Well, it seems like I got what I thought, a 3 CMC Khan of the two remaining. Now only Temur remains and possibly as 7 CMC if we are to assume it's a CMC-cycle.
It's a quite strong body for a 3-CMC but I don't like that it remains a 4/4 and doesn't have a chance to get +1/+1 counters by itself to actually gain the bonuses from cards like Ainok Bond-Kin.
The requirement to attack in a control-setup seems a bit counter-intuitive, especially as for the first ability to apply, you need a tapped creature - hence you often need to activate Outlast in your first main phase, leaving less/no mana for combat tricks.
This means that Anafenza often needs a board state where she* can attack for free or with a very low risk of getting killed in the process.
Of course you can also just attack with the Outlast-dude and thus she removes the heavy payment you might have to pay for some goodies - like the Ainok, which is nice.
And for some reason WotC strapped a Sultai-countertool on her* as well.
I don't really like her* and think I've shifted from Abzan to Temur for pre-release. Simply too much in Abzan I cannot enjoy.
Anafenza encourages mana elves and other creatures with tap abilities that you can activate before attacking, precombat actions like creatures with haste or removal for blockers (might as well tap your mana elves for value!), and aggressively-costed attackers, while discouraging blocking and defensive removal. This is the control wedge?
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"I am so stupid that I cannot understand philosophy; the antithesis of this is that philosophy is so clever that it cannot comprehend my stupidity. These antitheses are mediated in a higher unity; in our common stupidity."
~ Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
Jeskai: Narset seems fine to trigger Prowess and do combat tricks. Ain't that the America-wedge identity?
Sultai: Sidisi enables graveyard interactions, something BUG usually does well. However missing Evasion is a hit.
Mardu: Zurgo seems to include the essence of WBR quite well. Haste, power, "risk".
Three for a 4/4 with the first ability seems sweet. A beater that also enhances your other creatures and enables +1/+1 counter shenanigans.
From a flavor perspective the second ability seems a little weird, unless maybe those clans are rivals or something? Or maybe the GY-based decks were looking too strong in development's testing and this was the best place they could find to throw players some hate?
...well, first of all, she is "The Foremost" which means in most Abzan lineups, she'll be leading the charge and starting her side of the war(even though your 1 drop probably attacked first...), making sense Vorthos wise and giving reason to her low costs and agression.
the second ability is more of to support her clan's lategame by bumping down other lategame setups such as ones that have yard reliance.
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-Rukarumel, Field Journal
Thanks to mcchief111 for the avvy.
Decks:
Standard: RMinotaur MidrangeB
Modern: GSpider TribalB RArtifractureB
EDH:
MayaelWRG
Reaper KingWUBRG
Niv-MizzetUR
Alesha, Who Smiles At DeathWBR
I'll add that the second ability also makes her a lot more interesting as a potential EDH commander than she would be otherwise. Says "no" to a ton of common shenanigans, even shutting down some entire decks.
That second line of text for her catapults her to Standard and possibly Modern relevance, but it makes me so so sad. I was so excited to build a Sidisi self-mill Commander (Dredge/self-mill being my favorite archetypes) and WotC seems so comfortable printing hosers to that archetype that they would never print to any other archetype. Now on top of fending off repeated Nihil Spellbomb/Relic of Progenitus/Bojuka Bog activations every game alongside occasional random Rest in Peaces and Leyline of the Voids, I'll be staring down a commander who entirely and utterly shuts down my deck just by being on the battlefield. Sigh.
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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
That second line of text for her catapults her to Standard and possibly Modern relevance, but it makes me so so sad. I was so excited to build a Sidisi self-mill Commander (Dredge/self-mill being my favorite archetypes) and WotC seems so comfortable printing hosers to that archetype that they would never print to any other archetype. Now on top of fending off repeated Nihil Spellbomb/Relic of Progenitus/Bojuka Bog activations every game alongside occasional random Rest in Peaces and Leyline of the Voids, I'll be staring down a commander who entirely and utterly shuts down my deck just by being on the battlefield. Sigh.
With the exception of Narset, these Khans seem much more Standard designed than Commander designed. I wouldn't play Annie as a commander pretty much ever when my other choices are just so much better. Nor would I play Sidisi, who has riders that ask for consistent small effects in order to grind out small effects... It just doesn't make great sense for Commander.
Sultai Dredge is already a plenty strong archetype in Commander, I'm not sure you're losing much since both of the other good options are pretty strong enablers.
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A voice for Timmy.
Commander R Ashling, the Pilgrim Mono Red Wildfire Control GBW Karador, Ghost Chieftain Abzan Dredge Rock WBR Tariel, Reckoner of Souls Mardu Aggro-Reanimator Midrange
I might be going out on a limb here, but is this good as a 1-of for Pod against mirror matches? It seems good for, and bad for Pod all at the same time...
The good news is that the second ability seems very tacked-on. That seems to say to me that Sidisi/Delve based strategies were very strong in playtesting so they needed a lot of playable hate. Hopefully this means they didn't hold back on Delve.
On the Abzan, I think that Abzan-goodstuff just jumped BUG Delvers for best deck of the format. Obviously Outlast is trash, but to make up for it Abzan has been given by far the best general and a lot of supplementary aid. If people use Outlast cards they'd be okay, but instead they'll play actual good creatures with the +1/+1 lords and all of the powerful aid meant to complement Outlast creatures.
While Abzan is supposed to be the control Khan, it is obvious their creatures aren't going into the control shell of this format. Instead, we'll see an Orzhov colored control deck with the new board wipe, Drown in Sorrow, and all sorts of spot removal. It is hard to say what sort of finishers will be available, but I haven't seen anything from the actual Abzan clan itself.
Jeskai: Narset seems fine to trigger Prowess and do combat tricks. Ain't that the America-wedge identity?
Sultai: Sidisi enables graveyard interactions, something BUG usually does well. However missing Evasion is a hit.
Mardu: Zurgo seems to include the essence of WBR quite well. Haste, power, "risk".
I totally meant she looks like a dude! I agree that Zurgo Helsmasher and Narset are flavorful cards, I like how the jeskai seem to making their own identity as a wedge now.
Anafenza fits right into Loxodon Smiter's slot in the current standard's GW Aggro deck, with Heir of the Wilds making a great 2-drop as Voice is rotating as well.
With Sorin and Ajani topping the curve and the manabase allowing the splash to black for Thoughtseize and Hero's Downfall, Abzan Aggro is poised to become a great deck, especially if green decks get overplayed as it seems it will. If Abzan Charm is as great as Selesnya's, we've got ourselves a winner right here.
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It's a quite strong body for a 3-CMC but I don't like that it remains a 4/4 and doesn't have a chance to get +1/+1 counters by itself to actually gain the bonuses from cards like Ainok Bond-Kin.
The requirement to attack in a control-setup seems a bit counter-intuitive, especially as for the first ability to apply, you need a tapped creature - hence you often need to activate Outlast in your first main phase, leaving less/no mana for combat tricks.
This means that Anafenza often needs a board state where she* can attack for free or with a very low risk of getting killed in the process.
Of course you can also just attack with the Outlast-dude and thus she removes the heavy payment you might have to pay for some goodies - like the Ainok, which is nice.
And for some reason WotC strapped a Sultai-countertool on her* as well.
I don't really like her* and think I've shifted from Abzan to Temur for pre-release. Simply too much in Abzan I cannot enjoy.
Edit: Thanks for the clarification Tequila.
This makes no sense at all.
Oh, they added in some random hate, that must be the control part. = /
~ Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
Jeskai: Narset seems fine to trigger Prowess and do combat tricks. Ain't that the America-wedge identity?
Sultai: Sidisi enables graveyard interactions, something BUG usually does well. However missing Evasion is a hit.
Mardu: Zurgo seems to include the essence of WBR quite well. Haste, power, "risk".
From a flavor perspective the second ability seems a little weird, unless maybe those clans are rivals or something? Or maybe the GY-based decks were looking too strong in development's testing and this was the best place they could find to throw players some hate?
There are other spells and abilities out there that can give her a +1/+1 counter like Eternal Thirst, Hunt the Weak, Living Totem, Ajani Steadfast.
the second ability is more of to support her clan's lategame by bumping down other lategame setups such as ones that have yard reliance.
Thanks to mcchief111 for the avvy.
Decks:
Standard:
RMinotaur MidrangeB
Modern:
GSpider TribalB
RArtifractureB
EDH:
MayaelWRG
Reaper KingWUBRG
Niv-MizzetUR
Alesha, Who Smiles At DeathWBR
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
With the exception of Narset, these Khans seem much more Standard designed than Commander designed. I wouldn't play Annie as a commander pretty much ever when my other choices are just so much better. Nor would I play Sidisi, who has riders that ask for consistent small effects in order to grind out small effects... It just doesn't make great sense for Commander.
Sultai Dredge is already a plenty strong archetype in Commander, I'm not sure you're losing much since both of the other good options are pretty strong enablers.
Commander
R Ashling, the Pilgrim Mono Red Wildfire Control
GBW Karador, Ghost Chieftain Abzan Dredge Rock
WBR Tariel, Reckoner of Souls Mardu Aggro-Reanimator Midrange
PucaTrade Invite. Sign up and enjoy the first 500 points ($5) free!
On the Abzan, I think that Abzan-goodstuff just jumped BUG Delvers for best deck of the format. Obviously Outlast is trash, but to make up for it Abzan has been given by far the best general and a lot of supplementary aid. If people use Outlast cards they'd be okay, but instead they'll play actual good creatures with the +1/+1 lords and all of the powerful aid meant to complement Outlast creatures.
While Abzan is supposed to be the control Khan, it is obvious their creatures aren't going into the control shell of this format. Instead, we'll see an Orzhov colored control deck with the new board wipe, Drown in Sorrow, and all sorts of spot removal. It is hard to say what sort of finishers will be available, but I haven't seen anything from the actual Abzan clan itself.
I totally meant she looks like a dude! I agree that Zurgo Helsmasher and Narset are flavorful cards, I like how the jeskai seem to making their own identity as a wedge now.
With Sorin and Ajani topping the curve and the manabase allowing the splash to black for Thoughtseize and Hero's Downfall, Abzan Aggro is poised to become a great deck, especially if green decks get overplayed as it seems it will. If Abzan Charm is as great as Selesnya's, we've got ourselves a winner right here.