Honestly, the most striking thing about this announcement to me is that they decided not to hype Dragons of Tarkir which drops in a month and a half, and not MM2, but instead the July release. I am not heartened by this decision. Official Dragons of Tarkir spoilers should start March 8th, and we will be getting MTG: Origins spoilers at PAX on March 7th... Feels to me like they don't have high hopes for DTK or MM2 (any word on official set code for modern masters 2? there isn't one on the announcing arcana)
Actually, core sets have traditionally been announced within the first weekofthenewyear. Waiting until February is atypical for a core set, but a product announcement six months in advance of release is business as usual. In any case, I wouldn't read it as an indictment of Dragons of Tarkir or Modern Masters.
There's also no way a kor planeswalker with mastery over binding magic is not white, so Nahiri being in would mean no Serra...
I'm still very happy we are getting a control-based white planeswalker, but that was the best opportunity for a Serra card...
It's the basest of baseless speculation, but Angelic Field Marshal is an Angel and is ostensibly meant to represent a lieutenant to the commander... who better than Serra? I know it's silly to be drawing conclusions based on "white has Angels," but it's at least cause for hope.
Besides, with Sorin grabbing Ugin in Khans block, and with all signs pointing to an imminent return to Zendikar, I imagine they save the Lithomancer for an expert set.
Let's say Bruna is wearing Spectra Ward. When she triggers, her effect adds additional Auras (notably without targeting her, which I understand gets around 702.16b). Further, the effect of Spectra Ward states that it does not cause Auras to fall off, which I believe nullifies 702.16c.
My conclusion is that Bruna the Spectracular can rock all the colored jeans she wants, as long as she gets them through her effect. Colored Auras targeting her directly run afoul of 702.16b and won't fly. Is this correct?
702.16b A permanent or player with protection can’t be targeted by spells with the stated quality and can’t be targeted by abilities from a source with the stated quality.
702.16c A permanent or player with protection can’t be enchanted by Auras that have the stated quality. Such Auras attached to the permanent or player with protection will be put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based action. (See rule 704, “State-Based Actions.”)
Pods of eight split into two groups of four. The winner and runner-up of each game get grouped together for a second game, and the bottom half plays in the other group. Everyone gets at least one prize pack, winning any of your games gets you a second, and an undefeated record gets three.
Indestructible
As long as your devotion to red and white is less than seven, Iroas isn't a creature.
Creatures you control can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to attacking creatures you control.
7/4
What do you think? Is Boros Reckoner going to be a Jackson again?
To get rid of Erebos you need to cast something that will reduce it's toughness to 0. Anything that says destroy, exile, or whatever won't affect it; not even a supreme verdictwhich doesn't even need a target. Something like toxic deluge would get the job done.
Exiling would take care of it just fine. It's just lethal damage and the word "destroy" that's no good.
The logical extreme of what you're suggesting is to build a cube that simulates the retail draft experience. I have Innistrad and Avacyn Restored draft sims, I'm working on RtR block, and I'll probably move back to Scars block once I'm done.
What I do is take 6-8 of each common (depending on the set), 4 of each uncommon, 2 of each rare, and 1 of each mythic. The ratios are fixed for my cubes, but I could see a good argument for throwing in a couple extra deck-defining uncommons (Burning Vengeance, Spider Spawning, etc.).
I then take 10 commons, 3 uncommons, and a rare/mythic and build three packs for each drafter. Occasionally duplication will occur in the packs, but I accept it as a quirk of the format. For the most part it works great!
The downside, of course, is that this can get pretty expensive, especially if you weren't cracking packs and collecting bulk while the set was current (heaven help me if I ever try to do this with Zendikar block). The kind-of good news is that Scars block sealed product remains relatively cheap, and would be one of the more sensible environments to recreate.
I very much doubt that the movie will be based on any legacy storylines. WotC is a very present-and-future focused company, and as awesome as a Brother's War or Weatherlight movie might be, they aren't going to want to get people invested in a world that stopped being financially viable well over a decade ago. It will feature characters and situations that will be represented by what's on the shelf at time of release.
Are there any X cards where paying more is bad (like duds)?
Phyrexian Marauder costs X and enters the battlefield with as many +1/+1 counters. It can't block, and you must pay 1 for each counter if you want to attack with it.
Shifting Wall also costs X, gets a +1/+1 counter for each and is a generic wall. Not a proper dud, but it's underwhelming.
Hey, once I also nabbed the Black Cat, I was a force to be reckoned with! (quickly and decisively by any opponent whatsoever.)
I believe it was part of a 4 color mediocre-stuff deck out of a DKA-DKA-DKA draft. It was headlined by Seance, and my win condition was hoping my opponents got bored and went home.
I have a few draft sims. My goal is accurate preservation of the retail draft environment, whatever mistakes, unplayables, or assorted quirks that may entail. That means Pack Rat still breaks RTR, and Maze's End from DGM gets passed 13 times, every time. I don't curate anything.
I take 4 of each common, 3 of each uncommon, 2 of each rare, and 1 of each mythic for a large set, and 3 of each common, 2 of each uncommon, 2 of each rare, and 1 of each mythic for a small set. Doubling up on rares naturally drives down the odds of pulling a mythic to about the 1-in-8 it should be, while also occasionally meaning I can grab two Hounds of Griselbrand (that was a good night).
This is, of course, more expensive than just grabbing one of each rare/mythic, but it does allow for more variance.
I will say that I'm considering increasing the common count of large sets. 4 of each common works great for a pod of 4, and it's fine for 6, but by 8 it starts to feel a little thin if we're triple-drafting the set. 6 of each common might work better at that point. I like 4-of, though, because if you put them all in Pro Fit sleeves, they fit perfectly in a fat pack box (with the uncommons, rares, and tokens in a second).
Actually, core sets have traditionally been announced within the first week of the new year. Waiting until February is atypical for a core set, but a product announcement six months in advance of release is business as usual. In any case, I wouldn't read it as an indictment of Dragons of Tarkir or Modern Masters.
It's the basest of baseless speculation, but Angelic Field Marshal is an Angel and is ostensibly meant to represent a lieutenant to the commander... who better than Serra? I know it's silly to be drawing conclusions based on "white has Angels," but it's at least cause for hope.
Besides, with Sorin grabbing Ugin in Khans block, and with all signs pointing to an imminent return to Zendikar, I imagine they save the Lithomancer for an expert set.
My conclusion is that Bruna the Spectracular can rock all the colored jeans she wants, as long as she gets them through her effect. Colored Auras targeting her directly run afoul of 702.16b and won't fly. Is this correct?
Legendary Enchantment Creature - God
Indestructible
As long as your devotion to red and white is less than seven, Iroas isn't a creature.
Creatures you control can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to attacking creatures you control.
7/4
What do you think? Is Boros Reckoner going to be a Jackson again?
Exiling would take care of it just fine. It's just lethal damage and the word "destroy" that's no good.
What I do is take 6-8 of each common (depending on the set), 4 of each uncommon, 2 of each rare, and 1 of each mythic. The ratios are fixed for my cubes, but I could see a good argument for throwing in a couple extra deck-defining uncommons (Burning Vengeance, Spider Spawning, etc.).
I then take 10 commons, 3 uncommons, and a rare/mythic and build three packs for each drafter. Occasionally duplication will occur in the packs, but I accept it as a quirk of the format. For the most part it works great!
The downside, of course, is that this can get pretty expensive, especially if you weren't cracking packs and collecting bulk while the set was current (heaven help me if I ever try to do this with Zendikar block). The kind-of good news is that Scars block sealed product remains relatively cheap, and would be one of the more sensible environments to recreate.
So yeah. Jace the Moviesculptor.
Phyrexian Marauder costs X and enters the battlefield with as many +1/+1 counters. It can't block, and you must pay 1 for each counter if you want to attack with it.
Shifting Wall also costs X, gets a +1/+1 counter for each and is a generic wall. Not a proper dud, but it's underwhelming.
Ephara's Warden: Natalie Portman
Opaline Unicorn: Charlie
Disciple of the Old Ways: Lara Croft
Rakdos Cackler: World's Ugliest Pikachu
Hey, once I also nabbed the Black Cat, I was a force to be reckoned with! (quickly and decisively by any opponent whatsoever.)
I believe it was part of a 4 color mediocre-stuff deck out of a DKA-DKA-DKA draft. It was headlined by Seance, and my win condition was hoping my opponents got bored and went home.
I was a very young, very confused drafter...
I take 4 of each common, 3 of each uncommon, 2 of each rare, and 1 of each mythic for a large set, and 3 of each common, 2 of each uncommon, 2 of each rare, and 1 of each mythic for a small set. Doubling up on rares naturally drives down the odds of pulling a mythic to about the 1-in-8 it should be, while also occasionally meaning I can grab two Hounds of Griselbrand (that was a good night).
This is, of course, more expensive than just grabbing one of each rare/mythic, but it does allow for more variance.
I will say that I'm considering increasing the common count of large sets. 4 of each common works great for a pod of 4, and it's fine for 6, but by 8 it starts to feel a little thin if we're triple-drafting the set. 6 of each common might work better at that point. I like 4-of, though, because if you put them all in Pro Fit sleeves, they fit perfectly in a fat pack box (with the uncommons, rares, and tokens in a second).