Outside of a lot of possible good cards for Intet (most of which arent dragons surprisingly), this expansion isnt offering too much for my other decks. Its a small thing, but Im excited I can pick up extra copies of Explosive Vegetation for cheaper now that its reprinted.
Encase in Ice - Am I the only one who thinks this is pretty solid? (Pardon the pun.) Yes, only being able to hit red/green can be problematic, but those two colors are common in my playgroup and being able to shut down a commander from attacking or tapping is pretty good.
This is Commander. I think I prefer Mind Harness. (And I've run it to excellent effect).
I'm incredibly picky about what cards to aim at, probably because I'm only designing one brew at the moment (when my mobility and income constrictions disappear, we'll talk about actually playing). Specifically, I'm charting a Jenara deck that can be seen here: http://mtgcommander.net/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=17441
Basically, there's at least two musts from my perspective: Inspiring Call (Wrath? What Wrath? All I see is a bunch of new cards.) and Sunscorch Regent (imagine it in conjunction with Archangel of Thune). Others I'm seriously considering:
for Oloro, Ageless Ascetic Sunscorch Regent: Gains life gets big... I'll probably add more interaction with life gain triggers (Archangel of Thune is the best but far too expensive) Dragonlord Silumgar: forces a removal if they'd like to keep their permanent. Otherwise it's a very powerful effect.
This is a really cool set and I'm sure as I build more decks I'll get more from it.
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EDH Decks UWB Oloro, Ageless Ascetic's spring of life RUG Animar, Soul of the Elements and friends... lots of them WBG Karador king of two worlds (value and attrition) WRKalemne's Angels BRUG Yidris's Wild Party UWBR Breya's Terrifying Tinker Toys UBRThe Pretender
Surprised no one bumped this to discuss Hixus...who seems like he wants to be tuck replacement for voltron generals. I think he needs some sort of protection to provide the most value. Five mana just seems like a lot for specific removal.
Surprised no one bumped this to discuss Hixus...who seems like he wants to be tuck replacement for voltron generals. I think he needs some sort of protection to provide the most value. Five mana just seems like a lot for specific removal.
No one bumped it because this guy's a turd.
"Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, if Hixus, Prison Warden entered the battlefield this turn, exile that creature until Hixus leaves the battlefield."
So, you need to get smacked first, have mana open, and it just puts generals in the command zone. In the command zone he's not scary enough to work as a real rattlesnake because the effect is sort of hilariously bad. Exile my team and then when you want to Wrath I get my guys back with fresh ETB abilities? Hahaha.
Gotta agree with Gals, this guy pretty much sucks.
I mean, sure, theoretically he could banish a bunch of tokens or whatever, but chances are if the token guy attacked, you just died to the token swarm, so it's kinda irrelevant. I suppose it might slow down a voltron general, but.... meh.
Maybe playable in Darien? Darien is often willing to take the hit. I mean, he's basically Banisher Priest that hits all attacking creatures after they did their job.
We also don't know how big he is. I mean, if he's like a 5/5 flash for 5, that's value right there (he's probably not, though...)
Pair him up with Forcefield late-game to mitigate his biggest drawback (taking the hit)
Wel, yeah, and I can theory-craft situations in which Brown Ouphe is an awesome card, too, but the reality is, this guy probably isn't going to earn a slot in many decks that give even the slightest nod to effectiveness.
Certainly not commander material, and even as instant speed defense from attackers white probably has many better options. They did nail the flavor though, I'm kinda sad he's so unplayable. Would be fun if he worked like Fiend Hunter and could be sacced in such a way that the creatures never come back.
The more I think about this card the funnier it gets. I want YOU to play this guy. I want you to protect my team from a second main phase wrath. I want YOU to pay 5 mana to make that happen. I love the idea of you paying 5 mana to remove a couple of creatures on my turn. I suppose in metas without removal he IS the removal, but in most groups I've seen this guy is doing your opponents favors.
Maybe playable in Darien? Darien is often willing to take the hit. I mean, he's basically Banisher Priest that hits all attacking creatures after they did their job.
We also don't know how big he is. I mean, if he's like a 5/5 flash for 5, that's value right there (he's probably not, though...)
Pair him up with Forcefield late-game to mitigate his biggest drawback (taking the hit)
This was my first thought as well. Darien, King of Kjeldor WANTS to be hit, so maybe you can imprison some creatures while you're at it. I don't think I'm interested in having him in the Command Zone (traps and tricks generally don't work if the victim sees them coming), but I'll give him a shot in the 99.
For five mana and being a white creature, my best guess is that he'll have a big butt but not as large of attack. A 3/5, maybe. If that's the case, you could probably get away with flashing him in after attacks to block a creature with an ETB trigger you don't want re-triggering, then exiling the rest.
Darien, King of Kjeldor is probably the deck that I attend to most closely, and I have a hard time imagining wanting to play Hixus in it. (Unless he's like an 8/8 or something, I guess, which is implausible.) Being able to remove some guys is not at all something the deck has issues with. Banisher Priest is okay because it's a combo piece, recurrable in a few ways, and can hit what you actually want to hit. It also costs three mana. Additionally, people don't swing their team into Darien when Darien is on the board regardless, "I have to get rid of a bunch of dudes" is not a problem that the deck is looking for a very conditional and temporary answer to, and most white decks don't have enough interesting things to do at instant speed to leave five mana up for something you may or may not want to play. Darien might be the very worst white deck for Hixus; because Darien wants to be hit, people don't hit Darien.
I can't think of a great use for Hixus. The timing of when you want to cast him makes him bad in Basandra. The way the exile works makes him bad in a blink deck. The targeting makes it so that he doesn't double as a combo piece like most Banisher Priest or Fiend Hunter effects. I just don't think it's a card that's scaled for Commander.
He might be interesting-ish in Ephara? Ephara almost always leaves mana up anyway, so you can take advantage of someone happening to attack you, and creatures with Flash are what Ephara wants. I guess
If he was Fiend Hunter instead of Banisher Priest you could at least make an argument for him in something like Roon. As is I would be surprised if he makes his way into any deck.
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EDH playing competitive Magic cast away
Current Decks GTitania midrange RGThromok tokens/goodstuff | UB Grimgrin zombie tribal GW Sigarda enchantress | R Godo voltron U Braids aggro | WR Kalemne punisher RU Mizzix storm | BUG Mimeoplasm competitive reanimator | UG Ezuri infect
So, it's looking like Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh // Chandra, Roaring Flame might be real after all. If so, kind of a bummer that it's yet another red burn-focused card that won't do well with Commander's increased life totals and multiplayer environments. Now that Tiny Leaders is a thing though, maybe she has a place there?
She was always going to be bad. That was just destiny. Also, unless we're to believe this is just a mock-up, why is the copyright date different on either side?
So, it's looking like Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh // Chandra, Roaring Flame might be real after all. If so, kind of a bummer that it's yet another red burn-focused card that won't do well with Commander's increased life totals and multiplayer environments. Now that Tiny Leaders is a thing though, maybe she has a place there?]
To date the most interesting and most red feeling Planeswalker has been Sarkhan Vol - 3 really solid red abilities. Haven't seen anything that was as flavorfully red AND playable since.
Tiny Leaders might try her out but A) Tiny Leaders already has an amazing burn suite that probably doesn't want to slow down a turn to make this happen, and B) Tiny Leaders doesn't really exist.
If that Chandra is real then I'm going to be disappointed with Magic Origins. After seeing Liliana, I was really hoping for a cool Chandra card that was actually. . . well, good.
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Rest in RIP My Signature, I guess. 2015-2016, we hardly knew ye.
Total side note but I like how people are discussing running this over itself.
Well, it has to be said that Kolaghan is clearly better than Kolaghan. Considering what BR decks usually want and how stiff the competition in this guild is, there is no way that I would run Kolaghan over Kolaghan! Kolaghan might make it in as the sixth guild card or so. Kolaghan on the other hand ranks several places below that.
It was so funny to me when they described this as a downgrade to the original Zurgo during the Pax East panel. I was thinking if this is a downgrade, they should really "downgrade" all legendary creatures. Haha.
My deck designing is quite concise at this point:
1. Come up with deck idea
2. Realize this idea is somehow fundamentally similar to another deck I have or that is commonly played in my group
3. Decide I don't want to disassemble one of my existing decks
4. Give up and do nothing
I don't see the point of this new shroud mechanic. It's strictly worse than Hexproof. Threshold is pretty bad too, Delirium is a much better mechanic and probably easier to activate.
Otherwise this card is a pretty neat guy. Dodges removal and grows into a Primal Huntbeast. 3/5
She was always going to be bad. That was just destiny. Also, unless we're to believe this is just a mock-up, they is the copyright date different on either side?
*shrug* Who knows? But the trifecta of the presence of two new pieces of art, the matching of the planeswalker art to released images from Magic Duels: Origins, and the fact that the name of Chandra's home plane wasn't officially known anywhere until today while the card was leaked a month ago lends this a substantial amount of veracity.
Actually, she doesn't look that bad for duel commander. T2 or T3 enters, some haste thing, hits for 2, gut shot, tap her, transform, +1 ability for another 2 dmg and you hit for 6 dmg for 3 mana, 2 life and you have PW with 5 loyality. Yes it is christmas land, but still.
but second ability.. i think thats quite weak. 2 damage to some creature for -2. like what? But the ultimate looks quite interesting. And can definitelly combo with some cards. Anyway, I hope its not true so she will be stronger...
I can't imagine her ever getting to use her ultimate. She has to flip and then have 3 more turns, during which she can't protect herself at all, with an ultimate that no one is going to want to go off.
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Rest in RIP My Signature, I guess. 2015-2016, we hardly knew ye.
Total side note but I like how people are discussing running this over itself.
Well, it has to be said that Kolaghan is clearly better than Kolaghan. Considering what BR decks usually want and how stiff the competition in this guild is, there is no way that I would run Kolaghan over Kolaghan! Kolaghan might make it in as the sixth guild card or so. Kolaghan on the other hand ranks several places below that.
It was so funny to me when they described this as a downgrade to the original Zurgo during the Pax East panel. I was thinking if this is a downgrade, they should really "downgrade" all legendary creatures. Haha.
My deck designing is quite concise at this point:
1. Come up with deck idea
2. Realize this idea is somehow fundamentally similar to another deck I have or that is commonly played in my group
3. Decide I don't want to disassemble one of my existing decks
4. Give up and do nothing
I don't see the point of this new shroud mechanic. It's strictly worse than Hexproof. Threshold is pretty bad too, Delirium is a much better mechanic and probably easier to activate.
Otherwise this card is a pretty neat guy. Dodges removal and grows into a Primal Huntbeast. 3/5
I really hope that Chandra isn't real. I can't see her being very good in EDH given that monored has to lean heavily on artifacts even in non-Daretti builds. The golden rule of planeswalkers is you want them to be able to do their 'good effect' the same turn you play them; which is why cards that do that, such as JTMS, LotV, Karn, Ugin; see play all over eternal formats where the only red planeswalker to do that that is reasonable in EDH is Chandra Ablaze.
I remember the complaints people had when Liliana was spoiled about all of the hoops one had to jump through to flip her. Chandra is far worse. And even if you manage to flip her, her +ability is so mediocre in EDH. I was hoping for much better.
The Mimeoplasm || Karador, Ghost Chieftain
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher || Vial Smasher/Tymna Group Slug
Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief || Talrand, Sky Summoner
Yidris - Unblockable Saboteurs || Kiki-Jiki, ETB breaker
Kess, Dissident Mage
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StaffThis is Commander. I think I prefer Mind Harness. (And I've run it to excellent effect).
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Basically, there's at least two musts from my perspective: Inspiring Call (Wrath? What Wrath? All I see is a bunch of new cards.) and Sunscorch Regent (imagine it in conjunction with Archangel of Thune). Others I'm seriously considering:
--Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
--Avatar of the Resolute (just need to find a green card I'm willing to jettison in favor of it)
--Dromoka Captain
--Dromoka's Command
--Echoes of the Kin Tree (just remember that you don't have perfect control over who gets the counters)
--Enduring Scalelord (see Avatar of the Resolute's note)
--Scale Blessing (I'm on the fence over removing Travel Preparations in favor of it)
--Sight of the Scalelords (It doesn't take much to get creatures to toughness 4 in this setup)
for Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
Sunscorch Regent: Gains life gets big... I'll probably add more interaction with life gain triggers (Archangel of Thune is the best but far too expensive)
Dragonlord Silumgar: forces a removal if they'd like to keep their permanent. Otherwise it's a very powerful effect.
for Animar, Soul of Elements
Den Protector: better than Regrowth
Stratus Dancer: nice boardwipe you got there
Ainok Survivalist: better than T-Pred
Ancestral Statue: infinites in a non game ending way by itself... not bad
for Ghoulcaller Gisa
Sidisi, Undead Visier: Tutor on a stick
This is a really cool set and I'm sure as I build more decks I'll get more from it.
EDH Decks
UWB Oloro, Ageless Ascetic's spring of life
RUG Animar, Soul of the Elements and friends... lots of them
WBG Karador king of two worlds (value and attrition)
WRKalemne's Angels
BRUG Yidris's Wild Party
UWBR Breya's Terrifying Tinker Toys
UBR The Pretender
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
"Whenever a creature deals combat damage to you, if Hixus, Prison Warden entered the battlefield this turn, exile that creature until Hixus leaves the battlefield."
So, you need to get smacked first, have mana open, and it just puts generals in the command zone. In the command zone he's not scary enough to work as a real rattlesnake because the effect is sort of hilariously bad. Exile my team and then when you want to Wrath I get my guys back with fresh ETB abilities? Hahaha.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
I mean, sure, theoretically he could banish a bunch of tokens or whatever, but chances are if the token guy attacked, you just died to the token swarm, so it's kinda irrelevant. I suppose it might slow down a voltron general, but.... meh.
We also don't know how big he is. I mean, if he's like a 5/5 flash for 5, that's value right there (he's probably not, though...)
Pair him up with Forcefield late-game to mitigate his biggest drawback (taking the hit)
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
This was my first thought as well. Darien, King of Kjeldor WANTS to be hit, so maybe you can imprison some creatures while you're at it. I don't think I'm interested in having him in the Command Zone (traps and tricks generally don't work if the victim sees them coming), but I'll give him a shot in the 99.
For five mana and being a white creature, my best guess is that he'll have a big butt but not as large of attack. A 3/5, maybe. If that's the case, you could probably get away with flashing him in after attacks to block a creature with an ETB trigger you don't want re-triggering, then exiling the rest.
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
I can't think of a great use for Hixus. The timing of when you want to cast him makes him bad in Basandra. The way the exile works makes him bad in a blink deck. The targeting makes it so that he doesn't double as a combo piece like most Banisher Priest or Fiend Hunter effects. I just don't think it's a card that's scaled for Commander.
He might be interesting-ish in Ephara? Ephara almost always leaves mana up anyway, so you can take advantage of someone happening to attack you, and creatures with Flash are what Ephara wants. I guess
Current Decks
GTitania midrange
RGThromok tokens/goodstuff | UB Grimgrin zombie tribal
GW Sigarda enchantress | R Godo voltron
U Braids aggro | WR Kalemne punisher
RU Mizzix storm | BUG Mimeoplasm competitive reanimator | UG Ezuri infect
Current Decks
GTitania midrange
RGThromok tokens/goodstuff | UB Grimgrin zombie tribal
GW Sigarda enchantress | R Godo voltron
U Braids aggro | WR Kalemne punisher
RU Mizzix storm | BUG Mimeoplasm competitive reanimator | UG Ezuri infect
To date the most interesting and most red feeling Planeswalker has been Sarkhan Vol - 3 really solid red abilities. Haven't seen anything that was as flavorfully red AND playable since.
Tiny Leaders might try her out but A) Tiny Leaders already has an amazing burn suite that probably doesn't want to slow down a turn to make this happen, and B) Tiny Leaders doesn't really exist.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
Huh?
but second ability.. i think thats quite weak. 2 damage to some creature for -2. like what? But the ultimate looks quite interesting. And can definitelly combo with some cards. Anyway, I hope its not true so she will be stronger...
The Mimeoplasm || Karador, Ghost Chieftain
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher || Vial Smasher/Tymna Group Slug
Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief || Talrand, Sky Summoner
Yidris - Unblockable Saboteurs || Kiki-Jiki, ETB breaker
Kess, Dissident Mage