I've been playing Magic since I was about eleven, kitchen table with my family. I stopped playing at the end of the first Ravnica block, due to just simply not having the time or money to devote to a "lesser" hobby at the time.
Que College, where my group of friends sucker me back into it.... at the end of Return to Ravnica, when Dragon's Maze was already out. My first actual FLGS game was the M14 Pre-release, which as you can imagine already had me quite behind in the Standard scene; I had no staples, no experiance, and all that jazz.
Instantly I took a disliking to it; it all seemed cookie cutter, nothing I built would work, all those types of problems.
I realize that I just picked a BAD time to join, but now that I have some staples from Theros, and all the RtR stuff is getting ready to rotate, I figure it's time to give it a second try.
So can anyone give me some tips for the upcoming M15 "Cards to Watch"?
Right now I've got my eye on Underworld Cerberus plus Generator ServantRB monsters. I need you guys to tell me if it's a bad idea, good idea, top rate, or playable.
I don't want to keep writing a good format off; it's got to be popular for a reason, right?
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Oath of the Gatewatch; the set that caused the competitive community to freak out over Basic Lands.
For Cerberus, it will probably never be standard playable, because,
1) same CMC as stormbreath, which is leagues of head of it
2) It helps any non control deck, by getting back their creatures from the grave.
But hey I could be wrong, and its super cheap, so you might as well get a couple, just in case. But be preapred if it never goes anywhere.
Standard is a bit dull right now, you're not imagining it. If you have a lot of Ravnica and earlier staples, have you thought of getting into Modern ( which has the second largest player base after Standard ) or Legacy?
If you're planning on jumping in the format just before ( or after ) rotation, I think G/R Monsters is a good archetype: almost all of its power cards ( Polukranos, Courser of Kruphix, Sylvan Caryatid, and Stormbreath Dragon ) will still be here.
Black aggro and midrange are also both likely to keep a decent position going into the fall. Black might lose Pack Rat and Desecration Demon, but it does not lose Thoughtseize or Hero's Downfall.
It's hard to say what cards you should look out for come rotation because frankly no one knows definitively what will be good and this is like the worst site to get that advice. Even something like Chord of Calling, which is common in the modern format might not have that playability in standard, like deathrite shaman. Deathrite Shaman saw a little play in standard but was a staple of modern and legacy. There will always be extenuating circumstances why a card becomes playable or unplayable.
Dual lands are usually a pretty safe bet, but then again even cards like temple of epiphany barely have plyability currently. I mean a ton of people said Elspeth was too expensive to play but now she's arguably the most resilient and reliable win condition.
I think Polymorphist's Jest and Aetherspout may end up being very reliable and in demand cards, but if a 4 mana sweeper shows up in the next set, which history undeniably has shown it will, but Rosewater vaguely hints it might not, those cards could be low value.
Nissa seems like a reliable card for the next rotation, even though she's closing in on $20 so everyone has come to that conclusion.
As far as sleeper cards go, personally I think no one is taking Life's Legacy seriously right now. I might be wrong but if a monster's type deck gets to refill its hand that's trouble for any opponent.
1. something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.
2. an object that is regarded as the usual or most common size or form of its kind: We stock the deluxe models as well as the standards.
3. a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment: They tried to establish standards for a new philosophical approach.
4. an average or normal requirement, quality, quantity, level, grade, etc.: His work this week hasn't been up to his usual standard.
5. standards, those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by authority, custom, or an individual as acceptable: He tried to live up to his father's standards.
Cerberus says that cards in graveyards can't be targetted, but Tormod's doesn't target the cards, but rather the graveyard itself, correct?
Because that might be a fun deck right there.
I believe that it should still exile the players graveyard. Tormad's targets a player, not the graveyard or anything in it. It's like how Mortars targets a creature, but the overload doesn't which allows for it to work around things such as hexproof and fiendslayer paladin.
Black aggro and midrange are also both likely to keep a decent position going into the fall. Black might lose Pack Rat and Desecration Demon, but it does not lose Thoughtseize or Hero's Downfall.
I don't know, Black Devotion doesn't seem in a good spot with the loss of Underworld Connections. The continual card advantage was a HUGE part of the deck, combined with the two devotion it gained. So the loss of Desecration Demon, Pack Rat, Underworld Connections, Ultimate Price, Devour Flesh, and Doom Blade will probably leave the deck in shambles. Not to mention lack of mutavault will also leave it more vulnerable to creature based strategies.
Black Aggro looks to still be in a great spot however. Jund Will probably still be very strong with Xenagos, Stormbreath, Pulkranos, Courser of Kruphix, Thoughtseize, ect. Burn may or may not still be a thing depending on which if there are good replacements for Boros Charm, and Warleader's Helix.
The loss of Jace, Verdict, and Revelation still does not make control iffy. Control WILL exist. It just might not be UWx
Courser of Kruphix and Sylvan Caryatid will still be important after rotation, whether as Bant Control, a continuation of RG monsters, or as part of any new midrange deck that includes green.
Mono Black could possibly survive, but losing Rat, Demon, and Connections will really hurt, if not kill the archetype. Downfall and Thoughseize will still be big, but will be reasons for another color to use black, rather than Grey Merchant devotion splashing another color. Urborg does help make black easier to work with other colors though.
Mono Black could possibly survive, but losing Rat, Demon, and Connections will really hurt, if not kill the archetype. Downfall and Thoughseize will still be big, but will be reasons for another color to use black, rather than Grey Merchant devotion splashing another color. Urborg does help make black easier to work with other colors though.
This seems very likely to me, unless something gets printed that actively changes the situation. Urborg makes Black the ultimate splash color. With Urborg and BX Duals, Black is the go-to splash color for hard removal, Thoughtsieze and possibly even draw from Read the Bones and Sign in Blood. Depending on deck, you could run Athreos or other cards that don't see tons of play at the highest tables right now, and its all due to Urborg.
Black is lossing a lot of great cards come rotation. I don't think its going to pick up enough to rebuild a MonoBlack Devotion deck, especially since Wizards has stated that they were afraid of a Block Monster ala Affinity, but Black will become something else, namely the ultimate second color.
It's hard to say what cards you should look out for come rotation because frankly no one knows definitively what will be good and this is like the worst site to get that advice.
It's hard to say what cards you should look out for come rotation because frankly no one knows definitively what will be good and this is like the worst site to get that advice.
Where would be a better place to get advice?
The following cards are insanely powerful and will continue to be insanely powerful after rotation:
See like this list is pure speculation. We just got Back to Nature so any deck that can utilize Eidolon of Blossoms may no longer be viable. Prognostic Sphinx is a staple block card, but it has seen absolutely no play in standard, and without knowing what will be in Khans theres no certainty it'll be playable. Without boros reckoner, burning tree emissary, ash zealot, and chandra's phoenix, Fanatic of Mogis may no longer be viable. Nyx-Fleece Ram was an excellent sideboard card, but with mizzium mortars rotating, and wall of omens returning, it could very well become obsolete. Nighthowler is really iffy as it only sees play in 1 fringe deck and requires a deck built around it. And like I said not every temple is instantly playable. Dual lands are typically safe bets, but there isn't a single common deck that plays Temple of Epiphany. Gray merchant of asphodel is another very iffy card as it is losing a good 75% of its deck.
IronPlushy everything you say hinges entirely on Khans of Tarkir being released with 0 cards in it.
While it's possible that a very small number of the cards I named end up going unused, without a doubt the vast majority will see a great deal of standard play. These people are asking for some usable information as to where to begin deckbuilding. That's what I'm giving them.
I own like 8-9 copies of Reaper of the wilds. I strongly believe it to be the number 1 4 drop after rotation. There super cheap to pick up currently too at about. 50 cents a pop so I'd suggest scooping up several and sitting on them for a few weeks after rotation when people stop playing mono red and actually try to make a deck.
I will tell you that Standard is pretty fierce competition, especially at bigger events.
IMO it is really fun and rewarding, as rotations keep the format from getting stale
It is really good to netdeck to a degree I can tell you that flat out. Some people will tell you that is somehow worse than brewing but it really isn't. Pro Players have a lot of experience, and you can benefit soooo much from looking at their lists that net decking is too good to pass up.
-This is just advice from a standard veteran, figured maybe you could use some small piece of it
I've been playing Magic since I was about eleven, kitchen table with my family. I stopped playing at the end of the first Ravnica block, due to just simply not having the time or money to devote to a "lesser" hobby at the time.
Que College, where my group of friends sucker me back into it.... at the end of Return to Ravnica, when Dragon's Maze was already out. My first actual FLGS game was the M14 Pre-release, which as you can imagine already had me quite behind in the Standard scene; I had no staples, no experiance, and all that jazz.
Instantly I took a disliking to it; it all seemed cookie cutter, nothing I built would work, all those types of problems.
I realize that I just picked a BAD time to join, but now that I have some staples from Theros, and all the RtR stuff is getting ready to rotate, I figure it's time to give it a second try.
So can anyone give me some tips for the upcoming M15 "Cards to Watch"?
Right now I've got my eye on Underworld Cerberus plus Generator Servant RB monsters. I need you guys to tell me if it's a bad idea, good idea, top rate, or playable.
I don't want to keep writing a good format off; it's got to be popular for a reason, right?
1) same CMC as stormbreath, which is leagues of head of it
2) It helps any non control deck, by getting back their creatures from the grave.
But hey I could be wrong, and its super cheap, so you might as well get a couple, just in case. But be preapred if it never goes anywhere.
Standard is a bit dull right now, you're not imagining it. If you have a lot of Ravnica and earlier staples, have you thought of getting into Modern ( which has the second largest player base after Standard ) or Legacy?
If you're planning on jumping in the format just before ( or after ) rotation, I think G/R Monsters is a good archetype: almost all of its power cards ( Polukranos, Courser of Kruphix, Sylvan Caryatid, and Stormbreath Dragon ) will still be here.
UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU's prison: blue is the new orange is the new black.
Mizzix Of The Izmagnus : wheels on fire... rolling down the road...
BSidisi, Undead VizierB: Bis zum Erbrechen
GTitiania, Protector Of ArgothG: Protecting Argoth, by blowing it up!
GYisan, The Wanderer BardG: Gradus Ad Elfball.
Duel EDH: Yisan & Titania.
In Progress: Grand Arbiter Augustin IV duel; Grenzo, Dungeon Warden Doomsday.
Dual lands are usually a pretty safe bet, but then again even cards like temple of epiphany barely have plyability currently. I mean a ton of people said Elspeth was too expensive to play but now she's arguably the most resilient and reliable win condition.
I think Polymorphist's Jest and Aetherspout may end up being very reliable and in demand cards, but if a 4 mana sweeper shows up in the next set, which history undeniably has shown it will, but Rosewater vaguely hints it might not, those cards could be low value.
Nissa seems like a reliable card for the next rotation, even though she's closing in on $20 so everyone has come to that conclusion.
As far as sleeper cards go, personally I think no one is taking Life's Legacy seriously right now. I might be wrong but if a monster's type deck gets to refill its hand that's trouble for any opponent.
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1. something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.
2. an object that is regarded as the usual or most common size or form of its kind: We stock the deluxe models as well as the standards.
3. a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment: They tried to establish standards for a new philosophical approach.
4. an average or normal requirement, quality, quantity, level, grade, etc.: His work this week hasn't been up to his usual standard.
5. standards, those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by authority, custom, or an individual as acceptable: He tried to live up to his father's standards.
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Cerberus says that cards in graveyards can't be targetted, but Tormod's doesn't target the cards, but rather the graveyard itself, correct?
Because that might be a fun deck right there.
I believe that it should still exile the players graveyard. Tormad's targets a player, not the graveyard or anything in it. It's like how Mortars targets a creature, but the overload doesn't which allows for it to work around things such as hexproof and fiendslayer paladin.
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I don't know, Black Devotion doesn't seem in a good spot with the loss of Underworld Connections. The continual card advantage was a HUGE part of the deck, combined with the two devotion it gained. So the loss of Desecration Demon, Pack Rat, Underworld Connections, Ultimate Price, Devour Flesh, and Doom Blade will probably leave the deck in shambles. Not to mention lack of mutavault will also leave it more vulnerable to creature based strategies.
Black Aggro looks to still be in a great spot however. Jund Will probably still be very strong with Xenagos, Stormbreath, Pulkranos, Courser of Kruphix, Thoughtseize, ect. Burn may or may not still be a thing depending on which if there are good replacements for Boros Charm, and Warleader's Helix.
Control is also iffy, due to the loss of Supreme Verdict, Jace, Architect of Thought and Sphinx's Revelation.
But this is all guessess looking towards September with no information on Khans.
Standard
WUW/U HumansUW
Modern
WBW/B TokensBW
Courser of Kruphix and Sylvan Caryatid will still be important after rotation, whether as Bant Control, a continuation of RG monsters, or as part of any new midrange deck that includes green.
Mono Black could possibly survive, but losing Rat, Demon, and Connections will really hurt, if not kill the archetype. Downfall and Thoughseize will still be big, but will be reasons for another color to use black, rather than Grey Merchant devotion splashing another color. Urborg does help make black easier to work with other colors though.
This seems very likely to me, unless something gets printed that actively changes the situation. Urborg makes Black the ultimate splash color. With Urborg and BX Duals, Black is the go-to splash color for hard removal, Thoughtsieze and possibly even draw from Read the Bones and Sign in Blood. Depending on deck, you could run Athreos or other cards that don't see tons of play at the highest tables right now, and its all due to Urborg.
Black is lossing a lot of great cards come rotation. I don't think its going to pick up enough to rebuild a MonoBlack Devotion deck, especially since Wizards has stated that they were afraid of a Block Monster ala Affinity, but Black will become something else, namely the ultimate second color.
Where would be a better place to get advice?
The following cards are insanely powerful and will continue to be insanely powerful after rotation:
Prognostic Sphinx is a staple block card, but it has seen absolutely no play in standard, and without knowing what will be in Khans theres no certainty it'll be playable. Without boros reckoner, burning tree emissary, ash zealot, and chandra's phoenix, Fanatic of Mogis may no longer be viable. Nyx-Fleece Ram was an excellent sideboard card, but with mizzium mortars rotating, and wall of omens returning, it could very well become obsolete. Nighthowler is really iffy as it only sees play in 1 fringe deck and requires a deck built around it. And like I said not every temple is instantly playable. Dual lands are typically safe bets, but there isn't a single common deck that plays Temple of Epiphany. Gray merchant of asphodel is another very iffy card as it is losing a good 75% of its deck.
While it's possible that a very small number of the cards I named end up going unused, without a doubt the vast majority will see a great deal of standard play. These people are asking for some usable information as to where to begin deckbuilding. That's what I'm giving them.
IMO it is really fun and rewarding, as rotations keep the format from getting stale
It is really good to netdeck to a degree I can tell you that flat out. Some people will tell you that is somehow worse than brewing but it really isn't. Pro Players have a lot of experience, and you can benefit soooo much from looking at their lists that net decking is too good to pass up.
-This is just advice from a standard veteran, figured maybe you could use some small piece of it
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