I also noticed that the author mentioned he would: "hive, I mean dive into M10 previews next week."...could be a hint at one of his preview cards being similar to The Hive...(I'm assuming here that it isn't actually going to be The Hive, since he said his preview cards are both really cool, and I'm sure that old artifact doesn't qualify).
Judging by the "cascade" of cascade spells in the Enigma Sphinx article, there is a 6-cost and 4-cost cascade spell each, and it looks like "Ardent Plea" will have cascade as well...
hmmm...a colored artifact without the colored border, a suspiciously fake looking font choice for the name of the card, and grammatically incorrect flavor text: "Esper is not too far from Bant. In fact, is getting closer."
Mountain
Forest
Island
Swamp
Plains
Drudge Skeletons
Giant Growth
Air Elemental
This seems reasonable and flavorful? No?
Also: seems likely that the other "flavorful" cards mentioned in the article are in too...Rock Hydra, V. Doppleganger, Fireball, Ironfoot Treefolk....
I'm pretty sure Birds of Paradise has been in all of them, and is in their article...and I would hope that the basic lands are implied, since they are also printed in 1 out of every 3 expert level sets too...if that were the case, then we still have plenty of slots open...
Just a quick clarification...if I play an expensive general using Fist of Suns, and it somehow dies, does the next cost still equal WUBRG from the Fist, or do I still pay the extra 2...
...in short, is the extra 2 for every time you've played your general an additional cost...I believe it is, but I just want to make sure that the extra cost can't be avoided by anything short of Dream Halls...
It does. It's just that Bolas fits in the standard card frame. Because he's that awesome.
While I agree that he is that awesome, I must say that I, too, am disappointed that Bolas doesn't have an out-of-frame experience...maybe a few pieces going out of the frame, just because he is so incredibly powerful...it's a shame they had to break that rule for PW art so soon, and on the best 'Walker yet...(flavor wise, anyway)
When I'm more awake (and if anybody cares), I can give a detailed rundown of my matches...I went 3-1, cut to top 4 (due to low turnout) and placed 2nd overall...
Hardest matchup for me was RDW...which was the semifinalist I played. The deck I lost to in finals caught me off guard...I thought it was the Planeswalker deck after game 1 (with a heavier aggro base), and then g2 he got a turn 3 Realm Razer to answer my finks thanks to his Bloom Tender...I meant to switch the Negates for BA's before the tourney, but I had to rush over after work, so I didn't get the chance to stop home and grab my set...
If Nissa Revane is a Planeswalker and Nicol Bolas is a Planeswalker, each color will be represented equally by the end of this block...
Someone who knows more about R&D's habits might be able to confirm my suspicion that Wizards likes to balance these things...
...on a side note, why is the "Explore" piece for today labeled "Rhys' Reunion"?...I seem to remember that being one of the titles for Eventides minisite preview articles...is this just an error on the site?
If the words "Hellkite" and "Overlord" only show up 3 times on the card "Hellkite Overlord", then where does the 4th occurence from the Orb of Insight come into play? Will Sarkhan Vol make a token named that? It can't be a flavor text reference...what do you think?
Also, isn't it possible to get Teneb, the Harvester into play using Scion of the Ur, and paying 6B? A friend of mine does it all the time in his dragon deck.
If you're refering to making your Scion into Teneb, and then using his ability to reanimate the real Teneb in your graveyard, it costs 5B, and since Scion is still teneb, the legend rule will blow them both up...not a great play in my book...
Did the French list make Top 8? No? Oh, well...in THAT case, I'd actually have to give the nod to Chapin's list.
Nucklavee was the right call. There really isn't much more to discuss.
Hmmm, I have to disagree, there is plenty still to discuss...If you're basing your opinion that these are the correct card choices for the deck solely on one player's performance in one tournament (ruling out luck, play errors, and all other factors of playing the game beyond deckbuilding), then there must be a more perfect decklist that would have enabled Chapin to take 1st place...
Sarcasm aside, there is no perfect card choice and so there will always be room for more discussion...Chapin took the deck that was originally designed by someone else and made changes to it that would seem to be an improvement...now his ideas for the deck are open to us for improvement, and so the cycle continues...I personally wouldn't want to run as many 1-of's as Chapin did, simply because I prefer consistency to his mild amount of versatility (seeing as he has no way to tutor up the exact card he needs), but after sideboard he can increase his count on a couple of those 1-of's...though I have to ask, why only 1 Teferi's Moat? I love it as sideboard tech and can't imagine having to draw into your one enchantment that auto win's against so many aggro decks...
resolving CC is usually a winning play, but not with this deck.. resolving firespout (turn 3-4)or cloudthresher is a winning play.. oona is a winning play.. mind shatter can be a winning play.. primal command can be a winning play.. if CC was a winning play, then nucklavee would be insane, but CC is just a delaying play.. it delays until you get your winning plays..
Just a thought, but, I'm pretty comfortable with using a "delaying play" if it is the "saving play" for my opponent's "winning play", and I can occasionally achieve this with only one of CC's two modes...oh, and Firespout turn 3-4 isn't a winning play either, if you have no winning plays ready to follow it soon...
No s/b yet, but I like the idea of Sek'Kaur in this deck, making all of your persist creatures into 4 creature sacs instead of two, and just being synergistic with the deck in general...
...I am going to have to call fake...
I'm pretty sure Birds of Paradise has been in all of them, and is in their article...and I would hope that the basic lands are implied, since they are also printed in 1 out of every 3 expert level sets too...if that were the case, then we still have plenty of slots open...
...in short, is the extra 2 for every time you've played your general an additional cost...I believe it is, but I just want to make sure that the extra cost can't be avoided by anything short of Dream Halls...
While I agree that he is that awesome, I must say that I, too, am disappointed that Bolas doesn't have an out-of-frame experience...maybe a few pieces going out of the frame, just because he is so incredibly powerful...it's a shame they had to break that rule for PW art so soon, and on the best 'Walker yet...(flavor wise, anyway)
4x Reflecting Pool
3x Vivid Grove
3x Vivid Creek
3x Flooded Grove
2x Sunken Ruins
2x Yavimaya Coast
2x Mystic Gate
3x Vivid Meadow
3x Vivid Marsh
Creatures x 12
4x Mulldrifter
4x Kitchen Finks
2x Cloudthresher
2x Archon of Justice
4x Cryptic Command
3x Wrath of God
2x Condemn
3x Esper Charm
3x Bant Charm
2x Makeshift Mannequin
2x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
2x Cruel Ultimatum
2x Firespout
4x Negate
1x Firespout
4x Jund Charm
1x Cloudthresher
1x Oona, Queen of the Fae
2x Condemn
2x Jace Beleren
When I'm more awake (and if anybody cares), I can give a detailed rundown of my matches...I went 3-1, cut to top 4 (due to low turnout) and placed 2nd overall...
Hardest matchup for me was RDW...which was the semifinalist I played. The deck I lost to in finals caught me off guard...I thought it was the Planeswalker deck after game 1 (with a heavier aggro base), and then g2 he got a turn 3 Realm Razer to answer my finks thanks to his Bloom Tender...I meant to switch the Negates for BA's before the tourney, but I had to rush over after work, so I didn't get the chance to stop home and grab my set...
W has 3: Ajani Goldmane, Ajani Vengeant, and Elspeth, Knight-Errant.
U has 2: Jace Beleren and Tezzeret the Seeker.
B has 1: Liliana Vess.
R has 3: Chandra Nalaar, Ajani Vengeant, and Sarkhan Vol.
G has 2: Garruk Wildspeaker and Sarkhan Vol.
If Nissa Revane is a Planeswalker and Nicol Bolas is a Planeswalker, each color will be represented equally by the end of this block...
Someone who knows more about R&D's habits might be able to confirm my suspicion that Wizards likes to balance these things...
...on a side note, why is the "Explore" piece for today labeled "Rhys' Reunion"?...I seem to remember that being one of the titles for Eventides minisite preview articles...is this just an error on the site?
If you're refering to making your Scion into Teneb, and then using his ability to reanimate the real Teneb in your graveyard, it costs 5B, and since Scion is still teneb, the legend rule will blow them both up...not a great play in my book...
Hmmm, I have to disagree, there is plenty still to discuss...If you're basing your opinion that these are the correct card choices for the deck solely on one player's performance in one tournament (ruling out luck, play errors, and all other factors of playing the game beyond deckbuilding), then there must be a more perfect decklist that would have enabled Chapin to take 1st place...
Sarcasm aside, there is no perfect card choice and so there will always be room for more discussion...Chapin took the deck that was originally designed by someone else and made changes to it that would seem to be an improvement...now his ideas for the deck are open to us for improvement, and so the cycle continues...I personally wouldn't want to run as many 1-of's as Chapin did, simply because I prefer consistency to his mild amount of versatility (seeing as he has no way to tutor up the exact card he needs), but after sideboard he can increase his count on a couple of those 1-of's...though I have to ask, why only 1 Teferi's Moat? I love it as sideboard tech and can't imagine having to draw into your one enchantment that auto win's against so many aggro decks...
4x Reflecting Pool
4x Vivid Grove
4x Vivid Creek
3x Flooded Grove
3x Sunken Ruins
2x Yavimaya Coast
2x Twilight Mire
2x Dreadship Reef
I have yet to have any mana issues with it...
Just a thought, but, I'm pretty comfortable with using a "delaying play" if it is the "saving play" for my opponent's "winning play", and I can occasionally achieve this with only one of CC's two modes...oh, and Firespout turn 3-4 isn't a winning play either, if you have no winning plays ready to follow it soon...
4x Twilight Mire
4x Graven Cairns
4x Fire-Lit Thicket
4x Sulfurous Springs
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4x Forest
3x Swamp
4x Kitchen Finks
3x Quillspike
3x Nantuko Husk
4x Murderous Redcap
2x Heartmender
3x Puppeteer Clique
3x Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper
2x Greater Gargadon
4x Firespout
3x Grave Pact
3x Harmonize
2x Pyrrhic Revival
No s/b yet, but I like the idea of Sek'Kaur in this deck, making all of your persist creatures into 4 creature sacs instead of two, and just being synergistic with the deck in general...