Another red two drop. Most of red's big things coming down the road already have haste, but I see this guy doing great things in R/G decks, the same way Lightning Mauler does. Still, it is card disadvantage if you ever use the ability. Thoughts?
Generator Servant
1R
2/1
Creature - Elemental
Tap, Sacrifice Generator Servant: Add 2 to your mana pool. If that mana is spent on a creature spell, it gains haste until end of turn.
M15 was real sweet to red. Not the best for pushing out 5 drops in its own color, since Zealous Conscripts and Thundermaw Hellkite seems to be the most popular 5 drops but man, this is beautiful with other high drops.
Turn 3 hasted Baneslayers. Turn 3 hasted Kalonian Hydras. Turn 4 (or 3 with a mana elf) hasted Titans. Could also split the mana generated to accelerate out two hasted guys. It looks great to me and I sure hope it plays out well.
I think it's worse than lightning mauler most of the time, although going this into a titan with haste if you played an elf t1, or even just this into something like vorapede or kalonian hydra sounds pretty great. I don't like that it's card disadvantage, and I don't like how fragile it is if you're relying on the effect, but I would definitely not play this if it was just an artifact or enchantment that did the same thing so being a body in a pinch is pretty important. I think this needs testing because it's only good in Rx midrange (most often RG probably, or Gr), but it seems very good in that archetype by just giving you random free wins against decks that can't deal with 5-6 toughness guys attacking on t3-4.
I think I like it, bearable stats but likely more at home in more midrangey decks and giving them haste is pretty big game if they're along the lines of Titans or other 6 drops (similar to how the haste is big on Dack's Duplicate.)
This has to be able to fit in, right? I mean, a goblin piker isn't exciting, but it's a reasonable base to work from, and his ability seems really spicy to me. Powering out a hasty 5 drop, or later when he's letting you make two drops from your hand in the same turn, or providing a bonus on an X-spell (not that there's many, admittedly). It's a great bit of relevancy.
I think the ability to power out non-creatures is also really good, initially I was meh on it since I thought it could only power out dudes but the ability to power out spicy permanents (like even something like a Gilded Lotus in a Grixis Control deck 2 turns ahead is great.) I think I'll find room for it.
Thirteen cards is not that many, especially since they're all over the place in terms of color. There's also the potential for card disadvantage should your big creature get countered or (depending on the creature and the removal spell) removed. Then again, nobody says you can't use this on noncreatures, e.g. early Wildfires, T3 Sneak Attack + activation, T3 Mind Twist for four, T3 Sword + equip (if you have a 1-drop and it survives)...
It also just attacks for 2 or trades with a 1-drop.
My current red 2-drop section is one of the most one-dimensional in my list (basically just creatures that are aggro-only). Since this thing is suboptimal in an aggro deck, but has the potential to be very good elsewhere, I may try this out.
Hm. This is an interesting creature. It doesn't fit perfectly into a lot of red's decks, but nevertheless it's a powerful effect. Don't know if I'll find room for it, but it's on my radar.
I think focusing on the fact that a lot of red creatures have haste already is missing the awesomeness that you are getting a 5-6 drop on turn 3-4. Whether it "adds" haste, or it already had it, it still seems sweet to me. Plus, it allows things that you might not immediatly think of, like sword + equip on T3. Having a servicable beater that can turn itself into mana seems super useful, and a cool new direction for red.
Set aside the haste factor for a moment. Dark ritual nets you a +2 mana so does this guy. I have always wanted to cube orcish lumberjack, but it was too risky. This is certainly risky but that is what red is about isn't it? Being able to pump out a 5 drop on turn 3 in a non-green deck is tremendous, the best way to fight fast mana is with fast mana. And as the red deck I am always trying to cut land, but usually have 1-3 4+ drops in my hyper aggro decks. This guy is going to help insure you cast that Armageddon when you are on 3 lands, or maybe that titan. I even like it with things like wildfire, because it can trade early or get you to that big spell early. I don't know where but I have to find room for this guy. Maybe torch fiend?
Now on to that haste factor, Falcone1983 listed about 13 creatures. My list would have closer to 50, as I would consider anything with a good ability or high power up to 4 cmc and no haste, or 5cmc and up even with haste as great targets. I have tried supporting the fires archetype and it was really fun but I didn't like dedicating my 3 drop to a non threat. (Fires,Hammer) It felt like I was slowing down to then speed up. Lightning Mauler, Swiftfoot Boots, and Lightning Greaves always feel better to me. I think this guy might be the same, powering out an early haster with the control deck is tapped out, or getting that midrange guy out during the aggro theater is so good.
I also think that any combo supporting storm/ramp centered cubes will find some time for this guy. It feels much less shallow for cube than the rituals do.
Threat of activation in cube is really scary with this guy. As the control player do you want to tap out for a signet with this guy on he table, and gods knows what could come out the next turn? Then you just get beat down for waiting. And as mentioned above sometimes you just need 2 to get your sword on.
Knowing WOTC, they could have easily restricted the mana to be only used on creatures instead of being a bonus for creatures so I think we all dodged a bullet here
Cube is a format where a Goblin Piker is good enough if the ability is strong enough. It could very well be so here.
I will be testing this one for certain. That ability is really a bit different for red, and there are a lot of possibilities for a base 2/1 which is decent enough.
It's certainly an interesting card. I like it a lot. It seems like it's good support for the Fires Archetype, offering ramp and haste in one neat little package.
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Cube is a format where a Goblin Piker is good enough if the ability is strong enough. It could very well be so here.
Not IMO. Cube is a format where Goblin Piker is never good enough except in the very most extreme cases (Dark Confidant)
I feel like cube is a format where having a worst case scenario of Goblin Piker is good, as opposed to a card whose worst case scenario is useless(red rituals).
Cube is a format where a Goblin Piker is good enough if the ability is strong enough. It could very well be so here.
Not IMO. Cube is a format where Goblin Piker is never good enough except in the very most extreme cases (Dark Confidant)
Dark Confidant (as you say)
Lightning Mauler
Reckless Reveler/Torch Fiend
Young Pyromancer
Lotus Cobra
Imposing Sovereign
Nezumi Graverobber
all come off the top of my head. These are all Goblin Pikers (2/1 for 1C with no combat abilities) that have additional text on them that make them Cubeable and that's only in more standard Cubes and using the most strict definition of a Goblin Piker (if I wanted to be more liberal, Snapcaster Mage would probably go on that list too).
If the ability is good enough, then the card is obviously good enough. It just depends on what you consider "good enough". I mean even a 1/1 for 6 would be good enough, if it had, for example "when this etb, return all other permanents to their owner's hands"
I like this card. Would be awesome if you didn't have to tap it (like Saytr Hedonist), so you could attack and then sac it after combat (in case you're not pumpinng out a creature with it), but it may even be good as it is, Idk yet.
Not sure this will make tight powered lists, but I'm going to test it out for sure. Being an enabler for hasty midrange that isn't a dead top deck after a wrath like Fires would be warrants a close look in my book. Especially for cubes that aren't always drafted he can be a solid role player.
Can we split up that 2 mana, so that I can give 2 creatures Haste?
I agree with Falcone, that does seem to be the case and it makes this card even sweeter.
Also, I love that if you use it to power out sun titan and give it haste, you can get this guy back and do it again next turn for a different fatty and just keep it going with sun titan attacks. The more I think about it the more excited I am to test this card. Really hoping it's not disappointing.
If you didn't have to tap it, I would immediately be testing this. As-is, it's a red ritual that is delayed a turn (Like a 2-mana Grinning Ignus.) but gives your creature haste. Or it's a Goblin Piker. Having to pick one mediocre mode or the other kind of sucks, but being a ritual that is also a creature is quite interesting and the haste granting is unique as well. It might be good enough for mid-large sized cubes.
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I like it and think this is interesting. Not sure what would be the cut though. Have to do some testing, but I am always on the lookout for interesting red cards that can do more than usual aggro/burn, but still not detract too much from the main plan.
Generator Servant
1R
2/1
Creature - Elemental
Tap, Sacrifice Generator Servant: Add 2 to your mana pool. If that mana is spent on a creature spell, it gains haste until end of turn.
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Turn 3 hasted Baneslayers. Turn 3 hasted Kalonian Hydras. Turn 4 (or 3 with a mana elf) hasted Titans. Could also split the mana generated to accelerate out two hasted guys. It looks great to me and I sure hope it plays out well.
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Creatures in my list this is really good with:
Thirteen cards is not that many, especially since they're all over the place in terms of color. There's also the potential for card disadvantage should your big creature get countered or (depending on the creature and the removal spell) removed. Then again, nobody says you can't use this on noncreatures, e.g. early Wildfires, T3 Sneak Attack + activation, T3 Mind Twist for four, T3 Sword + equip (if you have a 1-drop and it survives)...
It also just attacks for 2 or trades with a 1-drop.
My current red 2-drop section is one of the most one-dimensional in my list (basically just creatures that are aggro-only). Since this thing is suboptimal in an aggro deck, but has the potential to be very good elsewhere, I may try this out.
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Now on to that haste factor, Falcone1983 listed about 13 creatures. My list would have closer to 50, as I would consider anything with a good ability or high power up to 4 cmc and no haste, or 5cmc and up even with haste as great targets. I have tried supporting the fires archetype and it was really fun but I didn't like dedicating my 3 drop to a non threat. (Fires,Hammer) It felt like I was slowing down to then speed up. Lightning Mauler, Swiftfoot Boots, and Lightning Greaves always feel better to me. I think this guy might be the same, powering out an early haster with the control deck is tapped out, or getting that midrange guy out during the aggro theater is so good.
I also think that any combo supporting storm/ramp centered cubes will find some time for this guy. It feels much less shallow for cube than the rituals do.
Threat of activation in cube is really scary with this guy. As the control player do you want to tap out for a signet with this guy on he table, and gods knows what could come out the next turn? Then you just get beat down for waiting. And as mentioned above sometimes you just need 2 to get your sword on.
Cube is a format where a Goblin Piker is good enough if the ability is strong enough. It could very well be so here.
On spoiled card wishlisting and 'should-have-had'-isms:
Not IMO. Cube is a format where Goblin Piker is never good enough except in the very most extreme cases (Dark Confidant)
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I feel like cube is a format where having a worst case scenario of Goblin Piker is good, as opposed to a card whose worst case scenario is useless(red rituals).
Dark Confidant (as you say)
Lightning Mauler
Reckless Reveler/Torch Fiend
Young Pyromancer
Lotus Cobra
Imposing Sovereign
Nezumi Graverobber
all come off the top of my head. These are all Goblin Pikers (2/1 for 1C with no combat abilities) that have additional text on them that make them Cubeable and that's only in more standard Cubes and using the most strict definition of a Goblin Piker (if I wanted to be more liberal, Snapcaster Mage would probably go on that list too).
I like this card. Would be awesome if you didn't have to tap it (like Saytr Hedonist), so you could attack and then sac it after combat (in case you're not pumpinng out a creature with it), but it may even be good as it is, Idk yet.
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http://www.cubetutor.com/cubeblog/23690
I agree with Falcone, that does seem to be the case and it makes this card even sweeter.
Also, I love that if you use it to power out sun titan and give it haste, you can get this guy back and do it again next turn for a different fatty and just keep it going with sun titan attacks. The more I think about it the more excited I am to test this card. Really hoping it's not disappointing.
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