OK, so I definitely think there are some nice cards. I was really pining for Rakdos Cackler, but life is cruel
I like Concave Phalanx. I think it can replace the soul sisters entirely in the presence of gond deck as it gain infinite life in the combo turn while doing some offense on its own and block without dying. It also will be good in WW with tokens or vigilance creatures.
Thrummingbird needs some allies I would love a Turn 2 bird into a turn 3 and turn 4 ally please with Serrated Arrows as removal. Also, I think this deck could make some weird token deck with Ivy Lane Denizen and Vigean Hydropon work. Also, I could definitely see a Serrated Arrows/Golem Foundry thing going on for mono blue artifacts or any U/x artifact control.
Speaking of artifact based control. Rusted Relic could potentially be a finisher in that kind of deck. I mean, Galvanic Blast and Thoughtcast are good reasons control could play artifacts, and with mana rocks, you could fit anglers in. Grixis artifact control.
I'm counting on Thief of Hope and Plagued Rusalka to make spirits good. I also think that there are lots of nice token enablers that Plagued Rusalka can.... exploit. I'm looking at Mogg War-Marshal
Speaking of saccers, Cathodion looks good in control decks. You get a nice blocker and a good clock. Lets say you then play Innocent Blood or Perilous Research, you can then start accelerating into your drifters and what not. Also probably good with Carrion Feeder to ramp you to 7 on turn 4
I could see Sickleslicer in some Tron build - board presence early-ish if you don't have your colored mana, stick it on a Drifter for big fat flying beats later. Thrummingbird will be a JFF room champ (cloudfin raptor into Thrummingbird into Stormbound Geist into perilous research on the geist!), but I don't anticipate actually connecting with him in a competitive game. Also, dies to Gut Shot.
Rusalka seems great in those controlling RB tortured existence type decks. It was always pretty weird having your sac outlet be something that can't block. The mana cost is a real drawback though. Also, dies to Gut Shot.
Gut Shot is an insanely good card, because it kills turn 1 Delver and counters the solo Spellstutter Sprite for no tempo loss. There will be a lot of Gut Shots in the format simply because Delver is one of the two best decks, meaning there will be a lot of splash hate on vulnerable durdley X/1s.
M15 (or whatever) spoilers ahoy - about 6 new cards spoiled, of which Send to Sleep looks the most playable to me. Tapdown spells haven't made it in constructed pauper so far, but in the right deck this one looks more powerful than anything we've seen. Subterranean Scout is a maybe one-of or sideboard card for goblins and uh Shambling Ghoul is usually better than Erg Raiders but that's all I've got.
I like Eyeblight Assassin more than the Ghoul as far as black creatures, but Chittering Rats, Phyrexian Rager, and even Liliana's Specter exist so it might not be good enough. Send to Sleep seems like it could be good, wouldn't be surprised to see Delver or perhaps even UR Fiend at least test it.
Nissa's Pilgrimage is potentially very strong as a 3 mana "draw 3" if there's a good way to utilize the extra lands. Retrace is one possibility but there's gotta be more out there.
Nissa's Pilgrimage is potentially very strong as a 3 mana "draw 3" if there's a good way to utilize the extra lands. Retrace is one possibility but there's gotta be more out there.
Looting, super-looting effects like Tolarian Winds and Whirlpool Rider, spellshapers like Undertaker, Wild Mongrel. I think that super grindy pauper loam deck could probably use it to good effect.
You definitely want some kind of self-mill/looting for that guy; can't just slam 4 into an MBC build and figure on getting value out of the second and third ones you draw or something.
Couple new interesting cards - Artificer's Epiphany, which is an instant-speed draw-two with not much work; I don't think Affinity really wants it but various Trinket Mage decks might as might some sort of blue-red (or blue-black) controlly build with artifact lands, sigils, and maybe some other stuff.
Bonded Construct is a 2/1 artifact dude that can't attack alone (but can block alone). Seems plausible for those white (and white-splash) metalcraft decks.
Finally we get some sick-looking BFZ commons - effect lands!
Admittedly there's not a lot promising in this round. Of the older set, only Bojuka Bog sees regular serious play; Teetering Peaks and Kabira Crossroads both see fringe play.
Of the new set, the blue and black ones both seem moderately playable. Skyline Cascade seems like an effect we don't get much at common, and perfect for those slowrolling MUC decks that don't see much lately; Mortuary Mire seems like yet another angle for the ever-persistent GB Mulch decks. Raise Dead isn't worth a card slot, but as an effect on a tapland, maybe...
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Oh, you think the losers' bracket is your ally, but you merely adopted the scrub tier. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn’t 4-0 an FNM until I was already a man; by then, it was nothing to me but an extra pack to sell for store credit!
So do the various Trons want Scour from Existence? 7 colourless mana for "Exile Target Permanent" seems pretty dang good, but I'm not sure if the slower builds can support it.
Im interested in brewing with awaken in combination with darksteel citadel. building up an indestructible creature in a control deck seems really good.
I can't think of any deck that wants Gift over something it's already got. The cantrip is nice, but the card doesn't really do much when compared to other 2 cmc auras. Annihilator is a huge reason why Crusher is king. There are some great fatties in the set for Pauper, but none of them are close to being at strong because they don't Annihilate.
The problem with defining this format by what is "fun" is that everyone seems to define fun as what they don't lose to. If you keep losing to easily answered cards, that means you should improve your deck. If you don't want to improve your deck, then you should come to peace with the idea that you are going to lose because you chose to not interact with better strategies.
Corpse Churn could be cool in a G/B Turbo Delve kind of list. Its kind of cool with Mulch because you don't have to select among the cards it mills, you can pick any creature in the 'yard.
Sky Scourer, while not good enough on its own, could be a decent player in a Mono-B Devoid/Eldrazi strategy. You could go Turn 1: Relic of Progenitus, Turn 2: Sky Scourer, Turn 3: Dominator Drone. Alternatively you could go Turn 1: Relic, Turn 2: Hedron Crawler, Turn 3: Dominator Drone, Turn 4: Kozilek's Channeler. You have a few end game fatties for that as well in Ulamog's Crusher, Eldrazi Devastator, and Ruin Processor. It helps to enable some aggressive-ish starts for a deck that would otherwise be quite slow.
Goblin Freerunner? Its another Bushwhacker. Now that Gut Shot is legal, this could make a splash in goblins.
I don't think this set really changes up much on its own, but in conjunction with the last set it might have enough to start seeing some new brews.
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The Investigate mechanic looks kind of cool, I hope they give us something playable. Pieces of the Puzzle seems pretty boss also - maybe in good old Erasure Mill?
EDIT: Oh, and Madness is back, which owns. I doubt we're going to get anything better than Fiery Temper and Circular Logic, but it's always possible.
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Oh, you think the losers' bracket is your ally, but you merely adopted the scrub tier. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn’t 4-0 an FNM until I was already a man; by then, it was nothing to me but an extra pack to sell for store credit!
The Investigate mechanic looks kind of cool, I hope they give us something playable. Pieces of the Puzzle seems pretty boss also - maybe in good old Erasure Mill?
EDIT: Oh, and Madness is back, which owns. I doubt we're going to get anything better than Fiery Temper and Circular Logic, but it's always possible.
Cards like Pieces of the Puzzle, Rune Snag, and Accumulated Knowledge make me wish they would print an effect like Runechanter's Pike or Spellheart Chimera at common. It could be such a fun deck archtype.
I was really hoping to Flashback again for a reprint of Firebolt.
The following link is an invitation to join Pucatrade (card trading service though similar to TCGPLayer). If you follow the link then it awards me with tokens to exchange for actual cards. Thanks! https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/86097
Oh, you think the losers' bracket is your ally, but you merely adopted the scrub tier. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn’t 4-0 an FNM until I was already a man; by then, it was nothing to me but an extra pack to sell for store credit!
Malignity seems... pretty solid. Overall they're kind of overpriced but I like their interaction with Auramancer.
EDIT: Stupid thing, fix my links already.
The green one seems pushed. Probably the best one for price and ability.
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Oh, you think the losers' bracket is your ally, but you merely adopted the scrub tier. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn’t 4-0 an FNM until I was already a man; by then, it was nothing to me but an extra pack to sell for store credit!
Angelic Purge seems unplayable... except in the Kuldotha Rebirth deck, where it seems like it could see some play. But three mana and sorcery speed is a big ask when Journey to Nowhere exists.
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I like Concave Phalanx. I think it can replace the soul sisters entirely in the presence of gond deck as it gain infinite life in the combo turn while doing some offense on its own and block without dying. It also will be good in WW with tokens or vigilance creatures.
Thrummingbird needs some allies I would love a Turn 2 bird into a turn 3 and turn 4 ally please with Serrated Arrows as removal. Also, I think this deck could make some weird token deck with Ivy Lane Denizen and Vigean Hydropon work. Also, I could definitely see a Serrated Arrows/Golem Foundry thing going on for mono blue artifacts or any U/x artifact control.
Speaking of artifact based control. Rusted Relic could potentially be a finisher in that kind of deck. I mean, Galvanic Blast and Thoughtcast are good reasons control could play artifacts, and with mana rocks, you could fit anglers in. Grixis artifact control.
Sphere of the Suns and Telling Time seem to be nice utility upgrades (maybe in that grixis artifact control)
I'm counting on Thief of Hope and Plagued Rusalka to make spirits good. I also think that there are lots of nice token enablers that Plagued Rusalka can.... exploit. I'm looking at Mogg War-Marshal
Speaking of saccers, Cathodion looks good in control decks. You get a nice blocker and a good clock. Lets say you then play Innocent Blood or Perilous Research, you can then start accelerating into your drifters and what not. Also probably good with Carrion Feeder to ramp you to 7 on turn 4
Inner-Flame Igniter looks sweet. Rx tokens looks nice. Especially if you play it alongside Violent Outburst
Gut shot finally gives green burn that doesn't suck. Good in Stompy I guess
Sickleslicer. There has to be a way to make this thing good
Rusalka seems great in those controlling RB tortured existence type decks. It was always pretty weird having your sac outlet be something that can't block. The mana cost is a real drawback though. Also, dies to Gut Shot.
Gut Shot is pretty good.
Gut Shot is an insanely good card, because it kills turn 1 Delver and counters the solo Spellstutter Sprite for no tempo loss. There will be a lot of Gut Shots in the format simply because Delver is one of the two best decks, meaning there will be a lot of splash hate on vulnerable durdley X/1s.
Get used to it, it will definitely shake up the format
Nissa's Pilgrimage is potentially very strong as a 3 mana "draw 3" if there's a good way to utilize the extra lands. Retrace is one possibility but there's gotta be more out there.
Looting, super-looting effects like Tolarian Winds and Whirlpool Rider, spellshapers like Undertaker, Wild Mongrel. I think that super grindy pauper loam deck could probably use it to good effect.
Bonded Construct is a 2/1 artifact dude that can't attack alone (but can block alone). Seems plausible for those white (and white-splash) metalcraft decks.
Admittedly there's not a lot promising in this round. Of the older set, only Bojuka Bog sees regular serious play; Teetering Peaks and Kabira Crossroads both see fringe play.
Of the new set, the blue and black ones both seem moderately playable. Skyline Cascade seems like an effect we don't get much at common, and perfect for those slowrolling MUC decks that don't see much lately; Mortuary Mire seems like yet another angle for the ever-persistent GB Mulch decks. Raise Dead isn't worth a card slot, but as an effect on a tapland, maybe...
Modern:
Bant Eldrazi
Merfolk
Abzan Company
EDH:
Mono-Green Omnath
Mono-White Odric Soup
Mono-Blue Muzzio
Mono-Red Feldon
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
I don't think this set really changes up much on its own, but in conjunction with the last set it might have enough to start seeing some new brews.
https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/86097
EDIT: Oh, and Madness is back, which owns. I doubt we're going to get anything better than Fiery Temper and Circular Logic, but it's always possible.
Cards like Pieces of the Puzzle, Rune Snag, and Accumulated Knowledge make me wish they would print an effect like Runechanter's Pike or Spellheart Chimera at common. It could be such a fun deck archtype.
I was really hoping to Flashback again for a reprint of Firebolt.
https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/86097
Vessel of Ephemera
Vessel of Paramnesia
Vessel of Malignity
Vessel of Volatility
Vessel of Nascency
Malignity seems... pretty solid. Overall they're kind of overpriced but I like their interaction with Auramancer.
EDIT: Stupid thing, fix my links already.
The green one seems pushed. Probably the best one for price and ability.
https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/86097
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.