+2 Two target creatures becomes 0/3s that lose all abilities until your next turn
-2 Target player draws two cards, then until that player's next turn Instants, Sorceries and Planeswalkers cost 2 less.
-8 All your stuff gets double stroke
(Will replace when oracle text arrives)
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WOW this card seems awesome. A relevant + ability, an absolutely insane -, and an ultimate that only takes 3 turns to activate. This is the 'spells matter' finisher for control decks I've been wanting, really exciting to start testing this.
Seems solid, but faces two enormous hurdles already IMO: first, competition for 6+ mana U finishers is crazy steep, and it's hard to see this replacing any of the existing candidates outright. And second, just like the 90% of the other cards revealed so far, this guy's art and flavor are snooze-tastic.
Seems solid, but faces two enormous hurdles already IMO: first, competition for 6+ mana U finishers is crazy steep, and it's hard to see this replacing any of the existing candidates outright. And second, just like the 90% of the other cards revealed so far, this guy's art and flavor are snooze-tastic.
This set is going to be a blast to play. But its 2HG centric, so cube cards are going to be unlikely.
I'm not sure I'm really interested in this without Rowan Kenrith, since the tutor is baked into the very high 4UU cost, and I'm not sure that Rowan is that exciting. Slotting 2x finishers into seems dubious.
His abilities are strong: neutralizing two threats at 6 mana for +2 is far from unreasonable and his -2 can lead to some very broken turns like Uphevaal for 2UU followed up with Chandra, Torch of Defiance for RR. I might give this a test at 540, I definitely have some wiggle room in Unpowered. The partner ability is flavor text for all I care.
Yeah neither the flavor or the partner text really matter for me. (Though I get the flavor concern, like who gives a ***** about this guy lol.)
The big parts of neutralizing two threats or drawing cards that are spell-reduced seem really great. I could see this doing work in a number of decks, whether it's a planeswalker superfriends build or a control deck it's probably going to have spells--and powerful ones--you can reduce. You can protect it on a number of boards as 6 loyalty is a lot so even if they have more than 2 creatures you'll have a chance to live through and -2 the next turn. Or you just +2 +2 -8 Double Stroke emblem.
Also, there's no great non-creature 6. Upheaval is technically one at its floor, but it's really a 7+ blue mana spell and I feel like having another could be fine.
If I had a smaller cube, I may not consider it, but the ceiling is so high that I have to test it.
EDIT: Reminds me of a re-imagined mono blue mirari's wake that, instead of pumping your team, it helps protect your board.
I think I actually want this over Tezzeret the Seeker in my 450 unpowered. I run 3 PW per color and artifact.dec doesn't come together nearly as much as a spells matter deck. Being able to neutralize two creatures until your next turn and/or be a repeatable divination that lowers the cost of relevant spell types AND has a relevant obtainable ultimate is pretty solid.
Aesthetically I hate everything about the card. Awful art, uninspired name, partner/commander text, no bueno.
Strikes me as very good.
Good enough to compete with the best blue 6 drops in cube? I don't know.
Being a planeswalker and having weak art/flavour is a huge strike against it as well...
Shutting down 2 creatures is a very strong defensive effect, drawing 2 cards and having major cost reduction is a game changer in tap-out control decks... And the ultimate is very strong and quickly attainable.
It tells you just how unbelievably awful the flavour of Battlebond is that it irks so many of us. I don't think it is nearly good enough to get a spot, but even if it was I would never play this guy. It's like Barbie and MTG made a crossover franchise.
The more I think about it, the more disgusting I find out this is with Upheaval since the -2 will give you a 2 mana discount on Upheaval AND Will. This is doable at 7 mana (4UUU + a blue land drop): -2 Will, cast Upheaval for 2UU, play land, re-cast Will, draw 2 more cards. If you have any other mana floating, your instants / sorceries / walkers have a 4 mana discount.
I'm still running Teferi, Temporal Archmage and I think this guy might just edge Teferi out of that blue 6cc 'walker slot. His abilities just seem overall better in more decks. I don't think this makes it into smaller cubes, but at 540+ I think he's at least worth a test.
Pretty steep competition, but I think coming down with so much loyalty and having a +2 that neutralizes 2 creatures is insane. We'll at least be testing this for sure.
Also, we'll just give Rowan Kenrith to anyone who drafts this, though I doubt it will be a big factor in picking Will.
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I primarily play limited, so most of my spoiler season comments view cards through that lens.
Ya, this thing looks like it has some potential. I'll probably give it some extended testing and see what it can do. At face value, it does a great job of protecting itself and you with his {+2} ability, and any planeswalker ability that starts off with "draw 2 cards" is going to be solid. In a spells-matters shell, it'll be pretty nutty. The spell cost reduction effect is powerful, and the ultimate is game-ending with a grip of draw spells and burn spells available.
This seems pretty excellent to me, and I wouldn't mind having an additional beefy blue top end permanent that can close down games. I'll be testing this for sure. Feels like it will be excellent in control, spells matter, wildfire, ect. I'd even play it in a midrange deck with some ramp.
Also, just wanted to say hey to everyone! I've been largely absent from the cube boards over the last year as I had mostly dismantled my cube to support an EDH addiction haha. Buuuut, I'm putting it back together now so I'm stoked to be back. Looks like there have been some pretty sweet cube cards over the past year!
I would have hard passed on this until I read "4 mana upheaval". I still think 6 mana is a lot, and I'm not sure I have anything I'm willing to cut for this.
Probably not good enough for 360 power but definitely worth keeping an eye on, and probably better as cube size increases.
Oh by the way, even in traditional singleton, the partner ability isn't just flavor text. You can target yourself and intentionally fail to find just to get a free shuffle effect out of the deal.
Blue always seems to have an array of cool things to do at 6. I guess it just depends on how willing you are to slot something new into it. I think it warrants a test, getting to deal with two creatures every turn seems insanely frustrating to play against, and really easy to untap with. The -2 is awesome too.
I think it's obvious this guy is pretty powerful. Completely blanking your opponent's two strongest (non-Hexproof/Shroud) creatures is going to make him very tough to deal with. And many Cube decks are creature-light enough that they have no real hope of getting three threats on board to take Will down. So even just the +2 seems insane imo.
I think this looks quite good. I think the most natural comparison is to Tamiyo, the Moon Sage, as they are both big blue walkers with very similar abilities. Will costs one more, but protects himself (and you) better than Tamiyo's +1. Will also has a much more consistent draw on the -2. The ultimate is a bit better for Tamiyo, but seeing as they both start at 4, Will having a +2 over Tamiyo's +1 means he will reach his ultimate much faster.
I haven't been playing Tamiyo much in my 450, but sometimes slot her in at 540 and she is serviceable. At first glance, Will just seems better in a blue control deck to me, and the interaction with cards like upheaval looks great. I think Will is playable in the 450-540 range, and will try him out.
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+2 Two target creatures becomes 0/3s that lose all abilities until your next turn
-2 Target player draws two cards, then until that player's next turn Instants, Sorceries and Planeswalkers cost 2 less.
-8 All your stuff gets double stroke
(Will replace when oracle text arrives)
------------
WOW this card seems awesome. A relevant + ability, an absolutely insane -, and an ultimate that only takes 3 turns to activate. This is the 'spells matter' finisher for control decks I've been wanting, really exciting to start testing this.
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This set is going to be a blast to play. But its 2HG centric, so cube cards are going to be unlikely.
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The big parts of neutralizing two threats or drawing cards that are spell-reduced seem really great. I could see this doing work in a number of decks, whether it's a planeswalker superfriends build or a control deck it's probably going to have spells--and powerful ones--you can reduce. You can protect it on a number of boards as 6 loyalty is a lot so even if they have more than 2 creatures you'll have a chance to live through and -2 the next turn. Or you just +2 +2 -8 Double Stroke emblem.
Also, there's no great non-creature 6. Upheaval is technically one at its floor, but it's really a 7+ blue mana spell and I feel like having another could be fine.
If I had a smaller cube, I may not consider it, but the ceiling is so high that I have to test it.
EDIT: Reminds me of a re-imagined mono blue mirari's wake that, instead of pumping your team, it helps protect your board.
Also, follow us on twitter! @TurnOneMagic
Aesthetically I hate everything about the card. Awful art, uninspired name, partner/commander text, no bueno.
@Torggo: I often find the reverse is true. Sometimes cards are designed with a multiplayer format in mind but are way better in 1 vs. 1. and become cube staples (Fractured Identity, Council's Judgment, Edric, Spymaster of Trest)
Good enough to compete with the best blue 6 drops in cube? I don't know.
Being a planeswalker and having weak art/flavour is a huge strike against it as well...
Shutting down 2 creatures is a very strong defensive effect, drawing 2 cards and having major cost reduction is a game changer in tap-out control decks... And the ultimate is very strong and quickly attainable.
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Also, we'll just give Rowan Kenrith to anyone who drafts this, though I doubt it will be a big factor in picking Will.
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Also, just wanted to say hey to everyone! I've been largely absent from the cube boards over the last year as I had mostly dismantled my cube to support an EDH addiction haha. Buuuut, I'm putting it back together now so I'm stoked to be back. Looks like there have been some pretty sweet cube cards over the past year!
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Probably not good enough for 360 power but definitely worth keeping an eye on, and probably better as cube size increases.
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I think it's obvious this guy is pretty powerful. Completely blanking your opponent's two strongest (non-Hexproof/Shroud) creatures is going to make him very tough to deal with. And many Cube decks are creature-light enough that they have no real hope of getting three threats on board to take Will down. So even just the +2 seems insane imo.
I haven't been playing Tamiyo much in my 450, but sometimes slot her in at 540 and she is serviceable. At first glance, Will just seems better in a blue control deck to me, and the interaction with cards like upheaval looks great. I think Will is playable in the 450-540 range, and will try him out.
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