I've purchased 3 of them total so far, including the Mind Seize deck, at 2 different LGS locations.
Both stores had them at MSRP (single deck price, not required to buy all 5) despite the value of Mind Seize, and they haven't raised prices at all. Both stores still have "quite a few" (their words) of all 5 decks in stock.
I haven't seen them at any local large stores yet (Target, Fred Meyer)
If you live in the Portland (OR) area I recommend going to Hoopla or Things from Another World. Traditionally Guardian Games and Ancient Wonders are the stores that gouge on items like this, but they are also more popular from a tournament attendance standpoint.
update: I was at Things from Another World yesterday (11/5, the Beaverton store) and they still have a large amount of all 5 decks at MSRP
Why does everyone mention Hidden Strings as a heroic enabler. You have to actually hit your opponent to have it trigger beyond the first cast, it doesn't grant any evasion, and you can't untap the same creature twice (it's states "another") which means for it to be the "double heroic enabler" that people claim you would need 2 heroic targets.
I wish people would stop trying to make hidden strings good. It's just not.
Can we get the OP or a MOD to add the card description to the original post? I realize we can just pull up the spoiler on a different page, but it's kind of a PITA each time you want to discuss the card.
Ah well, since you "TLDR", you didn't see my pointing out of standard that I was referring too. I do play EDH and not competitive either, but even in that format I would be hesitant to play this creature, because you can only Monstrosity once, so it doesn't play well in multiplayer. That only leaves kitchen tables and if you want to post in this thread about how you like it for that then great I won't single you out or talk smack about that play style. People though try to justify this card in standard and it just falls short of better stuff we currently have in RtR.
I still fail to see where you discuss the card outside of standard in your original post. And honestly, I would have let the post slide had you not prefaced your response with "Won't see play and I am sick of every overcosted card spoiled or speculated by people to be justified", essentially attacking everyone elses opinion and then offering an incomplete one of your own.
This^, I don't try to attack people who want to express their like of this card, I would appreciate it if people wouldn't attack my dislike of a card.
My statement was about you failing to evaluate this card on a level outside of your personal play choice. I don't care how many reasons you give that the card is bad in constructed standard, it came across as the traditional "only standard constructed matters, and it's unplayable there, so it's unplayable"
Won't see play and I am sick of every overcosted card spoiled or speculated by people to be justified by, "The format will be slower with Innistrad rotating out.". Yes the format will be slower.... by like one turn. Ravnica is still pretty fast, Rakdos, Boros, and Gruul all have creatures and abilities that lead to blow outs by turn 5. So far monstrosity is hideous, flavor awesome, but playability meh even for EDH. That you can only do it once is bad, if the creatures actually had another ability then I wouldn't be as worried. But if the 3 cards spoiled so far reveal that all monstrosity creatures will be slightly above curve beaters with no other abilities and ridiculously expensive monstrosity abilities then monstrosity creatures will never be a force in standard.
TLDR: "unplayable in standard blah blah followed by a bunch of emotional complaining and cmon guys get behind me on this can't you see how bad this card if you put the same blinders on that I'm wearing"
There is an issue with Opalescence that Life and Limb and March of the Machines don't have. When you animate a land into a creature, it just has the types Land and Creature and anything that would affect one affect this permanent. When you have an Artifact the same is true except when you bring in equipment. When an equipment becomes animated, if its attached to a creature it falls off but stays on the battlefield.
An animated Enchantment acts the same EXCEPT when talking about auras. An aura that becomes a creature and that's attached to a creature falls off, then the game says 'hey, here's an aura not attached to anything. I'm gonna send that to the G/Y'. Its not too much more complicated than animating artifacts but it can be hard to explain to new players that they won't have a chance to 'save' this creature. You also need to explain that if there's an effect like Opalescence on the battlefield you still need to select a target for your Auras even though they'll get shipped to the bin (technically still die) as soon as they hit.
The only way I can see something that could animate Auras would be if it removed the Aura subtype from them as well though we may just be adding too many words to the cards to make them easily understandable.
You really should read Opalescence. It has no effect on auras.
AAAAAAND limited ruins another set. How long are people going to take 90% of a set being garbage, including multiple garbage rares, just so it can be drafted?
At this rate I wouldn't be surprised if WoTC just abandoned Standard and just move everything to limited. It's pretty much all they design for anymore.
Standard doesn't drive the opening of packs, Limited does. Without Limited all your OMGWTFBBQ power rares in standard would be $50 and the uncommons would be $5. That's the reason YOU shouldn't sound so hurt about design that is geared towards Limited.
Wizards cares about Limited because it makes them the most money (by a wide, gaping, Grand Canyon of a margin). The rest of the world (minus a few tunnel vision Standard players) cares about Limited because it's the format that represents the most diversity and fun.
If your opponent has a 3/3, you pay 4 to get a 3/3 and kill their 3/3, which is extremely powerful. Stealing a kalonian tusker is decent, but stealing a messenger drake is often game-breaking.
And then all I have to do is pump the dude you stole up to 4 power with a giant growth or ANY pump spell in the format, OR have a disenchant effect, and get just get my guy back. This card isn't unplayable in limited, but it's actually much closer to a Runner's Bane than it is a Mind Control.
From a design standpoint, I like that they are trying to push the color barrier without breaking it. However, this card is unplayable. It doesn't allow you to guarantee a kill on the creature you want, it allows your opponent to keep moving it around to control what it destroys, and doesn't actually do anything to the equipment itself (meaning, all your OP has to do is draw a disenchant of their own).
For the same cost you could just cast any number of black hand disruption spells that rip the artifact right from their grip. I don't know why you would ever play this card over a simple Duress effect.
Young Pyromancer really likes this card.
Play four of each, then load up on burn?
Don't think you want 4 copies MD unless you are using it for some kind of broken combo synergy. While you do want 1 each game, the deck should be able to operate w/o it, and drawing a 2nd copy is miserable unless your OP has actually has enchantment hate. 3 in the main and 1 in the SB. Bring in the 4th if OP shows they can remove it, or if they are playing a lot of 1 toughness creatures.
"That's about it"?? While I agree this is a bit less powerful than bombardment, your attempt at making this card sound bad has actually made it sound amazing. Bombardment has been a staple in various goblin and wheenie red decks for years, and is currently $3. This gives a similar tool to standard, and makes this type of ability available in limited, when it hasn't been available since Tempest . . .
It's power level will be greatly dependent on what kind of broken utility non-basics exist alongside it. It's activation cost is just too steep to use it just to pop a dual-color land, but it might be playable enough against lands like gavony township etc.
Barrage of Expendables R
Enchantment
Uncommon R, Sacrifice a creature: Barrage of Expendables deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
This seems fairly pushed . . . it would have been solid at even 1R. I'm not sure it will see constructed play, but this thing will be a house in limited. It gives an aggressive deck reach, reliable wheenie removal, and potential for blowouts because Act of Treason is being reprinted in the same set. I could see "Barrage/Act" aggro decks being a legit archetype in this limited format.
Lightning Angel says Hi
Both stores had them at MSRP (single deck price, not required to buy all 5) despite the value of Mind Seize, and they haven't raised prices at all. Both stores still have "quite a few" (their words) of all 5 decks in stock.
I haven't seen them at any local large stores yet (Target, Fred Meyer)
If you live in the Portland (OR) area I recommend going to Hoopla or Things from Another World. Traditionally Guardian Games and Ancient Wonders are the stores that gouge on items like this, but they are also more popular from a tournament attendance standpoint.
update: I was at Things from Another World yesterday (11/5, the Beaverton store) and they still have a large amount of all 5 decks at MSRP
I wish people would stop trying to make hidden strings good. It's just not.
I still fail to see where you discuss the card outside of standard in your original post. And honestly, I would have let the post slide had you not prefaced your response with "Won't see play and I am sick of every overcosted card spoiled or speculated by people to be justified", essentially attacking everyone elses opinion and then offering an incomplete one of your own.
My statement was about you failing to evaluate this card on a level outside of your personal play choice. I don't care how many reasons you give that the card is bad in constructed standard, it came across as the traditional "only standard constructed matters, and it's unplayable there, so it's unplayable"
TLDR: "unplayable in standard blah blah followed by a bunch of emotional complaining and cmon guys get behind me on this can't you see how bad this card if you put the same blinders on that I'm wearing"
You really should read Opalescence. It has no effect on auras.
Standard doesn't drive the opening of packs, Limited does. Without Limited all your OMGWTFBBQ power rares in standard would be $50 and the uncommons would be $5. That's the reason YOU shouldn't sound so hurt about design that is geared towards Limited.
Wizards cares about Limited because it makes them the most money (by a wide, gaping, Grand Canyon of a margin). The rest of the world (minus a few tunnel vision Standard players) cares about Limited because it's the format that represents the most diversity and fun.
Haters gonna hate.
And then all I have to do is pump the dude you stole up to 4 power with a giant growth or ANY pump spell in the format, OR have a disenchant effect, and get just get my guy back. This card isn't unplayable in limited, but it's actually much closer to a Runner's Bane than it is a Mind Control.
For the same cost you could just cast any number of black hand disruption spells that rip the artifact right from their grip. I don't know why you would ever play this card over a simple Duress effect.
Don't think you want 4 copies MD unless you are using it for some kind of broken combo synergy. While you do want 1 each game, the deck should be able to operate w/o it, and drawing a 2nd copy is miserable unless your OP has actually has enchantment hate. 3 in the main and 1 in the SB. Bring in the 4th if OP shows they can remove it, or if they are playing a lot of 1 toughness creatures.
"That's about it"?? While I agree this is a bit less powerful than bombardment, your attempt at making this card sound bad has actually made it sound amazing. Bombardment has been a staple in various goblin and wheenie red decks for years, and is currently $3. This gives a similar tool to standard, and makes this type of ability available in limited, when it hasn't been available since Tempest . . .
R
Enchantment
Uncommon
R, Sacrifice a creature: Barrage of Expendables deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
This seems fairly pushed . . . it would have been solid at even 1R. I'm not sure it will see constructed play, but this thing will be a house in limited. It gives an aggressive deck reach, reliable wheenie removal, and potential for blowouts because Act of Treason is being reprinted in the same set. I could see "Barrage/Act" aggro decks being a legit archetype in this limited format.