MTG Salvation

Path is an actually fixed card (the fixed card being swords to plowshares) that plays pretty fair. In some board states giving an opponent the land drop can do more harm than good. That being said instant exile removal at one mana is an auto include in any cube that can run it.

"Remove from the game" is such a straightforward phrase it is evocative of teaching the game to a new player. I can also see how exile as a game text declutters the actual ruling of what is done in a game and allows interesting refinements to the game.
I do share with wtwlf123 a certain amount of trepidation for WotC to abuse a second "graveyard" zone.

Baby Jace is a very fair card. Some of the best-designed cards are those that feel symmetrical but can be tailored to break the symmetry. It's a tough card to plus if you play on curve as your opponent gets the ability to use the extra card on their next turn. But placed in the right deck or just used as draw one and eat a removal spell its very stable card engine.

I have an altered Council's Judgment that's house errata-ed that functions as it should in heads up. This was after a drunken friend got so belligerent he threw up in confusion.

If you run any man lands or fast mana lands you must run port. The ability to keep in check the un-counterable repeatable spell lands that allow your opponent to create lopsided board states can't be undervalued. In the same way disenchant effects help stem the tide of overbearing enchantment and artifact abilities. Port, wasteland and stripmine are essential in cubes that allow them.

For work I take two trips along the Oregon coastline a month. So I see the Ocean a lot.

Mulldrifter is one of the most versatile card in all of magic. A very splashable one blue in both hard cast and evoke cost. It's a strong pick in any blue deck. It has a decent skill ceiling (wether to evoke early and eek out early card advantage or to hold out and hard cast.) It's a flying threat for moat, plays well with grave yard recursion and is busted with blue white tempo and blink decks. It's the jelly to Revilarks delicious peanut butter.

Favorite common has to be brainstorm. One of the most simple designs that (although over evaluated in cube) is just the glue that holds up a deck built with it in mind.

I've seen Hallowed Spiritkeeper do some pretty interesting things but it's few and far between. It plays well with Moat in a more control shell. it also plays well with opposition as it gives the opponent some very interesting pressure (do they kill it just to get tapped.out.) Just don't play it with Living Death, that's an awesome nonbo.

My avatar is the Renegade symbol from Mass Effect. Mass Effect 2 is my favorite video game of all time.

Well after seeding some packs for testing, I can say that this set is pretty nutso. All three planeswalkers are very strong.

Quote from wtwlf123 »

Glad you decided to contribute! Let us know how your group likes Nissa.

Nissa is a powerhouse and fits in her guild so well. Her interactions with Sylvan Library and Oracle of Mul Daya are very oppressive in card advantage almost to Jace, the Mind Sculptor levels. I think it may be even better than Edric. But that may just be my "cult of the new" mentality.

Man lands are awesome even Stalking Stones.

Koth vs Venser were my first planeswalkers when I came back to magic after a long hiatus so I'm a little biased. Plus Dat Koth of the hammer art.

Reflecting pool is great even amazing in dual colored decks and slowly loses value once you start adding more colors. Which I love because on reading the card it may seem like the opposite. It's one of the few cards in my cube I maintain as a skill testing card, one that makes me appreciate when I see it fully utilized from across the table.

I travel a lot for work so I get to utilize the pools from many a holiday inn express.

Sometimes Haste isn't enough, if he gave trample maybe that would push him over the top. Maybe too good.

I would give my left arm for a Gruul deck in my cube to be viable. Fires is super sweet but it needs so many cards to commit.

I've been a long time fan of your set reviews. So much so that I've removed myself from forum stalker to contributor.
Your review of Nissa has led me to proxy up the card and add it for testing. I'll see if the playgroup ends up liking it. I think my initial reluctance was I saw it more as a large X spell that could randomly pull from my library when initially pumping a large amount of mana into it. Your analysis on it being able to pull defenders has added some food for thought for it at lower mana costs.

With the exception of Rofellos, I prefer to have my 2 drop mana dorks have the ability to fix mana. Bloom Tenders explosive mana generating ability would more often than not play out in mid to late game. Much later than we wanted in my powered cube.

Oregon in spring time is a sight to see. just bring your allergy medicine.

The Old Man hasn't been in my cube in a long time. Vedalken Shackles really did replace the card.

Hemingway is my excuse to order Mojitos as a manly drink. As I read once that it was his drink of choice.

It's a great mid-range aggro card that worked very well in my cube since I run a lot of mana dorks that tap for multiple colors. The problem in my playgroup is that we tend to undervalue green aggro cards so it wasn't seeing any play. With a few more cards like this, I'll happily place it back in.