I think Reveillark is the best white 5-drop, and by a lot. There are just too many ways in the cube to abuse it, and it just got a whole lot better over the last two sets.
I would rank Reveillark below Cloudgoat and the two angels currently, just based on how much play the three see in my group. With that said, however, I wouldn't cut Reveillark in favor of this just because this is so similar to Cloudgoat. I'd rather have the two different effects that go into different (or the same) deck than two versions of Cloudgoat.
Reveillark is far more 'cute' than 'top-tier' for us. But it's an interesting value piece for certain decks and there isn't a whole lot else that does something similar, and in the decks where it gets going, it's got a high ceiling. Cloudgoat will be my cut for this card.
About what to cut, my concern is that Angel of Invention can also fill the flyer lifegainer role, making it also similar to Baneslayer Angel. As a group, we've made the consensus that BA is now, and also has been since several months, an uninteresting card. He's simply a stat monster. With this new guy in, I think it's the right time to cut it. Dont think we'll miss it. Anyway, if we do, it certainly can find a way again by swapping it with Gisela. Same Damocles sword above Kalonina Hydra's head FWIW.
I think Lark will be a fine cut for this, based on the amount of play it sees compared to other white five drops. But I am still skeptical about this angel.
Reveillark is far more 'cute' than 'top-tier' for us. But it's an interesting value piece for certain decks and there isn't a whole lot else that does something similar, and in the decks where it gets going, it's got a high ceiling. Cloudgoat will be my cut for this card.
I'm of the same opinion. Reveillark is an important synergy piece, whereas Cloudgoat and Baneslayer are more straightforward cards. I don't play Baneslayer, but I'm cutting Cloudgoat for Angel of Invention, and we'll see how that goes.
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I think Reveillark is the best white 5-drop, and by a lot. There are just too many ways in the cube to abuse it, and it just got a whole lot better over the last two sets.
I agree with this...
Fwiw, the majority of my playgroup never draft 'lark decks, but the ones that that do, make it clear why the card deserves it's slot
It hits a lot of sideboards, but it's upside is the highest by a good margin.
I can understand the skepticism between Angel of Inventions and Reveilark because a lot of their power isn't as obvious as Baneslayer Angel / Cloudgoat Ranger. What you see is what you get with Baneslayer Angel / Cloudgoat Ranger, where Angel of Inventions and Reveilark have more "invisible" interactions that is impossible to see on the surface. I think Reveilark is awesome, but a part of me is jaded in cube because I play Reveilark in EDH, and Reveilark in EDH = infinite city, where Reveilark in cube is (mainly) just value city.
Not actual testing results, but since I'm depressed about the prospect of cutting Cloudgoat Ranger ( ) I decided to try out a bunch of solitaire matches with a token deck that had Cloudgoat Ranger in it.
Basically every time Angel would have been either more impactful or generally the same. I think the only time Ranger would have been better was under a Gideon emblem.
This + a mere Lingering Souls can make a crazy board state. Flying+Vigilance+Lifelink makes her carry equipment like a boss too!
I'm looking forward to actual testing results from others.
Based on powerlevel alone, yes. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the card at the bottom of the list is the best cut. I was explaining to my playgroup that I think Cloudgoat is better than Baneslayer, but that CGR was the best cut for Angel because of the roles the cards play. Angel will shine in the decks/roles CGR was used in, but not necessarily in the situations where Baneslayer is used most effectively.
I'm still trying to finagle a way to keep all of those 5-drops in. But if I have to cut one, I think Cloudgoat is the best cut (despite not being the worst card).
Maybe then Gisela is the best option. It doesn't bring anything special. And it's worst than BA agaisnt red decks. And, unlike BA, it dies to Wildfire.
However, there are some trade offs.
Because this creature is an angel you can't bounce it with Restoration angel. Nor does this angel dying activate the ability of Archangel Avacyn.
What should you cut? What will I be cutting?
I agree with wtwlf123 that if you can keep all 5 drops, perfect, if not, cloudgoat ranger can be cut to test this angel. From there performance will be the deciding factor. So test this angel out and decide for yourself with your playgroup.
@wtwlf - If you're still running Secure the Wastes maybe that's the cut? It's a fine card, but I think I'd keep Cloudgoat.
Ya maybe. Once the whole set is spoiled I can make holistic evaluations about the changes; considering curve, role and everything else. We'll just have to see.
Versatility is great, but a grenade launcher is better than a Swiss Army knife.
I'm kind of stunned people would think about cutting BSA, for gisela or this. BSA has never been anything but stellar, in the gisela case, why not run both for the curve of huge life link beater, huge life link beater. My white five drops are pretty clearly, BSA, avacyn, cloud goat. I don't think this is amazing just because it seems really bad in its +1/+1 form, like that card is laughably bad compared to the other Angels, and it's other form is just ok not stellar.
In token mode, this card is comparable to (if not better than) every 5cc army-in-a-can that white has. You could consider the 4/3 mode to be just gravy ...but it's not. It's far better than that.
In practice so far, on average I'm getting a card that's been better than Cloudgoat that ALSO has a completely different mode I can use when the need arises (which has been more often than I expected, honestly.
There's not much instant speed creature generation, let alone mass token generation.
It's a card that gives you creatures which is not a creature itself. That's a nice way for spells-matter decks to get extra bodies and keep the spell content high. Adds variety in general to your threats, when there are armies-in-a-can aplenty in most colours.
There's very little in the way of scale-able creature production in the cube, since the old days of Decree of Justice.
For those reasons CGR is my cut, despite being a better card in a vacuum than StW.
Absolutely; this card's great. I slotted out Cloudgoat Ranger for the slot and it goes in pretty much the same decks, except the anthem effect adds a lot more damage and the 4/3 mode has been used more than once to stabilize the board.
Ya, card is fantastic. A perfectly good CGR/GHM impersonator that can also double as a Gisela variant when the need arises. And also has a bunch of sweet interactions with the Recruiter(s), 'Lark, Alesha and others. Great cube card.
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I'm of the same opinion. Reveillark is an important synergy piece, whereas Cloudgoat and Baneslayer are more straightforward cards. I don't play Baneslayer, but I'm cutting Cloudgoat for Angel of Invention, and we'll see how that goes.
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I agree with this...
Fwiw, the majority of my playgroup never draft 'lark decks, but the ones that that do, make it clear why the card deserves it's slot
It hits a lot of sideboards, but it's upside is the highest by a good margin.
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Basically every time Angel would have been either more impactful or generally the same. I think the only time Ranger would have been better was under a Gideon emblem.
This + a mere Lingering Souls can make a crazy board state. Flying+Vigilance+Lifelink makes her carry equipment like a boss too!
I'm looking forward to actual testing results from others.
Absolutely agreed with that.
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I'm still trying to finagle a way to keep all of those 5-drops in. But if I have to cut one, I think Cloudgoat is the best cut (despite not being the worst card).
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You can search it up in and out of color with recruiter of the guard and imperial recruiter
bring it back with Alesha, who smiles at death, and Reveilark.
The artifact nature of the tokens allow for Tinker shenanigans. Interactions with Pia and kiran nalaar, Whirler rogue, Daretti, Scrap savant, Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast and Tezzeret, agent of bolas.
However, there are some trade offs.
Because this creature is an angel you can't bounce it with Restoration angel. Nor does this angel dying activate the ability of Archangel Avacyn.
What should you cut? What will I be cutting?
I agree with wtwlf123 that if you can keep all 5 drops, perfect, if not, cloudgoat ranger can be cut to test this angel. From there performance will be the deciding factor. So test this angel out and decide for yourself with your playgroup.
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Ya maybe. Once the whole set is spoiled I can make holistic evaluations about the changes; considering curve, role and everything else. We'll just have to see.
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I'm kind of stunned people would think about cutting BSA, for gisela or this. BSA has never been anything but stellar, in the gisela case, why not run both for the curve of huge life link beater, huge life link beater. My white five drops are pretty clearly, BSA, avacyn, cloud goat. I don't think this is amazing just because it seems really bad in its +1/+1 form, like that card is laughably bad compared to the other Angels, and it's other form is just ok not stellar.
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=484979
In practice so far, on average I'm getting a card that's been better than Cloudgoat that ALSO has a completely different mode I can use when the need arises (which has been more often than I expected, honestly.
This card is plain great.
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For those reasons CGR is my cut, despite being a better card in a vacuum than StW.
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