I'm here today to discuss why people hate on this guy. I mean, people flat out says he sucks and i just dont see it. Are people trying to play him in an aggro deck or something? sure, he costs 6 but he has 4 VERY relevant abilities. The very least you ramp into him using Plasm Capture and still have 1 mana open to blink to protect him till your next turn.
Heres my theory, if he hits, and you get to untap, your going to get beat in the head by him a lot lol. I think he's a control players dream. Plus the fact that you can make him unblockable, hit for whatever, blink him during your second main phase, and return him again as a blocker is very relevant. I dunno.
i play on cockatrice a lot to deck test, and everyone there says he sucks and he's to mana intensive, but yet he's won me MANY games. just wanna hear thoughts
i play on cockatrice a lot to deck test, and everyone there says he sucks and he's to mana intensive, but yet he's won me MANY games. just wanna hear thoughts
The skill level on cockatrice is lower than an FNM top 16. Ignore what they say and keep winning.
As a finisher in a Grixis control deck, he's been amazing. I don't think I've lost a game in which he has come down.
This. Aetherling is a control decks finisher,just like Morphing. It is a great card, but you have to be able to play a control deck to properly use it, most people do not.
He's not seeing a ton of play simply because there aren't many control decks that are consistently winning. Esper is falling out of favor again, and he's too mana intensive for U/W/R which relies on tons of instants/flash creatures. He sees play in Bant or Grixis control but neither is tier 1 right now. Everyone knows he's strong, he just doesn't have a strong home yet. That said, I'd definitely pick up a few copies becuase once snapcaster says goodbye, wizards is free to print good counters again!
Aetherling is most definitely an amazing creature and Control deck finisher. I play one copy mainboard in Esper Control and he is nothing short of ridiculous. Esper is a deck that can get to the late stage of the game to cast this guy. Once he resolves and you untap, he's going to win the game, snipe Planeswalkers, etc. Plus, you have to love the fact you can sweep the board again when he is out, exile him in response, and get him back untapped on your end step. People saying he sucks are simply obtuse, not looking at his abilities at all (or simply glancing at his abilities), never played him, and are poor card evaluators in general.
Aetherling is most definitely an amazing creature and Control deck finisher. I play one copy mainboard in Esper Control and he is nothing short of ridiculous. Esper is a deck that can get to the late stage of the game to cast this guy. Once he resolves and you untap, he's going to win the game, snipe Planeswalkers, etc. Plus, you have to love the fact you can sweep the board again when he is out, exile him in response, and get him back untapped on your end step. People saying he sucks are simply obtuse, not looking at his abilities at all (or simply glancing at his abilities), never played him, and are poor card evaluators in general.
Definitely. I think the main flaw people see in it is the mana-intensive nature of it. But he is definitely best utilized for control to finish games, and if control works well, it will last long enough to table Aetherling. And once he's out, you literally do not have to cast anything else to win the game. Your 5-6 mana is well-invested into him every turn, and you have spare to block/cast spells anyway.
I think the most common argument I hear against Aetherling is, "he doesn't impact the board as soon as he resolves." The folks at my lgs always compaer him to Angel of Serenity in terms of board impact and mana cost. AoSerenity is an amazing creature to be sure. However, comparatively speaking, for seven mana I would rather have an Aetherling in Esper Control (as an example). Why? Even all Aetherling does is "beat" ( a common accusation) in actuality he can do more. He can attack, then exile on your turn so he gains a sort of vigilance to block opposing ground attackers. He can kill any Planeswalker your opponent has out. He allows Control decks to sweep the board if they regain board advantage, exile himself and return that same turn to block any haste attackers. He is completely immune to all removal of any kind (in Standard). In a Control deck, I want my finisher to be unkillable. AoSerenity does a pseudo-wrath and that's amazing, but she is not immune to removal. I don't want to drop an AoSerenity only to have to my opponent eot putrefy etc and be timewalked. Aetherling has a lot of synergy with what Control wants to be doing, and is unkillable, and has a lot of versatility even in combat, as well as making opposing Planeswalkers look silly. Aetherling is legit.
Angel of Serinity is just a better finisher. Aetherling doesn't give you the card advantage.
It is really the deck's sweepers is why Aetherling is weaker. Supreme Verdict is the best sweeper and it is in white so no reason to not run AoS over Aetherling. The non-Verdict decks have to rely on mutilate which is much weaker.
The combination of running a weaker sweeper and a weaker finisher not desirable. If you want to play it just to not be like every one else go right ahead. Understand though it is a weaker choice. When players say it sucks that is why.
Angel of serenity isn't actually that great in a control deck with few/no other creatures, simply because your opponents will finally get to use that dreadbore they've been sitting on for the whole game.
This, of course, is why esper uses nephalia drownyard or PWs as its win condition, not AoS. These finishers are the correct comparision to aetherling.
Angel of Serinity is just a better finisher. Aetherling doesn't give you the card advantage.
It is really the deck's sweepers is why Aetherling is weaker. Supreme Verdict is the best sweeper and it is in white so no reason to not run AoS over Aetherling. The non-Verdict decks have to rely on mutilate which is much weaker.
The combination of running a weaker sweeper and a weaker finisher not desirable. If you want to play it just to not be like every one else go right ahead. Understand though it is a weaker choice. When players say it sucks that is why.
Aetherling can race AoS all day, AoS does nothing to Aetherling as long as the Aetherling player has 1 blue open. When you're at the point where you can drop Aetherling, you don't need anymore card advantage because you just win in 2-3 turns. See how that works? We can sit here all day inventing scenarios in which one finisher is better than the other. Yes, there will be times when Angel of Serenity is better, but there will be times when Aetherling is better too. But, to compare these two is not really fair. Control finishers don't matter as much as the available utility. It just depends on how YOU decide you want to finish out the game.
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Aetherling can race AoS all day, AoS does nothing to Aetherling as long as the Aetherling player has 1 blue open. When you're at the point where you can drop Aetherling, you don't need anymore card advantage because you just win in 2-3 turns. See how that works? We can sit here all day inventing scenarios in which one finisher is better than the other. Yes, there will be times when Angel of Serenity is better, but there will be times when Aetherling is better too. But, to compare these two is not really fair. Control finishers don't matter as much as the available utility. It just depends on how YOU decide you want to finish out the game.
You do realize when you force the exile on the Aetherling for the turn you effectively take 0 damage for the turn.
To say he is completely unblock able is pretty shallow and ultimately a lie.
Azorius Charm = must exile = 0 damage.
Ultimate Price = must exile = 0 damage.
The list goes on. To say he is ultimately the best etc etc is just plain and simply not true. An Angel of Serenity or an Aetherling un contested are both 2-3 turn clocks. But when both are contested Angel has more value.
So he doesn't/wont outrace everyone. Especially a flyer. and Secondly, Idk why people Compare the two because in the decks where you have a choice between the two, AoS isn't used as a finisher. But just thought I had to say that.
Your opponent is still down a card after using charms. I just ordered a playset, I pulled a VoR but as a casual player, he holds little value to me. I prefer control and this guy is nuts fun. Can't wait to run around with him.
Who says you have to run one over the other. When a control deck emerges to compete against tier 1 jund it will have to find multiple ways to win. slaughter games is still one of the best ways to deal with both AoS and aetherling.
I ran Aetherling as a 2-of in the sideboard of my BUG Aggro deck at FNM last week, and the results were crazy. He absolutely stole games against Esper Control and Junk Midrange.
Aetherling is a good card yes, but whether he finds a spot in standard is debatable.
I believe people underestimate him for a lot of reasons.
- Doesn't impact the board immediately - O.K. He's not a titan. He is not supposed to be. He has value in evasion instead. If he had an ETB as well, he would a be a 30$ mythic.
-No CA. - Well, yes actually. He can end the game in 2-3 turns relatively easily. He can attack, he can block (exile after attack) and he can't be blocked. I'm certain you're going to want to remove him, and when he dodges that, its CA.
The downside for standard play that stands out to me is that he is mana intensive. You'll need 1 to make him unblockable, another to exile and block with him, 0-4 more for damage, and 1-2 up to dodge removal. That's 3-7 mana or so per turn, but very worst case scenario.
With that said, you can always block-exile for 1 each turn, or better yet, block profitably.
Then again they could always remove him precombat after you drop him, and if he exiles, no blocker and tapped out. That would fold pretty bad to any aggro deck with removal.
I run 2 of in my Grixis Control, and yes, he can seal the deal most of the times, but it's mana intensive. I brewed the deck with keyrunes and now with Ral the untap becomes more relevant, having U ready.
I think once Snappy rotates and good counters and removal comes, control will be back again.
What a lot of people forget with Aetherling is you don't have to sink mana into him. Sure, an 8/1 unblockable is nice, but you can just swing for 4/5 unblockable for U, or pump him a little bit if you want to hold up mana for counterspells or as an efficient blocker. The card puts opponents on a clock either way, its just how greedy you want to get.
I think compared to Angel, its going to depend on the build. Angel helps wipe a field and get you CA right off the bat, but Aetherling just runs your opponents resources into the ground as they try and remove it. Sure, it deals 0 damage when it gets targeted, but at the same time, you don't have to waste cards or counterspells to protect it. You basically run a resources race against your opponent at that point, and usually control decks are going to win that. In comparison, Angel has to get recast/protected/absorbed by another Angel for recurrence, which can be worse in some situations, and can be better in some. They are both different cards that do a lot of different things - just because they are 7 drops doesn't mean they are directly comparable past that.
Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors, I mostly post from my tablet/smartphone.
Currently playing: Standard: UBRControl
Commander:
White Makes Right (Mikaeus, The Lunarch)
Izzet Fun Yet? (Jhoira of the Ghitu)
The Perfect Storm (Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge)
Dead Grave Walking (Skullbriar, the Walking Grave)
How Could You Be So Heartless? (Heartless Hidetsugu)
I only use this guy in control, and I always leave at least 2 blue sources open to protect against 2 removal spells, usually that's enough, and they don't have enough removal to deal with it.
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I'm here today to discuss why people hate on this guy. I mean, people flat out says he sucks and i just dont see it. Are people trying to play him in an aggro deck or something? sure, he costs 6 but he has 4 VERY relevant abilities. The very least you ramp into him using Plasm Capture and still have 1 mana open to blink to protect him till your next turn.
Heres my theory, if he hits, and you get to untap, your going to get beat in the head by him a lot lol. I think he's a control players dream. Plus the fact that you can make him unblockable, hit for whatever, blink him during your second main phase, and return him again as a blocker is very relevant. I dunno.
Can someone please explain to me how he sucks?
The skill level on cockatrice is lower than an FNM top 16. Ignore what they say and keep winning.
This. Aetherling is a control decks finisher,just like Morphing. It is a great card, but you have to be able to play a control deck to properly use it, most people do not.
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Definitely. I think the main flaw people see in it is the mana-intensive nature of it. But he is definitely best utilized for control to finish games, and if control works well, it will last long enough to table Aetherling. And once he's out, you literally do not have to cast anything else to win the game. Your 5-6 mana is well-invested into him every turn, and you have spare to block/cast spells anyway.
It is really the deck's sweepers is why Aetherling is weaker. Supreme Verdict is the best sweeper and it is in white so no reason to not run AoS over Aetherling. The non-Verdict decks have to rely on mutilate which is much weaker.
The combination of running a weaker sweeper and a weaker finisher not desirable. If you want to play it just to not be like every one else go right ahead. Understand though it is a weaker choice. When players say it sucks that is why.
This, of course, is why esper uses nephalia drownyard or PWs as its win condition, not AoS. These finishers are the correct comparision to aetherling.
2011-2012:Bantblade, BantPod
2010-2011:Bant Shaman, Naya Shaman, Naya allies + Scars, URG Turboforce
2009-2010:Naya allies, Mono-White Titan Control
Aetherling can race AoS all day, AoS does nothing to Aetherling as long as the Aetherling player has 1 blue open. When you're at the point where you can drop Aetherling, you don't need anymore card advantage because you just win in 2-3 turns. See how that works? We can sit here all day inventing scenarios in which one finisher is better than the other. Yes, there will be times when Angel of Serenity is better, but there will be times when Aetherling is better too. But, to compare these two is not really fair. Control finishers don't matter as much as the available utility. It just depends on how YOU decide you want to finish out the game.
Sig banner courtesy of Miraculous Recovery Signatures
You do realize when you force the exile on the Aetherling for the turn you effectively take 0 damage for the turn.
To say he is completely unblock able is pretty shallow and ultimately a lie.
Azorius Charm = must exile = 0 damage.
Ultimate Price = must exile = 0 damage.
The list goes on. To say he is ultimately the best etc etc is just plain and simply not true. An Angel of Serenity or an Aetherling un contested are both 2-3 turn clocks. But when both are contested Angel has more value.
So he doesn't/wont outrace everyone. Especially a flyer. and Secondly, Idk why people Compare the two because in the decks where you have a choice between the two, AoS isn't used as a finisher. But just thought I had to say that.
Those people are total idiots.
/thread.
I believe people underestimate him for a lot of reasons.
- Doesn't impact the board immediately - O.K. He's not a titan. He is not supposed to be. He has value in evasion instead. If he had an ETB as well, he would a be a 30$ mythic.
-No CA. - Well, yes actually. He can end the game in 2-3 turns relatively easily. He can attack, he can block (exile after attack) and he can't be blocked. I'm certain you're going to want to remove him, and when he dodges that, its CA.
The downside for standard play that stands out to me is that he is mana intensive. You'll need 1 to make him unblockable, another to exile and block with him, 0-4 more for damage, and 1-2 up to dodge removal. That's 3-7 mana or so per turn, but very worst case scenario.
With that said, you can always block-exile for 1 each turn, or better yet, block profitably.
Then again they could always remove him precombat after you drop him, and if he exiles, no blocker and tapped out. That would fold pretty bad to any aggro deck with removal.
I think once Snappy rotates and good counters and removal comes, control will be back again.
BR RkDW-Aggro | UBR Cruel Grixis-Control
Legacy:
WW Soldier Tribal-Aggro| WW Stax-Control
Modern:
RW Artifact Boros-Aggro | GB The Rock-Midrange
I think compared to Angel, its going to depend on the build. Angel helps wipe a field and get you CA right off the bat, but Aetherling just runs your opponents resources into the ground as they try and remove it. Sure, it deals 0 damage when it gets targeted, but at the same time, you don't have to waste cards or counterspells to protect it. You basically run a resources race against your opponent at that point, and usually control decks are going to win that. In comparison, Angel has to get recast/protected/absorbed by another Angel for recurrence, which can be worse in some situations, and can be better in some. They are both different cards that do a lot of different things - just because they are 7 drops doesn't mean they are directly comparable past that.
Oh, and Aetherling fits wonderfully in Grixis
Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors, I mostly post from my tablet/smartphone.
Currently playing:
Standard:
UBRControl
Commander:
White Makes Right (Mikaeus, The Lunarch)
Izzet Fun Yet? (Jhoira of the Ghitu)
The Perfect Storm (Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge)
Dead Grave Walking (Skullbriar, the Walking Grave)
How Could You Be So Heartless? (Heartless Hidetsugu)
Resource racing is not where I want to be right now with acidic slim being in nearly every deck right now. Some have slime and Resto on top of that.
Of course he is good in Grixis. You do not have access to AoS. I think I'd rather have grisilbrand or Bolas.
Dega midrange 1-0