So, I believe that the duel deck next year is going to be either Ajani or Elspeth vs Xenagos... I really can't wait to see Ajani from the next set but I am leaning pretty heavily towards the Elspeth vs Xenagos deck which would be awesome.... but knowing my luck it will probably turn into Ashiok vs Ajani lol so what do you guys think sounds like the most likely combo? I think it won't be Elspeth vs Xenagos simply because they are the 2 most expensive walkers in the block at the moment, and normally its a cheap and an expensive one.
What are your reasons for believing as you do, may I ask?
As for myself, I very much would like to see either Sarkhan or Kiora have a duel deck, since neither of them has had one yet, nor has there been any blue/green-colored duel deck yet, either. Ral Zarek also could have a duel deck, since I know he is a popular character, as well, although a deck featuring him may be too similar to the Izzet deck in Golgari versus Izzet. Neither Tamiyo nor Nissa have had duel decks yet, either, and with rumors that Nissa may play a prominent role in the next block (rumors fueled by the fact that Nissa was given an action figure along with the "Lorwyn Five" planeswalkers), I can certainly imagine that she shall have her own duel deck (just as Elspeth versus Tezzeret foreshadowed the appearance of both of them in the Scars of Mirrodin block).
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Well to answer the first topic, the duel decks have more recently featured 2 Planeswalkers in the block that are about to leave Standard. Since, they have changed them to be printed as the first duel deck of the year contrary to how they used to be the second duel deck of the year. So, that takes out Sarkhan... but megadog, you do make a great point with Ashiok and Kiora. I was forgetting they normally don't do main story line conflicts like what Xenagos vs Elspeth or Xenagos vs Ajani would be. So, I could really see them doing an Ashiok vs Kiora duel deck, and would actually like that a lot because I really want Ashiok with some other art options.... I just hope they don't butcher his duel deck version like they did with Jace in his most recent duel deck....
On a side note too, I think the figure is a spoiler of Nissa being in the next core set, and I would find it amazing if the returning mechanic was Tribal, a lot like them bringing slivers back but way better. I mean I would love a throw back to the days of drafting Onslaught haha.
It will probably be ashiok( or kiora) vs ajani ( or kiora or xenagos or elspeth) cause they try to make duel decks be ok with the flavour:
Why would elspeth fight against xenagos again( maybe to vanish hin from theros)
Why would ajani fight ashiok( to protect cat folk)
Why would ashiok fight kiora ( to sneak into her dreams and look at the eldrazi)
Why would elspeth fight ashiok( cause heliod said or just to be the good girl)
Why would ashiok fight xenagos( random encounter " you re not from here- getout..." or phenax orders ashiok to fight him)
From these i think ashiok being in is more probably
Let's look at the list of available options: Ashiok, Kiora, Ajani (going to be in JOU), Elspeth, and Xenagos. Elspeth is probably the most popular and will most likely be in this Duel Deck given the options.
I could see Elspeth and Xenagos, though they are the conflicting forces in the Theros block so having them fight again may be redundant. There hasn't been much lorewise with Ashiok nor Kiora, so I could see them going head to head as well. I'm kind of hoping that Kiora will be a driving force in JOU, and since the realm of Nyx is the realm of dreams we see some shenanigans from Ashiok as well. It may just end up being Elspeth and Ajani against Xenagos though which would be kind of boring. I got off topic though lol
Ashiok vs. Kiora would be beyond ideal-
Those are my two favorite color pairs, and two favorite PWs of Theros block (if not overall favorites).
However, Jace vs. Vraska was BUG, and I have my doubts they would use the same colors again so soon.
I'd love to be wrong, but I expect Elspeth vs. somebody.
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True, I mean it would be odd to see BUG duel decks again, but I mean the only others that I could really see after talking through this is maybe Ashiok vs Elspeth (they normally like to put really expensive walkers in one spot) or Ashiok vs Xenagos, maybe making it a Ashiok ruler of dreams having hopes to become a god, as Xenagos did and Xenagos declairing war against him for trying
In terms of planeswalkers I'd like to get my hands on, I can't say for sure until we find out what Ajani is, but I'm going to say Elspeth vs Kiora. It might not be as lore friendly as "Elspeth vs Xenagos", but we all know they've stretched the "versus" part a bunch of times before.
In terms of planeswalkers I'd like to get my hands on, I can't say for sure until we find out what Ajani is, but I'm going to say Elspeth vs Kiora. It might not be as lore friendly as "Elspeth vs Xenagos", but we all know they've stretched the "versus" part a bunch of times before.
I second this prediction. I also even have an idea of the flavor:
Basically, Kiora is having too much fun looking like a god and abusing her powers, so Elspeth stands up and says "STAHP!"
The end.
It could also be Ajani vs. Ashiok, since Ashiok was harassing/killing the Theros leonin to further Phenax's goals (see Uncharted Realms article here). The Journey into Nyx spoilers so far have Elspeth and Ajani hanging out with the Leonin after Elspeth becomes hated by the humans of Theros. Maybe Ajani heard about some crazy shenanigans that happened earlier, and thought it sounded like another Planeswalker's handiwork, went to investigate, and found Ashiok. Planeswalker duel ensues.
I'm thinking that it would be something like Kiora vs. Ajani. That way, you have a "Hero" walker vs. a "Villain" walker. It also fits in their theme of using matchups that didn't show up in the story (For example, the walkers in Sorin vs. Tibalt, Elspeth vs. Tezzeret and Venser vs. Koth never canonically fought each other).
It might end up being Ashiok, though, considering Ashiok is basically the Tibalt of Theros (running around being a dick for no clear cut reason).
I'm thinking that it would be something like Kiora vs. Ajani. That way, you have a "Hero" walker vs. a "Villain" walker. It also fits in their theme of using matchups that didn't show up in the story (For example, the walkers in Sorin vs. Tibalt, Elspeth vs. Tezzeret and Venser vs. Koth never canonically fought each other).
It might end up being Ashiok, though, considering Ashiok is basically the Tibalt of Theros (running around being a dick for no clear cut reason).
Kiora isn't necessarily a "villian" walker. She's more neutral than aligned with either good or evil (just kind of doing her own thing, with little regard for the consequences -- very "neutral" in the D&D morality grid). So far, we really only have two villain walkers in the block: Xenagos and Ashiok. If Xenagos is in the next Duel Decks, then it will almost certainly be Elsepth. But, like it's already been stated, the story of the Duel Decks takes places after the resolution of the main plot of the block, so the Elspeth/Xenagos pairing seems unlikely. In addition, at least one of the Planeswalkers of each Duel Deck has always been a returning Planeswalker (with the possible exception of Venser vs. Koth, but Venser was already a creature card, just not a Planeswalker before Scars of Mirrodin, so he wasn't strictly a NEW Planeswalker, story-wise).
As such, Xenagos/Kiora/Ashiok combinations seem unlikely. It will most likely be Elsepth/Ajani vs. Ashiok. But considering that Ajani will have received the least amount of storyline attention since he's in the last set of the block, I would guess that Ajani will be the "hero".
Then again, it's hard to predict what Wizards will do, so who knows?
Right, that's why I put "Villain" in quotations. From what we've seen, she's a massive prick, but not necessarily bad. I'd like Ajani vs. Ashiok, but I'd be rather annoyed that Ajani would be in a second Duel Deck.
Then again, I'd be annoyed if Elspeth ended up in a second Duel Deck. I prefer walkers that haven't been done before, to keep things interesting.
Or, they could throw us all for a loop and put a Theros planeswalker and a m14 planeswalker in a deck together since they will both be rotating out of standard at the same time
Would love an alternate Ral Zarek, Tamiyo or Kiora. Jace 2, Lili 2, would be great, obviously unlikely.
In any case the obvious answer for next year is Elspeth vs. Xenagos, with a maybe Ajani vs. Xenagos. Very clear, very obvious.
since the planeswalker decks shifted to the spring season, the last several dual decks have featured 2 planeswalkers from the previous block. Before this they seemd to be covering their bases going forward from Lorwyn, but they stopped.
The big canon, poster boy fight for this block is Elspeth and Xenagos. But we have to observe that in the previous two dual decks they ignored said flagship fights (Liliana vs. Garruk for Innistrad and Jace vs. Ral Zarek for Ravnica. In fact, if I'm not mistaken Vraska left ravnica the moment she got her spark.)
In fact, if I'm not mistaken Vraska left ravnica the moment she got her spark.)
She was lost for a while, but made it back to Ravnica so she could murder the Azorius.
So much of her duel deck appearance didn't make a damn bit of sense though.
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As for myself, I very much would like to see either Sarkhan or Kiora have a duel deck, since neither of them has had one yet, nor has there been any blue/green-colored duel deck yet, either. Ral Zarek also could have a duel deck, since I know he is a popular character, as well, although a deck featuring him may be too similar to the Izzet deck in Golgari versus Izzet. Neither Tamiyo nor Nissa have had duel decks yet, either, and with rumors that Nissa may play a prominent role in the next block (rumors fueled by the fact that Nissa was given an action figure along with the "Lorwyn Five" planeswalkers), I can certainly imagine that she shall have her own duel deck (just as Elspeth versus Tezzeret foreshadowed the appearance of both of them in the Scars of Mirrodin block).
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“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
On a side note too, I think the figure is a spoiler of Nissa being in the next core set, and I would find it amazing if the returning mechanic was Tribal, a lot like them bringing slivers back but way better. I mean I would love a throw back to the days of drafting Onslaught haha.
Why would elspeth fight against xenagos again( maybe to vanish hin from theros)
Why would ajani fight ashiok( to protect cat folk)
Why would ashiok fight kiora ( to sneak into her dreams and look at the eldrazi)
Why would elspeth fight ashiok( cause heliod said or just to be the good girl)
Why would ashiok fight xenagos( random encounter " you re not from here- getout..." or phenax orders ashiok to fight him)
From these i think ashiok being in is more probably
Those are my two favorite color pairs, and two favorite PWs of Theros block (if not overall favorites).
However, Jace vs. Vraska was BUG, and I have my doubts they would use the same colors again so soon.
I'd love to be wrong, but I expect Elspeth vs. somebody.
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I second this prediction. I also even have an idea of the flavor:
Basically, Kiora is having too much fun looking like a god and abusing her powers, so Elspeth stands up and says "STAHP!"
The end.
It might end up being Ashiok, though, considering Ashiok is basically the Tibalt of Theros (running around being a dick for no clear cut reason).
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Kiora isn't necessarily a "villian" walker. She's more neutral than aligned with either good or evil (just kind of doing her own thing, with little regard for the consequences -- very "neutral" in the D&D morality grid). So far, we really only have two villain walkers in the block: Xenagos and Ashiok. If Xenagos is in the next Duel Decks, then it will almost certainly be Elsepth. But, like it's already been stated, the story of the Duel Decks takes places after the resolution of the main plot of the block, so the Elspeth/Xenagos pairing seems unlikely. In addition, at least one of the Planeswalkers of each Duel Deck has always been a returning Planeswalker (with the possible exception of Venser vs. Koth, but Venser was already a creature card, just not a Planeswalker before Scars of Mirrodin, so he wasn't strictly a NEW Planeswalker, story-wise).
As such, Xenagos/Kiora/Ashiok combinations seem unlikely. It will most likely be Elsepth/Ajani vs. Ashiok. But considering that Ajani will have received the least amount of storyline attention since he's in the last set of the block, I would guess that Ajani will be the "hero".
Then again, it's hard to predict what Wizards will do, so who knows?
Then again, I'd be annoyed if Elspeth ended up in a second Duel Deck. I prefer walkers that haven't been done before, to keep things interesting.
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In any case the obvious answer for next year is Elspeth vs. Xenagos, with a maybe Ajani vs. Xenagos. Very clear, very obvious.
since the planeswalker decks shifted to the spring season, the last several dual decks have featured 2 planeswalkers from the previous block. Before this they seemd to be covering their bases going forward from Lorwyn, but they stopped.
The big canon, poster boy fight for this block is Elspeth and Xenagos. But we have to observe that in the previous two dual decks they ignored said flagship fights (Liliana vs. Garruk for Innistrad and Jace vs. Ral Zarek for Ravnica. In fact, if I'm not mistaken Vraska left ravnica the moment she got her spark.)
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She was lost for a while, but made it back to Ravnica so she could murder the Azorius.
So much of her duel deck appearance didn't make a damn bit of sense though.