I like Gideon, but if your playing Esper we have the W/ Sorin who makes tokens. The skullcrack / detention sphere argument is just rediculous though. If you spent a resource like detention sphere on planeswalker (who was just soaking damage most likely anyway) then I'll actually get more value out of new gideon than a 5 mana walker like the old Gideon anyway. Skullcrack can be witchbane orbed and thats just one card. You'd have the same problem with any walker.
Gideon builds fast and comes into play early, those are two things good walkers do and he does better than any walker in standard currently. His only weaknesses (a big one) is he can't defend himself from creatures, but he still can become indestructible and can prevent damage to himself. I'd play him in bant control or fog/stall deck over the current standard Jaces.
I am not suggesting that this format is faster than the end of the last rotation. That format was fully matured. I am saying that aggro is more prevalent now, in that you are more likely to get matched-up against an opponent who's intent is to do nothing more than swing for as much as he can every turn and this is why Thragtusk is played more.
But this conversation has diverted.
To revert back to the genesis of or discourse, found here, I would like to further clarify my statement of "I plan on killing so many people with this still in their hand when they die".
While it is not only common to win the game on turn 6 with aggro on the play and curving out, it will be also very common for an opponent to miss a land drop or two and hence find Eviction stranded in their hand when they die on turn 7 or 8.
I anticipate that many more players will die with this in their hand than will sweep, stabalize, and prevail.
The discourse betwix you and I persists because I feel your initial reply of "Good luck with that. Literally." is both snarky in attitude and unsound in reason. You will die at the hands of aggro with this in your hand, often, I assure you.
4WB is not that bad for what this card does. You only run one or two of this sweeper in your sideboard at most. Its a sweeper you can side in against mid-range, tokens, and even control. You will have at least 6 sweepers against aggro, and this may not be better than Terminus is for the aggro application, but its not bad either.
Plus the format seems to be slowing down with the great control options this block is getting, a trend that I expect to continue as more cards like Aetherize are revealed.
Austere Command. Good card, multi optional semi-strong effects, was playable Merciless Eviction. Good card, less options, stronger effect, color intensive...maybe, but you really shouldn't have issues doing multicolor in a multi color set
No its by far the most powerful x spell I've seen in a while. If played correctly it can be an alpha strike, finisher, and/or a turn loss for your opponent. Most often will be played at 2WR
Its not that this card is overcosted, its just theres no Eldrazi or anything crazy to ramp into in standard right now. This is actually a pretty powerful card.
Technically, this Gideon protects himself better than old Gideon. His loyalty goes up really fast like a fog shield and comes into play with potentially a lot of counters. Infact, like old Gideon I bet hes pretty good in a fog deck.
Where the bad design comes in, is his -15. If I have an an indestructible 10/10 I hope I'm winning in control. There was no need and seems like some fanboy added that last minute. Also makes Gideon seem likes hes overpowered roleplaying wise. Gideon shouldn't have magic or abilities stronger than Bolas. You know?
This would see play if you could enchant your opponents creatures, but as is....its a one or two of in the right deck at best. I still like the design but this fits me more as a card for Avacyn Restored or something.
I love Murder Investigation. I think it would be more interesting design if you could use it on your opponents creatures though. Turn 2 Murder Investigation on their creature, turn 4 wait for sweep.
Um. Elesh Norn was good because she had an effect even if immediately removed - she instantly killed almost every good small creature in the format (mostly everything Delver ran), giving you time to play/reanimate some other big beastie.
On the other hand, if this Angel is killed, your opponent gets all the cards of theirs that were exiled back. Plus, after you play this Angel, your opponent is free to play more creatures.
Not to mention that Norn hit that price mostly on the popularity of Frites (which needed all 4 copies). Nowadays she only sees fringe play, and her price is dropping in the slow way it does for any card that spikes.
There's definitely a comparision to be made between the two, and there is potential for the card if you can set up a loop of two Angels (one's death returns the other to your hand), but in a vacuum Elesh Norn is better as it tends to actually do something.
I think your playing it wrong then. You don't have to wipe all their creatures off the board, only the annoying ones that are able to kill a 5/6 angel. The other cards would be fetched from your graveyard giving you CA over your opponent.
Not to mention tempo this large is doing something when it hits play. The cards are sent back to the opponents hand, not back into play, so your definitely slowing them down for quite a while. 6 toughness is nothing to sneeze at so its possible it can stay on the board a while too.
Reaching the second angel makes this card a lot better though. Not only all that but this has flying. I'd rather have flying over vigilance in control, especially when it has a leaves the battlefield clause.
Also this card isn't legendary, which is pretty nice.
I was worried that tokens were going to stomp control after Innistrad block was complete. Now I don't have to fear tokens when playing control. Love this card.
You really don't need to go that far. Snapcaster mage will keep it locked long enough. I guess its obvious but I forgot to mention this is like having creature removal as well should you keep it on the board or have on in your hand.
What a great finisher for control. Having one in your graveyard and another in your hand effectively allows you to keep playing an angel each time it dies for its mana cost. Not to mention you could potentially grab creatures with EtB effects each time along with it. Mass card advantage. This is what you want for a control deck.
Gideon builds fast and comes into play early, those are two things good walkers do and he does better than any walker in standard currently. His only weaknesses (a big one) is he can't defend himself from creatures, but he still can become indestructible and can prevent damage to himself. I'd play him in bant control or fog/stall deck over the current standard Jaces.
Control is getting Blind Obediance. I expect white blue to be very strong because of the good Dimir and Orzhov cards coming out.
4WB is not that bad for what this card does. You only run one or two of this sweeper in your sideboard at most. Its a sweeper you can side in against mid-range, tokens, and even control. You will have at least 6 sweepers against aggro, and this may not be better than Terminus is for the aggro application, but its not bad either.
Plus the format seems to be slowing down with the great control options this block is getting, a trend that I expect to continue as more cards like Aetherize are revealed.
Merciless Eviction. Good card, less options, stronger effect, color intensive...maybe, but you really shouldn't have issues doing multicolor in a multi color set
Also Planar Cleansing can get pretty broken with his +0
Where the bad design comes in, is his -15. If I have an an indestructible 10/10 I hope I'm winning in control. There was no need and seems like some fanboy added that last minute. Also makes Gideon seem likes hes overpowered roleplaying wise. Gideon shouldn't have magic or abilities stronger than Bolas. You know?
I think your playing it wrong then. You don't have to wipe all their creatures off the board, only the annoying ones that are able to kill a 5/6 angel. The other cards would be fetched from your graveyard giving you CA over your opponent.
Not to mention tempo this large is doing something when it hits play. The cards are sent back to the opponents hand, not back into play, so your definitely slowing them down for quite a while. 6 toughness is nothing to sneeze at so its possible it can stay on the board a while too.
Reaching the second angel makes this card a lot better though. Not only all that but this has flying. I'd rather have flying over vigilance in control, especially when it has a leaves the battlefield clause.
Also this card isn't legendary, which is pretty nice.
You really don't need to go that far. Snapcaster mage will keep it locked long enough. I guess its obvious but I forgot to mention this is like having creature removal as well should you keep it on the board or have on in your hand.