Spoilers are still coming, but what's everyone's favorite picks so far from what has been revealed? I'm stoked for the new elves in the set with Greenwheel liberator, Rishkar, Peema Renegade, and Druid of the Cowl joining Rashmi, Eternities Crafter in the pile of just really good creatures. Druid of the Cowl is deceptively good being a 3 toughness Mana dork in a fairly well supported tribe. Also looking forward to Baral, Chief of Compliance as a way to help blue decks and maybe make Metallurgic Summonings finally work, even though that's probably a no. Also, Baral's art is going to look amazing in foil.
(reposted from rumor mill)
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
The powerlevel seems quite high so far. These are my thoughts:
-I think Fatal Push and Renegade Rallier may have chances in modern (with fetches).
-I like the "cast for free" cards, like cascade they probably have the potential to be broken.
-Vengeful Rebel looks deceptively powerful as a 3-power 187. I'm curious if the wording is correct (the triggered ability is mandatory)
-Greenbelt Rampager is fun. Could be abused with ETB or LTB (revolt) effects.
-Dark Intimations' playability is obviously dependent on the new not-yet-spoiled Bolas card. Having 3-4 DI in the graveyard when playing Bolas may be super powerful.
The power level seems really high, and there are some obvious combo pieces, the likes of which we haven't seen in ages. Nevertheless, my favorite card is still the elegant Trophy Mage (one of the first revealed).
I have been saying for years now that Modern and Legacy needs a good black one mana instant removal spell. Now it has finally arrived. Mono-B, UB, BG and BUG interactive decks are no longer vastly inferior to its counterparts that run Bolt and Path/Plow, which is great for diversity. For this reason, Fatal Push takes my #1 spot.
After that, wow. There are just so many cool cards here. I like the Energy Elephant, Rishkar, Peema Renegade, the BG snake (even though I think that it should be UG), the scalable Triskelion that brings us closer to a Necrotic Ooze combo in Modern, Trophy Mage... hell, I even like Shock. The BR uncommon is a very cool design, as is the affinity land.
Where is Walking Ballista 0,50? Everywhere I look is $4-5 USD. At the price I am seeing it at, it isn't underrated, but I agree... awesome card and I will pick up a playset for 2,00 if I can find it.
Ajani Unyielding, Rishkar's Expertise, and Heroic Intervention would probably be my top three. It's hard to say beyond that, mainly because there's a difference between cards I think are cool and ones I think would be useful.
Not because it's a good card, mind you. Just because it might bring back splintertwin with Saheeli... and allows splintertwin in standard... and in limited...
BRGMy Deck(Modern): Bolts'n'Burns WMy other, WIP casual deck: Zero to Hero
Protection from Will-O'-the-Wisps, Ali-from-Cairos, and Uncle-Istvans
Legendary snow landwalk
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On the reserved list: Wizards won't remove it. Only we can. In other words: Play Modern, Pauper, or No-RL Eternal.
My review for top 10 cards of the set in both power potential and in flavor. Reminder that's it's only my opinion and I don't play a lot of formats (I mainly play EDH, but even I could see the easy potential of this rather high-powered set for other formats, so don't assume it's all EDH-only either though).
9) Mechanized Production - There's something really fun to be said about winning with 8 Clue Tokens or 8 Sol Rings. Indomitable Creativity and Secret Salvage are honorable mentions in the combo category as well, but Creativity is somewhat predictable and while Salvage Alignment has a fun result, it also requires a bit too much precision compared to the "anything goes" Production.
8) Expertise Cycle - Never underestimate free spells, but at the same time I wouldn't overestimate them too much either - it still casts a card off your hand so while the play value is there, it's not actual card advantage unless either spell provides it so (the linked one being the most obvious example). If you asked me to rank them individually against each other from weakest to strongest I would say RBWUG.
6) Rishkar, Peema Renegade - Rishkar is a step ahead of Baral because of potential explosiveness.
5) Hope of Ghirapur - Hope is a lot more skill-intensive than the other Legendary cards, but the simple ability makes a lot of difference in a game of tempo when used correctly. It's one of those cards that are subtle in what they do, but they actually hit as hard, which is why I ranked it higher than Rishkar even.
3) Felidar Guardian - Another combo piece, this one ranks higher because of its similarity to another combo and when it comes to combos, those with some precedence tend to have more player confidence.
2) Fatal Push - This definitely had to be on the list. This isn't better or worse than other premiumremoval spells, it has its own restrictions that don't directly overlap with others, so I'll say it's on par with them.
1) Paradox Engine - Push might be the more practical card, but the Engine just scares me - it's easy to think of a game-winning combo with it off the bat, but what's scarier is that it's so generically good, there's probably some more efficient combo out there simply because there are so many it can do. Even if there isn't, Engine's still so generically good that its combos could easily be surpassed with some card in the future. It might not be as practical, but I don't think I'm wrong to state that the Engine is still the most powerful (and dangerous) card to be printed in the set.
10) Ornithopter - To me, the regular version has the best art for the card I've seen, because of the background and flavor text implying its common usage (rather than just being invented).
9) Untethered Express - I like dinosaurs. I like trains. It's a dinosaur train.
8) Foundry Assembler - One of the earliest flavor texts I had an impression of when I started out was on Drudge Skeletons. This is the steampunk version of it (I still prefer the original better, but this is still solid to me).
7) Hope of Ghirapur - Legendary Thopter. Thopters are so mass-produced you can feel that this one became a legend in the process of the Block from its flavor text much more than any other character.
6) Kari Zev, Skyship Raider - Legendary Pirate. Well while not as impressive as the Thopter in achievement, I've always wanted to see a Modern-Day (I mean in terms of design) Legendary Pirate more than a Thopter.
5) Caught in the Brights - The next four cards all have the same theme. This one ranks last because its name and situation is both an awkward mix of tragic and funny.
4) Ravenous Intruder - Masterpiece Sol Ring for supper sounds great! Remember to triple-sleeve them from Gremlins!
3) Audacious Infiltrator - Audacious indeed, the audacity to use Ghirapur's greatest weakness as a legitimate threat. Infiltrator? Not so much after that shouting. Poor Gremlin is stuck in the container though...
2) Wrangle - But another one of his kind is free to look for his next meal! You can smell the freedom and hunger of the Gremlin from the art which is why it ranks first among the Gremlin Horde here.
1) Spire of Industry - No amount of Gremlin fun could overcome cards that I think describe the situation in a set/block, which is what I think Spire does right here and therefore I feel like it's the most flavorful card of the set.
Kari Zev, Skyship Raider looks like a fantastic addition to my cube, Fatal Push will definitely get a shot. Mechanized Production is just silly, and I'm not even talking about the additional wincon. Just making free copies of artifacts can get insane fast. Of course Paradox Engine looks downright stupid in a lot of decks, especially elves.
I absolutely love Winding Constrictor for limited in this set. It's almost easier to name the green and black playables it doesn't make better than the ones it does.
I'm really liking Tezzeret, the schemer now that the set has been revealed. People are going nuts over Heart of Kiran because of the bannings, but I don't think that one fits into my top 5 from the set right now. Token decks are going to be a thing thanks to Nissa, Voice of Zendikar actually being viable again, and tools like Oath of Ajani buff the field while also enabling a turn 3 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar. heart of kiran is definitely being overhyped as it's another card that get's hampered by being legendary and having a crew cost of 3, so it doesn't have the best synergy with token decks that go wide. What it does have going for it is it's ability to act as a means to protect planeswalkers, which was probably it's purpose given the now banned Smuggler's Copter. Without copter I feel like it loses a lot of value.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
(reposted from rumor mill)
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
-I think Fatal Push and Renegade Rallier may have chances in modern (with fetches).
-I like the "cast for free" cards, like cascade they probably have the potential to be broken.
-Vengeful Rebel looks deceptively powerful as a 3-power 187. I'm curious if the wording is correct (the triggered ability is mandatory)
-Greenbelt Rampager is fun. Could be abused with ETB or LTB (revolt) effects.
-Dark Intimations' playability is obviously dependent on the new not-yet-spoiled Bolas card. Having 3-4 DI in the graveyard when playing Bolas may be super powerful.
Low-power cube enthusiast!
My 1570 card cube (no longer updated)
My 415 Peasant+ Artifact and Enchantment Cube
Ever-Expanding "Just throw it in" cube.
After that, wow. There are just so many cool cards here. I like the Energy Elephant, Rishkar, Peema Renegade, the BG snake (even though I think that it should be UG), the scalable Triskelion that brings us closer to a Necrotic Ooze combo in Modern, Trophy Mage... hell, I even like Shock. The BR uncommon is a very cool design, as is the affinity land.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
Oath of Ajani is good
|| 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 ||
Baral, Chief of Compliance
Sram, Senior Edificer
Hope of Ghirapur
Renegade Rallier
All of the Expertise cards.
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
Not because it's a good card, mind you. Just because it might bring back splintertwin with Saheeli... and allows splintertwin in standard... and in limited...
They really didn't think that card through.
Gonti's Machinations
Paradox Engine
Fatal Push
Metallic Mimic
Consulate Dreadnought
Planar Bridge
Sram, Senior Edificer
WMy other, WIP casual deck: Zero to Hero
Protection from Will-O'-the-Wisps, Ali-from-Cairos, and Uncle-Istvans
Legendary snow landwalk
---------------------------------------
On the reserved list: Wizards won't remove it. Only we can. In other words: Play Modern, Pauper, or No-RL Eternal.
9) Mechanized Production - There's something really fun to be said about winning with 8 Clue Tokens or 8 Sol Rings. Indomitable Creativity and Secret Salvage are honorable mentions in the combo category as well, but Creativity is somewhat predictable and while Salvage Alignment has a fun result, it also requires a bit too much precision compared to the "anything goes" Production.
8) Expertise Cycle - Never underestimate free spells, but at the same time I wouldn't overestimate them too much either - it still casts a card off your hand so while the play value is there, it's not actual card advantage unless either spell provides it so (the linked one being the most obvious example). If you asked me to rank them individually against each other from weakest to strongest I would say RBWUG.
7) Baral, Chief of Compliance - Baral just screams efficiency.
6) Rishkar, Peema Renegade - Rishkar is a step ahead of Baral because of potential explosiveness.
5) Hope of Ghirapur - Hope is a lot more skill-intensive than the other Legendary cards, but the simple ability makes a lot of difference in a game of tempo when used correctly. It's one of those cards that are subtle in what they do, but they actually hit as hard, which is why I ranked it higher than Rishkar even.
4) Crackdown Construct - Wandering Fumarole, Lightning Greaves. Aether Revolt has brought many combos, but this is the key aspect of one of the more (possibly) threatening ones.
3) Felidar Guardian - Another combo piece, this one ranks higher because of its similarity to another combo and when it comes to combos, those with some precedence tend to have more player confidence.
2) Fatal Push - This definitely had to be on the list. This isn't better or worse than other premium removal spells, it has its own restrictions that don't directly overlap with others, so I'll say it's on par with them.
1) Paradox Engine - Push might be the more practical card, but the Engine just scares me - it's easy to think of a game-winning combo with it off the bat, but what's scarier is that it's so generically good, there's probably some more efficient combo out there simply because there are so many it can do. Even if there isn't, Engine's still so generically good that its combos could easily be surpassed with some card in the future. It might not be as practical, but I don't think I'm wrong to state that the Engine is still the most powerful (and dangerous) card to be printed in the set.
9) Untethered Express - I like dinosaurs. I like trains. It's a dinosaur train.
8) Foundry Assembler - One of the earliest flavor texts I had an impression of when I started out was on Drudge Skeletons. This is the steampunk version of it (I still prefer the original better, but this is still solid to me).
7) Hope of Ghirapur - Legendary Thopter. Thopters are so mass-produced you can feel that this one became a legend in the process of the Block from its flavor text much more than any other character.
6) Kari Zev, Skyship Raider - Legendary Pirate. Well while not as impressive as the Thopter in achievement, I've always wanted to see a Modern-Day (I mean in terms of design) Legendary Pirate more than a Thopter.
5) Caught in the Brights - The next four cards all have the same theme. This one ranks last because its name and situation is both an awkward mix of tragic and funny.
4) Ravenous Intruder - Masterpiece Sol Ring for supper sounds great! Remember to triple-sleeve them from Gremlins!
3) Audacious Infiltrator - Audacious indeed, the audacity to use Ghirapur's greatest weakness as a legitimate threat. Infiltrator? Not so much after that shouting. Poor Gremlin is stuck in the container though...
2) Wrangle - But another one of his kind is free to look for his next meal! You can smell the freedom and hunger of the Gremlin from the art which is why it ranks first among the Gremlin Horde here.
1) Spire of Industry - No amount of Gremlin fun could overcome cards that I think describe the situation in a set/block, which is what I think Spire does right here and therefore I feel like it's the most flavorful card of the set.
Sram, Senior Edificer
Rishkar, Peema Renegade
Whir of Invention
Quicksmith Spy
Felidar Guardian
Efficient Construction
Winding Constrictor
Hidden Stockpile
Scrap Trawler
Crackdown Construct
Best art:
1. Reverse Engineer
2. Ornithopter
3. Renegade's Getaway
I think there is a constructed deck to be made around it as well. Glint Sleeve Siphoner, Longtusk Cub, Greenbelt Rampager, Fatal Push - then Tireless Tracker, Unbridled Growth. The hard part is figuring out which cards you want to fill out the rest of the deck. Smuggler's Copter probably gets jammed in. Do you go bigger with something like Verdurous Gearhulk and or Bristling Hydra or stay lower and use Rishkar, Peema Renegade. Do you throw in Liliana, the Last Hope and/or Nissa, Voice of Zendikar. You probably need at least 2 of either Key to the City or Nature's Way. Yahenni's Expertise against aggro and Blossoming Defense against control seem like good sideboard cards.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!