So...are we getting "Hope of Ghirapur's Expertise," or...?
Seriously, though, from a story standpoint I think this is less of a totally-unique creation (in the same way that the Gearhulks could be replicated with enough time and effort, which is probably the flavor explanation for why they're not legendary), and more of a legend because of the impact this one in particular had. Unless the array of planeswalkers working with the renegades kitted it out with some unique stuff, I guess.
Also, first colorless commander that isn't an Eldrazi or on the Reserved List. So that's cool.
And hey, Polymorph's back in Standard, just with a heavier color commitment (and a different color, of course). And scale-ability, and the ability to hit artifacts, and...etc. At the very least, I'll happily put this in Mizzix if I pull one.
As soon as I saw him riding the horse from Refurbish, I thought to myself "it would be a flavor win if he reanimates, but at 3 cmc there's no wa- Oh."
Aether Revolt's looking like it's in serious contention for the title of best set for Modern, thanks to the titular mechanic. There's no way that R&D aren't intentionally pushing the mechanic with the format in mind.
It's also probably the death knell for standard-legal fetchlands until Kaladesh block rotates: no way they push the mechanic that much if they're planning to have them share a Standard with such potent enablers.
Also, I like how the two color combinations with the worst multicolor uncommons in KLD (Hazardous Conditions, Engineered Might) are both getting really good multicolor uncommons in AER (Winding Constrictor, Renegade Railer). Wonder if that means bad things for the BR and RW uncommons...
I'm predicting that there are going to be a lot of "bad touch" jokes made when artifacts start attacking with this.
...I guess the UB Artifacts archetype leans more aggressive in AER than it did in KLD; this adds some recursion (I like that it's just Ensoul + B to tack on a "Raise Derelict" effect), but it's still very much a beatdown card. Wonder if that means anything for BR?
Even without the win-condition aspect, Followed Footsteps for artifacts seems fun, and this block loves ETB effects (imagine enchanting this thing to a Gearhulk). You can go for value and just happen to win sometimes if the board stalls for long enough, or you can plop it on a Servo or Clue or Construct token (or, in my Casual artifacts deck, a Thopter token) and win much more quickly if you already have a board state built up. It's a cool class of card to tack a "you win the game" condition onto - just opens up that many more options for how to build with it.
(Also works pretty well with Padeem, protecting the enchanted artifact and the tokens both.)
Is Yahenni the first free sac outlet we've gotten since Nantuko Husk rotated? It's not Falkenrath Aristocrat, but considering it's a mana less, mono-color, and rare as opposed to mythic, it does a decent impression. (And it's even a Vampire, too, so it can potentially benefit from SOI block's Vampire synergies.)
I love that their card has haste: if they don't do anything, they've got very little time left, so they take action to prolong their lifespan...and if they do some good in the process, well, that doesn't hurt, either. (The card certainly triggers Revolt pretty reliably.)
God, that art is gorgeous. It looks like a stained-glass window or something.
Also, hey, another 0-drop for the Paradoxical Storm deck. And it helps cost-reduce for Improvise, just like it did for Convoke when it was reprinted in M15. (Although instead of Ensoul Artifact and Shrapnel Blast, the synergies are with Inventor's Apprentice and Toolcraft Exemplar. I mean, unless one of those first two gets a reprint as well: I know I wouldn't complain.)
Helps cheapen Improvise cards early on, offers an...artifact sink? For late in the game when you don't have any Improvise cards on hand to take advantage of the other enablers. (And that sink helps dig up new cards that can take advantage of a board full of enablers once you untap.) That mechanic is definitely a big factor in this card's design.
Not too hard to get it into play turn 2: turn 1 Attune with Aether does the job by itself, but you can also just play Rampager T1, bouncing it, play it T2, bouncing it, and play it again (all you need is two ETB-untapped Green-producing lands). Sacrificing your turn 1 play for a two-mana 3/4 on turn 2 isn't that bad a deal in Standard, although it would suck to have it eat a Fatal Push after that.
Also noteworthy that paying the energy isn't a "may" ability - if you have it, you pay it.
Well, that's certainly flavorful. Might not be a bad energy producer, either.
...even though art for their heart was featured in a story article, I honestly wasn't expecting it to be a card of its own. And definitely not a mythic. But hey, I'm not complaining.
Seriously, though, from a story standpoint I think this is less of a totally-unique creation (in the same way that the Gearhulks could be replicated with enough time and effort, which is probably the flavor explanation for why they're not legendary), and more of a legend because of the impact this one in particular had. Unless the array of planeswalkers working with the renegades kitted it out with some unique stuff, I guess.
Also, first colorless commander that isn't an Eldrazi or on the Reserved List. So that's cool.
Scrapheap Scrounger
Bomat Courier
Peacewalker Colossus
Merchant's Dockhand
Rare, colorless artifacts with abilities costing colored mana that offer additional functionality. Looks like a cycle to me.
Also, I'll gladly take a couple of these for my casual Mono-Black Devotion deck.
I do find it kind of funny that the flavor text talks about efficiency when the card's activated ability costs 7, though.
And hey, Polymorph's back in Standard, just with a heavier color commitment (and a different color, of course). And scale-ability, and the ability to hit artifacts, and...etc. At the very least, I'll happily put this in Mizzix if I pull one.
Also, I like how the two color combinations with the worst multicolor uncommons in KLD (Hazardous Conditions, Engineered Might) are both getting really good multicolor uncommons in AER (Winding Constrictor, Renegade Railer). Wonder if that means bad things for the BR and RW uncommons...
...I guess the UB Artifacts archetype leans more aggressive in AER than it did in KLD; this adds some recursion (I like that it's just Ensoul + B to tack on a "Raise Derelict" effect), but it's still very much a beatdown card. Wonder if that means anything for BR?
(Also works pretty well with Padeem, protecting the enchanted artifact and the tokens both.)
I love that their card has haste: if they don't do anything, they've got very little time left, so they take action to prolong their lifespan...and if they do some good in the process, well, that doesn't hurt, either. (The card certainly triggers Revolt pretty reliably.)
Also, hey, another 0-drop for the Paradoxical Storm deck. And it helps cost-reduce for Improvise, just like it did for Convoke when it was reprinted in M15. (Although instead of Ensoul Artifact and Shrapnel Blast, the synergies are with Inventor's Apprentice and Toolcraft Exemplar. I mean, unless one of those first two gets a reprint as well: I know I wouldn't complain.)
Also, continues the trend of color-splashing artifact rares from KLD with Bomat Courier and Scrapheap Scrounger.
Also noteworthy that paying the energy isn't a "may" ability - if you have it, you pay it.
...if that's Yahenni, anyway. One would think they'd just drain a person if they were going to kill them anyway.
...even though art for their heart was featured in a story article, I honestly wasn't expecting it to be a card of its own. And definitely not a mythic. But hey, I'm not complaining.