The huge edge that Deadeye Navigator has over Eldrazi Displacer is that it can protect itself, at least some of the time. DEN requires instant-speed removal cast at the right time, mass removal, or waiting for its controller to tap out. (Which is a very wide category of things, of course, but we've all been in situations where DEN was annoying to get rid of.) Eldrazi Displacer can by removed by any creature removal at any time. Displacer is still a fantastic card, of course, maybe even better, but it's easier to deal with.
The huge edge that Deadeye Navigator has over Eldrazi Displacer is that it can protect itself, at least some of the time. DEN requires instant-speed removal cast at the right time, mass removal, or waiting for its controller to tap out. (Which is a very wide category of things, of course, but we've all been in situations where DEN was annoying to get rid of.) Eldrazi Displacer can by removed by any creature removal at any time. Displacer is still a fantastic card, of course, maybe even better, but it's easier to deal with.
Agreed. I think this gives the edge to DEN in terms of overall power. But it's a six drop, where as Eldrazi Displacer is a three drop with added utility beyond DEN's in many ways, so no complaints at all. Looking forward to adding Eldrazi Displacer to a number of decks, and I'd say that so far it's the top overall card for EDH from OGW.
Eldrazi Displacer is an incredible card, a fantastic boon to white, great stats and abilities, and a very good use of colorless. Very much looking forward to playing him, and trying to reworking my 5C mana to make him playable.
I really enjoy Oath of Gideon as well. It curves into most walkers, it drops protection on the field for them, and the walkers hit the field bigger. Not big, not splashy, but useful. Now we just need a Mirror Gallery effect for walkers - for my own personal amusement if nothing else.
I like the uncommon enemies cycle. Weapons Trainer is very interesting to me, especially since you just have to control the equipment, not have it equipped. Stormchaser Mage really tickles my fancy but much more for 60/4 builds. Cliffhaven Vampire is nothing new but I always like new B/W vamps and I think he might find his way into a more aggressive bleed list.
So far, I'm OK with this set. Admittedly, I'm pretty easy to please, but there's some good stuff so far and hopefully more to come.
Er... not really. Sanguine Bond makes one opponent lose life equal to the amount of life you gained. Cliffhaven Vampire makes each opponent lose 1 life, no matter how much life you gain.
Both combo out just fine with Exquisite Blood, and in that case I suppose the Vampire has an edge since it doesn't target, but outside of comboing off you need each instance of life gain to be for 1 life in order for the Vampire to beat Bond.
Even in small doses he works with things like Zulaport Cutthroat and Blood Artist as well. I have a hard time putting Blood and Bond in a deck because by itself Sanguine Bond is just a bad card on its own. A good body for a reduced global effect that still plays well is better every day.
Not really, it's better if you can (repeatedly) gain small amounts of life. If you can only gain a huge amount once, then Sanguine Bond is the better choice. It also has the "it's a creature" weakness, although that will depend on the individual's meta for EDH (some metas let enchantments run free, while others leave none intact).
Of course, a lot of people are running this effect because Exquisite Blood loops with it, so in the context of the combo, the Vampire is still the better card since it's generally cheaper to cast and has the benefit of reanimation as a creature (again, subject to meta).
Personally, I run the combo in my Alesha, Who Smiles at Death deck - this is 2 power, which makes it perfect and I'm most likely just taking Sanguine Bond out of that deck for it.
Inverter of Truth
{2}{B}{B} Creature - Eldrazi
Devoid, Flying
When Inverter of Truth enters the battlefield, exile all cards from your library face down, then shuffle all cards from your graveyard into your library.
6/6
I'm sure this can't be broken in any way or form at all...right Laboratory Maniac?
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Bonds of Mortality
1G
Enchantment
When Bonds of Mortality enters the battlefield, draw a card.
G: Creatures your opponents control lose hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Jace discovered the leyline pattern needed to anchor Ulamog and Kozilek to reality, but it was Nissa who could trace it on her world.
Bonds of Mortality
1G
Enchantment
When Bonds of Mortality enters the battlefield, draw a card.
G: Creatures your opponents control lose hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Jace discovered the leyline pattern needed to anchor Ulamog and Kozilek to reality, but it was Nissa who could trace it on her world.
Incredible seems like a stretch, but because it cantrips it's something that may see some play. A lot of people really overstate how important Hexproof and Indestructible are - they are a pain in the ass once in a while and totally irrelevant most of the time.
That said, I do see metagames overrun with Narset trying this out.
Bonds of Mortality
1G
Enchantment
When Bonds of Mortality enters the battlefield, draw a card.
G: Creatures your opponents control lose hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Jace discovered the leyline pattern needed to anchor Ulamog and Kozilek to reality, but it was Nissa who could trace it on her world.
Incredible seems like a stretch, but because it cantrips it's something that may see some play. A lot of people really overstate how important Hexproof and Indestructible are - they are a pain in the ass once in a while and totally irrelevant most of the time.
That said, I do see metagames overrun with Narset trying this out.
I might have some problems with it playing Sigarda. I tend to enjoy giving her indestructible to make it almost impossible to kill her.
Now that I can talk about Chandra, I really want her in Omnath. She's good imo simply because she makes Elementals, which was no doubt planned from the beginning.
Bonds of Mortality is sweet - hexproof and indestructible are common enough in Commander and its nice to have a hard counter for Mayael, Uril, Sigarda, and all the other odious "invincible boardstate" commanders. How does it interact with Asceticism or Avacyn, Angel of Hope, however? It's not an insta-add staple or anything but I can see it being a strong addition to all G/x/y Enchantress decks and worth consideration in any mono-green or two-color Green decks even without enchantress synergy. Worst case scenario it cycles, right? Better than cycles, really, since it sticks around and demands an answer if an opponent was hoping to draw into Avacyn later or something.
All the uncommon enemy pair cards are decent and at least somewhat playable in certain lists, but the W/x ones are standouts. Cliffhaven Vampire is another insta-death combo with Exquisite Blood for Orzhov and a generally solid bleeder. Weapons Trainer is a nice, aggressive body with an easily obtainable passive bonus which makes him a super-star for most any Boros deck but especially Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer.
Chandra is something I want for my Daretti Superfriends. That 0 ability is really, really tasty. Chandra's Oath looks playable in Standard but doesn't quite do enough in Commander to justify a place in my Superfriends list or, I imagine, even a 5C one.
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Sufferer of EDHD
Commander - Currently Playing: RCRDaretti: Superfriends Forever RCR WGBDoran: Ent-mootWBG GGGMultani: Group Bear HugGGG GB(B/G)The Gitrog Monster: Dredgefall DurdleGB(B/G) RGWGahiji, the Honored Group Hug MonsterRGW UB(U/B)Yuriko, Ninja Trinket AggroUB(U/B) WUBRGAtogatog: Assembling a OHKOWUBRG
Or just have no cards in your yard. Lot's of ways to do that. It will add some (more expensive) redundancy for people using Demonic Consultation and Doomsday as library removal for LabMan combos in UB(X) decks.
Er... not really. Sanguine Bond makes one opponent lose life equal to the amount of life you gained. Cliffhaven Vampire makes each opponent lose 1 life, no matter how much life you gain.
Both combo out just fine with Exquisite Blood, and in that case I suppose the Vampire has an edge since it doesn't target, but outside of comboing off you need each instance of life gain to be for 1 life in order for the Vampire to beat Bond.
As others have also mentioned, the difference between "creature" and "enchantment" can not be ignored. There is a lot more (commonly played) creature removal out there than enchantment.
While it most certainly isn't strictly better than Sanguine Bond, it will often be situationally better. Just like Vizkopa Guildmage. (Who in combo decks is way better than this guy)
Reality Smasher 4<>
Creature - Eldrazi (R)
Trample, haste
Whenever ~ becomes the target of a spell an opponent controls, counter that spell unless its controller discards a card.
5/5
Strip your opponent's hands and freely beat face. Doesn't help against abilities, admittedly, especially from the likes of Drana 1.0. Perhaps better in 1v1, but most 1v1 decks run maybe run a couple of 5 mana cards at most?
Chandra, Flamecaller was officially revealed, still want a couple copies to try out. Oath of Chandra I want to try and make it work, but how many planeswalkers would it take to make the ongoing Shocks to opponents worth it?
Thoughts on Hedron Alignment? The win-the-game ability is either really hard or actually impossible to pull off, but a 3 mana, easily splashable, hexproof, repeatable scrying enchantment could do some work.
Bonds of Mortality will be good. If nothing else, it cantrips, and at best, it helps you deal with Theros Gods and Voltron commanders or things like Asceticism. Fall of the Titans, even disregarding that it's a burn spell "which doesn't work here" or whatever, seems alright. Definitely want to Surge it, but being able to dome two things at once is always welcome on those X burn spells.
Inverter of Truth. I dunno, it could be a fun deck to play where you screw with your own library like that, but I'm not sure how many useful effects like this have been printed, and how many of them I like.
Not going to lie, one of the main reasons I never made Kamahl, Fist of Krosa was because of the lack of Land pumps. this set is kinda started to make me want to build that deck now.
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Oath of the Gatewatch; the set that caused the competitive community to freak out over Basic Lands.
Thoughts on Hedron Alignment? The win-the-game ability is either really hard or actually impossible to pull off, but a 3 mana, easily splashable, hexproof, repeatable scrying enchantment could do some work.
Hedron alignment made me smile.
Impossible to pull off the win in EDH with it, but it made me smile. I'd be tempted to run it, so I'd have an excuse to reveal my hand, randomly, and then fail to win.
As far as repeated scry, I think you can do better. At least Thasa is free scry per turn, and indestructible, at the same cost. I won't say that for 2 mana you should be able to draw a card repeatedly (typical cost is 4), but you can pretty easily do it for 3, and sometimes 2, so it's not even that great of a mana sink.
Agreed. I think this gives the edge to DEN in terms of overall power. But it's a six drop, where as Eldrazi Displacer is a three drop with added utility beyond DEN's in many ways, so no complaints at all. Looking forward to adding Eldrazi Displacer to a number of decks, and I'd say that so far it's the top overall card for EDH from OGW.
I really enjoy Oath of Gideon as well. It curves into most walkers, it drops protection on the field for them, and the walkers hit the field bigger. Not big, not splashy, but useful. Now we just need a Mirror Gallery effect for walkers - for my own personal amusement if nothing else.
I like the uncommon enemies cycle. Weapons Trainer is very interesting to me, especially since you just have to control the equipment, not have it equipped. Stormchaser Mage really tickles my fancy but much more for 60/4 builds. Cliffhaven Vampire is nothing new but I always like new B/W vamps and I think he might find his way into a more aggressive bleed list.
So far, I'm OK with this set. Admittedly, I'm pretty easy to please, but there's some good stuff so far and hopefully more to come.
Both combo out just fine with Exquisite Blood, and in that case I suppose the Vampire has an edge since it doesn't target, but outside of comboing off you need each instance of life gain to be for 1 life in order for the Vampire to beat Bond.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
Not really, it's better if you can (repeatedly) gain small amounts of life. If you can only gain a huge amount once, then Sanguine Bond is the better choice. It also has the "it's a creature" weakness, although that will depend on the individual's meta for EDH (some metas let enchantments run free, while others leave none intact).
Of course, a lot of people are running this effect because Exquisite Blood loops with it, so in the context of the combo, the Vampire is still the better card since it's generally cheaper to cast and has the benefit of reanimation as a creature (again, subject to meta).
Personally, I run the combo in my Alesha, Who Smiles at Death deck - this is 2 power, which makes it perfect and I'm most likely just taking Sanguine Bond out of that deck for it.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/the-rumor-mill/659527-inverter-of-truth
Inverter of Truth
{2}{B}{B} Creature - Eldrazi
Devoid, Flying
When Inverter of Truth enters the battlefield, exile all cards from your library face down, then shuffle all cards from your graveyard into your library.
6/6
I'm sure this can't be broken in any way or form at all...right Laboratory Maniac?
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
EDIT: Nvm face down exile is an interesting choice.
Cards exiled by Inverter are face-down though, so Mirror can't put them on the library.
Bonds of Mortality
1G
Enchantment
When Bonds of Mortality enters the battlefield, draw a card.
G: Creatures your opponents control lose hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Jace discovered the leyline pattern needed to anchor Ulamog and Kozilek to reality, but it was Nissa who could trace it on her world.
RGWMayael the AnimaRGW
UBRMarchesa, the Black RoseUBR
Modern Decks
RGWNaya BurnRGW
Incredible seems like a stretch, but because it cantrips it's something that may see some play. A lot of people really overstate how important Hexproof and Indestructible are - they are a pain in the ass once in a while and totally irrelevant most of the time.
That said, I do see metagames overrun with Narset trying this out.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
While I'm not saying Bonds will see a ton of play, it's definitely something that's going to be in quite a few decks.
I might have some problems with it playing Sigarda. I tend to enjoy giving her indestructible to make it almost impossible to kill her.
Now that I can talk about Chandra, I really want her in Omnath. She's good imo simply because she makes Elementals, which was no doubt planned from the beginning.
All the uncommon enemy pair cards are decent and at least somewhat playable in certain lists, but the W/x ones are standouts. Cliffhaven Vampire is another insta-death combo with Exquisite Blood for Orzhov and a generally solid bleeder. Weapons Trainer is a nice, aggressive body with an easily obtainable passive bonus which makes him a super-star for most any Boros deck but especially Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer.
Chandra is something I want for my Daretti Superfriends. That 0 ability is really, really tasty. Chandra's Oath looks playable in Standard but doesn't quite do enough in Commander to justify a place in my Superfriends list or, I imagine, even a 5C one.
RCRDaretti: Superfriends Forever RCR
WGBDoran: Ent-mootWBG
GGGMultani: Group Bear HugGGG
GB(B/G)The Gitrog Monster: Dredgefall DurdleGB(B/G)
RGWGahiji, the Honored Group Hug MonsterRGW
UB(U/B)Yuriko, Ninja Trinket AggroUB(U/B)
WUBRGAtogatog: Assembling a OHKOWUBRG
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Or just have no cards in your yard. Lot's of ways to do that. It will add some (more expensive) redundancy for people using Demonic Consultation and Doomsday as library removal for LabMan combos in UB(X) decks.
As others have also mentioned, the difference between "creature" and "enchantment" can not be ignored. There is a lot more (commonly played) creature removal out there than enchantment.
While it most certainly isn't strictly better than Sanguine Bond, it will often be situationally better. Just like Vizkopa Guildmage. (Who in combo decks is way better than this guy)
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
Reality Smasher 4<>
Creature - Eldrazi (R)
Trample, haste
Whenever ~ becomes the target of a spell an opponent controls, counter that spell unless its controller discards a card.
5/5
Strip your opponent's hands and freely beat face. Doesn't help against abilities, admittedly, especially from the likes of Drana 1.0. Perhaps better in 1v1, but most 1v1 decks run maybe run a couple of 5 mana cards at most?
Chandra, Flamecaller was officially revealed, still want a couple copies to try out. Oath of Chandra I want to try and make it work, but how many planeswalkers would it take to make the ongoing Shocks to opponents worth it?
Thoughts on Hedron Alignment? The win-the-game ability is either really hard or actually impossible to pull off, but a 3 mana, easily splashable, hexproof, repeatable scrying enchantment could do some work.
Bonds of Mortality will be good. If nothing else, it cantrips, and at best, it helps you deal with Theros Gods and Voltron commanders or things like Asceticism. Fall of the Titans, even disregarding that it's a burn spell "which doesn't work here" or whatever, seems alright. Definitely want to Surge it, but being able to dome two things at once is always welcome on those X burn spells.
Drana's Chosen is just bad. Bloodline Keeper all day everyday instead.
Cliffhaven Vampire, Stormchaser Mage, and Weapons Trainer will definitely see some play. The other two might, but I would imagine more as placeholders for those kinds of effects.
Inverter of Truth. I dunno, it could be a fun deck to play where you screw with your own library like that, but I'm not sure how many useful effects like this have been printed, and how many of them I like.
Bluh. I think that's everything.
--- Meren of Clan Nel Toth --- Jhoira of the Ghitu --- Prime Speaker Zegana ---
--- Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief --- Ghoulcaller Gisa --- Akroma, Angel of Fury --- Titania, Protector of Argoth ---
Not going to lie, one of the main reasons I never made Kamahl, Fist of Krosa was because of the lack of Land pumps. this set is kinda started to make me want to build that deck now.
Hedron alignment made me smile.
Impossible to pull off the win in EDH with it, but it made me smile. I'd be tempted to run it, so I'd have an excuse to reveal my hand, randomly, and then fail to win.
As far as repeated scry, I think you can do better. At least Thasa is free scry per turn, and indestructible, at the same cost. I won't say that for 2 mana you should be able to draw a card repeatedly (typical cost is 4), but you can pretty easily do it for 3, and sometimes 2, so it's not even that great of a mana sink.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek