GU certainly gains a lot with BNG, with the two biggest tools for the deck being Kiora and Courser. The two work just amazingly well together, and can lead into some incredible card advantage extremely fast. Considering a deck with Prophet, the ramp, card advantage, and life gain should help to overload Black's removal (As Prophet is the only relevant thing that gets hits by Blight). I would say that if I were playing UG list, I'd use Arbiter of the Ideal somewhere in the list, simply because of how amazingly well it works with Prophet and Courser. The card and board advantage conferred by it if you can find a way to easily tap it down is just phenomenal (Springleaf Drum, I'm looking at you!). The deck basically has a means of effectively drawing 3 cards for every one the opponent draws with relative ease, and the Arbiter even without Prophet is more. With Prophet things just get shenaniganny in the deck, and it can leave opponents drowning in board presence. Against decks that generally don't interact much with the board state such as aggro, Midrange, and G/x devotion, you can quickly outpace them with more creatures than they can realistically get through. Against decks like Mono-B or even B/x variants, you should be able to overload their removal. The main contender against it is UW, which both can interupt your incremental advantages easily and take advantage of the long game far better. It also suffers from not being to easily or effectively interact with the board very well, meaning that turn 2 pack rat just runs you over.
Still, every deck has its weakness and I think GU is strong enough to bring a showing. Tier 1? Eh... might not be the right time for it. But I wouldn't be surprised if it popped up.
I missed the word "Combo" in there, specifically referencing the ability to infinitely untap with 2x Kiora's Follower and Illusionist bracers. This by itself provides infinite mana and can kill with an infinite power Mistborn Hydra, do infinite damage with Zhur-taa Druid or Lobber Crew, mill infinitely with Evanescent Intellect or Phenax, etc. Kiora's Follower has already been discussed a fair amount, which is why I went with Retraction Helix, which could provide a good tempo boost for the deck.
Chromanticore is surprisingly fine. Like everyone else, I was expecting this to unplayable because it is not great and it really does not work with other cards (what with devotion and everything); however, it has been shown that it is better than it seems.
Is there a build for Chromanticore that's been showing results? If so, I'd love to see it. Seems like everybody is psyched about this card, and I'm not entirely sure why.
I'm surprised they didn't just reprint Gorgon Flail. While the severed head is awesome, a creature wielding said head seems off flavorwise. "Who needs a sword or an axe? I've got this head right here."
Well, Perseus wielded the head alone in the myth, so I can understand that. I just wish they had made it a little stronger, or only 1 to Equip so that Gorgon Flail isn't so much better or this not being strictly worse than Basilisk Collar. Not because I want a stronger card for the sake of it, but because this is *THE* card to represent *THE* myth that's *THE* reason we even have creatures like Gorgons in fantasy games like MTG. It should be as awesome as possible for that reason.
Well, Perseus wielded the head alone in the myth, so I can understand that. I just wish they had made it a little stronger, or only 1 to Equip so that Gorgon Flail isn't so much better or this not being strictly worse than Basilisk Collar. Not because I want a stronger card for the sake of it, but because this is *THE* card to represent *THE* myth that's *THE* reason we even have creatures like Gorgons in fantasy games like MTG. It should be as awesome as possible for that reason.
I tend to agree with this, but no doubt it was for balance reasons in Limited. However, they could have very easily switched the rarity of Astral Cornucopia and Gorgon's Head with the 1 to equip and all is well. That mana rock is disappointing to have as a rare.
Quite a good point, actually. I didn't consider UW, and although it doesn't gain any real game changer, it does have two things:
1. Revoke Existence, which just does horrible things to Mono-Black's CA engines(Lets them save their D-Spheres for other things or just gives them more ways to take care of problems). The singleton Whips and Erebos also become less problematic.
2. I've seen people consider Brimaz for the anti-aggro plan. It seems solid enough, certainly, but with aggro really getting hurt I don't think it'll be amazing.
Considering also that Mono-Black didn't really gain anything particularly relevant against UW control, the match-up will probably favor UW a bit more than it currently does by virtue of UW gaining something while black stays the same. The best thing Black got against UW is Fate Unraveler, which I just don't see working well against UW, particularly if it runs Revoke Existence. It's so easily played around in the MU. It's an interesting means of hosing Bident in the Mono-U match-up, but I think black has enough tools to make it less important.
Pretty much. Blue has gained some tools against Mono-Black and a few other MUs, but nothing as strong as what Mono-B is gaining in comparison for the MU. I wouldn't say Mono-U is gone, but it suffers immensely from not getting anything particularly strong tools for its worst match-ups.
Which might mean that Green and Red become stronger. The best thing Red has going for it is that Mono-U is just going to suffer more against Mono-Black. Red's gameplan in game 1 against Mono-Black isn't hurt overly significantly, as only Bile Blight will likely see mainboard play (As it is phenomenal in almost every match-up, and passable in the others). It's game against UW and Mono-Green hasn't changed significantly one way or the other, so there is that. I think White Weenie just doesn't have the reach to push damage through, however. It suffers more than mono-red from what I see.
I think once things settle, Red aggro will come back again; it's favorable MU against Mono-B is becoming far less favorable, but mostly out of the sideboard it seems. So we'll see on this one, but I think RDW and other similar game plans will suffer immensely immediately after BNG. Once the Mono-B(And other black-based decks) sideboards start sideboarding more efficiently for other MUs, however, it'll likely change.
So, all things considered, I wouldn't be shocked if the first few major event top 8s are mostly U/W and Mono-B. Both are well positioned, and neither really gained huge footing against the other. There are other archetypes that will likely make the top 8, but not nearly in the same numbers.
UW also gains their scry land!!!!! I expect to see a different approach to the white gameplan.... Concentrating on herioc enablers, to create large army's.
I believe U Devotion will become UW Devotion and will become more tempo/controlling.... Playing protect the threat. I think although they are not sleeper cards Kiora and Ephara will become the money Rares behind Brimaz and possibly might be worth more. Kiora started with 2 loyalty for a purpose, I think some kinda bant control, tap out good stuff, etc will become a major player.... It might be time to dust off your angel of serenity's!!!!
I guarantee that UW will not change to heroic. It will stay much as is, but will pace a lot better with scrylands. 4 less dead draws in the UW deck, and pretty much a placeset of revoke existence will be there now.
I'm looking forward to eidolon of countless battles in a g/w heroic/hexproof build that plus hero could possibly make it so aggro goes cheap and big instead of cheap and plenty
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I guarantee that UW will not change to heroic. It will stay much as is, but will pace a lot better with scrylands. 4 less dead draws in the UW deck, and pretty much a placeset of revoke existence will be there now.
I agree, I was talking about WHite Weenie... UW control will be the same.
I missed the word "Combo" in there, specifically referencing the ability to infinitely untap with 2x Kiora's Follower and Illusionist bracers. This by itself provides infinite mana and can kill with an infinite power Mistborn Hydra, do infinite damage with Zhur-taa Druid or Lobber Crew, mill infinitely with Evanescent Intellect or Phenax, etc. Kiora's Follower has already been discussed a fair amount, which is why I went with Retraction Helix, which could provide a good tempo boost for the deck.
Is there a build for Chromanticore that's been showing results? If so, I'd love to see it. Seems like everybody is psyched about this card, and I'm not entirely sure why.
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Well, Perseus wielded the head alone in the myth, so I can understand that. I just wish they had made it a little stronger, or only 1 to Equip so that Gorgon Flail isn't so much better or this not being strictly worse than Basilisk Collar. Not because I want a stronger card for the sake of it, but because this is *THE* card to represent *THE* myth that's *THE* reason we even have creatures like Gorgons in fantasy games like MTG. It should be as awesome as possible for that reason.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
I tend to agree with this, but no doubt it was for balance reasons in Limited. However, they could have very easily switched the rarity of Astral Cornucopia and Gorgon's Head with the 1 to equip and all is well. That mana rock is disappointing to have as a rare.
UW also gains their scry land!!!!! I expect to see a different approach to the white gameplan.... Concentrating on herioc enablers, to create large army's.
I believe U Devotion will become UW Devotion and will become more tempo/controlling.... Playing protect the threat. I think although they are not sleeper cards Kiora and Ephara will become the money Rares behind Brimaz and possibly might be worth more. Kiora started with 2 loyalty for a purpose, I think some kinda bant control, tap out good stuff, etc will become a major player.... It might be time to dust off your angel of serenity's!!!!
I'm sorry to tell you, but it's not Explosive Vegation. But Kodama's Reach for 1 more with scry 1.
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URGRiku, Sorcerer SupremeGRU
Who needs permanents anyways?
WUBRGDeckbuilder's ToolboxGRBUW
Warning:Contents include 34 decks and growing
I agree, I was talking about WHite Weenie... UW control will be the same.