I feel like the short list is Eternity Snare, Excoriate, and I guess the Sun Guide if we want to force white heroic. Oracle of Bones does not seem good to me (and I haven't seen it be impressive). "Making Boulderfall more playable" isn't really the upside I'm looking for...
I'm leaning toward Eternity Snare as well. (EDIT: Changed my vote to the Oreskos Sun Guide below) There aren't a lot of cards in Theros like it (No Pacifisms etc) and locking down a creature with one or more Bestow creatures seems powerful.
I don't think the Oracle is unplayable, but I would feel more comfortable picking the Snare P1P1.
I'm leaning toward Eternity Snare as well. There aren't a lot of cards in Theros like it (No Pacifisms etc) and locking down a creature with one or more Bestow creatures seems powerful.
I don't think the Oracle is unplayable, but I would feel more comfortable picking the Snare P1P1.
That's pretty in line with my thinking. As you say, nothing in this pack is something I'm really happy first picking, but Oracle can really be a dud sometimes. I do really wish that Eternity Snare also tapped the creature it was put on - the fact that it kind of blanks (or at least needs help) against Hundred Handed One and (more to the point) anything with an Observant Alseid on it is pretty annoying.
That said, it's about as close to 'unconditional removal' as you are going to find in blue, so I think we take it and see if a controllish blue deck finds us.
Assuming we do take it, we should probably be open to black even though the black in BNG is not very good because we could get paid off for it in packs 2 and 3.
Those are some good catches about the shortcomings of the Snare. I suppose it's not too much different from Excoriate for that matter, really, but I think it's still the best choice.
I've actually never had an opportunity to play Black in draft since Born of the Gods was added to the mix, so we can definitely keep that in mind. Blue/Black control seems powerful.
I'm going to vote for Oreskos Sun Guide. Eternity Snare seems a little to expensive for its effect at 6 mana to me. White gives us some opportunities for vigilance against it as well and we should wheel another aggressive card, preferably the skirmisher or grisly transformation.
My feeling is: At the end of the draft I'm more likely to regret not having near-unconditional removal than not having a decent 2-drop, but on the other hand I think the ceiling of a deck that wants Sun Guide is higher than the ceiling of a deck that wants Eternity Snare.
I worry a bit about white getting cut, but everyone else might be worried about it and being gunshy about it too, so no real reason trying to guess on the meta.
Left to my own devices I'd probably go with the snare, but no objections to taking the Sun Guide and seeing if a white aggressive deck is open.
I just think that card is far from near-unconditional removal. As you stated before, it does nothing to a vigilant creature. You can bounce your own guy in response and blank it completely. You can destroy it with Aura / enchantment removal. And it cost 6 mana.
It's not a card that I want to make me go into blue. I'm okay with Elite Skirmisher as well I've had good results with that card if it sticks. Oreskos Sun Guide is just a lion bear that gives you life sometimes
Anyways, I'm not sure how the current mod is going to figure our pick if you guys wish to change your mind. It'd probably be best to unbold / edit your original 'voting' post in addition to posting again to be safe, if you want to change your mind. I won't hold anything against you if you don't !
Well, you can bounce your own guy in response to *any* removal, and if they do it to some voltron-ed up guy, that's fine with me. Also, the card replaces itself - that matters.
But yeah, it kind of feels like a good sideboard card against blue/white or green/white and just an OK main deck card, which isn't really a good first pick (though as previously mentioned nothing in this pack really is. OK, Oreskos Sun Guide it is (final answer).
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I currently am favoring Eternity Snare, but I'm not all that convinced it's the right pick.I changed my mind. What a complete and total shock.
I'm leaning toward
Eternity Snareas well. (EDIT: Changed my vote to the Oreskos Sun Guide below) There aren't a lot of cards in Theros like it (No Pacifisms etc) and locking down a creature with one or more Bestow creatures seems powerful.I don't think the Oracle is unplayable, but I would feel more comfortable picking the Snare P1P1.
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That's pretty in line with my thinking. As you say, nothing in this pack is something I'm really happy first picking, but Oracle can really be a dud sometimes. I do really wish that Eternity Snare also tapped the creature it was put on - the fact that it kind of blanks (or at least needs help) against Hundred Handed One and (more to the point) anything with an Observant Alseid on it is pretty annoying.
That said, it's about as close to 'unconditional removal' as you are going to find in blue, so I think we take it and see if a controllish blue deck finds us.
Assuming we do take it, we should probably be open to black even though the black in BNG is not very good because we could get paid off for it in packs 2 and 3.
I've actually never had an opportunity to play Black in draft since Born of the Gods was added to the mix, so we can definitely keep that in mind. Blue/Black control seems powerful.
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Do you know how long we have to make the decision/how we "officially" submit the pick?
I would be fine switching my pick to him, but I'm curious what cferejohn thinks.
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I worry a bit about white getting cut, but everyone else might be worried about it and being gunshy about it too, so no real reason trying to guess on the meta.
Left to my own devices I'd probably go with the snare, but no objections to taking the Sun Guide and seeing if a white aggressive deck is open.
It's not a card that I want to make me go into blue. I'm okay with Elite Skirmisher as well I've had good results with that card if it sticks. Oreskos Sun Guide is just a lion bear that gives you life sometimes
Anyways, I'm not sure how the current mod is going to figure our pick if you guys wish to change your mind. It'd probably be best to unbold / edit your original 'voting' post in addition to posting again to be safe, if you want to change your mind. I won't hold anything against you if you don't !
But yeah, it kind of feels like a good sideboard card against blue/white or green/white and just an OK main deck card, which isn't really a good first pick (though as previously mentioned nothing in this pack really is. OK, Oreskos Sun Guide it is (final answer).
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