Instant speed is more important then exiling. Hitting a creature before being equipped (swords), enchanted (destiny), or pumped (wolf run) really shines.
Also no Celestial Purge in the board seems like a huge oversight.
I used to play 2 of them in the SB, but I found the deck was inherently good already versus aggro. Against red, Timely was all I would need to bring in. Plus Snapcasting Timely is amazingly backbreaking. And against black, the only thing I would ever wanted to Purge is Messenger. In those cases I just countered it or O-Ringed it.
In addition, the RDW and Zombie variants (where Celestial Purge is most effective) have fallen a bit and continue struggle putting pilots into the Top 16.
I've been playing UWRControl online since AVR was spoiled and took it to FNM last night. In our local tournament I went undefeated 4-0 (not a big sample size, but a good variety of deck types). I beat GRAggro, UWHumans, BRZombies, and Frites. Here is my list (61 cards for the additional land) and you can test it out and see if you like it:
Ship to Ship Combat:Advantage Star Trek
Shields plus Teleportation leads ST beating SW in a fight.
Man to Man Combat:Advantage Star Wars
Republic Troopers, Bounty Hunters, Jedi/Sith, etc are leaps and bounds ahead of ST warriors in terms of combat expertise.
The Force vs Advanced Technology:Slight Advantage Star Wars
This is the toughest category I came upon when deciding my outcome. I feel the Force would win because of 2 reasons.
1) Jedi Masters can see the future. This would give them a huge advantage in warfare.
2) Sith Inquistors are proficent in mind control. This would allow them to control the users of that technology and then have those user teach and implement this technology across the SW universe.
(Bonus Info) Borg with the Force: Regardless of whether they could assimalite the ability to use the force, they would be severely limited in its application. The force gets weaker and weaker the more cybernetics are added. Borgs are a massively cybernetic race and would gain very little out of assimilating the Force.
I think what needs to happen is make counterspells "feel" more fair. Something like Arcane Denial for example, sure it counters your spell, but you get two cards. That really lessens the blow when you get something countered.
Protection prevents damage that would be dealt, so while damage can still be redirected to them (or they can be attacked), it won't actually deal any damage and no loyalty will be removed. If the counters are being removed for some other reason, protection doesn't do anything.
Is there a specific instance you're curious about?
Nothing specific, just wanted to understand it better as I test with all types of new decks.
How does Faith's Shield granting protection to a permanent interact with Planeswalkers? Can damage still be redirected to them, loyalty removed from them, etc?
Wouldn't it be incredibly difficult to have a set with only one flip card and have to distribute in a booster pack? How would you decide which packs got the flip to replace the land/token or when to replace the rare?
It seems like a tough endevour that is easier fixed by just not printing flip cards at all.
I think it is entirely possible that there are more players with less skill then in previous years strictly because of the influx of additional players. Grand Prixs have record number of players attend FNM are widely meaning more overall players. This would lead me to think that there will be infact a greater percentage of players with less skill then "pro" players creating a wider disparity between skill levels.
Also, with increased coverage of magic strategies via the internet; players may read an article, test one FNM where they do well, and then head out to a Grand Prix with the deck of the week. The problem arrives when interactions occur they have not seen or prepared for occur and they are forced to think outside of their deck breakdown that they read on the internet. Players are no longer forced to "unlock" the interactions and potential of thier decks, limiting thier chances to increase thier own skill levels.
In addition, the power level of the cards, as many before me have stated in thier posts, has increased incredibly. Mistakes can be overshadowed by power level, never forcing a new player to deal with the reprocussions thier mistake has caused. A player may find himself with a greater availablity of "staple" cards then his opponent, and at the end of a close match he wins the game. Does he claim he won because he had a better deck, or because he played better? Many new players say they won because of "Card X", rather then seeing the interactions that got them to that point. This leads players to remain stagnat at their skill level.
Finally, all players have to start somewhere. We all were there once and we all have made mistakes during the course of a game of Magic. If we want to increase player skill, we need to mentor these new players. Teach them techinques you have learned so that they can advance as well. Hell, you might even learn a thing or two yourself as they try out these techiniques against you.
But flavorwise, why would a planeswalker want to curse themselves?
It's simple, Planeswalkers have to think outside the box to survive. They travel the multiverse, see things only a select few have seen, and fight battles that could destroy/save entire planes. If it takes Cursing yourself to adopt a strategy that beats your opponent in a fight to the death, wouldn't you take it. And in the end, it's your Curse, you can dispel it when you are all done with your enemy.
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Instant speed is more important then exiling. Hitting a creature before being equipped (swords), enchanted (destiny), or pumped (wolf run) really shines.
I used to play 2 of them in the SB, but I found the deck was inherently good already versus aggro. Against red, Timely was all I would need to bring in. Plus Snapcasting Timely is amazingly backbreaking. And against black, the only thing I would ever wanted to Purge is Messenger. In those cases I just countered it or O-Ringed it.
In addition, the RDW and Zombie variants (where Celestial Purge is most effective) have fallen a bit and continue struggle putting pilots into the Top 16.
3 Dungeon Geists
2 Snapcaster Mage
2 Batterskull
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Elesh Norn
Planeswalkers (6)
3 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
3 Gideon Jura
Spells (19)
4 Mana Leak
4 Galvanic Blast
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Day of Judgment
2 Bonfire of the Damned
1 Entreat the Angels
1 Dissipate
1 Ghostly Flicker
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Sulfur Falls
4 Glacial Fortress
3 Clifftop Retreats
3 Desolate Lighthouse
3 Islands
3 Plains
2 Evolving Wilds
1 Mountains
3 Zealous Conscripts
2 Frost Titan
2 Cloudshift
2 Negate
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Timely Reinforcements
2 Jace, Memory Adept
Ship to Ship Combat: Advantage Star Trek
Shields plus Teleportation leads ST beating SW in a fight.
Man to Man Combat: Advantage Star Wars
Republic Troopers, Bounty Hunters, Jedi/Sith, etc are leaps and bounds ahead of ST warriors in terms of combat expertise.
The Force vs Advanced Technology: Slight Advantage Star Wars
This is the toughest category I came upon when deciding my outcome. I feel the Force would win because of 2 reasons.
1) Jedi Masters can see the future. This would give them a huge advantage in warfare.
2) Sith Inquistors are proficent in mind control. This would allow them to control the users of that technology and then have those user teach and implement this technology across the SW universe.
(Bonus Info) Borg with the Force: Regardless of whether they could assimalite the ability to use the force, they would be severely limited in its application. The force gets weaker and weaker the more cybernetics are added. Borgs are a massively cybernetic race and would gain very little out of assimilating the Force.
Nothing specific, just wanted to understand it better as I test with all types of new decks.
Thank you both for all your help!
It seems like a tough endevour that is easier fixed by just not printing flip cards at all.
"People want reprints, I mean really want reprints. Give those people what they want. That's 10 less spots at Rare that I have to design."
It's a win-win for Wizards.
4x Birds of Paradise
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Avacyn's Pilgrim
4x Solumn Simulacrum
4x Soul of the Harvest
2x Phyrexian Metamorph
2x Labratory Maniac
3x Shrine of Boundless Growth
4x Ichor Wellspring
1x Primal Surge
13x Forest
4x Hinterland Harbor
3x Island
4x Phyrexian Core
Absolutely agree. Zombies and Humans should be the only decks that make real use out of it in this meta.
Risky Bet (1R, Discard your Hand, Draw 2 cards) will be the most played common from this set over all the formats.
Also, with increased coverage of magic strategies via the internet; players may read an article, test one FNM where they do well, and then head out to a Grand Prix with the deck of the week. The problem arrives when interactions occur they have not seen or prepared for occur and they are forced to think outside of their deck breakdown that they read on the internet. Players are no longer forced to "unlock" the interactions and potential of thier decks, limiting thier chances to increase thier own skill levels.
In addition, the power level of the cards, as many before me have stated in thier posts, has increased incredibly. Mistakes can be overshadowed by power level, never forcing a new player to deal with the reprocussions thier mistake has caused. A player may find himself with a greater availablity of "staple" cards then his opponent, and at the end of a close match he wins the game. Does he claim he won because he had a better deck, or because he played better? Many new players say they won because of "Card X", rather then seeing the interactions that got them to that point. This leads players to remain stagnat at their skill level.
Finally, all players have to start somewhere. We all were there once and we all have made mistakes during the course of a game of Magic. If we want to increase player skill, we need to mentor these new players. Teach them techinques you have learned so that they can advance as well. Hell, you might even learn a thing or two yourself as they try out these techiniques against you.
It's simple, Planeswalkers have to think outside the box to survive. They travel the multiverse, see things only a select few have seen, and fight battles that could destroy/save entire planes. If it takes Cursing yourself to adopt a strategy that beats your opponent in a fight to the death, wouldn't you take it. And in the end, it's your Curse, you can dispel it when you are all done with your enemy.