MTG Salvation

Felidar Guardian + Saheeli Rai, just in this damn block... Man, I wished I had pulled the trigger on those Saheeli's earlier on. Standard Splinter Twin-esque right there.

EDIT: Didn't see someone else mentioned this earlier, but yeah, look for this to be a thing.

Sexy legendary sky pirate lady with a killer attack monkey? I'm sold on flavor alone. But she and her simian cohort are quite good for an aggressive red creature package. Conveniently enables Revolt, perhaps making for a RW Revolution deck? Or some other combination, but at the least any Revolt deck I figure will be including red. I will get a full playset for one deck, and a fifth one for one of my EDH projects.

This deck is utter crap. We already had weenie decks in the recent past, and this is worse. Lots of inconsistent cards, crap like the Dictates which are too slow, and then you have so few spells that can target the Tormented Hero to use its Heroic ability, and Pain Seer because, what, draw? No synergy with the deck. Also Seeker of the Way, so little to use its Prowess, and there are much, much better 2-drops. Like, more Chiefs of the Scale/Edge. Poor removal suite, they should have just added two more Banishing Lights and maybe slipped in a single Hero's Downfall to round things off.

Poor creativity, poor design, poor card selection - lots of bulk rare ***** with only Bloodsoaked Champion standing out. Not even Caves of Koilos is worth much, especially since it was reprinted in the Modern event deck just a while ago, and pains aren't that hard to get a hold of anyway. Hell, the whole value of the deck piecemeal at the moment is less than $20. Considering all the two drops maybe 1-2 Return to the Ranks could be useful. I'll just make my own deck, especially since this deck is more expensive than its contents. I can make a better deck for cheaper, I wager. Utter crap.

Quote from Galspanic »

I love the "I am going to expose how little I understand about basic statistics" threads that pop up this time every set. That's all this is.
FYI - If I bought a box I would get 1 fetch and 2 Mythics... the $1-3 Mythics. I have ***** for luck.

I have pure **** for luck. For JOU I opened up 2 Worst Fears... which was my... worst fear... best thing I opened in the whole box was the Aegis of the Gods guy, and no one gives **** number 1 about him anymore, either. Only God I pulled was Kruphix. My box value was very, very sad. Meanwhile, my friend buys 1 pack a week and reliably pulls one of the top 3 cards in each set. He was even *****ing that he kept getting the King of Oreskos bastard. I wanted to punch him in the dick, lol.

That said, I have a KTK box on the way. I'm a masochist

I just chalk it up to balancing limited. Be it Shatter or Smelt or any other variant, no one will really care that much in the long run. I'll get my box, I'll open 10 of them, and I'll have some new coasters. ***** happens, and life moves along

There are many factors to consider when thinking on a set's potential power, and its value. Some of these factors include...

Wedge-centric setting - allows for more tools for EDH (a favorite environment of mine) and to introduce new concepts that have only been partially touched on previously.
Set flavor - I enjoy the Mongol-Chinese setting, it's something I've personally longed for, and that will satisfy many other people who value more than just mechanics.
Quality commons/uncommons - there are a great many, and IMO that makes for a healthy set in terms of play balance and Limited environment. Uncommon wedge lands. Common Refuge lands, absolutely great move. Also great for casual markets and players, and let's not forget; casual magic is where WotC makes most of its money, not competitive constructed. Higher profile, yes. Biggest source of income? No.
Reintroduction of Onslaught Fetches - people have begged for it, and Wizards gave them up.

Morph - a caveat here: It's not strictly bad, but after the full set was spoiled I looked over the Morph offerings, and while some seemed good, most seemed... lackluster. In fact, I wonder why some of them have Morph at all, especially when it grants neither a bonus in the way of an ability upon morphing, nor a significant reduction in casting cost. There is less mystery to Morph here, fewer tricks. If someone has a morph creature out, you may not know what it is (without a card that lets you know), but you can likely predict the outcome save for a couple of creatures (like the Spellsnatcher). I have yet to see what it will do in this environment.

Weaker average rares - I have noted there are many rares that are truly "meh" here, and the value once again seems to be concentrated in the Mythics and the Fetches. I expect the Top cards to look something like this

1: Sarkhan (M)
2-6: Fetches (R Land)
7: Clever Impersonator (M)
8: Sorin (M)
9: Surrak (M)
10: Anafenza (M)
11: Wingmate Roc (M)
12: Utter End (R)
13: Butcher of the Horde (R)
14: Narset (M)
15: Savage Knuckleblade (R)
16: Sdisi (M)
17: Empty the Pits (M)
18: See the Unwritten (M)
19: Bloodsoaked Champion (R)
20: Siege Rhino (R)
21: Rattleclaw Mystic (R)

Now technically that's 11 rares of 21 cards, but 5 of those rares are fetches, and highly desirable rare lands always get the big price-tag, Mythic grade prices. The other 6 rares are all around $5-6 in my estimation, but Utter End will climb, once again giving us highly desirable rare removal (*cough*Hero's Downfall*cough), and then you have 5 rares whose existence on the list will depend upon the meta. Beyond these cards there is a gulf between the low and the high of several dollars - only End Hostilities and Dig Through Time float somewhere in the middle ($3-ish). Now being perfectly honest this all looks fairly normal, to how it has been lately, but it does again show, for me, the value is concentrated in the Mythics and chase rare lands. EDH will probably be the deciding factor of the Mythic Khans beyond any standard application, but I believe Anafenza will be desired, as will Surrak. The rest are maybes.

So far this is reminding me of Shards of Alara, which was also heavy on the Mythic value, and led to an environment where you had ***** like Mythic Bant and 5 Color Control wandering around, standard decks that could cost $750-1,000... just mind boggling for me back then (I was running GW Elfball, which did well until 5CC became dominant. Dealing with UB Faeries was bad enough... oh, also a $500 or more deck). But there was also Jund, a $250-300 deck at the time that could take all comers and was a force for a long time. Unlike Alara, KTK has a pro/con situation (Fetches - might help decks, might make them more expensive, or they may not have as much impact since they don't have Shocks to synergize with), and unlike Enemy Fetches in Zendikar which had landfall to work with, but which acts as a boon to Modern and Legacy. In standard, I'm not sure how powerful they will be. Expect the BUG fetches to be most useful if Dredge does anything at all. And then there are those higher quality commons/uncommons, which frankly Alara lacked in number. Alara had a TON of uplayable chaff, particularly at common. And when I mean unplayable, I mean kitchen-table unplayable. I've used Alara block commons and uncommons for more craft projects than I have decks. Theros wasn't even that bad. Avacyn Restored wasn't that bad. But Alara is still remembered as a great block.

And as for power level, comparing one set entering standard to another leaving standard is pointless - standard is what standard is. No more. No less. The only time this is an issue is when one set is CLEARLY inferior to its predecessor AND its current standard partner, so much so that it causes a vacuum of sorts in the meta (I'm looking at you, Kamigawa). Despite what naysayers will say, KTK is no Kamigawa - NO SET IN MODERN MAGIC WILL MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN. What I see in KTK is an attempt to reach out to as many player bases as possible - Modern/Legacy (Fetches, and hey, maybe more. Remember the lesson of Deathrite Shaman), EDH (wedge commanders, more bomby fun spells), casual players (good commons/uncommons, including land support), and Limited players (trying to balance the play to allow for what appears to be a slower format). Its mechanics are not insular, they reach across many sets, and even after it has rotated KTK cards will find homes in many decks for years to come. Raid, Outlast, Dredge, Ferocious, Prowess - whether these mechanics excite or are considered innovative, they are at least versatile enough beyond their own block to avoid the death sentence of insular mechanics.

Also, take that list above - I see that moving and shaking a lot, save for the top 6 places. Sarkhan will not budge from top spot, I don't see it. He's basically a hasty dragon that can Flame Slash or give you massive CA if you get that far. Add that he is Mythic, and so he will remain. The fetches will also likely remain, but they may jostle with Sorin and Surrak if both find footing in standard. But I see things off list that could move up, and low cards at the moment that can climb. Someone else mentioned Desecration Demon. I sang his praises from day one, most other people said it was crap. I hoarded them. In the end, I won out on that. And I can tell you now, there may be a couple Desecration Demons in this set. I'm looking forward to it.

Really then, what I'm trying to say is, don't try to compare Khans to Ravnica, or whatever other set, because those other sets are not in standard (well, RTR is for another week :P), look at it beside the other block and core set it works with, and figure it out. It looks to be a nice change of pace. And control players - calm yourselves. This happens every transition, the death of control is heralded, the creatures are out of control, woe and doom to all! A month passes, the aggro meta is set, and control finds its footing, and bam, Control takes... well... control. At any rate, does anyone REALLY want to go back to Draw/Go *****? Talk about boring. THEY ARE NEVER REPRINTING COUNTERSPELL. STOP. JUST STOP. The meta is the meta, standard is standard, and either you adapt or you sit it out. And don't complain about a lack of "POWER" cards, then later complain about power creep. You can't have it both ways. Or you end up like Yu-Gi-Oh. Does anyone want Magic to become Yu-Gi-Oh? Some might say it has, but if you do, you don't really know. Magic is still healthy, still growing, and looks to continue that way.

TL;DR You can't please everyone, so stop *****ing about the sky falling. Adapt, build, play, or don't. Look to innovate, don't expect the power to just be dropped in your lap.

EDIT: Oh, Clever Impersonator, I forgot, that one I am watching. It could climb above a less favorable Fetch, and might even vie for 2nd or 3rd in time. That is a POWERFUL clone variant...

Tormented Hero, Bloodsoaked Champion, Chief of the Edge, Chief of the Scale, Athreos, God of Passage, Paragon of Open Graves, Sorin, Solemn Visitor... I see great potential. Could stay BW, could go Abzan, could go Mardu. I'm liking this, a lot...

Phalanx Leader + Anything Abzan

Seriously, wondering if a sort of Heroes of Abzan build could be useful. With the new creatures spoiled that give "All creatures you control with a +1/+1 counter on them X ability" it could be really powerful.

I was recently struck with a wave of MTG nostalgia, I think in part by the incoming Khans of Tarkir, which set off a series of memories about when I began the game way back in 1994. I think it was seeing Orcs in the game again, and I remember cards like Ironclaw Orcs and so forth running about, and then I thought back to my first decks, and my favorite decks. Incidentally they never involved Orcs, because even back then I thought they sucked :P. But a deck that has always had a place in my heart was my first tournament winning deck, from late 1995. Mono-Black Aggro. So I hunted through my collection to see if I had what it took to recreate it. I have bought and sold around 4 collections since those days, so all my original cards are long gone (I miss my dual lands badly :(), but found I had most of what it took to recreate it, and filled in the rest as needed (which amounted to hunting down two more Hymn to Tourach)

This was the list I ran back then:



Now back then we still had people playing with Moxes and Lotuses, restricted as they were if my admittedly swiss cheesy memory is at all accurate, and a particular player who was dominating with a Land Destruction deck with Lightning Bolts and Chain Lightnings, but I managed to blitz my competition and faced said LD player in the finals, and beat him in 3 games. On the back of Dark Ritual into a Vampire Bats with two Unholy Strength and a Bad Moon on turn 2. The match ended quickly, he didn't seem to have the two bolts he needed at the same time, and I put down a couple other creatures in the meantime that were within bolt range, but my bat carried me to victory. I was 15 and so happy. I thought I might play it again with my casual group, just for fun, even though it's very dated. My creatures were so cheap that as long as I stayed on those two lands it meant I could lay down other creatures, or hopefully just get there with my Buffed Up bat.

So, the question is, do any of you have a particular favorite deck that sticks out in your mind? Was it your first deck? Or the first one you felt successful with? And have you kept it or ever recreated it for fun? If so, post your lists, and when you played the deck originally.

Green gets fliers so rarely, does it really matter? Also, Birds of Paradise, Patagia Viper, and even Skinshifter could become a part-time flier. I don't think the fact that three creatures outside of TSP block shennigans have (or could turn into something with) Flying has warped the game. Additionally, what color would wasps BE if not green?

Great, great flavor. Really would like to use Pariah or Pariah's Shield with this. For standard, maybe Acolyte's Reward as a trick to save another creature? Redirect from your critter to the nest, explosion of hornets ensues

I never thought Courser would rank that high. I pulled one in my box and at first I was about ready to roll it, thinking it would just fall, but I decided to hold onto it due to my appreciation of devotion in just casual settings, let alone competitive, but I guess she is seeing some action to rate this high. I am soooo out of Modern/Standard right now. Also, if I see Brimaz drop any lower I think I will roll some old stock I have to get at least two more to go with the one I have. So much potential. Makes me angry my friend was *****ing "Man I got a second of the cat lord guy, he's just following me." Just wanted to slap him. Nitwit gets two copies of the best card in the set in a handful or packs, and he *****es... some people, I tells ya.

I might be the only one not angry about the Fonts. Ok, white sucks, but yeah, life gain snore. The green and red ones might not be constructed material for now, but I see some merit to them. For anything that cares about enchantments there's that, plus it gives you something to call on later when you need it. I preferred the seals in some ways, but even though these cost something to use later the results are bigger.

Seal of Fire - a time delayed Shock
Seal of Strength - a time delayed Giant Growth
Seal of Removal - a time delayed Unsummon
Seal of Doom - a time delayed Dark Banishing
Seal of Cleansing - a time delayed Disenchant

Really, none of those were SUPER exciting. They have roles, but I think these might too. The red one being a delayed Lava Axe for 3R can provide some real reach if things get hairy near the end. If they can't remove enchantments it's going to be staring them in the face the whole time. And if the format really does slow, as I think it's what they have wanted (although it's never really worked so far :P) then they might be looked at more kindly. Certainly not the worst common cycle we've seen in recent years.

Pretty sweet artifact, I have some decks that would love to use this. Standard probably doesn't want it, EDH will adore it (not for the Nevermore ability, that is useless there), and casuals like me will be more than glad to grab a few if the price ebbs low. I'm so out of competitive magic I could not even begin to speculate if a Standard or Modern build would even want this.

Ok, as a pure casual player anymore I can say I am totally on board with this guy for my Red Dead Devotion deck. Nice cheap rare for us Casuals to play with if no one else wants it