I just wanted to get a thread going to start brewing up what the Cat Tribal deck, Feline Ferocity, could contain within it. I have compiled a list of reprints that I am fairly certain could make it into the deck. After all, there's only so many Cat cards we can work with!
After looking at our selection of cats, I would imagine the deck likely contains two primary subthemes: Equipment matters and Lifegain. This leads me to my next few sections of cards that might find their way into the decklists.
I really don't think they are going to push the cat tribal deck into a cat soldier equipment direction. 2015's Forged in Stone deck already explored that idea with Kemba and assorted cats and weapons. I think they will rather go for a feral style, or push lifegain synergies like the original Ajani.
I expect them to shove as many GW Cats in there as possible, even more minor cards like Leonin Armorguard, to help highlight the fact this isn't just another monowhite Cat deck. Lifegain, tokens, and +1/+1 counters definitely seem like choice themes, being common GW overlaps and all.
Since green Cats don't offer a lot of ramp at this time, we'll probably see plenty of staple green ramp effects like Burgeoning, Cultivate,Exploration, and Harrow.
There's a slight Heroic subtheme among Theros Leonin, so we might see some support for targeted spells. Tethmos High Priest could work fantastically with Qasali Pridemage or Felidar Cub.
I don't expect a pushed Equipment theme as that's more a white Cat thing, but if they do feature an Equipment subtheme, it will probably be Equipment that supports ramp, tokens, lifegain, and +1/+1 counters. However, trying to support Equipment and targeted spells in the same deck is really taxing on card slots
I also don't expect to see Cats from Amonkhet or HOU, including Regal Caracal or Pride Sovereign, in the precon because of how recent Amonkhet and HOU are, but I expect those Cats will make great additions.
The trouble with green Cats is they don't have a very developed identity. White Cats have Equipment thanks to Mirrodin and Scars, and there's a recurring lifegain theme with cards like Ajani's Pridemate and Felidar Sovereign, and you have plenty of Cat token makers like Ajani's Chosen, Brimaz, King of Oreskos, Kemba, Kha Regent, and White Sun's Zenith, but the closest we've gotten to a consistent theme for green Cats are tigers, leopards, and cheetahs with Flash, Shroud, Hexproof, or the odd evasion or pump effect, and more humanoid Cats with Forestwalk, including Mirri, Cat Warrior and Jedit Ojanen of Efrava; not exactly exciting themes to build around.
Where are the +1/+1 counters? Where are the Curiosity effects? What about Explore-esque land ramp to represent expansion of territory? Green Cats only have three token-making cards. For so many years green Cats have played the role of french vanilla filler, and only recently have we gotten stuff like Prowling Serpopard and Pride Sovereign to give green Cats more oopmh. Now GW Cats like Qasali Pridemage and Fleecemane Lion have proven more exciting than their monogreen cousins, and are probably the real reason why I've longed for a GW Cat legend. I'd love to see Cats establish a place as GW's premier aggro tribe, with card draw and land ramp tied to combat, more tokens, and more lifegain bonuses. I can handle the odd Stalking Tiger or Pouncing Cheetah, but give green Cats more than just that.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
My quick bit of speculation: while the chances of Mirri, Cat Warrior being reprinted with her MTGO flavor text just went down with the reveal of Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist, her having a presence at all in the deck makes a Mirri's Guile reprint tantalizingly possible. It's a bit of a stretch given the current $15-20 price tag, but if they wanted to bring the card back this seems an ideal place to do so. Here's hoping!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Currently Playing: Karador EDH
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Cats
After looking at our selection of cats, I would imagine the deck likely contains two primary subthemes: Equipment matters and Lifegain. This leads me to my next few sections of cards that might find their way into the decklists.
Equipment
Equipment Matters
Lifegain
Tribal Goodstuff
Dunes of Zairo
SHANDALAR
Innistrad - The Darkest Night
~THE RAVNICAN CONSORTIUM~
A Community Set
Commander: Allies & Adversaries
UR Mizzix of the Izmagnus ~~~ Build your own win-condition: Finite Spellslinging
UR Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer ~~~ We are the Borg. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own.
WUB Oloro, Ageless Ascetic ~~~ A Guide to dying slowly
UBR Marchesa, the Black Rose ~~~ Marchesa's undying Marionettes
RGW Mayael the Anima ~~~ All Hail the Big Chungus
GWU Chulane, Teller of Tales ~~~ Permanents Only ETB Shenanigans
BGU Sidisi, Brood Tyrant ~~~ Sidisi's Restless Servants
WUBRG The Ur-Dragon ~~~ Dragons eat your face
Since green Cats don't offer a lot of ramp at this time, we'll probably see plenty of staple green ramp effects like Burgeoning, Cultivate,Exploration, and Harrow.
There's a slight Heroic subtheme among Theros Leonin, so we might see some support for targeted spells. Tethmos High Priest could work fantastically with Qasali Pridemage or Felidar Cub.
I don't expect a pushed Equipment theme as that's more a white Cat thing, but if they do feature an Equipment subtheme, it will probably be Equipment that supports ramp, tokens, lifegain, and +1/+1 counters. However, trying to support Equipment and targeted spells in the same deck is really taxing on card slots
I also don't expect to see Cats from Amonkhet or HOU, including Regal Caracal or Pride Sovereign, in the precon because of how recent Amonkhet and HOU are, but I expect those Cats will make great additions.
Where are the +1/+1 counters? Where are the Curiosity effects? What about Explore-esque land ramp to represent expansion of territory? Green Cats only have three token-making cards. For so many years green Cats have played the role of french vanilla filler, and only recently have we gotten stuff like Prowling Serpopard and Pride Sovereign to give green Cats more oopmh. Now GW Cats like Qasali Pridemage and Fleecemane Lion have proven more exciting than their monogreen cousins, and are probably the real reason why I've longed for a GW Cat legend. I'd love to see Cats establish a place as GW's premier aggro tribe, with card draw and land ramp tied to combat, more tokens, and more lifegain bonuses. I can handle the odd Stalking Tiger or Pouncing Cheetah, but give green Cats more than just that.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
So equipment is a factor in the cats deck.