MTG Salvation

Quote from user-23643864 »

Thoughts on Scion of Stygia?

2U
Flash
Roll a D20 and choose target creature.
1-9, tap that creature.
10-20, tap that creature and doesn't untap next turn.
2/1

Obviously, not better than Pestermite, or Merfolk Trickster, or Deceiver Exarch... And even Frost Trickster without flash... But, is another option for a flash archetype, isn't it? I think the card is not bad.

I'm not a fan of the D20 cards in general. I find them to be excessively wordy/cluttered, hard to strategize around (due to randomness), and they bring dice-rolling, which is a mechanic I think I'd rather avoid. So unless I see one that I absolutely love, I will likely pass.

And Scion of Stygia? I don't love it. It's okay. As you said, there are several better. I suppose if you're trying to force the flash archetype, but give it time and there will be better. Or at least cleaner.

Cards I haven't see discussed so far:
Dueling Rapier
I think this is another piece for the W/R equip deck. I f this is a deck in your cube this seems solid.

Deathpriest of Myrkul
If you want a second Liliana's Devotee in a larger cube this might be solid enough. It is more expensive but the ability cost is cheaper and it pumps all your existing Zombies and Vampires (and Skeletons). It doesn't make the cut for me at 360 and probably shouldn't make it at 450 either but in a 540 cube I can see it being reasonable.

Kalain, Reclusive Painter
Could B/R aristocrat with a treasure subtheme be a thing? Mayhem Devil triggers on treasures and cards like Pitiless Plunderer and Shambling Ghast fit the theme.

Bag of Holding (downshift)
This gives looting to colors which normally don't have access to it. It also makes other looter/rummage effects stronger. I played with it in a regular low powered cube and liked it a lot. It has the same type of choices as Shrine of Burning Rage and Shrine of Loyal Legions: Do I sac it now or do something else to try and get more value risking my opponents artifact removal. I like that risk/reward type play this card offers.

How does Kalain, Reclusive Painter work with Muerderous Redcap if you spend a treasure to cast Redcap? Does she triggers the infinite combo with a sac outlet or only once?

It doesn't trigger at all.
You cast Redcap with a treasure and it enters as a 3/3 (2/2 plus +1/+1 counter). Deals 3 damage. Then is dies, it didn't have a -1/-1 counter so it comes back as a 1/1 (2/2 with -1/-1 counter) and deals one damage. If it dies again it is dead as it has a -1/-1 counter. Kalain does not interact at all (except for dealing more damage when you cast it from your hand).

Yeah Bag of Holding looks like a really interesting card to play with.

Deathpriest of Myrkul is way better than Liliana's Devotee, lord for all of the black tribes, gives toughness. costs less to trigger end of turn.

I am pretty sure bag of holding saw standard play, so I'll see if I have space for it.

But the devotee tokens are 2/2 (3/2 with it in play) and the Deathpriest tokens are only 1/1 (2/2 with it in play). That is a huge difference.

Bag of Holding sure looks interesting, but I have a hard time imagining how I can spend 3 mana for a loot effect and then 2 mana each time I want it again. This seems really slow and clunky even for a control deck. If the loot ability activation would cost 1 less I would play it, but the way it is I don't think I will try it.

Quote from Narvuntien »

Deathpriest of Myrkul is way better than Liliana's Devotee, lord for all of the black tribes, gives toughness. costs less to trigger end of turn.

This type of effect is naturally better the earlier it comes down. Liliana's Devotee only has a (overall lower) C color cost, it has a better, more resilient body and the tokens it creates stay 2/2 even after it is gone. Deathpriest of Myrkul isn't terrible and in mono black decks with a lot of tribal synergies it may be better, but Devotee is overall the better cube card from my pov.

As single cards I also prefer Liliana's Devotee. I do think it's other stats are strong enough to overcome the more expensive activation. Taking synergy into account, I do have 2 skeletons and 10 vampires that Deathpriest of Myrkul will pump that the Devotee won't, and there are a fair number of zombies that get a toughness boost from the deathpriest, so in some black decks it may be overall stronger. But I'm not trying to support tribal in my cube, so I will go with the better value engine in the Devotee.

Quote from Poster formerly known as Phitt77 »

Bag of Holding sure looks interesting, but I have a hard time imagining how I can spend 3 mana for a loot effect and then 2 mana each time I want it again. This seems really slow and clunky even for a control deck. If the loot ability activation would cost 1 less I would play it, but the way it is I don't think I will try it.

Don't forget that is makes other discard effects better as well. Not only Looters and the standard draw and discard spells but also cycle cards and the odd cards like Psychatog and Forbid.

Bag of Holding also fits into a real nice spot on the curve, cast on turn 1 and activiated on turn 2. I would not say Bag of Holding is an auto-include, but it might be the best rate Peasant has on this kind of effect. If you have the extra discard synergy and/or put enough turns into Bag, it would beat out Sunset Pyramid.

I am split on the Liliana's Devotee vs Death-Priest of Myrkul debate. I want to play both, but I will say Death-Priest having the cheaper activation is quite appealing for sacrifice decks that want any creature, regardless of size.

Liliana's Devotee and Death-Priest of Myrkul seem different enough that I'll probably just play both. They also have great synergy together since they don't need non-tokens to die (Death-Priest also buffs the zombie tokens to 4/3).

I don't really think blue decks want Bag of Holding and outside of blue there isn't really enough discard to make it worthwhile imo. Playing it without other discard effects seems way too slow and you need to go out of your way in most colours to get more than 1.

Have we gotten a once per turn free sac-outlet like Sepulcher Ghoul before? Decent body + the convenience of a free sac-outlet seems pretty good even if it can't always do what unrestricted free sac-outlets can.

Quote from Purplemurasaki »

Have we gotten a once per turn free sac-outlet like Sepulcher Ghoul before? Decent body + the convenience of a free sac-outlet seems pretty good even if it can't always do what unrestricted free sac-outlets can.

Play Carrion Feeder or Bloodthrone Vampire instead.

Quote from ArBoR4817 »

It doesn't trigger at all.

Thanks for the explanation.

Quote from FunkyDragon »

And Scion of Stygia? I don't love it. It's okay.

Same, thanks for your reply.

I like Devotee a fair lot better than the newcomer. Black 4s are pretty stacked as is, I prefer having better tokens over having slightly more tribal upside. I also feel Bag of Holding is pretty good, on its own its okay, but it is a colourless card, opening up card advantage for decks that normally can't get that. (Boros comes to mind)

It also has marginal upside in most other colours in my cube, with the aforementioned blue looters, but also the red rummage or loot effects. It also pairs nicely with cycling, though not in the reanimator decks, obviously.

I'm going to play Red Dragon . This is a strictly better Volcanic Dragon.

I'm trying to develop a little bit out of green my midrange/ramp decks, specially the gruul section with some more monsters.

This dragon is fine, but I'm also running Rite of the Raging Storm, Charging Monstrosaur and Frenzied Saddlebrute.

Trickster's Talisman is interesting, but I fear it may be too cute. For as many times as you'll equip to a Pelakka Wurm and punch through with trample, you'll have far more times of it being on a ground creature with no way to get through. It is pretty great with flyers that offer additional value, like Frost Trickster or Mulldrifter, and it works well with some other evasive creatures like Shriekmaw. I might give it a try. Low floor, but pretty high ceiling.

If you're supporting U/x tempo Soulknife Spy is a upgrade for Stealer of Secrets.

Quote from user-23643864 »

I'm going to play Red Dragon . This is a strictly better Volcanic Dragon.

I'm trying to develop a little bit out of green my midrange/ramp decks, specially the gruul section with some more monsters.

This dragon is fine, but I'm also running Rite of the Raging Storm, Charging Monstrosaur and Frenzied Saddlebrute.

I really want to support Gruul midrange/ramp. They problem is that red ramp targets seem so mediocre compared to greens. Still, I just really want to cast big dragons.

Quote from FunkyDragon »

Trickster's Talisman is interesting, but I fear it may be too cute. For as many times as you'll equip to a Pelakka Wurm and punch through with trample, you'll have far more times of it being on a ground creature with no way to get through. It is pretty great with flyers that offer additional value, like Frost Trickster or Mulldrifter, and it works well with some other evasive creatures like Shriekmaw. I might give it a try. Low floor, but pretty high ceiling.

For the cost of 2U you could also just play Mirror Image instead of Trickster's Talisman. The only advantage the equipment has is that you can pay 2 and U in separate turns but you have to go to al lot more trouble to get your copy.

Quote from ArBoR4817 »

Quote from FunkyDragon »

Trickster's Talisman is interesting, but I fear it may be too cute. For as many times as you'll equip to a Pelakka Wurm and punch through with trample, you'll have far more times of it being on a ground creature with no way to get through. It is pretty great with flyers that offer additional value, like Frost Trickster or Mulldrifter, and it works well with some other evasive creatures like Shriekmaw. I might give it a try. Low floor, but pretty high ceiling.

For the cost of 2U you could also just play Mirror Image instead of Trickster's Talisman. The only advantage the equipment has is that you can pay 2 and U in separate turns but you have to go to al lot more trouble to get your copy.

Yeah, I already run Mirror Image. It's certainly more dependable. Just thinking of trying both.

To be fair, there are also other upsides. There is nothing wrong with Mirror Image but the amulet is still a +1/+1 equipment in the meantime and you can play it even before you have any interesting targets to copy. Whereas Mirror Image is entirely reliant on what you have on the board at the time.

I would personally consider it but I am not set on it.

Reaper's Talisman is also kind of interesting, I will admit.

Unexpected Windfall seems decent. Instant speed makes it playable compared to Pirate's Pillage.

I feel that all that is missing from Warlock Class to be worth looking at is "and you gain 1 life" in the level 1 ability. Level 2 is a Ransack the Lab which is a card I was considering playing. It just did not make the cut. Level 3 is just bonus that wont come up very often.

I agree that the Warlock Class is close to being cubeable but I don't think "and you gain 1 life" would have been enough.
If the level 1 abilty was: "Whenever a creature dies during your turn, each opponent loses 1 life." it would certainly be good enough but seeing the other uncommon class cards that probably deemed that too strong.

Quote from VariSami »

Reaper's Talisman is also kind of interesting, I will admit.

Nice! I somehow missed that one, but I like it.

I can think of a few situations where [c]Reaper's Talisman[/card] really shines.
- You've been playing burn or aggro but are running out of steam and just need to drain them a little bit further. It's guaranteed 2 life even if they block, more if they don't want to lose a creature.
- Both boards are fairly stacked and you don't want to over-commit. Keeping back a bunch of blockers and sending in just one creature with this lends inevitability.
- Repeatable token makers (Jade Mage, Curse of Disturbance, etc). If they block, they traded a creature for your token and still lost 2 life. If they don't block, they lose 3-4 life. It's low risk to you and pays off pretty quickly.

And in all of those, the life swing is greater because you are gaining 2 life on top of whatever happens to the opponent.

It's also not a terrible rate for offensive deathtouch, either. So, it's not just a form of 'exalted'. In my case, though, it also helps that I have minor artifact synergies in black and a dedicated equipment archetype.

Speaking of which, Plate Armor looks pretty decent, too. It's a coloured Vulshok Battlegear at worst - which would hardly be cubeable but would not be the worst thing ever. However, shedding even a single point from that equip cost *really* helps, and +3/+3 is something that makes a real difference.

I kind of like both Warlock Class and Reaper's Talisman as really grindy cards tbat could fit token strategies. Warlock Class is probably less aggressive than you would want those strategies to be at only 1 "damage" per turn cycle, but it does replace itself and the final level could fuel a lethal turn late game. Reaper's Talisman plays more aggressively by draining life when a token gets sent through, but it could easily be stymied if your creature count decreases.

Plate Armor would be a good card if any sort of Boros equipment deck comes together. I am still not sure how much upside these small Ward abilities are, between the Ward 1 on Plate Armor and the Ward 2 on Purple Worm. I imagine it means a lot more earlier in the game, so neither one might be terribly good by the time they get going.