I remember months ago I built a deck that wanted strategic planning so bad. I think it reduced the cost of spells so this was the best 1U spell that puts something in your Graveyard and in your hand. If only I could remember what deck it was.....
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If Storm doesn't want Strategic Planning (and it probably doesn't) I don't know which deck would play it.
Snapcaster decks would still play Thought Scour over it and control decks would play Think Twice or another draw spell/cantrip
(maybe Anticipate).
For decks that play many instants/sorceries Pieces of the Puzzle and Peer Through Depths would also be better.
For 1-more mana there is also Compulsive Research that sees the same amount of cards but nets you a card (or two) and doesn't really see play.
Decks I have in my bag of tricks- Needless to say, someone who wants to play will probably have a deck UB/x Faeries UR Storm XURWB Affinity G Elves UW control
Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
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I thought all the blue mages would be talking about Strategic Planning for sure. That's something people have waned in Modern for a long time.
If Take Inventory see's no play I don't see how this could be playable.
I don't see how those two cards are even remotely similar.
take inventory same cost but scales into more raw CA while Strategic Planing is just a Anticipate variant that always just cycles and does it at sorcery speed. If getting cards into your yard is your goal we already have cards like faithless looting that do it cheaper and have better synergy with flashback for the dumping things into the yard. Blue decks that are not combo decks tend to prefer raw card draw to get a bigger grip of answers, looking at 3 and getting one for 2 at sorcery speed isn't what a blue control deck wants to be doing it would rather cantrip, then +1, then +2, then +3 since it needs access to more options in hand.
In Modern, putting cards in your graveyard is card advantage.
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WoTC, thank you for finally announcing the Modern format, an eternal format where everyone can participate.
Sunscour Champion seems pretty good. It won't replace Kitchen Finks in Abzan Company, but it will definitely slot into more midrangey Abzan builds, UWx control, and Hatebears. Notably, I'm pretty sure that this card gets around Grafdigger's Cage, though not Yxilid Jailer. Yeah, it's more expensive than Finks, but you get a lot more value than Finks... plus you can have this card countered, discarded, or milled, and still Eternalize it. Worth noting that Eldrazi Displacer wrecks the token.
Tragic Lesson: Seems pretty good in decks without Esper Charm and seems notably strong in Mono U Tron, because it's a fantastic answer to Crumble to Dust. Reminds me of Deprive, but in a good way.
Strategic Planning: I've brewed a few decks that would have wanted this. I don't think it will make a particularly large splash. If this was Instant speed, yeah it would be the best card selection for control decks in the format, but as is... it's not that good. I'm not really a Storm player, but it could be useful alongside Past in Flames.
Life Goes On: I like it. It's a good alternative to Feed the Clan for decks that have trouble triggering Ferocious, like low to the ground Hatebears lists. If you can trigger Ferocious, then FtC is still better.
I thought all the blue mages would be talking about Strategic Planning for sure. That's something people have waned in Modern for a long time.
If Take Inventory see's no play I don't see how this could be playable.
I don't see how those two cards are even remotely similar.
take inventory same cost but scales into more raw CA while Strategic Planing is just a Anticipate variant that always just cycles and does it at sorcery speed. If getting cards into your yard is your goal we already have cards like faithless looting that do it cheaper and have better synergy with flashback for the dumping things into the yard. Blue decks that are not combo decks tend to prefer raw card draw to get a bigger grip of answers, looking at 3 and getting one for 2 at sorcery speed isn't what a blue control deck wants to be doing it would rather cantrip, then +1, then +2, then +3 since it needs access to more options in hand.
In Modern, putting cards in your graveyard is card advantage.
Only for certain decks. Like I said maybe Goryo's or some other combo deck might want this but not any fair Blue decks. Thought Scour is just better for Grixis DS, cheaper and at instant speed. I don't even think this will make the cut for Storm because it is only good if they have 1 of the 7-8 cost reduction creatures out and the deck can't really afford to play cards that will hinder it from being able to go off without them which it currently can.
In a fair deck you are not going to want to say, snapcaster this 4 mana at sorcery and 1 card seems like a much larger wast of a turn than EOT Snaping back a Thought Scour, or even Serum Visions. Decks like Grixis are mana starved and that just seems way way worst than what they are able to do already.
Also is it just me or does this block overall have a much lower power level than the previous Kaladesh block?
I guess it's a good thing for standard if they are trying to decrease the power level of threats, but I thought we were supposed to get some good answer cards starting in this set? I am just not seeing these here. At least nothing that would impact modern - perhaps standard
Also is it just me or does this block overall have a much lower power level than the previous Kaladesh block?
I guess it's a good thing for standard if they are trying to decrease the power level of threats, but I thought we were supposed to get some good answer cards starting in this set? I am just not seeing these here. At least nothing that would impact modern - perhaps standard
Well to be fair they did print some answers, they are just Standard power level. Yeah the sets certainly seems to be one that they have scaled back on certain while escalating on other affects which is how WotC tends to create the illusion of "power" in Standard. They had a powerful counter in dragons and have scaled back the affect for the sets following and they printed Disallow and Censor which means they will probably be scaling back on the power of counterspells for up coming sets.
Also is it just me or does this block overall have a much lower power level than the previous Kaladesh block?
I guess it's a good thing for standard if they are trying to decrease the power level of threats, but I thought we were supposed to get some good answer cards starting in this set? I am just not seeing these here. At least nothing that would impact modern - perhaps standard
I can't really agree with you. Bontu's Last Reckoning is very likely to be effective in this format, Supreme Will is potentially quite good in the same way that Censor is good, and I'd say over all that we've gotten some effective answers in the last couple of sets. Yeah, Amonkhet seems to be a lower power level than Kaladesh, but Kaladesh was by all accounts designed specifically to print some Modern staples.
I think HOU has been interesting. I think there are no cards that will change the format immediately, but at least there will be some interesting additions in sideboards.
I am looking forward to brew a Bant Alarm deck (with intruder alarm, yes), seeing the new cards Pride Sovereignand Steward of Solidarity. At the very least it will be a fun deck.
Also is it just me or does this block overall have a much lower power level than the previous Kaladesh block?
I guess it's a good thing for standard if they are trying to decrease the power level of threats, but I thought we were supposed to get some good answer cards starting in this set? I am just not seeing these here. At least nothing that would impact modern - perhaps standard
You're not wrong, but Kaladesh also had two things going in its favour in terms of "power level". First, it was an artifact block. Artifact blocks are almost without fail more powerful than any other type of setting. Second, they were including a couple of new mechanics, and they had no freakin' idea how to balance them properly, and as a result we've got Vehicles with crew 1 and Aetherworks Marvel only taking 6 energy to spin.
Amonkhet has new mechanics too, but this time WotC didn't bollocks up pricing them, and as such the block is less powerful.
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Well, I can saw a woman in two, but you won't wanna look in the box when I'm through.
Also is it just me or does this block overall have a much lower power level than the previous Kaladesh block?
I guess it's a good thing for standard if they are trying to decrease the power level of threats, but I thought we were supposed to get some good answer cards starting in this set? I am just not seeing these here. At least nothing that would impact modern - perhaps standard
I can't really agree with you. Bontu's Last Reckoning is very likely to be effective in this format, Supreme Will is potentially quite good in the same way that Censor is good, and I'd say over all that we've gotten some effective answers in the last couple of sets. Yeah, Amonkhet seems to be a lower power level than Kaladesh, but Kaladesh was by all accounts designed specifically to print some Modern staples.
Why do people keep saying this? Kaladesh wasn't designed specifically to print some Modern staples, they printed a card fatal push which they realized would be better in eternal formats than in standard that doesn't mean they designed the card specifically for those formats. They also understood that the new eldarzi would be better in eternal formats, same with TC and DDT. WotC rarely ever prints cards with Modern, Legacy or Vintage in mind in Standard sets. The last time I remember them saying the specifically designed a card for Modern was Rending Volley.
Big difference between understanding that a card would be better in older formats than in Standard as opposed to specifically designing cards for those formats.
I do agree that Bontu's Last Reckoning is the most likely card to see Modern play. Supreme Will might but it depends if a deck exists that can be competitive with a worst version of Mana Leak, if they wanted the dig put one in hand those affects all ready exist things like Forbidden Alchemy and while the flexible modal nature of the card is nice it is irrelevant if the Mana Leak side is useless more often than not. If it had one more mode like return target non-land perm to its owners hand it would certainly see play but as it stands now most modal cards have to offer 4 different modes before they cut the mustard.
-Supreme Will: I feel like people are underrating this card because it has an overcosted mana leak stapled on to it. Similar to censor, this card is never dead since it also has impulse stapled onto it. It's decent early game since many decks don't have many lands in their decks so the mana leak potion isn't dead til turns 3-5. The stapled impulse seems very good on this card since people have been willing to play forbidden alchemy in their decks in the past and that also cost 3 mana which also digs 4 cards.
-Claim // Fame: One of the most attractive of the cards that has been revealed thus far due to the claim part on the card. Claim allows us to reanimate very powerful cards that are already played in tier 1-2 decks including: Death's shadow, Tarmogoyf, Snapcaster mage, dark confidant, Grim flayer. However I am interested in this card because it has great synergy with Jace, Vryn's prodigy since paying three mana allows us to reanimate jace and give him haste so he can become a planeswalker instantly which is very nice. However, the issue is that this card can be dead a lot of the time since there isn't always a creature to reanimate. I'll definitely be brewing with it for some fun jank at the very least.
-Scavenger Grounds: This land could be a nice 1 of in a tron deck that doesn't mind it coming into it's mana base.
Cards that have a chance to see play:
-Solemnity: Combos with phyrexian unlife. Doubles as decent sideboard hate as well. I'm a little uncertain of it directly slotting into ad naus because it's a clunky card that does nothing on it's own.
-Nimble Obstructionist: A nearly uncounterable stifle that cantrips and deals with many tier 1 threats in the format? Or if you don't want effect you get a 3/1 flying body with flash. This card will be played but I expect it to be the blue version of Aven Mindcensor/shadow of doubt where it will see play as a 1-2 at the most.
-Hollow One: One of my favorite cards revealed this far. Cost reduction mechanics are always scary to put on cards and this one doesn't take much work at all. Best of all he works with cards that are already good which is a good sign. Hollow one works best with: Cycling cards in a living end deck, street wraith can make him cost nothing potentially, faithless looting/cathartic reunion both make him cost one, collective brutality can dramatically reduce his cost as well. Time will tell on this one's playability but I would keep a watchful eye on this one.
-Bontu's Last Reckoning: One of the first cards that was leaked and has become forgotten. This card has a home in unconventional decks like tezzeret, agent of bolas decks because of the mana rocks that it uses, 8 rack because your opponents shouldn't have cards in their hand to punish you, etc.
-Rhonas's Last Stand: I have talked about this card a bit and I feel like it has the potential to find a deck home because it has a very attractive body for it's payoff. Mana dorks such as Birds of Paradise/Noble Hierarch make the downside easier and Lotus Cobra gets this in play with a fetchland crack. Being able to flash this back via snapcaster mage is cute but I feel like this is a card that a Mono G list would want. Fatal push hurts this cards viability sadly.
-Driven // Despair: A combat trick that seems decent in elves or Dredge since both can each side of the card. It's testable at the very least as a 1-2 of.
-Life Goes On: An interesting burn hate card that green decks can use from their sideboards. I worry about the narrowness of this card sine those same decks can just play kitchen finks which has more application against the format. Kitchen finks seems to have more general application against the format.
-Tragic Lesson: A divination at instant speed that has a discard/land unsummon as it's drawback. The only reason why I highlight this card is because it seems to slot into esper Goryo's Vengeance decks nicely.
Cards that have potential but don't quite get there
-Countervailing Winds: A cycling version of circular logic. This card makes me angry because we should have gotten a slightly nerfed version of circular logic in Shadows block. No reason to play this card in modern.
-Sunscourge Champion: A cute kitchen finks style card that comes back as a reasonable threat the turn after you play it. This card is very close to hitting the pan in modern. The issue that I see with it is that you have to discard a card to eternalilze it. Close but no cigar.
-Hour of Devastation: An extremely powerful effect that just doesn't have a home in modern. Skred red and sun and moon play a lot of planeswalkers so they don't want this. This card is heavily weakened because modern doesn't have a huge planeswalker issue, this goes in decks without access to sweapers and those are probably red intensive decks, and it kills koth, the hammer/Chandra, torch of defiance which are likely playing this card. It might see play in scapeshift decks but that's doubtful.
-Hazoret's Undying Fury: The first time that we have gotten a mind's desire effect in a long time. This one probably doesn't get there since it doesn't let you cast anything. The only home for this card is likely storm.
-Ammit Eternal: Beefy body that does a phyrexian negator impression but it's ultimately outclassed these days by bigger and better creatures. It seems on the cusp of being great but there are already beefy creatures that do not ask for as much. (tarmogoyf, tasigur, the golden fang, death's shadow, gurmag angler). This may move up depending on what else is revealed.
-Hour of Promise: I'm taking a wait and see approach to this card as we haven't seen all the deserts spoiled yet but as of right now the deserts determine it's playability in a scapeshift deck.
-Hostile Desert: Similar to the other deserts revealed thus far we have to wait and see how much the desert theme matters. This looks cute but it needs to much fuel to get going imho. A deck would have to play a lot of fetchlands and not mind it tapping for a colorless mana.
Abandoned Sarcophagus: An interesting combo enabler that likely doesn't have enough cards to enable it.
My top 5 cards that have the highest chance of seeing play in modern in no order:
1:Claim // Fame
4
Claim // Fame (mostly just the Claim half, even though it's worse than Unearth)
3
Solemnity (combos with Phyrexian Unlife)
Lurching Rotbeast (Living End. Second rate compared to Horror or Carabid, but every black cycler counts.)
Scavenger Grounds (1-of in Eldrazi Tron. Bojuka Bog is better with Knight/Amulet)
2
Overwhelming Splendor
Steward of Solidarity (combos with Intruder Alarm. DAE unban Earthcraft? )
Sunscourge Champion (sleeper pick. It looks like a noob creature, but it's a 2/3 gain 2 followed by 4/4 gain 4. That's probably the definition of a noob creature though.)
Nimble Obstructionist
Strategic Planning (better than Taigam's Scheming, because it replaces itself)
Razaketh's Rite
Crash Through (replacement for Gitaxian Probe in Kiln Fiend)
Life Goes On (could have been better if it was revolt instead of morbid)
Ramunap Excavator
Consign // Oblivion
Hollow One
Hostile Desert
Defeat cycle (B>R=W>U>G)
God's Last _____ cycle and Hazoret's Undying Fury (B>R>G=W>U)
After thinking about it, I don't think the God's Last _____ cycle is that good. They get worse as the game goes on because those spells still exert the lands that you tapped for other spells. So if you Snap -> black wrath, you miss out on 5 lands worth of mana next turn, not 3. That's bad. It's less of a disadvantage for the red one because it's meant as a combo finisher, but it's an inconsistent combo finisher.
All the random Desert stuff doesn't seem playable. The payoff for building around Deserts is mostly creatures with combat abilities, which begs the question of "why not play Goyf/Tasigur/whatever efficient beater". They missed an opportunity to make Into the North for Deserts (Shefet Monitor doesn't count).
Overall there's enough random combos in this set to make me happy. Claim//Fame seems like a really good card for fair decks (by that I mean Grixis DS).
card # of decks on mtgtop8
Cartouche of Solidarity 1 Cast Out 14 Gideon of the Trials 20
Glory-Bound Initiate 1
Oketra the True 0
Renewed Faith 0 Vizier of Remedies 69
As Foretold 2 (both UW control with AV and RB)
Censor 6
Cryptic Serpent 1
Curator of Mysteries 2 (all LE)
Drake Haven 0
Kefnet the Mindful 2
New Perspectives 0
Pull from Tomorrow 1 Archfiend of Ifnir 24 (all LE)
Bone Picker 1
Bontu the Glorified 0 Horror of the Broken Lands 34 (all LE)
Liliana, Death's Majesty 0
Plague Belcher 0
Shadow of the Grave 0
Trial of Ambition 0 By Force 16
Consuming Fervor 0 Desert Cerodon 32 (all LE)
Flameblade Adept 0
Glorious End 0
Harsh Mentor 8
Hazoret the Fervent 8
Soul-Scar Mage 0 Sweltering Suns 19
Channeler Initiate 0
Dissenter's Deliverance 1
Exemplar of Strength 0
Greater Sandwurm 0
Honored Hydra 0
Manglehorn 5 Rhonas the Indomitable 26
Sixth Sense 0
Vizier of the Menagerie 5
Enigma Drake 0
Nissa, Steward of Elements 7
Samut, Voice of Dissent 0
Dusk // Dawn 9
Never // Return 4
Start // Finish 8 (7 Dredge, 1 Tokens)
Reduce // Rubble 3 (all redge)
Failure // Comply 0
Cut // Ribbons 0
Bontu's Monument 0
Hazoret's Monument 0
Kefnet's Monument 0
Oketra's Monument 0
Oracle's Vault 0
Pyramid of the Pantheon 0
Rhonas's Monument 0
Throne of the God-Pharaoh 1
Canyon Slough 10 (9 Dredge, 1 Rakdos Demigod)
Cascading Cataracts 0
Fetid Pools 2
Irrigated Farmland 9 (all UWx control)
Scattered Groves 0 Sheltered Thicket 21 (mostly Dredge and Valakut)
The best card form the set is Vizier of Remedies. Joel Larsson boldly predicted just that, and Harsh Mentor would be unplayable, so props to him. Vizier is the heart of both combos in the Company deck (Seer + Vizier + Finks, Devoted Druid + Vizier + Recruiter/Chord/Ballista/Rhonas), and one of those combos doesn't use the graveyard.
The next best cards are the cyclers for Living End: Horror, Cerodon and Archfiend. The extra 1-mana cyclers have made the deck much more mana-efficient; you'll see nary a Jungle Weaver or Pale Recluse in today's LE. Archfiend costs 2 to cycle, but he comes with a relevant ability and evasion. Nevertheless, he's often played as a 2-of, not 4-of. Also worth noting that the overwhelming majority of LE decks did not add blue for Curator of Mysteries or the plan Bs of Drake Haven/As Foretold.
4
Claim // Fame (mostly just the Claim half, even though it's worse than Unearth)
3
Solemnity (combos with Phyrexian Unlife)
Lurching Rotbeast (Living End. Second rate compared to Horror or Carabid, but every black cycler counts.)
Scavenger Grounds (1-of in Eldrazi Tron. Bojuka Bog is better with Knight/Amulet)
2
Overwhelming Splendor
Steward of Solidarity (combos with Intruder Alarm. DAE unban Earthcraft? )
Sunscourge Champion (sleeper pick. It looks like a noob creature, but it's a 2/3 gain 2 followed by 4/4 gain 4. That's probably the definition of a noob creature though.)
Nimble Obstructionist
Strategic Planning (better than Taigam's Scheming, because it replaces itself)
Razaketh's Rite
Crash Through (replacement for Gitaxian Probe in Kiln Fiend)
Life Goes On (could have been better if it was revolt instead of morbid)
Ramunap Excavator
Consign // Oblivion
Hollow One
Hostile Desert
Defeat cycle (B>R=W>U>G)
God's Last _____ cycle and Hazoret's Undying Fury (B>R>G=W>U)
After thinking about it, I don't think the God's Last _____ cycle is that good. They get worse as the game goes on because those spells still exert the lands that you tapped for other spells. So if you Snap -> black wrath, you miss out on 5 lands worth of mana next turn, not 3. That's bad. It's less of a disadvantage for the red one because it's meant as a combo finisher, but it's an inconsistent combo finisher.
All the random Desert stuff doesn't seem playable. The payoff for building around Deserts is mostly creatures with combat abilities, which begs the question of "why not play Goyf/Tasigur/whatever efficient beater". They missed an opportunity to make Into the North for Deserts (Shefet Monitor doesn't count).
Overall there's enough random combos in this set to make me happy. Claim//Fame seems like a really good card for fair decks (by that I mean Grixis DS).
card # of decks on mtgtop8
Cartouche of Solidarity 1 Cast Out 14 Gideon of the Trials 20
Glory-Bound Initiate 1
Oketra the True 0
Renewed Faith 0 Vizier of Remedies 69
As Foretold 2 (both UW control with AV and RB)
Censor 6
Cryptic Serpent 1
Curator of Mysteries 2 (all LE)
Drake Haven 0
Kefnet the Mindful 2
New Perspectives 0
Pull from Tomorrow 1 Archfiend of Ifnir 24 (all LE)
Bone Picker 1
Bontu the Glorified 0 Horror of the Broken Lands 34 (all LE)
Liliana, Death's Majesty 0
Plague Belcher 0
Shadow of the Grave 0
Trial of Ambition 0 By Force 16
Consuming Fervor 0 Desert Cerodon 32 (all LE)
Flameblade Adept 0
Glorious End 0
Harsh Mentor 8
Hazoret the Fervent 8
Soul-Scar Mage 0 Sweltering Suns 19
Channeler Initiate 0
Dissenter's Deliverance 1
Exemplar of Strength 0
Greater Sandwurm 0
Honored Hydra 0
Manglehorn 5 Rhonas the Indomitable 26
Sixth Sense 0
Vizier of the Menagerie 5
Enigma Drake 0
Nissa, Steward of Elements 7
Samut, Voice of Dissent 0
Dusk // Dawn 9
Never // Return 4
Start // Finish 8 (7 Dredge, 1 Tokens)
Reduce // Rubble 3 (all redge)
Failure // Comply 0
Cut // Ribbons 0
Bontu's Monument 0
Hazoret's Monument 0
Kefnet's Monument 0
Oketra's Monument 0
Oracle's Vault 0
Pyramid of the Pantheon 0
Rhonas's Monument 0
Throne of the God-Pharaoh 1
Canyon Slough 10 (9 Dredge, 1 Rakdos Demigod)
Cascading Cataracts 0
Fetid Pools 2
Irrigated Farmland 9 (all UWx control)
Scattered Groves 0 Sheltered Thicket 21 (mostly Dredge and Valakut)
The best card form the set is Vizier of Remedies. Joel Larsson boldly predicted just that, and Harsh Mentor would be unplayable, so props to him. Vizier is the heart of both combos in the Company deck (Seer + Vizier + Finks, Devoted Druid + Vizier + Recruiter/Chord/Ballista/Rhonas), and one of those combos doesn't use the graveyard.
The next best cards are the cyclers for Living End: Horror, Cerodon and Archfiend. The extra 1-mana cyclers have made the deck much more mana-efficient; you'll see nary a Jungle Weaver or Pale Recluse in today's LE. Archfiend costs 2 to cycle, but he comes with a relevant ability and evasion. Nevertheless, he's often played as a 2-of, not 4-of. Also worth noting that the overwhelming majority of LE decks did not add blue for Curator of Mysteries or the plan Bs of Drake Haven/As Foretold.
Gideon of the trials is a staple in UW control decks. I would hardly call that underwhelming since he is in a tier 2 deck. I think censor is good enough to see play there just isn't a deck home for it IMHO.
I know it's not popular anymore but vizier-less CoCo can now switch from Redcap to the new Obelisk Spider as a win condition. Easier on mana and can get it off of CoCo too.
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Vorthos-y Johnny. All will be One
Modern - Cheeri0s (building), Belcher (building), Lantern (building), UW Control (building)
RIP Magic Duels. Wizards will regret what they did to you.
sorry i didn't rehash all of your review into my reply, but I didn't want to boggart the entire page of the thread with it.
The problem I have with your assessment of Supreme Will is the "its isn't dead until turns 3-5" but you can't even cast the mana leak side until turn 3 so it is always closer to starting out as dead half of a card. I think Censor is better over all because while it isn't taxing the spell for as much it also is all around cheaper for each function the card offers. Not saying it wont see play, I just have trouble thinking of a deck that can actually make use of it. Esper is already heavily clogged at the 3cc and this doesn't seem better than the things like Esper Charm or Lingering Souls, UW doesn't even run many counters at all and the ones it prefers are hard counters with upside like Cryptic or functionally hard counters like Logic Knot, Grixis also runs very light on counters in favor of creature removal and Cryptic or Spell Snare as hard counter options, Jeskai similar to UW doesn't run many counters and the ones it does run are again leaning more towards the harder counter options and is more of a long game burn deck with creature removal; maybe they swap out the one of leak for this?
Again I'm not saying it will not see play, its just that 3 mana is expensive for a affect that currently sees little to no play in the decks that have access to the affect for a mana less.
Nimble Obstructionist also I think will suffer from the cost stapled onto it, if it had the ability as a ETB trigger on top of the cycle affect it would be much more playable but as it stands the format is so fast and most decks that offering targets for the affect are doing so very early T1 T2 so maybe you snipe a T3 fetch but decks like Grixis DS will have most likely seen him in your hand by that point and either discarded him if he is problematic or simply be at a phase in the game in which they can disregard him as they will likely have you in a position of needing to cast him to chump block. And cycling this against something like Inkmoth Nexus just seems like a losing situation since affinity likely can simply pay 1 to activate it in response so you achieved what? making a Inkmoth activation cost 2 instead of 1? hardly seems worth it. the Stifle affect should have been costed at 1U if the creature is going to simply be a vanilla flash flier.
I also think that Bontu's Last Reckoning is a bit better than your giving it credit for, I could see it easily sliding into any UBx since getting to the late game is paramount in those types of decks and casting this on 3, serum visions or fatal push on 4, and having the option to Snap it back on 5 seems like a solid plan for pulling aggro decks into deep water. Haste creatures are not hyper prevalent out side of burn and your likely isn't going to want to over commit in the face of a follow up wipe on 5.
Hallow One doesn't seem worthy of a Honorable mention his stats are just bad, if you cast him for 1 you get a vanilla 4/4, way better things that you can cheat into play for 1 mana in the format. Not to mention he dies to the shatter half of Kcommand which just seems like such a swing in favor of the Kcommand caster.
So full spoiler is up. Didn't Wizards say we were supposed to get all these great reactive and answer cards specifically starting in this set? Because wow, talk about swing-and-a-miss. Over-costed and under-powered versions of cards that already exist, or that contain a horrendous drawback seem to be the norm, even when they are "trying?" Or was this that another hopeful, obviously-misleading statement made to shut us up for a few months? I don't remember who said that line or when, but wow, talk about a bland set. Knock off 1 of SO MANY cards and you'd have some amazing stuff.
Claim // Fame looks good, but is an enabler, not an answer. And Liliana's Defeat at sorcery speed is too narrow to see any real play. Seems Dreadbore would be so much better since it has no restrictions.
So full spoiler is up. Didn't Wizards say we were supposed to get all these great reactive and answer cards specifically starting in this set? Because wow, talk about swing-and-a-miss. Over-costed and under-powered versions of cards that already exist, or that contain a horrendous drawback seem to be the norm, even when they are "trying?" Or was this that another hopeful, obviously-misleading statement made to shut us up for a few months? I don't remember who said that line or when, but wow, talk about a bland set. Knock off 1 of SO MANY cards and you'd have some amazing stuff.
Claim // Fame looks good, but is an enabler, not an answer. And Liliana's Defeat at sorcery speed is too narrow to see any real play. Seems Dreadbore would be so much better since it has no restrictions.
No, they said it would start with the fall set. This is the set they said we'd have to live with until Ixalan comes out. Given the leak I'm not holding my breath.
As someone who buys cards up to build with in constructed this entire block is cringe worthy outside of limited. It's not often you see a set where everything is so badly overcosted, at the wrong rarity, etc that your brain wants to shut down half way through the spoiler season. Well, it's that or the conversation I had with a friend recently that basically ended with the comment that the old guys near retirement who probably want more money would gladly cut card quality as people will keep buying poorly made cards anyway (this is in regards to materials / print quality, not the design of the cards).
Our future is recycle toilet paper mtg cards that will require quadruple card sleeving with the solid backs sold separately. Hasbro's new tagline: we make it because you need it!
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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Thanks to Rivenor for the signature and XenoNinja for the Avi!
Quotes:
Snapcaster decks would still play Thought Scour over it and control decks would play Think Twice or another draw spell/cantrip
(maybe Anticipate).
For decks that play many instants/sorceries Pieces of the Puzzle and Peer Through Depths would also be better.
For 1-more mana there is also Compulsive Research that sees the same amount of cards but nets you a card (or two) and doesn't really see play.
UB/x Faeries
UR Storm
XURWB Affinity
G Elves
UW control
Might it is good in RG Titan shift, but not in Bring to Light scapeshift which can access 4cc sweeper.
Anything, but nothing at the moment...
Modern:
WUBRGAmulet Titan, WUBRGHuman
WUBRAd Nauseam, WBRGDeath Shadow, UBRGScapeshift, UBRGDredge
WURJeskai Nahiri, WURCheeri0s, WBGCounter Company, WRGBurn, UBRMadcap Moon, BRGJund Midrange
UBTurn,BRGriselbrand Reanimator, WGKnight Company, RGRG Tron, RGRG Ponza, XAffinity, XEldrazi Tron
With due respect this thread is about Modern, not Commander.
I see where you are coming from, don't take my response the wrong way.
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
In Modern, putting cards in your graveyard is card advantage.
Sunscour Champion seems pretty good. It won't replace Kitchen Finks in Abzan Company, but it will definitely slot into more midrangey Abzan builds, UWx control, and Hatebears. Notably, I'm pretty sure that this card gets around Grafdigger's Cage, though not Yxilid Jailer. Yeah, it's more expensive than Finks, but you get a lot more value than Finks... plus you can have this card countered, discarded, or milled, and still Eternalize it. Worth noting that Eldrazi Displacer wrecks the token.
Tragic Lesson: Seems pretty good in decks without Esper Charm and seems notably strong in Mono U Tron, because it's a fantastic answer to Crumble to Dust. Reminds me of Deprive, but in a good way.
Strategic Planning: I've brewed a few decks that would have wanted this. I don't think it will make a particularly large splash. If this was Instant speed, yeah it would be the best card selection for control decks in the format, but as is... it's not that good. I'm not really a Storm player, but it could be useful alongside Past in Flames.
Life Goes On: I like it. It's a good alternative to Feed the Clan for decks that have trouble triggering Ferocious, like low to the ground Hatebears lists. If you can trigger Ferocious, then FtC is still better.
Hazoret's Undying Fury: A gimped Mind's Desire is still really, really good. This will see play in Storm.
For most intents and purposes its an easier to cast cancel with cycling
Only for certain decks. Like I said maybe Goryo's or some other combo deck might want this but not any fair Blue decks. Thought Scour is just better for Grixis DS, cheaper and at instant speed. I don't even think this will make the cut for Storm because it is only good if they have 1 of the 7-8 cost reduction creatures out and the deck can't really afford to play cards that will hinder it from being able to go off without them which it currently can.
In a fair deck you are not going to want to say, snapcaster this 4 mana at sorcery and 1 card seems like a much larger wast of a turn than EOT Snaping back a Thought Scour, or even Serum Visions. Decks like Grixis are mana starved and that just seems way way worst than what they are able to do already.
I guess it's a good thing for standard if they are trying to decrease the power level of threats, but I thought we were supposed to get some good answer cards starting in this set? I am just not seeing these here. At least nothing that would impact modern - perhaps standard
Well to be fair they did print some answers, they are just Standard power level. Yeah the sets certainly seems to be one that they have scaled back on certain while escalating on other affects which is how WotC tends to create the illusion of "power" in Standard. They had a powerful counter in dragons and have scaled back the affect for the sets following and they printed Disallow and Censor which means they will probably be scaling back on the power of counterspells for up coming sets.
I can't really agree with you. Bontu's Last Reckoning is very likely to be effective in this format, Supreme Will is potentially quite good in the same way that Censor is good, and I'd say over all that we've gotten some effective answers in the last couple of sets. Yeah, Amonkhet seems to be a lower power level than Kaladesh, but Kaladesh was by all accounts designed specifically to print some Modern staples.
I am looking forward to brew a Bant Alarm deck (with intruder alarm, yes), seeing the new cards Pride Sovereignand Steward of Solidarity. At the very least it will be a fun deck.
Striped Riverwinder is pretty good, in a 5C version (with Ardent Plea over Demonic Dread).
Much better than Glassdust Hulk (or River Serpent).
Some more interesting cards:
Sunscourge Champion, Banewhip Punisher, Riddleform, Crash Through, Dunes of the Dead (Countervailing Winds).
I wonder if any of them can e playable in Modern.
You're not wrong, but Kaladesh also had two things going in its favour in terms of "power level". First, it was an artifact block. Artifact blocks are almost without fail more powerful than any other type of setting. Second, they were including a couple of new mechanics, and they had no freakin' idea how to balance them properly, and as a result we've got Vehicles with crew 1 and Aetherworks Marvel only taking 6 energy to spin.
Amonkhet has new mechanics too, but this time WotC didn't bollocks up pricing them, and as such the block is less powerful.
Why do people keep saying this? Kaladesh wasn't designed specifically to print some Modern staples, they printed a card fatal push which they realized would be better in eternal formats than in standard that doesn't mean they designed the card specifically for those formats. They also understood that the new eldarzi would be better in eternal formats, same with TC and DDT. WotC rarely ever prints cards with Modern, Legacy or Vintage in mind in Standard sets. The last time I remember them saying the specifically designed a card for Modern was Rending Volley.
Big difference between understanding that a card would be better in older formats than in Standard as opposed to specifically designing cards for those formats.
I do agree that Bontu's Last Reckoning is the most likely card to see Modern play. Supreme Will might but it depends if a deck exists that can be competitive with a worst version of Mana Leak, if they wanted the dig put one in hand those affects all ready exist things like Forbidden Alchemy and while the flexible modal nature of the card is nice it is irrelevant if the Mana Leak side is useless more often than not. If it had one more mode like return target non-land perm to its owners hand it would certainly see play but as it stands now most modal cards have to offer 4 different modes before they cut the mustard.
Cards that have a high chance of seeing modern play:
-Liliana's Defeat: A great sideboard card that deals with many threats in from the best deck in the format for the low price of B. Deals with Liliana of the veil, Liliana, the last hope, Tasigur, the golden fang, Death's shadow, Gurmag angler, Grim Flayer, Prized Amalgam, Street Wraith and Horror of the Broken Lands to name a few tier 1 black creatures. I expect this to be heavily played.
-Supreme Will: I feel like people are underrating this card because it has an overcosted mana leak stapled on to it. Similar to censor, this card is never dead since it also has impulse stapled onto it. It's decent early game since many decks don't have many lands in their decks so the mana leak potion isn't dead til turns 3-5. The stapled impulse seems very good on this card since people have been willing to play forbidden alchemy in their decks in the past and that also cost 3 mana which also digs 4 cards.
-Ramunap Excavator: This already has a home in a GW Company deck designed like Todd Steven's list (http://www.starcitygames.com/events/coverage/gw_company_with_todd_stevens.html). This card plus Azusa, Lost but Seeking and Ghost Quarter/Tectonic Edge seems like a good start. A Crucible of Worlds stapled onto a body will find a home somewhere if not there.
-Claim // Fame: One of the most attractive of the cards that has been revealed thus far due to the claim part on the card. Claim allows us to reanimate very powerful cards that are already played in tier 1-2 decks including: Death's shadow, Tarmogoyf, Snapcaster mage, dark confidant, Grim flayer. However I am interested in this card because it has great synergy with Jace, Vryn's prodigy since paying three mana allows us to reanimate jace and give him haste so he can become a planeswalker instantly which is very nice. However, the issue is that this card can be dead a lot of the time since there isn't always a creature to reanimate. I'll definitely be brewing with it for some fun jank at the very least.
-Scavenger Grounds: This land could be a nice 1 of in a tron deck that doesn't mind it coming into it's mana base.
Cards that have a chance to see play:
-Solemnity: Combos with phyrexian unlife. Doubles as decent sideboard hate as well. I'm a little uncertain of it directly slotting into ad naus because it's a clunky card that does nothing on it's own.
-Nimble Obstructionist: A nearly uncounterable stifle that cantrips and deals with many tier 1 threats in the format? Or if you don't want effect you get a 3/1 flying body with flash. This card will be played but I expect it to be the blue version of Aven Mindcensor/shadow of doubt where it will see play as a 1-2 at the most.
-Hollow One: One of my favorite cards revealed this far. Cost reduction mechanics are always scary to put on cards and this one doesn't take much work at all. Best of all he works with cards that are already good which is a good sign. Hollow one works best with: Cycling cards in a living end deck, street wraith can make him cost nothing potentially, faithless looting/cathartic reunion both make him cost one, collective brutality can dramatically reduce his cost as well. Time will tell on this one's playability but I would keep a watchful eye on this one.
-Bontu's Last Reckoning: One of the first cards that was leaked and has become forgotten. This card has a home in unconventional decks like tezzeret, agent of bolas decks because of the mana rocks that it uses, 8 rack because your opponents shouldn't have cards in their hand to punish you, etc.
-Rhonas's Last Stand: I have talked about this card a bit and I feel like it has the potential to find a deck home because it has a very attractive body for it's payoff. Mana dorks such as Birds of Paradise/Noble Hierarch make the downside easier and Lotus Cobra gets this in play with a fetchland crack. Being able to flash this back via snapcaster mage is cute but I feel like this is a card that a Mono G list would want. Fatal push hurts this cards viability sadly.
-Driven // Despair: A combat trick that seems decent in elves or Dredge since both can each side of the card. It's testable at the very least as a 1-2 of.
-Life Goes On: An interesting burn hate card that green decks can use from their sideboards. I worry about the narrowness of this card sine those same decks can just play kitchen finks which has more application against the format. Kitchen finks seems to have more general application against the format.
-Tragic Lesson: A divination at instant speed that has a discard/land unsummon as it's drawback. The only reason why I highlight this card is because it seems to slot into esper Goryo's Vengeance decks nicely.
Cards that have potential but don't quite get there
-Countervailing Winds: A cycling version of circular logic. This card makes me angry because we should have gotten a slightly nerfed version of circular logic in Shadows block. No reason to play this card in modern.
-Strategic Planning: While this effect is interesting the sorcery speed part kills this card. There simply isn't a reason to play this when thought scour/pieces to the puzzle/forbidden alchemy exist.
-Sunscourge Champion: A cute kitchen finks style card that comes back as a reasonable threat the turn after you play it. This card is very close to hitting the pan in modern. The issue that I see with it is that you have to discard a card to eternalilze it. Close but no cigar.
-Hour of Devastation: An extremely powerful effect that just doesn't have a home in modern. Skred red and sun and moon play a lot of planeswalkers so they don't want this. This card is heavily weakened because modern doesn't have a huge planeswalker issue, this goes in decks without access to sweapers and those are probably red intensive decks, and it kills koth, the hammer/Chandra, torch of defiance which are likely playing this card. It might see play in scapeshift decks but that's doubtful.
-Hazoret's Undying Fury: The first time that we have gotten a mind's desire effect in a long time. This one probably doesn't get there since it doesn't let you cast anything. The only home for this card is likely storm.
-Ammit Eternal: Beefy body that does a phyrexian negator impression but it's ultimately outclassed these days by bigger and better creatures. It seems on the cusp of being great but there are already beefy creatures that do not ask for as much. (tarmogoyf, tasigur, the golden fang, death's shadow, gurmag angler). This may move up depending on what else is revealed.
-Hour of Promise: I'm taking a wait and see approach to this card as we haven't seen all the deserts spoiled yet but as of right now the deserts determine it's playability in a scapeshift deck.
-Hostile Desert: Similar to the other deserts revealed thus far we have to wait and see how much the desert theme matters. This looks cute but it needs to much fuel to get going imho. A deck would have to play a lot of fetchlands and not mind it tapping for a colorless mana.
Abandoned Sarcophagus: An interesting combo enabler that likely doesn't have enough cards to enable it.
My top 5 cards that have the highest chance of seeing play in modern in no order:
1:Claim // Fame
2:Ramunap Excavator
3:Liliana's Defeat
4:Scavenger Grounds
5:Supreme Will
Honorable mention to Hollow One, Solemnity and Nimble Obstructionist
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/)
None
4
Claim // Fame (mostly just the Claim half, even though it's worse than Unearth)
3
Solemnity (combos with Phyrexian Unlife)
Lurching Rotbeast (Living End. Second rate compared to Horror or Carabid, but every black cycler counts.)
Scavenger Grounds (1-of in Eldrazi Tron. Bojuka Bog is better with Knight/Amulet)
2
Overwhelming Splendor
Steward of Solidarity (combos with Intruder Alarm. DAE unban Earthcraft? )
Sunscourge Champion (sleeper pick. It looks like a noob creature, but it's a 2/3 gain 2 followed by 4/4 gain 4. That's probably the definition of a noob creature though.)
Nimble Obstructionist
Strategic Planning (better than Taigam's Scheming, because it replaces itself)
Razaketh's Rite
Crash Through (replacement for Gitaxian Probe in Kiln Fiend)
Life Goes On (could have been better if it was revolt instead of morbid)
Ramunap Excavator
Consign // Oblivion
Hollow One
Hostile Desert
Defeat cycle (B>R=W>U>G)
God's Last _____ cycle and Hazoret's Undying Fury (B>R>G=W>U)
1
The rest
Countervailing Winds and Frilled Sandwalla are huge middle fingers to Circular Logic and Basking Rootwalla. wizards why
After thinking about it, I don't think the God's Last _____ cycle is that good. They get worse as the game goes on because those spells still exert the lands that you tapped for other spells. So if you Snap -> black wrath, you miss out on 5 lands worth of mana next turn, not 3. That's bad. It's less of a disadvantage for the red one because it's meant as a combo finisher, but it's an inconsistent combo finisher.
All the random Desert stuff doesn't seem playable. The payoff for building around Deserts is mostly creatures with combat abilities, which begs the question of "why not play Goyf/Tasigur/whatever efficient beater". They missed an opportunity to make Into the North for Deserts (Shefet Monitor doesn't count).
Overall there's enough random combos in this set to make me happy. Claim//Fame seems like a really good card for fair decks (by that I mean Grixis DS).
Cartouche of Solidarity 1
Cast Out 14
Gideon of the Trials 20
Glory-Bound Initiate 1
Oketra the True 0
Renewed Faith 0
Vizier of Remedies 69
As Foretold 2 (both UW control with AV and RB)
Censor 6
Cryptic Serpent 1
Curator of Mysteries 2 (all LE)
Drake Haven 0
Kefnet the Mindful 2
New Perspectives 0
Pull from Tomorrow 1
Archfiend of Ifnir 24 (all LE)
Bone Picker 1
Bontu the Glorified 0
Horror of the Broken Lands 34 (all LE)
Liliana, Death's Majesty 0
Plague Belcher 0
Shadow of the Grave 0
Trial of Ambition 0
By Force 16
Consuming Fervor 0
Desert Cerodon 32 (all LE)
Flameblade Adept 0
Glorious End 0
Harsh Mentor 8
Hazoret the Fervent 8
Soul-Scar Mage 0
Sweltering Suns 19
Channeler Initiate 0
Dissenter's Deliverance 1
Exemplar of Strength 0
Greater Sandwurm 0
Honored Hydra 0
Manglehorn 5
Rhonas the Indomitable 26
Sixth Sense 0
Vizier of the Menagerie 5
Enigma Drake 0
Nissa, Steward of Elements 7
Samut, Voice of Dissent 0
Dusk // Dawn 9
Never // Return 4
Start // Finish 8 (7 Dredge, 1 Tokens)
Reduce // Rubble 3 (all redge)
Failure // Comply 0
Cut // Ribbons 0
Bontu's Monument 0
Hazoret's Monument 0
Kefnet's Monument 0
Oketra's Monument 0
Oracle's Vault 0
Pyramid of the Pantheon 0
Rhonas's Monument 0
Throne of the God-Pharaoh 1
Canyon Slough 10 (9 Dredge, 1 Rakdos Demigod)
Cascading Cataracts 0
Fetid Pools 2
Irrigated Farmland 9 (all UWx control)
Scattered Groves 0
Sheltered Thicket 21 (mostly Dredge and Valakut)
The best card form the set is Vizier of Remedies. Joel Larsson boldly predicted just that, and Harsh Mentor would be unplayable, so props to him. Vizier is the heart of both combos in the Company deck (Seer + Vizier + Finks, Devoted Druid + Vizier + Recruiter/Chord/Ballista/Rhonas), and one of those combos doesn't use the graveyard.
The next best cards are the cyclers for Living End: Horror, Cerodon and Archfiend. The extra 1-mana cyclers have made the deck much more mana-efficient; you'll see nary a Jungle Weaver or Pale Recluse in today's LE. Archfiend costs 2 to cycle, but he comes with a relevant ability and evasion. Nevertheless, he's often played as a 2-of, not 4-of. Also worth noting that the overwhelming majority of LE decks did not add blue for Curator of Mysteries or the plan Bs of Drake Haven/As Foretold.
Notable underperformers are Gideon of the Trials (yes, he did see play, but a lot less than people were expecting), As Foretold, Censor, Bone Picker, and Harsh Mentor (aka glorified Tunnel Ignus). Some cards that saw a decent amount of play are Cast Out, By Force, Sweltering Suns, Rhonas the Indomitable (though he was there just as a wincon in the Vizier combo) and Sheltered Thicket.
| Ad Nauseam
| Infect
Big Johnny.
Gideon of the trials is a staple in UW control decks. I would hardly call that underwhelming since he is in a tier 2 deck. I think censor is good enough to see play there just isn't a deck home for it IMHO.
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/)
Modern - Cheeri0s (building), Belcher (building), Lantern (building), UW Control (building)
RIP Magic Duels. Wizards will regret what they did to you.
The problem I have with your assessment of Supreme Will is the "its isn't dead until turns 3-5" but you can't even cast the mana leak side until turn 3 so it is always closer to starting out as dead half of a card. I think Censor is better over all because while it isn't taxing the spell for as much it also is all around cheaper for each function the card offers. Not saying it wont see play, I just have trouble thinking of a deck that can actually make use of it. Esper is already heavily clogged at the 3cc and this doesn't seem better than the things like Esper Charm or Lingering Souls, UW doesn't even run many counters at all and the ones it prefers are hard counters with upside like Cryptic or functionally hard counters like Logic Knot, Grixis also runs very light on counters in favor of creature removal and Cryptic or Spell Snare as hard counter options, Jeskai similar to UW doesn't run many counters and the ones it does run are again leaning more towards the harder counter options and is more of a long game burn deck with creature removal; maybe they swap out the one of leak for this?
Again I'm not saying it will not see play, its just that 3 mana is expensive for a affect that currently sees little to no play in the decks that have access to the affect for a mana less.
Nimble Obstructionist also I think will suffer from the cost stapled onto it, if it had the ability as a ETB trigger on top of the cycle affect it would be much more playable but as it stands the format is so fast and most decks that offering targets for the affect are doing so very early T1 T2 so maybe you snipe a T3 fetch but decks like Grixis DS will have most likely seen him in your hand by that point and either discarded him if he is problematic or simply be at a phase in the game in which they can disregard him as they will likely have you in a position of needing to cast him to chump block. And cycling this against something like Inkmoth Nexus just seems like a losing situation since affinity likely can simply pay 1 to activate it in response so you achieved what? making a Inkmoth activation cost 2 instead of 1? hardly seems worth it. the Stifle affect should have been costed at 1U if the creature is going to simply be a vanilla flash flier.
I also think that Bontu's Last Reckoning is a bit better than your giving it credit for, I could see it easily sliding into any UBx since getting to the late game is paramount in those types of decks and casting this on 3, serum visions or fatal push on 4, and having the option to Snap it back on 5 seems like a solid plan for pulling aggro decks into deep water. Haste creatures are not hyper prevalent out side of burn and your likely isn't going to want to over commit in the face of a follow up wipe on 5.
Hallow One doesn't seem worthy of a Honorable mention his stats are just bad, if you cast him for 1 you get a vanilla 4/4, way better things that you can cheat into play for 1 mana in the format. Not to mention he dies to the shatter half of Kcommand which just seems like such a swing in favor of the Kcommand caster.
Claim // Fame looks good, but is an enabler, not an answer. And Liliana's Defeat at sorcery speed is too narrow to see any real play. Seems Dreadbore would be so much better since it has no restrictions.
UR ....... WUBR ........... WB ............. RGW ........ UBR ....... WUB .... BGU
Spells / Blink & Combo / Token Grind / Dino Tribal / Draw Cards / Zombies / Reanimate
No, they said it would start with the fall set. This is the set they said we'd have to live with until Ixalan comes out. Given the leak I'm not holding my breath.
As someone who buys cards up to build with in constructed this entire block is cringe worthy outside of limited. It's not often you see a set where everything is so badly overcosted, at the wrong rarity, etc that your brain wants to shut down half way through the spoiler season. Well, it's that or the conversation I had with a friend recently that basically ended with the comment that the old guys near retirement who probably want more money would gladly cut card quality as people will keep buying poorly made cards anyway (this is in regards to materials / print quality, not the design of the cards).
Our future is recycle toilet paper mtg cards that will require quadruple card sleeving with the solid backs sold separately. Hasbro's new tagline: we make it because you need it!
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!