Something I haven't yet seen anyone mention about the mana enchantments is that they do have they own set of vulnerabilities.
I don't know how much land destruction people play, especially of the harder-to-find variety (Sinkhole, Goblin Settler, Ravaging Horde, and Ice Storm), but getting 2-for-1'd off LD is possible with mana enchantments.
Also bounce and flicker effects can cost you a card. I'm thinking Riftwing Cloudskate and Flickerwisp type creatures. But most notably, you can't follow with a turn 2 Karoo after a mana enchantment.
Finally, while I doubt anyone would ever Naturalize a Utopia Sprawl, you could get hit by 'incidental' enchantment removal. Stuff like Duergar Hedge-Mage and Trygon Predator might hit here.
All in all, these effects are far less prevalent than creature removal, but they should be considered in the discussion.
I have only 1 LD spell in the cube (acidic slime), and I may be down to 2 karoos. A big difference between dying to a naturalize and dying to a Darkblast is that one of those plays is more clearly an effective use of a card. If I darkblast a mana elf, I'm happy. If I naturalize a utopia sprawl, not only did I spend more mana but I lose the ability to deal with some game ending nonsense down the line.
millstone has more potential than to be a lackluster control finisher. its more resilient than a creature as a finisher, can support graveyard strategies and can cut off threats as a decent piece of disruption. it could also be strong enough to make mill viable with the addition of only a few more cards.
I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it based off of what it looks like from when you are behind on board. there are plenty of good cards that don't do much when you are on the back foot.
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But none of those cards are control finishers. Every control finisher has some way of protecting you. Of letting you stabilize. If I drop Jodah's avenger, I blank a tremendous suite of creatures from hurting me. Also, they take far far far less time to win, especially if you managed to hurt your opponent at some time at all/have burn.
I do not think Mill will ever be viable unless you have a mill card that can win on its own a la Jace 3.0. You will have 1 per boardstate very often because, let's be honest, how many are you expecting to end up in the deck at a time? More than 2? You would need more than 2 if you expect to consistently get 2 in games. And to get enough cards in the cube that are good enough to exist on their own and mill would be quite a feat.
And If I'm using it to fuel 'yard strategies, it's a very inefficient way to do so. Crystal ball is falling out of favor for supporting normal draw-good-cards-now strategies, and that costs half the amount of mana to activate.
millstone has more potential than to be a lackluster control finisher. its more resilient than a creature as a finisher, can support graveyard strategies and can cut off threats as a decent piece of disruption. it could also be strong enough to make mill viable with the addition of only a few more cards.
I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it based off of what it looks like from when you are behind on board. there are plenty of good cards that don't do much when you are on the back foot.
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Mill != Disruption.
There are already plenty of resilient control finishers out there that also impact the board (Centaur Glade, Sprout Swarm, Glasskites...)
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I have only 1 LD spell in the cube (acidic slime), and I may be down to 2 karoos. A big difference between dying to a naturalize and dying to a Darkblast is that one of those plays is more clearly an effective use of a card. If I darkblast a mana elf, I'm happy. If I naturalize a utopia sprawl, not only did I spend more mana but I lose the ability to deal with some game ending nonsense down the line.
I did say no one is going to Naturalize a Utopia Sprawl. The point is you do have to think about those things. Sure, they might be corner cases, but enough of them piled up means something.
but if nobody is going to do it, it shouldn't matter when I'm evaluating.
the only plays that have a chance of really showing up soon enough for it to matter are flickerwisp and glimmerpoint stag, but those are only 2 cards and still not a particularly likely usage of those cards.
Not much love for Trained Condor it seems. I'm curious for any feedback on the guy, imo he looks decent on paper especially if you're packing stuff like ninja of the deep hours and tandem lookout (which you totally should).
wingcrafter is infinitely faster than trained condor, and just burying your opponent in options before they get a chance to mount a counteroffensive is exactly how izzet aggro wins.
Just got done with an M14 draft and I gotta say I loved playing with Enlarge. It was either winning games or Edicting an opponent and dealing 5+ damage. If you play it on curve, it might be better than Edict because you can get whatever big guy they just played on their turn.
I expect it to play worse in Peasant because of more instant speed responses, but it seems like a great card for green aggro and likely good enough elsewhere.
Having played with neither Trained Condor nor Wingcrafter, they just look like different cards for different decks. Condor is if you want your 4-5 drops to fly, and Wingcrafter is if you want your 2-3 drops to fly. For aggro, Wingcrafter just looks better.
Elaborate, if possible?
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
I don't know how much land destruction people play, especially of the harder-to-find variety (Sinkhole, Goblin Settler, Ravaging Horde, and Ice Storm), but getting 2-for-1'd off LD is possible with mana enchantments.
Also bounce and flicker effects can cost you a card. I'm thinking Riftwing Cloudskate and Flickerwisp type creatures. But most notably, you can't follow with a turn 2 Karoo after a mana enchantment.
Finally, while I doubt anyone would ever Naturalize a Utopia Sprawl, you could get hit by 'incidental' enchantment removal. Stuff like Duergar Hedge-Mage and Trygon Predator might hit here.
All in all, these effects are far less prevalent than creature removal, but they should be considered in the discussion.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
But none of those cards are control finishers. Every control finisher has some way of protecting you. Of letting you stabilize. If I drop Jodah's avenger, I blank a tremendous suite of creatures from hurting me. Also, they take far far far less time to win, especially if you managed to hurt your opponent at some time at all/have burn.
I do not think Mill will ever be viable unless you have a mill card that can win on its own a la Jace 3.0. You will have 1 per boardstate very often because, let's be honest, how many are you expecting to end up in the deck at a time? More than 2? You would need more than 2 if you expect to consistently get 2 in games. And to get enough cards in the cube that are good enough to exist on their own and mill would be quite a feat.
And If I'm using it to fuel 'yard strategies, it's a very inefficient way to do so. Crystal ball is falling out of favor for supporting normal draw-good-cards-now strategies, and that costs half the amount of mana to activate.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
Mill != Disruption.
There are already plenty of resilient control finishers out there that also impact the board (Centaur Glade, Sprout Swarm, Glasskites...)
peasantcube.blogspot.com
I did say no one is going to Naturalize a Utopia Sprawl. The point is you do have to think about those things. Sure, they might be corner cases, but enough of them piled up means something.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
the only plays that have a chance of really showing up soon enough for it to matter are flickerwisp and glimmerpoint stag, but those are only 2 cards and still not a particularly likely usage of those cards.
it's just too corner casey
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
How does it compare to Wingcrafter?
This seems infinitely better than Wingcrafter. Being able to switch what you want to jump and tacking on a 2/1 flier is quite good.
My CubeCobra (draft 20 card packs, 2 packs.)
430, Peasant, Very Unpowered
Why you should take your hybrids out of your gold section
Manamath Article
I expect it to play worse in Peasant because of more instant speed responses, but it seems like a great card for green aggro and likely good enough elsewhere.
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/peasantsnowcube
-- Updated with Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The PioneWer Peasant CUbe
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/pionewer
-- Updated with Murders at Karlov Manor