Hornet Queen can deal with a lot of flyers, is strong against removal, can help get to those PW's, poses a minor threat in itself, and is good on the Birthing Pod chain as well.
And if you're playing Birthing Pod, then you're probably alright sac'ing creatures, so Elvish Skysweeper is ok repeatable removal.
I also don't get the squadron hawks. We're not martyrproc and I definitely can't see a case for running them just as chump blockers, so I just don't see the point.
EDIT: All that said, I'm definitely going to test with interlude as a one of once it's legal. Maybe even a two of. It seems like a sweet end the game with value while protecting your board from wraths/removal card.
- gives the deck a bit more speed when it needs to close out the game faster, especially with a Sword of Light and Shadow.
- allows for the recovery of the board after sweepers.
-gives Mortarpod a lot more potential.
- don't underestimate the chump blocking with Squadron Hawk. One copy provides 4 chump blocks (ie the initial copy you cast and three other bodies you pull from your library). In my (limited) experience playing this deck, there were many times that I just needed one or two more chump blocks to get my engine online and stabilize.
I wonder if there is more value I'm not seeing. Emeria Control is trying to eek out a small, net surplus of value over time and Squadron Hawk fits that MO very well.
Stoneforge Mystic is still a possibility. Maybe wotc would try her out in standard 1st before they seriously consider an unban in modern, thus justifying the promo version to some degree. Or maybe reprint AND unban! haha yeah right, I doubt it, but its not excluded yet.
People have been complaining that BFZ didn't have a very big impact on standard, because the power level of its cards just can't compete with the three-color gold cards from Khans block. In fact, adding the Battle dual lands enabled even more multicolor madness, like a tier-1 deck that plays Ojutai's Command and Kolagan's Command side-by-side. Those powerful gold cards will rotate when Shadows Over Innistrad drops, but given what we've seen about Kozilek and his lands, is it possible that they get hastened along by some nonbasic hoser along the lines of Blood Moon or (more likely) Magus of the Moon, only color(less) shifted into <>?
For the record, these particular cards will actually still be in standard when SoI comes out as they are in Dragons of Tarkir; only Khans of Tarkir and Fate Reforged will be leaving then. We'll still have Dragons of Tarkir and Origins until the block after SoI in the Fall '16.
You play T1 Strand and then fetch at end-of-turn (you had no 1 mana play to make).
Do you fetch a tapped Hallowed Fountain because your Prairie Streams have a decent chance of coming in untapped for free later in the game, or do you fetch a Prairie Stream to keep the flexibility of the shock lands (example: you want to maximize your chances of playing a T4 Supreme Verdict)?
The optimal play is putting the Prairie Stream into play tapped if you have no turn one play, not the Strand.
It's important to remember that the Scions are 1/1, and not 0/1 like before, so having a bunch is not only going to help you ramp, but they can, potentially, also slow down more aggressive strategies as you try and durdle and work towards that higher curve. If you're going to try and go Eldrazi big, you'll want to draft as many scion producers as aggressively as possible, and as was already doubted before, there may or may not be enough going around in the packs, especially as awaken opens up mana sinks for everyone, so lots of strategies can utilize the scions even in the late games, outside of going Eldrazi big. So, the really big ones (ie. >6cmc) are probably niche at best, but most likely often traps. Not that they couldn't work, just that you'll have to be really diligent and aware about how you draft your deck. It will reward those who can pull it off immensely, though (obviously) and will be a big test of skill (or lack thereof).
For constructed it is hard not to see this card as something like: pay 7 cmc, deal 3 damage (unblocked attacks turn 3, 4, 5,) draw a card, and exile the top 3 cards of opponents library. Would that card seem playable in constructed? For control at best. I'm wondering if the format is going to dramatically slow down.
Ghostfire Blade appears to be spiking with the release of the Duel Decks info showing that the Eldrazi will have a colorless-matters theme, including a keyword for "This (colored) card is colorless"
This isn't true. It "spiked" after the protour because of URobots and has only gone up .02 since this morning per TCGplater mid, as far as I can tell.
Our other Magic playing co workers came up with something that Beth and I are going to try out. We would each get a certain number of boosters of Origins – likely 6 or more. Then we'd build decks from those. Then at specific intervals, we'd be allowed to buy more boosters. This sounds like fun, as we'd all be starting on the same level. Though knowing Beth's luck (Liliana at pre release, then Nissa from fat pack), she'll probably end up with a deck with 3 planeswalkers.
This is a great idea! I have done magic leagues at work for a coupla years now, pretty much just like this (but also with some pack prizes) and it is a great way to keep an even playing field, learn a bunch, have a ton of fun, and still stay a bit competitive. It has easily led to some best experiences I've ever had playing mtg. Glad to hear you all are still on the mtg bus! It is such a great game!
It really doesn't matter if these people exist outside of mtg or not; they exist in this community and a community defines itself through its actions and how it regulates itself. I have seen tons of unacceptable behavior in the mtg community like this and we shouldn't put up with it. Change is hard and rare but that is no reason to just roll over and say "oh well that's just people!" Passive acceptance is what morons thrive on.
Sure, pick your battles wisely, and don't waste your time arguing with idiots. But at least call people out on their bull*****!
(And just so all the cards are on the table, I do beleive mtg has its own kinda angsty, frustrated, socially inept kinda ********-nerd, that definitly overlaps with other groups, but has many unique tendencies of aggression due to the uniqueness of mtg.)
Glad to see people actually pointing out the prevalence of inept social behaior and general meaness among mtg players, rather than swarms of defenders. It needs to be called out, otherwise it'll never get better. I will strategically and respectfully call people out on their immaturity and rudeness in their presence and while that is probably too confrontstional for most people, it is our collective responsibility as a community to hold everyone that is a part of this community to a higher standard than what frequently gets tolerated/ignored.
And for those few people defending the rules lawyering in this case (which in other cases is perfectly justifiable, even good playing at times): it is not what one says or thinks that makes someone an ******** but rather the way one says and thinks something. There is a season for all things. Playing obviously casual games with new people and holding a cutthroat mentality while doing so is so obviously not the right way to go about this particular situation. If you don't get this, you're probably the problem and need some ethical education.
And if you're playing Birthing Pod, then you're probably alright sac'ing creatures, so Elvish Skysweeper is ok repeatable removal.
Reasons to consider Squadron Hawk:
- gives the deck a bit more speed when it needs to close out the game faster, especially with a Sword of Light and Shadow.
- allows for the recovery of the board after sweepers.
-gives Mortarpod a lot more potential.
- don't underestimate the chump blocking with Squadron Hawk. One copy provides 4 chump blocks (ie the initial copy you cast and three other bodies you pull from your library). In my (limited) experience playing this deck, there were many times that I just needed one or two more chump blocks to get my engine online and stabilize.
I wonder if there is more value I'm not seeing. Emeria Control is trying to eek out a small, net surplus of value over time and Squadron Hawk fits that MO very well.
For the record, these particular cards will actually still be in standard when SoI comes out as they are in Dragons of Tarkir; only Khans of Tarkir and Fate Reforged will be leaving then. We'll still have Dragons of Tarkir and Origins until the block after SoI in the Fall '16.
Damn! I made the same mistake. Now it seems pretty decent, actually. I wonder if you'll be able to get experience counters any other way.
The optimal play is putting the Prairie Stream into play tapped if you have no turn one play, not the Strand.
This isn't true. It "spiked" after the protour because of URobots and has only gone up .02 since this morning per TCGplater mid, as far as I can tell.
This is a great idea! I have done magic leagues at work for a coupla years now, pretty much just like this (but also with some pack prizes) and it is a great way to keep an even playing field, learn a bunch, have a ton of fun, and still stay a bit competitive. It has easily led to some best experiences I've ever had playing mtg. Glad to hear you all are still on the mtg bus! It is such a great game!
Sure, pick your battles wisely, and don't waste your time arguing with idiots. But at least call people out on their bull*****!
(And just so all the cards are on the table, I do beleive mtg has its own kinda angsty, frustrated, socially inept kinda ********-nerd, that definitly overlaps with other groups, but has many unique tendencies of aggression due to the uniqueness of mtg.)
And for those few people defending the rules lawyering in this case (which in other cases is perfectly justifiable, even good playing at times): it is not what one says or thinks that makes someone an ******** but rather the way one says and thinks something. There is a season for all things. Playing obviously casual games with new people and holding a cutthroat mentality while doing so is so obviously not the right way to go about this particular situation. If you don't get this, you're probably the problem and need some ethical education.