Kin-tree Invocation BG
Sorcery
Put an X/X black and green Spirit Warrior creature token onto the battlefield, where X is the greatest toughness among creatures you control.
Seems like this is a token for no reason. Could have easily been a 0/0 creature for the same cost and come in to play with +1/+1 counters instead to go along with the outlast cards a little better. Maybe its supposed to go with prowess cards?!? another card that I like but just seems like a weird choice.
Casual Populate shenanigans, maybe? Selesnya is in the Abzan colors, after all.
To me, Trap Essence feels really scary and more worthy of a rare slot than the likes of Mystic Genesis or Counterflux. It might not be a universal counter, but it still helps you establish board presence, gets rid of a blocker (which makes answering the Temur fatties even more difficult), and even has great potential of activating Ferocious out of nowhere: all you need is a 2-power creature. Imagine casting it after flipping a Rattleclaw Mystic. The only problem I see about this card is that I'd rather spend my turn 3 by casting Savage Knuckleblade than leaving my mana open: the Temur are obviously a proactive clan, with all their disruption being more like answers to answers.
. Mystic Genesis and counterflux are much better cards than this (especially counterflux). This is 3 Cmc and 3 colors. If I'm paying that much for essence scatter, I expect something way better than 2 counters. This card should be common.
It's not the matter of them being good or bad, it's the fact that counterspells with an upside is nothing new for the rare slot, especially in multicolor. Just because two effects are usually seen on common cards when on their own doesn't mean that they don't make a rare when put on a single card. Does gaining 3 life sound rare to you? Yet that is the reason why Absorb is rare when compared to Counterspell.
You're only paying 1 mana more than Essence Scatter (it might be colored, but that won't be a problem in the environment with fetchlands and Rattleclaw Mystics and other mana fixing), and I'd say that 2 +1/+1 counters that suddenly make most of your deck better are worth more than that.
To me, Trap Essence feels really scary and more worthy of a rare slot than the likes of Mystic Genesis or Counterflux. It might not be a universal counter, but it still helps you establish board presence, gets rid of a blocker (which makes answering the Temur fatties even more difficult), and even has great potential of activating Ferocious out of nowhere: all you need is a 2-power creature. Imagine casting it after flipping a Rattleclaw Mystic. The only problem I see about this card is that I'd rather spend my turn 3 by casting Savage Knuckleblade than leaving my mana open: the Temur are obviously a proactive clan, with all their disruption being more like answers to answers.
Please stop trying to print cards for Commander. Your stupidly overpowered abortions like prophet of Kruphix and friends are ruining the format.
Signed, Casual Magic Player
"Casual" as in "Kitchen table" or as in "Occasional Standard"? Because if it's the former, I don't think you're going to have that much trouble banning the cards in your playgroup.
I should never have to self ban anything if people are doing their jobs properly at HQ. It they didn't insist on taking control of the format, then fine, why should they care what is busted or not in EDH, but there is no excuse for printing this card when it is broken before seeing print. They even have some tool on the homepage who does EDH articles all the time. Sloppy, stupid, and pathetic.
Pretty sure they still don't have any control on the format, the only thing they do is publish the Commander products. Perhaps you should go to mtgcommander.net and voice your concerns there.
Also, people shouldn't make mistakes, but the only way to not make them is to do nothing. And they try to do cool new things all the time.
Please stop trying to print cards for Commander. Your stupidly overpowered abortions like prophet of Kruphix and friends are ruining the format.
Signed, Casual Magic Player
"Casual" as in "Kitchen table" or as in "Occasional Standard"? Because if it's the former, I don't think you're going to have that much trouble banning the cards in your playgroup.
Why is the flavor of this block so much better than Theros, even though this set is not "top-down?"
Because being top-down or bottom-up does not necessarily correlate to the flavor's quality, just the direction the set was designed in. And, you know, because good flavor is subjective.
This is the kind of Morph design I like. You can play it face-up and not feel bad about it at all, or you can play it face-down for some evil mind games and surprise card advantage. Wizards, more like this one, please.
This card passes the ultimate litmus test: if you can't find the artwork online, the card is real. And boy, is it going to do some work in more than one format.
And don't forget that it's a non-creature spell, itself!
I love the second ability because it keeps the Prowess triggers coming, though the question of creature-to-noncreature rates in Jeskai decks remains open.
The color pie issue with this card is just one of the reasons we got a wedge set rather than a wedge block. Three-colored cards are difficult to design, and a three-color theme naturally leads to factions that have themes of their own. You solve this problem by designing three-colored cards that fit the factions, even if they don't really fit each one of its colors. Just remember Alara and the likes of Fire-Field Ogre. Hell, even two-colored factions are not safe from this: why couldn't Shambleshark be mono-blue? Because it's so Simic, that's why.
Casual Populate shenanigans, maybe? Selesnya is in the Abzan colors, after all.
All the wai.
It's not the matter of them being good or bad, it's the fact that counterspells with an upside is nothing new for the rare slot, especially in multicolor. Just because two effects are usually seen on common cards when on their own doesn't mean that they don't make a rare when put on a single card. Does gaining 3 life sound rare to you? Yet that is the reason why Absorb is rare when compared to Counterspell.
You're only paying 1 mana more than Essence Scatter (it might be colored, but that won't be a problem in the environment with fetchlands and Rattleclaw Mystics and other mana fixing), and I'd say that 2 +1/+1 counters that suddenly make most of your deck better are worth more than that.
Pretty sure they still don't have any control on the format, the only thing they do is publish the Commander products. Perhaps you should go to mtgcommander.net and voice your concerns there.
Also, people shouldn't make mistakes, but the only way to not make them is to do nothing. And they try to do cool new things all the time.
"Casual" as in "Kitchen table" or as in "Occasional Standard"? Because if it's the former, I don't think you're going to have that much trouble banning the cards in your playgroup.
Because this is Abzan Charm, and the Abzan don't want to lose all the counters they gain.
Because being top-down or bottom-up does not necessarily correlate to the flavor's quality, just the direction the set was designed in. And, you know, because good flavor is subjective.
Yeah, this is an obvious anti-Delve card.
I love the second ability because it keeps the Prowess triggers coming, though the question of creature-to-noncreature rates in Jeskai decks remains open.
Why do people think that if we take out all bad rares out of the set, the rare slots they were taking would be filled with amazing staples?
I was half-joking, but no, I wouldn't, because that wouldn't activate Ferocious. Weren't the Temur master elementalists?