Everyone complaining about the rarity of this card are the probably the same people who would be the first to say "omfg why is this uncommon" if it were printed at uncommon and it just got done getting beating you over the head in draft/sealed.
Your net is too wide with this all-encompassing generalization.
I've played since the days of Overrun and have never complained about cards like that. My comments about rarity are based on my recollection of similar cards. That is all.
Everyone complaining about the rarity of this card are the probably the same people who would be the first to say "omfg why is this uncommon" if it were printed at uncommon and it just got done getting beating you over the head in draft/sealed. Remember Armed // Dangerous? That card wasn't quite at rare power levels, but it sure was stupid. Once again, sets are built with Limited in mind more so than any other format.
The rarity of this card might actually be an indicator of the power of limited spot removal in the set. I'm starting to get a feeling we are about to be playing a reverse Torment-Judgement style block. White and Green will be strong now, then Hour will drop and Grixis will come in and just punch everyone in the mouth.
When I first got into Magic 20 friggin years ago I didn't understand card backs or the name of the damn game for that matter. This is how I ended up buying 100 bucks worth of Vampyre the Masquerade: Jyhad at Babbages one day.
Purposeful Repurposer 3U
Creature - Vedalken Artificer [R]
If a spell or ability an opponent controls would cause a nontoken artifact you control to be put into the graveyard from the battlefield, exile it with X time counters on it instead, where X is its converted mana cost. If it doesn’t have suspend, it gains suspend. "The Consulate can’t take everything."
1/4
Paradoxical Soverign 3UB
Creature — Sphinx [M]
Flying
Each creature you control assigns combat damage equal to the absolute value of its power. (If your creature's power is negative, it assigns combat damage as though its power wasn't negative.)
1U: Another target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn.
1B: Paradoxical Soverign gets -2/-0 until end of turn.
It is the night with no dawn, the tale with no end, the riddle with no answer.
-2/6
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy might be scared off until he realizes this is big dumb flying beater. Johnny finds some build around potential. Probably to weak for spike.
(3/3) Elegance: Good thing that reminder text is there, cause idiots like me who just barely got past Math2 would just run into traffic upon reading this. Easily understandable otherwise.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Such an oddity is right at home in UB. This could be a rare though.
(2/3) Balance: I don’t see any balance issues here. If anything, this might come off as a bit weak. 2/6 flyer for 5 is fine, and its self pump ability isn’t going to break the bank. The pump others ability, and it’s absolute value clasue doesn’t seem like it is going to be very viable outside of whatever block this would find itself in. But figuring that out is for those more Johnny then I.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: The absolute value clause is very creative, which is it’s most unique aspect. This thing has firebreathing, a tradtionally red mechanic , but flavor wise (especially regarding the name) allows the color-swap to work. And clearly blue has has dominon over P/T swap, and Black owns “shade” pump.
(3/3) Flavor: The name, the abilities and the flavor text all work so well together.
Wistful Desire BG
Sorcery (R)
Return up to seven minus X cards from your graveyard to your hand, where X is the number of cards in your library. Exile Wistful Desire.
Exile your hand: Return Wistful Desire from your graveyard to your hand.
As the future runs short, the past looks ever better.
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy is uninterested, has Johnny written all over it. Some Spikes, not all.
(3/3) Elegance: No comprehension issues.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Fits fine into BG I suppose. Though it feels a little bluey to me.
(1/3) Balance: I’m trouble figuring out what this card is even supposed to do. It’s so strange. Reading it the first time it looks like it does absoloutely nothing due to the parameters required to obtain maximum effect. There must be some shenanigans you can pull off as drawing 7 cards has historically been uhhhhhh, strong, banhammer inducing text.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: We just got Wildest Dreams, this feel like a weird re-thinking of that card.
(3/3) Flavor: Love the name, love the flavor text.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Challenge satisfied.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Not a creature.
Total: 18.5/25
Faunacaller Treefolk 3GGGG
Creature — Treefolk Shaman (MR)
Vigilance, reach
When Faunacaller Treefolk enters the battlefield, look at the top ten cards of your library. You may reveal up to X creature cards, where X is equal to the total amount of toughness among creatures you control divided by three, rounded down, and put them into your hand. Put the rest of the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in any order.
Everyone hears the call of the wilds.
7/9
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Trifecta secured. Yuge green Timmy buddy, Johhny is going to go through the effort to get max value. Spike is gonna ramp this guy out ASAP and start swinging and casting the backup he generates.
(2/3) Elegance: It’s not hard to comprehend, but there sure is a hell of a lot going on. Might be one extra comma in here (divided by three rounded down)
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No question this is a green mythic and would be out of place any other way.
(3/3) Balance: Seems balanced. Huge dude and huge effect for huge cost. Wouldn’t surprise me that if something like this ever got printed the creatures would got directly into play. But I’m happy that isn’t the case here.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Big fat green creature does big fat green things. We’ve seen it before, we have not seen this math twist
(3/3) Flavor: I have no problem imagining this as a printed card.
Polish -
(2.75/3) Quality: Final round super nitpicks, extra comma as far as I can tell (aformentioned).
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Challenge satisfied.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges met. Thanks gatherer: power = + = 7, tough = + = 9 (0)
Just curious what role Collective Defiance plays in your matchups? Is it typically just a removal spell or is the hand refresh worth it?
4 toughness is a big deal in the format (something that unfortunately makes Regent somewhat sub par) To me Defiance is a Char with a to the face Bolt tacked on. Further testing throughout the week will confirm or disprove it's viability.
[quote from="Pseudofate »" url="http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/standard-type-2/established-standard/756979-r-b-x-copter-madness?comment=411"]
So Im confused as to why you're even using Heart in this deck. The only creature that can crew it is your Scrapheap (the big guys will want to actually attack). The deck seems really solid but that just doesn't fit there, imo. Those 3 slots could open you up to other options, such as other artifacts that will have more impact or even something like Fiery Temper to work along with your Axes.
As it so happens, that card was soooooooooo terrible tonight. The damn big flashy powerful mythic bug bit me. In other news, Hope did WORK.
Round 1 0-2 vs. RG NRG
This always felt like a bad matchup even before the ban. Hydra is near impossible to deal with and it just wallops you with the right draws. Tonight was no different. Might have kept pace and stayed on curve but these stupid Foreboding Ruins are terrible draws. Screwed me over in both matches. Cut em!
Round 2 2-1 vs. Dynavolt
Hope does it's job with fantastic results. Screwing blue out of post combat counterspells. Still, he able to edge out one win while at 1 and I can't push in for a damn damage. SB in Flows over Disintegrates in spite of the Gearhulk threat because I want to be able to go straight to face to close out games. Which works out beautifully. No more so than in the final stages of game 3 I play a Flow which gets countered, followed by Chandra that hits the board, and I +1 revealing another Flow. So savage.
Round 3 0-2 vs. Jeskai Cat Combo
These were great games despite losing. Deal a ton of damage game 1 while he plays the patience game and I kill one Cat Lady. He disallows a Bomat sacrifice (dirty play guy), which kind of screw me over, and he eventually draws and scrys enough to combo out. Game two is a slow start but I definitely keep 3 Swamp, Lost Legacy opener (w/ 2 Heralds and a Chandra). Proceed to rip Cat Lady out of his deck. We go to war, Fumarole, cat scratches and counterplay vs. little dudes and a Harvester. At the point in which its 8(me) to 10, I am going to close things out next turn with the 2 the Heralds I have on board vs. his Fumaroles and empty hand. But my previous game's Chadra badassery was only a karmic precursor, and he rips a friggin Fumigate off the top and swings for the win.
Honestly I'm not disappointed with this result as this event since at it's core it was a glorified playtest.
I'm not calling you out directly bud.
The rarity of this card might actually be an indicator of the power of limited spot removal in the set. I'm starting to get a feeling we are about to be playing a reverse Torment-Judgement style block. White and Green will be strong now, then Hour will drop and Grixis will come in and just punch everyone in the mouth.
White God - Battalion-esque Mechanic
Blue God - If you cast two spells this turn
Black God - Morbid
Green God - Formidible
This. This. All day this. Crucius v. Tezz. Etherium fight!
Probably no Ugin. Dude is salty.
3U
Creature - Vedalken Artificer [R]
If a spell or ability an opponent controls would cause a nontoken artifact you control to be put into the graveyard from the battlefield, exile it with X time counters on it instead, where X is its converted mana cost. If it doesn’t have suspend, it gains suspend.
"The Consulate can’t take everything."
1/4
Creature — Sphinx [M]
Flying
Each creature you control assigns combat damage equal to the absolute value of its power. (If your creature's power is negative, it assigns combat damage as though its power wasn't negative.)
1U: Another target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn.
1B: Paradoxical Soverign gets -2/-0 until end of turn.
It is the night with no dawn, the tale with no end, the riddle with no answer.
-2/6
Design -
(2/3) Appeal: Timmy might be scared off until he realizes this is big dumb flying beater. Johnny finds some build around potential. Probably to weak for spike.
(3/3) Elegance: Good thing that reminder text is there, cause idiots like me who just barely got past Math2 would just run into traffic upon reading this. Easily understandable otherwise.
Development -
(2.5/3) Viability: Such an oddity is right at home in UB. This could be a rare though.
(2/3) Balance: I don’t see any balance issues here. If anything, this might come off as a bit weak. 2/6 flyer for 5 is fine, and its self pump ability isn’t going to break the bank. The pump others ability, and it’s absolute value clasue doesn’t seem like it is going to be very viable outside of whatever block this would find itself in. But figuring that out is for those more Johnny then I.
Creativity -
(3/3) Uniqueness: The absolute value clause is very creative, which is it’s most unique aspect. This thing has firebreathing, a tradtionally red mechanic , but flavor wise (especially regarding the name) allows the color-swap to work. And clearly blue has has dominon over P/T swap, and Black owns “shade” pump.
(3/3) Flavor: The name, the abilities and the flavor text all work so well together.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: No issues
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Challenge satisfied.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallanges met.
Total: 22.5/25
Sorcery (R)
Return up to seven minus X cards from your graveyard to your hand, where X is the number of cards in your library. Exile Wistful Desire.
Exile your hand: Return Wistful Desire from your graveyard to your hand.
As the future runs short, the past looks ever better.
Design -
(1.5/3) Appeal: Timmy is uninterested, has Johnny written all over it. Some Spikes, not all.
(3/3) Elegance: No comprehension issues.
Development -
(2/3) Viability: Fits fine into BG I suppose. Though it feels a little bluey to me.
(1/3) Balance: I’m trouble figuring out what this card is even supposed to do. It’s so strange. Reading it the first time it looks like it does absoloutely nothing due to the parameters required to obtain maximum effect. There must be some shenanigans you can pull off as drawing 7 cards has historically been uhhhhhh, strong, banhammer inducing text.
Creativity -
(2/3) Uniqueness: We just got Wildest Dreams, this feel like a weird re-thinking of that card.
(3/3) Flavor: Love the name, love the flavor text.
Polish -
(3/3) Quality: Points deducted for incorrect spelling, grammar, and templating.
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Challenge satisfied.
(1/2) Subchallenges: Not a creature.
Total: 18.5/25
Creature — Treefolk Shaman (MR)
Vigilance, reach
When Faunacaller Treefolk enters the battlefield, look at the top ten cards of your library. You may reveal up to X creature cards, where X is equal to the total amount of toughness among creatures you control divided by three, rounded down, and put them into your hand. Put the rest of the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in any order.
Everyone hears the call of the wilds.
7/9
Design -
(3/3) Appeal: Trifecta secured. Yuge green Timmy buddy, Johhny is going to go through the effort to get max value. Spike is gonna ramp this guy out ASAP and start swinging and casting the backup he generates.
(2/3) Elegance: It’s not hard to comprehend, but there sure is a hell of a lot going on. Might be one extra comma in here (divided by three rounded down)
Development -
(3/3) Viability: No question this is a green mythic and would be out of place any other way.
(3/3) Balance: Seems balanced. Huge dude and huge effect for huge cost. Wouldn’t surprise me that if something like this ever got printed the creatures would got directly into play. But I’m happy that isn’t the case here.
Creativity -
(2.5/3) Uniqueness: Big fat green creature does big fat green things. We’ve seen it before, we have not seen this math twist
(3/3) Flavor: I have no problem imagining this as a printed card.
Polish -
(2.75/3) Quality: Final round super nitpicks, extra comma as far as I can tell (aformentioned).
(2/2) *Main Challenge: Challenge satisfied.
(2/2) Subchallenges: Subchallenges met. Thanks gatherer: power = + = 7, tough = + = 9 (0)
Total: 23.25/25
edit: Finished
4 toughness is a big deal in the format (something that unfortunately makes Regent somewhat sub par) To me Defiance is a Char with a to the face Bolt tacked on. Further testing throughout the week will confirm or disprove it's viability.
As it so happens, that card was soooooooooo terrible tonight. The damn big flashy powerful mythic bug bit me. In other news, Hope did WORK.
Round 1 0-2 vs. RG NRG
This always felt like a bad matchup even before the ban. Hydra is near impossible to deal with and it just wallops you with the right draws. Tonight was no different. Might have kept pace and stayed on curve but these stupid Foreboding Ruins are terrible draws. Screwed me over in both matches. Cut em!
Round 2 2-1 vs. Dynavolt
Hope does it's job with fantastic results. Screwing blue out of post combat counterspells. Still, he able to edge out one win while at 1 and I can't push in for a damn damage. SB in Flows over Disintegrates in spite of the Gearhulk threat because I want to be able to go straight to face to close out games. Which works out beautifully. No more so than in the final stages of game 3 I play a Flow which gets countered, followed by Chandra that hits the board, and I +1 revealing another Flow. So savage.
Round 3 0-2 vs. Jeskai Cat Combo
These were great games despite losing. Deal a ton of damage game 1 while he plays the patience game and I kill one Cat Lady. He disallows a Bomat sacrifice (dirty play guy), which kind of screw me over, and he eventually draws and scrys enough to combo out. Game two is a slow start but I definitely keep 3 Swamp, Lost Legacy opener (w/ 2 Heralds and a Chandra). Proceed to rip Cat Lady out of his deck. We go to war, Fumarole, cat scratches and counterplay vs. little dudes and a Harvester. At the point in which its 8(me) to 10, I am going to close things out next turn with the 2 the Heralds I have on board vs. his Fumaroles and empty hand. But my previous game's Chadra badassery was only a karmic precursor, and he rips a friggin Fumigate off the top and swings for the win.
Honestly I'm not disappointed with this result as this event since at it's core it was a glorified playtest.
-4 Ruins
-3 Heart
+1 Hope
+1 Harvester
+4 Mountain
+1 Swamp
SB
-3 Fatal Push
+3 Battle at the Bridge
4 Bomat Courier
4 Hope of Ghirapur
4 Scrapheap Scrounger
4 Freejam Regent
4 Herald of Anguish
Spells
4 Lightning Axe
4 Collective Defiance
4 Unlicensed Disintegration
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Artifacts
3 Aethersphere Harvester
Lands
13 Mountain
10 Swamp
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
4 Incendiary Flow
3 Yahenni's Expertise
3 Lost Legacy
3 Battle at the Bridge
SB probably needs more control elements.