My friend recently told me that he went 4-0 after picking Ojutai at a DTK pre-release. He texted me "PLAY SKYWISE TEACHINGS." I certainly like the card and think it would be great in EDH, but is it really worth it in sealed? It got mediocre rating from LSV and others. Has anyone had any luck playing with this card? Does it perform well? Also, he ran about 12 creatures and 12 noncreatures.
I only saw it in 2-headed giant where it seemed good. I don't think a normal sealed pool could run it but I'm sure some could get a lot of value from it. We beat the team that played it with 1 life after they made 5 or 6 creatures with it from 2 rebound spells, a removal spell, and maybe a tempo spell. If I didn't draw Silumgar's Command at the right time to kill 2 tokens it would have been a loss.
I can definitely see it being a deck in draft. Anticipate and the creatures that draw cards on death to dig to it and anything with rebound to trigger it seems like it could work.
I could see Skywise Teachings having good value in the right type of deck, because 2/2 flyers are often very relevant (compared to the bad 1/1 tokens created by Goblinslide) and if you only get 3 flyers out of it then that is generally a good deal. I would not play Skywise Teachings in an average deck but in a deck with plenty of not high cost non-creature spells (not an uncommon situation for blue decks) I would be glad to play it.
I think the problem with the card is very simply -- How far behind are you when you drop a big 4 mana bagel and say go? If you cast it late (like turn 6 or 7) you probably don't have anything to trigger it with, but a single rebound spell goes a long way.
Played against it in a 2HG game, where one of the opponents had pulled 2. He loaded up his deck with non-creature spells, and it was pretty savage. He made at least 4 2/2 flyers from it. In 1-on-1 sealed, I'm not sure it's as good.
Skywise Teachings is savage ...in the right deck. It is definitely a build around card and with all of the cheap manifest and rebound mechanics and card like Anticipate in blue and white, it can be very efficient.
RGGruul Aggro
WSoul Sisters
WBTokens
BUGRRestore Balance
BMono-Black Infect
EDH:
RGWMayael, the Anima
GWURoon of the Hidden Realm
BDrana, Kalastria Bloodchief
so, more than a mediocre card, is a situational card, just like SB material.
maybe you friend have a good pool to support the card, is not a bomb alone, but can overperform in the right deck
I can definitely see it being a deck in draft. Anticipate and the creatures that draw cards on death to dig to it and anything with rebound to trigger it seems like it could work.