I just feel like walkers are a 'new and exciting addition to peasant' that I want everyone to be able to enjoy, regardless of play style. If that makes sense. With that said: I didn't feel that way about the sagas, and the only thing reminiscent of an enchantment about them is the fact that it has the type printed on it. So you're probably right. With regards to insane power levels, I don't think that's going to be an issue. I already run Skullclamp, Isochron Scepter, Loxodon Warhammer and Curse of Predation, all of which are much more powerful than the walkers in WAR imho.
From this set, I think my tryouts are: Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - Solid in control, looting matters a lot in my cube, too. Nahiri, Storm of Stone - Trying to push the equipment/aura theme in Boros due to loads of great double strike creatures. Saheeli, Sublime Artificer - Great passive and a unique activated ability that offers some punch in spellslingers-type shells. Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner - Not that versatile, but I recently cut Kiora's Follower and this replaces the effect whilst not occupying a guild slot. Teferi's Time Twist - I support blink and this seems like a natural inclusion Eternal Taskmaster - I feel this needs to be tested before I can say much about its power level. It survives Inner Demon, Drown in Sorrow and Pyroclasm and gives you the option to get back the stuff that doesn't. Seems neat. Paradise Druid - Good for tempo, ramp and offers a half decent aura target in enchantments matter I guess. Cruel Celebrant - Main focus of BW since I got bored with the whole life matters thing has been aristocrats, so this should feel right at home. Tenth District Legionnaire - Not too sure about this tbh, but same reason applies as with Nahiri. Auras'n such. Neoform is just too cool to pass on for me. As far as I am aware a unique effect - for CU/bes that is - that has to be tried out.
Feel like I need to do some math on the split cards in the cube after this, though.
I would advise very heavily against making "slots" for walkers. Play cards that are better than bad ones, regardless of card type
I disagree with this statement whole heartily.
Everyone on this forum plays some number of cards that are worse than others, that is just a fact. People lower the power of their cube or want to have a specific synergy or archetype, you don't have to just play the best cards available. Many people also increase the size of their cube, it just happens. I started at 360 and have overtime increased it to 380 when I felt it was appropriate.
PWs are a lot different than any other type of magic card and it adds another dimension to the game. I think for the most part the PWs are pretty strong cards and will play out better than most imagine they will. Increasing each of my mono-colored sections from 57 -> 58 cards is negligible and going from 380 -> 390 cards overall is also negligible.
I have been really happy with where my cube is at, but I am also happy to increase the overall size of my cube by ~2.6% to include another aspect of the game that we have previously not had the opportunity to play with in our limited format.
I would advise very heavily against making "slots" for walkers. Play cards that are better than bad ones, regardless of card type
I disagree with this statement whole heartily.
Everyone on this forum plays some number of cards that are worse than others, that is just a fact. People lower the power of their cube or want to have a specific synergy or archetype, you don't have to just play the best cards available. Many people also increase the size of their cube, it just happens. I started at 360 and have overtime increased it to 380 when I felt it was appropriate.
PWs are a lot different than any other type of magic card and it adds another dimension to the game. I think for the most part the PWs are pretty strong cards and will play out better than most imagine they will. Increasing each of my mono-colored sections from 57 -> 58 cards is negligible and going from 380 -> 390 cards overall is also negligible.
I have been really happy with where my cube is at, but I am also happy to increase the overall size of my cube by ~2.6% to include another aspect of the game that we have previously not had the opportunity to play with in our limited format.
Uh, none of this actually justifies the "slot" idea
If Tayo works out, great. If he's last-pick trash and you're adamant about using "slots", you force yourself to do one of three bad options:
1. Keep a useless card in your cube for the sake of 'balance'
2. Switch to what's likely an even worse alternative (The Wanderer)
3. Cut the other four mono-colored Walkers, even if they're performing well
Ugin's Conjurant intrigues me. Colorless, scales according to your mana, supports +1/+1 counters, and circumvents your opponent's lifelink/deathtouch effects. It's a shame that it removes "that many" counters rather than just one like the Phantom creatures or Undergrowth Champion, but I might consider testing it.
Ugin's Conjurant intrigues me. Colorless, scales according to your mana, supports +1/+1 counters, and circumvents your opponent's lifelink/deathtouch effects. It's a shame that it removes "that many" counters rather than just one like the Phantom creatures or Undergrowth Champion, but I might consider testing it.
Scaleable X/X is cool, but the replacement effect is a pretty big drawback in the face of pingers, smaller burn spells, and even just chump blockers.
Still, it's a Cathodion on T3 (where the drawback will matter much less often) and sometimes huge on T10, which is nice flexibility
Uh, none of this actually justifies the "slot" idea
If Tayo works out, great. If he's last-pick trash and you're adamant about using "slots", you force yourself to do one of three bad options:
1. Keep a useless card in your cube for the sake of 'balance'
2. Switch to what's likely an even worse alternative (The Wanderer)
3. Cut the other four mono-colored Walkers, even if they're performing well
Thanks io.
I suppose I could have been more clear about what I mean by "better", but a chunk of what he said was in some way non sequitor.
I'm possibly the most depowered cube here, and it hardly seems efficient to lay out every possible criteria where there would be an exception to power level every time someone references something like running all ten signets, other full cycles, etc.
I would advise very heavily against making "slots" for walkers. Play cards that are better than bad ones, regardless of card type
I disagree with this statement whole heartily.
Everyone on this forum plays some number of cards that are worse than others, that is just a fact. People lower the power of their cube or want to have a specific synergy or archetype, you don't have to just play the best cards available. Many people also increase the size of their cube, it just happens. I started at 360 and have overtime increased it to 380 when I felt it was appropriate.
PWs are a lot different than any other type of magic card and it adds another dimension to the game. I think for the most part the PWs are pretty strong cards and will play out better than most imagine they will. Increasing each of my mono-colored sections from 57 -> 58 cards is negligible and going from 380 -> 390 cards overall is also negligible.
I have been really happy with where my cube is at, but I am also happy to increase the overall size of my cube by ~2.6% to include another aspect of the game that we have previously not had the opportunity to play with in our limited format.
Uh, none of this actually justifies the "slot" idea
If Tayo works out, great. If he's last-pick trash and you're adamant about using "slots", you force yourself to do one of three bad options:
1. Keep a useless card in your cube for the sake of 'balance'
2. Switch to what's likely an even worse alternative (The Wanderer)
3. Cut the other four mono-colored Walkers, even if they're performing well
Fourth alternative, run two more x/White hybrid walkers.
Or, just take it out. No one at the table cares if there is 379 or 380 cards in the cube.
I'm gonna run the walkers as mentioned in my previous post, with their own slot in each booster. This will be how I know which ones work for my cube. Not by theorycrafting.
Personally, I think Teyo, the Shieldmage and Huatli, the Sun's Heart could be a lot of fun to run in a tetsuko deck with high alert and/or assault formation, but that's besides the point.
People were surprised at the effectiveness of some of the sagas, because they worked differently from any other card. That made them hard to judge without firsthand play experience. I think it's suggestible to jam as many planeswalkers now and worry about cuts after they perform (or don't). Just because some of these cards 'seem bad' doesn't mean they'll play bad.
Narset doesn't protect herself and has pretty mediocre upside considering how much cheap filtering/draw we have access to. UU and not being able to find lands also compare badly to other types of this effect.
//////
Slots only really make sense when you have too many good options and having too many hurt gameplay imo. In higher power cubes playing the strongest cards leads to way too many walkers, so I would be okay with it there, but when we aren't even sure if there's enough good walkers it makes no sense.
Elite Guardmage
2WU
Creature - Human Wizard
Flying
When Elite Guardmage enters the battlefield, you gain 3 life and draw a card.
A new Cloudblazer variant, I think I'm gonna replace it. Draw two is awesome, but the cmc 4 here and 3 toughness is a good upside. One more life is not so important IMO but is another plus.
Fourth alternative, run two more x/White hybrid walkers. [i]Or, just take it out. No one at the table cares if there is 379 or 380 cards in the cube.[/i]
I'm gonna run the walkers as mentioned in my previous post, with their own slot in each booster. This will be how I know which ones work for my cube. Not by theorycrafting.
People were surprised at the effectiveness of some of the sagas, because they worked differently from any other card. That made them hard to judge without firsthand play experience. I think it's suggestible to jam as many planeswalkers now and worry about cuts after they perform (or don't). Just because some of these cards 'seem bad' doesn't mean they'll play bad.
This comparison to the sagas is pretty apt, so your idea to jam a bunch and try them makes sense to me.
The part I so subtly high lighted, while true, would set my hair on fire.
One thing I don't think I've seen mentioned is Lazotep Reaver, which is the first Raise the Alarm in black (two bodies, right away, for two mana).
Maybe if you're Aristocrats you'd just rather have a better starting size with a death trigger rather than ETB (e.g., the Afterlife 2-drop), but it's worth some consideration especially as people want to add the Orzhov Zulaport Cutthroat for that archetype
Will test Evolution Sage: Proliferate seems intresting Neoform: Could be cool. Could be trash. Tibalt, Rakish instigator: I love his opponents cant gain life. Im strongly considering. Elite Guardmage: I feel this has potential but this one I will leave to my group.
I would advise very heavily against making "slots" for walkers. Play cards that are better than bad ones, regardless of card type
I disagree with this statement whole heartily.
Everyone on this forum plays some number of cards that are worse than others, that is just a fact. People lower the power of their cube or want to have a specific synergy or archetype, you don't have to just play the best cards available. Many people also increase the size of their cube, it just happens. I started at 360 and have overtime increased it to 380 when I felt it was appropriate.
PWs are a lot different than any other type of magic card and it adds another dimension to the game. I think for the most part the PWs are pretty strong cards and will play out better than most imagine they will. Increasing each of my mono-colored sections from 57 -> 58 cards is negligible and going from 380 -> 390 cards overall is also negligible.
I have been really happy with where my cube is at, but I am also happy to increase the overall size of my cube by ~2.6% to include another aspect of the game that we have previously not had the opportunity to play with in our limited format.
Uh, none of this actually justifies the "slot" idea
If Tayo works out, great. If he's last-pick trash and you're adamant about using "slots", you force yourself to do one of three bad options:
1. Keep a useless card in your cube for the sake of 'balance'
2. Switch to what's likely an even worse alternative (The Wanderer)
3. Cut the other four mono-colored Walkers, even if they're performing well
I’m not sure how increasing the size of my cube to include, in my opinion I guess, good cards which will be picked (maybe not a first pick card, but cards rarely are) and played with for numerous reasons... solid card that works synergistically with other cards in the cube/colour/colour pie/etc... additional aspect of the game which potentially allowing more deck building space. If I turn out to be wrong and most of these PWs either don’t get highly picked or they turn out to play badly I won’t keep them in my cube for the sake of doing so, I replace cards in my cube all the time and I would do so if these cards
fail. I have been close to increasing my cube for a while now, so this is the perfect time. As an alternative view on me increasing my cube size to include PWs... if my cube started out as a 390 cube and this set was coming out, I would make room for these cards anyway.
So, @Ulka, about Liliana's Triumph... Does your CU/be get a lot of multiplayer matches since outside those, this is just a Diabolic Edict? Given how we have no Liliana planeswalkers in the format. (Okay, I suppose there is also an interaction with the new white planeswalker that gives you hexproof but not being able to target a player is a pretty corner case scenario.)
So, @Ulka, about Liliana's Triumph... Does your CU/be get a lot of multiplayer matches since outside those, this is just a Diabolic Edict? Given how we have no Liliana planeswalkers in the format. (Okay, I suppose there is also an interaction with the new white planeswalker that gives you hexproof but not being able to target a player is a pretty corner case scenario.)
Its mostly just the art factor (i love the promo's art) but occasionally my group will multiplayer cube with my cube and put a monarch token in the center and first person to deal combat damage becomes the monarch so for corner cases where we play that and for future cases of hexproof on players I feel its a alright swap for now.
TL;DR - Rarely the multiplayer will actually matter but mostly making the swap for the promo art.
Expect to be good: Saheeli, Sublime Artificer - Probably the card I'm most worried about making bad gameplay, but the power is 100% there with copying something like a Young Pyromancer. Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner - Feels like it's hard for her to be anything worse than just fine, which is a good place to start from. Bleeding Edge - Removal with a body that can't be abused through recursion. Tibalt, Rakish Instigator - Supports basically every archetype and seems pretty consistent. Leyline Prowler - 2/3 for 3 with 3 relevant abilities is a successful formula.
Testing: Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - Suffers the hardest from a small hit of the decent walkers, but it's hard to say how often that will happen. Evolution Sage - Proliferate has a ton of synergies and green 3s are fairly weak. Burning Prophet - With Murmuring Mystic, Pteramander, and Saheeli the spells matter deck seems consistent enough now to include a more narrow 2 drop for it. Deathsprout - 2 good things at a fairly high cost. Nahiri, Storm of Stone - 4 mana conditional removal with 2 very inconsistent static abilities on an unevaluated card type makes this impossible to tell if it's good even if it has a lot of potential.
Yeah, fair enough. I also did not check whether you were playing the Edict, over which it is an obvious upgrade. Most seem not to.
Full spoiler. Let's see then... Overall, my feeling is pretty lukewarm on this set outside the Planeswalkers which is a shame.
Definite Tests: Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor: Creature protection is always welcome, and she easily provides value worth the investment. Even one token and her being hit in your stead almost gets there. Eternal Taskmaster: Nice value on a decent body for many kinds of decks. Paradise Druid: Rainbow fixing and on a creature. I think people making comparisons to Rampant Growth are missing the value of changing which colours you get based on what you need. Also helps with splashes. Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner: Promises many activations, hybrid, and replaces itself with just one trigger. Nahiri, Storm of Stone: Hybrid and provides removal alongside her passive which I like. But that is partly because I play stuff which benefits a ton from First Strike. Saheeli, Sublime Artificer: Redundancy for spells matter token generation. Interesting activated effect, especially with stuff like Murmuring Mystic or Young Pyromancer also on the field.
Likely Includes: Teyo, the Shieldmage: Walls can be useful and becoming untargetable has its uses. Definitely provides value worth the investment but does not directly contribute to winning any games. Evolution Sage: Much more manageable repeated proliferation on a good body and in a colour more likely to benefit from the effect.
Maybe? Bond of Insight: I always look to good cards which recur instants and sorceries and this fits the bill decently. Blue slots are just so precious, no less so after WAR. Flux Channeler: I love repeated Proliferate but I suppose there is just not enough support for this, especially given the condition tor her trigger. Lazotep Plating: An interesting counterspell with a creature token added. If put on Scepter, nets you a creature with limited hexproof and which grows every turn but has Upkeep 2. Spellkeeper Weird: See Bond of Insight. Being a creature is a definite bonus, and this one has a decent defensive body. Wall of Runes: Almost certainly not but it is still a decent card I like design-wise. Bleeding Edge: Tokens are welcome in black and this effectively has a type of Nekrataal effect. Davriel, Shadowmage: Mostly for the passive but it is too hard to enable without extensive discard support and the card is easily removed by attacking. Dreadmalkin: Could still get there; though, 2/1's for 1 are still probably better in black. Kaya's Ghostform: Also working on planeswalkers is nice; decent investment for 1 mana. Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted: Intresting card but probably a bit much of an investment for removal with drawback or drawing cards by sacrificing creatures. The passive could make it a sort of control finisher. Burning Prophet: The scry is nice though the boost is too small a benefit for this kind of deck. Tibalt, Rakish Instigator: Hard to assess the value on this guy. Niche passive but the tokens could be nice. Bond of Flourishing: The lifegain on this sort of effect partly makes up for the tempo loss, making it an interesting option. Also generally replaces itself, making the life gain not take card advantage away when you need it. Neoform: I think I will reduce my gold cards back to two per colour, in which case this does not crack it. Angrath, Captain of Chaos: Pretty decent but in a crowded hybrid spot. Ashiok, Dream Render: Too likely to die before milling enough to justify its inclusion but also a potential win condition in the right deck. Samut, Tyrant Smasher: I like Fires effects, and the scries are nice in an aggressive deck that wants to filter out lands. God Pharaoh's Statue: Could work in ramp as a way to secure your position. I am still unlikely to re-include Tinker but this is also one more step in that direction. Gideon's Company: Some redundancy with Ajani's Pridemate for life gain matters decks; I do not currently support the archetype, though.
Dreadmalkin > Disowned Ancestor - Dreadmalkin isn't the highest power level but I feel like the sacrifice deck still needs more help. Instant speed sac, 2 counters, and menace makes it a good threat in that deck.
Return to Nature > Naturalize - Not exciting but an upgrade to a card I like to have around. Return to Nature is close to being never dead with the addition of the third option of hitting the graveyard.
Maybes, some of which I still need to find a cut:
Rally of Wings - Nice card for UW Flyers, which traditionally has had much better support from blue than white. This would help rebalance that.
Bond of Insight - I like it but Blue already has a ton of strong cards that essentially draw you more cards.
Spark Harvest - Strict upgrade to Bone Splinters. Good in the sac deck, but it's never dead even outside of it. I'm at the point that I prefer interesting removal over the strongest removal anyway, so this has a chance. And if I add planewalkers, I'd prefer to have some non-Banishing Light removal that hits them.
Spark Reaper > Thallid Soothsayer - The Reaper is 1 mana less and has the minor life gain upside, but his sac is 1 mana more than the Mushroom Man's. I've been looking for a good "sac creature -> draw a card" ability but honestly it might be that neither is good enough.
They're not vanilla 1/1s and you have the option (when Tibalt sticks around) to make a third copy
I'd still guess that Tibalt sucks for cube, but more than almost any other walker he's one that needs actual game reps to figure it out for certain
Also, I'm just baffled that multiple people here have listed 10-20+ WAR cards as possibilities for testing and not even mentioned Paradise Druid. Like... what
For me Paradise druid will probably be outright amazing but currently something with it just doesn't seem fun for my cube. Like the hexproof on the dork just doesn't sit right as my green decks are winning most of the drafts. I forgot to mention it earlier in my page as one I will inevitably test but currently i want to see it in its home limited first to see how good( and if it will be too good).
Tibalt comes down early, protects himself, is in a colour that can deal with evasive threats, and has a relevant static ability. Devils are better in peasant than limited, as our creatures are smaller, and lifegain is also more relevant, as aggro cares more and our reach spells are significantly better. He can basically go in any red archetype as well. He's not an insane card, but if he's bad I think most of the 4cmc walkers will be worse, as he's less impacted by the issues planeswalkers have. If 2R for 2 devils is good (which I think it is), then Tibalt is probably about that good as well.
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Considering most people aren't playing Servant of the Conduit, which is at least a sidegrade imo (1 toughness when other green aggro cards have 2 is an issue), I'm not sure why not wanting Paradise Druid is strange. Green also has a stupid amount of good 2 drops.
Likely will be sticking around for a long while:
1. Nahiri, Storm of Stone - I think she may be my favorite.
2. Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - Or maybe Kasmina's my favorite.
3. Saheeli, Sublime Artificer or
Narset, Parter of Veils. I like that both kinda contribute to the spells matters deck, but I don't think I want both. I like Saheeli's passive, and her -2 could come in handy every once in a while. As I am typing this, I realize that Narset might just whiff a lot, similar to Augur of Bolas (fitting for the set, heh), and therefore will very likely be Saheeli, Sublime Artificer.Tibalt, Rakish Instigator - I wanna see if he'll work nicely in a red control deck. Maybe he'll get swapped out later on.
Ya'll talked me out of Jaya, Venerated Firemage.
Dont enslave yourself to colors like that. Unless you think the walkers are insane and would imbalance the cube, treat them like any other card.
I assume you dont try and balance auras across colors
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 just feel like walkers are a 'new and exciting addition to peasant' that I want everyone to be able to enjoy, regardless of play style. If that makes sense. With that said: I didn't feel that way about the sagas, and the only thing reminiscent of an enchantment about them is the fact that it has the type printed on it. So you're probably right. With regards to insane power levels, I don't think that's going to be an issue. I already run Skullclamp, Isochron Scepter, Loxodon Warhammer and Curse of Predation, all of which are much more powerful than the walkers in WAR imho.
From this set, I think my tryouts are:
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - Solid in control, looting matters a lot in my cube, too.
Nahiri, Storm of Stone - Trying to push the equipment/aura theme in Boros due to loads of great double strike creatures.
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer - Great passive and a unique activated ability that offers some punch in spellslingers-type shells.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner - Not that versatile, but I recently cut Kiora's Follower and this replaces the effect whilst not occupying a guild slot.
Teferi's Time Twist - I support blink and this seems like a natural inclusion
Eternal Taskmaster - I feel this needs to be tested before I can say much about its power level. It survives Inner Demon, Drown in Sorrow and Pyroclasm and gives you the option to get back the stuff that doesn't. Seems neat.
Paradise Druid - Good for tempo, ramp and offers a half decent aura target in enchantments matter I guess.
Cruel Celebrant - Main focus of BW since I got bored with the whole life matters thing has been aristocrats, so this should feel right at home.
Tenth District Legionnaire - Not too sure about this tbh, but same reason applies as with Nahiri. Auras'n such.
Neoform is just too cool to pass on for me. As far as I am aware a unique effect - for CU/bes that is - that has to be tried out.
Feel like I need to do some math on the split cards in the cube after this, though.
I disagree with this statement whole heartily.
Everyone on this forum plays some number of cards that are worse than others, that is just a fact. People lower the power of their cube or want to have a specific synergy or archetype, you don't have to just play the best cards available. Many people also increase the size of their cube, it just happens. I started at 360 and have overtime increased it to 380 when I felt it was appropriate.
PWs are a lot different than any other type of magic card and it adds another dimension to the game. I think for the most part the PWs are pretty strong cards and will play out better than most imagine they will. Increasing each of my mono-colored sections from 57 -> 58 cards is negligible and going from 380 -> 390 cards overall is also negligible.
I have been really happy with where my cube is at, but I am also happy to increase the overall size of my cube by ~2.6% to include another aspect of the game that we have previously not had the opportunity to play with in our limited format.
Uh, none of this actually justifies the "slot" idea
If Tayo works out, great. If he's last-pick trash and you're adamant about using "slots", you force yourself to do one of three bad options:
1. Keep a useless card in your cube for the sake of 'balance'
2. Switch to what's likely an even worse alternative (The Wanderer)
3. Cut the other four mono-colored Walkers, even if they're performing well
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
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Scaleable X/X is cool, but the replacement effect is a pretty big drawback in the face of pingers, smaller burn spells, and even just chump blockers.
Still, it's a Cathodion on T3 (where the drawback will matter much less often) and sometimes huge on T10, which is nice flexibility
Thanks io.
I suppose I could have been more clear about what I mean by "better", but a chunk of what he said was in some way non sequitor.
I'm possibly the most depowered cube here, and it hardly seems efficient to lay out every possible criteria where there would be an exception to power level every time someone references something like running all ten signets, other full cycles, etc.
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
//////
Slots only really make sense when you have too many good options and having too many hurt gameplay imo. In higher power cubes playing the strongest cards leads to way too many walkers, so I would be okay with it there, but when we aren't even sure if there's enough good walkers it makes no sense.
A new Cloudblazer variant, I think I'm gonna replace it. Draw two is awesome, but the cmc 4 here and 3 toughness is a good upside. One more life is not so important IMO but is another plus.
My Omniscience Draft Cube[/b]
My Commander Cube
My Pai Gow Cube
My Two-Headed Giant Cube
This comparison to the sagas is pretty apt, so your idea to jam a bunch and try them makes sense to me.
The part I so subtly high lighted, while true, would set my hair on fire.
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
Maybe if you're Aristocrats you'd just rather have a better starting size with a death trigger rather than ETB (e.g., the Afterlife 2-drop), but it's worth some consideration especially as people want to add the Orzhov Zulaport Cutthroat for that archetype
Snap includes
Return to Nature: Cartouche of Strength is getting cut because enchantress was not strong enough
Ashiok, Dream Render: with getting Saheeli for an artifact payoff card I can cut Tezzeret's Touch for my favorite of the planeswalkers.
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer: I have artifacts matter already and this plays into UR spells matters. I will be cutting Enigma Drake for her.
Nahiri, Storm of Stone: I love the fact it is multi faceted in what Nahiri does. While it offers aggressive support it also allows for artifact shenanigans. cutting Spitemare.
God-Pharaoh's Statue: This is the noncreature tinker target I have been waiting for. Cutting Filigree familiar.
Grim Initiate: I recently upped my aggro 1 drop count. This is a 1 drop I really want. cutting Flameblade Adept.
Liliana's Triumph: I love this. Cutting Smother.
Will test
Evolution Sage: Proliferate seems intresting
Neoform: Could be cool. Could be trash.
Tibalt, Rakish instigator: I love his opponents cant gain life. Im strongly considering.
Elite Guardmage: I feel this has potential but this one I will leave to my group.
I’m not sure how increasing the size of my cube to include, in my opinion I guess, good cards which will be picked (maybe not a first pick card, but cards rarely are) and played with for numerous reasons... solid card that works synergistically with other cards in the cube/colour/colour pie/etc... additional aspect of the game which potentially allowing more deck building space. If I turn out to be wrong and most of these PWs either don’t get highly picked or they turn out to play badly I won’t keep them in my cube for the sake of doing so, I replace cards in my cube all the time and I would do so if these cards
fail. I have been close to increasing my cube for a while now, so this is the perfect time. As an alternative view on me increasing my cube size to include PWs... if my cube started out as a 390 cube and this set was coming out, I would make room for these cards anyway.
Definitely going to try to find a space for initially:
Ordering a copy, but most likely staying on the bench for starters:
Its mostly just the art factor (i love the promo's art) but occasionally my group will multiplayer cube with my cube and put a monarch token in the center and first person to deal combat damage becomes the monarch so for corner cases where we play that and for future cases of hexproof on players I feel its a alright swap for now.
TL;DR - Rarely the multiplayer will actually matter but mostly making the swap for the promo art.
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer - Probably the card I'm most worried about making bad gameplay, but the power is 100% there with copying something like a Young Pyromancer.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner - Feels like it's hard for her to be anything worse than just fine, which is a good place to start from.
Bleeding Edge - Removal with a body that can't be abused through recursion.
Tibalt, Rakish Instigator - Supports basically every archetype and seems pretty consistent.
Leyline Prowler - 2/3 for 3 with 3 relevant abilities is a successful formula.
Testing:
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor - Suffers the hardest from a small hit of the decent walkers, but it's hard to say how often that will happen.
Evolution Sage - Proliferate has a ton of synergies and green 3s are fairly weak.
Burning Prophet - With Murmuring Mystic, Pteramander, and Saheeli the spells matter deck seems consistent enough now to include a more narrow 2 drop for it.
Deathsprout - 2 good things at a fairly high cost.
Nahiri, Storm of Stone - 4 mana conditional removal with 2 very inconsistent static abilities on an unevaluated card type makes this impossible to tell if it's good even if it has a lot of potential.
Full spoiler. Let's see then... Overall, my feeling is pretty lukewarm on this set outside the Planeswalkers which is a shame.
Definite Tests:
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor: Creature protection is always welcome, and she easily provides value worth the investment. Even one token and her being hit in your stead almost gets there.
Eternal Taskmaster: Nice value on a decent body for many kinds of decks.
Paradise Druid: Rainbow fixing and on a creature. I think people making comparisons to Rampant Growth are missing the value of changing which colours you get based on what you need. Also helps with splashes.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner: Promises many activations, hybrid, and replaces itself with just one trigger.
Nahiri, Storm of Stone: Hybrid and provides removal alongside her passive which I like. But that is partly because I play stuff which benefits a ton from First Strike.
Saheeli, Sublime Artificer: Redundancy for spells matter token generation. Interesting activated effect, especially with stuff like Murmuring Mystic or Young Pyromancer also on the field.
Likely Includes:
Teyo, the Shieldmage: Walls can be useful and becoming untargetable has its uses. Definitely provides value worth the investment but does not directly contribute to winning any games.
Evolution Sage: Much more manageable repeated proliferation on a good body and in a colour more likely to benefit from the effect.
Maybe?
Bond of Insight: I always look to good cards which recur instants and sorceries and this fits the bill decently. Blue slots are just so precious, no less so after WAR.
Flux Channeler: I love repeated Proliferate but I suppose there is just not enough support for this, especially given the condition tor her trigger.
Lazotep Plating: An interesting counterspell with a creature token added. If put on Scepter, nets you a creature with limited hexproof and which grows every turn but has Upkeep 2.
Spellkeeper Weird: See Bond of Insight. Being a creature is a definite bonus, and this one has a decent defensive body.
Wall of Runes: Almost certainly not but it is still a decent card I like design-wise.
Bleeding Edge: Tokens are welcome in black and this effectively has a type of Nekrataal effect.
Davriel, Shadowmage: Mostly for the passive but it is too hard to enable without extensive discard support and the card is easily removed by attacking.
Dreadmalkin: Could still get there; though, 2/1's for 1 are still probably better in black.
Kaya's Ghostform: Also working on planeswalkers is nice; decent investment for 1 mana.
Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted: Intresting card but probably a bit much of an investment for removal with drawback or drawing cards by sacrificing creatures. The passive could make it a sort of control finisher.
Burning Prophet: The scry is nice though the boost is too small a benefit for this kind of deck.
Tibalt, Rakish Instigator: Hard to assess the value on this guy. Niche passive but the tokens could be nice.
Bond of Flourishing: The lifegain on this sort of effect partly makes up for the tempo loss, making it an interesting option. Also generally replaces itself, making the life gain not take card advantage away when you need it.
Neoform: I think I will reduce my gold cards back to two per colour, in which case this does not crack it.
Angrath, Captain of Chaos: Pretty decent but in a crowded hybrid spot.
Ashiok, Dream Render: Too likely to die before milling enough to justify its inclusion but also a potential win condition in the right deck.
Samut, Tyrant Smasher: I like Fires effects, and the scries are nice in an aggressive deck that wants to filter out lands.
God Pharaoh's Statue: Could work in ramp as a way to secure your position. I am still unlikely to re-include Tinker but this is also one more step in that direction.
Gideon's Company: Some redundancy with Ajani's Pridemate for life gain matters decks; I do not currently support the archetype, though.
Maybes, some of which I still need to find a cut:
I'd still guess that Tibalt sucks for cube, but more than almost any other walker he's one that needs actual game reps to figure it out for certain
Also, I'm just baffled that multiple people here have listed 10-20+ WAR cards as possibilities for testing and not even mentioned Paradise Druid. Like... what
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Considering most people aren't playing Servant of the Conduit, which is at least a sidegrade imo (1 toughness when other green aggro cards have 2 is an issue), I'm not sure why not wanting Paradise Druid is strange. Green also has a stupid amount of good 2 drops.