I really need to get out and play!! Was planning on making it to a GP this year (would be my first), but work leaves me pretty drained. For what it's worth, Censor seems interesting. I want it to be good at least. Having it as a one-of, just as a way to make an opponent think before tapping out on turn 3 on the play seems interesting. Even if you cycle it, it sits there in your graveyard menacingly, daring your opponent to tap out into 4 open mana.
@Spastik Thanks for the report. Your report agrees with my original assessment of both cards, but it's nice actually hearing that from someone who's put in time with the cards.
That game 3 was soooo close. Sweet plays to stay alive there. Question, though... What made you decide to keep the Cruel Ultimatum in with that matchup? It seems like you would want to cut it for still more early action. Is Suicide Bloo typically a little slower than it was in those games? Are you usually able to get Cruel off against it most of the time?
First post here... was thinking I'd go to GP Dallas. Alas, I couldn't get something together in time. Will be looking forward to seeing Cruel Control in the top 8 (here's hoping anyway).
I've been thinking about Brain in a Jar as a possible inclusion, but the more I think about it, the less I like the idea. You usually run low on cards before casting Cruel(based on what most everyone here is saying), so firing off nearly free spells consistently seems rare, and with zero upside, as all that mana ends up not being used anyway (maybe pump it into storage lands for a contingency plan?). Thought about adding a Mystical Teachings toolbox to fetch out a card that would be on-CMC for Brain, along with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir to grab another finisher off the Teachings flashback once I'm the beatdown. Getting Cruel off with Brain hitting 7 just seems really (really) optimistic, and based on what I'm reading regarding the pace of the format, may just not be good enough. I do like the shenanigans it permits with the Fuse split cards, but it starts looking like a janky mess that just doesn't coalesce without hitting a Brain in a Jar.
With all my ranting out of the way, has anyone tested with with the Brain?
Still another question. What are your thoughts on Kolaghan's Command? There are a lot of good modes on it, but I worry about the discard mode biting you against WG lists. Are there other cards to consider in place of it, or is is it just really good? Are there matchups where it gets boarded out--other than control, as that seems obvious (edit: maybe not if you don't have anything better to board in).
Two things I remember vividly: During INN/ZEN standard I was playing blue/black comtrol. Opponent got pissed at me for Doom Blading/LotV all his creatures and wouldn't play game two with me because of it.
Second was during RTR/INN. Playing Unburial Rites and reanimating Stormtide Leviathan. I didn't think anything of it, but after our match he called me a flaming homosexual for playing old Stormtide. I just lol'd.
That's hilarious... I just lol'd too. A real zinger... flaming homosexual. Maybe you should call the cops on him since he threatened to burn you at the stake.
Now for my bad experience. Happened on Magic Online. I was playing Mono-Blue Delver in the casual room during SOM block Standard. 4 Snapcaster Mage, Runechanter's Pikes, Invisible Stalker, Stormbound Geists and lots of cantrips... the usual suspects. It was a budget brew, though. Snapcasters were $5 online at the time, which was especially spendy for me, but no Geist of Saint Traft, and certainly no phyrexian mana spells other than Gitaxian Probe. I usually feel guilty spending money on Magic cards, so I try to avoid it. Anyway, he was playing the tier-1 RG ramp deck with Inkmoth Nexus, Primeval Titan, and Kessig Wolf Run. He was literally a turn away from killing me. I had tapped down his Primeval Titan, but he had the Wolf Run/Nexus in play. I drew a cantrip, cast into another, cast into a third, cast into Runechanter's Pike, cast Runechanter's Pike, equipped to the Invisible Stalker that was already sitting there (or some closely related variant of plays), and attacked for lethal. I never could figure out what he was trying to tell me in his message after the game because of MTGO's profanity filter. All that showed up were two words and they made no sense sitting next to each other.
Spirit of the Labyrinth seems pretty sweet. 3 power for 2 mana and a solid ability. Not that great in combat since it doesn't have first strike or flying, but it really doesn't need it. On the downside, cards like Steam Augury get around it effectively.
Really neat how this interacts with the inspired mechanic. Will be fun to see what other tap effects Wizards prints in this and the following block.
Would be really cool to see an ability with the same activation cost printed on one or more lands. Could be horribly wrong, but I feel like we would need that before any of the inspired creatures spoiled so far would see play outside of block constructed.
EDIT: people stealing my thunder... Helps to read the comments before posting
Been wanting to build mono red, but was terrified by 5 toughness creatures Mizzium Mortars couldn't handle. It's a lot to pay, but I think it's worth it to avoid not 2-for-1ing youself. Assuming this will come with a rules change since you can't damage planeswalkers directly as it stands now.
That's an ideal situation, though...
I've been thinking about Brain in a Jar as a possible inclusion, but the more I think about it, the less I like the idea. You usually run low on cards before casting Cruel(based on what most everyone here is saying), so firing off nearly free spells consistently seems rare, and with zero upside, as all that mana ends up not being used anyway (maybe pump it into storage lands for a contingency plan?). Thought about adding a Mystical Teachings toolbox to fetch out a card that would be on-CMC for Brain, along with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir to grab another finisher off the Teachings flashback once I'm the beatdown. Getting Cruel off with Brain hitting 7 just seems really (really) optimistic, and based on what I'm reading regarding the pace of the format, may just not be good enough. I do like the shenanigans it permits with the Fuse split cards, but it starts looking like a janky mess that just doesn't coalesce without hitting a Brain in a Jar.
With all my ranting out of the way, has anyone tested with with the Brain?
Still another question. What are your thoughts on Kolaghan's Command? There are a lot of good modes on it, but I worry about the discard mode biting you against WG lists. Are there other cards to consider in place of it, or is is it just really good? Are there matchups where it gets boarded out--other than control, as that seems obvious (edit: maybe not if you don't have anything better to board in).
That's hilarious... I just lol'd too. A real zinger... flaming homosexual. Maybe you should call the cops on him since he threatened to burn you at the stake.
Now for my bad experience. Happened on Magic Online. I was playing Mono-Blue Delver in the casual room during SOM block Standard. 4 Snapcaster Mage, Runechanter's Pikes, Invisible Stalker, Stormbound Geists and lots of cantrips... the usual suspects. It was a budget brew, though. Snapcasters were $5 online at the time, which was especially spendy for me, but no Geist of Saint Traft, and certainly no phyrexian mana spells other than Gitaxian Probe. I usually feel guilty spending money on Magic cards, so I try to avoid it. Anyway, he was playing the tier-1 RG ramp deck with Inkmoth Nexus, Primeval Titan, and Kessig Wolf Run. He was literally a turn away from killing me. I had tapped down his Primeval Titan, but he had the Wolf Run/Nexus in play. I drew a cantrip, cast into another, cast into a third, cast into Runechanter's Pike, cast Runechanter's Pike, equipped to the Invisible Stalker that was already sitting there (or some closely related variant of plays), and attacked for lethal. I never could figure out what he was trying to tell me in his message after the game because of MTGO's profanity filter. All that showed up were two words and they made no sense sitting next to each other.
Dunno why I thought it either....
"306.8. Damage dealt to a planeswalker results in that many loyalty counters being removed from it."
Guess I've never actually read and thought about how it was worded.
Would be really cool to see an ability with the same activation cost printed on one or more lands. Could be horribly wrong, but I feel like we would need that before any of the inspired creatures spoiled so far would see play outside of block constructed.
EDIT: people stealing my thunder... Helps to read the comments before posting
I really like this card.
Me likie. This is going to stick, assuming you aren't playing against blue or Merciless Eviction.