I largely agree with both Avatar and TheInternets. I think Selesnya has the deepest pool of "decent cards," but Dimir and Izzet have more potential to be insane. I think Boros is just "okay" and probably better in draft. Golgari just doesn't seem well supported, and I think it's solidly the worst guild for prerelease, whatever the order of the others.
My experience is limited to two Magic Arena sealed events, 7-2 and 7-0 (I was fortunate enough to pull Niv Mizzet in both, and largely rode him to victory with Jeskai and Izzet decks respectively. I will say that Izzet is stronger than it looks.
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I'm surprised that your lists aren't including Cascading Cataracts There are very few things in the format which answer an indestructible land, as most exile removal reads "non-land." I've made decks that revolve around just animating that as a win condition. It (mostly) solves the main problem of awaken decks, which is that when they kill your land creature, you're left behind on mana if you keep animating more.
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There's nothing I don't love about this card. Built in triple extort, multi-color to dodge Sultai charm, that sweet spot of 5 toughness to dodge burn, all at 4 mana with a trample cherry on top. And it's a RHINO! Yes!
Happy to see a great rare in my clan with life drain.
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Wow, aside from KolbaneX and maybe a couple other people, nobody sees how good this card is. Let me see if I can explain.
The main complaint I see is that his abilities are too expensive. They are not understanding that the abilities are far more useful when they simply THREATEN to be used than when the are actually used. He's a 2/2 bear. But he's a 2/2 bear that can't be blocked by Courser or Caryatid because he'll pump and kill them. I don't think most people are going to trade their Courser to make you lose 2 mana. So, he's basically pseudo-unblockable.
You can't really kill him either if his controller has mana up (with stuff that gets around regen being exceptions, but most of that costs more than 2 mana.) Yes, you have to hold mana up to protect him. But the kind of deck that wants to use this card generally wants to keep mana up. You don't cram this guy into super fast aggro decks. You play him in grindy controlling decks with good instant speed options. You play him in a deck like Sultai that can just drop this on turn 2, then hold downfall/counterspell/card draw mana.
He defends against early aggro while gaining value. He provides early pressure against control that needs to be answered by expensive exile effects. He can pump into a serious threat in the late game if ignored. And best of all: he's a two mana bear, so who cares if they do waste a removal on him?
Excellent choice for grindy or aggressive controlling decks. Smart Sultai and Abzan players will find a home for this kitty, count on it.
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The black one is obviously good, but I think people are underestimating the blue one. Not only does Dragon's Eye Savants have a bigger butt than Nyx-Fleece Ram (albeit without the valuable life gain,) but if you morph it, you can turn it face up in response to a Magma Jet or Lightning Strike even when you're tapped out. This makes it double as a 2/2 that simply turns into a 0/6 when it's burned; that's not without use. Being able to block unmonstrous Polukranos as a two drop and live is nothing to sneeze at either. Looking at an opponent's hand can also be valuable. The card has a lot of utility.
If nothing else, janky Phenax mill decks will love the card.
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I just wanna see Dega go. I don't care beyond that naming wise. It's the dumbest one haha.
Dega is not nearly as dumb as "Junk" and "America." At least Dega sounds like a thing that could be an actual name. I'll be happy to see all these stupid names go though.
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Finally, an Abzan card that feels more Orzhov than Selesnya. I was starting to think they forgot that black was in the wedge...
Abzan Ascendency is going to be a fun card. As for See the Unwritten, I think some of you folks are underestimating it. Great for Temur fatties, Sultai delve, and reanimator.
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... I vote for junk so far.
My vote is likely to change once we see the charm.
Anyone who continues calling wedges by their ridiculous old "names" is going to look increasingly silly as time goes by, not to mention newer players less and less likely to know what you're talking about. The new names are here to stay, just like the shard names were. Get used to it.
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Also good flavor on she being the first in the batle thing they told us in the painel
Except her ability is designed so she's actually better off being the second in the battle...
I really feel like this is one of those cards that got designed as one thing and just totally butchered into something else in development. Only way I can think to explain the weird design and totally out of place second ability it screams "This got duct taped on in development!" just like Frontline Medic's second ability did.
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He looks underwhelming at first, but to me he seems like a more versatile Whip of Erebos for a deck that doesn't care about the reanimation aspect, with a bit of Spear of Heliod pump thrown in. I think he'll be at home in decks that care about lifegain while still playing a fair bit of creatures. Seems like a great card for Abzan, and maybe in the sideboard for a Mardu aggro deck to pump and win races.
At first I was comparing his -2 to Xenagos' 0 and thinking "Why does the other 4 mana planeswalker get free tokens while Sorin has to pay 2 loyalty?" But Sorin seems to be played more for his +1. His -2 is backup, meant to be used when you don't have a board, or desperately need more of one for whatever reason. And like many folks have mentioned, his effect is "until your next turn" so it has good synergy well with cards like Brimaz and maybe Ivorytusk Fortress.
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My experience is limited to two Magic Arena sealed events, 7-2 and 7-0 (I was fortunate enough to pull Niv Mizzet in both, and largely rode him to victory with Jeskai and Izzet decks respectively. I will say that Izzet is stronger than it looks.
Love the flavor on the phoenix. To those complaining about haste, just play it with Temur Ascendancy. It's at that 4 power sweet spot.
Happy to see a great rare in my clan with life drain.
The main complaint I see is that his abilities are too expensive. They are not understanding that the abilities are far more useful when they simply THREATEN to be used than when the are actually used. He's a 2/2 bear. But he's a 2/2 bear that can't be blocked by Courser or Caryatid because he'll pump and kill them. I don't think most people are going to trade their Courser to make you lose 2 mana. So, he's basically pseudo-unblockable.
You can't really kill him either if his controller has mana up (with stuff that gets around regen being exceptions, but most of that costs more than 2 mana.) Yes, you have to hold mana up to protect him. But the kind of deck that wants to use this card generally wants to keep mana up. You don't cram this guy into super fast aggro decks. You play him in grindy controlling decks with good instant speed options. You play him in a deck like Sultai that can just drop this on turn 2, then hold downfall/counterspell/card draw mana.
He defends against early aggro while gaining value. He provides early pressure against control that needs to be answered by expensive exile effects. He can pump into a serious threat in the late game if ignored. And best of all: he's a two mana bear, so who cares if they do waste a removal on him?
Excellent choice for grindy or aggressive controlling decks. Smart Sultai and Abzan players will find a home for this kitty, count on it.
If nothing else, janky Phenax mill decks will love the card.
Dega is not nearly as dumb as "Junk" and "America." At least Dega sounds like a thing that could be an actual name. I'll be happy to see all these stupid names go though.
Abzan Ascendency is going to be a fun card. As for See the Unwritten, I think some of you folks are underestimating it. Great for Temur fatties, Sultai delve, and reanimator.
Anyone who continues calling wedges by their ridiculous old "names" is going to look increasingly silly as time goes by, not to mention newer players less and less likely to know what you're talking about. The new names are here to stay, just like the shard names were. Get used to it.
Except her ability is designed so she's actually better off being the second in the battle...
I really feel like this is one of those cards that got designed as one thing and just totally butchered into something else in development. Only way I can think to explain the weird design and totally out of place second ability it screams "This got duct taped on in development!" just like Frontline Medic's second ability did.
Abzan needs less Selesnya and more Orzhov please. :/
At first I was comparing his -2 to Xenagos' 0 and thinking "Why does the other 4 mana planeswalker get free tokens while Sorin has to pay 2 loyalty?" But Sorin seems to be played more for his +1. His -2 is backup, meant to be used when you don't have a board, or desperately need more of one for whatever reason. And like many folks have mentioned, his effect is "until your next turn" so it has good synergy well with cards like Brimaz and maybe Ivorytusk Fortress.