After two weeks of playing with this new mechanic, what's everyone's thoughts, comments, and concerns.
So far, I think it's great. Pay one to gain 3 life? Yes please. And the damage for one does add up, especially late game.
The all star cards I've seen so far treasurey thrull His ability is great in edh on top of the extort crypt ghast probably the best extort card. Doubles up B mana on shocks and ABUR duals totally allowing for that extra extort mana per spell. blind obedience I absolutely love this card. Hoses fast mana rock strategies, haste beats, and artifacts with activated abilities.
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The EDH stax primer When you absolutely, positively got to kill every permanent in the room, accept no substitutes.
So far I love it on Blind Obedience. It's not amazing or anything but passively letting me play Mana Crypt, Fetch Lands, and Ancient Tomb without it hurting anything is sweet. I haven't paid much attention to the life loss aspect but it probably matters.
I haven't played with the thrull, but I slotted both of the other two in my Karador deck. So far, I haven't played ghast much or he got killed on sight. However, obediance has been an absolute beast. I'm pretty sure I won a game just because of the kismet effect on it. The extort has also definitely kept me alive, but apparently the majority of the opponents I've played against haven't gone at me just because I've been draining them a little. The whole part of obedience flying under the radar is just amazing.
"Some of the other guys dared me to go out, but I knew it weren't no ordinary giant giga-blasting blaze of unending flames that would scorch the whole world."
—Norin the Wary
See, I would of had to agree with you, but I honestly say Obedience is better. Ghast is great in Big Black ramp strategies, which I adore, but the obedience almost synergizes with a whole deck.
Imagine your playing a Land Denial Stax and your fellow players know, "Hey, artifact mana can get us around it." With Obedience, its not so fast buster, you have to wait.
It also slows down vomit-o-token and swing.dec.
Combined with the fact that people run more creature hate than aritfact hate, and its cheaper, I still love obedience more.
Ya, I don't think the ghast is better than obedience either. Ghast is kill on sight, like I said in my earlier post obedience won't be a high target, more of a nuisance than anything. Thus, you get far more use out it and a lot more draining.
"Some of the other guys dared me to go out, but I knew it weren't no ordinary giant giga-blasting blaze of unending flames that would scorch the whole world."
—Norin the Wary
I love this mechanic... in 60-card magic. This mechanic is just, how to put this, restrictive in EDH. The fact that i'm forced to play WBx is really sad. Blind obedience would be really awesome in monowhite and other nonblack combinations. Crypt Ghast would be really awesome in monoblack or other B/x combinations, but is forced into B/W/x only.
So far, this is the only guild mechanic that is forced into multicolor decks in EDH. I do also realize that this was the only good way to make this mechanic, but it still saddens me a bit.
See, I would of had to agree with you, but I honestly say Obedience is better. Ghast is great in Big Black ramp strategies, which I adore, but the obedience almost synergizes with a whole deck.
Imagine your playing a Land Denial Stax and your fellow players know, "Hey, artifact mana can get us around it." With Obedience, its not so fast buster, you have to wait.
It also slows down vomit-o-token and swing.dec.
Combined with the fact that people run more creature hate than aritfact hate, and its cheaper, I still love obedience more.
I will say still, that I love the mechanic....
I like obedience more then ghast for sure. But my reasoning for saying ghast is probably the all star is I saw him in action. Suited up with boots and sword, extorting and doubling mana became a "the table has to deal with that right now" situation.
But I do absolutely love blind obedience.
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The EDH stax primer When you absolutely, positively got to kill every permanent in the room, accept no substitutes.
Blind Obedience is awesome. It's the Extort card that everyone wanted and it's performed very well for me.
Treasury Thrull I play mainly for the recursion aspect but it is another Extort trigger and with two on board things can south for your opponents quickly.
Crypt Ghast I play in mono black just for the doubling effect. He is a great mana sink though for a deck that has a LOT of mana. Like Blind Obedience, he has synergy with himself: Blind Obedience slows the game down for your opponent(s) so you can milk more Extort triggers and Crypt Ghast speeds up your game allowing you to play more spells to Extort more life. The life gain is also nice in mono black where Necro, Bitterblossom, Arena, etc. are standard.
All in all, I like Extort quite a bit. It feels fair, doesn't make the table rage, is very flavorful and the cards with it (those listed above) are excellent.
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We, who do not deny the animal of our nature
We, who yearn to preserve our liberation
We, who face darkness in our hearts with a solemn fire
We, who aspire to the truth and pursue it's strength
Blind Obedience was quite annoying for me the other day when I was trying to make use of my Sensei's Top. My Top was vulnerable for a full turn cycle every time I'd cast it, and I couldn't use it as ":1mana:: Draw a card." with Future Sight as long as my opponent controlled Blind Obedience.
Situations like that are why I'm happy to have Steal Enchantment
(The Karador player destroyed the Blind Obedience the turn after I stole it, but I just didn't want one of my opponents having it, I didn't care whether I had it.)
The only one I've played with in EDH yet has been Blind Obedience, and it has been excellent. I am considering putting the Ghast in my newly-assembled Stax deck (a somewhat-modified list from the one I posted in the 'stax primer' thread), because Extort could be so obviously good there, but I'm not sure what else to pull, so I'll probably play it as is for a bit, then rotate the Ghast in for something else that ends up under-performing.
I threw a crypt ghast in mono black as a mana doubler, and the extort has actually saved me from dying a couple times already. In a 4-5 player game, the life gain off of extort keeps suicide black alive after being ganged up on
Crypt Ghast is a fragile mana doubler with an upside in a color that loves mana doubling and doesn't mind a bit of fragility. Nirkana Revenant fits those same criteria, but it's more expensive and it doesn't help keep all of black's self-damage effects from hurting so badly. It's a high profile target, but so what? All mana doublers are, that doesn't make them any less good.
I've had more experience staring down someone else's Blind Obedience than I have with any other card from Gatecrash. It's every bit as good as people are saying. Quasi-Kismet is good, draining life is good, Blind Obedience is good.
Treasury Thrull looks good on paper, but unfortunately I haven't drawn him in a game yet and neither has anyone else I've played against.
I don't think there a lot of playable Extort cards, but the ones that are playable are looking pretty great.
I've had great success with vizkopa confessor no one tries to kill it or blow it up, and it can make annoying cards in hand go away... forever.... especially off a cloudshift
I agree. We should all only play g/x decks because they are the most objectively fun and anyone who disagrees does not know the truth about EDH. Everyone should just play their decks because interaction beyond high fiving about how many land are in play is unfun and equivalent to casting Stasis while kicking puppies. I for one will never play with anyone who casts tutors, removal spells, blue cards, things I arbitrarily decide I don't like but will probably cast myself later.
I've had great success with vizkopa confessor no one tries to kill it or blow it up, and it can make annoying cards in hand go away... forever.... especially off a cloudshift
I'm not sure I agree with running subpar, overcosted discard just for the extort, even if it's attached to a(n equally subpar) body. I consider extort to be more of a bonus, and only playable on top of already good cards.
I think it's a great, balanced mechanic. Ironically, I prioritized Blind Obedience since enchantments are harder to kill and so far it gets blown up quickly not because of the extort but because of the Kismet effect.
I do wish there were more non-creature versions of the mechanic.
As for the extort itself...eh I mean it's a decent way to make up for all the life I spend or lose over the course of drawing off of Phyrexian Arena or Duskmantle Seer, tapping lands like Ancient Tomb, casting spells like Moonlight Bargain, not untapping Mana Vault, or just plain getting hit.
So far, I think it's great. Pay one to gain 3 life? Yes please. And the damage for one does add up, especially late game.
The all star cards I've seen so far
treasurey thrull His ability is great in edh on top of the extort
crypt ghast probably the best extort card. Doubles up B mana on shocks and ABUR duals totally allowing for that extra extort mana per spell.
blind obedience I absolutely love this card. Hoses fast mana rock strategies, haste beats, and artifacts with activated abilities.
The EDH stax primer
When you absolutely, positively got to kill every permanent in the room, accept no substitutes.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
Cockatrice Username: seriph0
Imagine your playing a Land Denial Stax and your fellow players know, "Hey, artifact mana can get us around it." With Obedience, its not so fast buster, you have to wait.
It also slows down vomit-o-token and swing.dec.
Combined with the fact that people run more creature hate than aritfact hate, and its cheaper, I still love obedience more.
I will say still, that I love the mechanic....
540 Peasant cube- Gold EditionSomething SpicyCockatrice Username: seriph0
So far, this is the only guild mechanic that is forced into multicolor decks in EDH. I do also realize that this was the only good way to make this mechanic, but it still saddens me a bit.
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
B Toshiro Umezawa
BG Pharika, God of Affliction - Necromancy and Politics
WWW The Church of Heliod
WBR Zurgo, Helmsmasher
RG Wort, the Raidmother
UBR Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
UG Vorel of the Hull Clade
http://mtgcommander.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15321
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
yep, extort does not give or have color identity.
I buy HP and Damaged cards!
Only EDH:
Sigarda, Host of Herons: Enchantress' Enchantments
Jenara, Asura of War: ETB Value Town
Purphoros, God of the Forge: Global Punishment
Xenagos, God of Revels: Ramp, Sneak, & Heavy Hitters
Ghave, Guru of Spores: Dies_to_Doom_Blade's stax list
Edric, Spymaster of Trest: Donald's list
Holy wow... I hadn't seen that yet. That's awesome.
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
B Toshiro Umezawa
BG Pharika, God of Affliction - Necromancy and Politics
WWW The Church of Heliod
WBR Zurgo, Helmsmasher
RG Wort, the Raidmother
UBR Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
UG Vorel of the Hull Clade
I like obedience more then ghast for sure. But my reasoning for saying ghast is probably the all star is I saw him in action. Suited up with boots and sword, extorting and doubling mana became a "the table has to deal with that right now" situation.
But I do absolutely love blind obedience.
The EDH stax primer
When you absolutely, positively got to kill every permanent in the room, accept no substitutes.
Treasury Thrull I play mainly for the recursion aspect but it is another Extort trigger and with two on board things can south for your opponents quickly.
Crypt Ghast I play in mono black just for the doubling effect. He is a great mana sink though for a deck that has a LOT of mana. Like Blind Obedience, he has synergy with himself: Blind Obedience slows the game down for your opponent(s) so you can milk more Extort triggers and Crypt Ghast speeds up your game allowing you to play more spells to Extort more life. The life gain is also nice in mono black where Necro, Bitterblossom, Arena, etc. are standard.
All in all, I like Extort quite a bit. It feels fair, doesn't make the table rage, is very flavorful and the cards with it (those listed above) are excellent.
We, who yearn to preserve our liberation
We, who face darkness in our hearts with a solemn fire
We, who aspire to the truth and pursue it's strength
Situations like that are why I'm happy to have Steal Enchantment
(The Karador player destroyed the Blind Obedience the turn after I stole it, but I just didn't want one of my opponents having it, I didn't care whether I had it.)
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
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Kemba | Linvala | Talrand | Geth | Krenko | Zada | Patron of the Orochi | Medomai | Athreos | Gisela | Trostani | Nin | Silumgar | Kaervek | Jarad | Xenagos | Sydri | Narset | Roon | Zurgo | Ghave | Marath | Uril | Tasigur | Animar | Riku | Riku | Sek'Kuar | Cromat
I've had more experience staring down someone else's Blind Obedience than I have with any other card from Gatecrash. It's every bit as good as people are saying. Quasi-Kismet is good, draining life is good, Blind Obedience is good.
Treasury Thrull looks good on paper, but unfortunately I haven't drawn him in a game yet and neither has anyone else I've played against.
I don't think there a lot of playable Extort cards, but the ones that are playable are looking pretty great.
Whatever I build from my Box-o-EDH stuff
Legacy
Sneak and Show
UR Delver
Scapeshift Nic Fit
Modern
Merfolk
I'm not sure I agree with running subpar, overcosted discard just for the extort, even if it's attached to a(n equally subpar) body. I consider extort to be more of a bonus, and only playable on top of already good cards.
I do wish there were more non-creature versions of the mechanic.
WUBRG Some of these decks can actually win games...WUBRG
How I know I should build a deck:
As for the extort itself...eh I mean it's a decent way to make up for all the life I spend or lose over the course of drawing off of Phyrexian Arena or Duskmantle Seer, tapping lands like Ancient Tomb, casting spells like Moonlight Bargain, not untapping Mana Vault, or just plain getting hit.
UBBreya's Toybox (Competitive, Combo)WR
RGodzilla, King of the MonstersG
-Retired Decks-
UBLazav, Dimir Mastermind (Competitive, UB Voltron/Control)UB
"Knowledge is such a burden. Release it. Release all your fears to me."
—Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver