When I say "unexpected" I'm referring to cards whose usefulness/power level is not immediately obvious. This means that most rares and all mythics are out of the discussion--everybody knows those cards swing games. It also includes some commons (Pacifism, for example). So, how about it--which common/uncommon card(s) did you end up loving that really flew under your radar or contributed to a blowout that you didn't expect?
I wish I had had more warriors but Blood chin eager was a beating. Just got through a ton of dmg any game I could play him on two and follow him with another warrior.
I picked Atarka in event #3, and Formidable in that sort of 'hold back and defend until dragons' style worked well to push through with trample.
I would say Sarkhan's Rage. I am completely wrong on this for sure. But it did work for me a lot of the time.
I didn't get to play any Reduce In Stature's, but that is a tough card to come back from. Basically a Blue Pacifism. Sure the abilities are still there, but having no power makes a lot of things undoable, liek Formidable.
Honorable mention to the Fog of the set, Revealing Wind As, not only did a rd3 gm3 opponent full assault into it, it allowed me to win the next rd on gm3 as well preventing a 9power lifelink from swinging the match.
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Wanted -Zombie Foils and older expensive Zombie stuff. High Priority- Beta Z Master/ Int. Collector's Edition.
Graceblade Artisan. Even without Auras he's already stopping morphs, and putting an Aura on him is just bonus. I'd play him even if I only hav one Aura in the deck. Once slapped Jeskai Runemark on him, game ended pretty fast after that.
Atarka Pummeler for me. Turning on formidable was pretty easy and then keeping mana open for when I wanted to attack worked nice. I left the pummeler untapped to block and use formidable again next turn even after losing a creature or two.
Monastery Loremaster Butcher's Glee Hand of Silumgar (can be played as an aggressive two-drop or a blocker for your opponent's creatures) Vulturous Aven (2 power in the air as well as card advantage is big game) Sidisi's Faithful (Not really a game-changer but I think this card is being underrated. If you do exploit it you're saccing it to itself 99% of the time but the versatility of this card is understated, I think. Is also quite good against the ample amount of +1/+1 counter effects and auras in the block)
Reckless Imp was amazing. 2 damage every turn that can't be blocked is great.
I'd assumed it would be a decent card in draft where you can get an aggressive deck, normally your opponents should have had some fliers or reach in sealed and then be able to hold it off with ease.
Unless you are misreading the card where it says it "can't block", not "can't be blocked"?
Reckless Imp was amazing. 2 damage every turn that can't be blocked is great.
I'd assumed it would be a decent card in draft where you can get an aggressive deck, normally your opponents should have had some fliers or reach in sealed and then be able to hold it off with ease.
Unless you are misreading the card where it says it "can't block", not "can't be blocked"?
Actually, that was not the case. One of my opponents had an Aerie Bowmasters, but other than that I saw no other fliers or reach before turn 6, which allowed Reckless Imp to deal a ton of damage.
LSV gave Inspiring Call a .5 rating in his limited review.
There is, however, a G/W Bolster deck in this format, oh yes there is, and in that deck this card is completely bonkers. Routinely drawing 3-4 cards while blowing them out in combat and/or negating removal.
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Ambush Krotiq makes me laugh so much. I keep rereading the card and it keeps not having Flash. In what sense is this an ambush again? I just have visions of this huge Krotiq poorly concealed in some bushes, feeling slightly sad that his carefully planned ambushes never seem to work.
Playing UW Ojutai today as my only event, I didn't get to view much of the set other than what I played and what I played against.
That being said, Sight Beyond Sight was absolutely bonkers for me. I wanted to yell THUNDERCATS every time I played it. i opened two of them, and played both, and being able to dig through my top 4 cards and take two of them for four mana, not to mention the "prowess" bonuses, was definitely my MVP of the day.
Dance of the skywise was much more than a +2/+2. I massively underestimated its defensive capabilities. I just jumped chumps into path of dragons and knocked them out of the sky.. even better with epic confrontation as then I got to come in for 5 as well.
I knew Silumgar's sorcerer was going to be good and it was.. snaging a Sidisi and the naturalise megamorph at critical times, it is going to be a tricky card to play whether to run it out there on the first creature or to hold it back for the bombs.
Gurmag Drowner gets my vote. Opened three of these and jammed them all. I always got something worthwhile, whether it be removal or even just fixing my splash color. Plus having a 2/4 body was a nice defensive boost.
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Modern UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW WUBRGHumansWUBRG BGMidrangeBG
Just got to say, you've definitely earned distinction as an MTGS hero
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Because he's the hero MTGS deserves, and the one it needs right now. So we'll global him. Because he can take it. Because he's not just our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. An expired rascal.
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ExpiredRascals you sir are a god-like hero.
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ER is a masterful god who cannot be beaten in any endeavour.
In my first event, Student of Ojutai was my MVP (as many others have stated), and in my second Sprinting Warbrute did some great work. I managed to close multiple games on Collateral Damage and Twin Bolt as well, which might not qualify for MVP status but I don't usually consider those as finishers.
My top two were Artful Maneuver and Glaring Aegis; both of those just did so much more work than I ever expected. Maneuver routinely won me a combat and then allowed me to beat face hard the next turn, and on several occasions allowed me to get around mana problems by playing it on their endstep and using the rebound plus another spell to finish people off. Aegis I wasn't sure about at fist, but anything it goes on practically is unkillable, and often let a Dromoka Captain on three swing in and bolster itself without fear the next turn. Both these cards on Ellusive Spellfist also won a game.
Skywise Teachings was an amazing card in tonight's 2HG. My partner was the creature deck while I sat back and played control. The Wind Drake attached to every trick made so much value.
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A mere ten days after the Mending, a young knight of Valeron and a young ranger of Eos made a discovery that would change Alara forever.
Dat Sprinting Warbrute am I right people? I went Ojutai in my first event and got hammered by kolaghan decks all day. Even shen I changed the deck to Silumgar it wasn't terrific and I still got beat by one in a much closer game than it would have been. When I switched over to Kolaghan in the second event that Warbrute did WORK. It was very difficult for me to lose the games where he came down.
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I would say Sarkhan's Rage. I am completely wrong on this for sure. But it did work for me a lot of the time.
I didn't get to play any Reduce In Stature's, but that is a tough card to come back from. Basically a Blue Pacifism. Sure the abilities are still there, but having no power makes a lot of things undoable, liek Formidable.
Honorable mention to the Fog of the set, Revealing Wind As, not only did a rd3 gm3 opponent full assault into it, it allowed me to win the next rd on gm3 as well preventing a 9power lifelink from swinging the match.
Selling some cards I don't want.
Generally less than tcg mid.
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Beyond the Guildpact
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
On the rare side, Illusory Gains performed well above expectations.
RBGLiving EndRBG
EDH
UFblthpU
BRXantchaRB
BGVarolzGB
URWZedruuWRU
Monastery Loremaster
Butcher's Glee
Hand of Silumgar (can be played as an aggressive two-drop or a blocker for your opponent's creatures)
Vulturous Aven (2 power in the air as well as card advantage is big game)
Sidisi's Faithful (Not really a game-changer but I think this card is being underrated. If you do exploit it you're saccing it to itself 99% of the time but the versatility of this card is understated, I think. Is also quite good against the ample amount of +1/+1 counter effects and auras in the block)
Cards I played against that were a beating:
Atarka Efreet
Sprinting Warbrute
Sight of the Scalelords
I'd assumed it would be a decent card in draft where you can get an aggressive deck, normally your opponents should have had some fliers or reach in sealed and then be able to hold it off with ease.
Unless you are misreading the card where it says it "can't block", not "can't be blocked"?
Actually, that was not the case. One of my opponents had an Aerie Bowmasters, but other than that I saw no other fliers or reach before turn 6, which allowed Reckless Imp to deal a ton of damage.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
Misthoof Kirin was also pretty terrific.
There is, however, a G/W Bolster deck in this format, oh yes there is, and in that deck this card is completely bonkers. Routinely drawing 3-4 cards while blowing them out in combat and/or negating removal.
That being said, Sight Beyond Sight was absolutely bonkers for me. I wanted to yell THUNDERCATS every time I played it. i opened two of them, and played both, and being able to dig through my top 4 cards and take two of them for four mana, not to mention the "prowess" bonuses, was definitely my MVP of the day.
My MVP knowing going into the event - Icefall Regent
MVP after my games - Sight Beyond Sight
Fantastic.
I knew Silumgar's sorcerer was going to be good and it was.. snaging a Sidisi and the naturalise megamorph at critical times, it is going to be a tricky card to play whether to run it out there on the first creature or to hold it back for the bombs.
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GWSelvala and the Return to HumanityGW
UWDragonlord Ojutai, Control's Elder DragonUW
UBGTasigur, the God-Pharaoh's Gift to EDHUBG
UBRNicol Bolas and his Super
friendsPawnsUBRModern
UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW
WUBRGHumansWUBRG
BGMidrangeBG
That unassuming little common 2/4 just dominated every game in which I landed it.
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Also, a big "I told you so" on Sprinting Warbrute. That card is the king of earning chump blocks.
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Also, my other monster of an MVP was Reckless Imp.