason I could see people maindecking 3-mana Keyrunes in an artifact-hostile, aggro-heavy environment is to ABSOLUTELY ensure you hit 1WWU on turn four, which Scry cards and Azorius Charm are already better at.
There is a valid point on Mana Bloom which I hadn't considered, though. The fact you can pass the turn with U open to Annul or Swan Song a key spell, while keeping turn three Advent of the Wurm, Supreme Verdict et. al. a possibility is very significant indeed. Too bad there's not a lot of things you can do with green devotion at the moment...
Artifact hostile? Since when?
Typical control decks don't usually run ramp anyway but extra lands. And Mana Bloom is... well, it's better than Trait Doctoring.
Dog poop is better than Trait Doctoring.
- To my youngest sister when she was 6.
Farseek is just a premium ramp spell on the era of shocklands. I guess dat guaranteed/reliable Supreme Verdict turn 3 is no more post-rotation
My old nickname was lockheart87.
I stared at my computer for five minutes trying to disprove this argument. I legit had no results.
I get to watch great leaders, terrible oppressors, and trend setters rise and fall.
Limited, Standard, Modern, everything is a different playing field I feel I can observe, but will not actually touch.
I look forward to the stories I will hear.
And more so to the ones I will watch unfold first hand.
Isn't the unknown exciting?
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG