Murder is an easy pick over Disciple. It's basically always going to do what you need it to do, whereas Disciple is far too circumstantial for me to first pick it. I would also never splash Disciple unless I was really hurting for playables.
I think you're really underrating Arms Dealer! The card is easily red's second best uncommon, and it's a tough choice between it and Searing Spear as red's second best non-rare card. It might be fragile, but against black decks you simply play it as a 5-drop with insane upside. Contrary to your statement, every goblin in the set is playable, with the worst of the bunch being Goblin Battle Jester, which is very solid in a heavy red aggressive shell. Arsonist is fine because it helps enable Flunkies and often trades up, especially against the Exalted decks in the format. Command isn't stellar, but it turns Arms Dealer into a legitimate nightmare and allows for more aggressive Flunkies starts.
Still, I think Xathrid Gorgon is absolutely bonkers. There are few spells that reliably deal with him, and if he sits around for a few turns, he becomes an awkward kind of win condition on his own. I've seen people decked because of not being able to deal with this more times than I ever thought I would. The other nice thing about it is that black really doesn't offer anything else expensive aside from Public Execution, so Gorgon will often be alone at the top of your curve if you're heavy black.
As for all of the "nongreen" card vs. Sentinel Spider" picks, every one comes down to the nongreen card for me. I really don't like green in M13, as it's just not interactive enough for my tastes. It's also why I prefer Yeva over those other green options by a significant margin, because she can allow for green to do what it really has no place doing: being inherently interactive.
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Arms Dealer is, according to me, the best red non-rare card. But it's certainly under Murder. That was my point. And the fact you rate it as good as Searing Spear, makes me think you agree with me on this. Btw, I'm really interested to know which uncummon is better than Arms Dealer according to you. If it's Volcanic Geyser, it might be the real point of disagreement between us.
I think it's almost certain that he's referring to Flames of the Firebrand, which I think is clearly the best non-rare red card.
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I prefer Invocation there, even though Silklash Spider is a certainly an option there. If presented with the ubiquitous "good removal spell vs. great threat" option, I tend to err on the side of great threats. The reason I'm not sure about the Spider is that I think it blurs the line between threat and answer, while Invocation is a premium threat. I usually prefer the card that's more likely to single-handedly end the game rather than a board control card.
But, again, I'm not entirely sure about the Spider. It's obviously better than any green common or uncommon other than Rancor, but I don't know if I take it over Murder, let alone Talrand's Invocation.
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P1p1: Silklash Spider, Talrand's Invocation, Murder, or Prey Upon?
Took Spider because it dominates the board for only 5CMC. Invocation is great for beating down though, and Murder is well, murder.
I think I'd probably grab Murder here but Talrand's Invocation would be super tempting. Prey Upon wouldn't even be on my radar out of those 4 cards.
I had a p1p1 last night that was Vampire Nighthawk vs Silklash Spider. I think I sat and stared at it for a full 45 seconds before taking the Nighthawk. Spider is a nice card in a lot of situations but Nighthawk is a good card in basically every situation.
I think I'd probably grab Murder here but Talrand's Invocation would be super tempting. Prey Upon wouldn't even be on my radar out of those 4 cards.
I had a p1p1 last night that was Vampire Nighthawk vs Silklash Spider. I think I sat and stared at it for a full 45 seconds before taking the Nighthawk. Spider is a nice card in a lot of situations but Nighthawk is a good card in basically every situation.
Nighthawk for me. That card wins so many more games than I thought it would in this format. It's worse than it was in Zendikar, but not by much at all. It's only marginally behind Talrand's Invocation as the best uncommon, IMO.
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Arms Dealer, Murder, Volcanic Geyser, Trading Post, Pacifism, Prey Upon, Vampire Nighthawk, 8 bad cards evenly colored
What do you take and why?
Nighthawk, Murder and Arms Dealer (consistency vs. potential upside) would come more or less tied for 2nd, and you can consider Trading Post for the lulz. He's a 2/3 flier which means that only two creatures can reasonably block it in the early game (fog bank and recluse). This opens up your opponent to 4 life point swings as early as turn 4 and blocks profitably in the late game if he gets stymied by a larger blocker in the air. This is easily the most powerful effect for the <=3 cmc slot in the set (Flames comes close for me and so does Muckwader). He runs away with the game if not promptly removed.
Also, I'd take Execution slightly higher than Knight of Glory. It's very good against any deck and in any deck and splashable vs. blowout against black, great in exalted, and above average in every other deck.
Getting Serra Angel 3rd pick is a clear white signal.
How close are the Knights and Execution?
Invocation is better than Serra though, so when you get it 3rd pick you really have to wonder... although in my draft the other day I got Invocation seventh pick when I was certain blue was getting drafted by at least 2 people. After asking the table how could that happen, one guy told me he picked Worldfire over it.
And very close, Sphinx is far behind.
imagine you open this in your first pack.
Arms Dealer, Murder, Volcanic Geyser, Trading Post, Pacifism, Prey Upon, Vampire Nighthawk, 8 bad cards evenly colored
What do you take and why?
For me: Nighthawk > Murder > Pacifism > Post > Dealer > Geyser > Prey Upon
Disciple is a legitimate bomb and I won't hear otherwise. Pacifism over Spear because I like white slightly more than red, though you can't be faulted for going the other way, and Switcheroo at a distant 4th since it doesn't really fit into all the varieties of blue decks, though it is a pretty good splash. Spider doesn't place because it requires Forests in this format, which is too crippling a disadvantage to overcome.
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Rancor vs Searing
I think this is about dead even. I'm on Searing Spear every time unless there's a ton of other good red cards in the pack, and most likely even then.
Disciple is a legitimate bomb and I won't hear otherwise.
I'm skeptical whenever anyone says that, but it seems doubly weird from you since you seem to like Blue decks, which are full of cards too weak to sac to it.
If you're going to claim it's a bomb, can you provide an example of a decklist other than W/B Exalted where the card's better than mediocre?
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Wouldn't say it's a bomb, but it does seem to be pretty good in GB decks with coursers, baloths and the like.
This has been mentioned as one of the better scenarios, but given that OhDaisy! has a profound distaste for Green in this format I think we can safely rule that out!
OK, but that's not an answer to "Why is this a good card?", it's an answer to "Why can this card decide some games?". If it was irritating levels of swinginess we were after I'd be the first to nominate Disciple!
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Disciple is excellent with any of the black exalted creatures, especially in multiples (Servant of Nefarox being the ideal target), not to mention Liliana's Shade and Zombie Goliath. Blue's only real contribution is something like Watercourser, but I've been known to swallow a Faerie Invaders on occasion as well. That said, even 2 cards and 2 life is more than fine. The fact that he's at his worst in the best archtype in the format - and is still normally great - should tell you something, and as you point out he gets even better as you stray further from blue.
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Always nice to start a draft with double Invocation.
I think you're really underrating Arms Dealer! The card is easily red's second best uncommon, and it's a tough choice between it and Searing Spear as red's second best non-rare card. It might be fragile, but against black decks you simply play it as a 5-drop with insane upside. Contrary to your statement, every goblin in the set is playable, with the worst of the bunch being Goblin Battle Jester, which is very solid in a heavy red aggressive shell. Arsonist is fine because it helps enable Flunkies and often trades up, especially against the Exalted decks in the format. Command isn't stellar, but it turns Arms Dealer into a legitimate nightmare and allows for more aggressive Flunkies starts.
Still, I think Xathrid Gorgon is absolutely bonkers. There are few spells that reliably deal with him, and if he sits around for a few turns, he becomes an awkward kind of win condition on his own. I've seen people decked because of not being able to deal with this more times than I ever thought I would. The other nice thing about it is that black really doesn't offer anything else expensive aside from Public Execution, so Gorgon will often be alone at the top of your curve if you're heavy black.
As for all of the "nongreen" card vs. Sentinel Spider" picks, every one comes down to the nongreen card for me. I really don't like green in M13, as it's just not interactive enough for my tastes. It's also why I prefer Yeva over those other green options by a significant margin, because she can allow for green to do what it really has no place doing: being inherently interactive.
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I think it's almost certain that he's referring to Flames of the Firebrand, which I think is clearly the best non-rare red card.
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Took Spider because it dominates the board for only 5CMC. Invocation is great for beating down though, and Murder is well, murder.
But, again, I'm not entirely sure about the Spider. It's obviously better than any green common or uncommon other than Rancor, but I don't know if I take it over Murder, let alone Talrand's Invocation.
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I think I'd probably grab Murder here but Talrand's Invocation would be super tempting. Prey Upon wouldn't even be on my radar out of those 4 cards.
I had a p1p1 last night that was Vampire Nighthawk vs Silklash Spider. I think I sat and stared at it for a full 45 seconds before taking the Nighthawk. Spider is a nice card in a lot of situations but Nighthawk is a good card in basically every situation.
Nighthawk for me. That card wins so many more games than I thought it would in this format. It's worse than it was in Zendikar, but not by much at all. It's only marginally behind Talrand's Invocation as the best uncommon, IMO.
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What about if your p1p2 was Aven Squire? If it was Pacifism?
p1p1, how do you rank:
Knight of Infamy/Glory vs. Public Execution vs. Sphinx of Uthuun?
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Glory > Infamy > Execution > Sphinx
Getting Serra Angel 3rd pick is a clear white signal.
How close are the Knights and Execution?
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At least 12
Agree 100%
Arms Dealer, Murder, Volcanic Geyser, Trading Post, Pacifism, Prey Upon, Vampire Nighthawk, 8 bad cards evenly colored
What do you take and why?
Nighthawk, Murder and Arms Dealer (consistency vs. potential upside) would come more or less tied for 2nd, and you can consider Trading Post for the lulz. He's a 2/3 flier which means that only two creatures can reasonably block it in the early game (fog bank and recluse). This opens up your opponent to 4 life point swings as early as turn 4 and blocks profitably in the late game if he gets stymied by a larger blocker in the air. This is easily the most powerful effect for the <=3 cmc slot in the set (Flames comes close for me and so does Muckwader). He runs away with the game if not promptly removed.
Also, I'd take Execution slightly higher than Knight of Glory. It's very good against any deck and in any deck and splashable vs. blowout against black, great in exalted, and above average in every other deck.
Invocation is better than Serra though, so when you get it 3rd pick you really have to wonder... although in my draft the other day I got Invocation seventh pick when I was certain blue was getting drafted by at least 2 people. After asking the table how could that happen, one guy told me he picked Worldfire over it.
And very close, Sphinx is far behind.
For me: Nighthawk > Murder > Pacifism > Post > Dealer > Geyser > Prey Upon
Searing Spear, Sentinel Spider, Pacifism, Switcheroo, or Disciple of Bolas.
I would prefer these be ranked like A>B>C>D>E in case I end up with similar picks in the future. I took the Switcheroo.
Always take the planeswalker in M13, period. Chandra versus X/1s is still pretty darn powerful.
Rancor vs Searing
~M
Disciple is a legitimate bomb and I won't hear otherwise. Pacifism over Spear because I like white slightly more than red, though you can't be faulted for going the other way, and Switcheroo at a distant 4th since it doesn't really fit into all the varieties of blue decks, though it is a pretty good splash. Spider doesn't place because it requires Forests in this format, which is too crippling a disadvantage to overcome.
I think this is about dead even. I'm on Searing Spear every time unless there's a ton of other good red cards in the pack, and most likely even then.
I'm skeptical whenever anyone says that, but it seems doubly weird from you since you seem to like Blue decks, which are full of cards too weak to sac to it.
If you're going to claim it's a bomb, can you provide an example of a decklist other than W/B Exalted where the card's better than mediocre?
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This has been mentioned as one of the better scenarios, but given that OhDaisy! has a profound distaste for Green in this format I think we can safely rule that out!
OK, but that's not an answer to "Why is this a good card?", it's an answer to "Why can this card decide some games?". If it was irritating levels of swinginess we were after I'd be the first to nominate Disciple!
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Dont look at spoiler until you have picked P1P1
I would be going into P1P2 with an Invocation.