This is such a weird card to evaluate because it does so many different things. I like it, but I really need to test it before saying it has a spot or not.
Instant classic IMO. She's replacing Sarkhan Vol for me and I don't even feel bad about it. The ability to alternate between making tokens and doing damage while remaining net neutral with loyalty is big game.
Almost feel like this post will be more of a discussion about whether Sarkhan Vol or Xenagos should be the cut for her. I think I'd prefer to keep Sarkhan, he brings a few very unique/powerful things in one package that certain archetypes love to have.
Instant classic IMO. She's replacing Sarkhan Vol for me and I don't even feel bad about it. The ability to alternate between making tokens and doing damage while remaining net neutral with loyalty is big game.
I wasn't running Sarkhan Vol but this seems like a very big upgrade over Xenagos which I was running. I really like having to balance between both her sides which adds another dimension when using her. I will be super stoked to get my hands on this card for my cube where I think it will perform very well.
Instant classic IMO. She's replacing Sarkhan Vol for me and I don't even feel bad about it. The ability to alternate between making tokens and doing damage while remaining net neutral with loyalty is big game.
She loses loyalty to do damage so you can only alternate until she runs out.
Almost feel like this post will be more of a discussion about whether Sarkhan Vol or Xenagos should be the cut for her. I think I'd prefer to keep Sarkhan, he just does a few very unique/powerful things in one package.
Agreed. Sarkhan can routinely steal a game by grabbing the opponent's biggest threat, then beating them over the head with it. I think you'll have to work a little harder with Arlinn. Still, a very cool new planeswalker.
The last two things Gruul needed was another planeswalkers / 4 CMC spell, of course we get both, lol.
She's certainly good, the question is obviously how she ranks / compares to Sarkhan / Xenagos. I'm currently playing both and my initial evaluation is that she falls short. Xenagos's token ability out classes Arlinn's and I like Sarkhan's threaten ability over any of her non-ultimate abilities. Arlinn, beats Sarkhan when the board is empty, but Sarkhan can ultimate really fast if the coast is clear.
Arlinn is great, but I really don't want to add another 4-CMC planeswalker in red / green. I can technically cut Kird Ape since red just got Falkenrath Glutton, but I'm going to hold out for now.
ANOTHER freaking 4cmc RG planeswalker? Ugh wizards. Ugh.
Anyway, she certainly seems a lot more flexible than Xenagos or Sarkhan. You're ahead on board? Make one of your guys huge and with vigilance so it can block too, and you get a steady stream of haste attackers as long as you have creatures to cast. Behind? Make a 2/2, flip her, and next turn you can pick something off. She seems good in aggro as a curve topper (where the +2/+2 and haste is good, as she lets all your threats be hasty post-wrath), good in midrange (just a value card), and good in tokens (make a token, than mini-overrun with a +1 for the rest of the time). I think she will need a fair bit of testing to see how awkward the transforming plays out (having 2 different abilities you can't use 2 turns in a row could be pretty annoying), but at first glance I like her a little more than xenagos or sarkhan.
As to the card itself, I say slam dunk tier 1 for its guild. I hate the starting loyalty and wish both transform abilities were zeroes, but those are literally the only legitimate complaints I can see.
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I wish her flip +1 included haste, but that's a pretty minor complaint. Dropping her T3 into T4 Thragdad and T5 Primetime all hasted out +1/+1 would have been pretty rad.
As to the card itself, I say slam dunk tier 1 for its guild. I hate the starting loyalty, but that's my only legitimate complaint.
Domri is 1RG, not 2RG.
I think Domri is like Xenagos where she can fit into any deck where Sarkhan can't. However, Xenagos plays double duty in ramp decks and Sarkhan has the most raw power with its threaten ability and a very achievable ultimate. I can see people running this over either of the two if they value consistency and want more things to grind for value.
I've been meaning to switch Domri Rade over to Sarkhan Vol for a while, and this will probably be what gets me to do so (swapping out Ghor-Clan Rampager. Also not excited for another 2RG walker, but I do like the flexibility she provides.
My first impression is that she's very close to Xenagos. Certainly seems good, but not insane. While Arlinn has overall more useful abilities, Xenagos' ramp synergizes more with RG than pumping creatures. Not being able to come down and bolt something that turn also weakens Arlinn. Certainly, she's good, but not categorically better than existing options. She has a high cool factor, so I'm sure she will see testing.
The only thing I can say that I don't like about this is that my 4CMC gruul spot is already pretty heavy with Bloodbraid Elf and Huntmaster of the Fells
But she definitely is a good planeswalker. The +1 is good because vigilance allows a creature to stay aggressive while still being able to protect her the next turn. The 0 is good, because free creatures are always a plus.
On the flip side, the +1 is a little lackluster, but even a small Overrun effect is sometimes enough to swing/win a game. -1 Lightning bolt is always good, even if she flops back over. I don't think I'll often end up using her -6, but that emblem is pretty powerful if the game has stalled out.
Sweet, a 2GR planeswalker, exactly what we needed!
In all seriousness, she seems strong, but need to test to get a proper sense.
Preliminary impressions: I prefer Xenagos because it's more on game plan(ramp) with RG style decks we play in powered cube.
Gr tends to be either big ramp oriented or hyper agro (splashing green). Neither of which does she excel in.
Think her versatility is great, and some modes will be powerful in certain contexts, but it may take a bit long to generate a large advantage in a fast/powerful environment.
She seems better suited for less powered slower cubes where RG midrange beat down is a viable archetype. IE fires of yavamaya style decks.
Wow, I think she's great and will earn her spot even in a crowded guild/CMC. She can alternate between making tokens and dealing damage, like Huntmaster of the Fells, but without the don't cast / cast twice requirement. If you flip her twice right away, she'll end up a little low on loyality (2), but you have a wolf and dealt 3 damage at that point. And she does a lot of other stuff, she protects herself with both her frontside abilities (make token or give vigilance), on the backside she's a bolt and a mini overrun effect. Only the ultimate is probably not coming up often, it's hard to reach at 6 with only +1's.
ANOTHER freaking 4cmc RG planeswalker? Ugh wizards. Ugh.
Anyway, she certainly seems a lot more flexible than Xenagos or Sarkhan. You're ahead on board? Make one of your guys huge and with vigilance so it can block too, and you get a steady stream of haste attackers as long as you have creatures to cast. Behind? Make a 2/2, flip her, and next turn you can pick something off. She seems good in aggro as a curve topper (where the +2/+2 and haste is good, as she lets all your threats be hasty post-wrath), good in midrange (just a value card), and good in tokens (make a token, than mini-overrun with a +1 for the rest of the time). I think she will need a fair bit of testing to see how awkward the transforming plays out (having 2 different abilities you can't use 2 turns in a row could be pretty annoying), but at first glance I like her a little more than xenagos or sarkhan.
I know! The first thing I did when I looked at the card was curse WOTC name. My wife, being the caring, compassionate person she is, quickly rushed over to ask what was wrong. She was not impressed with my explanation lol.
Reading this card I feel like I will always want the other side. Say she comes down turn 3. Well I need a dude to protect her so I make a 2/2 and Arlin flips. Next turn I cast a fatty but Arlin can no longer grant haste or vigilance. Weird. Also I feel her ultimate is nearly unobtainable the way her abilities are laid out. She seems fine but I think I prefer Xenagos and Sarkhan
Reading this card I feel like I will always want the other side. Say she comes down turn 3. Well I need a dude to protect her so I make a 2/2 and Arlin flips. Next turn I cast a fatty but Arlin can no longer grant haste or vigilance. Weird. Also I feel her ultimate is nearly unobtainable the way her abilities are laid out. She seems fine but I think I prefer Xenagos and Sarkhan
Yeah her ultimate is never going to happen. What game have you pumped your entire team 3 turns in a row that you aren't winning? And if it's empty board v empty board, the ultimate isn't even that relevant!
I think I like her more than xenagos or sarkhan because they both seem very specific (sarkhan in aggro or naya tokens [as he's real bad when you're behind on board], xenagos in midrange or ramp), whereas she seems like she can fit in almost any deck that can cast her. In the decks where Sarkhan and Xenagos are at their best, I think they are both better than Arlinn, but I think the fact that she goes in more places gives her a slight edge for me. Obviously this could be completely wrong, but that's my first impression. Of course, I think I like both sarkhan and xenagos less than a lot of people, so that's probably coloring my opinion.
I've only got space for one 4 cmc Gruul walker in my ~450, and this ain't it. Don't get me wrong – seems like a fine, plenty powerful card, but I enjoy the Sarkhan/Yasova/Sac effect deck way too much to think of swapping for a generic-feeling card like this. The annoyance of double-faced walkers is a second strike against it from my perspective.
Looks like we have a 3rd 2RG Walker on our hands. How do we think she compares to Sarkhan Vol and Xenagos?
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She loses loyalty to do damage so you can only alternate until she runs out.
Agreed. Sarkhan can routinely steal a game by grabbing the opponent's biggest threat, then beating them over the head with it. I think you'll have to work a little harder with Arlinn. Still, a very cool new planeswalker.
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She's certainly good, the question is obviously how she ranks / compares to Sarkhan / Xenagos. I'm currently playing both and my initial evaluation is that she falls short. Xenagos's token ability out classes Arlinn's and I like Sarkhan's threaten ability over any of her non-ultimate abilities. Arlinn, beats Sarkhan when the board is empty, but Sarkhan can ultimate really fast if the coast is clear.
Arlinn is great, but I really don't want to add another 4-CMC planeswalker in red / green. I can technically cut Kird Ape since red just got Falkenrath Glutton, but I'm going to hold out for now.
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Anyway, she certainly seems a lot more flexible than Xenagos or Sarkhan. You're ahead on board? Make one of your guys huge and with vigilance so it can block too, and you get a steady stream of haste attackers as long as you have creatures to cast. Behind? Make a 2/2, flip her, and next turn you can pick something off. She seems good in aggro as a curve topper (where the +2/+2 and haste is good, as she lets all your threats be hasty post-wrath), good in midrange (just a value card), and good in tokens (make a token, than mini-overrun with a +1 for the rest of the time). I think she will need a fair bit of testing to see how awkward the transforming plays out (having 2 different abilities you can't use 2 turns in a row could be pretty annoying), but at first glance I like her a little more than xenagos or sarkhan.
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Domri Rade would like a word with you.
As to the card itself, I say slam dunk tier 1 for its guild. I hate the starting loyalty and wish both transform abilities were zeroes, but those are literally the only legitimate complaints I can see.
I'm officially proposing we retire the word "insane" from the MtG vocabulary.
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I said 2RG, not 1RG
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Domri is 1RG, not 2RG.
I think Domri is like Xenagos where she can fit into any deck where Sarkhan can't. However, Xenagos plays double duty in ramp decks and Sarkhan has the most raw power with its threaten ability and a very achievable ultimate. I can see people running this over either of the two if they value consistency and want more things to grind for value.
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But she definitely is a good planeswalker. The +1 is good because vigilance allows a creature to stay aggressive while still being able to protect her the next turn. The 0 is good, because free creatures are always a plus.
On the flip side, the +1 is a little lackluster, but even a small Overrun effect is sometimes enough to swing/win a game. -1 Lightning bolt is always good, even if she flops back over. I don't think I'll often end up using her -6, but that emblem is pretty powerful if the game has stalled out.
In all seriousness, she seems strong, but need to test to get a proper sense.
Preliminary impressions: I prefer Xenagos because it's more on game plan(ramp) with RG style decks we play in powered cube.
Gr tends to be either big ramp oriented or hyper agro (splashing green). Neither of which does she excel in.
Think her versatility is great, and some modes will be powerful in certain contexts, but it may take a bit long to generate a large advantage in a fast/powerful environment.
She seems better suited for less powered slower cubes where RG midrange beat down is a viable archetype. IE fires of yavamaya style decks.
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I know! The first thing I did when I looked at the card was curse WOTC name. My wife, being the caring, compassionate person she is, quickly rushed over to ask what was wrong. She was not impressed with my explanation lol.
Reading this card I feel like I will always want the other side. Say she comes down turn 3. Well I need a dude to protect her so I make a 2/2 and Arlin flips. Next turn I cast a fatty but Arlin can no longer grant haste or vigilance. Weird. Also I feel her ultimate is nearly unobtainable the way her abilities are laid out. She seems fine but I think I prefer Xenagos and Sarkhan
Yeah her ultimate is never going to happen. What game have you pumped your entire team 3 turns in a row that you aren't winning? And if it's empty board v empty board, the ultimate isn't even that relevant!
I think I like her more than xenagos or sarkhan because they both seem very specific (sarkhan in aggro or naya tokens [as he's real bad when you're behind on board], xenagos in midrange or ramp), whereas she seems like she can fit in almost any deck that can cast her. In the decks where Sarkhan and Xenagos are at their best, I think they are both better than Arlinn, but I think the fact that she goes in more places gives her a slight edge for me. Obviously this could be completely wrong, but that's my first impression. Of course, I think I like both sarkhan and xenagos less than a lot of people, so that's probably coloring my opinion.
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