I'd like to add my sig pic back whenever that gets sorted out.
Edit: Problem resolved with mod's help. Silly me didn't see that nice picture icon in the editing bar above the sig editing window.
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- Gelectric Mayhem
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Member for 16 years, 10 months, and 28 days
Last active Tue, Oct, 2 2018 09:22:19
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I'm an Izzet mage throug-and-through, but I recognize the guild's typically weak representation in limited. Every single Ravnica block, you have to rely on the creatures and spells of the other guilds and relegate your Izzet cards to support. Once again, the Izzet creatures that would potentially be the most effective in limited are hampered by a strict mana cost or strict reliance on mostly over-costed instants and sorceries.
Izzet-aligned "removal" is mostly manifested to low damage burn. Yes, it can team up with other abilities, but relying on multiple interactions is a risky proposition in limited.
Will I still try to force a mostly Izzet build at prerelease? Absolutely! My fanboy-ism is strong.
Still, I look at the interactions between mechanics of other guilds like the Dimir and Golgari, or, to a lesser extent, the potentially aggressive alliance of the Boros and Selesnya cards and I can't help but see the weaker interactions of the Izzet with it's only pairable shared-color guilds (Boros an Dimir).
Mentor only occasionally helps Izzet creatures and Surveil can put jump-start cards into graveyard, but isn't the selling point of jumpstart the fact you can use them twice? Surveiling them into the 'yard means you only get to use them once at the expense of another card. The most impactful Jump-start cards for limited are already typically overcosted by one mana, so only getting a single use at the cost of another potential resource seems underwhelming.
Maybe I am completely wrong in my analysis after the first look at the full set. Still, I feel a bit disappointed as an Izzet to see my potential at the prerelease.
What are everyone else's thoughts?
My only disappointment in it is that Todd Lockwood didn't get to do the art like he did for the first two iterations of Niv. I finally got to meet him at Dragon Con and sign some cards.
Still, love the card overall.
Edit: just checked. "Boundless" is a possible translation of "Infini."
The Izzet and Gruul are my favorite factions in the entirety of Magic along with the Temur and Mardu. The latter two no longer exist because of the storyline, so if they take my Ravnican guilds away as well, I will march on WotC headquarters with my fellow artificers, spellslingers, and warriors.
Also, worried they might kill Niv-Mizzet off. Bolas already has an affinity for using the creations of artificers and researchers for his designs. I could see him wanting to use Ral as a means to take control of the Izzet. That would mean a showdown with Sir Mizz-A-Lot himself. If this happens and they kill my favorite character in the entire Magic multiverse, forget marching...
Scorched...
...Earth.
That reminds me... I still need to get that custom playmat made where Niv-Mizzet is Cyclonic Rifting Bolas into oblivion. I sketched a preliminary example during Return to Ravnica block that I'll have to dig out of my vaults.
I hate Bolas.
- ~7 prerelease entry fees
- ~17 FNM entry fees
- A good chunk of most people's rent, car payment, etc.
- Several pairs of shoes and a bunch of clothes.
- A couple weeks of food for a family of 2-3.
I would love this. I would consider it a decent investment Magic-wise. The individual card representation is nuts. BUT, one-hundred-and-seventy dollars is ONE-HUNDRED-AND-SEVENTY DOLLARS!!!!
Considering this is a limited run and a single new commander deck is $35, why isn't this more like $120-$130 as a bulk product. That's still a lot, but puts it in a more tempting/acquirable range.
Or, why not sell these individually again as a second run for... say... $5-$10 more than when they were first printed? That way, they still get their inflated price point, but also make it easier to digest for players as they can just pick one or two they want or can afford. Which makes them more money in the process as it becomes more accessible and the demand goes up.
Yes, yes... I know the individual secondary market value of the cards. I also know that every product isn't meant for everyone. But, why price a product over the $150 mark when your game famously has the basis of being able to start playing for $10-$15? Many people have quit games and hobbies because their makers started concentrating on making more large, boxed products that sell at high prices, because that raises the price of each one-time investment into a game to "out-of-reach" levels. While not entirely applicable, the level of investment into the "official" products for a casual format like Commander/EDH is getting ridiculous.
Also, this is why I rarely buy sealed product anymore and only buy singles. I don't want to add fuel to the fire and give them huge chunks of my money, thus making them think its okay to keep offering stacks of cardboard for hundreds of dollars.
[Sigh]
I digress...
Here's to hoping some of us can get a few of the singles on the rebound at a decent trade value and/or price. CHEERS!
I really want this M19 printing of Cancel in foil. That's gonna look amazing.
...
Okay, Okay...
Also, nice to see a simpler, Core Set take on Mogg War Marshal. I always loved that card. So much so that I run it in EDH. Could it have been a Goblin Warrior, though? Too late to change it? Yes? Fine. A dude's gotta ask.
Overall, I'm excited to see what they do with this Core Set. While mostly underwhelming, I've enjoyed finding the hidden gems in Core Sets. Nice to see them bringing them back and hopefully in a better way.
This obviously proves it will be a good chunk of reprints (as was always the case), but that's fine with me. The whole point of a Core Set is to be another way of easing new players into the game. Seeing reprints of cards they will see more of through their explorations of old and new sets is a good transition and creates familiar ground. Having taught my daughter how to play Magic, I have witnessed the positive effect that has, however minimal it may seem. It makes more complicated (mechanically speaking) sets have a nice anchor of familiarity.
In all seriousness, glad to see the reference back to the "original" Dino in magic, Pygmy Allosaurus from Ice Age. I got a playset of that card when I started playing back when Ice Age first came out, simply because I was a dinosaur nut growing up. They had a first throwback to that card in Coldsnap with Allosaurus Rider.
I look forward to more Dinosaurs coming in the future!
Could we see the Weatherlight printed as a Vehicle subtyped Artifact in the upcoming Dominaria set? Seems a logic move considering what it is lore wise. I always felt that the Skyship Weatherlight and Predator, Flagship should have been done differently the first time around, but since Vehicle was not to be a subtype for another 2 decades... I guess they were depicted as well as they could have been. This would be a perfect time to re-imagine the depiction of the Weatherlight. Would also love to see a Vehicle version of the Predator in a Commander or other supplemental product.
What are your thoughts, forum dwellers?
Is Jodah considered a 5-color Commander/General due to all five mana symbols being present in his text box? I feel this is correct, but wanted to verify.
If so, seems like he would be a fun "good stuff" leader. Time to brew!
God willing, we'll all meet again in Magic: the Gathering 2 - The Search for More Money.