Ahh, Anguished Unmaking should have been a straight Vindicate reprint. I mean, I don't really want to complain too much since we got nice new removal, which at least is something.
But for Modern to self-regulate decks like Bloom Titan or some not-so-busted Eldrazi-deck of the future, we would need some form of maindeckable land hate.
This whole "lands are sacred, don't touch them"-mentality just leads to a Tron Ban ....
But for Modern to self-regulate decks like Bloom Titan or some not-so-busted Eldrazi-deck of the future, we would need some form of maindeckable land hate.
This whole "lands are sacred, don't touch them"-mentality just leads to a Tron Ban ....
There are plenty of three mana land destruction spells in modern. What would be really good is an Encroaching Wastes that does not require five lands to use. If we could get that effect by tapping three lands then things would be better.
Watching the last pro tour I was constantly thinking how much less terrible this format would be if it had a proper strip mine effect.
Anguished Unmaking is great, 3 life is a lot in modern but for decks that can gain life like soul sisters and esper control I think this will be legit.
Nahiri, the Harbinger has amazing art, and cool to get another RW walker, but I feel that Ajani is better in the majority of cases
Last, I'll admit I don't play the deck but I have a hard time believing Startled Awake wont see play in mill, probably not as more than a 1-2 of but I'm pretty sure it will be there as a big finisher spell. 13 cards is a lot, it's over a 6th of the other players deck, and with all the other cheaper mill cards it plays along w/ natural draw steps thats bound to get your opponent pretty dang close to dead. I doubt the recursive part of the card will get used much but I still think it might see 1-of play in mill lists
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
I'm wondering if some better cards will be in the set with the Investigate mechanic. If the Shape Anew decks are going to ever take off, I think there needs to be something stronger than Thraben Inspector.
I'm wondering if some better cards will be in the set with the Investigate mechanic. If the Shape Anew decks are going to ever take off, I think there needs to be something stronger than Thraben Inspector.
I'm super pumped for my Shape Anew/Blighsteel future. Honestly, I think Inspector is quite decent on its own as a one-drop that walls off an early attack and is on-curve for Shape. But I'm also excited to see what else we get. Specifically, I'm looking for either a counterspell that costs LESS than four mana and investigates, or a removal spell that does the same. Curving counter/removal into Shape seems wonderful. A bounce spell would be neat too. But it must cost 1-3, and ideally 1-2.
Utterly dissapointed with Nahiri. With Equipment as a sub-theme of this and the last set I thought Nahiri might have some synergy with Equipment to give the forsaken archetype a push.
Utterly dissapointed with Nahiri. With Equipment as a sub-theme of this and the last set I thought Nahiri might have some synergy with Equipment to give the forsaken archetype a push.
I'm 100% with you here. I'd really like for something to make token equipment cards or something. I'd really like to see a cool and good equipment deck crop up that wasn't so comboish like we currently have.
I'm still eager to see who our next planeswalker is going to be. Nihiri looks like she will go the way of old Obnixilus unfortunately, but she will definitely see standard play in some madness concoction. In modern I think she is out classed by other options like Liliana both young and old.
It's Sorin, man. LSV will spoil the card on March 15th. I'll be disappointed if it's black or white-black like his previous ones.
Eh, in a twisted way she does fetch out equipment and put them into play.
And then she tells you that was all in your head, here's the real secret to casting a Batterskull.
It's funny how backwards she is to ye olde Stoneforge Mystic.
Really I'm just enjoying the flavor intricacies in the card, I think it tells a story without actually telling it.
I shouldn't get myself so excited. It never leads anywhere happy when all's said and spoiled.
Says you.
All I need is an Emrakul plant. Whip up an Eye of Ugin on Innistrad for all I care, let's get this ***** started.
Hype status: ONE STEP BEYOND.
So you can see to be a staple, you basically have to cost 3 or less (Karn costs 3 lands in his deck) and have a dramatic impact on the game instantly. All the four mana walkers below are just on the cusp of being powerful in modern, but the presence of decks like Burn, Infect, Affinity and combo-linear decks generally makes tapping 4 mana for a card which mostly gives you slow advantages over time not great.
If linear combo-aggro decks were removed from modern, I predict that many of the cards on this list would become modern staples.
I think your 2nd list could be characterized more as "highly deck specific walker" than super-fringe/sideboard. Or the very least I regularly play against people using some of these walkers. Garruk goes in the ramp decks playing T3 Prime Time, Ajani Vengeant goes in RW Land Destruction/Prison, Jace and Jura go in some flavors of UW and UWB control. Etc.
But I think your point largely stands. 4 CMC walkers support highly specific decks/strategies, 3 CMC walkers have a chance and general play for value.
So you can see to be a staple, you basically have to cost 3 or less (Karn costs 3 lands in his deck) and have a dramatic impact on the game instantly. All the four mana walkers below are just on the cusp of being powerful in modern, but the presence of decks like Burn, Infect, Affinity and combo-linear decks generally makes tapping 4 mana for a card which mostly gives you slow advantages over time not great.
If linear combo-aggro decks were removed from modern, I predict that many of the cards on this list would become modern staples.
I think your 2nd list could be characterized more as "highly deck specific walker" than super-fringe/sideboard. Or the very least I regularly play against people using some of these walkers. Garruk goes in the ramp decks playing T3 Prime Time, Ajani Vengeant goes in RW Land Destruction/Prison, Jace and Jura go in some flavors of UW and UWB control. Etc.
But I think your point largely stands. 4 CMC walkers support highly specific decks/strategies, 3 CMC walkers have a chance and general play for value.
I don't know.... outside of LotV, 3 drop planeswalkers tend to not do enough to be REALLY relevant. Original Jace, 3 drop Ajani and now Nissa are all just meh cards. They don't have the sheer power that LotV has since she impacts the board immediately and her ult can be crippling.
So you can see to be a staple, you basically have to cost 3 or less (Karn costs 3 lands in his deck) and have a dramatic impact on the game instantly. All the four mana walkers below are just on the cusp of being powerful in modern, but the presence of decks like Burn, Infect, Affinity and combo-linear decks generally makes tapping 4 mana for a card which mostly gives you slow advantages over time not great.
If linear combo-aggro decks were removed from modern, I predict that many of the cards on this list would become modern staples.
I think your 2nd list could be characterized more as "highly deck specific walker" than super-fringe/sideboard. Or the very least I regularly play against people using some of these walkers. Garruk goes in the ramp decks playing T3 Prime Time, Ajani Vengeant goes in RW Land Destruction/Prison, Jace and Jura go in some flavors of UW and UWB control. Etc.
But I think your point largely stands. 4 CMC walkers support highly specific decks/strategies, 3 CMC walkers have a chance and general play for value.
I don't know.... outside of LotV, 3 drop planeswalkers tend to not do enough to be REALLY relevant. Original Jace, 3 drop Ajani and now Nissa are all just meh cards. They don't have the sheer power that LotV has since she impacts the board immediately and her ult can be crippling.
Pin that on the abilities arms race. Beleren was a solid card in his time, he's arguably still quite solid in his narrow domain of drawing cards and pretending to be Phyrexian Arena.
Problem is that's all he does. He draws cards. Sometimes he mills, but really he just draws cards. Which isn't bad, drawing cards can help you win games, but it is very narrow in focus. Contrast with LotV, who has abilities that aren't "do this" and "do this, but now do it asymmetrically."
Totally agree. I was stating that simply being at 3CMC isn't enough to put a walker over the top (and referenced some examples). I will say that we look at every planeswalker that comes out but I do pay closer attention to ones at 4CMC or less (and particular attention to those at 3 unless they are REALLY lackluster like Nissa was... seriously, you want to print a "do nothing" planeswalker that's how you do it. She is essentially a 3 mana gavony township activation that will likely die immediately).
Sun's Champion was there but I considered it so fringe it wasn't worth it and deleted it. Also Knight-Errant has been replaced by Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and I haven't seen a decklist with Knight-Errant in it for many years now. I wouldn't call Ugin a staple because it only goes in one deck as a one of, whereas Liliana and Jace VP belong in a variety of different blue or black decks.
I think your prediction is somewhat off because Ajani Vengeant has two abilities that can protect him yet he's not a staple, and even at the height of his playability in a much slower and fairer metagame, he was only a 1-2 of. Modern is so hostile, so linear, so combo-aggro orientated now that 4 mana walkers simply don't see play as 4 ofs. This is the same reason I think everyone wildly overestimated Jace the Mind Sculptor's power level were it unbanned in modern.
4 mana walkers are playable, they just occupy a different role to ones you can deploy before that crucial turn 4. 2-3 mana walkers are used to disrupt your opponent, whereas 4 mana walkers seem to be used as finishers you don't want to draw before you've interacted and blunted your opponent's advance.
but you call karn a staple when he has the same issue as Ugin except that Ugin sees play in legacy. Neither of Ajani's abilities gurantee his protection hence why he doesn't see much play. (keeping something tapped and 3 dmg is inconsistent). This isn't the place to talk about Mind Scuptor (he's busted and locks people out of playing the game. lantern of insight would love to have this card and dominate the format)
I feel Anguished Unmaking is going to have a huge impact on the format, although will be played in less than multiples of 4. It feels like the card an Esper and Mardu deck have been craving for. It just fits on so many levels, and I wouldn't doubt it's potential to replace the utility slots that Maelstrom Pulse fills in most Abzan decks.
I feel too many people are downplaying the card entirely on the fact you lose 3 life, I would argue any 3 mana spell that's a removal spell is gonna suck against all aggressive decks anyway. I don't see many Abzan players keeping Maelstrom Pulse in against RDW or Suicide Zoo. So I fail to see how the argument all of a sudden matches for this context.
Nahiri is the first card to jolt me back into MTG thoughts in a long time. I know EXACTLY how to use her.
It shows how much the game has changed. People talk about how she doesn't fit with Boros, but Boros never fit my old-fashioned style of Red-White control.
I don't know if she's powerful enough for modern, but there was a time - 1997 or so - when I would've done unspeakable things to get a card like this for my deck.
I was so desperate for card draw. That's the thing that you guys might be underestimating. Red/white always has problems with drawing cards. I had land tax and wheel of fortune to choose from, or Jayemdae Tome. This card can eliminate tapped permanents? Holy crap I love tapping things out. I can cycle through my deck with it too? Heavens!
Again - I can't say that it's powerful enough to be played in Modern but it's pretty much the card that I would've designed for myself if I had been allowed to do so. A dream.
Startled Awake seems really bad. It's a very late mill, and you cannot use it on yourself.
Glimpse the Unthinkable does night the same thing turn 2, and if I want to mill 14, I'll do it T1 with Archive Trap. About the only use I see is as finisher mill, but I'm not seeing it as anything but a dead draw turns 1-3.
Persistent Nightmare is awfully bad. Again, why pay 5 mana for an ability I get for 2 with Glimpse?
Are Glimpse or Trap #5-8 really worth 5 mana and hoping I can deal damage? No.
I feel Anguished Unmaking is going to have a huge impact on the format, although will be played in less than multiples of 4. It feels like the card an Esper and Mardu deck have been craving for. It just fits on so many levels, and I wouldn't doubt it's potential to replace the utility slots that Maelstrom Pulse fills in most Abzan decks.
I feel too many people are downplaying the card entirely on the fact you lose 3 life, I would argue any 3 mana spell that's a removal spell is gonna suck against all aggressive decks anyway. I don't see many Abzan players keeping Maelstrom Pulse in against RDW or Suicide Zoo. So I fail to see how the argument all of a sudden matches for this context.
I sugggest a pre-order, the card is dramatically stronger than Hero's Downfall and that commanded a Premium during it's standard reign.
I would have pre-ordered but they are sold out literally everywhere but e-bay, and I've learned not to trust e-bay.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
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But for Modern to self-regulate decks like Bloom Titan or some not-so-busted Eldrazi-deck of the future, we would need some form of maindeckable land hate.
This whole "lands are sacred, don't touch them"-mentality just leads to a Tron Ban ....
Spirits
There are plenty of three mana land destruction spells in modern. What would be really good is an Encroaching Wastes that does not require five lands to use. If we could get that effect by tapping three lands then things would be better.
Watching the last pro tour I was constantly thinking how much less terrible this format would be if it had a proper strip mine effect.
Nahiri, the Harbinger has amazing art, and cool to get another RW walker, but I feel that Ajani is better in the majority of cases
Last, I'll admit I don't play the deck but I have a hard time believing Startled Awake wont see play in mill, probably not as more than a 1-2 of but I'm pretty sure it will be there as a big finisher spell. 13 cards is a lot, it's over a 6th of the other players deck, and with all the other cheaper mill cards it plays along w/ natural draw steps thats bound to get your opponent pretty dang close to dead. I doubt the recursive part of the card will get used much but I still think it might see 1-of play in mill lists
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
BUWGRChilds PlayGRWUB
BUWGR Highlander GRWUB
UBSquee's Shapeshifting PetBU
BW Multiplayer Control WB
RG Changeling GR
UR Mana FlareRU
UMerfolkU
B MBMC B
I'm super pumped for my Shape Anew/Blighsteel future. Honestly, I think Inspector is quite decent on its own as a one-drop that walls off an early attack and is on-curve for Shape. But I'm also excited to see what else we get. Specifically, I'm looking for either a counterspell that costs LESS than four mana and investigates, or a removal spell that does the same. Curving counter/removal into Shape seems wonderful. A bounce spell would be neat too. But it must cost 1-3, and ideally 1-2.
I'm 100% with you here. I'd really like for something to make token equipment cards or something. I'd really like to see a cool and good equipment deck crop up that wasn't so comboish like we currently have.
And then she tells you that was all in your head, here's the real secret to casting a Batterskull.
It's funny how backwards she is to ye olde Stoneforge Mystic.
Really I'm just enjoying the flavor intricacies in the card, I think it tells a story without actually telling it.
Considering that the current 3 CMC Counterspells see almost no play in Standard there is a good chance that we get a better one.
I shouldn't get myself so excited. It never leads anywhere happy when all's said and spoiled.
Says you.
All I need is an Emrakul plant. Whip up an Eye of Ugin on Innistrad for all I care, let's get this ***** started.
Hype status: ONE STEP BEYOND.
I think your 2nd list could be characterized more as "highly deck specific walker" than super-fringe/sideboard. Or the very least I regularly play against people using some of these walkers. Garruk goes in the ramp decks playing T3 Prime Time, Ajani Vengeant goes in RW Land Destruction/Prison, Jace and Jura go in some flavors of UW and UWB control. Etc.
But I think your point largely stands. 4 CMC walkers support highly specific decks/strategies, 3 CMC walkers have a chance and general play for value.
we ARE talking counterspells though. wizards hates good counter magic.
I don't know.... outside of LotV, 3 drop planeswalkers tend to not do enough to be REALLY relevant. Original Jace, 3 drop Ajani and now Nissa are all just meh cards. They don't have the sheer power that LotV has since she impacts the board immediately and her ult can be crippling.
Pin that on the abilities arms race. Beleren was a solid card in his time, he's arguably still quite solid in his narrow domain of drawing cards and pretending to be Phyrexian Arena.
Problem is that's all he does. He draws cards. Sometimes he mills, but really he just draws cards. Which isn't bad, drawing cards can help you win games, but it is very narrow in focus. Contrast with LotV, who has abilities that aren't "do this" and "do this, but now do it asymmetrically."
but you call karn a staple when he has the same issue as Ugin except that Ugin sees play in legacy. Neither of Ajani's abilities gurantee his protection hence why he doesn't see much play. (keeping something tapped and 3 dmg is inconsistent). This isn't the place to talk about Mind Scuptor (he's busted and locks people out of playing the game. lantern of insight would love to have this card and dominate the format)
Decks I'm playing in Modern right now:
URB Grixis Reveler (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-grixis-reveler/)
UB Faeries (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/ub-fae-2/)
UW Azorious Control (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-ojutai-control-2/)
I feel too many people are downplaying the card entirely on the fact you lose 3 life, I would argue any 3 mana spell that's a removal spell is gonna suck against all aggressive decks anyway. I don't see many Abzan players keeping Maelstrom Pulse in against RDW or Suicide Zoo. So I fail to see how the argument all of a sudden matches for this context.
This card is easily splashable considering the format, and I can see Inquisition of Kozilek/Serum Visions > Mana Leak > Anguished Unmaking > Cryptic Command with a spice of Snapcaster Mage for a basis of Esper control decks.
I sugggest a pre-order, the card is dramatically stronger than Hero's Downfall and that commanded a Premium during it's standard reign.
It shows how much the game has changed. People talk about how she doesn't fit with Boros, but Boros never fit my old-fashioned style of Red-White control.
I don't know if she's powerful enough for modern, but there was a time - 1997 or so - when I would've done unspeakable things to get a card like this for my deck.
I was so desperate for card draw. That's the thing that you guys might be underestimating. Red/white always has problems with drawing cards. I had land tax and wheel of fortune to choose from, or Jayemdae Tome. This card can eliminate tapped permanents? Holy crap I love tapping things out. I can cycle through my deck with it too? Heavens!
Again - I can't say that it's powerful enough to be played in Modern but it's pretty much the card that I would've designed for myself if I had been allowed to do so. A dream.
Glimpse the Unthinkable does night the same thing turn 2, and if I want to mill 14, I'll do it T1 with Archive Trap. About the only use I see is as finisher mill, but I'm not seeing it as anything but a dead draw turns 1-3.
Persistent Nightmare is awfully bad. Again, why pay 5 mana for an ability I get for 2 with Glimpse?
Are Glimpse or Trap #5-8 really worth 5 mana and hoping I can deal damage? No.
I would have pre-ordered but they are sold out literally everywhere but e-bay, and I've learned not to trust e-bay.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!